August 21, 2013
REACHING OUT TO THE
POOR AND NEEDY
Why are we so concerned with reaching out to the poor and needy? The easiest answer is because God is concerned and wants us to be, too! The Bible speaks volumes about helping the poor, sometimes commanding it!
Perhaps Jesus said it best in the “Sermon on the Mount” when he said, “Let your light so shine among men that they may see your GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
So it is not our resume, or achievements, or personality, or wonderful way of talking that always causes our light to shine so that men will glorify God. It is our good works! In the Bible, good works are helping the poor, the afflicted, the oppressed and the brokenhearted. When we are seen doing these things, we are respected and impactful.
If people also see that we are Christians, that gives them a better attitude toward Christianity. It may even help them give glory to God.
The hope then is that these people are now more likely to be open to the gospel, and to accepting Christ when they are. Good works alone can never substitute for hearing the gospel. But they may get a hearing for it.
So join us this Saturday, August 24, as we reach out to our neighbors with our annual clothing and school supplies giveaway and barbeque from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Please note the change of time from the announcement last Sunday.) We want ALL members to be there to serve the people and get to know them and make this a special day for our neighborhood.
– Pannell
The following is a parody (slightly edited to fit in this bulletin) written by Michael F. Bird concerning the use of technology in the Church. The letter pretends to be a minister writing a bishop in the 3rd century AD.
To Bishop Callistus, my Father in the faith, bishop of Rome, appointed by God, and heir to Blessed Peter. Grace and peace to you O holy prince of the church.
I know this is the fortieth letter I’ve written to you this week about fixing the state of affairs in the Roman church as I know you cherish my advice. But in addition to my concerns about the introduction of chanting in churches, I feel I need to raise another issue with you most excellent Callistus. For I know that you too are concerned with the simplicity of our common worship. I bring before your eminence the recent trend of Presbyters in Rome using codices rather than scrolls in our services of worship, even during the sacred Eucharist.
To clarify, I am not against presbyters using a codex in the pulpit for, say, sermon notes. They make rather good note books after all. Rather, I’m concerned about replacing the physical scroll with a codex in the pulpit. As the pastor enters the pulpit to bring the Word of God to the people of God, no sacred scroll is to be found in his hand, gracing the top of the podium, visible to the entire congregation is the media at the center of attention. Instead, the congregation sees a codex. While this may seem harmless enough, I believe there are several potential dangers this subtle shift generates.
First, the codex as a replacement for a scroll sends an entirely different message to the congregation. Yes, this codex contains the written text of the Bible, but visually that codex represents so much more. It is an icon of pagan literary culture and is even used for pagan novels. Ask my children. The sight of a codex screams instant access to the story of Xenophon’s Ephesian Tale or even the anonymous Life of Aesop. In contrast, how simple, and yet profound, is a scroll, written on fine papyrus or parchment, only one page exposed at a time. Carried by Pastor Stevius into the pulpit, this large, even cumbersome scroll, reveals he is ready to bring to the people a message from God himself. In short, a sacred scroll in the pulpit represents something far more focused and deliberate: a visible symbol of God speaking to his people, the master Shepherd feeding his flock.
Second, the codex also moves us away from the Jewish heritage of our faith. We know that our Jewish friends, though blinded by a satanic lie so that they cannot see the light of Christ, still use the scroll on every Sabbath for the reading of the Law. No doubt our Lord Jesus and our blessed Apostles Peter and Paul themselves also used the scroll when they preached the Word in the Synagogues of Rome. If we are to keep with the traditions of the apostles, then, just as they did, so too must we use the scrolls for the reading and preaching of the Holy Word.
No doubt, my warning touches an uncomfortable and irritable nerve. To insult our use of technology is one of the seven deadly sins in the third century. Technology infiltrates and saturates everything we do, and therefore defines everything we are, for better or worse. But is this subtle shift changing the way we read the Scriptures? Is it ever-so-quietly removing the visual centerpiece of the local assembly? I think so. And while I never imagined I would have to say this, I close with the following admonition: Dear presbyter, bring your scroll to church.
Grace and peace, Maximus
Emigrant Lake Encampment -- We will have our fourth annual worship encampment at Emigrant Lake, on Sunday, August 25, at 10:00 a.m. We have reserved Picnic Area C. Entry fee is $4.00 per vehicle.
*If you need a ride please let the office know.*
Please bring your lawn chairs, games, and a potluck dish to share. We will provide the hamburgers and hotdogs but ask that you bring the side dishes. There is a sign up sheet at the back of the auditorium for the side dishes. We also need to know how many people are coming, so please turn in your sign up sheet from the brochure or call the church office to let us know how many people are coming (include any friends or family) with you.
*Services at the building will begin at 10:15 a.m. for those not going to the Worship Encampment. We will NOT have Bible Class or Nursery Care that morning.
Prime Timers and your guests are invited to a potluck luncheon in the Fireside Room at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28. We will have a fun afternoon of games following the luncheon. Please bring a lunch dish to share and your dominoes if you have any. Contact Joan Tisdel if you need more information.
New Classes & Life Groups
Sunday, September 1, is Promotion Sunday for our Sunday School classes. Some of our children will be moving to new classrooms on that date.
We will also begin new Adult Classes on September 1.
Auditorium Class: Synoptic Gospels; taught by Grant Newton
Fireside Room: Idolatry; taught by Terry Christopher
East Room- Ladies Class: Study on the book of James; taught by Denise Beeks
Young Mens Class: taught by Don Walker
The Life Group that meets at the building will start meeting on Sunday, September 1, at 6:00 p.m. If you would like to host a Life Group, please contact Dan Beeks or Brad Olson.
Coffee Servers Are Needed for the months of September and December. If you can help during one of these months, please sign up on the list posted in the hallway by the stairs. Thank you for all of your help.
Prayer Requests . . . Sara Cade requests your prayers for a long-time friend, Don Hackett, who has pancreatic cancer - please pray for his healing...For our fellow brothers and sisters in Egypt and all the people there...For safe travel for Kathy York as she goes to visit family...For the family of Laurie Bigham who will soon see the face of her Savior - please pray for friends and family...Paige Dixon’s cat and dog died and she wants to get the best dog for her...Rick Dauphin requests prayers for Maddi who is to have a triple bypass aorta surgery...For Dave Simerly who recently moved back to Medford. He wants to get closer to the Lord and to be in the company of like-minded Christians...For David Mayes to be a more Christlike example and for Cora to influence her friends and mother...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
Calendar of Events
August 24: Clothing and School Supplies Giveaway, CIA BBQ;
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
August 25: Emigrant Lake Encampment; 10:00 a.m.; Area C;
Entry fee- $4.00 per Vehicle
August 28: Prime Timers Potluck Luncheon and Games; 11:30 a.m.; FSR
September 1: Promotion Sunday; New Classes Begin
October 4-6: Women’s Retreat
