West Main

In today’s world it is easy to come up with reasons to not go to church. There are many and we are busy. It is discouraging. Everywhere we turn are books and articles about WHY people are leaving the church. But personally, I still believe in the importance of church. Yesterday I found this great article that shares WHY church is still important:

– Pannell

1. Shared spiritual practices enhance spiritual connection.

As humans, we thrive on connection and shared experiences. Certainly, we can—and should—have spiritual experiences outside of the church, but there is a kind of spiritual connection that comes only from a shared spiritual practice. Just like cheering for your favorite sports team in a stadium packed with 80,000 other fans is vastly different than watching the game on television in your living room, spiritual connection is vastly different when experienced with other members of a spiritual community. In the same way that listening to a favorite band play live in concert enhances the musical experience, so too does religious community enhance the spiritual experience. In church, standing shoulder to shoulder with other human beings in reverence and awe as we hold hands and sing and pray, as we lock eyes and shake hands, sharing in all of these spiritual practices together, enhances our spiritual connection in a way that individual spiritual practices alone could not do.

2. Church provides a safe and mature environment for spiritual and religious education.

As children, we were continually learning. Like little sponges, we absorbed information from any and all sources. Yet, as adults, we allow our “life” education—including our faith development and spiritual awareness—to fade.

We socialize with those who share the same opinions as us and are often unwilling to consider the viewpoints of others. We turn a blind eye or make assumptions about faiths and cultures different than our own. And we neglect to discover—and nurture—our own personal and authentic faith.

A good church should stimulate and encourage faith development and religious education that extend beyond one’s own faith to include the faiths of others.

Not only is my awareness about my own faith bolstered by my experiences at church, but so is my awareness and understanding of a number of other faiths and belief systems. Without the safety and security that a mature church community provides, many Americans remain in the dark about other faiths, cultures and beliefs. Church can provide a safe and responsible way to deepen one’s own faith development, as well as facilitate an awareness and respect for others.

3. Church reinforces social and civic accountability.

The shared spiritual connection created in religious community makes it nearly impossible to ignore our shared human connection. By attending a church that supports causes that are in line with our values, social and civic accountability are bolstered.

4. Church provides a spiritual framework for our kids.

It is certainly possible to educate children about faith and spirituality outside the church environment, but children learn much more by what we do than what we say. By attending church together as a family, we are showing our children that spiritual community and faith are important values to our family. We are demonstrating that faith development is a lifelong journey.

As a family, we are creating intentional time for gratitude, reverence and introspection in a way that we are often incapable of adequately doing in our secular lives as we race to and from school, work and any number of other activities each week. And we are giving them the tools to talk about difficult concepts like religion, faith and God in an open, productive and nonjudgmental way so they are equipped to embark on their own faith journey and, in time, come to their own religious conclusions and beliefs.

5. Spiritual community feeds our soul.

College Boxes  -- The time is here once again to put together boxes for some of our young adults away at college. If you would like to help fill the boxes you may pick up a list in the foyer and return the items to the building by this Sunday, November 3. You may also give cash donations to help with the cost of shipping which is about $16.00 per box. Please see or call Denise Beeks if you need more information.

Holiness Night of Poetry  -- You are invited to come join us for our first ever poetry slam on Sunday evening, November 10, at 6:00 p.m. We encourage everyone of every age (especially the teens) to enter. We ask that your poem is original and about “holiness.” For more information contact Brian Pannell.

Budget Requests  --  ALL DEACONS are asked to turn in their budget requests for 2014 to Ron Zielke by Sunday, November 10^th. If you need to know what your ministry has spent in 2013, please contact Ron or the church office.  

September Financial Statement

INCOME:

EXPENSES:

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NOVEMBER SERVERS

Coffee Servers: Help Needed

Nursery: Nov 3: Stacey Robbins; Chyane Barrett

Nov 10: Melodie Bailey; Haley Miller

Nov 17: N/A

Nov 24: Stacey Robbins; Kayla Olson

Greeters: Bud & Melanie Rennels; Bob & Lee Stapp

Children’s Worship Servers:

Wyndee Thomas; Jennielle Denn

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OCTOBER ATTENDANCE

1^st Sunday      223

2^nd Sunday     204

3^rd Sunday      N/A

4^th Sunday      227

Calendar of Events

Nov 2: Set your clocks back one hour before going to bed.

Nov 10: Meeting for Christmas Program; front of auditorium after a.m. services.

Poetry Slam: 6:00 p.m.