West Main

 

 

HISTORY'S  MANY  ROADS

 

 

World history pictures the many parades led by men who persuaded others to follow them. Karl Marx had dreams of a classless society that he thought would result from overthrow and struggle like that in the animal world, where the fittest government would survive. At the end of that road was a nation governed by Stalin where the few were “more equal” than the many. The death of some twenty million Russians under Stalin, in pursuit of such a state, did not produce the Utopia Marx had hoped for.

 

 

Other men, like Napoleon or Alexander the Great, built empires based on the raw power of an individual. Although brutish in behavior, these men displayed brilliance in organization and administration. In the end, all of the bloodshed they caused was for nothing, with the final collapse of their command.

 

 

Capitalism, coupled with freedom and democracy, has been the guiding star for our nation. We have felt so good about this system that we have tried to export it to other peoples. Along the way we have seen the weaknesses of this course as well. Freedom is dangerous when people lose their moral anchor and only act out of self interest. Raw capitalism has demonstrated that it can produce sophisticated crooks. America is presently writing a page of history where our ideas are being put to the test.

 

 

History, then, displays a panorama of ideas and ambitions that men have followed, sometimes in search of the ideal, but more often out of the ugliness of selfish goals. In each case, time has allowed the consequence of each movement to be revealed.

 

 

It does not surprise me that our Lord could put truth into small, powerful packages of words. He said that men, like plants, are known by their fruit. Such a test is a shortcut way of seeing through falsity. As people live out of what they believe, their guiding philosophies are seen for what they are. And history has given us a grandstand seat to see the fruit of it all.

 

 

The emptiness of the ideas that have been pursued to their consequences is reason enough to look beyond human invention for guidance. However, aversion to other directions men have traveled falls short in motivating me to take my stand with Christ.

 

 

What, then, did Jesus teach? What fruit has it borne? Never mind the many aberrations and warped versions of Christianity that also can be seen in history, past and present. Jesus and his apostles predicted that the counterfeit would always be with us. And yet the genuine still stands. It shines out of the pages of the words they left with us.

 

 

Jesus’ teaching is designed to change the many by changing the individual. One songwriter, in penning the words of “Thou Art the Way,” has summed up the words of the Lord as instructing the mind while purifying our hearts at the same time. That is a big order! And along the way we learn the answer to man’s great question. What is at the end of the road of life we now travel? I cherish that answer most of all.

 

– James Gibbs

 

 

 

College Boxes . . . .   We are starting to assemble the college boxes for our eight students.  We need all items brought to the church by November 23rd.  If you are unable to shop for items, we also need cash for mailing fees or to shop for the items.  Please contact Denise Beeks for more information. 

Prime Timers Thanksgiving Potluck  --  All Prime Timers are invited to join us for a Thanksgiving Potluck Lunch in the Fireside Room on November 20th at noon.  Our theme is Ephesians 5:20, “Give Thanks Always for All Things In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Each person is asked to prepare and share a “special thanks.”  Please bring lots of your favorite dish to share and come join us for a great time of fellowship and fun! 

 

 

Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at the building on Thursday, November 27, at 2:00 p.m.  Contact person is Laura Drew.  Everyone is invited to attend.

 

 

RRMC Blanket Baskets  -- This year Hudson Thomas will be making Blanket Baskets for the Rogue Regional Medical Center Pediatrics Ward for his Senior Project.  The help of the congregation to complete these baskets will be needed and appreciated.  More info to follow on Sunday.

 

Calling All Performers ! ! !   A Winter Wonderland is the title of our Talent Christmas Program.  If you are interested in performing or helping in any way,  the sign up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the courtyard.   This year’s program will take place on Saturday, December 20. Contact person is Meagan Delgado.

 

 

Audio-Visual Help Needed  --  If you would like to learn how to assist in the audio-visual department for our Sunday services, please contact Dan Beeks or Darren Dixon. 

 

 

Nursery Help Needed  --  If you can help in the nursery for 2015, please contact Diane Liles this Sunday.  She needs three months of calendar dates filled for 2015.  Thank you for all your help.

 

 

Coffee Servers are needed for the month of December.  Please sign up on the sheet posted in the hallway by the stairs.  Thank you for all of your help.

 

 

Prayer Requests . . . Chaley Johnson is home and getting better each day.  Thank you for your prayers and concern ...Lorraine Ball’s Uncle Erman passed away on Wednesday.  Please pray for comfort for her Aunt Clara...The Liles family asks prayers for Emy Park and her family.  Emy has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  Her husband, Bill, is the minister at Woodburn...Patsy Brophy asks prayers for Richard who is having back problems and is in a lot of pain...Bob Stapp asks prayers for his cousin’s daughter, Lauren.  She is 22 and is having heart failure following the birth of her daughter.  She is in serious but stable condition in Kentucky...Sharon Englert and Alix Spodnik have not been well...For Jenny Way to have a clear mind and an able body this week; Jenny & Gloria ask prayers for the Kessler family who have lost their son, Michael, very suddenly from a brain injury...Kathy York has a friend who is making some very bad choices.  Pray that he will make good choices instead and that God will pierce his heart and that he will turn to God for help...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.






A Big Thank You  to the 5th and 6th Grade Bible Busters for the wonderful lunch they provided last Sunday.  Also, thank you to all of the parent helpers who assisted them.  Lastly, thank you for your generous donations - they were able to raise enough money for their field trip!




Calendar of Events

November 27: Thanksgiving Dinner; 2:00 p.m.

Refresh & Renewal Coming in January