I have been a pastor and preacher for
the past 24 years and during that time, I have preached over a thousand
sermons. Now, while that seems like a
lot, I suspect that most people hearing these sermons
remember very few of them. But I continue to preach them just the same, even though I know
they will probably not be remembered. I
must admit that thought can be frustrating for a preacher, but this little
story that I am about to share with you puts it all in perspective, at least
for me, and I hope for you as well.
A person who attends church wrote a letter to the editor of
a local newspaper complaining that it made no sense to him to attend church
every Sunday. He said, “I’ve gone to
church for 30 years now, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000
sermons. But
for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I am wasting my time and the
pastors are wasting their time by giving sermons at all.”
This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the
Editor” column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this
clincher:
“I have been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife
has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for
a single one of those meals. But I do know this…they all nourished me and gave me the
strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically
dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone
to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”
I suspect that this man had the
right idea about sermons and about going to church. I think he reminds
us that when we are down to nothing, God is up to something! His response reminds us that faith sees the
invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible, whether we
remember every word of a sermon or not.
So the next time you attend church on Sunday and for the
life of you, you can’t remember the sermon the next
day, stop and give thanks to God for providing both your physical and spiritual
nourishment anyway!
Blessings to you in October,
Wanda
Teaching the
Word...
OCTOBER LECTIONARY TEXTS
Here are the
Lectionary texts for the month of October.
Rev. Mello’s preaching texts are in Bold print. You are invited to
read the texts ahead of each Sunday service as you prepare to hear God’s
word.
October 5, 2008
(World Communion)
Psalm 80:7-14
WORSHIP
READERS NEEDED…
We are in need of our worship readers for the months of November and December. If you are interested in serving as a worship reader please sign up on the sheets in the Social Hall or speak to Rev. Mello. May you be blessed as you read God’s word in worship.
WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY
You are invited to attend our
weekly Bible Study on Friday mornings at
9:30 AM. At these studies we
take a look at the scriptures for our Sunday worship service and ponder their
deeper meanings for our lives. Everyone is invited to attend.
WORLD COMMUNION
SUNDAY & OGHS OFFERING
October 5 marks
this year’s World Communion Sunday. We
will join all Christian congregations around the world in celebrating around
the table of the Lord. We will also be
collecting our One Great Hour of Sharing offering on that day. This is our annual mission offering for those
in need around the world.
CONFIRMATION CLASS BEGINS
Confirmation class for 8th graders will be held on the third Saturdays of each month (skipping December) until Pentecost next May. We will begin our class on Saturday, October 18 at 9:30 AM.
Touching the World...
Any or all of
the items on the list that follows will be welcome additions to our food
pantry. Your gifts to replenish the food
pantry are greatly appreciated. Please remember, if you can’t
get out to purchase any of the things on the list, cash donations are also
accepted so that the necessary items may be purchased. Please DO NOT bring
PREVIOUSLY OPENED SPICES OR FOOD ITEMS!
We cannot give those out to people as we don’t
know their safety.
Thanks!
Rice
Canned Meat
Canned Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti Sauce
Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinners
You are invited to give a gift for mission to our Assistance
Fund. We have been utilizing the money from
this fund to help several people with their rent in the past few weeks; and we
have used some to purchase food vouchers from the Ranch Market for people in
need. Thanks so much for your continued
support of this fund! Your gifts to this
fund do indeed help those in our community who are in need!
SPECIAL NEEDS
FOR JOEZER HOME
We have received word that there are some special needs for
the Joezer Home for pregnant teens. At the moment there
is a great need for all kinds of cleaning products. This includes window cleaners, floor
cleaners, bathroom cleaners, etc. If you
would like to donate some new, unopened cleaners, please place them in the big
box in the Narthex.
Also the girls must have at least 10
servings of fruit daily, so there is a great need for fruit of all kinds. If you wish to donate fruit, please speak to
Kathy Brand.
Monetary gifts are always appreciated
if you do not wish to shop for fruit or cleaning products. Please mark any checks, “Joezer
Home”. Thanks!
Our next monthly Church Cabinet meeting will be on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the lounge. All Cabinet members are urged to attend.
FALL NORTHERN ASSOCIATION MEETING
The Fall meeting of the Northern
Association of the UCC will be held in
Holiday
Luncheon and Bazaar tickets are available from members of the Women’s
Fellowship for the event that will be held on
Saturday, November 1, 2008. Luncheon
tickets are $8.00 each.
Tickets
are also available for the raffle items.
This year a hand made Christmas tree skirt and Christmas table runner
are the raffle items.
REMEMBER YOU CAN FIND ALL OF
OUR NEWS ON OUR WEBSITE: www.arvinucc.org
Check it out!
Church Family
News…
As our world remains in a time of war, we ask that you
continue to remember in your prayers all of our young people serving our
country all over the world. Especially
pray for Jason Brand, John & David Phillips, Isaac Philips, and Tracey
Farris.
Please keep our homebound, and
nursing home members in your thoughts and prayers. They are Mildred Holbert
in the nursing home; and Lucille Barkley at home.
THANKS A MILLION!
Wanda and Rodger would
like to thank everyone who kept them in prayer and gave words of support to
them as they went through the last two and a half years of trial to keep
Rodger’s job. We received word on
September 3 that we won the case resoundingly!
Now we must wait to see if the school district will appeal the
decision. They have sixty days to decide
if they will appeal or not. If they do
not appeal, Rodger will be reinstated as a third grade
teacher. Please keep praying for
us! Prayer does make a difference!
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations and
best wishes are extended to Erica Hallum
and Gabriel Leyba who were married on September 13,
2008. Erica is the daughter of Steve and
Susan Hallum.
We wish them many happy years of married life!
SPEAKING
OF WIVES…
Here is a few biblical
ways to find and get a wife.
1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home,
shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she is yours. (Deuteronomy 21:11-13)
2. Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3)
3. Find a man with seven daughters and impress him by
watering his flock – Moses (Exodus 2:16-21)
4. Purchase a piece of property and get a woman as part
of the deal – Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)
5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one
and carry her off to be your wife –Benjaminites
(Judges 21:19-25)
6. Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you! –Adam (Genesis
2:19-24)
7. Become an emperor of a large nation and hold a beauty
contest. (Esther 2:3-4)
8. When you see a woman you like, go home and tell your
parents, “I have seen a woman; now get her for me.” If your parents question your decision,
simply say, “Get her for me. She is the
one for me.” –Samson (Judges 14:1-3)
9. Kill any husband and take his wife. Prepare to lose 4 sons though! – David (2
Samuel 11)
10. Don’t be so picky.
Make up for quality with quantity! –Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)
11. A wife? NOT! – Paul
(1 Corinthians 7:32-35)