The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1472429
CHURCH A house divided On June 16, 1858, Abraham Lin- coln gave his famous 'House Divid- ed' speech. He said: 'If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slav- er y agitation. Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed." "A house divided against itself can- not stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free." Substitute the word "abortion" for slaver y and you define the right-to- life/pro-choice battle. On June 25th 2022 headlines screamed: Babies Celebrate Pro-Life Decision: Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade. Missouri Makes Abor- tion Illegal Within The Hour. Presi- dent Joe Biden, who claims to be a devout Catholic, said, "It's a sad day for the court and the countr y." Pope Francis likens abortion to hiring a hit man. America is clearly a house divided. After months of holding our collec- tive breath, the US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe V Wade rul- ing, making abortion a constitution- al right. Earlier in the year, a draft ruling was leaked showing the court would overturn Roe V Wade. Six su- preme court justices withstood the social, political, and media pressure, including threats of violence against their persons and stood their ground. It is a momentar y victor y over Satan, but he is not going away. Our political leaders remained si- lent as the lives of court justices were threatened. Not a word of condemna- tion from the president Biden or the speaker of the house Pelosi. The New York Times in their Sun- day Op-ed wrote, "How to Discipline a Rogue Supreme Court." In reading the article, it is obvious the Times writer has little understanding of the Constitutional checks and balances of the three branches of government. The liberal left despises the Con- stitution and is determined to re- make America in their image. An im- age devoid of God, lacking common decency, while promoting turpitude. The same tactics the communists used to overthrow Czarist Russia in 1917 are being used to ferment so- cial upheaval and unrest in America. Their strategies are to humiliate, os- tracize, vilify, and physically confront anyone not allied with them. They riot knowing local officials will not inter vene. Ferguson, Seattle, Portland, and Minneapolis are exam- ples. Pro-life centers are being told to expect protesters and possible may- hem and violence.Pro-life politicians are being threatened. Corporations are being urged not to do business in states that prohibit abortion. Adver- tisers are being pressed not to spon- sor sporting events in pro-life states. Pro-life Churches are being advised to keep their buildings secured when not in use and to heighten security. Pro-life Christians are in danger as well. What are we to make of this? Satan's work is simple to spot be- South Gibson Church Services Points to Ponder By Curtis Bond Willful blindness" is a term which has, recently, been turning up from time to time in various news articles. "Willful blindness" is a term in law used to describe"a situation in which a person seeks to avoid civil or criminal liability for a wrongful act by intentionally keeping themselves unaware of facts that would render them liable or implicated Well, I have a habit of mind that tends to send me searching through the Scriptures for events that parallel contemporar y occurrences. It could be of help to know how other folk have handled similar situ- ations. Given that human nature has not changed in the millenniums since the original disobedience in Eden, it is not difficult to locate episodes that bear a close resemblance. Consider, for instance, that day in the seventh centur y B. C. when the prophet Isaiah paid a call on the king of Judah, to warn him concerning coming days, when all the treasures of a conquered Jerusalem would be carried away to Babylon, and more, "Some of your own sons ... shall be taken away; and they shall be eu- nuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." To which, King Hezekiah respond- ed, "The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good." In view of what that word had been, how could he say that?" "For he thought," the text contin- ues," 'There will be peace and securi- ty in my days.' "(So how's that working out for you, Mr. Chamberlain?) This text does tell us directly about Hezekiah's state of mind. With other Biblical worthies, we may need to do some assessing and attributing. Esau, for instance, had agreed to the deal, that day when he came in from an unsuccessful hunting trip to find his brother boiling up a nice pot of lentil stew. In his extreme hunger, Esau swapped his birthright for it. To Jacob's credit, we must note that he threw in some bread as boot. But in spite of all that, when it came time for Isaac to bestow the birthright blessing, Esau came trot- ting right up, planning to take that which he had traded away, rather willfully refusing to look at the reality of the situation. Or what shall we say of Judas? Did he really have no inkling of what would happen after he had taken in hand that bag heavy with the thirty silver pieces, and agreed with the Jewish authorities to deliver Jesus into their hands? What did he expect that those desperate men would do– merely administer a stern warning and a slap on the wrist? What does it mean that, having seen the results of his action, he first attempted to return the silver, and, having failed to reverse the chain of events which he had set in train, went out and hanged himself? It is hard to be certain concerning the motives of others, even those presently living around us, although their past words and actions do pro- vide strong clues. We should, however, be able to know when, in the immortal words of Professor Harold Hill, we are the ones "simply closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowl- edge." In the time of Amos, the people of Israel who should have been pro- viding good civic leadership were doing a fine job of closing/averting/ blinding their eyes to what was going on around them. The poor were being trampled and oppressed, the needy crushed, the righteous afflicted, and the speak- ers of truth abhorred, while those in charge feasted on veal cutlets and lamb chops, drank wine by the bowl- full, and anointed themselves with the finest oils, but "were not grieved over the ruin of Joseph." And if this advice of Amos fails to persuade us to notice and to grieve, perhaps we should consider the ex- ample of Jesus, who did not protect himself against the awareness of con- temporar y events. When some came to tell him "of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices," he cited another recent occurrence, that of "those eighteen people upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them." Well, but. Suppose that they are willing to be grieved, willing to be aware, willing to be concerned, will- ing to be sympathetic–many people seem to feel that, "I still can't do any- thing about it! Reflections From the Page By Cleoramae G. Stunkel BUCKSKIN ST. JOHN'S CHURCH OF BUCKSKIN 8260 E. 900 S., Buckskin Sunday school 9 a.m.; Worship ser vice 10:15 a.m. CYNTHIANA FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Corner of North and Walnut Sunday worship ser vice 9 a.m. FAIR HAVEN CHRIST FELLOWSHIP Church Street, Cynthiana Mike Douglas, Pastor Phone: 812-724-4735 Sunday morning worship 10 a.m.; Wednesday evening 7 p.m. FORT BRANCH BETHLEHEM GENER AL BAPTIST CHURCH 3208 W 525 S, Fort Branch (CR 325 W off of Hwy. 168) Steve Wilson, Pastor Bible study 9 a.m. Sunday worship 10 a.m. FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 601 S. Lincoln, Fort Branch Pastor Br yan Holzappel Sunday school 9:30 a.m. Morning worship 10:30 a.m. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 212 West Locust, Fort Branch Pastor Corey Atkins Phone: 812-753-4623 Sunday school 9 a.m.; Worship ser vice 10 a.m. (Communion first Sunday); Second Cup of Coffee (la- dies' group) all ladies welcome, sec- ond Wednesday, 9 a.m. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF FORT BR ANCH 100 W. Vine St., Fort Branch Rev. John Baylor, Jr., Pastor 812-753-4424 Sunday School 9:30 a.m.; Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., nurser y pro- vided for preschool age and under. Youth Groups for grades 4-12 meet at 6 p.m. on Sunday evenings, Sept. through May. Details on the church website www.fbfirst.org. HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH 200 S. Church St., Fort Branch Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 4:30 p.m.; Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m. PROVIDENCE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH CR 550 S., NE of Fort Branch Mitch Breidenbaugh, Pastor Sunday school for children and adults at 10:30 a.m.; worship 11 a.m.; For information, call 812-753-3386. ST. LUCAS UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 6777 S. 350 East, Fort Branch Pastor John Heumann Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; Sunday worship 10:30 a.m. ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH SNAKE RUN 5342 E. SR 168 (East of Fort Branch) 812-753-4568 Fr. Gary Kaiser, Pastor Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m. ST. PAUL'S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 4222 E. SR 168, Fort Branch Pastor John Heumann Sunday worship 9 a.m.; Sunday school 10:15 a.m. VERTICAL CHURCH Coal Mine Rd., Fort Branch Rich Clark, Pastor Sunday morning worship ser vices 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Vertical Kids chil- dren's ministr y available during both ser vices for children from birth to fifth grade. Ignite Ministr y is 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays for students in sixth-eighth grades. WESLEYAN CHURCH 202 E. Vine St., Fort Branch Sunday school from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; Sunday worship, 10:30 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday evening adult Bible study, 6:30 p.m., GIG (Growing in God) Club for ages 5 to 11 (available while school is in session), Teen Group for ages 12 and up. For more information call the church at 812- 677-5007. HAUBSTADT NEW LIBERTY CHRISTIAN CHURCH Hwy. 68 between Cynthiana and Haubstadt Gordon Jones, Pastor Services Sunday 10:30 a.m. New Life House of Prayer 208 West Street, Haubstadt Adam and Lindsay Ping Phone: 812-215-9003 Sunday morning ser vice 10 a.m.; Children's Sunday school during ser vice; Food Pantr y open first and third Wednesdays of the month from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Ever yone welcome! IMMANUEL LUTHER AN CHURCH (LCMS) 1-1/2 miles south of I-64 and U.S. 41, Volkman Rd. Rev. Kirk Horstmeyer Saturday evening ser vices 5:30 p.m.; Sunday worship ser vices 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.; Sunday school 9:10 a.m. ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH Old Princeton Rd., Haubstadt Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 5 p.m.; Sunday Masses 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. STS. PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH 201 Vine St., Haubstadt Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 5 p.m.; Sunday Masses 7 and 10 a.m. ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Second and Elm St., Elberfeld Rev. Paul Fraser Sunday school 9 a.m.; worship ser- vice 10 a.m. LYNNVILLE BARNET T CHAPEL Stanley Road, Lynnville Don Williams, Pastor Sunday school 9 a.m.; worship ser vice 10 a.m.; Sunday evening wor- Two Minutes With the Bible By Pastor Cornelius R. Stam The purpose of the law How little most people know about the Law, the Ten Commandments! First, most people have a hazy idea that the Law was given to Adam; that it existed as long as the histor y of man. This, of course, is wrong, for in John 1:17 we read: "The law was given by Moses." Moses lived some 2,500 years after Adam, about 1,500 years before Christ. So for about 2,500 years mankind lived without the Ten Commandments. Second, most people suppose that the Law was given to mankind in general, while the fact is that it was given to Israel alone. It was a covenant made between God and Israel. Before giving it God said: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people" (Ex. 19:5). This is not to say that the Law does not affect all men, for, as the divine standard of righteousness it affects us all. Third, most people think that the Law was given to help us to be good. Even some clergymen teach this, though the Bible itself states again and again that the Law was given to show us that we are guilty sinners and need a Savior. Note the follow- ing Scripture passages. Rom. 3:19: "Now we know that what things soever the law sath, it saith to them that are under the law, that ever y mouth may be stopped and all the world may be brought in guilty before God." Rom. 3:20: "By the law is the knowledge of sin." Gal. 3:19: "Wherefore then ser- veth the law? It was added because of transgressions…." Thus the Law can only condemn the sinner. But thank God, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is ever y one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3:13). Insight By Dave Ingler Somewhere today a mother… "…thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fear fully and wonder fully made: mar velous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in se- cret, and curiously wrought in the lowest par ts of the ear th. Psalms 139: 13-15. Somewhere today, a mother looked helplessly upon her child as it died from star vation while being comfor ted in her arms. She was powerless to assist or bring re- lief to the one that had come from within her. How her spirit and zeal for life must be broken. How the pain within her must stretch the bound- aries that the human hear t is able to bear. Oh, the price she would South Gibson Star-Times Tuesday, July 5, 2022 D-3 See POINTS on page 4 See INSIGHT on page 4 See REFLECTION on page 4