The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/226101
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 C-1 Church notes Opinion Letters to the editor Files OUT of the past 'Old Fashioned Christmas' at Gentle Shepherd Church Gentle Shepherd Church of God, located at 8350 East 350 North (just west of Oatsville on the Oatsville/ Wheeling road) in Gibson County, will present An Old Fashioned Christmas featuring a cast of children and youth under the direction of Dusty Brittingham on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. CDT. The public is invited. Worship service Saturday at Ark of Safety Ministries Starting at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, Ark of Safety Ministries will be hosting the anointed ministry of Tim and Dawn Clark, of Car- led by Trenda Stouse. lisle. Come expecting to reArk of Safety Ministeries ceive the Holy Spirit, teach- is located at 97 N. Monty Rd., ing of the Word and worship Vincennes, 812-726-4520. Wheeling U.M. special service featuring Tom Stiles Tom and Susan Stiles, missionaries for One Mission Society based in Ecuador, will be speaking at Wheeling United Methodist December 15 at 10 a.m. CST. Tom is the son of former Wheeling UMC Pastor Tommy Stiles, and his wife, Katherine, who have served OMS for more than 25 years. Their story and the work they have done in God's name is fascinating. Tom grew up in Indi- ana and served three Methodist churches in Southern Indiana before joining OMS. There will be a carry-in following the 10 a.m. CST service. Everyone is welcome. Gospel Concert this Saturday at the Wesleyan Church Southern Indiana Neigh- the Wesleyan Church, 240 bors Gospel Sing will be Sat- N. Green St., Wheatland. urday Dec. 14 at 6 p.m., at The featured group per- forming will be "Circle of Friends." For information, call 812-257-7992. Huntingburg Holiness Church Sunday morning service and Sunday school 10 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6 p.m.; Wednesday prayer and praise 7 p.m.. Everyone is always welcome. For information or transportation phone 354-4273 for a ride. Brent S. Myers, Pastor curved staffs of the shepherds—the first people to visit the Christ-Child and worship at the manger. And when the cane is turned upside down, it becomes a letter J, for "Jesus." Indeed, Jesus turns our lives upside down and inverts our presumptions: A poor baby born in a stable becomes King of kings and Lord of lords; enemies aren't for hating but loving; blessings aren't for hoarding but sharing; the world works for war, but Jesus calls us to live in peace; receiving is better than giving; sinners are made saints; and death is conquered as God grants us eternal life. Office hours: 9-noon, Monday-Friday. Phone: 3546844. Boyd Heldring, Pastor Amy Melhiser, Secretary be born?'" "Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again'" (John 3: 3-7). Thought: A lot of people are content to just drift PLEASANT RIDGE along. G.B. CHURCH Remember: To be almost Sunday school 9:30 a.m. saved is to be totally lost. and morning worship 10:30 Have a great week. a.m. Everyone is always welDale Frederick, Pastor come. Lois K. Fowler, Reporter We want to thank God for His mercy, love and anUnion Community swered prayer. Continue to Church pray for one another, the un3082 N. CR 850 saved, the prayer list, for all W., Union who are traveling, for the Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; sick and needy, for the ones worship service 10:30 a.m., in hospitals and nursing followed with lunch and Bihomes, for the military and ble study. their families, our President Kevin (Linda) Easton, and his family, and all deci- Pastor sions that are made. Remember to pray for our country main street and our religious freedoms. presbyterian We want to extend our church sympathy to the family of 10th and Main Clifford Dawson, and anyStreets, Petersburg one who has lost a loved one. Sunday school 9:15 a.m.; Seek the Lord while He Sunday worship 10:30 a.m. may be found. It is danger- We have a nursery for chilous to hear the word and re- dren up to the age of seven ject Him. You will want to and we also have a van route know more about Him after in Petersburg to pick anyone you are saved but you can't up. Come visit us, our doors live for the Lord and still live are always open to you. a sinful life. Candy cane origin Where does God fit in? Is The account of the candy He first in your life or just cane's origins circulates evone of the crowd? Know ery Christmas season and is more about Him and grow more likely a fun story than with Him. historical fact. No matter; "Jesus answered and said tales often contain truth. unto him, 'Verily, verily, I This tasty treat can convey say unto thee, except a man important elements of our be born again, he cannot see Christian faith. the kingdom of God.'" The stripes remind us "Nicodemus saith un- of the heart of Christmas, to Him, 'How can a man be our Savior, Jesus: white for born when he is old? Can his purity; red for his blood he enter the second time in- shed on the cross. The to his mother's womb, and candy cane resembles the glezen g.b. church Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; morning worship 10:30 a.m.; Wednesday, Bible study 6:30 p.m. This Sunday during morning worship will be our Christmas program with a Christmas dinner following the program. Remember those on our prayer list, the shut-ins and our lost loved ones. John the Baptist was called by God to tell others about the coming of the Messiah. "And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them" (Luke 3:18). John wanted people to meet the Messiah. We too are to share the message of salvation. Many people still need to hear it, and accept it. It's the greatest Christmas present anyone could receive. Eddie Willis, Pastor Karri Brock, Reporter Continued on page 4 Two Minutes with the Bible by Pastor Ricky Kurth Capitalizing on Confusion Depending on when your monthly Searchlight arrives, the Mayan calendar deadline for the end of the world has either come and gone, or else it is looming in the imminent future. All the hoopla that surrounded this gloomy prediction got me to wondering if there might not be some way that Christians could capitalize on yet another failed non-Biblical prophetic expectation. After all, last year when the Rapture failed to take place on the date designated by a popular radio Bible teacher, God's people were able to take advantage of this by pointing out that, when it comes to the Second Coming of Christ, the Bible says that "of that day and hour knoweth no man" (Matt. 24:36). Those that knew the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming were also able to point out that the date of the former is just as unsearchable in Scripture as that of the latter. Surely there has to be a way to similarly benefit from the failure of the Mayan calendar disaster as well. I wonder if what we are looking for might be found in Isaiah 41:21-24. There, God Almighty thunders forth a challenge to all the false gods of the nations, daring them to "produce your cause," that is, to produce "strong reasons" why anyone should be- lieve they are God. If you are wondering what kind of reasons He had in mind, the Lord went on to say, "let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen… "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods…." This challenge went unanswered in Isaiah's day, of course, for only the God of the Bible knows the future, something He has proved over and over again in Scripture, and something that the failed predictions of others serve to magnify. With all this in mind, why not put together a short mental list of fulfilled Bible prophecies, and mark Isaiah 41 in your Bible? That way when the subject of the Mayan calendar comes up the day after the December 21st deadline (as you know it will!), you can capitalize on the biggest non-story of the year by reminding people that the challenge of Isaiah 41 has still gone unanswered, and that the God of the Bible is still the only God worthy of worship. Let's determine to be ready to offer "a word in season" (Isa. 50:4) to all who are disillusioned by the gods of the nations, and are in desperate need of the God who sent His Son to die for their sins. Religious Viewpoint by Clyde Dupin Discouraged pastors Since I have spent most of my life working with pastors they often call when discouraged. There is a common word used in their vocabulary. The word is "burnout." They often refer to problems in their congregation, personal relationships, family, or just the everyday stress of life. These pastors often start the conversation by saying there is something wrong in their life and ministry. Many pastors are frustrated with the high expectations of their church, the long hours and a lack of appreciation. I sense many of these pastors lack purpose and drive. One pastor said, "I just don't care anymore about being successful in what I do. I am not the person I used to be." This is just another way of saying they are experiencing spiritual burnout. Another older, highly educated pastor called me a few days ago. This is a pastor I have admired and respected. After a long talk he said, "I am disillusioned with the church." Usually these pastors become neglectful in their prayer life and daily study of God's Word. Every pastor must spend time in prayer and Bible study to keep their com- mitment and vision alive. My heart goes out to the thousands of pastors who have lost their love for ministry and people. Spiritual burnout occurs when we become too involved with the details of life and neglect God and try to do ministry without His power. When the heart grows cold the mind runs wild. Big crowds, good salary and marketing plans will never replace the power of the Holy Spirit. We must live in union with Christ and let Him live through us. I have talked with many pastors who have been addicted to Internet porn. Others have developed jealously of the more successful and bitterness against what they call church trouble makers. My advice is to rekindle, refocus and renew your relationship with God. This will cause a new flame to burn in your life and ministry. ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CANTATA Hephzibah-Littles General Baptist Church 743 W. CR. 125 S. PETERSBURG, IN FEATURING SACRED CALLING DECEMBER 14, 2013 @ 6:00 PM SUPPER IN FELLOWSHIP HALL @ 5:00 PM Sacred Calling is a local group that has been called in to the music ministry. The members are Diane Fleetwood, Loretta Busick and Jane Sizemore. Diane plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, bass lead and harmony vocals. Diane has been singing and writing songs over 20 years. For more information about Diane and her songwriting go to www.noahsdovepublishing.com. Diane's family are members of the Springs Valley Wesleyan Church. Loretta plays bass, Native American flute and lead vocals. Loretta is a member of the Indiana Flute Circle. Loretta and Diane are sisters. The Busick's are also members of the Springs Valley Wesleyan Church. Jane plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo lead and harmony vocals. Jane is also a composer and songwriter. She teaches K-4 visual arts and directs an after-school orchestra program at East Washington School Corporation. The Church Page is made possible by the following Firms and Businesses: Amber Manor Care Center Petersburg — 354-3001 Benner & Co. Heating and Air Petersburg — 354-3433 Computers Plus Radio Shack Petersburg — 354-9633 DougGlass DBA Hold Everything Self Storage — 354-1110 Four Star Fabricators Petersburg — 354-9995 www.fourstarfab.com German American Banking | Insurance | Investments Main Office — 354-8471 Harris Funeral Home 7th and Walnut Streets, Petersburg Phone: 354-8844 Martin's Used Cars Monroe City — 743-2229 Play & Learn Preschool Campbelltown — 354-3999 Solar Sources Coal for Steam and Industrial Market Petersburg — 354-8776