The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, June 21, 2017 C-1 CHURCH Submit church items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg The Church Page is made possible by the following Firms and Businesses: Amber Manor Care Center Petersburg — 812-354-3001 Benner & Co. Heating and Air Petersburg — 812-354-3433 Computers Plus Radio Shack Petersburg — 812-354-9633 DougGlass DBA Hold Everything Self Storage — 812-354-1110 Four Star Fabricators Petersburg — 812-354-9995 www.fourstarfab.com German American Banking | Insurance | Investments Petersburg — 812-354-8471 Harris Funeral Home 7th and Walnut Streets, Petersburg Phone: 812-354-8844 Play & Learn Preschool Campbelltown — 812-354-3999 Solar Sources Coal for Steam and Industrial Market Petersburg — 812-354-8776 The Pain That Never Ends A Christian Obligation Religious Viewpoint by Clyde Dupin Minutes with the Bible by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam Baptist Baptist Baptist CHURCH CHURCH Notes Notes Notes Assembly of God Continued in next column Continued in next column Ramblings of my mind by Lowell Thomas The pain of divorce never ends. There is always a man and woman and usually chil- dren who make this lonely, pain filled jour- ney into the dark country we call divorce. Each divorce is the death of a small civili- zation called home. Life will never be the same for those involved. Men and women now 70 and 80 still remember the pain, lone- liness and rejection they felt when their par- ents divorced when they were only children. Divorce takes something from all the par- ties involved. Divorce is seldom the answer to the problems, which usually originate in selfishness. The so-called clean divorces have their dirty side. There may be a few marriages where divorce is the only alter- native but not many. I have never understood how a man and woman love each other and feel incomplete without each other and allow this beauti- ful relationship to fall apart. Do they for- get the vows taken about love, loyalty and faithfulness un- til death? Do they for- get their sacred vows made before fami- ly, friends and in the presence of Almighty God? Our culture has made it more diffi- cult for our marriag- es to survive. We have Hollywood, the porn on the Internet and a generation that has listened to music that opposes faithfulness and true love. Almost half of the marriages today end in divorce and if it is a second mar- riage, about 70 % end in divorce. God can for- give those who have made this terrible mis- take but the pain will always be there for the children and often for those who divorce. Three times in Rom. 1:14-16, the Apostle Paul uses the phrase "I am," and each one carries an important message for every true believer in Christ. First he says in Verse 14: "I am debtor" — debtor to all men, to tell them about the saving work of Christ. But why was he in- debted to people he had never even seen? For several reasons. First, he had in his hand what they need- ed to be saved from the penalty and power of sin. If I see a drunkard lying across the railroad track and I do nothing about it, am I not a murderer if he is killed by the train? If I see a man drowning and I have a life buoy in my hand but do not throw it to him, am I not a murderer if he goes down for the last time? If I see millions of lost souls about me and, knowing the message of salvation, do not tell them, am I not guilty if they die without Christ? Further, Paul felt himself a debtor to oth- ers, because the Christ who had died for his sins had also died for the sins of others. As he says in II Cor. 5:14,15: "Christ died for all, that they which live should not hence- forth live unto themselves but unto Him who died for them and rose again." Finally, the Christ who had died for Paul's sins, had commissioned him to tell others of His saving grace. Thus he says in I Cor. 9:16,17: "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel! For… a dispensation of the gospel is com- mitted unto me." Paul could say further what every true believer should be able to say: Not, "I am debtor, but," but rather, "I am debtor… So, as much as in me is I am ready" (Rom. 1:15). He was ready to discharge his debt because he had that with which to discharge it — the wonderful "gospel of the grace of God." And he did indeed make this message known to others with all that was in him. And now the third "I am": "I am debt- or… so I am ready… for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that be- lieveth…" ( Ver. 16). Paul was always proud to own Christ as the mighty Savior from sin. Do you know Christ as your Savior? Do you tell others about Him? No baloney in this rambling as I feel fortu- nate to be able to sit here and tell you about my lesson on mortality. Yes, this is a morbid sounding beginning to an article where I do my best to uplift hearts with some of my mind's thoughts and funny lessons. On Monday evening, June 12, I was sit- ting in the family room playing solitaire while my wife was playing on her laptop. I started having chest pains, which we did our best to pass off as something simple as indigestion or gas. Because the pain wasn't all that severe at this time, we never thought much about it, but after three hours of deal- ing with this annoying pain, we decided that a trip to the emergency room was probably in order. I was still thinking that this was going to be embarrassing if it turns out to be nothing. Now it got worse as we started out for the hospital and I felt like I would never get there because now I was hurting a lit- tle more. I got to the hospital and just knew that the pain would magically go away. But no, it might have been a little worse. I was taken in right away and the tests began to start eliminating possible other causes for my pain. Finally the ER doc says that he feels like I need to stay overnight for ob- servation. Tuesday morning, the hospital staff and I see that overnight my tests started show- ing that I indeed had a heart occurrence and I needed a catheterization by a heart specialist. Then came the blessing from God be- cause the doctor found little damage to my heart and no obstructions to the arteries, plus the incision for the procedure didn't even bruise or cause any problems other than soreness. Having to lie still for at least eight hours caused many muscle aches in my legs, but was soon relieved once I was able to get up and move around. Then came the blood work and other tests to see what happened to cause my heart attack. During my stay at the Heart Hospital, I had much time to reflect on all sorts of things and especially my mortality, which even for an old preacher was a wakeup call. I've been given another chance to do things that might have been left undone and wait- ing on me because I might not have fulfilled my own duties. I started taking an inventory of people I might have wronged unintentionally or oth- erwise and I was glad that this list was very short and easy to manage. There are plenty of other things that came to me but I was ble to lighten up and be happy for today. I'm big on sharing what I have learned, so here goes: 1) go to the ER if you have chest pains that linger; 2) you really shouldn't drive to the hospital if EMS is available; 3) the calmer you can remain, the easier it is for your medical staff to help you. Sure glad to be able to be writing this ar- ticle and I sure thank God for second chanc- es. Be blessed and love God with all your heart. Continued on page 2 Contemporary worship service at Otwell UM church The Otwell United Meth- odist will be starting a new contemporary wor- ship service beginning Ju- ly 9, at 6:30 p.m. for Sec- ond Chance Contempo- rary Worship. Everyone is invited. Gentle Shepherd Church host Evangelist Ralph Clark this Sunday Gentle Shepherd Church of God, located at 8350 E. 350 N., Francisco, in rural Gibson County, will host Ralph Clark, Evangelist and Southern Gospel Singer, as its guest on Sunday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m. CDT. There will be food and fellowship im- mediately after the concert. The public is invited. Old Friendship Church hosting fireworks July 1 The Old Friendship Church, located 4 miles east of Hwy 61 on Hwy 68, Lyn- nville will be having a fire- works display on Saturday, July 1. The fireworks will start at 9 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. For more information, call 812-853-8736 Vacation Bible School at Otwell UM Church July 5-7 The Otwell United Meth- odist Church, E. Washing- ton Street in Otwell will be having Vacation Bible School July 5 -7 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. RIVER OF LIFE 342 E. CR 300 N. Petersburg Sunday morning worship 10 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6 p.m. and Con- sumed youth group 7 p.m.; Wednesday evening Bible study 7 p.m.; Men's ministry meeting every other Thurs- day 10 a.m. If you would like a ride to and from church services, call 354-8800. Jim Gidcumb, Pastor AYRSHIRE VALLEY G.B. CHURCH 1947 E. Co. Rd. 375 S. Winslow Phone: 812-354-3862 Sunday school 9:30 a.m., Jim King, superintendent, Paul Couts, assistant; morn- ing worship 10 :30 a.m.; Sunday evening 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday evening Bible FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GR ACE G.B. CHURCH 1007 E. Union St. Winslow No Sunday School. Sunday morning worship 10 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6 p.m.; Wednesday HEPHZIBAH- LIT TLES GENER AL BAPTIST CHURCH 743 W CR 125 S Petersburg, IN 47567 Pastor 812-789-5333 Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; morning worship 10 :30 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6 p.m.; Wednesday, youth and Bible study 7 p.m.—adults meet in the fellowship hall and children meet in the church basement. We invite you to join us for any and/or all of our weekly services and events. Keith Jenkins, Sr., Pastor MT. OLIVE G.B. CHURCH (Cato) Hwy. 56, Winslow 812-354-5777 or 812-664-9967 alexbenefiel@gmail.com Sunday morning worship BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH An Independent study 6:30 p.m. You are invited to worship in any or all of our services. See our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Ayr- shireValleyGB. Frank A. Coleman, Pastor 7th and Poplar Street Petersburg 812-354-6582 or 812-789-3162 Welcome! A "Full Word" church. Music and Praise Team practice Sundays 9 a.m.; Sunday School 9:30 a.m. (for all ages); Blended wor- ship 10 :30 a.m. On Mondays at 7 p.m. a men's and two women's Bi- ble studies meet. Summer Kid's Club, 4 year old to 5th grade, meets Wednesdays 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.; Jr. High/Sr. High Youth 6 -7:30 p.m.; Adult Bible Study 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. First Baptist is receiv- ing showers of blessings! Come join us and stand in the blessing! The Spir- it is moving, attendance is growing and faith is in- creasing. If you are looking for a family-oriented church that preaches and teaches from the Word of God, that chooses to be more Bibli- cally correct than politi- cally correct, that believes ALL lives matter and trusts in the saving cleansing power of the shed blood of Christ, you will fit right in. Dr. C. Baxter, Jr., Pastor Enrichment classes 6 p.m. Bill Chesser, Reporter Baptist Church 4995 N. Co. Rd. 850 E. Otwell (Meeting in the Iva Union Church building) Sunday school for chil- dren and adults 9 a.m.; Sun- day morning worship ser- vice 10 a.m.; Sunday eve- ning service, Youth Group (6th grade through 19 years old), and Patch Club (4 yrs old through 5th grade) 6 p.m.; Thursday, prayer ser- vice 7 p.m. Scott Fulcher, Pastor