The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, November 29, 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 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 Character is important True Blessedness 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 America's strength has been the char- acter of her people. About 40 percent at- tend church regularly and 94 percent be- lieve in God. During the first 200 years of our history, character was a major issue in the lives of public officials. According to a recent U.S. News and World Report maga- zine poll, character is no longer important in the life of our political leaders. Most par- ents wanted their children to grow up to be like the candidate with character and strong family values. The poll showed that charac- ter was more important to married people. There are many people in America who have a consistent moral philosophy. If there is no God, no absolutes, no meaning, why should the character of our leaders mat- ter. The older generation has not yet ac- cepted this humanistic philosophy. They still believe that our walk should match our talk, even in pol- itics. There is much evidence that Ameri- ca has crossed a line that has brought mor- al decline and even despair. As a nation we must return to biblical morality or ri- oting, stealing, mur- der, sexual perver- sion, drug abuse and family breakups will only increase. It may seem like a long trip back to char- acter, but it is worth the journey. Never in our history have we seen the destruction of family values and character on a scale like we see today. A good slogan would be "Wake Up America." It has been said that the word "blessed," in our English Bible, simply means happy. Thus the "blessed man" of Psalm 1 is a hap- py man and the "blessed God" of I Tim. 1:11 is a happy God. ( We refer to the Hebrew and Greek words most often rendered blessed). To say the least, this is a superficial un- derstanding — or misunderstanding — of one of the most wonderful words of Scrip- ture. A fool can be happy, a drunkard can be happy, a wicked man can be happy, but none of these are truly blessed, for one who is blessed has a deeply valid reason to rejoice. Thus Psa. 1:1,2 says that the man who shuns "the counsel of the ungodly ," "the way of sinners" and "the seat of the scorn- ful" and meditates and delights in the law of God, is "blessed." He is well off and has great reason to rejoice. Few, of course, would dare to claim that they have fully lived up to this passage in the Psalms, but God's Word has good news even for such. In Romans 4:6 -8, St. Paul declares: "David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righ- teousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." This blessedness is not a mere feeling of happiness. It is rather the state of being well off; with a deep and abiding reason to rejoice. Thus Psalm 40 :4 says: "Blessed is that man who maketh the Lord his trust," and when the Galatians stopped trusting com- pletely in the Lord and began leaning on their own works, the Apostle asked them: "Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? " (Gal. 4:15). Thus to be truly blessed is to be well off; with the greatest possible reason to rejoice. This is why the believer in Christ, saved and eternally safe in Him, is, like God Himself, "blessed for evermore." Well did this week have you thinking Fri- day was Monday? Even with being retired and every day being another Saturday I found my- self feeling a wee bit confused. It was a good week and the weather allowed us to get a lot done around home and at the park. We placed timers on the displays Friday afternoon after ringing Salvation Army kettle bells. Please drive thru the park and support the Ministerial Association while enjoying the many displays that light up Hornady Park. If we can get enough volunteers to sing carols from or around the porch of the cabin we will do so on Saturdays, December 9 and 16 start- ing around 7 p.m. I hear that Mrs. Santa Claus might even be at the cabin some evenings to meet children and read stories to them, who knows what you may find this year so get ready for Christmas in the Park. If you would be willing to help sing carols Continued on page 2 See R AMBLINGS on 3 please call Lowell Thomas at 812-354-9597 or just show up and sing as you are welcome. Thursday was Thanksgiving day and it was a time to be thankful for family and friends, a time to thank God for blessings and at our house a special thank you to God for all the blessings we have taken for granted. You know God has been so good to us that we just expect Deadline for ticket purchase: December 6, 2017 TO PURCHASE TICKETS, CALL Church Phone 812-354-9909 Joy Wiscaver 812-582-0264 Shirley Featherston 812-582-0582 Christmas by Candlelight Glezen Revival Center Doors Open at 5:30pm • Seating at 6:30pm December 9, 2017 Guest Singers: The Shepherds Catered By: The Village Inn TICKET PRICE $18 ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED 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 study 6:30 p.m. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 7th and Poplar Street Petersburg 812-354-6582 or 812-789-3162 Welcome! A "Full Word" church reaching out in these final days of the "age of grace." Praise Team practice Sun- days 9 a.m.; Sunday school 9:30 a.m., for all ages; morn- ing worship 10 :30 a.m. Men's fellowship study each Monday at 7 p.m. at scheduled locations. Wom- en's studies meet on select- ed days. Contact the church at 812-354-6582 for details. Wednesdays: 6:30 p.m. Kids' Club for two years olds through fifth grade; Jr./Sr. high youth group for sixth- 12th grades and adult Bible study. All adults and chil- dren are welcome to come to Grub (a full meal) at 6 p.m. If you are looking for a welcoming church that stands on the Word of God, a church that declares its dependency in Christ, then First Baptist could be the church for you. Visit us soon. We would be glad to have you. Van Ministry, Wednesday evenings. Need a ride? Call 812-354-6582 Dr. C. Baxter, Jr., Pastor IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH SBC 295 West Main Street Petersburg Church 812-354-9659 Pastor 812-890-9942 Email: awordfitlyspoken@ outlook.com 9:30 a.m. Sunday; Adult Bible Study and Children's Sunday School. 10 :40 a.m. Sunday Morning, Hanging of the Greens Wednesday, November 29 at 6 p.m., Christmas Pro- gram Practice Teamkids, Sunday, De- cember 10 Christmas Pro- gram, Christmas Cookies Exchange following morn- ing service Wednesday, December 13 Church Business Meeting "Call on me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you." (Psalm 50 :15). Joseph Roman, Pastor Clara Walls, Reporter NEW LIBERTY G.B. CHURCH (Coe) 1820 S. Co Rd. 800 S. Oakland City Gary Pancake, Pastor 812-664-4716 Sunday school 9:30 a.m., Faron McLaughlin, Super- intendent, Ryan Edrington, Assistant and Sunday morn- ing worship at 10 :30 a.m.; Wednesday evening Bible study at 6 p.m. It is always good to be among God's people on Sun- day. It was good to have Rev. Pancake and Ruby back with us. The message was from Matthew 1:1-17 and includes the lineage or genealogy of Jesus Christ. We looked at the differences between the writings of Matthew and Luke and how one was from Joseph and the other from Mary. The focus of the les- son included Matthew's no- tation of women in the Bible and how in both selections, there were many people who had sinned and were imper- fect in the world. Christ came from their lineage to save people from their sins. What a wonderful blessing! A reminder that we will be having Wednesday evening services at 6 p.m. each week. Come join us as we study and learn more about God. This coming Sunday will be our "Hanging of the Green" during morning wor- ship. Chris McLaughlin al- ways has a wonderful ser- vice prepared and it is al- ways wonderful to see the church decorated for Christ- mas. December 7 is Pearl Har- bor Remembrance Day. Re- member this day and its sig- nificance to our country. We will have a business meeting on Sunday, Dec. 10, following morning wor- ship for all members. December 21 will be the first day of winter. Christmas Break for Pike County Schools will begin following classes on Friday, Dec. 22 and will resume fol- lowing New Year's Day. Sunday, Dec. 24 will be our Christmas program dur- ing morning worship. Gary and Ruby Pancake will be in charge of the program. December 25 is Christ- mas Day. Give thanks to God for His wonderful gift. December 31 will be New Year's Eve. Prepare for 2018! "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Isaiah 40 :3). Our Mission Statement: Loving the 99, always look- ing for the one. Gary Pancake, Pastor Ivan Mason, Reporter Behold the Lamb of God. The words of John the Bap- tist. John was baptizing in the river Jordan when Jesus approached the banks of the river. John realized that Je- sus was the Son of God, the promised one who would be the sacrificial lamb, the one who would take our sins away. This Christmas season let us say Behold, the Son of God Jesus, as we celebrate Christmas. It is His birth- day. Americans have al-