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“Month of Sundays” Challenge
We
miss all those of our church family who are not with us on a regular
basis. We have a special place in our
hearts for those members who do not attend at all. Therefore, we are issuing a challenge to you
and to all our constituents.
There are 22 Sundays between August 1
and December 31. We challenge you to
pick four of these Sundays to spend one hour with us in worship from 9:00 to
10:00 am, to 10:30 am if you stay for refreshments and fellowship. You will see old friends, meet some new
folks, sing a bit, and hear the scripture read and proclaimed.
We hope you might find that
“something” that has been missing in your life as we renew our
fellowship with you.Who is willing to take the challenge? Duke Classes
Betty Jo will be at Duke for class
Sept. 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27.
She will be available by cell phone should you have a pastoral need or you may leave her a
message on her home phone. Thoughts from the Pastor The death
of L.W. Reynolds, Jr. prompted this writing.
It may be difficult to read, but I encourage you to read it in its
entirety. Get the facts. Share this information with those you love. Please !!!!
Suicide is the deliberate taking
of one’s own life. The causes of suicide
are difficult to establish. The
problem has been approached from two different angles: the sociological, which
stresses social pressures and the importance of social integration, and the psychoanalytic, which
centers on the driving force of guilt and anxiety and the inverting of
aggressive impulses. Recent studies have done much to
dispel some of the myths surrounding suicide.
Certain old religious beliefs, such as suicide bans the person from
going to heaven, are outdated and not scriptural. Suicide is often the product of depression. These persons often wear masks and hide their
depression from those who could best help them to deal with their problems -
their family and friends. This year in King & Queen County, we
have already had four suicides and three more attempts. Suicide knows no age barrier—it affects young
and old alike. There is help!! Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain
exceeds the resources for coping with pain.
A person can survive only if they find a way to reduce the pain or find
a way to increase their coping resources.
There are trained professionals to help, as well as persons on the other
end of hotlines who have been in similar
situations. Save these phone numbers: Va. Website http://suicidehotlines.com/virginia.html Talk with your family members and friends, especially our young people. Make a phone call ... get help. Be at Peace, Betty Jo Builder’s Club Challenge
Our District Superintendent, Rev. Mark V. Ogren, has issued a challenge to
each church on our district to become actively involved in our Ashland District
Builder’s Club. The Builder’s Club is an
opportunity for us to invest in churches across the district as we reach out to
new people with the Good News of God’s love in Jesus. We commit to a three-year period to respond to a maximum asking of three
calls per year for funds. You can pledge
$1, $2, $5, $10 or more. It is a simple
way to be involved in the mission
and passion of our churches to reach out to others. All pastors on the district have been challenged to join and I have sent in
my pledge. All churches on the district have been challenged to have at least two persons sign up for the Builder’s Club. Please help us meet our goal. You are challenged to take a step of faith
and commit to this effort together. Betty Jo needs to know that you have joined, but not the amount you pledge. Brochures with details of the
program are in the vestibule. We
hope you will join us in this effort and accept Mark’s challenge. We will report on this challenge at our
Charge Conference in October so sign up today. Church Picnic Can you sing “Shall We Gather at the River?” The answer to that question is “Yes, We Shall.” The church will hold a Summer Fellowship Picnic at Pinky, Peggy and Shawn Smith’s place on the river on Sat., Aug. 23, beginning at 5:00 pm. Chicken, drinks, paper products and utensils will be provided. You bring the side dishes and desserts and a lawn chair. We plan to eat at 6:00 pm. And do a lot of visiting. Dedication of our New Ramp
We plan to dedicate our new handicapped access ramp on Sat., Sept. 20 at
5:00 pm with a music concert. We are
working to have two music groups play and sing outside, weather
permitting. The community is invited to join us. Bring a picnic and a blanket or your lawn chairs and your
family, friends, and neighbors. We will
cook hot dogs and have drinks and the trimmings if you do not wish to bring
your own supper. Coming Events
Future Events
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Mizpah Matters Newsletter