MIDWEEK MESSAGE #117
Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #117. I hope you are having a good week so far. This week will bring so many changes! School is starting so traffic patterns will change; teachers will be excitedly welcoming new students; students will be “excitedly” getting up early and starting new classes; and parents will have mixed emotions as their young ‘uns take off for school. I just hope you all have a great year!
The start of the school year seems to be getting earlier and earlier. I know I’m old (no comment from the peanut gallery necessary) but I can still remember (surprise, surprise) when school ended just before Memorial Day and began after Labor Day. Man, those days are long gone! I can remember postponing summer vacations until August because baseball was over by then. Ya can’t do that now! Unless you want to miss a week or two of school. IMHO some things change, but not always for the better. ☹
Every week we pray for an educator of the week. This week our educator is Mr. Andy Cline, the superintendent of SOCS. Mr. Cline has one year under his belt in our school system and I look forward to his influence playing a big part this year. Please join me in praying for Mr. Cline. Each week I plan to remind you of our educator so you can pray for him/her.
This coming Sunday is a big one for the OVCF children’s department. It is MOVE-UP SUNDAY. To repeat what I have written about in the past couple of MMs:
- Students beginning first grade will move-up to the Early Elementary Class.
- Students entering 4th grade will move-up to the Late Elementary Class.
- Students entering 7th grade will “graduate” from Kid’s Church and will receive a certificate and small gift at the end of class this week. Those students will be welcomed into our adult worship on Sunday mornings beginning August 14th.
There will be an added bonus for the one moving into 7th grade. You are invited to attend ROOTS youth group, which begins August 14th and meets from 5-7 pm. If you have any questions, please see Pastor Ryan. He is the man with the answers!
I spoke with Ryan on Monday and he still has a few open spots for the ROOTS excursion to Koteewi Aerial Park on Saturday. After a couple of days of stress from school starting, youth (or parents) may be ready for some “blowout” fun. The cost is $30/person, but Ryan needs to know ASAP. This is always a fun outing and they stop to eat on the way home (I think it is pizza). I like the order of that: high-wire fun then eat! I know my stomach and the other way around WOULD. NOT. WORK! ☺
Not to be left out: on August 14th starting at 5:00 (pm of course), the adults are invited to attend a meeting about small groups. Due to ROOTS using the auditorium, we will be using the children’s addition room for our meeting. Wayne Akerson and Steve Pendleton will both be presenting their ideas about small groups and you will have an opportunity to sign-up for one if you would like to. I would like to reiterate: even if you did not sign-up originally, you are more than welcome to come and listen and then decide. I look forward to seeing you there.
In last week’s MM I gave a shout-out to those who run our live stream, and then was privileged to read a letter from the pastor who visited us the previous week. I’d like to give a shout-out to our biggest bunch of volunteers, who along with the youth moving to the adult worship, will also be honored. There are over 30 teachers, helpers, nursery workers, and worship leaders who make Sunday morning in the children’s addition a “happening place.” Here are their names:
- Nursery: Amy and Kalissa Hamlin; Will and Sarah Schneider; Hope and Rachel East, Ryan and Katie Keene.
- Pre-K: Jo Grandi (lead material gatherer). Jasmine St. John; Stacy Wood; Mary Beckwith; Khrista York. Helpers: Anna East; Paige Nally; Kaedence Beckwith. ???
- Early Elementary: Cara King (lead material gatherer). Erin Pendleton; Jeanna Srinivasan; Travis and Jill Curry; Melissa Arnold. Helpers: ????
- Late Elementary: Terrie MacMorran; Steve Pendleton; JuliAnne Wiegand. Helpers: Cooper King; Cammie King; ????
- Check-in: MJ Ramsay and Kori Wainscott
- Youth worship team: Emily Wyatt; Gracie Wainscott; Mollie Wainscott; Micah Nally
- Note: Steve and Erin will be stepping off at the end of August. Thank you for your love and service to our youth!!
I should not have to say how important these folks are to our children’s program. I spoke about the “unseen and unheard” aspect of the live stream folks. Week-in and week-out this group of dedicated volunteers make a commitment to teach our young people about Jesus. They miss adult worship and often go unrecognized for their faithfulness on Sunday. I don’t want that to happen! So THANK YOU to all the volunteers in our Sunday morning youth program. You are not forgotten! ☺
One last thought: I finish my “7 Cancers” series this Sunday and begin one called “8 Cures” on the 14th. I have appreciated your kind words about this series which has not been an easy one to prepare for or to preach. As I was reading Tuesday morning during my Encounter Time from Isaiah 31, I ran across this verse: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!” (Verse 1). I was reminded of Psalm 20: 7 which says, “Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (ESV). The matter of dealing with the cancers we face is a matter of control. Who controls us? Will I allow an emotion, a substance, a priority, or some outside influence to have control over me? Ephesians 5:18 tells me I need to allow the Holy Spirit to have control and influence over me.
After a break for the summer and the church directory being updated, the elders want you to know they are committed to praying for you and have resumed their practice of dividing up the directory to pray for everyone! Love you all.
Pastor Bill
