No Wednesday Gathering June 6

There will be no Wednesday Gathering on June 6 as Jenny and I will be attending Annual Conference at Baker University. We'll be back the following Wednesday with a Taize Service.

Silence

Via Sojourners

"Religious silence is silence that is undertaken as an act of worship. Whether I hear God or not makes no difference."

—Thomas Merton

See the previous post below.

Organ Tuning

The organ is being tuned today. Organ music is beautiful, organ tuning ... not so much. I'll be working from home to avoid the racket. Feel free to call.

Newsletter Correction

Vacation Bible School will be held from June 18 to June 22 from 9:00 am to 12 noon.

Church Office Closed Tomorrow

The church office will be closed tomorrow in observance of Memorial Day. It will reopen Tuesday at 8:00 am.

Buechner on Science

From Beyond Words by Frederick Buechner:

"Science is the investigation of the physical universe and its ways, and consists largely of weighing, measuring, and putting things in test tubes. To assume that this kind of investigation can unearth solutions to all our problems is a form of religious faith whose bankruptcy has only in recent years started to become apparent.
There is a tendency in many people to suspect that anything that can't be weighed, measured, or put in a test tube is either not real or not worth talking about. That is like a blind person's suspecting that anything that can't be smelled, tasted, touched, or heard is probably a figment of the imagination.
A scientist's views on such subjects as God, morality, and life after death are apt to be about as enlightening as a theologian's views on the structure of the atom or the cause and cure of the common cold.
The conflict between science and religion, which reached its peak toward the end of the nineteenth century, is like the conflict between a podiatrist and a poet. One says that Susie Smith has fallen arches. The other says she walks in beauty like the night. In his own way each is speaking the truth. What is at issue is the kind of truth you're after."

I think much the same could be said of perceived conflict between the Genesis stories of creation and evolution. The trick is to know what kind of truth you're after. By the same logic, those who try to prove the truth of the Genesis accounts by scientific standards do an extreme disservice to the book of Genesis and the Creator it reveals.

New Trees at the Parsonage

Two new trees were planted at the parsonage several weeks ago. In case you were wondering, they are white buds.

New Option for Receiving Communion

As you may remember, Jenny was up at Independence First United Methodist Church the last time we celebrated communion. Independence First was also celebrating communion that Sunday and Jenny saw that although the majority of people communed through intinction (breaking off a piece of bread and dipping it in the cup), they also had the small pieces of bread and juice in small cups available. Jenny and I thought we would adopt this practice and the communion stewards have agreed. Adopting this practice will also make it easier to kneel for those who so wish.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

If you heard the church bells tolling about 5:00 pm yesterday, it was not for anyone in particular, but simply a result of the fact that I had received a key to the Carillon system (which reproduces the sounds of bells) and was teaching myself how to use it.

Recycling Update

At the present time our recycling program can no longer take paperboard (cereal boxes, etc). The materials we're still taking are:

• Shredded office paper
• Glass: must be rinsed out.
• Aluminum Cans: must be rinsed out.
• Newspaper: in paper sacks or boxes.
• Paper Sacks
• Plastic Bags
• #1 Plastic bottles: must be rinsed out.
• #2 Milk Jugs: must be rinsed out.
• #2 Colored Plastic bottles
• Magazines and Catalogs
• Cardboard
  
• Ink Jet Cartridges
• Cell Phones

You can take your sorted materials down to room 001 (where the Tri-M class used to meet).

Movie Reminder

We'll be watching Sumo of the Opera tomorrow at 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome. Popcorn and juice will be served. Bring a camp chair and/or a blanket to get comfortable.

The Trouble

"Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed."

—C. S. Lewis, The Magicians Nephew

Richard Foster on Silence

Via Sojourners:

"We fear so deeply what we think other people see in us, so we talk in order to straighten out their understanding. ... One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let our justification rest entirely with God."

—Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

The Upper Room LIving Prayer Center

The following appeared in today's electronic version of The Upper Room:

The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by Christian volunteers. Submit prayer requests online (English or Spanish) or call and speak to one of our volunteers (English) at 1-800-251-2468 (U.S. and Canada) or 615-327-4673 (International). http://www.upperroom.org/prayer_center/

I've been at several conferences where volunteers from among conference attendees could staff the prayer line. I think it's an interesting concept. Has anybody tried it?

Financial Independence in one Step

From Hal Knight's book, Eight Life-Enriching Practices of United Methodists:

"Several years ago, I saw a book prominently displayed in an airport bookstore that offered seven steps to financial independence. Jesus told a rich young man how to have financial independence in only one step: 'Go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me' (Matt. 19:21) What we possess or desire can end up possessing us, determining our values, commitments, and lifestyle. Jesus' advice to this young man recognized what we so often miss—that how we live and what we value are directly related to our ability to be faithful disciples."

Actually, I think the statement, "Go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me," may contain three steps, but the point still stands.

Angel Food Order Form

Are you interested in the Angel Food Program? An order form is now available on our downloads page.

Upcoming Movie Event

Our next movie event will be shown Sunday, May 20, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.
This movie event is open to everyone. As always, admittance, juice boxes and popcorn are free. Send us an email if you would like more information.
We’ll be watching Sumo of the Opera. According to Tom Keogh of Amazon.com:

“The main event on VeggieTales: Sumo of the Opera is the title featurette, a comic concoction of Gilbert & Sullivan and Rocky. Veggie Tales hero Larry the Cucumber plays the Italian Scallion (okay, so he was raised by a family of onions), a professional wrestler big on quips but not on finishing anything he starts, in or out of the ring. When he's challenged to a match with the sizable Apollo Gourd, Scallion is faced with the biggest decision of his life: Does he have what it takes to complete the task? This particular VeggieTales animation treat for kids doesn't reinvent any specific Bible story, but it does underscore the importance of perseverance. Also on the disc are a few extras, including "Going Up," a more-or-less silent comedy in which a Veggie Tales version of the Three Stooges re-creates the famous Laurel and Hardy routine about pushing a piano up a long flight of stairs.”

Donate to Disaster Relief Online

You can now donate to Greensburg disaster relief through the Kansas Area Disaster Fund online at the Kansas East Website. We'll also be receiving another offering this Sunday.

Greensburg Tornado Relief

We received an offering for the Kansas Area Disaster Fund yesterday. This is the fund from which disaster assistance to Greensburg will be sent. You can read more about the Bishop's appeal on the Kansas East Conference website.

Ministerial Alliance

Just a note that your's truly was elected president of the ministerial alliance last Thursday. I'll try to keep this new position from interfering with my pastoral duties.

Yoga Moved to 3:00 pm

Yoga has been moved to 3:00 pm today because April Foreman has to work this morning.

Cindy Powell Bio

Cindy Powell has been gracious enough to share the following information about herself:

Let me introduce myself. My name is Cindy Powell and I am from Coffeyville, Ks. where I make my home with my husband, Warren. We have 3 children and 8 grandchildren. I have been in the music ministry for over 25 years. God has given me the great privilege of sharing my gift of singing and comedy with people all over the nation. He has allowed me to work full time at our local library and still have time to witness and minister through music and laughter along with having a husband and raising a family. I am also very involved in my home church where I lead music in our worship services, sing in the chancel choir, work with our children and teach an adult Sunday school class. I feel very blessed to be able to share my gift and am very careful to use it for God's glory. I have also had the privilege of making several tapes and cd's in the past years including a special recording called, "Everytime", which is dedicated to my mother, who passed away in 2004. I am currently working on a new recording called, ‘What Happened to Your Hand?’. This cd will include some favorites like ‘His Eye is On the Sparrow’ and ‘Wayfaring Stranger’. Joining me on this cd will be some friends and family members as we praise God through duets and trio numbers. All in all, I pray the Lord will continue to entrust me with this ministry and I can spread His word for many years to come. I pray also, to be a blessing as I do His will. I do not charge a fee to come and minister but come only on faith through love gifts and offerings and God always has supplied my needs. I hope that you will pray and consider having me minister to your church family.

No, I Didn't Order the Rain

And yes, I have spoken to God about stopping it for a few days.

A Sermon on Communion by John Wesley

If you've been interested in our ongoing discussion of the frequency of the celebration of Holy Communion, I would encourage you to check out John Wesley's sermon on "The Duty of constant Communion." You can find it online at: http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/serm-101.stm.

Cindy Powell in Concert

All are invited to hear Cindy Powell in concert this Saturday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m. There will be no charge for admission, but a love offering will be taken to help support Cindy's music ministry. Cindy has been in the music ministry for over 25 years in addition to working in the Children's department at the Coffeyville Public Library.