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Wake Up! Wake Up!

11/30/2015

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PictureSammy the Goat
It was a beautiful Sunday morning yesterday.  I went to church and celebrated the first Sunday of Advent, taught my weekly lesson to our adult Sunday school class, came home to a "yummy" leftover turkey sandwich and took a short nap before starting out on my afternoon chores.  But there is one thing for certain about rural life with animals, something always happens to change your routine and liven the day.

Awakened suddenly by the barking of dogs, I at first just shrugged it off since it is hunting season and my dogs, both the outdoor Great Pyrenees and the indoor variety always bark when they hear the hunting dogs. But there was something different about those barks, an expression of urgency which made me get up and check things out in person.  Both the indoor jack rat terrier, Molly, and her big companion, Kaz the Great Dane, were "chomping at the bit" at the kitchen door and I let them out.  They immediately ran across the deck and down the steps, then just as abruptly turned back.

Following them, I headed their way until I realized they were all looking behind me. As I turned around, Sammy the goat was beginning to lift his body for a head butt. Oh, it wasn't anything to really worry about since he is just playing and doesn't hit hard, but I have to admit I was surprised to see him there.  How in the world did he get out of the paddock that he shares with our Shetland pony, Angus?

Quickly I grabbed his head and wrestled him toward the paddock.  He fought vigorously so once on the ground from the deck I released him, letting him free to roam for a few moments.  I went to the paddock, found the locking clasp which was on the ground and walked inside, leaving the gate open. I was really concerned that Angus might have also escaped as he can be "the dickens" to get back in.  Luckily, he was munching grass by the far fence, watching the mares on the other side.

I ignored Sammy, for I knew the only way to get him back in easily was to make him think it was his idea.  I walked over to Angus and rubbed him on the neck and, sure enough, here came Sammy. Quickly I circled back and out the gate, locking it securely on the way out.  Apparently the clasp had not been fully closed previously, allowing Sammy's escape.

So what damage could he have done.  Well, I checked the barn but he had not touched the feed bin or the baled hay, all tools and equipment were in place and nothing seemed out of order.  Amazing.  But then as I walked out I saw it.  Two beautiful rose bushes had been pruned or should I say chopped. All of the beautiful roses which were out due to the unusually warm weather were gone and the symmetry of the bushes was way out of balance.  But other than that we were fortunate, it could have been so much worse  and the plants will grow back just fine.

As I awoke this morning I laughed to myself remembering yesterday and my wife is still telling me that I failed to latch the clasp.  I didn't remind her that she is the one who fed the pair yesterday; it's best just to leave that alone.  And as I walked outside in the beautiful morning sun I thought, what is in store for me today?  One thing is for sure.  When you live in a rural locale with many animals, every day is an adventure of its own.

Have a great day, everybody 'cause every day we wake up is a special one.  God bless you all.


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"It's What We're Supposed to Do, Christians"  PART FOUR (FINALE)

11/29/2015

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About three months after the first group meeting was held, the church leaders agreed with Pastor Willis that it was time to present a report to the congregation.  Since that time twelve needy children had been added to the Sunday school rolls and the bus was making the rounds each week.  More had made inquiries after visits by the pastor and other church leaders and five new families had been added to the attendance list.

One Sunday, the service was concluded early as a congregational meeting was held to discuss the success of the program and to identify goals for the future. Pastor Willis called forward the church council chairman, John Underwood, Earl Williams, the shoe store owner who had been made chairman of program donations and Bob Shankland, the local school maintenance supervisor who was now dual hatted as Sunday school transportation chairman.  These gentlemen made up the leadership team of the local outreach.

"Gentlemen, I am going to ask each of you to briefly tell us what we have accomplished so far; I want the congregation to hear about the good works", Pastor Willis stated.

John Underwood went first, stating, "The council agreed to put five hundred dollars in a special fund to start this project.  Our object is to grow our church, bring in children who need the word and teachings of God and help these less fortunate in whatever way we can to help them overcome their obstacles."

He continued, "To date we have had an additional two hundred dollars in unexpected contributions and our only costs so far have been three hundred dollars in parts for the church bus while attracting as many as sixteen on a Sunday to youth Sunday school and an increase of membership of four families from the affected areas plus more showing an interest."

He turned to Earl Williams and said, "Earl, tell us about our shoe program and other areas where we are trying to provide donations of value."

Earl reported that twenty-five pairs of good quality shoes have been donated, plus he threw in another dozen and that all shoes have been distributed to those needing them.

He added, "We are also looking at starting up a joint community closet with the other churches in town to offer warm winter clothing now that winter is coming on.  There has been no outlay of any money required in these areas to date, all work requirements have been handled on a voluntary basis by several of our members."

Lastly, Bob Shankland took the floor, smiling as he said, "Well, Pastor, you stole most of my thunder but, then again folks, most of the elbow grease under the hood was provided by Pastor Chuck so I guess he deserves the lion's share of credit. He must have been a pretty good Army mechanic."

But seriously, folks, we found two church members who still have a bus driver's license so they will alternate on making the church runs and I will substitute when there is a shortage.  We're even thinking about using the bus for a special outing for the kids, such as a trip to the ice rink or some similar activity."

Handing the microphone back to the Pastor, the congregation broke out in unplanned applause.  Pastor Willis knew that his plan was working and it would grow. And with a much more vibrant Sunday school already to show for it, some new members and a good program start to helping the unfortunate, he would turn his eyes once again upward for guidance from his Lord.

That evening he got down on his knees and prayed for guidance and inspiration.  He would sit down with the council at a special breakfast meeting later in the week and discuss the future.  And now that he had gained the enthusiastic support of not just several key people in the church community but a score of volunteers and enthusiastic congregational support, he knew that his goal to do something above and beyond in the area of outreach was becoming a reality.

This is just one simple case, folks, of what a small church can do when it sets its mind to it.  With a good pastor, some hard working leaders and volunteers, and the guidance provided from God above, the sky is definitely the limit.  What about you and your church?  Think about it; you can make a very big difference through well thought out outreach.  After all, it's what he expects of us as Christians isn't it?


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ADVENT ARRIVES: THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BEGINS

11/27/2015

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Sunday marks the beginning of the first season in the Christian calendar, Advent.  Advent, the Arrival, marks the beginning of a period of expectation, love, joy and peace leading up to Christmas Day, the day we Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The first of four Advent Sundays, it falls on the Sunday closest to November 30th each year.

To commemorate this important time and all it represents to us, Sunday Morning Coming Down's program this weekend will explore Advent.  And warning you up front, the presentation will be based upon the way the season is celebrated in the Methodist Church, since that is the denomination of this writer, but there can be a number of variances between different churches, yet all share the same basic tenet.  And that is the belief in Jesus Christ and the preparation during this four week period to commemorate his birth while also anticipating his coming to rule the world at a later time.  The King of Kings came the first time to teach and save souls, knowing that man was not capable of saving himself.  And when He returns it will be to rule the world and banish the Dark Angel to his fatal ending.

I hope you will tune in and listen.  It will be available on demand over the weekend and beyond.  In addition to a discussion of Advent and its meaning, we will have some appropriate music, including our first Christmas music of the year, a short scripture reading and prayer.

Sunday Morning Coming Down, a presentation of North Florida Writer Live, is offered to provide a devotional weekly to anyone who seeks more information about Jesus Christ and His Church.  For those who are sick or infirm, or to anyone who isn't sure about the idea of a living God and a Savior, it's any easy way to learn more as you  decide with your own free will what you need for your future both here and in life hereafter.

Here's the link for the show:  tobtr.com/s/8102955

Enjoy your weekend and God bless you all.


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Obama's Shameless Thanksgiving Message

11/27/2015

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Thanksgiving 2015 was a wonderful day, a time to thank God for the blessings which He has provided and to join together with family and friends to celebrate a unique day of honor and hope.  This morning, the day after, we all awake a little bit sluggish from the tryptophan after effects but we'll shrug it off and get back in the groove after a couple of cups of "joe" to get things moving again.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for remembrance and praise to God. We remember what those brave colonists did so many years ago to open the New World to freedom seekers despite difficult odds.  And we know that without God's Divine Providence they would have never been successful, yet with the strength He provided they pushed themselves to create the beginnings of the greatest nation on earth.

But there is one thing that took place yesterday that put a temporary damper on the festivities which needs to be addressed.  Simply put, that item was Obama's Thanksgiving message or to be better described, Obama's political speech once again trying to justify his massive refugee overload with people who cannot even be vetted.

Yesterday, Barack Obama compared the Syrian refugees to the Pilgrims, saying that they were escaping strife  and only America could help them.  The only problem is that we don't know for sure who is or is not a refugee, there is no way to identify their background or true intentions and they can only be a huge drain on our already depleted treasury as they seek food, housing, cash and whatever else this man with no economic savvy will give them.  Furthermore, with nearly eighty percent of those in the queue being strapping young men of military age, the question which is never answered is where are the women and the children?

Now compare that to the Pilgrims, men and women escaping religious persecution and expecting nothing other than a place where they could make it on their own.  No welfare, no food stamps, no free housing or Obamacare, none of these things.  It was up to them to establish their own destiny; they were not dependent on a bloated government to solve their problems.  They would solve them on their own.

It is clear that Obama needs a good history lesson, but then again, he has made it clear that as far as he is concerned, and history that is more than fifty years old is of no value.  He truly does believe in his distorted mind that history began with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

And for Obama to use this most American of holidays to push his jaded political agenda is just one more example of his arrogance and disregard for the American people.   They themselves, including people of all races and creed, are severely hurting from job cuts, the wave of illegal immigrants taking American jobs, loss of freedoms to more government regulations and, of course, the disastrous Obamacare to name just a few.  And then, of course, there are our veterans, many of whom still can't get the care they need from the Veterans Administration while Obama pushes for open medical access for non-citizens.

So, yes, Thanksgiving was a good time to celebrate America but I would ask the President as he starts his last year in office one special favor.  Please, please stop the political push for your unwanted and unwise programs as part of a national day of honor.  You dishonor the office you hold when you do so and you show yourself to be nothing more than a political hack hawking for more chaos in a land that is at the breaking point.  Isn't it time for you to act like the President of the United States with dignity and honor for her glory?  But I guess the answer is that your dogma just will not allow you to open your eyes to what America truly is and that is exceedingly sad.

God bless America and save her.  May she ever be free.


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Happy Thanksgiving: We Are a "Nation Under God"

11/27/2015

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In recent years we've heard much talk by certain people in high places about the foundation of America and questions about our reliance on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of both the Jewish people and Christians the world over.  On this Thanksgiving Day I can think of no better evidence of the Founders' intentions than to read the 1789 Proclamation of Thanksgiving Day by President George Washington.  Following is that document in its complete version.

Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go. Washington
 
Think about those words and what they meant to George Washington, a man who gave his all to establish this land as the most noble democratic experiment of all time.  And for anyone to doubt the veracity of this document and its intention is pure "poppycock".  God bless the United States of America and may she ever be free.  And God bless each and every one of you.  Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.


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Tonight on North Florida Writer Live: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

11/25/2015

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and like most of you, my family will be spending a day of family, friends, good food (probably too much of it) and some football.  Since I won't be publishing my blog tomorrow, I decided to have a program about the real meaning of Thanksgiving this evening on North Florida Writer Live.

On tonight's show we will discuss Thanksgiving memories, listen to some good music, read George Washington's Proclamation for Thanksgiving Day and ask the Lord for His continued grace and blessings to America.  Now I know there are people in high places who want to say that America is not a creation of God, but I will accept George's reasoning as I know most people do.  It took faith and belief in a Divine Power to go through the rigors and dangers associated with creating this country of ours. 

So tonight we will kick off the Thanksgiving Day holiday with a short program about why this holiday is so important.  And it is appropriate for us to take a day with family and friends to remember all of those things for which we owe Him thanks, so that's what we'll do tonight.

The show starts at 9:30 but it will be maintained on demand shortly after the sign off.  I hope all of you have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving and that you use this upcoming day to redouble your belief in God and the Spirit of America.  And if you are so inclined, I hope you might tune in.  Here's the link:

              tobtr.com/s/8094477


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Tonight at 9:30: Isn't It Time to Replace the Republican Establishment?

11/24/2015

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The Republican Establishment is beside itself.  After getting its way election cycle after election cycle, they are completely aghast at the possibility of an outsider becoming the nominee and winning the Presidency.  After all, all of these guys are big money politicos who make money on campaigns and they know that a Trump or a Cruz will end their sweet life and require them to actually work for a living again if they don't prevail.

Ronald Reagan was the last Republican nominee who can be called an outsider.  And while he had eight years of experience as the Governor of California, he ran for the Presidency with a campaign that established its own goals and opened the election to many who previously never considered voting for a Republican.  Sadly, since the end of his two terms, most of those new supporters left again as the party went back to the same old, same old Republicanism of the country club set and the Chamber of Commerce.

Today, things are even worse. The Party of Lincoln is nothing more than a Democratic Lite operation, caving to crony-capitalism and depending on its money to fuel campaigns.  And these very crony-capitalists, tied at the hip to the Chamber of Commerce, no longer put Americans first, working to undercut immigration rules in order to replace American workers with cheaper foreign employees.  The very people who they should support and help have been cast aside and this has caused a tidal wave of opposition from the base of the party and a large swath of independents. 

In steps Donald Trump, using his showmanship to tell it like it is and gain support while Ted Cruz supports this effort with his tireless attempts to make Washington politicians address the real issues.  Ben Carson is also in the category, but in a more soft spoken and less direct way.  And while some consider Marco Rubio among this group, sadly he sold out his Tea Party credentials early on with his link to Chuck Schumer with the Amnesty bill. And now most of his campaign dollars come from well heeled multi-billionaires pushing hard for mass immigration growth.  Rubio can only get that support by kowtowing to them while trying to float a false agenda.

But Trump and Cruz offer two candidates not tied to big money. Trump, of course, is self-funding his campaign and Cruz has mastered the art of fundraising from average Americans who are tired of what is happening to their country.

We'll talk about this tonight on North Florida Writer Live at 9:30, looking ahead to the 2016 election cycle and where it might take us.  I hope you'll join us in my last program before I change direction for the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow.  The show will be available on demand after the live broadcast is completed.  Here's the link to the show which airs on Blog Talk Radio:

                                   tobtr.com/s/8096873


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"It's What We're Supposed to Do, Christians"  PART THREE

11/23/2015

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Pastor Willis was a busy man preparing for the upcoming church council meeting.  He called all of the officers, including the chairman, finance director and secretary as well  as putting out an "all hands call" to the general congregation asking them to attend the Wednesday night meeting. He wanted as many as possible to hear his proposal so that they could hopefully start some positive steps to jumpstart his local outreach campaign.

He was nervous driving up as he saw the parking lot full. Usually the meeting only had a handful of attendees who weren't on the council so he figured it was either a very good or bad sign of receptiveness.  He had given a bit of advance notice to the council and he knew they passed his view around.  Being an upbeat and energetic man of the cloth, Chuck Willis chose the positive and walked in with a big smile on his face.

Chairman John Underwood called the meeting to order and stated that there were only a few items other than a special request from Pastor Willis.  John made a motion that they take up the Pastor's item first and all agreed.  The floor was quickly turned over to the pastor.

Mr. Willis walked to the front of the group and started his comments relating his oft spoken view of what he saw as the guiding vision of his ministry which was to spread the word of Jesus to those throughout the community and by doing so to expand the local flock.

"I hope you remember my first sermon as your new minister only three months ago", he began. "I stated that I wanted us to serve as missionaries for Christ not just in this facility but in the broader local community.  Even though things are a little tougher in our area than in years past, we here in town are certainly much better off than those outside of town.  Yet those same people are part of our community, they live and die here, and they are in dire need of help."

Continuing, Pastor Willis explained the part that Johnny played in his plan, saying, "I brought young Johnny Markham to church this past Sunday to put a face on the problem. A bright and inquisitive young boy, he is just one of many in our outlying community who are in need through no fault of their own.  And we as neighbors need to give of ourselves to help them and, in doing so, show others what the power of Christian love, prayer, spirit and work can do to strengthen and grow God's flock."

Mr. Underwood quickly interjected, "Pardon the interruption, Pastor, but exactly what is it you want us to do?  I've talked to many of our members and I have to give you credit, you woke us all up and all we need is a rundown of what you seek and I'm sure we can do something really positive. I have to admit that I was ashamed of myself when I left church Sunday as were many others.  So tell us what you want to do and we can get to work on putting together a program."

Reverend Willis' face brightened even more than its usual countenance with those words and he began going over his vision.  He wanted to use Johnny as the first step, bringing him to Sunday school and church and drawing his family back into the fold.  Then he wanted to get the old church bus running, so that a regular pick-up of children could be initiated to get them involved in church.  By doing that, he knew that it would lead to more adults as well and the only cost would be some sweat equity on the bus, a few parts and a couple of rotating drivers.

At the same time, he wanted to start a collection of slightly used clothes and shoes which could be put into a clothing bank for those who are truly in need of warm clothing items.  He told them of Johnny's decrepit shoes and reminded them that with winter coming good shoes and boots were especially critical.

Two members immediately raised their hands, one the owner of a shoe store and the other the maintenance supervisor for the local schools, each indicating that they would serve in a supporting capacity.  It was decided that Earl Williams, the shoe store owner, would lead the collection drive for shoes and he even offered to throw in a few pair of new shoes from time to time.  And Bob Shankland, the maintenance supervisor said he knew there were some Methodists with a bus license to help the pastor.  He also knew that some suppliers would help out by providing some parts at cost

And then he got a laugh from everyone when he said, "And Pastor, weren't you a pretty good motor vehicle  mechanic in your Army days?"

Pastor Willis laughed, saying, "Yes, Bob, I was pretty good and I'm prepared to use some elbow grease, I just might need a little assistance from time to time."

Time had flown by and they had spent an hour and a half productively on a worthy project and the Pastor was very pleased.  This was a good start; the church would get these efforts up and running and then look at what else they could do.

Beaming at his members, the young minister said, "Wow, folks, I think we have a very ambitious beginning but one that is doable. How about we get this going and then we can look beyond to see what we can do to help some of these good people find work since it doesn't look like the coal industry is coming back?  We might be able to get into a joint effort with the other two churches in town and really get things going."

With that, the ladies of the church brought out some refreshments and it was decided to go home and individually evaluate what part each could play and reconvene for a short meeting following next Sunday's services.

With a grin, Pastor Willis said, "And don't worry, we've got the names and assignments of all those who have volunteered so far. Let's see if we can fill the sign up sheet on Sunday". 

Last Sunday's young guest, Johnny Markham, had certainly had a great impact on these good parishioners and Pastor Willis knew they were on the road to fulfilling a local mission that he was guided to by God.   And he knew that the road would likely have some pitfalls, but he also knew that with God's help, people would be helped, the church would be energized and a better future awaited.  Thanks be to God.

Next: The Lasting Impact.






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"It's What We're Supposed to Do, Christians" PART TWO

11/19/2015

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Young Johnny awoke Sunday morning very excited. Outside of school and infrequent trips to town with his mom his life was limited to his rural, rugged homestead.  He looked forward to going to church with the nice pastor but was also worried.  After all, the poor boys like him were frequently made fun of at school and it made him feel inferior.  And since he would be one of a kind at church, he thought it could be much worse.

His mother got him ready to go in a neatly pressed but slightly threadbare white shirt and dark pants and the only shoes he owned, freshly polished yet with a hole in the sole filled  with cardboard.  She combed Johnny's hair and gave him a final look just as she heard a car door close and saw Pastor Willis stepping up on the porch.

"Good morning, Mrs. Markham.  I see you have Johnny all spit and polished this morning," he cheerfully said. "Are you ready to go, Johnny, Sunday school awaits."

Johnny kissed his mom, shook hands with the pastor and they were off.  During the twenty minute ride into town, Pastor Willis made a mental note about Johnny's need for some new clothes.  He himself was somewhat concerned about the response to Johnny of some in his congregation, but he made no advance plans as he wanted to see their reaction and his sermon would also deal with it.  He wanted to help Johnny and eventually more kids in need while also teaching his flock a lesson that would strike home.

Arriving at the pretty little white clapboard church set back from the road among old oaks, Johnny saw parishioners of all ages headed to the community building next to the church.  Mr. Willis told him that's where Sunday school was held and that he would introduce Johnny to his teacher.  Dropping him off, he asked the teacher if she would escort the young man to church and he would take it from there.

Pastor Willis looked in on Johnny during the class and saw that he was very shy and stand offish.  The others were largely ignoring him, but he remembered that kids are usually like that initially and can be cruel to strangers. Miss Wilkins, the teacher, made numerous attempts to get Johnny to participate but he just looked lost.

As the pastor was reviewing his sermon notes in the study next door to the sanctuary, Miss Wilkins knocked and said she was taking Johnny to the sanctuary.  Grabbing his sermon notes, the reverend accompanied them to the sanctuary, took Johnny by the hand and walked him to a seat near the front. He knelt beside him and said, "Johnny, I will be right up there at the pulpit.  And I'm going to introduce you to the congregation.  Just watch and listen and you'll catch on."

As the organist began the prelude of Christian music, Pastor Willis stood at the pulpit and watched the crowd file in.  It looked like it would be a full house.  He paid attention to the reaction that people had to Johnny and was taking mental notes.  And to his chagrin, he noticed that with the exception of Mrs. Singleton, a devout and good older parishioner, no one came over to speak to young Johnny.  In fact, she sat down beside him and gave him a hug, which brought a great grin.  She said she would "show him the ropes" of the service and then she winked at the pastor.  She had lost a son in the war and the pastor knew that she would step in as if Johnny were her own son.

Mrs. Singleton was the only one who sat in that row, or the ones immediately in front and behind.  It was almost as if the poor boy had the plague,  but it was somewhat playing out the way the pastor feared and he would use it as part of his message shortly.

Following some beautiful hymns, a prayer and the offering, Mr. Willis began his sermon entitled "Loving Others".  He focused his remarks on Jesus' command that we love others as we love ourselves and then moved to the Lord's point about "suffering not the little children".  And this is where he became somewhat emphatic with raised emphasis.

"My friends, we are tasked with serving as missionaries for Jesus in all that we do", he opened.  "Just like the Apostle Paul and the other great early church teachers, we are expected to extend the flock and help others find Christ.  And no where is there a bigger need that right here in the valley where so many are so much less fortunate than we and need love and help.  And this especially applies to the children who did nothing to cause their plight."

He spoke to Johnny and asked him to stand saying, "This is Johnny Markham, folks.  He's the son of a man and woman who are going through difficult times do to no fault of their own.  And young Johnny just wants to be able to smile and have some fun again, but it is hard to do so at times like these.  So God expects His people, us, to step up to the plate and get busy to make their life better.  Not through a hand out but a hand up, and with prayer and concern."

He motioned Johnny to sit and continued, "I'm sure you are aware, but Ms. Singleton, truly one of our kindest and most saintly members, went right up to Johnny when she saw him and sat down with him and made him comfortable.  Yet look around you, not only did no one else walk over and speak to this handsome the young man, no one sat within a double arms length of him.  And I guarantee you that he noticed and it did not make him feel accepted."

Pastor Willis then went on to complete his sermon, speaking about kindness and love and finishing by walking down to Johnny's pew and hugging the young boy close while tousling his hair, eliciting a big grin.  And then he walked with Johnny to the door awaiting goodbyes following the final hymn.

Pastor Willis was happy to find that his words had made their mark as everyone stood in line to meet Johnny and say some kind words.  And on the way taking Johnny home he stopped to get him an ice cream cone.  He told him that he needed to realize that when you change the routine for people it usually creates some problems but that things would look differently for him after this and in a much more positive way.

Little Johnny looked at the pastor and said, "But that's okay, Pastor, 'cause they are just sinners like me.  They're just learning."

At that point he realized that young Johnny understood humanity much better than most boys his age or, for that matter, much better than some adults.  And he also realized that he understood the message of Jesus; we must be able to forgive and forget and move on.  We must let others grow in wisdom as we do so ourselves.

When they got to Johnny's house, John, Sr. came to the door and asked how things had gone. They all talked and the decision was that the whole family would accept the offer of a ride next week.  Big John told his wife she could use a little break from her chores to spend with the Lord; he knew she missed church and though a fresh start in a new church might be a great idea. Pastor Willis said he would follow up with them later in the week and his spirits rose.

That night at the end of his busiest day, the Lord's Day, he decided to use the Markhams as an example for what he wants to discuss with the church council on Wednesday night. This would be the start of his effort to grow the church where it was needed, among those who needed spiritual nourishment and maybe even a little bootstrap right here in the county.  

Pastor Willis fell asleep that night with a slight smile on his face.  He had opened the door to a big challenge and he just prayed that he was big enough to handle it. He'd soon find out.

Next: The Church Council Meeting

 


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"It's What We're Supposed to Do, Christians" PART ONE

11/17/2015

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INTRODUCTION:  My next few blog entries will consist of parts of a story of how a church can get energized in their community as missionaries for Jesus Christ. We so often get wrapped up in our "inner circle" in churches and it's important to develop means of taking the Gospel to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to us.  This is a story which has taken a real situation, revised it and changed names for anonymity, to make the point.  Today's entry marks the beginning and will be followed daily by further developments until the story is told.  I hope you find it useful in your Christian life and the life of the church.  God bless you all.
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The young pastor was frustrated.  Having received a call to lead a small town church in the heart of Appalachia, he was completing his first three months of ministry and he felt his start was not a good one.  Oh, his parishioners were cordial and came to church regularly, but he felt that the church was looking inward when it needed to look outward.  After all, didn't he have a mission to expand God's flock as opposed to just maintaining the status quo?

Since most of his church members were successful and had a pretty decent lifestyle at least compared to the broader community, he decided to start visiting those in need and try to put the church in their life.  His first attempt was a laid off miner and his family who were having a very tough time.  He planned a visit with a particular emphasis on their little boy who he had seen  in town in dirty clothes and barefoot.

Arriving at the home on Saturday afternoon, he noticed the little boy sitting on the railing on the front deck. It was a small log cabin style home which looked sturdy but he could see that it needed a few repairs.  As he walked toward the house the little boy came running up.

"Hi, Mister, I'm  Johnny, who are you?" the little boy said with a smile.

The pastor responded, "Well, hi Johnny, I'm Pastor Willis from the Methodist Church and I've come to see your parents."

Just then, Johnny's mother walked out on the porch and offered her hand.  She was a very pretty woman but a little rough around the edges from a tough life and stress.  She told the pastor that her husband was out looking for work but she'd be glad to talk with him.  She led him to the small kitchen and offered coffee.

Pastor Chuck Willis explained why he was there and invited Joan Markham and her husband and Johnny to church services.  She graciously listened, but told him that she spent all day Sunday ironing clothes for others.  She explained that ever since her husband John's layoff from the mines, she ironed clothes on Sundays in return for using someone's washing machine since they couldn't afford to fix the one they own.  She was also able to make extra money that way to help her family in addition to her part-time duty as a waittress at the Highway Diner.  She also said that her husband was a good carpenter and thought he could use that skill after his layoff, yet with so many out of work odd carpentry jobs were few and far between.

Then the young minister asked if he could take Johnny to Sunday School and church.  He said that once Johnny visited, he could then arrange for the church bus to pick him up each Sunday and, of course, if she and John ever wanted to attend, they could get a lift also.  Joan Markham smiled, opened a drawer on the nearby desk and pulled out her old family Bible explaining that she read it every day but didn't feel comfortable in church under their current circumstances.  She just didn't have proper clothes to honor the Lord.

Pastor Willis didn't press further, he would save that for another day, but he did get her to commit to letting  Johnny go to church.  He thanked her for her time, told Mrs. Markham that he would be there Sunday and if she didn't object, he'd stop by and check on the family from time to time.  She seemed to like that offer and said she would look forward to his visits.  She also wanted him to meet her husband, John, a man who was active in his belief before losing his job. 

As the energetic preacher headed down the road after the visit, his head was spinning from what he learned.  He realized that the situation faced by the Markham's was just the tip of the iceberg in the community. He needed to find a way to help these people but at least he had made the first step.  The earnest man decided getting the little boy to church was a good start upon which he would build an outreach.  Hopefully, once the parishioners saw the little boy and his vibrant personality despite his sad lifestyle, they would be willing to help.   And he saw this as the first step of a full scale effort to help the needy in the community and expand Jesus' flock. It would be difficult and costly and it would take God's help, but Pastor Willis knew it's what he needed to do.

Smiling as he entered his church office, he began to mentally start planning for the future.  Sometimes big things start with the smallest steps and Chuck Willis would work diligently to make a positive impact on God's children who needed someone like him to help them make the connection with God.  Free will doesn't always allow for the result desired, but unless someone brings the Word to the community instead of waiting for the community to come to Him, success would certainly not be the result. He vowed to make this a huge success with God's help.

Next: Johnny Goes to Church


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    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

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