Happy New Year!

It was good to have a guest speaker with us tonight to make a presentation about mission work in the African country of Ghana. The web site link to the work he spoke about is www.gwam.org -- for Ghana West Africa Missions.

Your prayers are requested for Rodney Blunt's dad, Bill, who has been scheduled for open heart surgery on Friday, January 9th in Bellingham.

Remember the New Year's Eve get-together tomorrow night at the Garrison's house, beginning at 6 p.m.

Enjoy New Year's Day on Thursday!

Sunday, December 28th Notes

It was good to have attendance climb back toward normal, although we were still missing several families today.

Thanks to everyone who attended John & Trish's Open House this afternoon.

Remember we meet Tuesday night. Potluck at 6 p.m. with midweek service following at 6:45. We have a guest speaker scheduled to make a presentation about mission work in Ghana.

Prayer Requests from Sunday morning:

From Rodney Blunt: My dad, Bill Blunt, has an appointment with a heart surgeon tomorrow to schedule surgery. His echocardiogram showed three blockages around his heart that will most likely require bypass surgery. Please continue to pray for me niece, Chelsea. She continues to struggle with how best to treat her cancer as well as other family issues.

From Ruth Lake & Jim Wilkison: Our friend Bob Walton has liver cancer and he is taking chemotherapy. He lives in Texas. Please pray for him.

Our God, He Is Alive

Terry Gardner wrote the following biographical sketch of A. W. Dicus, author of the song "Our God, He Is Alive." Since we sing this song frequently, I thought you might enjoy knowing more about the composer.

Aaron Wesley Dicus deserves at least a passing mention on the List. He was born near St. Louis, Missouri (in the small town of Festus) on 30 May 1888. He obeyed the gospel in the fall of 1908. He was extraordinarily well educated for his time. He obtain a B.S. degree from Marion Normal in 1912. He later obtained an A.B., M.A., and Ph.D., from Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana. With this education he became a teacher and he taught in the High Schools of Illinois and Indiana, including teaching seven years at Indianapolis. He then taught science at Indiana University and in 1930 he moved to Cookville, Tennessee where he became a professor of physics and the head of the science department at what was then called the T.P.I. Cookville (Tenn. Tech). In about 1951 Dicus was persuaded by James R. Cope to move to Florida and work at Florida Christian College. This is did for several years until he retired from school work about 1954.

Dicus began preaching work in the summer of 1913. He held his first gospel meeting in 1915. He often spoke at the north Indianapolis congregation where Daniel Sommer was a member. While living in Indiana he filled regular appointments at Cloverdale, Crawfordsville, Traders Point (Indianapolis), Bloomington and Bedford. For two years he did regular work at the Ridgedale congregation (Chattanooga) and at Rossville, Georgia. After moving to Florida he preached for c ongregations in Miami and Winter Haven, Florida.

After his 1954 "retirement" Dicus authored three small books: Sermon Outlines, A Commentary on Hebrews and Romans and Church Leadership. He also wrote about 35 songs. His two best known songs are "Our, God, He Is Alive," and "Lord, I Believe."

A White Christmas With Wetter Days Ahead

Hopefully, everyone enjoyed a white Christmas today in the midst of our "winter wonderland" which is now stretching out close to two weeks in length. Weather reports indicate that while we're still due for some precipitation, slightly warmer temperatures make it more likely to be wet than white. That gives us a good chance of having a normal end-of-December day on Sunday. That should allow us to get back into something closer to routine than we've experienced the last two weeks.

Sunday morning's sermon challenges us to improve ourselves in the New Year -- "Growing Greater" -- saying that we may not be doing badly, but there is room for improvement in all of us. We'll look at six ways we can do more in our service to the Lord in the coming year.

At this point, it looks as if my family's Open House get-together will be a go -- Sunday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m., we're inviting the whole congregation to come by for refreshments and fellowship. Hopefully, most will stay for evening services. This is subject to rescheduling should the meterologists have missed their temperature projections for Sunday and we're getting more of the white stuff.

Speaking of rescheduling, our guest speaker who had planned to be with us last Tuesday to make a presentation about the work of Ghana West Africa Missions has been slated to come this Tuesday, December 30th. Remember, this is the last of our Tuesday night meetings. We'll eat at 6 p.m. Tuesday with the assembly going from 6:45-7:45. Make a point to come and learn more about service and evangelism activities to spread the gospel in Ghana.

-- John Gaines

Christmas Eve Caroling Cancelled

An email just came from Karee Blunt saying,

Hello,

For those of you who were planning to join us for caroling at the nursing home tonight, we need to let you know that we've decided to cancel it due to the weather. We know it's a blessing to those at the home, but we'd rather everyone be safe in their own homes! If you know of anyone who was planning to go but might not have a chance to read this email before tonight, please be sure to give them a call!

Merry Christmas ~

Rodney & Karee

2008 Sermons

My sermon website has been updated so that full-content outlines of almost all the sermons I've preached this year are available in PDF file format. (You'll need Adobe Reader (a free download) or other PDF reader).

These outlines might be useful for personal study or can be adapted by others to use in teaching.

The link is www.johnfgaines.info.

John Gaines

Looking Ahead

With the possibility of even more snow coming, next week's calendar remains susceptible to changes or cancellations. But hoping for the best, here is what will be going on:

Tuesday night 6 p.m. Midweek Potluck meal and service (moved from Wednesday this week and next week). We're scheduled to have Nathaniel Fatula speak to us about the work being done by Ghana West Africa Missions. He is a student at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.

Wednesday night at 5 p.m. Caroling at Homeplace on Skagit Street in Burlington then enjoy refreshments at the church building following. Please bring your favorite cookies.

Sunday, December 28, 4 p.m. Open House at the Gaineses. Come and enjoy a time of snacks and fellowship, then walk across the parking lot for evening worship.

Snow Days (Still)

Here's a picture taken at the church building Friday morning.

The Christmas party at the Hills' is on for tonight -- for anyone who can get to Acme. Roads are reported to be still slick in places but improving.

Let It Snow!

The snow continues to fall here in Northwest Washington. I made the trek across yard and parking lot from my house this morning with a measuring stick in my hand. We have a fairly consistent 13" of snow in the parking lot with more coming down. The deepest measurement I took was 15".

The good news is I saw a front end loader going down Gardner Road, evidently in preparation to start some snow removal. With this massive snowfall, getting snow off the roads is necessary for most of us to get around at all. We are still planning to have the building open and have services Sunday morning for those who are able to get here.

I have no information about the status on the Christmas party at the Hills' house tomorrow night. I expect a lot depends on what happens with additional snowfall and road clearing between now and then.

The ultimate recommendation, however, is to use your own best judgment about whether or not it is safe for you to attempt to travel.

-- John Gaines
Thursday AM December 18th

No Wednesday Night Services Due to Snow

We're experiencing a winter wonderland a week before Christmas. However, due to the significant snow accumulation and dangerous roads, we will not have Wednesday night services tonight.

Weather forecasts call for the possibility of more snow on Saturday. We do not expect to cancel Sunday morning services no matter what the road conditions. Members will be asked to make their own decisions about whether or not it is safe to travel then.

Reminders

The following note is sent from Judy Hill inviting everyone to the Christmas get-together at their home next Friday evening:

Merry Christmas everyone!

We just wanted to send out a note to remind you all that our Adult Christmas party will be on Friday, December 19th, starting @ 6:00 pm.

We're asking everyone to bring your favorite food, snack or goodie to share. Also, we'll have the White Elephant gift exchange again. It's always such a blast! :)

We hope to see each and everyone of you here.

Blessings,

Judy & Allen ><>

Sunday Notes

November 30, 2008

"We delivered the food to Helphing Hands Food Bank on Wednesday and they were very appreciative of our help. They asked us to let you know that they were very thankful to each of you for donating food as they have been much busier than normal lately. <The Blunts>

Prayer request for Myrna Everson (blood problems) and Jeanie Allred (cancer). These two ladies are members of the church, both being the wives of elders. <Allen Hill>

"Please continue to pray for my niece Chelsea. Her cancer has returned and she is exploring treatment options." <Rodney Blunt>

"Prayer request for my friend Mery. She will have an MRI of her head tomorrow to rule out seizure activity. Also for Darren to find a great job in the Portland or surrounding area. Thanks." >

Special Prayer Requests

Gilbert Crapson requests our prayers especially for his niece Ally Kester of Burlington who has been sick with an illness doctors have not yet been able to diagnose. Please pray for Ally and for the doctors that they can determine what needs to be done so she can be better.

Also Gilbert's nephew, David Shannon of Concrete, Washington is grieving over the recent death of his wife. Please remember him and others in his family in your prayers.

Check back tomorrow for other prayer requests from Sunday's announcements.

Items For Food Bank

Skagit Valley members are requested to bring as many of the following items as possible to church by next Sunday, November 23rd:

1 large can of yams (sweet potatoes)
1 large can of fruit
1 box Jello or pudding mix
1 box instant potato mix
1 jar gravy
1 box cornbread mix
1 gallon fruit juice
1 dessert mix (cake, cookies, etc.)

These will be contributed to the local food bank in Sedro-Woolley and given to those who need food for Thanksgiving.

Updated John Clayton Videos Online

Some have asked about newer versions of the John Clayton videos we have been watching on Wednesday nights. Good news! The videos have been updated and are available online. Here is a link to the available videos.

A lot of information is available at www.doesgodexist.org

Tuesday Nights

We will be meeting on Tuesday nights instead of Wednesday nights prior to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays. On Tuesdays, November 25, December 23, and December 30 we'll have our midweek potluck dinner and mid-week meetings a day early. Please keep this in mind as your schedule your holiday activities.

Directory Information Sheet

Most Skagit Valley members have already turned in their directory information sheets. If you have not, please do so soon. Extra copies of the form are available in the rack on the door going into the auditorium. Your cooperation is needed to make our new directory as complete as possible.

Sunday Notes

Thanks to everyone who helped with the Second Sunday Potluck after services this morning. As always, we enjoyed plenty of delicious food.

We had 80 present this morning, with at least 12 known to be away at the Woodinville youth rally. Listed as sick on the attendance report were: Betsy & Trevor Hasenoehrl and Elmer & Martha Juntenen. Listed as working today were: Jud Hobbs and Roger Todd. Known to be out of town were Jeanie Young and Joe & Becky Williamson.

Over the next several weeks, we will be collecting food to deliver to the Helping Hands Food Bank in Sedro-Woolley. Sunday, November 23rd will be the final day we collect food and we'll take it to the food bank before Thanksgiving. A list of requested food items will be available soon. If you have any questions, please contact Rodney or Karee Blunt.

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for safety for Roger and Jeanie Young (who are in the Bahamas). A big hurricane may be coming through the area where they are now.
• Pray for Cathi Adams to have a good report on her health problems
• Pray for the Juntenens and all of our ill.
• Pray for Trish Gaines' mother, Hazel Holden and her brother who is caring for Hazel.
• Pray for Karla Williamson's sister that she may have love and wisdom as she deals with some friends who are struggling spiritually. Their names are Kathy, Jeannie, and John.
• Pray for Darren Williamson to get a great job in the Portland area. He teaches at Cascade College which is closing after the spring semester.
• Pray for safe travel for Joe and Becky Williamson as they return from California Monday night.
• Pray for the home school moms (as well as all our students, in homeschool, public school, and college).
  

Cascade Christian College Closing After Spring Semester

The following announcement was made this afternoon by officials at Oklahoma Christian University. This is sad news for Christian education in the Northwest.

OC’s Cascade College Baccalaureate Programs to Close Following Spring 2009 Semester

Oklahoma Christian University’s Portland, Ore., campus, Cascade College, will close its baccalaureate degree programs after the conclusion of the spring semester, OC officials announced today. Approximately 280 students currently attend classes at the Portland campus, with 45 full-time faculty and staff.

Don Millican, chairman of the OC Board of Trustees, said, “After 15 years of considerable effort and investment, we were unable to find a viable financial or academic model that would sustain and allow Cascade to flourish for the foreseeable future. Following much prayer and discussion, the board reluctantly voted to cease offering baccalaureate degrees at the Cascade campus next spring. This is one of the most difficult decisions the board has ever made.

“We’re obviously disappointed for the students, faculty, staff and many others who worked so hard and gave of their time and financial resources to establish and maintain Christian higher education in the Pacific Northwest,” he said.

“We will continue to work to help those students in the Northwest achieve their goal of a Christian education. The Board highly commends Dr. Bill Goad and his outstanding team for their dedicated work at Cascade.”

OC president Dr. Mike O’Neal said that he was deeply saddened that closing Cascade became necessary, but he agreed with the board’s decision. The University, he said, had invested about $4 million, thousands of administrative staff hours, and other resources over its 15 years as a satellite campus. “The current economic crisis was not a significant factor in the decision, but it obviously did not help. While the Cascade Board of Governors had sought a different result, after four years of intensive effort, they had been unable to develop a financially and academically sustainable operation. The OC Board of Trustees and administration felt that it was not prudent for Oklahoma Christian to continue to subsidize that campus at a level sufficient to maintain a quality academic program.”

O’Neal also expressed great concern for the people most impacted by the decision. “We will go the extra mile in assisting the students to continue their education and the employees to find other employment during the transition period. The quality of theofferings on that campus will continue through Spring 2009. We will also be sensitive to the needs of Columbia Christian School, which uses a part of the Cascade campusfor their K-12 operations.”

Cascade was previously known as Columbia Christian College -- which was founded in 1956 -- when it closed in the early 1990s because of financial issues. After being closed for a year, it was reopened in August 1994 as a branch campus of the University.

Kerry Barnes, chairman of the Cascade Board of Governors, expressed his thanks for OC’s investment in Pacific Northwest. “OC has done much more than they agreed to do 15 years ago and much more than anyone would reasonably expect.”

Dr. Bill Goad, president of Cascade, said he was thankful for the impact that Cascade and its predecessor, Columbia Christian, have had in the Pacific Northwest for more than 50 years. “I believe we have had a positive impact on thousands of young people,” he said. “We’ve been blessed with outstanding students and very dedicated faculty and staff who took a personal interest in our students. We’re also grateful to the many generous individuals and families who have made significant contributions to Cascade over the past few years.”

“For the past 6 years I have had the privilege of serving the Cascade community. My family and I have grown to love the Cascade and Columbia Christian family.This decision brings a great deal of sadness, but I accept and support the decision of the Board of Trustees,” added Goad. He also said that he would encourage Cascade students to finish their degrees at Oklahoma Christian if at all possible. His focus now will be on supporting the students and affected faculty and staff during this time and assisting them in any way possible.

O’Neal added that Oklahoma Christian remains financially sound and will continue to honor all the endowments and financial commitments of Cascade College. O’Neal stated that although Cascade will be closed, our hearts remain open to the good people of the Northwest. “Through the creation of an endowment for students from the Northwest we will seek to provide an opportunity for these young people to have access to a high quality, affordable, faith based education. It is our hope to prepare young people with a heart for ministry who will return to the Northwest to nurture and strengthen the Church. We will do everything we can do to continue strengthening the bond we have with churches of Christ throughout the Northwest.”

O’Neal concluded by saying “The legacy of Cascade will continue to be written for generations to come.” “The work which has been done by the students, faculty and staff will continue to be realized over decades. Students have been prepared to lead lives of great meaning while studying at Cascade and they are going to make a difference in the world. It would be a mistake to assume that the quality of educational experience at Cascade was lacking. Through the dedication of talented faculty and staff, students were given a great learning experience on this campus.”

Sympathy

We offer our condolences to all the family of Herb Jones, who passed away Friday afternoon. He was the father of Becky Williamson and the grandfather of John Williamson. Brother Jones was a member of the Skagit Valley church for many years. In recent years, he worshiped with the Mount Vernon congregation.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 1 at 2 p.m. here at the Skagit Valley church building.

Singing Workshop

Mike and Millissa will once again be taking the church van to Oak Harbor for the singing workshop Monday evening. If you would like to go for an inspiring evening of singing, meet at the church building at 5:45 p.m. They plan to return between 8:30 and 9 p.m.

Cathi Adams

Please be praying for Cathi Adams as she has issues going on with her foot and her knee. She has to have surgery, but can't do it until the Boeing strike ends and Andy gets back to work so she'll have insurance coverage again. Please pray for her comfort and easing of pain.

Sunday October 12 Notes

From the "Praises and Prayers" turned in this morning --

"Thank you for prayers re: my dad's bone marrow biopsy. The doctor said his results are not a concern but he will need regular monitoring. I was very anxious about all this so please pray for me that I will alsoways trust God no matter and cast all my fears and anxieties on Him. Thank you, Karla" (Williamson)

"Praise God for Christian movies. John & I saw the movie Fireproof last night and want to encourage you all to see and support it." Karla Williamson

"Please pray for the youth and chaperones as they travel home from Cashmere today. Praise for Rentz's quick recovery from surgery this past week."

"Pray for our daughter, Ellen and her giving birth on Wednesday to our new grandson" Rentz & Jean (Gullick)

Attendance Today: 86 (not counting 14 who were away attending the Youth Rally in Cashmere)

Thanks to everyone who helped out with the potluck fellowship meal.

Remember the Chili Cookoff Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Upcoming Fellowship Events

Remember the Church-Wide Potluck Meal following services this Sunday, October 12. Bring enough food for your family and a little extra for visitors, and we'll spread it all out together.

Also the following Saturday, October 18 we'll have our Fall Chili Cookoff. Men should be getting their recipes ready and plans made to bring a pot of delicious chili a week from Saturday night.

We're planning a Fall Festival for Friday night, October 31.

More details to come --

Rentz

Rentz Gullick came through his surgery fine this morning and is now home recuperating. He expects to be back at church by Sunday morning.

Catching Up

Sunday Prayer Requests

• Please keep Rodney Blunt in your prayers. He has been sick all week and is still not well. Olivia Blunt included her own note asking for our prayers for her dad.
  
• Thanks for Jim & Ann Pollock and all our visitors today.
• Pray for Herb Jones, Charlie Fair, Elmer & Martha Juntenen
• Pray for Kay Williams' sister-in-law from New Zealand
• Pray for Nicholas Gerald Morgan from Bellingham, WA
• Please pray for Tom & Judy Fair's cousin, Mac Burtelson who is dying from stomach cancer
• Please be praying for Melody Williamson - she will be having a 2nd ultrasound for some potential complications with her pregnancy. We are petitioning our Father for a healthy baby and an uneventful pregnancy.
• Steve & Debbie Wilkison ask us to pray for Don Meyer to recover from injuried form a car accident and to pray for their friend Paul who lost his father recently.
• From Karla Williamson: Praise that Mark Cronin, the young man hit while on his motorcycle, is home and doing well. He will get him prosthetic leg as asoon as his leg heals. Also pray for Karla's dad as he will have a bone marrow test on September 30th.
• Please pray for Rentz Gullick (who faced an upcoming procedure for a growth in his bladder), for the Hills' daughter Brandy, and for all those in the Gulf Coast who are still suffering due to the hurricane.

Evening services tonight at 6 p.m. Wayne Baker, from York College in York, Nebraska will be our guest speaker.

Outreach Northeast Personal Evangelism Seminar

http://36thstchurchofchrist.com/outreach/

The link above takes you the the Outreach Northeast web site that gives more information about the seminar we will have next week.

Sunday Notes

From Praises and Prayer Requests Turned In:

• Pray for Jonathan's mother in New York. She is looking for a new home closer to his father's work. Pray that they will find a place soon.
• Praise that Allen Burke got moved to night shift at work. Pray that he will get adjusted quickly and start coming to church regularly again. (Burke family)
• Please be praying for Bonnie Easley - Marge's sister-in-law. Bonnie has had a major stroke and is becoming unresponsive. Bonnie was very close to Marge's family and is greatly loved.
• Pray for Doe Burn's family whose ex-son-in-law suffered a severe stroke a week ago.
• Please pray for Tonya Fenton and her two young girls who lost their mother and grandma Julie Binsches on Tuesday in the tragic shooting at Alger.
• Please continue praying for Anne Huntsman as she recovers from a heart attack and blood clots in her legs.
• Praise to see the Garrisons back home and also praise to see the Adams family again.
  

Wednesday

Back to our regular schedule tonight -- potluck at 6 p.m. followed by Bible classes at 6:45. The adult class will see another video about evolution vs. creation. See you at 6!

The Thursday morning Daytimers' Class also resumes tomorrow at 10 a.m. Anyone of whatever age is welcome. Come if you can!

Our sympathies and prayers go to the victims and families of those who were killed in Alger yesterday afternoon. Skagit County has been afflicted with a great tragedy.

Possible Parking Problems

Utility construction workers are digging a ditch down the north side of Cascade Vista this morning. This means a ditch will cross our parking lot access. The workers assure me that some means of access will be available by tonight and that the dug-up area will be repaved tomorrow. However, if you are coming to VBS tonight -- just in case, you might want to consider parking in the Little School parking lot or our unpaved front parking area off Gardner Road.

Tuesday night's VBS went very well with a nice increase in attendance over Monday night. Thanks to everyone who is working so hard to make this a wonderful week of Vacation Bible School.

VBS Pictures

Go to Trish's blog to see the pictures she took at VBS last night.

http://patricespeaks.blogspot.com/2008/08/vacation-bible-school.html

VBS News - Tuesday

VBS got off to a great start Monday night. We had a good turnout of people, including several visitors.

Night 2 is tonight 6:30 - 8:30. Adult class runs approximately 7-8, but "grown ups" are welcome to come early and stay later to watch the kids' singing and puppet activities.

Remember we will not have a potluck Wednesday night, so be sure to eat before you come . . . and don't bring a covered dish, either . . . this week only!

Also the Thursday morning Daytimers' class will not meet this week, but will resume a week from Thursday at 10 a.m.

Prayer Requests and Praise Notes from Sunday

Your continued prayers are requested for Mark Cronin, friend of Karla Williamson's sister and her husband. Mark was hit while driving his motorcycle. He lost his left leg and has many broken bones. He is a husband and father of three. Praise God that He provided a man at the scene who saved Mark from bleeding to death. (submitted by Karla).

I want to thank the Hill family, Gaines family, and Blunt family for helping me move. What a blessing you are. (submitted by Darlene Stuber). Darlene's new address information will be in next Sunday's bulletin.

Praise that Candan Moser is recovering well. (submitted by Karla W.) Note: Candan said Sunday morning that she has no vision problems now and is healing very well. Her stitches have been removed and all the discoloration has gone away.

Praise God for the safe return of Allen & Rentz, the Percivals, Macombers, and Williamsons from their travels this past week.

I would like prayers about some things in my life. Just keep me there. (submitted by Patricia Hill)

_________________________
Remember VBS gets underway tonight at 6:30

VBS Begins Monday!

Vacation Bible School
August 25-29 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Schedule --
6:30 - 6:50 Opening Assembly in Auditorium (Welcome, singing, puppets)
6:55 - 7:15 First Period
7:20 - 7:40 Second Period
7:45 - 8:05 Third Period
8:10 - 8:30 Closing Assembly in Auditorium

The nursery, teen, and adult classes will operate on an independent schedule from 6:55-8:05.

The Pre-K/Kindergarten, Grades 1-3, and Grades 4-6 classes will have two in-room class sessions and one activity/refreshment session each night. We will follow this schedule about when the children will be out of the classroom for activity and refreshments:

Pre K/K Class (taught by Judy Hill)
1st period - Session 1 in Class
2nd period -- Activities/Refreshments
3rd period -- Session 2 in Class

Grades 1-3 Class (taught by Lisa Percival)
1st period - Activities/Refreshments
2nd period - Session 1 in Class
3rd period - Session 2 in Class

Grades 4-6 Class (taught by Jennifer Hill)
1st period - Session 1 in Class
2nd period - Session 2 in Class
3rd period - Activities/Refreshments

(Grades refer to school grade students will be in during the coming 2008-09 school year)

ADULT STUDIES
Monday night - The Truth about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit
Tuesday night - The Truth about the Bible
Wednesday night - The Truth about Salvation
Thursday night - The Truth about the Church
Friday night - The Truth about Morality (Living Godly Lives in a Worldly World)

NOTES:

• No potluck meal this Wednesday night;

• No Thursday morning Daytimers' class this week

Catching Up From Sunday

Prayer Requests and Praises From Sunday Morning Announcements:

• Thanks to Andrew Hill for getting up and leading singing. It's hard and he did well.
  
• Prayers requested for the Macombers to have a safe trip to and from California.
• Ruth Lake & Jim request prayers for their grandson Stephen Steen who is starting an auto trip to Chicago with high school friends.
• Jeanie Young offers praise to God for the wonderful trip they had to Norway.

Attendance Sunday (with many away traveling) -- 73

A Moving Experience

Darlene Stuber is going to move from Anacortes to Sedro-Woolley Saturday, August 16th and she needs our help. If you can give a few hours to help out, either meet at the church building at 9 AM or be at Darlene's old house in Anacortes at 9:30. The truck should be ready to load by the time we get there.

Sunday Praises and Prayer Requests

From the Sunday morning service, August 10th

• Please pray for Bev Waltenbaugh's health problems.
• Darlene Stuber will be moving next Saturday from Anacortes to Sedro-Woolley. She will have a truck, but needs help loading and unloading. Please contact her if you can help.
• Gilbert Crapson asks us to pray for his granddaughter Joy Tucker who was thrown from a horse and hit her head. He does not know all the details about her injury but was told it may be life-threatening.
• Please pray for Candan Moser's recovery. She had surgery Thursday in Seattle after being injured by a horse last weekend.
• Pray for Robb Williamson and family as they travel today to Texas.
• Pray for Bill Almli and family as they mourn the loss of wife and mother.
• For John, Karla, and kids as they fly to Boston this week.
  

Candan Moser

Judy Hill sent out the following update by email this morning:

Hi everyone,

I just got a call back from Kathy Brisky with an update on Candan. It seems that she's home now, as they couldn't do any surgery until some swelling goes down. She's going back to Harborview on Thursday to have surgery done on her eye. The horse kick broke her cheekbone and eye socket, doing extensive damage. She would love to have cards from us...her mailing address is:

Candan Moser

7501 Russel Rd

Concrete, WA 98237

Let's continue lifting this precious girl up to the Father...

In Him,

Judy

Eban, etc.

I've just received an email from Sky Brown reporting that his grandson, Eban Ferdig had an accident today when he burned both hands on an oven door. He is the young son of Bob and Kim Ferdig. Eban will be okay, but he will have some painful recovery time. He is home after a trip to the ER.

Ruth Lake Wilkison is feeling much better, but still does not know the exact cause of the problems she had last week. Jim and Steve are back home safely after their Alaska fishing trip.

Updates and Prayer Requests

Candan Owens was kicked in the face by her horse Saturday. She was air-lifted to Harborview and is there still. She requests our prayers, but would appreciate no calls or visits.

Karla Williamson was sick Sunday and not able to attend services.

Please continue to remember Ruth Lake Wilkison and Martha & Elmer Juntenen in your prayers.

Remember that the Thursday morning Daytimers' class resumes this Thursday at 10 AM.

Ruth Lake Wilkison

I've just had a phone call from the Wilkisons' daughter June. She said that Ruth Lake had to be taken to the emergency room last night. She is back home after a number of possible diagnoses were ruled out, but continues to have some problems. Please remember her in your prayers. Also remember Jim and Steve, who are in Alaska on a fishing trip.

Martha Juntenen

Sister Martha Juntenen experienced a fall Friday which left her hospitalized. She does not have broken bones, but may have to undergo therapy. As of Sunday evening, she remained hospitalized at Skagit Valley Hospital. Please keep Martha and her husband Elmer in your prayers as they struggle with a variety of health problems.

Wednesday

Remember this is 4th Wednesday, so we will have our potluck at 6 p.m. followed at 6:45 by a very brief devotional, then we'll have WORK NIGHT. Several work projects will be underway so come prepared (and dressed appropriately) to do whatever you can.

Our Daytimers' class will not meet tomorrow nor next Thursday. We will resume at 10 AM on Thursday, August 7th. We'll continue watching more of the Ray Van der Laan videos.

Have you noticed soap bars getting smaller? Read my somewhat humorous, but down-deep serious, comments about this on my personal blog -- Seeking the Light.

Welcome Dick & Jody

Richard (a/k/a Dick) and Jody Brown placed their membership with us Sunday. Dick is Sky's brother. They have been attending often with us since they moved to Mount Vernon several years ago, although sometimes they went back to worship with the Northwest church in Shoreline where they had been members for a long time. We're delighted they have decided they want to be a full-time part of the Skagit Valley church family. Their address and other contact information will be published in next Sunday's bulletin. Their mailing address, however, is P. O. Box 1959, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 if anyone wants to send them a welcoming note.

______________________

Sunday Prayer Requests:

From Rodney Blunt: "My aunt, Karen Loomer, had open heart surgery on Thursday and is recovering in the hospital. Please pray for her to recover quickly."

Rentz Gullick requests our prayers for a painful condition he continues to have with his knee. A MRI is scheduled for Tuesday.

Jeannie Young requests our prayers for her and her husband Roger as they travel to Scandanavia in the next few days.

Ferndale

About ten of our young people and five adults went to the Portal Way Church of Christ in Ferndale, Washington for a youth get-together Friday night. The Bible Bowl competition was won by a young man from Ferndale. Congratulations, Ian!

Thanks to Jud & Candi Hobbs for agreeing to spend the night and be chaperones during the lock-in.

Turning 30

"Don't trust anyone over thirty!" was the mantra of my generation when we were teenagers. Even today, thirty is the first milestone that says "I'm not as young as I used to be." You don't get over sore muscles quite as quickly and sometimes joints are known to be a little creaky. For most thirty-year-olds, these complaints are still minor irritants rather than serious problems. But it is the start of the downhill slide . . . and you know where it will lead eventually. So for many young adults, turning thirty is an accomplishment that does not leave them particularly happy.

But it's not me who's turning thirty. As much as it pains me to admit it, that happened in my life twenty-five long years ago. My oldest son, Daniel was born July 16, 1978 in Owensboro, Kentucky. I've already called him this morning to wish him a happy day and he seems to be handling things pretty well. Perhaps he still has a little life left in his creaky old bones :-)

Happy birthday, Son!

Daniel preaches for the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ near Killen, Alabama (in the Florence area of Northwest Alabama). Daniel, his wife Tiffany,and daughter Abby, are coming to visit Trish and me in two weeks. He will be speaking for us at Skagit Valley Wednesday night, July 30.

Saint Opalene and Saint Flostine

I've written a post this morning on my other blog -- Seeking the Light -- talking about some real-life saints like Opalene and Flostine. I'm sure they didn't make the calendar of saints' days, but they are godly women who have lived saintly lives. The article helps you understand the New Testament meaning of being a saint. The link is http://lightseeking.blogspot.com/2008/07/saints.html

Sunday Recap

We had 78 present Sunday morning -- pretty fair attendance considering all the people who were out of town.

The "End Times" series continued this morning. I appreciate the positive comments about the sermon and Power Point today. The full-content sermon outline (more detailed than the handout notes) is already posted online at www.johnfgaines.info I'll get the Power Point files uploaded as well if anyone is interested in viewing those again.

I expected some one to ask about the Seattle traffic signs. There are several "sign generator" web sites which allow users to design and copy signs of all sorts for uses like that. I'm sure you all knew that there are no signs across the road like that between here and Seattle on I-5 . . . it's amazing how easy fake stuff can be made to look real with computers. It's really true that you can't believe your eyes any more.

Next Sunday morning, we continue the theme studying about "The Rapture and the Great Tribulation." You can expect to learn that what a great many people think is going to happen isn't actually taught in the Bible.

Remember the Youth get-together at Ferndale Friday evening. The Bible Bowl features questions on Acts 13-28.

Looking Ahead to Sunday

We're expecting quite a few of our regulars to be out-of-town Sunday, so every friendly face is needed to make up our attendance. Make an extra effort to get to church by 9:30 Sunday morning and get some of that "nine-thirty nourishment" that comes from feasting on God's word.

Patti Hill starts Sunday as teacher for the elementary girls' class. Thanks to Trish Gaines for teaching this class for the last year. She is ready for a little break and Patti volunteered to step in, at least for the next quarter.

Remember the baby shower for Amber Brown & Samantha Sunday afternoon at the building.

Dropping the Ball

Dropped balls are common in football. Of course, it's embarrassing when the pigskin goes right through the receiver's fingers and bounces off the numbers of his chest to the ground. Still, it's a fact of life in football and even the best receivers occasionally come down with a case of fumbly fingers.

Same is true in baseball. Have you ever seen a catcher setting himself to catch a popup for a sure out? Every once in a while, something goes wrong and the ball pops out of his glove.

Even in basketball, there are cases of dropped balls in every game. Passes go awry and end up going out of bounds, thus turning the ball over to the other team. In basketball every turnover is a lost opportunity for a basket.

What do dropped balls have to do with this blog? Well, just maybe, it might be that I've dropped the ball in keeping the blog updated the last few weeks. I was out-of-town in Denver two weeks ago so that gave me an excellent excuse. Unfortunately, though, I've been back home thirteen days and this is the first blog update since June 22nd. Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Oh, I'm a little late for that, huh? Oh, well, all I can say is "I dropped the ball." I'll try to do better next time, coach. Don't sit me on the bench, please!

Sunday Praises and Prayer Requests

Attendance - 85

Rick and Dena Kimberly were visiting with us today. Their current address is 3107 Baron Ct., Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Their note says they enjoyed worshiping with us today.

A note asks for prayers for a friend named Phyllis Smith whose mother died Saturday night.

Another note asks for prayers for the family of Scott Kalitta, who lost his life Saturday morning. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and by his father.

Congratulations to Shari & Jonathan Natal who were married this afternoon.

Quick Links to Interesting Information

Lifeway.com offers some interesting research as to how prospective attenders view a church based on its teachings about whether homosexual behavior is sinful. As might be expected, the religious background of the individuals has a large impact on whether they view opposition to the practice of homosexuality as a positive or negative for a church. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/6fbhn4 Lifeway.com is associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Also, surf on over to the Apologetics Press website (www.apologeticspress.org) and click on the E-books link in the left column. You'll find a variety of book-length material available for free download in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format. These books have been available for sale in printed book format in the past (some still are). Apologetics Press is located in Montgomery, Alabama. It operates under the oversight of an eldership of a Church of Christ in South Florida.

Summer Arrives!

Finally summer is here . . . and the promise of at least some warmer weather. Enjoy the beautiful weather today and (hopefully) over the weekend.

Reminder about activities --

• Kids & Tami return from camp Saturday.
• Shari & Jonathan's wedding - 3 p.m. Sunday
• Leta's birthday party -- 2 - 4 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at her apartment building's meeting room
• Graduation Celebration (originally scheduled for June 27) has been postponed til July 3rd at the Hills' house in Acme. This will be part of their Annual Day-Before-the-4th get-together.
  
• Shower for the Natals Sunday, June 29 after morning services. Lunch provided. RSVP Helen Brown.
• Baby Shower for Amber Brown & Samantha July 13thh - 2 p.m.
• VBS August 25-29th

Keep in mind our regular services Sunday --

• Bible classes at 9:30 -- Adults are studying a lesson on Influence (Matthew 5:13-16 & James 3:13-18). Teen class resumes meeting upstairs.
• Morning worship -- The sermon will be "A Rock in the Road" with the text coming from ` Corinthians 8:9-13.
  
• Evening worship -- The sermon will be "Fishing For Temple Tax Money" from Matthew 17:24-27. A brief discussion period follows.
  

I (John) -- sounds sort of Biblical, doesn't it (Rev. 1:9) -- anyway, your preacher will be in Denver all next week taking classes. I'll have my cell phone with me if anyone needs to reach me (although it will be turned off while I am in class so you might have to leave a voice mail). My cell number is printed on the front of the church bulletin every week.

Baby Shower for Samantha Brown

I just received an email from Karee Blunt stating:

Would you please add to the list of upcoming events a baby shower for Amber Brown's new baby? It will be July 13th, 2:00 pm at the church building. Please see Karee or Karla with questions.

We finally had a beautiful and sunny weekend here in northwest Washington. It was a great day to celebrate and honor fathers.

Our attendance was down to 73 -- mainly because more than a dozen of our young people left Sunday morning to travel to eastern Washington for Music Camp at Colville. Several other families were also away . . . everyone was missed, but we had a great opportunity to meet together, worship, and study.

Our adult Bible classes have now combined (men and women meeting together again). We began a study Sunday that will take us through August studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7), comparing it with the epistle of James. Next Sunday, we will study about "Influence" using Matthew 5:13-16 and James 3:13-18 as our texts. Why not make a point to get here by 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning and take part in this class?

Patti Hill is completing writing the curriculum for our Vacation Bible School. The dates for VBS are August 25-29, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday evenings. You'll be hearing a lot more about VBS as the time gets closer.

In response to our call Sunday for people to volunteer to help with Children's Bible Hour during the sermon time on Sunday morning -- not to suggest, of course, that sermons actually last an hour -- Nancy Salazar stepped up and offered to teach every other Sunday. Now, we still need one or more people who will take the remaining Sundays. The goal is to provide age-appropriate Bible learning activities activities for our preschoolers and provide a better worshiping atmosphere for parents of young children. Nancy's approach will permit her to still hear 50% of the Sunday morning sermons. Nancy will carry on CBH next Sunday. Whether we have that program on June 29 depends on whether or not volunteers step forward.


Most of you probably remember the attention given to the killing of Tennessee preacher Matthew Winkler by his wife. That case has been written about by Seattle true-crime writer Ann Rule. Wayne Jackson reviews Ms. Rule's treatment of the Winkler case in an article on the Christian Courier website. Here is the link if you're interested in reading more.

Google Earth View of Our Location

Sunday Updates

Attendance - 84

Prayer Requests --

1) Please pray for Peter Fitzgerald (a family friend in Massachusetts). He was diagnosed with cancer. He is a young husband and father. Pray for complete healing. Thank you. Karla Williamson

2) Please pray for Martha and Elmer Juntenen as the continue to have age-related infirmities.

3) Please pray for Laird Percival and his class they have have safe travels and a safe stay at Mountain School this week.

4) Please pray for Music Camp next week. The youth group will be leaving on Sunday instead of Saturday.

5) Please pray for Bruce and Carol Weicht as they try to find placement in another home for Jennifer. Pray that it will go quickly. Also pray for Bruce that his medical challenge will be resolved fairly quickly.

Note of Thanks: Thank you all so much for your continued support of Reverie Outreach. We served over 8000 meals in 2007 and have been serving just under 1000 per month. We would love to have any of you work at the dinners. Call us to get on the schedule. We love you all. Matt & Cheryl Kaufman

Reminder: Volunteers are needed to carry on Children's Bible Hour during the sermon time on Sunday morning. This is for pre-school children. Karen is giving up this job after next Sunday so she can have Ethan in the worship service.

Sermon Outlines

I have posted full-content sermon outlines of most sermons preached at Skagit Valley Church of Christ so far in 2008 on a new web site. These notes are more detailed than the study sheets available on Sunday mornings.

You can follow the link on the left side of the church web page or go directly to my new sermon website at www.johnfgaines.info

The church web site started by Michael Macomber can be found at http://svchurch.googlepages.com/ .In the near future it will be linked from the same web address the church here had in the past:
www.skagitvalleychurch.org -- be sure you bookmark that address and check it frequently.

Mike and I have decided that there is value in keeping this blog going as well . . . so make it a practice to check in on www.skagitvalleychurch.org AND skagitvalleychurch.blogspot.com regularly.

Graduation Celebration; Bible Bowl Postponed

Here is the latest announcement in what is shaping up to be a busy June for us at the Skagit Valley church:

Save the Date!
Friday, June 27th, 2008 6pm
Congratulate our Graduates
Come join us for a potluck and entertainment to celebrate our recent graduates. Stay tuned for further details!

The Bible Bowl scheduled for June 29th has been postponed and will be rescheduled sometime in July. This was necessary because of some conflicts with the date the folks at Ferndale had.

Here is a summary of upcoming special events. See details below or on the new website operated by Mike Macomber. (http://svchurch.googlepages.com)

June 8 -- 2-4 p.m. Baby shower for Silas Burke
June 11 -- 6 p.m. Baby shower for Elijah Blunt
June 15 -- Father's Day -- regular church activities; no special events
June 22 -- 3 p.m. Wedding of Shari Hobbs and Jonathan Natal
June 27 -- 6 p.m. Graduation Celebration
June 28 -- 2 - 4 p.m. Birthday Celebration for Leta Hobbs (Mount Vernon)
June 29 -- Wedding shower for Shari & Jonathan

Showers

It's raining again today, but this time I'm talking about the gift-giving events where we honor special people at special times. We have several upcoming:

• Shower for Silas Burke Sunday, June 8th, 2-4 p.m. at the building.
  

• Next Wednesday night, June 11 we are going to honor Elijah Blunt and family with a blessing/diaper shower. we will start this celebration at the meal time. We will have a special cake then we will go on to give Elijah a blessing. Karla Williamson has planned the activity and will answer any questions. She suggests wet wipes and diapers as gifts as that are always needed.

• There will be a shower for Shari Hobbs & Jonathan Natal on Sunday, June 29 after church. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Helen Brown if you plan on attending. Actually, they will be Shari and Jonathan Natal by then -- their wedding will be at 3 p.m. on June 22 at the church building.
  

Church Web Site

http://svchurch.googlepages.com/home

This link will take you to a new version of the Skagit Valley Church of Christ website which has been put up by Michael Macomber. This blog may eventually give way to the website altogether, but for now the website is a convenient place to find a listing together of upcoming activities as well as pages devoted to teens, and other special groups. Sermon outlines will also be posted on the web site in the future. I appreciate Mike undertaking to be the webmaster for this very important project.

Prayer Request for an elder in Stuart, Florida

An email came today from Terry Frizzell, preacher for the Church of Christ in Stuart, Florida. This seems an especially critical matter and our prayers are requested. Terry traveled today to Peru on a previously scheduled mission trip. Please keep these folks in your prayers:

Last night about 8 o´clock I received a call from one of our elders at Stuart that another one of our elders had been taken to the emergency room. I went to the hospital and it was Gene Barnes. He had a foot injury about a week ago that has continually gotten worse that caused him to go to the emergency room, but as it turns out, the problem is not a foot injury, but rather it is mutiple blood clots, including some close to the heart, and some in the lungs. He is not doing well right now, and will be in ICU for some time. They are currently trying to figure out what is going on with his health that has caused these multitple clots to occur. I am hoping to have e'mail access sporadically so I can keep up with his t reatment, and if I am able to do so I will continue to post updates. I have been told that he is VERY sick. Please remember Gene, his wife Cheryl, and the church at Stuart in your prayers at this time.

Laird Baptized

Rejoice in the news that Laird Percival was baptized this evening. He had been talking with his mom and dad for quite a while and decided he was ready to put on Christ as his lord. Eric had the honor of baptizing his son.

Trish Gaines is home safely from visiting her mom in Texas.

Looking Forward to Sunday

The carpet in the church building looks much nicer after being professionally cleaned today!

Everyone remember our Donut & work party tomorrow morning starting at 9 a.m. (or earlier if you want to get up and get started). A lot of sprucing up and fixing up needs to be done.

Take advantage of the last day before our Friend & Family Day to be inviting friends, neighbors, and family members to our special event.

Then remember to come early Sunday morning (and bring plenty of food for the lunch to follow morning services). We want to get started on time at 9:30 with a combined adult study on Parenting Problems: Difficult Teenagers. This lesson is adapted from Dr. Tim Kimmel's book Why Christian Kids Rebel. It's aim is to help parents take a constructive look at how they can be more effective in guiding children who have a little bit (or a lot) of rebellious spirit in them.

Renewal, etc.

I hope everyone enjoyed the nice Memorial Day we had yesterday.

Trish reached Texas safely Monday afternoon and reports that her mother is doing fairly well, all things considered. However, she has declined markedly since the last time Trish saw her a little over a year ago.

This note just came in from Millissa Macomber:

Renewal, a Northwest evangelism workshop, is set for July 2 through July 5 in Tigard, Oregon. There are several families from Skagit Valley who will be attending and we anticipate taking down our church van. The workshop theme is "The Aroma of Christ." A full list of speakers and class topics is available next to the copy machine. (Be sure to check out the class taught by Rodney and Karee Blunt.) In addition to classes for adults, there are programs for kids and teens. Please contact Millissa Macomber if you are interested in carpoolling.

The Renewal schedule is available online at http://www.renewalnorthwest.com/schedule.htm

Saturday This-'n-That

Here's a little long-range notice so you can clear your calendars! Everyone is invited as Leta Pollock celebrates her birthday with a special party on Saturday, June 28th, 2-4 p.m. It will be in a meeting room at the building where she lives. More information will follow in the bulletin as the time gets closer.

A little closer is the wedding of Shari Hobbs and Jonathan Natal on Sunday afternoon, June 22. No formal invitations will be sent, but everyone in the Skagit Valley church family is invited to this event which will take place at the church building. I'll have to check on the time and post that later.

A baby shower is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, June 8th for Silas Burke and his parents, Becca and Allen. 2 p.m. See Karee Blunt for more information.

Sunday, June 1st is Family and Friends Day. We will have a combined adult class at 9:30, followed by worship services at 10:30, then a pot-luck meal together afterwards. Be inviting friends, neighbors, family members, and complete strangers who just might come! Printed invitations have been prepared and are available on the stand in the foyer of the church building.

Next Saturday, May 31 is --

Church Work Day (aka Donutfest 2008!)
Come One! Come All! Meet at the building on Saturday, May 31st, at 9am
(or earlier) for a fun day of fellowship and Spring Cleaning, and donuts
(Come early for better selection). A sign up list of tasks is posted on
the bulletin board in the hallway for your convenience. Please contact
Rodney at 360.757.3608 if you have questions. Let's make the building
sparkle in preparation for "Bring a Friend" day and for the long, hot
summer to follow!

Prayers for Dobbs Family

I have just learned that John Robert Dobbs was killed in a traffic accident Wednesday. He was the 18 year-old son of John and Maggie Dobbs of Monroe, LA. John is a gospel preacher who recently moved from Pascagoula, MS to Monroe, LA. Please keep this grieving family in your prayers. John is a blogger who reported his son's death in this touching blog post.

Wednesday

We'll be making an announcement tonight about changes in our format on Wednesday nights. These changes will be taking effect June 4th.

We will be making one change starting tonight. More tables will be set up in the auditorium and we're asking that everyone take their food from the kitchen and eat there. With no one eating in the kitchen, we can set up food tables down the middle so people can make two lines, one on either side of the tables. This will accomplish two things: (1) it increases fellowship by having everyone eating together in the same location and (2) it should eliminate long lines and permit everyone to get his or her food more quickly.

Trish's Mom

Please remember Trish Gaines' mother, Hazel Holden in your prayers. She lives with her son near Beaumont, Texas. A heart scan Monday revealed that her heart is seriously diseased. If she were younger she would be a candidate for a heart transplant, but at her age (84), there is not much that can be done. Her condition is viewed as very serious. Trish is going to Texas next Monday to spend time with her mom.

Sunday News & Prayer Requests

Attendance this morning -- 84

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for Lisa Percival as she travels to Hawaii for a wedding this week
• Pray for Kay Williams in her loss of her husband, Bill.
• Pray for Darlene Stuber and Bev Waltenbaugh
• Pray for Karen & Jon Hasenoehrl and their family
• Pray for Karla's dad, Dan Haggarty
• Pray for Martha and Elmer Juntenen
• Pray for the Jones/Williamson families

Praises of Thanksgiving

• For Kenny Pearson and his wife being with us today
• For Eric's good song leading today
  

Announcements:

• There will be a baby shower for Silas Burke on Sunday, June 8th, 2:00 p.m. here at the building. Please see Karee Blunt for suggested gift ideas.

• June 15 will be the last Sunday that Karen Hasenoehrl will be taking the "5 & unders" to Children's church (It's time that she has Ethan in church for the main service.) Please consider whether it is your turn to provide this service to families in the church. See Karen if you are wondering what the position entails.

• Please be inviting people to our Friends and Family Day in two weeks. Invitations have been prepared for handing out. . . pick up several and distribute them to friends, neighbors, family members . . . anyone you would like to invite to our special Sunday.
  

Saturday Sunshine

Isn't the sunshine wonderful?

Weatherman says it won't last too long, but at least we're having a great summer-like weekend. After the cool, wet spring, it is nice indeed.

Remember, Kenny Pearson will be with us to speak tomorrow morning. He works in prison ministry and we've contributed to his support for several years.

Some of the ladies are attending the Sauk River Retreat today. Thanks to Millissa for being so involved in organizing and supporting that.

Be telling people about the FRIENDS AND FAMILY DAY . . . Sunday, June 1st, just two weeks from tomorrow. We're going to have a special 9:30 service for adults that morning (children & youth classes will meet as normal).

Funeral Arrangements for Bill Williams

Bill's funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. in Wenatchee. Here is a link to his obituary in the Wenatchee World newspaper:

http://www.legacy.com/wenworld/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=109643207

If you wish to send a card or call, Kay's contact information is:

Kay Williams
2726 Sunset Highway N.
East Wenatchee, WA 98802

(509) 884-8737

In Memoriam - Bill Williams

We've received a message that Bill Williams passed away suddenly this afternoon in Wenatchee. He had been having a good day and was able to attend worship services this morning. No arrangements are known at this time. Our condolences go to his wife Kay and other members of his family.

Sunday Announcements & Prayer Requests

Attendance this morning was 87. Thanks to Candi Hobbs for doing such an outstanding job checking attendance every Sunday morning.

I didn't get prayer request cards from Allen, so forgive me if I overlook anyone. I know that Karla still requests our prayers for her dad, Dan Haggarty in Massachusetts. Aleceia Boomer emailed this morning with a request that we remember her daughter Cheyanne in prayers. Cheyanne has been sick for several days and the doctors have diagnosed it as mononucleosis. Also Becca Burke was sick this morning with a stomach virus of some sort.

It was great to welcome Samantha Rose Brown to our services for the first time today. She was born last Tuesday and is doing great.

Also remember the people in the Plains and Southeastern states who have been victims of another round of tornadoes. This has been a terrible spring for deadly storms in that part of the country.

Baby Shower for Silas Burke

A note from Karee Blunt asks me to publicize that a baby shower has been planned for Becca Burke and her baby Silas. The shower will be at 2 p.m. June 8 at the church building. Please mark your calendars!

An Amazing Act of Sportswomanship!

Tomorrow's bulletin will feature a story about an amazing act of sportsmanship -- or should I say sportswomanship by two players on the Central Washington softball team. The article by Alan Smith draws some valuable spiritual lessons from this inspiring story. Look for the article on the back page of Sunday's bulletin.

In the meantime, you can watch a video which displays the young women's character in a fine way.

We've set Sunday, June 1st as our Spring Friends and Family Day at Skagit Valley Church of Christ. Be spreading the word to everyone you know.

Midweek Update

Wednesday Night Prayer Requests:

• Olivia Blunt -- sick with strep throat
• Dan Haggarty -- (Karla Williamson's dad in Massachusetts) -- more tests upcoming; no definite results yet.
• Nathan & Amber Brown . . . and their new baby Samantha Rose
• Elmer & Martha Juntenen
• Rentz Gullick's grandson, Ethan, has pinkeye.
• Ken & Tami Beach in their move to Iowa
• Homeschoolers, homeschool moms, and other parents

Upcoming:

• Kenny Pearson will be here to report on his prison ministry work Sunday, May 18th. He will preach that Sunday morning.

• We're going to have a Friends and Family Day on June 1. More about that tomorrow.

• Spruce Up Day: Mark your calendars and save the date! Saturday, May 31st starting at 9am, meet at the church building for a day of fun and excitement! Come on down and help us spruce up the building in preparation for summer. A list of things that need to be accomplished will be available before hand so you and your family can sign up in advance. Donuts will be available in the morning to help replenish your strength. Questions? Call Rodney Blunt at 757-3608.

Welcome, Samantha Rose

Samantha Rose Brown made her debut Tuesday morning at Skagit Valley Hospital. She weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz. and is 21 3/4 inches long. Congratulations, Amber & Nathan (and big brother Ben)! Everybody is doing fine! They expect to be home today.

Sunday Update - May 4

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for my dad, Dan Hagerty. His CT scants showed nodules on both lungs and part of his thyroid is enlarged. There also is some concern with his blood test results. Please pray for clarity and restored health. Pray for my sister Lisa as she is doing a lot of the appointment making, etc. Thanks, -- Karla Williamson

• Remember Daniel Hill and his parents and grandmother and family as they work with him.

• Please pray for Amber Brown who is getting induced tomorrow morning. She's hoping for a quick and painless delivery. Thank you. -- Benny [Amber will be at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon]

• Please pray for the Jones family, Bill & Kay Williams in Wenatchee, and Elmer and Martha Juntenen.

Placing Membership With Us:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, We would like to be recognized as members here. You love and godliness have been a great encouragement to us. Roger & Jacqueline Todd and children. [We will have more information about the Todds available soon. We welcome them to our family here at Skagit Valley.]

VBS Meeting:

Thanks to everyone who participated in the meeting about Vacation Bible School. We will have a planning meeting soon to get specific assignments nailed down, set the dates, pick the curriculum, etc. If you have specific dates already on your calendar for late July and August which would be a conflict, please let John Gaines know. You can include that as a comment on the blog if you wish. We will choose the dates with the least conflict, but can't guarantee that we will fit with everybody's calendar.

Two Special Meetings Sunday

We're having two special meetings Sunday to discuss and plan aspects of our work here at Skagit Valley church of Christ.

After morning worship, anyone interested in working in Vacation Bible School needs to meet. It is especially important that we get teachers lined up as well as helpers, and people to work with refreshments and activities. This will just be a "I want to volunteer . . . " type meeting and will be over quickly. Then the hard work of getting everything organized starts.

Sunday night after the sermon (as part of the regular discussion time), we want to discuss ideas about ways we can possibly improve the formats for our Sunday and Wednesday night meetings. We might end up making no changes at all, but we want to evaluate how we are doing and what we could be doing which would attract more people and provide more benefits to those who attend. Put your thinking caps on and come prepared to share your ideas.

Remember the get-together at the Hills' house today. Pot-luck at noon followed by archery tournament.

New Ladies' Restroom

Allen Hill and Jeff Barrow are working hard today getting the stalls in place in the new ladies' restroom. I don't want to put them in a bind by promising it will be ready for use Sunday, but if not then, in the very near future. We appreciate their work in finishing up what has been a very long project.

Midweek Update

Wednesday Night Prayer Requests:

• Ann Dale (mother of Kathy Adams) -- had back surgery last week
• Chelsea Eby (niece of Rodney Blunt) -- recovering from surgery
• Angela Kelso (friend of Mike and Millissa Macomber) -- grieving over loss of loved one
• A friend of Mike Macomber has a mother who is seriously ill with cancer. Mike's friend asks our prayers that his mother will be receptive to the gospel.
• We continue to remember Bill Williams, Elmer & Martha Juntenen, and Ruth Lake Wilkison as they deal with ongoing health issues.
• Eric Percival will be out of town next week; he requests prayers for his safety in travel.
  

Good News on the Job Front: Allen Burke has been called back to his job, after being on lay off for a few weeks. With a new baby in the house, that is good news indeed. Also Jonathan Natal has been hired for a permanent position rather than the temp work he has been doing.

Remember the Get-together and Archery Tournament at the Hills' home in Acme Saturday. Potluck cookout begins at noon; archery starts at 1:30 p.m. Everyone invited. Those who don't want to participate in the archery can be spectators or just visit.

VBS Meeting Sunday

We want to have a meeting after services Sunday morning to explore the possibility of having a Vacation Bible School this summer. If we have enough interest (i.e., people willing to teach and help in other needed areas), we will definitely have one. We need teachers, helpers, puppet workers, and people to help with activities and refreshments. We will also discuss the best time to have VBS and whether it should be five nights or a shorter weekend format. Plan to stay for a few minutes Sunday morning. If you can't be at the meeting but want to be involved, please comment to this message or contact John Gaines by phone or email.

Truth About Origins Audio

If you would like to listen online to a series of seven lessons on The Truth About Origins, you can follow the link below to a page on the website of the Jacksonville Church of Christ in Alabama. The messsages are by Dr. Brad Harrub. The availability of more and more good material like this really demonstrates the value of the Internet. Click here to go to the site, then choose which lesson you want to hear.

Leadership Link

As we continue to encourage the development of new leadership in the church, we should read whatever good material we can find about how we can be the best possible leaders in the most important work in the world.

My friend Ron Thomas (who preaches in Illinois) has a brief article on his blog which is worth reading. Here's the link.

Monday Musings --

Our Youth Afternoon went great yesterday. John Williamson, Mike & Millissa Macomber, and Eric Percival were all involved in chaperoning and organizing the activities. I played the Alex Trebek role and hosted a Bible Jeopardy! tournament in which Jacob Hill edged out Sandra Todd in a very close match for the over-all victory in the Game of Champions! We had a sizable group from Ferndale participate with us. A Bible Bowl is being planned for late June at Ferndale where Skagit Valley and Ferndale youth and adults can compete. More details about that will be upcoming.

I had a phone call from a dear friend in Florida, an older sister in the church there named Aleathia Lackey. Aleathia was so proud several years ago to learn that her name is the Greek word for truth. She had reached the point that walking had become very difficult because of her knees. She recently had knee replacement surgery and has had some setbacks in her recovery so she called and asked for our prayers. She specifically asked me to pass on her request to the church here.

Sunday Update - April 27, 2008

Today's Record

Attendance this morning - 90

Prayer Requests Submitted Today:

Please pray for my dad as he has 3 CAT scans Tuesday. Pray all will be well. -- Karla Williamson

Shawn's sister-in-law has been in the hospital for a couple of weeks now. She was admitted to ICU and put on a ventilator and a semi drug-induced coma. She was given a 50/50 chance of survival. She had the most severe case of pancreatitis the doctor had ever seen, complicated by a severe staph infection in her blood. She was taken off the ventilator this week and moved to a regular room. She has heart, liver, and kidney damage. The doctor has told us to keep praying as she "should have died in ICU." The doctor admitted that she is in God's hands and her recovery is up to Him. -- Aleicia Boomer

Please continue to pray for my niece, Chelsea Eby. She came thru her surgery on Wednesday very well and will now be at home recovering for several weeks. Please pray for a quick recovery and that her cancer will not return. -- Rodney Blunt

Please pray for our daughter Brandy and her family. They're all having many struggles and difficult times right now. -- Judy Hill

Please pray for the family of Julia Smith, who passed away from cancer last week in Pensacola, FL. Especially pray for Katie Lindsey, who is Julia's ninety-something year-old-aunt who has lived with Julia for several years. I talked with "Aunt Katie" by phone yesterday and she is very upset. -- John Gaines

Praises and Thanksgiving

Thank you to Millissa M. for putting the teen songbook together.

Thank you to Rodney Blunt for repairing the drywall hole in the nursery.

Announcements:


Head for the Hills! Archery competition next Saturday. Potluck and your choice of main dish. Eat 12:00-1:30. Competition starts at 1:30 sharp.

Picture Board: We're working to get a picture board put up in the hall showing all our Skagit Valley church family. The easiest way is to let Trish Gaines take your picture any time over the next three weeks. If you already have a picture you would like to use: (1) If it's digital, email trishgaines@gmail.com -- (2) If it's a print you can donate it to be used or a non-studio picture can be scanned and your original returned to you. Contact Trish if you have any questions. We encourage everyone to participate.

Check Back Frequently:

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John Gaines

Jeopardy and the Expelled Movie

Thanks to Millissa and Mike for their help in getting the Jeopardy game set up for our Youth Afternoon Sunday. I wrote the questions, but Millissa figured out a way to use the Power Point program to show the questions. Excuse me -- answers -- this is Jeopardy after all. I hope Sunday afternoon will be both a fun and educational time for our kids.

The movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed has attracted considerable attention since it premiered a week ago. Produced by and starring TV personality Ben Stein, it challenges the sacred cow of science and its closed mind against the possibility of Intelligent Design. The movie is not religious, per se, but by all accounts it does a good job of challenging the thinking of those who think that evolution provides all the answers.

Here is a review of the movie written by my friend Terry Frizzell: http://brotherhoodnews.com/2008/04/26/expelled-movie-review This originally appeared on the Gospel Preachers email discussion group. Here is another account of seeing this movie written by Chris Gallagher: http://preacherspen.org/?p=99

If any of you see the movie, make a comment here and let us know what you thought about it.

Where Do Preachers Get Sermon Ideas?

There are many possible answers to that question. Most often, my ideas come from simply studying the Bible and thinking about what I perceive to be the needs of the congregation. Sometimes, I pick up good useful ideas from books, articles, and online writings that I read. I don't think I've ever just taken somebody else's material and preached it verbatim, but just about all preachers borrow material and ideas from others. For example, Sunday night's sermon will talk about things we need to know about the Lord taken from the letters to the seven churches of Asia (in Revelation chapters 2 & 3). I'll be taking a class on Revelation in June taught by Dr. Stafford North from Oklahoma Christian University. Brother North has written a study book on Revelation (Unlocking Revelation. Nashville: 21st Century Christian, 2003). I've developed a sermon based on these seven "lessons" from his chapter on the seven churches:

1. Jesus knows His churches.
2. Christ wants churches to guard their teaching.
3. Christ wants Christians to live in purity.
4. Christ wants Christians to grow in service.
5. Christ wants Christians to be ready for persecution.
6. Christ wants Christians to know they can be lost.
7. Christ will richly reward those who overcome.

Come Sunday night April 27 at 6 p.m. and see how I develop these points . . . some of the ideas come from Dr. North; some of them are my own -- hopefully, all of them will be biblical and helpful to you as you seek to live each day for Jesus.

Ken and Tami

The Skagit Valley church is going to have to say goodbye to Ken and Tami Beach in the near future. When Trish and I made a three-day exploratory visit to Burlington for us to evaluate the possibility of working together in January 2007, we spent one night each with the Beaches, the Blunts, and the Wilkisons. Each family impressed us, but I'd have to say that Tami probably made the strongest impression of all (Ken was working at the hospital much of that weekend so we didn't get to spend as much time with him). Tami came across to us as a very compassionate and loving Christian lady, but one who wanted to get things going in a higher gear in the Lord's work here in the Skagit Valley. She was candid about problems the church had experienced in the past, but was also very positive in her outlook about what could come to pass in the future. She made us want to come here and be a part of the good things to come.

After we moved here in June, we quickly learned that Ken and Tami were good people to be around. Whether it was sitting with Ken in elders-preacher meetings and praying together for the needs of people in the congregation or sitting around a dining room table playing cards, there was a special bond of cammaderie and friendship with them. Obviously we aren't the only ones who have that kind of feeling about the Beaches. They will be missed by the whole church.

For quite a while, Ken had been aware of the danger of having his job (nurse anesthetist) replaced by anesthesiologists at Skagit Valley Hospital. When that came to pass, Ken first hoped to find employment at another hospital in commuting distance so he and Tami could still live in Mount Vernon. Ken is blessed/cursed with an occupation that is in great demand in some areas of the country while few jobs are available in other areas where the supply of physician anesthesiologists is greater. Eventually they concluded that would have to seek employment in some other part of the country. They visited hospitals in several places including Montana, Missouri, Virginia, but ended up accepting a job in northeastern Iowa. Ken will begin his work there in the near future, but they may be back here from time to time until their house sells.

Ken served as an elder of the Skagit Valley church. During that time, he served well in shepherding the church in the direction of greater service and commitment to doing the Lord's work and following carefully the teachings of Scripture. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm speaking for the whole church in saying that both Ken and Tami will be missed. We really and truly wish you didn't have to go, but we know that our loss will be a blessing to the kingdom of Christ in Iowa.

Back to Blogging

After almost a year, I'm starting again with good intentions in the world of blogging. This time I am undertaking to keep not one -- but two -- blogs current. This blog -- now titled Heavenly Ambition will be intended as a communication tool for the Skagit Valley Church of Christ. As God's people, it surely must be our ambition to get to heaven. All of us need all the encouragement and support we can get in that journey . . . so here we'll try to do just a small part of the job of building one another up in a sustaining faith that can see us through all the troubles and trials as well as sharing with one another's joys and triumphs. In other words, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Share your comments and news . . . and make a habit of checking Heavenly Ambition frequently. I commit to do my best to keep it current.

The other blog is more personal. Some of it will be biblical in content. Other posts may deal with politics, sports, or anything else that interests me at the moment. It is titled Seeking the Light and its URL is http://lightseeking.blogspot.com/ Keep an eye on that one, too . . . and feel free to respond to anything I say.