Prayers and Praises

 

       Prayer is a great way to reenergize your faith and set some fuel on the fires of the holy spirit.  Some of our members in need of your prayers for healing and comfort are  Wanda Casey, Susie Corlett, Ron Doerr, Norman Gosselin, Joan Harding, Marie Johnson, Carolyn Morris, Bud Parks, and Betty Potts. Members of our extended family also needing your prayers are Becky Forkner, Maxine Franklin, Natalie Gast, and Anna Miller. Please remember their families and caregivers in your prayers, too.

       Fred’s safe with us but his wife Phyllis is still trapped in Texas! Please keep her in your prayers as she finishes things down there and hopes for a quick sale on the house. Keep the staff and congregation of Monica Park Christian Church lifted up during this time of transition for them.

The Prayer Partners ministry meets each Sunday at 9 AM in the Conference Room. All are welcome.

Greetings From Garland  the Pastor’s Office!

 

My first day on the job!  My first day as your pastor!  But I typed this out last night, just in case I couldn’t find my pants this morning!  (I always lose one item every time I move.  When I moved to Texas, it was a large frame containing my Certificate of Ordination.  I wish it had been another remote control!)  I wanted to get a head start on the day.  I knew there would be soooo much to do on my first day – like learn how to get into my office!  And there are people to meet, boxes to unpack, meetings to schedule, files to be found, especially the one with all my notes on meetings I planned to schedule, things I needed to do, questions I intended to ask on my first day at East Side!  (You’ll have to be patient with me, because I have a lot of catching up to do before I become fully operational!  And the learning curve is pretty steep on a 75 yr old church!)  But perhaps most crucial is to find a small USB thumb drive, tucked inside a small pocket inside a briefcase that holds everything I threw into it that I wanted to be able to find first thing on my first day.  That little technological marvel holds 15 years of work, including sermon notes for this Sunday, my first sermon at East Side.  I plan to work especially hard on that sermon.  After all, chances are pretty good that everyone will be listening to my first sermon!  I’m looking forward to Sunday morning, not just because it is my first sermon as your pastor, but because I always look forward to the first day of the week, Sunday, when the community gathers to worship.  It is through worship that we remind God of our gratitude and adoration.  It is through worship that God reminds us of who and whose we are.  See you Sunday … and bring a friend.

 

Blessings

Fred

Week of Compassion Update

Thursday, August 28, A.D. 2008

Fay Strikes Florida,

Gustav Heads Toward Gulf

Massive Flooding in India

Communities across Florida are drying out and cleaning up after Hurricane Fay struck the state a record four times with heavy rains  and high winds. A number of areas in the central and southern parts of the state received more than 25 inches. In addition to extensive property damage, Fay caused at least 13 deaths.

       Week of Compassion has responded to a Church World Service appeal just issued to its member communions for material resources, training, and emergency grants to local long term recovery groups. WOC has also provided grants to First Christian Church, Melbourne, and First Christian Church, Ft. Pierce, to assist Disciples families whose homes were flooded.

       WOC will continue to monitor the situation in Florida as we are also monitoring the impact of Hurricane Gustav on countries in the Caribbean and as this latest tropical storm enters the Gulf of Mexico.

       Massive flooding in India's Bihar state has created a catastrophic situation, with more than 2 million people affected, including more than 1 million who have been left homeless. The state government has issued an emergency appeal to the national government and to all national and international agencies for emergency assistance, as the disaster has overwhelmed local resources. Longtime WOC/Disciples partner and Action by Churches Together member, Church Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), is mobilizing for a major response to provide ready-to-eat food, dry ration kits, clothing, utensils, blankets and emergency housing materials. CASA will soon be submitting an appeal to ACT. Week of Compassion will respond on behalf of the Disciples.

Area Assembly at Community

Christian Church

The Northeast Area Assembly will be Sunday, September 21, from 2:00-5:30p.m. at Community Christian Church (8920 E. 31st). The theme this year is “Dreams and Visions”. Come prepared to join in the fellowship.

Praise Gathering September 14

The September Praise Gathering is coming soon. Plan to share the evening with us on September 14. Come ready for a night of fun and fellowship! Chicken and noodle casserole will be provided for the dinner at 5p.m. Please bring  side dishes  and desserts to share.  Worship will be at 6p.m. in the sanctuary. Fred Turner and Romney Nesbitt will be bringing the message.