From the Pastor:
Living from the Fullness Already
Within
Too often,
we approach our spiritual lives as if we are empty vessels waiting to be
filled, frantically searching outward for God’s presence, peace, or direction.
Yet in Luke 17:21, Jesus offered a liberating truth: “The Kingdom of God is
within you.” Writing to the early church, both Paul and Peter echoed this
reality, reminding believers that His divine power has already granted us
everything needed for life and godliness, and that in Christ, we have been made
complete (Colossians 2:10, 2 Peter 1:3). The Christian life is not an endless
striving to obtain what we lack; it is learning to rest in the reality that the
fullness of Christ already dwells in our spirit. We are not operating from an
empty account—God’s boundless grace and resurrecting power are already at home
in us.
Our calling
each day is simply to activate and live from what we have already received. As
Paul wrote to Philemon, our faith becomes deeply effective when we learn to
acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ. Instead of waking up
focused on our perceived deficiencies, we could begin to fix our eyes on what
Jesus has already accomplished. When we replace striving with intimacy, renew
our minds according to God’s Word, and put our faith into everyday practice,
our lives naturally become living testimonies of His love. May we walk together
this month not as people begging for provision, but as sons and daughters
confidently sharing the abundance of the Kingdom within.
The kingdom
of God is not something distant that we must strive to obtain. It is already
within us. Our responsibility is to awaken to it, and release it into the
world.
God Bless
You!
Pastor David
Pastor David’s phone number is 217-329-4785.
Email is devdrk476@gmail.com
Upcoming
Events:
Sunday
School 9:00
Tuesdays
10:00 Bible Study
November 5 6:00 Church Board
November 6, 7 District Conference in Polo
November 15 Council Meeting after worship
November 29 Soup lunch, decorate sanctuary
December 3 6:00 Church Board
December 6 4:00 Christmas Vespers here
December 9 Women’s Christmas lunch
December 12 10:00-12:00 Pickup candy orders
In Our Prayers
Pray for
peace with Iran and for peace between Ukraine and Russia! Dave and Beverly
White; Coden James; Jonah Martina; Dave and Gina Ritchie;
Vinny; Nancy Fansler; Martha Wood; Bill Traughber; Randy and Michelle
West; Martha Lynch; Karen Chenoweth; Ryan LeHew; Sam and Rosemary Brandenburg; Nancy Fansler; Doug Larrick; Ron Petersen; Debbie Garvey Leibrock;
Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; victims of disasters; victims of
shootings; shut-ins; the Church of the Brethren around the world; immigrants
Military and Other Services and their families
Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers
Needed:
--Volunteers
for the children’s message during the service and/or for a children’s
lesson/story time in the nursery during the sermon. Please sign up in the back
of the sanctuary.
--Someone
to take turns running the Power Point for worship. If you know a little about
computers, you can do this job. Let Carol know.
--Chorister—Martha
is carrying the entire load. Who can step up to lead singing once in a while?
--Greeters—if
you are willing to hand out bulletins at the sanctuary door before worship,
talk to Nancy Born Martin.
Discomfort and Joy
By Wendy
McFadden, December, 2010
It used to be that I had trouble keeping track of baby Jesus. When our youngest child was small, she would tuck Jesus safely into a purse or small container. He would be missing, then, when I packed away the creche and hauled the Christmas boxes into the attic. In a busy household, it was no small feat to make sure that he was where he needed to be by the next Christmas.
After all, what kind of Christmas would it be if we couldn’t find Jesus?
But finding Jesus may turn out to be
inconvenient. What Jesus brings “makes for a great deal of Christmas
discomfort, in a society that stands for comfort and total security and
status,” according to Sister Jean Chittister in a reflection written years ago
for Whose Birthday is It Anyway? (but, unfortunately, even more relevant
today).
“We like ‘peace through strength’ we say.
Then we spend the money of the poor on the militaristic agendas of the mighty.
We don’t have enough money for day care of education or job retraining programs
in this country, we insist. We don’t have enough money to develop the earth,
but we have enough money to arm the heavens. Our peace is clearly not in the
crib—our peace in in the sword,” Chittister writes. “We look for Jesus in the
clean and the comfortable, not in the down and out, not in the uncouth, not in
shepherds, not in mangers. We expect a syrup and butter Jesus, not the one who
cleansed the temple or call the Pharisees hypocrites or told Pilate he had no
authority over him.”
And then Chittister quotes part of the
Church of the Brethren tag line. Well, actually, she quotes the Gospel of
Matthew: She points out that the Magi “departed to their own country by another
way.”
That is, they embarked on “another way of
living,” as we Brethren say. That’s what finding the baby Jesus requires.
May you be blessed this season with
Christmas discomfort and joy.
(Wendy
recently retired from her position of publisher of Messenger, our church
magazine.)
Christmas
Vespers December 6
Do you
have special music or a special reading you could share? Let Carol, Kathy, or
Martha know. We would like to have one or two specials from our congregation
for this special occasion at our church again this year.
Laughter is good medicine:
1.
What is a dentist’s favorite hymn?
2.
How does Moses make his coffee?
3.
At what time of day was Adam created?
4.
What man in the Bible has no parents?
5.
A Sunday school teacher asked the children, “Why
is it necessary to keep quiet in church?”
(Answers
at the end of the newsletter)
History
Corner:
What
does Wissahickon Creek mean to you? This creek is where the first baptisms in
the United States took place for the group of Brethren who had migrated from
Germany in the 1700s. These baptisms took place on Christmas Day, 1723. The
creek is near the Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia.
The
Germantown congregation is one of the oldest in this country, as is their
church building. There is a cemetery at the church where some of our original
church leaders are buried, including Alexander Mack and Alexander Mack, Jr.
Women’s
Fellowship
The women plan to make candy again this year. Ordering may begin in November. Candy to be made includes peanut brittle, buckeyes, peanut butter fudge, chocolate fudge, peanut butter meltaways, peanut clusters, and caramels. Order by December 2 by giving Nancy Born Martin or Kelly Timlin your order.
Orders may be picked up and paid for on December 12 between
10 and 12 or at church the next day. It is $7 per ½ pound bag.
The
women will have their Christmas lunch on Wednesday, December 9. ALL women are
welcome. Lunch will be at noon. Meat will be provided. We ask that those
attending bring a dish to share with the group. Following lunch, we will have a
short meeting and then reveal prayer partners. At some point in the day, we
will package candy orders. Whether this is in the morning or in the afternoon
is yet to be determined. Stay tuned.
Council
Meeting November 15
This is
the council meeting when we elect new board members and pass the budget for the
coming year. Please plan to stay after worship for this important meeting.
Board
to Reorganize December 3
The
December meeting of the church board is when it reorganizes with new members
present. All members are asked to select their preference of commissions, and
the board chair determines final placement. If you are called to serve on the
board, please come to this meeting.
Answers to jokes:
1.
Crown Him with Many Crowns
2.
Hebrews it.
3.
A little before Eve
4.
Joshua, son of none (Nun)
5.
Because people are sleeping.
(Thanks, Tina Martina!)
Love God,
Grow with others,
Serve faithfully,
Reach the lost,
Find peace.
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