Parson to Person

ALL GREEN AND LEAFY

            I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

            As I sit here at my desk I am looking at a small peace lily that I keep in the office. The poor thing has had a pretty rough life. When I first moved it into this office I kept forgetting to water it.  Since I am usually only here once a week and only pass through the office on Sundays long enough to put on my robe for worship, when I forget it means two weeks without water. I’d come in and find it with all these brown and yellow leaves drooping over looking positively terminal. Then I’d water it and it would bounce back. Those brown leaves would still be there but the rest of the plant looked better.

            With Adele’s help life has gotten easier for that plant. I usually water it as part of my “first things” I do when I get to the office. When I miss a week because I am away Adele waters it. And right

now it is a pretty nice looking plant. There are still some leaves that bear the mark of the struggle but fewer and fewer and the other leaves are all green and leafy.

            Often when we go through really difficult times we can look at our lives and see that we’ve lost contact with God. I’m not suggesting that every time we get into trouble that’s the cause. But sometimes that’s true and sometimes after the trouble begins our response to it takes us away from God.  Maybe it happened because we had so much going on. Maybe when things started getting difficult we withdrew, maybe we were angry with God. Remember Jesus’ words, “…apart from me you can do nothing.” Often that is the trouble. Whether we are talking about our personal individual lives or whether we are talking about our life together as the church if we want to be all green and leafy we need to abide in Christ. That means to me that we need to return to regular prayer, which should include prayerful reading of the Bible. It also means worshiping with God’s people, serving God through serving others. It means exploring faith, learning who and whose we are as Christians. Spiritual health isn’t just a nice thing to strive for it is a vital matter.

            Each of us and all of us together need to stay connected to the vine. The water that keeps us alive comes from that vine. There can still be green and leafy days ahead but only if we abide in Christ.

Pastor Rob

Articles:

FISH FRY

            The Calvary/Shiloh United Methodist Men (UMM) are having a Fish Fry! Set for Sept 4 at 6pm the event is a “men’s thing” and all men from either church are invited whether or not they usually participate in the men’s group. UMM president Doug Peters and Everett Currie will have caught all the fish,  the UMM kitchen crew will be preparing the dinner of fried fish (perch), hush puppies, French fries, coleslaw.  This will be instead of their monthly meeting. Men of Shiloh come on out and enjoy great food and fellowship.

CHILI COOK-OFF

            Do you have a secret recipe for chili that everyone raves about? If you do, you will want to enter the Chili Cook-off sponsored by the Calvary/Shiloh United Methodist Men. Anyone can enter a pot of chili. If you don’t have a chili recipe you will want to attend. Judging will be done by the attendees who will receive a sample of each batch and vote for their favorites by making a monetary donation in the basket that will be beside each contestant. You can vote as many times and for as many different chili chefs as you want. The winner will be the person who raises the most money, which will go to support the ministry of the United Methodist Men. After tasting you can have a bowl of your favorite chili or maybe you’ll want it on a hot dog. There will be other chili trimmings available. This event is scheduled for September 18^th from 3-5 in the Calvary Fellowship Hall. To enter your chili contact Doug Peters (301-645-0220)

Back to School Prayer

Now I set me down in school

Where praying is against the rule.

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

Any anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

Praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate

God’s name is prohibited by the state.

They’ve outlawed guns, but first the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the ‘unwed daddy’, our Senior King.

It’s “inappropriate” to teach right from wrong,

We’re taught that such “judgments” do not belong.

We can get some items for birth control,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed.

No word of God must reach this crowd.

It’s scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.

So God, please listen when I cannot speak,

And hold my hand through school all week.

Source:  Marbury Messenger

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Shirley and Marcy

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school.  He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.

So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her.  She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew.   She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week?"

Do you know her?'

Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.'

The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'

'That's just Shirley Goodnest,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.'

'Shirley Goodnest?  Who the heck is she and why is she following us?   'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much.  And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'

The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace.

May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always.

Source:  Email

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

1          Wilma Thorne

10        Jean Milstead

13        Samantha Noel

19        Valerie Daniels

28        Margaret Scott

SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES

2          Brenda & George Leonard

16        Kim & Jeff Hardy

25        Adele & Bob Brewer

28        Margaret & John Scott

GREETERS       

September

5          Linda Hilwig    

12        Connie Sanders

19        Nora Lou Willett

26        Phyllis Buff

October

3          Elizabeth Gifford

10        Connie Sanders

17        Nora Lou Willett

24        Linda Hilwig

31        Anjie Bachman

SCRIPTURE READERS

September

5          Linda Hilwig    

12        Elizabeth Gifford

19        Anjie Bachman

26        Adele Brewer

October

3          Phyllis Buff

10        Elizabeth Gifford

17        Robert Bachman

24        Adele Brewer

31        Anjie Bachman

Please notify Adele if you would like

to be a Scripture Reader.

NURSERY ATTENDANTS

September

5          Peggy Ireland  

12        Linda Hilwig

19        Adele Brewer

26        Peggy Ireland

October

3          Linda Hilwig

10        Adele Brewer

17        Peggy Ireland

24        Linda Hilwig

31        Adele Brewer

Please notify Adele if you would like

to be a nursery attendant.

USHERS

September

5          Joan Hedges

            Elvan Hedges

12        Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

19        Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

26        Joan Hedges

            Elvan Hedges

October

3          Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

10        Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

17        Joan Hedges

            Elvan Hedges

24        Anjie Bachman

            Robert Bachman

31        Nora Lou Willett

            Adele Brewer

Would you like to be an usher?  Let Adele

know and she’ll put you on the list.

Please provide your birthday and/or

Anniversary information to Adele if your

special dates haven’t been noted in the

Trumpeter.