Sunday, October 10, 2004
From Russia With Love: 10-10-04
FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE. In this photo from Russia, Pastor Elena Kotelkina (far right) of Way of Salvation UMC in Mytischi, Russia, and a musician/parishioner (now deceased) named Sergei (far left), host two visitors, Charlie Epperson (second from left) and Bo West during an official vist from the Paris/Sulphur Springs (PSS) District UMC Russia Initiative (details below), now chaired by Tinney Chapel Senior Pastor Duncan Graham. Epperson attended a recent meeting, Saturday, Oct. 9, of the PSS Russia Initiative Committee held at Tinney Chapel's new Christian Education Center.
Photo dated 5-10-03 provided by Charlie Epperson.
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CHAPEL NEWS TODAY:
RUSSIA INITIATIVE MEETS HERE.
The PSS District Russia Initiative, chaired by Tinney Chapel Senior Pastor Duncan Graham, met here at Tinney Chapel on Saturday evening, Oct. 9, 2004, in the new Christian Education Center. Pastor Graham has issued at least two news items in recent months, urging PSS District churches to assign priority to paying off the remaining building debt on Pastor Elena's church. It is believed that this is the only such initiative undertaken by a UMC District entity. Charlie Epperson's report on the trip represented in the photo above follows.
THE MYTISCHI EXPERIENCE.
"On the first weekend in October, 2003, Bo West and I had the privilege and honor of representing the Paris-Sulphur Springs District at the Third Anniversary Celebration of Way of Salvation UMC in Mytischi, Russia. We had been informed before going that the dedication of the new facility would be held at the same time, but, for as yet unexplained reasons, the dedication was not held at this time.
"There were more than 50 people on hand Saturday for the worship service
and anniversary celebration. Pastor Elena delivered a sermon on Jonah, and
I had the opportunity to practice my Russian skills by passing on your
greetings and congratulations. A meal was served to all attending after the
service, and an impromptu sing-fest began in the sanctuary during and after
the meal. It was a joyful time for all, and included some dancing by (among
others) Pastor Elena (I have pictures).
"On Sunday, we were taken to an art gallery in Moscow with paintings by
a contemporary artist named Shilov. He is well known for his portraits,
which look more like photographs than paintings. That evening, we were
treated to a performance of the Moscow Circus, which turned out to be a
musical extravaganza with some circus acts thrown in. Quite a departure
from what we were expecting, but still enjoyable.
"We had the opportunity to spend some time with Pastor Valerij Khe of
Mytishchi UMC on Monday, whose church is supported by First UMC, Paris (Texas). Pastor Valerij is also the District Superintendent of the North Moscow
District, and is well aware of the support being given to Way of Salvation
UMW by our District. We bring back his greetings to all of you.
"As I reported to you last year, God is still alive and well and working
in Mytishchi through a small group known as Way of Salvation UMC. Their
faith continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and they remain very optimistic
that they will increase in membership. At this time, however, none of the
churches in Russia is experiencing any growth in members. There are still
some bureaucratic roadblocks in Mytishchi, as the city administration still
has not approved the outside entrance the church wants to construct. They
are still confident permission will be given, but are unsure when that will
happen. But, we have heard no complaints about anything.
"Every time we ask Pastor Elena what she needs, the answer is always the
same: “We need your love and your prayers.” Those are two things we have in
abundance, and it takes little effort to pass on either. So, please
continue to support Way of Salvation UMC with your love and prayers. That
way, their prayers will be answered again and again." ---Charlie Epperson
WALKING THE WALK
"The walkway between our two buildings at Tinney Chapel was poured Tuesday, Oct. 5," says Buzz Welch. Those at church today, Oct. 10, used the new walkway to move from worship in the sanctuary to Sunday School classes in the new Christian Education Center. Congratulations and thanks to Bill Knoop and his helpers for a great job of installing the playground equipment and fence on the north side of the sanctuary!
NEW STUDY FOR THE OVERCOMERS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS.
Jenna Nelson’s Overcomers Sunday School Class began a new study today using Rick Warren’s phenomenal best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. If you’d like to participate in this study, contact Jenna for details.
CLASSES TODAY:
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOPICS:
WISE ONES, Frankie Brewer: Relearning Communities.
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LADIES BYKOTA, Peggy Boyd: Hoping For Help.
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TINNEY CHAPEL MEN, Bill Knoop: The Case For Christ, a study by Lee Strobel.
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OVERCOMERS: Jenna Nelson: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. (This is a multiple-week study.)
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YOUTH: Stephen Graham: Journey Through The Bible (Quiz) Continued.
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CHILDREN: Linda Hallman: In The Beginning (water, land & sea).
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PAIRS & SPARES, Joe Dan Boyd: Review of Paul’s Letter To The Romans: Nothing Can Separate Us From The Love Of God!
Pairs & Spares Class Handout is below:
MOMENTS OF TRUTH (Life lessons 238)
Take home lessons from a review of Paul’s Letter To The Romans (The Message Translation):
1. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
2. There's nobody living right, not even one.
3. God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in His rightness.
4. God's promise arrives as pure gift. That's the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it: those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father - that's reading the story backwards. He is our faith father.
5. When we are lowered into the water (of baptism), it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water (of baptism), it is like the resurrection of Jesus.
6. The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork.
7. And now what the law code asked for, but we couldn't deliver, is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us:
8. Trusting God to shape right living in us.
9. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.
10. Nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable, absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love.
11. "Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help."
12. The only reason you're on the tree of Life is because your graft "took" when you believed, and because you're connected to that belief-nurturing root. So don't get cocky and strut your branch. Be humbly mindful of the root that keeps you lithe and green.
13. In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in.
14. Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering.
15. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of Christ’s body: Christ's body of chosen people. Let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other.
16. Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Respect your leaders.
17. If the way we live isn't consistent with what we believe, then it's wrong.
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT SUNDAY: 10-17-04: REVIEW HEBREWS.
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CHILDREN’S SERMON TODAY:
Pastor Duncan Graham’s sermon for the children today was on letting our lights shine, and he used as an example the song, “This Little Light Of Mine,” which the children and the entire congregation sang in unison for three full verses! “What does that song say to you?” The Pastor’s question was directed to the children. “Let it shine,” was the answer! “Yes,” agreed the Pastor. “That’s what we are all about as followers of Jesus: Letting our light shine in the world.
At this point, the Pastor gave each child a miniature lighthouse to remind them of this Christian obligation and great joy: “Let this remind each of you to be a lighthouse, and that the Lord is the Light of the World, shining through each of you. You are the only light that some will ever see. And, remember that, as with all else, practice makes perfect, so practice letting your light shine!”
In his closing prayer, the Pastor asked God to be with each of the children as they let their lights shine, never allowing them to go out, and that they not forget that they are always loved by God.
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ADULT SERMON TODAY:
Senior Pastor Rev. Duncan Graham’s sermon title today was “The Challenge To Love,” and was based on Matthew 5:38-48:
5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
5:39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
5:40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
5:41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
5:42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
5:47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
---New King James Version of The Bible
“Love is an important topic to Jesus,” the Pastor began. “He gave us some direct commands about love, a topic which is at the center of both Christianity and Judaism: Love thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength and also love thy neighbor. But, in Matthew, Jesus carries us a giant step further:
'But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,'
“I believe Tinney Chapel can go to greater days in the spread of the Kingdom, but some things have to happen beyond self, beyond church-going and move us toward spiritual maturity” said Pastor Graham. “This gets into the love for others.”
Here, the Pastor read a short poem, “Outwitted,” by Edwin Markham to illustrate the point:
Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
[To read this and other poems by Edwin Markham, go to:
http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/
m_r/markham/poems.htm ]
“That kind of love reaches beyond the rejection of others,” emphasized the Pastor. “The objective in this poem is that I encompass you in love. That’s Jesus! If we give love only to those who love us, then we are no better than sinners. I suppose even thieves, robbers and murderers love their families. But Jesus says we are to love even those people we don’t get along with.
“One thing I notice about some Christians, especially those in non-denominational churches, is that people come to church as long as there’s a thrill of some kind,” added Pastor Graham. “But when that thrill is gone, many of the people go elsewhere in search of the latest thrill. They may get crossways with someone in the church, and leave because of that. In other words, very little loyalty to the non-denominational church or people. It’s sometimes stressful for the pastors of those churches.
“But for the most part, members of the Methodist churches are loyal to their churches,” declared the pastor. “Elaine and I have experienced love at Methodist churches. I will concede that some of those in the non-denominational churches are into the Word even more, but despite that, the love and loyalty there does not appear as strong as in Methodist churches. I can not speak for other mainline denominations, however, as my experience is only with non-denominational and Methodist churches. There appears to be steadfastness in Methodist churches, where they share their sorrows and joys with each other in great loving relationships.
“If there is anything we all need to pick up on, it’s loving one another,” added Pastor Graham. “We love family, even when our family doesn’t do right. What happens when you do something wrong in the church: Do we still love one another? Do we demand our own way? Or, do we do things together? We need to love each other with that same kind of attitude: You are not perfect, and neither am I.
“It’s in John 13, I believe, that Jesus gives us a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you!” said Pastor Graham. “Jesus said that our love for each other would prove to the world that we are His disciples! He could have said a lot of things: Your witness would prove it. Your regular attendance at synagogue would prove it.
“As a child, did any of you ever 'sass' your parents?” The question was entirely rhetorical, as was the next one: Have any of your children ever 'sassed' you? But, love continued after those universal breaches of our expectations, didn’t it? Ever had your feelings hurt at church? Sure, again, we’ve all been there. But, we are not to turn our backs and leave on such accounts. Rather, we are to finish what we start. We are not to be quitters. We are to see things through! We have to adjust to live by the commandments of Jesus, who actually proclaimed a new order in His Kingdom: Love for our enemies!
“Today, I examined my hands, feet and sides to find no scars or wounds,” said the Pastor. “Yet, Jesus endured all that on the cross and still forgave those responsible, in love, while we sometimes get upset by a slight or a casual word that we find offensive. Is this the way of Christ? Is this obedience to His command to love? I believe with all my heart that Jesus has a better way than my flesh will ever have. I need to conform to His way. He is the potter and I am the clay, which means He has the right to shape and re-shape the clay until I see things in the same way He does. It’s actually a relief to stop demanding my way and let Him have His way. If I am alone, He fills me up. If I am aggravated, He brings me joy. There are so many times we can say: It really doesn’t matter: Because it doesn’t!”
In his closing prayer, the Pastor declared that we want to be in the Way of Jesus, and not in the way of the flesh or the mind or reason: “When I reflect with an open heart upon Your changes, I pray that You never stop changing the hearts of Your faithful, so that we may become more mature in our spiritual walk with You. Amen.”
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