Sunday, 01-06, was the 12th day of Christmas on the church calendar. We were still singing carols and closing out the holidays. That afternoon the decorations came down and were put away. It is a monumental job and we appreciate Stormy Armstrong, Nancy Wooldridge and Cliff Wooldridge for doing this chore.
Laura Leatherwood served as Worship Leader. Those assisting with Holy Communion were, David Cleveland, Ricky Rowe and Cliff Wooldridge.
Annette and David Cleveland celebrated an anniversary on 1-02, Tammy and Gene Coan’s anniversary was 1-07.
There are lots of birthdays in our congregation in January. Cole Moore has a birthday on 1-08, Virginia Stephen on 1-11, Raymond Salinas on 1-13, Cameron Price on 1-15, Leta Sage on 1-17 and Ronnie Belew on 1-18. Remember to wish these friends a happy day by email or greeting card.
We need to keep our prayer list updated, so call or email the office with your information. Also let our secretary, Wanda Myers, know when names can be removed as well.
“An Opossum Faith” was the title of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon. If anyone could preach on possums, Pastor Ken can, having been a Texas State Game Warden for 32 years. The Bible text read for this message was Matthew 2:1-12, it is about the Wise Men from the east who follow the star of Bethlehem.
Pastor Ken began by warning us not to leave pet food out overnight, because chances are a wild critter, usually an opossum, will eat up the food.
The phrase “playing possum” comes from the defensive ploy used by opossums. They fall over, go stiff and look dead as a doornail. When their enemy walks away the possum gets up and trots off to eat more of Fido’s food.
We humans can “play possum” also; we can shut down and stop reacting when we are confronted by scary, intimidating or over-whelming situations. We get rigid in our responses and unmoving regardless of what is going on around us.
The wise men from far away appear in the Holy City of Jerusalem, they declare with certainty there is a sign of the arrival of a new “king of the Jews.” The whole reason the Temple had been built had come true, the Messiah was here on earth. But the priest and scribes who lived and worked in the Temple and studied the Torah everyday of their lives remained in Jerusalem frozen and unconcerned. They “played possum” with the possibilities of the best of “good news.”
The church of the twenty-first century has been entrusted with proclaiming the good news that Emmanuel, God with us, has come. We have a personal Messiah in the reality of the present. The incarnate power of Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, has changed things forever. Nothing can be the same since Christ’s birth. Maybe that is why those who counseled Herod didn’t make the journey with the magi to Bethlehem. They knew if they went it would change everything, no wonder they played possum.
The New Year is a time to “re-boot” our vision and our values. Find a church or come back to church, it is a better way to live. If you are a Christian, live like one. Will you make the trip with the Magi; to kneel before the child?
Laura Leatherwood served as Worship Leader. Those assisting with Holy Communion were, David Cleveland, Ricky Rowe and Cliff Wooldridge.
Annette and David Cleveland celebrated an anniversary on 1-02, Tammy and Gene Coan’s anniversary was 1-07.
There are lots of birthdays in our congregation in January. Cole Moore has a birthday on 1-08, Virginia Stephen on 1-11, Raymond Salinas on 1-13, Cameron Price on 1-15, Leta Sage on 1-17 and Ronnie Belew on 1-18. Remember to wish these friends a happy day by email or greeting card.
We need to keep our prayer list updated, so call or email the office with your information. Also let our secretary, Wanda Myers, know when names can be removed as well.
“An Opossum Faith” was the title of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon. If anyone could preach on possums, Pastor Ken can, having been a Texas State Game Warden for 32 years. The Bible text read for this message was Matthew 2:1-12, it is about the Wise Men from the east who follow the star of Bethlehem.
Pastor Ken began by warning us not to leave pet food out overnight, because chances are a wild critter, usually an opossum, will eat up the food.
The phrase “playing possum” comes from the defensive ploy used by opossums. They fall over, go stiff and look dead as a doornail. When their enemy walks away the possum gets up and trots off to eat more of Fido’s food.
We humans can “play possum” also; we can shut down and stop reacting when we are confronted by scary, intimidating or over-whelming situations. We get rigid in our responses and unmoving regardless of what is going on around us.
The wise men from far away appear in the Holy City of Jerusalem, they declare with certainty there is a sign of the arrival of a new “king of the Jews.” The whole reason the Temple had been built had come true, the Messiah was here on earth. But the priest and scribes who lived and worked in the Temple and studied the Torah everyday of their lives remained in Jerusalem frozen and unconcerned. They “played possum” with the possibilities of the best of “good news.”
The church of the twenty-first century has been entrusted with proclaiming the good news that Emmanuel, God with us, has come. We have a personal Messiah in the reality of the present. The incarnate power of Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, has changed things forever. Nothing can be the same since Christ’s birth. Maybe that is why those who counseled Herod didn’t make the journey with the magi to Bethlehem. They knew if they went it would change everything, no wonder they played possum.
The New Year is a time to “re-boot” our vision and our values. Find a church or come back to church, it is a better way to live. If you are a Christian, live like one. Will you make the trip with the Magi; to kneel before the child?
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