May 26, 2019
Community Table was a ripping success! 300 beef patties were grilled, and they were all eaten, some folks ate more than one, but we know about 290 people were fed. My goodness what an accomplishment and that is due to the grace of God and the help of many people in our area.
Pat Leatherwood told that he and Lisa’s son, Lee, is going to graduate school at SMU this summer. Also, Pat and Lisa’s granddaughter, Landry Cisneros, has celebrated her first birthday.
We also learned that a group from Plano will be in Dublin this Saturday finalizing the plans to bring a mission team of young people to Dublin. They are coming the last week in June. The youngsters and their leaders will work on homes in Dublin that need exterior repairs or wheelchair ramps.
Pastor Ken was privileged to Baptize Crystal Whitefield into the family of Christ! Then Crystal and Larry Stanfield took the vows of membership into the United Methodist Church. The congregation is happy to welcome them into our fellowship. Crystal and Larry attend the Elks Lodge in Stephenville with Alford Havens and we are so glad Alford talks about our church.
Recently, Rev. Ken Lunsford, I, and Alford Havens attended a gathering of the churches in the West District, Central Conference, of the United Methodist Church. The meeting was at Oakdale United Methodist church in Stephenville. The Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony conducted the meeting.
The churches in our conference have been raising money for water wells for remote villages in Africa. Rev. Neslony gave a firsthand account of seeing a well drilled in the country of Kenya on the African continent. She said the workmen brought in a very big, tall rig for drilling, because there is thick bedrock in that area. But they soon had clear, clean smelling, water coming out of the ground. The villagers are thrilled and thankful they won’t have to walk to the river for drinking or bathing water. So, praise God from whom all blessings flow.
“Peace of Christ in a Messed-Up World” was the titled of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon and the scripture message was from John 14:23-29.
Pastor Ken told us our lesson from John tells us that Christ said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
St, Francis said, “Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ grants to his friends, is the grace of overcoming oneself, and accepting willingly, out of love for Christ, all suffering, injury, discomfort and contempt; for in all other gifts of God we cannot glory, seeing they proceed not from ourselves but from God.”
We will do well if we remember that one day Jesus will return to take us to the Father’s house. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.