Children’s Choir to begin September 13

{ September 12th, 2008 }

Parents, bring your children and your neighbor’s children and come let us teach them to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord!” Starting Sunday, September 13th, we will begin training a children’s choir near the end of the regular Sunday School Class which runs from 9—9:55 a.m. We also plan to work with the younger children during Kid’s Church near the end of the regular adult Sunday service. Kids love to sing! With a little encouragement, we will have a wonderful children’s choir to praise the Lord, and energize our Sunday worship. Please call the church office (951-924-6990) for more information.

Way To Go Kids!

{ September 12th, 2008 }

The children accepted the challenge from Rev. Riggs and earned $24.39 to buy a flock of chicks for Heifer International. Rev. Riggs asked each of the children to find something that they could do to raise at least $20 to buy chicks that will be given to a poor family somewhere in the world. The “magic” of the Heifer project is that the animals (or plants or trees or bees) are not to be eaten, but raised until they produce off spring. In the case of chicks, the eggs add nutrition to a family’s poor diet, with extra eggs being sold to others so that the family can thrive. Our children collected cans, walked with their grandmother to get exercise, cleaned rooms and did other helpful things to earn the money. CONGRATULATIONS KIDS!!!

Roy’s Ramblings 08/08

{ September 12th, 2008 }

Jesus said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.”
(Matthew 9:12)
It has often been said that the church is a hospital for sinners not a hotel for saints. And so it is.
Unfortunately however, the idea that we are all “sick” often leads us to believe that the church is supposed to be our own, private, “emergency room”. It can seem at times as though this is OUR hospital with OUR physician that is supposed to meet OUR needs. People may be “sick” all around us, but this is for us. I don’t believe that Jesus meant that he was to be anyone’s own, private
physician. In fact, I’m pretty sure that he meant just the opposite; that he was everyone’s physician, not just to a chosen few. Nor did he say that only the “healthy” could bring in the “sick”. And we hear words to that effect too often. “I don’t know anything about the Bible, so how could I teach it?” “I have too many doubts to be able to talk to someone else about faith.” “I can’t invite anyone to church because I’m not even a member.” What all of these comments seem to be saying is, “Wait until I’m healthy. Wait until I’m not sick. Wait until I know more, believe more, and am more committed, then I can bring people with me to church.” So yes, we may still need our Great Physician, and yes we may still depend upon the church to be our spiritual and emotional “emergency room”, but it is not just ours. It’s for all of God’s “sick”. And we, like those who have found a medicine that heals and comforts, bring others to the Great Healer of Our Souls.

I’ll see you in church.
~Roy