Top of the morning and all good wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church - still located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma! For more than 126 years this congregation has served Christ throughout this area with an "Easter faith" - an all year 'round faith.
Behind this service and good effort lies the power of prayer!
Many people stop praying because they don't have time in their busy lives. Others give up on prayer convinced it does not work. Like anyting else of value, prayer requires intentional practice.
As you practice prayer daily, remember that God will never do anything you can do for yourself. Prayer is not simply unloading our tasks on God. Prayer is the means by which God enables us to do them for ourselves.
Prayer may not change circumstances, but it does change us so we may confront circumstances with new strength and a new ability to cope with them.
Prayer is a powerful means to change our lives. Set aside a time each day to practice it!
Go for it!
Richard
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
2009.03.23 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, a small congregation with a big heart. Located in the center of Vinita, Oklahoma, our Sunday services begin at 10:00 a.m., enabling us to get to the town's restaurants before our Methodist and Baptist neighbors! Join us at worship, if you can; if you can't remember us in prayer at "Ten on Sunday".
Jesus was a thorn in the side of the fundamentalists of his time. The religion of his day had hardened into ritual and legal codes and he warned the self-righteous to "judge not".
His efforts to reform religion landed him on a cross, falsely accused of being a political revolutionary. He was not. But, he was a moral revolutionary.
God save us from those who condemn to hell those who disagree with their interpretation of Scripture.
A "Pearl of Value" for today:
"The only 'true church' is that which admits there is no way of knowing which denomination God belongs to." (Sidney Harris)
Fond regards,
Richard
Jesus was a thorn in the side of the fundamentalists of his time. The religion of his day had hardened into ritual and legal codes and he warned the self-righteous to "judge not".
His efforts to reform religion landed him on a cross, falsely accused of being a political revolutionary. He was not. But, he was a moral revolutionary.
God save us from those who condemn to hell those who disagree with their interpretation of Scripture.
A "Pearl of Value" for today:
"The only 'true church' is that which admits there is no way of knowing which denomination God belongs to." (Sidney Harris)
Fond regards,
Richard
Sunday, March 15, 2009
2009.03.16 Monday Morning!
From Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in Vinita, Oklahoma, the center of green country, best wishes as you don your green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Isn't everyone Irish on March 17? I bet you didn't know that the Welsh have a special reason to join their Irish cousins in this once a year celebration: St. Patrick was born in Wales!
The Irish have great charm and to meet people with charm is a happy experience. Of course, superficial charm is dangerous. Talking and smiling while spreading a lot of blarney is superficial charm.
Genuine charm doesn't have the showy qualities of superficial charm. You can depend on those with genuine charm to stick with you in all kinds of weather, and that is one of the great virtues anyone can have.
You can tell that Patrick found genuine charm in Christ from his prayers:
May the gift of genuine charm be yours always.
Richard
The Irish have great charm and to meet people with charm is a happy experience. Of course, superficial charm is dangerous. Talking and smiling while spreading a lot of blarney is superficial charm.
Genuine charm doesn't have the showy qualities of superficial charm. You can depend on those with genuine charm to stick with you in all kinds of weather, and that is one of the great virtues anyone can have.
You can tell that Patrick found genuine charm in Christ from his prayers:
"Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ before me, Christ beside me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger."
May the gift of genuine charm be yours always.
Richard
Sunday, March 8, 2009
2009.03.09 Monday Morning!
Top of the morning from Vinita, Oklahoma, where "Pilgrims" meet to worship at the Presbyterian Church and from where they scatter into the community to serve God in big and little ways.
One big issue confronting the whole world today is "drug abuse". Can the Church reach out to those engulfed in this epidemic? Put your thinking cap on and let's hear your suggestions as to how Church and faith can help.
It is obvious that laws are not enough to curb this insidious evil. Medical, psychological, social science AND religion are needed to combat this nightmare.
Instead of cursing the darkness which is ruining lives and destroying families, is there one small step we can take to overcome this critical problem?
Hopefully,
Richard
One big issue confronting the whole world today is "drug abuse". Can the Church reach out to those engulfed in this epidemic? Put your thinking cap on and let's hear your suggestions as to how Church and faith can help.
It is obvious that laws are not enough to curb this insidious evil. Medical, psychological, social science AND religion are needed to combat this nightmare.
Instead of cursing the darkness which is ruining lives and destroying families, is there one small step we can take to overcome this critical problem?
Hopefully,
Richard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)