2010.02.22 Monday Morning!

Top of this Monday Morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, Vinita, Oklahoma.

In the past years I read many books by Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick. In one - and I confess I can't remember which one - Fosdick wrote that there are many ways "to know" your Bible. One way is to list favorite verses and passages, "beauty spots".

During Lent, this exercise may be enjoyable and helpful. I've bought a cheap spiral notebook and will list my favorites in it. Will you try it?

I suspect all who practice this Lenten exercise will include Psalm 23. Apart from that one, it will be interesting to compare our lists. Send them to us and the results will be on our blog after Lent.

In the weeks following Lent, I'll list characters in the Bible who have captured my imagination. There's no sense buying a notebook without filling up every page!

Rather than "giving up something for Lent", how about "taking on something new"? I think you'll enjoy that and I believe it will help you "to know" your Bible a little better.

Give it a try!

Richard

Pilgrim Presbyterian Sanctuary

When  I came home in 2004 for the first time in quite a few years, I was amazed at the changes that had transformed our wonderful church.  I remembered the old church, so many of you can appreciate my shock when I walked in expecting the "OLD" interior.  I was agog!  WOW.  Anyway, I took a few photos and so I will share them here.  I hope no one minds.

- Brian

 Our Sanctuary

Thanks for the Photo of Our Church!

I would like to say a big

THANK YOU 

to Mrs. Kitty Brown for sending me the picture of Pilgrim Presbyterian Church that now resides on our Blog.  It really helps with making it a real part of the community!  I have also added a visitor counter per Richard's suggestion.  It is pretty low right now.  I hope, as does Richard, to see it climb rapidly!!

One more thing, if you have pictures of the our church, for example, special events or services or just wishing to share something about people in the Church community, please send them to me along with some text explaining what is going on at the event and I will see that they get up on our blog for everyone's benefit!

Cheers,
Brian

Photo of Our Church

Hello To Everyone...

I would like to put up a picture of our church on this blog.  If any of you happen to have a nice photo that I could publicly display, please send it to me at briandishman@gmail.com.

Thanks,
Brian

2010.02.15 Monday Morning!

Top of this Monday Morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.

There's exciting news for "Pilgrims" wherever you are! We are taking a dip into technological waters! Brian Dishman, a son of Pilgrim Church now living in Japan, has set up a blog for us! Thanks Brian! our address is  

www.pilgrimpresbyterian.blogspot.com/

Please give our address to anyone you think might like to visit us.

Two important facts impact all of us: (1) what we put into our life; and (2) what kind of life we put into our relationships with God and others.

Christianity is profoundly inward (what we put into our life), but it is at the same time outreaching and social (what kind of life we put into our relationships). Christianity calls all aspects of our personality into full function.

Christ's question to an individual in the New Testament is really addressed to all of us: "Do you desire to be made whole?"

Cheers,

Richard

2010.02.08 Monday Morning!

MONDAY MORNING greetings from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, in Vinita, Oklahoma.

Last week I got an email from a friend, Don Grant. While riding his motor scooter on East Admiral Place in Tulsa, his wallet slipped out of his pocket. When he returned home and discovered his loss, he wrote "I was sick, sick, sick." When a phone call came from a man who had found the lost wallet, and who arranged to meet Don to return it, Don was well.

Yes, as Don said, "there are plenty of honest folks around."

Truth and honesty are woven into the human soul, but it takes effort to cultivate them. When one nurtures ones inner life, good character results. Our outward, visible life is bound up with our inner attitudes.

For better or for worse, the "stuff" that steers and directs us are the "stuff" of our choice, our decisions.

Here's a "Pearl of Value", sent by Brian Dishman, who lives in Japan: "Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so." (William Shakespeare)

Thanks, Don and Brian, and thanks to all of you in our Monday Morning family.

Richard

2010.02.01 Monday Morning!

Top of this Monday Morning, and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.

I've been thinking about many who were brought up in the church, who attended Sunday School and Youth Fellowship and sang in the choir, and who now are drifting away from the church altogether. Oh, I know most of the reasons why...sermons are long and dull...hymns are ancient, and often drag...and it's just comfortable staying home to enjoy a relaxing Sunday morning, or to catch up on household chores.

Nevertheless, I'm old fashioned enough to believe that worship, within a community of faith, provides an experience of joy that comes from a personal fellowship with God and from meeting friends who share that fellowship with you.

Worship is a rich privilege! If you don't believe that consider the plight of Christians living in a place where they are forbidden to gather for worship. They risk their lives by worshipping in what we call "underground churches".

Worship offers an opportunity to withdraw from the haste and speed of our modern world and to be enriched by God's Spirit. From that experience flows a renewed desire to serve the wants and needs of the neighborhood and world.

To give up on worship means, in the long run, the loss of a priceless gem of the soul.

Richard

PS: I'm glad to say that about 70% of the resident members of Pilgrim Church regularly find their way to Sunday worship!