2012.06.25 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and warm regards from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.

If you could, would you turn the clock back?  A columnist, writing in the Tulsa World, wrote "Maybe while praying for the America we want, we can remember the America we had."  Those words awakened my memory, and I realized that we must not live in the past. We can use the past for guidance and inspiration, but we can't go back.  We must go forward or we perish.  To live is to change.  The one thing that does not change is a fossil, and a fossil has been dead for a long time.  We should not fear change.

• I remember the scourge of tuberculosis and polio epidemics, and I wouldn't want to go back to them.

• I remember when Presbyterians would not ordain women ministers and when anyone who sold alcoholic drinks was barred from membership, and when the Revised Standard Version of the Bible was assailed as heresy, and I wouldn't want to put the clock back for any of that.

To live is to change, and we ought not fear that.

With blessings and in friendship.
Richard

Announcements:

We were blessed to have Brian Dishman and his family  in church yesterday.  He and his wife Motoko and daughter Rina live in Japan.  Rina played a special piano piece for our church service.  Also, Brad, his wife Edith and daughter Madison were in attendance.  We had a pew full of Dishmans.

SUNDAY, July 1
4TH OF JULY POTLUCK
Drinks and meat will be provided.
Bring a side dish and join us for a delicious meal.
Following morning worship at 10:00.

The Reverend Nancy Covington will be here.
All are invited to Communion.
Liz Logan will prepare the communion elements and invite 2 Elders or Deacons to help serve.
Sue Ratcliff is Worship Asst. for July.

2012.06.18 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.

"Prayer doesn't work for me," said a friend last week, "and, I've given up praying."  Sound familiar?  A great many people stop praying because they think it doesn't work.  Perhaps they have the wrong idea about praying.

Prayer is not God doing things for us, it is God helping us to do things for ourselves.  Prayer does not change circumstances which face us, but prayer does enable us to confront those circumstances with new strength and courage.  Prayer helps us to meet our difficulties in a new way.

God listens to our prayers at any time of day or night.  Prayer should not be practiced only in times of crisis and emergency, but in our everyday life.  "Help me to help others" is a good prayer to remember.

With blessings and in friendship,

Richard




Kitty sent in this quote from Theodore Roosevelt

"Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."

2012.06.11 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma

I've got a question for you.  Have you ever heard the word "NONES"?  It is a new word for me describing people who say 'None' when asked their religious identity.  This group, (now 15% of Americans, up from 8% in 1990) opts out of traditional religious groups, according to a new American Religious Identification Survey.  (ARIS)

Are there any 'Nones' in your family?  There are in mine.

What is the reason for the rapid growth of the 'Nones'?  There are many reasons, I'm sure, but let me suggest a few.

First, most of us, and our families, have heard the Bible stories so often that there is a deadening influence of familiarity in them.  The cutting edge is gone.  Can this be changed?

Yes, it can be changed by new methods of presentation and communication. Too often churches are dying of dignity and some noble but ancient human crafted creeds and doctrines.

Second, new methods of presentation and communication are not ends in themselves.  They are means toward an awakened consciousness of what the Gospel means in the real, ever changing world.

For me, the test of the Gospel is the kind of life it produces.  I was asked by a "Nones' which were my favorite Bible texts and I replied 'that is too difficult to give a complete answer'  but these two are basic to my life and faith:

Micah 6:6-8 

Luke 10:25-28 and continuing through verse 37

Good reading.

With Blessings and in Friendship,

Richard

Announcements:

BINGO AT BURROUGHS MANOR - Saturday, June 1 - 2:00 - 3:00 - Volunteers are needed

Session and Deacons meet this Sunday, June 17

Jeff Francis will preach and moderate Session

FATHER'S DAY - JUNE 17

Craig Kilgour will be here the following Sunday, June 24

Regarding Richard:

Please keep Richard in your prayers as he has more tests to see if he can qualify for the new valve replacement procedure, then makes a decision to proceed with the surgery.  He says he is taking a step at a time and knows that God will lead him in the right decision.

2012.06.04 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and all good wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, Vinita Oklahoma.

The death of Charles (Chuck) Colson, at the age of 80 is a reminder that while we may see the worst in a person, God sees the best.  Colson was deeply involved in the Watergate scandal, which forced President Nixon to resign.  Mr. Colson went to prison and there the Holy Spirit transformed, changed his life.

After serving a prison term, Mr Colson created the Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976, to minister to prisoners and their families.

God believed in Charles Colson, incredible as that first appeared when he was a hatchet man for President Nixon.  God saw "the possible Colson" though most of the country saw only Colson's outward appearance of a crook.

The Bible is full of people whose lives were transformed, changed - Moses, Jacob, David, 'The Prodigal Son', Paul.  God  believes in us and God will affect transformation in our lives if we but let him.

God sees in each of us a capacity for creative vision if we will to receive it as a gift from the Lord of all life.  Our choices are so important.

With blessings, and with faith that you will put your faith in the One who sees your possibilities.

Richard

If you were not able to attend our worship service yesterday, we missed you and you missed a wonderful Sunday.  We had 60 in attendance, compared to 22 last Sunday.

The Reverend Ken Bailey conducted the service

 and vocal trio (Makin Memories)  sang for us and

 Madison Dishman played her recorder while Joyce Dishman

 accompanied her on the organ.

Then we  had a delicious family meal with lots of fellowship.

Photographs!


These pictures were taken by Brad Dishman, of the Sunday Services for June 3rd as well as our Family Fellowship meal.  We hope you enjoy these pictures!

Ken Bailey is the Minister

Jim Shelton is Worship Assistant

Madison Dishman and Joyce Dishman, musicians.

Makin Memories, vocal trio.

Micki Mulcare, Pat Campbell, Sue Nell Shuck with accompanist Kenny Glasgow and (one more dear lady whose name I still need!!)

Also some pictures at our family fellowship meal.