2012.02.27 Monday Morning Message

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

The New York Giants took home the "Lombardi Trophy" after winning the Super Bowl.  It is a coveted trophy named after Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers years ago.  Coach Lombardi is a sort of a legend in my home state of Wisconsin.

Lombardi loved the game of football.  Even before he made a name for himself in football, he was offered lucrative jobs in firms not connected with the game, but he chose to stay with football.

He had a way of working with players!  He sought the best from his players, calling for personal
discipline, stressing the need of practice, practice, practice.

He was a great coach, but above all he was a man of God.  A Roman Catholic, he attended church daily.  He had his priorities right!  God was number one; obedience to God meant everything to him.  He preached to his players, God, family and the Green Bay Packers in that order.

When we think of the game of football, we can find many similarities to life.  Some teams are
content to rest on past performances, satisfied with the status quo.  Some teams allow set backs to break their spirit soon arguing with team mates and criticizing the play of others.  Some players expect more reward, more praise.

Football carries with it parallels to life.  Life is such that we shall always make "wrong plays".   When Lombardi reviewed "wrong plays" with his team, he worked hard to correct them, and to 
encourage his players to move ahead, facing new challenges without the baggage of past mistakes.

God does not stop loving us every time we do something wrong.  Neither should we stop loving ourselves and each other for being less than perfect.

Best Wishes, Cheers,
Richard

2012.01.30 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and best wishes from all of us at Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, Vinita, Oklahoma.  


We are a congregation with a big heart overflowing with loving care and concern. I know this to be true from personal experience. Because of poor health, I have had to resign as part-time pastor. Friends in the congregation have overwhelmed me with their kindness.

So...this is "Thanksgiving time for me"...KUDOS to Jewell Morgan, church secretary at Pilgrim Church, and Brian Dishman, editor of the Pilgrim Church Blog. They have kept our "on site, on line" ministry on track.

     ...Thanks to each of you who have sent cards and notes.  Each one has buoyed my spirit.

     ...Thanks for the food, for the thoughts and prayers, which have helped me regain strength.

     ...The attractive, unique album you have given me is filled with beautiful words from cover to cover. Sentiments in the album are humbling, especially those I know to be a little exaggeration.

And, I am thankful to friends in Grace Presbyterian Church, Grove, where I served for six years as a part-time minister, and to members of John Knox Church, Tulsa, where I was pastor for more than ten years, for comfort and concern.

I shall always cherish the friendship of each of you.

With blessings and affectionate regard,

Richard

Pilgrim's Progress, Newsletter for July 2011

PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

Voice of the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church

Vinita, Oklahoma

July, 2011

A Pastoral Letter

Dear friends,

We don't always know what's going on inside our bodies.  I was pleased when a recent PET Imaging report read "No cancer in his body."  But, I still felt tired – fatigued.  That, with what I thought was an anxiety attack, forced me one night to go to a nearby Urgent Care Clinic.

I was advised to go to the hospital, which I did.  For the next couple of days I had, what seemed to me, an endless string of tests.  New health problems were disclosed.

A pacemaker was inserted in my chest, and I was send home promising doctors "to take it easy for awhile".   Apparently I'm too weak (or probably too old) for further treatment at the present.

To make a long story short,  Session has granted me a "leave of absence" until mid-September.  At that time our relationships will be evaluated.

I miss you already!  You are a gracious, caring congregation and I am proud and honored to be a part of Pilgrim's extended family.

Please pray for me as I pray for you.  I think of you at the ten o'clock Sunday morning hour as you gather for worship.

With blessings and affectionate regards.

Richard

"PEARL OF VALUE" 

"For freedom, Christ has set us free."

~~Notes from Session~~

Seven member of Session met informally on Sunday, June 26^th.  Terry Brown submitted the May 2011 Treasurer's  Report.

Session approved placing the church manse for sale, and Bow Bailey has agreed to show the property to any prospects.  Session also approved the use of the church on August 6^th or August 13^th for Burroughs Manor activities under the direction of Paula Butcher.

Our Pastor, Richard Evans, has asked to take a leave of absence until Sunday, September 11, 2011. Richard will continue the Monday Morning and Blog ministry during this time.  Session approved Richard's request, and noted that we are looking forward to his return to the pulpit this fall.

Irene Conine, Worship Chairwoman, has been in charge of calling replacement pastors while Richard is away, and Session would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Irene.

The Worship Assistant for July will be Keith Cresap and Communion will be prepared on Sunday, July 10^thby Sarah Bruce.  The Worship Assistant for August will be Joyce Dishman, and Communion will be prepared on Sunday, August 7^th by Shirley Spaulding

Sue Ratcliff

Clerk of Session  

THE PRAYER LIST

            Please remember the following individuals in your daily prayers: Richard Evans, John Burckhalter, Mary Draper, Vera Tresler,  Louise Gullett, John Gullett,  AnnaBelle Mitchell, Patricia Hemphill. Pat Robinson, Joan Dirmyer, Clell Goodpaster. Families of recent tornado tragedies.  Please also remember our service men and women.

AnnaBelle  and Melba are in Heartsworth House. Anna Bell is #114 and Melba #115  821 N. Foreman, Vinita, OK 74301.

       John Burckhalter is returning home July 2 after  eight months therapy in Tulsa.  Continue to keep him and the family in your prayers.

~~Notes from Deacons~~

Deacon's meeting

The Deacons met on June 19^th to make plans for the Potluck Dinner to be held on June 26^th.  Next meeting will the July 17^th.

Next fellowship meal will be  a picnic in August.

Jewell Morgan, reporting

Church birthdays are celebrated on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month – July 10^th – Toni Moore will supply the birthday cake.

           

July 4, Kitty Brown, 5 Jewell Morgan, 7 Madison Kroll, 12 Wally Olson, 14  Pat Boone, Blake and Mox Osburn, 20 Fred York, 22 Walter Rapp, 24 Emily York and Keith Cresap

2011.2.28 Monday Morning!

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, in Vinita, Oklahoma. Thank you for your "visit" today. We hope you'll come again and that you'll share our address with friends.

Miss Lyons, my 4th grade teacher at Winslow School, in Racine, Wisconsin, loved poetry and instilled her passion for it in the lives of her students. This line jumped into my mind last week: 

"I shot an arrow into the air, it fell to the ground
I know not where."
Too often our "arrows" take the form of ugly, hurtful words. We "shoot off our mouths" without thinking, and our words cannot be retrieved.

Far better than anything I can say about the use of words is to be found in the short epistle of James; yes, it is in the New Testament. Try to read James, chapter 3, sometime this week.

With blessings and in friendship,

Richard

A PEARL OF VALUE

"The tongue can witness to the

truth and can spread falsehood."

2010.10.25 Monday Morning!

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. Dare I get personal with you today?  Ordinarily I have an abundance of pep, lately I've been feeling very tired (lazy?).  A week ago I opened William Barclay's book of devotions and on the page that stared at me were these words:  "tiredness is often as much staleness as anything else."  Barclay went on to write that tiredness comes when ones personal resources have been over strained.  He illustrated his point with this example: "When a car battery is exhausted...it must be brought into contact with a new source of electrical power from which it may be recharged." Repeatedly, Jesus had to go into a lonely place to pray - to listen to God - so that his strength might be renewed.  What was necessary for Jesus is far more necessary for me.  How about you?  O Lord, keep me from going stale! With Blessings and Cheers, Richard

2010.06.14 Monday Morning!

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian, a friendly Church of the faith, located in Vinita, Oklahoma.
 
Fifty years ago, my wife and I bought a log cabin on the shore of Schroon Lake, NY, in the Adirondacks.  We lived simply in this summer retreat, which had never been modernized.
 
There was an old well from which we drew our cool, refreshing water.  The day came when we decided to move into the 20th century.  Electricity replaced kerosene lanterns, running water gave us indoor plumbing.  No longer was it necessary to carry water from the old well.
 
A few summers passed when I decided one day to inspect the well.  To my surprise, it was dry!  The well had run without failing for many years, yet now it was dry.  There was no water because the well had not been used.
 
Our souls are like that well.  What happened to that well can happen to us if we don't use God's Living Water.
 
There is no need for your soul or mine to be dry.  We can draw from the depths of God's Living Water in fellowship with Christ and his Church!
 
Don't suffer from spiritual dehydration!
 
 
Richard

2010.04.26 Monday Morning!

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

With six to eight members of Pilgrim Church, I spend an hour Monday morning with residents at Burroughs Manor, a retirement home next door to the Church. We call our gathering Monday at Ten. It is a wonderful hour - a "happy hour" - spent in good conversation, singing, a brief message and a closing prayer.

My present intent is to encourage those attending to write their life story. We have unique fingerprints and DNA, but they don't identify us completely. We also have our own soul print. By writing "my story" one shapes ones soul print with loved ones, and it will be cherished for years to come.

Have you written your own story? If you have not, try doing it. Ask yourself "where the meaning of your life lies"? By answering that question I believe you'll remember small things as well as big events.

Here are some tips to get you started: Who were your early childhood friends? What games did you play? Did you take music lessons? What books did you enjoy reading? What school did you attend - rural, town or city?

Did your family have a car? What make? What year? Do you have an idea of the cost of the car? Comparing costs in the past with costs today will be interesting. What did an ice cream cone cost? How much did it take to get into a double feature movie?

What were your favorite radio programs before TV? What's new in the world since your youth? Computers? Cell phones? What else?

Your story will be interesting because it is unique. What a treasure it will be to your descendants. It will be well worth your efforts. Try it!

Richard