2012.05.7 Monday Morning Message

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

Last week I recommended a book, Soul Prints*(See note Below), by Rabbi Marc Gafni and quoted his word about happiness. Today, I share a story from Soul Prints*. I hope you'll feel "the tug" of its meaning for your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

"It was Timothy's twelfth birthday. He had saved up enough money to buy himself a present...a big red kite. The happiest kid in the world, he went out and began to fly his new kite.

"There were great winds that day, and he let out some string, and a little more string, and a little more, until the kite was so high and far away you couldn't even see it anymore. When you looked at the boy, all you could see was a happy kid running with a string in his hand.

"A very respectable and rational looking man in a business suit came upon the boy and stopped him. 'Son, what are you doing?' he asked.

"What do you mean, sir?" Timothy asked. "I'm flying a kite!"

"Flying a kite? What do you mean? I don't see a kite. You don't see a kite. How do you know there's a kite?"

Timothy looked at the man very gravely. "I know there's a kite, sir - because I can feel the tug."

Do you feel the tug of Christ?

With blessings and in friendship.

Richard

Next Sunday, May 13 is Mother's Day. We will celebrate all Mothers and the graduation of Madison Kroll and Caitlyn Spurgeon with cake and punch in the church kitchen. Craig Kilgour will be here to conduct the morning worship service. He is the pastor from New Zealand. Please plan to attend and help us celebrate.

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Notes:

* If you are interested in more information on this book, please follow the link below. It is the personal web site of Rabbi Marc Gafni. It has a lot of information on Self Development!

Also as an avid fan of audio books, I have included a link to the Audio Book of Soul Prints below as well. It is read by the author and includes some of the songs he sings. This is something you can't get from the print edition! Enjoy both!


-Brian

Link To Soul Prints Web Site of Marc Gafni

Soul Prints available at Audible

2011.9.05 Monday Morning!

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

Since Brian Dishman, a son of Pilgrim Church, set up our BLOG I've received numerous messages, a few from strangers, more from "old time friends." It is always good (and encouraging) to get responses (favorable or unfavorable) to our MONDAY MORNING messages.

I had a good laugh reading the following, and I hope it will put a smile on your face, too.

A teenage boy had just gotten his driver's license and asked his Dad if they could discuss the use of the family car. His Dad said he'd make a deal.  "You bring your grades from 'C' to 'B' average, study your Bible a little, and get your hair cut, and then we'll talk about the car"

The young man thought for a moment before deciding to go for the offer. After a couple of months, the Dad said "Son, you've brought up your grades and I've been watching you studying your Bible, but I'm a little disappointed that you haven't had your hair cut yet."

The son looked at his Dad and said "You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that. I've noticed in my Bible studies that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, and I've seen pictures of Jesus with long hair."

To which the Father replied, "And did you also notice that everywhere they went they walked!"

Humor is an important part of a full life.


Blessings,

Richard

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

2009.01.26 Monday Morning!

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

It is sad, but true, that those inclined toward religious pursuits are too often inclined toward extremism. When you think of modern faith-based violence, names like Osama bin Laden, David Koresh and Jim Jones are front and center.

While certain fundamentalists and evangelicals within our Presbyterian Church (USA) may not be violent, their thinking that their interpretation of the Bible is the only way of belief is self-righteous!

There are many ways to God, and those who accuse others of heresy would do better by being less intolerant, less stubborn in their prejudices.

No person has a monopoly of belief or experience. Beware of religious tyranny!


Peace,
Richard

2008.04.28 Monday Morning!

The woman in my message this MONDAY MORNING is fictional. You'll not find her in Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. Nevertheless, you may have met this woman at sometime, somewhere.

She is a vivacious, strong, pious woman.  Faithful to worship services at her little church on the corner of  Wisconsin and Ninth, she nods her head, and shouts "AMEN" whenever her minister condemns drinking, dancing, movies, gambling and Sunday football.

One Sunday her pastor preached against harm! caused by gossip,  and as he droned on (some preachers never know the value of short sermons), she could keep silent no longer.  In a loud whisper, heard throughout the congregation, she said:

"Now he's stopped preaching and started meddling!"

You don't know any self-righteous person like our fictional woman, or do you?

Minds - like parachutes - are valuable only when open!


Peace, and in friendship,
Richard