Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.
I know that a large number reading Monday Morning have no connection with Pilgrim Church or Vinita. However, in the afterglow of the Church's 125th anniversary celebration, I report, with thanks, this event and offer my hope that it will become an annual happening.
It was a joy to read letters from Mrs. Margaret Kennedy, wife of a former pastor, Mitch Kennedy; from Brian Dishman, who grew up in Pilgrim Church, and now living with his family in Japan; from the Rev. Neal Dancer, often a guest minister in the congregation; and from our own Elder and Church Treasurer Terry Brown, who had to be out of town. Thanks for writing, your correspondence is appreciated.
Our thanks: to the large Children's Bell Choir (and there must have been 10 youngsters happily ringing their bells); and to Suzie Cresap, for directing the choir and singing a solo "Good Morning"; to Pam Benne for the easily understood Children's Sermon - and the cupcakes; to Lorrie and Bill Stull, who set up a mammoth inflated playground for children; to Toni Moore, who arranged displays of great interest; to Dave Haney, for his consistent work behind the scenes; to the crew who spruced up the basement; to Doris Olson, chairperson of the Celebration; to the Board of Deacons; and to all who provided an abundance of delicious food.
About 100 worshipers raised their prayers and songs of praise with thanks to God for a goodly heritage.
It was a splendid day in every way.
Cheers,
Richard
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
2008.11.10 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. If you have relatives or friends who may like to get our Monday Morning email, please send addresses to Donna in the Church Office.
Moving from one residence to another is a test of patience, strength and endurance. Last week my wife and I moved from an apartment to a house. Humdrum as moving may appear, I assure you it is a test. But isn't all life a series of tests? I found a scribbled note among papers I've been sorting, and it's worth sharing with you today.
"When a neighbor has been bruised, our kindness is tested. When he or she has been blessed, our generosity is tested. When we have been hurt, our forgiveness is tested. Trouble tests our courage. Temptation tests our strength. Friendship tests our loyalty. Failure tests our perseverance."
We are all tested. How do you fare in life's constant quizzes?
Cheers,
Richard
Moving from one residence to another is a test of patience, strength and endurance. Last week my wife and I moved from an apartment to a house. Humdrum as moving may appear, I assure you it is a test. But isn't all life a series of tests? I found a scribbled note among papers I've been sorting, and it's worth sharing with you today.
"When a neighbor has been bruised, our kindness is tested. When he or she has been blessed, our generosity is tested. When we have been hurt, our forgiveness is tested. Trouble tests our courage. Temptation tests our strength. Friendship tests our loyalty. Failure tests our perseverance."
We are all tested. How do you fare in life's constant quizzes?
Cheers,
Richard
Sunday, November 2, 2008
2008.11.03 Monday Morning!
Top of the morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, 125 years young, and still sending Christ's message to a post-Christian world! We'll be celebrating our past with an eye to serving our Lord and Master Sunday next - November 9 - beginning with worship at 10:00 a.m. If you can't attend, please send an email greeting. The congregation will be delighted to hear from you!
Everyone has a story to tell, but it was Jesus who was the Master storyteller. His teaching arose out of real life situations, and were used to evoke a response. Perhaps his story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) is his most popular and best known of the 50-60 stories recorded in the New Testament.
The Good Samaritan had this view of Life: "What is mine, is mine, I'll share it." That is amazing, considering the bad blood that existed between ancient Jews and Samaritans.
When a traveler was robbed and left half dead on the roadside, a passing Priest ignored the victim. However, the despised Samaritan stopped to help. The message is clear - while we may not like people of different nations, cultures and languages, or people in our own country who are different in color, speech and beliefs from us - we are all God's children.
Jesus calls his followers to unite and assume renewed responsibility for the peace and well-being of all.
We can't change the world, but with civility and decency we can respect those who are different from us, and we can show acts of kindness and infectious cheer. It's surprising how gifts of small acts, of mercy, "are twice blessed". And often the giver is helped more than the receiver. Giving gives meaning to existence!
What's mine is mine, and I'll share it. It's no wonder we call that Samaritan "Good".
Cheers,
Richard
Everyone has a story to tell, but it was Jesus who was the Master storyteller. His teaching arose out of real life situations, and were used to evoke a response. Perhaps his story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) is his most popular and best known of the 50-60 stories recorded in the New Testament.
The Good Samaritan had this view of Life: "What is mine, is mine, I'll share it." That is amazing, considering the bad blood that existed between ancient Jews and Samaritans.
When a traveler was robbed and left half dead on the roadside, a passing Priest ignored the victim. However, the despised Samaritan stopped to help. The message is clear - while we may not like people of different nations, cultures and languages, or people in our own country who are different in color, speech and beliefs from us - we are all God's children.
Jesus calls his followers to unite and assume renewed responsibility for the peace and well-being of all.
We can't change the world, but with civility and decency we can respect those who are different from us, and we can show acts of kindness and infectious cheer. It's surprising how gifts of small acts, of mercy, "are twice blessed". And often the giver is helped more than the receiver. Giving gives meaning to existence!
What's mine is mine, and I'll share it. It's no wonder we call that Samaritan "Good".
Cheers,
Richard
Sunday, October 26, 2008
2008.10.27 Monday Morning!
Top of the morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. We want to "keep in touch" with the Pilgrims past and present, living far and near. We are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Church on Sunday, November 9. You'll get a letter about planned events, and be sure to attend, if at all possible. If you cannot attend, please send an email greeting.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we meet a Priest who ignored a badly injured man lying on the roadside. His view of life: "What's mine, I'll keep it." The Priest had no time or concern to share.
This attitude reminds me of a classic story which Dostoevsky wrote about a woman who died and went to hell. In her agony, she cried for help. At length, an angel answered: "I can help if you remember one altogether unselfish thing you did on earth." Finally, the woman remembered a withered carrot she had once given to a beggar. Checking the record, the angel confirmed that this was an unselfish act.
So down the limitless space which separated heaven from hell was lowered a withered carrot on a slender string. It did not seem that it could bear her weight and lift her out of torment. She grasped the carrot and slowly began to rise. Then she felt a weight dragging her. She looked down and saw others clinging to her, hoping to escape torment. "Let go", she cried, "the carrot won't hold us all." But they held on and again she cried, "Let go, this is my carrot." And at that point the string broke, and she fell back into the pains of hell.
That sums up the fate of anyone who lives with the view "What's mine, I'll keep it."
Peace,
Richard
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we meet a Priest who ignored a badly injured man lying on the roadside. His view of life: "What's mine, I'll keep it." The Priest had no time or concern to share.
This attitude reminds me of a classic story which Dostoevsky wrote about a woman who died and went to hell. In her agony, she cried for help. At length, an angel answered: "I can help if you remember one altogether unselfish thing you did on earth." Finally, the woman remembered a withered carrot she had once given to a beggar. Checking the record, the angel confirmed that this was an unselfish act.
So down the limitless space which separated heaven from hell was lowered a withered carrot on a slender string. It did not seem that it could bear her weight and lift her out of torment. She grasped the carrot and slowly began to rise. Then she felt a weight dragging her. She looked down and saw others clinging to her, hoping to escape torment. "Let go", she cried, "the carrot won't hold us all." But they held on and again she cried, "Let go, this is my carrot." And at that point the string broke, and she fell back into the pains of hell.
That sums up the fate of anyone who lives with the view "What's mine, I'll keep it."
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 19, 2008
2008.10.20 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. If you have email addresses for former members and friends of Pilgrim Church, who you think may like to get our Monday Morning Message, please send them to Donna at the Church email address above. We want to "Keep in Touch"!
Jesus, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10:25-37), gives us a word picture of three views of life. The first, represented by robbers, is "What's his is mine, I'll take it!"
Cunning and resourceful, those robbers were preoccupied with material riches. They took what belonged to the traveler on the seven mile stretch of road from Jerusalem to Jericho, beat him half to death, and fled.
Their blurred values - "What's his is mine, I'll take it" - and the decision to rob had to be kept secret. If they were caught, they would be ready with a cover-up story.
Decisions which need to be hidden are not uncommon in our society. Robbers are found at every level, and when they are caught they try to get out of the mess which they should not have gotten into in the first place.
Beware of any decisions you make which must be hidden.
Peace,
Richard
Jesus, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10:25-37), gives us a word picture of three views of life. The first, represented by robbers, is "What's his is mine, I'll take it!"
Cunning and resourceful, those robbers were preoccupied with material riches. They took what belonged to the traveler on the seven mile stretch of road from Jerusalem to Jericho, beat him half to death, and fled.
Their blurred values - "What's his is mine, I'll take it" - and the decision to rob had to be kept secret. If they were caught, they would be ready with a cover-up story.
Decisions which need to be hidden are not uncommon in our society. Robbers are found at every level, and when they are caught they try to get out of the mess which they should not have gotten into in the first place.
Beware of any decisions you make which must be hidden.
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 12, 2008
2008.10.13 Monday Morning!
Greetings from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.
My "Pearl of Value" today is practicable and important!
A young friend told me that he joined a "Speakers Club" to improve his public speaking skills. I applaud the intent to the group and the desire of my friend. If preachers were required to be members of such clubs, there would be less harangue from the pulpits, and shorter sermons!
"Speakers Clubs" are valuable, but is there a club dedicated to the art of listening? Let me know if you find one. All of us do a lot of talking. Can we learn to devote more time to listening rather than talking? All about us there is a great deal of talking, and shouting, too, but very little listening.
Many lost friendships and many family break-ups are traceable to the lost art of listening. When was the last time you listened attentively to others without interrupting?
Listening is not easy! It requires patience and a lot of caring, but the rewards of listening are great. When we listen to others we open channels of communication which enable us to touch and be touched so that all are enlarged.
The gift of listening was recognized as important by the ancient King Solomon who asked not for power or wealth, but for a "listening heart."
Peace,
Richard
My "Pearl of Value" today is practicable and important!
"Listening is a gift worth cultivating."
A young friend told me that he joined a "Speakers Club" to improve his public speaking skills. I applaud the intent to the group and the desire of my friend. If preachers were required to be members of such clubs, there would be less harangue from the pulpits, and shorter sermons!
"Speakers Clubs" are valuable, but is there a club dedicated to the art of listening? Let me know if you find one. All of us do a lot of talking. Can we learn to devote more time to listening rather than talking? All about us there is a great deal of talking, and shouting, too, but very little listening.
Many lost friendships and many family break-ups are traceable to the lost art of listening. When was the last time you listened attentively to others without interrupting?
Listening is not easy! It requires patience and a lot of caring, but the rewards of listening are great. When we listen to others we open channels of communication which enable us to touch and be touched so that all are enlarged.
The gift of listening was recognized as important by the ancient King Solomon who asked not for power or wealth, but for a "listening heart."
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, October 5, 2008
2008.10.06 Monday Morning!
Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.
People consult the stars and tea leaves in an effort to unveil the future. However, if we knew what was going to happen tomorrow and the day after, and all the tomorrows that are to be, wouldn't life lose its zest and excitement? It would be boring to play out life mechanically! Thank God we are not robots. We have freedom to determine the shape of our tomorrows by what we do today.
Our future depends largely on what we place in store for the future. Not the stars, nor cards, but our own actions will determine the shape of things to come.
Our "Pearl of Value" comes from Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning:
With blessings and best wishes,
Richard
People consult the stars and tea leaves in an effort to unveil the future. However, if we knew what was going to happen tomorrow and the day after, and all the tomorrows that are to be, wouldn't life lose its zest and excitement? It would be boring to play out life mechanically! Thank God we are not robots. We have freedom to determine the shape of our tomorrows by what we do today.
Our future depends largely on what we place in store for the future. Not the stars, nor cards, but our own actions will determine the shape of things to come.
Our "Pearl of Value" comes from Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning:
"Turn your predicaments into achievements - you have that capacity."
With blessings and best wishes,
Richard
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