Thursday, April 29, 2010
It's been a while... technical difficulties (not so much for the computer as for me) as I lost know-how to get in to post. I'm such a computer whiz. Think I have it solved now. We'll see.
I've written down a number of topics I'd like to muse about. So stay tuned and I'll try to get to them soon.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Never seen anything like it! Never felt any exhilaration like it! Wish I could craft a block of words to share the feeling with you because I believe you'd like it!
I'm referring to the workday... house-raising... benevolent effort at Willie's House (a. k. a. Jill's House) this past Saturday.
Part of the great feeling comes from knowing that God was in it. Wow, pick any spot out in advance of the workday--three months, a month, a week, four days, two days... there were so many...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Just got an e-mail that some of you might want to take some action on... it follows:
Will NBC be suprised??!!
Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is presently taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency.
Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off their web page. Poll is still open so you can vote:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
My blog this week is an article I wrote while minister at S. Thronton Church of Christ in Piggott. It came to my mind as a result of a recent conversation I've had on the same matter that bordered on the same accusation.
I understand that S. Thornton was “featured,” though unnamed, in a local bulletin as a church that uses “gimmicks” and proclaims little “gospel.” I thought I might have a word to say about the charge since many of the “gimmicks” were used on my watch and with my...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Where do we hide? Al Quida and Taliban terrorists are on the loose in Afghanistan and Pakistan, pirates roam the high seas, madmen nearly have their fingers on nuclear launch buttons, the ice caps and glaciers are melting (so some say), our economy is melting down, bacteria that are everywhere can outsmart antibiotics, there's too much snow and too much rain and too much heat and too much cold, everything--and I do mean everything--we eat and drink is killing us, and now we have "swine flu."
...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wow again!!! FOUR-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE!!!! Work and pray for the day that’s a normal attendance. Then on Easter and Christmas we’ll be putting chairs in the aisles and talking about expansion! “Farfetched,” you might think, but no more farfetched than this building was only a few short years ago. If God has done amazing things among us before, why would He not do so again if we are faithful?
You know, some of our Easter “guests” might come back before next Easter if some of us simply...
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
I should begin every blog with an apology if all I'm doing is getting in once a month. I'll try to do better. It's been a busy time. Seems spring is aways like that.
The Tulsa International Soulwinning Workshop in late March was a shot in the arm as usual. I enjoyed the workshop but enjoyed just as much the company of the three Bono couples who were my traveling companions. I know in the past that Bono has taken a good-sized group but that "tradition" has faded somewhat in recent...
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Unsettled times, these are.
The events flowing from the present marriage of politics and economics are to some a God-sent answer to years of prayer while others see them as ocean waves that wash in and out ceaselessly cutting away the ground on which they live , and they seem to have only the ability to watch and sigh.
Besides the national arena, recently in the short span of three days death visited near me four times. And three of the four now gone were extremely young (and the...
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Our Sunday morning class began a study of a brand new Max Lucado book this past Sunday morning, Cast of Characters. The book came out in September, I think. The book is excellent. The class is also excellent. It's well attended and usually has a good bit of lively and provocative discussion. And right now, the teachers rotate which provides for variety and limits teacher fatigue. JOIN US!!!
I'm tickled at the beginning we had with "Bono Buddies." It appears that the kids took to it...
Monday, December 29, 2008
Dr. Joy Trauth, an instructor in Biological Sciences Department at ASU, wrote a two part guest editorial that appeared in this past Saturday's and Sunday's Jonesboro Suns. Her title is "Why Students Fail College Classes." I refer here only to Saturday's offering.l
To summarize, she began with a total of 309 students in August. Sixty (60) dropped over the course of the semester--the average number of absences for those sixty was 9 for a course that met three times a week for 15 weeks. ...
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
To all of those whom I love so dearly, Merry Christmas. Not merriness at the coming of the special gift you wanted, but the pure delight of a greater coming of Jesus Christ into your heart! Remember , "the most important things in life... are not things !
I want to share a story with you I came across this morning on the Ole Miss Spirit sports board. It is in a column called Life of Reilly" on ESPN. com. It will warm you heart and perhaps trickle a tear from your eye (I say...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
I am at just about a month since I've blogged. Sorry, my regular job plus the two extras I have been attempting to do, plus family affairs during the holidays have consumed me. Maybe I can do better.
Of course, it's Christmas. I'm guessing that some faithful Christians from most everywhere still feel anxiety with other Christians openly participating in it and, maybe especially, the season being featured in sermons. I've heard the reasoning--it's borrowed from pagans; Jesus' death and...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tyler, Paula, Zoey, and Jacob Olsen are moving from Bono to Jonesboro in the next few days. They will move into a three-bedroom rental on Concord (behind Wallace & Owens, near Jonesboro High School) where they’ll have access to Jonesboro JETS for most of their transportation (and when they do use their car, the trips will be much shorter). They have very little furniture and are in need of some household furniture items, especially beds. If you have a bed or any other furniture item...
Monday, November 10, 2008
Our attendance was down yesterday morning due to farmers scurrying to get crops gathered in and some of our hunters out in the woods stirring up the wildlife.
But the Bono church is bustling! We had a lot of activities going on. A CCCM Board meeting occurred at our building at 2:00pm. The Board primarily discussed fundraising and how to get to the needed level for hiring a full time Campus Minister, which would take no less than $7K each month (we presently receive a bit over $3K). A...
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thanks for all the "Happy Birthday" wishes. I'm just glad to still be having 'em.
Hallelujah! Whoop-de-doo! Pat’s on the back and a hearty round of applause for all who worked to make Trunk-or-Treat a booming success! That includes planners, candy and prize donors, cooks, kitchen folks, “trunk” openers, game runners, Gabby the mouse, and on and on and on. Sorry to all the parents whose kids will be on a sugar high for a month! The count was 340+! We’d like to be exact, but have you...
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Next Sunday’s big event—besides the constant bigness of the church coming together to study and worship and commune at the Lord’s table—will be our Trunk-or-Treat. It is once again an opportunity for us to get ourselves before the Bono community by serving their needs. Be assured these parents are grateful to have their kids Halloweening in what they know is a harmless environment. Be aware that because of Trunk-or-Treat, our evening worship period will be abbreviated to about 30 minutes. ...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I haven't been able to do much blogging for a month. Three jobs has kind of caught up with me and I've been madly scrambling to manage them all. I've settled into a rhythm teaching the Pentateuch at CRC and we're halfway done. I took on that job early this year before I had any idea I'd be up to my neck, so to speak, with the ASU campus ministry.
That work is going well, too... growing gradually... but growing. And I believe the future is bright for it to thrive again.
Now to the Bono...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What an odd day Sunday was. I saw something I'd never seen in my life and only barely dreamed of… twice as many people at an evening service as there were at the morning service! Chances are I'll never see it again. To say the least, Ike disrupted things. Lots of power outages… I found out Monday that my old church family in Piggott didn’t meet either due to no electricity there. One grateful thought I had as I discovered Ike raked Piggott is that I am no longer responsible for picking up...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What a blessed, wonderful day we had together Sunday. I appreciated so much Marco’s planning and leading of our morning worship hour. Marco is a young man with great love for the Lord whom God has given a great talent. I believe God will continue to use him to do great things in the kingdom. We have other young people who might be inspired by Marco. They, too, have talents and abilities along with their love for the Lord. We’d welcome our young men stepping up to lead singing, be...
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Sorry, I missed last week due to the heavy schedule of activities as we opened the week at ASU with the revamped campus ministry. I hope missing weeks will be rare.
We were delighted Sunday to announce that sisters Kim & Sheri Pittcock have become a part of the Bono church family. Dr. Kim is Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture at ASU; Sheri attends the Learning Center of Jonesboro. As always, your challenge is to meet them and make them feel very welcome.
The...
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
We who remember Laurel and Hardy remember Oliver’s main line to Stan… "This is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into." Bono may feel that about some of the things I have gotten you into... like the campus ministry at ASU. It’s like a child I raised; it has a big piece of my heart. While I certainly didn’t leave Piggott to come here to work on its renewal, I feel God has called me to it--He synchronized its need and my arrival. I am thrilled so many Bono members have passion for it...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
How generous you were about helping out with (1) school supply purchases for families who'll otherwise have a hard time getting their children what they need and (2) one of our Bono families who is particularly hard hit with an illness. Both collections are important, but our helping each other is the "birthmark" that proves we Christians are in the family we say we're in. Thank you for your love and caring. By the way, both boxes for those two collections will still be out Sunday.
Our...
Monday, August 04, 2008
Great day yesterday with our first all-day emphasis on prayer. Kent McDaniel did his usual stirring presentation and he'll just keep on the next three Sunday nights. I'm particularly excited about our singing prayer songs all month. I hope you'll take a moment or two on every song to think about the prayer we're lifting up as we sing it. Music moves us. We really can't keep good music form grabbing us and, of course, it plants both tunes and thoughts in our heads that hang on and keep on...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Great, great singing at Exaltation 2008! Bono hosted about 230 area Christians Saturday night in Exaltation's first installment. It was great fellowship and worship. Our building's wonderful, A # 1, excellent acoustics greatly enhanced the experience for all. Many walked out saying things like "we didn't sing long enough" and "this was the best singing I have heard in a long, long time. You did great with the cookies, goodies, and drinks. Our warm hospitality was much appreciated. And I...
Monday, July 21, 2008
Alex Archer's and Jessica Griffin's wedding was, as the renowned minister officiating it would say, "lovely." An incredible amount of work and expense goes into such affairs, but it is a day of days being created for them. And God says it is to be for always. Alex and Jessica are good servant hearted Christians already. It will be a joy to watch them grow together as a family and mature more and more as Christians. Blessings, blessings... is the prayer.
Our day yesterday had us hearing...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Despite yesterday not working out as planned with the viewing of the new webpage, we had a great day at Bono. Good sized crowd, and friendly, as usual. Thanks for the Hurculean attempt by Lorne and Alex (and others) to get it going. By the way, the internet is back up. Took a visit from Ritternet and buying a new router at Wal-Mart. We'll try to show you the webpage before long, but not this Sunday as it is CRC Day and we want to allow Richard Johnson from CRC all the time he needs.
...
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Great day today! We had lots of holiday visitors. Cindy Howard came to me after morning services with tears in her eyes saying, "I was supposed to go forward and I misjusdged the song... though there was another verse." I reminded her that coming forward during a song is a tradition and that I could announce to the church what she wanted to do which would serve the Lord's purpose just as well. So that's the scoop. Pray for her and encourage her all you can! One more lesson in the "Church...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Many topics to touch on today…
From Susan Martin in re VBS: “I would like to thank you for making this year’s VBS such a success. I was absolutely impressed by the support you gave, both financially and physically. Your help with decorating, working with the classes, donating money, bringing soft drinks, cleaning up, working in the kitchen, registration, and much more are greatly appreciated. I would like to give special thanks to Sandy Tate for being our set designer, Michael...