by John Collins on July 31, 2007
Via Sojourners:
When Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, it was not just for our neighbors’ sakes that he commanded it, but for our own sakes as well. Not to help find some way to feed the children who are starving to death is to have some precious part of who we are starve to death with them. Not to give ourselves to the human beings we know who may be starving not for food but for what we have in our hearts to nourish them with this to be, ourselves, diminished and crippled as human beings.
- Frederick Buechner, Secrets in the Dark: A Life in Sermons
by John Collins on July 31, 2007
Was Harry Potter a Christian story after all? Newsweek has an article that asks that provocative question.
by John Collins on July 28, 2007
Theology:
Theology is the study of God and God’s ways. For all we know, dung beetles may study us and our ways and call it humanology. If so, we would probably be more touched and amused than irritated. One hopes that God feels likewise.
Frederick Buechner, Beyond Words: Daily Readings in the ABC’s of Faith, 386.
Theos is the Greek word for God and the suffix -ology denotes a field of study or academic discipline, thus theology is the study of God and God’s ways. And yes, Frederick Buechner did just compare us to dung beetles.
by John Collins on July 28, 2007
We have a new email list for congregational joys and concerns. We often have joys and concerns during the week that have to wait until Sunday to be announced. We don’t want to post these joys and concerns on the blog because they are semiprivate, but we do want members of the congregation to know. Click on the “Join our Email List” button on the right to sign up for this new list. If you have any problems, send me an email at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org and I’ll put you on manually.
by John Collins on July 26, 2007
If you want a new t-shirt (see post below), but are uncomfortable shopping online, shoot me an email at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org and I’ll be happy to order one for you.
by John Collins on July 26, 2007
The Vision Team will be sponsoring a T-Shirt Sunday on September 9, 2007. Everyone is encouraged to wear their First United Methodist Church t-shirt. Direct printed (silk screened) t-shirts of a new design are available from the “T-Shirts” page of our website starting at $13.99. A limited number of t-shirts of the old design made by heat transfer are available for $5 from the church office.
by John Collins on July 26, 2007
by Jennifer Collins on July 26, 2007
Since our last issue of the Parish Visitor, a devastating flood has hit Coffeyville. About a fourth of the town was utterly destroyed, including homes, businesses, hotels, restaurants, a grocery store, churches, parks, etc. Many people were, and still are, displaced. Seeing the floodwaters, and the destruction they have left behind, has affected us all. We have seen up close what the forces of nature can do and how powerless we are in the face of them.
But in the midst of this natural disaster, wonderful things have been happening. God can work, and is in fact at work, bringing good out of the bad. The churches in town, coordinated by the ministerial alliance, have set up a distribution center for those affected by the flood where they can get free clothes, furniture, toys and personal items. Many people have worked many long hours sorting, packing, and transporting clothes to get them ready for the distribution center, named, “Here’s Hope,” and we thank you for all you have done.
We have learned that in disasters, such as the flood we experienced, things do not always move as smoothly or as quickly as we would hope. But we have seen so many people come together to work on the issues to help us move forward as a town.
In this time of recovery, the Holy Spirit is among us, bringing us closer together as a community. I see that happening both in our church community, and in the community at large. Through the hours we have spent together sorting and folding clothes, dividing up breakfasts, sorting food or simply the conversations we have with one another at church, in the community or on the phone that perhaps have taken on deeper meanings in the past several weeks, we are growing closer to one another.
It will take a long time for Coffeyville to recover completely from the flood of ’07. But we can know for certain that God will be with us, showing us the light so that we can find our way even in the darkest times.
by John Collins on July 25, 2007
The next Montgomery County VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters) meeting will be in the Fellowship Hall. VOAD attempts to cordinate relief efforts between various organizations. The next meeting will be here so that we can alternate between meeting in Coffeyville and Independence. You may be asking yourself what this has to do with you and why I’m putting it on the blog. The reason is that I’m wondering if anyone would be willing to make cookies.
by John Collins on July 24, 2007
Our next movie event will be shown Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 4:00 p.m.
This movie event is open to everyone. As always, admittance, juice boxes and popcorn are free. Send us an email if you would like more information.
We’ll be watching A Snoodle’s Tale. As always, popcorn and juiceboxes will be provided. You’re encouraged to bring blankets, camp chairs, pillows, etc. If you want to learn more about the show, Netflix has a review.
