First Baptist Church
224 Main St. Penn
Yan, NY 14527
(315) 536-9821 e-mail: pyfbc@usadatanet.net
Rev. John R. Tharp,
Pastor
August 5 Wheat and Grapes
John 6:25-35
August 12 Sailor in a Wheatfield
Acts 22:1-16
August 19 Man Kind
Mark 16:1-8
August 26 How To Please God
Isaiah 58:1-12
Rev. Don
Lawrence - guest preacher
Greeters
Lay Readers
Cheryl
Stewart & Cindy Ovens August
5 Marge Moulton
Erma
Mullins & Eva Dillon August
12 Bob Fullagar
Greg
& Tammy Miller, Erik & Kyle August
19 Judi Gibbs
Betty
Johnson, Lisa Wood & Brittany August
26 Marge Cornell
AUGUST
BIRTHDAYS!
5 ~ Ruth Hollister 18 ~ Dick Johnson
14
~ Luella Passage 23 ~ Anna Scheel
14
~ Cheryl Stewart 27 ~
Christine Conklin
15
~ Necia Smith 31 ~ Eleanor Stiles
17
~ Betty Johnson 31 ~ Cathy
MacDougall
18 ~ Rita Castillo
CUBITS, INCHES, AND
MEASURING WORTH
The July 16th issue of the
“Democrat and Chronicle” newspaper had an article about how the world is
passing Americans in terms of physical height.
In the 1960’s northern and western Europe had grown taller than us. As you watch sports programs you will see
oriental basketball players and African soccer players or unusual height. According to the article, the people in
Holland are two inches taller than their American counterparts. Taller people are thought to be healthier,
wealthier, and smarter than their diminutive companions.
Another source declares that the
perception that people of today are, on average, taller than those of past
generations is a untrue. Average
skeleton heights over the past several hundred years show a remarkable
consistency.
Jesus said, in the Sermon on the
Mount, (Matthew 6:27) that a person cannot by being anxious add even one cubit
to the length of one’s life. Now a
cubit (the span between a person’s elbow and the tip of his fingers) is long to
add to height but not very long to add to a life time. The point Jesus was making was that longer,
taller, wider, more expensive, newer, etc. have little to do with the quality
of one important assets.
A famous rabbi, who attained a great
following in the 1980’s, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, was known to stand for long
hours giving out blessings and advice to the many people who came to him. Someone asked him how he was able to endure
that long time of standing. He replied,
“When you are counting diamonds, you don’t get tired.”
Jesus said that our greatness does not
have much to do with the things that the world considers to be great. Rather our greatness of stature in God’s
eyes is the greatness of our willingness to not be great. When we become like a little child, a
servant, accept our cross, accept persecution, mourn, give our all for peace,
share the burdens of others, tell the truth in love – in all those ways and
many more, we then become giants in the sight of God.
We have been having a great
summer. The autumn is going to be rich
with good things. I invite you to come
and enjoy them as we fellowship in the shadow of God’s grace.
Report
from Board of Missions
OOPS! We forgot “Undies
Sundays” scheduled for May 2007! This one got by us somehow and because you
have been so generous in the past we want to rectify the error. A box will be
placed in the sanctuary the first week of August and will remain there through
August for our annual collection of underclothing for the Cameron Community
Center in Rochester, NY. Please look for our Undies Sundays box and continue
your generosity for this worthwhile local mission project. Your support is
greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The Board of Missions
INQUIRERS’ CLASS
Interested in baptism or
becoming
a member of our church?
Then
come join us for this BAKE
SALE
informational meeting on Friday, August 3, is the
date for
September 19, at 7 p.m. Be
sure the annual Board of
Trustees
to bring your questions
with you. Bake Sale at Five
Star Bank.
Coffee and desserts will
be Contributions of
baked goods are
provided.
See you there! being
accepted at the church the
day before. Be sure
to stop in to
buy
something for someone
special!
Report
for Phase II Building for Today & Tomorrow Campaign
For
Mortgage Payment on Memorial Building June 2007 - June 2008
12
Pledges $14,763.25
ABW
Seed Money 1,446.55
Matched
Pledge 10,000.00
2007
Annual Campaign Pledges 5,685.00
Total
Raised $31,894.00
Thanks
to all that donated, pledged, and worked for this successful campaign. Please
remember that this is the 6th year of a 15-year mortgage.
The
following is an excerpt from a letter sent to Barbara Burke, from Jim &
Edith Davison. They came from Utica with four Burmese Refugee children to VBS
in June.
Dear Barbara,
What
a delightful time we shared with you and all of the children and staff of your
Vacation Bible School. We were greatly impressed by the great planning and
creative preparations you all had done, as well as the obvious excitement of
the children involved.
We
are grateful for your invitation to come and share something of our
ministry with Karen refugees. The four
who came with us - Kapru Htoo, Moo Moo, Htee Moo and Hon - talked about the
experience on the way home and had a wonderful time!
Please
convey our gratitude to all who made possible the gift of the 5 rice cookers. I
can assure you that they will be a blessing to the new families arriving in the
next few weeks.
It
was good to see you again. We are deeply grateful to you and your congregation
for your interest in and generous support of our Karen refugees.
Blessings
in Christ,
Jim
and Edith Davison