I believe that Rev. Dr. Billy Graham has been the 20th Century prophet for God.  In the Bible, a prophet was one called to speak for God.  Billy Graham's message has never changed. He has for the biggest part of this century preached the pure simple gospel (Good News) of God's love for all mankind and the world.  He preached God's love as it is expressed in the life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  He preached that Jesus' suffering paid for our sin, and his resurrection was for our salvation. All we need to do to have eternal life is to believe and turn your lives over to Jesus Christ and the guidance of His spirit.

Now, Billy Graham has been criticized by some church leaders in every denomination of the church and by most major religion of the world.  He was criticized for going to places like India and preaching this gospel to a people who worship hundreds of gods.

Mr. Graham tells of the time he preached to over 100,000 in the mountains of Northeast India. After preaching the first night he and his aides returned to their sleeping quarters.  It had been raining so they took their shoes off as they entered their room.  When billy noticed that the servant was cleaning the mud from their shoes he said to him, "Here, we can do that."  But the servant replied, "No, I must do this, I want to do this."  About that time a church leader came to their room with a message: "There will be nearly 100,000 people for the mourning Bilble study which will start very early.  Will you, Mr. Graham, be able to lead the study at 10:00 a.m." Billy said yes, he would, but wanted to know who would be leading the study earlier, before he got there.  The church leader hesitated a minute, stuttered, looked at the servant cleaning their shoes and said: "That one cleaning those shoes, he will be leading the study." Billy said, "I never felt so humbled before in my life."  Jesus said: " He who would be the greatest (in the kingdom of heaven) must be servant of all."

Here my mind jumps back to our "Combined Thanksgiving Worship Service" last Sunday morning -- the whole morning was a great blessing to us all, through Sunday School, Worship, and the Thanksgiving dinner.  I believe with all my heart and haggard mind that the Holy Spirit blessed us.  Mainly because of the dedication and hard work of faithful humble members, quietly working behind the scenes, in committees, in the office, in choirs, in the kitchen, in their homes and in prayer groups -- God's servants working with the same humbleness as that Indian Bible teacher.  Now that's something for our haggard minds to think about.

                                                             Rev. Dan E. Haggard

 

	November 25, 2007
SUNDAY:	Casual Praise & Worship Service	8:00 A.M.
	Elders, Deacons & Deaconesses Meet	9:00 A.M.
	Medicalodge	9:00 A.M.
	Sunday School	9:10 A.M.
	Morning Worship	10:40 A.M.
	Prayer Gathering	6:00 P.M.
MONDAY:	Quilt Club	11:30 A.M
TUESDAY:	Elder's Meeting	6:30 P.M.
WEDNESDAY:	Christmas Around The Square	5:00 P.M.
THURSDAY:	NO Bible Study
	December 2, 2007
	1st Sunday of Advent
SUNDAY:	Casual Praise & Worship Service	8:00 A.M.
	Memory Care	9:00 A.M.
	Sunday School	9:10 A.M.
	Morning Worship	10:40 A.M.
	Prayer Gathering	6:00 P.M.
	C.A.C. Christmas	7:00 P.M.
	Music at First Methodist Church
MONDAY:	Quilt Club	11:30 A.M.
	Community Blood Drive at Comm. Bldg.	1-6 P.M.
TUESDAY:	Elder's Meeting	6:30 P.M.
WEDNESDAY:	Disciples Women Fellowship	10:00 A.M.
	Bell Choir	6:00 P.M.
	Bible Study	7:00 P.M.
	Youth Group	7:00 P.M.
	Choir Rehearsal	7:00 P.M.
	Jr/Sr High PAWS	7:00 P.M.
THURSDAY:	NO Bible Study
FRIDAY:	Cookie Walk

Homemade Cookies are needed for the Cookie Walk which will be held Friday, December 7th.  Cookies may be brought to the Church on Thursday evening. The proceeds will go towards the International Affairs Seminar trip in March.   Remember that the Cookie Walk begins at 7 a.m. so get your cookies to the Church early!

Vhonda Schreiner volunteers at the Columbus Dog pound and local animal shelters.  She has a list of wants and needs on the bulletin board by the Church Office.

We pray for the leaders of our country and those in the military.  We want to remember all of our shut-ins and those in area nursing homes in our prayers. Please contact the Church Office if you know of a Church member in the Hospital. This is the only way of us knowing.

Dustin Wary - Iraq

We continue our prayers for Rob, Bethany and Will Robinson who was injured in an automobile accident.

Those to remember in prayer: Mike Mitts, Florence Turner, Marvin & LaVon Blackburn,(friends of June Evans), Paul Westervelt, Brooke Chrismas, Willy Tanner, Moore Johnson, Goldie McNemar, Don Johnson (brother of a friend of Jim Pritchett), Beverly Murdock, Delores Brown, Patty Kimrey, Robert Jarman, Bonnie Stover, Ronnie Grubbs, Mary Sharpnack, Kaitlin Nash, Tom Reeves, Jessie Ferguson, Becky Johnson (Chris Johnson's sister-in-law)

Please join

Anne Elizabeth Haggard

and

Charles Daniel (Buck) Sharp

along with their parents

Rev. & Mrs. Dan Haggard

and

Charles E. Sharp

as they begin their life together

by declaring their marriage vows at

1st Christian Church

3200 Roberts Rd.

Baxter Springs, Kansas

4:00 P.M.

December 1, 2007

 

Reception following in Fellowship Hall

First United Methodist Church will be hosting an Alzheimer's Overview on Tuesday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m.  This will be a one hour presentation with John von Wedell, of Heart of America Alzheimer's, Kansas State Hospital, in Parsons.  A question and answer time will follow the presentation.

Professionals, caregivers or anyone in the community interested in learning more about Alzheimer's and how to be supportive is welcome to attend.

Sunday, December 2nd begins the Christmas Advent Season.  This Sunday, November 25th, Advent Calendars with instructions and kits for making your own family Advent Candle Wreaths will be avaiable on the east side ot the Church Sancturary. Each family is encouraged to take one.

Also available will be Advent Devotional books. Please take one of these books for your Christmas devotional time.

May the true joy of Christmas be yours, Your Worship Department

November 11, 2007

Sunday School Attendance: 49

Church Attendance: 110

Stewardship:	Church Offering	1757.00
	Sunday School	38.00
	Thanksgiving Offering	17.00
	Organ Fund	40.00
	Bldg. Fund	65.00

 

November 18, 2007

Sunday School Attendance: 68

Church Attendance: 140

Stewardship	Church Offering	1590.25
	Thanksgiving Offering	204.00

Elders - Susan Schultz & Jenny Shilts

2nd Service - Bette Geisler & Steve Phelps

DEACONS - Group #2 (Mary Epler, Shirley Forkner, Linda Grant, Jenny Shilts, Laura Vanatta)

THE ABIDING MEMORIAL BOOK is opened in loving memory of Maurice Soper & Janetta Henson

Elders - Dale Curry & Gaisa Westervelt

2nd Service - Doris Gowen & Kathy Denny

DEACONS - Group #3 (Lanette Beech, Jeff Geisler, Marge Henderson, Marilyn Morris, Traci Spear)

DEACONESSES: Joan Bohn & Marge Henderson

THE ABIDING MEMORIAL BOOK is opened in loving memory of June Thelma Kelley and Eugenia Todd.

One of our ongoing projects of the Church is to collect gift items for the residents of Kansas Christian Home in Newton, Kansas. There will be a box by the door for your new & unused gift items.  Suggested items: Toothbrushes & toothpaste, denture tablets, mouthwash, deodorants, body powder, body lotion, nail clippers, disposable razors, hair brushes, combs, sweat pants.  Items must be into the Church by Sunday, Dec. 16th to have them to Newton in time for Christmas.

The Men In Action will have their All Church Christmas Dinner on Tuesday, December 11th at 6:30 P.M.  There is a sign up sheet on the table in the Sanctuary if you plan to attend.  Call the Church if you need a ride.

2 -	Emil Simpson, Jr.
	Joe Forkner
3 -	Harry Burch, II	Youth Birthdays
4 -	Sherry Ellison	1 - Zach Stover
6 -	Marilyn Torchia	6 - Joe Stover
	Joby Riker
	Dale Curry
8 -	Lori Billesbach
	Margaret White
	Susan Abram

( Remainder of birthdays in next newsletter)

Jack & Jacque Scammon, 5211 S. Lewis Ave., Rm 239, Tulsa OK 74105.