Belated Labor Day Thought – too good to let pass
Steal No Longer! Instead, Work for a Living!!
By Alice Railton
Today [now, 13 days] is [was] Labor Day, the only legal public holiday in September and celebrated on the first Monday of the month. It was established to honor working men and women and became a legal holiday in 1894 when it was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland who, by the way, was one of my ancestors. Jobs in our country have changed a great deal in the last 100+ years but what the Bible has to say about work is timeless.
The word search of the NIV found work used 538 times and labor 106 times. Genesis begins with the account of God at work with creation. He worked for six days and then rested from His labor. According to Gen. 2:15,
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Adam’s job was like a master gardener, something he probably enjoyed. It wasn’t until after his sin that work became a hassel.
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Gen. 3:17-19) Adam’s sin changed life for every man, woman and child since.
Although work can sometimes be unpleasant if you have a job you dislike, it is something we all must do since God expects us to “earn our keep” and provide for our family. Prov. 31 describes the characteristics of a godly woman and illustrates how industrious she is. Then in Prov. 6:6-8 we are given the example of the ant, how it has no commander, or overseer, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Did you ever watch an ant carry a morsel of food many times bigger than himself? What a great example for us of perserverance to finish a task.
In Eph. 4:28, we are told,
“Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.” Now we’re finding that our work is not only to provide for ourselves and our families but to help those less fortunate. Of course, our income is also the means by which we support our church and the work of the Lord. Thank God you are able to work. “God Expects Us to Work”
– Alice Railton – Indiana, 9-3-07
In Memory Of …
DOROTHY ROBERTSON, Jim and Cheryl (Marsh) Koryta sent a kind check for use by our church. Cheryl wrote, “I have known her ever since I was a young girl and she was always very special to me. She always had a very kind smile … she will be missed very much.” Thank you for thinking of her in this way!
GRACE WHALEY told me about a man, Jason Dishong, who was in a very serious motorcycle accident 9-6 and is in ICU at Akron General under an induced coma. He is in serious condition. He’s 32, married and has children. The boy’s mother is a friend of Grace’s. This will be a very long recovery: we have put him on our prayer list.
FEEDBACK FROM MY 9-7 E-NEWSLETTER COVER LETTER
WHERE I WROTE ABOUT MY GRANDPARENTS
Pastor Rex, Thank you for sharing your story. As you probably already know Piper "Doc" and Dorothy Sherrill, my grandparents, made an everlasting impression on me, as they were both very active in Golden Rule Church of God. My grandmother played the piano and was a SS teacher and my grandpa served as a deacon. I have never been closer or loved anyone on this earth more than my grandpa - besides my husband. Grandpa’s favorite hymn was "In the Garden," and it still makes me cry to this very day when I hear it. The two of us, Grandpa and me, would sit in the same pew Sunday after Sunday as we would listen to Arlen Marsh's sermons, Grandpa would take peppermint candy out of his pocket and share it with me. Then after church, we would make the usual stop at Lawson's for milk and provolone cheese and then up the hill to his house for dinner, which was prepared by him. Those Sundays were taken for granted back then. I would give everything I have for just one of those Sundays now.
– Be Blessed, Tammy (Speer) Vinson, Texas, 9-7-07 email
RETIRED PASTOR EMORY MACY (Mary Ellen Jones’ brother) fell Sept. 10th breaking his hip. He resides with Kent & Cheryl (Macy) Ross in Springfield OH. He had hip surgery 9-12 replacing the ball joint. He’s doing well considering he’s almost 96. Keep him in your prayers.
“FINNEGAN FILE” on the tract rack contains some new and bright tracts that are on card stock, glossy paper, full color and written with an up tempo style. When I ordered them, they even came with our address and pastor’s name for the benefit of the reader to contact us. Finnegan’s are some of our brethren in N.Y. – the ones who stopped by here to witness in downtown Bedford Aug. 14th. Take a look at the tracts – take some if you will share them with someone else. They are too well done not to share.
A SNOWBIRD SOCIAL is being scheduled for our “snowbirds” who will be headed south about Oct. 1st – Al and Arlene Szekely (didn’t they just get here from Florida?). This pot-luck dinner will be held here at church September 30th. Everyone is welcome!
Messianic Jews under Fire in Israel What Has Changed in 2000 Years?
"The state of Israel promises religious freedom to all faiths. However, in some Israeli towns, Jews who believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah face persecution. One of those places is in a town called Arad." This is how Chris Mitchell, who works for CBN News Jerusalem Bureau, began his recent report on what is happening in Arad, Israel, ASSIST News Service reports. He continued, "Arad sits in the middle of the Negev Desert, about a two hour drive south of Jerusalem. For most of the nearly 25,000 residents, it's a quiet setting. But for others, it's been the scene of noisy protests and almost daily harassment. "An ultra-orthodox sect called the Gur harasses many of the Messianic Jews in the town." Mitchell quoted Yakim Figueros, a messianic pastor in Arad, as saying, "We meet at a congregation building. There's a narrow way to go in, I mean the gate. So they have two of their people standing on either side and reading curses against everyone that walks in: 'May his children be orphans. May their wives be widows' and so on. You know it's not nice for the simple people to come in and go through this." Mitchell went on to say, "The center of town is another place of harassment, where many retired Jewish immigrants gather."
– Religion Today Summaries / 9-10-07
PRAY FOR: Terry James (cancer, by Roper), Phil May (tests), Emory Macy (broke hip 9-10), Jason Dishong (by G. Whaley), / Pastor Beder (cancer, Peru), Pastor Jack Hearp, Kate Liauw (28, MS, by R Phillis), Amy Gunselman (cancer, by R Phillis), Ruby Korode, Lucinda (by Szekely), Gene & Gloria Faehnrich, Edith Speer, Grady Hudspeth*, Jacob Hinton*, Kathy & Destiny Reed*, (*by Skip), W.C. & Craig Blankenship, College students: Jackie Schuld, Dan & Rachel Cain (internship / teaching degree), Shut-ins: Helen Matthews, Evelyn Pennington Military: Rodger Schuld, Those serving in other countries: Lupe Badillo-Mexico, Tracy Zhykhovich-Russia, Beder Ucañay-Peru, Pastors in Malawi & Mozambique, Lesly Bertrand and the Pastors in Haiti. Colleges / Churches: RRCC, ABC, Golden Rule, Grace Brethren and for the peace of Jerusalem, Ps. 122:6; Isa. 62:6, 7
September 2007
16 Sunday School Staff Meeting following church service
25 First home Bible study at Phil and Susan May’s home / Euclid
30 “Snowbird Social” for Al and Arlene Szekely
Future dates:
Nov 8-10, THRIVE Conference, North Hills Church, Springfield OH / Nov. 11, Gideon Speaker
Nov 8-10, THRIVE Conference, North Hills Church, Springfield OH / Nov. 11, Gideon Speaker
SUNDAY
SCHOOL: 9:45A.M.
WORSHIP
10:45A.M.
Musicians: (Frank Roper and Mark Cain)
Welcome / Announcements
Worship Hymns / Mark Cain
1 How Great Thou Art
27 Holy, Holy, Holy
Prayer / Offering
Message: From Riches to Rags … And Back
Key Texts: Luke 15:11-32
293 Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
