From the Pastor's Desk
O Thou Great Chief, light a candle within our hearts that we may see what is therein, and sweep the rubbish from Thy dwelling place.
This is one of the purposes of observing Advent and Christmas, and we accomplish it when we clearly see who it is that comes, and how decisive our response to Him will be. Advent means to come, and this is the season of people coming toward Christmas.
Like Mary and Joseph coming to Bethlehem!
Like shepherds and wise men coming!
And us coming too!
For we have a journey to make too a journey to Christmas, a coming to the Christ event. We have some preparations to make within ourselves or Christmas simply does not happen for us!
Preparations like making room for Christ in our thinking and busy schedules! Things like singing carols and listening to what the words really say. Things like looking up at winter’s stars and thinking about what that first Advent was like!
Let every heart prepare Him room in these days of December ahead.
Dear God, who so loved the world that You gave us Jesus to light and guide our way, guide us through this season of preparation, as we welcome Jesus into our lives, Amen. rr
P.S. Join us for worship at either 8:30 or 10:50 for
Advent Sundays. Here’s the preaching plan:
December 7 Christmas: Birth and Re-Birth
Romans 8:3-11
December 14 Why God Became Man
Hebrews 2:5-18
December 21 The Theology of Christmas
Philippians 2:5-11
December 24 Candlelight service of baptism and
communion
December 28 Will Jesus Come Again in 2009?
Mark 13:32-33
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with me, he must forget himself, carry his cross, and follow me. For the man who wants to save his own life willlose it, but the man who loses his life for my sake shall find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25
The one who obtains church membership at some price, either great or small, and then fails to assume the privileges and responsibilities of the community of God, except perhaps in times of great pain and crisis, is like the foolish man who saved for 36 months to buy a new car.
After the car was delivered and safely in his garage, he locked the door to the garage and rejoiced greatly at his new possession. Each week, he would go into the garage to start the car, run it a bit and polish it up nice ’n’ pretty!
He kept the car locked up in the garage, reassured that if he needs to hurry to the bedside of his ill mother, or load up his family hurriedly to escape tornadic winds, he can!
Truly, truly I say to you—this foolish man is poorer and less prepared than he thinks. For when his mother becomes seriously ill, or when tornadic winds darken the sky and he races to the garage to be saved by his car now several years old, he shall discover rust, corrosion and general mechanical deterioration have taken their toll! What was once an efficient, modern and dependable means of transportation is no longer safe for travel. For his failure to use, update and occasionally drive the car, has caused all he has to be swept away by the first real storm. He can’t even use his car to visit his mother!
This is the way it is going to be for the one who claims their membership in the community of faith but fails to give regular attention to its privileges and responsibilities. In his poem titled, “It’s Up to You” John Henry Newman says it this way:
God has created me to do Him some definite service! He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have a mission … I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught … I shall do good! I shall do His work, I shall be an angel of peace, if I do but keep His commandments! Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away! If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him! In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him! He does nothing in vain, He knows what He is about!
Be a part of the community of faith this coming Sunday! Come to Sunday School and worship! Bring a friend, too! May the living Christ guide you as you live for Him!
rr
P.S. See you at the quarterly business meeting on Sunday, October 19th.!
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 8:
“We know not how to pray as we ought! But the Holy
Spirit prays for us in inexpressible ways that are impossible
sometimes to put into words.”
To accompany our Ladies’ Bible Study group’s study on prayer, titled The Kneeling Christian, the message coming on September 14th is titled “Victorious Prayer.”
- How often do YOU pray?
- What words do you use?
- Why is prayer important?
- Would you like to find out how your answers to prayer would always be guaranteed?
See you in worship on Sunday, September 14th! Bring a friend with you to church that day! — rr
P.S. What mountaintop moments we had with the Sean Breithaupt family and Erick Thornton in the baptism service on August 10th! WELCOME to the WBC membership family, Sean, Lesley, Shelton, Seth, Erick and, don’t forget Donna Hernandez and Melody carpenter who have also joined our church!
Another service of baptism is coming soon! If you would like to participate, or have questions about becoming a Christian or WBC member, talk with me or Heather Horn ASAP. Go for it!
“You are the people of God. He loved you and chose you for His own. Therefore, you must put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Be helpful to one another, and forgive one another.” Colossians 3:12
Have you heard Amanda Bradley’s verse?
There are special caring people who know the loving art Of bringing joy to others by sharing from the heart. They always have a gentle word, a helping hand to lend, They always have the time to give when someone needs a friend. This special kind of caring is an art that can’t be taught. It comes from keeping others always close in loving thought. Their special kind of caring makes these people very dear, And they grow move loved and treasured with every passing year.
Our congrats to Penny Anderson, Heather Horn and Pat Johnson on their dedication July 13th as new WBC Stephen Ministers. Stephen Ministers work closely under the loving direction of Carol & Ruth Fleming to provide a wonderful resource for ministry in our WBC family and throughout the area. They coordinate their care with our WBC Deacon Board, and work together with our Deacons and pastoral staff to help provide meaningful support and care to the WBC family. If you have questions about the Stephen Ministry, want to know more about their resources, or have a friend you would like to receive help and care from this dedicated group, talk with either Carol or Ruth or Heather or me about it.
Thank You, Lord, for WBC’s Stephen Ministers! — rr
P.S. If you’ve always wondered how you can pray so that your prayers are heard and answered, don’t miss the sermon “Victorious Prayer” coming on September 14th. Mark you calendars and plan to join us.
“… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose …” Romans 8:28We turn to the Lord when life’s business, sorrow, tragedies and circumstances leave us breathless, overloaded and overwhelmed, and wondering what will happen next!
Amidst the tornados, earthquakes, cyclones, and other car wrecks of this world, we load on health concerns, family situations, and summer schedules!
The Apostle Paul teaches us that this promise of the Savior extends to ALL things in our lives, not just some. And they somewhere work out to our good! The promise extends to those who love God, and who realize that we are seeking (and willing) to follow His purpose in life, not just our own little narrow agendas, plans, intentions and designs.
As the crush of summer Vacation Bible School, camping and other vacations, Father’s Day, games of every kind, and lots of other summertime fun fills our days, would you join me in claiming and appropriating this wonderful promise of the Lord?!
Looking forward to relaxing times this summer with my family here at Wellsville Baptist.
Roger Robertson
P.S. My personal thinks to all who made possible the celebration of life memorial service for Kenny Reeves held at WBC, May 21. Remember to lift wife, Doris, daughter, Kim Robbs and sons, Justin and Darren in your prayers. To God be the glory!
After Pastor Kevin and Peggy moved to Garnett Kansas First Baptist Church, the Wellsville Baptist Church Deacons talked with our region office to ask that an Interim Pastor be sent.
After several meetings, extended interview and prayerful deliberation, Rev. Roger Robertson was asked to serve as WBC’s Interim Pastor.
So what’s an Interim Pastor do? My main duties are as follows: ∗ To preach and help lead worship ∗ To conduct weddings and funerals ∗ To visit in times of loss, crisis and/or special occasion ∗ To maintain a part-time presence in the church office, and ∗ To support and encourage church leaders and staff members.
THANKS to all who have welcomed the Robertsons so cordially. We feel it a privilege to serve Christ with you, and look forward to ministry together.
Pastor Roger
P.S. At the end of summer, we will review our service with WBC Deacons to determine whether both parties wish to extend the interim agreement. (The average interim period in an American Baptist Church is about 17 months.) Let’s remember to lift our WBC Pastoral Search Committee in our prayers.