News, News, News

Mark 1:14 &15, "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time is come,' He said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.'"

The news of our world, our country, and our people is full of angst. I read an article the other day that said research is showing anxiety in our culture is increasing at huge levels. For several years, the increase of anxiety and related disorders like "panic" have been on the up-swing.

Why?

Part of this seems to be from our obsession with 24-7 news. We are living with news reporting on a non-stop basis, with constant "bad news" stories. 

Have your noticed an increase in your daily living of more anxiety?  I have a daily antidote to the world's daily angst.  I have increased my morning spiritual practice of quiet, study, and reflection. I start my day with focused listening to God's Word. And not just reading it, really deep listening of God's Word. I am seeking His view of what His world was created to be like.  Before the "news, news, news" of the world, I need the News of God to settle deep into my heart. I want His Word to be a daily anchor, a deep place of steadiness in my life and soul.

Join me. Put God's Word first.

When the disturbing news reached Jesus that John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod's guards, Jesus continued preaching the Good News of God's Kingdom. John was His cousin and a fellow servant of God. So with the news of John's arrest, and his most certain death to come, Jesus continued to focus on God's Kingdom.

How did Jesus do this? Jesus could continue to share the News of God with others during a time of great "angst" because the sound of God's Word was louder any news of the world around Jesus. 

I want that for my life. Even when the news on the TV or radio is full of anxiety and dread, I want the words in my mind and life to be different. And I want to act different and be different because of His Words in my heart and life.

If you don't have a daily practice of study and listening, go to www.seedbed.com, and sign up for the daily texts to come to your computer or smartphone. Start your days with God's News before any of the news of the world. If you do this, let me know, we can talk about what we are hearing with each other.  (There are many other free daily studies available. This happens to be the one that I find the most helpful lately. Another excellent resource is www.biblegateway.com.)

Join me. Turn up the sound of God's News louder than any news of the world.

In His grip forever,

Pastor Wes

Attention Reading Buddies - New Books!
I have bought several new "Let's Read Together" books for Reading Buddies to use. They are in the box of Reading Buddies Books in my office. Just drop by whenever the office is open and take any books from the box that you want to use. When you are done with a book, just put it back in the box for another Reading Buddy to use.

Making the Sanctuary Service More Family Friendly
Andrea and I are working to make our Sanctuary Service more family-friendly. Some of the changes we have made so far?

• A weekly kids' message right before the sermon
• Activity bags and kids' Bibles in the pews
• A "Nursing Moms" corner in the library

We have more ideas and will be making more changes soon. Please invite families to attend the Sanctuary Service if a more traditional service or the 11:00 time slot is more appealing to them.

We are beginning to formulate plans for a summer ministry at Woodland that will include a VBS one week and 1-week camps with a specific emphasis throughout the summer. If you have a special skill or talent or interest that you would like to share in a camp this summer, please contact me (Kim Garland) at 682-2835 or email me at [email protected].

MOPS - Please Pray for Moms
We have a growing MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group that meets at Higgins on the third Thursday of each month from 10 to 12. There are about 10 moms and 12-15 preschoolers attending each month. Three of the moms have lost their husbands to death. Please pray for God's provision for those moms and that God would guide us in how to help.

LIO - Prayers Too
One of our LIO Kids has lost two dads to death and one of our LIO Kids Mom has terminal cancer. Many of the other kids have fractured and hurting families too. It seems like the enemy is doing what he does best - stealing, killing and destroying families. BUT - He who is in us in greater than he who is in the world! Please be in prayer for our ministry to kids and families and for God's protection and provision for all the families we work with.

 

I had the most wonderful conversation with the kids this week in Living Inside Out, our after school program. Our theme was mercy. My favorite definition comes from Merriam-Webster, "compassion or forbearance shown, especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power." A simple google search defines mercy as, "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm."

The kids and adults discussed these definitions, along with Christ's mercy to us. The kids thought about and shared times when they had shown mercy to family members or peers. We talked about how, in our moments of mercy, we are actually showing others Christ because we follow His example.

To see and hear adults and children conversing and sharing with each other what it means to forgive someone that has harmed you (instead of hurting them) was so uplifting. Myself and others long for community that uplifts and inspires each other to the daily practice of his or her best self. I think Paul might agree.

Hebrews 10: 22-25 NLT
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Our mission in Ugly Quilts is to show God's love and caring in the form of a quilt given to those in need.

In the year 2016 we made 263 quilts and gave away 252.

The recipients included Spruce Pine Hospital which received 134 baby quilts to give out to each baby born there.

Hospice of Yancey County received 62 lap quilts for their patients.

We also gave a total of 15 quilts to Reconciliation House and Short Bus Studio.

The remainder went to our church family and friends as we were made aware of a need.

We also made 86 dog beds with our scraps and gave them to Barkin Basement to benefit the Humane Society.

We appreciate all your support. We operate as economically as possible but depend largely on donations to buy our supplies.

If anyone is interested in this ministry please join us each Wednesday at 10:00 am in the sewing room. No sewing or quilting experience necessary. If you can tie a knot we can use you!

- 2 Corinthians 1:11

• SHUT-IN'S: John & Sharon Cooke; Carol Clack, Mary Gilmour, Pete Hensley and Jerry Helsher
• Dean Family in the passing of Grant on Thursday after a battle with cancer
• Marie Myers has moved to a care facility in MO
• Barry Kelly, Heart surgery - good report - in rehab in Mars Hill
• Jenn Chenowith, brain tumor (friend of Diana Noble)
• Doug Zillweger's brother, leukemia (Doug is bone marrow donor)
• Bill Riddle, health issues
• Becky Gillespie, Chemo treatments
• Prayers for Charlotte Hollis and family in the passing of Ronald Hollis (Marsha Schoen's cousin)
• Marie Sharpe, Wes' Mom, health issues
• Stephen Carver, accident
• Susan Rosmus' son-in-law, Christopher Soltys, cancer
• LB and December Harris, health issues
• Continued prayer for Jennifer McCourry's family
• Bobby Jack & Shirley McAlister, health issues
• Renee Wessel, continued prayer for healing
• Trudy White, Bevo's Mom who is in hospice
• Ben and Kelly Johnson (Young Life Staff)
• Tom Alexander, on-going treatments in Chapel Hill
• Margaret Hughes, health issues 
• Kristen Brooks, terminal cancer
• Rhonda McCall, missionary to Ukraine
• The Kohman Family, CRU missionaries
• Zach Howell, CRU Missionary to Charlotte Metro Team
• Pastor Wes and your church staff
• Sam Howell, US Army
• J. P. Tabor, Airforce 
• FOR OUR NATION/LEADERS.
• Our students in college and grad school
• For children in foster care and foster parents
• Pray for those who don't know Jesus.
• Pray for those looking for a job/employment.
• Pray for caregivers: Those caring for the elderly, parents, children, etc.