MARS MEMO

August 5, 2003 = ; Volume 28 = ; Number 10

THE AMEN CORNER

&nb= sp; Two weeks ago, I preached a sermon that was a model of what I believe about mod= ern preaching. Today's church mol= ders push a steady stream of suggestions for contemporary services, music, and worship participation. Of cou= rse, this dinosaur doesn't buy into the hysteria. You all know that I'm a contrarian. But this running against the modern current isn't just eccentricity on my part.

&nb= sp; My point has always been that ministers can spew forth all the Biblical insigh= ts and theological truths they want, but they will never take, in the heart of= the hearer, unless they speak to where the hearers are. It's what I call having a handle.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> This is simply explained as a way = by which a bulky idea can be carried in the consciousness, remembered, and utilized.

&nb= sp; For weeks I had carried around the plot of a novel that I felt would be the han= dle to give a foundation for our ordination and installation of deacons. Yet, after I preached the sermon, = only then, did I realize a far larger application of the truth. Not just for deacons but for the w= hole Body of Christ. In truth, I s= cared myself. You see I was working= with two themes. The timeless Scri= pture lesson from I Timothy 4 was St. Paul's challenge to his young protégé, Timothy, to use his special g= ifts and be faithful to his call (responsibilities). The contemporary example that prov= ided the handle was in the form of a novel--in fact, a literary device in the bo= ok that opened the core of the Scripture in big block letters.

&nb= sp; This paperback book, Wisdom of the Bones written by Christopher Hyde, did= n't have enough promise to be first published in hard cover. It tells the story= of a Dallas police detective during the weekend of = November 23, = 1963. This fictional account is about a homicide detective trying franticly to solve an ongoing series of serial murders of little "Negro" girls by a sex= ual predator. The fact that the detective is sick and will be forced into disability retirement the next we= ek complicates his investigation. He knows that no one on the force cares enough to continue the investigation if he leaves it open. = In fact, the killings have been going on since 1938, but he is the one to pick= up the baton.

&nb= sp; Anyone fifty or older who read of that date at Dallas can tell you where they were that afternoon and what they did that weekend. <= span style=3D'letter-spacing:-.5pt'>That Friday afternoon President John F. Kennedy was gunned down in Dallas. In contemporary history this date,= along with Pearl Harbor<= /st1:place> and the Twin Towers, is one of the three attention riveters for American Society. Nothing happened that weekend in <= /span>Dallas or the entire country that wasn't in response = to this tragedy.

&nb= sp; Consequently, the saga of the novel's hero going counter to the pathos of this tragedy to zero in on who was killing those little girls becomes even more pressing and heroic. The tie to first Timo= thy and the deacons is that the folks who need the deacons' aid must have it no matter what may be the current program or pressing need of the larger churc= h.

&nb= sp; The whole latter illumination, to me, came in realizing that if the deacons nee= ded to stay centered on the tasks delegated to them, it logically follows that = the church needs to be focused on the tasks entrusted to them by our Savior, ev= en though society at large sashays from one novelty to the next.

&nb= sp; I have several preacher friends who read the= Amen Corner. I wonder = if any will use this idea on November 23, 2003. It's the 40^th anniversary.

&nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = R.B.

SENIOR HIGH BREAKFAST PRAYER FELLOWSHIP

&= nbsp; Beginning on Wednesday, September 10, at 6:30 a.m., Pastor John and Mike Boch= eff will begin a weekly meeting over breakfast with high school students at Susie Q's Place. If you need a ride to the restaurant, please call the church and leave word for Pastor John. He and Mike are planning to drive the students to the high school, leaving the meeting at = 7:15<= /st1:time> = and arriving at Mars High School before 7:30 a.m.

        &= nbsp;   Special invitations to the breakfasts are not required, but planning for tables and transportation will be easier if you = let Pastor John know if you and friends will be attending. We hope that every high school-age member will attend a least a few of our fellowship meetings in order for our group to determine the best way to be a supportive fellowship of believers = in Jesus Christ. Jesus has called Pastor John to be in prayer for every student in the Mars School District. Our group may begin with members of Mars U P Church, but our vision of who may = be touched by our prayers together has no boundaries other than God's.

        &= nbsp;   Please call Pastor John at 724-265-1365 and let him know you will be there. <= /o:p>

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RALLY DAY

  &nb= sp;         September 7^th is Rally Day when we will begin a new year of Sunday Sch= ool and begin a whole new phase of ministry and mission for the Mars United Presbyterian Church. The them= e for the message that day will be "MISSION TO MARS." We will be launching a large space ship with se= ats for the entire Mars community. Plans are moving ahead for the Rally Day Picnic after the only worsh= ip service that day at 10:00 a.m. = The entire meal will be provided.

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YOUTH MEETING

MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL

  &nb= sp;         Evening youth meetings are also being planned that will begin on September 14^th at 7 p.= m. = The youth will begin planning not only MISSION TO MARS but also mission = from Mars to distant places. Ice c= ream, bananas and whipped cream will be provided. Young people should bring things l= ike strawberries, pineapple, nuts, etc., etc., etc., to share in the making of banana splits for refreshments.

SESSION/DEACON PLANNING RETRE= AT

Sunday, August 17

Poverty = Point

The gathering begins at 4:00 p.m. Committee meetings and discussion = time will precede a light supper. = The balance of the evening will be spent in full board meetings.

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PEACH FEST &= amp; BAKE SALE<= /span>

   Friday, August 22<= o:p>

11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Donation: 12 to Adults $5

6 to 11 $2=

5 and under free

It takes a lot of volunteers to help make this festival run smoothly. We are counting on your support. Needed: Ice cream dippers, kitchen crew, b= ake sale, cashiers, set-ups, peaches and cake servers. A sign-up sheet is in the Tarry &a= mp; Talk Area. Sign up after church. Donations for the bak= e sale are also needed. Our chair pe= ople for this year's festival are Jay and Ruth Wilson and Bob and Bonnie Flack.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>          =

<= b>NEW ROBES! R= 11; Our Chancel Choir is in the process of getting new robes. While most of the choir members wi= ll be buying their own robes, there remains an opportunity for you, the congregat= ion, to help with the overall purchase. Our music ministry remains an integral part of the growth of our chu= rch and our choir is in need of our support in this area. If you would like to donate funds = in memory of a loved one, or to just help out with the general purchase, please see Jamie or Linda Lees for more information regarding this endeavor.<= /o:p>