Weekly Recap Archive

Weekly Recap Archive

Because of requests for the ability to go back to past issues of the Berea Christian Church Weekly Recap, and the wild notion that anybody would want to re-read some of the preacher's stuff, we will maintain at least three weeks of back issues on this archive page. Of course, this makes more work for the webmaster; but, the Lord has blessed him beyond measure for years and a little more work won't hurt him.

Weekly Recap 01/29/2012

Christian witness is what builds the Church of Christ on earth. In the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus gives the Church her marching orders. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." Christian witness was the subject of one of the points in today's message. And, that Christian witness is manifested in many ways. Most will agree that Christian lifestyle is a constant witness and probably the most effective. People actually see the effects in life brought about by a personal relationship with Jesus.

If one looks around, he/she will often find Christian witness in unusual places. Here's an example. After services yesterday, Kara and I attended a musical play at a theater in Springfield. It was, by the way, an excellent musical featuring the 1920s-1940s music of Thomas "Fats" Waller, the son of a preacher. In the program booklet presented to each member of the audience were mini-resumes of staff and cast. These resumes are furnished, I'm sure, by the individuals themselves and here were three instances of what I'd call Christian witness done in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Matthew V. is the musical director/assistant director of the production. His blurb reads, "Matthew teaches voice and is the music director at [a Christian] Academy."

Mike R., the stage manager, "sings in the [name of church] church choir."

Kevin F., is a member of the cast, a great singer and a dancer. His mini-resume reads, "Kevin is a devout Christian and is the worship leader at the [City name] Church of Christ."

This is obviously not stand-on-the-corner-and-yell witness, but it IS witness. None of these fine folks had to mention their Jesus relationships, but they did. How do we mention ours? Lifestyle is a great place to start! And, good old-fashioned one-on-one is still in style.

DON'T FORGET DEPARTMENT:

Be sure to check our calendar of events on our Table of Contents (TOC) page for upcoming events at Berea Christian and in the other churches of our Ashland/Pleasant Plains Ministerial Association. We try to keep this current and even list long-range events. If you see something that should be there, please let me know and it will be published.

Please pray for those on our prayer list. We continually make changes to our list. If you know a name which should be added to or replaced on that list, please let someone know so we can make additions/corrections. See our "Prayer List" page for updates. Why not join us for prayer on Wednesday evenings if you're in the neighborhood? (See time below.)

Don't forget to check out the "STARS", our Youth Group link on our TOC page or click on the red link a few words back. Read about the future of Berea! See what Annie and Deb P. are doing. Come to see us and hear Annie's kids' sermon every Lord's Day. This is hard work and takes hours of preparation. Thank these guys when you get a chance. (NOTE: Use your browser "back" arrow to come back here.)

"OTHER STUFF" DEPARTMENT:

It's that time again! Our annual chili and oyster soup supper will be held Saturday, February 25th, from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults; $4 for kids. This is an all you can eat event.

Check it out! "Kids' Sermon" is updated each Sunday. Annie keeps the kids (even the "older kids") entertained and informed with her witty style. Find it from the TOC page or the STARS page. Return links are provided to go back to the STARS page and TOC. Let us know if you experience any problems.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS to:

January
24
31

Kim A.
Frances S.

NOTE: If you have a family or personal news item you'd like to have included in the Weekly Recap or the STARS pages, let me know and we'll include it.

Thank you, Prayer Partners and thanks to those who attend our Wednesday evening prayer meeting. We'll see you this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or anyone. I'll publish a correction.

And so it goes. Another day/week in the lives of God's kids. Love one another.

In Christian love,

Weekly Recap 01/22/2012

This was the day we Bereans gathered for our annual carry-in dinner and congregational meeting. It's my favorite day of the church "business" year. Our ladies, and some of the guys, fix enough food to feed several times the amount who attend. Deb's annual lasagna is always the "go to first" for me. P.D.T (pretty dern tasty), Deb. I'll stop right there with remarks concerning other foods because I'm afraid I'll forget somebody. Suffice to say that some brought a special dish; others brought multiple dishes. There was enough to go around and when all was said and done, there were leftovers to be taken home and enjoyed later. There was something about this meeting, though, that gave some of us food for thought. People were missing.

I'm not thinking about those who simply don't "do" meetings and those who had other things to do. I'm reminiscing about those times when some of the folks I've known over the last twenty-four-plus years were with us but are no longer. It's easy to look around the fellowship hall, at the arrangement of the tables, and "see" those who aren't there. Again, it would be a risk to attempt to identify all those who in some way have influenced all of us. Maybe it's just better to say that it just isn't the same as it was back when. On the other hand, we sometimes seem to think that the best days are behind us. Perhaps we all could use a little positive thinking and develop the attitude that the best is yet to come.

With the meeting, the fellowship, comes the usual looking at ourselves and realizing that we're all aging. A couple of weeks ago someone even asked if "Ed had said anything about retiring." When informed, it brought mixed reaction from me. Of course, aging preachers often think about the last sermon, the last lesson taught, etc., but there are some of us who thrive on preaching and teaching. We seem to look back at Moses who, at the age of eighty, was just getting a good start. Are we comparing ourselves to Moses? I doubt it. It's just that we like what we're doing, and as long as the Lord gives us the health, we'll continue to emulate Moses.

I'm also very aware, and so are you, that ministers in our churches serve at the pleasure of the congregation. Even so, there is a quote I like that I found somewhere, probably on the Internet during one of my surfing expeditions, that is purportedly from Bruce Wayne/Batman of comic book and movie fame. It goes like this and it's taped into the inside cover of my "preaching" Bible.

"I chose this life. I know what I'm doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn't that day. And tomorrow won't be either."

So, when will Ed retire? You'll be the first to know.

"OTHER STUFF" DEPARTMENT:

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS to:

January
24
31

Kim A.
Frances S.

NOTE: If you have a family or personal news item you'd like to have included in the Weekly Recap or the STARS pages, let me know and we'll include it.

Thank you, Prayer Partners and thanks to those who attend our Wednesday evening prayer meeting. We'll see you this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or anyone. I'll publish a correction.

And so it goes. Another day/week in the lives of God's kids. Love one another.

In Christian love,

Weekly Recap 01/15/2012

Some folks have "bad hair days." Others have equally "trying" times. But there are times when even the most self-absorbed among us must sit back and just break down and cry for somebody else besides ourselves. Here's a case in point.

Last Saturday, January 14, 2012, a two year, eight month old toddler died from a very rare skin disease. The disease, for those familiar with things medical, is called junctional epidermolysis bullosa. According to several Internet sites, epidermolysis bullosa (EB), which causes the skin to blister from the least movement, occurs in one-in-50,000 live births. "Junctional" EB occurs in one percent of those. There are two types of JEB and in the most severe the life span of an infant is often one year. There is no cure.

One thing we Christians know certainly is that the toddler who suffered, rests in the arms of a loving Lord. There is no more junctional EB for him because the Healer of all diseases holds him. But in that short life span of that innocent one, the pain he suffered and the pain those around him suffered (and the following is an understatement) far outweighs to some of the little things in life that just don't seem to go our way.

Let's think about that the next time the world's greatest ingrown toenail invades our lives. In the meantime, let's pray for that little guy's family.

"OTHER STUFF" DEPARTMENT:

Check it out! "Kids' Sermon" is updated each Sunday. Annie keeps the kids (even the "older kids") entertained and informed with her witty style. Find it from the TOC page or the STARS page. Return links are provided to go back to the STARS page and TOC. Let us know if you experience any problems.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS to:

January
24
31

Kim A.
Frances S.

NOTE: If you have a family or personal news item you'd like to have included in the Weekly Recap or the STARS pages, let me know and we'll include it.

Thank you, Prayer Partners and thanks to those who attend our Wednesday evening prayer meeting. We'll see you this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or anyone. I'll publish a correction.

And so it goes. Another day/week in the lives of God's kids. Love one another.

In Christian love,

Weekly Recap 08/22/2010

IN MEMORIAM

Rev. Diann Lynn Hoagland, Youth Minister, Berea Christian Church.
March 1, 1956 - August 18, 2010

On Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at approximately 11:25 a.m., Diann was returning from her daily walk. As she approached her home she saw a white pickup truck parked in the Hoagland farm drive. She called her husband's (Harold "Butch" Hoagland) cell phone and told him about the truck. He told her that it might be a water company truck belonging to the utility which is piping water to rural homes. He arrived from a job cutting a friend's hay sometime before noon and found Diann shot to death in their front yard.

Police theorize that Diann interrupted a burglary in progress in their home. Multi-agency Police and Prosecutor's investigators are cooperating in the investigation.

Diann had been ordained by Berea Christian Church elders as Youth Minister on February 18, 2007. She served in that capacity for exactly three years, six months. She was Berea's song leader during worship services and other functions. She was the director of our favorite Christmas play, "Angels Aware." She taught Christian Education classes for many years and recently taught the Jr. High, then, the High School class in our Christian Education program. She attended several Women of Faith conferences; cooperated in community Vacation Bible School; and was well known in the Ashland, Illinois area for her work. For many years she was a "band aide" parent for the A-C Central High School Marching Band and other school activities. She organized several fundraising events to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She was active on the farm, assisting her husband with many tasks and was the family/farm bookkeeper. In her "spare" time she spent countless hours with her seven grandchildren who range in ages from thirteen to newborn.

In her celebration of life service, held today, Monday, August 23, 2010 at Berea Christian Church, I was honored to say this concerning Diann.

"I didn't know Diann to have an enemy. Everybody loved her. And, if we were to begin to collect tidbits of memories from all her friends, we would fill volumes. In tribute to her I feel I must say this from my own perspective. I like to think that in almost seventy-five years I have made many friends - at least friendly acquaintances. I have been blessed that, in my wife, I have found my soul-mate. I have been blessed that, in this church I have found my Berea family. But, in Diann Hoagland, in the twenty-three years I've known her, I found one of my closest 'best' friends.

She was my partner in ministry; she was my strong 'right arm' in church-related functions. Someone, this past week, called her a 'pillar' of this church. That was an understatement.

Diann didn't like too much thanks for what she felt she ought to do. I once thanked her for her unending support. I must have gone on to some extent. I embarrassed her. Then she responded, very quietly, 'I'll always be there.' And she was."

She was, indeed. She will be missed by all of us. That empty, sinking, gut-wrenching feeling in many of us will last for a long time. We pray for her family in this loss. We pray for ourselves. We thank God for salvation in Jesus Christ; we thank God for His saving grace. We pray that God's Holy Spirit will utterly convict the cowardly person or persons who took Diann from us.

In her last "Kids' Sermon" Diann said, "I'm getting ready to go on vacation. I have my bags all packed and am ready to go." She was ready, indeed. She had placed her faith/trust in Jesus. She had answered the call. (Acts 2:38). She had clothed herself in Christ. (Gal. 3:27). She belongs to eternity and eternity's God. Rest in peace, Diann, in the arms of your Savior.

DON'T FORGET DEPARTMENT:

Please pray for those on our prayer list. Ask around and learn that we have received answers and blessings! We continually make changes to our list. If you know a name which should be added to or replaced on that list, please let someone know so we can make additions/corrections. See our "Prayer List" page for updates. Why not join us for prayer on Wednesday evenings if you're in the neighborhood? (See time below.)

Don't forget to check out the "STARS", our Youth Group link on our TOC page or click on the red link a few words back. Read about the future of Berea! See what Diann has done; what Deb P., and Annie are doing. This is hard work and takes hours of preparation. Thank these guys when you get a chance. (NOTE: Use your browser "back" arrow to come back here.)

"OTHER STUFF" DEPARTMENT:"

Check it out! "Kids' Sermon" is on its own page. Find it from the TOC page or the STARS page. Return links are provided to go back to the STARS page and TOC. Let us know if you experience any problems. NOTE: The current sermon is Diann's final message to "her" kids. That message will remain until the sermons resume.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS to:

August
08
09
14
17
19
27
31

April H.
Ron P.
Amanda M.
Mary H.
Karissa Jane T.
Harry H.
Lois Mae W.

NOTE: If you have a family or personal news item you'd like to have included in the Weekly Recap, let me know by phone, email, telegram, etc. Let Diann know for info to be included in the "STARS" pages.

Thank you, Prayer Partners and thanks to those who attend our Wednesday evening prayer meeting. We'll see you this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or anyone. I'll publish a correction.

And so it goes. A very sad day in the lives of God's kids. Love one another.

In Christian love,

Weekly Recap 08/17/2008

The following paragraph is a "copy" from last week's Weekly Recap. There's a reason for the re-run.

Many preachers preach on the subject of giving of money and one whom I knew could work it in, no matter what the point of the message might have been. I believe that one would have to put that in the category of "topical preaching." But have you noticed that in some of the greatest passages of Scripture, where it appears that money is the issue, it's not! Read through, better yet, study the parable of the Widow's Mite in Mark 12:41-44. She put in two copper coins. It was "all she owned, all she had to live on. The coin was called a "lepta" (according to my marginal reading) and was worth about 1/64th of a denarius. So she had in her possession 1/32nd (two coins) of a days wages, since the denarius was equivalent to a day's pay. She gave it all and the parable is NOT about the money. It's about the fact that she gave all of HERSELF. It's never about giving money. God doesn't need it. It's about you and me! In Acts 5, in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, the incident involves money, but it's not about the money! It's about those two who connived to lie to the Holy Spirit! It's about "character!" It's never about the money! It's about you and me! Go to Acts 8 and read the account of Simon the Magician (he should have made himself disappear!) and note that it's not about the money. It never is. It's about Simon! And, in our own cases, it's about you and me! It's about giving of self! God did!

Yes, indeed, it's about self. And, we at Berea have an opportunity to look at our collective "self" in the days ahead. Let's begin at the beginning.

On May 8, 2008 we contracted with a Springfield sign company to construct and install a new sign for our church. The project was to take six to eight weeks. We were required to pay "up front" money in the amount of sixty percent of the total cost. We did, and according to the agreement, the work was to be finished by the end of June or early July. Several of us, with the help of the husband of one of our members, used his trencher and installed underground conduit and wiring for lights which would illuminate the sign. Quite a "thing" for our little church in the country which began its ministry 156 years ago under the name "The church of Christ on Indian Creek." We're still not "big" in the sense of numbers, but we had memorial fund monies which were contributed in memory of loved ones who had gone on to eternity. If you're anticipating the progress as you read, you've already guessed that the six to eight weeks came and went with no sign being delivered. I made phone calls, sent emails, and made personal visits to the company (gas was at four bucks a gallon, my car gets twenty mpg, the distance was about twenty-five miles one-way, and the cost of each trip was around ten dollars) but even here it's not about the money. It's about a PROMISE to deliver a sign. During those calls, emails, visits, etc., I was never able to get to the person with whom we signed the contract. On several occasions, I was able to contact the "Project Manager." I was PROMISED return phone calls, return emails, and other forms of contact. Those never came. It seems that on a couple of occasions, the powers-that-be were involved in meetings and during one of them at the end of the TWELFTH WEEK of waiting I was told that they could "not be bothered." Finally, in the middle of the FOURTEENTH WEEK, I received an email from the owner/manager of the company stating that he was closing the business doors. He has our down-payment money, but it's not about the money. It's about several things, but ultimately it's about only one.

First, it's about the broken hearts of those who chose to memorialize the loss of a loved one by contributing to our memorial fund. Second, it's about the members of our church who met, chose, and voted to identify our church from the highway. Third, it's about SELF and CHARACTER of the owner/manager who promised us a sign and it's also about us. It's never about the money, although $3,894 is a sizeable amount. It's about "the other guy" and "us." He has promised us that he will "find a way" to "deliver the job at some point in the future." He claims to recognize that his "moral obligation exceeds my legal standing." He says, in a second email after I requested our deposit be refunded, that there "are no funds, the IRS is in first position, the assets are collateralized by lender, and I am left with no choice but to dissolve the corporation and file for personal bankruptcy." All that may be the case, and yet it's not about money. It never is. It's about people! It's about him, and it's about you and me. And only time will tell what there is to tell about him and about you and me. We're left with the options of going to court (all are aware that we have an attorney in our congregation), or biding our time (within limits). So far, our consensus is to adopt a "wait and see" attitude as to whether he will "find a way . . . to deliver the job." I won't pontificate on the possibilities or percentages of that promise being kept. The first promise was not kept. The second may be. Collectively, we will not opine on the final destination of our deposit. It's gone; but once again, it's not about the money. It's about people; it's about character; and, it's about SELF. It tests our faith in human nature, and we'll just wait and see.

"DON'T FORGET" DEPARTMENT

Please pray for those on our prayer list. We continually make changes to our list. If you know a name which should be added or replaced on that list, please see Deb for those additions/corrections. See our "Prayer List" page for updates.

Don't forget to check out the "STARS" (Youth Group) link on our TOC page, (or click the "red" to go there now). Then, at the bottom of that page, click on "Go to Berea STARS HiLites", (or click the "blue" to go there now). See what Diann and our STARS are doing. And, this is almost an imperative, let her know you appreciate her work (she spends hours per week at it) and their participation. (NOTE: Use your browser "back" arrow to come back here.)

"OTHER STUFF" DEPARTMENT

HAPPY August BIRTHDAYS to:
    April H.          Aug. 8
    Ron P.            Aug.   9
    Amanda M.     Aug. 14
    Mary H.          Aug. 17
    Karissa T.       Aug. 19
    Harry H.         Aug. 27
    Lois Mae W.   Aug. 31

NOTE: If you have a family or personal news item you'd like to have included in the Weekly Recap, let me know by phone, email, telegram, etc. Let Diann know for info to be included in the "STARS HiLites."

Thank you, Prayer Partners and thanks to those who attend our Wednesday evening prayer meeting. We'll see you this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Let me know if I've forgotten anything or anyone. I'll publish a correction.

And so it goes. Another day in the lives of God's kids. Love one another.

In Christian love,

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