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FROM THE PASTOR
In Richard Bach's book, "Jonathan Livingston
Seagull," in a fictional way, he is saying that most of us settle for too
little. "Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simple facts of
flight-how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is
not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not
eating that mattered, but flight." (p. 4) Later, Jonathan states his
conviction this way, "How much more there is now to living! Instead of our
drab, slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to
life!" (p.17)
Jonathan was unwilling to be forever conditioned by the ordinary.
He was willing to take the risk/opportunity of thinking outside the box.
That took courage and commitment. By doing so, he discovered a fullness of
life that he had not experienced before.
I see some parallels between Jonathan Livingston Seagull's life
and our life as human beings. God wants us to experience more than "drab
slogging forth and back to the fishing boats." He wants us to know life at
its best. This happens when we truly believe that God is our Creator and
that God's love and grace caused Him to send Jesus to become the remedy for
our brokenness. Only when we receive him as our Savior and Lord can we
rise above the diminished life that all too many accept.
Jonathan could have settled for the dull, boring, self-centered
life that most of the seagulls accepted. He did not. Instead, he made the
decision to do what was necessary to experience life at its best. So can
we.
George
Pastor: Dr. George J. Lespagnard
SUNDAY SERMON: June 29, 2008
Title: Whatever Else We Do . . . (Part 2)
Text: Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-5
SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:30 a.m.
WORSHIP: 10:40 a.m.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
OFFERING: $7,847.56
ATTENDANCE: Sunday School: 46 Worship: 104
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VISITORS:
Parsons, KS: Marlene and Lee Wegner
Wichita, KS: Neill and Linda Wheeler
Fulton, KS: Larry and Karen Paddock
Haysville, KS: Jo Griswold, Krista Mull, Terry Weilert, Chenoa
Nichols
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PRAYER LIST
Dan Atkeson family, Jack Braden, Ernie Hurdle, Inez
Agers, Harvey Wells, Jim West, Lynn, Julie and Gary Garrelts, Beulah Rees,
Ed and Pat Carr, Tony Brocato, Ollie Robbins, George and Susan Hatcher,
Kirby and Pat Barnes, Don Fillmore,Karla Kelly and family, Elijah and
Jeremiah Atkeson, Jim Elliott, Belinda Castillo, Paul Smelter, Andrew
Fillmore, Matthew Proctor, Caleb Eastman, Shaunna Hall, DeAsia Harding,
Janet Goldwater, Ruth Heithaus, Georgene DuBois, Carol Elliott, Lee
Burgess, Jerry and Melissa Shetler and family, Walt Strawder, Alicia Reed
Prayers for Bill Sanders Sr., grandfather of Jennifer Jimenez. He is
back in the hospital with a staph infection following by- pass surgery.
Alicia Reed, five year old niece of a co-worker of Marlene Fether, has
a form of leukemia. She has had two hours of full body radiation, and a
large dose of chemo. She had a bone marrow transplant Thursday. Pray that
her body will accept the transplant. If you wish, send a card of
encouragement to Alicia and her family at:
RMH
350 Erkenbrecher
c/o Alicia Reed
Cincinnati, OH 45229
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PRAISE THE LORD . . . DID YOU
KNOW?
Our sister-in-law, Melissa Shetler, is home from the
hospital and making a slow and steady recovery. Thank you for your prayers
. . . but don't stop, yet . . . She and her family will need them for
several weeks.
Thanks to Machaelle's organization four awesome men cleaned a huge
pile of limbs from my yard, so I can mow my weeds safely! Thanks Johnny,
Caleb, Butch and George! Donna
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CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Betty Phillippe
1804 E. Osage B-4
Derby, KS 67037
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THANK YOU
What a great church family! Thank you so much for
the cards, phone calls and visits at the hospital. Thank you, Merrill, for
bringing Joeann to the hospital and bringing me home. Most of all thank
you for the prayers!
Love to all of you, Walt and Joeann Strawder
A great big thanks to the TOE youth for all the work they did after
the Father’s Day cookout last Sunday. Your help was appreciated by all of
us.
Thanks to Lenora Heath and Phyllis Rafler for their generosity for
office supplies.
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BAPTISM
Family and friends witnessed the baptism of Michelle
Wegner, Sunday, June 22, 2008. Michelle and her family have been active in
the church for some time and we look forward to them being a part of our
church family as members. Let Michelle, David, Morgan and Jason know that
we welcome them and are excited about them becoming involved in the life of
First Christian Church of Haysville.
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MEN'S FELLOWSHIP
BREAKFAST
Saturday
July 5, 2008
7:30 a.m.
Sign-up and join us for a scrumptious breakfast!
Dan Atkeson was our guest last month. He gave an inspirational
testimony about family life.
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CAMP TAWAKONI
Max Shetler will be attending camp June 26-28 at
Camp Tawakoni.
CHAOS youth and leaders are attending KCYF Mission Week at Camp
Tawakoni, June 22-28. Keep them in your prayers for a safe and spirit
filled week.
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5th SUNDAY BRUNCH
Adults are invited to have brunch with the
Cornerstone and Seekers Sunday School Classes, Sunday, June 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Bring food to share and enjoy the fellowship.
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CHURCH GROWTH
UFO (craft night) is Friday the 27th. There is a
wedding at the church at 6:00 that night, so the door on the north side of
the church will be open at 7:00 for the craft ladies to use when entering.
If you come later in the evening, please use the front door. See you then.
Women's Crisis Center
Don't forget! The cause this month is the Women's Crisis Center.
Next Sunday will be your last opportunity to bring items for them. As you
travel this summer, be sure to save your travel soap, shampoo, tooth paste,
and lotion or any other items that can be used at the Women's Crisis
Center. Thanks for all the many ways you support the monthly causes.
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"GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS"
Offering
Each Spring we receive a "Great Is Thy
Faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23) offering to be given to a congregation
that has experienced a significant lose due to a tornado, flood, fire or
some other catastrophe and plan to rebuild.
When our sanctuary was destroyed and the rest of the facility damaged
by the May 3, 1999, tornado, one or more of the congregations that sent us
financial aid had, themselves, experienced a significant loss. What a way
to commemorate the event!
We will be receiving this special offering on July 13. There have
been a number of church facilities damaged or destroyed recently. By the
time of our offering we will make known to which congregation (s) we will
send this year’s "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" offering.
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WEEK OF COMPASSION
Johnny Wray, director of Week of Compassion since
1992, and Deborrah Wray, a development officer with the Christian Church
Foundation since 1992, will leave their position at the end of 2008.
During his tenure, Week of Compassion has become one of the
church’s most well-known ministries, providing emergency funding and
humanitarian needs and through church partnership around the globe
everyday.
"The past decade and a half have been the most fulfilling and
rewarding years of my life," Johnny Wray told the Week of Compassion
Committee. "But I believe now is the time for new leadership at the helm
of WOC, and Deb and I look forward to returning to our place in
Mississippi."
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HAYSVILLE PARK BOARD
The Haysville Park Board is planning Haysville's
4th of July Celebration activities. In order to make this celebration a
success we are in need of donations. I would like to take this time to ask
you to donate items to be used as prizes for the various events or cash to
purchase prizes. The following examples of items that could be purchased
for prizes:
t-shirts, games, candy and water guns/toys.
If you would like to make a donation, contact Kelsey Andreas, Program
Coordinator, at 529-5992.
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Newsletter will not be printed July
1st
Office will be closed July 4TH
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