08/27/04 Dear Ones – The “News from the Pews” is a bit late this week – with apologies. My Mom has been visiting this week, my Dad’s step daughter, her husband, daughter and grandson are also visiting with Dad, so there have been some “extended” family events as well as the work week for me that has kept life a bit busy. Fortunately, the hospital list has been very small; keep these folks in your prayers if you would please: Pam Scott is in Baptist East, and will hopefully be home soon. Pam is one of our faithful nursery workers who is usually with the little ones in the nursery on Sunday mornings. She had a scare on Tuesday – she could not get her breath! To the ER, and some medications have now helped her regain her breath – “there’s nothing scarier,” Pam says, and how true that is. It reminds me that in Hebrew, the word for breath, and life, and spirit are all the same word – pronounced “RU–ah.” Pam is feeling much better, and as I say, hopefully home soon. Jeannie Koerber continues with her recovery and doctoring, as well as working through the paperwork for disability with our benefits plan. The hope is that once this is completed, and Jeannie is more recovered, she can return to work part time, with some adjusted duties that are allowed while she receives disability benefits. Cliff Stout continues his recovery at home. Elizabeth Blankenship (a former member, and Jane Flanigan’s aunt) has returned to her home near Cincinnati. Deb Sexton continues to get to work and do her job, but it exhausts her and she struggles with this. Afternoons and weekends she tries to catch up. Both Deb and Steve need our prayers. Betty Banks continues to recover from her broken foot. College Students Stephen DeSanto, Danny Clements, Ben Watson, Christopher Sexton, Nathan Chappell, Blake Turner, Stacey Turner, Matt Turner – and a few others whose name’s I’ve probably missed – are either back to school already or are returning very soon. Let us keep them in our prayers, asking God for a safe, enjoyable, broadening and encouraging year in their studies. P.A.R.T.I – Presbytery Annual Resource and Training Institute is tomorrow – and if you have not signed up and want to come, space is still available, so come on in. We begin at 9:00. On a personal note, the whole “extended” family went to the State Fair on Wednesday, and I was thrilled to see some of our own members have entries in the fair. For years Jane Tackett has entered some of her China Painting on plates; Karen James also had a craft entry; the prize goes to Gary James, for receiving first place and a big blue ribbon for his entry of a handmade chess board, complete with a drawer to hold the homemade chess pieces, and the table that holds it. It is a beautiful woodwork of art. Gary also made our new “offering box” that we use for special offerings – check it out! Overall, the fair was great. We found out that Jefferson County Schools will give students an excused absence for attending the fair, so we also had about 10 of Katie and Jenny’s friends with us! – a great day. The text for Sunday is the very short letter from Paul to Philemon, and it seems to me it has something to do with our religion and our politics, our faith and the social justice issues that we face – volatile stuff! Lori Witherspoon, who grew up here at Beulah and who was away for a time, is coming forward to reaffirm her faith in Christ Jesus, and her desire to be among the active members of Beulah – praise God for these times of growth in faith. We will also welcome back Shannon Meacham, our seminary student, and we hope her husband Will, - back to the work and worship here at Beulah. This summer Shannon completed a unit of CPE – Clinical Pastoral Education, a requirement for most Presbyterian pastoral candidates, at Baptist East – where she visited and cared for our members as they found themselves at the hospital over the summer. We will be working early in the Fall to put together what is called a “Lay Committee” – a group of members who would be willing to offer Shannon some more informed feedback on her worship leadership and her ministry here at Beulah, as a way to help her develop her skills for parish ministry. If you are interested in this, please speak with Shannon and / or with me (her so-very-demanding supervisor!). Hoping to see a number of you here at PARTI tomorrow, and to worship with most of you on Sunday, I remain, Yours in Christ, Pastor Ken |