Learn To Be Wise – Page 57 – Wisdom for daily living from a Christian world-view.

MBK Seniors’ Bus

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 20, 2010

Did you know that the Minoa-Bridgeport-Kirkville (MBK) Ecumenical Council Senior Adult Ministry (SAM) spear-headed by First United Methodist Church of Minoa under the leadership of Rev. Roosevelt Baums has succeeded in purchasing a bus to help with the transportation of seniors. Grants have made purchase possible and help pay the driver, but donations are sorely needed to help with operating expenses.

The dedication celebration for the new vehicle will be this Saturday,January 23,2010 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Minoa with an “open house” to follow at 3 p.m. This bus is an opportunity for us to join with brothers and sisters in Christ in working together to help seniors in our community.

Fasting and Prayer

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 19, 2010

As pastor, I am encouraging all of us to participate in fasting and prayer for Haiti. I have designated Wednesday, Jan. 20, as the day this week for as many of us as can to join together in intercession for Haiti. I will make it a special focus of our Wednesday night intercessor’s meeting as well. Please define the mode and extent of your fast in the way the Lord leads you. But please take this opportunity to obey our Lord who did say, “When you fast…” implying clearly that there would be times that his followers would practice this discipline.

Fasting and Gifts Encouraged for Haiti

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 17, 2010

As I was on the web last evening, I learned that our Wesleyan leaders are calling for all of us to take a day this coming week to engage in sorrow, fasting and prayer for Haiti. They are also asking for us to contribute a day’s food budget toward Haitian relief. As one who has visited there twice, I strongly endorse this call.

The call for a church-wide Day of Prayer and Fasting for Haiti, along with sacrificial giving, has been issued by the Board of General Superintendents of The Wesleyan Church. According to board chair Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, “The immense tragedy of the earthquake that has devastated Haiti is beyond human comprehension, but not beyond Christ-inspired compassion. We encourage each of our local congregations to set aside one day between Sunday, January 17 and Sunday, January 24 as a day of sorrow, prayer and fasting for the suffering nation of Haiti. We also ask every Wesleyan to donate the cost of at least one day’s meals to our cooperative disaster response effort by sending gifts either to the Wesleyan Emergency Relief Fund or World Hope International (our primary international relief and development partner).”

I also learned there is a twitter site where you can get updates on Wesleyan missions (twitter.com/gpnow).

Journal

Showing Trains to Children is Such Fun

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 16, 2010

Written on 16 January 2010 concerning events the evening previous

I’m down on my knees giving directions and keeping things on track – literally. Two gradeschool boys are at the controls of the three O-27 gauge trains around our Christmas tree. (Yes, I know it is a little late for Christmas trees, but when you have trains, you prolong the season.) Wrecks happen regularly. The lower level tracks aren’t tied down and shift just enough so the engine catches the corner of the station platform. I’m crawling around putting things back together. The boys are very helpful and catching on fast. They seem to be having a lot of fun too. They even pitched in on the hard work of wiping down an oily track and digging detached cars out of the back tunnel. Another time around and an old Lionel track comes apart. One time the engine caught some white gauze ‘snow,’ dragged it through the tunnel, and brought the tunnel portal crashing down on the train. I try to discourage intentional wrecks but…. Sharing model trains with kids is so much fun. A three year old sister who has been watching hesitantly tonight decides she has watched long enough and grabs the throttle. She figured out how it ran pretty quickly. One young man was pretty creative with his consists and decided to try running the inner train in the other direction. I liked the way it looked.

Who Am I

Life Verse

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date January 13, 2010

I think of 2 Cor. 9:8 as my life verse. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” A few years ago Mark and Eva Boswell gave me a notepad which I really like. On its cover Eva had painted, “And God is able…” It’s my favorite notepad to have with me when leading a meeting. I try to think why I memorized the verse with the ‘and.’ For one thing, that is how we did it when I was young— no simplifying or leaving off beginning conjunctions was allowed then so it is a habit. But sometimes I do not follow that unnecessary habit. Why did I with this verse? I think it reminds me that whenever I need the verse there is usually a challenge presenting ‘and’ I can add the verse to the equation of life at that moment. The problem does not stand alone in my life, but it is connected in my mind and heart and in spiritual reality with the abounding and sufficient grace of my Savior. The ‘and’ reminds me to make that association. That is one key reason it is my life verse. The other reason is the way it uses the word all – ‘all grace’ is first. The verse begins with a focus on God’s help. Then it reminds me that I have that assistance in ‘all things,’ that is in all circumstances and at ‘all times.’ Whatever the problem or potential, God has made available all the grace I need.

Lord Jesus, please help me to claim this promise again for the challenges of today and every day , AMEN

Journal