Welcome to the Newsletter for the Burns Flat

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

September 2008

State Fair, College Football, and F-4 kicking off again on Wednesday evenings—yes, it’s September!  With school in full swing, our daily schedules sometimes approach routine, even though that routine may be Go--Go--Go!  It seems that we just trade our summer busyness for our fall busyness.  Busy was the topic of our August bible study.  We had some good discussions, thought provoking exercises, good company, and even sang a couple hymns.  If you were too busy to make it to our Breaking Away from Busy class, here are some things to consider.

      Busy is not always bad, but we should not be burdened by busyness.  Jesus said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)

      Paul told the church at Thessalonica that they should make it their ambition to lead a quiet life.  If we are ambitious about something, that usually means that we are willing to put some real effort into achieving our ambition.  Could breaking away from busyness and into a quiet life require real work.  Perhaps part of our frustration comes from the fact that we are not working at peacefulness. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

      During a visit by Jesus to the home of Mary and Martha, Jesus said that Mary had chosen better by electing to sit by her Master and share time with him vice doing the busywork that Martha was obsessed with.  There was nothing wrong with what Martha was doing; in fact, she was obviously completing some necessary tasks.  Perhaps, it’s not all about getting the job done, but more about choosing something better over something good.  If we can’t do everything (and coming to this realization is a big step), then we should chose to do mainly the best things. (Luke 10:38-41)

      No is not a dirty word.  We should be able to rightly divide the Word of God and make quality choices about how we will spend our time.  Doing everything we are asked to do or that we think won’t get done without us, produces shoddy work.  Is that the type of workman you want to be?  (2 Timothy 2:15)

      Knowing your purpose in life makes saying “no” easier.  (Purpose Driven Life; Warren)

      What is your perfect day?  Do the exercise that we did in class.

      Remember, that for Christians, the word perfect most accurately means complete, consummated, full, or perhaps even abundant.

      Ask yourself, are there divine appointments in our lives? (John 4:1-42)

      If it burdens us, why do we continue to carry it with us?  Should we not cast off those things that senselessly consume our days—days that were meant to be consumed running a race with our eyes fixed on Jesus! (Hebrews 12:1-2)

      If we don’t believe that Jesus can help us with this problem of busyness, then we first ask for him to help us with our unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

      Why would we expect to be free from busyness if we seek our solutions in the models of the world?  We need to trade in our current beliefs on busyness for the Word of God.  (Romans 12:1-2)

      Does the fact that we want more money, more stuff, more anything keep us from a peaceful relationship with our Savior? (Hebrews 13:5)

      Is all busyness really busyness or is some of it worry or anxiety?  Name one good thing that comes of either.  Don’t feel bad if you don’t come up with any good answers…you’re not supposed to.  (Luke 12:25)

      If we can’t make sense of our busy world and don’t understand how God can give us peace that we can understand, then ask him for peace that goes beyond our understanding.  (Philippians 4:6-7)

       What if a tough day is good for us?  Is all suffering bad?  What if it produces perseverance, character, and hope?  (Romans 5:1-5)

      You were running a good race.  Who cut you off?  Are we letting the expectations of others, rules that don’t need to apply to us, and any form of religion interfere with our freedom in Christ?  Should we not be led by the Spirit and know that we are living the life that God wants us to live by the fruit we produce? (Galatians 5)

      Are we Puzzled by Paradox?  How busy would we feel if we knew we would be entertaining angels tonight?  If we were spending our time and money to feed and clothe Jesus himself?  If we could truly forgive our debtors as our Master has forgiven us?  What if we discovered that we not only enslaved ourselves, but held the key to our freedom all along?  (Hebrews 13:1-3; Matthew 18:28-30; Matthew 25:34-46)

      Does our stuff consume our time?  Do we lose time because we love our stuff, or worse because out stuff owns us?  (1 John 2:15-17, Luke 12:13-21)

      Seems like we should be smarter than our money. (Ecclesiastes 7:12)

      What if we really did see God in every part of our lives? (Psalm 116)

      Should we even question that God is faithful to us at this moment and every other? (Psalm 117)

      What if we only had to endure busyness for a moment? (James 4:14)

      Do we interpret scriptures in the context of our lives or do we interpret our lives in the context of scripture? 

      Do you believe that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and are called to his purpose?  If God is willing to work with our mess—in all things, why should we be anything but full of hope? (Romans 8:28)

I can’t recreate the discussion dynamic that only comes from being present in a bible study, but these thoughts and scriptures may stimulate your heart and mind to examine your life in terms of busyness.  If nothing else, you can continue the discussion with those that attended the class. 

Do you remember the subtitle of this study?  Breaking Away From Busy:  A Berean Study.  Paul stated that the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians and that they were fair minded, ready to hear, and examined the scriptures with eagerness.  As you consider the busyness in your life, don’t settle for a flavor of the month solution.  Search the scriptures with an open mind and be ready to hear what God’s Word has to say to you. (Acts 17:10-12)

Here are links to some provocations to Be Berean with.  These are designed to get you off your normal track of thinking.  It is safe to do this.  That’s where new ideas come from—our mind rearranges information in different patterns.  There is no “Don’t try this at home” warning attached.  Get some new ideas, see what the scriptures say, and have some fun in this abundant life that Jesus wants us to live! 

The graduation exercise for our Breaking Away From Busy Burdened course was to write a devotion, poem, or collection of thoughts about anything of value that you took home.  Here is what we have so far, along with some earlier devotions that had been posted.

Check out what's next for adult Bible Study.

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Got Freedom?

A couple weeks ago, I was led to deliver a message from the 5^th chapter of Paul’s letter to the churches in the area that was known as Galatia.  I was led to preach from a tough scripture.  I think it was tough for Paul to write, has some tough concepts to get around, and has some phrases that we gravitate to as well:  Fruit of the spirit on one extreme to falling from grace on the other.

My thought initially was, God, you were doing ok up until now, but I think this was intended for another pastor and another church.  But that don’t preach—that dog don’t hunt--that’s not consistent with an infallible God.  And I took the scripture and studied it and recalled a tasking that I had received in the course I had taken this summer regarding Spiritual Gifts.  Some of us took a Spiritual Gifts inventory as part of our training.  I will not tell you what came out on top or near the top for me was, because there is a model for testing if these are really gifts, and I need to test mine.

The model is simple.  It is:

Explore the possibilities—the inventories I took did that (I took 4 just to validate the findings)

Experiment—give it a try

Examine your feelings

Evaluate your effectiveness

Expect confirmation from the body of Christ  (from C. Peter Wagner's Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow ISBN: 0-8307-3697-2)

We will explore these further during our adult bible studies this Fall Semester, but for now, back to taking on a tough scripture.

So I knew that I wasn’t getting out of this.  This was the message that was entrusted to me to deliver at this point in time.  And that term point in time is interesting, because on Wednesday evenings we are studying “Breaking away from busy” and at the beginning of the class, I ask for expectations.  What do you want out of the class?  The first one that came up was snacks.  OK, that was easy.  But one was what does the Word of God say about time.  So the ensuing week, I did a word search on time and it is used many, many, many times in the bible, but almost always in the context of a point in time…at that time, for a time, a time for every purpose under heaven.  I even came up short in proverbs, where the word time was only mentioned once, and it really didn’t have anything to do with time management or how to use time.  But I came across one unique, centering, governing use of the word time.  In Galatians, 4:4, the Word says:      

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as  sons.

The fulfillment of time is Jesus Christ!  All of time—what was, is, and will be is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  All of creation is fulfilled in one man—Jesus Christ.  Now there is a solid foundation.

Now let us consider, what was the message of the Old Testament?  I will offer that deliverance from bondage in Egypt was the central theme or main message.  You might be thinking that Tom didn’t read past Exodus.  Yes, he did.  It didn’t matter what was going on among God’s chosen people, whenever they decided to come back to God and worship and seek his righteousness, it was the God that delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt that they praised. The Jews had been conquered since that time.  The Babylonians conquered them and carted them off into captivity.  Then the Persians conquered the Babylonian Empire, so the Jews were the conquered of the conquered—double conquered.  Even when they were sent back to rebuild the temple and rebuild the walls to Jerusalem, they worshiped the God that delivered them from slavery in Egypt.  At the time of Christ, the Passover was still the central part of Jewish worship.

So what is the message of the New Testament?  I’m sure you might come up with a greater variety of answers.  God is love.  Love your neighbor.  But I will suggest that the central message is:  JESUS IS LORD !  The completion of this message for us is deliverance from bondage in sin.  Just as the Old Testament message was deliverance from bondage in Egypt, today’s message is deliverance from bondage to sin.  We are liberated through the blood of Jesus.

OK, I’ll accept your foundation, but circumcision not all that relevant today.  It is a common medical procedure, mainly in infants and generally not a religious practice for most that claim the name Christian.  On top of that, it only applies to half of the population.  Why is this important to us. 

We have our foundation, now let me frame this letter for you.

Paul wrote this letter to a group of churches in the area of Galatia, which is generally in Turkey.  Initially, the Gauls invaded this area about the time Alexander the Great was building his empire.  The Galatians adopted the Greek Koine language, but not the culture.  They retained the pagan worship of their own gods.  In 64 B.C, the Galatians assisted the Roman general Pompey in the conquest of adjoining areas and for that assistance, became a client kingdom.  That is they subjected themselves to Rome and were rewarded with territory in both North and South Turkey.  The Romans did not change their language, religion, or culture.

The Romans also didn’t stop in Galatia.  They conquered Jerusalem.  Many of the conquer Jews fled to other countries.  Though they left their homeland, they brought their religion with them.  In many surrounding countries, Jews established and worshiped in synagogues.  These dispersed Jews were sometimes called the Diaspora.

‎When Paul and Barnabas established churches in Asia Minor, a good part of which is Galatia, they would find themselves not only proclaiming the Good News in the public spaces and in homes, but in the Synagogue as well.   While Paul would say that his charge was to proclaim the good news to the Gentiles; there were many Jews in these areas.  Some were converted and became followers of the Way or Christians. 

The corruption in these churches did not come from the pagan influence (at least not at this point), but from the Jews.  The Jews were telling new believers that to truly be saved, they had to follow the Jewish law—circumcision, obey the Sabbath, and other rules.  To be a Christian, you had to become a Jew first.  They were not preaching the spirit of adoption, but the practice of initiation and ritual. 

This is where Paul is saying, if you obey these rules, you have made the cross—the death and resurrection of no value to you.  If you want to keep the law, then you must keep the entire law—that is live a flawless life—live an impossible life.

Paul was explaining that rules = slavery.  It was not the fact that circumcision was bad—it’s not.  It was that there is one way to salvation.  There is one way to live a free and abundant life.  There is one way period—Paul had preached this Gospel of Jesus only a few years earlier and the Galatians had accepted this fantastic news.  The love of Jesus became their first love!  Now it seemed there was a new gospel in town and Paul is insistent that there is only one Gospel—the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Paul wrote, you were running a good race.  Who cut you off!  This is a rhetorical question.  The Jews were making a power play and evidently it was succeeding.  How could such a thing happen?  Let’s not be too judgmental, lest we miss the message that applies to us today.  Consider when God delivered his chosen people from slavery in Egypt.  Moses followed his God-given orders and completed an exodus from Egypt only to find God’s chosen complaining about their circumstances and crying to be back in Egypt—even as slaves.  While it was slavery; it was also comfortable.  There is also comfort in a system of rules.  It is slavery to sin, of course, but it is comfortable.

Now let’s get to Paul’s term that haunts many believers--fall from grace.  Again, it is wise to go to the original Koine Greek here.  The word is ekpito and while falling, falling away from, falling out of are certainly accurate (I trust the teams that translated most of the current versions of the bible examined the grammar, syntax, context, and intended message with a greater collective education and insight than my individual word studies can muster); however, I think that the metaphor of a ship being driven off course by another ship might be more enlightening.  Consider a ship with valuable cargo and destined for a specific port spots another vessel on the open sea.  This second vessel is not coming towards this first vessel but come along side.  Not wanting an open sea collision (these are bad things, trust me), the first vessel gives way slightly.  The second vessel continues to reduce the distance between the two and again the first vessel yields, off course only slightly at first, but significantly now that it has yielded time and time again.  This falling away from the correct heading has made this first vessel useless.  Its cargo will never reach its intended port.  Read falling away in the context of later verses, specifically, verse 7:  Who cut in on you.  Falling out of grace is not losing salvation; it is losing the freedom of salvation—going back to bondage in the law.

Let’s tackle this concept of the relationship of sin and the law.  Perhaps Paul puts it in brutally clear terms in the 7^th Chapter of his letter to the church at Rome.

 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.  I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.  (Romans 7:7-12)

Let me explain it another way.  This is perhaps one of the better explanations that I have heard. 

Visualize some children playing in the front of your house.  A young boy is pushing a toy dump truck.  Another boy is playing with a ball.  A girl plays with a doll.  Occasionally, one of the boys holds a string up and a cat bats it with its paw and sometimes they roll and ball back and forth and watch the cat pounce on it.  These are just kids having fun, and it doesn’t even involved being glued to a video game.  All is right in the world.

Now the parents walk past the children, stop briefly, and say, “don’t kick that cat.”

The parents go inside the house and the children look at each other with the ‘what’s up with that’ look.  The conversation ensues.

“Why did they say that?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you think will happen?”

“Maybe it will explode!”

Moments later the screech of a cat now tumbling down the driveway can be heard throughout the block.  A week later you drive by the house and see all manner of shovels, rakes, brooms, and mops moving about the driveway and realize that you have happened upon a pickup game of cat hockey.

A week earlier, the thought of kicking the cat was a foreign concept.  That is what Paul is saying about the law. 

Now let’s look at freedom.  Most mornings, I am out of the house before the town awakes and walking through the streets of Burns Flat enjoying the starlight and fresh air.  I frequently encounter trash on the sidewalks and in the streets as I walk.  Sometimes, I fell led to pick up a bottle or some other object, but most of the time, I just walk without picking up anything.  I don’t feel guilty about it.  I came to walk not to pick up garbage.  It’s not that picking up trash is bad—it’s not.  Keeping America—even our small part of it—beautiful is a good thing.  If I were bound by a rule-keeping system that directed me to pick up trash as I encountered it, I would never get a walk in.  I would have to drag the big, blue trash dumpster that I fill up and place at the curb every week with me on my walk. Some mornings, I wouldn’t get very far before it was full and I was dragging it home.  I would have done something that was good, but I would be a long way from living the freedom I enjoy in my walk.  I would miss the fresh air, time to think with clarity, chance to tend to the temple that I should keep in good order, and be far from the course I set when I started my walk.  If I am worried about what people might think, then would stop and pick up the trash just to avoid negative perceptions; but again, I would be off my original course.  The joy and freedom that I had in my walk would have been enslaved by the garbage to which I was enslaved.  Don’t worry; I’m not picking up trash on my morning walk.  I enjoy my freedom too much.

Here’s one more example.  As an addictions treatment counselor in a prison, I would interview inmates as their release date grew near.  I frequently asked, “what are you going to do when you get out?”

The answers often included, “make my meetings, check in with my parole officer, get a sponsor, stay out of bad places, stay away from old friends that are not clean and sober,” and other such things that had been repeated hundreds of time in classes over the past months or years.

I would then say again, “what are you going to do when you get out?”

I often got the this must be a trick question look from some inmates and they would recite the list again, this time with amplifying modifiers.  “I’m going to make my meetings on time, I’m going to stay out of, not even get near or think about getting near, those bad places,” and the modified list would go on. 

Sadly, I would often say, “we’ll leave the light on for you,” hoping to rattle something in the young man’s mind that would reveal his passion for what he really wanted to do.

Sometimes, and these were the clients that made coming to work worthwhile, sometimes a young man would answer my what are you going to do question with, “I’m going to open a bakery.  I’ve always loved cooking and baking and I’m going to make this work… Oh, yeah, and I’ll do all that other stuff you told me too.”

Another would say, “I’m going to take any job that I can get just to live close to my kids and finally be a father to them.  Whatever it takes to be a good influence in their lives—that’s what I will do!”

These were the clients that I knew had a chance to make it—had a chance of not coming back to prison.  They had something burning inside them that led them to what they would do.  They had freedom to live.

Freedom is tough to live by, but worth it.  For us to experience true freedom, we must take the yoke of Christ.  His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  Then we are free from the law and free to live our lives led by the Holy Spirit.

We are free unto Christ, not free unto ourselves.  The latter is not freedom from the law, it is lawlessness.  The law has not been cast aside.  It has been returned to its rightful Master and he will write in on our hearts.

You might be thinking, well thanks Tom for the history lesson and the kick the cat story, but what does this have to do with us?

Probably nothing, well, unless you ever thought that you had to do something as a Christian or as a part of the church.  Do you ever feel or have you even been told that, you are not really a Christian or a mature Christian unless:

You pray every morning

You tithe so much

You have perfect attendance at church

You don’t raise your hands during worship

You do raise your hands during worship

You are on every committee possible

You get your dish for the fellowship meal here early

You have been told that you would have been healed if you had more faith

You are expected to teach a class

You are expected to let everyone know who you visited in the hospital

You pray before every meal

You have the current Christian bumper stickers for your car

You have the current selection of Christian tee shirts

You add someone to the prayer list each week

You do something for the church because you believe it won’t get done if you don’t

You do stuff because you feel like it’s expected

You feel busier doing church stuff than you did when you were a slave to the ways of the world…

You were running a good race.  Who cut you off???  Don’t let the rule-makers creep in!  We are supposed to be led by the Holy Spirit in what we do.  That doesn’t mean that the listed items are bad.  It means that they are not governing.  Our lives are submitted freely to Christ.  His Spirit guides us.  He writes God’s law on our hearts.  The law is not jettisoned, but wrestled from sin’s grip and placed in the hands of a new Master.

If the Spirit leads you to be a greeter, then be a greeter.  In fact if you don’t feel led to greet, you are probably the wrong person to be meeting people at the door.  Now if you are led to be a greeter, but feel tired on Sunday morning, you still get your butt out of bed and come greet.  Led by the Spirit is not go with the flow of our emotions or see how we feel on a given day.  It is listening to God.  Staying in touch with him in prayer, communion, mediation, thanksgiving, and just recognizing his glory in all creation. 

This is freedom, but it’s not easy.  There is always a temptation to go back to the law or perhaps to make up our own rules instead of keeping Christ at the center of our lives, our decision making process, our thought process, at the center of our entire being.  Like the newly emancipated Jews wanted to return to Egypt and like the Galatians succumbed to the lure of the tangible, touchable Jewish law; so are we tempted to have some sort of metric that says we are on track. 

We do, but it is neither rule nor law.  It is fruit.  If we are living by the Spirit, walking with the Spirit, using the gifts that the Spirit has bestowed upon us; then we are producing good fruit.  We will know that we are on track in our Christian lives because we are producing the Fruit of the Spirit. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  (Galatians 5:22-24)

Sometime this will be self evident, but sometimes we need to let the rest of our covenant community know when we see their fruit.  “I see your joy!”  “I noticed your patience in line at Wal-Mart.  I see your fruit!”  “I can’t help but notice your gentleness.” 

Let’s not be tempted by sin, rule-keeping systems for measuring goodness, or anything else that would lessen the fullness of God’s grace and the freedom that He gave us to live a truly abundant life!  Let’s live by the Spirit, use the Gifts of the Spirit, and produce the Fruit of the Spirit!

Youth Group to Help with Feed The Children over Christmas Break!  The youth group may go on a two-day mission trip to Oklahoma City to help the Feed the Children organization pack and load food and clothing.  This will probably be on the 29^th and 30^th of December.  Talk with Laci Stegall if you are interested in attending.  The youth will probably do a fund raiser in October in order to finance this trip.  Stay tuned!

AA/NA now meeting in the Fellowship Hall.  The New Leaf Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous group meets each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall.  We ask that if you are at the church during this time, that you respect their privacy and confidentiality.  Thanks!

Its that time again ladies.  The Women of Faith Conference comes to OKC November 14-15 2008.  Kathy Stegall has the tickets, but you need to commit to yours early to make sure you have a seat at this fantastic event.  Follow this link to the WOF Website for a preview of this conference and others.  The sign up sheet is on the table at the back of the sanctuary.

And for those younger ladies (not that you can't attend WOF)...check out the Revolve Tour.  This event comes to OKC on 30 & 31 January 2009.  Like it or not, 2009 is just around the corner.  By that time we will have a new president and vice president, the superbowl teams will be decided, and you will be looking for a good excuse to get out of Burns Flat for the weekend.  If you have never been before, talk with Donna Chilton about what you have missed.

What a Great Assignment!  To be the first to greet long-time friends and new arrivals as they enter the church building is the most desirable task of the greeter.  Please be there before the first service begins and greet throughout the morning.  Bulletins are usually in the pastor’s study if they are not already in the foyer.  Ask Dana Ellis for a greeter’s smart pack (yes, that’s a fancy term for an instruction sheet) to go with the assignments posted below.

Greeters

September

7              Rick Ellis

14           Sharman Spence

21           Liz Leinau

28           Paula Miller

October

5              Bob & Patsy Nagle

12           Jess & Marie Black

19           Lynn Ferrari

26           Rick Ellis

Nursery Keeper Schedule

September

  7        Meladie       Jessyka

14        Donna          Karis

21        Lynn            Karli

28        Candi          Lauren

October

 5        Dana            Haley

12        Laci            Kendra

19        Chrissy        Dillon

26        Jennifer       Makynzee

GOT PRAYER?

Do you have prayer requests?  Email them to Tom Spence for inclusion on the prayer list or to Kathy Stegall to be circulated via the electronic prayer chain.

Do you have the Spiritual Gift of Intercession?  Follow this link to our prayer list. 

10 Attend Promise Keepers.  Ten men from our church attended Promise Keepers 08 held in Dallas, Texas on 15-16 August 2008.  While some may have been initially reluctant to make this investment of time and money; all came home knowing that the trip hit the target as exactly what was needed at this time.  The men that attended were Bob Nagle, Rick Ellis, Rodney Chilton, Kyler Chilton, Gerald Stegall, Garrett Stegall, Derrick Walker, Tom Spence, Chris Spence, and Tyler Simmons.  All are looking forward to next year's event and to inviting their friends on an eye-opening, heart-opening experience.  Also, we will have a Promise Keepers mens group that will meet monthly.  All men from the local area are invited to attend.  We will have our first organizational meeting on 7 September 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church to determine meeting dates and locations for the remainder of 2008.

These pictures are for men only...

CPC Trivia.  Start stretching those brain cells, this months we have three questions and four opportunities to win.

What date did we dedicate our present church building? 

Bonus Question (win an extra prize):  What is the significance to our congregation of the date:  29 April 2006? 

Unbelievable!  Yet another bonus question.  You must get both answers exactly correct and I do mean members, not those that attend services but have not joined the congregation (yes I know the correct answer).  How many members of our congregation voted for George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential Election and how many members of our congregation voted for John Kerry. 

Winners will be notified by email and get to pick one prize for each correct answer (you could win up to 4 times this month).  You must be the first to answer to win.

Congratulations to last month's winner for both questions, Kathy Stegall.  February 4th, 2010 will be our denomination's 200th birthday.  Our denominational hymn is Whosoever Will.

Book Review:  If you have to choose between reading a book and reading the bible each day, read the bible.  But for those that can squeeze in a little extra reading time, The Too-Busy Book: Slowing Down to Catch Up with Life by Linda Andersen (Hardcover - Sep 21, 2004) is worth the read.  It’s scripture based, to the point, and practical.  It was one of the few sources that made the cut for the Breaking Away from Busy course resources.  I have three copies available if you want to read mine or you can find a new or used copy at most online bookstores at a reasonable price. 

We use his name.  We pray to him.  We watch movies about him.  We say we want to know him better, but

Who is Jesus?

Come to this one evening revival and find out.  The Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church will hold a short revival on September 3^rd, 2008.  A light meal will be served at 6:00 p.m. followed by 7 different speakers, each delivering a 7 minute message from the 7 “I Am” statements found in the Gospel of John.  You are invited to come eat, listen, and understand why we proclaim:  Jesus is Lord!

Speakers are Rick Ellis, Bob Nagle, Lori Schneberger, Haley Nagle, James Hendrix, Mary Faye Delp, and Dana Ellis.  Invocation and Invitation by Tom Spence.  Special Music by Lori Schneberger,

Laci Stegall, Kendra Walker, and Jessica Hardin.

This Wednesday, 3 September 2008 at 6:00 p.m

Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624

F-4 Kicks off 10 September 2008!  Don’t make dinner plans for Wednesday evenings for a while.  We will have dinner fare for all comers along with a side order of singing and food for the spirit.  That’s right, it’s time for F-4 once again.  The meal begins at 6:00 p.m., cleanup starts at 6:30, singing kicks off at 6:45, and classes begin at 7:00 as in the past.  Remember there is no charge for the meal and you don’t have to bring anything, so even if you can barely drag yourself through the front door, we guarantee that you will leave refueled and renewed.  F-4:  Be There!

Hey!  Not so fast! What's on the F-4 menu?  

Red River Presbytery to Meet October 25^th at Lake Murray Lodge.  The regular meeting of the Red River Presbytery is scheduled for 25 October 2008 at the Lake Murray Lodge.  The Presbytery normally has one regular meeting in the Fall and one adjourned meeting in the Spring.  If your butt is parked in the same seat for 6 or 7 hours, you really can’t tell the difference between the two, but most of the official business of our Presbytery will be formally voted upon during one of these meetings.  Presbytery committees do much of the work between these meetings and generally submit reports in advance so that delegates from each church may attend with the consensus of the session that appointed them.  This Fall, we will send stated supply, Tom Spence, and elder representative Rodney Chilton to the meeting. 

***Want to know about what we as Cumberland Presbyterians believe and how our government works?  Next summer, we will have bible studies that explore both our
Confession of Faith and our Constitution (church government) for our June and August Wednesday night meetings.  Want to know why we call our form of government Presbyterian and what that means for decision making purposes:  Be There!***

Confession Corner.  When was the last time that you read the Confession of Faith for Cumberland Presbyterians?  If you are like most of us, it was probably in response to a question that you had or someone asked you.  It’s a fair tool for answering questions, but it also carries its weight as a study guide.  The confession centers around John 3:16.   For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  (RSV).  This has sometimes been called the gospel in miniature.  The purpose of the confession is two-fold.  It gives those of us who have been redeemed by God’s grace a means to understand and affirm their faith and a guide for us to bear witness to those that have not been saved.  This is the second part in this series (see August Newsletter for Part 1).  The links attached to each section provide the supporting scriptural references.

2.00 THE HUMAN FAMILY BREAKS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Human Freedom

2.01 God, in creating persons, gives them the capacity and freedom to respond to divine grace in loving obedience. Therefore, whoever will may be saved.

2.02 Because of their God-given nature, persons are responsible for their choices and actions toward God, each other, and the world.

The Abuse of Freedom

2.03 In rejecting their dependence on God and in willful disobedience, the first human parents disrupted community with God, for which they had been created. They became inclined toward sin in all aspects of their being.

2.04 As did Adam and Eve, all persons rebel against God, lose the right relationship to God, and become slaves to sin and death. This condition becomes the source of all sinful attitudes and actions.

2.05 In willfully sinning all people become guilty before God and are under divine wrath and judgment, unless saved by God's grace through Jesus Christ.

2.06 The alienation of persons from God affects the rest of creation, so that the whole creation stands in need of God's redemption.

CPC Headquarters Moves to New Building!  It’s been a long time coming, but the move is just about complete.  Follow this link for an update on our new CPC HQ.

Adult Bible Studies to Explore Spiritual Gifts during the Fall F-4 semester.  We talk about spiritual gifts, sometimes see them in others, often deny them in ourselves, and don't give them the credit that they are due.  Spiritual Gifts are given to each believer for the benefit of the Body of Christ.  If you have ever said, "I don't have any gifts," you were not truthful with yourself or others.  Sometimes people avoid the topic because of sensitivity about speaking in tongues.  Are we really willing to bury our gifts in the ground just because we are afraid of one of the gifts.  Consider the parable of the talents and how the Master dealt with the servant that did nothing with his talent because he was afraid.  There is no getting around it.  God gave us gifts that He wants us to use for the good of the Body of Christ.  Wouldn't you rather discover, develop, and use your gifts for the benefit of your church family and hear, "Well done good and faithful servant" instead of "You wicked, lazy servant."  Ouch! 

Do you recall learning about the spirit that this country once had.  Perhaps some of you lived it.  There was a spirit of genuine concern for each other.  There was once a pioneer spirit that said we could strike out and find a way to make it in a harsh world.  There was a spirit of adventure that sent us not only to the open spaces of the west but to the vastness of outer space.  It seems like the pioneer days may be over, but we can certainly set out on an adventure to discover our Spiritual Gifts.  Perhaps the greatest adventure of our lives is not ahead of us, but discovering what is inside of us. 

What will you do with what God gave you? (Yes, this is the logical follow-on to the Invitation to the Gifts of the Spirit Class)

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.  

19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  (Matthew 25:14-30 NIV)

Five Year Focus is Evangelism.  The General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church has established evangelism as its focus for the next five years.  What a mighty force we will be if every congregation can get excited about fulfilling the Great Commission.  Let us go and make disciples! 

Got News?

Have you always wanted to be the star reporter for the New York Times?  Have you ever dreamed of writing the story of the year for Time Magazine?  The answer to both of those questions can be "NO" and you can still have something to offer this newsletter.  If you have news pertaining to our church family (birth announcements, wedding announcements, or just something special to share), then you should submit it for inclusion in the church newsletter or church website.  Have you written a devotion or inspirational poem?  We have a devotions section on our website. Do you have some photos of that new baby, the last church lock-in, or something that happened at camp?  We have a memories section on the website.

If you just need to announce something to our extended church family, send the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of it to Tom Spence and look for it to be published in short order.

Want More Interesting Stuff (most from email, but some other items of interest as well)???

Become God's Love in Action!

Did you hear about the woman that married a banker, then a circus clown, then a preacher, then a funeral director.  When asked why, she responded:  One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.  Time to go.  See you next month.

Want More? 

Check out God's Yellow Pages

 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matt 5:14-16 (NIV)

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

There will not be a sermon telling you how to vote this November; however, as a service to the public at large, if you tell me who you plan to vote for, I will tell you what day to show up at the polls.

I'm Tom Spence and I approved this message.

Some readers of the print edition have noted that they appreciated having the service times listed each month in the newsletter.  For those that don't want to have to leave the newsletter page, here is a recap of what you will find on the services page of our website.

SERVICES

Sunday

Contemporary 9:00 A.M.       Sunday School 10:00 A.M.    Traditional 11:00 A.M.

First Light

(Contemporary Service)

9:00 - 9:45 A.M.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

10:00 - 10:45 A.M.

10:45 - 11:00

 (Traditional Service)

11:00 A.M.

WEDNESDAY

F-4

(FOOD, FAMILY, FELLOWSHIP, AND FAITH)

6:00 - 8:00 P.M.

Serve God all week long.

See what we are doing for missions.

Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church

205 State Highway 44

Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624

580 562 4706

We are looking for a Few Good Men, Women, and Children who are ready to take on a big challenge! The session approved forming a Technology Task Force this coming January to explore what we need or don't need from this ever expanding marketplace.  Wow!  There sure is a lot of neat stuff out there that might be able to help us in Worship, Sunday School, Recording and Duplicating our Sunday Morning services or even a Wednesday evening study group, or who knows what else.  What if we could upload a special music to our website?  What if?  What if?  Wow!  This can be a trap too.  See it--Want it--Buy it is a subtle ambush that awaits the unwary in this marketplace.  We are looking for a group of people ready to take on a big challenge:  figuring out what new technological equipment, software, and media we need as a church and what is just stuff that falls into the category of treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in an steal.  We need folks that are both savvy about technology and those that are skeptical.  We could easily spend $30,000 on new stuff and not get a nickel's value out of it--or worse, spend even more money to maintain stuff that doesn't work for our church.  We could also find there there is an exact mix of what we need from technology or from other alternatives that works here and would produce incredible fruit in many ministries.

Technology acquisition is tough business.  Done well, it rivals pastoral search committees for intensity, building committees for volume of information to digest and internalize, and the discipline of maintaining a healthy diet while working in a candy store.  Done well, it also produces good fruit, even if the decision is something other than a technology purchase.

Timid Souls need not apply, but...

If you are up for the challenge, see Tom Spence.

Want to get your heart and mind tuned in for next Sunday's message (7 September 2008)?  Read Paul's first letter to the Church at Corinth, with special attention to chapters 12-14.  You guessed it.  With a Spiritual Gifts Bible Study on the near horizon, there will be a sermon to give our thoughts a head start on the exploration and discovery ahead.  Here's a chance to start reading now...

12 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire e the greater gifts.

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