Julie and I were on vacation in Vermont last week. On Sunday we attended a church of Christ and when we walked in the door the first thing I noticed at the front of the building was a drum set, a piano and a keyboard. With the exception of these musical instruments they looked and acted like every other church of Christ I have been affiliated with; the same songbooks, the same lingo, everything.
There were only about 35 members present and when the song service started three of them operated the musical instruments. Those three didn’t sing at all… they just played the instruments.
I believe the Bible teaches that God wants singing alone during the assembly. One of the arguments of those who believe that musical instruments are acceptable to God is that the musical instruments only *assist* or *improve* the singing.
Not so in this little town in Vermont. The drums and piano dominated and overwhelmed the singing. You could barely hear the singers. The drummer at the end of each verse would add in a little extra “rat-a-tat-tat”.
In addition, the drummer and piano player got out of sync with each other.
It seemed to me that the singing phase of worship had a huge cancer growing on it that nobody could see.
It made me wonder a few things. If it’s OK to have musical instruments in the song worship, how many can you have? At this congregation 3 out of 35 members were playing instruments. Could half of the members play instruments and the other half sing? Where are the limits? Could you have a symphony?
Occasionally we have clients that bring in dogs that have volleyball sized cancers on them. Those cancers don’t start out big… they start out small. I’ve got a feeling that’s what happened at this church… they started out small… maybe just a piano (a small cancer) and then once everyone got used to that they just started adding more and more. The cancer kept growing.
You know sometimes our singing may not sound so great, but heart felt singing directed toward God is far, far sweeter than the clanging of musical instruments.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Prayer List. October 25, 2009
Prayer List – members
Lois Gilliam (loss of Dave)
Vivian Meeker (Macular degeneration)
Virginia Lawler
Jean Cave (complications with pacemaker)
Syble Peterson (hip problems)
Amanda Drum
Becky Garcia (Her mom, Cyndi, requests prayers)
Dan Graf (Sarcoidosis)
Dwayne Murphy (Pemphigus vulgaris)
Liz Graf
Family and Friends
Randall Chisamore (Graf friend - fell from a three story balcony. Massive injuries)
Adrianna Davila (hospitalized with some kind of reaction)
Serenity & Michaela (Arlie’s grand daughters – family problems)
Jeremy Graf (recuperating from severe infection)
Kevin Brown (Automobile accident)
Darrel Roberts (mom's husband - preleukemia)
Holly Dixon (Breast Cancer)
Jenny Washington (Bonnie Davis’ sister – sick)
Scott Perkins (ask God to help him find his faith)
D.L. Hutchins (spiritual - illness)
Elizabeth Robles (Her mom, Priscilla Guel, asks prayers for spiritual weakness)
Ofelia Guzman
Mike Garcia (Lucas requests prayers for his dad - spiritual illness)
Tim and Ben Bueno (Patsy requests prayers for her sons - spiritual illness)
Manuel Perez Jr. (parents ask for prayer - spiritual illness)
Dennis Bailey (Fred’s brother-in-law – kidney problems)
Ardelle Sumter (Arlie Cooksey's mom, dementia)
Valerie Yates (George Stan's friend - cancer)
Nelda Davila's mother (Alzheimer's)
Elna Walker (Donna Morgan's mother - Congestive Heart Failure)
Gene Mabry (Amy Torno's dad - liver transplant candidate)
Cyndi Garcia's dad (breathing problems)
George Stan (Julie's cousin)
Nora Phillips (Cindy Graf's mom at home on oxygen)
If you want people added to this prayer list, the best way is to let me know via e-mail.
Uncle Rob
http://www.parkwaychurchofchrist.us/
http://counselingforyou.us
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parkwaychurchofChristcctx/
Lois Gilliam (loss of Dave)
Vivian Meeker (Macular degeneration)
Virginia Lawler
Jean Cave (complications with pacemaker)
Syble Peterson (hip problems)
Amanda Drum
Becky Garcia (Her mom, Cyndi, requests prayers)
Dan Graf (Sarcoidosis)
Dwayne Murphy (Pemphigus vulgaris)
Liz Graf
Family and Friends
Randall Chisamore (Graf friend - fell from a three story balcony. Massive injuries)
Adrianna Davila (hospitalized with some kind of reaction)
Serenity & Michaela (Arlie’s grand daughters – family problems)
Jeremy Graf (recuperating from severe infection)
Kevin Brown (Automobile accident)
Darrel Roberts (mom's husband - preleukemia)
Holly Dixon (Breast Cancer)
Jenny Washington (Bonnie Davis’ sister – sick)
Scott Perkins (ask God to help him find his faith)
D.L. Hutchins (spiritual - illness)
Elizabeth Robles (Her mom, Priscilla Guel, asks prayers for spiritual weakness)
Ofelia Guzman
Mike Garcia (Lucas requests prayers for his dad - spiritual illness)
Tim and Ben Bueno (Patsy requests prayers for her sons - spiritual illness)
Manuel Perez Jr. (parents ask for prayer - spiritual illness)
Dennis Bailey (Fred’s brother-in-law – kidney problems)
Ardelle Sumter (Arlie Cooksey's mom, dementia)
Valerie Yates (George Stan's friend - cancer)
Nelda Davila's mother (Alzheimer's)
Elna Walker (Donna Morgan's mother - Congestive Heart Failure)
Gene Mabry (Amy Torno's dad - liver transplant candidate)
Cyndi Garcia's dad (breathing problems)
George Stan (Julie's cousin)
Nora Phillips (Cindy Graf's mom at home on oxygen)
If you want people added to this prayer list, the best way is to let me know via e-mail.
Uncle Rob
http://www.parkwaychurchofchrist.us/
http://counselingforyou.us
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parkwaychurchofChristcctx/
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Church News. October 11, 2009
Howdy!
Dave Gilliam’s memorial service is scheduled for tomorrow (Monday) at 2 pm at the building. David Smitherman will be conducting the service.
Trey and Marlena Williams should be parents tomorrow. Marlena is scheduled for induction. Marlena’s mom and sister were visiting today. Trey’s parents were in as well.
Trey’s pilot training is almost over and they will be moving to Little Rock, Arkansas for more training on Oct. 24. We’ll miss them.
Update on Kevin Brown. Kevin is the young man who was in a car accident and wasn’t found for about 9 hours. His mother attends church in Sugarland. This is from his mom…
“Again, thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes for Kevin (and me). They got him off the ventilator yesterday and put him on an Oxygen thing that sealed over his face. They told us he was not out of the woods, though, and they might still have to trache him. Today they have moved him to a regular oxygen mask and let him sit in a chair for a while. He is still in la-la land and they still restrain him, but are trying to wean him off of the sedatives. He is still on antibiotics and is still in isolation in ICU, but any progress makes me happy. Portia said he is still agitated and is mad because he can’t understand where he is and why she won’t get him out. They have not let us know when they intend to perform the attitude adjustment.”
We had a guy at church Wednesday night who called and requested a study. Jeff and David studied with him before services and then he said he wanted to be baptized. First though, he wanted to talk to David in private. He informed David that he needed $150 for living expenses. He had a job and could repay on Friday. When Jeff and I met him after services I told him I wouldn’t loan him $150 without confirmation from his boss that he actually had a job. He asked that we put him up in a motel until that could be done the next day. We did that and gave him a ride to the motel.
Long story short… totally bogus. He called the next day purporting to be his “boss”. We caught him in it and he hung up on us.
Of course we want to help the truly needy and have compassionate hearts, but it can be challenging filtering out the con artists.
We tentatively have Darrel Hymell scheduled to come in and give us a report on his work in China on December 6. We are supporting him financially in this work. He is returning from China on November 10.
The Cargile’s annual weenie roast/hayride is scheduled for Nov. 10.
Dave Gilliam’s memorial service is scheduled for tomorrow (Monday) at 2 pm at the building. David Smitherman will be conducting the service.
Trey and Marlena Williams should be parents tomorrow. Marlena is scheduled for induction. Marlena’s mom and sister were visiting today. Trey’s parents were in as well.
Trey’s pilot training is almost over and they will be moving to Little Rock, Arkansas for more training on Oct. 24. We’ll miss them.
Update on Kevin Brown. Kevin is the young man who was in a car accident and wasn’t found for about 9 hours. His mother attends church in Sugarland. This is from his mom…
“Again, thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes for Kevin (and me). They got him off the ventilator yesterday and put him on an Oxygen thing that sealed over his face. They told us he was not out of the woods, though, and they might still have to trache him. Today they have moved him to a regular oxygen mask and let him sit in a chair for a while. He is still in la-la land and they still restrain him, but are trying to wean him off of the sedatives. He is still on antibiotics and is still in isolation in ICU, but any progress makes me happy. Portia said he is still agitated and is mad because he can’t understand where he is and why she won’t get him out. They have not let us know when they intend to perform the attitude adjustment.”
We had a guy at church Wednesday night who called and requested a study. Jeff and David studied with him before services and then he said he wanted to be baptized. First though, he wanted to talk to David in private. He informed David that he needed $150 for living expenses. He had a job and could repay on Friday. When Jeff and I met him after services I told him I wouldn’t loan him $150 without confirmation from his boss that he actually had a job. He asked that we put him up in a motel until that could be done the next day. We did that and gave him a ride to the motel.
Long story short… totally bogus. He called the next day purporting to be his “boss”. We caught him in it and he hung up on us.
Of course we want to help the truly needy and have compassionate hearts, but it can be challenging filtering out the con artists.
We tentatively have Darrel Hymell scheduled to come in and give us a report on his work in China on December 6. We are supporting him financially in this work. He is returning from China on November 10.
The Cargile’s annual weenie roast/hayride is scheduled for Nov. 10.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Tabby Sanchez
This is Tabby Sanchez. She was baptized by her grandfather, Jesse Guzman,yesterday.
She is the daughter of Liz Sanchez. Ron and Sylvia Guzman are her uncle and aunt. Tabby is 17 years old and a Junior at Carrol High School.
Liz said she wanted me to thank Dave and Lois Gilliam for the influence they have had on Tabby. She also wanted me to thank David Smitherman.
Liz told me that Tabby was very close to Mamie. Mamie would pick her up and they would play "Old Maid" together and watch Martha Stewart. Whenever Tabby has to write a school paper on who has had the most influence on her, she always writes it about Mamie. Liz also told me that Tabby could always cheer David up and Mamie would occasionally call to see if Tabby could come over. After Mamie died, David gave Tabby Mamie's sewing machine.
We rejoice for the Sanchez family.
She is the daughter of Liz Sanchez. Ron and Sylvia Guzman are her uncle and aunt. Tabby is 17 years old and a Junior at Carrol High School.
Liz said she wanted me to thank Dave and Lois Gilliam for the influence they have had on Tabby. She also wanted me to thank David Smitherman.
Liz told me that Tabby was very close to Mamie. Mamie would pick her up and they would play "Old Maid" together and watch Martha Stewart. Whenever Tabby has to write a school paper on who has had the most influence on her, she always writes it about Mamie. Liz also told me that Tabby could always cheer David up and Mamie would occasionally call to see if Tabby could come over. After Mamie died, David gave Tabby Mamie's sewing machine.
We rejoice for the Sanchez family.
.jpg)
Prayer List. Oct. 4, 2009
Prayer List – members
Dave Gilliam (Dave is home and will start radiation here)
Vivian Meeker (Macular degeneration)
Virginia Lawler
Herb Buehler
Jean Cave (complications with pacemaker)
Syble Peterson (hip problems)
Cyndi Paul (recovering from knee surgery)
Amanda Drum
Becky Garcia (Her mom, Cyndi, requests prayers)
Dan Graf (Sarcoidosis)
Dwayne Murphy (Pemphigus vulgaris)
Liz Graf
Family and Friends
Jeremy Graf (Hospitalized with severe infection)
Kevin Brown (Automobile accident - critical)
Darrel Roberts (mom's husband - preleukemia)
Selma Soleyn (Cancer
Holly Dixon (Breast Cancer)
Helen Karlsen (Julie’s aunt – COPD)
Jenny Washington (Bonnie Davis’ sister – sick)
Scott Perkins (ask God to help him find his faith)
D.L. Hutchins (spiritual - illness)
Elizabeth Robles (Her mom, Priscilla Guel, asks prayers for spiritual weakness)
Ofelia Guzman
Mike Garcia (Lucas requests prayers for his dad - spiritual illness)
Tim and Ben Bueno (Patsy requests prayers for her sons - spiritual illness)
Manuel Perez Jr. (parents ask for prayer - spiritual illness)
Dennis Bailey (Fred’s brother-in-law – kidney problems)
George Cruz (Maggie’s brother – Chemo at MD Anderson)
Ardelle Sumter (Arlie Cooksey's mom, dementia)
Valerie Yates (George Stan's friend - cancer)
Nelda Davila's mother (Alzheimer's)
Elna Walker (Donna Morgan's mother - Congestive Heart Failure)
Gene Mabry (Amy Torno's dad - liver transplant candidate)
Cyndi Garcia's dad (breathing problems)
George Stan (Julie's cousin)
Nora Phillips (Cindy Graf's mom at home on oxygen)
If you want people added to this prayer list, the best way is to let me know via e-mail.
Uncle Rob
http://www.parkwaychurchofchrist.us/http://counselingforyou.us http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parkwaychurchofChristcctx/
Dave Gilliam (Dave is home and will start radiation here)
Vivian Meeker (Macular degeneration)
Virginia Lawler
Herb Buehler
Jean Cave (complications with pacemaker)
Syble Peterson (hip problems)
Cyndi Paul (recovering from knee surgery)
Amanda Drum
Becky Garcia (Her mom, Cyndi, requests prayers)
Dan Graf (Sarcoidosis)
Dwayne Murphy (Pemphigus vulgaris)
Liz Graf
Family and Friends
Jeremy Graf (Hospitalized with severe infection)
Kevin Brown (Automobile accident - critical)
Darrel Roberts (mom's husband - preleukemia)
Selma Soleyn (Cancer
Holly Dixon (Breast Cancer)
Helen Karlsen (Julie’s aunt – COPD)
Jenny Washington (Bonnie Davis’ sister – sick)
Scott Perkins (ask God to help him find his faith)
D.L. Hutchins (spiritual - illness)
Elizabeth Robles (Her mom, Priscilla Guel, asks prayers for spiritual weakness)
Ofelia Guzman
Mike Garcia (Lucas requests prayers for his dad - spiritual illness)
Tim and Ben Bueno (Patsy requests prayers for her sons - spiritual illness)
Manuel Perez Jr. (parents ask for prayer - spiritual illness)
Dennis Bailey (Fred’s brother-in-law – kidney problems)
George Cruz (Maggie’s brother – Chemo at MD Anderson)
Ardelle Sumter (Arlie Cooksey's mom, dementia)
Valerie Yates (George Stan's friend - cancer)
Nelda Davila's mother (Alzheimer's)
Elna Walker (Donna Morgan's mother - Congestive Heart Failure)
Gene Mabry (Amy Torno's dad - liver transplant candidate)
Cyndi Garcia's dad (breathing problems)
George Stan (Julie's cousin)
Nora Phillips (Cindy Graf's mom at home on oxygen)
If you want people added to this prayer list, the best way is to let me know via e-mail.
Uncle Rob
http://www.parkwaychurchofchrist.us/http://counselingforyou.us http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parkwaychurchofChristcctx/
Church Notes
Howdy!
Great news today… Tabby Sanchez was baptized by her grandfather, Jesse Guzman, yesterday.
We had several visitors today…
Lauren Hines
5750 Curtis Clark, #1228
CC, TX.
Lauren has just moved here and is a nursing student at Del Mar.
George and Julie Sellers
PO Box 1188
Centerville, Tx. 75833
Sellarsfamilyof4@gmail.com
George is going to be working in the area for the next 6 months or so. He is working on windmill installation.
George Bynum
3956 Wrenwood
Ft. Worth, TX. 76137
George has a son who is a student here.
Building issues…
-We had an AC unit stolen on Friday.
-We have a pipe fence going up on the Stirman St. side of our parking lot. We get a lot of traffic cutting across our parking lot.
Veda’s new address…
Veda Bashears
9787 Hwy 32
Water Valley, Miss. 38965
(662)473-2544
RD and Jean gave will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this week.
Stefanie Franks said her daughter’s school teacher called her in for a conference. Stefanie asked Alyssa if there had been any trouble at school. Come to find out the teachers thinks Alyssa is talking about Jesus too much in class and wants Stefanie to have a talk with her. Alyssa is 8 years old.
Great news today… Tabby Sanchez was baptized by her grandfather, Jesse Guzman, yesterday.
We had several visitors today…
Lauren Hines
5750 Curtis Clark, #1228
CC, TX.
Lauren has just moved here and is a nursing student at Del Mar.
George and Julie Sellers
PO Box 1188
Centerville, Tx. 75833
Sellarsfamilyof4@gmail.com
George is going to be working in the area for the next 6 months or so. He is working on windmill installation.
George Bynum
3956 Wrenwood
Ft. Worth, TX. 76137
George has a son who is a student here.
Building issues…
-We had an AC unit stolen on Friday.
-We have a pipe fence going up on the Stirman St. side of our parking lot. We get a lot of traffic cutting across our parking lot.
Veda’s new address…
Veda Bashears
9787 Hwy 32
Water Valley, Miss. 38965
(662)473-2544
RD and Jean gave will be celebrating their 60th anniversary this week.
Stefanie Franks said her daughter’s school teacher called her in for a conference. Stefanie asked Alyssa if there had been any trouble at school. Come to find out the teachers thinks Alyssa is talking about Jesus too much in class and wants Stefanie to have a talk with her. Alyssa is 8 years old.
Church News. October 4, 2009
Suppose you are a Judge and a high profile case comes into your court. The accused is popular and controversial. The stakes are high; it’s a capital offense. Public sentiment is against the accused and masses of people are assembled outside of your court.
The prosecutors come into your court and make their accusations. Witnesses for the prosecution give their testimony. On the other side, the accused has no attorney, legal council or witnesses and the accused will not even answer the charges or defend himself in any way.
What do you do? Do you accept his silence for guilt and give him the death penalty? What other choice do you have?
That’s exactly the predicament Pilate found himself in when Jesus was brought into trial. What do you do with Jesus? He won’t even defend himself.
Pilate declared Jesus to be innocent (Luke 23:4) even though there was no defense.
Pilate eventually caved in to the demands of the masses and sent Jesus to be crucified.
There is no doubt that Pilate was in a predicament, but it really didn’t matter who was Judge on that day because Jesus wanted to be killed. That’s why he gave no defense. If he had given a defense and somehow managed to walk away from it all, generations of human-kind would owe a blood debt to God.
There would be no heaven for mankind… only hell and eternal punishment.
I’ve got a feeling that Jesus would have allowed himself to be killed for just me or for just you but when the opportunity came up for him to die for all of mankind then the decision became easier. Not easy but easier.
That’s why Jesus gave no defense, his love for you and me. What are we going to do with Jesus?
The prosecutors come into your court and make their accusations. Witnesses for the prosecution give their testimony. On the other side, the accused has no attorney, legal council or witnesses and the accused will not even answer the charges or defend himself in any way.
What do you do? Do you accept his silence for guilt and give him the death penalty? What other choice do you have?
That’s exactly the predicament Pilate found himself in when Jesus was brought into trial. What do you do with Jesus? He won’t even defend himself.
Pilate declared Jesus to be innocent (Luke 23:4) even though there was no defense.
Pilate eventually caved in to the demands of the masses and sent Jesus to be crucified.
There is no doubt that Pilate was in a predicament, but it really didn’t matter who was Judge on that day because Jesus wanted to be killed. That’s why he gave no defense. If he had given a defense and somehow managed to walk away from it all, generations of human-kind would owe a blood debt to God.
There would be no heaven for mankind… only hell and eternal punishment.
I’ve got a feeling that Jesus would have allowed himself to be killed for just me or for just you but when the opportunity came up for him to die for all of mankind then the decision became easier. Not easy but easier.
That’s why Jesus gave no defense, his love for you and me. What are we going to do with Jesus?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
