It's not too late, do the work!

July 6 2008   Dad opens The Gathering with great energy in 3 quarter time along with violin 3'30 SL? leads announcements 3'39 sister shares details 5'22 birthdays/A 6'12 special day song, led by Dad -- PB introduces several guests 7'38 organ prelude 18' Sister leads the church and the B family as their daughter H is consecrated - then sister takes the young baby girl around the room and shows her everything about the room and people and how the family of God will be with H. It is very sweet and personal. I've never seen/heard a service done this way before. 21'49" JL? leads the congregation in prayer for HB and her 'new life' among us...and gives thanks, you can hear baby HB cooing.  22'50 a blessing from the Blue Hymnal 24'19 store up treasures in heaven reading/call for the offering 24'48' organ offertory 30' Children story 39'44 Joys and Concerns 42'40 sister shares about a position with OEP at 3/4 time, and wi...

June 29 2008   Dad opens with The Gathering Hymn and refers to the current season of harvest. 3'10" Sister guides announcements/introductions, including a thank you letter from my niece from camp 4'50" mom checks in regarding the train trip in July, and many details, I'm not sure if she is reading this off a list, but she is very clear with how she communicates all the many details without repeating or hesitation, as many do when in front of a group of people 8' sister reads an invitation for a 50th anniversary W and M G. 9'06 service of consecration for H and other announcements 9"50 special day song and worship will be led by the youth 10'30" piano 12'10 Call to worship led by youth/responsive reading 13'30" Hymn Come Thou Fount 19'20" Children's story 36'?? Hymn Track 2 -sister leads in prayer 1' scripture reading (youth?) 3' ?" Sister gives sermons - The Autobiography of Ms. Jane Pittman end of c...

  June 22 2008 At 1:30 the congregation begins to sing with Dad the Gathering Hymn 5:30 BS? Joys and Concerns 8:45ish piano modern upbeat version of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (a debut in lighting the candles) 11:17 reading and hymn Love Divine 17 ish Children's story 26 Joys and Concerns - 27'20" sister family car break downs, at 32'24" mom brings forth that a guest in her home (an Evergreener) needs prayer due husband Bob having a cancer scare after having a recent kidney transplant, mom's cousin Jackie at 33'30 needs a bone marrow transplant, and my mom gives an update regarding my Uncle D with a 'wait and see' regarding some troubling cells (UD is 92 this month). 39'20" Dad leads Sweet Hour of Prayer 43' prayer with BS? 46' Reading from Galatians 49/50ish starts the sermon with BS? 1 Hour Piano piece into the Doxology 1'07 Footsteps of Jesus with piano Dear Readers, The end of the school year is approaching, a season...

  June 15 2008 Dad opens The Gathering with brother-in-law on the violin, playing along with the guitar. A nice, lively tempo. A bit of a misstep on the start of verse two, the singers keep going, and Dad keeps strumming until he at last finds his footing -- "not to worry" (as he used to say)  Welcome/Announcements - sister mentions those working on a banner, with niece among them, to possibly be displayed at the annual conference that shows both the church history and some more current updates. Sister also announces the college choir's plea for donations. Dad clears up that he is not doing the children's sermon and that Josh is. Mom mentions the chartered train ride to Abilene, and Mom very confidently announces details about the ride and lunch afterward. Mom is very well-spoken, a talent I'm not sure she fully realized about herself. [I have seen pictures of mom and dad on this train ride with close friends, and mom told me how special a time it was; she treasur...

June 8 2008   Dad opens The Gathering, announcing the weather is windy and that a picnic was enjoyed the previous week. Around 9' JL? birthdays/anniversary  9'44" Special Day song 17' organ offertory and Doxology 25' SL? discusses VBS with children and listening to God's quiet voice 33' Joys/Concerns 36' JL? prayer 43' (or earlier) JL? Sermon on the Paralytic Man and his friends 53'35 Our God Our Help In Ages Past Hello Readers, Today's sermon, which I breezed through, seems to offer the advice of waiting on God while also accepting help from others or ourselves. I am also struck by the words of the children's time advising us to slow down what we say and be quick to listen.  Two quick thoughts from the week: I watched  Carrie Dayton Vlogs . Starting around 9 minutes, Carrie shares about being OCD and how it shows up as indecisiveness. Carrie quotes from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath- a poem called, The Fig Tree. Carrie reads about Ester ...

  May 25, 2008 Dad opens with Gathering song Praise Him Praise Him (Guitar and Violin)  4:45 Guests are introduced around 5:25 Camp forms by sister Track 2 -- silent? Track 3 McPherson College graduation referenced along with Birthdays, etc 1:01 Piano prelude 10:? Children's story with DM? 19:50 Sister shares a reflection on Memorial Day from a radio program: a father and son place flowers on graves to remember the people who helped him during his life.  23:30 minutes of standing silence to remember those who have touched our lives 24:30 Joys and Concerns led by sister -- followed by prayer 41:14 JL? reading scripture -- "...tomorrow will have enough trouble of its own..." 43:24 Sister amazing sermon 'Act like you have some sense' title by Lane (Live/Act? Like Jesus is Your King), church goers are often seeking the answer, "Is it true?" That was my problem -- how can I be sure I'm not just a Christian bc everyone around me is a Christian? I spent the...

May 18 2008   Dad opens the Gathering with violin playing along Birthdays and other special days are announced, followed by the Celebration song Prelude organ Children's Story? about graduation Congregation Song - Change My Heart, Oh God  38ish minutes scripture 38'40" JL? sermon  54ish minutes Hymn To God Be the Glory 55'ish JL? ends followed by Organ only  Hello Readers, The gathering song stirs in me a bible study I did about 30 years ago called  Experiencing God. In this study, Henry Blackaby teaches about God's voice. Week by week, the author guides the reader through scriptures and other examples of ways God speaks to us. There is prayer, scripture, circumstances, and the Church all used to reveal His purposes, Himself, and His ways. I find it empowering that it is not just one but all of these, and that as God reveals Himself, it is more about who He is rather than a particular clear line of dialogue telling me what to do. I went through an arid time...