Greetings everyone,
Mr. Apartian is in Martinique this week. We have not heard from him since he left Miami, but we are told (by him) that he is well liked in Martinique—so we are sure he is being well taken care of!
Mr. Meredith will be leaving next Thursday for Minneapolis, where he will speak next Sabbath. He plans to visit with Mr. David Burson while in Minneapolis. From there Mr. Meredith will continue on to North Carolina for a few days, and then continue on to Michigan for the last days and Sabbath of the Summer Camp.
I will also be leaving next Thursday to visit the Kansas City church for the Sabbath. Next Sabbath will be the last Sabbath for Mr. Sheldon Monson in Kansas City. We are very pleased that Mr. Bryce has recommended him to move into a full-time Associate Pastor position. Our congratulations to Mr. Bryce and to Mr. Monson! It is hard to believe that forty-eight years ago I began my "working career" in Kansas City as a secretary for Auto Transport Inc. My position was secretary to the shop foreman. There I learned lots of new words and colorful expressions—that I have spent a lifetime trying to forget. I am sure most of you know what I mean.
Festival Assistance Requests (Repeat announcement)
Now it is time to begin the process of accumulating information necessary to process assistance to widows, handicapped and persons with special needs. All requests must be submitted to the Church Pastor. To be considered, each request must be reviewed and signed by the Church Pastor. No request will be approved without a Pastor's approval. NOTE TO PASTORS: Your deadline for submitting the signed forms to Headquarters is August 2, 2002.
Flagstaff Feast Attendees:
We have two activities planned for the upcoming Flagstaff Feast that need as much advance signup as possible.
First of all, we're planning a church evening at Black Bart's Steakhouse, Saloon & Musical Revue (just across from the Little America resort where services will be held) on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 pm. The food is great, & the Western Musical Revue is of very good quality. Our dinner selections are Broiled Chicken, Salmon, New York Strip Steak & Prime Rib, & include all the trimmings & a light dessert. All-inclusive prices are $22/adult, & $10/age 12 & under. We've reserved 125 places, but if we can get enough sign-up in advance, we may be able to reserve the entire restaurant (200+).
If you'd like to participate, please contact Bill Aguirre, 7401 Pecos Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 for payment method.
We are planning a group trip to the Grand Canyon (tentatively set for Thursday during the Feast). The cost will be $55 per adult and $30 per child 10 and under.
This price includes lunch. The trip will take about 8 hours. We will have to have 150 to 200 people to get this price. If we have over 200 we can get an even better price. Please let Ken Richardson know of your firm interest at:
Ken Richardson, 19A E. Williard, Edgewood, NM 87015,
or [email protected] ASAP.
Once a final price is established, we'll need to have payments made in a timely way before the Feast.
Youth Activity
The summer camp begins next week (July 23rd). Staff members are gathering this weekend to prepare to receive the incoming teens from across the US and Canada.
Summer Camp is really a wonderful opportunity for the young people to meet others and share common experiences, learn or teach basic skills and establish friendships for life. I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I was born at Camp, Arkansas! Actually, I spent eighteen years of my life at Camp, as a worker for most of those years. Our director was a pretty strict disciplinarian, too, requiring that we rise each morning about 4:00 (4:30 at the latest) to exercise and prepare for a full day of activities. Ah, yes, life on the farm was constant fun….
Conclusion:
"I am not important!"
Some time ago a church member who had been of immense help to the brethren expressed to me that he was "not important." This gentleman provides ongoing service that helps many every week! I disagreed then and now—he is very important to the body of Christ! His "gift" does not place him in the "limelight," right along with the majority within the body of Christ.
The apostle Paul said, (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) "12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it."
Satan coveted the pre-eminent position in the universe. His covetousness led to war in heaven, and great destruction within the universe we inhabit. We must not covet the position of another. Our gift—whatever it is individually—is sufficient to prepare us for kingship or a teaching position when Jesus establishes His Kingdom on earth.
Each and every member of the body is important to Christ and to every other member of the body—let us never forget that.
We also must not forget Paul's beginning comments, (I Corinthians 12:1-11) "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
- Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
- And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
- And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
- But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
- For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
- To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
- To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
- But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
As we continue to move toward the end of this age, there will be temptations for each of us to forget our importance–to God and to each other. How can we endure?
Many of you are seniors. Some of you are near the end of your allotted sojourn in this life. You are very important to the Kingdom of God—though you may feel useless in this world because of your infirmities. But you can be heartened—you have reached the point of deliverance into the Kingdom of God!
Focus on the Kingdom of God and think on the wonderful Work God is doing to build a law-abiding Kingdom of peace and plenty for all. Where none will covet anything belonging to another—rather will be committed to giving to others.
Focus now on loving one another, recapturing Apostolic Christianity exemplified by many scriptures, such as:
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 15:12; 17 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you; 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
2 John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
So, how important are you? How important is an unborn king or queen to a kingdom? How important is a future son of God?
Yes, you are important. Let us not allow Satan to deceive us, causing us to lose the great promise God has given us! Let us not neglect our own gifts by coveting those of others.
Have a great Sabbath, travel safely—and remember your spiritual heritage!
Carl McNair