Linden - n.b5z.netn.b5z.net/i/u/10170872/f/October_2019_Newsletter.pdf2 The Linden Times is...
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1 "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. - Exodus 22:21 {I was asked to speak at a local middle school on the subject of refugees. I have modified the message I shared with the students. October is World Communion Sunday. This is a reminder for us that the Lord, in our Savior Jesus Christ, is at work to redeem those of all nations, tribes, and languages} I was traveling as a guest with the family. We stopped for the night and were in our rooms preparing for bed after a long day on the road. I was sharing a room with Yennie. I didn't know much about Yennie. I knew that he was a "cousin". This didn't really tell me much. The family I was traveling with called lots of people "cousin". He was a sushi roller, and he lived in this family's basement. Yen- nie was changing shirts, and as he took off his shirt, I couldn't help but notice the enormous scaring all over his torso. Yennie spoke heavily accented English. It was not easy to understand what he was saying. He didn't talk much, but I was curious and asked what had happened. He told me a long sto- ry. He had been in the jungles of Burma, a student activist, protesting the government. He had found himself in a field with the Government forces closing in when he stepped on a land mine. He was shot and left in the field. The next day friends came and carried him across the border to Thailand. There, a camp was set up by Doctors without Borders, a humanitarian relief agency. Yennie's life was saved. There are many wounds around you that are covered just like Yennie's shirt concealed a story of survival and escape. According to the United Nations Commission on Refugees there are, according to the most recent sur- veys, 65 million refugees. This number is staggering, and it may not really relate to anything you know. So consider this. If you were to add the entire population of Virginia and then you were to add to this the entire populations of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston you would still have less than 1/3 the number of refugees worldwide. So what can you do about such an enormous problem? I am reminded of Mother Teresa's response to a similar question, “ How do you help the poor of the world?” She replied, "I help the person in front of me." We may certainly never be able to solve the problem of all the displaced peoples of the world, but we can help the persons and families that we meet. I am persuaded that we should do this out of faithfulness and obedience to Jesus ’ call on our lives. I also believe that we always benefit from obedience. Here's something I've found in getting to know refugees. As I learn their stories, it makes me want to help them. As I understand what hardships they have been through, it makes me want to be patient and kind even when it might be easier to ignore. But in getting to know refugee families, I have found benefits I never would have imagined. In life, struggles come. It may be health, a serious illness. It may be that you feel lonely and rejected and you find yourself sad. Learning the stories of refugee families like Yenni has modeled for me some qualities that can help us endure hardship. I have seen confidence and laughter in the face of great odds. I have seen mercy and sacrifice. I have seen courage. And these stories make me want to be like that in my own problems. I hope this will open you to welcoming such people into your lives. You may find yourself stronger, more courageous from the effort. October 2019 Pastor’s Corner Linden Times The
Transcript of Linden - n.b5z.netn.b5z.net/i/u/10170872/f/October_2019_Newsletter.pdf2 The Linden Times is...
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"You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. - Exodus 22:21 {I was asked to speak at a local middle school on the subject of refugees. I have modified the message I shared with the students. October is World Communion Sunday. This is a reminder for us that the Lord, in our Savior Jesus Christ, is at work to redeem those of all nations, tribes, and languages} I was traveling as a guest with the family. We stopped for the night and were in our rooms preparing for bed after a long day on the road. I was sharing a room with Yennie. I didn't know much about Yennie. I knew that he was a "cousin". This didn't really tell me much. The family I was traveling with called lots of people "cousin". He was a sushi roller, and he lived in this family's basement. Yen-nie was changing shirts, and as he took off his shirt, I couldn't help but notice the enormous scaring all over his torso. Yennie spoke heavily accented English. It was not easy to understand what he was saying. He didn't talk much, but I was curious and asked what had happened. He told me a long sto-ry. He had been in the jungles of Burma, a student activist, protesting the government. He had found himself in a field with the Government forces closing in when he stepped on a land mine. He was shot and left in the field. The next day friends came and carried him across the border to Thailand. There, a camp was set up by Doctors without Borders, a humanitarian relief agency. Yennie's life was saved. There are many wounds around you that are covered just like Yennie's shirt concealed a story of survival and escape. According to the United Nations Commission on Refugees there are, according to the most recent sur-veys, 65 million refugees. This number is staggering, and it may not really relate to anything you know. So consider this. If you were to add the entire population of Virginia and then you were to add to this the entire populations of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston you would still have less than 1/3 the number of refugees worldwide. So what can you do about such an enormous problem? I am reminded of Mother Teresa's response to a similar question, “ How do you help the poor of the world?” She replied, "I help the person in front of me." We may certainly never be able to solve the problem of all the displaced peoples of the world, but we can help the persons and families that we meet. I am persuaded that we should do this out of faithfulness and obedience to Jesus ’ call on our lives. I also believe that we always benefit from obedience. Here's something I've found in getting to know refugees. As I learn their stories, it makes me want to help them. As I understand what hardships they have been through, it makes me want to be patient and kind even when it might be easier to ignore. But in getting to know refugee families, I have found benefits I never would have imagined. In life, struggles come. It may be health, a serious illness. It may be that you feel lonely and rejected and you find yourself sad. Learning the stories of refugee families like Yenni has modeled for me some qualities that can help us endure hardship. I have seen confidence and laughter in the face of great odds. I have seen mercy and sacrifice. I have seen courage. And these stories make me want to be like that in my own problems. I hope this will open you to welcoming such people into your lives. You may find yourself stronger, more courageous from the effort.
October 2019
Pastor’s Corner
Linden Times The
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The Linden Times is published monthly by Linden Heights Baptist Church, 371 Linden Drive, Staunton, VA 24401, Phone:
540-886-1138, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.lindenheightsbaptistchurch.org,
, .
Upcoming Events
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Youth News
SUPER WEDNESDAY KICK-OFF Super Wednesdays have begun! Kids ages 4-18 are invited to come to church each Wednesday for food, lesson, music and fun. We start at 6:20 pm with supper. It ends at 7:45 pm. The van/bus will run to Knox Community.
Calling All Kids!
Children’s Christmas Program Prac-tice will begin Sunday, October 6, 6:00-6:45 p.m. Parents are welcome to drop off their children to Barret and attend Evening Bible Study at 6:00 in the sanctuary.
Trunk OR Treat will be Wednesday, October 30, 6:30-7:30pm. All kids are invited to attend! Please NO scary costumes (scream mask, Jason mask, blood....) We will NEED lots of trunks! We plan to serve food as well and will need volunteers to make and help hand it out. Please contact Barrett to participate or sign up on the bulletin board in the Sunday school hallway on the first floor. Trunk suggestions: sports, fall, Christmas, No-ah's ark, burning bush, Jonah, Disney, cartoon character, Barbie, movie theme.....look on line for endless, easy possibilities.
A look at beauty
Remember kaleidoscopes — those tubes you hold up to your eye and point toward the light to see col-orful shapes? When the far end of the optical instrument is turned, fragments of material inside an “object cell” shift and mirrors set at angles reflect light through the pieces, forming ever-changing patterns. A multi-hued flower might become sunlight through a round stained-glass window or fire-works on a clear night. Various materials can be placed in the cell — tiny figures, twisted bits of metal, lace, viscous liquid — but often broken bits of glass are used, to beautiful effect! In fact, David Brewster, inventor of the ka-leidoscope in 1817, named it after the Greek word kalos, for “beauty.” Everyone feels broken, twisted or shattered at times. But when God’s perfect light shines in and through us, reflecting among the fragments of our imperfect lives, we, too, become beautiful. Out of our sinfulness and brokenness shines the beauty of compassion, kindness, perseverance, hope, love —
delightful patterns to brighten this hurting world.
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Shoeboxes for OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD will be available on mission table in Sunday School wing or you can use your own shoebox or plastic box with lid. Information and labels are provided also. Thank you for loving the children.
Linden Happenings
Golden Agers will be going to White Way Lunch Wednesday, October 16 - We will have our Ornament Swap Covered Dish in November (date to be de-cided)
Unimaginable impact
You don’t know how many people have been strengthened because you asked God to encourage them; how many people have been healed because you prayed for their bodies; how many spiritual runaways have come home because you prayed for their souls. None of us may ever know the true effects of our prayers this side of death. But we do know this: History belongs to the intercessors. —John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Pastor Appreciation Month (originally called Clergy Appreciation Month) was established in 1992 by a group of pastors and church leaders to honor those who serve in ministry. They grounded the celebration in Paul’s words to Timothy: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17). Ministry can be very difficult at times. Encouragement and prayer is something every one of us can give. Please take the time to tell and show Pastor Luke how much his ministry means to you. Sunday, October 13th, during the 11 o'clock service we will take a moment to express our appreciation and gratitude for Pastor Luke.
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7:00 Bible Study
7:45 Choir Practice
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Breakfast
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8:30 Cathi’s Cafe
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10:00 Sunday School
11:00 Traditional Service
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Buildings
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6:00 Council M
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6:20 Super W
ednesday
6:45 Praise an
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7:00 Business Meeting
7:45 Choir Practice
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6:45 Praise an
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7:00 Bible Study
7:45 Choir Practice
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7:45 Choir Practice
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8:30 Cathi’s Cafe
9:00 Homecoming Service
10:00 Sunday School
11:00 H
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6:00 Even
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7 p.m. A
BA
Annual Fall
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7:00 p.m.
Finan
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-7:30 Trunk or Treat
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PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE Linden Heights Baptist Church
371 Linden Drive Staunton, VA 24401 Phone: 540-886-1138 www.lindenheightsbaptistchurch.org E-mail: [email protected]
There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” –
— Mother Teresa
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