THE HEIGHTENER                                  

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you."  -James 4:10


Volume XXX

June 29, 2010

Number 26

                                                                    

Independence Day

Independence Day
 

Les came back from World War II without one arm and missing several fingers on the other hand. He has carried the price tag of freedom in his own body ever since. He is like so many who are among us who purchased and preserved our freedom at great cost. It is a cost they can never forget because they bear on their bodies and their psyches the horrors of war. But Les came back. Tens of thousands of others never came back from World War II, or Korea, or Viet Nam or from the deserts of ... The old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song speaks truth, even in protest of war:

Find the cost of freedom,
    buried in the ground.
Mother earth will swallow you,
    lay your body down.

As U.S. citizens celebrate this Independence Day, let's remember that cost that has been paid to purchase freedom -- not just for a nation, but for all people!

There was a war for all the human race in which freedom for all people was purchased. This freedom was purchased at great cost as well. The symbol of that cost is not a hillside of white crosses or the Tomb of the Unknown or a black wall of names. As precious as these symbols are to those who know them and the people they represent, they do not compare to the symbol of the Empty Tomb. This symbol transcends ethnic and national boundaries.

The Empty Tomb is the symbol of the cost of true freedom for all people -- the cost of Jesus leaving the security and power of heaven and becoming earthbound and mortal (Philippians 2:5-11). It is the symbol of the degradation of crucifixion before a jeering and mocking mob. It is the symbol of an agonizing death on a cross when he had the power to prevent it. It is also the symbol of three days in the ground -- Jesus literally lay his body down. But the words to this tune are different. "Find the cost of freedom, no longer in the ground."

You see, the Empty Tomb is the sign of ultimate freedom. It is the reminder that we no longer have to fear death. All of our mortal fears are conquered. As the apostle Paul says:

Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?

    (1 Corinthians 15:54-55 NLT)
.

For the Christian, Independence Day doesn't come once a year. No, for Jesus' followers, Independence day comes every Sunday! The early Christians met on the first day of the week, the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10), Sunday, to take of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7). This is their Independence Day. By the end of the first century, Sunday had become the Lord's Day. On this day they remembered the Lord's death and anticipated his return because freedom from death had been won. Independence Day is the day of the Empty Tomb! So as each Sunday approaches, let's remember the cost of our freedom and give thanks!

Since the children have flesh and blood, he (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death -- that is the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

(by Phil Ware)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Thank you, Cedar Grove, for a terrific VBS!

 

 

 

 

 

Paula Anderson * Lisa Boucher

Danielle Fincher * Shannon Greenwald

David Hamby * Jana Hamby

Peggy Hamby * Phil Hamby * Levi Henderson

Alan Henderson * Lanita Henderson

Nancy Kirkland * HaNa Lee * Josh May

Jim May *Susan May * Joe Minichowski

Sharon Minichowski * Jimmy Pulliam

Lynn Pulliam * Katy Robison * Mitch Robison

*Joyce Shelton * Jim Warren

Ashley Wernersbach * Myra White

 

“God is at work in you” (Philippians 2:13)

 

 

 

 

 

More than Survivors

2010 Wednesday Summer Series

Those who are more than survivors . . .

Walk by Faith not By Sight (Like Abraham)

June 9                   Alan Henderson

 Don’t Let Sin Get the Best of Us (Like David)

June 9                      Alfred Donald

 Risk Everything for God and His People

(Like Ruth)

June 16                     Scott Franks

 Serve God with Passion (Like Joshua)

June 23                      Patrick Gray

 Rebuild Spiritual Protection (Like Nehemiah)

June 30                                 Mike Sparks

 Always Does Good (Like Tabitha)

 July   7                    Ron Bradshaw

 

 Make Spiritual Choices (Like Moses)

    July 14                      Taylor Hammett

 Serve God with Passion (Like Joshua)

    July 24                      Dan Thompson

 

 Engage Spiritual Battles with Courage

(Like Elijah)

July 28                     Bob Staples

See Possibilities Not Just Problems (Like Caleb)

August 4                    Ben Slocumb

Hold on to Their Dreams (Like Jacob)

August 11              Barry Blackburn

Share God's Love with Those Around Us

(Like Paul)

August 18                   Chris King

Look at Life through God's Perspective

(Like Joseph)

August 25                 Ron Edwards

Watch Out for Compromises (Like Daniel)

September 1               Mitch Grubb

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNIOR DAY CAMP

Camp Inagehi's 4th Annual Junior Day Camp is July12-July 16 for boys and girls ages 5-9.  More information is on the bulletin board.     

 

 

    ATLANTA INNER CITY MINISTRY

The Atlanta Inner City Ministry is in constant need of our help.  Each Wednesday, the ministry gives out 40-45 bags of food to Atlanta's homeless.  Each person receives a bag containing the items listed below, or whatever is available at that time.  Of course, these people have no way to heat or cool their food.

Alfred Donald has asked us to concentrate our efforts on supplying this food for the homeless. Following is a list of suggested items that work well for this ministry.

Fruit cups, applesauce cups, rains, apples, cookies, granola or cereal bars, beanie-weenies, sardines, Vienna sausages, pouch drinks (such a Capri Sun), fold-top sandwich bags, pack of crackers (such as peanut butter or cheese). 

In addition any individually wrapped, non-perishable food is good.  All cans should be pop-top (when available). 

Your help is providing these foods is greatly appreciated.          

 

 

 

 

NEW BABY

Congratulations to Joyce Robbins on the birth of a grandson.  Maddox Jonah Thompson was born June 20.  He weighed 7 lb 9 oz. and was 201/2  inches long.

 

Quotations for Independence Day

"Double -- no, triple -- our troubles and we'd still be better off than any other people on earth."  (Ronald Reagan)

"Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character." (Margaret Chase Smith)

"Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty." (Louis D. Brandeis)

"Patriotism consists not in waving the flage, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong." (James Bryce)

"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in." (Theodore Roosevelt)

 

 

 

LISPSCOMB SUMMER CELEBRATION

"How Great Is Our God"

Learning to Worship from Psalms

June 30-July 2. 

 

 

             

OUR SICK

Lisa Boucher is now home recovering from knee surgery. 

Sharon Hodges' mother, Doris Loftin, is doing so well that she was able to attend church on Sunday.

Katy Robison's mother is home recovering from surgery.

Peggy Hamby's mother, Gloria Ferguson, is now residing at Country Garden. The address is available in the church office.

Continue to remember Susan Carson, Dick Northcutt, J. W. Raines, Richard Smith and Geneva White.

 

 

 

 

 

JULY BIRTHDAYS

 

    July  1

             Jamie Elliott

    July  4              Paula Baker
               Shannon Greenwald
    July  5              Nancy Kirkland
    July  7              Jacquelyn McDowell
    July  8               Phil Hamby
               Makenna Scott
    July 12              Chris Greenwald
    July 13              Levi Henderson
    July 14              Stefani Baker
    July 20              Betty Bearden
    July 28              Joyce Shelton
               Jim Warren
                 Geneva White

 

 

 

 

 

NO EVENING ASSEMBLY ON JULY 4

Due to the holiday, we will dismiss our evening assembly so everyone can participate in family activities

 

 

THOSE TO SERVE - July 4, 2010

Welcome

Ross Anderson

Song Leader

Craig Hodges

Opening Prayer

Alan Henderson

Lord's Table

* Greg Cannon

 

* Mitch Robison

 

Josh May

 

Bill Moore

Scripture Reading

Chris Greenwald

 

Galatians 5:14-16

Closing Prayer

Kenneth Fincher

Welcome -PM

 

Song Leader

 

Opening Prayer

 

Scripture Reading

 

 

 

Closing Prayer

 

Communion Preparation

Nancy Kirkland

Nursery Attendant

     Jacquelyn McDowell

Riley Minichowski

 

   

 

RECORD 6/27/2010

Bible School

67

Worship AM

75

Worship PM

46

Wednesday Bible Study

N/A

Contribution

N/A