EFFINGHAM UNION CHURCH

Jeff Cochran, Pastor

Church Office

513 Seabury St., PO Box 303

Effingham Ks. 66023

913-833-4481 Office 

Email:  effunionch@yahoo.com

Mary Kay Barnett, Sec.

Manse/Pastor

606 Sixth St., PO Box 29

Effingham, Ks.  66023

 913-833-2379  Manse

Email: effunionch@lvnworth.com

Schedule

Sunday School all ages 9AM

Worship Services 10AM

Women's Circles:

Mary-Martha Circle 

(1st Wed. of Feb, June,

Sept, & Nov @ 7:00 p.m.)

Nite Circle 

(2nd Wed. of mo. @ 7:30 p.m.)

Ruth Circle 

(2nd Tues. of mo. @ 1:30 p.m.)

Sara Circle 

(1st Thurs. of mo. @ 10:00 a.m.)

Call the Church for details.

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Saturday Evening Services have been discontinued during the summer months.

The other side of the mountain

by John Fischer

Life is difficult. Nothing worth anything is easy to come by.

I'll never forget my first backpacking experience. I was 21 years old and hiking with a group of experienced high school students. I had never heard of this sport. We climbed over 3,000 feet the first day to get over a pass at 11,000 feet. Of course I had no idea how elated I was going to be reaching the top of the mountain and descending down the other side to a pristine High Sierra lake in the wilderness untouched by anyone other than backpackers on foot. All I could think of for the excruciating last two hours of that first ascent was what on earth was I doing this for? Barely managing one foot in front of the other, focused only on the pack of the kid in front of me, we slowly made our way up above the timberline through gravel and shale that made you slip back every few steps 'til it felt like you were taking two steps back for every one step forward. I knew nothing of the reward; I knew only to keep going—keep pushing through the pain of adding 35 pounds to my weight, and testing the muscles in my back, legs and lungs that had not been used to this kind of demand. But how all that changed when we reached the top!

A lot of our spiritual journey is the same way. Obedience sometimes seems like nothing but hard work. We keep on moving forward—keep on believing—even when we have no clue how much farther we have to go or what's on the other side. But I have noticed one encouraging thing about this. My subsequent experiences of backpacking were easier to endure once I knew what was waiting for me on the other side of the mountain. A few rewards of faith under your belt will go a long way towards giving you the courage to believe again, even in testing times.

Once you have believed God and found his faith to be real and full of actual substance in the midst of demanding circumstances, it makes it easier to believe him again when a new trail challenges you. So whether you are on this trail for the first time or the umpteenth time, keep your eyes fixed on the goal and your feet moving one in front of the other, even if you slip back from time to time. It will all be worth it (and much of the pain forgotten) on the other side.

"Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord's plan finally ended in good." (James 5:11)

Forgiveness and the fear of God by John Fischer
 

The forgiveness of God teaches us to fear God.

Seems like an odd connection—forgiveness and fear—but after you hear King David (from the Old Testament) talk about both of these things in one of his psalm lyrics, you begin to see why they are related.

"Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you." (Psalm 130:3-4)

Why would the Lord's forgiveness teach me to fear Him? Because I know, at all times, that without it I am toast! My life is hanging on God's forgiveness and God's forgiveness alone, and because my sins are so great, my very life rests solely on God's decision to forgive me. Should He ever change His mind about this, I have nothing else to fall back on. I am left with the magnitude of my sin, a righteous and demanding God who can extract an ounce of selfishness from a ton of good deeds, and nowhere to hide.

When I realize the greatness of my sin, I have a healthy desperation for the forgiveness of God. I will not be prone to take advantage of that which is my only hope—a hope that rests on nothing but the sheer will of God to offer it.

Sometimes I think we get too comfy with the forgiveness of God. Someone made a comment recently about "feel-good Christians." I think I've got some of that feel-good Christianity in my own thinking. If the forgiveness of God is only to make me feel good, it's certainly not going to be much of a deterrent to sin. Either I am taking the forgiveness of God too lightly, or I have not come to grips with how awful a sinner I am.

"Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?"—that's the fear part. "But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you"—that's the forgiveness part, but it's a forgiveness that is always aware of who God is and what we really deserve.

My multitude of sins + God's mercy = a forgiveness that just doesn't add up. And so I walk with a sense of undeserved pardon, not wanting to add to what has already made this a severely lopsided equation. I want to please God now. I don't want to be one to take this forgiveness lightly.

Church Activities &

Facility Schedule

To Reserve use of any facility email: effunionch@yahoo.com or cap@thenewsleaf.com

Facility Use Rules      Facility Application

To volunteer for snow removal or lawn mowing email: effunionch@yahoo.com

Our church has a great need for Youth Leaders for our middle school and high school kids.  Seth Montgomery has been our Youth Leader while he was attending school but he will be  graduating and serving in his own church soon.  We are looking for someone who would like to be the Youth Leader as a volunteer.  If you are interested or have questions, please contact Diane Kiehl, David Todd, Seth or Pastor Jeff.

PRAYER CONCERNS

Kevin Kiehl, Phyllis Morland, Pam Liewer, Pam White, and Chuck Culver with cancer; Frances Tuley suffered a stroke and is in the Atchison Hospital, Mary Ann Schrick, Verna Smith, Bill Alberts, Scott Strine, Adeline Wood, Thelma & Mac Hoffman, Andrew Rowden, Xhander Suhajda had brain surgery Tuesday, Ethel Gaggero, Curtis Stirton.

--Courtney Caplinger and Cherise Smith and the 13 campers attending Camp Chippewa this week.

--The UMC congregations of Atchison, Lancaster & Camp Creek “during time of pastoral transition”.

--Heartland Presbytery Ministers:

Those serving our country, those retired from military service, the families of all who have a lost loved one serving their country.

--Prayers to find a volunteer(s) to fill the vacancy left by Seth.

--Our school board members and employees for peace and wisdom.

--Prayers for our country, Staff Sergeant John-Stephen Hargrove is on a training/combat mission in the Middle East for two to 16 months, the President and Congress.

--Prayers for those who have lost their jobs and are facing financial instability. 

--Prayers for our brothers and sisters of  St. Ann’s.

CELEBRATIONS

June 28 - Birthday: Lee Oswald

June 30 - Birthday: Mallory Eckert, Jeff Hoffman,

           Diane Kiehl

July 03 - Birthday: Katherine Lee, P.O. Box 282, Gabbs, NV 89409

--The July-August Upper Room Daily Devotional Guides and also July-August These Days Devotions are on the back table.  Please pick up a copy for your use.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sun. June 28 - We welcome all of you worshipping with us this morning.

--Nursery care: Mary Kay Barnett & Cherise Smith

--This week lawn care: David Bodenhausen 

--Gail and Sylvia Cross invite you to a celebration of their 50^th wedding celebration at the First Presbyterian Church, 2310 H St., Fairbury, NE. at 2:30 P.M. 

Mon. June 29 - Our church will be hosting the Blood Mobile in the Educational Building from 3-7 P.M.  If you wish to make an appointment, contact Elaine Oakleaf at 833-5917.  It has now been approved that 16-year-olds may donate blood with the approval of a parent’s signature.

Wed. July 01 - July news items to Alice Johnson.

Sun. July 05 - Scripture readings: Ezekiel 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13

--Nursery Care: Courtney Caplinger and Cindy Ladd

Thurs. July 9 - The Kansas Army National Guard Band will appear at 7:00 p.m. in the ACCHS Auditorium.  Refreshments will be served afterwards in the ACCHS Commons Area. Free will donations for the Effingham Pool Equipment Fund will be accepted. The Effingham Community Club is sponsoring the activity.

July 27-31 - Vacation Bible School

--We have two very large posters that need to be colored before VBS.  If you would be willing to spend a few hours coloring, perhaps you could get a group of your friends together and color in an air condition building and visit at the same time.  Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Hosted by The Newsleaf  Problems with this web site contact cap@thenewsleaf.com  Last updated 6-27-09