June, 2013

Stephen Fowl, a professor of theology at Loyola College in Maryland, writes that as Christians have to "shift our notions of love away from the overly romantic and sentimentalized versions of love so common in our current culture.  Instead we should see love as a 'habit.'  Love needs to become an established disposition within us."  I think this is good guidance from Professor Fowl.  A prevalent assumption in our day is that love is a matter of the heart.  But, all the more, love is a matter of the will;  love is first and foremost about active commitment.  Only secondarily is it about passive feelings.

Colleen and I are grateful to LBC for making our arrival and welcome a warm and joyful experience.  When we pulled into the parsonage driveway for the first time with our U-Haul, we found ourselves stepping out into the unfamiliar.  But the unfamiliar began to be driven out when many from the church soon pulled in behind us and with smiles and greetings helped us unpack the whole truck.  Throughout our first month here the unfamiliar has continued to recede with our involvement in the church community and by meeting others in the Lamoine community.  We are thankful for the love of God we have found here, a love which is active, which is caring; a love that causes us now to pull into the parsonage driveway and say, "We're home"

Yours,
Brooks and Colleen Linde

56 New padded folding chairs are here .  If you would like to contribute, please mark your check or envelope.  Cost is $30 per chair.

There is a summer sign up sheet at the front of the church for "coffee hour" refreshments after church.  Volunteer alone or with a friend if you would like this chance to socialize.

Reminder -- Sunday morning worship starts at 10:30 AM with our new pastor Brooks Linde through June 9.  Summer worship time of 9:30 will take effect June 16.

LOST

By: Stephen Hills

I went years thinking my good works

were sending me to that place.

I didn’t know that it meant nothing

without having faith.

I thought I was wise enough

to know who was evil and who was going to hell.

I didn’t realize I was one of them

until that day I fell.

I believed God was our Creator

and I knew He was there.

I just didn’t do anything with it -

I didn’t really care.

I didn’t need God back then.

I was doing just fine all on my own.

But life can change in a split second

and everything can be gone.

He could have let me go that day,

but I wouldn’t have been with Him.

Instead He gave me a second chance

and for that I will be grateful until the end.

Back then the Bible meant nothing to me.

It was just a book that religious people read.

Now that my eyes have been opened,

I know it is the only way my soul can be fed.

I can do nothing on my own.

I am just an ordinary man.

But with the power of God

I can do anything He says I can.

Someday I will be in Heaven

and I will learn the rest of the story.

But until then I will remain here on earth

sharing God’s glory

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GOD IS THERE

By: Stephen Hills

God is there

morning, noon, and night.

God is there with us

When we do wrong or when we do right.

God was there during our birth

And throughout all of our life,

God made man

to be a husband and for woman to be his wife.

God is there when times are tough

and when things are going good.

God is there always

Like He promised He would.

God is there waiting patiently

for us to hear His voice.

God is there watching

over all of His girls and boys.

God is there when we are happy

And He is there when we are sad.

God is there for us to worship

whole heartedly -He is not a temporary fad.

God was there

when they crucified the Son of Man.

God was there

on the third day

when Jesus rose just as He planned.

God is there

when we are jealous, angry, or when we complain.

God is there

for us always and that will never change.

God is there

to forgive us if we have faith in His one and only Son,

God makes this wonderful gift available

to each and everyone.

God will not be with those who fail to believe

that Jesus died for our sins.

God will have tears in his eyes

for all the lost souls Satan wins.

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Free Will

By: Stephen Hills

Free will is a gift from God,

that we will never lose.

He desperately wants us to love Him

and He allows us to choose.

If we didn’t have the choice,

we would never know that He

is so good.

It wouldn’t be real any other way

and this

God understood.

Not everyone chooses Him

and that saddens God very much.

Some people deny Him

because God can’t be seen or touched.

God has the power

to make us do what He wants.

He can make us obey

Instead

He decided to earn our love -

to Him there was no other way.

He was willing to sacrifice many

when He gave us that power.

God so loves us,

He will save us even -

on our last hour.

Don’t take what God gave us for granted.

You may find yourself on the other side,

I’m going to follow Jesus

and when I die,

Heaven is where I will reside.

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Temptation

By: Stephen Hills

Satin makes it easy,

He tempts us day and night.

God will not let him have us,

without a Spiritual fight.

Many material things on earth

can easily be earned.

Those things mean nothing

and someday will be burned.

What is of value

we cannot see.

It is the Spirit of God

that lives inside you and me.

Don’t be a fool and give in to

the wants of your flesh.

Denying yourself from those things

is part of the test.

Your pride here on earth

can keep you from the Lord,

being humble and faithful is what He adores.

The answer is simple

and is available to all -

Follow Jesus

and don’t let yourself fall.

COMING SOON - POEMS FROM STEVE HILL ...

There are two items we would like to share with you in our final "epistle" as your Interim Ministry Team:  Invitation and Appreciation.

Invitation:  We invite you to attend some of the special Lenten season services:
Wed., March 13, 7 PM an East Area Assoc. mid-week lenten service at Lamoine Baptist Church.  Guest speaker Rev. Matt Burden, Pastor of 2nd Baptist Church in Calais.

During Lent, we have been looking at our Lord's autobiographical assertions contained in "I AM" statements.

We hope you will join us.

Palm Sunday, March 24, 10:30 AM worship "I am the King of the Jews"
Maundy Thursday, March 28, 7 PM service of Communion and Tenabrae

Easter Sunday, March 31
6 AM Sunrise Service at Lamoine Beach
7 AM Easter Breakfast at the Church
10:30 AM Morning worship
"I am the Resurrection and the Life"

Appreciation:  We are deeply grateful to the Lamoine Baptist Church family for the privilege of being part of this church's ministry for what will be eighteen months.
Thanks a million for all  your prayers, suupport, encouragement and faithfulness.
May God continue to bless this church family and ministry and your new pastor and his wife as they join you in May.

Cordiallly in Him,
Foster and Mary Jane Williams

Parson to Person
We are looking forward to spending our second Advent/Christmas season with you of the church family for several reasons:
the meaning and beauty of the season
the special events and activities
the manner in which you have made us feel such a part of the church family
the privilege we have of being part of your ministry.

We call your attention to two special services:
December 2 - Hanging of the Greens and introduction of the Christmas Tree
December 24 - Christmas Eve Service - a wonderful celebration of Christ's Birthday

We will be sharing a series of Advent sermons on The Promises of Christmas.  We will look at the promise of the prophet, an angel, the star and an angel choir.  We invite you to join with us at Advent Sunday Worship services.

Finally, we wish for you and your loved ones a blessed Advent/Christmas Season, because of the presence, in your heart and your home, of the One God sent that first Christmas, as His Love Gift to each of us.

Cordially in Him,
Foster and Mary Jane Williams, your Interim Ministry Team