Thank You

Dear church, In the darkest moment of our life, we were surrounded by God’s people in ways we never expected. The beauty of your love and generosity brought us to our knees where we praise God for all of you. The power of God in his people is an awesome force that sheds light in the darkest places. Thank you for shining on us and ensuring we can stand through this trial!

Love, The Parsons -Ryan, Amanda, Jacob, Gaige, Jones, Micah, Gabe and Brent

Youth Bowling

Thank you to everyone who helped in any way with the youth bowling Sunday. There were 21, 4th-6th graders that attended and everyone had a great time.

Churches of Christ Orphan Sunday

Sunday, November 14, 2021 we had a special contribution for the Orphan’s Lifeline International Orphan Sunday. The congregation donated a total of $1,347.00. We thank you for your support.

The Old Man and the Gulls

It is gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night until his death in 1973 he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old man, and he would feed them from his bucket. Many years before, in October, 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. But there was an unexpected detour which would hurl Captain Eddie into the most harrowing adventure of his life.

Somewhere over the South Pacific the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean.  For nearly a month Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. The largest raft was nine by five. The biggest shark...ten feet long.

But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And a miracle occurred. In Captain Eddie's own words, "Cherry”—that was the B- 17 pilot, Captain William Cherry—"read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off.  Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don't know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew too. No one said a word, but peering out from under my hat brim without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. You know that Captain Eddie made it.  And now you also know...that he never forgot. Because every Friday evening, about sunset...on a lonely stretch along the eastern Florida seacoast...you could see an old man walking...white-haired, bushy-eyebrowed, slightly bent. His bucket filled with shrimp was to feed the gulls...to remember that one which, on a day long past, gave itself without a struggle...like manna in the wilderness.

—Paul Aurandt, "The Old Man and the Gulls", Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, p. 79-80.

    -Scott McFarland

Answered Prayers

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Vicki Jones, (Bev & Gary Jones daughter-in- law) and Rosemary Jones.  They both have received good reports.

Thanksgiving Fellowship

The church Thanksgiving fellowship dinner will be Sunday, November 21st after services. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer for anyone interested in helping cook a turkey, serve, or bring a dessert. If you have any questions, contact Karen Robbins.

Change of Address

Please update your directory addresses for Chase & Haylee Carothers, their address is: 422 Moose Ridge Road, Woodsfield, Ohio 43793 and for Bryant and Lakin Arnold, their address is: 735 Frontage Drive, Moundsville, WV 26041.

Perseverance

The other week I heard a preacher friend make this statement (he had heard it from someone else): “You weather the weather whatever the weather, whether you like it or not.”  Say that 10 times fast!  I paused a minute to take it all in.  Life can be discouraging, can’t it?  If you are blessed to live long enough, there is no doubt that you will encounter difficulty, hard times, and discouragement.  In those moments, we have a choice—do we quit or keep going?

I was visiting with an older member this week.  They are a member of the Greatest Generation, and we were talking about all of their life experiences—lots of difficulty.  As I was thinking about all they had been through—the Great Depression, WW2, social upheaval, incredible personal loss—I was reminded of how important it is to persevere.  When life throws its curveballs, we can give up or keep going.  If we give up, we forfeit the opportunity to learn, grow, be challenged and transformed into Christ’s image.

Can you imagine if Jesus gave up?  Well before the cross, He encountered difficulty.  Loss of family, rejection from family, persecution from the religious elite, homelessness, poverty…the list goes on.  It would have been easy for Him to throw in the towel.  I’m glad He didn’t.  I’m glad He gave us the example of perseverance, and because of His perseverance, we have eternal life.

At the end of the II Timothy, Paul knows he is about to die.  He writes to Timothy and says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (4:7-8)

Don’t give up.  Keep going.  Weather the weather.  There’s a crown waiting for you.

      -Scott McFarland

Operation Christmas Child

Angela Beardmore will be packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child on Saturday, October 23rd in the Fellowship Building. All supplies for the boxes will be provided. If you would be interested in helping her to pack the boxes, please contact Angela.

Change of Address

Paige Gauding has moved to her new home in Marietta, Ohio. Please update your church directory with her new address: 115 Becker Lane, Marietta, OH 45750. We congratulate Paige and pray many blessings for her in her new home.