Southside Oracle Archive

Vol. 50, No 2                    SOUTHSIDE ORACLE                    March 9, 2007

Hearts and Minds Seminar

            Mark your calendar for the forthcoming Hearts and Minds seminar on Saturday, March 31, at which John Alan Turner will direct our attention to "raising our children with a Christian view of the world." The seminar is for parents and anyone else who relates in any way to children. This includes including relatives, teachers, etc. We encourage those from the community and from sister congregations to join us for this event. The schedule will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a lunch provided at the noon hour. Pick up a schedule at the church and share the information with your friends.

The Bulletin Board

            The Southside Youth Rally will begin at 7:15 p.m. Friday, March 16, and conclude Sunday with a potluck lunch, especially for the out-of-town visitors. Help is needed to provide overnight housing for youth from other congregations and for food for meals during the rally. There are sign-up sheets in the hall in the annex hall and if you can help, please put your name down. The speaker for the rally will be Rich Odell of Littleton, CO.

            DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME begins Sunday. Come an hour earlier.

            ELDER SEARCH. Forms are available in the side foyer for nominations of men to serve as additional elders. Members are urged to fill one out and return by March 25th to Daryl Miller or one of the elders who are Wayne Alexander, Bruce Williams, A1 Gray, and Monroe Hawley.

            The monthly Christian Workers' Meeting will be Tuesday, March 20th, at 9:00 a.m. The speakers will be Ken Henes and Ray Patton on "The Kingdom of God."

ATTENDANCE RECORD

(*) first service, 148: second service, 94

            Suzanne Roberts had surgery last week for a cochlear implant in her ear. She is doing well, but it will be a few weeks before its effectiveness can be determined.

            Daryl Miller will preach at both morning services this Sunday

            Praise and Palate will be Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Bring soup and salads for the palate part directed by Latanja Mudd and the Epplers.

            The search committee for a new preacher to replace Bobby Valentine who resigned in December is making good progress in determining those interested in the position. Currently nearly twenty have expressed interest in the work and several of them appear to meet the qualifications we feel we need.

Calendar of Events

March 11- Elders/deacons meeting, 4:30 p.m.

March 11- Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.

March 16, 17 - Southside Youth Rally, 7:15 p.m. Friday

March 20 - Christian Workers' Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

March 31- Hearts and Minds Seminar, 9:30 - 3:00 p.m

April 6 - 8 - York College High School Days

May 11 -Mother/Daughter Banquet, 6:30 p.m.

May 12, 13 - Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp youth rally.

Preserving the New Testament

(Fifth in a Series)

            The twenty-seven New Testament books were handwritten in Greek. Our English versions have been translated from that language. There are approximately 5000 Greek manuscripts containing all or parts of the New Testament. As with the Old Testament, none of the original writings has been preserved. Therefore, translators must depend on copies.

            Among the most important witnesses to the New Testament books are three important collections of papyrus manuscripts containing 128 leaves dating from the third century. The oldest manuscript fragment contains a few verses from the Gospel of John from the early second century, just a few years after that gospel was written.

            The most important of the ancient manuscripts are two almost complete copies of the New Testament on parchment (animal skins) dating from the fourth century. These are the Sinaitic and Vatican manuscripts. To these may he added the fifth century Alexandrian manuscript containing almost all of the New Testament. Several partial manuscripts supplement the evidence of these three. These early copies are called uncials because they were printed- in capital letters. Later copies are called cursives because the letters are linked together as with our common handwriting.

            To these Greek copies can be added many quotations from the early church fathers. These are less valuable because they are not always precise quotations. Also, at an early date the New Testament hooks were translated into other languages - Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, etc. Since translations are very ancient, they are important witnesses to the original texts of the apostolic writers. Next we will learn how the Bible came to be translated into English.

Monroe Hawley

To Top