Southside Oracle Archive

Vol. 50, No 12                    SOUTHSIDE ORACLE                    May 25, 2007

The Bulletin Board

            Southside Retreat - A number of our families are at Fallhall Glen this weekend for the annual Southside Memorial Day Retreat.

            Our Church Picnic will be Sunday, June 3, after the second worship at the area #2, Root River Parkway location that we have had for several years.

            Camp Notes - The junior session of the Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp at Fallhall Glen is getting close. It is from June 17 - 30. Campers should get their reservations in as soon as possible. Reservation forms are available in the church foyer.

            Address Change - Tony and Maria Anguiano. Contact us for details.

            Wedding Bells! Lorna Dolhun and Jerry Seidner invite us to their wedding June 2nd at 2:00 p.m. at the church building. A reception at the building will follow. Bobby Valentine will perform the ceremony.

            The sick - Ann Tevik is currently undergoing rehabilitation for her recent knee surgery.... Patricia Young had surgery last week, but was able to be with us Sunday.

ATTENDANCE RECORD

(*) first service, 148; second service 78

ADDRESSES AND TIMES OF MEETING OF MIDWEEK STUDY GROUPS

Frost home, 213 S. Jefferson St., Waterford, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

Gray home, 27564 Pheasant Lane, Pewaukee, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Hawley home, 5626 S. Lorene Ave., Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Turman home, 9353 W. Grandview Ct., Franklin, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

Williams home, 10230 W. Grange Ave., Hales Corners, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Church building, 1933 W. Grange Ave., Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Calendar of Events

May 25 - 28 - Memorial Day Southside Retreat, Fallhall Glen

June 3 - Church picnic, Root River Parkway, after 2nd worship

June 10 - Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.

June 17 - 30 - Junior Camp, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

June 26 - July 1- Youth/adult service trip, Fallhall Glen

July 1- 14 - Middle Camp, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

July 15 - 28 - Intermediate Camp, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

July 29 - August 11- Senior Camp, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

God Knows Best

            For weeks we have been listening to the warbling vireos sing from their nest in the oak tree next door. How long would it be before the little ones left the safety of their home to try their wings in the outside world? The faint chirp in the spreading yew in front of our house answered the question. A close examination revealed the little gray bundle of feathers wedged in the thick foliage of the shrub. But where was the mother bird? Couldn't she hear the cry of her baby? We wondered if we should give the little one some outside assistance. Would the mother desert the baby if we lifted him out? Someone suggested she wouldn't if we wore gloves. After consultation we decided we ought to give mama bird a chance to get him out in her own way. After all, she knows more about baby vireos than we do:

            In a few minutes there she was. Back and forth she flew calling her infant while holding a bug in her beak. But we thought she should go down into the bush and give junior a push. Evidently she didn't know how to go about the job. She would swoop - down and then up again, dangling the morsel in front of her. Suddenly, the baby bird emerged from the shrub, running on the ground to the next one. He was out and safe! -

            You know, we reacted toward that little bird like most of us do toward the directions of God. We didn't quite trust the mother. We thought she should have used a little different method to extricate the infant and we were about ready to intervene. Likewise, God's instructions to us sometimes seem a bit far out. We don't quite see how they will work out or we can't understand his reasoning. So like King Saul in the Old Testament story when he spared Agag of the Amalekites, we take things into our own hands because God isn't smart enough. And like Saul we get into trouble when we do. God knows best and will do things in his own way. We must trust him and not try to change his directions.

Monroe E. Hawley, reprinted from Southside Oracle, July 8, 1977

The Day I Learned to Give

            The year was about 1938; I must have been five or six years old. I had accumulated 35 or 40 cents from various sources. My Dad told me, "Tomorrow is the Lord's Day. You'll have to take a portion of your money and give it to the Lord. Remember, you'll never be sorry for anything you give to God." "What," thought I, already a confirmed materialist, "take some of my precious treasure and throw it away into that obscure concept called the church treasury?" Recklessly I considered giving a nickel at first, but when the plate passed I gave a penny. My Dad had said, "Don't worry about what you give - give whatever you think is right, and then I'll return it to you." But his promise to me seemed less real than the cold coins I had in my pocket.

            After church my Dad asked, "Well, how much did you give?" With burning face I told him I gave a penny. Few times in my life have I ever been so ashamed as I was under his stare that day. He said softly, "You ought be ashamed," and reached in his pocket and gave me a nickel (a return of 500%). At which point none of the money had meant anything to me anymore. I would rather have had the approval of my father that day than all the wealth in the world.

            So, when the collection tray comes around I always try to give so that I would not be ashamed to face my earthly or heavenly Father.

Bert Mercer

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