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Vol. 46, No.
1 SOUTHSIDE ORACLE
March 7, 2003
The Bulletin Board
Baptized – Zach Brockdorf was baptized by his grandfather, Tom
Brockdorf, at the first worship service Sunday. Hannah Shilts was
baptized by her father, Tim Shilts, at the second service. We pray
that God’s blessings will rest on these young people who have chosen
to become Christians.
Men’s Breakfast – About seventy-five attended the men’s
breakfast last Saturday. Don Truitt of the North Park Church in
Rockford, IL gave a splendid presentation on the relationship between
fathers and their children. Our thanks to all who worked so hard to
make the breakfast a success, and especially Karen Williams and her
family and assistants who did the cooking.
The Sick – Ann Tevik fell last week and was taken to Elmbrook
Hospital. She is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the hospital.
ATTENDANCE RECORD
Two
years ago Last year Last week Goal
Bible classes
140 131 141 170
Morning worship 242
179 *216 250
Evening worship
44 46 58 80
Contribution
$4021.27 $3582.24 $3486.00 $4200.00
Calendar of Events
March
7 – Tween program at the Hawley home, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
March
9 – Elders – deacons meeting, 4:30 p.m.
March
9 – Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.
March
18 – Christian Workers’ Meeting, 9:00 a.m.
March
23 – Concert, Southwestern Christian College chorus, Central Church,
2:30
March
28 – 30 – Southside Youth Rally
April
4 – 6 – York College high school days
April
11, 12 – Southside Men’s Retreat, Camp Matawa
April
12 – Work day at Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
April
12, 13 – W.C.Y.C. youth rally at Fallhall Glen
April
29 – May 2 – National Assoc. of Christian Camps workshop, Fallhall
Glen
May 9
– Mother-Daughter Banquet, 6:00 p.m.
Counting “Spuds”
(The following article was written when our children were young and is
dated. We hope you find it of value. M.H.)
Our two youngest children are playing a new game. They are counting
Volkswagens. Right now Glynda has 272 and Glenn is approaching 200.
Each time they ride in the car their numbers go up. It has gotten to
the point that they want to take a trip just to count “spuds,”
especially if the other isn’t going along.
Counting cars isn’t new with us. I presume the car selected was
chosen because of its easy identification. But one thing has struck
me as the children play this continuing game. Never once have I heard
them say, “Cheater, cheater!.” Each has accepted without question the
count of the other. A game like this played without mutual monitoring
would be impossible except for the absolute trust each has in the
other. I don’t think it has even occurred to either to cheat on the
other.
Our world today suffers from lack of such merited trust. Consider
marriage. I have often counseled those whose homes are in serious
trouble. Almost always a lack of mutual trust is evident. Sometimes
it involves infidelity, either real or imaginary. Even when it does
not, it is not unusual to hear both partners hurl charges and
counter-charges against the other saying in effect, “I don’t trust
you!”
The same is true in all human relationships. Nations war and live in
constant tension because they cannot trust one another. We suspect
our neighbors, the clerk at the grocery store, our employer. In fact,
one wonders whom to trust these days. So we hire more policemen, buy
more insurance, and are sure to read the fine print.
Trust must be earned. Our children trust one another because each has
learned from experience that the other is honest. Let that pattern be
broken and their game goes down the drain. I patronize an auto repair
shop or a supply house because they have always dealt with me in
integrity. Let them intentionally wrong me and they will lose a
customer.
But we must also learn to extend trust. We cannot go through life
suspicious of everyone and everything. One dishonest car dealer does
not make all in the business crooks. In personal relationships
extending trust also means granting forgiveness. Especially is this
true in the home. A broken marriage can never be restored unless past
wrongs are forgiven and a second chance given. True, we cannot always
correctly appraise another’s motives, but let us not become so
calloused that we lose our capacity to restore a lost faith in another
who is working to merit trust.
__Monroe Hawley |
