|
Each week we publish the "Southside Oracle" to keep
our friends and family informed of things taking place at Southside as
well as give some spiritual thoughts. Below is the most recent
edition. Choose from the menu at the left to see previous week's
oracles. If you have
questions about the Oracle please contact Monroe Hawley.
|
Vol. 46, No.
4 SOUTHSIDE ORACLE March
28, 2003
The Bulletin Board
Southside Youth Rally – Our youth rally begins Friday
evening at 7:30 o’clock preceded by registration at 6:30. The rally will
continue all day Saturday. On Sunday the youth group will meet in the
auditorium and join the congregation at 11:00 a.m. for the second
worship. After worship there will be a potluck for the youth and
anyone else who wishes to come. Plan to come and bring a dish to share
with our visitors. Wiley Lowe of Holly Hill, FL is returning as the
featured speaker. He spoke for the youth rally in 2001. Adults are
welcome to attend the youth rally. A number of families will be providing
housing for visitors. Questions can be given to Daryl Miller who is
directing the rally.
Elders’ Forum – Every fifth Sunday evening the elders
have a forum to respond to written biblical questions. The forum will be
this Sunday evening at 6:00 o’clock.
The Wisconsin
Challenge will be assembled for mailing Monday at 7:00 p.m. If you
would like to help, come at that time.
The Sick – Ann Tevik is now home from the hospital and
doing well….Roy Webb, father of Sandy Ondrejka, is in St. Luke’s
Hospital….Lisa Gustafson will be returning to Cleveland on April 13th
for additional surgery.
ATTENDANCE RECORD
Two
years ago Last year Last week Goal
Bible classes
147 141 163 170
Morning worship 234
247 *251 250
Evening worship 75
58 73 80
Contribution $3524.39
$3307.11 $4993.41 $4200.00
Calendar of Events
March 28 –
30 – Southside Youth Rally
March 30 –
Elders’ forum, 6:00 p.m.
March 31 –
Assemble Wisconsin Challenge, 7:00 p.m.
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 13 –
Elders and deacons meeting, 4:30 p.m.
April 13 –
Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.
April 29 –
May 2 – National Assoc. of Christian Camps workshop, Fallhall Glen
May 9 –
Mother-Daughter Banquet, 6:30 p.m.
May 10 –
Ladies’ Day, Sheboygan Church, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
May 23 –
26 – Southside retreat at Fallhall Glen
A Study of Baptism (3)
The Subjects
It
is sometimes asked if the Bible teaches infant or adult baptism.
Actually, it teaches neither. What it does teach is believers’ baptism.
Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark
16:16). In Acts 18:8 we are told that “many of the Corinthians hearing
Paul believed and were baptized.” A believer can be an
adult or a child, but the child must be old enough to understand what he
is doing.
Why, then, do so many practice infant baptism? The historic
justification for infant baptism is found in the doctrine of original sin,
the teaching that at birth human beings inherit the guilt of the sins of
their parents and forebears. It follows, then, that a baby is born in a
lost condition and will not go to heaven unless he is baptized to have his
sins forgiven. The teachings of original sin and infant baptism were
first advocated about 200 years after Christ. Which idea came first is a
matter of debate, but the doctrine of original sin soon became the
justification for the practice of infant baptism. Today, some reject the
idea of original sin, but still baptize babies. This is a little like
removing the foundation of a house and expecting the building to continue
standing.
But
are babies born with the guilt of sin condemning them to be lost? Sin is
an act, not a condition. It cannot be inherited. How is it possible for
a child to do wrong when he is incapable of knowing the difference between
right and wrong? The baby does not need to be saved because he has not
yet been lost. Jesus uses little children as the exemplar for adults.
“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2). If children were
wretched sinners, Jesus would hardly have taught us to emulate their
innocence and purity.
__Monroe Hawley
