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Vol. 46, No. 13
SOUTHSIDE ORACLE
June 6, 2003
The Bulletin Board
Church Picnic –
The congregational picnic Sunday at the Root River Parkway was unusually
well attended. One hundred twenty plus were counted and we were
blessed with good weather.
The Sick – Betty
Maleshafske returned to St. Lukes Hospital last week, but was released
Sunday with a good report on her heart….Duella Thompson underwent eye
surgery Wednesday.
Address Changes –
Suzanne Roberts... Scott and Christine Saunders (Please contact the
church office for these changes as they will not be published on this web
version of "The Oracle".)
ATTENDANCE RECORD
Two years ago
Last year Last week Goal
Bible classes
162
153 164
170
Morning worship
231
251
*251 250
Evening worship
58
52 75 80
Contribution
$4601.47 $8932.15
$4984.11 $4200.00
Praise and Palate
will be Sunday at 6:00 o’clock.
The junior session of
the Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp begins June 15th. Any
children wishing to go should get their reservations in. If there is a
financial problem, Southside has a scholarship fund to help. See Tim
Shilts or one of the elders.
Calendar of Events
June 6 – Tween summer party at Alexander home, 6:30 –
8:30 p.m.
June 8 – Elders and deacons meeting, 4:30 p.m.
June 8 – Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.
June 14 – Tween bike ride
June 14 – Ladies’ Day event, Wagner home, 1:00 – 3:00
p.m.
June 15-28 – Junior camp, Wisconsin Christian Youth
Camp, Fallhall Glen
June 15 – 21- Soul Quest, York College
June 24 – 29 – Youth service trip to Menominee,
Michigan
June 29 – Elders’ forum, 6:00 p.m.
June 29 – July 12 – Middle camp, Wisconsin Christian
Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen
Going Only Half Way
In the Bavarian Alps,
near Oberammergau, is a mountain that is suitable for climbing by amateurs.
Half way up the mountain is a “Half Way House.” The man who runs
it said, “My Half Way House is not a happy place, and my job is not a happy
job.”
He explained it like
this: “A great crowd of people will enthusiastically start to climb the
mountain. Most of their enthusiasm has vanished by the time they reach
my Half Way House. There is a broad expanse of windows on one side
that look out across the world below, and the climbers all rush to it with
expressions of delight and rave about the beauty of the view. But when
they look the other way, p toward the top of the mountain, all of their zeal
and zest vanish. They look at the big fireplace with its roaring fire
and comfortable chairs and at the refreshment counter with hot coffee and
sandwiches and decide that they have climbed far enough. About half of
them never go any farther. They tell the guide that they are tired,
that their feet are wet, and that the snow is too deep.
“They are a restless
group, but they try to be gay. Once in a while, as if drawn by a
magnet, they will go to the big window and watch the crowd climbing to the
top. By and by everything will grow very quiet, and then one of them
will exclaim, ‘They are at the top!’ Then gloom settles over the whole
group. When the climbers return, radiant and laughing, and
rosy-cheeked, those who stayed at the Half Way House are miserable.
Jesus knew about those
who would go “half way” with him. They come to church some, give a
little, pray occasionally, read their Bibles at times, but just never let
Jesus be the Lord of their lives. Therefore, Jesus called for our
complete, wholehearted, allegiance to him. He said, “Anyone who loves
his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who loves
his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does
not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37, 38).
Don’t be a half-wayer.
The real joys come when your whole life is given to Jesus. He’ll
bless you, fill you with joy, and give your life real meaning.
__Dick Marcear
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