Jesus answered Thomas: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The

BCC Bugle

Volume 47- No. 12 - July 21, 2020 Bugle Newsletter

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

BUCHANAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH Est. December 17, 1854

112 West Third Street Buchanan, MI 49107-1229 Electronic Service Requested

Tel.: 269-695-6621 Fax: 269-695-6351 Email: office@buchananchurch.com Web Site: http://www.buchanan.church

Office Hours: Mon & Tues: 8-12 & 1-5 Wed &Thurs: 8-12 & 1-4; Fri: CLOSED

Sunday Services Modified (NO Bible School)

Call the church office if you would like to attend

Choose from: 10 am, 2 pm & 6 pm

Deeper In the Word Nate Babcock, Senior Minister

What Would a Prophet See?

Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now in the direction of the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.” – Ezekiel 8:5-6 (RSV)

Ezekiel 8 is a remarkable passage. Ezekiel was a priest who was among those Judeans who were deported into exile by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon be-fore Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. The visions and word of the Lord began to come to Ezekiel as he was “among the exiles by the Chebar canal” (1:1) and thus many of Ezekiel’s prophecies were messages to his fellow exiles that yet more punishment was to come upon their homeland for the people’s long-term idolatry and disobedience.

In chapter 8 the Spirit of the Lord lifted Ezekiel up “between heaven and earth” and brought him in “visions of God to Jerusalem” (v. 1-4). Through this vision Ezekiel was “transported” to Jerusalem and enabled to “see” the sins which the people of Judah were committing. The Lord showed him an “image of jealousy” (an idol; v. 3, 5) which the Jews had set up north of the altar gate of the Temple. Then the Lord showed him a group of seventy of the elders of Israel hidden deep in an inner room of the Temple and engaged in dark, idolatrous rituals (v. 7-13). Then the Lord showed Ezekiel some of the women of Israel weeping for the false god Tammuz (Mesopotamian shepherd-king and god of vegetation; v. 14-15). Then the Lord showed him a group of twenty-five men who, with backs turned to the Temple of the Lord, were worshipping the sun (v. 16-17). The Lord told Ezekiel that for all these “abominations” (v. 6, 7, 13, 15, 17), “Therefore I will deal in wrath; my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them” (v. 18). God’s fierce judgment would come upon Judah for their rampant idolatry and violence.

Reading this chapter, I cannot help but wonder, “What if there were a prophet of God in a far-off land? What if God were to transport this prophet in a vision to the United States of America? What would that prophet see? What abominations is the church in America guilty of, which God would reveal to the prophet?” These are sobering, even frightening questions. They ought to cause us to seriously take stock of our history and conduct. Certainly, the American church’s long complicity in racism is an abomination. Certainly, our greed and materialism, our nationalism which makes an idol of our country, our sexual immorality, and our dependence upon technology rather that the Spirit of the Lord are abominations. What would a prophet see in us? May it be that asking the question in view of God’s Word will lead us to true reform and lasting repentance.

The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American

Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby

Reviewed by Nathan Babcock

The history which The Color of Compromise tells is eye-opening, convicting, maddening, and deeply motivating. This book is a survey of American history – from the colonial era to the present – which demonstrates how the white church in America has been guilty of the sin of racism for centuries. In the core of the book (chapters 2-10) Tisby covers a different era of American history in each chapter, demonstrating how the church in America has been directly involved in racist atti-tudes, actions, and the creation or maintenance of racially unjust systems; or how the church in American has been silent and/or resistant to appeals for needed repentance and change.

Some of the key takeaways for me from The Color of Compromise were:

The contradiction which lies at the heart of the American founding and American history. This contradiction is that while America’s founding documents laud universal human rights (think of Jefferson’s words in the Declaration: “… all men are created equal…”) those human rights were not universally applied. In fact, the “blessings of liberty” which the founders sought to secure for themselves and their “posterity” they also intentionally and systematically denied to black and Native American human beings. And to think that the Revolutionary War and founding of the Nation which cemented this contradiction into the very fabric of the country were preceded and followed by the Great Awakenings (Christian religious revivals)!

How the way of Jesus in America has been corrupted – generation after generation – by greed, hate, racism, and violence.

What it looks and feels like to view American history and American Christian history from the perspective of a people who have been consistently subjected to oppression throughout that history.

American history did not have to turn out the way it did. Racist attitudes and racially unjust systems are not inevitable. They are the results of the intentional decisions and actions of people.

Now, you may be reading this review and thinking to yourself, “I don’t want to read that book if all it’s going to talk about is how awful American Christianity is, and if all its going to do is make me feel guilty.” I would strongly caution you against such a reaction. In fact, I would say that all white Christians in America need to read this book. We need to have the courage and honesty to face and own this history. We need to have the empathy to see history from the point of view of those who have suffered racism, injustice, and oppression. We need to allow the Spirit opportunity to use a work such as The Color of Compromise to reveal to us any racist assumptions, attitudes, or habits we may be knowingly or unknowingly harboring. We need to repent of individualist ways of thinking which are only concerned with what “I have done or not done” and embrace the corporate mentality of the Scriptures in which we confess and repent of the sins of our fathers and our own sins (Psalm 106, Nehemiah 9, Daniel 9). We need to, as Tisby says in the conclusion to his book, shake off the shackles of compromised Christianity and embrace courageous Christianity.

Our Nation, *BCC Leaders & Teachers *Those hurting from loss of loved ones *Our shut-ins & home bound *Victims of tragedy in our nation & elsewhere *President Trump & family, *US Troops *Lord to send forth laborers for the Kingdom *Africa Fire Mission Team & Trip Oct.19-28

*Our Nation, *BCC Leaders & Teachers, *Those hurting from loss of loved ones *Our shut-ins & home bound, *Victims of tragedy in our nation & elsewhere *President Trump & family, *US Troops, *Lord to send forth laborers for the Kingdom

BCC PRAYER NEEDS

Prayer Focus: Our Country

Mission of the Month: New Churches of Christ Evangelism

* Our Nation with unrest, praying for solutions * All Families With Loved Ones Passing From Covid-19

—————————————————————————————— Cindy Blaine - in much pain, broken ankle recovery

Ezekiel Furst - preparation to attend Great Lakes Christian College

Peggy Jandrisovits - blood clots, surgery recovery, Aunt of Marcus Mitchell

John Kitchell - Lakeland St. Joseph

Mike Raven - (wife, Molly) chemo treatment, nephew of Vickie Kitchell

Lisa Summerfelt - Lakeland St. Joseph

Family of: Tom Kitchell, wife Nancye, brother of Mike Kitchell

Please Remember in Prayer

August Moments to Celebrate!

Marcus & Nicole Mitchell - 3 Mike & Sally Galaske - 4 Ryan & Tabitha Wheat - 5 Tom & Katrina Entwistle - 17 Dave & Vanita Vigansky - 17 Tony & Patty Anderson - 18 Jack & Sue Heller - 27 Roland & Judy Earnst - 30

Tristan Schmeling - 4

Jack Heller - 5

Dan Furst - 12

Estaleen Riggins - 14

Pat Judy - 16

Barbara Powers - 17

Kenny Weed - 18

Tracy Young - 20

Leilani Britton - 20

Linda Klinedinst - 24

Landon Mitchell - 24

Matthew Britton - 26

Tim Roberts - 28

Daniel Smith - 28

AUGUST 3 - 7: VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

PRE-REGISTER TODAY! Preschool through 5th Grade

Follow us at: FB.COM/BuchananCC or Buchanan.Church for Updates

Where: Buchanan Christian Church Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Questions? Call 269-695-6621

Armor Up With:

AUGUST 30: FAITH & FAMILY EVENT!

Though Covid-19 is here, school continues. Classes may be at home or elsewhere. We are collecting School supplies for Back Packs. If you can contribute, it will be appreciated!

Supplies needed for this event. Each individual who can, please bring the following to BCC before Sunday, August 30:

3 Pocket Folders 3 Spiral Notebooks (wide line or college line) 1 package of Colored Pencils 4 #2 Pencils 2 Pens

Thank you for your help! :-)

Activities / Events

Bible School

V. Metzger Bible School

C. Benson P. Anderson

Bible School

P. Brackett Bible School

R. Neal Birth-2 yrs: C. Blaine/G. Britton 3 yrs - Pre K: P. & J. Brackett K-2nd Gr.: B. Smith 3rd-5th Gr: S. Weldy & A. Weldy

Bible School

J. Blaylock Bible School

C. Benson P. Anderson

Bible School

P. Brackett Bible School

R. Neal Birth-2 yrs: J. Ferris / S. Galaske 3 yrs - Pre K: R. & T. Wheat K-2nd Gr.: B. Smith

3rd-5th Gr: S. Weldy & A. Weldy

Bible School

J. Blaylock Bible School

C. Benson P. Anderson

Bible School

P. Brackett Bible School

R. Neal Birth-2 yrs: R. & T. Wheat 3 yrs - Pre K: M. & N. Mitchell K-2nd Gr.: P. & J. Brackett

3rd-5thGr: S. Weldy & A. Weldy

Bible School

J. Blaylock Bible School

C. Benson P. Anderson

Bible School

P. Brackett Bible School

R. Neal Birth-2 yrs: B. Smith 3 yrs - Pre K: B. Smith K-2nd Gr.: Family Sunday 3rd-5th Gr: Family Sunday

Bible School

J. Blaylock Bible School

C. Benson P. Anderson

Bible School

P. Brackett Bible School

R. Neal Birth-2 yrs: D. Bybee & TBA 3 yrs - Pre K: B. & C. Schmeling K-2nd Gr.: B. Smith 3rd-5th Gr: L.Klinedinst, R.Heiser

BCC COMPREHENSIVE SERVING CALENDAR: AUGUST

BIBLE SCHOOL TEACHERS & CHILDREN’S CLASSES

Birth-2yrs / 3yrs-Pre K / K-2nd / 3rd-5th / Worship Hr.

Contact: B. Smith

K. Entwistle D. Weldy P. Weldy T. Entwistle

M. Kitchell C. Benson C. Kuehn

B. Babcock

Z. Anderson

J. Brackett N. Mitchell M. Mitchell P. Brackett

M. Kitchell C. Benson C. Kuehn

R. Earnst Z. Furst

K. Roberts J. Brackett P. Brackett D. Ferris

M. Kitchell C. Benson C. Kuehn T. Wheat

T. Entwistle K. Entwistle

G. Britton S. Weldy D. Ferris M. Mitchell

N. Mitchell C. Benson C. Kuehn T. Wheat

B. Babcock

Br. Babcock

Praise Team Accompanist Sound Tech Projection Tech

J. Brackett G. Britton P. Brackett D. Ferris

M. Kitchell C. Benson C. Kuehn T. Wheat

R. Earnst G. Brackett

MUSIC MINISTRY

8/02

8/09

8/16 Family Sunday

8/23

8/30

Contact:

J. Earnst

ALL CHILDREN ARE TO STAY WITH PARENTS DURING MODIFIED SUNDAY SERVICES

SERVING AT THE LORD’S

TABLE

Contact: P. Brackett

8/02

8/09

8/16 Family Sundy

8/23

8/30

8/02

8/09

8/16 Family Sundy

8/23

8/30

PRAYING FOR THE WORSHIP SERVICES

Contact: T. Anderson

Carol Boyer Becky Kelley

COMMUNION PREPARATION Contact: T. Young

August

BCC SECURITY LOCKUP Contact: N. Mark

N. Mark August

J. Burkhard J. Pugh

R. Young

C. Boyer M. Mitchell

J. Ferris

T. Irwin

B. Klinedinst

T. Irwin

SERVING HOME

COMMUNION

Contact: T. Irwin

8/02

8/09

8/16 Family Sundy

8/23

8/30 /07

P. Weldy M. Mitchell

M. Mitchell P. Weldy

P. Weldy M. Mitchell

M. Mitchell P. Weldy

P. Brackett T. Irwin

Meditation Prayer

Prayer Warrior / All Services

C. Benson

G. Britton

J. Ferris

D. Weldy

N. Dunning

Worship & Praise our King Jesus

King of Kings & Lord of Lords

10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm