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|BROKEN|A friend recently asked me to read The Harbinger. The following is a synopsis of the book from its author Jonathan Cahn.
"Before God judges a nation, He sends warning," explains Cahn. "He sent warning to ancient Israel. He even allowed its enemies to breach its borders in a devastating strike that would traumatize the nation. It was a wake-up call, the call to return to God. But the nation responded with defiance. God then gave nine harbingers of judgment, nine prophetic signs, alarms and foreshadows of what was to come. Now America is the nation in rapid departure from God's will. And God likewise allowed an enemy to breach its borders in a devastating strike – the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It was, likewise, a wake-up call. But America, like Israel, has not responded with repentance, but with defiance. And now the nine harbingers of judgment have reappeared and have done so on American soil."
Whether we are conservative or liberal; we Americans sometimes witness actions of our government &/or society that we disagree with as a result of our faith. When this occurs, it is tempting for us to see this as one more sign of the "ungodly" leading us (America) down a path to destruction. It is easy for us to see the sins of others greater than our own sins. Jesus spoke of this when he warned of looking at the speck in our neighbor's eye and ignoring the log in our own (Matthew 7:3).
Reading this book, along with personal prayer and Bible study, has inspired me to be more conscious of my own brokenness before God. Perhaps the challenge for us as Americans, or better yet, as people of faith, is to examine our own hearts and actions. Are we (as individuals) living lives in God's way, or our own? We cannot control the actions and moral compass of other people from whom we disagree. But we can, with God’s help, live our lives in the best way that we can to reflect His glory. We all stand in need of God's grace and I pray that it will pour upon us, both as individuals and a nation.
In the Way,Jody
Summary of the Stated Session MeetingRipley Presbyterian Church Stated Session MeetingJune 14, 2015 -- 5:00 p.m.
Attendance: Members Present: Reverend Jody Hill; Leon Bailey; Bobby Elliott; Robert Goolsby; B. J. Horton; Norris Howell; Jennifer Huddleston; and Ann Wigington Absent: NoneReverend Jody Hill opened the meeting with prayer.Vice-Moderator Bobby Elliott made the motion to allow Reverend Jody Hill to moderate and conduct the Stated Session meeting of the Ripley Presbyterian Church. This motioned was approved by common consent.Jennifer Huddleston made the motion to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Leon Bailey and was unanimously approved.
Clerk’s Report & Other Communication:Norris Howell made the motion that the Session minutes for the April 19, 2015 stated meeting and the May 31, 2015 called meeting be approved. Robert Goolsby seconded the motion which was approved.
Old Business:Leon Bailey stated that he had three CD’s for B.J. Horton to place in the church’s safety deposit box.
New Business: Robert Goolsby gave a report on the Presbytery meeting held at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Olive Branch, highlighting the major topics of discussion and information presented in the meeting.By common consent, members of the Session approved collecting the 2 cents-a-meal offering each fifth Sunday. Church Administrator Lynn Hill is asked to place information in the bulletin regarding the collection for this offering.Bobby Elliott who serves on a special committee appointed by the Commission on Ministry gave a short report on meetings held with the Starkville and Greenwood churches. Reverend Jody Hill and members of the Session thanked Bobby Elliott for his service and offered prayers for the work of this committee. Jennifer Huddleston was asked to check on long-term storage of the church’s historical records. Reverend Jody Hill informed Session members that he has been asked to continue his relationship with Blue Mountain College. Session members set the dedication for our Prayer Labyrinth, Noah Hill’s Eagle Scout project, for June 28, 2015 after worship. Reverend Jody Hill gave thanks to the church for their support of this project and to Ann Wigington for her advice and expertise in the design and execution of the Prayer Labyrinth. Reverend Jody Hill informed Session members that Lynn Hill plans to use the organ during future worship services.Bobby Elliott informed Session members that the Davis family who currently reside in the manse will soon be moving. Their parents would like to rent the manse after the Davis family moves out.B. J. Horton informed the Session that VBS has been planned for Saturday, July 18, 2015. The day of fun will end with an ice cream social for the entire congregation.Reverend Jody Hill told the Session that he plans to teach a 4-8 week membership class this summer.
By common consent, members of the Session authorized Church Administrator Lynn Hill to check on and reconcile any utility billing issues.
Building and Grounds Committee:Leon Bailey gave an update on the Educational Building, telling members that appliances have been purchased. Reverend Hill asked that Leon Bailey and B.J. Horton to figure the financial costs for the completion of the Educational Building project.
Stained Glass Window Committee:Leon Bailey plans to update the Session on the status of the windows via email.
Congregational Care and Outreach:Church Administrator Lynn Hill was asked to update a call list for those church members who do not receive email.
Other Business:The next Session meeting will be Sunday, July 12, 2015.
There being no further business, Robert Goolsby made the motion to adjourn which was seconded by B. J. Horton and unanimously approved.
Norris Howell closed the meeting with prayer.
Jennifer Huddleston, Clerk of the Session
Financial Summary2015 RPC Financial Summary as of June 30, 2015The following is a summary of RPC income and expenses from January 1 till June 30, 2015.
$59,438 Total Offerings & Rental Income-$62,172 Total Expenses-$2,734 Total Cash Shortfall Year-To-Date June 30, 2015
As shown above, we have a current cash shortfall of -$2,734.00. This is no uncommon, as most congregations fall behind a bit during the summer months. One way we can overcome this shortfall by the year’s end will be to increase our weekly tithes by just 5%! Many of our congregants have responded enthusiastically to this need and have actually set a goal for a 10% addition to their weekly gift. Thanks to each of you who contribute to graciously to the life-giving ministry of our church.
Respectfully,Your RPC Budget Committee
WorshipWORSHIP HOURS
9:30 AM—Sunday School10:30 AM—Worship Service
Beginning Sept 2—Mid Week Service5:30 pm—Recreation, Youth Meal & Bible
StudyAdult Bible Study @ 6:30 pm
Lectionary Texts for August08-02-2015 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 51:9-12FIRST LESSON:2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13aSERMON LESSON: John 6:24-35SERMON TITLE: "First Things First"
08-09-2015 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 34:1-3FIRST LESSON: 1 Kings 19:4-8SERMON LESSON: Ephesians 4:25-5:2SERMON TITLE: "Sunset Strip"
08-16-2015 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 111:1-3FIRST LESSON:1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14SERMON LESSON: John 6:51-58SERMON TITLE: "Stale Bread"
08-23-2015 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 84:1,2,5FIRST LESSON:1 Kings 8:1, 22-30SERMON LESSON: Ephesians 6:10-20SERMON TITLE: "Armor for All"
08-30-2015 CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 45:6-7FIRST LESSON:James 1:17-27SERMON LESSON: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23SERMON TITLE: "Inside-Out
Missions
Volunteers for TCGSCTippah County Good Samaritan Center
is always looking for volunteers.Their hours are:
Mondays only 9:30 am – 11:30 am 1:00 pm -3:00 pm 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Phone: 662-512-0031
Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse)—We are still collecting items to be packed & distributed by November. We have set up the southwest corner room upstairs in the Gregg Center expressly for the purpose of storing these items until we have our “Packing Party”! OCC boxes have ordered for our use this year, so no need to purchase containers! Below, you will find a list of items that have been recommended by Corey & Katie Garrett, missionaries in Senegal.BEST GIFTS:
For any age boy here, what they really want is a soccer ball. So get the best quality mini soccer ball that you can fit into the box when it is inflated (or send a deflated ball with a pump) and you can basically forget about anything else! :)
Brand new nice short-sleeved shirts (with no writing on them) for boys and girls. Kids here have few clothes and often wear old, ripped, hand-me-downs, so nice new shirts are really appreciated and will probably fit. (I don't know any obese Senegalese kids.)
Small flashlight with batteries (Most families don't have electricity so a working flashlight is gold!)
Good quality melamine plate, bowl, and/or cup (Practical and also special.)
Soap AND a plastic soap dish that has a cover. When you bathe standing on a big rock in the dirt as kids do here, you really need the soap holder. And families never have enough soap. (Funny note: the kids didn't know what the soap was because it was in a box. I am sure they would have figured it out though, even without our help.)
Toothbrush in a toothbrush holder. Again, the plastic case for the toothbrush is really great when you don't have a sink/counter/tiled bathroom but rather brush your teeth outside squatting over dirt and need to keep it in your room.
Pencils, erasers, colored pencils, and sharpeners for all school-aged kids. And good quality pens for kids aged 10-14, in black, red, green, and blue. All of these are required for school and the ones from America last so much longer than the cheap ones available here.
GREAT GIFTS
Jumpropes Band-Aids Hard candy and gum Comb Hair elastics or head bands for girls Marbles Harmonica A simple watch for older kids A solar calculator for older kids Sunglasses for older kids Socks For the youngest girls, a baby doll with light brown skin and no hair (good for a child of
any color) Toy car, truck or airplane for the youngest boys (The ones with bigger wheels that are
made for toddlers and are larger than Matchbox size are good. Matchbox wheels are so small, they don't work well in dirt.)
NOT AS GOOD items we have seen kids receive:
Anything with instructions in English, even if it seems simple to you (We tried to explain to one girl who got a cool pair of markers that came with a clip so you could draw with them both at the same time and a set of paper 3-D glasses you then used to see what you drew in 3-D... but it didn't make sense. And how do you even say 3-D in Wolof??)
Any toy that is not universally recognizable (We have seen kids receive matching memory card games - a great idea but with no one to explain it to them, they are wasted.)
Yo-yo's (They don't know what it is here.) Gloves, winter hats (You don't know whether your box will end up in Siberia or Senegal.) Play-dough (Kids here have no idea what it is for.) Stuffed animals (Young kids here usually burst into tears when presented with stuffed
animals from their shoeboxes. The kids who are old enough not to be scared are not interested. Also, animals carry meanings here that are culturally specific. One of our Sunday School kids got a cute stuffed owl and a much older sibling told me that he
himself is terrified of owls. They connote evil and shapechangers. You can't know what the animal will signify in the culture your box reaches.)
Stickers or temporary tattoos (Kids don't have anywhere to stick the stickers, and often the pictures don't make sense or connect with their world. For example, cute puppy stickers don't make much sense in a Muslim country because dogs are considered unclean in Islam.)
T-shirts with words or pictures on them (Would you want to wear a shirt with something unknown written on it? And again, pictures have different meanings in different cultures. Stick with solid colors, stripes, or pretty designs.
Anything cheap or fragile (One box had a white skinned, red-haired porcelain doll in it...)Approach filling a shoebox like you would approach picking out a gift for a friend's child, not as an opportunity to unload stuff you don't want.
Cents-Ability (2 Cents A Meal)—
Remember August 30th is our 5th Sunday “2-Cents A Meal” offering!
RPC Youth News
VBS was a GREAT success! We had 16 in attendance, plus a great crowd for the Ice Cream Social (hosted by the
PW) afterwards. Many thanks go to Director B.J. Horton & Elizabeth Elliott for their hard work—the rooms looked awesome & our children & youth loved the activities and studies! And the water slide wasn’t bad, either!
Lol! MidWeek—Our 2015-2016 MidWeek will kick-off Sept. 2nd!
5:30 Recreation, 6:00 Youth Meal & Bible Study following. More details coming soon!
Christian Education, Etcetera….. Sunday School 9:30 am MidWeek Bible Study—begins Sept. 2nd @ 6:30 pm. More details coming
soon! PW Women Circle Bible Study will begin September 14 @ 10:00 am in the
Gregg Center. We hope all women of the church have received their 2015-2016 Handbook and will participate in fellowship and the Bible study! There is a slot for everyone, and what a wonderful way to get INVOLVED! If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. If you are new to the PW and just want to sit & talk about what is involved, come by the office and we’ll have a cup of coffee and discuss it! Let’s make this a year of 100% participation!
PW Council for 2015-2016Moderator—Lynn Hill—[email protected] (662-837-6678)
Vice Moderator—Anne Elliott—[email protected] (662-837-9057)Secretary—Pat Ledbetter (662-837-7169)
Treasurer—Diane Bailey—[email protected] (662-837-3024)Historian--Jennifer Huddleston—[email protected] (662-587-6807)
RPC Men’s Fellowship Breakfast & Devotion: Meets the first Sunday of every month @ 8:30 am in the Gregg Center.
(TBA) RPC Membership Classes—meets @ 9:30 am in the Pastor’s Study.
News from the Pews….
Congratulations to Lauren & Jody Steverson on the birth of their son, Joseph Bailey Steverson!
He was born on July 25, 2015, 7 lbs., 9 oz., and 20 ¾ inches tall.Thanks be to God!
We welcome 2 new members to Ripley Presbyterian!
Billye Braddock Mauney has come back to her native Tippah County after residing in Germantown, TN.
Steve Willey has recently moved from Murphreesboro, TN and has accepted the position of the RHS Girls Basketball Coach & Assistant Football Coach at Ripley High School.
The Dixie Theatre presents “Seussical, Jr.” a musical based on the works of the well-loved author, Dr. Seuss. Hannah Horton will be featured, and Grace Anne Elliott, Mikayla Rayburn & Tristan McKay are assisting with the production. Performance dates are: August
11, 13, 14, & 15 @ 7 pm, and August 16 @ 2pm. Call 662-837-ARTS (2787) to reserve tickets.
August Birthdays & Anniversaries2 Hannah Horton6 Grace-Anne Elliott6 Hollie & Daniel Brooks -199311 Hollis Wigington11 Abby & Warren Mills -198412 Anne & Stephen Montagnet-199513 Shirley & Elvin Huddleston-195515 Norris Howell
20 Julie Howell20 Hannah Mills20 Fred Permenter20 Wayne Steverson21 Ruth Cook21 Jody Steverson25 Rhonda Bailey25 Savannah Wilbanks28 Lauren & Jody Steverson -2004
Memorials & HonorariumsNone received for July 2015.
Save the DatesAugust 2 @ 8:30 am—RPC Men’s Breakfast & Devotional
August 6—Back to School! Please be in prayer for our students, teachers & administrators.
August 9—Homecoming at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
August 12—PW Workday @ Gregg Center 9 am -12 Noon
August 16--Communion
August 16—Session Meeting @ 5 pm
August 23—Installation of RPC/PW Officers of 2015-2016
August 30—“2-Cents-a-Meal” Offering
RPC SESSIONClass of 2015B.J. Horton- Christian Education Chair & Elder Nominating Committee Co-Chair|662-587-1315|[email protected] Huddleston-Clerk of Session, Worship Chairperson & Elder Nominating Committee Co-Chair |662-587-6807| [email protected] Class of 2016Leon Bailey- Buildings & Grounds Co-Chair|662-882-1190|[email protected] Elliott-Vice Moderator, Personnel & Budget Co-Chair, Endowment Fund Chairperson|662-512-8531|[email protected]
Class of 2017Ann Wigington-Congregational Care & Outreach Co-Chair|662-512-2277|[email protected] Goolsby- Personnel & Budget Co-Chair|662-316-2644|[email protected] Howell-Buildings & Grounds Co-Chair, Congregational Care & Outreach Co-Chair|662-837-1750|[email protected]
YOUR CHURCH STAFFRPC Office Phone---662-837-3765Office Hours: Mon-Wed/ 9 am to 4 pmThursdays 9 am to Noon
Jody Hill---Pastor---662. 512. 8226 (cell)[email protected] Hill---Church Admin.---662-837-6678 (cell)[email protected]. Horton---Director of Christian Education---662-587-1315 [email protected] Huddleston---Director of Music---662-587-6807 [email protected]
