VisionQuest

Thank you to everyone who participated in VisionQuest on Sunday, March 29th. Turn out was awesome, the food was great and lots of information was gathered.

Stay tuned for updates and results.

See you at VQ2.

Thanksgiving Nocturne

by
Rev Ralph Fotia

November days gather the leaves of September carpeting earth's floor.

Gray skies retouch the colors of autumn.

The reds, yellows and orange turn to pale brown

Clumped around denuded trees stripped for winter.

Autumnal forests prepare for the winter's cutting winds.

Bitter cold awaits the gentle cover of falling snow,

Tucking the seeds and tiny creatures

Awaiting the spring rebirth.

In the dying days of autumn, busy hands prepare the fruits of harvest time.

The cornucopia of God's bounty gives forth a fragrance and aroma

Reaching up as a thanksoffering to God.

Come to that ladened table not just to be fed,

But receive the blessing and the grace,

And feast in thanksgiving and joy.

Come and see the works of the Lord

In the miracle of November's fading days.

Thanksgiving

by Rev Ralph Fotia

'Twas the night before Thanksgiving
When all through the town,
Very few turkeys were running around.

The pumpkins had already been made into pies
While cranberry and chestnuts entice hungry eyes.

When all of a sudden, there occurred such a clatter--
Mother had placed the stuffed bird on a platter.

And what to our hungry eyes did we see?
Mashed potatoes and gravy, and piles of green peas.

To the top of the stairs to the foot of the bed,
We said our night prayers for what was ahead.

Now I lay me down to sleep.
I hope all that good food will keep.

And then on Thanksgiving Day we will raise
Our forks and our voices in words of praise,
And we will remember Thanksgiving of days gone by
With a family of loved ones
And Mom's pumpkin pie.

But before all that feasting and all of that fun,
We give thanks to the Almighty for what He has done.

October Daze

by Rev. Ralph Fotia

October is the month when spring, summer, autumn and winter seem to converge. The temperature plays with days of warm, to cool, to cold and in-between. The world of sports witnesses to the boys of summer looking for Mr. October. The gridiron groans with all that beef and who has momentum. The hoops are already swishing for the long seasonal battle of the courts.

If everything seems to be merging, change is on the way. The autumnal days are upon us and the landscape is giving off its symphony of color. Falling leaves scatter the ground cover for bulbs and creatures digging in for the long cold winter.

The nation is poised looking for change. Alaska goes dark in the winter. Russia is invisible. The stock market has gone south. The surge is now history.

The long-awaited fruits of the Emancipation Proclamation are now hanging low for the picking like a fall harvest. While Wall Street and the banking industry hunt for cash, a whole people are coming forward to collect on their checks.

Three cheers for the USA -- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

All this in the Halloween days of October. Will it be trick or treat for the American people?

Rev-Elations November 2007

So much in life is a matter of perspective. The old Law of Echoes says that what we send out in terms of expectations is exactly what we will get in return. So if I expect a meeting to be long and tedious, that is what it turns out to be. If I expect someone to be a drag-out, put-me-to–sleep bore that is what he/she turns out to be. Why? Because my expectations shape reality. On the up side, if I come to a meeting with the expectation of engaging, Spirit-driven decisions, guess what is more likely to happen?

Studies confirm the Law of Echoes. Two teachers in a school were given classes on the same grade level and history of performance. One teacher was told beforehand that she had a class of exceptionally bright and committed students. The other was told he had a class of lazy, under achievers. In fact, both classes were equal in potential. But guess what happened? The teacher whose perspective was shaped positively ended up with a class performing far beyond the other, where expectations were shaped negatively.

To a large extent, servanthood is a matter of perspective, too. What we bring to serving others, we will more likely see happen. It comes down to something as simple as these questions:

· The person I am serving – do I see them as Jesus Christ in disguise, as Jesus asking to be helped (Matthew 25:34-36), or as a bother?

· Do I see selflessly serving another as an opportunity to bring God pleasure or just another commitment I have made?

· Do I expect something in return for my service or do I approach it selflessly?

One great thing about defining oneself as a servant is how you begin to look for the next opportunity and the next. Life is not a series of self-gratifying events, but a high-expectation, longing for the next opportunity to carry a burden, share a cross, or walk alongside.

Thanksgiving month is a great month for this kind of serving perspective. Look for chances this week - at work, at school, out in the neighborhood - to serve. There is no better way to give thanks to God for blessings than to serve in His name. That is what I call Thanksliving. Watch how when you approach life with servant eyes, you live life with servant acts. It is a matter of perspective. It all goes back to the One who looked on us and did not write us off as unteachable, unworthy, or impossible but came “to serve and to give His life as ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Thanksliving to all.



Rev. Julianne Gebbie

The Road to Success

Mary Ellen Coble has provided the following--

Someone sent this to me and I thought you all would like it.

Philippians 4:16 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, and caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.

Is Something On Fire?

Yes, I watched the Indians end their season in the American League Championship Series. As frustrating as that was, I can still remember the days in Cleveland Municipal Stadium when there were so few people there that it was almost embarrassing to yell anything because the players could actually hear your voice.

I’m also old enough to remember (and I imagine a few others in our congregation are also) the days when both the Cuyahoga River and former Cleveland mayor Ralph Perk’s hair caught on fire, and later when the city of Cleveland actually went into default. Unfortunately, much of the rest of the country is still associating these events with Cleveland, and they’re just beginning to wake up to the fact that we’ve come a long way.

Now take a look at our church. We’ve been through a few rough times also, and there are others who still look at us in those terms. Through it all though, we’ve remained faithful. I hope that our members realize what an amazing time it is to be a part of this church—the Lord’s church.

Think just for a moment about the many ways we’re blessed. I’ll name just a few:

• First of all, I don’t know if you realize this, but it’s the first time since I’ve been a member that we actually are in position to pay all of our apportionments. That is truly remarkable to go from nearly 0% a few years ago to 100%. That’s stewardship.
  
• Think about the mission and service that the UMW provides year after year.
  
• Have you noticed the appearance of the sanctuary and building, thanks to Jim, the trustees, and other volunteers?
  
• We’ve got new programs underway, with two adult bible studies – one continuing on Monday nights and one on Tuesday morning.
  
• Children’s sermons are back!
  
• The Membership and Evangelism Team has been resurrected, and we’re looking for others to help-- maybe you? Do you have ideas that you’d like to share?
  
• We’re looking for ways to have more of a presence in the neighborhood and community, and we’ll be investigating ways to secure some grants.
  
• We even have a presence now on the Internet, with the church’s website and this blog. Would you would like share some inspirational words on the blog? You don’t need to know anything about computers-- just write something down, get it to me and I’ll do it for you.
  
• We’re certainly blessed by our more-than-fulltime pastor who is working for a half-time salary. We need to always realize and respect this, make sure not to burn her out-- and just take some time to thank her.

Folks, the river’s not on fire here anymore, but the Holy Spirit is on fire!