Dear Congregation,

February is upon us and so is our study of 1 Thessalonians. I trust that the Lord has been encouraging and challenging you as He has me through the truths of this great book. I had a theology professor who was known for quoting 2 Timothy 3.16—“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”—and saying, “God’s word is profitable for four things, and three of them come with barbs.” By this, of course, he meant that reproof, correction, and training (or “discipline”) each imply a sort of poking and prodding to get us and keep us going in the right direction. We often need a swift kick in the pants to get us off the wrong path and a firm prodding to keep us on the right one. God has graciously designed His word to do just that.

As I have studied through 1 Thessalonians, I have often felt these “barbs” of Scripture, and one has come in the form of a challenge to kindle a greater passion for missions in my life. I’m sure most of us could use a little more zeal in this area, and I’m not just talking about the formal (or international) missionary endeavor, I’m also talking about everyday evangelism. If we are going to have a passion for evangelism, we must be gripped by the ultimate goal of missions. Like the psalmist, we need to cry, “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You” (Psa 67.3). Of this concept John Piper has said, “Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God.”

In missions and evangelism we are to be motivated by more than a desire to see numbers added to our membership roll or souls delivered from hell. Our driving passion should be a desire to see one more soul added to the number of those who are worshiping God. A God-centered theology should drive every aspect of our lives, and the area of missions and evangelism is only one example.

Toward that end,

Pastor Brian

Library News

Library News Have you visited our library lately? LyndaLee VanderValk keeps it in great shape. There are lots of books to chose from. Make sure you check them out and return them in a sensible amount of time. I’m working on it LyndaLee.

 Help!

A small cassette player that is not being used in your home would be greatly appreciated in the nursery. If you have one not in use, how about putting it to good use!

Church Officers

Board of Elders

2008 Chairman-Mike Joyce

Corporate Treasurer - Tom Keosababian

• Ken Emilio

• Bob Belanger

• Mike Quigley

• Terry Brown

• Lance Brush

• Les Hill

• Darrel Prose

• Brian Johnson

• Bill Zimmerman

2008 Deacons - 

Chairman-Norm Behm

• Phil Clark

• Jerry Ekholm

• Jerry Dietrick

We reached our halfway point for the 07-08 club year on January 23rd. As the weather warms up, we hope that more kids come to our club meetings. Please encourage the school age children you know to come learn about Jesus. You can even offer to bring them!

Truth and Training Clubber of the Month

3rd and 4th grade: Rachael Sutton and Matthew Clark

5th and 6th grade: Heather Knowlton and Tyler Knowlton

Commander ~ Wendy Belanger

Candie’s pre-school group is having their Valentine

 party February 13th.  Fun, fun!

“Change the World Barrel!”

Missionary Barrel for January ~ $84.43.

This is for your loose change which goes to our missionaries at the end of the year.

Women’s Outreach

The next meeting is March 6th.  Plans are being made for the annual Spring Luncheon in May.

 YACC NEWS

The snow trip was a time I believe we will all remember for a long time. It was a time of opening our hearts to life and the changes we are going through, and thank God, I believe it brought us closer together. Tubing at Crater Lake was a bone chilling experience, but a handful stuck it out and sledded for two hours! Thanks to Terry for getting the outing planned and to Denise for all the food she prepared. It was great to see Dean and Kara again, they are expecting a baby!

Events being planned:

Senior High outing to the coast July 19-20 Campout near Brookings

 Greeters:

 Abie & Emily Perea

Abie was born in Williams. After moving several times to different states, his family came back to Williams. Emily grew up in Lake Stevens, WA.

They met at Lake of the Woods camp in 2004 and were married in 2005. Their son, Ashton, turned one in November.

Abie’s occupation is home remodeling. Emily is a homemaker. Although, both will soon be teaching martial arts.

Abie’s hobbies include: martial arts, youth ministry, and air soft games.

Emily is wonderful at art, and enjoys martial arts, and youth ministry.

They are both leaders in YACC. Praise the Lord for their help and being a part of our church.

Missionaries for January:

Military Men and Women

Pray for those in the military, and for those making decisions that affect us all. Those in our church who are now serving:

• Reuben Bradley - Navy Bob & Olene Vencill’s Great Grandson

• Kevin Brown - Army National Guard Terry Brown’s brother

• Trampus Harmon - Army Dennis & Annette Harmon’s son

• Richard Hoover - 1st Sargent US Army Dorothy McMahon’s Grandson

• Heather Krowel - Army Intelligence

• Kenny Krowel - Coast Guard

• Brian Landrum - Air Force Loretta Landrum’s Grandson

• Andrew Martin - Navy Tom and Barbara Keosababian’s son-in-law

• Brendan Quisenberry - Army

• Travis Robinson - Army National Guard

• Shannon Slater - Army Paul & Judy Slater’s son

• Clay Stone - Navy Nuclear Machinist Mate Max and Gail Stone’s son

• Barry Urtel - Army Mike & Connie Quigley’s son

• Dan Zimmerman and Mike Zimmerman - Army Bill & Mary Zimmerman’s sons

Read the military board in the Foyer. If you have new information please let the office know. Pray for those who are away from home, thank the Lord for the freedom that we have. 

February Dates Ahead

• 2/4 Medford Mission 

• 2/5 Jackie’s Bible Class 

  • (every Tues 10:00 a.m.) 

• 2/7 Women’s Outreach 

• 2/9 Men’s Breakfast 

  • (every Sat 8:00 a.m.) 

• 2/14 Valentine’s Day 

• 2/18 Presidents’ Day 

• 2/20 Full Moon

March Dates Ahead

• 3/1 Men’s Breakfast

• 3/2 Communion Sunday

• 3/3 Medford Mission

• 3/6 Women’s Outreach

• 3/8 Elder’s Meeting

• 3/9 Daylight Savings begins

• 3/21 Tenebrae Service Full Moon

• 3/23 Easter services

• 3/24-28 Spring Break

February Birthdays

• 2/1 Dan Walker

• 2/2 Jim Shropshire

• 2/4 Milly Harmon

• 2/5 Susan Mikolavich (M)

• 2/9 Joe Clement

• 2/10 Kolton Fisher

• 2/16 Kenny Krowel

• 2/17 Esther Ackerman ~ 88 years young!

• 2/18 Jackie Inman

• 2/19 Noah Belanger

• 2/22 Willard Marsh

• 2/23 Phil Clark

• 2/23 Leonard Long

• 2/24 Kaelan Fisher

• 2/26 Timothy Clark

• 2/26 Dianne Date

March Birthdays 

• 3/2 Kayla Rau 

• 3/4 Pam Baize 

• 3/4 Shannon Slater

 
February Anniversaries

• 2/15  Mike & Connie Quigley

• 2/21  Les & Jackie Hill 

March Anniversaries

• 3/9   Jack & Marlene Decker

• 3/21  Jim & Sarah Armstrong

• 3/25  Barry & Evelyn McFarland

• 3/27  Terry & Denise Brown

President’s Day

February 18th

George Washington, known as "The Father of Our Country," was our first President. He played a major role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, declaring the Colonies to be free and independent states. He fought valiantly in the American Revolution and led the Colonists to Freedom as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He was a wise and courageous man admired for his honesty and strength of character. It is written he chopped down a cherry tree and admitted it to his Father, as he couldn’t tell a lie. Whether that is fact or fiction, is uncertain, but it’s a story portraying the character of Washington. He was a methodical man who gave a great deal of thought to every decision he made and didn’t waver in his resolve.

Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, was known as “The Great Emancipator” or “Honest Abe.” He is a fine example of what an individual can achieve with hard work and an ambition to learn. He read constantly, walked miles to get to school, did homework by candlelight, and used the back of a shovel to work math. His earliest reading material was the Bible which he relied on and let it comfort him throughout his whole life. He signed the Emancipation Proclamation giving freedom to slaves held in any state in the confederacy that did not return to the Union. “Slavery is a continual torment to me,” was one of his famous statements. Although, he did not get to witness the abolition of slavery. The 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution after his assassination by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was directly responsible for the preservation of the Union.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Praise the Lord for these men. America is a great nation, due to those who helped form it. Pray for our upcoming President.

Things to Believe in:

Believe in yourself;

you are God’s creation.

Believe in your job;

honest work is a form of worship.

Believe in this day;

every minute contains an opportunity to serve God.

Believe in your family;

create harmony and togetherness.

Believe in your neighbor;

friends are an important ingredient of a happy life.

Believe in the present;

yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.

Believe in God’s promise;

He means it when He says, “I am with you always.”

Believe in God’s mercy;

since God forgives you, you can forgive yourself.

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” I Peter 1:8-9