Pastor’s Thoughts

If my memory is accurate I remember a song entitled: “Bridge over Troubled Waters,” was popular during my college years. It was sung by Simon and Garfunkle and in its lyrics “When you’re weary, when you’re feeling small, when tears are in your eyes;” for many of us the experience of the present situation mirrors those emotions and we’re weary, feeling small and tears are in our eyes, as we’re disheartened, depressed, discouraged and left to wonder how long and when if ever our lives will return to some sense of normal.

Scripture affirms in Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble” and in John 14:1 our Lord states, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God believe in also in me.” Grace through and by faith in Jesus Christ is our “bridge over troubled waters.” There are no problems, situations, circumstances or powers that can ever separate us from His love.

Troubles will come and troubles will go but the love of God in Christ Jesus and His redemptive act on the cross; will construct a bridge that will weather all the storms of life.

Praying that Jesus Christ is the bridge and rock that anchors your life.

Pastor Blaine

Looking For Peace

During this trying time, I am always on the lookout for something that gives me peace….here a couple of pictures that have done that for me.  Just wondering how many other people have noticed that Percy the sheep has been with us in Sidney, plus he managed to bring along one of his friends.  The other is sunset at Waubonsie, after a gloomy rainy day, we took Grace to the park to walk. She hadn’t been out there for awhile and it is one of her favorite places on earth (mine too!)  As I was getting out of the vehicle I noticed this shot….as I walked to the edge of the hill to take this shot, I had a sense of peace come over me, couldn’t help but feel God was saying, “Everything will be OK!”

 

Thanks Be to God!                                                        

     Scott

A Reminder

The Percival Community Church will be joining the Sidney Methodist Church for worship on Sunday, July 31st, at 11:00. There will be a potluck following.

Pastor’s Thoughts

It appears from my perspective that we’re the forgotten disaster of the summer of 2011. Rural America small towns and cities face a variety of challenges each and every year but compounded for Percival, Hamburg, Watson and many others is the water of the Missouri River which seems to be a perpetual sight that is not going away any time soon. In fact if the “so called experts” are correct it could be six months to two years before some people are able to inspect their homes.

For the communities along the Missouri River basin and the corn and soybeans once growing in the fields on the bottom; it’s probably a “blip” on the markets, so who cares? Well I for one do, having lived in Hamburg for 15 years and now pasturing the Percival Community Church for the past 2 and one half years Yes, I have developed a fondness for the area and its people. They are hard working, honest, caring good hearted with a love for family, friends and the land God created.

It’s worth saving, but where are the movie stars, activists’ and others who have given time and resources to some of the neediest places of the world, but are silent to the cries and hurts of people in rural America?

My faith tells me, God hears their pain, frustration and day to day struggles to remain positive and to believe that tomorrow will be better and brighter.

Please don’t forget us: pray for us, encourage us, remember us, we’re America too and people of faith, trusting that God’s love, grace and mercy is sufficient.

Pastor Blaine

Video of Highway 2 and I-29 on July 23rd, 2011

More Water Damage

This is Atchison County Hwy 136.

You can click pictures to enlarge.

Here is Hwy 2 and I –29 interchange looking towards Nebraska City.

Here is the new levee that was built around Hamburg with a little added feature.  As someone said, if we can’t laugh we will cry. Thought we could all use a chuckle.

This creature is down around Trail’s End in Rockport, Missouri.

We have four signed up followers. It would be nice/fun if we could get some more! Just click on “join this site” and follow the instructions. 

We also love to hear from you. Leave a  comment if you’d like so we know you stopped by!

"God Writes The Gospel...

not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars." ~M Luther

These pictures were taken by my cousin, scottholmesphotography.com

Mindy

Birthday Lunch

This picture shows some members of the Percival Church enjoying conversation at our monthly “Birthday Club fellowship” for July. It’s the first one I’ve been able to attend as Pastor; since they meet on Thursday and I’m usually at home in Elkhorn, NE.

The meal is prepared by Hillside Grounds and was delicious especially the triple berry and apple pie alamode. Lisa and her help are fantastic and she’s a wonderful hostess. So if you are ever in the area on the third Thursday of the month; stop by and join us at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and dessert. The food, friendship and fellowship are out of this world. Pastor Blaine

You can click on image to enlarge.

I-29 interstate exchange at Hamburg taken 7/19/11

Yesterday my friend Sue sent the above picture of Interstate 29 showing access to and from Hamburg where I live and where before the flooding it allowed me to travel to other destinations including church in Percival. Our small congregation includes several families from Hamburg which also are severely impacted by the flood waters. Among the inconveniences are getting to work in places such as Nebraska City which now means about 150 mile round trip instead of perhaps 20 or 25 minutes to cover those miles to work. For many it also means separation from family.

We are creatures of habit and inconvenience is not one of our better qualities as even simple things like grocery shopping, doctor appointments, eating out, fellowship with our missing members who reside on the other side of the river have become things no longer easily done.

This situation could continue for over a year. So… we move forward believing that we will find enough hope to remove all anxious fear about the future, and strength enough for each day.

Remember the words of Paul in Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Joan Tiemeyer

Frustrated

Over the past week or two my thoughts and emotions have been running in
overdrive!  We are quickly approaching the 2 month mark since we had to evacuate our home, and I am most Thankful to God for keeping us dry, and know that others within our congregation are not so lucky and I feel so sorry for them!  I just want to go back home and start getting my life
back to "normal"  but I hear some people who say, "do you think that is
wise"  well, to you I say this, I drive to Omaha everyday for work and I
could get killed or seriously injured in an accident, so do I stop driving to work?  NO, so if that "6 million dollar Modern Marvel"  they call a Levee fails and our house gets water in it...that is better than me being dead don't ya think?  Then I hear it could be at least a year before we can get to Nebraska City without driving 75 miles....heck, we can't even get mail delivered in a timely manner. It took 3 days to get a post card mailed from the vet in Sidney to be delivered to Hamburg! I have many friends who work for A & M Green power and now have to drive to Shenandoah for work. I had to stop carpooling and drive myself on a highway that seems to get narrower and narrower everyday ....my point is everyone is being affected somehow, someway by this horrible event,  some more than others and we all deal with the stresses in a different way...for me it is writing for this blog!  
  It all just goes back to Blaine's messages for the past 2 weeks....it's all in God's hands and we must learn to take one day at a time!  So, I've decided I'm going to sit on Marcia's porch with her, since she only has to swat at a couple of bugs...go to our house where we have bugs the size of elephants that try everything in their power to bite, sting or simply carry you away to their "mother land" to convert you to one of them..Ok, maybe they really aren't that big, but they sure seem to be.

Thanks be to God!
Scott

July 31st Service

The Percival Community Church will be joining the Sidney Methodist Church for worship on Sunday, July 31st.
We will have our usual fellowship at 10:15 which will be before the Methodist Church service at 11:00.  We look forward to sharing in worship with these fine people.    Paul

Water Erosion

Isn’t it amazing what the force of water can do?

Here is I-29, Hwy 2 Nebraska City off ramp. Click to enlarge.

Railroad tracks north of Hwy 2 overpass.

There is certainly going to be much work ahead once the water does recede.

A Word From Marcia

Things could be worse.  You wonder why I have the gall to say that while sitting comfortably on my porch on the bluff side of the road, overlooking a beautiful gold tassled field of sturdy green stalks of corn, under a blue sky, listening to tweeting birds, swatting a bug or two.  Besides the fact that I know  now, here in the Heartland, things can change in a beat or two, due to the whims of Mother Nature;  yet I can't help think of my brother, stuck in traffic on the freeways of Southern California.  Three times lately we have spoken on the phone - first while he was on the 91 amidst a traffic jam which had allowed him to move 15 miles in 45 minutes.  Try to visualize, with audio and sensitivity, the miles and miles of concrete, noise and heat, along with emotions of frustration with other drivers and the knowledge you are missing dinner at home with the wife and kids.  If you think your commute from Nebraska City to Fremont County on the weekend is a pain, you hardly know the meaning of the word 'commute'.
    The second time I spoke with my brother he was going south on the 101, happy to have gotten his tires fixed after running over something on the road, which had made him two hours late to his business meeting.  And the third time on the 60 heading east, returning from a family wedding, with children in the back seat expanding their education while counting blue trucks, red trucks and yellow trucks.  (I always felt nervous, driving with children on the freeways, subjecting their small eyes and ears to the big, loud traffic that surrounded them, as well as other dangers).
    Oh yea, another time we talked while he was on the road, but who cares really where or when, as it was all just as before.  The silver lining though, is that he has the time to converse, which otherwise is rare.
    Now on the news is the story of Carmeggedon.  The 405, as busy a freeway as it gets, will be shut down for a few days for bridge repair.  Imagine so many cars spilling onto city streets.  Some people are buying supplies and will hunker down for the time, while others are thinking about a huge party on a section of the closed route.  And if you can get there, the Malibu Pier will have free carnival rides.
    From this vantage point, wouldn't you say that a man-made hell is tougher than Mother Nature's?

Marcia Little

Meet Percy!

Since flood pictures are very much disheartening, we have someone we thought you might like to meet.Last month in our newsletter we were introduced to a congregation member that we didn’t realize we had, Percy. Percy likes to be inspiring and uplifting, so whenever you see the name “Percy,” you can be sure he’s got nothing but love for you! Just consider him one of God’s sheep that likes to give out big wooly hugs! The following is his introduction that was in the July newsletter followed by his photograph, which he says captures his good side!

Hello Everyone! Let me introduce myself. My name is Percy (short for Percival).

I am one of God’s sheep. I attend church with you all. You just have never recognized me as I have had to disguise myself for I don’t think you would know what to do if you saw an actual sheep setting in a pew, but that’s what I am, an actual sheep, wool and all. I’ve been known to stray at times and when I do, I’m usually yanked back in the fold by our Shepherd. Everybody strays once in awhile I’m told. Anyway, the Shepherd tells me I have been very blessed by your love and goodness and that he wants me, Percy, to become a constant reminder that each one of us is one of God’s sheep.

So whenever you see my picture or hear my name, you should be reminded of that very fact. Watch for me in upcoming newsletters.

In His name,

Percy

Pastor’s Thoughts

Are you displaced or discouraged at heart? Has it been awhile since you worshiped in the house of the Lord? The flood of 2011 has displaced approximately one third of the congregation of Percival Community Church. We need your help, support and encouragement so we are extending an invitation to you to worship with our people on Sunday’s at 9:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Sidney.

It would be a mutual blessing for us; and we would hope and pray that we could be a blessing to you. No matter what difficulties you’re facing God has promised to be our refuge and strength. So we look forward to your taking the opportunity to worship some Sunday this summer with us and experience firsthand anew God’s love, grace and goodness.

Pastor Blaine

Some Homes Within the Community of Percival

These pictures are from Fremont County Flood Support. They are located on  Facebook. I apologize if any of the names are wrong. I tried to upload them with the correct names. Click to enlarge.

More Photos

These are some photos I was sent of some places in Percival. You can click on images to enlarge.

The following two photos show how the water has been eating away at the levees. I imagine there is a lot of this happening everywhere that we’re not seeing.

Here is a picture of I-29.

Mindy