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What if?

Happy Thanksgiving

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Prayer Request

Please keep Pastor Blaine and family in your prayers as his father passed away yesterday.

The Journey of Some…

I have been thinking a lot lately about our new friends from Sidney who have been coming to worship with us.  It is wonderful to have you here and we enjoy each and every person we have had the pleasure to get to know.  I have to feel bad though about what they have been thru and the things that brought to the point of leaving a church they had been in for years and years to strike out to something new.

There are some similarities to the journey of these people and the journey those of us from Hamburg went thru years ago. There was a group in the church we left that wanted total control of what went on. They felt they knew what was best for the church and would stop at nothing to make sure what they wanted was what happened. 

At the time it was an awful thing to have to deal with and live thru.  At times it indeed felt like a nightmare I may never wake up from.  It was painful and sad in many different ways.  I was shocked to see how cruel Christians can be to one another. It was hard to believe that God was watching over us during this time but he really was.  God had a hand to all that happened.  For if all that happened had not there is every chance many of us would have still been at that church fighting with those people wondering why church had to be that way and why we just never felt comfortable.                       

Instead God sent us to Percival where we were welcomed by a small group who were so warm and accepting.  Everyone was willing to let us talk and share what had happened.  The change we made was so much for the better.  I am in hopes that all the new people who have joined us have always felt that God was with them.  We may not always understand how he is working but we have to always know he is with us and has a plan for our lives.       

My hope is always that every person who enters our doors feels as welcomed as we did when we came. Also know that by attending church here you are a part of our family so you can always voice your opinion or ask any question.

Paul Bennett                                              

Board President

From the Board Secretary

It is a bit nippy out there! As my father taught me: Bundle up your overcoat, let the wind blow free.  Take good care of yourself, you belong to me!  Eat an apple everyday, get to bed by three.  Take good care of yourself, you belong to me! An old song from back in the day, by Helen Kane.  The apples at Mincer’s Orchard might fill the bill, in this respect, or a good pint of apple cider, spiced up with a cinnamon stick.  So that after cleaning out rain gutters for the third time, to keep winter’s ice from pulling up the shingles on the roof, there will be something to warm up your insides.

The church is looking forward to another Thanksgiving potluck in the Fellowship room on Sunday, November 18th.  That is before the actual Turkey Day on Thursday the 22nd.  It all seems rather early this year, so watch out and be ready, before it slips by without your paying attention!  The church bulletin and Pastor Blaine from the pulpit, will keep us advised as to any updates for this event.

The November board meeting will be the second Sunday of the month, as to not interfere with our potluck.  That would be the 11th.  Caroling is planned for the 9th of December, at 3 o’clock, and a get-together with soup afterwards.  But maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves talking about that.  Let’s slow down the season and enjoy it mindfully, and not hop from one activity to another.  In Houston, it was reported on the television, Christmas decorations with music piped over loudspeakers, were already up before Halloween.

As for now, the autumn decor about the church makes for a festive ambiance.  We thank Paul Bennett and other elves for their thoughtful and creative endeavors.

Marcia

Board Secretary

Our 94 year old faithful member Isal Bohlen passed away November 4,
2012.  A luncheon for family and friends to celebrate her life will be
held at Percival Community Church on Sunday November11, at 2:00 p.m.

November Student Profile…Doug Raymond

Doug Raymond is a sophomore student at Northwest Missouri State University.

He is the son of Rusty and Mindy Raymond.

Doug lists his favorite movie as “Remember the Titans.”

In answer to the question, What have you learned about your career choice, he responded that the medical field is a growing field and they are always needing new employees.

He loves freedom and meeting new people as the best part of his college experience so far. His words of wisdom are to live life to the fullest and look back with no regrets.

This is Doug’s last year at NWMSU taking general educations and his plan is to attend Medical School(undecided) next year to begin his journey of becoming a Radiologic  Technologist.

The congregation of Percival Community Church wishes Doug every success as he pursues his chosen career.

 If you would like to send a note of encouragement to Doug, you can do so at the following address:

                       Doug Raymond

                       310 Tower Suites West

                       900 College Park Dr.

                       Maryville, MO  64468

October Student of the month:

  Joel DeLong  103 Stanton Ave. Apt. 35  Ames, IA 50010

September Student of the month:

 Ethan Burge                                        2500 College Road Village 4-H-2   Council Bluffs, IA 51503

 

                      

                                   

Pastor Blaine Celebrates His Ministry

On October 28th, Pastor Blaine celebrated thirty-six years of pastoral ministry, when he stood for the first time at Mills Baptist Church, Mills, Wyoming.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is giving thanks and remembering the labor of love, and praying for those small groups of early Christians who sought to live and serve in light of the Gospel truths.

So it’s in Thanksgiving that I recall those churches that I have been privileged to serve.

From that first church we moved to Timber Lake, South Dakota; my first rural farming congregation where I learned dinner was not at 6:00 p.m. but 12:00 noon and that north, south, east and west were the directions to visiting someone and not right or left.  It took awhile! Daughter Larissa was born during this tenure.

Next was Buena Baptist Church in Buena, Washington, the heart of apple and Bing cherry orchards.

Following there we located at Immanuel Baptist Church in downtown Phoenix, AZ.  Living in Tempe, AZ. The memories here for at least our middle child Aaron, was living in five different locations and his attending three different schools in three years.

Our next journey was to Simla Baptist Church in Simla, Colorado. This is where Daniel was introduced and met his very best friend Jarrod Ackley. This friendship continues to this day and Daniel travels to visit him and his family now living in Florida.

Moving then to Viborg Baptist Church, Viborg, South Dakota. This was my first and only two church ministries pastoring both Turkey Valley Baptist Church and Viborg.

On to Hamburg, Iowa for 15 years of serving the Lord, during the best of times and through some darker moments. Realizing that " All things work together for good."

Then Albion, NE in Boone County where the Lord challenged both the congregation and me to ministering to others and to look outside the “Box.” The Lord used all of us to accomplish many ministries involving local outreach missions. Here the Wednesday night meals both in and out of the church began the catalyst for serving the community.

Finally Percival Community Church for four years and God has re-united me with special friends. The work here continues to grow and confound. Not even a flood can thwart the work for which all of us are called. The one thing I know is this will be the final act, whenever God dictates. You can feel the love of God here and the desire to serve Him even in the smallest of things.

So I thank God for all these congregations, even thought some have closed their doors.  But I’ll be forever grateful to the Percival Community Church which has made the last better than the first.

Let us continue to serve the Lord in both word and deed.

 Pastor Blaine