Pastor’s Thoughts

On October 24th, 1976; Dale and I with our two sons Daniel 3 years old and Aaron 9 months pulled our car and U-Haul trailer in front of our new home in Mills, Wyoming where we began my pastoral ministry at Mills Baptist Church, a small congregation of 45 to 50 members.

Thirty seven years later the service to the Lord continues at Percival Community Church among another congregation of loving, supportive and faithful people of God.

For me, the years have been all to fleeting but the opportunities to serve 9 congregations in good times and difficult times has been the greatest blessing of my life.

To realize that God could call and use me as an agent of His love, grace and message of salvation is often overwhelming.  All I can say is “Glory to God, Praise the Lord and Thank You Jesus for all you have done.

To each and every person of the Percival Community Church; thank you for your friendship and let us continue in the work and labor on behalf of the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Blaine

The Church Window

As I said I would be sharing with you many different church windows. Maybe I’ll refer to it as Church Window Wednesdays.  Here is a Gothic stained glass window in Sublimity, Oregon at the St. Boniface Catholic Church built in 1889.

Rodeo Stand Group

Here are a few of the volunteers that helped run a concession stand at the Sidney Iowa Rodeo this year.  Click on pictures to enlarge.

This and That

As a young child we moved into the house I grew up in and a neighborhood with no other children.  All the people who lived around us were older.  They all were wonderful neighbors.  Mrs. Werner across the street still had a pump outside her house to get water, that fascinated me.  I would go and visit with Mrs. Finnell and Mrs. Zach when they were outside in their yards.  Mrs. Ware always had Christmas cactus around her trees in the summer.  The Dooley’s lived right to the south and Ed and Virginia Hamilton down the street became very special to me.  It was a few years before there were others our age close by to spend time with.

At the house I lived in Hamburg my neighbors were limited because of the location, businesses in the area, and rentals so close by.  There were not many children around for a very long time.  Now in Omaha there are children two houses down on one side and next door on the other and I have seen some out back and many more out and about when I take the dog for a walk.  The ones who live close to us are very nice children.  They like Grace very much and always ask first if they can pet her.  It is a joy to hear them outside and watch them riding scooters down the hill.  It is nice to be able to watch the future right in front of you and hoping that the future they all have is full of wonder and joy.

I also have the hope they won’t feel cheated having two boring middle aged guys move in by them.  I enjoyed my older neighbors a great deal and hope I can be as good a neighbor to the children around me as all those who were to me.  They are all gone now but I can still remember.  We all can learn from one another and not just one certain group.  We just have to be  open to the experiences that are presented to us.

Paul Bennett, Board President

Secretary Snippets

“It’s all happening at the zoo, I do believe it, I do believe it’s true.”These melodie words, from Simon and Garfunkle, often come to mind when the house is full of family, and things get kind of crazy.  Also, as my dad would say, “there are all sorts of people in this world”, which is evident even in a small group such as family.  That must have been what God was thinking when he sent Christ Jesus into the world to help us work things out together.  Just an errant thought. 

The board seems satisfied that the mystery of the unusual electric bills has been resolved, through shutting off a high wattage light and maintaining a close eye on the thermostat switch.  The debacle of the sound system leaves us still in a quandary, which perhaps may be cleared with a review of it by Tom’s Radio, as recommended by Jerry Birkby.

Anticipated by the Board is the manning of a booth in front of Stoner’s in Hamburg on Popcorn Day, Saturday, Sept. 7.  Also another autumn gathering in October is in planning stages, with hayride managed by Jim Layman.  Perhaps some different activities than those of last year might be enjoyed, so if you have ideas, let Pastor Blaine know.

Marcia Little, Board Secretary

Pastor’s Thoughts

Summer is almost over and having been raised in southeastern Washington where summers were hot and dry with temperatures often rising above 100 degrees for several weeks, the swimming pool was a place of relief or running through the sprinklers in your yard.

Bible study has been focused on the wilderness or desert experience that occurs in our lives.  Walking through the desert can be dangerous and hazardous.  Heat, little food or water can make the desert a place for only the most adventurous person.  However in most deserts or wilderness areas an oasis can be found.  A place to refresh us with cool shade and water.

The same is true in those spiritually dry times that occur in our lives; health issues, unemployment, a sick child, a rebellious teenager, a failed relationship, financial struggles, loss of crops, the death of a family member just to name a few can be a catalyst that propels us into the dry and weary land that is wilderness.

A hymn states “O Jesus is a rock in a very weary land,” we need to be reminded that His hand is strength for us to lead us to a spiritual oasis where we can drink in the living waters of His presence and grace and find shade and rest for our body and soul.

Pastor Blaine