Pastor’s Corner
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,-- Matthew 28:19
Pentecost and the Church in a time of Chaos
We just celebrated Pentecost, often known as the “birthday of the church.” It isn’t the birthday because the Holy Spirit came down, it is the birthday because it is the day when the disciples stopped hiding out in a room behind locked doors and started being a witness to the world they live in.
Too often, our churches think of themselves as closed entities. They see themselves as the people who show up on Sunday and listen to my (exciting and wonderful) sermons. This puts the focus on the pastor and the congregation. But we forget that Jesus never called for us to gather in a church, Jesus called for us to “go.”
The early Christians would gather. They would study the First Testament (which we call the Old Testament) along with letters from Christian leaders and sing hymns of praise together. But the teachings were always about living their lives in the world in which they found themselves and going out to reach the world.
One of my teachers pointed out how much luckier we are, because at the time of the early church, the New Testament wasn’t written. Those letters they studied? They became the Epistles in the scriptures we study. The Gospels themselves were written after most of the letters to the churches.
Obviously, closing the doors of the church for a season meant that we were unable to study, encourage, and worship together. But it is my hope that you continued to grow in the Lord.
Over the last few days, we have all witnessed an uprising of anger. We have seen people gather together in unity saying, “no more.” And we have witnessed acts of violence. It is as if the whole world is upside down, and we aren’t sure what to do.
If you looked closely, you also saw many other acts. You saw police put down their gear and walk among those who were trying to have their voices heard. After nights of violence, you have seen communities bring push brooms and wheelbarrows and clean up the streets. You have heard voices calling for peaceful protests.
There is much chaos, but God is still at work. Every time one person steps up to be a positive force, God is there. As we address the issues of unfairness that have been put front and center, God is there. As we try to love and to live in the world God has placed us in, God is there.
God has never been cooped up in four walls, and the Spirit will move in us, and with us, and around us. Take time to hear God’s word in uncertain times.
Pastor Bobbie (contact information below)
Phone: 660-851-0067, Cell Phone: 660-596-3954
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: http://tricountyministries.weebly.com
JUNE 7, 2020—WORSHIP SERVICES AVAILABLE … MORE NOT LESS
Please note that both churches will be conducting new variations of services so that everyone can be served. Range Line campus services are at 9AM and Longwood is at 10:15 AM. Here are the important details. We especially want to keep everyone safe, so please use the option that best meets your needs.
ONLINE –
Our weekly service will continue to be available online on our Web site. They are available at your convenience. https://tricountyministries.weebly.com/
DRIVE IN –
FM radio means you don’t even have to roll down your windows. Both will offer Drive-in Services where you can remain safely in your car with no exposure. We will bring bulletins to you (hymnals at Range Line), and will have the FM station marked on the bulletin.
For prayer requests from cars, you can give a written request to the individual giving you the bulletin or use my cell phone number from the bulletin to text me.
INSIDE THE CHURCH –
Both churches are offering inside worship. Pews are marked to ensure safe spacing according to State guidelines. We ask that you maintain safe distances within the building.
Masks are optional. We have provided a limited number of disposable masks, but we invite you to bring and wear your own as you are comfortable.
We will be singing.
Adults need to accompany children into restrooms to ensure safe surfaces (wipe after you use handles, etc.)
Offering Plates will be available at the entry and at the front. We will not be taking an offering during the service.
RLPC Vacation Bible School
One of the greatest joys for the members of Range Line Church is our annual VBS. The group sessions, music, hands-on activities, crafts, and playground time are just some of the reasons children enjoy coming. Unfortunately, we cannot conduct our usual VBS and also follow the recommended social distancing and safety guidelines. Therefore, we sadly announce that we will not be having VBS this summer. However, we're already considering options and possible adjustments so that we can be sure to have VBS in 2021.—Jennifer Alexander
LPC Presbyterian Women
PW is still not meeting at this time. Hopefully it will become safe for us to meet in the near future, but until everyone feels safe, we will pray for everyone. I found this on line and wanted to share.
Esther
“Be an Esther, bold and courageous enough to stand for the truth, to voice your opinion and fight for the good of others, even when it means to sacrifice yourself. If God has put you in a position, it is for a purpose. Never be afraid to heed to that inner voice.”
I miss being with my friends and church family and look forward to getting together when the time is right. Pray everyone stays safe and well.--Sharon
Thank You to LPC Donors
Thanks to all who have mailed their church offerings to us at Longwood. Our church is strong and our church family is protective and caring. We commend both Range Line and Longwood for being strong churches in these trying times. Sharon
Cares and Concerns
This month we are listing prayer concerns a little differently. Below, we are showing those who have expressed their concerns about those who need prayers. Please continue to keep our family and friends in your prayers who have not been mentioned by new emails and Facebook. Remember, those who are in the nursing homes always enjoy greeting cards:
Expressed concerns:
Those who Serve
As the Fourth of July swiftly approaches, let’s remember those who serve in the military to protect us all.
Aaron Reno (John and Mindy’s youngest son) has graduated from basic training and is officially a soldier in the Army. He’s now at Fort Benning for his AIT. If you would like to send him a card, here’s his address:
Pvt. Reno, Aaron RN 317
Bldg. 4313 3rd Platoon Evil Troop 5-15 Cav
Fort Benning, GA 31905
Isaac Greer (Josh and Kathy’s son) graduated from basic training last summer, graduated from high school this past month, and is now at Fort Leonard Wood for AIT training. No address is available on him at this time.
Please pray for all those who serve, but in particular, both these young men and their families, as this can be a stress-filled time for all. Also we pray for their safety both from the training and the virus that is still present in our lives.
**************************************************************************************************************************************************
From the Internet:
From the newsletter editors: Some of the following articles and quotes are meaningful, some are entertaining. All are intended to be thought provoking, and never personal or political. If you find them offensive, please forgive us, and then let us know your concern.—thank you.
Children need to learn to take responsibility for their actions so that they do not become adults believing that nothing is their fault
Walk gently in the lives of others. Not all wounds are visible—Author Unknown, from Clergy Coaching
If we want to grow closer to God, we’ll have to distance ourselves from whatever is distracting us—Lisa TerKeurst
Forgive people in your life, even those who are not sorry for their actions. Holding on to anger only hurts you, not them. Forgiveness sets us free.—Christiantoday.com
When the preferences of church members become more important than their passion for the Gospel, the church is dying.—Thom Rainer
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.—Joseph Addison
Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.
Don’t let anyone make you cruel. No matter how badly you want to give the world a taste of its own bitter medicine, it is never worth losing yourself.
Never lie, cheat, steal or drink. But...
If you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.—Lessons Learned in Lif e.
(One says to a friend,) You know, I’d like to ask God why he allows terrible things like hate, racism, war, famine and homelessness.
(Friend says,) I’ve always thought God was asking us that same question.—Clergy Coaching Network
God, help me never to make false assumptions about people I’ve never met, circumstances I’ve never known, and events I’ve never experienced.
We cannot force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive. But we must never underestimate the power of planting a seed.
A 93 year old man in a hospital in Italy who survived COVID-19 was billed for the respirator which he needed for a full day at the height of his sickness.
He began to cry. The doctor asked him not to cry over the expense because they could work something out. His response made the doctors cry.
The old man said, “I do not cry for the money I have to pay, because I can afford all this. I cry because I’ve been breathing God’s air for 93 years, and never paid for it. It takes 500 euros to use the respirator in the hospital for a day. Do you know how much I owe God? I have never thanked God for this before.”
The words of this man deserve our reflection. When we breathe freely without pain and disease, no one takes the air seriously. Only when we are without it do we realize how precious a gift from God each breath of life is!
“Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.”
Psalm 150:6
Mask unto others as you would have them mask unto you.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, it doesn’t matter if I’m short or tall, if I have skinny legs or my hips are wide; it only matters who I am inside. Blue eyes, brown eyes, black or green. What makes me beautiful can’t be seen. When you look at me don’t judge me by my parts. The most beautiful thing about me is my heart.”—Kim Uliana
Seen on the outside marque of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, “Wash Hands, Do Not Touch Face.”—Hygenesis 24:7
Just because I disagree with you, does not mean that I hate you. We need to relearn that in our society.—HigherPrespectives.com
A little girl was holding two apples in her hands. Her mom asked with a smile, “Could you give Mom one of your two apples?”
The girl looked up and then suddenly took a quick bite on one apple, and then quickly on the other.
The mom felt the smile on her face freeze.
She tried hard not to reveal her disappointment.
Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her mom, and said, “Mommy, here you are. This one is the sweeter one.”
No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always delay judgement. Give others the privilege to explain themselves. What you use may not be the reality.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,-- Matthew 28:19
Pentecost and the Church in a time of Chaos
We just celebrated Pentecost, often known as the “birthday of the church.” It isn’t the birthday because the Holy Spirit came down, it is the birthday because it is the day when the disciples stopped hiding out in a room behind locked doors and started being a witness to the world they live in.
Too often, our churches think of themselves as closed entities. They see themselves as the people who show up on Sunday and listen to my (exciting and wonderful) sermons. This puts the focus on the pastor and the congregation. But we forget that Jesus never called for us to gather in a church, Jesus called for us to “go.”
The early Christians would gather. They would study the First Testament (which we call the Old Testament) along with letters from Christian leaders and sing hymns of praise together. But the teachings were always about living their lives in the world in which they found themselves and going out to reach the world.
One of my teachers pointed out how much luckier we are, because at the time of the early church, the New Testament wasn’t written. Those letters they studied? They became the Epistles in the scriptures we study. The Gospels themselves were written after most of the letters to the churches.
Obviously, closing the doors of the church for a season meant that we were unable to study, encourage, and worship together. But it is my hope that you continued to grow in the Lord.
Over the last few days, we have all witnessed an uprising of anger. We have seen people gather together in unity saying, “no more.” And we have witnessed acts of violence. It is as if the whole world is upside down, and we aren’t sure what to do.
If you looked closely, you also saw many other acts. You saw police put down their gear and walk among those who were trying to have their voices heard. After nights of violence, you have seen communities bring push brooms and wheelbarrows and clean up the streets. You have heard voices calling for peaceful protests.
There is much chaos, but God is still at work. Every time one person steps up to be a positive force, God is there. As we address the issues of unfairness that have been put front and center, God is there. As we try to love and to live in the world God has placed us in, God is there.
God has never been cooped up in four walls, and the Spirit will move in us, and with us, and around us. Take time to hear God’s word in uncertain times.
Pastor Bobbie (contact information below)
Phone: 660-851-0067, Cell Phone: 660-596-3954
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: http://tricountyministries.weebly.com
JUNE 7, 2020—WORSHIP SERVICES AVAILABLE … MORE NOT LESS
Please note that both churches will be conducting new variations of services so that everyone can be served. Range Line campus services are at 9AM and Longwood is at 10:15 AM. Here are the important details. We especially want to keep everyone safe, so please use the option that best meets your needs.
ONLINE –
Our weekly service will continue to be available online on our Web site. They are available at your convenience. https://tricountyministries.weebly.com/
DRIVE IN –
FM radio means you don’t even have to roll down your windows. Both will offer Drive-in Services where you can remain safely in your car with no exposure. We will bring bulletins to you (hymnals at Range Line), and will have the FM station marked on the bulletin.
For prayer requests from cars, you can give a written request to the individual giving you the bulletin or use my cell phone number from the bulletin to text me.
INSIDE THE CHURCH –
Both churches are offering inside worship. Pews are marked to ensure safe spacing according to State guidelines. We ask that you maintain safe distances within the building.
Masks are optional. We have provided a limited number of disposable masks, but we invite you to bring and wear your own as you are comfortable.
We will be singing.
Adults need to accompany children into restrooms to ensure safe surfaces (wipe after you use handles, etc.)
Offering Plates will be available at the entry and at the front. We will not be taking an offering during the service.
RLPC Vacation Bible School
One of the greatest joys for the members of Range Line Church is our annual VBS. The group sessions, music, hands-on activities, crafts, and playground time are just some of the reasons children enjoy coming. Unfortunately, we cannot conduct our usual VBS and also follow the recommended social distancing and safety guidelines. Therefore, we sadly announce that we will not be having VBS this summer. However, we're already considering options and possible adjustments so that we can be sure to have VBS in 2021.—Jennifer Alexander
LPC Presbyterian Women
PW is still not meeting at this time. Hopefully it will become safe for us to meet in the near future, but until everyone feels safe, we will pray for everyone. I found this on line and wanted to share.
Esther
“Be an Esther, bold and courageous enough to stand for the truth, to voice your opinion and fight for the good of others, even when it means to sacrifice yourself. If God has put you in a position, it is for a purpose. Never be afraid to heed to that inner voice.”
I miss being with my friends and church family and look forward to getting together when the time is right. Pray everyone stays safe and well.--Sharon
Thank You to LPC Donors
Thanks to all who have mailed their church offerings to us at Longwood. Our church is strong and our church family is protective and caring. We commend both Range Line and Longwood for being strong churches in these trying times. Sharon
Cares and Concerns
This month we are listing prayer concerns a little differently. Below, we are showing those who have expressed their concerns about those who need prayers. Please continue to keep our family and friends in your prayers who have not been mentioned by new emails and Facebook. Remember, those who are in the nursing homes always enjoy greeting cards:
Expressed concerns:
- From Betty Romig: Please pray for the safety of police officer friends--husband and wife team, and a husband in another family, around KC.
- From Mindy Reno: Prayers requested for her, as she misses Aaron who is in Army AIT training, plus her concerns for her seriously ill brother, Scott Moore. (We will show Aaron’s address later in the newsletter)
- Raelynn Moore (Scott & Renee’s daughter)—“I got engaged!” CONGRATULATIONS, Raelynn. We are happy for you! Also, she asks for prayers for her future sister-in-law is a police officer in KC. Prayers for her safety.
- Esther Brown, at Pilot Grove
- Bill & Margaret Schlomer at Golden Oaks
- Helen Coffelt—at Sylvia Thompson
- Georgia Reid, at Cedarhurst, Sedalia
- Elijah Johnson (Delbert & Amy’s son)
- Calvin (and Mary) Kirchhoff at Golden Oaks
- Renee Moore
- Scott Moore
- Aaron Reno, Army at Fort Benning, GA
- Isaac Greer, Army at Fort Leonard Wood
- Alan Meyer
- Kenny Reid
Those who Serve
As the Fourth of July swiftly approaches, let’s remember those who serve in the military to protect us all.
Aaron Reno (John and Mindy’s youngest son) has graduated from basic training and is officially a soldier in the Army. He’s now at Fort Benning for his AIT. If you would like to send him a card, here’s his address:
Pvt. Reno, Aaron RN 317
Bldg. 4313 3rd Platoon Evil Troop 5-15 Cav
Fort Benning, GA 31905
Isaac Greer (Josh and Kathy’s son) graduated from basic training last summer, graduated from high school this past month, and is now at Fort Leonard Wood for AIT training. No address is available on him at this time.
Please pray for all those who serve, but in particular, both these young men and their families, as this can be a stress-filled time for all. Also we pray for their safety both from the training and the virus that is still present in our lives.
**************************************************************************************************************************************************
From the Internet:
From the newsletter editors: Some of the following articles and quotes are meaningful, some are entertaining. All are intended to be thought provoking, and never personal or political. If you find them offensive, please forgive us, and then let us know your concern.—thank you.
Children need to learn to take responsibility for their actions so that they do not become adults believing that nothing is their fault
Walk gently in the lives of others. Not all wounds are visible—Author Unknown, from Clergy Coaching
If we want to grow closer to God, we’ll have to distance ourselves from whatever is distracting us—Lisa TerKeurst
Forgive people in your life, even those who are not sorry for their actions. Holding on to anger only hurts you, not them. Forgiveness sets us free.—Christiantoday.com
When the preferences of church members become more important than their passion for the Gospel, the church is dying.—Thom Rainer
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.—Joseph Addison
Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.
Don’t let anyone make you cruel. No matter how badly you want to give the world a taste of its own bitter medicine, it is never worth losing yourself.
Never lie, cheat, steal or drink. But...
If you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.—Lessons Learned in Lif e.
(One says to a friend,) You know, I’d like to ask God why he allows terrible things like hate, racism, war, famine and homelessness.
(Friend says,) I’ve always thought God was asking us that same question.—Clergy Coaching Network
God, help me never to make false assumptions about people I’ve never met, circumstances I’ve never known, and events I’ve never experienced.
We cannot force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive. But we must never underestimate the power of planting a seed.
A 93 year old man in a hospital in Italy who survived COVID-19 was billed for the respirator which he needed for a full day at the height of his sickness.
He began to cry. The doctor asked him not to cry over the expense because they could work something out. His response made the doctors cry.
The old man said, “I do not cry for the money I have to pay, because I can afford all this. I cry because I’ve been breathing God’s air for 93 years, and never paid for it. It takes 500 euros to use the respirator in the hospital for a day. Do you know how much I owe God? I have never thanked God for this before.”
The words of this man deserve our reflection. When we breathe freely without pain and disease, no one takes the air seriously. Only when we are without it do we realize how precious a gift from God each breath of life is!
“Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.”
Psalm 150:6
Mask unto others as you would have them mask unto you.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, it doesn’t matter if I’m short or tall, if I have skinny legs or my hips are wide; it only matters who I am inside. Blue eyes, brown eyes, black or green. What makes me beautiful can’t be seen. When you look at me don’t judge me by my parts. The most beautiful thing about me is my heart.”—Kim Uliana
Seen on the outside marque of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, “Wash Hands, Do Not Touch Face.”—Hygenesis 24:7
Just because I disagree with you, does not mean that I hate you. We need to relearn that in our society.—HigherPrespectives.com
A little girl was holding two apples in her hands. Her mom asked with a smile, “Could you give Mom one of your two apples?”
The girl looked up and then suddenly took a quick bite on one apple, and then quickly on the other.
The mom felt the smile on her face freeze.
She tried hard not to reveal her disappointment.
Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her mom, and said, “Mommy, here you are. This one is the sweeter one.”
No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always delay judgement. Give others the privilege to explain themselves. What you use may not be the reality.