Issue #15 - July 2007

Minister's Message

Vacation Bible School is upon us, again. When I was a kid, I really enjoyed VBS at my church. I can still remember sitting in a hot church singing "Onward Christian Soldiers." I do not know why we sang that song every year, but we did and it sticks out in my mind. I also remember using Vacation Bible School as a time to look for a girlfriend during the long summer months away from school. Another wonderful memory is riding to church with my grandparents every year. Needless to say, I have fond memories of VBS from my own childhood.

I cannot help but wonder, "Why do we think fun ends when we grow up?" Why has Vacation Bible School traditionally only been for youth? I am not sure why. However, that is why everyone is welcome to come to the VBS at Louisa Christian Church. We all need to learn more about our faith and we all need a little fun in our lives. I do not want to brag, but I think VBS at our church is a great time to get education and a few laughs.

This year we will be examining evangelism, its importance, and how we can better do it. There is a class for the youth and there is a class for the adults, as well. I hope that everyone will come out and participate. We would gladly accept volunteers, as well. Even if you do not want to come, just try coming for one night. You may be glad that you did.

~ Matthew

Charges Dropped Against Disciples Ministers Arrested In Protest for Janitors

(Indianapolis, Ind. - DNS - June 14, 2007) - Charges have been dropped against two Disciples ministers and three other clergy members who spent 11 hours in jail last month for protesting poor wages paid to Indianapolis janitors.

Linda McCrae, senior pastor of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, and Leon Riley, an elder at Central Christian, were arrested May 17 when they blocked the entrance to a downtown office building during a peaceful demonstration. They faced misdemeanor charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. McCrae also was charged with obstruction of traffic.

Arrested with McCrae and Riley were Darren Cushman-Wood, pastor of Speedway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, C. J. Hawking, a United Methodist minister from Chicago, and Tom Fox, a Franciscan priest with the Indianapolis archdiocese. A third Disciples minister, Garnett Day, was briefly detained for his role in the protest but not arrested.

Their cases were heard in Marion County Superior Court on June 13. They pleaded guilty to trespassing. The other charges were dropped. In exchange for dismissal of the charges, the ministers accepted diversion agreements that require each of them to pay a $150 fine and to stay away from the office building for a year, unless they need to enter it for business. Except for their arrests, the clergy members' records also were expunged of any criminal history in the plea deal.

The pastors were joined in a march to the building by about 40 protesters, including janitorial employees whose efforts to form a union have allegedly been undermined by Executive Management Services, the company that employs janitors to clean the building.

"We want them to have the freedom to make that decision without intimidation from the company they worked for," said Riley, who has been involved in the two-year-old "Justice for Janitors" campaign to help the workers secure better wages, benefits and the freedom to organize. "I've been involved in civil rights for years," he said. "This seems like the same sort of thing that Martin Luther King was doing when he was fighting for the rights of the sanitation workers in Memphis during the 1960s."

~ www.disciples.com

Board News

Recent board news:

Schedules

Acolytes

July: Katelyn P. and Jack P.
August: Andrew P. and Amber W.
September: Abbie S. and Corey S.
October: Shawn L. and Andrew P.
November: Katelyn P. and Jack P.
December: Andrew P. and Amber W.

A Great Joke

A family is greeting their pastor after the service. Junior looks up and declares, "My dad says my mom is a pagan because she serves burnt offerings for dinner."

~ The World's Greatest Collection of Church Jokes

Lectionary

July 1, 2007
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Luke 9:51-62

July 8, 2007
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

July 15, 2007
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 7:7-17
Psalm 82
Colossians 1:1-14
Luke 10:25-37

July 22, 2007
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42

July 29, 2007
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Hosea 1:2-10
Psalm 85
Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)
Luke 11:1-13

Take a moment and read these scriptures each week!

Volunteer Opportunities

Upcoming Youth Activities

Birthdays

Rebecca B. Duke 7/27
Rebecca F. Duke 7/13
Jessica L. Fleshman 7/19
Gregory A. Madison 7/17
Lisa C. Peyton 7/26
Ava A. Pippin 7/23
Glen C. Reynolds 7/10
Anna T. Seay 7/1
Dot Seay 7/30
Douglas Seay 7/30
Phyllis S. Seay 7/23
David M. Shoupe 7/7

Elizabeth P. Burton 8/1
Elissa Hoyt 8/19
Jacob Keffer 8/31
Karen Knight 8/17
Margaret C. Lumsden 8/5
Patty Madison 8/14
David C. Martin 8/23
Charles D. Miller, III 8/9
Bernice T. Monte 8/8
Mark Nunnally 8/3
Eleanor Perkinson 8/2
Brandon Peyton 8/2
Allen B. Pippin 8/16
Abigail Seay 8/17
William A. Seay 8/27
Melissa Short 8/27
Andrew Woodward 8/13

If we missed a birthday, let us know.

Worship

Sunday School every Sunday at 10 AM
Worship Service following at 11 AM
Prayer Service each Wednesday at noon

Every Wednesday we offer a Bible Study at 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM
Community Youth Night every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:15 PM

Louisa Christian Church
P.O. Box 1344
104 Elm Avenue
Louisa, VA 23093

www.louisachristianchurch.org

Rev. Burnette: 540-967-4884
Email

Rev. Ricks: 804-683-3537
Email

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