The Champions Spirit
Volume 68, Issue 37
Sept. 20, 2009
Of Mice and Men...
“When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.”
—PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk
What?
Such statements in support of “animal rights” show just how out of balance things have become in our world. The concept promoted is that all animals, including humans, are equal—in “pain, love, joy, loneliness” and such. Equality—Of Mice and Men???
Now is God concerned about animals? Of course. They were made at His word! They are part of His creation...of that about which He would survey and say, “It is good!” (Gen. 1:20-25). God knows when one of the “least” of the birds, the sparrow, falls to the ground and dies (Matt. 10:29). Anyone who believes in God and His word understands that animals have a value and a place in our world. But…“a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy?” Come on! God put things in order. While no license is given to abuse animals, man’s place was to rule over them (Gen. 1:27-28). Animals were given to man for food (Gen. 9:3-4).
So today, when there seem to be more people crying over “the right” of some snail to not be displaced than over the right of an unborn child to not be aborted, priorities are misplaced! When people would go to great lengths to save a beached whale but have no qualms about taking a human life who has made the “mistake” of living longer than the “productive” years, God’s order has been abandoned.
Of course, the greatest difference in rats and boys, of mice and men is demonstrated in that Christ died for men—not animals—“while we were yet sinners!” (Romans 5:7). That means there is a “whale” of a difference (Pun intended), and our society needs to recognize it, between Mice and Men.
—Larry Keele
FAMILY MATTERS...
Guests are always welcome to the services of the church of Christ in Champions! If you are visiting with us, we hope that you will take a moment to complete one of the registration cards either passed by the young men at the beginning of our worship or found in the rack next to the song books. Please, come again as soon as possible.
Janet Phelps responded to the invitation of the Lord and requested the prayers of the congregation in her behalf last Sunday. The Lord will certainly bless and honor the heartfelt requests of his children. In that we all find comfort.
“Champions Day” was an outstanding success! 446 were present Sunday morning and over 330 were in Bible class! Thanks to all who helped make the day special! We look forward to doing something similar next year!
Our small group studies will start off with a showing of Fireproof on Oct. 3, and a combined meeting at our regularly scheduled TNT meeting, Oct. 6. Following that combined meeting, there will be Neighborhood Bible Studies on Tuesday evenings for several weeks. This is a great opportunity to share with your friends and neighbors. I hope you will take advantage of it!
Oct. 25-28, are the dates of our upcoming seminar with Jerry Tallman. Jerry has been a most successful evangelist and soul-winner who will share with us his passion and give us insight on how to share our faith with others. As we are becoming a congregation who is more and more determined to share our faith with others, this seminar will really be a great blessing for all of us.
PARTING THOUGHT: The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy's Junction
Over the past several months, many of you have probably heard a lot of stories about how the Champions youth group has committed to boldly making a difference in our church and our community. You have probably heard inspiring tales of how the teens are praying for restaurant and other business workers in the area and for our many civil servants. Several of the teens have even made it a point to pray with Larry before each Sunday morning worship service. And of course, you can’t forget how the teens are leaving their phones in the teen room in order to better focus on the worship and sermon.
This week, however, I’d like to shine the spotlight on a different group of people: the volunteers. At Champions we are blessed with so many wonderful adults of all ages who really care about and invest in the lives of our teens. All of the progress and growth in the youth group would not be possible without these amazing servants. Too often, their contributions go unnoticed and without thanks. This week, I’d like to take the opportunity to personally thank each and every adult who volunteers in our youth program. Thank you for the love and support you so freely give to all of us. Thank you for preparing food for us and opening your homes to us. Thank you for transporting us and supervising our trips and activities. Thank you for leading our devotionals and taking our names to the Father in prayer. We love you and appreciate you!
I'll Show You A Volunteer
Poem by Foley
Show me a person who spends endless hours in training without pay,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person where a cry for help brings split-second dispatch,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who is devastated when lives are lost or maimed,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who is graciously welcomed as a next-door neighbor,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who takes ridicule more than compliments,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person whose car is garaged with the grille facing out,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who sacrifices home life, TV... even tender moments,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person visibly moved at the strains of our National Anthem,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who may be asked to give more than just dedication,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
Show me a person who is asked to give more... and more... and more,
And, I'll show you a volunteer.
—Jeremy Geurin
John's Jogs
NEW LANGUAGE
Well it’s time to turn our attention from the heavy serious stuff to a little levity. I found this article in the “Senior News” by Susan Capp.
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the EU rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, Her Majesty’s Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a five-year phase-in plan that would be known as “Euro-English.”
In the first year, “s” will replace the soft “c” Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard “c” will be dropped in favour of the “k”. This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the second year, when the troublesome “ph” will be replaced with “f”. This will make words like “fotograf” 20% shorter.
In the third year, puplik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be ekspekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also al wil agre that the horible mes of the silent “e”s in the language is disgraceful, and they should go away.
By the fourth year, peopl wil be resptiv to steps such as replasing “th” with “z” and “w” with “v” during ze fifz year, ze unesesary “o” kan be dropd from vords kontainimg “ou” and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of letters.
After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a relisensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to understand ech ozer. Now ve ar redy to go to the stor und by som chez.
What do you think? Will it catch on here? Do you remember that Ike hit Houston a year ago this past week? “In all things be thankful.”
—John Qualls