Reflections From Sunday Evening

Today we gave out the third-grade Bibles. Thirty-two third-grade students joined us up front. When their names were called they stepped up and received their Bible. Each year our church gives our children (third-graders) the gift of God's Word. It takes a few extra minutes but it is absolutely one of the highlights of our church year. Thanks to all the students - thanks to all their parents (if parents don't encourage, support and see to it that the family gets here we have no one to share the gift with) - thanks to all our third-grade teachers and helpers. Thanks to donors who give extra money to pay for the Bibles - Thanks to Ms. Anne for pulling this all together. But mainly thanks to our third-graders - You give us hope - you give us encouragement - you prove that we have a hope and a future - you give us joy - you give us life.

Today I invited each third-grader to read the Gospel of Luke and e-mail me with their favorite story from their reading. It could be the Christmas Story - It could be the story of the Good Samaritan - It could be the story of the Lost Sheep, Coin and Son - It could be the Emmaus Road story on the first Easter - It could be who knows what! The good news is young people are going to be reading the Bible.

When I was in elementary school we got Bibles from our church. I recall some efforts at reading the scriptures but don't really recall when I first read and leared something from scripture. However I do know a foundation was laid. Later when I was 20 or so I read the Bible from cover to cover. My first success was with the Living Bible - It has established a pattern. Today I pick a new Bible - often a translation I have not spent time with for a year or more - and beginning January 1 read the Bible through. I find that three and one-half chapters a day will get you through the Bible in one year. Frankly during the first six months or so of the year I read more than that and usually complete the Bible in the first half of the year. From that point I am able to read smaller portions and be more reflective. That's probably more information than you needed but the point is this - The foundation for study of God's Word came in my childhood. We pray and we trust this is happening with our students. I'm looking forward to hearing favorite stories.

It's been a good day (if the Chiefs had won it would have been a little better). We had a good number of people meet after church to spend a few minutes getting acquainted with me and hearing what we are about in our church. Some good questions and super to share with such interested people.

Good crowd out today - now if we could do something special every Sunday with our kids ...

Closing thought from the message this morning (it spoke to me so I guess that's why I keep coming back to this Wesleyan principle). With increase in income what should rise is not the Christian's standard of living, but the standard of giving.

As I said, it's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.
Blessings.