Tomorrow's Offering

It won't be in the bulletin tomorrow, but we do have a slide announcing that on Sunday, February 22nd we will say goodbye to the Marrs. I'm calling it:I know ... corny. Oh well, short notice! I hope you can make it. It will be a pot-luck function and the planning is just getting underway. Normally Yvonne would plan this kind of function, but because we're saying goodbye to her, I thought asking her to organize it would be tacky. Phyllis Fox has agreed to lead the task but, as you may know, she's new to Grandview. Any help you can offer will be appreciated.

Now to tomorrow's services. I don't have any of the pastoral prayers yet. I'll add them as they roll in (if I'm back at my computer later today). Tomorrow is the penultimate sermon in the series on Christian maturity. Frank Smith will wrap it up on next Sunday.
We will look, again, at the ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Tomorrow Jesus heals a leper and tells him to keep quiet about it, except for going to the priests to be declared clean.

The man is too excited to follow through with what Jesus tells him to do. Interesting scenario; most of us who don't follow through with Jesus' commands do so out of apathy, not excitement!

This week has been pretty quiet pastorally. Willy B. had eye surgery and while the surgery went well, she wasn't feeling great much of the week. As for other things this week, well, you've already seen the Two4Two post. Yesterday, Deke B., Jason H. and I shot the remaining "Taming the Ancient Wildeor" videos. That was fun. Jason makes a fine Wildeor.

Okay. Back to work on the dissertation.

This just in: Bob Hall's prayer for the 11am service. Enjoy.

Prayers of the Church for Grandview
15 February 2009

We come before you, Lord God, looking for an anchor in a stormy world. All around us the world is busy, the world is chaotic, the world is beautiful and ugly at the same time. We are bombarded by temptations, by sin. We are surrounded by danger. Want and need are everywhere we look. The poor and the despised, the ugly and the infirm, cry out for help. Trust in the world and we are lost. You are our rock, you are our strength, you are our redeemer. In you, we find our peace. We rest upon your unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, our anchor holds within the veil.
In you we find our peace, but it’s often on our own terms. We like you Lord, the way we like you. It’s almost like we have our own religion that we need you to fit into. Clear our minds, Lord. Make us right. Help us see you are the God of everything and that you’re with all your followers, all your servants. Forgive us when we put you in a box, forgive us when we pull you out and dust you off and try to wind you up like a toy to please us. Forgive us.
We want to serve you, Lord. We want to do your will and we often try very hard to spread the Good News to every nation. But we also often see one way to accomplish your tasks. We often see OUR way of reaching your goals. When things stand in our way, we lose focus, we get frustrated, we sometimes even give up. God, don’t let us get sidetracked by the world, by our own desires, by well-meaning people, by our fears and phobias. Just as Jesus kept his eyes upon you and his purpose, so help us to remain steadfast to your design.
Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and his righteousness. We know, Father, that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thank you for the cleansing blood of the Lamb. Thank you for your limitless grace.
Bless our enemies and let them be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb just as we are.
In the silence hear our prayers of despair and of hope, of sadness and of joy…of thanksgiving:


We specifically pray for Lone Oak Christian Church. We ask your blessing on their leadership and especially on their minister, Tad Johnson. Support them as they continue the goal of all Christians -- to deepen and mature. Give them wisdom regarding when, where, and if to build a new building.
We pray for Agape Women’s Services and their mission here in the community. Bless them as they show your unconditional love for the people they serve.
We also pray for Greg and Allison Coley and the entire Globalscope team serving at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. Help them build the relationships, help them share your love with the students, and help them stay focused on your will.

And now we pray together as Jesus taught us to pray: