Bill’s Bestowals:
“Welcoming the Children”
“Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
(Matt. 18:4-5)
Good news, all! Our 2025 interns, Hannah and Dania (pronounced “Duh-knee-uh” as opposed to last year’s Daniah – “Dan-e-uh”) safely arrived this week! They will be with us through the month of July. These young women have already shown great willingness to enthusiastically serve God and our community!
I feel confident all of you will welcome our interns with open arms, and I am grateful. If anyone wishes to offer hospitality by inviting them to your home for a meal, I’m sure they would appreciate it.
I was reflecting on a number of things this last week:
- The arrival of the interns this week,
- The start of LOL last week (original intent was to feed hungry children during the months they could not rely on a school lunch),
- The fact that VBS is coming in July, and
- The knowledge that I am an older, more mature (debatable) Christian. I therefore have a duty / calling / responsibility to express my faith to younger generations.
This reflecting led me to memories of a older, more mature man who recognized himself as having a duty / calling / responsibility to express his faith to me when I was counted among the younger generation.
It has been about 45 years, so it is no wonder I don’t remember his name. What I do remember, however, is that he had to have been the coolest guy I ever met. He just happened to be my church camp counselor one summer.
I know this will be very hard to believe, but I was very shy as a youngster. I was especially shy around age-mates, for whatever reason. My counselor noticed that I was slow to warm up to the other campers, and he immediately took me under his wing. He asked me questions that showed an interest in knowing not only who I was, but also in who I was becoming. He made sure that I was welcomed among our small group. He demonstrated incredible unconditional love.
But best of all (please remember that this is coming from the memory of a preadolescent boy): he let me dunk him. You see, this man – a guy who weighed probably three times more than I did at that time – went swimming with the group each day. My favorite activity was to swim underwater, grab his legs, pull them up, and then quickly push on his shoulders to submerge him. And it always worked. He would always act surprised that he had been defeated, and then he would issue a new challenge, claiming invulnerability, and then I would defeat him again. We repeated this activity more times than could be counted. I remember feeling strong where I had previously felt weak. I remember his smile of acceptance toward me, despite what surely must have been drudgery to him. I remember my excitement, which today I recognize as a growing love for this man who first expressed it to me. He was awesome!
Though I have forgotten his name, I will never forget what he did for me. It may not seem like so much to anyone reading this, since you didn’t walk in my childhood shoes, but to me it made all the difference. He is a person who helped shape my present just because he was willing to step down to a level I could understand in my past. This very strong man humbly accepted “defeat” so that I could know what it was like to be worthy. Does this remind you of anyone else? (Hint: Read Philippians 2:1-11.)
It has been said that “Children will gravitate toward the oldest person around who will take them seriously.” This counselor of my childhood is the best evidence I can imagine for a statement like that!
I mentioned my reflections of the week above: the interns, the kids (of all ages) at LOL, the children who will attend VBS. All these are young people who can perhaps come to know the love of Jesus through me. Of course, they are all also young people who can perhaps come to know the love of Jesus through you!
Take the above statement to heart: “Children will gravitate toward the oldest person around who will take them seriously.” Some children at LOL and VBS will be what we call “normal.” Others will be “serious.” Others will be “hyperactive,” or “troubled,” or “challenging,” or “wallflowers.” The one thing that is common to them all is that every one of them needs someone like my childhood counselor in their life. Will it be you? “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matt. 18:5)
Shalom! Pastor Bill
- S. I’m not equating our interns to “children,” of course, but I include them in this because any and all of us may be a conduit of God’s love to them as well!
Much gratitude to Mary Dixon and Tommy Myers for opening their home to the interns for these two months.
I would also like to thank our intern committee – Mary Dixon, Theresa Gilchrist, Earl Harrell and Dora Venable – for making my job SO much easier this year by distributing a huge number of duties that allow the intern program to function. (Speaking of which, my apologies for this newsletter going out so late, my week has revolved around getting the interns here. Now that the committee has met them and assessed their needs, it should be smooth going for the rest of the summer.)
June, 2025 Calendar:
Sunday: Fellowship Hour at 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School at 9:45 a.m.
Worship at 11 a.m.
Wednesday: LIFT (Living in Faith & Trust) at 5 p.m.
June 2: Interns Dania Curry and Hannah Laing arrive!
June 3: Mission Committee Meeting – 5 p.m.
June 5: Worship Committee Meeting – 12:15 p.m.
June 7: PW Meeting at New China – 11:00 a.m.
June 8: Movie “Night” at the church. “Heaven Is for Real.”
June 9: Billie Joplin’s Memorial at Beasley-Wood FH, 10 a.m.
June 10: Building & Grounds Committee Meeting – 10 a.m.
June 10: Membership & Evangelism Committee Meeting – 5 p.m.
June 15: Father’s Day Meal following Worship
June 18: Youth / Intern Trip to the Batte homestead / Wolf Pen Gap
June 26: Fellowship Committee Meeting – 1 p.m.
June 23: Stewardship, Finance & Administration Committee Meeting – 1 p.m.
June 26: Session Meeting – 5:30 p.m.
June 29: Helping Hands Sunday! Brief worship at 9; breakout groups follow.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES:
2 – Bailey Sullivant
3 – George Rains
4 – Donna Wilson
5 – Nicole & William Edwards
6 – Sharon & Pete Chambers
7 – Kris Batte
9 – Bill Seitz
10 – Harold Coogan
10 – Dania Curry
12 – Judy & TJ Thompson
14 – Ken McRee
16 – Aaron Burt
16 – Tricia Stiefer
20 – Jason Gilchrist
22 – Dora Venable
22 – Susan & Bill Seitz
22 – Jasmine James
24 – Marilynn & Chuck Schroyer
26 – Linsdey & Jeff Hamilton
29 – Miranda Burt
30 – Harper Edwards
SERVING THIS MONTH:
Ushers: Bailey Sullivant & Dora Venable
Communion Preparers: Delta Reed
Communion Servers: Garrett Lundberg, Dora Venable
Leon Myers, Earl Harrell & Annette Hays
SPECIAL COLLECTION SUNDAYS:
June 1: Personal Care Collection
June 22: Goodland Academy
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Movie showing on Sunday, June 8, 4 p.m.
Come learn with us!
