Newspaper Page Text
Page 4B
The Braselton News
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Church N e ws
In the Eyes of
the Father
Parrish Myers
eotf@comcast.net
£3
l
MM
A tough question with
no easy answers
It is a question that many
people, Christian and non-
Christian alike, struggle
with. It is a question that I
myself have struggled with
for many years. Even after
seminary and almost 10
years as a pastor, I find no
easy answers.
What is the question, you ask?
Why does a loving God allow suffering?
Some of you are nodding your heads. You know what I’m talking
about. Maybe you’ve asked, wondered or agonized over this issue,
yourself. If God loves us as much as he claims to, why does he allow
things like disease, famine, war and death?
Some people will tell you that God doesn’t cause suffering. I would
agree. I’ve never known God to start a war. People do. I’ve never
known God to kill someone over turf. Gang members do. I’ve never
known God to commit genocide. Dictators do.
But, if God isn’t the cause of suffering, couldn’t he at least do a little
something to stop it?
Some people say God uses suffering for his purposes. They say he
uses it to draw people to him as they go through difficult circumstanc
es. They say he uses it in the lives of believers to show unbelievers the
power of Christ in times of adversity.
Well, forgive me for saying this, but that doesn’t cast God in a very
good light, does it? I mean, people are suffering, and he’s capitalizing
on it?
Now, before you break out the tar and feathers, let me say that I
understand what these people are saying. I understand that God can
bring good out of even the worst of circumstances (Romans 8:28).
But I have to be honest: that knowledge does me very little good
when it’s my loved one who’s suffering. It brings me very little com
fort when I have to watch someone I love waste away from cancer,
Alzheimer’s, or some other awful condition.
Unfortunately, I have got no better answer than anyone else. I don’t
know why God allows so much suffering in our world today. I don’t
know why God doesn’t do something to stop the suffering, or lessen
it in some way. And, even if God chose to explain it to me, my puny
little human mind wouldn’t be able to comprehend it, anyway.
So, what am I to do? What are any of us to do?
Trust him. Trust God even when we don’t understand him.
Every morning, Chloe sees me leave for work. Every evening, Chloe
sees me return home. In between those two times she has no idea what
I do, where I go, or who I talk to. All she knows is that Daddy has been
at work. Now, I could sit her down and tell her about my day, going
over it in minute detail, but her little child’s mind wouldn’t know what
to make of any of it.
So, it is with God and the issue of suffering. I may not understand
what’s happening, I may not understand why it’s happening, I may not
understand God’s role in it. But one thing I must do is realize that my
heavenly father is at work.
And as hard as it may be to do, I have to trust him.
Parrish Myers is a resident of Braselton, and is pastor of Pine Crest
Baptist Church. You can e-mail him at eotf@comcast.net. His website
is www. eyesofthefather. com.
J & J
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New Liberty plans
‘Hanging of the
Greens’ service
New Liberty United Methodist
Church, Braselton, will hold a
Hanging of the Greens service
Wednesday, November 28, at 6:30
p.m.
Special music will be provided
by the children’s choir. Chili will be
served in the fellowship hall after
the service. An opportunity will be
provided for families to create take
home Advent wreaths.
Starting Sunday, December 2,
at 8:30 and 11 a.m. services, a
Christmas sermon series titled “A
Christmas Made Simple” will be
presented.
“Do you remember when your
eyes would widen in excitement at
the sheer wonder of Christmas? It
was easy to experience Christmas
joy as a child," church leaders said.
“Too soon, childlike wonder gives
way to ‘I wonder how far my credit
cards or my calendar will stretch.’
This year, rediscover the special
wonder of Christmas.”
For more information, call
706-654-2406.
The church is located at 26 Charlie
Smith Road.
Lanierland Boys to
sing at Holy Ground
Holy Ground Baptist Church,
Braselton, will host the Lanierland
Boys for a singing on Sunday,
December 2, at 5 p.m.
The church is located at 224 New
Liberty Church Road.
For more information, call
706-654-4845.
Paul Moore is pastor.
The Vine plans
special series
The weeks leading up to Christmas
are often called the “Advent Season.”
The Vine, Braselton, will present a
special series called "ADVENTure”
during this time.
“Advent is an Arrival, an
Intersection, and an Adventure,”
leaders said. “Advent is about mov
ing toward Jesus as He is moving
towards you. When the two of you
meet, the ADVENTure begins!"
Topics include: "Hope,"
December 2, "Peace," December
9, "Joy,” December 16, and "Love,"
December 24.
The second annual Chateau Elan
Christmas Eve candlelight service
will begin at 6 p.m. on December
24.
Hoschton UMC
announces holiday
event schedule
Hoschton United Methodist
Church announces the following
Advent and holiday season services:
•December 1, chicken stew and
chili supper, 4 to 7 p.m.
•December 2, Jackson County
Comprehensive choral group to per
form at 11 a.m. service, fellowship
with lunch planned.
•December 4, family Christmas
dinner and lighting of the “Love
Tree" at 6:30 p.m.
•December 14, “Prime Timers"
Christmas dinner at 11 a.m.
•December 23, church choir
Christmas cantata, at 11 a.m. ser
vice.
•December 24, Christmas Eve
candlelight service, 6-6:30 p.m.
The church is located at 12
Mulberry Street. For more informa
tion, call 706-654-1422.
Angel Food orders
being taken now
Angel Food Ministries is cur
rently accepting orders for its
December food boxes. Orders may
be placed for the December menu at
Lebanon United Methodist Church,
Jefferson, A Call To Salvation
Ministries, Jefferson, Zion Baptist
Church, Braselton, Antioch United
Methodist Church, Nicholson, and
Faith Baptist Church, Jefferson.
Orders will be taken until Sunday,
December 2. Boxes will be distrib
uted Saturday, December 15.
Organizers said the Angel Food
program is not limited to those
experiencing difficult financial
times, but for anyone wishing to
save money on their grocery bill.
The cost of food box is $25.
The December menu includes:
four, five-ounce rib-eye steaks; one,
two-pound family lasagna dinner;
one two-pound split chicken breast
(2 pieces); one pound honey roasted
pork sausage; one pound fully cooked
chicken breast fajitas; one pound fully
cooked meatballs; one pound all meat
jumbo hot dogs; three pounds fresh
apples; eight ounces biscuit mix; one
pound 3-way veggie mix; one pound
cut com; one pound sliced carrots;
14 ounces chicken broth; 24 ounces
home-style hash browns; six-and-a-
half ounces cheeseburger dinner; 10
home-style waffles; and one dessert
item.
BOX SPECIALS
The first December special —
available for an additional $18 —
includes six, two-pound thick cut
pork chops; two pounds beef ribs;
two, eight-ounce rib eye steaks; four,
four-ounce lean beef patties; and one
pound Italian sausage.
The second December special —
available for an additional $18 —
includes eight, eight-ounce sirloin
strip steaks.
The third December special - avail
able for an additional $16 — includes
10 pounds breaded chicken tenders.
The fourth December special —
available for an additional $24 —
includes five ruby red grapefruits;
six tangerines; four golden dehcious
apples; four blush pears; four red deh
cious apples; four rome apples; six
Florida oranges; four navel oranges;
and six tangelos.
The fifth December special —
available for an additional $16 —
includes one, nine-ounce beef sau
sage; one, nine-ounce beef salami;
one, nine-ounce beef summer sau
sage; and three, seven-ounce cheese
blocks (cheddar, smokey cheddar and
pepper jack).
The sixth December special —
available for an additional $14 —
includes three, 12-ounce packages of
gourmet coffee (house blend, hazel
nut cream and Guatemala antiquate).
Specials are available to anyone
who purchases a regular menu food
box.
Food orders may be picked up on
Saturday, December 15, and par
ticipants must bring a large box to
receive their food.
Orders may be paid by check, cash
or food stamps. Organizers ask that
orders be placed as soon as possible.
More information about the pro
gram is available at www.angelfood-
ministries.com
To place an order at Lebanon
United Methodist Church, call Tim
Thompson, at 706-202-5787, Doloris
Thompson, at 706-372-2310, or
either Tim or Doloris Thompson, at
706-367-4938 or send email to leba-
nonumc @ yahoo.com.
To place an order at Zion
Baptist Church, call Jane Stovall
at 678-617-5302; Kim Harris at
706-654-3625 or 678-618-9369; or
Dana Smith at 706-658-7112.
To place an order at A Call To
Salvation Ministries, call Kathy
Sullivan at 706-367-9612.
To place an order at Faith Baptist
Church, located at 2081 Hwy. 129
N„ Jefferson, contact Jennifer Goza
at 706-367-8000 or 770-827-7401.
Orders will be available on Saturday,
December 15, from 8 to 9:30 a.m.
in the fellowship hall.
Orders must be picked up from the
church in which they were placed.
Benefit concert
planned Dec. 1
Macedonia Community Baptist
Church, Braselton, will host a
Southern gospel benefit concert for
Lannie House, cancer patient, on
Saturday, December 1, from 1 to 5
p.m.
The singing will feature "Perry
House,” "God Send,” “Kenny Lee,”
“The Mitchells” and more.
The church is located at 5507
Winder Highway (Hwy. 53).
Admission is free. A love offering
will be taken.
Food and refreshments will
be sold. For more information,
call Wanda at 706-654-2931 or
678-938-3689.
Christmas craft fair
set at Winder UMC
Winder First United Methodist
Church will hold a Christmas in the
Country craft and gift fair, Saturday,
December 1, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. in the
fellowship hall.
Food, drinks, door prizes, raffle
and a visit from Santa are planned.
Crafters who would like informa
tion on getting a booth for this
event, should contact John Janick
at 678-677-1702 or janickj@the-
janicks.com.
All proceeds from the rental
booth space will go to the Winder
First United Methodist Church
Youth Group to assist with mis
sions and functions.
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