St. Paul's United Church of Christ

Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! Some of us may have heard that expression before. Jehoshaphat was a king who one day faced three formidable armies. We learned about him in a children's sermon during worship on May 24. And, of all things, the first thing this king did was to summon all the people and pray, and fast, and sing. What a strange reflex for a king facing war. The Scripture (2 Chronicles 20) says that God directed the king to this approach. So, all the people prayed and fasted and sang, even as the three great enemies approached. And then a remarkable thing occurred. The Bible says that "the Lord set ambushes" and the three great armies turned against each other and they defeated each other. Was it a sandstorm? Did some old grudges suddenly surface? Who knows. But the result was that the people of Israel never lifted a sword much less a finger. The enemy defeated themselves. Just prior to the arrival of the enemy, these words were spoken to the praying people: "Do not be afraid of this vast army, for the battle is the Lord's."

This story challenges our reflexes. The first thing we do when we face a problem is usually NOT to pray. We will go on the internet to find solutions. We will call friends. We will fret and worry. We will do a whole myriad of things, but prayer, well, that usually comes later. If the problem persists or gets worse, after we go through our list, then we may pray. Prayer is a "nice" thing, after WE have done everything WE can do.

What if our FIRST reflex were prayer? When three great big obstacles are coming our way, what if our first reflex was to turn to God? As we now come to the season of Pentecost, we celebrate that God's very Spirit inhabits our hearts. Since God is real and present in and with us, every enemy we face is an enemy God wants to face with us! The key is our reflex. Will we invite God to partner with us in our battles, or will we decide that the battle is ours and ours alone?

Here is an idea for you regarding your first reflex. When an obstacle comes your way, perhaps you could develop the habit of saying these words FIRST: "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me." Or, "Lord I need your help." This way of approaching life allows God in. It allows God to become part of what you are facing. As we develop this way of living, we allow God to fight our battles with us, and we do not relegate God to the back seat of our lives.

Pentecost now arrives on our church calendar. It is a time when we accent that God's Spirit is literally and actually with us. Let us cultivate the presence of God in our lives. Let us practice the presence of God. Let our FIRST reflex be a turning toward God and leaning on Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, and He will make your paths straight." May your first reflex be toward the God who inhabits our lives.

Rev. Brad Thompson

From Our Council President - June, 2009

Hello Everyone,

It doesn’t seem possible that it is time to once again write my letter for The Visitor. Time is really flying by! The summer is here and the warm weather seems to make everyone happy and renewed. It is also a time to renew your commitment to St. Paul's. Help us by finding a project you enjoy, or a mission you can help support. We always need help with the Share Wear closet the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. All you have to do is sit and chat with your partner, and welcome the eighborhood people to our "community clothes closet." If you are interested, please call Pat Loran.

We have seen new faces in our pews and increased activity at our functions. Be sure and say "Hi" and introduce yourself. Remember, we all know each other, but our new friends would like to know us as well. This is a great way to begin our summer season. Remember our new slogan: "St. Paul's is a place where you always hear good news!"

On Saturday, May 30th, we held our "Back yard Bar-B-Que". We had a great time! A BIG thank you to Pat and Tom Nicholson, and Kelley, Jack and Megan Simzyk for organizing the event. The "live" music was awesome! Thanks to Steve Dawson and the Looney Train Band!

Our mission project for the summer is underway. We are collecting travel size items for the homeless teens in Chicago. If you don’t travel, these items can be purchased at any store. We would like to complete 20 kits if possible, so please be generous and bring what you can.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our veterans who have and continue keeping our nation safe. We know that many people have sacrificed their lives to keep us free. St. Paul's would like to thank them all for their service to our country.

them ready for the big sale!

Peace be with you,

Debbie Wisowaty
Council President

Thank You!!

Special thanks to Pat and Tom Nicholson...and Amy too...and Kelley, Jack and Megan Simzyk for organizing our Back Yard Bar-B-Que event held Saturday, May 30th. The "live" music was awesome thanks to Steve Dawson and the Looney Train Band!

Special thanks to Linda Kosko, The Visitor newsletter Editor, and Sue Shragal, Assistant Editor, for their ongoing efforts to produce our monthly newsletter.

Thank you to all our Fellowship Hour hosts for providing yummy treats and coffee after worship and supporting this special Fellowship time.