Today we visited Yellow Creek Mennonite Church in Wakarusa, IN, because my wife's sister's boyfriend was giving a sermon there. It was the first time he had ever given one. I think they said that he was helping out the head pastor.
They started the service with having everyone stand and sing a few praise songs.
After the praise songs concluded a guy got up and talked about how they had been looking for a youth pastor. I'm not sure if he was giving a testimony or just a status report on how the search is going. He talked a little bit about how the committee that he was on had some great ideas and big plans and they are not working out. He talked of how Noah waited on the Lord and He came through.
They called up some new elders in the church. Elders in their church, as I understand it, are like a board of directors. There were a couple of guys called and one woman.
They asked the new elders some questions kind of like making promises. A little like when you see wedding vows being exchanged. One person, who I think is the new overseer or something like that asked similar questions to the congregation and the congregation stood and answered.
They gave introductions of the new elders and then the new elders gave a few words of acceptance. One of the elders in his acceptance talked about his thoughts as he considered accepting the position. He felt like he was not mature enough to do it, but he thought, "Is Jesus enough?" He thought about his weaknesses, but that he should not rely on himself or others, but that all he needed was to rely on Jesus.
They also called or as they said it, "installed" a new overseer. They said that he pastors the pastors. My sister-in-law told me that he represents the conference, which is the presiding authority over the pastor. It was interesting to me that his wife worships at a different Mennonite church. I guess he is a little like a high councilor in our church except that he is always responsible for being at the same church which is not his home church. Perhaps. I was a little unclear on that.
The overseer gave an acceptance speech. He said something about the congregation had a future that is not the past, but is connected to the past. I'm not sure, but I think he may have been referring to splits they have had into other congregations through disagreement and even though the future should not be that, the people should remember their history and also the positive heritage.
They prayed for the elders and the new overseer. They had anyone from the congregation come forwarded who wanted to lay hands on them while they prayed.
A woman introduced my sister-in-law's boyfriend. Then she mention a couple of kids in the congregation who had been in an accident or something that they needed to pray for. She then began to pray. In the prayer she then named others. It was a pretty lengthy prayer. Then a lady sang a song. Then they had a family go up there and give what they called a dramatic scripture reading of Psalm 136. I guess every other line in that Psalm is the same sentence. They mixed it up in their family reading the unique lines and then on the repeated lines he had the congregation chant them.
After that my sister-in-law's boyfriend spoke.
Generation to generation - Psalms of remembrance.
Psalms 78:1-7 - The what - Remember the praise worthy deeds of the Lord.
The why - So the next generation will trust the Lord and not forget the deeds.
He stated that God has four roles. God is the creator, but also the protector, sustainer, and leader.
He talked about the history of the Yellow Creek Mennonite Church. He said that the congregation is 160 years old. It is known for developing its youth. He said that God leads to support missionaries and the community. One way he sited that they are doing that is through creating a carnival as an alternative to Halloween.
He stated that long ago the congregation split into two congregations. Theirs and the one across the way. After they split they shared a building for 40 years. There will be disagreements, but get along.
Showing posts with label laying on of hands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laying on of hands. Show all posts
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Sunday September 9, 2007
Sacrament Meeting
A new deacon spoke. He told of how he was giving an assignment in school to bring in something that represented who he was. He took in a Book of Mormon. He talked about how important it was for him. His teacher asked how he got involved with the church. He shared his conversion story with her.
This young man became the president of the Deacons' quorum right after he became a deacon. He related how exciting that was for him and his father as they are recent convert to the Church.
The 2nd speaker spoke on the fifth article of faith. "5 We believe that a man must be acalled of God, by bprophecy, and by the laying on of chands by those who are in dauthority, to epreach the Gospel and administer in the fordinances thereof."
She sited several scriptures where the laying on of hands was used to pass on authority.
She also talked of how the family is the basic unit of the church and the strength of our congregations come from the strength of our families.
The choir sang abide with me. Afterward the bishop related that he went to a parochial school for several years and they would end the day with that song and a prayer, so it was something special to him.
A member of the stake high council was the last speaker. He spoke on receiving callings. He read D&C 1: 38 "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my aword shall not pass away, but shall all be bfulfilled, whether by mine own cvoice or by the dvoice of my eservants, it is the fsame."
In the service of the Lord it is not where you serve, but how.
Sunday School
The Church should have unity. Many churches have been created just because of differences of opinion on how things should be done.
Mosiah 18:21-22 - 21 And he commanded them that there should be no acontention one with another, but that they should look forward with bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts cknit together in unity and in love one towards another.
22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the achildren of God.
3 Ne. 11: 29 - 29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of acontention is not of me, but is of the bdevil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Members of the Church in Paul's day were comparing themselves as to who was greater because of who baptised them or taught them.
The contention and immature ways of the members made it necessary for Paul to continue to feed them the milk of the gospel and hold back the meat of the gospel.
Helaman 5:12 - 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Christ is the foundation. Don't build the foundation on a certain preacher or a certain teacher.
Elder's Quorum
Spencer W Kimball manual chapter 17 - The Law of Chastity
If young men would not date young women that dress immodestly the immodest styles would change.
Pairing off should be postponed until 16 or older and even then much judgement should be used.
Start early in life to teach our children standards of chastity.
A new deacon spoke. He told of how he was giving an assignment in school to bring in something that represented who he was. He took in a Book of Mormon. He talked about how important it was for him. His teacher asked how he got involved with the church. He shared his conversion story with her.
This young man became the president of the Deacons' quorum right after he became a deacon. He related how exciting that was for him and his father as they are recent convert to the Church.
The 2nd speaker spoke on the fifth article of faith. "5 We believe that a man must be acalled of God, by bprophecy, and by the laying on of chands by those who are in dauthority, to epreach the Gospel and administer in the fordinances thereof."
She sited several scriptures where the laying on of hands was used to pass on authority.
She also talked of how the family is the basic unit of the church and the strength of our congregations come from the strength of our families.
The choir sang abide with me. Afterward the bishop related that he went to a parochial school for several years and they would end the day with that song and a prayer, so it was something special to him.
A member of the stake high council was the last speaker. He spoke on receiving callings. He read D&C 1: 38 "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my aword shall not pass away, but shall all be bfulfilled, whether by mine own cvoice or by the dvoice of my eservants, it is the fsame."
In the service of the Lord it is not where you serve, but how.
Sunday School
The Church should have unity. Many churches have been created just because of differences of opinion on how things should be done.
Mosiah 18:21-22 - 21 And he commanded them that there should be no acontention one with another, but that they should look forward with bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts cknit together in unity and in love one towards another.
22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the achildren of God.
3 Ne. 11: 29 - 29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of acontention is not of me, but is of the bdevil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Members of the Church in Paul's day were comparing themselves as to who was greater because of who baptised them or taught them.
The contention and immature ways of the members made it necessary for Paul to continue to feed them the milk of the gospel and hold back the meat of the gospel.
Helaman 5:12 - 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Christ is the foundation. Don't build the foundation on a certain preacher or a certain teacher.
Elder's Quorum
Spencer W Kimball manual chapter 17 - The Law of Chastity
If young men would not date young women that dress immodestly the immodest styles would change.
Pairing off should be postponed until 16 or older and even then much judgement should be used.
Start early in life to teach our children standards of chastity.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday July 22, 2007
Sacrament Meeting
The last couple of weeks we have had piano prelude music. It was a lot better than the organ music. I have thought a bit about how the organ just makes people talk over it when they visit before the meeting. I thought that perhaps it would be better to turn the organ volume down, but I think the piano is much better than even that.
The bishop recognized a young man who graduated from primary, got his Faith in God award, and was receiving the Aaronic Priesthood and being ordained a deacon.
One of the youth reported on Especially For Youth(EFY) that some of the youth went to this past week.
First Speaker
Pioneer Day coming up this week. She spoke of what the Utah pioneers saw when they entered the valley.
Brigham Young set forth some rules for the new land. He also set the plat for the temple and the city was plotted around it.
After they planted their crops the crickets came and were destroying everything. Everyone prayed and the seagulls came. They would gorge themselves on crickets, purge themselves in the Salt Lake and do it again.
A member of the bishopric spoke. He talked of everyone being a pioneer in some way as we better our families, wards, and communities. He also talked of those in the scriptures who are pioneers (Moses, Lehi, Ruth).
Those that serve in the church, including the bishopric, do not receive a salary of kickback on their tithing.
We should act as pioneers and not murmur and complain, but do our duties.
Sunday School
Resurrection
Where in the plan of salvation does resurrection fit? God's purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). Resurrection accomplishes the immortality part of that. Immortality will be given to all men whether they were good, bad, or somewhere in between. Everything that was outside of our ability to do was done by Christ. The rest is left for us.
The women came on Sunday to finish preparing the body after having quickly done a little preparing late Friday to get done before their sabaath (Saturday). When they got there they found him gone having not understood what he taught about rising the third day.
Priesthood
The instructor based his remarks on a talk by President Thomas S. Monson.
Service is the primary purpose of the priesthood. We can only use it for others. We can not bless ourselves when we are sick. We can not baptise ourselves.
“99 Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence” (D&C 107:99).
"14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (1 Tim 4:14-16)
What happened with you this week at church?
The last couple of weeks we have had piano prelude music. It was a lot better than the organ music. I have thought a bit about how the organ just makes people talk over it when they visit before the meeting. I thought that perhaps it would be better to turn the organ volume down, but I think the piano is much better than even that.
The bishop recognized a young man who graduated from primary, got his Faith in God award, and was receiving the Aaronic Priesthood and being ordained a deacon.
One of the youth reported on Especially For Youth(EFY) that some of the youth went to this past week.
First Speaker
Pioneer Day coming up this week. She spoke of what the Utah pioneers saw when they entered the valley.
Brigham Young set forth some rules for the new land. He also set the plat for the temple and the city was plotted around it.
After they planted their crops the crickets came and were destroying everything. Everyone prayed and the seagulls came. They would gorge themselves on crickets, purge themselves in the Salt Lake and do it again.
A member of the bishopric spoke. He talked of everyone being a pioneer in some way as we better our families, wards, and communities. He also talked of those in the scriptures who are pioneers (Moses, Lehi, Ruth).
Those that serve in the church, including the bishopric, do not receive a salary of kickback on their tithing.
We should act as pioneers and not murmur and complain, but do our duties.
Sunday School
Resurrection
Where in the plan of salvation does resurrection fit? God's purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). Resurrection accomplishes the immortality part of that. Immortality will be given to all men whether they were good, bad, or somewhere in between. Everything that was outside of our ability to do was done by Christ. The rest is left for us.
The women came on Sunday to finish preparing the body after having quickly done a little preparing late Friday to get done before their sabaath (Saturday). When they got there they found him gone having not understood what he taught about rising the third day.
Priesthood
The instructor based his remarks on a talk by President Thomas S. Monson.
Service is the primary purpose of the priesthood. We can only use it for others. We can not bless ourselves when we are sick. We can not baptise ourselves.
“99 Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence” (D&C 107:99).
"14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (1 Tim 4:14-16)
What happened with you this week at church?
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