News & Views January 20 2022
January 20, 2022
JANUARY MEMORY VERSE
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
JANUARY 23rd WORSHIP
Life Lesson Classes for Adults
8:30 - PSALM 119 video series featuring Matt Chandler - Ron & Judy Brown leading - Room 111
8:30 - PARA COMENZAR EL 12 DE FEBRERO - Clase de Estudio Bíblico en Español
Docente: Ruth Serrato - Room 113
8:45 - WELCOME Class: The Book of James - Leroy Bumbaca & Laurie Isaac teaching - Rooms 114-115
Connecting Point
9:30 A.M. - Dining Room
Worship
10:00 A.M. - Family Center Gym/Online - Pastor Mark preaching “Step It Up! - Pt. 2”
Read ahead: Luke 9:1-17
NLC Kids
10:00 A.M. - Rooms 101,103
JANUARY MEMORY VERSE
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
JANUARY 23rd WORSHIP
Life Lesson Classes for Adults
8:30 - PSALM 119 video series featuring Matt Chandler - Ron & Judy Brown leading - Room 111
8:30 - PARA COMENZAR EL 12 DE FEBRERO - Clase de Estudio Bíblico en Español
Docente: Ruth Serrato - Room 113
8:45 - WELCOME Class: The Book of James - Leroy Bumbaca & Laurie Isaac teaching - Rooms 114-115
Connecting Point
9:30 A.M. - Dining Room
Worship
10:00 A.M. - Family Center Gym/Online - Pastor Mark preaching “Step It Up! - Pt. 2”
Read ahead: Luke 9:1-17
NLC Kids
10:00 A.M. - Rooms 101,103
Laughter's Good Medicine
Someone (not from church) told me recently that I wasn’t as funny as I used to be. Never mind that I was sick at home when they delivered this tragic bit of news. I might have laughed it off, but that would have set off a coughing streak so I just took the news stoically. Apparently I had lost my funny bone. Was there a cure?
It got me thinking about the last time I really laughed. It was with Laurie a couple of weeks ago. Can’t remember the situation, but it was definitely before I got sick. When Laurie gets the giggles there’s no stopping us from an all-out laughing party. It’s usually something silly I say or do, often unintentionally, that sets us off. It helps if one of the kids is present to quickly identify what thing I did or said.
Like the time, years ago, when our young family was in search of discounted tickets to Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri. The coupons were printed on the side of limited edition drink cups at McDonald's restaurants in the area, and so we pulled into a drive-thru, I rolled down the driver’s side window of the minivan we had back then, and asked through the speaker box: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” You’ve ordered through those speaker boxes, right? They’re never very clear. “Could you repeat that?” was the inevitable answer I heard back. And so I repeated my question: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” After 2-3 times repeating the question, the answer came back consistently: “No, we’re out of those.”
These special edition cups promised to give us $5 off per person to enter the park, totalling $30 off our family of six’s entrance fees. You can understand why we tried another McDonald’s to see if they had any cups. Turns out there are six McDonald’s restaurants in and around Branson, Missouri, plus the two we stopped at driving down from Springfield that morning. None of them had any Silver Dollar City cups. Gas was cheap in Missouri back then, but I was already calculating just how little we might save if we ever found any of these elusive special edition Silver Dollar City cups!
The kids were getting restless, their much anticipated time at the amusement park slipping away one drive-thru after another. By the time we reached the last few McDonald’s restaurants I began to recognize just what a tongue-twister my increasingly desperate question had become: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” Especially when asked loudly and repeatedly into those infernal speaker boxes in the drive-thru lane! At one of the last McDonald’s drive-thrus we tried my question came out so garbled the family couldn’t take it anymore. They roared with laughter, parroting my garbled question. If I say those words to this very day they all howl with laughter!
We eventually arrived at Silver Dollar City, worn out and thirsty, and asked at the ticket window if we could meet someone from Customer Service. No problem. The nice lady explained that though they had pulled the cups from all McDonald’s stores just that week, the promotion was still available through that day. No cups. No problem. She gave us the discount just for asking! I could have hugged her!
Laughter, the Bible says, is good for us. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22). In the midst of sickness, economic worries, and all the troubles in the world, find a reason to laugh. And if you have trouble finding something to laugh about, laugh at yourself! And if you have trouble laughing at yourself, then it’s time to tackle a tongue-twister.
For starters, try yelling: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” three times really fast!
Good luck! And have a good laugh on me!
It got me thinking about the last time I really laughed. It was with Laurie a couple of weeks ago. Can’t remember the situation, but it was definitely before I got sick. When Laurie gets the giggles there’s no stopping us from an all-out laughing party. It’s usually something silly I say or do, often unintentionally, that sets us off. It helps if one of the kids is present to quickly identify what thing I did or said.
Like the time, years ago, when our young family was in search of discounted tickets to Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri. The coupons were printed on the side of limited edition drink cups at McDonald's restaurants in the area, and so we pulled into a drive-thru, I rolled down the driver’s side window of the minivan we had back then, and asked through the speaker box: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” You’ve ordered through those speaker boxes, right? They’re never very clear. “Could you repeat that?” was the inevitable answer I heard back. And so I repeated my question: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” After 2-3 times repeating the question, the answer came back consistently: “No, we’re out of those.”
These special edition cups promised to give us $5 off per person to enter the park, totalling $30 off our family of six’s entrance fees. You can understand why we tried another McDonald’s to see if they had any cups. Turns out there are six McDonald’s restaurants in and around Branson, Missouri, plus the two we stopped at driving down from Springfield that morning. None of them had any Silver Dollar City cups. Gas was cheap in Missouri back then, but I was already calculating just how little we might save if we ever found any of these elusive special edition Silver Dollar City cups!
The kids were getting restless, their much anticipated time at the amusement park slipping away one drive-thru after another. By the time we reached the last few McDonald’s restaurants I began to recognize just what a tongue-twister my increasingly desperate question had become: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” Especially when asked loudly and repeatedly into those infernal speaker boxes in the drive-thru lane! At one of the last McDonald’s drive-thrus we tried my question came out so garbled the family couldn’t take it anymore. They roared with laughter, parroting my garbled question. If I say those words to this very day they all howl with laughter!
We eventually arrived at Silver Dollar City, worn out and thirsty, and asked at the ticket window if we could meet someone from Customer Service. No problem. The nice lady explained that though they had pulled the cups from all McDonald’s stores just that week, the promotion was still available through that day. No cups. No problem. She gave us the discount just for asking! I could have hugged her!
Laughter, the Bible says, is good for us. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22). In the midst of sickness, economic worries, and all the troubles in the world, find a reason to laugh. And if you have trouble finding something to laugh about, laugh at yourself! And if you have trouble laughing at yourself, then it’s time to tackle a tongue-twister.
For starters, try yelling: “Do you have any Silver Dollar City cups?” three times really fast!
Good luck! And have a good laugh on me!
PRAYER
- Pray for the New Members’ Lunch postponed until Sunday, February 6th.
- There have been numerous people at NLC with positive COVID-19 tests, all going through it fairly well. Pray for quick healing, for endurance and strength, and for limited spread in households.
- Pray for those currently in skilled nursing: Olga Brandt, Barbara Friesen, Chris Holmen, Marilyn Chappell, Annie Enns, and Vicky Barkman.
- Pray also for those recuperating from surgery: JR Southard, Grace Castillo’s young son Anthony is doing much better, and Lois Brittel continues to recuperate at Sierra View.
- Pray for those dealing with cancer treatment including Glen Zimmerman, Kelly Friesen's sister-in-law Dana Friesen, Galen Wiest, Brian Smith, and Ron Brown's sister Bonnie who may be facing an amputation. Pray for wisdom, peace, and healing.
- Remember Chinoh Aquino in USAF training in Texas, and wife Jessica and the family here.
- The Elders are processing an application for a youth ministries leader. Give thanks for God’s provision and ask for his wisdom as we fill this role.
- Our Home Resource Center has been meeting several needs and recently had to purchase bunk beds for a family. If you feel prompted, please give to NLC’s Home Resource Center.
- Celebrate Recovery leaders need childcare consistently for their Thursday evening meetings and have not been able to start without it. If God is prompting you to help, please let Jessica Aquino know!
From Otto & Marjorie Ekk:
Dear Fellow Co-workers, Marjorie and I are very thankful to the congregation at New Life Community. You have received us and the mission ministry in Portugal with open arms and much abundance. Thank you for your total commitment to ministries far and close by. Because of your commitment to getting the Good News of Jesus out in places like Portugal, there are now many people following the Lord Jesus in obedience and living a victorious life in Him. Salvation has come to these individuals because you were obedient and faithful.
Thank you so much for the Christmas gift for both me and Marjorie. Many blessings, and we look forward to sharing with you personally soon.
Otto & Marjorie Ekk: 236 Village Dr., Dinuba, CA 93618 - 559.406.6354 - ottoekk@gmail.com
NOTE: Our Grab & Go Meal on January 30th will be served both indoors and drive-thru.
The indoor meal will be a celebration of Otto & Marjorie Ekk’s return from Portugal after 33 years of ministry.
Dear Fellow Co-workers, Marjorie and I are very thankful to the congregation at New Life Community. You have received us and the mission ministry in Portugal with open arms and much abundance. Thank you for your total commitment to ministries far and close by. Because of your commitment to getting the Good News of Jesus out in places like Portugal, there are now many people following the Lord Jesus in obedience and living a victorious life in Him. Salvation has come to these individuals because you were obedient and faithful.
Thank you so much for the Christmas gift for both me and Marjorie. Many blessings, and we look forward to sharing with you personally soon.
Otto & Marjorie Ekk: 236 Village Dr., Dinuba, CA 93618 - 559.406.6354 - ottoekk@gmail.com
NOTE: Our Grab & Go Meal on January 30th will be served both indoors and drive-thru.
The indoor meal will be a celebration of Otto & Marjorie Ekk’s return from Portugal after 33 years of ministry.
NLC Home Resource Center
Begun in 2021, the Home Resource Center has quickly become an asset in our partnership with Open Gate Ministries, helping their residents transition from the shelter to fully-furnished housing. The partnership has expanded through CarePortal to include families that Child Welfare Services identifies, and has recently been opened to direct referrals from the community, too. Many thanks to Carolyn Ehoff and Phyllis Enns who direct this ministry along with many of us who have helped or contributed!
Our Home Resource Center has been meeting several needs and recently had to purchase bunk beds for a family. If you feel prompted, please give to NLC’s Home Resource Center.
Our Home Resource Center has been meeting several needs and recently had to purchase bunk beds for a family. If you feel prompted, please give to NLC’s Home Resource Center.
Our Giving
Received Last Week (1/16): ..…. $9,375
Received this year to date: .….$181,711
Budget to Date: …………......…..$170,388
Budget Goal: …………..…........ ..$443,008
Needed Weekly: ……….…......….…$8,519
Tax Information
Annual giving statements for 2021 were mailed this week. You may check your own giving record online all year on the Breeze church management program.
If you are not yet on Breeze, please contact Elaine in the church office at 591-1176.
Received this year to date: .….$181,711
Budget to Date: …………......…..$170,388
Budget Goal: …………..…........ ..$443,008
Needed Weekly: ……….…......….…$8,519
Tax Information
Annual giving statements for 2021 were mailed this week. You may check your own giving record online all year on the Breeze church management program.
If you are not yet on Breeze, please contact Elaine in the church office at 591-1176.
COVID-19
Per CA Department of Health mandate, "masks are to be worn in all indoor public settings, irrespective of vaccination status" through February 15, 2022. Thank you.
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2 Comments
Mark... Thanks for the lighthearted message. Many of us are fatigued by the last couple of years impact on our psyche. Sometimes what is called for is simply to laugh, especially at our all too often serious selves.
Thanks for the note, Chuck. You may be right. I just received a letter in the mail from someone who read the article and recalled how she and her husband used to laugh together, especially how he bent over with laughter. She said she needed a happy story at this time, too. I'll keep that in mind as I write...