Please welcome our new sister in Christ, Karen McKisson.  Karen (Leslie’s sister) was baptized Wednesday afternoon.

Magi Project donations for November:  We are still collecting toothpaste and toothbrush holders.  See the sign up sheet in the back for clothing needed.  If you want to contribute, but you don’t want to shop, see Amy or Diane.  Thank you for your generosity!

GETHSEMANE
By John Kerr

            It happened again.  I was speaking into my phone to get words printed out and got a different message than I expected.  Actually it was one that made me think.  What I spoke was “in Gethsemane”.  What the speech to text printed was “and get so many”.  I thought, yes!  Jesus was in Gethsemane on his way to get so many and bring them into salvation.

            The Garden of Gethsemane, located on the Mount of Olives, is a significant biblical site where Jesus prayed in deep anguish before his arrest and crucifixion. Its name literally means "oil press" in Hebrew, referring to a place where olives were crushed to produce oil. The garden is deeply symbolic, representing the immense suffering and pressure Jesus faced while taking on the sins of humanity, which is mirrored in the crushing process of making oil.

            Isaiah 53:10Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
                        and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
                        he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
                        and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

            “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

            Can I really think that Jesus, the Son of God, was crushed for me, yet I owe him nothing?  When Jesus was crushed for me, blood (redemption) and water (life in the Spirit) flowed from his sacrificed body.  I can scarcely call what I have gone through as being crushed.  Oh, Savior, my Redeemer, what can I but adore and magnify and praise Thee and love Thee evermore?
 

FASHIZZLE - for sure.  Am I going to be at the church's community dinner November 22nd from 4 to 6?  Fashizzle!