The Churchtown Weekly Thursday, August 8, 2024
Learn-Grow-Become-GO!
Shout it in the assembly.
Shout it to the world. (Psalm 40)
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (BSB)
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (BSB)
I have been thinking a lot about this passage. I was thinking about it for weeks, and then I preached it at a wedding last week, and now I am revisiting the words again as I move through this week. Being in this passage has renewed me, reset me, grounded me once again as a pastor and a disciple as I contemplated the reality of the power these words carry.
On Thursday June 27, we adopted a very broken little creature. Gracelynn, our beautiful young American Foxhound rode with us from the Maryland boarder to her new home in Churchtown.
Gracelynn was not only a timid dog, she was docile. She suffered from abused animal syndrome, that is, she was simply willing to accept any beating or mistreatment we would bestow upon her. In fact, she expected it.
She was fearful, untrusting, and obviously used to abuse of every kind. There was little we could do at that time to even get her to eat, go the bathroom, or come out from one of her hiding places.
We attempted to crate-train but being confined terrified her to the point of hurting herself as she sought to escape. She needed desensitized to literally every noise and movement of common everyday life in a home and community. Our first thoughts were, “What have we done?” This seems impossible.
Over the first week we made a few strides in gaining her trust. She was beginning to eat, go out regularly without fear, and walk well with us on the lead
– and then July 4th happened.
Obviously, the sounds of explosions, gunfire, and the display of fireworks was the trigger. Something in her past has really traumatized her to these noises. (to this day, even the sound of someone hammering – or people playing pickleball down at the township building)
We covered her, held her, comforted and assured her – but still Gracelynn was terribly afraid and didn’t go to the bathroom for the next 30 hours. (yes, you read that right) You see, a dog is at its most vulnerable when they are going to the bathroom. It is a survival instinct – and it has no doubt served Gracie well as she lived the life of a feral dog for quite a long time.
Back to Square one.
Do you see now why the 1 Corinthians scriptures have been on my heart?
Rehabilitating a traumatized animal is tricky business. It is a fine line between providing much need structure (which provides much needed security), routine, discipline, and consistency while NOT allowing the animal to dwell in the past and receive “sympathy reinforcement” for poor behaviors that only leads to more poor behaviors. (Oh, poor baby, you’ve been through so much, it’s ok)
The catch to all of it – just like the setback with the fireworks – is to NEVER lose your temper, grow frustrated and yell or otherwise retraumatize the dog.
Super easy when the animal is totally uncooperative and seemingly unloving.
Not
And this is why God laid these scriptures on my heart. You see, I do believe that, “4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. 6Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails.”
The problem is that I am NONE of those things and can do none of those things.
None of those things, that is, without the power of God within me; and I believe that this is what God has been “re-teaching” me as a man, husband, father, and pastor over these past 6 weeks. Without constant reliance on the power of God’s Holy Spirit, Gracie would not have stood a chance in this house. Afterall, how long can a person be patient when that patience is not rewarded? How long will a person be kind, when that kindness seems only to cause fear? How can a person not envy the relationships that others have; not be angered when all of his or her efforts are met with rejection – and not grow angry when all that we are doing is unreciprocated and seemingly unappreciated?
But one outburst from Kelly or me and everything built with Gracelynn to that point would have been lost. Yes, there were times when we both questioned our decision and times that we both had to walk away from a situation rather than risk saying or doing something hurtful; but through it all, we knew that Gracie was in there. We knew that this dog could, by the grace of God bestowed upon us and shown through us, be redeemed.
We have not lost heart, we will not lose heart, and along with who is perhaps the greatest role model that Gracelynn could have, Suzie, we persevere – and I am happy to share that the beautiful dog that we saw the moment we met her is beginning to emerge. 😊
Love is patient and kind. Love is not rude or destructive. Love keeps no record of wrongs, and love bears all things.
And yes, Love never fails
Because God is love.
If I could start my own seminary, the pathway of education would be simple. A student would be under the tutelage of two or three bible scholars who, along with being steeped in the Word of God and willing to actually teach, also understood the precepts of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13. And as the student learned, the student would also LIVE 1 Corinthains 12 and 13 by rehabilitating a damaged, traumatized rescue dog.
Why? because I believe that understanding Who God is and the way God is reflected through His sacrificial love is fundamental to our humanity. Afterall, God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son so that whoever will repent, believe, and be filled with love, that is, be filled with God, will be saved for the age to come.
Then we GO and learn what it means to live the words of brother Paul. A rescue dog was just what was needed at just the right time for our (Kelly and my) ministry, our marriage, and our relationship with the Holy One.
P.S. Another sign of vulnerability is when a dog feels safe enough to expose their belly to you. (There is no way a dog can either fight or flee while laying on their back)
So, when Kelly saw this Tuesday morning, she had to take a picture. Gracelynn, at home, feeling safe in a little bedroom that is all her own. There is still a long way to go before you all will be meeting her in person, but we know that you are praying.
I don’t think Gracelynn is thinking about fighting or fleeing.
Welcome to the chamily Gracie.
(I’m not crying, you’re crying)
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
You can now subscribe and listen to the
“Churchtown Podcast Network!”
Available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify, just search “Turning on the Lights!” and “Churchtown Church of God Sermons” – subscribe and then leave a rating and a review! More folks will see it!
*Audio and video are always posted on our YouTube channel @churchtownchurch (there are 1,100 videos there)
Spread the word about the community NARTHEX! It is really taking shape and folks are making many donations. We have to get the word out!
Church Calendar
August 2 is our next First Friday! The movie is “Tortured for Christ” and it is rated PG-13
New Song Singer practice is Wednesday, August 7 @6:30
NSS lead worship Sunday August 11
Council gathers for prayer Tuesday August 13 @6:30
We gather for congregational prayer Wednesday August 21 @7pm
Council meets again Wednesday August 28 @6:30
Randy Simpson is in concert again outside Saturday August 31 @5pm
SERVICE OF THE ORDINANCE DATES:
July 21
October 13th
November 27th – Thanksgiving Eve.
Remember, the single biggest reason given for why someone attends church for the first time is that a friend asked them!
As always, we continue in prayer for Churchtown, for our community, for the church universal, and for the lost everywhere.
God is good. God provides. Keep your eyes up and on the cross people.
Be well and do good, my friends. And, as always, Keep Looking Up! The lord comes!
REMEMBER THAT!
Opportunities!
We are always seeking individuals to be trained in technology. We would like to develop TEAMS that could rotate weekends.
There is always the opportunity to provide music – join up with the New Song Singers and / or talk to me about a special prelude or piece.
Gather-Grow-Become-Go
Churchtown Church of God
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Welcome to Churchtown!
We are glad you are here!
Prelude, “Thou Art Worthy””
Opening Word
Isaiah 40:1-5 (NLT)
“Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down”
#307, “Send the Light”
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
#87, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised”
“Is He Worthy?”
Our Time In the Word
Ecclesiastes 12 (NLT)
102, “There’s Something About that Name”
Our Time of Corporate Prayer
“The Lord’s Prayer” – NSS
As a “little” church, we are always asking the question, “What CAN we do?” Well, we can start by caring for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of each other.We CAN serve the next person God places before us.
We CAN invite that person to church!
We CAN be intentional about going to church and strengthening ourselves and the body.
We CAN serve our community and show who Christ is to those who do not know Him.
We CAN PRAY, PRAY, PRAY – and we can REMAIN FATIHFUL!
I Love Being Your Pastor and Your Friend,
Brian
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