This Sunday

This Sunday PCF will bleeding worship. This will be a communion Sunday.

We live and work in a relational world. The quality of your life is greatly determined by the quality of your relationships. People who have learned how to have positive, trusting, healthy relationships live a much more joyful, peaceful, and successful life. We all know those who live in a constant state of drama over poor, unhealthy relationships. Unfortunately there are those who's entire existence is a constant struggle because they have not learned how to be in healthy relationships with others.

One of the things I have learned over the years is that people who have serial relational issues love to have company. They are constantly wanting allies to get into their canoe so that they have back ups for their ongoing battles. You must be very careful as a Christian on how to handle these situations so as not getting sucked into personal peace draining sagas. My standard response to people who are struggling and need help is this: I will be there for you, I will pray for you, but I will not get into your canoe as long as you insist on paddling into rapids that will inevitably dump you over into the rapids of poor relationships. Let Gods words help you find peace in your relationships.

Romans 12:14-21

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Important Announcements

Sally McLaughlin needs volunteers to sign up to make coffee and bring donuts for the Sundays that PCF leads worship. If you enjoy the coffee and donuts on Sunday mornings it is because someone has volunteered to make that happen. Please see Sally on Sunday or give her a call if you can take a Sunday. (618) 978-3490.

Amazing Grace at Logan Place is looking for volunteers to work on Saturdays from 8:00 till 5:00 on Saturdays on location. There is also need for volunteers to provide lunches for the workers. If you would like to be part of this new ministry please contact Shauna Boad at (618) 971-5029.

Saturday, June 3rd is a scheduled church work day. beginning at 8:30am. There will be donuts and lunch provided for all the help. We will be doing outdoor lawn and landscape maintenance,  some inside painting, and cleaning. The more help we have, the quicker we can all enjoy the results.

Prayers Requested

Rich Koenig Rich will be having eye surgery on May 30th at Bellville Memorial Hospital. Rich will be having repair surgery to fix a detached lens that was previously inplanted in his eye. Please lift Rich for Gods healing hand and fast recovery.

Jack Butler Please lift Jack and Wilma-Jene both up in prayer. They both need Gods peace, healing, and strength since Jacks heart surgery.

Barb Weiss. Barb is still recouping from her back surgery. Praying for continued healing for Barbs complete recovery.

Mary and Lee Knapp Leland has had his hip surgery and is recouping at home.  Mary has received more treatment for her vertigo and seems to be doing a little better. Please continue to lift Mary and Leland for Gods healing grace.

Gladys Wilkening  Gladys is Joyce Koenigs mother. Gladys has stage 4 cancer (abdominal).  Please pray for Gladys and her family. 

Stan Rutkowski Stan continues to struggle with his compression wounds. We pray for Stan's strength and healing.

Dave Hart  Dave is in hospice and he and Donna need Gods peace and strength during this time of transition. 

Worship time is 8:45am. We are located at 800 North Main Street Edwardsville. 

If you have prayer requests please call the church office at 618-656-4648.

Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday. Sincerely, Pastor Kent

Why Bother with God?

This Sunday Pastor Jackie will be leading worship. I have an out of town wedding to perform and an out of town graduation to attend. The following Sunday, June 4th, Bonni and I will be back and PCF will lead worship.  We look forward to seeing everyone then and getting back into a more stable routine...at least for a little while.

Announcements:

Contemporary Worship to Be Held in Journey’s Inn Room

This Sunday, May 28, we are moving our 8:45 am Contemporary Worship service into the Journey’s Inn Room.  Due to the Memorial Day holiday, we want to offer a more intimate worship experience with a smaller group of worshippers than usual.  The Journey’s Inn Room is the room in the lower level behind the kitchen.

 Canned Meat & Jelly to Fill the Belly

Our Glen-Ed Food Pantry Emphasis this Sunday will be canned meats, stews, and any type of jelly or jam.  The Pantry is not in need of tuna, but would appreciate Vienna sausages, canned salmon, crab, chicken, etc.  Last Sunday you donated 97 pounds to the Pantry!!  

Church Work Day Scheduled

On Saturday, June 3, beginning at 8:30 am, we are asking for volunteers to do some painting and outdoor work(weather permitting) around the church.  Donuts will be provided in the morning, and Pastor Jackie will be making vegetable soup with toasted cheese sandwiches for lunch.  If you can help even for an hour it would be greatly appreciated!

Prayers Requested

Rich Koenig Rich will be having eye surgery on May 30th at Bellville Memorial Hospital. Rich will be having repair surgery to fix a detached lens that was previously inplanted in his eye. Please lift Rich for Gods healing hand and fast recovery.

Jack Butler Jack is still at Missouri Baptist Hospital. Since his heart surgery he is in rehab and they are dealing with an arrhythmia issue and low blood pressure. Jack has been in the hospital for three weeks now which is a long time. Please lift Jack and Wilma-Jene both up in prayer. They both need Gods peace, healing, and strength. 

Mary and Lee Knapp Leland has had his hip surgery and is recouping at home. Mary says he is doing well.  Mary has received more treatment for her vertigo and seems to be doing a little better. Please continue to lift Mary and Leland for Gods healing grace.

Gladys Wilkening  Gladys is Joyce Koenigs mother. Gladys has stage 4 cancer (abdominal).  Please pray for Gladys and her family. 

Stan Rutkowski Stan continues to struggle with his compression wounds. We pray for Stan's strength and healing.

Dave Hart  Dave is in hospice and he and Donna need Gods peace and strength during this time of transition. 

Why bother with Church, God, Jesus, the Bible?  

I think this is a good question especially with the busyness of todays lifestyles. Here is the Readers Digest answer: "Because all of us are on the same train!"  It doesn't matter if you are a multi millionaire, the sexiest man or woman alive, the star of the baseball team, the CEO of the worlds biggest corporation, or living in the streets wondering where your next meal is coming from, we are all on the same train and someday that train is going to stop and the conductor is going to make you get up out of your seat and get off of the train. That train is our life journey but we all must eventually get off the train. The reason for church, God, Jesus and the Bible, is to give you something to look forward to when your stop comes. Everything we can enjoy while on this train is temporary. Everything! Golfing, fishing, eating, shopping, traveling, loving, listening to music, friends, family, celebrations, all temporary. But the stop where we get off is forever! The Bible says it like this: 

Luke 12:16-21Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

1 Peter 1:24-25

 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.

John 5:24Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

We are back!

Bonni and I have been in Hawaii and after a very long travel day/night we are getting back into the our daily routines. 

Here are the next couple of weeks happenings at PCF/IUMC.

• This coming Sunday, May 28th, the 8:45am worship will be held in the Journey's Room down stairs. Not in the sanctuary. Jackie will be leading this service.
• Saturday, June 3rd is a scheduled church work day. beginning at 8:30am. There will be donuts and lunch provided for all the help. We will be doing outdoor lawn and landscape maintenance,  some inside painting, and cleaning. The more help we have, the quicker we can all enjoy the results.
• Sunday, June 4th. PCF will lead worship with pastor kent. This will be a communion Sunday.
• Sunday, June 11th. Pastor John Havis, Jackie's husband will be doing the 8:45am service.
• Sunday, June 18th. PCF will lead worship with pastor kent. 
• Sunday, June 25th. IUMC will lead worship with Brittney Gilliland.

I'll have more soon. Still catching up on everything!  Love, pastor kent

Special Prayer Request

I got word tonight that Barb Weiss is having a difficult time since her surgery. Please say an extra prayer for her. I will update you tomorrow when I find out more.

Sincerely, Pastor Kent

Important Stuff

True story at the bottom of this post!

Here is the schedule for the remainder of May.

May 14                 Jackie and IUMC

May 21                 Errick Cameron and PCF

May 28                 Jackie and IUMC in Journey’s Inn Space

Due to travel schedule, Kent and Bonni will not be available for the rest of the Sunday's in May. We will resume service on June 4th. 

Please lift up these people with prayer:

Barb Weiss:  Barb came through surgery just fine yesterday. As soon as the doctors allow her to leave Missouri Baptist Hospital she will be going to Meridian Village for therapy. 

Jack Butler: Jack just had surgery to repair an aneurism on his aorta. Jack is also at Missouri Baptist. 

Mary and Lee Knapp: Leland will be having hip surgery May 18th at Anderson Hospital.  Mary is still having vertigo issues and will be having more tests on May 10th. We pray for God's healing touch and for His strength and peace as Mary and Lee have these procedures.

Mike Rogers. Mike is the husband Lori Rodgers. Mike has had another serious operation on his back and is recovering. His arms are not working properly and needs God's healing touch. Also pray for Lori who is taking care of Mike as well as working many hours at Beverly Farm.

Gladys Wilkening  Gladys is Joyce Koenigs mother. Gladys has stage 4 cancer (abdominal).  Please pray for Gladys and her family. 

Stan Rutkowski Stan continues to struggle with his compression wounds. We pray for Stan's strength and healing.

Dave Hart  Dave has been battling cancer of the brain for the past 2 years. He is in hospice care and we ask God to be with he and Donna and their family during this time of transition. 

Psalm 46:1. God is our refuge and strength, and a real help in times of trouble.

All of us need love and prayer. Some of us may need a little more at times. It only takes a minute to lift someone in prayer and that is the tool that God gave us to use to call Him into special situations. 
Bonni and I took our kids and my niece and nephew to Florida some years back and we rented a boat to go out on the ocean to water ski. We ended up going pretty far out and the engine overheated and quit running. Before we left, the guy we rented the boat from gave us a cell phone or a walkie talkie, I don't recall which, but he said to use it in an emergency. We did. It took them quite some time to find us because we had gone out a lot further than I thought, but, the tool that was given to us worked. 
God gave us prayer! But, you have to use it for it to work. 

Have a great May, see you all again in June.  Love, pastor kent.

Curse or Pray?

This Sunday PCF will be leading the service at 8:45am. This will be the only Sunday in May that we will lead the worship due to Bonni and I's travel schedule for the remainder of the month.

This Sunday will be a communion Sunday.

Suggestion: For the remainder of the week, if someone gets under your skin, pray for them. When you feel like cursing, pray! Change your approach to problems. Frustration and anger can be changed into something much more constructive. Life is a series of choices. Behaviors can be changed and relearned. It is OK to go to Jesus and tell Him that you are "Pxssxd Off!" and that you need help with this feeling of anger. It's not as if He doesn't already know! For the past couple of months I have been involved in a cultural change project where people have become angry and distrustful of one another. It is my goal, through a series of classes, to help bring these people together. Of all the things I can teach, my biggest secret weapon is prayer. I pray about the class and for all of the people I am working with. Prayer can be powerful as a stealth weapon. The persons you are praying for do not have to know you are praying for them for it to have powerful results. People who are aggressive, inconsiderate, rude, obnoxious, even down right mean, are that way because they have not discovered the peace of God. Pray for them. Don't throw gas on a fire if you are wanting to put the fire out. 

Matthew 5:44"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"

Prayer Needs:

Mary and Lee Knapp Leland will be having hip surgery May 18th at Anderson Hospital.  Mary is still having vertigo issues and will be having more tests on May 10th. We pray for God's healing touch and for His strength and peace as Mary and Lee have these procedures.

Mike Rogers. Mike is the husband Lori Rodgers. Mike has had another serious operation on his back and is recovering. His arms are not working properly and needs God's healing touch. Also pray for Lori who is taking care of Mike as well as working many hours at Beverly Farm.

Gladys Wilkening  Gladys is Joyce Koenigs mother. Gladys has stage 4 cancer (abdominal).  Please pray for Gladys and her family. 

Stan Rutkowski Stan continues to struggle with his compression wounds. We pray for Stan's strength and healing.

Dave Hart  Dave has been battling cancer of the brain for the past 2 years. He is in hospice care and we ask God to be with he and Donna and their family during this time of transition. 

Barb Weiss  Barb will be having back surgery May 9th. She then will to go to Meridian Village for rehab.  Please lift Barb in prayer.

Bonni Rutkowski  We lift up Bonni as she continues to recover from her brain aneurysm procedure. 

Jeff Wiles  Jeff is in transition with his employment. We ask for God's wisdom and favor on Jeff's behalf. 

Butch Peterson Continued healing and blessing for Butch and Sandy as Butch continues to heal from his shoulder injuries. 

African Vision of Hope New Video

African Vision of Hope is one of the many Christian missions we have supported. Bob and Judi Bertels who founded this amazing organization attend our church from time to time. Their mission continues to grow as God continues to bless their efforts. They are in need of more child sponsors. Take a look at the video and see if God moves your heart to become a child sponsor.

See you all on Sunday. Love, pastor kent

If you have prayer requests or in need of pastoral care please call the office at 618-656-4648.