When?

I am writing content for the new website. One of the things I am writing about is my journey with God and how I still question almost everything. How I am always open to new ideas and other perspectives.  Sometimes however, I come up with questions for myself that hit me hard because they force me to look at myself and my own walk with God.  This week I came up with this one:

"When am I "fully" available to God?" I mean fully available in the same way that people focus on their smart phone or when they are watching their favorite TV show or participating in something they love like golfing, or fishing, or playing tennis.  Do I lose myself in God's time in that same way? Do I even attempt to tune into God like I would for one of my favorite TV series?

I had to do some comparative analysis. Bonni and I rarely watch TV however we do enjoy watching some of the special series that are on Showtime and HBO. We look forward to that time together. We prepare for that time, dimming the lights, getting our water or coffee, sometimes a snack, and finding our comfortable spot on the sofa or lounge chair. We anticipate the show. And, when it finally comes on, there is no talking because we fully engage in the drama. We make ourselves fully available to those time slots.

Now I look at my God time. I have prayer time but it is on no particular schedule. I love to take my prayer walks but lately I have not been doing it nearly as frequently due to my nursing duties with Bonni's broken leg, (at least that is what I am telling myself!) I read the Bible almost daily but I do find that I have interruptions and sometimes lose focus. So as I compare, I have to plead guilty. I'm not too effective at making myself "fully" available to God. That is frightening to me especially as a pastor. I can only imagine what all I am missing.

Jesus made Himself fully available to God. That is our example. But as I read the Bible I know that man has had a real hard time prioritizing God on a consistent basis. So where does this leave me and us? I think becoming aware of the fact and confessing the fact that most of us fall far short in our relationship with God the Father is a healthy start. Luckily for us, Jesus paid the price for this sin and all others. And, because we are all sinners saved by grace, which is the unmerited favor of God, we can approach Him anytime even in our broken unfocused ways and know that He loves us and always has his door open to us. That is why Christianity is so amazing, our salvation does not require us to live our lives to a certain set of standards. Our salvation is not earned, it is a gift! And, all we have to do to receive this amazing gift is to believe that Jesus is who He said He is, God's son who died for me because I have a real hard time making myself fully available to Him and obeying Him.  Now that is worth celebrating! Sincerely,  Pastor Kent

This Sunday:

One Worship Service This Sunday

We will have just one special patriotic worship service this Sunday, July 2 at 10:00am.  The service will take place in the Prayer Garden.  This service will be led by IUMC and pastor Jackie. All music will be provided by a brass ensemble.  Please dress comfortably and bring a lawn chair.  Sunday School classes will be held at 9:00 am this Sunday.

Prayers requested:

Bonnie Rutkowski who is home from the hospital and recovering from brain surgery. 

Cathy Watson who was just diagnosed with breast cancer and will be starting chemo treatments Monday.

Donna Hart and her family, Dave passed away this past Saturday at home.

Kerry Baugher and his family, Kerry's younger brother Jack passed away this past week.

Jack Butler for continued healing and strength since his heart surgery.

Stan Rutkowski who will need surgery soon.

Leland Knapp who has recently had hip surgery.

Mary Knapp who is healing from treatment from dizzy spells.

Gladys Wilkening still undergoing cancer treatments.

Bonni Burns Schuette is still mending from broken femur.

Dave Hart's funeral information

Visitation tonight at Weber Funeral Home on Main Street Edwardsville from 3:00 till 7:00pm.

Memorial service tomorrow at Eden Church at 10:30am with luncheon to follow in the fellowship hall.

July 9th worship service at Glik Park at 8:45am. PCF will be leading this service. I have the manager from Shoe Carnival, Katie Junge,  coming to share some stories about the kids we supplied shoes to for Easter. These are our lunch kids that we serve every week. She said that she has some amazing stories to share with us. 

See you soon! Love, pastor Kent

Summer Schedule for Worship and other news

The Summer worship schedule:

July 2            IUMC   pastor Jackie  Communion

July 9th        PCF pastor Kent at Glik Park 8:45 am more info to come.

July 16th       IUMC pastor Jackie

July 23rd       PCF pastor Kent

July 30th       5th Sunday one service at 10:00am pastor Jackie

August 6th     IUMC pastor Jackie

August 13th   PCF pastor Kent

August 20th   IUMC pastor Jackie

August 27th   PCF pastor Kent

Prayers requested:

Bonnie Rutkowski who is having aneurism surgery this morning.

Cathy Watson who was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

Donna Hart and her family, Dave passed away this past Saturday at home.

Kerry Baugher and his family, Kerry's younger brother Jack passed away this past week.

Jack Butler for continued healing and strength since his heart surgery.

Stan Rutkowski who will need surgery soon.

Leland Knapp who has recently had hip surgery.

Mary Knapp who is healing from treatment from dizzy spells.

Gladys Wilkening still undergoing cancer treatments.

Bonni Burns Schuette is still mending from broken femur.

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I regularly pray for Gods peace. The reason that is so important to me, is because I cannot think clearly if I am in a scattered, stressed frame of mind. Gods peace allows me to hear His prompting and to make decisions based on His wisdom rather than emotion. I have a friend who is an emergency room doctor. He see's many things that would send most of us into a panic. Luckily, he is trained to remain calm so he can access situations and intervene appropriately. It would not be a good thing if you ended up in the emergency room with a serious injury and the doctor assigned to you came in and started to panic, scream, and stress out. We are given prayer as a powerful tool and I have found that praying for peace is one of my favorite spiritual weapons against the powers of chaos, stress and fear. 

News: 

PCF is having a new website developed. It should be up and running in a couple of weeks. 

Praise God for this amazing weather! Hope to see you all soon. Love, pastor Kent

Church office for prayer request or pastoral needs: 618-656-4648

Update on Last Post

Be still and Know that I am God!

I want to update this post because I left off another member who will be needing prayer and that is Darlene Hanks and Stan Rutkowski's mom Bonnie Rutkowski who is having brain surgery Monday 6/26 at Barnes hospital. This surgery is to recoil a 2014 aneurism and she will need a second surgery in about a month to treat another aneurism.  Please add Bonnie to your daily prayers!

Dear church family this has been a rough couple of days. I am going to update you on some news and information so that we can unite in prayer and allow God's love and healing mercies to come amongst us.

Yesterday I was notified that Kerry Baugher's younger brother Jack, age 54, died unexpectedly Tuesday evening at home. there will be a visitation Friday, June 23rd at  Jones Funeral Home 3rd and Indiana, Tamms Illinois, 62988 from 4:00 -8:00pm.  Please keep Jenny and Kerry and their family I your prayers.

Today I got a call from Gary Watson and Cathy, his wife,  has been diagnosed with breast cancer. They are running tests at Barnes today and we will know more soon.

Stan Rutkowski continues to suffer from compression wounds and will need to have another surgery soon.

Last Sunday I was talking more on the subject of Why Church? Why God? Why Jesus? and Why the Bible?

The church can be it's best when church family members are going through difficult times. We unite, we rally, we pray, we help, we listen, we do, we walk together, love together, cry together, conquer together.  That is "Why Church!"

Jack Butler is on our prayer list as he continues to heal from his heart surgery. 

Dave Heart is in hospice care.

Gladys Wilkening, Joyce Koenig's mom who is still undergoing cancer treatments.

Bonni Burns-Schuette continues to heal from her broken leg. 

Joshua 1:9-10 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 119:76May your unfailing love be my comfort according to your promise to your servant.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 116:1-2. I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me,  I will call on him as long as I live.

John 14:26-27 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubledand do not be afraid.

See you soon! Love, pastor Kent

Church office 618-656-4648

Be still and Know that I am God!

Dear church family this has been a rough couple of days. I am going to update you on some news and information so that we can unite in prayer and allow God's love and healing mercies to come amongst us.

Yesterday I was notified that Kerry Baugher's younger brother Jack, age 54, died unexpectedly Tuesday evening at home. there will be a visitation Friday, June 23rd at  Jones Funeral Home 3rd and Indiana, Tamms Illinois, 62988 from 4:00 -8:00pm.  Please keep Jenny and Kerry and their family I your prayers.

Today I got a call from Gary Watson and Cathy, his wife,  has been diagnosed with breast cancer. They are running tests at Barnes today and we will know more soon.

Stan Rutkowski continues to suffer from compression wounds and will need to have another surgery soon.

Last Sunday I was talking more on the subject of Why Church? Why God? Why Jesus? and Why the Bible?

The church can be it's best when church family members are going through difficult times. We unite, we rally, we pray, we help, we listen, we do, we walk together, love together, cry together, conquer together.  That is "Why Church!"

Jack Butler is on our prayer list as he continues to heal from his heart surgery. 

Dave Heart is in hospice care.

Gladys Wilkening, Joyce Koenig's mom who is still undergoing cancer treatments.

Bonni Burns-Schuette continues to heal from her broken leg. 

Joshua 1:9-10 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 119:76May your unfailing love be my comfort according to your promise to your servant.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 116:1-2. I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me,  I will call on him as long as I live.

John 14:26-27 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubledand do not be afraid.

See you soon! Love, pastor Kent

Church office 618-656-4648

Tomorrow's Service

Happy Fathers Day. Tomorrow PCF will leading the worship service at 8:45 am. 

Prayers requested:

Jack Butler who continues his rehab from his heart surgery. Please continue to pray for Jack and Wilma Jene as Jack continues to heal.

Gladys Wilkening  Gladys is Joyce Koenigs mother. Joyce informed me that her mom will be having surgery Monday to remove a cancerous ovary and her gall bladder. Joyce says if they do not find more cancer she will be done with her chemo treatments. We will pray that this surgery is successful and that her healing will be complete. 

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

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

Bonni Burns-Schuette continues to heal from her broken leg. She will see her surgeon Tuesday to see if she is ready to begin physical therapy.

Announcements:

RESTORE DÉCOR

Restore Décor needs volunteers to revitalize old furniture this Saturday, June 17^th from 11 am until 1 pm.  The work takes place at their Main Street location.  Restore Décor is a nonprofit resale shop, a ministry of Faith Coalition.  A little bit of everything and something for everyone.  Customers find a unique selection of gently used furniture and home accessories at unbeatable prices.  100% of  proceeds from Restore Décor support Faith Coalition projects (one being our SAK summer children’s lunch program).  The resale shop is open every Saturday from 10 am until 3 pm at two locations:  111 North Second Street, and 223 N. Main Street, both in Edwardsville.  It takes a lot of people volunteering to make Restore Décor happen each week.  You can check out their webpage at  http://faithcoalitionedwardsville.com/restore-decor/

SCRIP ORDERS TAKEN SUNDAY, JUNE 25

Be sure to get your order together and have it ready on Sunday, June 25^th.  Scrip is an easy fundraising program where you purchase gift cards to places where you normally shop, or as a gift for someone, and Immanuel will receive a percentage of the purchase price of the gift card.  You can read more about this program on our website, www.immanuelonmain.org.  Order forms can be picked up in the Hospitality Room.

55+ FELLOWSHIP

All are invited to attend the next 55+ Fellowship gathering on Sunday, June 25^th beginning at 5:30 pm.  Since Father’s Day is in June, we will honor our fathers just as we honored our mothers at our last get together.  Bring any special mementos of your dad, stories, interesting facts, etc. to share with all of us.  Bring a small entrée (summer time food), a side dish and/or dessert.  Silverware, plates and drink will be provided.  

SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR GALS AND GUYS

We are asking for school supplies for the Glen-Ed Pantry to distribute to children.  The following list was provided to us from the Pantry, listed in order of need:  Backpacks, glue sticks and bottles, graph paper, combination locks, washable markers, 3-ring binders, highlighters, protractors, index cards, filler paper (wide/college ruled), dry erase markers, rulers, colored pencils, erasers, mechanical pencils, pens, yellow #2 pencils, ear buds, supply boxes, folders, and notebooks (wide/college ruled).  Thanks for helping kids succeed!!

See you tomorrow. Love, pastor Kent

This Sunday and....What is Christianity?

This Sunday, Father's Day, PCF will be leading worship with pastor Kent giving the message. 

Service time is 8:45am, 800 North Main Street Edwardsville

This morning I was reading a book, "The Questions of Jesus" by John Dear, and I read the following:

"The story is told about a prominent reporter who flew to Calcutta to interview Mother Theresa. He followed her on her usual rounds through the streets of Calcutta, where homeless people lie dying each day. Finding some desperate man covered in filth and vomit, she would bend down and greet him as if he were a king. With loving words and gentle hands, she and her sisters would start cleaning him right there on the street, before picking him up and bringing him to her home for the dying. As Mother Theresa washed the vomit and vermin off the face and chest, and legs of a dying man, the reporter watched in horror, appalled that she would go near such filth. "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars," he said. "Neither would I," Mother Theresa answered." p. 35-36 

Please don't stop reading my blog here or you are going to miss my whole point. The reason I included the above story is because I think this type of story gets told way too often, with the point being to make 99.9% of us feel guilty about our place in the world as it relates to Christianity. 

• Most of us are not cleaning vomit off the dying. 
• Most of us are not selling all that we have to feed the poor. 
• Most of us are not giving most of our free time to rock sick babies in hospitals and I could go on and on about what most of us are not doing. But what good would that do other than to alienate more people away from "Christianity." Sometimes I feel alienated from Christianity because of what I hear or read. I have read plenty of "Christian" books over the past three years that made me feel inadequate and guilty. So I ask myself is that a good thing? Will telling me stories that make me feel inadequate and guilty motivate me to be a better Christian? For me, it does not.  

My Christian journey continues daily. I know that I can do better at many things. I do not feel called to sell all my possessions or to move to Calcutta. To be honest I often question my position as a pastor.  Personally, I believe we need people who build very successful businesses who make lots of money. If everyone of us quit our jobs tomorrow to go to Calcutta to help the poor, it would create a whole new disaster. Being a Christian is not easy or simple. It's complex. You have obligations, hopes, dreams, needs, and desires. That is human nature. When it all comes down to it I go back to one sentence found in 1 Corinthians 13. "13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

The greatest of these is Love! There it is. The key! No matter what it is I do, do it with love. 

If you sing in the choir, do it with love!

If you preach the Gospel, do it with love!

If you are talking with someone, anyone, do it with love!

If you are running a business, do it with love!

If you are working for someone, do it with love!

If you give money to a church or organization, do it with love!

If you volunteer to do something, do it with love!  

If you are a neighbor, be a neighbor with love!

If you are a teacher, teach with love!

If you are an attorney, be an attorney filled with love!

If you are a successful business person, be a successful business person with love!

If you are unemployed, be unemployed with love! Because of all the great things we can do, if we do them without love, they are worthless. 

1 Corinthians 13

The Gift of Love

13 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,[a] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly,[b] but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

See you Sunday, Love, pastor kent 

Full Bloom Summer ......Tomorrows Service

Tomorrow, pastor Jackie's husband pastor John will be giving the sermon at the 8:45 am service. 

Here is the preaching schedule for the remainder of the month of June.

• 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.

Announcements:

The PCF board will be meeting on June 19th.

Faye Heuchert and her crew is busy getting our summer lunch program with TWIGS up and running. PCF services two areas. The Cottonwood area and the East 30 Mobile Home park in Glen Carbon. If you would like to help out with this daily activity please call Faye at 618-444-5650. 

PEW BIBLE DEDICATION THIS SUNDAY

We will be dedicating our new Pew Bibles at both worship services this Sunday.  The Bibles will all be lined up on our communion rail in alphabetical order according to those who donated the Bible, so that you will have the opportunity to come forward after the service to see the nameplates in the Bibles you donated.  Thank you for your generous donations for the replacement of our old pew Bibles.  

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL REGISTRATION LINK

Our Maker Fun Factory VBS will be held July 24 – 28 from 6-8:30 pm each evening.  A free optional meal will be served to the children at 5:30 pm.  We will be ordering t-shirts for all participants this year!  In order to get the correct sizes, you are asked to please register for VBS by July 1.  Please use the following link:

https://vbspro.events/p/events/675a24

We are looking forward to another fun-packed Bible school experience for all children age 3 through those in 5^th grade.

I am still practicing my nursing skills as Bonni recovers from her broken leg.

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

See you soon! Love, pastor Kent

Why?

That is the beginning word to great inquiries. "Why?" Today I will expand my Sunday's sermon on "Why the Holy Spirit?"

If the answer to the "Why" makes sense, I am in. If it doesn't, leave me out!  Since we have been young we have all asked "Why?"  

Why do I have to clean my room?  

Why do I have to go to school? 

Why do I have to be nice to so and so? 

Why do I have to wear this shirt? 

Why can't I go to the party, everyone else is?  and on and on. Sometimes we got answers that made sense, many times we did not. 

Today, "Why the Holy Spirit?"

"Because I said you need the Holy Spirit, now go sit down and be quiet!"  Does that answer suck you into more inquiry? The Bible says the Holy Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus. Great. But what does that mean? The best way I can describe the Holy Spirit is to say that it is an inaudible voice which speaks to us in our hearts and mind and also intercedes for us going directly to God when we really don't know what to pray or how to pray in certain circumstances. The Holy Spirit exists the same way a rainbow or brown trout exists in a clear, fast moving mountain stream. If you look into a beautiful mountain river, it is very doubtful that you will see the trout. They are there, but without a very trained eye and polarized sunglasses, the odds of you actually seeing one is probably very low. They are camouflaged perfectly in the sparkling water and the stones on the bottom. If you trout fish regularly and learn how to read the reflections and the movements of the stream, along with having a good pair of polarized sunglasses which removes the glare from the surface of the water, eventually you will begin seeing the trout that have always been there. 

The Holy Spirit also takes time and practice to recognize. Although polarized sunglasses won't help you hear the Holy Spirit, prayer and bible reading will. The reason we want to develop our awareness of the Holy Spirit is so we can produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. If your life is not outwardly demonstrating these traits, then you are not yet producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you want these traits in your life, the Holy Spirit is what allows them to manifest through you. 

Pray for filling of the Holy Spirit. Read your bible daily. Soon you will become a changed person because you are allowing the Holy Spirit to produce fruit through your life!

Prayers: 

Sad news, Peter Marks passed away yesterday. Peter was the one and only Cornishman, as Elizabeth liked to refer to him. He worked at Sears here in Edwardsville as the tool man. Paradise received a good man yesterday! Peter we will all miss you!

Jack Butler has been in rehab at Mason Pointe Lutheran Care center. Wilma Jene says he is doing better and will be coming home this Wednesday. He is still using a walker but is getting stronger. Let's continue to pray for Jack and Wilma Jene as Jack continues to heal.

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. 

Rich Koenig. I spoke with Joyce and Rich on Sunday and Rich's eye surgery was successful so he will be back on the road driving soon. Thank you for your prayers!

Bonni Burns-Schuette  Bonni is home and is resting and healing. Her nurse is trying to keep her comfortable and in good humor. Thank you for your prayers. She will have a 6 to 8 week down time before she can start to get out and about. 

Remember if you have prayer requests or need pastoral care to call the church office at 618-656-4648. Also you can listen to past sermons on the website at www.praisecommunityfellowship.com. 

See you soon!  Love, pastor kent

Emergency Prayer request

Bonni has fallen and may have broken her leg. Im on the way to St Louis to hospital now. Ill keep you all posted.  Thanks for prayers Kent