Last Night

Last night we had our annual hotdog giveaway at the halloween parade. I want to thank Barb Joiner for the use of her office and parking lot and for Brad Joiner for all his work on getting this event setup and all his cooking and hospitality. Always a fun time for those who come by. I think we gave out about 350 hotdogs plus chips and soda. As you can see from the pictures above we kept Ken Winchester and Alan Grammer busy.

This Sunday PCF will be leading the service and we will be celebrating All Saints Day where we will be honoring those loved ones who have left this life to join God since this time last year. If you have a loved one you want to be remembered in this service who has passed away this past year please call Anita so we can get them on the list. A candle will be lit in their honor as well as their name being read during the service. We will also have special music. Anita can be reached at 618-656-4648. 

Remember the Christmas boxes are due back this Sunday so we can get them shipped to the children in need.

Announcements: 
Alexis Tharp's mom June Tharp, passed away this past week and the visitation will be held at Irwin Funeral home 591 Glen Crossing Road in Glen Carbon tonight from 5:00pm until 8:00pm. The funeral service will be held tomorrow morning at the Irwin Chapel at 10:00am. 

Hope to see you Sunday at 8:45am. 800 North main Edwardsville.

Love, pastor kent

Important Stuff

Sometimes all one needs, is to know someone cares. Be  that "Someone!" 

One Worship Service this Sunday, October 30th at 10:00am. This is the 5th Sunday and on all 5th Sundays we have only one blended service. Pastor Jackie will be leading this service.  Sunday School and Adult education classes will be meeting at 9:00am.

Operation Christmas Child. This coming Sunday is the last Sunday to pick up a shoebox! The shoeboxes are to be filled with items listed on instructions found in the box. The boxes are due back November 6th. They will be sent to a child in need for Christmas.

Pictorial Directory We are scheduling appointments for a new church directory which will have both church families included. You can schedule your appointment by going to www.immanuelonmain.org  and clicking on the Lifetouch icon. Everyone who has their picture taken will receive a complimentary 8 x 10 portrait, and a copy of the new directory. Photography dates are: November 8. 9, 13 and 14. so please make your appt. ASAP. We want to get you in the directory!

Halloween Free Hotdog Giveaway  We will once again be sponsoring hotdog giveaway at the halloween parade this October 31st. We meet at Barb Joiners Law office located on High Street. There is very limited parking there so if you plan on attending I would suggest you find parking somewhere in the vicinity and walking to the location. Lawn chairs would be a good idea. 

We will begin right before the parade starts. 

Free Thanksgiving Dinner November 20th. We are getting close to our first outreach as a combined church family. If you want to help on Sunday the 20th there will be plenty to do. If you have not signed up for a specific time slot or job, just show up. We will assign you to something. As a reminder we will be needing deserts. We hope to start feeding at 12:00 noon and be finished by 3:00. With enough help, we hope we can be cleaned up and have everyone home by 5:00. 

Prayers Requested:

Alexis Tharp's mother June is at Barnes in ICU in need of peace and healing. 

Bill and Judy Daubensteck's grandson Colin, prayers for healing. Colin is 13 and has cancer. 

Mary and Lee Knapp's grandson Connor, healing for severe head trauma and complications.

Stan Rutkowski, God's peace, love and healing.

God's continued guidance and direction for our combined church family.

God's blessing on all the churches in Edwardsville.

See you soon! Love, pastor Kent

Need to speak with a pastor?  Pastor kent 618-334-3575.  Pastor jackie  618-656-4648.

The Baseball Cubs and Heaven

After church this past Sunday Bonni and I were having brunch with some of our wonderful congregation members and one of them asked me if I thought the people in heaven, who used to be Cub fans, were celebrating their win to get into the world series? 

I have had similar questions about heaven regarding pets. 

Do they go to heaven? 

Will I see my pet in Heaven? The most honest answer I can give to all of these questions is, "I don't know?" I did say that I am pretty sure dogs do go to heaven but cats, I doubt it!  (I'm just kidding!) 

I love it when people question things like this. That is how I began my lifetime quest into getting to know God and the bible. Question everything! Let me give an answer to the above questions about dogs, cats, and baseball which is probably the most biblical answer I can give. We all have things on this earth that bring us joy, happiness, and love. For some it is hunting, for others watching football, others golfing, others fishing, everyone has their thing that brings them happiness and joy. What we have to understand is that all good things come from God and God will eventually become our total fulfillment. In other words, to be in Gods presence someday will fill us with such joy and completeness that nothing else will be needed. Nothing! Although we have special moments and things on this earth that may give us a glimpse of this kind of joy, peace and happiness, nothing will come close to what we will experience when we come into God's presence. He will be all that is necessary for us to be filled to overflowing with completeness, peace, joy, contentment, fulfillment.

What about seeing our loved ones who have died? Will we see them again?

My answer to this is yes but the relationship we enjoyed on this earth, whether it be husband or wife, sister or brother, mother or child etc. won't be the same in heaven. The relationship will not be the important thing as it was on this earth. God will be the center of everything for everyone. From Him and through Him we will enjoy everyone in the same fullness of love, joy, peace, and gratitude. 

Now let me give you my standard disclosure about the above answers and to everything I teach about God. The above is "my" current interpretation which does not make it "The truth!" It is based on what I believe at this time through all my study and prayer. The bottom line is this. God is real. Jesus is a real person who came to teach us about God's Kingdom and to save us not only from death but also from religion! Make sure you read that last line again! 

I think most of us are going to be in for an overwhelming surprise the moment we check out of this world and enter into God's Kingdom. I cannot even imagine the beauty, the awesomeness, the overwhelming peace, joy and love that will experience in God's presence. 

The sole reason I am a pastor, is to try and help people connect with God's Peace! That is what He will give you in this world. And once you have tasted His peace, it is something that you will want to stay connected to closely everyday of your life!

Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist, two churches becoming one family! We are breaking all the religious rules to bring Jesus to people. 

See you soon! Love, pastor kent
PS Thanks Barb!

Have questions or comments. Text me at 618-334-3575. 

This Sunday!

You Cannot Play It Safe With Love!

Bonni and I have been at Shriners Hospital in Shreveport Louisiana all week filming. We will be leading worship this Sunday and I will be sharing some amazing stories! Stories of love, and hope!

I hope you will be able to join us.  8:45am located at 800 North Main St. Edwardsville.

Love, pastor kent

One more thing about Tomorrow's Service!

Sunday, October 16th

The sermon tomorrow is inspired by one of our youth, Lane Kaburick, Jennifer and Al Kaburick's son. Lane runs our computer slide presentations each week from up in the loft. I was struggling with the message this week. I had several messages as possibilities but for some reason they just didn't seem right. I will be telling you how Lane came into the picture at choir practice Thursday evening to give me the God Inspired story tomorrow. If you have kids, bring them! Thank You Lane Kaburick for being real, for being honest, and questioning things! 

This coming Sunday PCF will be leading worship. 

The Sermon: "Salvation, I Think I'm Starting To Get It!"
Can we grasp what the bible is trying to tell us about who we are and how much we are loved?
Come and find out this Sunday.

Announcements:

Pictorial Directory Are you tired of trying to guess or remember the person you sat next to last Sunday? IUMC and PCF are going to get to know each other better. And one way we plan on doing that is getting an updated photo directory. LifeTouch assures us that it is not too late to have family photos taken and have them available to give as Christmas gifts. The pictures will be taken on November 8th, 9th, the 13th and 14th. We will need volunteers to assist in greeting those who come for pictures, and for signing up people. There will be a volunteer sign up sheet in the hospitality room. 

On Sunday November 6th we will celebrate All Saint's Day.Please inform Anita in the church office at 656-4648 of loved ones who have passed away since this time last year.

Free Thanksgiving Meal on Sunday November 20th. There will be a volunteer sign up sheet in the hospitality room. We will not be having a service that day. This is a day of outreach for our community. A chance for us to "be" the church!  We will need volunteers for all kinds of positions at various times that will need to be filled. This will be the first major project that both IUMC and PCF will be working on together. A great way to get to know one another and serve the community. The estimated cost of this outreach program will be about $1,400.00. We are expecting to feed between 150 to 200 people! If you would like to make a contribution please include that special gift in the offering and note the check for free thanksgiving dinner.  We will plan on serving from 12:00 noon till about 3:00.

I hope you will join us Sunday to come together in God's name to rejoice in God's goodness. 

Worship time is 8:45am Sunday at 800 North main Street, Edwardsville. 

See you there, love pastor kent

Sunday, October 16th

This coming Sunday PCF will be leading worship. 

The Sermon: "Salvation, I Think I'm Starting To Get It!"
Can we grasp what the bible is trying to tell us about who we are and how much we are loved?
Come and find out this Sunday.

Announcements:

Pictorial Directory Are you tired of trying to guess or remember the person you sat next to last Sunday? IUMC and PCF are going to get to know each other better. And one way we plan on doing that is getting an updated photo directory. LifeTouch assures us that it is not too late to have family photos taken and have them available to give as Christmas gifts. The pictures will be taken on November 8th, 9th, the 13th and 14th. We will need volunteers to assist in greeting those who come for pictures, and for signing up people. There will be a volunteer sign up sheet in the hospitality room. 

On Sunday November 6th we will celebrate All Saint's Day. Please inform Anita in the church office at 656-4648 of loved ones who have passed away since this time last year.

Free Thanksgiving Meal on Sunday November 20th. There will be a volunteer sign up sheet in the hospitality room. We will not be having a service that day. This is a day of outreach for our community. A chance for us to "be" the church!  We will need volunteers for all kinds of positions at various times that will need to be filled. This will be the first major project that both IUMC and PCF will be working on together. A great way to get to know one another and serve the community. The estimated cost of this outreach program will be about $1,400.00. We are expecting to feed between 150 to 200 people! If you would like to make a contribution please include that special gift in the offering and note the check for free thanksgiving dinner.  We will plan on serving from 12:00 noon till about 3:00.

I hope you will join us Sunday to come together in God's name to rejoice in God's goodness. 

Worship time is 8:45am Sunday at 800 North main Street, Edwardsville. 

See you there, love pastor kent

This Sunday....and more!

Please read the announcement at the bottom of this blog about this Sunday's service!

Todays advice, "Question Everything!"  Not as a grimacing, negative skeptic, but as one who is always seeking the smile and joy of God's truth! "What is really going on in this story? What is really being told?"

Think about the paradoxes in the bible! In the story of the Prodigal Son, one character does his life totally right and is in fact wrong while his brother appears to do everything wrong and ends up in God's favor!  Or how about this verse, "You have heard that it was said, "love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." So let me ask you, "Is the devil God's enemy?"  If so, what do we do with the advice Jesus gave us in the verse quoted?"  I have an answer but I will let you think about this one for awhile!

I love the bible more and more because I have decided to question everything. The more that I have allowed myself to seek new possibilities, the more the bible seems to come alive and make sense to  my life. I had another revelation this week when I was questioning Him about how I could get closer to Him in my everyday life. This is what was given to me, "I am already fully available to you at all times and in all circumstances! It is not a matter of getting closer, it is a matter of allowing yourself to hear and understand me and then acting on my promptings and instructions!" 

It is so true! I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, the problem is, too often I keep the door locked! The temple door should always be wide open which means to leave myself vulnerable. Who might come in? Or, what might God say through me? Am I willing to risk the possibility that having an open door just might make life a little adventurous or uncomfortable, or maybe even a little scary? 

Open the door!

Let loose!

Seek Peace!

Seek Joy!

Walk in Love!  And let God lead you in all circumstances. Enjoy the new adventure!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

This Sunday we will be meeting in the Journey's Inn room behind the kitchen in the lower level of the church. Not in the sanctuary! Pastor Jackie is going to have a more intimate service "in the round" with pumpkin Bread and coffee as she speaks of the meaning of the stoning of Stephen from the book of Acts. 

Hope to see you there. Love pastor kent and pastor jackie.

Worship time 8:45am Sunday

800 North Main Edwardsville