F.Y.I Branch Yearly Theme: The Ye May Be Lifted Up at the Last Day. May Theme: Call on His Holy Name. Theme: Call on His

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1 Zion s Outpost Branch Newsletter 2013 Branch Yearly Theme: The Ye May Be Lifted Up at the Last Day May Theme: Call on His Holy Name Vol. 28 No. 5 The Church of Jesus Christ May, Study Scripture Calendar: scripture reading and theme calendar prepared by Seventy Gary Whiting Theme: Call on His Holy Name WEEKLY READINGS: Week 1; Doctrine & Covenants 28:1 Week 2; Isaiah 55:1-7 Week 3; Helaman 2:22-26 Week 4; Jeremiah 29:10-14 Week 5; Alma 16: The following is a quote from the scripture calendar: In all relationships, communication is key. When a friendship or a marriage or a business partnership fails, the failure can most often be traced to a lack of real communication. We need to share our thoughts, intents and desires with each other to the point at which we can at least understand the other person s point of view. More than causing the other person to understand us, we also need to communicate our appreciation of the other person, our concerns for them and acknowledge the good they do and the help they give to us. This is all the more important when we consider the Lord God our Creator. We owe Him everything we are and have. The mandate to call on the holy name of our Lord has many functions. God really does not need to have us tell Him anything about us. We are completely exposed to God s eye, but our prayers to Him and our cries for help, mercy and righteousness open us to His intervention in ways that He desires to work in us. He absolutely honors our agency and we can, by our sin and closed mouths and hearts, shut out the blessing and redeeming work of God in us through Jesus Christ. F.Y.I. [continued on page 3] Special Services: On Wednesday prior, our traditional prayer service became a preparation service for the Resurrection Sunday observance, Elder Dwight Burford provided a sacrament service for those who gathered. We sat at a table on the rostrum forming a circle around it. During the service Brother Burford asked that each person read a portion of scriptures he had previously selected. One at a time everyone, that was able, read from the Bible as much of the scripture as they desired to read and then passed the Bible to the next person. The service was greatly blessed with the presence of the Spirit. On Sunday March 31, families gathered at 8am for our annual sunrise service. This year the service was centered on five of twelve of The Voices of the Resurrection: Centurion Voice of Courage; Joseph of Arimathea Voice of Courage; Mary Magdalene Voice of Adoration; Cleopas Voice of Assurance; Thomas Voice of Doubt. The service was mingled with scripture readings, hymns, slide presentation and dramatization recordings for character voices. The program was drawn from a cassette series entitled The Twelve Voices of Easter. The dramatizations were written by Woodrow Kroll of Back to the Bible and produced by the Good News Broadcasting Association. Following the sunrise service we gathered in the basement for breakfast. Many thanks to Sandy Whiting, Julie Harris and Pam Burford for preparing the food. Pictured below are happy faces enjoying the good food and fellowship. [continued on page 3] (F.Y.I. Continued on page 3)

2 The Zion s Outpost Branch Newsletter is published monthly through the Publications Department of Zion s Outpost. The editor is Presiding Elder David Newman, editorial staff Debbie Newman. The newsletter is used to inform members, friends and seekers of the events taking place in the Branch and to promote the work of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is available at no charge to those asking for subscriptions. Contributions to its publications are appreciated. If you wish to submit articles, please them to debnewman@cox.net or mail to 382 Hillsdale, Wichita, KS Submit by 1st of each month. Contact us: 6300 N. Tarrytown Park City, Kansas Page In this Issue Study Scripture Calendar; F.Y.I. 3 F.Y.I. continued 4 Women's Department; Zion s Busy Bees; Please Pray For; Claire Burford & Josh Loyd s Wedding Invitation 5 F.Y.I. continued; Study Scripture Calendar continued; Family Devotion; Planning Ahead 7-8 National Day of Prayer Vol. 28 No. 5 Page Branch Event Calendars for May, June and July 12 Write These Dates on Your Calendar ZION S OUTPOST PUBLICATIONS GOOD NEWS CONCORDANCE Sunday Services 9:00 am Prayer Service on First and Third Sundays 9:30 am Family Worship on all other Sunday mornings. 9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Worship Service 5:00 pm Study Class Third Sunday is Potluck Lunch following the 11 am service Sacrament Service at 11:00 am on First Sunday and 5:00 pm on Third Sunday each month Wednesday Night 7:15 pm Prayer and Testimony Service Book of Mormon/Doctrine and Covenants $30.00 (1 volume) Old and New Testaments (2 volume set) $50.00 Full set (3 volumes) $75.00 BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS The Book of Mormon is Christian $5.00 The Parable of the Olive Tree $5.00 Conversion Table: RLDS to LDS Doctrine $5.00 and Covenants A Word of Consolation $5.00 The Voice of Captives $5.00 That Ye May Be Forgiven $5.00 You may order any Publications on the Zion s Outpost website:

3 F.Y.I. Continued from page Sunday school followed breakfast. After we gathered back in the sanctuary for the 11am worship service, the Children s Bell Choir provided an Introit of This is My Father s World. Members of the Bell Choir are, from left to right, Anna Burford, Jeremiah Drope, Faith Drope, Naomi Burford, Patience and Charity Drope. Sister Pam Burford directed the choir. The minister for the 11am worship service was Seventy Gary Whiting. His sermon illustrated what it means to live a life for Christ as demonstrated in Christ s disciples in the scriptures. You can listen to his sermon on the ZO website: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!! Clean Up Crew: L: Joel C: Naomi R: Jacob: Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 3 limbs free from the service lines and cutting the tree for firewood and removal. Thanks to others that helped Dwight & Dave throughout the afternoon: Naomi, Joel, Jacob and Pam Burford and Debbie Newman. The pear tree was planted shortly after the Burford family moved here in early 1990s. It became a tree of delight for the children to climb and play under as well as a delight to behold. It will be missed by everyone. Joel hugging tree trunk Friday afternoon all the tree limbs were mulched and Saturday the extra tree twigs and debris was cleaned up. There is mulch and firewood that is available for anyone is to carry home. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the tree clean up. [continued on page 5.] VDS Kickoff: The staff for our Vacation Detective School meet on Sunday April 14. The theme for this year s VDS is The VDS trainees will have their training July 29 August 2, 6:00 8:30pm. Please be praying for the staff as they prepare for the week as well as those that will be attending. Remember the VDS is for all ages and we hope to see you there. Be a sleuth break the CODE J.E.S.U.S. Ice Splits Pear Tree: It was the mourning of April 10 when the big pear tree that stood in the front of the church building was weighed down by freezing temperatures and a constant drizzle, freezing layers of water to the tree limbs. It was too much for the tree to withstand and ultimately split the tree trunk. As you see from Right: Naomi B. & Dave N. the above picture, part of the tree fell onto the line for cable service and telephone. Dwight Burford and David Newman labored all afternoon and into the evening to cut the National Day of Prayer: Thursday, May 2 will be a day of prayer and fasting for our Nation. See more info for NDP is on pages 7 & 8. Spring Graduations: Garrick, Ian, and Brent Burford will be graduating from college on Saturday, May 18. Ian will be receiving his bachelor of science degree in Bioengineering from Wichita State University. Garrick will be receiving an applied associate of science degree in 3D Interactive Technology from Butler Community College. Brent will also be graduating from Butler with an associate in science in Liberal Arts. All three will be transferring to other schools this fall. Also Arlend Dove will graduate [continued on page 6]

4 Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 4 Women s Department 2013: Dear Sister in Christ, Probably by the time you read this newsletter I will be in Independence, MO attending the JCRB International Conference. Please be prayerful each day concerning the business and activities of the conference. Pray that the Lord s Spirit will reign in the hearts and minds of the people gathered; for hearts to be softened towards the desires of God for his church, his people and that charity will always be expressed in word and action. Below is an invite to our dear Sister Claire Burford s wedding. I hope you re able to attend, but if not, please pray for them as they unite in holy matrimony My prayers are offered for you. God bless you as you choose his ways. Your Servant and Sister in Christ, Debbie Newman Zion s Outpost Women s Department Leader ~2013 Zion s Busy Bees Quilt Group: The next meetings dates are May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 17, October 8, November 19 and December 17. All meetings begin at 7pm. For more details concerning the meetings and quilt projects, contact Sandy Whiting or Martha Van Nordstrand Please Pray For Employment for Burford Men Claire Burford & Josh Loyd Wedding For Our Nation to Turn to God Boy Scouts Of America to Make Godly Decisions Victims of the Boston Marathon Bombings The Work of the Seventy Spreading the Gospel Priesthood Families Women Children Young Adults

5 [F.Y.I. continued from page 3] The tree stump was ground on Tuesday, April 16. The last to do is to till the ground and lay sod down. This will be done as time and weather allow. Again, thank you to those that were able to help. Your service for the body is greatly appreciated! The clean up process was more than one person should handle by themselves. You never know when opportunity to assist will present it s self. Below are more pictures of the process of cleaning up. Painting the Church Sanctuary Ceiling & Walls: The painting job has been contracted out for both the ceiling and walls. All cracks will be repaired as well are the dings in walls. They began painting on April 16 and finished at noon on the 18th. Wow, it looks great! Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 5 The sanctuary is the last room that needed painting. The church painting project began in In 2012, all six work days were devoted to painting the rooms. Needless to say, everyone is glad to have this project finished! May 4th Branch Work Day: On Saturday, all who can are encouraged to participate in the garage storage building project. Volunteers are needed to: remove all items, except the boxes of books, from the garage; to insulate the walls; hang wall board or sheetrock; assemble new storage shelf units; and of course to place items back into the garage. If you are able to assist with any of this process, please contact Dave Newman before the work day. Your assistance and prayers are greatly appreciated. Removing the tree one limb at a time. Looking clockwise forming a half circle [begin above] you will see the tree getting smaller. The last portion of the tree in picture 4 is being guided by Joel and Dave with a long rope so it doesn t land on the church building. Below this pic shows how close it landed to the church. Above Joel B. feeding tree limbs into a mulching machine Below pile of mulch Above & Left: Dwight sawing tree trunk going, going goodbye tree. New Look to the Church

6 [F.Y.I. continued from page 3] with a Bachelor degree in Marketing. Congratulations to all the 2013 graduates!! 2013 Scripture Calendar quote continued from page 1: As we apply the steps of this year s study, by the time we arrive at the instruction to call on His holy name, we will have plenty to say to God. Giving heed to the word of God means that we are reading and thinking about God s revelation of Himself and His directions to us. We are discovering the character of God (righteousness, truth, justice, love) and His attributes (holy, compassion, eternal, gracious) and His perfections (unity, Savior, Comforter, Redeemer). This is plenty of material out of which praise may come. Then consider with this the acts of God as Creator, Covenant King and Redeemer. Suddenly, there is more material for praising and honoring God. The counsel to call on God is an essential element in God s plan of salvation. We must follow the example of Peter when he was slipping into the waves of the Sea of Galilee and cried, Master, save me! We need to see that the only true words we can speak are those words prior to our redemption. We are lost, dead men walking until the life of Jesus Christ enters into us. This cry is the key that opens the door of heaven, if it is accompanied by repentance, that brings salvation. It honors God and the plan of salvation. Joel wrote it and the apostles declared it, All who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Read the FAMILY DEVOTION below for more about this month s theme. Family Devotion May Theme: Call on His Holy Name All hymns are from The Hymnal, Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Herald Publishing House, Independence, Missouri; Fourth Printing The devotion YE MUST PRAY ALWAYS is from the August 2012 Daily Manna devotion booklet by Louis Clark Gregson. Sing Hymn: #73 Brethren, breathe one fervent prayer Prayer: Story: August 6 YE MUST PRAY ALWAYS 2 Nephi 14:12, 15:1-6 2 Nephi 6:103 Nephi said,...ye must pray always and not faint, that ye must not perform anything unto the Lord save in the Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 6 first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that He will consecrate thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul. Nephi was a mighty speaker; however, he admitted that he was not mighty in writing. He said when a man speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost, it drives the message from God directly into the hearts of men. However, there are many that harden their hearts against the His Spirit, that it has no place in them; they cast many things away which are written for they do not think they are of any worth. But what Nephi has written was of great worth especially for his people. He loved them very much and prayed for them continually during the day and wept for them at night. He expressed his heartfelt sentiments so quaintly, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry; and I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers, for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness, will he make strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal. And it speaketh harsh against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written, save he shall be of the spirit of the devil. HYMN MEDITATION: Hymns of the Restoration, Hymn 168, Sacred Books the Church's Treasure ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Closing Prayer: Planning Ahead PLEASE MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR JULY ACTIVITIES: 8 Women s Dept. Meeting 6:30pm at the church beginning with a Salad Supper Hostess is Pam Burford Service Project Leader is Debby Smith 9 7pm Zion s Busy Bees Quilt Meeting: 28-August 2 Vacation Dectivie School 6:00-8:30pm AUGUST ACTIVITIES: 10 Facilities Committee Meeting 9:30am 12 Women s Dept. Meeting 6:30pm at Laurie Drope s home Guest Program Leader is Elder David Newman 17 Branch Work Day 9:30am -??

7 F.Y.I. continued from page 3 Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 7 The following is quoted from NDP website. To learn more, please visit Pray for America is a project of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER May 2, 2013 The National Day of Prayer was established by an act of Congress in 1952 and it has become a significant activity in the lives of millions of citizens, not only in America, but on military bases and at embassies around the world. Each year the President and all 50 Governors sign proclamations declaring the First Thursday in May as a day of prayer for our nation. With the help of more than 30,000 volunteers, tens of thousands of events are organized and held every year. Although the Day of Prayer is a globally observed solemn assembly, the NDP Task Force unites communities throughout the year through regional training events, community prayer rallies, and special gatherings like The Summons in Washington D.C. History [The following are excerpts from the above website] There had been at least two individual (i.e. single-day) national days of prayer in U.S. history before the day was made an official annual day of observance in Prior to the nation's founding, the Continental Congress issued a proclamation recommending "a day of public [sic] humiliation, fasting, and prayer" be observed on July 20, 1775": President John Adams declared May 9, 1798 as "a day of solemn humility, fasting, and prayer President Abraham Lincoln designated the day of April 30, The Honorable the Congress having recommended it to the United States to set apart Thursday the 6th of May next to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to acknowledge the gracious interpositions of Providence; to deprecate [to pray or intreat that a present evil may be removed] deserved punishment for our Sins and Ingratitiude, to unitedly implore the Protection of Heaven; Success to our Arms and the Arms of our Ally: The Commander in Chief enjoins a religious observance of said day and directs the Chaplains to prepare discourses proper for the occasion; strictly forbidding all recreations and unnecessary labor. George Washington, First President of the United States [4][5] 1863 as a day of "national humiliation, fasting and prayer" in the hope that God would respond by restoring "our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace". April 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer must be declared by each following president at an appropriate date of his choice a conservative evangelical Christian organization called the "National Prayer Committee" was formed to coordinate and implement a fixed annual day of prayer for the purpose of organizing evangelical Christian prayer events with local, state, and federal government entities. [18] In his 1983 declaration, Ronald Reagan said, "From General Washington's struggle at Valley Forge to the present, this Nation has fervently sought and received divine guidance as it pursued the course of history. This occasion provides our Nation with an opportunity to further recognize the source of our blessings, and to seek His help for the challenges we face today and in the future." [19] In 1988, the law was amended so that the National Day of Prayer would be held on the first Thursday of May. FAST AND PRAY ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL? Fasting is the discipline of abstinence to something such as food, media, or really anything in your life. Jesus, the early church, Moses, Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel all fasted and prayed! We will fast and ask our Father in heaven to provide a continuous and nation-wide canopy of divine intervention as we pray for righteousness and righteous leaders in our United States of America. We are NOT endorsing parties or candidates. Only our Lord knows how a person will respond once given great power. We are knocking and asking Him to give us righteous leaders in every point of power in our country! WHY FAST? Fasting is an act of humility before God, undertaken in part to seek His divine intervention in the events of our physical world. It is the example of Christ, the prophets, and the apostles. It provides more time to pray, seek God s face, and repent because we are more focused on the Lord and less concerned with daily routines such as preparing meals and eating. It brings revelation by the Holy Spirit of our true spiritual condition, leading to brokenness, repentance, and change, and allows the Holy Spirit to work in a most unusual, powerful way. It helps us concentrate on the Word of God to make it more meaningful, vital, and practical in our lives. It transforms prayer into a richer, more personal experience. It can help us regain a strong sense of spiritual determination and restore the loss of our first love for our Lord. As the heroic men and women in our armed services secure our liberty both at home and abroad, pray the Lord s protection will go before them. In addition, lift up the chaplains stationed around the world, along with the Christian servicemen who unofficially fulfill a role of spiritual leadership. Ask that these believers would faithfully represent Christ among their comrades-in-arms. Please don t forget to pray also for those who have lost a loved one in battle. These grieving families have paid the ultimate price, and we must ask that God s comfort would be upon them in a special way. Finally, pray that our media s accounts of U.S. military actions are relayed fairly and impartially. Our troops are deserving of their fellow Americans gratitude and respect, and accurate reporting can play an important role in rallying the American people around our brave servicemen.

8 The following are brief excerpts from the NDP website. For more details on the 7X7 campaign and the seven centers of power go to: Fasting is private in nature, in that Christians do not use it to be seen, but to follow the example of Christ (Matt 6:16-18). National Day of Prayer May 2, X7 PRAYER OVERVIEW The 7 7 campaign was created to help encourage YOU to pray for our seven centers of power, seven days a week. Simply try to set aside time in your car, during your coffee break, before bedtime, or whatever may work for you to PRAY. We want to ENCOURAGE you to make this prayer commitment. You may also consider gathering with a small group of friends, coworkers, or church members to cover these prayer points. Together, we will see positive change. Sunday: GOVERNMENT May God s hand of wisdom and guidance remain upon each segment of our society, and through His Spirit, may believers be inspired to pray continually (I Thessalonians 5:17). We are assured that the Almighty hears our petitions. As people from coast to coast lift their voices in prayer, repentance and humility, we simply cannot underestimate how the Lord will respond. Let us together come before His throne with these words on our lips and in our hearts, God bless America! Monday: MILITARY As the heroic men and women in our armed services secure our liberty both at home and abroad, pray the Lord s protection will go before them. In addition, lift up the chaplains stationed around the world, along with the Christian servicemen who unofficially fulfill a role of spiritual leadership. Ask that these believers would faithfully represent Christ among their comrades-inarms. Please don t forget to pray also for those who have lost a loved one in battle. These grieving families have paid the ultimate price, and we must ask that God s comfort would be upon them in a special way. Finally, pray that our media s accounts of U.S. military actions are relayed fairly and impartially. Our troops are deserving of their fellow Americans gratitude and respect, and accurate reporting can play an important role in rallying the American people around our brave servicemen. Tuesday: MEDIA We encourage you to make our nation s journalists a subject of prayer. Ask the Lord to provide the television, radio and print mediums with staff members and executives who are committed to accuracy and integrity. We must also remember to intercede on behalf of the actors, musicians and athletes our young people seek to emulate. Pray Vol. 28 No. 5 Page 8 that more of Hollywood s celebrities will be worthy of our respect and admiration. And as you watch your favorite sport, ask the Lord to strengthen and embolden any Christians on the team or coaching staff. Nothing is too difficult for God and though the industry often seems unprincipled, we know the Lord is able to use the media to accomplish His purposes. Wednesday: BUSINESS Today s business leaders hold a great deal of sway in our society. America has long celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of men and women who have launched innovative and successful companies. In generations past, honest and generous CEOs were rewarded with loyal employees, customers and clients. In recent years, however, greater numbers of large corporations are becoming characterized by deception, greed, and even fraudulent activity. In this climate, executives with strong ethics are especially deserving of our recognition and patronage. A great way to encourage such business leaders is to support Marketplace Chaplains USA, a group that positions chaplains in companies across the country. Also, continue praying that God will provide corporate America with business leaders who are committed to conducting themselves honorably. Thursday: EDUCATION With this type [concepts such as pluralism, tolerance, and the rejection of absolute truth] of atmosphere pervading our classrooms, it s especially critical that we pray for our nation s public school teachers, administrators and students. Ask the Lord to raise up a new generation of dedicated educators who will commit themselves not only to an honest, accurate presentation of all subject matter, but who will also serve as positive role models for their students. In addition, let s not forget to uphold our local school boards in prayer as they make decisions about the various curricula that are used across the country. Friday: CHURCH Pray for the Lord to spark a revival throughout our nation, protect the witness of our pastors, and continue to sanctify and purify Christians around the world. We know that the spiritual condition of homes, communities and countries often points back to the believers within those regions. That being the case, it s all the more important that we strive after righteousness, corporately as well as individually. Saturday: FAMILY Please pray for the family to be preserved as the Lord intended the marital union of one man and one woman devoted to each other and to raising the children in their home to be responsible, caring adults. Also keep in mind our elected leaders and the members of our judicial system as they consider proposed legislation and various court cases related to marriage and the family. This is one of the most crucial matters facing our nation, and it s imperative that God s people remain diligent in intercession for these concerns.

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12 Zion s Outpost Branch 6300 Tarrytown Park City, KS Phone: MAY 2013 NEWSLETTER Write These Dates on Your Calendar May: 4 Branch Work Day 9:30am-?? 13 Women s Dept. Meeting 6pm 14 Zion s Busy Bees Quilt Meeting 7pm 17 Ian Burford s Graduation 18 Garrick & Brent Burford s Graduations Older Youth Camp at Odessa, MO 26 Memorial Day June: 1 Claire Burford & Josh Loyd Wedding 9-15 Sr. High Youth Camp Odessa, MO 11 Zion s Busy Bees Quilt Meeting 7pm Seventy Missionary Family Reunion at Graceland University