LOVE CONQUERS ALL By High Priest Doug Trahern

Transcription

1 The Zarahemla Ensign Branch AUGUST 2015 LOVE CONQUERS ALL By High Priest Doug Trahern On one of my recent trips down to Jackson, I listened to C.S. Lewis Weight of Glory. The book opens up with something I would like to share with you. C.S. Lewis makes this statement: If you asked 20 good men today what they thought was the highest of the virtues, 19 of them would reply unselfishness. But if you had asked any man among the great Christians of old, he would have replied Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive. And this is of more than philological importance. The negative idea of unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others but of going without them ourselves. As if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love. The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ. And nearly every description of what we will ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If we as saints and servants of Christ only focus on what we have given up to join in the service of our Lord, our ministry, service, worship, study and even fellowship will be flat and miss the mark. I have read and heard testimonies of men and women, fellow saints, who have said it wasn t the sound doctrine that made them want to join the church. It was the love that the saints had for one another. We could easily say that is the same reason we are losing saints. It isn t because of the doctrine. It is because there is a lack of love among the saints. (Pastor s Corner continued on next page)

2 (Pastor s corner continued) The greatest sins I fear in my own life and are hardest for me to repent from are not carnal. They are sins of omission. Of not having the desire at times or the love in my heart to do the work that has been entrusted to me. We should pray each day that the Lord will make his duty our delight for that day and our gratitude for His gift will show in how we love and serve others. The 13 th chapter of I Corinthians is the greatest chapter on love or charity which is the pure love of Christ. Since Charity is the pure love of Christ, we ought to be able to replace the word charity with Jesus Christ and read it as a statement of who Christ is. Jesus Christ suffereth long, and is kind; Jesus Christ envieth not; Jesus Christ vaunteth not Himself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave Himself unseemly, seeketh not His own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. If we as Christians are to be like Christ than we should be able to do the same exercise with our name replacing the word charity. Try it and if you are like me, you will see the areas of your life that may need a little work. Zachary Leroy Cackler was baptized by Seventy Jim McKay while at Reunion at Odessa Hills. Zachary is the son of Ian and Bridget Cackler and the grandson of Bob and Melva Cackler. Zachary was then confirmed by his grandfather Elder Bob Cackler and Seventy Jim McKay. Pictures by Levi Vickery

3 AUGUST BIRTHDAYS Deacon Schedule August John Olivarez 3 Kyle Todd 3 Wally Gross 7 Barbara Criner 8 Reginald Nelson 10 Ann Rideout 11 Georgia Gault 11 Beth Stireman 12 Missy Shaner 12 Bobbi Chinnery 16 Aleisha Shaner 18 James McKay II 18 Alisha McKay 19 Ken Simmons Morning Jerry Gerber Morning Kyle Norman Morning Rudy Leutzinger Morning Lloyd Stilwell Morning Jack McClain DEVOTIONS August 2015 David Frye Family Rolland James Family Jerry Gerber Family Ed Geiersbach Family Promotion Sunday 19 Lincoln Herman 20 Max Hawley 20 Oliver McKay 21 Frank Frye 23 Liam Todd 24 Neil Simmons 25 A. J. Moore 26 Andrew Nelson 28 Kyle Norman 29 Rod Stark 30 Michelle Thien 31 Dan Norman If you are not able to keep your assignment, please find someone to fill your spot. Please add a cell phone number to your 2015 Zarahemla Directory, Elsie Hensley: This number is for This will be added to the next years directory. 31 Phil O'Camb

4 Musical Schedule AUGUST ACTIVITIES ******************************************************* 8:00 am Priesthood Prayer Service. Devotional Service - Ashley Gault 10:30 Service - Ashley Gault 6:00 pm Service - Summer Series August 3rd August 4th 7:00 pm Priesthood Meeting. Devotional Service - Jeri Gault 10:30 Service - Jeri Gault 6:00 pm Service - Summer Series Devotional Service - Jill Moore 10:30 Service - Jill Moore 6:00 pm Service - Summer Series August 7th August 11th August 13th 6:00 pm Father/Son banquet at the church. This is for all ages. 5:00 pm Building Committee at the church. 6:00 pm Ladies Night Out at Perkins. Devotional Service - Kevin McMilian 10:30 Service - Kevin McMilian 6:00 pm Service - Lindsay McMilian August 14th 6:00-9:00 pm Zion s League Hot Dog roast and games at McMilians. POTLUCK after the 10:30 am worship service. Stay and enjoy! Devotional Service - Ashley Gault 10:30 Service - Ashley Gault 6:00 pm Service - Jeri Gault August 18th August 19th 5:30- Lamplighters Service Project at the church. MINISTRY OF MUSIC 6:00 pm Restitution Class taught by Bob Moore. Communion Emily Kreutner Kelley Manning August 25th Janet Forth Lloyd Stilwell. 6:00 pm Business Meeting at the church.

5 ACTIVITY CALENDAR August Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday I Nephi 3: :00 pm Father/Son Presiding: Doug Trahern 7:00 pm Presiding: Patrick McKay Banquet Preaching: Jim McKay Priesthood Assisting: Rudy Leutzinger All ages. Meeting 6:00 pm Summer Series II Nephi 11: Presiding: Chuck Perry Preaching: Frank Frye Presiding: Rex Curtis Assisting: Duane Newman 6:00 pm Ladies Night Out 6:00 9:00 Zion s League Hot dog Roast 6:00 pm Summer Series McMilians Alma 16: :30-6:30 Lamplighters Service project at the church Presiding: Roger Gault Preaching: Mike Meier POTLUCK 6:00 Summer Series Presiding: Dan Norman Assisting: Phil O Camb D & C 18: Presiding: Dave Bronson Presiding: Nathan Perry Preaching: Tim Canfield Assisting: Wayne Simmons 6:00 pm Restitution Bob Moore Presiding: Ron Buckles Preaching: Neil Simmons 6:00 pm Business Meeting Brad Gault

6 ZARAHEMLA WOMEN S MINISTRIES i The first two months of Summer freedom have passed quickly into memory. However, several of our Sisters were assisting at the Independence District Vacation Church School in June held at Saint s Haven. On July 9, about 15 women met at the Olive Garden in Blue Springs to share a meal. There was a fine feeling of Sisterhood and an enjoyable meal. There is nothing quite like sharing a meal that nourishes both the body and the Spirit. On August 13, the women will once again share a meal, this time at Perkins, 3939 S Bolger Rd, Independence, at 6:00 PM. Please advise Barb Giertz if you plan to attend. All women are welcome to share this time together. Beginning September 1, there will be a six-week study course for women, The Beauty of Holiness. This will be at the church on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM. Please see Barb Giertz for a study booklet. We have several different ladies scheduled to facilitate the class discussions. May God direct you each, Sisters, in your service for Him. class By Bob Cackler The class has a long title: The Way of Humility, Preparing to Meet God. Brad has been just using Class which is fine. The class is primarily about humility and how to humble ourselves as Jesus did so we can obey the great commandments of loving God and our neighbors. We study pride and how to overcome it as we humble ourselves before God. We also look at how to live in the Spirit so that God's blessings are evident in our lives as well as in the lives of others. In addition, we study how to increase our readiness for Zion and how we can best assist God in this great work. The last topic covered is being a doer of the word. Currently the class is being held on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 at the Zarahemla Branch. This class will finish at the end of August. We have had interest in a daytime class which is being organized for September and October at one of our member's home. INDEPENDENCE DISTRICT SUMMER SERIES August 2 - Seventy Jonah Bates speaking 6:00 pm at Independence Branch August 9 - Elder Brian Mundy speaking 6:00 pm at Devon Park Branch August 23 - High Priest Tom Beem s peaking 6:00 pm at Zion s Witness Branch

7 Zarahemla Branch 502 Southwest 17th Street Blue Springs, MO 64015