From This Week’s Bulletin

 

Wednesday we will begin a topical study titled “The Promises of God”.  You’re free to join us if you like.

Next Sunday is Homecoming!  Please be sure to come at 10:15 for the singing and stay for the Worship Service.  Don Daugherty will be our speaker.  Then, of course, be with us after the service for lunch!   As always, there will be no evening service next Sunday Evening.

Congratulations to our Graduates! 

 

From College- Eric Chamblee, Amanda Davis.  From

 

High School- Don D. Jones, Michael Lammel, Margaret McGhee. 

 

From 8^th Grade- Amber Snow, Charles McClure, Adam Layne, Destiny Massengale, Andrea Duncan, Elizabeth Bunch, Robert Nunley, Alex Hardin.

VBS Preparation Continues…

This evening we met again under the able leadership of our VBS director to continue preparation for VBS which will be held June 4-8.  Here are a couple of photos:

 

 

Congratulations to Our Graduates!

Congratulations to our Graduates!

From College- Eric Chamblee, Amanda Davis.

From High School- Don D. Jones, Michael Lammel, Margaret McGhee.

From 8th Grade- Amber Snow, Charles McClure, Adam Layne, Destiny Massengale, Andrea Duncan, Elizabeth Bunch, Robert Nunley, Alex Hardin.

Soldier’s Moms

As of May 11th (the latest statistics available) there have been among American forces:

3,382 deaths
13,975 injured soldiers who were returned to duty within 72 hours (minor injuries)
11,270 injured soldier who were not returned to duty within 72 hours (more severe injuries)

Too often we only hear of the dead, and the injured who must live the rest of their lives bearing the marks of the war go unmentioned. This Mother’s Day pray for all those Mothers who have lost children or have children who live from hence forever marked by war.

The Humor Of Huldrych Zwingli

After a long process of editing and translating, I’m very thrilled to announce that Fritz Schmidt-Clausing’s classic study titled in German Zwinglis Humor is soon to be published in its bilingual incarnation (German and English) by the Edwin Mellen Press under the title The Humor of Huldrych Zwingli: The Lighter Side of the Protestant Reformation.

Here’s what none less than Emidio Campi writes of it

“The world of learning is fortunately indivisible. As Director of the Institute for Swiss Reformation History at the University of Zurich I’m glad to congratulate Dr. Jim West who, on the other side of the Atlantic, has taken the initiative to republish and translate Fritz Schmidt-Clausing’s booklet on Zwingli’s Humor. I find in it authentic light as I peer among the shadows which hide the past from us.” - Dr. Emidio Campi, Director of the Institute for Swiss Reformation History , Professor of Church History, University of Zurich

And Peter Opitz says “Zwingli, with the Bible in one hand and the sword in the other - this caricature from the 19th century is still popular. [This book] presents us with another side of the Swiss reformer: Zwingli the linguistically skilled humanist, the speaker, who is familiar with the language of the common people, the satirist, and a man who is able to laugh at himself. It is the merit of Dr. Jim West’s re-edition and translation of a forgotten book, by which we are reminded of this important characteristic of a father of the Reformed tradition. But more than that, Zwingli’s humor is rooted in his faith: ‘I laugh because of a certain, unfailing confidence in God and his truth.’ This kind of humor is always needed.” - Dr. Peter Opitz, Institute for Swiss Reformation History, Professor of Church History, University of Zurich

And Chris Tilling too notes “If any had imagined Zwingli as a straight-faced, humanist dogmatician and dull producer of theological fossils, this is the book to set things straight; it reconnects us with the real Reformer, with a man of deep theological energy and pastoral concern often delivered in the shape of biting wit, creative puns and a variety of other hilarious forms. In other words, this is a man we can identify with, making him appear all the more as someone worthy of out study and interest. Dr. West has done us all a service in not only producing a long-needed republication of the Schmidt-Clausing text, but his translation helps make the sometimes complex idiomatic German word-plays accessible to English-language readers.” - Chris Tilling, London School of Theology

Naturally I wouldn’t be mentioning this at all if it were my own invention- but Schmidt-Clausing’s book really is worth a fresh look by a much wider audience than it originally received. The price is discounted - so write Mellen and ask for it.

Photos of Herod’s Tomb

If you are interested in seeing some photos of Herodium, the press conference announcing the discovery, and other things, click here.  The site is in German but all you need to know is that “weiter” is “forward” and “zurück” is “back”.  Enjoy them!

Pictures From A Wax Museum

The kids in the 5th grade over at Petros-Joyner Elementary have staged their annual “Wax Museum” so I went over and took a few photos of some of our Church kids.  They all did a great job!

 

The Tomb of Herod the Great Discovered!

Archaeologists in Israel have found the tomb of Herod the Great! Ha’aretz has the story,

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced Monday night that it has uncovered the grave and tomb of King Herod, who ruled Judea for the Roman empire from circa 37 BCE.

According to a press release from the Hebrew University, the news of the archeological find at Herodium was to be announced Tuesday morning at a special news conference, and was to be kept secret until then, but the discovery by Haaretz of the story had led to the premature announcement.

The tomb was discovered by Hebrew University Professor Ehud Netzer, who is considered one of the leading experts on King Herod. Netzer has conducted archeological digs at Herodium since 1972 in an attempt to locate the grave and tomb.

This is big news!

Baptist Sex Abuse Scandals

The Christian Century has a thorough look at the present difficulties the SBC is having with sex abuse scandals. The essay is certainly worth a look, and you can read it here. This is a problem that will bedevil the SBC until it takes measures to address and correct it.

Greensburg, Kansas

All the churches have been destroyed. Every business along the town’s main street has been demolished — for most, all that remains are steel girders, tattered insulation, splintered wood. Pray for that town- completely wiped out yesterday by a mile wide tornado.