Grace and peace to you! For everyone who has wandered in due to Mark Shea's very kind compliments and link, this is less a standard "weblog/blog" than it is a dumping ground for my weekly/monthly writing for a local paper/website/church newsletter. I still don't speak html fluently, and am aware this particular blogger page looks, well, lame.
I just wanted to have a simple place to point folk who asked me for a copy of last week/month's article; perhaps it will be more of a blog someday, but for now, greetings from an evangelical immersionist Anglican Restorationist pastor who is currently ticked off at offenses against his Roman Catholic brethren!
Anyhow, the good stuff is, as always, over at http://lileks.com if it's not at http://markshea.blogspot.com or http://amywelborn.blogspot.com (and if i knew what i was doing, those'd be links, but as long as hospice visits are my main priority, you'll just have to copy/paste like we Neanderthals. . .).
Pax et gratia!
(ps -- greetings always welcome at disciple@voyager.net; as to hyperlink, see above, advice also welcome)
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Sunday, August 25, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-01
by Jeff Gill
With the Sweet Corn Festival wrapping up this weekend (did you get your Lakewood Band Booster doughnuts?), the fair season in our neighborhood has just the Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster to look forward to (but that’s quite a bit to look forward to!). Looking backward, I just saw Aaron Dunkle’s ribbon for “Outstanding of the Day” from the Ohio State Fair, where Drew Cable and Chris Jones also got good marks from the judges.
Aaron’s project was on vegetable gardening, and his dad Bryan has been selling some of his great produce down along Rt. 37. Bryan has a computer controlled irrigation system that I can personally testify produces tasty cantaloupe, along with tomatoes, peppers, various melons, and a number of other vegetables not seen at every farmstand.
This is the first chance I’ve had to say how amazing the Newark Bicentennial parade was. It was fun to see an old friend, Charlie Rhoads, as Wayne Newton’s chauffeur in one of Charlie’s classic Oldsmobiles. Who better? And from the point of view of jogging along behind the United Way float for 3 miles pulling a wagon with a load o’ Chris in it, I really think half of Hebron was their to help our friends up north celebrate with style!
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, here’s what we’re looking at in our area.
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest speaker who has spent many years in Afghanistan. This event is always well attended, and they expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty” and a variety of other locations. This truly is a county-wide program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated a new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
That’s what the Hebron area plans to do for 9-11 this year, and many thanks to Chief Weekly, Lt. Yost, Mayor Mason, and Councilmembers Halter and Walters for their help in pulling together arrangements. We’ll have more news next week at the Hebron Crossroads on this day of remembrance and service.
When the news of far-off struggle and nearby trouble starts to get you down, I know that one of my grandmother’s favorite “spiritual disciplines” was watching birds (y’know, “they toil not, neither do they spin” as the Boss said) to get calmed and centered.
Recently, quite a flock of purple martins has passed through Hebron, darting and zooming low, flying like swifts but much closer to the grasstops than swifts care to go.
Out our way, a cloud of purple martins and a flotilla of dragonflies were zig-zagging their way through a four-course dinner of newly hatched mosquitos, and their antics were enough to wipe away a long, hard day.
Make sure to get outside before the nights start too soon; anyhow, you have to work off those doughnuts from the Sweet Corn Festival!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a definite doughnut eater. If you have doughnut sightings, or wildlife on view, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
by Jeff Gill
With the Sweet Corn Festival wrapping up this weekend (did you get your Lakewood Band Booster doughnuts?), the fair season in our neighborhood has just the Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster to look forward to (but that’s quite a bit to look forward to!). Looking backward, I just saw Aaron Dunkle’s ribbon for “Outstanding of the Day” from the Ohio State Fair, where Drew Cable and Chris Jones also got good marks from the judges.
Aaron’s project was on vegetable gardening, and his dad Bryan has been selling some of his great produce down along Rt. 37. Bryan has a computer controlled irrigation system that I can personally testify produces tasty cantaloupe, along with tomatoes, peppers, various melons, and a number of other vegetables not seen at every farmstand.
This is the first chance I’ve had to say how amazing the Newark Bicentennial parade was. It was fun to see an old friend, Charlie Rhoads, as Wayne Newton’s chauffeur in one of Charlie’s classic Oldsmobiles. Who better? And from the point of view of jogging along behind the United Way float for 3 miles pulling a wagon with a load o’ Chris in it, I really think half of Hebron was their to help our friends up north celebrate with style!
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, here’s what we’re looking at in our area.
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest speaker who has spent many years in Afghanistan. This event is always well attended, and they expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty” and a variety of other locations. This truly is a county-wide program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated a new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
That’s what the Hebron area plans to do for 9-11 this year, and many thanks to Chief Weekly, Lt. Yost, Mayor Mason, and Councilmembers Halter and Walters for their help in pulling together arrangements. We’ll have more news next week at the Hebron Crossroads on this day of remembrance and service.
When the news of far-off struggle and nearby trouble starts to get you down, I know that one of my grandmother’s favorite “spiritual disciplines” was watching birds (y’know, “they toil not, neither do they spin” as the Boss said) to get calmed and centered.
Recently, quite a flock of purple martins has passed through Hebron, darting and zooming low, flying like swifts but much closer to the grasstops than swifts care to go.
Out our way, a cloud of purple martins and a flotilla of dragonflies were zig-zagging their way through a four-course dinner of newly hatched mosquitos, and their antics were enough to wipe away a long, hard day.
Make sure to get outside before the nights start too soon; anyhow, you have to work off those doughnuts from the Sweet Corn Festival!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a definite doughnut eater. If you have doughnut sightings, or wildlife on view, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
The Church Window print edition -- Sept. 2002
* * * * * * *
Notes From My Knapsack
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Last year, we responded quickly, in the middle of shock and horror, but found our church was truly the lighthouse we want to be as stewards of God's light, shining brightest in the midst of darkness "which can never put it out."
This year, we have time to prepare: maybe too much time, from the sounds of some of the memorials and rallies planned in various places. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, the board and elders of Hebron Christian felt it was important to help lead and participate in a more local way. Here's what's planned as of 8-25:
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest preacher who spent many years as a missionary in Afghanistan, living at one time literally just a few doors from Mullah Omar. This is not just a "Newark" event, and is always well attended. They've had 700 at the most recent (two years ago), and expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty”. This truly is a Licking County program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered either at the municipal flagpole or by the fire station.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
For our part, we don't just need hardy paintbrush wielders; there's going to be service opportunities for iced tea makers, check-in greeters, musicians, map wranglers, and many others. If this sounds like last week's sermon on the North Platte Canteen, you're right!
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated their new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
I hope you all can “Respond To The Call” on Sept. 11.
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Congregational Meeting – Sept. 8
Rally Day – Sept. 8 with potluck at Noon, followed by games and activities
* * * * * * *
If you have completed “sermon surveys” for Pastor Jeff, please bring them back to worship and place in the offering plate, prayer request box in back, or you can fold them up and mail them back if that’s easiest!
* * * * * * *
Newark Farm Park on Rt. 79 north of town (Cedar St. exit) is having a series of programs this fall as the working late 19th/early 20th century farm is put on display; Sept. 7, at 11 am, Pastor Jeff is doing a program on “Your Family History – A story worth telling.” This program is free and open to the public.
* * * * * * *
Howard Ratcliff’s retirement celebration was well-attended by the region, by the larger church, and by Hebron Christian Church. Thanks to David Dernberger, Ila Mason, Maribel Neel, and Pastor Jeff for representing our best wishes and prayers to both Howard and Shiela.
A packed reception was an occasion for much fellowship across the region in anticipation of our regional assembly Oct. 18-19 in Springfield, and the worship was a very successful blending of styles, ages, and ethnicities into a very meaningful celebration of Howard’s leadership these last 32 years in Ohio.
It is reported that the dinner and program that followed contained much truth and many more unverified and unverifiable tales about some details of those 32 years! Please continue to pray for Howard & Shiela, and for the regional minister search committee.
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
Notes From My Knapsack
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Last year, we responded quickly, in the middle of shock and horror, but found our church was truly the lighthouse we want to be as stewards of God's light, shining brightest in the midst of darkness "which can never put it out."
This year, we have time to prepare: maybe too much time, from the sounds of some of the memorials and rallies planned in various places. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, the board and elders of Hebron Christian felt it was important to help lead and participate in a more local way. Here's what's planned as of 8-25:
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest preacher who spent many years as a missionary in Afghanistan, living at one time literally just a few doors from Mullah Omar. This is not just a "Newark" event, and is always well attended. They've had 700 at the most recent (two years ago), and expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty”. This truly is a Licking County program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered either at the municipal flagpole or by the fire station.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
For our part, we don't just need hardy paintbrush wielders; there's going to be service opportunities for iced tea makers, check-in greeters, musicians, map wranglers, and many others. If this sounds like last week's sermon on the North Platte Canteen, you're right!
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated their new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
I hope you all can “Respond To The Call” on Sept. 11.
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Congregational Meeting – Sept. 8
Rally Day – Sept. 8 with potluck at Noon, followed by games and activities
* * * * * * *
If you have completed “sermon surveys” for Pastor Jeff, please bring them back to worship and place in the offering plate, prayer request box in back, or you can fold them up and mail them back if that’s easiest!
* * * * * * *
Newark Farm Park on Rt. 79 north of town (Cedar St. exit) is having a series of programs this fall as the working late 19th/early 20th century farm is put on display; Sept. 7, at 11 am, Pastor Jeff is doing a program on “Your Family History – A story worth telling.” This program is free and open to the public.
* * * * * * *
Howard Ratcliff’s retirement celebration was well-attended by the region, by the larger church, and by Hebron Christian Church. Thanks to David Dernberger, Ila Mason, Maribel Neel, and Pastor Jeff for representing our best wishes and prayers to both Howard and Shiela.
A packed reception was an occasion for much fellowship across the region in anticipation of our regional assembly Oct. 18-19 in Springfield, and the worship was a very successful blending of styles, ages, and ethnicities into a very meaningful celebration of Howard’s leadership these last 32 years in Ohio.
It is reported that the dinner and program that followed contained much truth and many more unverified and unverifiable tales about some details of those 32 years! Please continue to pray for Howard & Shiela, and for the regional minister search committee.
* * * * * * *
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