One Night in October

Dear Saints Of Andrew:
THIS SUNDAYOctober 22, 2006 Nancy & Bruce: "DARKNESS VISIBLE”A Sermon On Depression. It’s Gonna Be A Bright, Bright, Sun Shiny Day!
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Last night reminded me why I like baseball so much. It is, I believe, the sport that most closely mirrors life experience. The teams play every day, grinding out the season one game at a time. The exhilarating victory of one day may be followed by a crushing defeat the next, and if you let yourself get too high or too low, you’re burned out by mid-season. The sport puts a premium on the very Biblical value of endurance. Baseball is a team game where every individual gets his turn at the plate. Even the best hitters fail more often than they succeed. Managers know they are going to be mercilessly second-guessed, even by the team’s biggest fans. (Note to leaders in any field: Tony LaRussa’s “Three Nights In August” should be on your reading list.) Any single game may have long stretches of boredom, only to quickly turn to genuine suspense. And when the bases are loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, 57,000 New York fans on their feet, Carlos Beltran at the plate, the Cardinal rookie right-hander has to garner his courage and throw the ball. Wow.
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We’re nine days away from the 2006 Time Change Sunday Special: “AT THE BALLET,” featuring members of the St. Andrew's Drama and Music Ministries.
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DEB H. WRITES: I don't know if it is something that you would want to cover in an A-mail or not, but we just saw one of the most wonderful movies titled "Facing the Giants". I know that you have probably already heard of it, it is a movie about a high-school football coach that is facing hardships with the football team, their performance and commitment, and the possibility of being forced out by the fathers of some of these players. He also is facing some personal challenges the most important being told he is the reason he and his wife can not have children. The story line changes to where he has a wonderful seen where with an open bible, he is asking God for help. Through some self awareness, he decides to take on a new philosophy with his team and asks his athletes why they are playing football. As a team they decide to give all of their efforts and win or lose they will praise God. It is a neat little movie with no big name actors and probably no Academy Award winning performances; however, it is a movie that we could take our 8 and 5 year old sons to and feel that they learned some valuable "life" lessons on how to be a humble young man, an athlete, a friend and most importantly a Christian. I would love if you could ask our church family to support the 20 Grand in featuring this movie. It is currently 15th (I believe) nationwide and I am excited about that!!
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PASTOR CHARLOTTE asks: Prayers of thanksgiving for Richard N., who has received a liver transplant; pray for ongoing healing. (Dee H.’s brother). Prayers of sympathy for the family of Martha W., in her recent passing (grandmother of Jeff W. and Wendy B.). Prayers of thanksgiving for Shirley R., whose lung cancer is in remission; pray for remission to continue (mother of Michael R., mother-in-law of Sandra R.). Prayers for Dani W., recently diagnosed with cancer (friend of Samantha M.).
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Nehemiah 9:6, “And Ezra said, ‘You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham; and you found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant to give to his descendents the land of the Canannite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, and you have fulfilled your promise, for your are righteous.” Comment: While I doubt the Girgashites would have appreciated Ezra's sense of manifest destiny, Ezra praises the Lord as a fulfiller of promises, for the Lord is righteous. I think of the line from the great hymn, "The Lord has promised good to me, his word my hope secures; he will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures." I invite you to trust the good promises of the Lord.
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BRD