Election Eve

Dear Saints Of Andrew:
We welcome new readers to A-MAIL. If you ever wish (in the language of the Book of Revelation) to be BLOTTED OUT, let me know and we’ll remove you from the list.
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Our newest members are:TONY & SUE S. Tony is a distributor for Matco Tool. Sue works for WeddingPage/The Knot. NATHAN & LORI M. are the parents of three sons: David, Luke, and Grant. Nathan is an attorney for Werner Enterprises. Lori is a stay-at-home mom. They recently moved to Omaha from Kansas City, MO.
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This Sunday November 12, 2006 NEW MEMBER APPRECIATION SUNDAY. Pastor Bruce preaching: "THE 144,000”
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The 12th is also a PIZZA WITH THE PASTORS Sunday. PWP is designed for persons interesting in moving toward membership at St. Andrew’s. The gathering is scheduled from 5:00-6:30 in the Youth Lounge on the Lower Level.
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All readers are invited to attend the annual CHARGE CONFERENCE, this Thursday evening, November 9, 7:00. We will elect officers for 2007 and tend to other business as mandated by The United Methodist Book of Discipline. District Superintendent Randy S. will preside. The meeting will be held in the Music Practice Room, on the Lower Level, underneath the sanctuary.
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I was very pleased with both the quantity and quality of Sunday evening’s MATTHEW’S MINISTRIES TOWN HALL MEETING. We had a fine turnout (look for a photo in next weeks’ newsletter) and a thought-provoking conversation. It’s one of those gatherings that leaves the pastor genuinely excited on the day after.
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This has been my first general election cycle in Nebraska and has reinforced my impression that Nebraskans are nice people. Compared to Missouri politics, even the negative ads in Nebraska come across as relatively polite. One of the sadnesses of negative campaigning is that the citizen may conclude that none of the candidates are worth voting for. I was watching a PBS program on the candidates for the Nebraska Senate seat. It would seem that both incumbent Nelson and challenger Ricketts are men of genuine accomplishment, with much to offer. But America is a place of short attention spans these days, and the most effective way to spend your thirty seconds of advertising money is on pictures that make your rival look like an inmate at Alcatraz. This, in turn, creates an ever more cynical populous, and while a certain amount of cynicism is healthy in a democracy, it can ultimately reach toxic levels, which is what I fear is happening in our generations of America. Maybe more than anything else this election eve, I am hoping tomorrow’s election will not be marred by more computer glitches, with weeks and months of litigation to determine which party controls congress. Finally, my hat goes off to all the candidates. After all the time, money and effort, in any given race, somebody's going to lose. Whether you agree with a candidate's party or politics, surely we can admire those with the fortitude to put their hat in the ring. In this climate, a public life is not for the faint of heart.
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UMW (United Methodist Women) is hosting a Girl’s Night Out on Tuesday, Nov 14 at the church and would like to invite ALL women. Sub sandwiches will be served at 6:00pm in the Hospitality Room; at 6:30pm we will move into the sanctuary to watch a Lifetime Channel original movie, “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy”. Both Pastor Nancy and Pastor Charlotte have seen it and say it is wonderful with a very sweet ending. A sign up sheet can be found on the Cookie Dough Sale table in the Rotunda and the cost is $5.00. Please join us for an evening of fellowship and bring a friend!
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PASTOR CHARLOTTE asks: Prayers for Zach G., that his body will heal itself; counts are low again (son of Heidi and Brian G.). Prayers of sympathy for the family and friends of Lt. Col. Paul F., who was killed in Iraq recently; pray especially for his wife Jackie and their 3 children (friend of Lisa R.).
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Revelation 14:1-5 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred forty-four thousand whohad his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless.
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BRD