Mt. Pleasant
Missionary Baptist Church
of Cabot, Arkansas, Est. 1876
The Messenger
A monthly newsletter for Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church
10415 Mt. Pleasant Cut-Off, Cabot, AR 72023
Pastor: Dennis Wilson Editor: Cecelia Wilson Music Director: Andy Sullivan
Pastor's Phone: 941-1212 Co-Editor: Andy Sullivan Music Director's Phone: 843-3181
Please e-mail your comments and suggestions for the Messenger to:
The Front Page
A Closer Look at the Calendar
By: Dean Williams
Some of the best parts of these newsletters hide on the very last page. Those little boxes in the monthly calendar announce members’ birthdays and anniversaries, which are pretty major milestones in the true scheme of things. It’s a very small fraction of the population who believe and live as we do, so every year that advances for like-minded brothers and sisters is an event well deserving celebration.
Just about once a year
our own names appear in the appropriate little box, and hopefully we can always
look back on twelve months lived well for God. Just the same, some folks
have a love/hate attitude toward their own birthdays. For some it comes
down to the old saying, “It’s better than the alternative.”
At the risk of sounding morbid, let’s think some about that alternative. The day of your death is going to be a big day for you after all, though it might be hard to appreciate at the time. At last check, the global death rate was holding steady at 100.00%, so unless the Lord intervenes, we all have that appointment to keep.
One of my favorite Bob Dylan songs expresses this well: there’s a slow train coming, up around the bend. What if you could actually see that train headed your way? Or what if Cecelia somehow knew which little box to put your name in to announce a different sort of milestone? Would you suddenly do some things differently? Maybe you’d have some long overdue conversations, maybe some of them with Jesus.
Of course, many people really do get notice that their time is short. It happens all too often among our own membership. I can’t imagine what it is like, but when the doctor advises you to get your affairs in order, your perspective must surely change in a hurry, and you learn a new definition of “stress”. I know I won’t handle it well, and I also know that’s a lousy time to worry about relationships, either earthly or heavenly. A wise person will have attended to such matters all along, with no need for panic at the end.
What we need is some kind of regular reminder that our time may not be long, and that today is always the best day for getting right with the Lord or with others. How about this for a handy way to stay on track: each month when you receive your nifty personal copy of The Messenger and see all those little boxes on page four, let that remind you that some day one of those squares will be your own date with destiny. If you are reading your newsletter, then God has apparently gifted you with another day of life, so you may as well use the time wisely.
Kiddie Kwestion
This young guy just heard that
spaghetti is on next year’s Retreat menu. Know him? See if you are
right later in The Messenger.
News From The Pews
Upcoming Events
· Aug 8: Business Meeting to elect teachers/officers held following evening services.
· Aug 25: Quizlympics Fall Semester Begins. All students K-6 are invited to join classes each Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.
· Aug 29: Fifth Sunday Singing/Fellowship. You know the drill - bring a special, bring a dish, stay for food and fellowship. Evening services dismissed.
Specials this Month
To present a special during any of our church services, please contact Music Director, Andy Sullivan.
Aug 1........................................................................................ MP3
Aug 8................................................................... Kassie Shepard
Aug 15..................................................................... Chester King
Aug 22......................................................................... Joe Calvert
Aug 29...................................................... Fifth Sunday Singing
Buel Hopkins’ New Address
Buel has been moved from the Sherwood Nursing facility to Cabot. Please make a note of his new address and if you find time to run by and check in on him, I’m sure he will be glad to have a visitor or two.
Buel Hopkins
Spring Creek Living Center
804 North 2nd St., Room 208A
Cabot, AR 72023
Quizlympics Fall Semester Begins
With the beginning of the public schools, another semester of Quizlympics will begin on Wednesday nights for all students grades K-6. Our studies are taken directly from the Bible and students are welcome to join at any time during the semester.
We’ll see you on Wednesday nights!
Brand New Grandparents
If Kevin and Bonnie Bumgartner seem to be beaming a little more than usual lately it is probably due to the fact that their first granddaughter, Holly Boehm, has a new cousin – Lillian Marie Baker. Granddaughter #2 was born on July 21st, weighed in at 8 lbs., 13 oz., was 22 inches long and is the daughter of Dustin and Robin Baker. Congratulations!
Treats for Thompson
Thanks for signing up to send Justin Thompson weekly care packages during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. His “wish list”, mailing address and postal boxes are in the foyer. Check the sign-up list as a reminder on the week you signed up.
See Rhonda Hurst with questions. And be sure to keep Justin (and Mary) in your prayers.
“New” Members
Harold and Katie Lewis recently joined Mt. Pleasant, but we don’t really consider the Lewis’ new members. The Lewis family actually joined Mt. Pleasant many years ago and moved their membership only after relocating to Heber Springs.
Though they haven’t moved back to Cabot, they have decided to make the commute each week and re-join our church family. Now that’s dedication!
Whether you want to view them as “new” members or just “familiar” members, be sure to welcome Harold and Katie back to the fold!
School Daze
Summer went by much too quickly and it is already time to think about beginning a new school year in the public schools. Cabot and Pulaski County Schools all begin August 19. Hang in there, kids! Christmas will be right around the corner!
Schedule of Services
Sunday School............................................................. 10:00 a.m.
Children’s Choir.......................................................... 11:00 a.m.
Morning Worship....................................................... 11:00 a.m.
Children’s Chapel........................................................ 11:00 a.m.
Adult Choir Practice (when scheduled)....................... 5:20 p.m.
Evening Worship......................................................... 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday
Mid-Week Services and Quizlympics.......................... 6:30 p.m.
Business Meeting.......................... 2nd Sunday night/ea. month
Member Memos
Retreat 2010: Headin’ for Home Wrap-up
By: Andy Sullivan
It is hard to believe that year twelve of Retreat has already come and gone! It seems like only yesterday we were arriving at Batesville for the first time. We had a number of visitors, and, as always, a wonderful crew of retreaters who helped make the week memorable. For those who were not able to make it this year, and for those who did but have weak short-term memory, here is a quick recap.
The Theme
“Headin’ For Home” was the theme of Retreat 2010. Our shirts were blue and orange and centered around a baseball theme. Bro. Dennis spoke each night about our options for our eternal home. Retreaters learned that there were many places here on Earth we might consider home (childhood home, home country, city home, etc.) Our options for our eternal home are more narrow, however…there is simply Heaven or Hell. The retreaters learned about both, and that the option is ours personally.
Group Games
Group games are always fun and bring out the Christian spirit in all of us. Okay, may it’s not exactly a Christian spirit, but it certainly is competitive. The group enjoyed getting wet with the sheet toss, balloon toss, and water bucket relays. The biggest group event is the Scavenger Hunt. This year Team Joe Calvert, Team Tammy Calvert, Team Williams, and Team Amy squared off in a no-holds-barred hunt that saw Team Joe Calvert come out on top. For their hard work they earned the right to sing their favorite children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me,” to the group…and what a fine singing job it was too.
What’s My Line?
Each year during Pow-wow all of the retreaters meet together for a fantastic, fun-filled evening game of Bible knowledge. This year the group played “What’s My Line?” The goal of the game was to ask yes/no questions to our celebrity guest in an effort to figure out who he/she was. Round one involved the celebrity panel guessing who the mystery Celebrity Bible guest was. The Bible guests for the week were Lazarus, Delilah, and Stephen. Round Two was more difficult as the celebrity panel had to figure out the cool occupations of Mt. Pleasant members’ relatives. We learned that Donny Sullivan’s great-uncle was a violinist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Amy Sullivan’s great-great uncle was a bootlegger for Al Capone, and Reta Kirkpatrick’s great-great grandfather was a hanging judge in Arkansas County. Phenomenal prizes were given to our winners! J
Special Thanks
Thank you to the many people who make the week so successful! Our decorators Stacie Wassell and Karren Thomas made the cafeteria look and feel sporty and fun. Sue Sullivan and her merry band of cooks kept us fat and happy the whole week through. The most difficult positions to fill each year are morning devotionals, but Rick Glaze and Stacie Wassell stepped up and made devotional-giving look easy. They presented great devotionals on having a positive attitude and understanding that the gifts from God are the most valuable of all. We also learned that a popsicle doesn’t last very long in the heat.
Finally…the Awards
Each year at week’s end the directors present awards that are meant to be inspirational and funny. Congratulations to everyone who received an award!
- The Devotional Award – Rick Glaze
- The Devotional Award – Stacie Wassell
- The Ann King Award – Bettye Thompson
- The Blood and Guts Award: Reta Kirkpatrick
- The Twinkle Toes Award: R. J. Weeks
- The “He’s No Michael Phelps” Award: John Wingate
- The “Neither wind, nor Demoral, chicken fried steak or loss of limb will keep me from Retreat” Award: Alex Weeks
- The Chad Award– Cody Campbell
- The “Where’s My Room?” Award: Chester King
- The Kid Retreater Award (Tie): Jake Calvert and Lane Everett
- The Carlene Hodge Award (Adult Retreater)– Carlene Hodge
Kiddie Kwestion Answer
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AUGUST CALENDAR FOR MT. PLEASANT |
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Doris Davenport Emily Barnett Joe/Twala Maresh Anniv. Michael/Shannon Boehm Anniv. |
Donnie & Sue Sullivan Anniv. |
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2 |
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7 |
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Business Meeting |
Lester & Freddie Barnett Anniv. |
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Joe Calvert |
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14 |
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Tracy Shepard Clif Jenkins |
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First Day of School for Cabot & Pulaski Co. |
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Amelia Wassell Reta Kirkpatrick |
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15 |
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17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
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Hank Harris |
Quizlympics Resumes Steve & Karen Cates Anniv. |
Tim Huie |
Russell & Barbara Dorsey Anniv. Mary Huie |
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24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
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Fifth Sunday Singing/Fellowship Blake Mitchell |
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29 |
30 |
31 |
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If your birthday or anniversary is not listed this month and should be, please contact The Messenger staff.
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