Vol. 51 No. 26                         SOUTHSIDE ORACLE                     August 29, 2008

The Bulletin Board

New Classes. September 7th will be promotion day for the children in our Sunday morning Bible classes. At the same time we will begin new classes for the adults. The young adult class will be taught by Jason Benson. The two other adult classes will be on "The Gospel of Luke" and "Forgiven Forever."

Ladies' Retreat - "God's Rx for Wholeness - Mindful Mediation" is the theme of the annual Ladies' Retreat at the Siena Center in Racine September 19 & 20. Debbie Ketterhagen will be the speaker. Programs are available in the church foyer giving the schedule, cost, and other information. Registration and payment should be given to Cathy Ribar no later than Sunday, September 7th.

The annual Labor Day Encampment at Fallhall Glen is this weekend with Roger Dunnam of Eau Claire as the featured speaker.

The sick - Rick Baas was briefly hospitalized last week, but was able to be with us for worship Sunday.

Fallhall Days, a youth retreat for high school students sponsored by York College, will be September 5 - 7 at Fallhall Glen. The theme is "Upside Down." See the youth bulletin board for details.

ATTENDANCE RECORD                                                                          

                                (*) first service, 143, second service, 81

Be sure to check the attendance directory rough draft posted in the rear hall near the office. Make corrections as necessary.

Quite a few have signed up to participate in the Truth Project this fall. Classes are scheduled to begin Saturday, September 20th. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, September 7th. To participate see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. Chris West is directing the program.

Dial -A-Saint

In making phone calls you used to dial a number. Dialing phones are pretty much a thing of the past. Today you just punch in the number. But surprisingly the phone book tells us that you can still "Dial-A-Devotion", "Dial-A-Meditation", or "Dial-A­Prayer." At one time you could even "Dial- A-Saint." However, when I tried it I was informed that the number was not in service.

Frankly, I don't know what kind of message one received when 272-0808 was in service. I would guess that some kind of special help from a deceased saint was being offered, and if that be true, I have serious doubts whether the number was ever in service.

For centuries men have mistakenly thought that the very religious could get through to God when the ordinary Christian could not. That would apply to spiritual leaders whether they were priests, pastors, or preachers. I recall one unfaithful Christian lady (if one can be unfaithful and still be a Christian) who informed me when I visited her that she had almost called me a few nights earlier when she thought she was going to die. She got well and apparently decided she didn't need God after all because, to my knowledge, she never again worshipped with her fellow Christians. The point is that she seems to have thought that maybe I could intercede with God on her behalf because her phone line to him was out of order.

The Bible teaches that there is one great intercessor with the Father. "For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Gad on our behalf' (Hebrews 9:24). Each Christian is a priest of God (1 Peter 2:9) with direct access to the throne of grace through our great high priest, Jesus Christ the righteous. He pleads our case and to him the Father is responsive: True, we should pray for one another (James 5:16), but let us not think that either "saint", priest, pastor, preacher, or plain Christian can do any good if that person refuses to personally get on praying terms with the Father.                                                                                                              Monroe Hawley

Calendar of Events

August 29 - September 1 - W.C.Y.C. Labor Day Encampment, Fallhall Glen

September 2 - Monthly men's study at the church building resumes, 6:30 p.m.

September 7 - Class promotion and new adult classes

September 5-7 - York College Fallhall Days, Fallhall Glen

September 11 - Thursday morning ladies' Bible class resumes, 10:00 a.m.

September 14 - Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.

September 19 - 20 - Southside ladies' retreat, Sienna Center, Racine

September 20 - Beginning of Truth Project program, 6:15 - 8:30 p.m.

September 22-24 - Midwest Preachers' Retreat, Fallhall Glen

September 27 - Area-wide singing, Waukesha Church, 3:00 pm.

October 11 - Southside Give-Away, 9:00 a.m.

October 25 - Family Bible Day