AUGUST REPORT

 

Labor Day weekend brings us into a new month and the approach to a new season.  August is historically a slower month at Midway but this August has been anything but.  We have had a great month.  We rejoice with the baptism of Johnny McKay and Bunny Pupek.  Jamie Britton and Mary Bugg also responded during the month asking to be forgiven and to be restored to the Lord’s Way.

 

We also began our “Let’s Grow Midway” meetings during the month and they were successful.  Finance & Administration, Building & Grounds, and Fellowship & Involvement all met during the month. Our other groups should have their preliminary meeting early in the new month.  We had another successful “Tuesday for the Lord” during the month and have one more scheduled on September 12^th.  

 

We concluded our study of the book of Judges and continue to study from 2^nd Corinthians and Luke.  We also completed a seven week series of lessons on “Heaven.”  I really enjoyed this study and from your comments I think it was a great series. 

 

We honored John Moderacki for his faithful and dependable leading of our song service.  John has led our singing for several years and we are thankful for his talent. John has been an encouragement to me every since I have been here.    

 

It was two years ago this weekend that my wife moved to Florida.  I could not function without her and I wish that it was so we could spend more time together.  It seems that our schedules keep us apart more than they should and we ask for your prayers that we can change that in the near future.     

 

We continue to await the closing of the sale on the house but have had continual delays on the buyer’s part.  We hope to finalize the transaction before this month is over. Please pray for this. 

 

We have had very lengthy prayer list during the month and it is our privilege to go to God on behalf of others.  We encourage you to keep these people in your prayers.  Some of you have had contact with Scott and Marsha during the month and we ask that you also continue to pray for them.  They are currently in Michigan. 

 

We have now entered the month of September and we pray that the church at Midway has a very blessed month and that you as an individual will be blessed also.  May God direct us!

 

 

 

We have published September edition of Christian Progress and sent an email reminder to a few selected folks.  Please give us your feed-back. 

Things are beginning to happen at Midway.  We have had a good summer!  Last evening Johnny McKay was baptized and this afternoon Violet Pupek put on the Lord in baptism.  This brings me much joy. 

THE COLORS OF HEAVEN

 

Several of the ladies corrected me on the precious stone colors that are listed in Revelation 21.  I just accepted someone else’s research and did none of my own to verify.  I have looked further at gemstones and this is what I have thus far;

 

Jasper  (means spotted stone)  Can be any color but usually red, yellow, or brown.  It is used in vases and closely associated with Chalcedony.

 

Sapphire  Blue is the most popular color but it can be almost any color; orange, pink, golden, white, or black. Many watch faces have crystal faces made of artificial sapphire because of their durability and scratch resistant surface.

 

Chalcedony  (means copper-like) Translucent to translucent milky or grayish quartz.  The modern “carnelian” is a variety of this.

 

Emerald  is the green variety of beryl

 

Sardonyx allied to the onyx stone. It is a reddish-yellow nearly orange in color.

 

Sardius is various shades of red.  (Ruby)

 

Chrysolite (Peridot) means golden stone.  The gem variety of olivine which is composed of two minerals.  It can be various shades of green.

 

Beryl (Greek-crystal) translucent glassy mineral in blue, green, yellow, colorless, or pink.

 

Topaz golden brown  to yellow usually but can be clear, orange, red, blue or green.  The word means “to seek” and is the name of an island in the Red Sea that was difficult to find. 

 

Chrysoprase green, apple green quartz. A gemstone variety of chalcedony.

 

Jacinth A variety of the mineral, zircon.  Can be brown, yellow, green, blue, black, and colorless.  Most popular as a dark blue or reddish blue.

 

Amethyst is a vivid purple or violet.  A transparent purple quartz that is the most popular quartz in jewelry. 

 

You make me a better teacher when you correct me when I am wrong.  Please add any knowledge or corrections you might have of this list.  Thanks!

 

 

We had our first organiztion meeting yesterday and it went very well.  Our Finance and Administration group met yesterday and we had a good session of planning and action.  The building and grounds group is scheduled to meet Saturday morning. 

 

 

We have our first "Let's Grow Midway" meetings scheduled over the next few days.  Please be prayerful and supportive of these events. 

 

 

It was another good day of worship and fellowship at Midway.  Our series on Heaven is bringing a lot of comment and comfort.  It was two years ago yesterday that hurricane Charley paid us a visit, which was the beginning of a series of storms that affected us the last two summers.  This summer has been very quiet thus far.

We rejoice with the events of Sunday.  I am especially pleased that my daughter Jamie, and her friend Mary came forward and asked for the prayers of the church.  We do pray that this is a step forward in each of their lives of maturity in Christ. 

 

It is easy to get discouraged in the heat of summer, but lift yourself up for it will pass.  What can you do to encourage someone else?

 

 

JULY REPORT

 

My third July with Midway is now history and we were blessed with a good month.  The month started with the funeral for Mary Partin.  I enjoyed being with Mary’s family and I am glad that the decision was made to have the funeral and reception at our facility. 

 

One of the month’s highlights was the “Spiritual Growth Workshop” in Orlando.  I want to encourage everyone to give this event your consideration when it occurs again.  Carole and I were spiritually uplifted as well as the others who attended.

 

We have now had three “Tuesdays for the Lord” and each have been a success.  Bob Evans is doing a great job in teaching the computer class on that day. The final date we have scheduled is September 11^th.  We have not forgotten the “Let’s Grow Midway” program; we hope to be meeting with each of the groups over the next few days.  Please keep Midway in your daily prayers. 

 

We have new computer software and we hope to be able to present a new financial report before too long.  We have switched our banking account from Fifth-Third to BB&T.  BB&T is just more convenient for those making the deposits.  The house sale has not closed yet and we are hoping that also will happen during August.  However, our expenses have increased.  The utility bills and our insurance premiums have shown increases the last couple of months, while our contributions have remained about the same. 

 

We also have spent about $5000 on the interior door project.  I do believe it has been money well spent and I am thankful to RB, Helen, Carole and Ruth for the time they have put into this project thus far. 

 

July has brought several to us on a regular basis.  We hope and pray that some of these will be identifying with the Midway family before long.  Area schools are also starting back the next few days so take notice of this as you travel on our streets.  We pray that this will be a blessed school year for our students.  

 

Minister Burton Coffman dies at 101

Burton Coffman, minister, teacher and prolific writer, died June 30, one month and six days after his 101st birthday. Coffman baptized an estimated 3,000 people during his life and conducted hundreds of gospel meetings. Last year, he delivered a Sunday morning sermon two days before his 100th birthday at the West University church in Houston. Born in west Texas and baptized in 1923, Coffman graduated from Abilene Christian College in Texas in 1927 with a bachelor’s in history and music. After graduation, he worked as a teacher and high school principal, but soon found his calling in ministry. He preached his first sermon at the College church in Abilene, and in 1930 was offered a position as associate minister and song leader in Wichita Falls, Texas. He also preached for congregations in Houston, Lawton, Okla., New York City and the District of Columbia. During his time as minister for the Manhattan Church of Christ, Coffman preached across the nation and raised more than $1 million for The Manhattan Project, an effort to build a worship place on the world’s most expensive real estate. While in Washington, Coffman was offered the opportunity to serve as guest chaplain for the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan and Korea. He hosted gospel meetings throughout both countries. In 1952, he initiated an effort to increase the number of U.S. Air Force chaplains with Church of Christ backgrounds. At that point, only one Air Force chaplain was affiliated with the Church of Christ. After retiring in 1971, he wrote a 37-volume commentary of the entire Bible, verse by verse, which was finished in 1992. His wife of 64 years, Thelma “Sissy” Bradford, his parents, three brothers and a sister preceded Coffman in death. Survivors include his second wife, June Bristow, three daughters, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. August 1, 2006

We had a very nice weekend at Midway and are in our third "Tuesday for the Lord" event of the summer.  I enjoyed our session of singing Sunday night and our crowds were good for this time of season. 

 

We pray that the Lord will bless you in this new month, August 2006!