Blessing of the Backpacks

We are asking that everyone bring their backpack, briefcase or school bag to service Sunday morning, July 26, for a special time of prayer during our 11:00 a.m. worship service. This is for all students, teachers, bus drivers, office staff, support staff, and everyone else involved in this coming school year.

Church BBQ & Ice Cream Social

Mark your calendar for our Church BBQ & Ice Cream Social Sunday, July 26. The church will provide barbecue from Buddy’s. Everyone is asked to please bring either ice cream (homemade would be great) or a side dish to share. We will gather in the fellowship hall at 5:00 p.m. Also, bring your favorite games or puzzles.

Reflections & Music

What Do You See?

Sermons on the Parables

Last Sunday, we began a new sermon series and if you haven’t caught on yet, we run the bulletins in color for the first Sunday in a new sermon series so that you can see the logo in color. That logo, to be exact. The art (not the words, which I added) is a piece called The Moon by Salvador Dali. Dali was one of the first artists I remember being a fan of. I must have come across a coffee table book of some kind and I was sort of mesmerized by melting clocks and spindly-legged creatures and objects floating on the horizon. What I still find true of Dali is that his work is full of things to catch and find. Spend a little time looking at the logo and you might see what I mean.

So, I like finding interesting logos to put on the front of the bulletins, not just so we have something pretty, but because I believe in how art speaks. Dali’s paintings communicate something, but I can’t necessarily put it into words. That’s why he used paint. Jim Croce once sang, “I had to say, ‘I love you’ with a song.” I don’t think that’s just pretty words. I think there are some things we can only properly communicate with art, at least effectively. We tell stories and make movies and write poetry because they speak in a way that an article in a newsletter can’t. You just have to meet the art on its terms. Don’t try to make a painting an essay. Let it be a painting.

Parables are art. The Gospels record Jesus’ various parables, and they even include some report on why he uses parables, but they’re not very satisfying explanations. Something about NOT being understood, except by those who have ears to hear and eyes to see. In this preacher’s humble opinion, I believe he means that only those who are willing to meet the art on its terms are going to see or hear anything from it. In other words, if Jesus could have said it plainly in an essay, he would have. But this Kingdom of God that he’s communicating can’t come in an essay. It comes in stories, in comparison, in silly, funny tales that speak of strange matters that become more appealing the longer we spend in their grip. If you meet the art on its own terms, if you let a parable be a parable, then you might find that you see just fine.

Peace, Rory

Before His Presence with Singing

“We ourselves are God’s own field.”

For this edition of Devotions in Hymns, we’re looking at one we sang last week, instead of one we’ll be singing soon. First, see if you know the above extracted hymn line well enough to know what hymn it is taken from.

It’s a hymn we usually sing at Thanksgiving because the first stanza includes the word “thankful” and the mention of harvest and gathering is suited to the Thanksgiving season. But the rest of the hymn is an elaborate and theologically rich metaphor with us — that is, you and me — as the target or referent.

Henry Alford, the hymnwriter, says, “We ourselves are God’s own field … Wheat and tares together sown.” We are good and bad together. And, as Rory pointed out in last week’s message, it is NOT our job to sort out the wheat from the tares. God will do the sorting when harvest time comes.

The late R. G. Huff puts it like this: “Somehow, we wheat-types sometimes want to get rid of the tares-type — to set them aside as worthless outsiders … even people without hope.” Jesus knew we were going to do this, so he told a parable in Matthew 13:24–30.

There is reference in the hymn to the second coming of Christ and his taking us, his harvest, home. And then, the good and bad mentioned earlier as “wheat and tares” will be sorted out.

Do you know what a garner is? The last line of stanza 3 used to say, “in His garner evermore.” Modern hymnals now say “in his keeping …” The garner is where a farmer stores grain, or whatever is collected in the harvest. It is a carefully built place specifically designed to keep that which is gathered safe from harm, theft or spoilage.

Finally, Alford paraphrases Revelation 22:20, which says, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Not so much metaphor in this stanza. Plainer talk about people. If in the previous stanzas one missed the referent, in this stanza, the harvest clearly refers to “Thy people.”

Come, ye thankful people, come, Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in Ere the winter storms begin.
God, our Maker, doth provide For our wants to be supplied.
Come to God’s own temple, come, Raise the song of harvest home.

We ourselves are God’s own field, Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade, and then the ear, Then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we Wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, And shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall purge away All that doth offend that day.
Give His angels charge at last In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store In His keeping evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, Bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin.
There, forever purified, In Thy presence to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels, come, Raise the glorious harvest home.

In Christ, Tim

News & Announcements

Wednesday Night Bible Study Returns July 22

We will start a new six-week series called Beginnings that will come from Genesis 1–11. In addition to talking about the origins of the universe, humanity, and everything else, this study will also serve as an introduction on how to read the Bible in its various forms. Come for any or all of these sessions.

Fellowship Hall Renovation Information

Due to the renovation plans for the Fellowship Hall, EVERYTHING must be moved to other locations. All dishes will need to be packed up and removed. If you have newspapers, boxes or other supplies that can be used for this purpose, please bring them to the Fellowship Hall. Also, if you have time to assist with the packing or moving of furniture, please let Doug Turner know. Thank you.

Fellowship Luncheon Team

The Fellowship Luncheon Team would like to give thanks for the extraordinary attendance last Friday. The support is greatly appreciated. The Fellowship Hall will be starting renovations soon. Our next luncheon is scheduled for January 8, 2027. We hope to see you there.

Ecumenical Storehouse

August will be our month for service at Ecumenical Storehouse. Volunteers are needed from 9:00 a.m. to noon every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sign-up sheets will be available in the foyer and church office. If you have questions, please contact Jim or Linda Williamson.

August FBCFBC

The church book club will meet at noon on August 3 to discuss the book Memorial Days. Written by Geraldine Brooks, the book recounts the author’s journey of grief following the unexpected death of her husband. Johelen Stephenson will lead the discussion. Remember that all are welcome — and you may bring your lunch!

Prayer Requests

Immediate: Melissa May Lee. Ellin Ward. Michelle, friend of Diane Ray. Darlene Moran, Dianne May’s friend. Miriam Griffin. Elaine Pike, Carol O’Shaunessy’s cousin. Hughie Thomas. Josh Smith. Curtis Pickwell. Mark & Debra Belvin’s friends, Pat & Mary Ann. Dave Bunton’s friend, Jane. Jim Gibson. Greg Helton. Nancy Denton. Ray Seiber, Diana Giles’ father. Susan Alderson, friend of Mickey Moss. Junell Brock, Peggy Geldmeier’s niece. Beth Ingle. Harold Matelski, Lee Howell’s father-in-law. Mark Bunton, Linda & Dave Bunton’s son. Ronnie Scates, Julie Keeth’s friend. Jason Byrd & Anna King. Dayton King, Diane Williams’ brother. Becky Seiber, Diana Giles’ mother. Katie Emmerson, Ellin Ward’s daughter. Robert Darnell, Diane Qualls’ brother. Larry Carter. Heidi Rose Harris. Bruce Marshall. Adrian Flory.

Long Term: Julie Ann, friend of Diane Ray. Leon Cole, Melody Turner’s brother-in-law. Jo Ann Tunstall. Ulrika Leander, Charlotte Bounds’ friend. Vicki Heidle. Andrew Bobbett, son of Diane Ray’s friend, Nan. Jim Walls. Cheryl King, Diane Williams’ sister-in-law. Sandra Burns, Johelen Stephenson’s cousin. Megan Elliott, friend of the Turners. Carolyn Maples, Brandon Weaver’s aunt. Ben Davidson, Tom Davidson’s nephew. Wanda Vines, friend of Sandy Davidson. Virginia Griffith, Lisa Bowers’ mother. Larry Fields. Theresa Bowers.

Children’s Volunteers

August 2026 Calendar