Are You Hungry?

Tami and I recently got a dog from Skip and Betsy Devin-Smith. She's a 10-year-old boarder collie that we've renamed after Tami's great grandmother, Augusta (seemed appropriate for an "old lady"). We call her "Augie Doggie" -- she seems to have gotten used to the name.  Dogs need more attention than cats.  With our two cats, we just make sure the food dish is full and they eat a bit at a time over the course of a few days until it needs to be refilled.  Augie gets a certain amount of food in the morning and again in the evening.  If we took the same approach to feeding her as we do with the cats, she'd soon be back to the over-weight status she was in when she first arrived at Betsy's "fat farm"!

Our appetites are a good thing, but can become destructive if we're not careful. That goes for the desires we have for freedom, love, power, honor, sex, and anything else you may think of.  When our "hunger" becomes the primary thing we focus on, it easily pushes God off of his throne and takes his rightful place as "king" of our life.

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This Sunday we pick up in the story of the Israelites after Joshua has passed away.  In the book of Judges, Israel enters a dark period in their history of continually replacing God with their own selfish pursuits.  In a very real sense, a hunger for freedom drives them -- but not real freedom. It's more of an "I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it" freedom to be selfish.  And there are real consequences.
I came across this short film illustration of the perils of this way of living.  Check it out:

The danger is just as real for you and me!  I hope you'll be able to join us this Sunday, November 2nd as we begin this 5-week series I'm calling "The Hunger Games".

A Few Announcements...

• This Sunday is also the week we will be celebrating the Lord's Supper.  After speaking with Mandy and the Council, we're going to try something new.  The children will return to the service at the end of the sermon so that they can receive communion with their parents.  For those parents who decide that their child is not ready to take communion, we'll invite them to bring him/her up with them and receive a blessing during that time.  We feel this is another way for our children to witness and participate in worship with the body of Christ.  Be sure to talk to me afterwards and let me know what you think.
  
• Don't forget to join us tomorrow evening for our annual "Trunk 'r' Treat" event at the church between 5-6:30 pm. This is a wonderful way to be a part of our community and demonstrate love to the children and families we live among.  Pray that the rain holds off!  If you're participating by giving candy out of your trunk, remember to get there by 4:30 pm.
• This Saturday night is when we "Fall Back" an hour.  If you forget and show up to church an hour early, you'll get to enjoy the worship team practicing!