120 N Mt Vernon Ave ~ Prescott, AZ 86301 ~ (928) 445-5190 Minister: Ronald Bryant

Associate: Gordon Gower

Shepherds: Otto Buehler ~ Glenn Kenner ~ Larry Miller

Deacons: Don Dillahunty Spencer Guest Eddie Redman Fellowship & Membership/Attendance Education, Youth Work & Technology Building & Grounds

Larry Sanderson Lester Turner Personal Work Missions & Worship

Schedule of Services Sunday Pioneer’s Home Service 8: 30 am Bible Classes 9: 30 am Worship Assembly 10: 30 am Worship Assembly 6: 00 pm Wednesday Ladies Bible Study (at the church building) 12: 00 pm Bible Study 7: 00 pm

Church Statistics Bible Class 68 Worship Attendance 110 Pioneer’s Home 21 Weekly Budget $4498 Mt Vernon Contributions $3322

Welcome Guest We are glad you chose to worship

with us. Please fill out a visitor’s

card so we have a record of your

visit. Come and worship with us

again and often.

Assemblies Sunday Evening 6pm

Wednesday Bible Study 7pm

Children’s Training Age 3 thru 11 years old

Room 4 After Communion

Nursery/Cry Room Available at the back of the

auditorium.

Greeters for October Before Bible Study & Worship

Dieter & Mary Pleier

Information

mountvernonchurch.org

ScripturesSay.com

mtvernonchurch@cableone.net

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Mt Vernon Church of Christ

Follow us on Twitter:

@MtVernoncofc

OFFICE HOURS:

Mon – Thurs 8am to 1pm

Office Phone

445-5190

Pioneer Home Date Song Leader Lesson

Nov 1 George

Parks Glenn

Kenner

DUTIFUL - BUT PAINFULLY ISOIATED

Shock-waves of an event which occurred more than a decade ago still linger. A highly respected couple, longtime members of a local congregation, divorced themselves from the church. Without fanfare, they announced they no longer wanted to be identified with the church, and that while they did not want to be rude, they did not want to discuss the matter. They announced their intentions, and simply walked away. Their decision made no sense, to those who respected and admired them. They had been active, even central, in the fellowship and in the outreach efforts of this congregation. For years they had counseled, had hosted events in their home, and were admired by both young and old alike. They had reared three successful children. They were respected, and seemed to be committed. What happened?

In time consideration was given as to how their "faithfulness" had long been evaluated: They had a track record of faithful attendance, of participation in worship and service, and were regarded as exemplary in their lifestyle. Wanting to serve the body, the leaders began to ask: How did they really connect, and with whom? What kind of relationships did they actually have in the church? What did they really think and believe? What were the stresses they faced? What were spiritual resources did they have? What were their hopes and dreams? In time, it became painfully clear that no one really had any answers to these questions, that in fact these matters had not been considered. It soon realized that for too long this couple had been outwardly involved, but had been alone, had been taken for granted, and had in fact been isolated. They did their duty, but had not been connected. Quite simply, they had been taken for granted. They had not received love, acceptance, appreciation, and nurturing from their brethren.

Duty can keep one doing, but it can also become a stifling process - even a trap! Discipleship is a process where love for the Lord is both the motive and the goal. The Christian life is a day by day walk with the Lord. We are permitted by Him to reflect upon each moment and examine each event for hope and certainty, His presence and His purpose. God desires that each of us individually, and that all of us together know and enjoy all the blessings He has provided. We are permitted to love our journey with God! Yet, what happens if we do not learn to love the journey for what it is?

I may be struggling to do God's will; I may be working hard and without encouragement, without the one another relationships that He wants me to have. While I am permitted to rest in the fact that God is near and that He is at work in me, strengthening, calming, and assuring me, it is His desire that I know this in the context of a vital life union with my brothers and sisters. He wants me to know and rest in His promises, and experience His love in all things, yet He wants me to have this in communion with His people. God wants what He has done and what He is doing in my life to be a permanent part of my emotional make-up, and my character development - a part of who I am eternally, and He has designed the church - the fellowship of His family to be a vital part of that development. He intends that I be sustained daily by an ever increasing awareness of His love and power which is toward me, as a part of His family. Our Father does not intend that we live in isolation, but in vital union in the body of Christ. ………………………… continued inside………………..

Morning Assembly November 1st Assembly

Announcements Don Dillahunty Announcements Don Dillahunty Song Leader Morris Guest Song Leader Morris Guest

Opening Prayer Larry Sanderson Opening Prayer David Kirschner Scripture Reading Roger Derda Scripture Reading Roger Derda

Prayer Leader Troy Trammell Prayer Leader Troy Trammell Lord’s Table Andrew Matthews Lord’s Table Richard Davis

Winn Hendricks Pat Myers Gary Zito Greg Hendrickson Keith Drochak Keith Drochak

Closing Prayer Neil Simmons Closing Prayer Winn Hendricks

Taken from our website: ScripturesSay.com Question: Please help me to understand John 4:23 – 24. What do these verses teach about the nature of God and the kind of worship He desires? Answer: part 1 of 2 John 4:23-24 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The context of this text is a discussion that Jesus has with the woman at the well. She correctly recognizes Jesus as a prophet and asks him a question regarding the appropriate place to worship God. Jesus teaches that the place for worship was of no consequence to God. It does not matter whether we worship in the city or in the country. It does not matter whether we are in a house or in a tent, or in an open field. The place where we worship has nothing to do with whether the worship is acceptable to God. Jesus reminds the woman that since she was a Samaritan she could not have been taught the truth about the Worship of God. The Samaritans had parts of the Old Testament which they recognized as inspired, (i.e. the Pentateuch), but they rejected all of the prophecies of the Old Testament. Since they rejected the prophecies of the Old Testament they also rejected the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. Salvation was coming to the world through the Jews. In verse 23 Jesus says: “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” Notice the contrast here between the “true worshipers” and the Samaritans who followed their own traditions rather than the Word of God. This verse clearly demonstrates that God SEEKS true worshipers. There is such a thing as false worship, or ignorant worship. The Samaritans were guilty of ignorant worship. Jesus contrasts this with “true worship.” True Worship is characterized by two things. 1) It is in spirit or from the heart, in other words it is sincere. 2) It is in truth, that is it is according to the dictates of the Word of God, which is the TRUTH (Jn. 17:17). Our text says: John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The nature of God is spirit. All spirits are invisible to human eyes. We are unable to see the human spirit when it leaves the body to return to God who gave it (Ecc. 12:7). Paul says of Jesus in Col. 1:15 & 1 Tim. 1:17: Col. 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. So, one of the things we must remember about God is that He is spirit, and therefore invisible. This text also indicates to us that God’s nature is NOT material. God is NOT matter. The word “spirit” is the opposite of matter. After Jesus was raised from the dead he appeared to his disciples, they became troubled because they assumed him to be a spirit. He said to them: Luke 24:39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Sing Practice Nov 1st 5:30pm

Breakfast at IHOP Nov 4th 8am

Elders, Deacons & Preacher Meeting Nov 10th 7pm

POTLUCK Nov 15th after morning worship. Details coming soon.

Men’s Coffee Nov 17th 9am

Men Who Serve November schedule for the men who serve is on the back table.

Calendars November birthday, anniversary and upcoming events calendars are on the back table.

Member Directories Updated directories are available in the church office.

New Member Kelly Whisenant would like to place membership here at Mt Vernon.

AZ Book The AZ book for the Burdine’s is on the back table, take a moment and fill out a fond farewell. This book will be mailed to them the first week in Nov.

October Old Test. New Test. 25 Jeremiah 5-6 2 Thess. 2 26 Jeremiah 7-8 2 Thess. 3 27 Jeremiah 9-10 1 Timothy 1 28 Jeremiah 11-13 1 Timothy 2 29 Jeremiah 14-16 1 Timothy 3 30 Jeremiah 17-19 1 Timothy 4 31 Jeremiah 20-22 1 Timothy 5

Glynna Gower took a bad fall she is bruised up badly, and in a lot of pain she will be laid up for a few weeks.

There are no broken bones, just in pain.

Wanda Pruett home after having what is believed to

be a TIA.

Michelle Henry recovering in Sedona, doing better

has cast on her elbow now. Sue Johnson (friend of Mandy Buchanan) under

hospice care no longer taking food.

Darrellene Faber (Kim Cureton’s sister) surgery to

put in a fistula for her dialysis scheduled for Oct 29th.

Continual Prayers Health Reason/Treatment

Christian (Becky Hanna’s nephew) terminal leukemia.

Nick Cureton (nephew to Dale Cureton) acute leukemia rare type, has begun new chemo drugs,

news is encouraging, but sill in need of prayers.

Larry Simmons (friend of Larry Miller) prostate cancer

Linda (David Kirschner’s sister) slow recovery from lymphedema.

John Lu (Linda Kirschner’s uncle) recovery from stroke (lives in China)

Helen Stalmaker (friend of Marcia Serrano) lung cancer.

Those in the Pioneer’s Home who suffer physical problems.

Joe Hixenbaugh (Jim’s brother) treatment for cancer, having more pain.

Gene Harmon Alzheimer’s / Dolores caregiver

Dale Cureton struggling still after his fall in September of 2014.

Eddie Redman’s niece Rose terminal illness

Our Shut-ins

Mary Wilkerson Ruth Hague

Cathy Verley Danny Jones Marjorie Trammell Dwain Oliver

Ronald Bryant will be teaching Chapter

6 this Wednesday. Make plans to come.

…………………continued from front

In the family of God, our relationship with one another is important. We are actually, not technically, members one of another. We are called of God to actually bear with one another, and actually bear one another's burdens. We are to actually love and care for one another. We are called to actually encourage one another, to strive daily to actually be all we can be for one another, and thereby nurture one another.

Intellectually, some of us are convinced of these things, yet we too readily excuse ourselves. We are just "so busy," so "whatever" that we fail to embrace the real and actual application of even the "Golden Rule," even toward one another. Each of us would do well to remember that feelings of isolation are not far removed from feelings of alienation, not only in us, but also in others!

The number of those that serve needs to increase. The respect due them needs to be communicated. The warmth and care, the respect and regard, that we have for one another is a vital part of the life of this congregation. The members of this body are privileged to care for one another, to be accepting and encouraging toward one another; to be involved with one another as members of the family of God, to truly be members of one another. Are we truly accepting and caring for one another, or do we foster an atmosphere of isolation?

-Ronald Bryant