Buck's Grove-Circleville UMC News

A nice crowd of 33 people met to worship on the cool Sunday morning of Sept. 20 at Circleville United Methodist Church. Helen Fraley lit the candles to the beautiful accompaniment of Lucas White.

After the call to worship. the congregation sang “O Worship The King.” Other songs sung on Sunday were “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “God Will Take Care Of You.”

Thersa Wade had the special where she told about the power of the hug. She said that hugging is healthy; it helps the immune system and keeps you healthier. It cures depression, reduces stress, induces sleep, is invigorating and rejuvenating and has no unpleasant side effects. It is nothing less than a miracle drug. It is all natural, organic, naturally sweet and is 100 percent wholesome. There are no movable parts, no batteries, no checkups. It has no monthly payment or insurance required and it is fully returnable. Give someone a hug and see.

Barbara Hutchinson read the scriptures. The Old Testament scripture read was Exodus 16:2-25. These verses tell of how the Israelites are in the desert and complaining against Moses and Aaron. They feel they would have been better off in Egypt.

The Lord heard them and told Moses that He would cause bread to fall from the sky but they were only to pick up the amount they would use. In this way, the Lord tested them to see if they would obey. On the sixth day, they were to pick up double the amount because there would be none on the seventh day as that day was the Sabbath.

Moses told the Israelites that when they complained they were actually complaining against the Lord. He also told them that the Lord would provide them with meat in the evenings. That evening, quail appeared and covered the ground. The Israelites then picked up the food they needed but were told not to pick up more than that. But, of course, some people picked up more than they should have and that food spoiled by the next day except on the day when they were to pick up twice what they needed and that food stayed good for the second day.

The New Testament scripture read was Philippians 1:21-30. In these verses, Paul is telling the Philippians that Christ is everything he lives for and if he died it would be even better for Him. But he knows that if he lives he will be able to do more good things to help people. He doesn’t know which one to choose because both seem good to him. He wants to leave and be with Christ but the people need him to continue to live in the world because they need him. For that reason. he will continue to live among them and help them to trust Christ even more. Paul tells them that the most important thing is to continue to live in the way that the good news about Christ teaches.

Lay Pastor Joyce then read from Matthew 20:1-16. In this gospel reading, a rich man is hiring workers to work in his field. He told the workers he hired that he’d pay them one silver coin for the day’s work. Through the day, he hired more workers. Some only worked as little as an hour. At the end of the day, the rich man paid his workers, paying the ones who only worked an hour the same amount as the ones who had worked all day.

Those men were not happy, as they thought they should get more. The rich man told them they were making what they had agreed to and since it was his money he could choose what to do with it.

Jesus then told those who were listening that the people who are not important now will become the most important and those who are very important now will become the least important.

Lay Pastor Joyce then gave her message titled “Our Generous God.” The first thing she asked was if you could remember your first job. Making your own money. It felt good, didn’t it? She then told us about hers. It was a job at the high school in Salina. A friend of hers told her about it. This friend of hers had the same kind of job at the grade school. Joyce would actually make $1 more per day. Her friend could have been resentful or jealous, but she was happy for Joyce. They both had a job and could go out and do things.

Sunday’s parable was about men standing at the marketplace hoping to get a job. The landowner comes to the marketplace and hires some men for a denarius a day. During the day he hires more men, never mentioning what they will be paid.

Leroy Rieschick had several family members with him on Sunday, which we were glad to have, and Joyce Immenschuh celebrated a birthday on Monday. Prayers are asked for the Harter family and the Gray family at the death of Joe and Frank.

Services ended with the benediction and the song “Be Thou My Vision.”

After services ended, the Bible study group met and discussed the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.