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Worship Ministry - August 2023

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Rop tú mo baile 

Twelve hundred years ago, an Irishman penned the poem “Rop tú mo baile” in a language neither you nor I could read or understand, seeking God’s protection and wisdom. This man probably didn’t think that hundreds of years later, in 1905, Mary Elizabeth Byrne would take his poem and translate it into English. I’m sure he didn’t have in mind that a few years after that, a lady named Eleanor Hull would then set that English translation to a melody and give us the hymn “Be Thou My Vision.” Yet, God used the faithfulness of that Irishman to speak to future generations and encourage them to seek God. 

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light 

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one 

Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart 

High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art 
High King of Heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all 

 As we have been going through Psalm 119, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness. God sustains and satisfies. God is a provider and comforter. God is present in our lives and He is faithful to the end. This wasn’t just true for the psalmist who penned Psalm 119, nor is it only true for us reading it today, but was true to the 8th century Irishman who was seeking the presence of God.  This is true for all generations! 

“Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.” Psalm 119:90

It is easy for us to be burdened with the trials of the world around us, and struggles we have in our own lives, and for that to cause us to forget God’s faithfulness. We think we are the first and only to ever have experienced this situation, this sin, or this hurt. We forget the millions that have gone before us, who experienced the same hurt we have, similar burdens we have carried, and completely different heartache; and yet the testimony of God’s faithfulness and the Good News of Jesus Christ continues to bring salvation to the world. 

This doesn’t mean that all our hurt magically goes away, but it should offer us hope. A hope that we aren’t facing this world alone, but are surrounded by other Christ followers. A thankfulness that God has given us great examples of men and women throughout scripture who have endured at great cost for the cause of Christ, and we can look to them in our time of need. A hope in the strength of God and that He will be with us till the end of our days.

“Whatever befall(s)” us in our life, whatever hurt, whatever pain we are enduring, may we still seek the vision and wisdom of God. May we desire God and His righteousness above all, knowing He is worth it all.

I love you and mean it!

Lyric of the Month
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all

2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Posted by Evan Gray with
in Newsletter, Missions

Women On Mission - August 2023

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A BLAST FROM THE PAST

The Sunday Courier and Press - February 27, 1981
A local hospital and local church have combined their efforts so people like Leila Evans can have the convenience of a home away from home. Miss Evans, who lives in Owensboro, Ky., has been taking radiation therapy treatments on weekdays for five weeks at St. Mary’s Medical Center. She was dumbfounded when she learned she’d have to take the treatments every day. “I didn’t see how I could possibly make the daily round trip from Owensboro to Evansville by myself,” she said.  Officials at St. Mary’s told Miss Evans about the old parsonage at Oakhill Baptist church. And in little time the church people had made arrangements for Miss Evans to occupy the facility so she wouldn’t have to commute from Owensboro or rent a room in Evansville.  “This is just the grandest place I ever heard of. I brought my typewriter, my lamp, my niece’s television and just moved right in,” Miss Evans said. Although Miss Evans normally transports herself to St. Mary’s, the church people came through when driving conditions were hazardous recently. Even though his son was having surgery that morning, church member Ronald Baker picked up Miss Evans in his four-wheel drive vehicle and took her to the hospital when snow and ice made driving hazardous. Several people - including outpatients and patients’ relatives - have occupied the house since it was ready in early August of last year. About a year ago, Emma Meredith, a secretary in quality assurance at St. Mary’s, and Micki Bennett, a registered nurse who is a discharge planner there, noticed that relatives of patients were sleeping in the hospital waiting rooms. The two women conducted a survey which found that many of the relatives were from out of town. Unable to afford hotel accommodations but still desiring to be near seriously ill family members, the relatives had no alternative but to bed down for the night somewhere in the hospital. Aside from their regular responsibilities, the women took up the challenge of doing something about the problem. They requested information from area churches concerning what type of temporary lodging might be available for patient’s relatives or patients themselves who needed regular outpatient treatment. Although the request was only for information, Oakhill Baptist responded with the offer of letting people stay in its old parsonage. “We had on occasion used this space for accommodating visiting ministers,” said the Rev. Roy Jones, pastor at the church. “It was just one of those things where they had a need, and we had the facilities.” Church people June Baker and Norman Baggett were instrumental in organizing the congregation, which took up the task of supplying clean linens, transporting patients to the hospital and cleaning the facilities on a weekly basis. For St. Mary’s, the Oakhill facility represents the first step in a project they hope will grow. The old parsonage has only one bedroom with a double bed available, so facilities are somewhat limited. But Ms. Bennett and Ms. Meredith are keeping their eyes open for facilities which would enable them to expand the project. The house is also available to patients at Evansville’s other hospitals.  

Women on Mission will meet Thursday, August 3rd at 1:00 pm in the Grace classroom.
Michele Linn will be speaking to us about the recent mission trip to Brazil.
All ladies are invited.

Posted by Women On Mission with

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