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y r o t c e r i D h c r Chu
September 18, 2021
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Huron Church Directory
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
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Reading the Scriptures With Humility “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.” – Psalm 25: 4 NIV
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aily reading of the Bible is a time-honored and valuable tool for spiritual growth. There are systematic ways to do this that involve reading the Bible from cover to cover over the course of a year (and reading just three chapters a day will get you through the Bible in one year). Alternatively, one can choose to read and study one topic or book of the Bible at a time, using study guides or commentaries. There is no single right way to read the Bible, and you will almost always find that you get something new out of each and every reading; the scriptures are an endless source of spiritual wisdom. In whatever fashion you read the scriptures, however, it is important to do so with humility, with an attitude of seeking versus knowing. We should seek God with a humble spirit, realizing that we are all in the position of children trying to find our way in the world. We are, as it were, lost in a strange world, and the Bible reminds us that our true home is elsewhere, and that if we can only follow God’s directions, we can find our way back home. – Christopher Simon
You’re welcome at Pigeon River! Sunday: •
9:30 am in person worship
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11 am Youth Sunday School All Ages *We also have online options for Sunday worship through our Facebook page and YouTube channel starting @ 9:30 am.
Wednesday: •
6 pm Potluck & Fellowship
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7 pm Prayer & Bible Study
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7 pm Youth activities (grades 6-12)
Pastor Dave Maurer Bill Eberly, Associate Pastor of Youth and Family Ministries
7120 Geiger Rd. Pigeon MI 48755 www.pigeonriverchurch.com | 989-453-2081
Ancient wisdom for modern life The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, … but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
You may wonder why the Lord has not returned. You may even think Him slow. He is not slow, however, but patient. The Lord does not want any of us to perish, and He is giving us time to repent and dedicate ourselves to Him. If you or someone you know has not made the commitment, now is the time. Seek salvation and urge others to do the same.
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Coincidence? W e’ve all had experiences that seem amazing, even providential, as if God himself is sending us a message via these experiences. It’s natural to think of these as messages from a benevolent God, and it’s just as easy to turn them around and say that it was just a coincidence. But sometimes it strains our credulity to think of these experiences as mere coincidences. I had an experience recently where I purchased a daily devotional
book at a used bookstore, since I have for many years enjoyed the habit of spending time with spiritual readings in the morning and this one looked interesting. It was one of those books that has a nice leather cover and a silk ribbon affixed to the binding to mark the page. When I got it home and opened it, I was quite surprised to find that the ribbon was placed on the page corresponding to my Birthday! If that wasn’t a sign that God wanted me to
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 NIV
have this book, I don’t know what would have been. And as far as coincidences, there was a 1 in 365 chance that it would be
The Garments of Faith “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” – Ephesians 6:14-15 NIV
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e get dressed every morning to prepare for the work of the day, putting on our uniforms, as it were, and dressing appropriately for both the work ahead and the day’s weather. Why not clothe the soul with the protective garments of faith as well? In the grand cheme of things, our immortal soul is worth infinitely more than our corruptible bodies, and thus we should take greater pains to protect it. The faith and knowledge that God loves us and wants us to be well while we carry out His will is a protective garment greater than anything we have in our closets. A great addition to the morning routine is to “gird up your loins” with the garments of faith and thanksgiving, remembering that our primary mission and the very meaning of our life is to love God with all our hearts, and to love our fellow man as we love ourselves. How wonderful that we can put on the garments of faith each day and go out into the world prepared to do God’s work! – Christopher Simon
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
placed on my exact birthday, so it really felt meaningful to me. At the very least, this book will have a special place in my heart for that very reason. These signs from God are important. They make us feel like someone (Someone indeed!) is thinking about us, and looking out for us, and trying to let us know that we are loved and cared for. Look for God in the everyday details of your life, because He is there. – Christopher Simon
Evangel Life Assembly of God
1365 S. Van Dyke Bad Axe,Mi. 48413 989-269-6734 Lead Pastor Cyle Harless
Bad Axe Free Methodist Church 165 Pigeon Road Bad Axe, MI 48413 (989)269-8664
Jerry Sutton, Senior Pastor
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - LCMS 7899 Crescent Beach Rd., Pigeon, MI 48744
(989) 856-4850
Rev. Christopher Suggitt Divine Service - 10:30am
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Moral Education “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 NIV
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23 (KJV) Is your faith in God strong? Do you believe in Him in good times and bad, or are you prone to doubt as the disciples were later on in this passage from Mark? Stay firm, stick to your principles, and anything is possible with God by your side.
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ll societies incorporate moral instruction into the education of children. In earlier times it was common for schoolchildren to learn to read using the Bible, and a close reading of the Book of Proverbs makes evident that scripture was intended to be used for moral instruction. Modern secular education has in many ways been tied to the economic engine of capitalism, and thus we see the importance of the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Teaching those disciplines is important for our economy, but if it neglects the moral education of children, then arguably our children will be missing a very important part—perhaps the most important part—of their education, that is, the part which helps them develop into good and decent people. This is not to say that a “secular” education
Holy Name of Mary Parish Our Lady of Lake Huron Church 405 S. First Street, Harbor Beach, MI 48441 St. Anthony of Padua Church 8239 Helena Road, Harbor Beach, MI 48441 Office/Mailing address: 413 S. First Street, Harbor Beach, MI 48441 Phone: 989-479-3393 www.holynameofmaryparish.org Mass Schedule: Sunday: 8:30 am at OLLH, 10:30 am at St. Anthony Tuesday: 6:30 pm at OLLH • Wednesday: 10:30 am at St. Anthony Thursday: 8:00 am at OLLH • Friday: 8:00 am at OLLH Saturday: 4:30 pm at OLLH Pastor: Fr. George Amos
Proud to be the home of the only Catholic School in the Thumb,Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic School. For information on enrolling your child at OLLH, please call the office.
cannot inculcate values, but many parents feel that the moral part of their children’s education has been so neglected by the public-school system that they prefer to put their children into religiousaffiliated schools or homeschool them. All teachers have an opportunity to lead by example, and thus public schools can play a vital role in the moral education of our children. We do well to consider carefully how best to raise our children to be both productive and morally upstanding members of society. And remember that your moral education doesn’t stop when you graduate from high school. – Christopher Simon
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
Trinity Lutheran Church of Forestville (Missouri Synod)
5034 E. Bay City Forestville Road Minden City, MI 48456 (mailing address) Phone: 989.864.3745
We Know the Good We Ought to Do “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” – James 4:17 NIV
Facebook Page: Trinity Lutheran Church, Forestville Worship Time: Sundays at 9:00 a.m. Note: Beginning January 2, 2022 worship time will be at 10:30 a.m.
Pastor:
Henry Hales
Sunday School held during Worship Hour
Pigeon First United Methodist Church
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ost of the time when we sin we are fully aware that we are doing so. We know what we ought to do but our selfish sinful nature leads us astray. We rationalize our sins by telling ourselves that no one is being hurt, or that no one will know, or that everyone acts this way. Driving over the speed limit is a good example of this. When we drive over the speed limit, we are usually aware of the fact and rationalize our bad driving behavior by telling ourselves we really aren’t hurting anyone (even though we know the speed limit is set for reasons of public safety). Or we might tell ourselves that no one is going to catch us doing this, and everyone else seems to be going over the speed limit too. One who rationalizes these small or “venial” sins will probably find it easy to rationalize larger and more serious sins as well. We know the good we ought to do, we just don’t want to do it. We should all make a more serious effort to do the right thing, all the time, and without rationalizing our lapses into sin. – Christopher Simon
Worship: 10 am in-person and livestreaming on Facebook Live
Sunday School: TBA
7102 E. Michigan Ave., PO Box 377 • Pigeon, MI 48755
989-453-2475 •••
Email: pigeonfirstumc@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/pigeonfirst • Website: firstumcpigeon.org
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Telling the Truth “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” – Ephesians 4:14 NIV
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e live in an age where some justify lies by calling them “alternative facts” and where people accept a sophomoric relativism which says that one is entitled to believe whatever one wishes, even when one is believing blatant falsehoods. The fact that people can believe things which are easily shown to be false only illustrates how naïve and gullible we can be. This inability to distinguish truth from falsehood is something which we see most clearly in children. Young children will believe almost anything (e.g., the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, and Santa Claus, to name just a few). As children get older, we expect them to discern truth from falsehood, and to tell the truth. Some parents question the wisdom of lying to children about
St. Paul Lutheran Church - LCMS 7292 Kilmanagh Rd. Pigeon, MI 48755
(989) 453-2271 Rev. Christopher Suggitt
Salem United Methodist Church 23 Mabel Street Pigeon, Michigan 48755 989-453-2552
such things as Santa Claus, as it sends several questionable messages. As children grow out of the naivete of early childhood, we teach them to be critical and discerning, for example, telling them not to trust strangers, and requiring them to tell the truth at all times. Like the little boy who cried wolf, we have trouble trusting those who have repeatedly deceived us. We are not relativists in our everyday life, knowing that there is an objective truth about factual matters. And while it may be wise to suspend judgement on some issues until the facts are better known, we should not deceive ourselves into believing that there are alternative versions of reality. Truth is one. – Christopher Simon
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12 (KJV) In this day and age of self-expression, children criticizing and rebuking their parents might not seem like a big deal. It is a big deal to God, however. He commands believers to love, honor and cherish their parents no matter how short they may have fallen of expectations. Do as God commands. Respect your father and your mother.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
First Presbyterian ChurCh oF harbor beaCh
Getting Our Lives in Order “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” – Psalm 32:8 NIV
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f you are unhappy with your life, or with certain aspects of it—and everyone has some area of their life that needs work—perhaps it is because you have tried to manage it by yourself. It might relieve you to know that God has a better plan for your life than you do, and it takes a lot of the pressure off ourselves when we decide to live by God’s plan. We aren’t responsible for our being here, since none of us created ourselves, and so it shouldn’t surprise us to realize that our Creator already has a plan for us. We should of course take some responsibility for our own well-being, striving to be as happy, healthy and virtuous as possible, but putting the responsibility for our entire life and life plan on ourselves is too heavy a burden. It is folly to try to be the engineer and director of our own lives. Many of us have lived poorly by following our own path and need some help from God to get it together. Consider God’s word as a user’s manual for how to get your life together. If you’re not sure what God has planned for you, a good place to start in the Bible is the Book of Proverbs. It is filled with Godly wisdom for living a good life. – Christopher Simon
sunday serviCe 9:30 am 405 State Street, Harbor beacH, MicHigan
“All are Welcome” 989-479-3455
Open DOOr MissiOnary ChurCh
Times of worship: sunday school - 9:30am Worship - 10:30am pastor rick Turner 770 W. sanilac road sandusky, Mi. 48471
810-648-3512
www.opendoormc.com Facebook - Open Door Missionary Church
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
220 N. Main Street
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Elkton, MI
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michigansthumb.com
Science & Religion
989-375-2597
Sunday School
“A scientific discovery is also a religious discovery. There is no conflict between science and religion. Our knowledge of God is made larger with every discovery we make about the world.” - Joseph Taylor
Beginning Sunday, September 12 9:45 a.m. - classes for all ages
Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.
Awana Kids Program Sunday Nights: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Ladies Prayer Meeting
Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. We will offer a men’s group starting on the first Saturday of October.
Youth Group Thursday Night 6:00 p.m. Service Livestream
10:45 a.m. service live streamed on our Facebook and Youtube channel
YOU’RE INVITED! At Calvary, we’re passionate about Jesus and the exciting new life He gives. Consider joining us this Sunday to experience uplifting music, a friendly atmosphere, and preaching that is relevant to your life. Childcare will be provided, refreshments will be served, and the service will last about an hour.
LET’S CONNECT SUNDAYS AT 10:00 AM
989.963.9391
301 N. CHANNEL DRIVE, PORT AUSTIN, MI
CBCPORTAUSTIN.ORG
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CALVARY PORT AUSTIN
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id you know that the man who first formulated the Big Bang theory was a Jesuit priest? Georges Lemaitre was a Jesuit-trained mathematician, astronomer and physicist who surmised that the recession of nearby galaxies could be explained by an expanding universe, and went on to develop what he called the theory of the primeval atom (later referred to as the “Big Bang” theory). Lemaitre postulated that if we extrapolate backwards from the observable fact of an expanding universe we come to a point in the distant past when the entire mass of the universe was concentrated in a single point, the “primeval atom,” as it were, from which time and space as we know them came into existence. Lemaitre believed that this event was essentially the creation of the physical universe, and although Lemaitre wasn’t prone to mixing scientific and religious explanations, he didn’t see any conflict here. Gregor Mendel, the man who is usually considered the father of modern Genetics, was an Augustinian friar. His work withpea plants established many of the rules of heredity, giving us the terms “recessive” and “dominant” with respect to inherited traits. Mendel’s work is important because it explains an important mechanism by which species change over time. Religion is sometimes seen as the benighted cousin of ignorance and superstition, but in reality, truth is one. There is only conflict if we insist on reading ancient religious texts as scientific treatises, which they were never intended to be. - Christopher Simon