WATCH OUT

THE BAD GUYS ARE OUT

Remember when you were a little tyke and Momma always said “Be good or the Boogie Man will get you”…that was more than enough to get your attention and more than once you went to bed with the bed covers pulled ‘way’ over your head!

Well, today it’s a much different story…the Boogie Man is still out there but this time he is after your hard earned money…big time!

We were pleased and excited to have with us again Aaron Bedingfield, son of our own Gene and Shirley Bedingfield and grandson of Burl.

Aaron is Director of Security at a local bank and is directly and daily involved with the criminal element who seek to wreak financial havoc with the folks in our community.

Those bad guys come at you in a myriad of ways…via computer, telephone, email, snail mail, in person…whatever your most vulnerable point may be!!

But, first, let’s take time out to thank a few folks for all they do for us…Curtis Hanks makes certain the room is ready and available for us…Doyle Vance, along with Mr. Z himself and Lew Dillon, sets up the tables, prepares the tea and coffee…thank you guys…you do a great job of housekeeping!!  Now, back to Aaron and his instruction  for the day…there were several items of considerable interest…

A strong suggestion was to do all your banking on line…in this manner you could check your financial records as often as you like, rather than the normal once  monthly  as we  have done forever and ever…good point!!

Another good idea is utilize a credit monitoring system,  not only to watch for identity theft but also to note when an account is opened under your name by an unknown person  (the bad guy)..

AND, MOST OF ALL, IF A PROPOSAL IS MADE TO YOU THAT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE-WELL IT IS…RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN -IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION…

And if you get a check in the mail you were not expecting…and you are asked to contact “Mr Good Guy”…well, he ain’t!!

On a lighter note…if your grandson calls from half way around the world and says he is in trouble and needs cash NOW…well, let him stay there…!!

Well, you get the pic…until next month…and thanks again, Aaron…

Your Senior Guys and Gals

"This is the Way"

"Dovie's Autograph"

"Just a Sample"

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.NKJV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. NASB

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. NIV

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” NLT

Así que, somos embajadores en nombre de Cristo, como si Dios rogase por medio de nosotros; os rogamos en nombre de Cristo: Reconciliaos con Dios. RV1960

所 以 ， 我 们 作 基 督 的 使 者 ， 就 好 像 神 藉 我 们 劝 你 们 一 般 。 我 们 替 基 督 求 你 们 与 神 和 好 。Simplified Chinese

اذا نسعى كسفراء عن المسيح كأن الله يعظ بنا. نطلب عن المسيح تصالحوا مع الله.  Arabic

Everyone is a worshipper. Every person has his or her God: The only difference is that some can defend what they believe with sound reasons while others do so in a vacuum. Not only individuals but nations have their gods.

I am an Indian, born and raised in India. Before I moved to the West I readily accepted the fact that during Hindu festivals the nation would be celebrating the occasion. This was understood, even though technically India is a secular democracy. But there is an underlying worldview behind the culture. Whether it was Ganesh puja or Diwali, India celebrates its festivals based in a Hindu worldview.

I am not a Hindu but I respect the Hindu’s right to express the foundational ideas of the nation. The same applies to a Buddhist nation or to an Islamic nation. I am neither a Buddhist nor a Muslim. But I respect the right of those in these countries to express their faith during their festivals and am not offended by them.

I am a Christian. When I came to America decades ago, I was thrilled to see Christmas celebrated and the reason for the season so obvious: the birth of Jesus Christ. Did I assume that every American was thus a Christian? Certainly not. But I expected the charitable heart of even the dissenter to allow that which has been practiced in this country historically and traditionally to continue. But alas, it is not so. In Thailand and Indonesia Christmas carols are sung in shopping centers and Christmas trees adorn airports. But in America the anti-Christian bias of silly advertisements like Bloomingdales’ “Merry, Happy, Love, Peace” reflect ideas firmly planted in midair and proclaim no reason for the season.

Who is offended by a public celebration of Christmas? The anti-Christian secularist who lives under the illusion that values are cradled in a vacuum. Peace and love for what? What do these terms really mean? Are they self-evident? Not by any means.

America may not be a Christian nation per se, but only the Judeo-Christian worldview could have framed such a nation’s ideas and values: “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” No other religion or secular assumption can affirm such a statement except the Judeo-Christian worldview. But today that very worldview on which our systems of government and law are based is expelled from the marketplace.

Democracies that are unhinged from all sacred moorings ultimately sink under the brute weight of conflicting egos. Freedom is destroyed not just by its retraction, but more often by its abuse.

Is it not odd that whenever it has power, liberalism is anything but liberal, both in the area of religion and politics? We now have something called “spirituality” because people don’t like the word “religion.” What does spirituality mean? It means you may believe anything you wish to believe but regarding ultimate things, “No absolutes, please.” The relativism and spirituality with which our society lives have one thing in common: they are both sophisticated ways of self-worship.

It is not accidental that even as Christian values have been jettisoned, the world is economically and morally on the verge of bankruptcy. Oh, but Jesus’ name still surfaces in the West. Maybe more often than any other name. Why? Because profanity still reigns. Oh yes, and God still figures in our philosophy: even when “Mother Earth” quakes and thousands die, we still blame “Father God.” The banishment of Christmas may be the anti-theists’ great longing. But they still want the gifts of Christmas—love, joy, peace and reason. Malcolm Muggeridge once opined that we have educated ourselves into imbecility.

What are we celebrating at Christmas? What is the message of Christmas? It is the birth of the One who promised peace, joy and love. Try as we will, we cannot realize such values without acknowledging the point of reference for these absolutes: the very person of God and his gift to us of a changed heart and will. That message needs to be heard around our world that is reeling with problems and rife with hate. For we have proven we are not fit to be God.

G.K. Chesterton was right: “The problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried.”

Some years ago, I walked into the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was a cold and grey January. I paused as I saw deep inside its walls a shop with the banner still fluttering, “Merry Christmas.” That which was happily displayed in the Forbidden City is now all but forbidden in our cities. A Chinese professor once remarked to me, “You Christians need to thank God for Communism, because we left the souls of our people empty, making room for the gospel.”

Maybe someday we will thank the rabid secularists as well, when Merry Christmas will no longer be forbidden in our cities. Exhausted and disappointed in self-worship, we may turn to God again and hear his story afresh.

Ravi explores these issues in greater depth in his forthcoming book, Why Jesus? available January 25, 2012.

God bless you dear friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS

Hurray! Christmas is just around the corner and it’s almost “Happy Birthday Jesus” time . . . but, first, a gentle reminder:

Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day . . .  70 years ago yesterday . . . a day that is enshrined deep in our hearts and memories . . . no doubt some still have loved ones entombed below those murky waters . . . ask John Williamson and Lew Dillon where they were that day . . . both were already on active service that fateful day.

Now, let’s fast forward to today and begin our celebration of the Christmas Season . . . and there is no better way than to have our own Gloryland Transfer guys to sing and touch our hearts as only they can do.

Bro. Wayne Ward and his Gloryland Transfer group were on board with their harmonious voices and lift us up they did. So, first, let us introduce them: Maestro Wayne Ward, Gene Bedingfield, Louis Blosch, Jimmie Neely, John Gregory, Prentiss Wade, Gerald Weems, Dane Cearley, Bob Fisher, and Lew Dillon . . . a motley crew, but we love ’em anyway.

Wayne said he and the group were glad to be back here again at Eastwood Baptist Church. (They also sing at other functions.) They started off with “I’m glad I know Medley.” Next, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” featuring Gene & Wayne, followed by “He Started the Whole World Singing a Song” featuring Wayne.

Remember our own Brother Burl Bedingfield? He sang “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” as a solo for many years, but due to his retirement, Jimmy Neely sang the solo part. What precious memories!

Next, came “It’s Still the Greatest Story Ever Told” featuring Prentiss and Wayne. Then came our all-time favorite, “Silent Night.” (Ed note: The origin of the Christmas carol we know as Silent Night was a poem that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf, it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of Silent Night (Stillie Nacht) to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for Silent Night was composed with this in mind. The music to Silent Night was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass. Silent Night is the most famous Christmas carol of all time!)

Next, came Eastwood’s and Jerry Rhodes’ all-time favorite “Sweet Beulah Land” featuring Prentiss Wade.

(The Southern Gospel song, “Sweet Beulah Land” was written and composed by Squire Parsons in 1973. Parsons recorded it in 1979. It became the number one Southern Gospel single and received the “Singing News  Fan Award” for Song of the Year in 1981. We know it best as it is sung by our own, Prentiss Wade.)

This was followed by a special favorite, “My God is Real” featuring Gene Bedingfield. By this time, we were all up on the mountain top.

Then, due to requests, the encore and finale . . . “He Started the Whole World Singing” which finished a truly Wonderful time with Wonderful music. Thank You, Gloryland Transfer. We look forward to your next visit!

Door Prizes were won by: Carolyn Holcomb, Zelmer Rock, Gene Bedingfield, Jimmy Neely, Shirley Ward, and Mary Margaret Freeman.

And, just in case you were wondering . . . we did have a few goodies on the goodie table.

For Entrees: we had: Meatballs, sauerkraut & wieners, wieners & baked beans, smoked turkey, smoked ham, KFC chicken, chicken tortilla casserole, and spaghetti & meatballs.

For Vegetables: Potatoes au gratin, green bean casserole, potato casserole, green beans, vegetable medley, asparagus casserole, and sweet potato casserole.

Soup & Salad: Chili, taco soup, Baptist eggs, fruit salad, stuffed celery, pink fluff gelatin salad, and strawberry gelatin salad.

For Dessert: Pumpkin, apple, cookies & cream, lemon, cherry, pecan, and fresh apple crunch pies; chocolate chip cookies, cake assortment, brownies with peppermint, and peanut butter FUDGE.

So, until next month, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and above all, remember HE is the reason for the Season. Happy Birthday, Jesus.

"The Twins, C. L. & Bill"

“Gloryland Transfer”

Veteran’s Day

TAPS

Today we were honored to have as our guest speaker, Mr. John Champlin, Viet-Nam era veteran, and also the current president of the Tulsa Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution. Mr. Champlin spoke about three heroes of the Viet-Nam War that he served with . . . although he just could have easily spoken of his own patriotic ancestors who served with General George Washington in the Revolutionary War against the British.

Then, we all have a great-grandfather whose brothers fought on both sides of that bloody, but revered Civil War.

Mr. Champlin shared about three special servicemen in his life . . . all of whom served with him aboard his Aircraft Carriers . . . Lt. J. B. McKamey, who was shot down on his 21st mission over North Viet-Nam and served 7 years and 8 months in captivity . . . how great a faith!

Then, there was Lt. Michael P. Cronin, who was shot down on his 125th combat mission over North Viet-Nam. He was held in captivity 6 years and two months.

And then, there was Ensign Wolf who, on his 20th mission over North Viet-Nam, was hit by a 14.5 armor piercing round. Even though  it was a near fatal wound, he managed to return to the carrier, and after numerous surgeries, he chose to return to flight combat status . . . all true American heroes and faithful comrades in arms.

Remembering the veterans who have all touched our lives along our life’s journey, we all have a Mr. Wilson, who lived down the block while we were growing up. Mr. Wilson was gassed by the Germans while serving as an American “Doughboy” with the U.S. Army in World War I . . . never once did we ever hear him complain, even though he could not physically do any job or chore that we take for granted.

Then there was a John, a chubby little guy we teased a bit . . . he played the flute in the high school band. John was killed in action during World War II and is buried in Po Valley in Italy while serving with the 45th Infantry.

And then there was a Leo, an orphan boy who had no family but lived with various town families . . . we played sandlot football with him . . . a real tough guy was he . . . took no “lip” from anybody . . . Leo is buried in Okinawa . . . a fighting Marine of the first order.

And can we ever forget little James . . . all five feet two of him. The Air Force made him a tail gunner on the B-17. One day his plane came back, minus the tail section, and no trace of James . . . another hallowed hero.

And, we should never forget Eastwood’s own personal hero . . .  Major Stowe’s plane went down in flames in Viet-Nam . . . both the plane and the load of ammo they were carrying exploded on contact.

And, as you honor your past and current veterans this Veteran’s Day, remember to give them your heart-felt thanks and gratitude . . . not because they need it, but because you need to do it . . . and remember, to the last heartbeat, each and everyone would do it all over again.

To close, we would like to share a poem that U.S. Army Veteran Charles Michael Province wrote years ago . . .

“It is the soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.”

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.”

“It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.”

“It is the soldier, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.”

Mr. Champlin, we thank you for those gentle reminders.

Till next month,

Your Senior Adults

"Tom Hamlett"

"Three Amigos, John, Glyn, & Bro. Gordon"

"Bonnie & Clyde"

Psalm 91:4

TRIPLE FUN

TRIPLE PRAISE

Take your pick! Today was the day that blessings came in “Three’s” as our own, “Triplets” brought their special brand of humor, song, and praise to Eastwood’s Senior Adults!

By now, you know that we mean that fabulous trio of Maestro Wayne Ward, John T. Wills, and Jimmy Lawbaugh! And, of course, along with their big, bad roadie, Kyle Spencer!

Special guests today were: Bonnie Beeman (Clyde Jones’ daughter,) Nancy Carter (guest of Frances Gott,) Doris McWright (guest of J. C. Herring,) and Shirley Francis   (J. C.’s daughter.) It was good to see Tom and Linda Hamlett again today . . . we have missed you! And also Elaine Flanagan . . .  she’s a real Eastwood treasure. Welcome to all of you and come again.

It was a good crowd today (around 85 plus or minus) and we really can’t tell you whether we enjoyed the “Triplets” more or the “Triplets” enjoyed being with us. It was a fun time for both!

Just a few of the songs of praise and joy that they sang today. Starting with “In That Great Getting’ Up Morning” followed by that famous George Beverly Shea number, “I’d Rather Have Jesus.” Both the tempo and the crowd picked up a bit when they sang, “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor” which is a song written by Nashville great, Johnny Russell.

Maestro Ward followed up with a beautiful rendition of “You Were Faithful Yesterday” and then a real heart-warming version of that Dottie Rambo song, “If That Isn’t Love” . . .  it  was just plain fun watching the toe tappin’ going on.

Much more followed and the finale, of course, was that Bill Gaither number, “Because He Lives.”

Guys we must confess . . . you really aren’t triplets at all . . . you are “One Voice”  lifting God’s praises. We love you and look forward to your sharing with us again . . . and real soon . . . you heah’ that!

And now, to describe the food tables . . . all of ‘em. It would be easier to say “let’s just throw in the Golden Corral, Ryan’s, and Western Sizzler into the mix . . . then go get it!”

What can we say . . . here we go . . . fried chicken (of course,) BBQ meatballs, chicken livers, spinach-ravioli-lasagna, Mexican chicken casserole, sauerkraut and weenies . . . dare we stop now?

Sweet potato casserole, baked beans, baked beans, baked beans . . . asparagus casserole,  bread, bread, and more bread. And, at least a dozen different kinds of salads, all colors, plus those famous Baptist eggs, chili, taco soup, and more salads and keep on eating . . . twelve different kinds of desserts . . . all the way from a lot of calories to a whole bunch of ‘em. You ask, how do we know there were twelve kinds of desserts? ’Cause we tried ‘em all, that’s how. Ha!

Again, we say “Thanks” to the Triplets, Wayne, John T., and Jimmy. You blessed us beyond measure and we appreciate you.

‘Til we meet again,

Your Eastwood Seniors.

"The Triplets"

"They Baptized Jesse Taylor in Cedar Creek Last Sunday."

"I'd Rather Have Jesus."

Nora Jones 1-15-1926  -  10-2-2011

A REAL TRIPLEHEADER

Ever meet a guy who could do it all? Well, George Wiland is that guy! Not only is he an entertainer, but he is also a solid lecturer and a very patient counselor . . . and today he was all three wrapped up in one!

Prior to our beginning today, George entertained quite a few with a number of humorous stories and jokes . . . just ask Bob and Doris Lott! His unique background provided us with a varied and imaginative history from which to draw on.

But first, let us introduce you to George Wiland, our guest for today.   George is presently on the staff of our First District Congressman, John Sullivan. His duties consist primarily of assisting the constituency with any needs that occur in solving the seemingly impossible roadblocks that sometimes come into our lives . . . whether it be in the field of Medicare, Social Security, Veterans Assistance, etc. in other words, if you have a problem with any federal agency . . . give a holler!

George, with his background, will work with you to overcome those tasks that sometimes seem too large to overcome.

He has a Bachelors Degree from Oral Roberts University and a Masters Degree in Management from Southern Nazarene University. His life’s work has been that of helping others. We were honored to have him with us today. More later.

But first, a great big welcome to Kenneth Lynn, brother to Vern Lynn. Great to have you with us, Sir . . . come back anytime! And a very special “Miss You” to Nora Jones . . . we love you and pray for you!

George has had an occasional relationship with Eastwood Baptist over the years. A certified voter Registrar, George registered voters at Eastwood a number of years ago during a voter registration period.

Also, George worked on the political campaign of one of our church members several years ago when he campaigned for the First District Congressional seat. We never cease to be amazed how Eastwood Baptist Church has been a part of so many lives in the Tulsa area as well as in the Mission Fields around the world. Thank you, Lord.

As George reached out to us, we reached out to him. After his presentation, he invited us, individually, to bring him any need or question that we had that he might assist . . . well, we took him at his word. Our members kept coming, kept coming, kept coming . . . Veteran questions, Medicare questions . . . you name it, we brought them to him.

George stayed nearly an hour after time to assist and answer questions! Poor Guy! We boxed up his lunch so he could take it with him because we didn’t give him time to eat     . . . but he loved it! And so did we!

Speaking of food, and you knew we would . . . here is just a sampling of what George did not get to eat today . . . fried chicken, BBQ meatballs, fried chicken, potatoes au gratin, fried chicken, creamed corn, corn pudding, fried chicken, asparagus casserole, fresh vegetables, jell-o salad, fried chicken, potato salad, pistachio salad, Baptist eggs, taco and vegetable soup plus a “few” desserts such as:

pineapple-blueberry dump cake, pecan pie, spice bundt cake, pumpkin pie with whip cream, chocolate pecan pie, AND Jack Stegelman’s birthday cake . . . WOW . . . and DID we mention fried chicken?

Again, thanks, George, it was a real Triple-Header today!

Your SAM guys and gals

"George Wiland, Speaker

"George & Bro. Gordon"

I’m amazed when I hear evangelical Christians speak of undocumented immigrants in this country with disdain as “those people” who are “draining our health care and welfare resources.” It’s horrifying to hear those identified with the Gospel speak, whatever their position on the issues, with mean-spirited disdain for the immigrants themselves. While evangelicals, like other Americans, might disagree on the political specifics of achieving a just and compassionate immigration policy, our rhetoric must be informed by more than politics, but instead by Gospel and mission.

This is a Gospel issue. First of all, our Lord Jesus Himself was a so-called “illegal immigrant.” Fleeing, like many of those in our country right now, a brutal political situation, our Lord’s parents sojourned with Him in Egypt (Matt. 2:113-23). Jesus, who lived out His life for us, spent His childhood years in a foreign land away from His relatives among people speaking a different language with strange customs.

In so doing, our Lord Jesus was reliving the life of Israel, our ancestors in the faith, who were also immigrants and sojourners in Egypt (Exod. 1:1-14; 1 Chron. 16:19; Acts 7:6). It is this reality, the Bible tells us, that is to ground our response to those who sojourn among us (Exod. 22:21; Ps. 94:6; Jer.7:6; Ezek. 22:29; Zech. 7:10). God, the Bible says, “executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” (Deut. 10:18-19).

This is much more than a “political” issue, abstracted from our salvation. Jesus tells us our response to the most vulnerable among us is a response to Jesus Himself (Matt. 25:40). God will judge those who exploit workers and mistreat the poor. No matter how invisible they seem to us now, God hears (Isa. 3:15; Amos 4:1; Jas.5:4).

This is also a question of our mission. There are upwards of 12 million undocumented immigrants in this country right now, and many more in the Latino community who came here legally. If our response to them is to absorb the nativism and bigotry of some elements of society around us, we are showing them a vision of what the Bible calls “the flesh” rather than the Spirit. If our churches ignore the nations around us who are living in our own communities, we do not reflect the Kingdom of God, which is made up of those from every tribe, tongue, nation and language (Rev. 7:9).

It is easy to lash out at undocumented immigrants as “law-breakers,” and to cite Romans 13 as reason to simply call for deportation and retribution. But this issue is far more complicated than that. Yes, undocumented immigrants are violating the law, but, first of all, most of them are doing so in order to provide a future for their families in flight from awful situations back home. Many of them are children (as our Lord Jesus was at the time of His immigration).

And, even given our nation’s Romans 13 responsibility to maintain secure borders, the message our nation sends to those across our borders isn’t clear and univocal. As Southern Baptist leader Richard Land puts it, there are two metaphorical signs on our border: “Keep out” and “Help wanted.”

This isn’t to say that there aren’t real political challenges here. I agree that the border should be secured. I support holding businesses accountable for hiring, especially since some of them use the threat of deportation as a way of exploiting these vulnerable workers. I support a realistic means of providing a way to legal status for the millions of immigrants already here. But there are many who disagree with me, and for valid reasons.

The larger issue is in how we talk about this issue, recognizing that this is not about “culture wars” but about persons made in the image of God. Our churches must be the presence of Christ to all persons, regardless of country of origin or legal status. We need to stand against bigotry and harassment and exploitation, even when it’s politically profitable for those who stand with us on other issues.

And, most importantly, we must love our brothers and sisters in the immigrant communities. We must be the presence of Christ to and among them, even as we receive ministry from them. Our commitment to a multinational Kingdom of God’s reconciliation in Christ must be evident in the verbal witness of our Gospel and in the visible makeup of our congregations.

Immigration isn’t just an issue. It’s an opportunity to see that, as important as the United States of America is, there will be a day when the United States of America will no longer exist. And on that day, the sons and daughters of God will stand before the throne of a former undocumented immigrant. Some of them are migrant workers and hotel maids now. They will be kings and queens then. They are our brothers and sisters forever.

We might be natural-born Americans, but we’re all immigrants to the Kingdom of God (Eph. 2:12-14). Whatever our disagreements on immigration as policy, we must not disagree on immigrants as persons. Our message to them, in every language and to every person, must be, “Whosoever will may come.”

Russell Moore is the Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This article is reprinted by permission from his blog.