20
in other words
june5
2014
Things To Ponder: Have You Grown Lately?
By Grant Williams
Spiritual maturity is allusive.
Is it possible to measure something like
spiritual growth?
Let’s begin by
asking whether we are more like Jesus
today than we were one year ago, or
even 5 years ago. II Peter 1:5-8 offers
this admonition, “Now for this very
reason also, applying all diligence, in
your faith supply moral excellence, and
in your moral excellence knowledge;
and in your knowledge, self-control,
and in your self-control, perseverance,
and in your perseverance, godliness; and
in your godliness, brotherly kindness,
and in your brotherly kindness, love.
For if these qualities are yours and are
increasing, they render you neither
useless nor unfruitful in the true
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Growing in maturity, or Christ likeness,
is no small task, but it is possible with
the help of the Holy Spirit.
In his book, Forgotten God,
Francis Chan sheds light on our
question, “A lot of people want to talk
about supernatural things like miracles,
healing, or prophecy.
But focusing
inordinately on these things quickly
becomes misguided. God calls us to
pursue Him, not what He might do
for us or even in our midst. Scripture
emphasizes that we should desire fruit,
that we should concern ourselves with
becoming more like His Son. God wants
us to seek to listen to His Spirit and to
obey.”
When our focus is right we
become more like Jesus and less self-
focused. Francis also said, “The point
of it all was never the miracles in and
of themselves. Those came when they
were unexpected, when people were
faithful and focused on serving and
loving others.” In your life and in your
church what are you seeking? Are you
seeking attention or are you concerned
about the things Peter talked about?
When our focus is on becoming
more like Christ we will be much better
postured to grow in our maturity. When
serving becomes more important than
being served others will notice. When
telling others about Jesus becomes more
important than people acknowledging
us or our gifts it will be obvious we are
becoming more Christ like. What are
you aiming at? What are your goals?
Would you like to see the Kingdom of
God grow?
The Kingdom will grow when
our friends and community see that we
love each other. Not just in the local
fellowships we attend on Sunday, but
by the way we treat each other every
day. Is it obvious that we care about our
community or does it appear we simply
want to maintain the status quo? When
our goal becomes Christ likeness and
maturity is something we earnestly seek
we will have a lasting impact on those
we say we care about. When the people
of Vernonia see Christ in us they will be
drawn by the same love that binds the
church together in perfect unity.
Vernonia’s Voice is
published on the
1st and 3rd
Thursday.
Our next issue will be
June 19th.
Bridge Street Bits
HOPE EVERYONE had a safe and fun filled
Memorial Day weekend and some of you took
part in honoring our Veterans past, present and
future.
DON’T FORGET to remember the Senior Center
this summer with summer thrift store deals and
Sheila’s great lunches.
INFO FROM OREGON LAW CENTER Columbia
County Senior Law Project: Attention low
income seniors: If you are over the age of
60 and need legal assistance we may be
able to help, including 1) Neglect, financial,
physical, and mental abuse 2) Defense of
guardianship or conservatorship 3) Access to
healthcare, including denial of care 4) Unfair
debt collection, internet fraud 5) Rights of care
facility residents 6) Rights of tenants, prevention
of housing discrimination 7) Legal needs
related to care of grandchildren FOR MORE
INFORMATION, contact the Columbia County
office of Oregon Law Center at 503-397-1628
VETERANS: Need assistance:? Call our Veterans
officer Russ Clark, Community Action Team
503-366-6580. Russ will be glad to help you
and meet with you in person in the Vernonia
area. First Tuesday of the month at the Vernonia
Community Learning Center, 939 Bridge Street.
HAVE YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS prepared
in an emergency. Your family depends on YOU
to be ready for an emergency! Call my office
for a copy of this informative brochure: Karen
Miller 303-366-6581
ENERGY ASSISTANCE INFO: Community Action
Team, Energy Assistance funding for Electric
assistance has ENDED for this season. We do still
have NW Natrual gas funds that can be given to
qualifying households for first assistance or for a
second assistance if you are facing a large bill of
$100 or more.
Also, as we get moving towards the
next heating assistance season, we would
like to encourage those who are receiving
Social Security income to make sure you have
a current “Award letter”. This is a letter from
the Social Security Administration which
indicates how much you receive and if any
deductions are taken out. WE CANNOT ACCEPT
Bank statements or verification from the DHS
office (Snap). To obtain a letter 1) go to www.
socialsecurity.gov 2) Call SS Admin 1-800-772-
1213 and request they send you a copy of your
Vernonia Senior Center
446 Bridge Street
award letter. This can take up to 6 weeks. 3)
Visit your local SS Admin office and pick up a
copy.
IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD ANY
ASSISTANCE PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1, 2013, and
would like to get an application this October
2014 please call Community Action Team at 503-
397-3511.
SENIOR SIGN OFF: The faults of others are like
headlights on a passing car. They seem more
glaring than our own.
Lunch Menu:
6/6 Chicken Salad
6/9 Sausage on a Bun w/ Kraut
6/10 Sweet & Sour Pork w/ Noodles
6/11 Baked Ham & Sweet Potato
6/12 Chef’s Choice
6/13 Shepherd’s Pie
6/16 Chicken Parmesan w/ Garlic Mashed
Potatoes
6/17 Pizza & Salad
6/18 Meatloaf
6/19 Corn Chowder & Biscuits
6/20 Lasagne
503-429-3912
Church Directory (in alphabetical order)
Assembly of God
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Morning Worship: 11:00 AM
Sunday Evening Prayer: 6:00 PM
Wayne Marr, Pastor
662 Jefferson Avenue
503-429-0373
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 AM
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 AM
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 PM
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
Covenant Church Vernonia
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 PM
John D, Murray, Pastor
359 “A” Street
503-860-3860
Grace Family Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:00 AM
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Thursday Prayer: 6:00 PM
Greg “Mac” McCallum, Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
www.gracefamilyfellowship.org
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 10:45 AM
Wed. Ladies Bible Study: 10:00 AM
Wednesday Service: 7:00 PM
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 AM
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets
503-429-5378
Open Door Gathering Place
Service: Sunday 6:00 PM
Grant Williams, Pastor
375 North Street
Pioneer Baptist Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
www.pbfalive.com
John Cahill, Pastor
939 Bridge Street
503-429-1161
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Wednesday Religious Education:
3:15-4:30 PM
Sunday Mass: 12:00 PM
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service in Youth &
Family Center: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
Vernonia Foursquare Church
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Children’s Sunday School
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue
503-429-1103
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist
Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
503-429-8301