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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Sutherland Springs, church is not safe anymore: by Dr. Glenn Mollette
Our hearts go out to the people of Suther-
land Springs, Texas. The First Baptist Church
of this town and the entire community was
ambushed in what resulted as the worst mass
shooting in Texas history. Twenty-six people
are dead and many others are currently fighting
for their lives in intensive care. This is heart
crushing for this Texas community and all of
America as we must conclude no place is safe
in America anymore.
My hometown church in Inez, Kentucky
kept the backdoor of the church unlocked dur-
ing most of my high school years. The church
was a place where anyone could enter and
pray, and seek refuge from the problems of the
world.
A little Catholic church around the cor-
ner from where I once lived in Louisa, Ken-
tucky kept the front door unlocked the entire
time I lived there. My sons and I went in there
a couple of times to just be quiet, think and
pray.
While growing up as a kid my family at-
tended different churches and there was never
a thought of anything being unsafe about our
worship.
Times have changed. Sutherland Springs,
Texas again reminds us that evil is everywhere
and no place is perfectly safe. Worshippers in
this quiet Texas town gathered to sing, pray
and hear a good sermon Sunday. They never
dreamed their lives would end in church at
the hands of a sick and evil gunman. We don’t
know his motive for sure but it seems to me
based on various reports that Devin Patrick
Kelley was there to kill his in-laws.
Kelley’s past was filled with troubles that
included domestic abuse and a dishonourable
discharge from the military. Unfortunately Kel-
ley needed mental help that might have saved
26 lives and carnage that this Texas commu-
nity will never overcome.
Too bad a good deacon in the foyer or
vestibule area of the church did not shoot
Patrick Kelley dead. I know my good moderate
Christian friends frown on me for this line of
thinking. However, maybe several lives could
have been saved if the church had a game plan
for reacting to terrorism. This has been a hard
concept for my religious friends to embrace.
Many have ignored the times of this world and
simply sloughed it off. Some have said, “God
will take care of us.” Others want to brush off
today’s crisis with, “Something like that would
never happen here.”
Wake up reader. Bad stuff happens
everywhere. This is our world. Walkers on
a bike path in New York City are not safe.
Concertgoers in Las Vegas are not safe. People
shopping in Colorado are not safe. Moviegoers
and schoolchildren are not safe. Quaint café
wine drinkers on sidewalks in peaceful neigh-
borhoods in Paris, France are not safe. Busy
people trying to earn a living in prestigious
skyscrapers are not safe.
We are all vulnerable. If we do not take
a position of defense we are more vulnerable.
People sitting in churches, concerts, movies
and many other places are in danger of be-
ing attacked by surprise. It’s very difficult to
survive an ambush. This is why there must be
a defense plan in place for all churches, civic
groups, businesses, factory work places, of-
fices and families.
When I was child I remember when
my mother started locking the front door. We
had not always locked the front door but my
mother had heard about people walking our
road late at night and decided it was time to do
so. We also had shotguns.
Today, of course, people with common
sense lock their doors.
America has changed. We still have a
great country. I love America. America mostly
has good and decent people. Sadly, there are
Devin Patrick Kelley’s scattered throughout
our country. There may be one in your state or
even your community. You have to be ready to
confront him or them.
By the way, Kelley was denied a gun
permit. He still managed to obtain guns. Evil
people will find ways to rent trucks, obtain
guns, knives or make bombs. Please think
about this and live and sadly now worship
defensively. Even church is not safe anymore.
Glenn Mollette is a syndicated colum-
nist and author of 12 books. He is read in all
50 states. Read his new book “Uncommon
Sense.”
Contact him at GMollette@aol.com.
Learn more at www.glennmollette.com Like
his facebook page at www.facebook.com/glen-
nmollette.
Church News
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Lost and Found
You wouldn’t think that Jesus
would address the issue of lost and
found, but He did. People of all
ages loved to hear His stories. His
first story on this subject was about
a shepherd who had one hundred
sheep. One evening as he was bring-
ing his flock into the sheep fold,
he noticed that one of his sheep
was missing. Now he was tired and
hungry, but he wouldn’t rest or eat
until he had found his one lost sheep.
Taking a torch to light the way, he
began retracing the path his sheep
had been on. His search was urgent
because wolves and other predators
would be hunting at night. He must
find his sheep before they did. As he
walked along he called the sheep’s
name, hoping against hope that he
could find her before it was too late.
Finally he thought he heard a faint
answer. Following the sound of her
voice he was able to locate his lost
sheep caught in a thorny thicket.
Carefully he rescued her from the
bush that had held her captive and
putting her on his shoulders with
rejoicing, he turned his steps toward
home. When He got home, he called
his friends and neighbors saying
“Rejoice with me; for I have found
my sheep which was lost. Jesus
ended this story by saying, “There
shall be joy in heaven over one
sinner who repents, more than 99
people who need no repentance.”
The second lost story was about
a lady that had 10 pieces of silver.
She had probably gotten them as a
wedding gift and so they were spe-
cial to her. One day she noticed one
of these special coins was missing.
Taking a light she swept the house
and searched everywhere for the
coin. Finally she was overjoyed to
find the missing coin. “I say to you,
there is joy in the presence of God
over one sinner that repents.”
Jesus saved the best story for
last. A father had 2 sons and the
younger son rudely asked his father
to give him his inheritance before
his father died. Kindly the father
divided his living between his two
sons. A few days later the younger
son gathered his money and started
on a journey into a country far way.
Now, he thought, “I can do what I
want to do.” He wasted his money in
wild living. It didn’t take him long
to come to the end of his money.
About that time there was a famine
in the land, and he was in need. He
finally found a job taking care of a
herd of pigs. By this time he was so
hungry that he thought about eat-
ing the husks the pigs were eating.
Finally he remembered home and the
thought came to him that his father’s
servants had plenty to eat and here I
am hungry! I’ll get up and go home
and say to father, “I have sinned
against heaven and before you and
I’m not worthy to be your son.
Please just give me a servants’ job.
As he walked along, he thought
about home and how good his life
had been there. When he was a long
way off his father spotted him, and
ran to meet him. Reaching his son he
hugged him with joy. The boy said,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven
and in your sight and am no more
worthy to be your son.” It seemed
his father hadn’t heard him as he
called for the best robe and put it on
him and the family ring on his finger
and shoes on his feet. They prepared
a big party and began to make merry.
The father joyfully told his servants,
“My son was dead and is alive again,
he was lost and is found.”
That’s how our father God
welcomes us when we return to Him
after wandering away. What a Won-
derful God we have, He loves us
more than we can imagine. He is still
looking down the road for His lost
children. Do you think He is looking
for you?
Community Bible Church
Gratefulness
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
There is a story about a pastor who was visiting a
psychiatric hospital. He was approached by one of the patients
there. “Sir,” asked the patient, “have you ever thanked God for
your reason?” The preacher had never done so, but he vowed
that he would be unthankful no longer. Several years ago, I de-
veloped some physical problems. One of the struggles was very
little saliva. Now, all of my life I took my saliva for granted
until it was no longer readily available. It affected my sleep in
a major fashion. Every 30 minutes to an hour I would wake up
and have to consume water because my mouth was so dry. I had
special toothpaste and moisturizing solutions for my mouth.
There were other unpleasant effects from my lack of saliva that
I will long remember. When I regained having saliva, boy was
I thankful! I still thank God for having saliva (I did today!).
We have so much we take for granted. We just think that it will
always be there – until it’s not! We often take the people around
us for granted – thinking they will always be there. This life
is fragile and we should not think that family and friends will
remain forever. The point is that we should be thankful, and
that should affect how we treat those around us. Even more, we
should be grateful for all we have in every realm; it may not al-
ways be there. For me, I believe God is the giver of every good
gift; to whom are you thankful?
In Christ,
Pastor Dave
Ministry at CBC
Sunday
Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.
Praise and Prayer 6 p.m.
Wednesday
Prayer 11 a.m.
A.W.A.N.A. 6:15-8 p.m.
PK to Grade 6
Community Christian Academy
Preschool – 12th grade
Senior Exercise Class
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
9-10 a.m. in Dining Room
Places of Worship
BRIDGEVIEW
COMMUNITY CHURCH
5181 Holland Loop Rd., CJ
541-592-3923
“Come Join the Worship!”
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Sonny Moore
www.bridgeviewcc.org
* * *
7th DAY ADVENTIST
265 S. Old Stage Rd., CJ
Sabbath School - 9:30 a.m.
Saturday Worship 11 a.m.
Pastor Christian Martin
Church (541) 592-3218
Madrone Adventist School
541-592-3330
* * *
IMMANUEL UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
200 Watkins St., CJ
Phone 541-592-3876
Pastor Charles Chase
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship - 9:15 a.m.
Child-care for small children
***
Illinois Valley Praise Center
28569 Redwood Hwy. CJ
Non-denominational
Bible-believing Church
Sunday school - 9:30 a..m.
Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.
Thursday Seekers 7 p.m.
Youth group Thursday - 7 p.m.
www.ivpraisecenter.com
COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH
Pastor Dave Gordon
113 S. Caves Ave., CJ
Office: 541-592-3896
Email: cbccca@gmail.com
Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Christian Academy
Pre-K to 12th grade
Awana - Wednesdays - 6 p.m.
* * *
ST. PATRICK OF THE FOREST
CATHOLIC CHURCH
407 W. River St., CJ
541-592-3658
Fr. William Holtzinger, Pastor
Mass - Sunday 11 a.m..
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Sunday - 10:30 a.m.
Holy Days TBA
* * *
TAKILMA BIBLE CHURCH
10343 Takilma Road, Takilma
Pastor Dan Robinson
Bible Study / Prayer Time
9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship 11 a.m
Wednesday Bible Study
7 p.m
* * *
First Baptist Church of Selma
18285 Redwood Hwy., Selma
541-597-4169
Pastor Monty Pope
Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.
Worship - 11 a.m.
GOOD SHEPHERD
LUTHERAN CHURCH
East River Street
& Lewis Court, CJ
Annemarie Richardson
Lay Pastor.
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship - 10 a.m.
Church Phone: 541-592-2290
www.goodshepherdlutheraniv.net
* * *
VALLEY EVANGELICAL
FREE CHURCH
498 Laurel Road, CJ
P.O. Box 1248
Pastor Marvin Porter
Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.
Worship Service - 11 a.m.
evfree@frontiernet.net
541-592-6160
* * *
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
451 S. Junction Ave., CJ
541-592-3956
Pastor Mark McLean
Morning Worship
9:30 & 11 a.m.
Wednesday - 7 p.m.
Adult Bible Study
* * *
ST. MATTHIAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
25904 Redwood Hwy., CJ
541-592-2006
Rev. Bryant Bechtold
Sunday Worship
Service 10:30 a.m.
THE CHURCH OF JESUS
CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY
SAINTS
209 S. Junction Ave., CJ
Sacrament Meet - 10 a.m.
Sunday School - 11:20 a.m.
Priesthood, Relief Soc. -
12:10 p.m.
Bishop
Larry Hammersmith
541-592-3919
* * *
Illinois Valley Baptist Church
541-592-6149
102 S. Redwood Hwy.
(in the County Building)
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Study, Prayer
& Youth Program 7:00 PM
Ladies Bible Study
Call for info
* * *
Wonder Bible Chapel
11911 Redwood Hwy.
Wonder, Ore.
Sunday worship 10 a.m.
Non-denominational Bible
believing Church
Sunday School Nursery
Youth group meets
Sunday 6:30 p.m.
A LL you cAn eAt breAkfAst
or order off tHe menu
At tHe
IV GrAnGe
FIRST THREE SUNDAYS OF THE MONTH: 8 AM - 12 PM
3763 Holland Loop
541-659-3781 or 541-415-1819