SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, May 27, 2017
FUUF’s Miller to discuss
‘Life after Life’ Sunday
On Sunday, May 28, from
10 until 11 a.m., at the
F l o r e n c e
UnitarianUniversalist Fellow-
ship, Rev. Dr. Ruth Miller’s
will deliver a message titled:
“Life After Life: Experiences
of Love surviving Death.”
Memorial Day weekend is a
time when Americans stop to
remember those who have
passed on from this life – in
their families, and in the many
wars this country has partici-
pated.
Western culture has a hard
time with the idea of death and
grief, partly because of the
attachment to a materialist
view that says “only what I
can see and touch exists.”
Yet most other cultures on
the planet recognize death as
simply the shedding of a body,
and more and more evidence is
surfacing that supports that
idea.
Miller, who is working on a
research project exploring the
reality of communication with
“discarnate beings,” will share
some of the evidence suggest-
ing that a loving relationship
never really ends.
The UU Fellowship is locat-
ed at 87738 Highway 101 at
Heceta Beach Road and is
wheelchair accessible.
Each service concludes with
refreshments and a dialogue
circle to explore the questions
that come up during the serv-
ice.
Every Sunday evening at
5:30, Jim Tubesing leads
Peaceful Meditations at the
Fellowship Hall.
Call 541-997-2840 with any
questions or for more informa-
tion.
Evangelical church to hold
rummage sale and car wash
The Florence Evangelical
Church is holding a fundrais-
ing rummage sale on
Saturday, June 3, at 1318
Rhododendron Dr.
The church is located on
the corner of Laurel and
Rhody, one block off of
Highway 101 and is seeking
donations of gently used
items such as toys, books,
tools, household items and
clothing to sell at the
fundraiser.
The church will also be
conducting a car wash at the
Sears’s parking lot from 10
to 2 p.m. on the same day, if
weather permits.
Proceeds from this annual
sale help to pay tuition for
young people to attend the
church camp each summer.
If community members
have items to donate to the
sale, contact Rob at 541-997-
5159 to arrange for pickup of
the donation.
ORDER YOUR SPRING FLORAL BOUQUETS!
SEND SOME CHEER TO SOMEONES DAY!
Come by
our store,
call in or visit us
online
and place
your order.
9 A
God has a great plan for you
Because I was sexually
abused by my father through-
out my childhood, I believed
I was damaged goods and
could only have a second-
class life.
I was so insecure and
thought no one could really
love me or accept me. I
believed my worth was based
on what I did; the only time I
felt good about myself was
when I worked hard and was
productive.
But as I became serious
about my relationship with
God and began to seek a clos-
er walk with Him, I discov-
ered that my past didn’t have
to determine who I am or
what my future would be like.
Learning about God’s love
for me and who I am in Christ
changed everything.
Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)
says, “‘For I know the plans
and thoughts that I have for
you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for
peace and well-being and not
for disaster to give you a
future and a hope.’” And John
10:10 (AMP) says Jesus
came that we “may have and
enjoy life, and have it in
abundance [to the full, till it
overflows].”
If you have a poor self-
image, you won’t be able to
fulfill God’s plans or enjoy
your life. Because we can’t
live with His peace and know
our true value to Him if we
are insecure and have a low
opinion of ourselves.
But as we discover who we
are in Christ (2 Corinthians
5:17), we gain the confidence
we need to become what God
created us to be and to make
a difference in this world.
And we realize that the less
we think about ourselves, the
happier we will be.
I remember when God
dealt with me about my self-
ish, self-centered, “What
about me?!” attitude. He
spoke to my heart one day
and said, “You’re selfish.
You’ve studied My Word
about spiritual warfare, pros-
perity, healing, having power
and authority as a believer in
Christ…but how much time
have you studied about My
love?”
It made me realize I would
never be happy and have
peace until I learned to love
like Jesus loves.
When we know and expe-
rience God’s love, we can
share it with others. Imagine
what the world would be like
if everyone who calls them-
selves a Christian would real-
ly love each other with His
love.
Think about it: There
would be no gossip, no judg-
ment or criticism, no exclu-
sive attitudes that make oth-
ers feel rejected, and people’s
needs would be met much
more than they are.
Being a servant is the high
call of God on our lives! And
Jesus gave us very real, prac-
tical examples of how to love
others like He loves us by
serving them.
John 13:1 says Jesus
“loved them to the last and to
the highest degree” (AMPC).
In the following verses, He
demonstrates what it means
to love others like this.
In those days, there were
servants who washed peo-
ple’s feet when they came to
visit. It’s likely they were
considered the lowliest ser-
vants in the household. Now
Jesus, the Son of God
Himself, got up from supper,
took the servant’s towel, and
proceeded to wash the disci-
ples’ feet. His message to
them was to love one another
by being a servant. Because
God wants His love to flow
through us and touch other
people’s lives.
Love is not just a feeling or
a theory; it’s a decision we
make and an action we take.
It’s so important for us to
study what the Bible teaches
about God’s love so we can
learn to love like Jesus-to be
a servant who “washes feet”
by helping others.
Matthew 7:12 (NIV) says,
“So in everything, do to oth-
ers what you would have
them do to you...” Showing
God’s love means investing
in the lives of others by giv-
ing them support, encourag-
ing them, helping to meet
their needs-serving them as
we’re able to do it.
It’s easy to want to help
people you like or those you
want to impress, but when it
comes to doing something for
someone you don’t know or
even your family, it can be a
different story.
We have to realize we’re
naturally selfish, and we must
make a conscious decision to
think of others on purpose or
we’ll miss many opportuni-
ties to serve them.
I want to encourage you to
read John 13 and pay close
attention to what Jesus did
and what He said. Spend
some time studying scriptures
about God’s love and pray for
Him to show you ways you
can serve the people in your
life.
You’ll probably find it’s
easier and more simple than
you thought it would be to
help make someone’s life bet-
ter.
God wants us to have suc-
cess and enjoy our lives, but
He wants us to die to self, get
over being the center of our
world, and begin to focus on
looking for someone who
needs our help every day.
When you do this, you’ll
discover you’re actually more
secure, content, peaceful and
happy than you’ve ever been
in your life.
For more information, visit
www.joycemeyer.org.
Baha’i to host Awakening Peace Celebration May 28
Everyone is invited to attend
the
Awakening
Peace
Celebration on Sunday, May
28, from noon to 4 p.m. at the
Florence Senior Center, 1570
Kingwood St.
Musician and storyteller
Mary Beth Nickel will perform
“Dispelling the Myth of Us vs.
Them;” there will Indian
Education drumming and danc-
ing; and Sufi dancer Stephen
Pierce.
There will also be poetry for
Peace and children’s face paint-
ing by Susan Peavey.
On Monday, May 29 at 6:30
p.m., at 875 Seventh Street,
everyone is invited to join a
group of friends from varied
spiritual paths to discuss the
nobility of a life well lived.
The greatest gift a human
being can make to God is a life
lived in the knowledge and the
worship of God. In fact, one’s
life is the most creative endeav-
or one undertakes. When a soul
who has lived an exemplary life
departs from this plane of exis-
tence, his or her passing
becomes an instrument of edu-
cation to other souls.
The manner in which one
plans for the distribution of
one’s belongings, the manner in
which one’s funeral and burial
occures reflect one’s commit-
ment to God, the beauty with
which one’s grave is main-
tained; all of these become a
further reflection of the nobility
of a life well lived.
Bring your thoughts on the
distribution of one’s belongings
and the manner of one’s funeral
and burial.
The gathering will end at 8
p.m.with prayers for the
requests left in the Prayer Pole
in the garden of the Florence
Playhouse and those shared by
the group.
For more information, call
Suzanne Mann-Heintz at 541-
590-0779.
Presbyterian Church features
Near-Death seminar May 30
Florence In Bloom
Full Service Flower Shop & Gifts
1234 Rhododendron Dr., Florence
541-997-5391 • 800-914-2305
www.fl orenceinbloom.com
Last Resort Players Present:
Maria Callas
Master Class
Let me Showcase your property.
Tim Sapp
Owner /
Principal Broker
541 999-8230
Lake Point Drive #57 – Ready to build your
dream home? This .35 acre homesite is level,
cleared and offers lovely lake views. Located
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Lake. $94,500. #2392-14502747
1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200
DENTURE SERVICES INC.
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Open 4 days a week!
A play by:
Terrence McNally
is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York
Directed by Leah Goodwin
Florence Events Center
June 9-11 & 16-18
Fri. & Sat. 7:00 • Sun 2:00
For tickets and show information go to eventcenter.org
or call the Florence Event Center at (541) 997-1994
Starring Annie Schmidt as Maria Callas
Music Direction by Jennifer Weier
Produced by Kathleen Wenzel and Paula Ziegelasch
Some Content by not be suitable for all patrons.
Here to serve your denture needs:
Dentures
Partial Dentures
Immediate Dentures
Implant Dentures
Relines & Repairs Same Day
Monday-Thursday
10am - 2 pm
524 Laurel St.
541-997-6054
William Foster LD
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“As a denture wearer myself,
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questions and address
your denture concerns.”
~ William Foster, LD
Financing: Citi Health Card
12 Month no Interest
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Barbara Bartolome of
Santa Barbara, CA will pres-
ent a seminar for the public on
Near-Death Experiences at
the Presbyterian Church of
the Siuslaw from 3:30-5 p.m.
on Tuesday, May 30. She is a
member of the International
Association for Near-Death
Studies.
Barbara has had two near-
death experiences and was
recently featured on the NBC
Today Show in a segment
titled “Do You Believe?”, in
December 2016.
Barbara’s 1987 Near-Death
Experience will be reenacted
on a new, syndicated Cable
TV show in the fall, on
“Mysteries
of
the
Unexplained.”
Bartolome was born and
raised in Salem, Oregon and
has lived in Santa Barbara
since 1983. She worked at UC
Santa Barbara, as did her hus-
band, Vi, while they raised
their five children.
She is a popular speaker
across the nation and is stop-
ping in Florence on her way
to an engagement in Portland.
Barbara is strongly committed
to the IANDS organization’s
purpose in promoting respon-
sible,
multi-disciplinary
exploration of near-death and
similar experiences.
If you or a loved one has
had a near-death event, she
will welcome hearing about
it. Barbara was like many
near-death experiencers and
didn’t tell anyone about her
experience for many years.
She strongly feels that her
NDE story helps others elimi-
nate their fear of death and it
provides proof that our con-
sciousness... our soul... ulti-
mately survives the death of
our physical body.
This Seminar is sponsored
by the Presbyterian Church
for the community.
There is no charge and
nothing to purchase.
Volunteer van drivers needed
for Friends of Florence Van
The Friends of Florence, a
501(c)3 nonprofit organiza-
tion, is in need of volunteer
drivers.
The only requirement is a
clean driving record and
under the age of 80.
Friends of Florence drivers
provide free transportation,
Monday through Friday, for
cancer patients seeking treat-
ment in the valley.
Drivers transport patients
needing radiation treatment
at the Williamette Valley
Cancer Institute in Eugene or
the Oregon Urology Center
in Springfield.
Drivers
leave
Peace
Harbor Hospital at 8 a.m.
and are usually back in
Florence between noon and 1
p.m.
There is no charge for this
service. Drivers usually only
drive one day each month.
For more information or to
volunteer as a driver, contact
Bart Mealer, Driver Super-
visor, at 541-997-8663.
www.TheSiuslawNews.com