“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”—Ephesians 4:29

“Is it true? Is it good? Is it necessary?”—Attributed to Socrates, Buddha, and others

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

—Epictetus, Greek philosopher

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”—Thumper’s mother in Bambi

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”, is an old saying that I believe we all are familiar with. Robert Fulghum, author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten puts a different spin on that saying with this, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts.” What Fulghum is saying is, words can and do hurt. What we say can affect the people we interact with beyond our intent and our imagination. How we say it can convey our ideas correctly or send the listener into a rage.

Most (even those introverts out there) of us love to talk, and we think our ideas are the best ones in the world. Sometimes we push our ideas onto others without recognizing that the listener may have good ideas of their own. In Ephesians, the author reminds us that we need to speak carefully so that our audience, of one or of many, can understand our ideas and hear their sincerity.

Some of us love gossip. We love to talk about the good things that happen to others, and, even more, we love to talk about the bad things attributed to those same persons. When we have some delicious tidbit to share in a group, we need to stop and think about whether it is true (did you fact-check it?), good (not juicy, but will it leave the listener feeling happy once having heard this?), and is it necessary (will it expand the conversation?). In many cases, probably not.

If we listen twice as much as we speak, we can make sure our words are helpful, not harmful. Sometimes we are in a rush to get our voice heard, and we stop hearing what others say, and we are on top of their statement before they have even finished their final sentence. That can cause a problem—they may have expressed our exact idea in their closing words, and now we look like we are trying to steal that same idea.

Have you been in a parking lot, waiting for the slowest driver in the world to pull out so you can grab that prized close-to-the-front-door space? What goes through your mind? I am not putting those thoughts into words; you know what they are, and I’ve thought them, too. You might even say them to whoever is in your vehicle with you! Won’t you feel awful if your companion turns out to be a relative of that pokey driver?

Words are important, necessary, and complicated. When we choose them well, our speech is accurate, and that is pleasing to God. When we spout off from the top of our head or black part of our heart, neither our intended recipient nor God will be happy.

It has been said that there are three things that can never be retrieved:

The arrow once sped from the bow

The word spoken in haste

The missed opportunity.

Think before you speak! Don’t be the person who has to make a statement similar to “I had my tongue wrapped around my eyetooth, and I couldn’t see what I was saying” in apology to the recipient and in repentance to God.

Blessings and peace.

Pastor Dennis

August Birthdays

3 Cody Bornholdt

Katie Bornholdt Albers

7 Jim Toews

9 Richard Castleberry

10 Barb Sisson

22 Verla Thomason

Norma Ray Friesen

25 Carolyn Pauls

26 Jessica Schierling

30 Freddie Stowe

August Anniversaries

3 Jerry & Ruth Sisson

8 Dan & Fay Binder

16 Scott & Connie Achilles

17 Raymond and Jeanne Osborn

Dennis and Crystal Schroeder

21 Kendall and Becky Knackstedt

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Just for Fun. Did you know?

Did you know 11% of people are

left handed ?

Did you know an ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain?

Did you know lemons contain more sugar than strawberries?

Did you know rabbits like licorice?

Did you know the first letters of the months July through to November spell JASON?

Did you know a cat has 32 muscles in each ear?

Please pray for these people

on their designated day in August

1) Rosetta Bartels

2) Dan and Fay Binder

3) Cody and Ashley Bornholdt

4) James Bornholdt

5) Tim and Terri Bornholdt

6) Steve and Theresa Buller

7) Richard and Beverly Castleberry-John

Gary Ely

9) Gene Ely

10) Gladys Erksin

11) Tim and Cindy Fay

12) Norma Friesen

13) Shirley Friesen

14) Todd and Janell Harman-Max, Rachel

15) Matt, Brenna Harris Suttyn, Kru, Mac

16) Gretchen Kimble

17) Kendall, Becky Knackstedt, Kristen, Tanner

18) Phyllis Knackstedt

19) Vicki Lindenberger

20) Mike and Dorothy Luty

21) Mike and Kimba McCormick

22) Randy and Darcel Miles, Aisjha

23) Dave and Cynde Neufeld

24) Rachel Neufeld

25) Ellen Neufeld

26) Ray and Jeanne Osborn

27) Charlie and Carolyn Pauls

28) Lenore Postier

29) Loren and Denise Postier

30) Elva Rump

31) Devin and Jessica Schierling Karson, Kash, Kella

Revised Common Lectionary Readings

for August

August 2 Genesis 32:22-31

Isaiah 55:1-5

Romans 9:1-5

Matthew 14:13-21

August 9 Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

1 Kings 19:9-18

Romans 10:5-15

Matthew 14:22-33

August 16 Genesis 45:1-15

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Matthew 15: 10-20, 21-28

August 23 Exodus 1:8-2:10

Isaiah 51:1-6

Romans 12:1-8

Matthew 16:13-20

August 30 Exodus 3:1-15

Jeremiah 15:15-21

Romans 12:9-21

Matthew 16:21-28

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Betty Bengston, Virgil Bengston,

James Bornholdt, Kyle Buller,

Steve and Theresa Buller, Terry and Karen Fay, William Forehand, Vicki and Rusty Johnson, Gretchen Kimble, Danny Parr,

Loren and Denise Postier, Kairos Prison Ministry,

Gene and Karen Schierling,

Jim and Sophia Stephens, Connie Achilles,

Amy Phillips, Verla Thomason

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We mourn with you

Craig Appleby Family and Friends

Mike Rice Family and Friends

Communion

Sunday, August 2

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Women’s Fellowship

Thursday, August 6

2:00 p.m.

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Men’s Breakfast

Saturday, August 8

7:00 a.m.

Harvest Café

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Sunday, August 9

Kara Ayers will be our

guest speaker

and Sunday, August 16

Rosetta Bartels

will be our guest speaker

while Pastor Dennis

is out of the office for vacation.

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American Red Cross Blood Drive

Friday, August 21

12:00 to 6:00 p.m.

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Inman Museum

Ice Cream Social

Saturday, August 22

6:30 p.m.

Featuring Idlewood Trio and

Sunflower Stompers Clogging Team

Homemade Ice Cream

Event is outside. Bring a lawn chair.

Donations welcomed.

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Church Council

Wednesday, August 26

8:00 p.m.

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Pleasant View Home Worship Service

Thursday, August 27

6:30 p.m.

PVH Chapel

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Inman Community Food Pantry

Open each

Tuesday- 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Thursday-10:00 a.m. to 12 noon

Contact Person

Diane Miller

620-585-2627 or dmiller5906 @gmail.com

St. Peter's is staffing the food pantry during August. Volunteers are needed for the following dates. Training is provided.

Tuesday, 8-4: Joyce Anderson, Verla Thomason

Thursday, 8-6: Ruth Sisson, Need 1

Tuesday: 8-11: Need 2

Thursday, 8-13. Need 2

Tuesday, 8-18: Verla Thomason, Need 1

Thursday, 8-20, Need 2

Tuesday, 8-25, Joyce Anderson, Need 1

Thursday, 8-27, Need 2

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Requested items for the Food Pantry

Hamburger Helper, spaghetti sauce, chips (any kind), saltine crackers, snack crackers, cereal, breakfast cereal type bars, peanut butter, jam and jelly, pancake mix (complete) and syrup,

pasta, noodles, canned chicken (no tuna), Jello, cake mix, frosting, pie filling, flour, sugar, salt, cooking oil, mayonnaise, and salad dressing.

Also asking for nonfood items: toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, toothpaste, laundry soap, fabric softener, bleach, dish soap, spray cleaners, foil, plastic wrap, and Ziplock bags.

Farm to Families Program

is part of the CARES Act and is available for anyone.

A box of produce, dairy, and milk is available every Friday at the Inman High School

at appx. 11:30 a.m.

More information and times are posted on the city’s Facebook page

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Mark Your Calendars

St. Peter’s UCC

Fall Schedule will resume

Sunday, September 6

Morning Worship

10:30 a.m.

Sunday School will resume on

Sunday, September 13

at 9:30 a.m.

Proper social distancing

and precautions will be required.

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St Peter’s United Church of Christ

107 North Pine, P.O. Box 506

Inman, Kansas 67546

620-585-2627

Fax 620-585-2628

Parsonage 620-585-2670

Website: stpetersuccinman.org.webs.com

Church –[email protected]

Pastor Dennis Ureche—[email protected]

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

August 2020

CHURCH STAFF:

Rev. Dennis Ureche, Pastor

Ellen Neufeld, Organist

Beverly Castleberry, Church Secretary

Worship Schedule

Sept. thru May: Sunday School 9:30 AM

Morning Worship 10:30 AM

June thru August: No Sunday School

Morning Worship 9:30 AM

Followed by Brunch