A Letter from Pastor Steve

Friends,

There are a several important things I'd like to share with you before Sunday morning.

• Please remember that Sunday, October 7th is World Communion Sunday and Confirmation Sunday. I pray that you will come to worship and support and affirm our young people who will be confirmed.
• During the worship service, you will also have an opportunity to reaffirm your baptismal vows and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ. My prayer is that many of you will come forward for that renewal.
• The monthly Ministry Team meetings and the Leadership Team meeting have been changed for October. We will meet on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. Ministry Teams will meet at 7:00 P.M. and the Leadership Team will meet at 8:00 P.M. This change has been made to accommodate the "Cottage Meetings" for our Celebrate A Miracle Stewardship Campaign.
• When you are invited to attend a "Cottage Meeting" at the home of one of the members of your church family, I hope you will respond affirmatively and take the time to attend. We would like 100% participation at the "Cottage Meetings" and 100% of our members and friends returning their commitment of support for the ministry of our church.
• We will all return our commitments of support for the ministries of Southern Hills Church on Sunday, November 4, 2007. We will only have one service @ 10:00 A.M. on that day. The service will be held in the new multi-purpose room. Thank you in advance for your careful and prayerful consideration of your commitment for 2008 and following.
• Sunday School on November 4, 2007 will be held at 9:00 A.M.
• Please keep Jaxson Kyler Phillips and his mom and dad in your prayers. Jaxson was baptized at the 9:00 A.M. service on September 30, 2007.
• Please keep Abbey and Jonathan Guenthner in your prayers. They were married at Southern Hills on Saturday, September 29th.
• One of our church families has offered a $2,000 matching grant to help pay our conference apportionments. They would like the congregation to match the grant 5 to 1. That would pay our apportionments in full for 2007. Pray about your response to this wonderful gift. Then get out your check book or wallet and help meet the goal of raising the $10,000 to match this remarkable gift.
• This song was done by the Kingston Trio in the 1960's, but is very applicable to our Stewardship Campaign. Read it. Enjoy it. And then think about how it applies to you and your commitment to our ministries.

Desert Pete

Artist: The Kingston Trio (peak Billboard position # 33 in 1963)
Words and Music by Billy Edd Wheeler

I was travellin' West a buckskin on my way to a cattle run
Cross a little cactus desert under a hot blisterin' sun
I was thirsty down to my toenails, stopped to rest me on a stump
But I tell ya I just couldn't believe it when I saw that water pump
I took it to be a mirage at first, it'll fool a thirsty man
Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin' powder can
"This pump is old", the note began, "but she works so give'r a try"
"I put a new sucker washer in 'er, you may find the leather dry"

"You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe"
"You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive"
"Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet"
"Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete"

"Yeah, you'll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there's a fire"
"Under that rock you'll find some water I left in a bitters jar"
"Now there's just enough to prime it with so dontcha go drinkin' first"
"You just pour it in and pump like mad, buddy, you'll quench your thirst"

"You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe"
"You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive"
"Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet"
"Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete"

Well I found that jar and I tell ya nothin' was ever prettier to my eye
And I was tempted strong to drink it, cuz that pump looked mighty dry
But the note went on "have faith my friend, there's water down below"
"You got to give until you get
I'm the one who ought to know"
So I poured in the jar and I started pumpin' and I heard a beautiful sound
Of water bubblin' and splashin' up outta that hole in the ground
I took off my shoes and I drunk my fill of that cool refreshing treat
I thank the Lord and thank the pump and I thank old Desert Pete

"You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe"
"You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive"
"Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet"
"Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete"

"Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet"
"Leave the bottle full for others, Thank You kindly, Desert Pete"

Thanks to Dave Burns for finding this song and relating it to our stewardship effort this fall. It sure made me think. I hope and prayer it does the same for you.

In the Master's service,

Steve