No More Hunger Celebration
for the Community
Everyone is Welcome!

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. John 6:35.

Prayer:
God of hope,
when your hungry people longed for the slave food of Egypt,
you opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna.
Feed us with the bread of life at your table,
that we may taste the freedom of eternal life
and lead lives worthy of our calling,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

You Satisfy the Hungry Heart
– performed by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers

You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat; Come give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat. As when the shepherd calls his sheep, they know and heed his voice; So when you call your fam’ly, Lord, we follow and rejoice.

We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. Eph. 4:14.

More Love – Erica Campbell

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Ps. 51:10.

Create in Me a Clean Heart O God
Maranatha Singers.

Prayer:
In your compassionate love, O Lord,
you nourish us with the words of life and bread of blessing.
Grant that Jesus may calm our fears
and move our hearts to praise your goodness
by sharing our bread with others. Amen.
Let Us Break Bread Together
John Rosamond Johnson
African American Spiritual

Let us break bread together on our knees. Let us break bread together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me.

Prayer:
Sustainer of the hungry,
like a mother you long to feed your children
until each is satisfied.
Turn our eyes to you alone,
that, aware of our own deepest longings,
we will reach out with Christ
to feed others with the miracle of your love. Amen.
We are all stewards spreading the Word of Jesus’ blessings for His people.

Picnic Fellowship Activities for the Entire Family!

Of course lively discussion and activities will be available!
Perhaps you may prefer to sit and visit!
Contact Us with Special Requests!

Thank You for Your Suggestions and Participation!

Friday Evenings in the Park

Family Activities, Food, Fun!

– List is Growing! – Mix in Your Suggestions!

most Friday evenings – about 6:00 pm until done.

Valley City Park Large Pavilion, 400 West Vass Street

– sponsored by Spirit of Peace

Pastors Michael & Cathy Hanus – Visit with Pastor!

Spirit.Peace@outlook.com blog.peacelcmc.org

Connect with Your Spirit! Check the blog! Contact Pastor!

Our Spiritual Awakening Step 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. AA.org.

How It Works
Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail. Remember they are very ill.

Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends – this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives. – A.A. Big Book p. 89.

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2.

Cornerstone – Hillsong (2012).

My Hope and Nothing Less is Built on Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus name.

The joy of living is the theme of A.A.’s Twelfth Step, and action is its key word. Here we turn outward toward our fellow alcoholics who are still in distress. Here we experience the kind of giving that asks no rewards. Here we begin to practice all Twelve Steps of the program in our daily lives so that we and those about us may find emotional sobriety. When the Twelfth Step is seen in all its full implication, it is really talking about the kind of love that has no price tag on it. – Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 106.

Step 12 gives me the satisfaction of helping others. I am uniquely suited to help others that have suffered the same addiction as I have suffered with. Although I did not plan on being in the role of the recovering addict, I find myself in that role because of the choices that I have made. It now becomes my duty as well as my joy and privilege to find others suffering in a similar way and to help them in the best way that I know how. It completes the cycle of life and I get to play a wonderful part in it. – From 12Step.org

Helping others is a significant part of the program, and there are many ways the program gets passed on. When you live the program and share it with others, you are carrying the message, especially when you sponsor new members. In practicing the Twelfth Step you will find that:
By witnessing to others, your appreciation of the program and the program’s impact on your life deepens.
By hearing the stories of new members, you are reminded of where you were when you started.

By modeling to others, you become aware that you need to practice what you preach.

By giving to others, you develop bonds with new people who really need you

By helping others, you give what you have received.

By supporting new beginnings, you revitalize your own efforts.

– A Gentle Path Through the Twelve Steps, by Patrick Carnes, p. 197.

An A.A. Reflection In Preparing “For Those Who Still Suffer …”  

Let us resist the proud assumption that since God has enabled us to do well in one area we are destined to be a channel of saving grace for everybody. – A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 232. 

A.A. groups exist to help alcoholics achieve sobriety. Large or small, firmly established or brand new, speaker, discussion or study, each group has but one reason for being: to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic. The group exists so that the alcoholic can find a new way of life, a life abundant in happiness, joy, and freedom. To recover, most alcoholics need the support of a group of other alcoholics who share their experiences, strength and hope. Thus my sobriety, and our program’s survival, depends upon my determination to put first things first. – A.A. Book Daily Reflections. 

I Win Either Way (Song of Comfort for Those Who Suffer). 

 Libby Allen. 

Search me, O Lord … and see if there is any wicked way in me. – Ps. 139:23-4. 
Clearly the psalmist desires spiritual cleansing. Pleading for the Lord to search for hidden sin, he prays, “Search me, O Lord … and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps. 139:23-24. Pausing to give the Lord the opportunity for a full and unconditional inspection, he then surrenders to the righteous ways of the Lord that would keep him spiritually healthy. 
Even if you are feeling good about yourself, it is time for your checkup! Only the Lord knows the true condition of our heart, and only He can forgive, heal, and lead us to a cleansed life and productive future. – Joe Stowell. Daily Bread. 

Prayer: Lord, You know me better than I know myself. Search the deepest parts of my heart for anything that is displeasing to You. Cleanse me of my wandering ways and lead me in Your good and righteous way. The Lord’s work is not over when we receive salvation, it has just begun. Amen. 

INSIGHT: In discussing the greatness of The Lord, we say the Lord is all knowing (omniscient), everywhere present (omnipresent), and all powerful (omnipotent). In Psalm 139 David gives us descriptions of all three. God’s perfect knowledge and understanding are pictured in verses 1-6, His continual presence is praised in verses 7-12, and His mighty power is in view in verses 13-18. We serve the Lord who is both great and good, a Lord who is big enough for all we will ever face. 

How Great is Our God. – Chris Tomlin. 

Chris Tomlin – How Great Is Our God (World Edition) from chris-tomlin on GodTube.

The Godhead Three in One, Father Spirit Son. 
The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb. 
Name above all names, Worthy of our praise. 
My heart will sing, How great is our God. 

Walk with the Lord

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Ps. 37:23.

A small pamphlet I received from a friend was titled, “An Attempt to Share the Story of 86 Years of Relationship with the Lord.” In it, he notes key people and events in his journey of faith over nearly nine decades. What seems to be ordinary choices at the time – memorizing Bible verses, meeting for prayer with others, telling his neighbors about Jesus – becomes turning points that change the direction of his life. It was fascinating to read how the Lord’s hand guides and encourages him.

The psalmist writes, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” Ps. 37:23. The passage continues with a beautiful description of the Lord’s faithful care for everyone who wants to walk with Him. “The law of his Lord is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” Ps. 37:31.

Each of us could create a record of the Lord’s leading and faithfulness, reflecting on the Lord’s guidance – the people, places, and experiences that are landmarks on our pathway of faith. Every remembrance of the Lord’s goodness encourages us to keep walking with Him and to thank someone who influenced us for good. The Lord guides and guards all who walk with Him. David McCasland. Daily Bread.

Psalm 37 song – Rachel Sauls

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your faithfulness to us is unfailing. Thank You for leading, guiding, and providing so many spiritual encouragers and mentors. Bless those today who have helped us so much. You are heading in the right direction when you walk with the Lord.  Amen.

INSIGHT: The psalms of David speak so powerfully and realistically to us because they are records of his own experience – his own trials and hardship. We often like to focus on phrases like the one found in Ps. 37:23, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” But the reality comes in Ps. 37:24, “Though he may stumble, he will not fall.” We will stumble even when we delight in the Lord, but we will not fall because He upholds us.

Do Not Be Afraid Reflection  for the Community

Everyone is Welcome!

It is I; do not be afraid. John 6:20.

Be Not Afraid
John Michael Talbot

– performed by Josh Groban

You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands and all will understand. You shall see the face of God and live.

Prayer:
In your compassionate love, O God, you nourish us with the words of life and bread of blessing. Grant that Jesus may calm our fears and move our hearts to praise your goodness by sharing our bread with others. Amen.

As We Gather the Steadfast Love of the Lord

Maranatha Singers

AS WE GATHER MAY YOUR SPIRIT WORK WITHIN US

AS WE GATHER MAY WE GLORIFY YOUR NAME

KNOWING WELL THAT AS OUR HEARTS BEGIN TO WORSHIP

WE’LL BE BLEST BECAUSE WE CAME.

Prayer:
Sustainer of the hungry, like a mother you long to feed your children until each is satisfied. Turn our eyes to you alone, that, aware of our own deepest longings, we will reach out with Christ to feed others with the miracle of your love.  Amen.

We are all stewards spreading the Word of Jesus’ blessings for His people.

Picnic Fellowship Activities for the Entire Family!
Of course lively discussion and activities will be available!
Perhaps you may prefer to sit and visit!

Contact Us with Special Requests!

Friday Evenings in the Park

Family Activities, Food, Fun!

– List is Growing! – Mix in Your Suggestions!

most Friday evenings – about 6:00 pm until done.

Valley City Park Large Pavilion, 400 West Vass Street

– sponsored by Spirit of Peace

Pastors Michael & Cathy Hanus – Visit with Pastor!

Spirit.Peace@outlook.com blog.peacelcmc.org

Connect with Your Spirit! Check the blog! Contact Pastor!

Step 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with GOD as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out. AA.org. 
Step 11 suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn’t be shy in this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using it constantly. It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it. -A.A. Big Book p.85-86.  
Those of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no more do without it than we would refuse air, food or sunshine. And for the same reason. When we refuse air, light or food the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions and our intuitions of vitally needed support. As the body can fail its purpose for lack of nourishment, so can the soul. We all need the light of God’s reality, the nourishment of His strength, and the atmosphere of His grace. To an amazing extent the facts of A.A. life confirm this ageless truth. – Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 97-98. 
Step 11 provides daily spiritual maintenance. As recovering persons, we may use our support groups and recovery literature as springboards toward spiritual and emotional growth. We will probably reach a level, though, at which we hunger for an even deeper contact and communication with God…
If we have had little or no experience with prayer, we should probably begin in a simple fashion. That means putting aside perfectionistic concerns about praying “the right way.” We should pray simply and forthrightly to God as a loving Father, not worrying about what we should and should not say.
Over time, as we become comfortable with God, we will talk with Him as with a trusted friend. He will be the Person with whom we can conduct our daily inventories of grief and confession issues. And we will begin to sense His answers to our prayers… – Serenity, A Companion for Twelve Step Recovery, p. 72, 73. 
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14. 
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Col. 3:16. 

Veni Creator Spiritus Holy Gifts 

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,

and in our hearts take up Thy rest;

come with Thy grace and heav’nly aid,

To fill the hearts which Thou hast made. 

Martin Luther used this chant as the basis for his chorale for Pentecost “Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist” published in 1524.

Step 11 is my continual reality check and compass. It keeps me grounded in the reality that I know has brought me out of my addictive behaviors. It keeps me in a safe place by keeping my conscious contact with God. Through prayer and meditation I maintain this conscious contact with God and continually try to carry out what God leads me to do. In that path, I find the sanity, serenity and joy that I have been seeking. – From 12Step.org  

By this time in all probability we have gained some measure of release from our more devastating handicaps. We enjoy moments in which there is something like real peace of mind. To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or anxiety – in other words, to all of us – this newfound peace is a priceless gift. – TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 74. 
I am learning to let go and let God, to have a mind that is open and a heart that is willing to receive God’s grace in all my affairs; in this way I can experience the peace and freedom that come as a result of surrender. It has been proven that an act of surrender, originating in desperation and defeat, can grow into an ongoing act of faith, and that faith means freedom and victory. 
Today’s reflection theme incorporates the concept of spiritual surrender. Surrender is defined as the act of giving up one’s own control to an acknowledged higher power. This is what may be met intuitively with resistance by our own learned behavioral tendencies. It is that belief that we must manage every facet of our behavior, or others’ behavior, even that which we have little or no control over, that creates the profound challenge. We must be willing to surrender that which we have no control over to the higher power. 

Of course this challenge to surrender may create confusion and frustration. What do we let go of – where does that letting go begin and end? This confusion and frustration is plainly evident in the Surrender song written and performed by Cheap Trick: 
Surrender – written and performed by Cheap Trick. 

Mother told me, yes, she told me That I’d meet girls like you. 

She also told me, “Stay away you’ll never know what you’ll catch.” 

When we approach the task more maturely, perhaps with the assistance of a mentor, life coach, or pastor, we explore the more definitive logical task of experiencing and recognizing feedback and assurance that we are indeed releasing our troubles and receiving grace in return! 
All to Jesus I Surrender  – performed by VineYard

All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give. 
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence I will live. 

All to Jesus I surrender, Savior make me wholly thine. 

Let me feel Your Holy Spirit, Truly know that You are mine. 

Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. – 1 John 3:18.

We are going to explore compassion, a character trait that will be great to practice behaviorally as we engage Step 11!

Every so often when I walk into my office in the morning, I find a surprise on my desk. Not long ago the item was a sunflower coffee mug dropped off by a fellow employee. She had seen it in a shop and knew it would cheer up my wife – so she bought it and left it on my desk with an encouraging note.
It was my pleasure to take that gift home to my wife and to give it to her in the name of the woman who wanted to encourage her.
This person could have simply thought about my wife. She could have talked to someone about her in a positive way. But those things don’t come close to providing the encouragement that comes from taking action.
In 1 John 3:18, John talked about what we are to do when we see others in need. He told us to have active compassion: “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed.” When we see a need, it is good to talk about it, but we must also do something about it. We are instructed, “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.” James 1:22.
Ask the Holy Spirit to place someone on your heart to help in Jesus’ name. Then take action. Make a difference today. Send a card. Give a gift. Offer a ride. Make a call. Love in deed is love indeed. – Dave Branon. Daily Bread.
Compassion (Change the World).  – Andrew Witt.

Lord, when I learn that someone is hurting,
Help me know what to do and to say;

Speak to my heart and give me compassion,

Let Your great love flow through me today. – K. De Haan

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes that we may see you in our brothers and sisters. Lord, open our ears that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, the oppressed. Lord, open our hearts that we may love each other as you love us. Renew in us your spirit. Lord, free us and make us one. Compassion is love in action. Amen. – Mother Teresa.