# 40, May 2, 2002

Words of Wisdom from TeeVee Gene and Teacher Bob

Poor Henry received two E-mails in reaction to last week's news article regarding the election of Gene Cox as Richmond's studliest TV news anchor. Ellie wrote first and stated that she had laughed for thirty minutes after reading that portion of PHA # 39. Gene wrote a meaningful and wise bit of prose. He wrote:

Henry,

"Television is a world of illusion. I have survived so long (wrinkles and all) because I am not real. Recent descriptions of me prove that. You have no doubt noticed that many Sunday mornings I simply don't exist. The day will soon come when Ellie and I will be looking for beachfront property in Hanover County. The minute I leave teevee, no one will write silly articles any more, because no one will care. After all, it was just an illusion. Life is but a twinkle in the eye of eternity."

Gene

PH: At least for the present time, Gene still has that twinkle among the illusions of his viewers.

Teacher Bob is in Chicago this weekend for one of those juvenile justice meetings. After reading about the IMB missionaries that may be fired for refusing to sign the Baptist Faith and Message, Teacher Bob sent PH a Roger Williams quote. Roger Williams said, "To thrust a creed down a man's [person's] throat is rape of the soul."

Amen!
Bob

Shepsons Will Not Have a May Hymn Sing, But Will Eat on Sunday, May 11, As We Will Bunch for Brunch

Brunch-Time, Everyone! On Sunday morning, May 11th, members of our class and the church staff will enjoy a brunch from 9:30-10:45 in our classroom. If you haven't signed up yet, please call Margaret Oliver at 741-2477 or e-mail her at johnandmargaret@i-c.net so she can tell you what she needs (staff members are special guests and are exempted from bringing anything). However, if we were to run short of bread and fish, staff members are expected to make up the difference out of respect for John, whose gospel we have been studying since last September. In addition if any staff member feels inspired to turn the orange juice, V-8 juice, water, or even prune juice into wine, this miracle will be welcomed. The Church Constitution and By-laws would certainly overlook divine intervention in matters regarding the SSBSC Baptist Faith and Message regarding alcohol. "Reverend" Barbara is already in violation of the SBC Baptist Faith and Message; thus, PH feels that if anybody can turn prune juice into wine, Barbara can do it.

Welcome to Our April 27th Visitor Roberta Alexander

Roberta has been an across the street neighbor of Bill and Charlotte for twenty-five years. She is the office manager of a local engineering firm and has one daughter who is older than she is at 29 and one son who will be as old as she is in three more years.

What's Next on the Missions Schedule? In May, Think Diapers and Walmart

SSBSC Missionaries Bill and Charlotte Announce:

"THE NEXT LOCAL MISSIONS PROJECT OF THE SHEPHERD-SIMPSON BIBLE STUDY CLASS will be a diapers and Walmart $10 emergency certificate campaign May 1-31 to benefit ISH. These items continue to be major needs of the ISH program and River Road Church has become a leading supplier of them. If you would like to participate, but don't have the time to shop for the items, you may call Charlotte and Bill Simpson at 285-3185 and they will use your contribution to shop for you.

Charlotte and Bill

The Latest Missions Scoop from Bill and Charlotte

Dear Everyone, Today, May 1st, Day 1 of the ISH Diaper/Walmart $10 Emergency Certificate Campaign, the Shepherd-Simpson Bible Study Class logged in 224 size 1 diapers, 96 size 2 diapers, 160 size 3 diapers, 136 size 4 diapers, and 120 size 5 diapers - 736 in all and off to a great start. We have stashed this cache in the church mission storage room awaiting transport to ISH headquarters at the appropriate time.

Charlotte and Bill

Nominator Bill Is Our Inside Man

As is the inclination for presidents, governors, and local leaders, political friends are often rewarded with nominations as judges, ambassadors, dogcatchers, etc. The SSBSC inside nominator of the RRCB Nominating Committee is Missionary Bill. If you contact Missionary Bill and exercise proper courtesy (with a little ISH cash on the side) he will nominate you for almost any Board or Committee within the church. But whatever you do, do not ask him to throw you in that briar patch!

Missionary and Nominator Bill puts it like this:

"NOMINATORS IN SEARCH OF NOMINEES. The Church Nominating Committee is already at work looking for church members to fill positions in the church beginning next January. If you would enjoy becoming a member of a particular board or committee and would like to be nominated for that position, please call Bill Simpson at 285-3185 or e-mail him at wimsams@aol.com. This Sunday morning, every adult Sunday School class will be circulating sheets with information on church offices and a place for you to select your preference. Early birds will get more than a worm."

Bill

Prayer Rounds

Those present on this past Wednesday night were all blessed to hear the testimony of the King Family. Meg and Mike King met at RRCB and were married here in 1991. Meg and Mike have adopted sixteen children (most of whom were Russian born) ranging in age from five to sixteen during a ten-year span. As Meg King stated there were many "signs" along the way that encouraged, strengthened and inspired this family. As we study John we are reminded of the "signs" that Jesus demonstrated during his ministry. We could interpret the King Family as a "sign" of the Kingdom of God. As Pastor Emeritus Jim has said on many occasions, "There is Kingdom stuff all around us." Our challenge is to recognize Kingdom stuff and be a part of it when possible.

Last night President Bush essentially announced the end of the war in Iraq. He mentioned the approximate two hundred American military who have lost their lives in this cause. Current conservative estimates report the range of civilian deaths in Iraq to be 2,180 to 2,615. Remember in your prayers all who have lost loved ones as a result of being in harm's way. Also remember in your prayers the King Family, the Torstrick Family, Donna's friend Kim Dodson, Dot and Cecil Sherman, the Mears Family, Terry Marsh's parents, Chester's father, the Manor Bible Study Class, the Church Staff, the Pastor's Search Committee and those known only to you.

Emily King Was Born After She Graduated from High School

Emily King will be twenty-nine on Friday, May 9. She and Bill Simpson were in the same class at Thomas Jefferson High School. Being only twenty-nine, one would expect that they would have been in the class of 1992. Wrong! Which do you think is correct?

a. 1854
b. 1954
c. 54 AD or CE

Whatever answer you propose, you must attempt an explanation.

Kitty and Miller Alvis will celebrate thirty-one years of marriage on Tuesday, May 6. Kitty is also a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School and Miller graduated from Goochland County High School. Do any of you know Joe Alvis? Joe is the other member of the Alvis Family who lives on Dogwood Trail Road near Rockville, VA. Joe Alvis is not a dogwood, but he is a dog of the Beagle species. Several weeks ago Joe had a brush with death. He picked up a Saddam-Osama type scent and followed his nose. He hit something that was a moving weapon of canine mass destruction. Thankfully, he lived to tell (well, if not tell, leave a sign) his story.

Shepson Vonda Wows Julia's Tuesday Night Club (JTNC)

For those of you who have attended JTNC, almost weekly Vonda Thomson provides comic relief. Vonda has an endless reservoir of jokes, wit, and humor. Last Tuesday she told her "hiss and pit" snake story. PH would attempt to repeat it in this PHA, but one really has to hear Vonda tell it in order to fully appreciate the sound effects of this story. As the church website develops, who knows, maybe in the near future Vonda's stories may be heard on PHA's church website link in Vonda's own voice.

Teacher Gene May Revisit Adultery (No, Not That. If You Are Thinking That, Walk Away)

Near the end of class last Sunday, Teacher Bob began the discussion of chapter 8 of John's Gospel. Teacher Bob indicated that this story might have been added to John at a later date. Emily King is a history source for Richmond. And if she was born in 54 AD, maybe she could solve this mystery as she may have heard this story via the oral tradition when she was twenty-nine in 83 A. D. or C. E. Will Teacher Gene revisit this story, jump in with the Word and throw the first stone or will Teacher Gene be among the first to walk away and declare the story inerrant? Those liberal leaning Jesus Seminar (JS) folks state that this story is an "orphan" or "stray" story that may be ancient and something Jesus could have possibly done or said. In their book, The Five Gospels, What Did Jesus Really Say?, The Fellows and gals write: "While the Fellows (and gals) agreed that the words did not originate in their present form with Jesus, they nevertheless assigned the words and story to a special category of things they wish Jesus had said and done." Thus the Fellows placed Jesus' words in black meaning that these words "are not in included in the primary database or that these words come from a content of a later or different tradition." Interestingly, the JS's more recent book on the Acts of Jesus gave the action of this story a gray interpretation. The Fellows state, "As it stands, the scene is an artificial construction. Elements of it may reflect something Jesus did and said, but as a whole it is not the report of a specific event. Yet because it reflects Jesus' open association with sinners and his unqualified willingness to endorse mercy on every occasion, the story merited at least a gray rating." The gray rating means that this action of Jesus is possible, but unreliable and lacks supporting evidence. What will Teacher Gene think and what do you think?

Fun Photo: Several of you have written PH and indicated that you enjoy the photos, which are sometimes attached to PHA. Last Sunday was Brenda's twenty-ninth birthday and her birthday was celebrated in beautiful weather at PH's father's farm on a hill overlooking the James River near Scottsville, VA. Our three-year-old grandson Hank (Henry VI) had the opportunity to steer a John Deere tractor. PH's nephew Travis is behind Hank in the photo. Enjoy. PH

Addendum: Birthday Greetings Are Extended to Lee Slatton Whose twenty-ninth birthday is TODAY

PH is indebted to Anne James for this timely information. Those piano teachers do stick together.

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