The Mail-Journal, Volume 22, Number 32, Milford, Kosciusko County, 7 August 1985 — Page 14

14

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., August 7,1985

Public media ministries

News about religion, prepared by professional writers and broadcasters, can now be heard by all Indiana residents. Religion in the News is a weekly radio news program made available to stations throughout the state by the Indiana Council of Churches. “Religion in the News is a straightforward, concise, natural program devoted to hard news and features from the world of Dr. Lloyd to be guest speaker Dr. Frank P. Lloyd, president of Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, will be the guest speaker at the 10 a m. worship service Sunday, Aug. 11, at Oakwood Spiritual Life Center, Syracuse. Worship leader will be Edgar Filbey with special music provided by Doris Crimmins and Roger Manges. A fellowship time will follow the morning service and lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Oakwood Hotel. First Brethren Church Women meet The August meeting of the Milford First Brethren Church WMS was held last Thursday at the fellowship hall with 16 members and two guests, Mary Miller and Pauline Yoder, present. President Judy Tinkel opened the meeting with scripture and prayer and the group then sang “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” accompanied on the piano by Marge Groyes. Inge Mathews introduced Pauline Yoder, who told of her missionary experiences while visiting eastern Europe and Russia during the years 1972 through 1982. This fit with the lesson theme of “Go and Tell.” Proceeds of the Project Offering which was received will go for extension work in Colombia, South America. Members also took food supplies for the pantry at Ashland College for the use of students attending Ashland Seminary. All church members are reminded that church cleaning day is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sep. 10. Workers should take their favorite salads to share at lunch time. The September meeting will be in the home of Wilma Bixler in Goshen with Beverly Leiter serving as leader.

Lakeland Churches

Attend the church of your choice TEGHTMEYER—- \ / North Webster 834-2021 maoyiltt Syracuse 457-3474 BRUCE'S MARATHON Always Keep Our (£”) Number Handy ' ' 658-9113 Hwy ’ 15, M ' lford • cobalt griffith’s • HARBORCRAFT MM* ® • CORRECT CRAFT kIV UI9W9CPP • BOSTON WHALER “ WdWdOUC • mercury outboards marina • HARRIS FLOTE BOTE ' llldlllM 856-2286 Family Owned Since 1946 kW Hook's Drug The Prescription People SYRACUSE RUBBER f PRODUCTS, INC. 457-3141 HKKMB******®® ]] 35 s ou th Sycamore Sigmund * nc * Indiana's Finest Jewelers GOSHEN “ ELKHART Open Daily 9 A.M. To 5:30 P.M. Peoples State Bank “THE FRIENDLY BANK" Member Leesburg, Indiana FDIC

religion,” explains James Steele, host for the program. “It’s the kind of news roundup which can only be done under the umbrella of a ecumenical agency such as the ICC. It is not a preaching, inspirational, musical or evangelistic production, nor is it a program with a narrow denominational or sect focus.” Steele’s regular job is communications director for the United Methodist Indiana area and his studio is located in the Indiana Interchurch Center in Indianapolis. He is chairman of the ICC’s Department of Public Media Ministries. Steele, a 1965 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, has an extensive background in news, both print and broadcast. Steele is president of the Central of the A note from a special friend From North Webster Church Os God Newsletter Dear Friend, I just had to send a note to tell you how much I love you and care for you. I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friend. I waited all day hoping you would want to talk with me. As evening came I gave you the sunset to close your day and a breeze to rest you, and I waited. You never came. Sure it hurts me, but I still love you because you are my friend. I saw you fall asleep last night and I longed to touch you, so I spilled moonlight on your face. Again I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. You got up late and rushed off to work. My tears were in the rain. Today you look so sad, so all alone. It makes my heart ache because I understand. My friends let me down and hurt me many times, too, but I love you. If you would only listen to me. I love you. I try to tell you in the blue sky and in the green grass. I whisper it in the leaves of the trees and breathe it in the colors of flowers. I shout it from the mountain streams and give the birds love songs to sing. I clothe you with the warm sunshine and sweeten the air with nature scents. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and bigger than the biggest want or need in your head. If you only knew how much I want to walk and talk with you, I know how hard it is on earth. I really know and I want to help you. Just call me. Ask me. Talk with me. Please don’t forget me. I have so much to share with you. Your loving friend Jesus

APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN MILFORD Dale Strassheim, Jesse Beer, Walter Steffen, and Tom Speicher, Ministers Morning Worship 10 a m. Afternoon Worship 12:15p.m. CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH (Armstrong Road) OSWEGO Sunday School 9:30a.m. Morning Worship 10:30a.m. Sunday Evening Worship 6 p.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7 p.m. Awana Clubs Wednesday 6:15 p.m. FAITHWAY BAPTIST CHURCH Formerly Barbee Community Church (Kuhn Drive, Little Barbee Lake) William L. Hutchins, Pastor Sunday School 10a.m. Worship Service 11 a.m. Sunday Evening6p.m. Wednesday Bible Study And Prayer 7 p.m. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OSWEGO Rev. RoyMickley, Pastor Sunday School 9:30a.m Worship Service 10:30a.m. c WAWASEE HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH (Across From High School) Norman E. McVey, Pastor Brice Medlock, S.S. Supt. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. and 7 p.m. Mid Week Wed. 7 p.m. AWANAClubsThurs 6:30p.m. BETHANY CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (US6) F. Wayne Lawson, Pastor Morning Worship 9:30a.m. Sunday School 10:30a.m. Wednesday Activity Night 7:30 BETHEL CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MILFORD Roger Eberly, Pastor Ruth Angle, Bd. Chm. Sunday School 9a.m. Worship 10 a.m. NEWSALEM CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (900N4 200E) Glenn Byers, Pastor Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. Evening Worship 6 p.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting6.3op.m. CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NORTH WEBSTER Emery Klntner, Pastor Morning Worship 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30a.m.

BRUNCH Egßfl ° n,y s4*s

Religious Public Relations Council and also serves on the National Council of Churches information committee. He is national president of the United Methodist Association of communicators. ICC Executive Director Harold B. Statler said Religion in the News fills a gap in news coverage and benefits all church bodies. Among the 20 stations carrying this program in Indiana is . WEZV-FM in Fort Wayne. For More information about Religion in the News, call James Steele at 317-924-1321 or the Indiana Council of Churches at 317-923-3674. The mailing address for both is Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 West 42nd St., Indianapolis, Ind. 46208-3302.

VBS at Milford Christian

In the Footsteps of Jesus, Gathering His Disciples, will be the Vacation Bible School theme at the Christian Church of Milford this year. VBS will be held from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. nightly, Aug. 12-16. There will be classes for children age three thru sixth grade. Seventh and eighth graders will serve as reporters for the school’s newspaper, The Capernaum News. Jesus had much work to be done, so he gathered His 12 disciples to help him pass on his teachings. Each night at VBS the youngsters will meet a different disciple. Matthew and Philip will be the spokesmen for the 12 and serve as leaders each night, giv-

Church of God to hold bazaar, other activities

The Lakeland Youth Center will be the site of much activity on Saturday, Aug. 10. Several groups of the Syracuse Church of God will be sponsoring a bazaar, bake sale, car wash and chicken barbecue. Beginning at 9 a.m. will be the bazaar and bake sale sponsored by the Women’s Christian Service Council. Some of the items to be sold are wall hangings, cross stitch, handmade wooden clothes hampers, homemade noodles, as well as many home baked goods. The youth of the church are sponsoring the car wash, also to begin at 9 a.m The chicken barbecue, provided by Nelson’s Golden Gio barbecue chicken, will be served beginning at 11 a.m. It is sponsored by the Bible and Crusader’s classes. Tickets are being sold by

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN SYRACUSE John McFarland, Pastor Junior Blough, Supt. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Morning Worship 10:30a.m. Sunday Bible Study 7 p.m. TURKEY CREEKCHURCH OF THE BRETHREN GRAVELTON Dorotha and Ivan Fry, Team Pastors Church School 9a.m. Worship 10 a.m. SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES CATHOLIC CHURCH SYRACUSE Father Robert Hammond Sunday Mass 7:15 am., 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Saturday Mass 5:30 p. m. Confession Before Masses Holy Days 5:30p.m., 7a.m. and 7:30p.m. OURLADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH (4th And Main Streets) MILFORD Bro. James Linscott, Administrator Sunday Mass'lo:3oa.m. FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTISTS (175 N. Detroit) WARSAW Sunday School 10a.m. Sunday Service 10 a.m. Wednesday 7p.m. GOSHEN FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST Service 10:30a.m. Sunday School 10:30a.m. Wednesday Service 7:45 p.m. Reading Room open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to3p.m. NORTHERN LAKES CHRISTIAN CENTER NORTH WEBSTER Karen and Thorpe Mitchell, Pastors Worship Service 10 a.m. Adult Classes, Tuesday 7 p.m. BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH NORTH WEBSTER Dean McFadden, Pastor Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30a.m.-6p.m. Wednesday Services 7 p.m. CHRISTIAN CHURCH MILFORD Carl Shearer, Minister Fred Walls, Associate Minister Early Worship 8,15 a.m. Bible School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. Wednesday Bible Study / p.m.

Moody Bible Institute president to speak

Dr. George Sweeting, president of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, will speak at the 7:45 p.m. service in the Rodeheaver Auditorium at the Winona Lake Bible Conference on Wednesday, and then again on Thursday morning at 11. Dr. Sweeting became the sixth president of 'Moody Bible Institute on Aug. 1,1971. Formerly he served as senior pastor of historic Moody Memorial Church in Chicago. A noted author, he has traveled worldwide as an evangelist for over 30 years. A 1945 graduate of MBI, Dr. Sweeting earned his bachelor of arts degree at Gordon College in

ing the school’s announcements and introducing their fellow disciples. The mission project of the school will be Andy and Janice Shearer and family who left Milford the first part of July to work with an Indian School in Show Low, Ariz. The learning centers will include the Jewish Synagogue, fishing, the tax collector, a Jewish house, games of Bible Days and Indian games, a teepee with the mission project, music and The Capernaum News with a slide presentation on Israel. Registration and may be made by calling the church office at 658-9151, days; or 658-4842 evenings.

members of the church or by calling 457-3808 or 457-4667. Tickets will also be sold at the barbecue. Rev. Kutzer to be speaker Rev. Dennis Kutzer, executive secretary for Calvary Ministries, Inc., International, will be the guest speaker at the 10 a.m. morning worship service at Rock Church, Lake Wawasee, on Sunday, Aug. 11. CMI has headquarters at Calvary Bible Conference Land in Angola. Rock Church is located at the intersection of CR 1050 N and CR 950E (Old 13A) on the east side of Lake Wawasee.

CHURCH OF GOD NORTH WEBSTER Men's Prayer Breakfast 7:30a.m. Worship9:3oa.m. Sunday School 10:45a.m. Evening Service or Praise 7 p.m. CHURCH OF GOD SYRACUSE Rev. Michael Johnson, Pastor Paul Yeager, S.S. Supt. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Morning Worship 10:30a.m. Junior Worship 10:30a.m. ALL SAINTS' EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH SHORE LAKE WAWASEE Vicar: Rev David L. Hyndman Holy Eucharist: 9a.m. FIRST BRETHREN CHURCH MILFORD Paul Tinkel, Pastor Church School 9:00a.m. Morning Worship 10:00 a.m. BYC Sunday6p.m. Mid Week Worship 7 p.m. GRACE BIBLE CHURCH SYRACUSE Dr. David R. Haifley, Pastor Sunday School 9:45a.m. Morning Worship 11 a m. Evening Service 7 p.m. Wednesday Evening Service 7 p.m. GRACE BRETHREN CHURCH LEESBURG Howard Downing, Pastor Kent Denlinger, C.E. Director Sunday School 9:30-10:30a.m Morning Worship 10:35 a.m. Evening Worship 6 p.m. Family Night, Wednesday 7 p.m. JEHOVAH'S WITNESS KINGDOM HALL (East Papakeechie Lake Drive) Sunday: Public Lecture9:3oa.m. Watchtower Study 10:30a.m. Tuesday. Study of Prophecy 7:30p.m. Thursday, Ministry School 7 p.m. CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH (111 W. Orange St.) CROMWELL Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship Service 10:45 am. EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod Lakeland Youth Center Syracuse Saturday Evenings Bible Class 6 p.m. Worship 7 p.m. GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (200 E. Main St.) SYRACUSE Richard Dunning, Supply Pastor Worship9:lsa.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD LIGONIER Don Fischer, Pastor Divine Service 9 a.m. Sunday School & Bible Class 10:30 a.m.

Clayton Garden Center Most Everything For Lawn & Garden Rt. 2 Box 133 NORTH WEBSTER 834 2249

DR. GEORGE SWEETING Massachusetts. He also studied at Biblical Seminary in New York city, New York University, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago. In 1972 Dr. Sweeting was named “An Outstanding Educator in America.” Dr. Sweeting’s ministry is worldwide in scope, taking him to each of the 50 states and many foreign countries. As a convention speaker, and at colleges and universities throughout America, he ministers to a cross-section of society. He has preached in many of the historic churches of the world, including: First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas; The Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, Calif; Calvary Baptist Church, New York City; Spurgeon’s Tabernacle, London, England; St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland; The Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin, Germany; and the Yong Nak Church of South Korea. Annually he conducts evangelistic services in the United States and other nations. Dr. Sweeting is also heard on MBl’s weekly radio program, hosts and narrates many of the films produced by the Moody Institute of Science, and is the author of two best selling books. He is also editor-in-chief of*the Moody Monthly magazine, writing a column and other feature articles. Dr. Sweeting has been honored with doctoral degrees from Gordon-Conwell Divinity School,. Azuza Pacific College, Tennessee Temple College, and John Brown University. He and his wife, Hilda, have four married sons: George, James, Donald and Robert.

MILFORD CHAPEL Mennonite (East Catherine Street) Arthur Hershberger, Pastor Amos Ramer, Deacon Sunday School 10 a.m. Worship Service 11a.m. Sunday Evening Service 7p.m. Wednesday Service 7 p.m. ( WAWASEE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Ron Blake, Pastor Church School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. Christian Living Studies 6 p.m. Wednesday Midweek Service 7 p.m. QUAKER HAVEN FRIENDS CHURCH (500E and 900 N) DEWART LAKE Sunday School 9:15 a.m. Worship 10a.m. (Quaker Hall) May-Starting Lakeside Service, Memorial Day-Labor Day, Every Other Sunday, 8:30a.m. ROCK CHURCH INTERDENOMINATIONAL (13-A & 1050 N, E. Lake Wawasee) Dr. Gary M. Tuttle, and Rev. Sarah M. Tuttle, Pastors Morning Worship 10 a.m. Evening Worship 7 p.m. Wednesday Bible School 7 p.m. SALEM COMMUNITYXHURCH (IVi Mile Southeast Os Wilmot) Pastor Elmer Miller / Sunday School 9:30 a/m. Morning Worship 10:30a.m. Sunday Evening Service 7 p.m. Prayer Bible Study Wednesday 7 p.m. BURR OAK - UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Lawrence Byrnes, Pastor Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30a.m. CALVARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (SR 13 South) SYRACUSE David C. Maish, Pastor Church School 8:45a.m. Worship Service 10 a.m.. Church School Superintendent, Kim Conrad CLUNETTE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Stewart Carter, Pastor Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:30a.m. HASTINGS ISLAND CHAPEL . UNITED METHODIST CHURCH David Widmoyer, Pastor Mike Zimmerman. Jr., Supt. Kendall Biller, Asst. Supt. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:306.m. Prayer Meeting Thursday 7:30p.m.

A pencil — in a clean hand

By LUCILE BRANDT Guest Writer A Christian who worked for a time in Ecuador tells of the time when he was teaching an elderly woman, worn by much hard toil, to write. She held out a gnarled hand to grasp a pencil and to write her very first word. But as she did so, she looked down at her hand. “Is dirty,” she said. “I will wash.” And she arose and went away to wash her hands. When she returned, she took the pencil and actually wrote a word! Two things startle us as we Win-Some Women fall retreat is planned Win-Some Women, Inc. of Warsaw invites attendance at its retreat to be held from Wednesday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 13, in Rodeheaver Auditorium in Winona Lake. Registration can be made for individual days or for the full retreat. Win-Some Women retreats are sponsored by a staff of local women who felt the need for fellowship in this area. The women strongly felt God’s leading to incorporate and planned the first retreat in the fall of 1968. Though underwritten by no group, by faith these women scheduled their retreat and watched God work, providing the spiritual blessings and meeting the financial needs. This is the 35th retreat. A featured speaker will be Jill Briscoe, Milwaukee, Wis., internationally known speaker and teacher. She is author of “There’s a Snake In My Garden,” “Prime Rib & Apple,” and others. Mother of three, she is co-author with her pastor-husband, Stuart. Another featured speaker is Peg Rankin, Monmouth Beach, N.J. who is the well-known author of “Yet Will I Trust Him” and “Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever.” Mother of three sons, she is a former high school English teacher and drama coach. Featured soloist will be Mary Lou Coons, Philadelphia, Pa. She is a former high school music teacher., church choir director, director of weekly radio broadcast, vocal soloist and marimbist with an evangelistic team and has been a pastor’s wife for 25 years. Coons is currently involved in counseling ministry for Christian women dealing with family conflicts and divorce trauma and recovery. For more information write Win-Some Women Inc., P.O. Box 894, Warsaw, Ind. 46580 or call 269-5843.

UNITEDMETHODIST CHURCH LEESBURG Dale Mendenhall, Pastor Morning Worship9:3oa.m. Church School 10:30a.m. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MILFORD Robert Ellison, Pastor Ruth Ann Stork, Lay Leader Church School 9:15 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. UMYF Sunday s:}op m. Wed. 7:00 p.m. MORRIS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST » R. 1, Pierceton Charles Taylor, Pastor Ron Cambell, Supt. Sunday School 9:30a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NORTH WEBSTER Rex Lindemood, Pastor Worshipß:3oa m and 10:45a.m. Church School 9:30 a.m. Senior High Youth Group. Sun. 7:00p.m. SAINT ANDREW'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SYRACUSE Rev. Phillip Frew, Pastor Church School 9:15 a.m. Worship Hour 10:30a.m. UMYF 6:30p.m. SOLOMON'S CREEK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Brian Clear, Pastor Worship 9 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. WORDOF GRACE FELLOWSHIP Robert Lewis Drive West Side Irish Lake Allen & Peggy Giant, Pastors Sunday Worship 10 a.m. &7p.m. Wednesday 7 p.m. prayer meeting ZION CHAPEL U.B. CHURCH (Corner Syr.-Web. Rd. and 1000 N) Rev. Don Ross, Pastor Marlene Andrews, S.S. Supt. Sunday School 9a.m. Worship 10 a.m. Evening Worship 7 p.m. SYRACUSE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH (Corner Harrison A Pearl St.) David Hudson, Pastor Sunday School 10 a.m. Praise and Worship Sunday 6:30 p.m. Bible Study, Thursday 7:30p.m. WAWASEE LAKESIDE CHAPEL Harlan Steffen, Pastor Mark Pfeister, Supt. Sue Ganshorn, Primary Supervisor Worship Service 10 a.m. Sunday School 11 a.m.

PRINTERS Milford, 1N46542 (219) 658-4180

think of the incident. One is the immense respect the woman felt for a pencil. How incredible it must have seemed to her that she should be able to write a word that someone else could see and understand, even though it was carried miles and miles away from her! Something of the whole magic of the written word must have been in her mind as she looked at the pencil that was to give her such astonishing power. The second thing to note is the woman’s instinctive feeling that she must show proper respect to the small, seemingly insignificant object through which she could work this miracle. She must have a clean hand with which to use the pencil. There must have been something of a religious feeling in her impulse to seek to make herself worthy to hold the marvelous tool. Perhaps we as Christians should learn from this Ecuadorian woman. In a day when the spoken word seems dominant, we might remind ourselves of the importance of the written word. Os course the historian understands the power of the records transcribed thousands of years ago on clay tables or on fragile scrolls. The archeologist treasures the words carved on monuments or seals or stones as well as the eloquent artifacts themselves. But we need to remember too the importance of the cheerful note to a friend, the letter from parent to child that often is

OUR BEST REFUGE FROM THE WORLD IS THE FAMILY CIRCLE w n this modern world of turmoil and confusion, it is more important than ever to honor and preserve the traditional family. Ever sincd Biblical times, it has been the one unit of our social structure which has always held our civilization together, and it still provides a bulwark of comfort and sanity from the world outside. Without it there would be no love, kindness, compassion or any emotion except total selfishness. In the ideal household, family members share their problems and their blessings, and they work to sustain each other in times of crisis. Moreover, they know that some help from a higher source may be needed from time to time, and that the place to receive it is the House of Worship, where they are reminded that God is the Father of all; > and that we are all members of His earthly fami-. ly, as well as the recipients of His boundless love.

let Ils Solve Your Plumbing And Heating Problems VILLAGE PLUMBING & HEATING Rood 13 457-4349 South Os Syracuse Wawasee Boat Co. Chris Croft, Century, Ski Supreme Viking Sylvan, Streblow, Johnson Motors “No Sale IsComplete Without Service'' R. 1 RHONE 457-4404 SYRACUSE P 44 Pacific Molasses Company Syracuse LOGAN MONUMENT CO. MONUMENT DIPSLAY ' IN GOSHEN Phone Goshen 533-2161 Wawasee Service Center )ISS( Full A Self Service Diesel LP Gasoline K-l Kerosene Mini-Mart 457-3287 SR 13 * Across From Bowling Alley SyTOCUSG

Baker's Farm Market ! "Open 7 Days!" ■ Hwy I3S 457 404 1 Syracuse

JACKSON? construction. mt.) F*w-mit| General Contractor Sy '«6S67' lM Byland Jewelers S “Complete Jewelry Services” 107 E. Main 457-4282

treasured for years. In a cherished scrapbook my mother kept until her death the letter her son wrote to his parents one Mother’s Day, and who can tell how much happiness that letter gave? I said to a friend once, “Maybe it was silly to write you a note when I could have called you and talked with you in- the hospital by phone.” “Oh,” she replied, “but you can keep a letter and hold it in your hand and re-read it.” Exactly so. A letter is a tangible thing that can be enjoyed in a special way. However, if we decide that we should use pencil or pen or typewriter more often, we should recall at the same time the need for cleansing. It is not likely that our hands will need washing; our parents taught us long ago not to send smudged thank-you notes to adoring relatives. But with clean hands should go also the pure heart, out of which will come neighborhood news, but not malicious gossip; the word of congratulation or encouragement; the strengthening word in time of sorrow; the assurance of intercessory prayer that can make a world o difference to the friend a few miles away, or across continents. The pen of a ready writer, dedicated to the service of our king, can be used by our God in manifold blessings to others. Wherever we live, and whatever our occupation, we can communicate helpfully and happily with others. Perhaps we should give more time to such ministry.