————————————————————
MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Erasing discrimination is a process that
began when the first human beings
started to congregate and fraternize.
Discrimination varies from society to
society - from culture to culture, from
country to country, and even from
religion to religion. Practicing acceptance
and tolerance, open-mindedness and
understanding is not an easy thing for
any of us to learn.
Establishing equality for women means
something different to each of us because
we each have our own interests and our
own experiences, our own set of values.
I suspect there will be some kind of
prejudice and intolerance practiced from
various factions until the end of time.
The last 75 years have certainly brought
about many changes in the status of
women.
Here are a few —
1935 - Mary McLeod Bethune organizes the
National Council of Negro Women, a coalition
of black women's groups that lobbies against
job discrimination, racism, and sexism.
1961 - President John Kennedy establishes
the President's Commission on the Status of
Women and appoints Eleanor Roosevelt as
chairwoman. The report issued by the
Commission in 1963 documents substantial
discrimination against women in the workplace
and makes specific recommendations for
improvements, including fair hiring practices,
paid maternity leave, and affordable child
care.
1967 - Executive Order 11375 expands
President Lyndon Johnson's Affirmative
Action policy of 1965 to cover discrimination
based on gender. As a result, all federal
agencies and contractors must take active
measures to ensure that women as well as
minorities enjoy the same educational and
employment opportunities as white males.
1968 - The EEOC rules that sex-segregated
help wanted ads in newspapers are illegal.
This ruling is upheld in 1973 by the Supreme
Court, opening the way for women to apply
for higher-paying jobs hitherto open only to
men.
1970 - In Schultz v. Wheaton Glass Co., a
U.S. Court of Appeals rules that jobs held by
men and women need to be "substantially
equal" but not "identical" to fall under the
protection of the Equal Pay Act. An employer
cannot, for example, change the job titles of
women workers in order to pay them less
than men.
1972 - June 23
Title IX of the Education Amendments bans
sex discrimination in schools. It states: "No
person in the United States shall, on the basis
of sex, be excluded from participation in, be
denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any educational program
or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
As a result of Title IX, the enrollment of women
in athletics programs and professional schools
increased dramatically.
1993 - January
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced
that the ban on women serving in combat
roles would be lifted. In a Jan. 9 letter to
Panetta urging the change Joint Chiefs of
Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said,
"The time has come to rescind the direct
combat exclusion rule for women and to
eliminate all unnecessary gender-based
barriers to service." The move reverses the
1994 rule that prohibited women from
serving in combat.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH —
Lutheran Church this evening at 7 P.M.
• Ad Council Meeting in Adair U.M.C.
following Lenten Service
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH —
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
— COLOR: PURPLE —
Happy Birthday Donna Sheeder!
Happy Birthday Larry Sheeder!
Happy Birthday Chad Wood!
Happy Birthday Shawn Morgan!
————————————————————
• Jack and Millie Knutter's Baptism will be
in Casey U.M.C. this morning.
• One Great Hour of Sharing offering is
received today, the fourth Sunday in Lent.
This denominational offering underwrites
the administrative costs of the United
Methodist Committee on Relief so it can
continue to offer world wide emergency
relief and long-term disaster support.
• Loose Change Offering for Food Pantry
in both churches today.
• We are in the Sermon Series based on
Adam Hamilton’s study, THE WAY:
WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
1 SAMUEL 16:1–13
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
1 Samuel tells the story of the initial
blindness of Jesse and the prophet Samuel
as they sought to discern which of Jesse’s
sons to anoint as the next king.
God sends Samuel to find and anoint as
king one of the sons of Jesse. With God’s
direction, Samuel did finally see what God
saw. When our hearts—the seat of our
values, our will, as well as our emotional
intelligence—are well formed, which is to
say, when they desire what God desires,
we can see much more clearly, too.
GOD LOOKS INTO THE HEART
1 God addressed Samuel: "So, how long
are you going to mope over Saul? You
know I've rejected him as king over Israel.
Fill your flask with anointing oil and get
going. I'm sending you to Jesse of
Bethlehem. I've spotted the very king I
want among his sons."
2-3 "I can't do that," said Samuel. "Saul
will hear about it and kill me."
God said, "Take a heifer with you and
announce, 'I've come to lead you in
worship of God, with this heifer as a
sacrifice.' Make sure Jesse gets invited. I'll
let you know what to do next. I'll point out
the one you are to anoint."
4 Samuel did what God told him. When he
arrived at Bethlehem, the town fathers
greeted him, but apprehensively. "Is there
something wrong?"
5 "Nothing's wrong. I've come to sacrifice
this heifer and lead you in the worship of
God. Prepare yourselves, be consecrated,
and join me in worship." He made sure
Jesse and his sons were also consecrated
and called to worship.
6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look
at Eliab and thought, "Here he is! God's
anointed!"
7 But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't every-
thing. Don't be impressed with his looks
and stature. I've already eliminated him.
God judges persons differently than
humans do. Men and women look at the
face; God looks into the heart."
8 Jesse then called up Abinadab and
presented him to Samuel. Samuel said,
"This man isn't God's choice either."
9 Next Jesse presented Shammah. Samuel
said, "No, this man isn't either."
Samuel. Samuel was blunt with Jesse,
"God hasn't chosen any of these."
11 Then he asked Jesse, "Is this it? Are
there no more sons?"
"Well, yes, there's the runt. But he's out
tending the sheep."
not moving from this spot until he's here."
12 Jesse sent for him. He was brought in,
the very picture of health— bright-eyed,
good-looking.
God said, "Up on your feet! Anoint him!
This is the one."
him, with his brothers standing around
watching. The Spirit of God entered David
like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering
him for the rest of his life.
————————————————————
PSALM 23 (UMH 754 or 137)
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
A PSALM OF DAVID
1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush
meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
• PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN AGE HAVE
GROWN UP WITH THE KING JAMES
VERSION
23RD PSALM —
21ST CENTURY KING JAMES VERSION
2 He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures; He leadeth me beside the still
waters.
the paths of righteousness for His name's
sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for
Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff,
they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies; Thou
anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life; and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD for ever.
————————————————————
EPHESIANS 5:8–14
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
We become accustomed to and therefore
often blind to the darkness around us.
If we have been lulled into sleep about the
evil that surrounds us, how will we have
the energy or will or even awareness to
expose, much less resist it?
"For once you were darkness, but now in
the Lord you are light. Live as children of
light."
8-10 You groped your way through that
open now. The bright light of Christ makes
your way plain. So no more stumbling
around. Get on with it! The good, the right,
the true—these are the actions appropriate
for daylight hours. Figure out what will
please Christ, and then do it.
11-16 Don't waste your time on useless
work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits
of darkness. Expose these things for the
sham they are. It's a scandal when people
waste their lives on things they must do
in the darkness where no one will see. Rip
the cover off those frauds and see how
attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make
the most of every chance you get. These
are desperate times!
————————————————————
JOHN 9:1–41
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
The way to change our hearts is first to
change our vision. First, we need opened
hearts, admitting our thirst for God and a
readiness to accept and welcome the Holy
Spirit and God’s grace. Then, and only
then, can we deal with our poor capacity
to see.
Jesus puts mud on the eyes of a man born
blind and sends him to wash in the pool
at Siloam. The blind man gains his sight
and immediately becomes an evangelist!
It has been said, “One can see clearly only
with the heart.” This is a call to become
aware that we are actually blind in the first
place, a blindness often rooted in hardened
hearts. Once our hearts are opened, then,
and only then, will our eyes be able to see.
TRUE BLINDNESS
1-2 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a
man blind from birth. His disciples asked,
"Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his
parents, causing him to be born blind?"
3-5 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong
question. You're looking for someone to
blame. There is no such cause-effect here.
Look instead for what God can do. We
need to be energetically at work for the
One who sent me here, working while the
sun shines. When night falls, the workday
is over. For as long as I am in the world,
there is plenty of light. I am the world's
Light."
made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed
the paste on the blind man's eyes, and
said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam"
(Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and
washed—and saw.
8 Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives
and those who year after year had seen
him as a blind man begging were saying,
"Why, isn't this the man we knew, who sat
here and begged?"
9 Others said, "It's him all right!"
But others objected, "It's not the same man
at all. It just looks like him."
He said, "It's me, the very one."
10 They said, "How did your eyes get
opened?"
11 "A man named Jesus made a paste and
rubbed it on my eyes and told me, 'Go to
Siloam and wash.' I did what he said.
When I washed, I saw."
12 "So where is he?"
"I don't know."
13-15 They marched the man to the
Pharisees. This day when Jesus made the
paste and healed his blindness was the
Sabbath. The Pharisees grilled him again
on how he had come to see. He said, "He
put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed,
and now I see."
16 Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously,
this man can't be from God. He doesn't
keep the Sabbath."
Others countered, "How can a bad man
do miraculous, God-revealing things like
this?" There was a split in their ranks.
17 They came back at the blind man, "You
are the expert. He opened your eyes. What
do you say about him?"
He said, "He is a prophet."
18-19 The Jews didn't believe it, didn't
believe the man was blind to begin with.
So they called the parents of the man now
bright-eyed with sight. They asked them,
"Is this your son, the one you say was
born blind? So how is it that he now sees?"
20-23 His parents said, "We know he is our
son, and we know he was born blind. But
we don't know how he came to see - have
not a clue about who opened his eyes.
Why don't you ask him? He's a grown man
and can speak for himself." (His parents
were talking like this because they were
intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had
already decided that anyone who took a
stand that this was the Messiah would be
kicked out of the meeting place. That's why
his parents said, "Ask him. He's a grown
man.")
24 They called the man back a second time
—the man who had been blind— and told
him, "Give credit to God. We know this
man is an impostor."
25 He replied, "I know nothing about that
one way or the other. But I know one thing
for sure: I was blind . . . I now see."
26 They said, "What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?"
27 "I've told you over and over and you
haven't listened. Why do you want to hear
it again? Are you so eager to become his
disciples?"
28-29 With that they jumped all over him.
"You might be a disciple of that man, but
we're disciples of Moses. We know for
sure that God spoke to Moses, but we
have no idea where this man even comes
from."
30-33 The man replied, "This is amazing!
You claim to know nothing about him, but
the fact is, he opened my eyes! It's well
known that God isn't at the beck and call
of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone
who lives in reverence and does his will.
That someone opened the eyes of a man
born blind has never been heard of—ever.
If this man didn't come from God, he would
not be able to do anything."
34 They said, "You're nothing but dirt!
How dare you take that tone with us!"
Then they threw him out in the street.
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him
out, and went and found him. He asked
him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
36 The man said, "Point him out to me, sir,
so that I can believe in him."
37 Jesus said, "You're looking right at him.
Don't you recognize my voice?"
38 "Master, I believe," the man said, and
worshiped him.
39 Jesus then said, "I came into the world
to bring everything into the clear light of
day, making all the distinctions clear, so
that those who have never seen will see,
and those who have made a great pretense
of seeing will be exposed as blind."
40 Some Pharisees overheard him and said,
"Does that mean you're calling us blind?"
41 Jesus said, "If you were really blind,
you would be blameless, but since you
claim to see everything so well, you're
accountable for every fault and failure."
————————————————————
• 1814 - Allied European nations against
Napoleon marched into Paris.
• 1822 - Florida became a U.S. territory.
• 1842 - Dr. Crawford W. Long performed
the first operation while his patient was
anesthetized by ether.
• 1855 - About 5,000 "Border Ruffians"
from west Missouri invaded the territory
of Kansas and forced the election of a
pro-slavery legislature. It was the first
election in Kansas.
• 1867 - The United States purchased
Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars.
• 1870 - The 15th amendment, to guarantee
the right to vote regardless of race, was
passed by the U.S. Congress.
• 1870 - Texas is readmitted to the Union.
• 1909 - The Queensboro bridge in New
York City opened linking Manhattan and
Queens. It was the first double deck bridge.
• 1946 - The Allies seized 1,000 Nazis who
were attempting to revive the Nazi party in
Frankfurt.
• 1950 - U.S. President Truman denounced
Senator Joe McCarthy as a saboteur of
U.S. foreign policy.
• 1981 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan was
shot and wounded in Washington, DC, by
John W. Hinckley Jr. Two police officers
and Press Secretary James Brady were
also wounded.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
MONDAY, MARCH 31ST —
THE OFFICE IS CLOSED TODAY.
• 1492 - King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
of Spain issued the Alhambra edict
expelling Jews who were unwilling to
convert to Christianity.
• 1776 - Abigail Adams wrote her husband
John that women were "determined to
foment a rebellion" if the new Declaration
of Independence failed to guarantee their
rights.
• 1779 - Russia and Turkey signed a treaty
concerning military action in Crimea.
• 1854 - The U.S. government signed the
Treaty of Kanagawa with Japan. The act
opened ports of Shimoda and Hakotade to
American trade.
• 1862 - Skirmishing between Rebels and
Union forces took place at Island 10 on the
Mississippi River.
• 1880 - Wabash, IN, became the first town
to be completely illuminated with electric
lights.
• 1900 - The W.E. Roach Company was the
first automobile company to put an
advertisement in a national magazine. The
magazine was the Saturday Evening Post.
• 1900 - In France, the National Assembly
passed a law reducing the workday for
women and children to 11 hours.
• 1917 - The United States purchased and
took possession of the Virgin Islands from
Denmark for $25 million.
• 1918 - For the first time ever in the United
States, Daylight Saving Time was in effect.
• 1932 - The Ford Motor Co. debuted its
V-8 engine.
• 1933 - The U.S. Congress authorized the
Civilian Conservation Corps to relieve
rampant unemployment.
• 2004 - Google Inc. announced that it
would be introducing a free e-mail service
called Gmail.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST —
APRIL FOOLS DAY!
• 1578 - William Harvey of England
discovered blood circulation.
• 1621 - The Plymouth, Massachusetts,
colonists created the first treaty with
Native Americans.
• 1748 - The ruins of Pompeii were found.
• 1778 - Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans
businessman, created the "$" symbol.
• 1793 - In Japan, the volcano “Unsen”
erupted killing about 53,000 people.
• 1865 - At the Battle of Five Forks in
Petersburg, VA, Gen. Robert E. Lee began
his final offensive.
• 1873 - The British White Star steamship
Atlantic ran onto rocks off Nova Scotia
and sank, killing 547 people.
• 1881 - Anti-Jewish riots took place in
Jerusalem.
• 1891 - The London-Paris telephone
connection was opened.
• 1905 - Paris and Berlin telephone
connection was opened.
• 1924 - Adolf Hitler was sentenced to five
years in prison for high treason in relation
to the "Beer Hall Putsch."
(Attempt to overthrow the government)
• 1933 - Nazi Germany began persecution
of Jews by boycotting Jewish businesses.
• 1945 - U.S. forces invaded Okinawa
during World War II. It was the last
campaign of that War.
• 1976 - Apple Computer began operations.
• 1985 - World oil prices dropped below
$10 a barrel.
• 1987 - Steve Newman became the first
man to walk around the world. The walk
was 22,000 miles and took 4 years.
• 1987 - U.S. President Reagan told doctors
in Philadelphia, "We have declared AIDS
public health enemy No. 1."
• 1991 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
jurors could not be barred from serving
due to their race.
• 1999 - The Canadian territory of Nunavut
was created. It was carved from the
eastern part of the Northwest Territories
and covered about 772,000 square miles.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2ND
Adair U.M.W. will meet at 9 A.M. today in
Adair U.M.C.
Lenten Services will be held in St. John's
Catholic Church in Adair at 7 P.M.
• 1865 - Confederate President Davis and
most of his Cabinet fled the Confederate
capital of Richmond, VA.
• 1877 - The first Egg Roll was held on the
grounds of the White House in
Washington, DC.
• 1889 - Charles Hall patented aluminum.
• 1935 - Sir Watson-Watt was granted a
patent for the system of RADAR.
• 1951 - U.S. General Dwight Eisenhower
assumed command of all allied forces in
the Western Mediterranean and Europe.
• 1963 - Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King
began the first non-violent campaign in
Birmingham, Alabama.
• 2002 - Israeli troops surrounded the
Church of the Nativity. More than 200
Palestinians took refuge at the church
when Israel invaded Bethlehem.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
THURSDAY, APRIL 3RD —
• 1776 - George Washington received an
honorary Doctor of Laws degree from
Harvard College (now University).
• 1860 - The first Pony Express riders left
St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento,
California. The trip across country took
about 10 days. It was about 10 miles from
one station to the next because that was
the limit a horse could gallop before he
became exhausted. The Pony Express only
lasted about a year and a half, then trains
and telegraph took over. — Wikipedia
• 1865 - Union forces occupied Confederate
capital of Richmond, Virginia.
• 1948 - U.S. President Harry Truman
signed the Marshall Plan to revive war-torn
Europe. It was $5 billion in aid for 16
countries.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH
• 0896 - Formosus ended a reign as pope.
• 1581 - Francis Drake completed the total
circumnavigation of the world.
• 1812 - The territory of “Orleans” became
the 18th U.S. state in the union and would
become known as Louisiana.
• 1818 - The U.S. flag was declared to have
13 red and white stripes and 20 stars. A
new star would be added for each new
state.
• 1841 - U.S. President William Henry
Harrison, at the age of 68, became the first
president to die in office. He had been
sworn in only a month before he died of
pneumonia.
• 1887 - Susanna M. Salter became mayor
of Argonia, Kansas, making her the first
woman mayor in the United States.
• 1902 - British Financier Cecil Rhodes left
$10 million in his will that would provide
scholarships for American citizens to
attend Oxford University in England.
• 1905 - An earthquake in Kangra, India,
killed approximately 370,000 people.
• 1917 - The U.S. Senate voted 90-6 to enter
World War I on the side of the Allies.
• 1932 - After five years of research,
professor C.G. King, of the University of
Pittsburgh, isolated Vitamin C.
• 1945 - During World War II, United States
forces liberated the Nazi death camp
Ohrdruf in Germany.
• 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. was
assassinated at the age of 39.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH —
MOTHER DAUGHTER BANQUET WILL BE
HELD IN CASEY U.M.C. FESTIVITIES WILL
BEGIN AT 6:30.
married English colonist John Rolfe in
Virginia.
• 1621 - The Mayflower sailed from
Plymouth, Massachusetts, on a return trip
to England.
• 1792 - U.S. President George Washington
cast the first presidential veto.
The rejected measure was for apportioning
representatives among the states.
• 1998 - The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan
opened becoming the longest suspension
bridge in the world. It's 6,532 feet long and
cost about $3.8 billion. It links Shikoku and
Honshu.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
• Sunday, April 6th - Holy Communion.
• Food Pantry open Wednesday, April 9th.
• Holy Week begins on April 13 with
Palm/Passion Sunday.
• Good Friday is April 18th.
Thank you all for your dedication to duty.
We may not mention it but we notice how
devoted you are and how hard you work.
Without the driver, the machinery would
set idle. Thank you again for all you do.
God Bless and Keep You,
Donna
