Leoma Church of Christ

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Visitors from the Leoma, Tennessee Church of Christ came our way recently and spent two days helping us at the World Evangelism Building in Winona, Mississippi. Adults and children worked alongside of us Tuesday and Wednesday, September 18-19. Some bundled tracts in anticipation for calls from them for church tract racks and outreach. Others helped pack books into boxes for distribution without charge to stateside preacher students. Several helped process the newsletter mailing for sister Betty Choate. (Martha and I mailed our newsletters the week before, and Jerry and Paula Bates will mail their newsletter this week.)

Per usual, otherwise, the five of us in Winona fulfill daily orders for books and tracts in the USA, plan our overseas mission trips, visit congregations in the USA to apprise them of their investment in our labors, work on The Voice of Truth International and Gospel Gazette Online and a zillion other things behind the scenes to foreign missions.

Today, we met with a new team member, Cloyd “Ben” Frock. He has newly moved to a congregational work in Arkansas, but he will be participating with World Evangelism from afar as he has time. His expertise and experience promise to bring a whole new and much needed interface with users of our extensive base of Christian literature via the Internet. In the months ahead, the face of the online presence we already have will be upgraded and modernized. In addition, we will make available as much as we can the hundreds of books, tracts and magazines we have to work seamlessly on all contemporary media devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.).

Volume 97 of The Voice of Truth International is on its way to Winona and ought to arrive sometime this week. Volume 98 is being printed, and we are beginning to work on volume 99. The October edition of Gospel Gazette Online has been completed, and once the proofing and corrections are made, we will publish it to the Internet. Brethren, we are never idle—always covered up in what we do, and we thank you for making it possible to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this capacity.

August Rushmore Newsletter

For the last two days, Martha and I have been processing the August 2018 Rushmore Newsletter—getting it ready to mail on Monday. This afternoon and in addition to that, the August newsletter has been added to the Gospel Gazette Online site. Subsequently, I have sent out email notifications to additional persons regarding the availability of the newsletter on the Internet.

This issue of the Rushmore Newsletter includes an update regarding the acquisition of an ATV (a rural Gospel chariot for a remote part of the globe) for Amerindian brethren in Guyana, South America. Not long from now, Martha and I will return to Myanmar (Burma) in Asia, where we will be teaching for two weeks in a school nestled in a jungle setting. We love being with fellow Christians and non-Christians, too, around the world who eagerly embrace every opportunity to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are indebted to the churches of Christ and the Christian families who make it possible for us to serve at home and abroad.

Happy Days!

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Martha and I have enjoyed some happy days of late. Of course, we’re always glad when Rebecca can visit us in Winona, Mississippi. Sometimes, though, we visit her in Collierville, Tennessee—often using her home as a waystation in travels for speaking appointments west of the Mississippi, north and east. For a few days, however, Raymond and his wife Crystal with two precious grandchildren in tow came by to visit us. Oh, how we played with the little ones—4-years-old and 2-years-old. There was some liveliness in this little cottage, the likes of which unknown in recent time. Balls, firetrucks, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, dollhouse, wooden blocks, cornhole, Scrabble and such provided merriment for one and all. A side trip to a small, local park amused all of the kids—of all ages.

Rebecca made brownies and pizzas—with “help” from Elaina and Bryson. Each child made a personal-sized pizza, too. Sunday, we worshipped together at the Old Union Church of Christ. On our trek across gravel roads and through the woods on our way to the meetinghouse, we dodged—not wildlife—but a stray, young steer that seemed to have nowhere to go except to mosey down the center of the country lane. I thought we might see some deer or wild turkeys, but the domesticated critter was a surprise. Returning to Winona, we reconvened at the Chinese restaurant for a delicious buffet meal. All too soon, having finished lunch, Raymond, Crystal, Elaina and Bryson headed toward their home in Ohio. Later, our son Robert called from Florida to top off the day. “Family” is another word for “love.”

Surprise!

Surprise! Gospel Gazette Online for September is early! Please enjoy Gospel Gazette Online, the current edition and the thousands of archived articles over the last 20 years. Go to: www.GospelGazette.com. Enjoy!

Bonnie’s Earthly Remains

Today, Martha and I visited the earthly remains of my beloved, late wife and Martha’s dear friend, Bonnie. Her lifeless body lies beneath the tufts of weedy grass and mud in the forest clearing adjacent to the meetinghouse for the Old Union Church of Christ. Memory of her is closer—in my heart and on my mind—every day. Her soul is in the custody of a righteous but merciful and loving God.

This morning, Martha and I set out with bucket, rags, soap and related items to clean Bonnie’s (someday mine also) headstone. It wasn’t a big job, and we retained our composure better than sometimes there or even at other places when grief yet crowds its way into ongoing life.

Some of my children are coming to visit tomorrow, and we will worship with the Old Union congregation on the coming Lord’s Day. We will visit Bonnie’s earthly remains once more, as family members. We will embrace what she has meant and yet means to us, which we preserve in good memories.

Before Martha and I departed from the Old Union Church Cemetery, Martha placed seasonal flowers in both of the urns affixed to the tombstone. I’m so fortunate to have Martha as my wife and as my friend. Without her I would be adrift in so many ways.

Some More of the Nicest People

As Martha and I were traveling on Saturday, August 25, I mused that we were about to visit some of the nicest and the most pleasant people I know. We were on our way from Collierville, Tennessee, where we had spent the night with our daughter, to be with the Center Ridge, Arkansas Church of Christ on the Lord’s Day. In particular, we were to lodge with and be the guests of brother Garry and sister Melissa Polk. This lovely couple is as down to earth and unpretentious as any American, country, farm family could possibly be.

Awaiting our arrival was a superb homecooked meal of fork-tender roast beef, carrots and potatoes. It was complemented and complimented with corn, okra, fresh tomatoes and rolls. Beyond that, there were brownies, banana bread and raw apple cake to tempt us, to which temptation we succumbed! The hours spent together talking and enjoying each other’s company was icing on the cake, so to speak. Breakfast was over the top with scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy and farm-fresh sausage patties. After worship, we all had lunch at a very, very busy and one of the largest Mexican restaurants of which I am aware. We’ve eaten there before on previous trips, and we have never been disappointed.

While it might seem that our trek to Center Ridge was all about eating and reminiscing with Christian friends, the real reason for our journey there was to be with the Lord’s people as they assembled in that village on Lord’s Day morning. During Bible class, I spoke about our stateside and foreign excursions for Jesus Christ, which we did in 2017 and so far in 2018. At the worship hour, I preach about Bible Authority. This children-lively congregation has been one of my primary encouragers over the years and has really impacted souls for our Lord, not only locally, but through me in far away lands. For them and appreciating their kindnesses and friendship, I am truly thankful. God be praised! Truly, I interact with some of the nicest people stateside and abroad among my Christian brethren!

Months from Now

Months from now, Volume 98 of The Voice of Truth International will make its way into printed form. Nevertheless, I’m pleased that the local World Evangelism Team in Winona, Mississippi has put to bed this future issue. Volume 96 has been newly distributed in printed form in Asia, Africa and North America. Volume 97 is available to be printed, and now, Volume 98 also awaits its turn to be published in printed form.

The Voice of Truth International is a quarterly Gospel journal, which appears in several languages. In addition to the printed quarterlies, each issue of VOTI can be read on the Internet without charge. However, the online version is available through PDF files, which require a fairly fast Internet connection, and which will take a few moments to download.

Regarding volumes 97 and 98, one can read them before he or she can actually hold them in his or her hands! Access to all of the editions of VOTI as well as about three dozen other PDF (book) titles can be had at the following URL. Scroll down the page to see the full offering.

http://www.gospelgazette.com/library/

Let me hear from you. Tell me how you use The Voice of Truth International or the other available titles. Email: rushmore@gospelgazette.com