March 12, 2024
Hello, church friends and family!
I have lived in northern Nevada almost all my life. Though the majority of that was in Reno, in my
heart I have always been a farm and wide-open-spaces dweller. And yet, somehow, I had never heard of cowboy poetry until I served my first church in Portola, California. A previous pastor there, Clarence Wager, was himself a cowboy poet, and I have his book “Letters from a Country Preacher” on my bookshelf.
Anyhoo, this whole line of thinking was inspired by Dr. Stu Richardson, who tells me that the Fallon Theater is putting on an amateur cowboy poetry event on April 13, and he will be reading some poetry by Newell Mills! How cool is that? So I thought you’d enjoy this sweet poem about cowboy discipleship to inspire you this week.
Stuck in the Round Pen
by Jeff Hildebrandt
For those who’ve never trained a horse, there’s something you should know.
It’s about what’s called the Round Pen. It’s where most horses go
to learn to follow signals thru a tender teaching touch.
But, horses in the round pen can only learn so much.
Pretty soon, a cowboy needs to let the pony out
so it can use what it’s been taught. Cause training’s all about
just getting ready for the ride and knowing what to do
when challenges and obstacles pop up in front of you.
Like ponies, we can study until the cows come home
in the safety of our round pen. But really, we should roam
outside our Bible study group, outside our churches walls
and use our training where it counts, in grocery stores or malls
or at the doctor’s office, or any other place
where we can show God’s saving love and talk about His Grace.
But, I’m just like a fresh-broke colt that shivers at the thought
of leaving comfort zones behind. I’d really rather not
put my faith out on display where others criticize
so I seek incognito ways I can evangelize.
I can talk about the weather, TV shows and foreign aid.
I can argue over politics or the latest sports team trade.
But when it comes to life and death, I seek my comfort zone
cause there’s no confrontation in my round pen all alone.
But God’s Word says to go and do. So, I must get a grip.
Security’s not the round pen, it’s in relationship.
The closer that I get to God, the more my faith increases
and when I leave my round pen, I won’t go to pieces.
I’ll walk and talk with confidence about my transformation
since I accepted Jesus Christ, the gateway to salvation.
I know that God is faithful and with Him I’ll succeed
so let’s all leave the round pen with Jesus in the lead.
Pastor Dawn
Worship This Week
Who Do You Say I Am? Afflicting the Comfortable
We are moving fast in Mark’s Gospel, toward the climax of Jesus’ ministry. After this week, it will be Palm Sunday, and then Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Peter and others are firmly convinced that Jesus is the Messiah they have been waiting for…and others are just as firmly convinced that he is a dangerous, blasphemous pretender. We’ll meet Jesus this week shortly after he has entered Jerusalem, and what he does there in the first few days of that week. Then next week, we will hear what happens the rest of that week between Palm Sunday and Jesus’ arrest. The story is getting confrontational and stressful, as it all builds toward the crisis point; as we read and pray and breathe through it, we will consider what it all tells us about who Jesus is, what that means for us, and what knowing him does in us. You might like to read the first half of Mark 11 as you prepare your heart for worship.
Remember to find us on YouTube so that you can watch live from home, or join us on KVLV radio on AM980 every Sunday beginning at 9:30am. If you have ideas or questions, or if we can be in prayer for you in any way, please call the church at 775-423-4714, or call Pastor Dawn directly at 775-671-5553. We’d love to hear from you.
Wednesday Night Prayer with Lectio Divina
Friday Evening Prayer has become Wednesday Evening Prayer, and will be held on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00pm on YouTube Live. Lectio Divina is an ancient, special way of reading and praying with Scripture. Most people who try it find it deeply meaningful. Hope you’ll join us.
News and Fun Stuff
Church Family Potluck! Sunday March 17
It’s a baked potato bar! We will provide the potatoes and butter, you bring whatever you like best on yours. Chili, cheese, bacon, broccoli, sour cream, whatever you want. Or, you might like to bring a salad or dessert or something else to add to the feast. It all starts after worship at 10:30am. Invite your neighbors!
And then, stay for Messy Church!
Also on Sunday March 17, after we get fat and happy on our friends’ excellent cooking, we’ll sing and talk and create together. This month’s theme is “Easter Around the World.”
“Love Fallon” Community Service Day! April 27
A wonderful group of folks in town are part of a national nonprofit organization called “Love Our Cities”, which gathers volunteers from churches, businesses, and neighborhoods to work together to beautify their community. They are hard at work developing projects for folks to do, and they need our ideas! Please talk to your Trustees or Pastor Dawn about projects here at Epworth that a team of community volunteers could do. And let’s put a team together to do a project outside the church, too!
Maundy Thursday “Passover in the Light of Christ” on Thursday March 28 at 5:30pm.
Good Friday Walk to the Cross, Friday March 29
Meet us at noon in the cemetery parking lot for a brief devotion, and then we’ll walk together to the cross on the top of Rattlesnake Hill. When we get to the top, we’ll read the story of Jesus’ passion and death, and pray together, and look with hope toward Easter Sunday.
With a potluck breakfast in between! See you there to celebrate the risen Lord. Also, an Easter Egg Hunt all over the church for the littles. Hopefully we will find the last egg before July this time.
