Outreach Center Network News Letter
August 2017
In this issue:
Compassion For All - A Devotion
Spotlight On A Center
A Retreat For People Who Are Blind
7 Wonders Of The World
15 Jokes So Terrible They Are Actually Funny
Final Thoughts
Each article will begin with ###. You may move to the next article by searching for this.
### Compassion For All
Matthew 9:27-38
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling Out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this? "" Yes, Lord, " they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, " According to your faith will it be done to you;
30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly,” See that no one knows about this. " 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon- possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, " Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel. "
34 But the Pharisees said, " It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons. "
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, " The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. "
In this reading Jesus showed he had compassion for people and power over the physical world. He gave sight to two men who asked for mercy.
In this reading Jesus showed he had compassion for people and power over the spiritual world. He cast out a demon which then freed the person to speak again. The third account showed that Jesus had compassion for all people. He noted that they were like sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless.
Some might ask, why didn’t he just use that power he just showed to take care of all of those people? I suppose he could have, but would it really have helped them? I don’t think so.
First do note that Jesus healed every disease. It doesn’t say he healed every person. Also he chose to give sight to two men. Certainly there were others to whom he did not give the gift of sight.
These were both done to show he was God. He then went and did a thing only God could do—die and come alive again. No super hero could do that, but Jesus did.
His death was our spiritual life. His coming to life tells us what will happen to us when we believe in him.
You see, Jesus’ power was his to use, not ours. Sure it would be great to have his power in a wand that we could wave in the air and change things. But would we really change the right things? Jesus could see the physical world and the spiritual world. He can see in the past and into the future. He used the power to start a relationship with us.
And besides, Jesus uses his power now to work on the hearts of people. Do you know anyone whose heart is angry, unforgiving? Jesus through you, me, his Word wants to change that heart. Only he can do that.
### Spotlight On A Center
The outreach center in Lancing Michigan open in April of 2007. It presently meets at Good shepherd Lutheran Church. Connie Grace is the blind leader.
Having just celebrated ten years of service, the leadership realizes that their location is not in the center of the city. Also, they serve some 30 members, even though they do not show up all the time. They are considering whether a more central location might provide a way to connect with more people in the blind community.
### A Retreat For People Who Are Blind
The Extreme Experience Retreat (E.E.R.) was started by the Covington Outreach Center. It is held at Blue Lake Camp, Andalusia, Alabama. This year promises to be lots of fun. For those who love to deep Sea fish, you arrive Friday evening Sept. 22 and leave early Saturday, 23 for a 6 hour deep sea fishing trip in Destin, FL. The E.E.R. retreat will begin Sunday September 24 around 2 pm. The total cost for the fishing rodeo and E.E.R. is $250 and E.E.R. alone, is $200. This includes lodging, meals, and all activities. The fishing rodeo will be open to the first 40 who have paid.
Some of the items during the retreat are: motorcycle ride, cooking tips, self defense class, orientation and mobility, independent living skills, share your favorite tips, tech talk, and of course canoes, swimming, aquacise, nature hikes, bring instrument to jam.
If interested contact me for the registration form and information. Pastor Dave
### 7 wonders of the world
A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present “Seven Wonders of the World."
Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal
3. The Grand Canyon
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help. The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. To See
2. To Hear
3. To Touch
4. To Taste
5. To smell
6. To Laugh
7. To Love."
The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous! A gentle reminder that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man.
### 15 Jokes So Terrible They're actually funny
1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The Ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.
2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."
3. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."
4. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"
5. "Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.'"
"That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome."
"Is it common?"
Well, "It's Not Unusual."
6. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
7. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.
8. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!" The doctor replied, "I know you can't, I've cut off your arms!"
9. I went to a seafood disco last week... and pulled a mussel.
10. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
11. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
12. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
13. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.
14. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him. ( A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
15. And finally, there was the person who sent twenty different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did!!!!!!!!
### Final Thoughts
In upcoming issues we can and will look at many of the same topics as well as others. If you have questions, thoughts or suggestions, please send them to me or post them on the blind ministry email list.
Pastor Dave