Niki’s Nook

What would your final words be if you knew you were going to die in the next few days? I think I’d be imparting all the “wisdom” I have. “Montana, always wear clean underwear...you never know when you’re going to have an accident.” “Colt, always open the car door for your date, girlfriend, or wife.” “Kirk, the checkbook is in my purse. Try to pay the bills before the due date,”
Jesus’ last prayer for His Church was for unity. And for us to “be one just as We are one” (John 17:22). Wow, now that’s a lofty calling; to be unified the way the Father and Son are unified. It’s not possible without each of us taking active steps to be unified with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Here are some practical suggestions I have:

Obey your leaders. We can’t all lead the church. If you don’t trust the leaders God had placed over you, get on your knees and talk to God about it. Unless a leader asks us to sin, it is our responsibility to follow without complaining and let them lead. If you are praying for the leadership nominations, current leadership, and decisions that are made, you MUST trust God to convict and direct the leaders. (Romans 13:1)

Put other’s interests and desires above your own. (Phil. 2:4) Be willing to compromise for the sake of the Family of God.

Forgive as Christ forgave you. (Luke 6:37)

Don’t say something about another believer that you wouldn’t say in front of them.

What are you doing to promote unity in our church? What are you doing to hinder it? I think we are all guilty of sinning in the above ways at some point. It’s past time for us to repent of our sin of disunity and realize what each of us has done to contribute to disunity in our church and in The Church. Let us be able to truly say as David did “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133.1)

Kirk’s old office has been designated as the new prayer room. Renovations will take place in the next couple months. More information to come.
The Sunday morning messages are now available on the church web site. If you miss a Sunday or are in the back with the youth, be sure to check it out at www.sesserchristian.net
Nominations for Deacons and Elders are now being taken by Cleta Stockton, Jody Williams, and Connie Hutson, and must be turned in by Sept. 16.
Bids are currently being acquired to have the old house next to the church torn down.

Meet the Member

Ivan was born in Sesser on June 5, 1915. With faithful parents that took him to church every Sunday, he grew up in the Word. He was baptized in March of 1938 in the old building at Sesser First Christian Church.
He married his high school sweetheart, Juanita Warner in October of 1936 in the middle of the depression when times were very hard. He had two sons, Noble Larry Thomas, who is a retired school administrator at Carbondale, and Gary Ivan, the retired Director of Special Education for Williamson County. Both currently live south of Carbondale.
Ivan started his career by driving an Illinois Farm Supply gasoline truck, running a grocery store, City Clerk, and was in charge of delivery of the St. Louis newspapers to all of Sesser. In 1944 he went to work for the coal mine, and worked his way up over the years to storekeeper. He was in charge of an inventory of $700,000, and worked there 34 years until he retired in 1977. After one year of retirement, the coal mine called him to go to Craig, Colorado for 2 months. Ivan says it was more of a vacation as he and Juanita loved to travel and have been in almost every state in the U.S.
After retiring, Ivan and Juanita got involved in genealogy. In those days, the internet was not available, so they traveled around to courthouses and archives. They made 10 –12 trips to Virginia and have traced their ancestors all the way back to 567 A.D.
In his spare time, in the past Ivan has sung at over 100 funerals, 3 quartets, and traveled.