The Chief Fudge Officer

Most preachers do either all pastoring or all evangelism. As one of the rare preachers who for a very long time has done both, I can tell you that they are radically different tasks and generate radically different emotions.

As an evangelist I will be at a church for a few nights and then be gone. I do make friends most everywhere I go, sometimes very good friends, but I am not usually around long enough to develop bonds of deepest affection, unless it is one of the churches I go back to year after year.

But as a pastor, I get oh, so very attached to people...

Our church recently lost a very special person to me and to all of us. In fact, she held a lofty and powerful position among us; she was our CFO, our “Chief Fudge Officer.”

Brenda was saved, but she was not rich. She had only a basic high school education, and she did not travel in the high echelons of the popular and powerful. She did not have much money to give. She did not sing specials, or even in one of our choirs. She was not on any committees. She did not teach Sunday school. She did not work in the bus ministry. She did not play any instruments. By all of the “normal measures” of service, she may have seemed to anyone who did not know her to be one who did not do much.

But if anyone was ever discouraged, she showed up with homemade fudge for them.

Other times she showed up with fudge even if no one was discouraged. And if it was not fudge it was her world-famous mandarin orange cake, or a

Butterfinger cake, or some other delectable treat guaranteed to sabotage any diet all while making the recipient glad to fall off of the calorie counting wagon.

In other words, she found something she was good at and put it to use in the Lord’s work.

In 1 Samuel 17 we find the historical account of David and Goliath. On the conservative side, Goliath was at least nine feet, nine inches tall. If the longer cubit, the king’s cubit, was being spoken of, he may well have been over eleven feet tall. Either way, he was the most fearsome warrior to ever pass across the pages of Scripture and the path of Israel.

And yet, by the time the battle was over, a kid named David had cut him down. Everyone knows this. But many have never considered the two unnamed people who made it possible for David to fight and win this battle.

1 Samuel 17:20-22 says, “And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.”

The keepers. One man who kept the sheep so he could go, and another who kept the carriage so he could go. Without them he could not have done what he did. The sheep could not be left unattended, and neither could the carriage. But two unnamed individuals did the anonymous work of “keeping” while David did the famous work of killing Goliath.

How often does the work of the Lord suffer, not for lack of giant killers, but for lack of keepers?

Nursery keepers, those precious souls who make sure that young mothers can hear the gospel message without being dis-

Sunday, Nov. 11

BENEFIT • Friends of Wendy Kingsley Moore and Rick Owens

GENERAL

tracted by a fussy child. Security keepers, those brave folks who silently stand between the worshipers within and any harm that wants to get in. Custodial keepers, people willing to wield plunger, broom, and mop in the cause of the Lord.

The potential list is well-nigh inexhaustible. Sunday school teachers. Bus workers. Homeless ministers. Sound technicians. Singers. Musicians. Soul winners. Vacation Bible school workers.

Those who minster to the nursing homes week after week, bringing church to those who cannot come to church. Givers. Or, like Brenda, those for whom the love of Christ flows from fingertips to oven and comes out in the form of baked goods.

God never, ever, saved anyone to sit. Whoever he saves, he saves to serve. He may not always be looking for a king, he only occasionally looks for a giant killer, but he is always looking for more keepers.

So long for now, Brenda. Tell the angels I expect them to save me a slice of my personal favorite, your orange mandarin cake.

Bo Wagner is pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Mooresboro, N.C. He is a widely traveled evangelist and the author of several books. He can be reached by email at 2knowhim@cbc-web.org.

COMMUNITY • English as a second language classes at Oakwood Baptist Church, Prayer room, 115 Oakwood St., Chickamauga. Wednesday mornings, 8:30-10:30, evenings 6:30-8:30. Childcare provided for evening class.

MEETING • The American Legion, Lafayette Post 339 meets on the third Monday of each month. The meeting is held at 6 p.m. in the Wardlaw-bible meeting room at the Lafayette-walker County Public Library . This meeting is open to active and prospective members of The American Legion and their guests.

COMMUNITY • The Friends of the Gordon-lee Mansion conduct tours of the historic Mansion in Chickamauga from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays through Labor Day. Admission is $5 adults and $1 for 12 and under. All proceeds go to the Friends of the GordonLee Mansion, a 501c3 organization, for preservation of this antebellum home and its grounds.

REUNION • The Second ( Indianhead) Division Association is searching for anyone who served in the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division at any time. For information about the association and our 97th annual reunion in Jacksonville, Fla. from Sept.19 - 23, contact Mike Davino at 2Ida.pao@charter.net, visit www.2ida.org/2018-reunion/ or call 919-498-1910.

COMMUNITY • A secure drug drop box has been installed at the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department and is available from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. to safely dispose of unused or expired medications. Drop boxes are now available at the Catoosa County Sheriff’s, the Rossville Police and the Fort Oglethorpe Police departments.

EDUCATION • The Walker County School District is attempting to identify all children in their school system that are residents of Walker County and may be in need of special education services. All children with disabilities ages 0-21 are entitled to special education services. If you know a child ages 0-2 who might be in need of services, contact Early Intervention — Babies Can’t Wait at 706-8025072 or 1-888-736-5329. If you know a child between the ages of 3-21 who might be in need of services, contact Angie Ingram, Director of Special Education at 706-375-9900, or call the GA Statewide Child Find office toll free at 1-800-282-7552.

COMMUNITY • Rossville Community Ministries, a ministry of Rossville area churches, is a food pantry to help families or individuals in the Rossville area. Non-perishable food items, cash donations and volunteers are needed. The Rossville Community Ministries is open Mondays and Thursdays from noon until 3 p.m. They are at South Rossville Baptist Church, 101 East Peachtree Street. Those coming for the first time should call 706-866-3888 during office hours to find out what is necessary to avail themselves of this service.

CHURCH • Lee’s Chapel Community Church located at 3253 Catoosa Parkway, Tunnel Hill, is holding Sunday services at 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall. The church is holding a monthly singing to raise the money to repair the church. Singings will be the second Saturday of the month.

MEETING • Catoosa County Board of Commissioners’ meetings, which are open to the public, are held the first and third Tuesdays each month at 6 p.m. in the Administration Building, 800 Lafayette Street, Ringgold. Any citizen may speak at a commission meeting on any subject for five minutes. No advance notice is required. The commissioners may extend a citizen’s allotted time if they feel the situation merits it.

MEETING • Ringgold City Council meetings, which are open to the public, are held the second and fourth Mondays each month at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 150 Tennessee Street, Ringgold. Any citizen may speak at a council meeting on any subject. There is no time limit and no advance notice is required.

MEETING • Fort Oglethorpe City Council meetings, which are open to the public, are held the second and fourth Mondays each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 500 City Drive, Fort Oglethorpe. To speak at a council meeting, citizens must contact the city clerk (706-866-2544, ext. 1300) no later than 4:30 p.m. the Thursday before the meeting at which they wish to speak. They must give their name and the subject on which they wish to speak, and that information is passed on to the city manager for review. At the council meeting the citizen will have five minutes to speak. The mayor or council may extend that time.

EDUCATION • Foundations at First Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. Located in Lafayette First United Methodist Church, the program offers part-time preschool and pre- k programs. For information call 706 638 2057

COMMUNITY • Lyerly United Methodist is looking for all types of vendors for its 10th Annual Car & Truck Show and Craft Festival that will be held Saturday, Aug. 11, at Dowdy Park on the corner of U.S. Highway 27 and state Highway 114 in downtown Summerville. For an application or more information call Judy Motes at 706-857-6008 and leave a message.

MEETING • There are AA meetings every Monday 7 p.m. at the Rock Spring United Methodist Church. The church is located at 3477 Peavine Road, Rock Spring. For more info contact 423-605-3388 or for complete area times and meeting places, visit Aageorgia.org.

MEETING • Recovery

that is designed to provide support for anyone who is struggling with compulsive issues or addictive behaviors. It is a “safe place,” which means no one will judge you or try to force their idea of “normal living” on you. You will find people who are going through the same issues you may be facing from whom you can gain experience, strength and hope. Dinner served from 6-6:45 p.m., a worship service at 7 p.m. and open sharing groups offered at 8:15 p.m. every Thursday night, 52 weeks a year, at Ringgold United Methodist Church. Details at Recoveryatringgold.com or 706-935-4777.

COMMUNITY • The Seniors and Friends of Fort Oglethorpe group meets each Wednesday from 10 a. m. until 1: 30 p.m. at Constitution Hall on Forrest Road. This allvolunteer group offers games, crafts, blood pressure/blood sugar check, bingo and refreshments. For information or transportation, call Karon Parker at 423-5957109 or Taire Pulver at 423-227-7720.

MEETING • The Catoosa County Democratic Party generally meets the third Thursday each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Graysville voting precinct. For more information contact C. Griffith by email at cagdemocrat@gmail.com.

EDUCATION • The Rossville Public Library has a FREE Robotics Club for local homeschool families. The Robotics Club is held at the library every other Thursday from 2-3 p.m. and is appropriate for ages 8-14.. For additional information about robotics or other programs, visit the library at 504 Mcfarland Ave. or call 706-866-1368.

MEETING • The Catoosa County Historical Society meets every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Old Stone Church, Highway 41, in Ringgold. The Old Stone Church is also open for tours Friday-sunday, from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call 706-935-5232.

CHURCH • True Life Church at The Renaissance Center, 630 North Avenue, Rossville, invites you to services on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesday Food & Fellowship at 6:30 p.m. followed by adult bible study at 7 p.m. Visit us at www.thetruelife.org or call 423-260-2774.