August is here and everybody knows what that means….Back to School! I hope you had a great summer. I know it has been a blessed one around Caledonia. We have had some great times and have seen some great accomplishments for the Lord. Thanks to everyone that has pitched in around the church. The extra painting, the cleaning help, the food ministries, the Vacation Bible School workers and everyone else that has helped out. We are thankful.

August and January seem like they have a lot in common to me. In January we get all excited about the potential the New Year holds, and rightfully so. And I tend to get that same feeling about August. Because of school starting back up, it just seems like a great time to get back in the game or maybe you might need to take a mullet. (Golf term for a do over) Well the good news is that there is a lot to get excited about and involved with at Caledonia this fall. Let me give you a brief heads up about our Tuesday nights open league slow pitch softball games. That’s right, an open league where anyone age 15 and up can come out and play some softball. The girls will be starting at 6:00 and the boys at 8:00. The concession stand will be open, the kids can play at the park, everyone can visit and fellowship and it will be a blast! Definitely beats a bunch of summer reruns! The other thing I want to make mention of is a heads up for our kids. HEY KIDS! It’s Upward Football and Cheerleading! It will be starting in early October and running into November. I am so excited about the fun and good times we are going to have. The flag football will be available for boys and girls ages K-8. The cheerleading will go down to preschool. Of course we are on the look out for helpers, coaches, assistants, refs and concession people. Lots of opportunities to get your hands and feet involved in serving the Lord! Stay tuned for more details and how to get involved. And here is the best news yet! Jerry Pat Thurston has agreed to help us organize a Golf Scramble at the Egyptian Country Club in mid October that will allow us to drop our entrance fees substantially for all of our Upward mainistry. Even Soccer! Well I hope you can sense it…..You throw in Thanksgiving and Christmas and you have a Fall to remember.

And why is all of this so important? Friend, I can sum it up in one word……OUTREACH! Outreach to our friends. Outreach to our neighbors and Outreach to our families. All these fun things do help to make life better but I hope we all agree, the best thing is the Life that Jesus Christ offers. In everything we do this fall let’s strive to use it to point people to Christ. As I have been sharing lately, “JESUS is the ANSWER” regardless what the question is! My prayer is that we use all of this to reach out to those that don’t have the relationship with God that they so badly need. Caledonia has been and will be a place that takes JESUS to the people. And friend, that makes it an Exciting Place to be! Have a great fall and until Next month…..

I’ll See YOU in Church!

Bro. John

Greetings Church Family! Hope everyone’s summer is off to a good start.  So far the weather and the temperatures have been kind but I fear those days will soon be over.  Such is Summer in Southern Illinois.  As you are all aware, July brings with it one of this country’s oldest and most respected holidays: July 4th.  Like so many other holidays we celebrate, I fear that once again we get so involved in the “hoopla” of the celebration that we forget what we are celebrating for.  I would like to use the bulk of my newsletter article this month to refresh our memory.