Michael Ross, the outstanding minister for the Cross Lanes, West Virginia Church of Christ, has a wonderful summary of his end-of-summer activities, including a paragraph regarding our recent seminar on Missional Ministry.

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Are you ready for some football?

Tonight, the NFL season kicks off in the Steel City with an AFC tussle between the defending World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the upstart, revitalized Miami Dolphins.

Now, one of the really weird nuances of life on the West Coast is the fact the game begins here at 5:30 p.m. The first Sunday games begin at 10:00 a.m. here -- right about the time I am working toward the conclusion of my sermon.

Best I can tell, moving west greatly inhibits NFL watching...except on Monday night. While all you guys back east struggle to stay awake until midnight for the conclusion of the game, we on the West Coast receive the blessing of a 9:00 p.m. finish.

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How many fantasy football players do we have among us?

This is year number 9 for me in a fantasy football league with a great group of guys from West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky.

If you want to cheer for my team -- "The Big Nasty Cats" -- you can do so by cheering loudly tonight for Willie Parker, running back for the Steelers and Jason Taylor, defensive end for the Dolphins. The better those two do statistically, the better the Big Nasty Cats do.

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I woke up this morning with this hymn in my heart. Hope it blesses you today as much as it has me:

Tis So Sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take him at his word
Just to rest upon his promise
Just to know, 'Thus Saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus how I trust him
How I've proved him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
O, for grace to trust him more.