Friends and Members:

Today I received an interesting e-mail from Keo Cavalcanti who is a Professor of Sociology at James Madison University and a friend. It was apparently sent out to his general e-mail list.

The e-mail included an article from The Guardian, which is a newspaper in England. The article shared The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, which were taken from a book written by Bronnie Ware who is an Australian palliative care nurse who has spent many years counseling the dying in their last days of their lives. These are those five regrets:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. This came from every male patient and they missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Often they would not realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits.

There is more to the article but it ends with this question.. “What’s your greatest regret so far, and what will you set out to achieve or change before you die?

(If you would like me to forward the whole article to you just let me know)

OPPORTUNITIES (http://www.bethlehemstonechurch.com)/

Thursday – 6:45 pm –Hand Chimes Choir, 7:30 pm –Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, February 5th- 9:30 AM –Bible Study –Zechariah –Chapters 14

                         10:30 am –Worship   Scriptures –Psalm 147:1-11,20c, NT –I Corinthians 9:16-23 Sermon-“All Things To All People”    Youth Message-OT Book of Numbers

                                            Celebration of Communion

Thursday, February 2nd – 4-6 pm –Shenandoah Assoc. Church and Ministry Committee Meeting –Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, Feb. 8th –10 am – Ladies Cutting Fabric for Rag Rugs at the church.

Monday, February 13th –7 pm-Church Council

Tuesday, February 21st – 6 pm –Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Wednesday, February 22nd – Ash Wednesday-First Day of Lent

Sunday, February 26th – Confirmation Class after church.

Sunday, March 4th –First Lenten Soup Luncheon

Thursday, April 5th –7:30 pm – Maundy Thursday Service

Sunday, April 1st – Palm Sunday and Reception of New Members

Sunday, April 8th –Easter Sunday Services- Sunrise Service will be held on the steps of the Stone Church beginning at 6:30 am followed by breakfast in the Fellowship Hall.

Sunday, October 7th –Homecoming – Committee being formed. Call Earl Shirkey to volunteer.

Proverb for the coming week: “The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.” Proverbs 10:8

Peace and Blessings, Bob Edwards, Minister