Pine Cone Press
November 2024
Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 5340
1805 Pine Tree Road
Longview, Texas 75608
(903) 759-2685
Rev. Cindy Barton, Pastor
(442) 235-1393
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: https://www.pinetreecpchurch.org
From the Pastor’s Desk: “The Heart from which We Pray”
Has it ever seemed to you that God is not listening to your prayers? In desperate times, we offer desperate and persistent prayers… yet sometimes God seems silent. The prophet Isaiah received this vision from God concerning Judah and Jerusalem, the nation and the people to whom Isaiah spoke. God warned, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.” (Isaiah 1:15). I once experienced on a personal level what God warned Israel against: although I prayed fervently, God maintained a stony silence, and my prayers seemed ineffective. Although it was hard for me to see at the time, I now believe God’s silence reflected his displeasure with what I prayed; the sinful motive of my heart caused God to turn away from me. I recently read an article by Rev. Erwin Lutzer entitled “Desperate Times Call for Desperate Prayers” (Decision Magazine, October 2024). Lutzer suggested that when God turned away from the Israelites’ prayers, it was because they prayed with selfish motives and hidden sin in their hearts. David warned us in Psalm 66:18, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Our own sins, unrepented and hidden in our hearts, can steal the effectiveness of our prayers; only by repentance and the received grace of God can our hearts be restored. A beginning to our prayers – for ourselves, for others, for the church, and for our nation – must begin with confronting personal sin. Lutzer writes, “Effective prayer necessitates that we confess our helplessness and shortcomings to see beyond the crisis … to God, in his majesty and greatness.” To let go of human sins, such as pride, selfishness, unrepentance, and unforgiveness, allows us to choose God’s will over our own. Lutzer encourages us, “Let us come before Him individually and collectively with pure hearts, selfless motives, and a passion for God’s glory.” In this season of challenge for America and the world, let us pray earnestly for our nation and our leaders, beginning with a cry for God’s grace and mercy.
Thank You
Dear Session and Members of Pine Tree C.P. Church, my family in Christ,
Thank you so much for the thoughtful and generous gift I received on Pastor Appreciation Sunday. This year marks the 5-year anniversary of my ordination and also 5 years of service as your pastor. I am thankful to God for my call and to you for allowing me to serve in this church.
In Christ, Rev. Cindy Barton
Important Dates to Remember
Friday, November 1 All Saints Day
Saturday, November 2 Turn Clocks Back One Hour
At Midnight, gain an extra
Hour of sleep.
Sunday, November 3 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Communion
All Saints Day Observed
Tuesday, November 5 Election Day
Sunday, November 10 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Noon Meal
Monday, November 11 Veterans Day
Thursday, November 14 Session Meeting 1:00 P.M
Sunday, November 17 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Sunday, November 24 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Loaves and Fishes Offering
Tuesday, November 26 Bake Sale
10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving Day
Pre-Thanksgiving Bake Sale
Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church will hold a pre-Thanksgiving Bake Sale on Tuesday, November 26 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the church. Come by to purchase baked items for your holiday gatherings! For a donation, enjoy a hot bowl of soup served on-site. Fellowship and prayers are available for free! Donations of baked goods in support of this effort are much appreciated.
To the congregation of Pine Tree CPC:
I want to thank each of you for your prayers and caring during these many days of my husband's (Possum's) illness. His heart seems to doing well, but we are now facing not only continued feeding tube, but also aspirational pneumonia. He is being treated at home in the hopes that the pneumonia can be conquered without us being back in the hospital.
I also want to share with you what you already know, but stands being said again. Your minister, Cindy, is so wonderfully caring and loving. She has visited with us and shared God's word several times. She has also made delicious chicken soup to feed not only my physical body, but also my heart while we were in the hospital. Cindy is truly a blessing, and I thank you for sharing her with us.
Love to all,
Paula Hayes
Donating Gifts for Operation Christmas Child
It is time to collect items for filling our Operation Christmas Child boxes! Bring new items to the church before November 18. Gifts may be for a boy or girl ages 2 to 4, 5 to 9, or 10 to 14. Do include: fun and quality toys that fit in a shoebox, hygiene and personal care items, school supplies, and accessories such as socks, sunglasses, or flashlights with batteries. Please do not include food or edible items, liquids or lotions, breakable or glass items, aerosols, or scary or war-related items. For more detailed
suggestions come by the office or visit Samaratins Purse
