CHURCH
Sunday School lesson -
Song of the Vineyard
| Isaiah 5: 1-7
v Our studies for this winter quarter
?are in the book of Isaiah. We are
? presently in a unit study under the
heading "The Messianic Hope." The
scripture given for today's lesson is
in the fifth chapter of Isaiah.
In last week's lesson, taken from
the first chapter, God, through His
spokesman Isaiah, stated the case
which He had against Israel. It was
indeed a scathing denouncement.
Do we see a parallel in the way peo
ple lived in the day of Isaiah, some
700 to 750 years BC, and the way the
population of the world lives today?
A great segment of the people live as
though there will be no tomorrow, no
thought for the future, nor that there
will be a day of reckoning when man
will be judged.
Billy Graham said recently on one
of his telecasts that one world could
sum up the attitude of the bulk of
Society and that word is "fear."
? ] Recent news stories indicate that
there is a scramble in the world for
power, for wealth and for control of
nations of people, on a scale that the
world has not known before. It's in
siduous in nature and seems to
disregard the very existance of God.
The first 39 chapters of Isiah
describe to us God's attitude towards
an errant people. These were His
chosen people and they were guilty of
sin, idolotry and disobedience. It is
necessary for people to keep in mind
that the God who uttered these words
in Isaiah's day is the same God who
rules the universe today.
He has not change^. The scriptures
say that "though heaven and earth
shall pass away, His Word will stand
forever." God still pleads with people
today to lead righteous lives just as
He did with the Israelite nation.
A Love Song
With a Sad Ending
Isaiah 5: 1-2
The vineyard spoken of in these
verses is the nation of Israel. He
likens the vineyard as set in a very
fruitful land, planted with the
choicest plants and well cared for. It
should have produced the best of
grapes but it did not.
It brought forth wild grapes, small
and harsh flavored. Why is this? Why
had Israel not brought forth the
resulatant produce that God had in
tended for them?
God had chosen this people and
brought them out of Egyptian
slavery, had given them Canaan, a
land flowing with milk and honey,
cared for them daily, giving them
security from pagan nations, and had
given them inspired leaders.
But, alas, she was sinful and
disobedient, and, except for times,
was unproductive for the Lord. God
was distraught with her.
The Call For a Verdict
Isaiah 5:3-4
These verses pose a question. What
went wrong? "Why Israel, what
copuld I have done more for you than
I have done?" God is calling on the
inhabitants of Israel to judge His
actions."
Wherin does the guilt lie? The
vineyard brought forth wild grapes
when it was destined to produce good
grapes. That's the case, it has been
presented and it is now time for a
verdict. People cannot continually
lead sinful lives with impunity, and
without consequences .
r.i
The Deplorable Consequence
Isaiah 5:5-7, h >
i ;
Read these verses for tfye full story.
Israel has gone too far. G^d has given
the people ample opportunity to
repent and cnage their ways, for He
is a merciful and forgiving God.
So in these verses the message
ends with stark relity for those who
will not repent and who scorn God's
offer of forgiveness ? they must
endure the conseqeunces.
The vineyard (Israel) would be
ruined, laid waste. The story is sad
for the situation could have been
reversed had the people been so
inclined. In another time in Israel's
history, the people of Judah asked
what it was that God wanted from
them.
The prophet Micah gave the an
swer in a clear and concise manner.
What God wants from His people is
for them to live justly, to have
mercy, and to walk humbly before
their God.
Governor proclaims 1984 as
bicentennial for Methodists
North Carolina Governor James B.
Hunt Jr. will issue a proclaimation in
the old Senate Chamber of the
Capitol in Raleigh at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 3, declaring 1984
is the bicentennial year of
Methodism in the Tar Heel state.
! Bishop William R. Cannon,
resident bishop of the Raleigh area of
the United Methodist Church, will
represent Methodist in North
Carolina during the ceremony. Other
Methodist officials will attend the
ceremony.
The Methodist Gpiscoapl Church
was founded in America on Dec. 24,
1784, in Baltimore, Md. under a plan
by John Wesley for ordaining
preachers. The first annual con
ference of a church realted to the
Wesley tradition was held in North
Carolina in 1785.
Five churches in t"he
Methodist/Wesley tradition have
joined to form the Pan-Methodist
Group for celebrating the 200th an
niversary of the first denomination to
be organized in America.
The five denominations are the
United Methodist Church, the
African Methodist Episcopal Church,
the African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Church, the Christian Methodist
Episcoapl Church and the Free
Methodist Church of North America.
The five churches have an in
clusive membership of 14 million
with the United Methodist having the
largest membership with 10 million.
Methodists in North Carolina
number over 600,000 who worship in
Dear friends,
The burden of making
funeral arrangements during
the stress of bereavement
can overwhelm a grieving
widow.
Relief from this chore can
be provided by prearranging
the funeral service. Either
a modest or an elaborate
funeral can be specificed.
A trust fund, earning inter
est to keep pace with infla
tion, can be set up with a
local back or savings &
loan. We offer to explain
the procedures at Swindell
Funeral Home.
Respectfully,
SWINDELL
FUNERAL HOME
HERTFORD, NX.
42*7311
over 3,000 congregations. United
Methodists number approximately
500,000 in North Carolina. African
Methodist Episcopal, African
Methodist Episcoapl Zion, and
Christian Methodist Episcopal
members number over 100,000.
North Carolina is divided into two
conferences of the United Methodist
Church, the North Carolina Con
ference and the Western North
Carolina Conference.
The North Carolina Conference,
with offices in Raleigh, consists of 56
eastern North Carolina counties with
845 churches and about 213,000
members. The Western North
Carolina Conference, with offices in
Charlotte, consists of 44 western
counties with 1,165 churches and
about 277,000 members.
Call Anzie at 335-1570 or
264-2572 (after 5 p.m.) for
a shop or home appointment
and let her tell you how we
personalize each monument
we sell.
Have you though! about choosing
your families memorial now *vhile all
family members are still together7
The feeling of togetherness can be
preserved forever in a family memor
lal. It can be a great source of com
fort and satisfaction to know that
your choice has been made in ad
vance of need More and more
families today perfer to select their
own monument together Should
you desire, we can custom design
a memorial according to your personal
specification.
Why not call us for an appoint
ment today so you can make your
memorial decision together.
A word from . .
. . Mt. Sinai
I have stopped making New
Year's resolutions, well at least
until I finish with 83's, 82's and
81's.
It is good to set goals. God
often calls for us to remember
the past. It is foundation for the
present. If the decisions you
made in the past have kept you
from God's blessings, perhaps
you should resolve to understand
God's will for your life. Learning
God's will, will come most easily
by prayer and Bible study. We
must develop a communication
with God. Also, we must develop
a communication with God.
Also, we must study what God
expects from us in Christian
lifestyle.
Being in God's will is like be
ing on vacation and getting paid
too. It is not uncommon to
receive a bonus when you l?KJSt
expect and need it most.
Seek God's will for your life
this year. If I can be any help
please call.
Answer last week, Gen. 25:1.
When did God change Abram's
name to Abraham?
George Wilmore, Pastor
Mt. Sinai
So. Baptist Church
NOTICE
All property subject to Ad
Valorem Taxation shall be
listed annually as prescribed
by law.
The regular listing period will
begin on Tuesday, January 3(
1984 and end on Tuesday,
January 31 r 1984.
List during the regular listing
period and save ten per cent
penalty.
Belvidere Township
Mine Byrum, List Taker
Belvidere Community Building
Hartford Township
Oras Winslow, List Taker
Courthouse, Hertford
Bethel Township Parkvllle Township
Mrs. Charles Ward, List Taker Anna Newbern, List Taker
C.R. Ward's Store Wintall Community Building.
Dates & Times for these Townships are:
Mori.
Tues.
Wed.
Thurs.
Fri.
3
8:30 5:00
S at.
4
8:30-5:00
5
8:30-5:00
6
8:30 5:00
7
8:30-1:00
11
8:30 5:00
12
8:30-5:00
13
8:30 5:00
14
8:30-1:00
18
8:30-5:00
19
8:30 5:00
20
8:30 5:00
21
8:30-1:00
25
8:30-5:00
26
8:30 5:00
27
8:30-5:00
28
8:30-1:00
30
8:30-5:00
31
8:30-5:00
NEW HOPE TOWNSHIP
Melvin Eure, List Taker
Durants Neck Fire Dept. (DN FD)
Inter-County Fire Dept. (ICFD)
NOTE: Listing at 2
places.
DATES AND TIMES FOR THE
NEW HOPE TOWNSHIP ARE:
January
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.
30-ICFD
4:30-9:30
31 ICFO
4:30 9:30
25-ICFD
9:00 5:00
12-DNFD
9:00 5:00
190NFD
9:00 5:00
26-ICFD
9:00 5:00
6 ONFD
9:00 5:00
13DNFD
9:00 5:00
20-DNFD
9:00 5:00
27-ICFD
9:00-5:00
7-DNFD
9:00-5:00
14-DNFD
9:00 5:00
21 DNFD
9:00-5:00
28-ICFD
9:00 5:00
Machinery Act of 1971, G.S. 105-308, duty to
list; penalty for failure
Every person in whose name any property is to be listed
under the terms of this sub-chapter shall list the property
with the tax supervisor or proper list taker within the time
allowed by law on an abstract setting forth the information
required by this sub-chapter.
In addition to all other penalties prescribed by law any
person whose duty it is to list any property who willfully fails
or refuses to list the same within the time prescribed by law
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to
exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment not
to exceed six months. The failure to list shall be prima facie
evidence that the failure was willful.
Any person who removes or conceals property for the pur
pose of evading taxation or who aides or abets the removal
or concealment of property for the purpose of evading taxa
tion shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine
not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment
not to exceed six months.
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR ELDERLY AND/ PERMANENTLY
DISABLED PERSONS
G.S. 105-277.1 excludes from property taxes the first eight
thousand five hundred dollars ($8,500) in assessed value of
certain property owned by North Carolina residents aged
65 or older or totally and permanently disabled who dis
posable income does not exceed nine thousand dollars
($9,000). The exclusion covers real property occupied by the
owner as his or her permanent residence and 'or household
personal property used by the owner in connection with his
or her permanent residence. Disposable income includes all
moneys received other than gifts or inheritances receive from
a spouse, lineal ancestors, or lineal descendants.
KEITH W. HASKETT
Perquimans County Tax
Supervisor