A True Friend

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Proverbs 18:24
(The Message)

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

At one time, the Sydney Swans were the laughing stock of the Australian Rules football league because they had the worst record, the worst players, the worst coach, and the worst fans. Needless to say, most of their games were played in front of empty stands. But something strange happened. The team got a new coach and a few new players and began winning. Suddenly, everyone was a Swans fan, and the stands were filled to capacity at nearly every game. On one such occasion, as TV cameras captured the joy and excitement of the crowd, one zoomed in on a man holding up a homemade sign that read, I WAS HERE WHEN NOBODY ELSE WAS!

Scripture tells us that "A friend loves at all times," setting the standard by which we should choose our relationships (Proverbs 17:17a). Fair-weather friends are easy to come by, but those relationships that are built on agape love are a rare find and a treasure to be sure; they will stick with you through thick and thin, not just during a winning season.
In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. [John Churton Collins]

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. (Of guaranteed origin of course.)

Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What’s a light bulb?

Sheridan Community Chorus

The rehearsals have shown that the choir members have been working with their PracticeTrax cd's. Thank you!

This year's musical is one of the most difficult pieces we've ever done.

Keep up the great work.

The choir members wishing to car-pool to St. Joe's in North Tonawanda on 12/9 should be in the Sheridan United Methodist parking lot prior to 12:30 pm.

Attire is black (bottom) and white (top). Christmas colors used to accessorize. (Never thought I'd use that word, huh?)

Bud

Bud's World

Just Wondering:

Why is “abbreviation” such a long word?

Why is it called “rush hour” when nothing moves?

Why is it called “after dark” when it’s really “after light?”

Why is it called “lipstick” if you can still move your lips?

Why is it that night falls but day breaks?

Why is it called a hamburger when it’s made out of beef?

Why is it, when a door is open it’s ajar, but when a jar is open, it’s not a door?

Why is it that when you transport something by car, it’s called a shipment,
but when you transport something by ship, it’s a cargo?

From the Choir Loft

What an uplifting experience it is to worship the Lord in song. You probably feel your spirit soar as you sing the powerful hymns of the church each and every Sunday morning. Why not take the next step and join our choir. It doesn’t take much time and hardly ever hurts. Sunday mornings following the morning service for about 15 minutes…and Tuesday evenings for half an hour (6:45 – 7:15 PM).
ONLY 3 WEEKS LEFT UNTIL OUR CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: ‘NOEL.’

Glory Be Unto the Father

Walking by, a minister saw his 5-year-old son and playmates find a dead robin.
Feeling that a proper burial should be performed, the children had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Sonnn... and into the hole he gooooes."

Today in history

1983 – The world’s greatest robbery (25 million lbs. of gold) from Heathrow, England
1976 – OJ Simpson gained 273 yards with Buffalo Bills against Detroit Lions
1971 – “D.B. Cooper” jumped out of a plane over Washington State with $200,000
1963 – John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery
1957 – President Eisenhower suffered a mild stroke, impairing his speech
1947 – The “Hollywood 10” were blacklisted for failure to cooperate w/Congress
1884 – J.B. Meyenberg received a patent for evaporated milk
1867 – Alfred Nobel patented dynamite
1783 – During the Revolutionary War, the British evacuated their last military post (NY, NY)
1715 – Sybilla Masters granted an English patent for the cleaning & curing of “American corn”

Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: tubamanbud@gmail.com
www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com

History of the Hymns

‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ (1854) Page 211
Words translation: John Mason Neale (1818 – 1866)
Music: Thomas Helmore ( 1811 - 1890)
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a prayer that anticipates the coming of Christ to this earth. His coming as the Messiah (“deliverer”) was first prophesied in the sixth century BC, when the Jews were captive in Babylon.
For centuries thereafter, faithful Hebrews looked for their Messiah with great longing and expectation, echoing the prayer that he would “ransom captive Israel.”
Jesus Christ the Redeemer—capstone of man’s longing through the ages—is addressed in the first stanza of this hymn as “Emmanuel.” The title comes from the well-known Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Immanuel is Hebrew for “God with us.” The “Rod of Jesse” refers to Isaiah 11:1: “Then shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse.”
From beginning to end, all the stanzas of the hymn remind us of Christ’s first advent, and project our attention to His Second Coming.

Meanwhile…1854…153 years ago…in the United States…
President: Franklin Pierce…V.P.: William R. King

The Republican Party was founded to oppose slavery
John Phillip Sousa (The “March King”) was born in Washington, DC
Abraham Lincoln made his 1st political speech at the Illinois State Fair
George Eastman (inventor of the Kodak camera) was born in Waterville, NY
Charles Miller of Conn., patented the 1st sewing machine to stitch buttonholes
The 1st street-cleaning machine in U.S. was used in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The US Congress declared: “The great and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divining truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Erie County Savings Bank was established by William Bird (Bird Island named for him)
260 people die in one week in Buffalo during the 1854 cholera epidemic

Ref. HymnHistories Cyberhymnal WebEdelic DMarie TanBible Wikipedia BuffaloHistory.com

Thanksgiving Divorce (Joke)

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says,"I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this."

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way."

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is no chorus rehearsal tonight (11/22/07).

Sheridan Community Chorus Christmas schedule

Upcoming Sheridan Community Chorus concerts...

Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 3:00 PM
St. Joe's R.C. church
1451 Payne Avenue
North Tonawanda, NY 14120 (716) 693-2791
Father Louis Dolinic

Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 7:00 PM
Sheridan United Methodist church
2679 Route 20
Sheridan, NY 14135 (716) 672-2048
Pastor Molly Golondo

Tuesday, January 8, 2008 @ 7:00 PM
Lake Shore Nursing Facility
845 Routes 5 & 20
Irving, NY 14081 (716) 951-7032

Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Holy Trinity R.C. church
1020 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048 (716) 366-2306
Father David B.

12 Reasons to be thankful you burnt the bird (Joke)

1. Salmonella won't be a concern.
2. Everyone will think your turkey is Cajun blackened.
3. Uninvited guests will think twice next year.
4. Your cheese broccoli lima bean casserole will gain newfound appreciation.
5. Pets won't bother to pester you for scraps.
6. No one will overeat.
7. The smoke alarm was due for a test.
8. Carving the bird will provide a good cardiovascular workout.
9. You'll get to the desserts even quicker.
10. After dinner, the guys can take the bird to the yard and play football.
11. The less turkey Uncle "You-Know-Who" eats, the less likely he will be to walk around with his pants unbuttoned.
12. You won't have to face three weeks of turkey sandwiches.

Bud's World

Thanksgiving One-Liners:
IF APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS, WHAT DO MAY FLOWERS BRING?

Pilgrims!

IF THE PILGRIMS WERE ALIVE TODAY, WHAT WOULD THEY BE MOST FAMOUS FOR?Their AGE

WHY CAN'T YOU TAKE A TURKEY TO CHURCH?

Because they use such FOWL languageWHY DID THE POLICE ARREST THE TURKEY?

They suspected it of fowl play

From the Choir Loft
Do you still consider Thanksgiving to be a part of Christmas? When I was growing up, my mother made us wait until Thanksgiving Day to start playing Christmas music, and we had to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to put up Christmas decorations. Now, the radio stations start playing Christmas music well before Thanksgiving Day (it almost starts on Halloween), and all the stores and shopping malls are all decked out at least a week before. If you have your thanksgiving at your home, is your tree up already and your lights on? Do you play Christmas music during the meal? Once Santa comes by at the end of the Macys Parade...that’s the official kick off to the season for me! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Thanksgiving Dinner Prayer:
A 4-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before a Thanksgiving dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, and the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won't he know that I'm lying?”

Today in history
November 18
1990 – ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ opened at Gershwin Theater in NYC
1963 – Bell telephone introduced the push-button telephone
1961 – President John F. Kennedy sent 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam
1928 – Walt Disney’s ‘Mickey Mouse’ debuted in the movie ‘Steamboat Willie’ in NYC
1902 – Brooklyn’s Morris Michton named the teddy bear after President Teddy Roosevelt
1894 – The 1st newspaper Sunday color comic section published by New York World
1805 – Lewis & Clark reached the Pacific Ocean & became the 1st Americans to cross the continent
1793 – The ‘Louvre’ officially opened in Paris
1307 – William Tell shot an apple off his son’s head

Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: tubamanbud@gmail.com
www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com

History of the Hymns

‘Come, Ye Thankful People, Come’ (1844) Page 694
Words: Dr. Henry Alford (1810 – 1871)
Music: Sir George J. Elvey (1816 - 1893)

This hymn (originally with 7 verses) addresses the common theme of harvest festivals, called in England the “Harvest Home,” which is celebrated in English churches usually during the month of September. A thanksgiving service would be held in the church, where the bounty of the harvest is collected, displayed with the fall trappings of pumpkins and autumn leaves, and then dispensed to the needy. And, of course, unlike the humanist that is essentially grateful only to himself, a true Harvest Home celebration acknowledges the provision of God, as did the Pilgrims in 1621, and the ancient Hebrews in their Feast of Firstfruits in the spring on the first day after Passover at the time of barley harvest.
While the first verse chiefly addresses the theme of thanksgiving, the last three verses deal with the theme of final harvest in the judgement of the world as paralleled in Christ’s parables of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13: 24-30), and the parable of the seed springing up without the sower knowing of it (Mark 4: 26-29.

Meanwhile…1844…163 years ago…in the United States…
President: John Tyler…V.P.: None
· The University of Notre Dame was chartered
· Charles Goodyear began “vulcanizing” rubber
· The 1st dental use of nitrous oxide in Hartford, Ct.
· The safety pin and adhesive postage stamps were invented
· America’s premier composer, Louis Gottschalk, was refused entrance to the Conservatory of Paris because as an American, “no American was good enough!”
· Thousands risked life & limb on “The Oregon Trail”
to settle the fertile lands of the Pacific Northwest
· Methodist minister, Elijah White, led 1st wagon train of over 100 persons to Oregon
· The Rochester-Tonawanda Railroad built a spur finally linking Buffalo and Albany
· A 14 foot seawall broke in Buffalo, NY drowning 78 people

Ref. HymnHistories Cyberhymnal WebEdelic DMarie TanBible Wikipedia BuffaloHistory.com

The movie patron (Joke)

A man lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh theater. When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the man, "Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat." The man groaned but didn't budge. The usher became impatient. "Sir, if you don't get up from there I'm going to have to call the manager." Again, the man just groaned, which infuriated the usher who turned and marched briskly back up the aisle in search of his manager.

In a few moments, both the usher and the manager returned and stood over the man. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move him, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police.

The cop surveyed the situation briefly then asked, "All right buddy, what's your name?" "Sam," the man moaned. "Where ya from, Sam?" With pain in his voice, Sam replied, "The balcony."

TODAY'S THOUGHT:

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

Clear conscience (Joke)

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Carolyn Dobony is a Grandma!

Andrew James arrived this morning (11/8/07) weighing in at 7lbs. 12 oz.
Everyone is doing fine!
Congratulations Carolyn! (And, of course, Mommy & Daddy)

The Miracle (Joke)

A mangy looking guy who goes into a restaurant and orders food. The waiter says, "No way. I don't think you can pay for it." The guy says, "You're right. I don't have any money, but if I show you something you haven't seen before, will you give me the food?" "Deal!" replies the waiter.

The guy reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a hamster. He puts the hamster on the counter and it runs to the end, across the room, up the piano, jumps on the keyboard, and starts playing Gershwin songs. And the hamster is really good. The waiter says, "You're right. I've never seen anything like that before. That hamster is truly good on the piano."

The guy downs the hamburger he ordered and asks the waiter for another. "Money or another miracle," says the waiter. The guy reaches into his coat again and pulls out a frog. He puts the frog on the counter, and the frog starts to sing. He has a marvelous voice and great pitch. A fine singer.

A stranger from the other end of the counter runs over to the guy and offers him $300 for the frog. The guy says, "It's a deal." He takes the three hundred and gives the stranger the frog. The stranger runs out of the restaurant.

The waiter says to the guy, "Are you crazy? You sold a singing frog for $300? It must have been worth millions." "Not so," says the guy, "the hamster is also a ventriloquist."

Sheridan Community Chorus

It's not too late to sing with us in our two Christmas concerts.

We have three regularly scheduled weekly chorus rehearsals...

Tuesdays: 7:15 - 8:30 pm [We have church choir rehearsal 6:45 - 7:15 pm (why not join us?]

Wednesdays: 7:30 - 8:30 pm

Thursdays: 7:00 - 8:30 pm

I am also willing to work with singers on Sunday evenings

No excuses! We need you!

Concerts:

Sunday, December 12/9/07 @ 3:00 pm @ St. Joe's R.C. church (1451 Payne Ave. N. Tonawanda, NY)

Sunday, December (12/16/07) @ 7:00 pm @ Sheridan United Methodist church (2679 Route 20 Sheridan, NY)

Bud's World

A compendium of pontifications:

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
A thief fell and broke his leg in wet concrete. He became a hardened criminal.Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

Ways a church choir director tells someone they can’t sing:
“I’m sorry, we’ve run out of choir robes.”
“We still need good people for the handbell choir.”
“You have a unique range – you hit both notes well.”
“Did you know there is a new Bible study starting the same
night as choir practice, I think you’d get a lot from it.”

Wit or Wisdom
“Life is a compromise of what your ego wants you to do,
what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do.”
~ Bruce Crampton
“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
“Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God
will come to know God because they know you.”
~ Unknown
“A narrow mind and a wide mouth usually go together.”
~ Unknown
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
~ Will Rogers

Today in history November 4

1980 – Ronald Regan defeated President Jimmy Carter in a landslide presidential election
1973 – New Orleans Saints got their 1st shutout victory defeating the Buffalo Bills 13 – 0
1952 – Dwight Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson becoming the 34th U.S. President
1939 – The very 1st air conditioned automobile (The Packard) was exhibited in Chicago
1924 – Nellie Taylor Ross was elected the 1st female governor in the U.S. (Wyoming)
1884 – Grover Cleveland, from Buffalo, defeated James Blaine for his 1st Presidential term
1879 – James Ritty patented the 1st cash register to combat the thieving bartenders in his Ohio saloon
1842 – Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Illinois

Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: tubamanbud@gmail.com
www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com

History of the Hymns

‘Rescue the Perishing’ (1869) Page 591
Words: Frances “Fanny” Jane Crosby (1820 – 1915)
Music: William Howard Doane (1832 - 1915)
Fanny Crosby was sixty years old when she visited Chicago’s Bowery Mission for the first time in 1880. She little dreamed that it would provide the inspiration for one of her most popular religious poems.
When asked to speak at the close of the service, she rose and said, “There may be a man here who has gone as far as a man can go. If he is present, I want to shake hands with him.” A man did come forward, and finally accepted Christ as Savior.
Following that initial visit, Fanny Crosby brought many lost souls back into the joy of the Kingdom of God. On another evening that same year she gave this invitation, “If there is a lad here, who has wandered from his mother’s Christian teachings, I would like to pray with him at the altar at the close of the service.”
A young man came forward and they prayer together. He rose from his knees with a new light in his eyes, and said, “Now I can meet my mother in heaven for I have found her God.” Later a friend remarked, “Isn’t it wonderful what these rescue missions are doing?”
Fanny could hardly wait to get home to her desk and begin writing. —Ernest K. Emurian

Meanwhile…1869…138 years ago…in the United States…
President: Ulysses S. Grant…V.P.: Schuyler Colfax
Gambling was legalized in Nevada
The waffle iron was patented in Troy, NY
Charles Elmer Hires sold his 1st root beer in Philadelphia, Pa.
The 1st college football game was played (Rutgers vs. Princeton)
George Westinghouse patented the steam power brake
Thomas Edison patented the electric voting machine
Dr. Thomas B. Welch, a wine steward at a church,
“pasteurized” grape juice to produce unfermented wine.
Major General William F. Rogers was mayor of Buffalo
The “skew” arch on Jackson Street in Silver Creek was built

"Friendship"

You can make more friends in a month by being interested in them
than in ten years by trying to get them interested in you.
-Charles Allen

Sheridan Community Chorus

Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!
Listen to your PracticeTrax everyday.
This is the most efficient way to learn your part.