READERS' EXCHANGE

 

We have been meeting for some time in my home as a free Church of Christ. Others within driving distance are certainly welcome. We meet at 10:30 Lord’s Day morning. —Lowell Cook, 1804 S. Sycamore, Palestine, TX 75801.

We are caring for five orphans in our home. As soon as there are funds we shall start a permanent building. Can you or your church come into partnership with us in this work? Can you kindly recommend this work to other brethren who can help? — Ernest Udom, Box 1710, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, West Africa

Second Class postal rates are now 40 percent higher than in December 1985. Newslog, Associated Church Press

Even though postal rates continue to climb, even to incredible levels, which makes it difficult for publications like this one, we are hopeful of keeping our sub rates at present levels. — Ed.)

Even though I am no longer a member of the 6th and Izard Church of Christ, I am still vitally interested in what happens to the remaining members of that congregation. Because of what I could see was taking place there, I decided to leave and go, instead, to the First Christian Church on Mississippi Avenue. Until now, I have remained silent about the reasons for leaving, but the enclosed article by Brother Leroy Garrett, Editor of Restoration Review, best describes why I finally decided to leave. — Clint McDonald, Little Rock, AR

(This brother mailed the article “Freedom Riders in Little Rock,” which appeared in the February issue of this journal, along with a letter, quoted in part here, to the members of the church he had left. It is not our intention to encourage our concerned but frustrated members to leave the Church of Christ but to stay and take a stand for “the glorious liberty of the sons of God,” which was the point of the article referred to. But I realize that the reasons for staying with the Church of Christ are sometimes the reasons for leaving, so each of us must march by the drumbeat that he hears. I would only remind our people who long for change that as a rule changes are wrought from within more than from without. And the ruling precept for us all is that Love suffers long, which we can see perfectly and gloriously in Him whose we are and whom we serve. — Ed.)

We are now working much harder than for several years. Much of it is manual labor and we get so tired we can hardly walk. Last Thursday Nell gave away 51 blankets, 10 pillows, a great many groceries, 23 women’s winter coats. We also provided a number of men’s lined jackets and 11 pairs of shoes. The people took about 200 garments from the racks. All of this has to be sorted out, separated and straightened up when they leave. We were open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for give aways on Wednesday and Thursday. Fortunately I am free from cutting grass, shoveling snow, and general upkeep since we are in an apartment, but I notice one thing. We are almost completely isolated from brotherhood hassles and squabbles. I am talking with and counseling alcoholics, drug users and people with marriage problems. — Carl Ketcherside, St. Louis MO