When it comes to elders, they are referred to by three different names. These are not three different offices, but one office with three interchangeable names that indicates their position or role. Elder – speaks to a man’s spiritual maturity. Shepherd or Pastor – speaks to man’s role in caring for the church. Overseer or Bishop – speaks to a man’s role in managing the church. A good example is Acts 20:28: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” The same could be said of 1 Peter 5. Verse 1 – “I exhort the elders.” Verse 2 – “Shepherd the flock.” Verse 2 – “exercising oversight.”

Randy Smith

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
		Basics, Bouillon, Masterchefs, New york, Tfs	8	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2	c	Water, cold
1	md	Onion, sliced
1		Carrot, sliced
1		Celery, stalk, sliced
1		Leek, (white part only), trimmed and sliced (opt)
3		Fennel, stalks, (opt)
1		Thyme, sprig, fresh, OR
1	pn	Thyme, dried
		Dill
1/2	ts	Salt
4		Peppercorns, white

INSTRUCTIONS

For Court Bouillon:
===================
Place water, onion, carrot, celery, leek, fennel, thyme, dill,
salt and 4 peppercorns in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover and
simmer for 25 minutes.  Strain, and reserve the liquid.
Source:  New York's Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine
:  Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland
:  The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985
Chef:  Seppi Renggli, The Four Seasons Restaurant, New York
Owners:  Tom Margittai, and Paul Kovi
Pastry:  Bruno Comin
File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mm-gc-ny.zip

A Message from our Provider:

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord. #John MacArthur”

Here are some reasons it is okay to celebrate Christmas: 1. The day itself is not really the day Christ was born. Nobody actually has the exact day down, but most believe it was not during this time of year at all. Probably it took place in the spring, not on a “cold winter's night that was so deep.” 2. Diversity over the years has taken away much of the “Romish” flavor to the holiday. Our Catholic friends do as they wish on the night before and the day of Christmas, that is granted. But we do not have a state church. There are so many other ways Christmas is celebrated that no one really thinks about it the way the Puritans did so many years ago. The problem is not so acute because of so many years of varied expressions. At least this is true in our part of the world. 3. God can be honored in gift-giving and generosity as well as in singing carols and telling the story. They’re both important if done in the right spirit. We don't have to make something spiritual out of giving gifts. You may make a birthday cake to Jesus if you wish, but you don't have to. We do need to be Christian, however, about everything we do. Emphasizing the giving part of the day can heal lots of wounds, open calcified hearts, stir up gratefulness, and just be plain fun. God's not against fun is He? 4. There may be better things to be different about. In other words, we might show our radical difference better in the way we treat other shoppers, the kindness we show to retail clerks, the warmth of our hearts, the largeness of our generosity, the thankfulness we express and really feel. 5. There are admittedly some great opportunities to make Christ known during Christmas. With all that is bad about it, we can still make our point. And we will have some sympathy for our message. For years I've led Christmas Eve services, short ones of only 45 minutes, but packed with meaning. The building will be full and all kinds of our friends and family will hear the truth as clearly as we are willing to express it.

Jim Elliff