Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith

Joys and Concerns from Sunday Morning

• The Lord miraculously moved in a work situation (anonymous)
• Prayers for a niece fighting cancer (anonymous)
• For the Mitchell family in Kentucky who lost their preemie daughter, Briley Maria (Lynn Berner)
• For Mary’s recovery from a hospital stay—Bob White and family
• For Cindi and Charlie Klukis, whose FB page had this:  Our little grandson met Jesus yesterday morning…there are no words right now.  We appreciate all your words of comfort and prayers…Please continue to be with Matt and Megan as they navigate the upcoming days.  (from Kendall Brettschneider)

This Week

• I will be in Sullivan all day Tuesday and all day Wednesday this week.  Several of the hours are already spoken for, but I always welcome a chance to talk with anyone from the church.  Give me a text or call 217-898-3148 or an email:  jms754@gmail.com
• The Tuesday “show up and eat dinner with us” gang will be at Benny Gill’s (61 Dewitt, Mattoon) tomorrow night at 5:30.  Everyone welcome.

Statistically Speaking

Ryan Burge is a pastor who loves statistics and passes them on in a daily blog.  Here was what he discovered and posted earlier today on people’s belief about evolution vs. creationism.  He noted three common beliefs of people:  1) people who believe that everything was created exactly according to the dates and order recorded in the Bible—taking the Bible literally (creationists), 2) people who believe that God is behind all creation—but that creation does not follow the literal timeline of the Bible (intelligent design) and 3) those who believe that everything was created by natural order and accident (pure evolutionists.)

Among the general public:

33% believe in pure evolution—no God involved

48% believe God is the creator—but not exactly according to a literal interpretation of the Bible

17% believe in creationism—the literal interpretation of the Bible

Among people of various religious beliefs, the numbers play out this way:

(First number is pure evolution, second number is intelligent design (God), third number is creationism—literal interpretation of scripture)

Evangelical Christians:  6/65/26

Black Protestants 12/67/19

Catholics 24/55/17

Mainline Protestants (including United Methodists) 23/61/13

Orthodox  23/53/23

Mormon 8/73/17

Muslim 18/6317

Buddhist 58/26/14

Hindu 51/34/18

Jewish 64/23/10

Non-religious 66/21/11