The community of Murphysboro was one busy place on October 31st. The football team had a playoff game, the Crimson Express traveled to a marching competition in Pinckneyville and of course the annual community Trunk of Treat that Berean participates in was happening that night.Shelly and I started off in Pinckneyville to watch one of the best marching bands in the region if not the entire state take the field. With precision they maneuvered all over the field. Their turns were sharp, their music seemed flawless and they moved as one unit, with one purpose. They did great!
As we were on our way to the marching contest we listened to the Red Devils football team on the radio. They roared onto Doc Bencini Field and moved the ball at ease against an outmatched opponent. The team
worked as one with the line blocking, the backs hitting holes and passing and receivers catching each pass 
that was zipped to them. The team was well coached, in great physical shape and were motivated to play at a high level. All of this resulted in a big win for the Devils, but more importantly a great season!
As a team they enter the field and as a team they win! We ended our long day at Trunk or Treat in the parking lot of Berean. And believe it or not we again witnessed some of the same attributes the Crimson Express and Red Devil football team had displayed. There was team work with everyone helping each other, we were highly motivated and we had one unified purpose. We also had a great leader in Laura Duncan and she deserves a lot of credit for pulling it all together.
Each volunteer found their spot and labored for the Kingdom. Whether handing out candy, keeping the trunks supplied with goodies, cooking popcorn or hot dogs, bringing food for the volunteers or countless other tasks,
each worked as needed for the Kingdom to reach out to our community. It was a well-oiled machine.
It made me feel good to see our church working together and working so hard. Too often Christians have
been reduced to a "me against the world philosophy" where we try to slug it out alone, but this is never the design that God had for the church. We are to come together and use our talents for Him as one unified body.
That was exhibited on Halloween. Yes, ultimately it was just a candy give-a-way, but you never know who was influenced in a positive way by the actions of those the gave their time, resources and talents. After all we are simply called to plant the seeds, it is God who makes those seeds grow. So thank you to all that helped out and demonstrated the body of Christ to the hundreds that showed up!