"A Ban on Death?"
by Tom Goodman
November 1, 2006

Did you read about the mayor of a French Mediterranean town who banned local residents from dying?

Gil Bernardi, mayor of Le Lavandou on the coast 15 miles west of Saint Tropez, introduced the ban after a court rejected his plans to build a cemetery in a tranquil setting by the sea.  He told his townspeople that, until he could find somewhere else to bury them, they were not to die.

Of course, the decree was a publicity move by a politician trying to overcome a court ruling.  It made its way around the world as an offbeat news item.

I’m sure residents “obeyed” his tongue-in-cheek edict for a while.  But death can’t be ordered away by decree, and I’m sure several residents have unwillingly violated the order since it was issued in 2002.

Dying is an inevitable part of living.  So far, your chance of dying is at 100 percent.  Healthy choices and medical intervention can delay our death but nothing can ultimately prevent it—not even a politician’s order.

That’s why it’s so good to be able to declare that line from the Apostles Creed:  “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.”  To Christians, death is not the last word in our life story!

This Sunday’s sermon will focus on that hope.  This week, read chapters 20-22 of The Anchor Course to learn more about our eternal destiny.  Then join us this Sunday at 9:30am or 10:45am for this important study.  To catch up with the series, listen online (iTunes or website).  To learn more about the book that accompanies this sermon series, read the introduction by clicking here or check out the website at www.AnchorCourse.org.  Remember:  Everyone who attends gets a free copy of the book.

Also, with Christmas approaching, do you need additional copies of The Anchor Course for gift-giving?  You don’t have to pay shipping if you buy your books from our current supply.  You can purchase additional copies for $13 in the lobby on Sundays or in the office during the week.  The price we’re currently charging is an introductory price.  The cost will go up in the new year, so get your additional copies now while supplies last.

Finally, a big “thank you” to all who brought people with you last Sunday!  We had several people profess faith and express interest in joining, and we are following up on those decisions now.  Keep up the great work of letting people know about the life-changing experiences you’re having at Hillcrest!

—Tom


Important News

Get an iMix of Praise Music!  Here's how to get more familiar with the worship music in the Bold service and enjoy it throughout the week.  Get an "iMix" at iTunes called "Hillcrest Bold Gold (Volume 1)."  By clicking on the hyperlink, you will find contemporary recording artists singing ten songs that our Hillcrest Praise Band leads us to sing.  If you don't have iTunes on your computer, when you click Hillcrest Bold Gold (Volume 1), you will be directed to download your free copy of iTunes.  Once you have the program on your computer, you can listen to 30-second clips of the 10 songs in the iMix.  You can then choose to download the entire mix for $9.90 or select individual songs from the mix for $.99 each.  You don't need an iPod to enjoy songs downloaded on iTunes.  Even without an iPod, you can listen to the songs on your computer, or you can burn audio CDs from iTunes if you have a CD burner connected to your computer.  We'll create a "Hillcrest Bold Gold (Volume 2)" iMix in a few weeks.  Send me your suggestions about what you want on it.

Links to Your World

Since “the life everlasting” is this week’s topic for your reading and for our Sunday sermon, you might want to check out Randy Alcorn’s article, “From Eternity to Here.”