MURRYSVILLE ALLIANCE CHURCH (MAC)
Spring - Summer 2015
OUR MISSION: Our purpose within the Alliance Veterans is to love God, and to love others, as we focus on Jesus as the
author of our faith. We reach out to veterans in order to teach what is right, and to demonstrate God’s love in a practical way.
We are interested in helping, not only veterans, but their families as well.
MEETINGS: 7 p.m. the 3rd Monday each month. INFORMATION: 724-327-7206 or www.murrysvillealliancechurch.org
DEVOTIONAL: PATRIOTISM DEFINED
Taken from “In God We Still Trust” by Dr. Richard G. Lee,
Copyright 2010.Used by permission of Thomas Nelson.
www.thomasnelson.com. All rights reserved.
“The men of Judah … remained loyal to their king.”
2 Samuel 20:2
Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English
Language, 1828: Patriotism, n. Love of one’s country; the
passion which aims to serve one’s country, either in
defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and
maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity.
Patriotism is the characteristic of a good citizen, the
noblest passion that animates a man in the character of a
citizen.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh
Edition, copyright 2004: Patriotism, n. Love for or devotion
to one’s country.
Note how the definitions have changed. With its objective
actions, Noah Webster’s patriotism is very different from
the vague, subjective patriotism of one who only feels love
for his country. True patriotism is not just an emotional
feeling; it is action.
Webster’s original definition starts with a love for country,
but moves to specific actions: service to country,
protection of the rights of the country, maintenance of the
laws and institutions of the country, and preservation of
religion and morality in public and private life. This kind of
patriotism puts the needs of the country above personal
or partisan desires, as well as above the favor of foreign
nations.
Patriot’s Prayer: I love my country, Lord, and I ask You to
protect us from harm. Be with those men and women in
each branch of service. Guard us all in Your Name.
Patriot’s Promise: Hear God’s promise: “The Lord
commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the
Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve
us alive, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 6:24)
VETERAN SPOTLIGHT – PAUL STAMPO: Paul Stampo grew
up in Penn Hills and enlisted in the Army in 1972, serving
as a missile crewman during an 18-month tour in
Germany. After his discharge, Paul worked with his dad in
appliance repairs before moving on to a job with Security
Systems of America, where he installed
security systems in homes and businesses
for 13 years.Today, Paul is self-employed
with his own appliance repair business.
He and his wife, Lynn, have been married
since 1999 and live in Plum. They have
four children and six grandchildren. Paul, 63, has been
riding motorcycles since he was 16 and currently owns two
Harley Davidson bikes.
RECENT/UPCOMING EVENTS:
 A pasta lunch was prepared and served by the
MAC deaconesses for vets and spouses April 26.
 The Freedom Run to Mahaffey will be July 19.
 The Christmas stocking "sew-in" is scheduled for
Aug. 13 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at MAC.
 The Veterans Healthfair will be Oct. 3 at MAC.
VETERAN RESOURCES:
 Terri Perciavalle is the contact person for Veterans
Advocacy and can be reached at 412-259-8939.
 Help for veterans is available through the
Veterans Leadership Program. For more
information, contact Chelsea Stone at 412-6002179.
 Learn about the Alliance Veterans ministry at
our website,
www.murrysvillealliancechurch.org.
MILITARY HUMOR: There was a sign posted in an Army
recruiting station that read: “Marry a veteran, girls. He can
cook, make beds, sew and is already used to taking
orders.”