Rev. John Bressler - Be the friend, the shepherd to all you meet

Updated: Apr 27, 2025, 1:32 PM

Published:

Now what? Easter is over, put away the Sunday-going-to-meeting duds, say goodbye to the relatives who ate up everything in the house, get ready for an afternoon nap and dreading Monday morning traffic; stock market woes, political excuses for a job not very well done and same-o same-o.

Wait now, John, what about those disciples? In the Gospel of John – especially in chapter 20, which I believe is what could be called the first conclusion – little is said about the disciples and their future and more importantly, the purpose of this work is very clear in verses 30-31. Now comes a new ending which gives us a powerful and well-written conclusion. Literary folks and stage folks would call chapter 21 an epilogue, which is presented to the audience to explain or answer some questions and add some insight. Old Shakespeare did this a lot. "For never was a story like this of Juliet and her Romeo."

Chapter 21 tells us that Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael and a few others were, most probably, sitting on a log or messing around with their old boat by the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). These guys were fishermen by trade and since they didn't seem to be very motivated, they figured, "Not much going insofar as our being called to be missionaries, so what are we supposed to do?"

Simon Peter said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going fishing. Look! Here's our boat, oars, nets and there's the lake. Anybody interested?

"Simon, move out of the way. We're going, too!"

They fished all night and didn't catch squat. That is biblical slang.

These fishermen must have been close to shore, because some stranger called out, "Caught anything? No? Well, you're putting your nets out on the left side. If I were you, I'd toss those nets on the right side. Give it a try."

You folks who like to fish get the message. When you're using your favorite lure, bait or technique and not doing much more than catching a cold, you'll take advice from anyone. Right? How wide was their boat? Well, my info says about eight feet wide from port to starboard. The nets are tossed to starboard and catch so many fish, the men are overwhelmed! The stranger was quickly recognized. "It is the Lord Jesus!"

When they reached shore, Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."

Remember what I wrote about last week? "Thou hast prepared a table before me..." Now comes the lesson.

"Simon, do you love Me more than fishing and eating?" Jesus used the word "agape" for love.

Simon replied, "Yes, Lord. You know that I love you." Simon used the word "filia" for love.

Jesus asks Simon a second time, "Do you love Me?" The word is agape.

Simon answers, "Yes, I love You." His word is filia.

Jesus asks a third time, "Simon do you love Me?"

This time, Jesus uses the word filia and Simon answers with the word filia. Now, some theologians believe that Jesus is allowing Simon to receive forgiveness for his having denied Jesus three times. Perhaps.

Bear with me. The Greeks were very precise with their language – unlike us – because there are four Greek words for love. While we may say, "I love you, my cat, my favorite ball team, and the list goes on. But we use the same word love without the preciseness. Agape translates as divine or unconditional love. Philia describes friendship, mutual respect, the love between friends. See the difference?

Jesus came to Simon, not as an unapproachable divine being, but as a close and caring friend. This, Simon could understand. Jesus said, "Simon, as a friend, I ask you to be a shepherd to My world. Feed the hungry, protect them and see to their every need."

This is the word for the days ahead. Be the friend, the shepherd, to everyone you meet.

Thanks, God!

Visit Statesboro launches ‘Sip & Soar’ to highlight downtown open cups zone

Features specially designed, optional cups for participating places that pour

Special to-go cups, featuring artwork by Visit Statesboro's visitor center Manager Murphy McRae, depict the exterior of "Sip & Soar" participating establishments in the downtown Statesboro open container exemption zone. These cups are optional, but the requirement for paper or plastic cups of 20 ounces or less is part of the city law.

Special to-go cups, featuring artwork by Visit Statesboro's visitor center Manager Murphy McRae, depict the exterior of "Sip & Soar" participating establishments in the downtown Statesboro open container exemption zone. These cups are optional, but the requirement for paper or plastic cups of 20 ounces or less is part of the city law.

From staff reports

Published: May 3, 2025, 2:14 AM

Without promoting drinking on the streets in general, Visit Statesboro has launched a “Sip & Soar” campaign to highlight the fact that alcoholic beverages in paper or plastic cups can legally be taken outside of eating and drinking establishments in a limited, ordinance-defined area of downtown Statesboro, as long as rules are followed.

Nearly five years have passed since City Council approved the ordinance that makes this possible, and it took effect immediately, in July 2020. Visit Statesboro, the destination marketing organization long known as the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, issued a media release May 2, 2025, announcing the Sip & Soar initiative and including a map of the designated “open container area.” A bird in flight is part of Visit Statesboro’s logo, and the organization already used references to “soaring” in its marketing efforts.

“We just wanted to make it clear to everyone, and that’s one reason why we included the map,” Visit Statesboro President and CEO Becky Sanders told the Statesboro Herald. “We just want everyone to enjoy the benefits but also follow the rules.”

Its own webpage

In addition to issuing the map and media release and giving the initiative its own webpage, https://sipandsoar.com, Visit Statesboro is partnering with eating and drinking establishments in the open container area to provide them with “exclusive, custom-designed to-go cups.” The cups feature original artwork by Murphy McRae, Visit Statesboro’s visitor center manager, whom Sanders called “an amazing graphic artist,” with tiny sketches of the participating establishments’ exteriors, plus a QR code to sipandsoar.com.

These cups are optional and “purely for fun,” but are also meant to “help ensure that everyone, from locals to visitors, knows exactly how to enjoy the open container area safely and responsibly,” the release stated.

Key rules of the zone

● No Glass or Aluminum Beverage Containers: Only paper or plastic cups are allowed.

● Container Size: The cup must be 20 ounces or less.

● Age Requirement: Of course, people must be 21 years or older to drink or be served alcoholic beverages.

● No-Go Area: The Bulloch County Courthouse and its grounds, being county property, are not part of the city’s open-container area, and drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the courthouse grounds.

That last point may be important for people to bear in mind during special events such as the city-sponsored Downtown Live concerts, when eating and drinking establishments in the area may be serving adult beverages, but there’s more of a family atmosphere near the courthouse.

Also, as was pointed out five years ago when the city “open container exemption zone” ordinance amendment was adopted, the Georgia law prohibiting possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in the passenger area of a motor vehicle remains in effect in the city’s zone, as does, of course, the law against driving under the influence. Being a pedestrian under the influence is also a state law violation if a person’s behavior threatens the safety of others or occurs in a roadway.

The city ordinance section, 6-17(k), also restricts establishments in the zone from selling more than one alcoholic beverage in a to-go cup per person age 21 and up.

Visit Statesboro has included the text of the ordinance section on the sipandsoar.com site.

That site also gives these landmarks for the open container zone’s boundaries:

To the South you should turn back before you pass the Methodist Church.
To the West don’t wander too far past the Post Office.
Walking to the North you should stop just beyond the Bulloch County Courthouse.
To the East you can walk to Eagle Creek Brewery and the Boro Art Park, but not beyond.

Sanders noted that another organization, the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, led in advocating for the ordinance amendment’s passage.

“Their leadership has helped ensure the open-container area enriches downtown’s welcoming atmosphere while preserving a safe, family-friendly environment,” she said.

The release also quoted Justin Samples, Visit Statesboro’s vice president of marketing.

“We are thrilled to highlight this unique city ordinance and invite everyone to experience downtown Statesboro in a unique and exciting new way,” he said. “The Sip & Soar campaign not only educates our community about the open container area but also supports our local businesses, encouraging a lively, safe, and enjoyable downtown atmosphere.”

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