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Family
Lines Newsletter, November 24,
2002
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**Allowing God To "Set Me Apart" For Him**
By David
Chadwell
In a letter to the church of God at Corinth, Paul wrote: To
the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in
Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
What a strange thing to write to those Christians! Were
"to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus" and "saints by calling"
appropriate to the situation? After all, they had divisions (1:10); had
sexual immorality in the congregation (5:1); had lawsuits among them (6:1, 2);
had marriage issues (7); had fellowship issues (8); had serious worship problems
(11-14); and questioned their resurrection (15).
How could Paul possibly refer to them as people "who have been
sanctified in Christ Jesus" and "saints"? How could that be
appropriate?
Early in the same letter, Paul wrote: But by His doing
you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and
sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO
BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31)
They were in Christ Jesus by "God's doing." They were
not in Christ because God could not do without them. They were there
because they could not do without God. God was not indebted to them.
They were indebted to God.
What God did for them in Christ was wisdom (God's, not
theirs), righteousness (making them just before God), sanctification (making
them holy), and redemption (the act of ransoming from slavery). The wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption did not result from their
achievements, but from God's accomplishments for them in Christ.
Any honest look at those Christians blatantly screams that
they had major spiritual struggles. In their confidence in their
accomplishments, they were spiritual failures. They argued about
meaningless things. They treated each other horribly. They engaged
in ungodly competitions. They reflected God's influence in their lives
terribly.
Their Christian confidence could not be in what they did for
God. Their confidence must be in what God did for them. Even though
they were far less than God wished them to be, what [in His wisdom] He did for
them allowed them to be the sanctified and redeemed. Did they need to grow
and mature? Absolutely! However, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption would never be their rewards for perfection. Those always were
the result for what God did for them in Christ.
Every Christian struggles. Struggles do not make it
impossible to belong to God. A Christian grows toward what God made him or
her in Christ. God's mercy and grace in Christ are never earned, only
appreciated by those who accept them.
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**Wednesday Night, November 27**
Bible classes will not
meet on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. We will all assemble in the
auditorium for a time of closeness and devotion.
**Peak of the Week**
"Peak" will not meet Wednesday,
November 27 (the week of Thanksgiving).
**Teacher's Meeting**
There will be a Teacher's Meeting,
Sunday, November 24, at 5:30 p.m. in room 100 for Sunday morning and Wednesday
night teachers of two years old through 1st grade. The new
curriculum will be distributed. If you have any questions, call Misty
Floyd.
**Life Group Leader Training**
Anyone interested in
becoming a LIFE group leader can attend training Sunday, November 24, from 3 - 5
p.m. in room 203.
**Caring for our Shut-in and Homebound Members**
Being
homebound or in a nursing home can become quite lonely. This week make a visit,
a phone call, or send a card to someone on the list.
Pearl Beam, 1114 North 5th, Fort Smith, AR 72901 (782-8734).
Pearl is able to attend some services.
Bobbye Ferrell, 3204 South 32nd, Fort Smith, AR 72903 Phone:
646-9649
Ruth Edwards, 10812 Old Harbor Road #2, Fort Smith, AR 72903,
Phone: 452-7594
Frances Gilley, Methodist Nursing Home, 1915 South 74th, Fort
Smith, AR 72903, Phone: 782-2950
**Welcome Lynn Dickey!**
Our West-Ark secretarial staff
works under the direct oversight of the Business Management Team. For some time,
the BMT has looked for someone to coordinate the secretarial responsibilities.
Lynn Dickey has been hired to assume that responsibility beginning December 2nd.
Ordinarily, her hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. We
are delighted to welcome her to the staff!
**Office Holiday**
The church office will be closed for the
Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 28 & 29. There will
not be a newsletter next week (the week of Thanksgiving).
**Mission Sunday Contribution**
The goal has been met!
$181,312
Thank you West-Ark, for demonstrating
your love for others, both
far and near!
**Guyana Medical Mission**
June 7-15, 2003
We need your
help.
First team meeting will be
Sunday, November 24,
7 p.m. in room
100.
**Patriotic Dinner for 60+**
Hosted by Brad and the
Teens
Saturday, November 23
at 6:00 p.m. in the FLC.
**Family Devotional Night**
Friday, November
22,
in the Family Life Center
for Grades 6 and down
Notice the Time Changes!
6:30 - 7:15 Devotional
7:15 -
8:00 Parent Meeting
Parents: At our meeting we will
discuss the various
programs
for our children and how
we can be more effective.
Please
mark your calendars
and plan to be a part
of the discussion.
**Happy Birthday**
December 1
Lynn Dickey
Carolyn Griffin
Savanah
Logan
Robert Loudermilk
Jeff Tucker
December 2
Kathy Glidewell
Patrick Haworth
Ralph
Smith
Doyle Wright
December 3
Bruce Coleman
Kyle Haworth
Tracy
Risley
December 4
Ashley Blasdel
Azia Blasdel
Esther
Gunn
December 6
Thomas Kweekul
Kevin Strong
Charles
Wilson
December 7
Emily Glidewell
Christy Hesslen
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**The
Wonder Working Power of Prayer**
Bill Moss is at St. Edward Hospital. Doctors have
installed a heart pacemaker and defribilator. One of his lungs was punctured
during the procedure, but Bill is doing well. He will probably be dismissed by
the weekend.
The latest report from Virgil Kirchner is that he has
wide-spread cancer. Dorotha says treatment is promising at this point. Virgil
began chemotherapy treatments Wednesday.
Eleanor Casey saw her doctor again Monday. Her shoulder is not
separated. She has a tear in the rotator cuff and needs to give her arm and
shoulder plenty of "TLC."
John Richards is homebound for a while. He has a torn ligament
below the right knee.
Debbie Payne is in St. Edward, room 3523. Debbie works for
Flood Janitorial in our church building.
Nathan Naylor (Donna Lindren's nephew) broke his foot on a
4-wheeler. Some of the teens may know him. He is in the 9th grade and helped
John Lindgren lay our new carpet.
Kathy Gibson (daughter of Lynn Peters) is having her second
surgery on a broken elbow.
Continue to pray for Helen Branum, Anita Maxwell, Erma
Beshears, Sandy Berger, Kathy Bauer, Vicki Varvel, and Effie Roper.
**Sympathy**
Bruce Hunnicutt, a friend of the Harper
family, died Monday at St. Edward Hospital. Several from West-Ark have visited
with him while he was in the hospital.
**Baptisms**
We rejoice with those who were baptized this
week!
Stephanie McClendon was immersed into Christ on November 14.
Stephanie's address is 9509 Houston, Fort Smith, AR 72903.
Gary Nolasco, the son of Oscar and Alicia, was baptized
Wednesday evening by his father. Gary's address is 2114 South M, Fort Smith, AR
72901.
A woman from our Hispanic congregation was also baptized
Wednesday evening. Her name and address will be published in the next
bulletin.
**Change of Address**
Lance Haines
2115 Valley
Lane
Fort Smith, AR 72901
Phone: 783-9643
Brian & Shelly Perkins
4375 Fawn Trail
Greenwood, AR
72936
Phone: 996-2687
Anita Maxwell
1701 Fianna Way
Fort Smith, AR
72908
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear West-Ark family,
Thank you for all the cards, phone
calls, and the beautiful peace lily plant you sent in behalf of my sisters'
death (Agnes Work and Tula Hughes). It has been a rough 2 1/2
months, but with your prayers we can get through it. The prayers means so
much to us.
In Christian Love,
Bennie Hedrick
Gary and Nancy
James
Thank you for your cards of sympathy after the sudden loss of
my brother, Durell Putman. We can be comforted in knowing others care.
Thanks, David, for your visit and prayers.
In love,
Paul & Marlene
Tucker
**Ladies Retreat Sign-Up**
Please mark your calendar for
the Ladies' Retreat in Morrilton on January 24 & 25. The sign-up sheet is on
the Library window.
**No Ladies' Christmas Party**
There are no plans for a
ladies' Christmas party this year. If anyone would like to put one
together, please call the office to list it on the calendar.
**Wedding Invitation**
Annis Kaye Sanders and Ronnie Joe
Sanders
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their
daughter
Shawnda Leeann to Bart Kenneth-Barrett Jones
on Saturday,
November 30th
at six-thirty in the evening
West-Ark Church of
Christ
**3rd Annual West-Ark Family**
Thanksgiving
Dinner
Thursday, November 28
at 1:00 in the FLC
The last two years,
some members at West-Ark
who do not have families coming for "turkey day"
have pooled their meals and enjoyed food, fun,
fellowship, and games.
Anyone who would like to come
is invited. We need to know if you are coming
and what
you plan to bring. A sign-up sheet is posted in the
foyer!
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**Family
Life Ministry**
By Brad Pistole
This past week was amazing! God is clearly at work in our midst. We rejoice
with Oscar and the new Spanish congregation as they studied with and baptized
four people this past Tuesday.
Then, I baptized one of our teens, Stephen Tomlin, Wednesday night after
services. I have watched Stephen continue to grow since he went with our mission
team to Mexico this past summer. I am thankful for Stephen, his family, and for
his commitment to Christ. Dick and Emma Adams are the happy grandparents.
We also rejoice this week with Stephanie McClendon, Shelby Breedlove, and
their families. They both recently made the choice to be baptized and they have
committed their lives to Christ. May we all rejoice and continue to encourage
these new Christians.
Special News
Congratulations to Ben Neal, Molly Walker and John Berger
who recently received All-Region honors for Choir. We are proud of you!
I want to take this final opportunity to invite all of our 60+ members, our
elders and their wives, and all of our teens and their parents to our annual
Teen/60+ dinner. The dinner will take place this Saturday,
November 23, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. I hope to see
you there!
**In the Nursery**
Infants
Berniece Rogers
Sharon Faries
Joanne Davenport
Toddlers
Sue George
Kristin Smith
P.M. Nursery
Marjorie Blake
Bennie Hedrick
**Schedule of Services**
Sunday Worship (10:30)................
664
Sunday Classes (9:30) ................. 427
Sunday Evening
(6:00)....................306
The Way (4:00) .............................
46
Spanish..........................................18
Wednesday Worship
(7:00)............ 365
Sunday Contribution ................$15,665
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