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Family
Lines Newsletter, January 12,
2003
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**A Time For Prayerfulness**
David
Chadwell
The times are evil. Nothing new! They
were evil in the first century (Ephesians 5:15-17). Most of us older
adults are accustomed to "evil days" characterizing people "over there."
That often meant countries who recognized no god or honored a strange god.
"Evil days" occurred in places desperately needing missionaries. We needed
to send them so their "evil days" could end.
No longer are "evil days" over there. They
are here. A man or woman chooses a spouse on the basis of passion, or
looks, or money. Little or no consideration is given to godliness.
Husbands and wives war against each other as if God did not exist.
Marriages are devastated by unimaginable expressions of faithlessness.
Children are great as infants, tolerated prior to adolescence, and a major
frustration as teens. "True friends" indulge with us in the pursuit of
passions. We trust them to enjoy and keep quiet about it. Life's
goals are material--possess, buy, acquire! Security is monetary with a
focus on this world and life. "What is it worth? Can I indulge
myself with it? Can I retire on it?"
Our great theological issues center on worship
forms, not lifestyles. Ironically, the epistles contain little information
about worship forms, but heavily emphasize lifestyles. Too many have more
confidence in church membership and attendance than in God's incredible
accomplishments in Jesus' death. In the church, spiritual priorities are
more likely to rest on our preferences than God's will. For many,
"restoration" is more concerned about American priorities in the 1900's than
Jesus and His first century priorities.
The result? People's lives descend at a
quickening rate into the chasm of despair. "What's wrong? I don't
understand! Fix it! Make my life happy, my family sound, my spouse
loving, or my child kind." In the almost forty-one years that I have
worked with the church full time, the anguish is constantly louder and
louder.
So we quietly teach, guide, and increase awareness
of godly (and ungodly) decisions and focuses. We try to "turn
on the light" that will increase understanding of God's light to the world --
Jesus. But even with what I do, what Brad does, what the elders do, and
what many of you do, we get further and further behind.
If ever there was a time to pray, it is now.
We desperately need godly men and women. Pray! We desperately need
Christians who love God more than themselves. Pray! We desperately
need Christians who learn from God to love people. Pray! We
desperately need to learn how to let God be God. Pray! Consequences
must not destroy us. Pray!
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**Teacher Needed**
Do you enjoy teaching "little
ones?" We need an additional teacher (for age three) to take a week of rotation
during Children's Worship. Call Nancy Dockery at 648-8060 if you can
help.
**LTC Announcement**
LTC Puppets and Drama will
meet this Sunday (upstairs) at 4:00 p.m.
**Ladyback Basketball**
We are traveling January
16th to a Southeast Conference game in Fayetteville (Florida vs. Arkansas).
Details and a sign-up sheet are in the foyer.
** 60+ Potluck **
A potluck is planned for
January 18th. Come and help us start a new year with a good
turnout.
**Homebound Ministry**
Remember to encourage one
of our shut-in members by a visit, a phone call, or a card.
* Frances Gilley,
Methodist Nursing Home, 1915 South 74th, Fort Smith, AR 72903, Phone:
782-2950.
* Waymon Griffin, Methodist Nursing Home, 1915 South 74th, #26D,
Fort Smith, AR 72903.
* Bertha Glover, c/o Pink Bud Nursing Home, Box 2000,
Greenwood, AR 72936.
**Peak of the Week is Back!**
"Peak of the Week"
has returned. Come and join us Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the
FLC.
**For All Ladies -- Married or
Single**
What do you know about the women mentioned in Titus 2?
Come
join us for the Ladies' Retreat, January 24 and 25.
Our speakers will
include: Martha Walker, Joyce Chadwell, Jane Fisher, Lenora Word, Jane Smith and
Vicki Hardin
There will also be a question/ answer session, and we have lots
of fun planned, too!
Sign-up sheet and maps at Library window.
"Teach the
older women to be reverent in the way they live ... to teach what is good ...
they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be
self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, to be subject to their
husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus
2:3-5
**David's Sermons**
Sunday Morning: The Tension
Factor
One of our elders , Joe Pistole, will extend the invitation.
Sunday
Evening: Jesus' Cross: Our Crisis
**GOT WORK?**
Let us help!
Mexico
Mission
Team Servant Day!
Saturday, February 1, 2003
You make a
donation - we do the work!
Wide variety of skills available!
Teen and
adult workers!
* Painting
* Cleaning
* Baby sitting
*
Computer skills
* Yard work
* Wash and wax cars
* Baking
* Simple
carpentry work
* Singing
**Happy Birthday**
January 6
Colleen Shirley
January 13
Reynda Allen
Florence
Cotner
January 15
Cathy Breedlove
Sandra
Pearson
January 16
Jay Arnold
Arista
Lindgren
January 17
Ollie Amos
January 18
Peggy Brazelton
Shirley
Walker
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**Remember In Prayer**
Paul Tucker is in Sparks
Hospital, room 433.
Nadine Hawkins has a severe case of shingles and may be
confined at home for a while.
John Hawkins has experienced some
heart-related problems and is wearing a heart monitor for 30 days.
Paul
Quenin is scheduled for surgery January 17th.
Wyatt Lowry, son of Erik and
Amy, had outpatient abdominal ultrasound and upper GI on Tuesday.
Louise
Cline, Helen Branum's sister was taken to ER Sunday and is now home.
Charles
Moss, brother of Bill Moss, is in St. Edward Hospital with pneumonia and
congestive heart problems.
Louise Howard is scheduled for knee surgery
January 9th.
Betty Porter fell and broke her foot. She is wearing a cast for
about four weeks.
Prayer has been requested for David Barnett of Spiro, who
has cancer.
Continue to pray for Anita Maxwell, Erma Beshears, Sandy Berger,
Virgil Kirchner, Kathy Bauer, Vicki Varvel, and Sandy Thurman.
**Prayers for Mission Work & Travel**
John
Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley returned to France this week.
Jerry Canfield
leaves for Nigeria at the end of the month.
Thomas & Kindy Kweekul are
going to Thailand.
Deborah Wilson is going to visit with our missionaries
in Thailand.
Jim Wilson will visit in Thailand and
travel on to work in Ethiopia.
**Bereaved**
Linzel and Joyce Hutson, former
members at West-Ark, have each lost a brother recently. Holman (Buck) Hutson
lived in Jonesboro, AR, and Charles Snyder lived in Naples, FL. If you
would like to send cards, Joyce and Linzel's address is 2608 Teresa Drive,
Newport, AR 72112.
**Notes of Thanks**
We want to thank you for the
cards, food, visits, and prayers during my husband's and father's illness and
eventual passing. It is comforting to know how much people care.
In
Christian love,
Betty & Ronnie Ransom
Dear West-Ark Church of Christ,
Thank you so
much for the red silk carnations and white forget-me-nots that you sent for
Ruth's funeral service. Ruth had been unable to attend church for a while, and
so your thoughtfulness at this time is especially
appreciated.
Sincerely
The Larry Edwards Family
To my Church Family,
I want to thank everyone
for the many acts of kindness during the recent loss of Robbie. My special
thanks to Dale Brown, Roy Dunavin and Brad Pistole for a very special
service, the ladies that prepared and served the meal, the flowers, cards,
visits, and especially your prayers were deeply appreciated.
In
Christian love,
Cecil Knight
Nieces and Nephews
Dear West-Ark,
Thank you for the calls, cards
and prayers in my time of sickness.
In Christian love,
Aline
Phillips
I want to express my appreciation to all who
assisted me during my medical emergency Sunday morning.
Louise
Cline
**Congratulations**
... to Britney Beard who
recently graduated from Texas A & M with a BS in Animal
Science!
**New Van Fund Drive**
Many ministries have the
need of reliable transportation. We would like to purchase another van to be
utilized by our various ministries. Donations may be given to any staff member,
elder, or BMT member.
** "His Needs, Her Needs" **
A new class is now
forming!
Call Mat Griffin (452-1472) or Paul Shirley (632-4458) to
register.
Strengthen Weak Marriages
Fine Tune
Good Marriages
Rebuild Broken Marriages
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad
Pistole
"The Blessed Life"
One of my friends has a
saying. I think I should share it with you. We all seem to be in the habit of
walking past other people and saying, "How are you?" And it seems everyone's
typical response is always, "Fine. How are you?" To which we always reply
"Fine."
However, when my friend is approached with the
question "How are you?", he always responds the same way: "I'm too blessed to be
distressed." Isn't that a great attitude for life? He realizes that he's far too
blessed to be distressed about the "little distractions" that come our
way.
This past Tuesday night, 12 of our teens and my
daughter, Autumn, all piled into a van about 5:30 p.m. We went to pick up Aubrey
Walden, 97 years young, to take him out to eat supper. We had such a great
time!
Aubrey is a blessing to us. He helps us put life in
perspective. He helps us remember that our world has not always been like it is
today. He is a gift to us and we enjoy our time with him. He helps us all
realize that "we are too blessed to be distressed."
After our time with Aubrey, we went back to the
building for Teen Bible Study. We were supposed to meet from 7-8 p.m. but we
ended up staying til 9:30 p.m. because the teens were hungry for more.
I want to invite any teen or parent to join us for
supper and Bible Study each Tuesday night. We meet for supper at 5:30 and we
have Bible study from 7 until we finish. Come join us and realize how blessed
you are and how you need to return those blessings to others.
We will be leaving the annex at 4 p.m. this Sunday
afternoon to go to Rogers, AR for Sunday Night Live. Supper will be provided at
no cost to you and we will return by 9:30 p.m.
**Nursery Schedule**
Infants
Trish Carson
Jane
Dunavin
Morgan Dunavin
Toddlers
Jon Huff
Liz Huff
P.M. Nursery
Marquetta Walker
Molly
Walker
**Schedule of Services**
Sunday Worship
(10:30)................664
Sunday Classes (9:30) .................
445
Sunday Evening (6:00)...................305
The Way (4:00)
................................51
Spanish.............................................26
Wednesday
Worship (7:00)............173
Sunday Contribution
................$20,987
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