-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family
Lines Newsletter, October 26,
2003
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**An Encouraging or Discouraging
Experience?**
By David Chadwell
A few days ago I was part of a group
conversation. The topic: recent discouraging contacts with retail/service
outlets. The focus: frustrations occurring because of unhelpful,
unresponsive service personnel. Numerous incidents were used to illustrate
frustrations. Why were people frustrated? The reasons included (1)
no help was offered; or (2) service personnel showed no interest; or (3) a
customer with a specific request was ignored; or (4) there was no awareness of
the customer's time restraints.
Certainly, I realize it is a "two way"
problem. Expectations may be unreasonable. One may bring his/her
frustrations with him/her. Patience may be in short supply. A
legitimate business problem may exist that prohibits the anticipated
response. The service personnel may have no "people skills" and interact
poorly with people.
I have no interest in debating the problem. I
hope we have interest in learning from the problem. When caring people
show real concern and appreciation for others, it makes a lasting
impression. That impression creates future opportunities.
A congregation is in "the people business."
We are not in that "business" to sell, or to exploit, or to manipulate, or to
"fake" concern. We are in that "business" to bring people closer to a
caring God. People are touched by God's caring when they are touched by
our caring. When people worship with us, the last thing we should want is
to be anonymous. The next to the last thing we should want is for a
visitor to leave feeling anonymous.
Chris Benjamin arrives November 3rd, and his family
moves later that month. The elders want him to focus on getting acquainted
with you. Help him and Karen! Wear your name tag EVERY time you
come.
You do not have a name tag? Tell us! We
will make you one. You lost your name tag? Tell us! We will
make you one. You have not placed membership? We would love to have
you! We will wear name tags for you if you will wear one to help
us!
We need two things. (1) Names for making
tags. (2) Members who wear name tags. This Sunday we will have
people stationed at each exit to receive names of those needing tags. If you do
not have a name tag, give one of those persons your name. We gladly will
make the tag! Please wear it!
Do it for Chris and Karen! Do for each
other! Do it to reflect our God who cares!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Spotlight On Adult Education**
By Christy
Hesslen
Contact: Kevin Roberts
The Adult Education at West-Ark consists of
Sunday morning and Wednesday evening classes. We are very blessed in this
congregation to have many qualified teachers. Kevin Roberts is the contact
person over Adult Education. In turn, the elders approve of the curriculum and
what is being taught and discussed while in class. In talking to Kevin, he
emphasized that much of the success of the Sunday morning and Wednesday evening
adult classes was largely due to the talented persons who teach and write
materials for our lessons. Kevin is encouraged that many people do attend these
classes, but stressed that the greatest need is to have even more people in
Bible class on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Greater participation is
always encouraged. The goals of these classes are to produce spiritual growth in
individual Christians and to form meaningful relationships with our brothers and
sisters in Christ. There are many different types of classes that try to
fulfill and meet those goals. At this time, there are both textual studies
classes and classes that follow a written curriculum. A new Christians'
class is often taught as the need arises. The elders and Kevin Roberts welcome
any suggestions and comments one may have on Adult Education classes. Thanks so
much to those who teach, write, and help to oversee this ministry. May we
be disciples of Jesus who are eager to serve others!
**LTC Announcements**
* LTC Elementary Chorus
will practice upstairs, Sunday from 5:00-6:00 p.m.
* LTC Service Challenge
will meet at the Annex this Sunday, October 26th, at 2:00 to go to Methodist
Nursing Home for a visitation. We will return to the Annex at 4:00.
*
Parents need to come by Room 126B and check participant's events.
* Coaches
need to come by and pick up the 2004 Rules for their event.
* Sign-up for
the trip to Tulsa. Registration fee of $30.00 is due for each participant by
Nov. 30th.
**Time Change**
Don't forget: turn your clocks
back 1 hour Saturday evening before going to bed.
**GATEWAY News**
Bethany Brown won the Grand
Prize for the Birth of John and Jesus rotation. Congratulations, Bethany.
We're proud of you!!
The memory verse for the new rotation on The
Baptism and Temptations of Jesus is:
And immediately coming up from the water
He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
Then a voice came from Heaven saying "you are my beloved Son in whom I am well
pleased" (Mark 1:10-11).
**Happy Birthday**
October 26
Farrell
Graves
Shirley Washburn
October 27
Amy Burger
Lee J.
Farris
October 28
Sue Hastings
October 29
Bo Mason
Jay Wood
October 30
Kate Burkett
Terry
Overbey
October 31
Frances Quenin
Katie
Russell
Katie Selby
Chris Benjamin (See the note below from his wife,
Karen.)
**Note from Karen Benjamin**
Chris' birthday is
October 31. I know he'd love to get cards from our new family members
blessing him as he gets ready to move on Nov. 1st. Thanks for all the
updates. It's helping me to get a sense of the congregation and getting to
know names and happenings. I can't wait to move and get plugged in!
We're ready. Our address is:
Chris Benjamin
57 S Calla
Lily Ct
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
**Our Information Center Coordinator is Sara
Dockery!**
Our thanks to Sara for volunteering to coordinate the new
information Center in the foyer. If you want to use one of the new bulletin
boards for a ministry or event, please contact Sara at 648-9266.
**David's Lessons**
Morning: We Travel to Our
Future By Walking Through the Past
Evening: 4th Sunday Night Singing and a
Fellowship Meal in the FLC!
Please bring
desserts!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Remember in Prayer**
* Maile McDonald had a
difficult chemotherapy treatment this week at Children's Hospital. Doctors kept
her at the hospital Monday-Thursday so they could control nausea and keep her
hydrated. So far, she is doing good!
* Elizabeth Gardenhire fell this week
and has a broken arm.
* Paul Newhouse (father of Cathy Breedlove) is in a
Little Rock hospital. The family requests your prayers.
* Trucilla Surratt
(mother of Kathy Rosalez) had surgery Monday to install a subclavian IV.
She began chemotherapy treatments this week.
* Janet Jackson will have a
gamma knife radiation treatment on December 12th in Little Rock (one treatment
is all she needs).
* Oneta Love is in Sparks Hospital, room 646.
* Melvin
Burge is in Sparks Hospital, room 544.
**Continued Prayers**
* Vicki Varvel (daughter
of John and Nadine Hawkins)
* John Hawkins
* Joan Jenkins (mother of
Kerry)
* Frankie Dunavin (mother of Roy)
**Sympathy**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to Larry & Janice Prater and Shanna Davis in the death of Theo Prater,
Larry's mother and Shanna's grandmother. Funeral services were Monday in
Amarillo, TX.
**New Addresses**
Todd and Adriane
Martin
1106 Short 10th Street
Barling, AR 72923
Linda Shanks
1002 9th Street
Barling, AR
72923
Phone: 452-3445
**Note of Thanks**
Words cannot adequately
express the depth of our appreciation for the many acts of kindness shown to our
family in recent days. We have been comforted and blessed by your floral
offerings, calls, cards, and especially your prayers. May the Lord bless each of
you in a very special way.
Ann, Leslie Ann & Eric
Holland
**"Nametag Sunday"**
People will be at every entrance
this Sunday morning to see who needs a nametag. If you have a nametag,
please wear it. If not, please stop and make sure we get your name on our list.
It is much appreciated!
**Wednesday Ladies' Class**
We'll have a potluck
lunch following Bible class next week.
**Car Clinic** will be November 1 at the Annex,
from 8-11 a.m.
**Widows/Widowers** We'll leave the Annex at 11:30
a.m. on November 1st for lunch at the home of Gene & Kathy
Monk.
**Ladies' Retreat**
There are 20 more spots
available for the Ladies' Retreat in Morrilton on January 24-25. Please sign up
now! The sign-up sheet is on the Library window.
**Singles Retreat**
Camp Galilee on Bull
Shoals
October 31st - November 2nd
$20 per night ($40 for two
nights)
Food and drinks are furnished.
See Charlotte Pinedo or Maxine
Yates if you are interested. Charlotte Pinedo, Glenda Hodnett Lewis, and Jack
Lewis attended last year and highly recommend it!
**2nd Annual "Trunk or Treat"**
When:
Friday, October 31st from 5:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Where: West-Ark's upper
parking lot (by FLC).
Who and What: Anyone and everyone is welcome to
come and participate as we circle our cars around the parking lot and hand out
candy to the kids as they parade around in costume. Bring candy, lawn chairs,
and a camera. It's a lot of fun! You don't have to have kids to be
involved. We'd love to see our 60+ crowd there!
**Fall Festival, October 25th**
Don't forget to
come to the Fall Festival, Saturday, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the FLC. We ask
those attending to bring something for our snack table. If you are making a
dessert for the cake walk, please have it to the church by 6:00 p.m.
Parents, please remember to bring bags for your kid's candy!
**"Jesus Loves the Little Children"**
Missions
Weekend 2003
November 14-16
Friday, November 14
Missions Banquet at 6:30
p.m.
Special Guest Speaker
Willie Franklin
Saturday, November 15
Prayer Breakfast at 8:30
a.m.
Home of Gary and Rochelle Brown
Missions Sunday, November 16
Combined Adult
Class
(with special speakers)
Worship with Willie Franklin, Speaking
Lunch in the Family Life Center
and an afternoon Service.
During
worship Sunday morning we will take our special missions
contribution.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
4
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad
Pistole
"A Great Class for Teens and Their
Parents"
We've been blessed the past 8 Wednesday nights to
participate in a class for Teens and their Parents. We have just passed the
halfway point for "True Love Waits" - What every teen and parent should know
about "dating" in today's world.
As the class began 8 weeks ago, there were many
skeptics that simply thought "this can't be done." Surely there's no way to get
teens and parents to open up in front of each other and talk about
sex, dating, and the realities of what kids are facing in today's sex-saturated
world?
I think everyone has been pleasantly surprised.
This past week we had 72 teens and parents in class and it was full of passion
and hunger for the truth.
I listened to parents talk about the realities of
STD's and consequences from having sex outside of the context of marriage. Some
of their stories were personal and some came from experiences they have had with
friends and co-workers.
It was equally pleasing to see the teens respond
and open up in front of their parents and friends about the realities they
are facing in today's world. I think both teens and parents have received a
great education from each other and are beginning to find stepping stones to
success where barriers were once present.
I look forward to the remaining four weeks of
class. If you've missed out, come join us as we discuss: Love Must Be Tough, Can
I Trust My Emotions?, How Do I Know When it's Real?, and Keys to a Lifelong
Love.
**Special News**
Lindsey Jordan Smith was
recently selected to the 1st All-Region Choir
(2nd Soprano - 4th Chair). Way
to go Lindsey!
**Sunday Nursery**
A.M. Infants Berniece
Rogers, Sharon Faries
Toddlers: Gary Green, Judi Green
P.M. Nursery:
Marjorie Blake, Christy Hesslen
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday
AM 646
Bible Classes 445
Sunday P.M.
289
Small Groups 30
Wednesday P.M.
338
Contribution $13,322
Childrens Home
$232
The Way 58
Hispanic Attendance
44
Hispanic Contribution $150
Laotian Attendance
35
Laotian Contribution $196
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------