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Family
Lines Newsletter, November 2,
2003
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**Hope In a Hopeless World**
By David
Chadwell
1 Peter 3:14-16 "But even if you should suffer for
the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION,
AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being
ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope
that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so
that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good
behavior in Christ will be put to shame."
In the past we were able to live in the isolation
of "nothing bad will happen to me (us)" mindset. "Bad things" happened to
others, but not "me" ("us"). "I" am protected! Being a Christian, or
an American, or a Southerner, or a "law abiding citizen," or an asset to the
community protects "me." "Our security is provided by 'who we
are'!"
When we felt a sense of security in the past's
"isolation," our worlds were pretty simple. Every family in our
neighborhood knew each other. Life was confined to work [always local],
home, church, and community. Some even remember when little was locked,
sharing was common, and most everyone knew the name of every family in the
community. You were not afraid to invite a stranger in your home, pick up
a hitchhiker [or be one!], and trust [without questioning] that someone was
"down on his luck."
Times have changed! Drugs and alcohol invade
all our extended families. Laughable "pranks" were exchanged for deadly
incidents of rage, hate, and greed. Businesses open in late night or early
morning hours increasingly are robbery targets. Robbery easily escalates
to murder. Jobs unexpectedly end. Careers are quickly
redirected. A loved one has a life-threatening illness, or loses a job, or
faces difficult times, or has his/her "personal world cave in."
Seemingly the world gets smaller daily.
American deaths in Iraq are on our morning news programs. Details of a suicide
bomber's moment of horror in the Mid-East are on at 5:30 p.m.
Europe's natural disasters are our headlines. Our loss of jobs is related
to the economies of third world countries. Much of what we consume comes
from places we have not visited -- and never intend to!
Our hope is not some imaginary shield built by
isolation. It is not based on the false confidence that "bad things" never
happen to us. It is not obvious to our circumstances. It is produced
by a risen Savior who teaches us that "now" is temporary but "after death" is
permanent. We endure "bad things" when they happen to us with the
assurance of hope and the patience most are unaccustomed to seeing.
From Christianity's beginning, those who caused
suffering were amazed. After the suffering, they asked, "How did you do
that?" The Christian patiently, gently, respectfully explained Jesus
Christ gave, nurtured, and sustained his/her hope.
Be ready to explain! Without doubt, we will
have many opportunities!
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**Did YOU Ever Take YOUR Bible to Junior
High?**
By David Boozer
For 45 minutes, the nine inner city teenage girls
explored their Bibles -- on their own! They were not looking up the answer to
some fill-in-the-blank question or even trying to find a bookmark with some
guy's phone number. It was their Monday night Bible class at Johnson
Street and they had just received new Bibles -- and they could not stop looking at
them! "Can we take them to school?" they asked.
Now, these Bibles look a bit different from the
typical West-Ark Bible. They do not have soft, leather covers with
gold-embellished names at the bottom right hand corners. Instead, they
look like ... well ... magazines, right down to their top ten lists, quizzes
about guys, and beauty secrets. Each is still a Bible, it just doesn't
look like one. For some reason, the changed appearance has made them more
accessible to these junior high girls. There is a message here for us as
God's family. This Wednesday in Peak of the Week, we will talk about that
message.
**Peak of the Week**
Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7:00
p.m. in the Family Life Center.
"Fort Smith asks, 'How do you affect me?'"
Roy Dunavin, Tom Benincosa, Joe Pistole
**LTC Announcements**
7-12 grade Choir November
Practice Times in the Upstairs High School Classroom.
November 2nd,
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
November 9th, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
November 16th,
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
November 23rd, No practice
November
30th, No practice
**Parents' Night Out**
Are you tired? Do you
want a little break? Have you ever wanted to spend time together with no
interruptions? Tonight is your lucky night. The students of LFC are willing to
help you by babysitting your great kids for free from 5:30 to 10:00 P.M.
on November 8, 2003. There will be fun, food, games, movies provided. Just
think hard and walk to the Information Center and sign your kids up before the
list fills up. Need more information? Contact Derrick Jones at 452-1240 or
561-4235. Hope to see you there.
~ Derrick
Jones
**Church Hayride**
All are invited to a hayride
and cookout Friday, November 7, 6:30 p.m., at the Praters in Cedarville.
Bring your plate, cup, napkin, drink and chips. All other food is
furnished. You will need to dress warm; and you may want to bring a flashlight,
blanket and lawn chair. A group will leave from the church building at 6:00 p.m.
If you cannot meet there, the directions are: I-540 to I-40 West, Exit 5 for
Hwy. 59 North, turn right on Hwy 59, go to Cedarville, turn right on Hwy 162, go
2 miles, turn right on Prater Lane. RSVP to Melinda Yowell 646-0076 or Beth
Frederick 452-0058 by Wednesday, November 5. All children must be accompanied by
an adult.
**25th Lectureship** - Eastside Church of Christ,
2141 Kingston, Muskogee, OK.
Theme: "A Time to Every Purpose" Beginning 7:00
p.m. Friday, November 7th. Saturday, November 8th, 9:00 a.m. until 3:30
p.m.
**Gateway News**
We will have our rewards
celebration November 2, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Bowling World. Bowling, shoes,
and soft drinks will be furnished. This is for all 2nd through 6th
graders.
The memory verse for this rotation - The Baptism
and Temptations of Jesus is:
Mark 1:10-11, 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.
**Happy Birthday**
November 1
Dylan Roper
Hank
Watlington
November 2
Brett Goode
Ralph Harmon
Lois
Lancaster
Kaylee Lindgren
Trey Richardson
November 3
Shanna Davis
November 4
Blake Broom
Gary Brown
Edith Embry
November 5
Tom Benincosa
Mathew Griffin
II
November 6
Jacob Burkhart
Warren
Gardenhire
Amber Robison
November 7
Ron Belote
Betty
Hatcher
**David's Lessons**
Morning
Your Goal: To Be
Indispensable or Useful
Evening
God's Solution to our
Unholiness
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**Remember in Prayer**
* Maile McDonald is doing well; but she has a
rash they are watching. Continue to keep her in your prayers.
* Mat Griffin
has shingles and has been in the hospital. He was dismissed Thursday.
* Paul
Newhouse (father of Cathy Breedlove) has been dismissed from the hospital.
*
Deborah Wilson's mom, Fairy Brown, has improved. The families request your
continued prayers.
* Oneta Love is in Sparks Hospital, room 646.
*
Melvin Burge is in Sparks Hospital, room 548.
* Patti Anderson's relative,
Glenda Chandler, has requested prayer. While in the hospital for an unrelated
surgery, she discovered she has cancer.
* Gary James' mom, Imogene James, is
in a L.R. Hospital following by-pass surgery.
* Remember in prayer Reynda
Allen as she is restricted to bed rest awaiting the birth of her baby. No visits
please; but she does appreciate your calls and cards.
* Bill's mother,
Beatrice Dickey, is in the hospital for tests.
**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 Ouida, Carmen and Tony
in the death of husband and father, Larry Pillstrom. Private services were
Thursday afternoon at Edward Chapel.
We also extend our love and sympathy to Loretta Kelley in the death of her
father Fred. Loretta's address is: 302 Heylman, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701.
**New Addresses**
Lena Hall has moved to room 114 Greenhurst Nursing
Home in Charleston, AR.
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear Church Family,
Gene went to his nephrologist this week and was
told that his kidney functions have worsened. Please pray that it will level out
or improve so that he doesn't have to go back on dialysis. On the bright side
his stomach problems have gotten some better.
In Christian love,
Sara and
Gene Smith
Thank you all for the prayers, cards, and words of help when I needed it
the most in the death of my mother. Love you all,
Jennifer Dotson and
family
**Car Clinic**
...will be at the annex Saturday, November
1, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
**Widows/Widowers**
Vans will leave the annex at 11:30 on Nov. 1st for a
short ride to the home of Gene and Kathy Monk for lunch. Call Mary Burkett or
Bobbie Hughes if you need transportation to the annex.
**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.
**Birth Announcements**
Congratulations to Coby and Megan Logan on the
birth of a son, Alexander Warren, on October 24. The baby weighed 9 lbs. and was
21 inches long. Jerry and Meg Canfield are the grandparents.
Congratulations also to Greg and Tiffany Null on the birth of their son,
Jacob Robert Null on October 25. Jacob weighed 8 lbs., 7 ozs. and was 20 3/4
inches long. Bob and Patty Null are the grandparents.
**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!
**Missions Special Contribution **
Goal is: $196,718
During worship
Sunday morning, Nov. 16th, we will take our special missions contribution.
**Missions Weekend 2003**
November 14-16
Theme: "Jesus Loves the
Little Children"
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.
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad Pistole
I know you often hear me say this, but we have an incredible group of young
people here at West-Ark. Not a week goes by that I am not reminded just how
special our young people are.
In George Barna's new book he makes
the following statement:
"... somehow the wisdom and necessity of seeing
children as the primary focus of ministry never occurred to me ... like most
adults I have been aware of children, fond of them, and willing to invest some
resources in them, but I have not really been fully devoted to their
development. In my mind, they were people en route to significance -- i.e.,
adulthood -- but were not yet deserving of the choice resources."
Later in his introduction, he goes on to say, "In retrospect, my view was so
far off the mark that I didn't just miss the boat: I missed the entire
ocean!"
Wow! Those are powerful words when you consider the fact that we're talking
about one of the most knowledgeable church growth and research specialists in
the world. And he is admitting just how much we, as God's people, have
overlooked the training and importance of our children over the years.
If you are interested in what his research has taught him, then you might
want to read his book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions - Why
Children Should Be Your Church's #1 Priority. It will challenge your thinking
and bless your life.
Special Youth News:
Here's yet another example of just how special our
children are. Alex Tomlin, one of our 6th graders at West-Ark, recently had his
art selected by Arkansas Children's Hospital to be used for the cover of their
annual Christmas Card. Proceeds will benefit their Holiday Card Fundraiser. You
can find this card with his artwork right here in Fort Smith at "Coming Home."
Way to go Alex! We are proud of you.
**First Sunday Nursery**
A.M. Infants
Paula May
Sandi
Pippin
Melissa Walker
A.M. Toddlers
Dena Jenkins
Irene Willis
P.M. Nursery
Dixie Burkhart
Gina Williams
**Statistics**
Worship Service 644
Bible Classes
506
Sunday P.M. 321
Wednesday P.M.
347
Contribution $13,031
Childrens Home
$288
The Way 45
Hispanic Attendance
52
Hispanic Contribution $202
Laotian Attendance
29
Laotian Contribution $150
**November Communion Workers**
Prayer Leader:
James Wilson
Brian Perkins
Stan Burkhart
Jason Dockery
Bryan Beneux
Kevin
Vaught
Michael Wear
Duane Walker
Larry Todd
Richard Bullard
Dan
Cathey
Richard Broyles
Nathan Griffin
Adam Davis
John
Berger
Jerry Glidewell
Jim Hardin
Ushers/Nursery Communion
Steve Breedlove
David Berger
**Schedule of Services**
Sunday Morning Bible Classes
9:30
Worship Service 10:30
Wednesday Evening 7:00
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