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Family
Lines Newsletter, November 16,
2003
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**Here and There**
By Gary Brown
In our annual bid to raise funds for our mission
efforts we have set the bar high ... just a few thousand below $200,000. As we
considered what would stir us to give there were many ideas. First, we could
have shown pictures of little children with beautiful smiles to tug at your
heart strings, but if you look around us there are many children that fit that
description right here. Next, we could have described massive needs like
hunger, clothing and education that need to be met, but again those same
opportunities abound right here as well. Maybe the best thing to do would be to
show the Word being taught and lives being changed because of Jesus Christ. The
only thing was that our own backyard is full of lives that can be changed if we
present Jesus Christ.
So, the question still hangs out there, "Why give
to a missions campaign?" The answer is really rather simple. The work that needs
to be done here has available workers because we are all here. We should be
about serving here all we can. However, the place of a person's residence should
not limit the opportunity they have to know Jesus. We contribute to a mission
fund so others can hear the good news of Jesus from those willing to go. It is
what God desires (Matthew 28:16-20), and it is what we should do.
We live in a blessed place with riches other people
can only imagine. We are also blessed with people who have amazing talents to
serve God in ways that can bring Him great glory. This weekend as you consider
what you can do in support of our mission efforts, please consider the
responsibility that comes along with the privilege into which we have been born.
Let's use our collective abilities to do the work in front of us here, but at
the same time be bold enough with our contributions to make sure those in
faraway places can also hear the good news of Jesus Christ. To God be the glory
for what He can accomplish.
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**Missions Weekend Schedule**
Friday, November 14
Missions Banquet
6:30
p.m. in the Family Life Center
Special Guest Speaker: Willie
Franklin
Other entertainment will be provided by our own
children.
Saturday, November 15
Prayer Breakfast
8:30
a.m. at the home of Gary and Rochelle Brown
3512 Southview Drive, Fort Smith,
Arkansas
Sunday, November 16
9:30 a.m. Combined Bible
Class
Grades 7-12 and all Adult Classes will meet in the
Auditorium
Speakers: __________; Thomas Kweekul, and Oscar
Nolasco
10:30 a.m. Worship
Willie Franklin will be our
Guest Speaker
Special Missions Contribution
11:30 a.m.
Lunch in Family Life Center
Lunch
will be provided, but please bring desserts!
12:30-12:45 p.m.
Afternoon worship will begin
when lunch is complete.
Special guest speaker will be Todd
O'Donald
6:00 p.m.
Devotional Communion
Service
**Annual West-Ark Family Thanksgiving Day
Dinner**
Thursday, November 27
12 Noon in the Family Life
Center
Please sign up in the Information Center if you
plan to come.
Bring a dessert and some sort of side dish such as:
*
potatoes and gravy
* sweet potatoes
* any veggies
* salads, etc.
*
bring games, too!
We need some volunteers to bring turkey and
ham. Rolls will be provided.
Call Sandy Berger if
you have any questions at 785-1921.
**LTC Announcements**
Participants and Parents
Please check the LTC
bulletin board in the Information Center for scheduled practice times for each
event.
There will be a mandatory Parents' Meeting, Sunday,
November 23rd at 5:15 p.m. in Room 100. The deadline for payment for the
participants is November 30th.
Banners Group
We will meet Wednesday, November
19, at 6:00 p.m. in the Annex. Come ready to plan your banner.
Children's Books
You need to start writing your
book. Please turn them in to Glenda Lewis by January 4th. If you need help,
contact Glenda at 783-2758.
Choral Group
7-12 grade practices in the
upstairs High School classroom.
November 16, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
November 23
& 30, No practice
Girls' Bible Reading
We meet every Wednesday
at 6:45 p.m. upstairs in room 222.
**Newsletter Schedule**
There will not be a
newsletter published the week of Thanksgiving or the week of Christmas.
The newsletter always gets crowded during this time of year, so please call,
e-mail, or drop your information by the church office no later than noon on
Wednesdays. Thanks!
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**Remember in Prayer**
* Robin Harper had back
surgery Tuesday morning at St. Edward Hospital. She expects to be released
Thursday.
* Anna Holley had knee replacement surgery on Wednesday. She
is in Sparks, room 579.
* Trish Carson's mother, Mary Smith, is having
chemotherapy treatments every three weeks until some time in January.
After that, she will have radiation treatments.
* Maile McDonald and her
family.
* Dennis Anderson's brother, Richard, has been fighting cancer for 8
years. Tuesday he was removed from the ventilator. He is in the Veteran's
Hospital in Little Rock.
* Paul Newhouse (father of Cathy Breedlove)
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to Ron Galloway in the death of his mother, Dorothy Galloway. Funeral services
were Thursday at the Church of the Nazarene in Muldrow, Oklahoma.
**Add to Your Directory**
Chris & Karen
Benjamin
Wyatt & Ethan
2114 South "M" Street
Fort Smith, AR
72901
Phone: 782-7576 (as of 11/21/03)
Cell phone: 414-1643
Karen and
the boys will
arrive in another week.
**Baptism**
Abel Olivares was baptized by Oscar
Nolasco on November 7th. He will be worshipping with Iglesia de Cristo at
Johnson Street.
**Notes of Thanks**
The Naomi Spears and Beam
Families want to thank every one for all the cards, calls, and especially the
prayers for the knee operation of Naomi. Pearl wants to thank all the kids
at West-Ark for the sweet letters they sent her. They were so
special.
I would like to thank everyone for their prayers
and encouragement through these most difficult times. Today, November 12, I'm
admitting myself into Harbor House for a 30-day in-house treatment program.
Please continue to pray for my family and my recovery.
Terry
Robertson
Thank you. What a blessing it is to be a part of
the West-Ark family of believers. Your outpouring of compassion, care, concerns
and prayers were and are the balm that has helped me in my physical healing
process. I love the thrill that I feel when I get together with God's wonderful
people.
Thanks again,
Mat & Jo Griffin
To our West-Ark Family:
Your expressions of
love, kindness and caring during Larry's illness and our loss have meant so much
to all of us. Your prayers are continuing to strengthen us. A very special
thanks to Roy Dunavin for making the service so meaningful and
beautiful.
Ouida Pillstrom, Carmen Geoates, and Tony
Pillstrom
**Newborns**
Congratulations to Myra Flippo on
the birth of a granddaughter,
Ella Beth Rhodes. Ella Beth was born November
6th to Chris and Pam (Flippo) Rhodes. She weighed 7 lbs., 14 ozs.
Congratulations also to Jon and Liz Huff on the
birth of a son, Jabin Andrew, on November 12th. He weighed 6 lbs., 6 ozs. Dan
and Janet Cathey are the happy grandparents.
**60+ November Event**
Brad Pistole and the
teens will host a special dinner for our 60+ members on Saturday, November 22nd,
from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. We hope you'll make plans to attend this special night as
the teens express their appreciation for the wonderful example that our 60+
members provide.
**October, 2003**
Total Income .............
$71,010.21
Total Expenses .......... $73,207.66
Net Income (loss) .......
$ -2,197.45
**Happy Birthday**
November 16
Rebecca Holloway
Kathy
Rosalez
November 17
Donna Davis
Anna
Holley
Richard Hostetler
Joe Parker
Carl Payne
Aubrey
Walden
(Aubrey is 98 years young!)
November 18
Megan Logan
David
Thompson
November 19
Jim Hall
Paul Shirley
Bill
Walker
November 20
Shelby Armstrong
Dan
Cathey
November 21
Donna Beneux
James
Word
November 22
Elizabeth Gardenhire
Judy
Lee
Philmore Lynn
Kitty Nincehelser
Ouida Pillstrom
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**Family Life Ministry**
Brad
Pistole
Information about our new Youth and Family
Class
In the spring of 2003, we had our first Youth and
Family class for 7th - 12th graders and their parents. It was a big success. We
studied the material "Parenting Teenagers for Positive Results" and we averaged
about 80 people for the 13 weeks. This experience showed us how "open
communication" in our families is a must.
It also opened the door
to the class we are currently in on Wednesday nights, "True Love Waits -
Discovering God's Will For My Dating Life." Many parents have participated in
the class and the open dialogue has built a real sense of trust and appreciation
between our teens and their parents.
Beginning Sunday, January 4th, 2004, we will begin
our next Youth and Family Class in the FLC. The title of this class will be
"Keeping the Promise." The material is produced by Kevin Leman, author of
"Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours."
The class is designed
for 7th-12th graders and their parents. However, since the class will also
provide a great source of inspiration and encouragement to married couples,
anyone is welcome in the class.
The leaders at West-Ark want to
provide several different forms of marriage enrichment for our members each year
and this class certainly falls into that category. If you are thinking about
marriage, are newly married or if you have been married for 40 years, this class
may be just what you need to teach you about the importance of commitment in our
relationships and the need to always "Keep the Promise."
In last week's article you will find the specific
class titles and subjects for "Keeping the Promise" or go to the youth website
at www.westark.org/youth
and click on calendar of events for more information.
**Nursery Workers**
A.M. Infants
Gail Mason,
Bo Mason
Toddlers
Flora Johnson, Missy Blasdel, Christy Abernathy
P.M.
Nursery
Linda Wear, Terri Jones
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday
AM 625
Bible Classes 466
Sunday P.M.
318
Small Groups 36
Wednesday P.M.
301
Contribution $22,922
Childrens Home
$429
The Way 62
Hispanic Attendance
60
Hispanic Contribution $263
Laotian Attendance
28
Laotian Contribution $166
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