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Family
Lines Newsletter, August 19,
2004
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**Back To School Blessing**
By Chris
Benjamin
Our God spoke the world into being. With his
divine word, God made reality. Of all the creatures God spoke into
existence, only humankind is gifted with the privilege of using words. How
shall we use this incredible gift? How shall we live up to this awesome
privilege?
James shows us the inconsistency of blessing the
Lord but cursing others (James 3:9). If we are God's people, then the
speech that flows from us will be a source of blessing to the world around
us.
We have the opportunity to share words of blessing
to our students, teachers, and other school workers as they begin another school
year. Learning and education are values encouraged by the Bible.
Children and students of all ages are learning how to read, write, and
speak. Worlds of ideas and systems of thought are being created with
words. In this humble way we participate in the creative work of
God. However, unlike God, not all our creative efforts are good. Our
words sometimes create corrupted and negative worlds. Our words will be
good and blessed when they are blessed by God. God blesses us so we will
be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:1-4).
During our worship this Sunday, August 22, we will
initiate a ministry of prayer that will last through the 2004-2005 school
year. The focus of our blessing will be all students of all ages (pre-K
through college) from all schools (public, private, home) in our area.
Additionally, we will focus on teachers, teachers' aides, administrators, and
everybody who works with our schools. The good news of prayer is that
there is no limit! This Sunday we will explain how you can be a "prayer
minister" all year long, but here's what you can expect this Sunday:
During the time typically reserved for the sermon we will give attention to
God's word from Genesis 12. As part of our lesson we will invite our
students to come forward and stand on the elevated stage. One of our
elders, Joe Pistole, will pray for them. (Parents should feel free to come
forward with the younger children). After the students are dismissed, we
will invite our teachers and school workers to come to the stage and one of our
elders, Michael Cole, will pray for them. After we conclude the service
with an invitation for anyone who needs a prayer for blessing or wishes to be
baptized, we will be sent out with a prayer and a charge to pray for someone
specific all year. As you leave someone will give you a magnet with a name
printed on it. This will be the name of one of our students, teachers, or
school personnel. I hope you will take that magnet and pray for this
person. You may take more than one if you like.
That's the opportunity for God's people to be
obedient by praying for a blessed year in God's name for our schools. Of all the
creatures God spoke into existence, only humankind is gifted with the privilege
of using words. How shall we use this incredible gift? How shall we
live up to this awesome privilege?
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**Help Is Needed**
Our Children's Ministry is
in need of an adult volunteer to coordinate our children's Wednesday night
devotional in room 100. If you are able, willing, and interested, please
see Gary Brown.
**Tuesday Morning WINGS**
You are invited to a
wonderful weekly fellowship and Bible study on Tuesday mornings. We support each
other while studying God's word. We hope you will come investigate and decide to
participate this year!
Orientation/ Registration
September 7, 9:30 -
11:30
West-Ark Church of Christ Family Life Center
Fall Study: Paul &
His Teaching about Jesus
**Wednesday WINGS**
Class begins September 8,
7:00 p.m. in room 211.
**LTC Announcements**
Speech was inadvertently
left of the LTC forms in the foyer. If your child wants to participate in
Speech, please write "Speech" on the form and place a checkmark beside
it.
LTC registration is ongoing in the foyer during the
month of August. Coaches need to sign up for events.
**School Supplies Needed**
School is starting
and there are families that need help with school supplies. We have plenty
of pencils, but we could use any other school supplies. Please leave them in the
labeled box in the foyer.
**Fall/Winter Clothing**
We are now accepting
fall and winter clothing for our next Community Outreach Day. The list is
for men, women and children.
* Coats, jackets
* Warm-ups
* Caps
*
Pants (large men and women)
* Sweaters
* Blankets
* Socks
* Shoes
(winter)
* Gloves
* Thermal underwear
**Happy Birthday**
August 21
Grace Peters
August 22
Sydney Anders
Leo Atkins
Gary
Nolasco
Deborah Wilson
August 24
Christopher George
Robin
Harper
Betty Summers
August 25
Jack Ferrell
Nicole
Wilson
August 27
Greg Dockery
Melissa
Walker
August 28
Kyle Curtis
**Teachers/Helpers Needed**
We need teachers and
helpers for several ages by September 1st. Please contact Dena Jenkins at
478-6486. Help is needed in:
* 1st grade (Sunday morning and Wednesday
night);
* 3 years old (Sunday mornings).
**Sunday Morning**
Back to School
Blessing
Chris Benjamin, Speaker
Genesis 12:1-4
**Sunday Evening**
Transformation
Illustrated:
Christians in Ephesus
David Chadwell, Speaker
**Coming Event**
Valley View Church of
Christ
Golf Tournament
Saturday, October 2, 2004
Ben Geren Golf
Course
Tee times start at 1 p.m.
Check in at 12:15 p.m.
Drawing of
teams will be
at 12:30 p.m.
If you wish to participate,
contact the
church (996-6040) or
Niketa Stinchcomb (996-3001).
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**The Wonder Working Power of Prayer**
*
Gary Green will enter St. Edward Hospital on Wednesday (August 25) for seven
days of IV chemotherapy treatments for a reoccurrence of Hairy Cell Leukemia.
Visits will be limited due to his compromised immune system. Judi says the good
news is the chemo has essentially no side effects (except resulting fatigue) and
this form of leukemia is not considered life-threatening.
* Louise Howard fell Tuesday and broke her wrist and sprained her
ankle. Betty Summers (452-9385) is coordinating food for anyone who would like
to help provide a meal for Wilburn and Louise.
* Pete Mendez (son of Emilio and brother of Luis) remains in the
hospital recovering from injuries received in a car accident in Puerto
Rico.
* Lear Mae Moody (mother of Sue George).
* Adam Jenkins (son of Kerry & Dena) saw another doctor in Little
Rock on Monday and was diagnosed with reflux. He will be treated with medication
to prevent further damage to his esophagus.
* Rachelle Pratt asks that we pray for the Skip Thompson family.
Skip is a young father who suffered a ruptured aorta on August
13th.
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to Curtis McDonald in the death of his brother, William Norman "Sunny" McDonald
on Wednesday morning. Funeral services are Friday, 10 a.m. at Edwards Van-Alma
Funeral Chapel.
**Prayers for Military**
Continue to remember
Daniel Kweekul, Phillip Lux, Johnny Lindgren, Jeff Amos, Lori Dotson, Brandon
Daws, Matthew Faries, and Aaron Bailey (great-nephew of Barbara Aldridge) in
your prayers.
**Keep in Your Prayers**
Remember to keep in
prayer those who have on-going cancer treatments.
* Kathy Eichenberger
(mother of Scott James)
* Maile McDonald
* Judi Green
**Prayers for Missions**
* Thomas Kweekul is
teaching in Thailand and Laos until mid-October.
* John Paul and Ruby
Lee Hundley have returned to southern France.
* __________
continues with his move to Vietnam.
* __________ will be
spending time in Laos to determine if they can get visas to work there.
* Roy Dunavin and Jack Harriman are in Ethiopia to teach in the preacher's
school there.
**Missions Prayer Meeting**
There will be a
general discussion and prayer meeting with emphasis on the missions programs,
Sunday afternoon, August 29, 1:30 p.m. in the Annex. All are invited to attend
and participate.
**Welcome New Members**
Glynn, Joyce and Laura
Parker
424 Dean Springs Road
Alma, AR 72921
David Parker
1410 Jacobs Street
Fort Smith,
AR 72908
**Change of Address**
Allie Whitaker
5900
Kinkead, Apt. 356
Fort Smith, AR 72903
Phone: 452-1967
Brandon Reith
2412 57th Street
Fort Smith, AR
72904
Phone: 806-2150
**Deacons' Meeting**
Deacons are reminded of
their prayer meeting scheduled for Sunday, August 22, 4:00 p.m. in the upstairs
youth room of the FLC.
**60+ Potluck**
We will meet in the Annex,
Saturday, August 21st at 6:00 p.m. for our Potluck Supper.
**Baby Shower**
A shower for Natalie Nelson is
planned for Sunday, August 15th, from 2-4 p.m. in the Annex. The Nelsons are
registered at Toys R Us. It's a boy!
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear Friends,
I am so
appreciative of your prayers and concern. I feel very loved and to tell the
truth, I need God's people especially this year! You are being Jesus here on
earth to me. Thank you so much.
Love,
Judi Green
Russell Family Donation
To the West-Ark
Church,
You are to be commended for your generous and loving response to the
needs of the Russell Family. Donations were received in the amount of $5,091.
Burial expenses from Ocker Funeral Home have been paid. Any remaining funds will
be used for medical expenses for the family.
Earl Flood
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad
Pistole
August 19th - A day that brings so many smiles to
so many adults, and at the same time brings so many frowns to so many teens.
That's right, school has started again.
This past Sunday night in Youth Worship, I asked
our teens an annual question:
How many of you are ready for school to start?
Usually at end of the summer, most of them are ready to return. They are ready
for a change of pace and they are ready to see their friends.
However, this year's group was a little different.
My "preacher's count" tells me that about 80% of the teens weren't excited about
starting school again. Which raises some interesting questions... Have you ever
had to do something you didn't want to do? Have you ever dreaded doing something
even though you knew it was best for you? Have you ever tried to convince
someone else to do something they didn't want to do?
Maybe you know a child who has no problem eating
pizza but then clams up when the vegetables are passed around. Maybe you know a
teen who won't take out the trash but who expects the keys to the $20,000 car on
Friday night. Maybe you know a teen who wants to stay out late on Saturday
night, but who doesn't want to get up to worship God on Sunday
morning.
This past week, I worked with a parent who was
really struggling with "making" their teenager do something they didn't want to
do. Sometimes there are things we feel like we just can't talk to our kids
about. We're afraid of pushing them away by making them do something they don't
want to do.
We need to turn to God and his Word to see what
kind of advice he gives us. Let's see what he says about talking to our
kids...Start this school year off right by reading and following the
advice found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 You'll be glad you
did!
**Fourth Sunday Nursery**
A.M. Nursery
Berniece Rogers
Sharon
Faries
Tracy Risley
Larry and
Donna Roper
P.M. Nursery
Laurie & Shelby
Armstrong
Angela Dunavant
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM
Worship 695
Bible Classes 435
Sunday PM 256
Wednesday P.M.
335
Contribution $15,962
Children's Home
$274
The Way 56
Hispanic Attendance 20
Hispanic Contribution
$160
Laotians Attendance 10
Laotian Contribution $153
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