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Family
Lines Newsletter, December 30,
2004
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**Sunday Nights 2005**
By David
Chadwell
Each of us lives in a world that considers devotion
to God a low priority; that pursues pleasure, or materialism, or security, or
success, or escapism as lifes purpose; that defines integrity differently from
the man or woman serving Jesus Christ; and that subscribes to standards and
values in genuine contrast to Christian standards and values.
Living daily among people and influences that do
not regard God as lifes priority is hard! It always has been hard!
In some societies it is hard because God is opposed with open hostility and
physical danger. In our society, most Christians do not face open
hostility and physical danger. Here the opposition is real but often
subtle.
The fact that it is hard to follow God in a world
that denies God as Creator, the Source of life, and the Eternal Destiny is not
new. Two thousand years ago Paul wrote to Christians living in
Thessalonica, But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would
overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are
not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us
be alert and sober (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6). He wrote to Christians in
Ephesus, Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be
foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17).
To the Christians in the province of Galatia he wrote, Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so
that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our
God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen (Galatians
1:3-5).
How do we as Christians react to our godless
pressures and influences? Some react by creating an artificial division
between "real life" and "religious life." Some create a "going-to-church"
habit. Some define personal faithfulness on the basis of physical presence
at a place. Some wrestle with temptations and fail. Some struggle
with guilt. Some seek to exist in isolation.
Regardless of personal reaction, we all need
encouragement. Sunday evening in the auditorium will be devoted to
supplying the encouragement to live. It will not be a duplication of
Sunday morning. Sunday morning is primarily devoted to praising God.
Sunday evening will primarily be devoted to challenging us to live for
God. It will be devoted to providing us strength to live for Christ in our
real worlds.
We will seek to make it uplifting. We will seek to
make it helpful in a daily walk with God as we follow Christ. We will seek
to make it times of refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord (Acts
3:19). Come Sunday evenings to be encouraged and challenged!
[This is not an attempt to attract those who attend
classes, life groups, Kids for Christ, etc., to the auditorium. We are not in
competition with each other!]
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**Preparing Communion **
Help is needed in the
preparation of communion, if you would be willing
to serve for one month each
year in this work, please contact Rick Carson or Milton Hendrix.
**LTC Announcements**
There will NOT be a LTC
Elementary Chorus rehearsal this Sunday, January 2nd.
LTC Pre-Convention
Deadline is January 26th.
Payment for LTC is due now. If you haven't paid,
please do so by Sunday.
**What's In the Library?**
A New
Layout
Thanks to the help of Joyce Chadwell and Deborah Wilson, the Library
has a better, cleaner look and arrangement. It took a few hours to make it all
happen. Thanks for your help!!!
New Kids Section
Soon, there will be new
furniture in the Kid's section. That area will be continually shaping up thanks
to the efforts of Greg and Nancy Dockery.
**Men's Prayer Breakfast**
Saturday, January
8
Valley View Church of Christ
Hiway 10 & Hiway 71
Greenwood, AR
996-6040
**Happy Birthday**
If you have a January 1st birthday, and we missed
listing it, please give the office a call. Years ago, the old computer program
assigned 1/1/01 by default to any blank birthday fields. We believe they are
all corrected, but dont want to miss anyone who has a real January 1st
birthday! :~) Debbie & Myra
January 1
Anna Evans
Billie
Neisler
January 3
Dale Mason
January 4
Brian Byrd
Kindy Kweekul
Casey
Oliver
January 5
Lane Haworth
David
Orick
January 6
Coleen Shirley
January 7
Pauline Alberty
January 8
Patti Anderson
Rex
Mason
**Lions for Christ Calendar**
Normal schedule as follows:
Sundays, 9:30 a.m.
Bible class
Sundays, 6:00 p.m. LIFE group
Tuesdays, Devotional at 7:00
p.m.
Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. Bible class
January Highlights:
Ski Trip (January 2-8)
Remember to pray for the health and safety of our group while they travel.
January 12 - classes begin.
January 13 - small group leader's meeting, 7:00
p.m.
January 14 - Movie night in the Student Center at 7:00 p.m.
January 19 - Block Party, 11:00 a.m.
January 20, Noon meal in the church
Annex.
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**The Wonder Working Power of Prayer**
Thelma
Blackburn is in St. Edward Hospital, room 3526.
Tim Williams (son-in-law
of Bob and Jane Fisher) had from surgery to remove a brain tumor on December
27th. He was dismissed on Wednesday and continues to recover at home.
The
Jenkins Family had their consultation with the neurosurgeon at Arkansas
Childrens Hospital regarding Adams Chiari Malformation on Tuesday.
Taylor Anders is recovering from surgery and was dismissed from the hospital on
Monday.
Will Ed & Mickey Warren have had a lot of health issues this
past year, and Will Ed was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Anita Maxwells CT scan on December 3rd showed that more treatments were needed
before an attempt to do surgery. Her next CT scan is January 10. She
is thankful for your prayers.
Larry Treat has restarted his chemo
treatments.
Janelle Graves is recovering from hip surgery.
Chuck
Cunningham (formerly of West-Ark) has finished his radiation treatments and is
now receiving chemo one week per month. Chuck and Karen appreciate the
love and support they have been receiving from brothers and sisters here.
Carl Wades skin graft surgery went well. He returned home on December 20th and
is feeling better.
Greg and Nancy Dockery request prayers for their
friend, Curtis Weddle of Sallisaw, who has cancer.
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended
to the Amos Family in the death of Marvin Amos (age 96), brother of Clayton
Amos. Services were Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. at Akins Baptist Church.
**Continued Prayers**
Wilma Son
Eddie
Hamlett
Don Green
John Hundley
**Prayers for Men in Service**
Please add Ronnie
Wheat to this list. He is the nephew of Retha Wood and left for Iraq on December
28th.
Matthew Faries
Michael Gooden
Shane L. Newton
Brandon
Daws
Daniel Kweekul
Aaron Bailey
Philip Lux
Johny
Lindgren
Adam Morrissun
**Baptism at Iglesia de Cristo**
Charles Moore
was baptized by Oscar Nolasco on Monday evening.
**Farewell to the Huffs**
Jon and Liz Huffs
last Sunday at West-Ark was December 26th. The family is relocating to Arizona.
We hope to publish their new address soon. Well miss you!
**Anders Family Update**
Dear Church
Family,
Taylor is home as of Tuesday afternoon! Praise the Lord!!
Since we have been home, Taylor is a new boy! It is unbelievable! He
is getting back to his old self. His stitches came out before we left the
hospital and it looks great. He is eating again and playing, not quite as
rowdy as before, but he wishes he could at times! It is so good to see him
laugh and smile. What a relief! God is good and has answered all of
our prayers.
The prayer pager was a true blessing. It
started going off Sunday night....to our surprise, and is still going
strong! We were going to try to keep a count to let Taylor know how many
prayers went up on his behalf, and we lost count Monday morning! We
couldn't keep up. I really can't describe the feeling that we would have
when it would go off, but it was a great source of comfort. Before Taylor
went back to surgery, I laid the beeper on his belly while he was lying in the
bed, and it went off several times. Even to him, it was a source of
comfort. When we got out of ICU and into a room, we would comment every
time it went off. What a great gift each of you gave us. What greater gift
could you have given?
Mark and I appreciate all of the prayers, visits,
and support that we have received from each of you. We feel very
blessed. I do not feel that my words are adequate enough to express our
gratitude. The prayer pager was awesome! So, good news of
Taylor! Please continue to keep him in your prayers -- to heal completely
without complications and for his headaches to be no more! As of today, he
did not ask me for anything for pain. Yeah! I am humbled by your
thoughtfulness and by God's mercy and grace. He listens and
answers!
God Bless you and your families,
Mark and Christy
Anders
**Note of Thanks**
I really appreciated the
fruit basket delivered to me before Christmas. I also want to thank you for the
prayers and encouragement.
Lois Jester
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad
Pistole
I guess its only natural on the last day of each
year to look back and reflect on all that has occurred throughout the past 12
months. And depending on the person, there are various ways of measuring
whether or not the year would be considered successful.
As I look back on each year that passes, I always
think of the babes in Christ. It is such an inspiring and rewarding thing to
walk beside those who have chosen to turn their lives over to God.
They need so much guidance, direction and grace.
(Just like the rest of us), I hope we will never forget that the spiritual
journey doesnt end in the water. It is simply beginning at that point. And this
journey is full of all kinds of twists and turns. Thats why its so
important for brothers and sisters in Christ to be there for each other every
step of the way.
This year, I am reminded of Tyler Robbins, Jaythan
Johnson, Kaitlynn Burk, Jocelyn Barber, Rose Davis, Wendy Vinnarath, Jenny
Phomakay, Anna Sipathoum, Nia Sipathoum, Linda Phetsanghane, John Vongdara,
Venusa Phomakay, Chelsea Mahaney, Ashley Stafford, Andrew Todd, Madison Lea and
Ian Gilley.
These 17 babes have committed their lives to
Christ in 2004, and they need your prayers and support every day. It takes a lot
to be a mentor to someone. Ever read the gospels? Jesus walked hand in hand
with 12 babes for 3 straight years. And just look at all the messes they got
him into. Things were never boring, thats for sure!
But isnt it worth it in the end? Just think. This
group of young people just might contain the next Peter, Paul, Mary, or Martha.
All they need is Gods continued gift of grace and a little guidance from each
of us along the way.
I hope youve counted your spiritual
blessings from 2004, and I hope it was a spiritually successful year for you and
your family. If not, heres some good advice: Make the most of the day God has
given you, and use it to glorify Him. Remember, today is the only day you
have.
**First Sunday Nursery**
A.M. Nursery
Melissa Walker
Dena
Jenkins
Irene Willis
P.M. Nursery
Dixie Burkhart
Gina
Williams
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM
Worship 620
Bible Classes 402
Sunday Evening 231
Wednesday PM
(Winter Storm)
Contribution $13,838
Childrens
Home $220
Hispanic Contribution $208
Hispanic Attendance
35
Laotian Contribution $220
Laotian Attendance 41
The Way Contribution
$36
The Way Count 27
"Making disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve
others."
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