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Family Lines Newsletter, June 30, 2005
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**It Is Not Fair!**
By David Chadwell
 
James 2:1-9 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
 
We are a middle class American church.  We may range from the depths of middle class to the higher fringes of middle class, but we are primarily a middle class church.  We descended from a strong work ethic in a rural environment that managed with values and behavior strange to today’s America. 
 
Many of us adults adopted those values and perspectives.  Most of us do not live as our grandparents lived, but the older of us still hold many of their values and perspectives.
 
However, times have changed considerably.  Now we have adults who do not know those values and perspectives.  We have young people who have never seen or heard of those values and perspectives.  While our grandparents knew ‘hard times’, now there are people in the church who live exclusively in prosperity and its lifestyle.
 
Do you doubt we are a middle class church?  How do you feel if the congregation has a sizeable number who assemble here to praise God from true poverty circumstances?  Or, if our building is used to provide support groups a meeting place to teach and encourage those who confront addictions?  Or if we mix “our” children in classes with children who come from obviously different environments?
 
Perhaps the biggest shock comes if circumstances require us to live in a third world country.  Much of the world’s population resides in such countries.  After we get past the curious tourist stage, our eyes see things and ears hear things never seen or heard before.  We see people truly trapped in poverty, who never have enough to eat, who could put the entire family’s clothing in one of our closets—and still have empty space, who are sick most of the time (by our definition), and who likely will die before the age of 50.
 
Shockingly, these people smile more, are less anxious, are more thoughtful, and are more grateful than many of us.  Conversion changes nothing physically for many of them, but they are so grateful to know the hope given by the living God.
 
May we develop God’s eyes and ears as we look at ourselves and others!
 
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**Remember in Prayer**
• The McDonalds will travel to Little Rock on Tuesday (7/5/05) for Maile’s next treatment.  Her IV port was not working on Monday when she saw the doctor in Fort Smith. Travis & Jeannie have been given prayer pager 441-6639 for Maile. 
• Ann Selig is scheduled for thyroid surgery on July 14th,at  7 a.m. at St. Edward Hospital. She will be in the hospital for 2-3 days.
• Joe Kincy, brother-in-law of Eleanor Casey, is in Sparks Hospital, ICU, room 223..
• Marveil Smith (sister of Anetia Livesay and Marceil Stevens) is in Sparks Hospital, room 545.
• Jimmy Duncan, Sr. is being transferred to Tulsa for a difficult heart surgery.
• Theresa Stafford (mother of Cody, Ashley, Lance and Joshua) is recovering from back surgery.
• Continue to pray for Bill Houlker, Roy & Joyce Dunavin’s son-in-law in New Zealand.
• Kenneth Burns, a friend of Greg and Nancy Dockery, has multiple infections following surgery.
• Bob Callicott (father of Ann Combs) is on IV antibiotics for an infection. He continues to receive treatments twice a day for cancer in his vertebrae.
• Jennifer Collins is having health problems. Please keep her in your prayers.
• Jimmy McCartney (brother of Peggy Pistole) is in Sparks  Hospital, room 671, for tests.
 
**Prayer Pagers**
• Wendell Fenton (father of Natalie Nelson) has prayer pager 784-7490.
• The Jenkins Family has prayer pager 441-2591 for Adam.
• The McDonald Family has prayer pager 441-6639 for Maile. 
 
**Continued Prayers**
• Anita Maxwell
• Chuck Cunningham
• Elnora Nichols (sister of Betty Summers)
• Gene Smith
• John Fowler
• Larry Treat
• Maile McDonald
• Mary Vampola
• Paul Flippo
• Vicki Varvel (daughter of John and Nadine Hawkins)
 
**Bereaved**
Our love and sympathy is extended to the following families:
• Lorene Yates in the death of her brother-in-law, Harry Cagle.  Funeral services will be at Evans-Miller Funeral Home in Pocola, OK at 10 a.m. on Friday morning.  Mr. Cagle is also the uncle of Maxine Yates and Glenda Lewis.
• Missy Blasdel in the death of her cousin, Larry Vickers. Funeral services are incomplete at this time.
• Kay Cole in the death of her sister, Norma Smith, of Washington, Missouri. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
 
**Prayers for Men in Service**
Matthew Faries, Shane L. Newton, Aaron Bailey, Adam Morrissun, Ronnie Wheat, David Jennen,  Jacob Roper, and Jackie Luong.
 
**Notes of Thanks**
West-Ark Family,
Thank you so much for the prayers, the words of encouragement and kindness shown to Don and me through his illness. The prayer pager meant a lot to him. From the help with our yard to the visits and phone calls, I thank you all.
 Carol Green & Family
 
Dear West-Ark Family:
A note of thanks for all the prayers for Jordan Reece after his accident. It was only God’s will that he wasn’t out right killed. He was dismissed from the hospital on June 25th. Today he is starting physical therapy, and they are going to check his leg for a prosthesis.
May God bless all of you.
 Love,
 Marjorie Blake
 
**Returning to France**
John Paul and Ruby Lee Hundley are scheduled to return to their mission work in France on July 7th.
 
**Wedding Shower**
A shower honoring Nicole Riggs and Eddie King is planned for Sunday, July 10, at 4:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center.  A gift registry is posted in the Information Center.
 
**Wedding Invitations**
Nicole Riggs and Eddie King
invite you to share their joy
as they exchange wedding vows
on Saturday, July 2
at five in the afternoon
West-Ark Church of Christ
Reception following
 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wayne Freeland
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Paige Diane to William Cary Wilson
son of Dr. and Mrs. James Cary Wilson
on Saturday, the sixteenth of July
at six o’clock in the evening
Flowers Chapel
Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home
Monroe, Louisiana
Reception immediately following
 
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**LTC Announcement**
Coach sign-up sheets are posted in the foyer on the LTC bulletin board.
 
**The JOY Bunch!**
(Just Older Youth)
We are planning a trip to the Shoji Tabuchi show in Branson, Missouri, on Saturday, July 16. 
A $50 deposit is due by July 2. Turn in your deposit to the church office, the Turpins, Arnolds, or Nyes.
The sign up sheet is in the Information Center!
 
**VBS is July 18-21**
Monday – Thursday
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
(Ages 4 years – 6th Grade)
Parents, register your children online!
http://www.westark.org/vbsregis.htm
 
**No Car Clinic or Widows/Widowers Luncheon**
Due to the 4th of July holiday, there will not be a Car Clinic or a Widows/Widowers luncheon for the month of July.
 
**Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast**
The 34th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is planned for Friday, July 15, at 6:15 a.m. in the Holiday Inn City Center, 700 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, AR.  The guest speaker this year is Retired Brigadier General and former NASA Astronaut Robert L. Stewart.
 
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce until Monday, July 11.
 
**Happy Birthday**
 
July 10
Martha Walker
 
July 11
Seth Kleman
Rachel Robbins
Aline Story
 
July 12
K.J. Speaks
 
July 14
Jennifer Dotson
Kacey Frederick
Ruby Nichols
 
July 15
Fred Jackson
John Bradley Smith
 
**Sunday Morning**
Mark 4, Chris Benjamin
 
**Sunday Evening**
Fences: Faith or Control? Part II
David Chadwell
 
**Combined Groups**
LFC, West-Ark Youth, and “Jump Start” (LIFE groups)
meet Sunday night, July 3, 6:00 p.m. in Room 200.
 
**Sunday Morning Adult Bible Classes for July – September, 2005**
 
Auditorium * Roy Dunavin * 1 & 2 Timothy
Room 100 * Kevin Roberts * The Christian's Conscience
Room 200 * Michael & Jeannie Cole * Prayerfully Practicing Proverbs (for young married)
Room 202A * Phillip Burns * young adults class
Room 203 * David Chadwell  * The Christian's Conscience
Room 210 * Jerry Canfield/Gary Brown * Kings
Room 211 * Larry Roper/Bob Fisher * The Christian's Conscience
North Annex * John Priester * college class
Library * Bill Dickey * Harmony of the Gospels
Annex * Thomas Kweekul * Laotian church
Annex Conf Room * Meg Canfield * Laotian ladies
 
**Wednesday Night Adult Bible Classes at 7:00 p.m.**
Auditorium * David Chadwell * Intensive Bible Study
FLC * "Peak of the Week"
Room 203 * Jerry Canfield * Revelation
Annex * John Priester * college class
 
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**Family Life Ministry**
By Brad Pistole
 
This past week, 18 of our teens and adults participated in the Heifer International Project in Perryville, AR. Simply put, it was one of the most educational and beneficial things we have ever done.
 
We learned so much about ourselves and about what we can and should be doing to help put an end to world hunger. We know that we have the power and the ability to help change the world, one person at a time.
 
I will put together a bulletin board that will show many of the pictures from our experiences this past week. We will also post it on the youth website. For more information about what you can do to help put an end to world hunger, go to www.heifer.org .
 
*Coming Events*
• Please pray for our group this coming week. Larry Roper, Rochelle Brown, Nikita Stinchcomb, Daniel Word, and Michael Jones will help lead Craig Frost’s week at Green Valley Bible Camp July 3-9. About 15 of our teenagers will be there for the week.
• Vacation Bible School is just around the corner, July 18-22. Sign-up lists are now up and daily work days are taking place each week to prepare for a great week. Come join us and help make a difference in the lives of area children.
• Youth and Family Summer Trip, August 11-13. The sign-up list is now up on the Youth Board in the hallway leading into the FLC. There are 55 spots available for this year’s trip. Sign-up today!
 
**Morning Nursery**
Melissa Walker
Dena Jenkins
Irene Willis
Annette Sharp
 
**Evening Nursery **
Dixie Burkhart
Gina Williams
 
**Serving at the Lord’s Table in July**
 
Prayer leader: Kevin Vaught
 
Servers:
Brian Perkins
Duane Walker
James Wilson
Kenny Holloman
Jaythan Johnson
Troy Sweeten
Richard Bullard
Dan Cathy
Richard Broyles
Benny Gooden
Kevin Hesslen
Blake Frost
Tom Porter
Aaron Hite
John Kamp
Andrew Todd
 
Ushers/Nursery Communion:
Steve Breedlove and Jay Wood
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
 
Morning Worship 622
Morning Bible class 429
Evening Worship 273
Contribution $14,796.01
Wednesday Night 388
Children's Home $194.48
 
The Way
Attendance 41
Contribution $61
 
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance 39
Contribution $135
 
Lao Church
Attendance 35
Contribution $272
 
Office Phone (479) 452-1240
Fax  (479) 452-5767
office@westarkchurchofchrist.org
www.westark.org
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"Making disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve others."
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