West-Ark Newsletter, 7 June 2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Lines Newsletter, June 7, 2007
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**Holy Manners: Honesty**
 
David Chadwell
 
"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance"  (Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:15).
 
Spiritually, an honest heart is critical to a fruitful life.  An honest heart grasps, receives, understands, and lives on the basis of God’s teaching.
 
One of Jesus’ earliest teachings according to Matthew was Jesus’ sermon on the mount.  The people who heard Jesus were quite religious, but they missed the point of belonging to God.  Their failure hinged on their confidence that God could be pleased and people be deceived at the same time.  Their spiritual problem was dishonesty.  Consider Matthew 5:21-48.  May we let their problems make us shudder as we consider our lives!
 
(1)   They would not dare take a physical life, but they would destroy with their words.  In anger they would speak with contempt.  They said things that would make them liable in their courts or liable before God eternally.
 
(2)   They would not dare commit adultery, but they would lust without restraint.
 
(3)   They deliberately deceived through their vows by declaring their vow was not binding.  Thus they lied while appearing to tell the truth.
 
(4)   They sought vengeance by excusing themselves from being compassionate.
 
(5)   By tweaking their religious rules, they behaved like people who did not even know God.  Jesus said God and God only was their standard.
 
These people were very religious by being consistent with what they heard.  They believed how one did something was more important than what he or she did.  They thought doing things the right way was what was important to God.  Jesus told them the outcome of what they did was as important as the way they did it.
 
If we follow Jesus Christ, we need to be trustworthy.  I need to know I can depend on you, and you need to know you can depend on me.  We cherish each other and our relationship because we both understand something bigger than us is involved—people’s view of Jesus Christ and God.
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**In Our Thoughts & Prayers**

•Bruce Davenport’s surgery for kidney cancer will be Friday at UAMS in Little Rock.
•Janice Ford (Nancy Dockery’s aunt) suffered a brain aneurysm Saturday.  She had 2nd corrective surgery Tuesday.
•Marilyn Wiles (Trish Carson’s sister) is doing well after receiving a pacemaker Monday.
•Mary Wray (Vicki Anderson’s mother) has injuries from a fall.
•Minnie Oakley (Blake Frost’s grandmother) had colon surgery Monday.
•Tillman McClendon’s grandmother has a mass on her heart.
•Praise! Travis Wade (Fran’s grandson) came through his heart procedure “with flying colors”
 
**Bereaved in Prayer**

Our love and sympathy is extended to the Harold Davis family.  His niece, Nita Shepherd, passed away unexpectedly Sunday.  Services were Friday in Mena.
 
**Prayer Pagers**
•Lyndell Foster, 441-1648
•Patty Kaiser,  441-2387
 
**Continue in prayer for**

Mary “T” Kolb, Reta Roden, David Gates, Glenanna O’Mara, Hunter Hesslen, Bob Williams, Tim Smith, Tom Randolph, Bosco Eudaly, Ray Brisco, Rusty Howard, James Winchell
 
**Missionaries in Prayer**

•West-Ark’s Guyana Medical Mission Team 2007, June 2-10.
•Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
•John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France.
•Steve & Colleen DeLoach, Operation Guyana
•Evangelists and their families with whom we work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.
•Arista and Kaylee Lindgren will be working with the City of Children in Mexico June 9-16.
 
**Prayers for Military**

Adam Morrissun
Brian Perkins
Brian Harris
Jeff Amos
Jonathan Smith
Kyle Evans
Michael Anderson
Ron Wheat
Stephen McElroy
Thomas Lara
Wes Roper
 
**Note of Thanks**

•Thank you so much for all the support you have given me thru my life.  It has made me who I am.  Also thank you for the wonderful Sunday service & book for graduation.  I’ll put it to good use.  My plans are to attend UCA in Conway this fall.  I’ll be playing in the marching & concert bands.  So if you get a chance to come to a game, please let me know. 
Nate Davis
 
•Thank you for your prayers and words of comfort and support following the death of my brother, John Parker.  Thank you also for the donation to the library in his memory. 
Joe Parker
 
**BAPTISM**

We rejoice that Lindsey Yowell was baptized after services Sunday evening.  We are so proud of this lovely young woman.
 
**VBS News!**

We still need workers/helpers in many areas.  Sign up at the VBS table.   Especially needed are:
 
•nursery workers
•1 shopkeeper
•bread bakers (recipe at VBS table)
 
If  you  can  loan  or  donate any of the following items please contact:
Dena Jenkins or Staci James
 
or leave them under the VBS table.  If you are loaning the items, please CLEARLY MARK YOUR NAME on them so we can return them to you. Thanks so much for helping make this VBS special for our kids.
 
•Fishing nets
•Rugs
•Baskets
•Pottery
•Artificial trees
•Greenery
•Any other items to help us transform the building into the 1st century.
 
**The Hope Chest**
 
New hours for June, July & August
will be 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

We have an urgent need for the following items. Just place your donations in the large container in the foyer.
•men’s casual pants & jeans
•disposable diapers (sizes 1 & 2)
•baby wash
•baby shampoo
•deodorant (small sizes)
Thank you for continuing to keep the container filled. Your donations make it possible to serve the needs of many in this community and area!
 
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ATTENTION!!!
 
Grownups of the Flock
Shining Star 1st Graders
 
YOU ARE INVITED!!!
 
What:   Shining Star Graduation
               and Reception
When:  Sunday, June 10, 9:30 AM
Where: Family Life Center 
              West-Ark church of Christ
              Fort Smith, Arkansas
Why:     To honor our graduating
               Class of The FLOCK
                And to tour GATEWAY
                (their new classes after
                promotion)
 
**JOY BUNCH**
We will have our regular “Pot Luck”  in the Family Life Center June 16 at 6 PM.
 
**WEDDINGS**
 
Because you have shared in our lives
By your friendship and love, we
Kathryn Leigh Stewart
and
Kevin Allen Davis
together with our parents invite you to share the beginning of our new life
together when we exchange marriage
vows on Saturday, the sixteenth of June
Two thousand and seven at three o’clock in the afternoon
Cone Chapel
Harding University
Searcy, Arkansas
 
Reception to Follow
 
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For everything there is a season
a time and a purpose
Because you have shared in their lives through your friendship and love
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Edwards Request the honour of your presence at the marriage uniting their daughter
Rayna Rochelle Edwards
and
Joseph Ray Howard
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfrid Mirville
Saturday, the twenty-third of June
Two thousand and seven
At two o’clock in the afternoon
Sylvan Hills Church of Christ
117 West Maryland Avenue
Sherwood, Arkansas
 
Reception following ceremony
 
**CHANGE OF ADDRESS**
 
Blake Broom Family
10534 Burchfiel Road
Uniontown, AR 72955
 
Jessie Moore
5900 Kinkead – Apt 360
Fort Smith, AR 72903
 
Tom Porter
7811 Euper Lane – A4
Fort Smith, AR 72903
 
**ALL FLOCK GROWNUPS**
You are invited!!!
 
What:  Flock Fellowship
When: Wednesday, June 13    6:45 p.m.
Where: Room 106
Why:   To see your child perform a sampling of what they have been learning in the FLOCK!
 
Pray diligently. Stay alert,
with your eyes wide open in gratitude.
Colossians 4:2
 
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**Family  Life  Ministry**
by Brad Pistole

**Jesus – He’s So Nice?**
The Final Chapter
 
Jesus always has been and always will be debated. In the past, in the present and in the future, people will try to “figure Him out.” They will always ask, “Who was He really?” Scholars will read His words, His stories, and His parables and they will have endless debates over “what He REALLY meant?” They will all think THEY are right.
 
Was He just a nice, gentle man who never ruffled anyone’s feathers and always sought to “pursue peace with all men” Or was He a renegade, a rebel and someone who was always shaking things up? After all, His actions and His teachings led Him to His own death on a cross at the hands of the religious leaders of His time.
 
So who is this man from Nazareth … this man who was “born of a virgin” … this man who never sinned, yet was referred to as a glutton, a drunkard and a sinner by all of the religious people?
   
No matter how long the debates continue and no matter how many different opinions there are about Him, some facts will NEVER change … and you can take it to the bank:
My Jesus is the King of Kings! He’s the Lord of Lords! He’s the Prince of Peace! He’s the Lamb of God! He’s the Great High Priest! He’s the Living Water! He’s the Bread of Life! He’s the Light of the World! He’s the Chief Cornerstone! He’s the Resurrection and the Life! He’s the Good Shepherd! He’s the Head of the Church! He’s the Author and Finisher of our faith! He’s the ROCK! He’s the Alpha and the Omega! He’s the Beginning and the End! He’s the Great I AM! He’s the Great Redeemer! He’s the Lion who is the Lamb!
 
HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!
 
AMEN!
(Revelation 3:14, 20-22)
 
**BIRTHDAYS**

June 10
Benny Gooden
 
June 12
Barbara Aldridge
 
June 13
Brent Evans
Randy Moss
 
June 14
Dorian Belt
Marcia Dye
Tillman McClendon
Tillman McClendon II
Lynnette Purvis
John Wood
 
June 15
Brady Burress
Logan Burress
Beverly Ingram
Jeffrey Nolasco
 
June 16
Kalen Griffin
Loretta Loudermilk
 
**NURSERY WORKERS**

June 10
Morning
Vicki Anderson
Trish Carson
Dwonne Cogswell
 
Evening
Terri Jones
Marquetta Walker
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
 
Sunday AM Worship 598
Sunday PM Worship 232
Bible Classes 405
Life Groups 9
Contribution   $21,612
Children’s Home $165
 
Laotian
 
Attendance 39
Contribution $212
 
Iglesia de Cristo
 
Attendance 48
Contribution $177
 
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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