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Family
Lines Newsletter, November 8,
2007
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**Looking For Water? Look For
the Trees!**
By David Chadwell
“He will be like a tree firmly
planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf
does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)
Recently I had opportunity to
drive across several wastelands, some of which were just plain deserts.
Vegetation ranged from sparse (with small scrub bushes that occasionally dotted
the landscape) to absent, with hills gutted by gullies with little to hold the
soil.
Occasionally, I saw a ribbon of trees snaking along a low
place in the landscape. When I saw that ribbon of trees, I knew there was
water available—a small stream or a low river. In the dry areas, the
problem was not the nutrients in the soil, but the absence of moisture.
Strong trees would grow and produce their fruit if water were
available.
In the southern regions of
Palestine, the psalmist saw a similar situation. Some regions are
extremely arid. In those areas, occasionally there will be a spring and a
pool. Around that pool, there is incredible vegetation, including strong
fruit-bearing trees with strong root systems.
In short, there is life in a
lifeless landscape. Life exists because there is water. The contrast
is incredible—no water, arid; water, life.
Once as Jesus was
teaching, he said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He
who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow
rivers of living water’ ” (John 7:37, 38).
Consider what Jesus said to the
woman at the well near Sychar in John 4:10, 13, 14, “If you knew the gift of
God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him,
and He would have given you living water. ... Everyone who drinks of this water
will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall
never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of
water springing up to eternal life.”
Knowing and listening to Jesus is
like providing a tree in the desert with water. Knowing Jesus will do more
than change what you believe. It will change who you are.
In our American society, people
need more than information. While they need information, they also need
examples. The person who trusts in God must be like the tree in an arid region
growing by the water source. The person who trusts God must be sustained
by the living water, Jesus Christ. He or she obviously does not
thirst. Instead, he or she is a well springing to eternal life in
others.
In a society that mistakes
pleasure, money, possessions, power, and influence for life, to have the courage
to let Jesus quench the thirst for life is the difference between a scrub bush
in an arid region and a tree by a water source. Have the courage to be
God’s tree. Have the courage to let Jesus Christ be life to you and a well
to others through you.
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**IN OUR THOUGHTS &
PRAYERS**
• Benjamin Sherer (nephew of Chris Benjamin) is doing well after
having his tonsils removed Wednesday morning.
• Bill Seiter (father-in-law of
Ellen Seiter) is off the ventilator. He seems to be improving slowly, and the
family is thankful to the Lord for every small improvement.
• Bob Ziegler
(Aubrey's father) has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgery has not
yet been scheduled.
• Brenda Wilson (former member) is doing well at home
after surgery Wednesday morning to remove a kidney stone.
• Tammy Cypert
requests prayers for a family friend, Donna Wheeler, who has heart
problems.
• Dorothy Gouty (Harold's sister-in-law & Janice Lowry's aunt)
was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She learns this week about
treatment options.
• Kale Fletcher, infant son of Marcia (George) and Ep
Fletcher, has been diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which is an
electrical problem with the heart. He is stable. This is serious but can
be controlled by medication. Also, Marcia is still having trouble with her blood
pressure. If you would like to send a card to encourage them, the address
is:
Marcia & Ep Fletcher
15607 Oakcrest
Lane
Little Rock, AR 72206
• Vicki Varvel (daughter of John &
Nadine Hawkins and sister of Robin Murphy) has learned cancer has spread to her
liver. Treatment will begin soon.
**CONTINUED PRAYERS**
• Betty
Monk (Gene's mother)
• Bob Williams (father of Debbie Belote)
• Dolores
(Donna Hannah’s sister)
• Joel Prigge (brother-in-law of Louise Howard)
•
Margaret Stone
• Mary “T” Kolb
• Ona Dickens (phone number correction,
479-595-9709)
• Rusty Howard (son of Wilburn & Louise)
• Starr Pistole
(daughter-in-law of Joe and Peggy)
• Tanya Smith (sister of Angela
Dunavant)
• Tom Porter is home from the hospital and doing well.
**Prayers for Bereaved**
Our
love and sympathy is extended to the following families in their
loss:
• Ben Pearson in the recent death of his mother, Ada Light. She
was living in Ben’s home under hospice care.
• Lyndell Foster in the
death of his sister-in-law, Zedith Foster. Funeral services were Tuesday
in Harrison, AR.
• The family,
friends, and classmates of Matthew
Russell, a 4th grade student at Union Christian Academy, who was killed in a car
accident Friday night. Matthew's sister, Katelyn, was seriously
injured and is in ICU at Children's Hospital in Little Rock.
• The Lankford, Karr, Sanchez and Bice families in
the death of Ruth Choate on 11/3/07. Funeral services were Wednesday at
Edwards Funeral Home with burial in Coal Hill. Memorial donations may be given
to our Church Library.
**Prayers for Our Military**
Brian
Perkins
Mike Gooden
Mitchell Bryant
Ron Wheat
Shawn
Walker-Bandy
Stephen Christian
Thomas Lara
**PRAYER PAGERS**
• Bob
Callicott (father of Ann Combs), 441-1792
• Chuck Combs, 441-1648
• Donna
Wheeler, 441-2378 (friend of Tammy Cypert)
• Greg, Dena & Katelyn
Russell, 441-2387 (the family of Matthew Russell)
**BAPTISM**
Andy Cruz
4301
Kinkead Ave., #20
Fort Smith, AR 72903
Phone: 719-5226
After studying
with Earl Flood, Andy was baptized into Christ on 11/1/07.
**WELCOME, NEW
MEMBERS!**
Sandra Anderson
2526 S 47th Court
Fort Smith, AR
72903
Phone: 434-4293
Leona Petchenik
309 S 3rd Apt 2
Van
Buren, AR 72956
Phone: 461-7051
**BULLETIN AND OFFICE SCHEDULE
DURING THANKSGIVING WEEK**
We will publish a bulletin next week on November
15th. The following week, on November 22, there will not be a bulletin due to
the Thanksgiving holidays.
The church office will be closed
Thursday and Friday, November 22 and 23rd.
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**Church Photo Directory
Update**
Photos of our newest members (from May through October, 2007) are
printed and ready for you to pick up from the foyer.
**NEW BIBLE STUDY TO
BEGIN**
The final series in David’s lessons on the “Importance of People to
God” begins this Sunday morning in participating adult Bible classes.
Extra copies of the study are available in the Information Center.
**GAME DAY**
Thursday, November
15
12 noon at Meg Canfield’s home
2 Chestnut Court, Fort Smith
Come and
join in the fellowship and games!
**JOY BUNCH FISH
FRY**
Saturday, November 17th
6:00 PM in the FLC
Fish will be
provided. Bring dishes that complement fried fish.
**Thanksgiving Day Lunch**
If
you don't have plans for Thanksgiving, you are invited to join us in the Family
Life Center, Thanksgiving Day, from 12:00 noon until we all leave. Please sign
the list in the foyer to let us know what you plan to bring and how many of your
family will be attending. Contact Rachelle Pratt as soon as possible if
you can provide a ham or turkey. Bread and drinks will be
provided.
**PRAYERS FOR MISSIONARY
FAMILIES**
• Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
• John Paul
& Ruby Lee Hundley in France and Belgium.
• Steve & Colleen DeLoach,
Operation Guyana.
• Evangelists and their families with whom we work in
Ethiopia and Nigeria.
**SPECIAL MISSIONS
CONTRIBUTION**
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Our goal is $217,920!
**HOPE CHEST APPRECIATION
DINNER**
Hope Chest Volunteers and their spouses are invited to dinner on
November 19, 2007, 6:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Please sign the
list in the foyer if you can attend.
**HOPE CHEST NEEDS COATS**
The
evenings are getting cool – this means we are getting lots of requests for warm
clothing and coats at the Hope Chest. Coats for kids are needed, too!
Please bring your donations to the large container outside the
Library.
**LTC Coordinators Needed**
Our
Leadership Training for Christ program needs coordinators for:
• Elementary
students, and
• Junior/senior high students.
West-Ark will not be able to
participate in LTC this year if we do not find coordinators.
Can you
help? Contact Clark Risley SOON!
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**YOUTH NEWS**
Thanks to all of
you who helped out with and or attended the hayride last Saturday! A special
thanks to the Prater and Davis families for hosting the event.
Just a reminder about the Youth
Planning Meeting this Sunday, November 11th at 4:00 p.m. in the Youth
Room. Please come and share your ideas about what you want to see happen
in the Spring! Both teens and parents are welcome.
**LIBRARY MEMORIALS**
In memory of Cora Yancey from
West-Ark Church of Christ:
Commentary on Daniel by Hailey
In memory of Darold Wear by Bill
& Lynn Dickey:
Theodoret, Vol. 3, Eerdmans
Publishing
Kingdom Come by Jenkins & LaHaye
In memory of Darold Wear and Del
Choate Ingram by Inez Hatfield:
1, 2, 3 John Commentary by
Smith
**Happy Birthday**
November 12
Sara
Neal
November 13
Dalton
Stancil
November 14
Dennis
Anderson
Grayson Cogswell
Bill Dickey
Don Neal
November 15
Richard
Bullard
Kaitlynn Burk
Autumn Pistole
November 16
Rebecca
Holloway
Kathy Rosalez
November 17
Donna Davis
Anna
Holley
**Morning Nursery**
Vicki
Anderson
Trish Carson
Dwonne Cogswell
**Evening Nursery**
Terri
Jones
Marquetta Walker
**Attendance and Contribution
Count**
Sunday AM Worship 660
Bible Classes 461
Sunday PM
Worship 220
Life Groups 12
Contribution
$20319.63
Children’s Homes $293
Wednesday Classes 176
Lao Worship
Attendance
45
Contribution $204
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance 66
Contribution $206
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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