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Family
Lines Newsletter, January 3,
2008
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**
Faith Is . . . **
By David
Chadwell
"Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews
11:1
Faith is a spiritual journey
towards spiritual maturity, not an achieved destination. It is companion
to the spiritual maturation process of the individual who commits self to Jesus
Christ (1 Peter 2:1-3). Though faith is constantly the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen each step of the journey,
the nature of that assurance or conviction changes as the person matures in
Christ.
May I suggest several maturing
steps that frequently occur in the life of a person in Jesus Christ. In these
steps faith grows as the person spiritually grows.
1. The person comes to the
conviction that he/she (a) needs to be saved from sin and (b) God through Jesus
Christ can save from the consequence of sin. This level of faith gladly
commits to God and Christ through repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38).
However, this is just the beginning.
2. The saved person grows to the
conviction that he/she must show his/her gratitude for salvation by making self
available to Gods purposes. The result: he/she serves Gods purposes in
any way he/she is capable in the full confidence that God rewards (Hebrews
11:6). However, this is only a step, not a destination.
3. Increasingly, there is the
awareness that serving His purposes is rightfully Gods expectation, not some
special gift the saved person gives God (Ephesians 2:10; the examples of Hebrews
11:7-12). God promised, and people of faith responded by trusting His
promiseby building an ark, going to a strange place, or having a child when
conception was impossible. Still, this is but a step, not a faith
destination.
4. Then the person grasps on a
deeper level that salvation is the result of what God did in Jesus cross and
resurrection, not the result of any personal sacrifice made or service
performed. There is a new insight into the declaration, It is about God,
not about me (Hebrews 11:39, 40). He/she marvels anew at people who
trusted Gods promise without receiving the result of the promise. This,
too, is merely a step, not a destination.
5. If all this makes you wonder
about the nature of faith in God, ask an elderly, dying person who spent life
living by faith, How does faith express itself? The answers may astound
you.
Faith is not the product of human
confidence in self or human confidence in our deeds. It is the
expression of confidence in the God of mercy and grace who saves those who can
never make themselves deserving.
Grow in God, and let your faith
grow as you spiritually develop!
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**Prayer List**
Bob Williams
(father of Debbie Belote) was in the hospital for a week with an intestinal
infection. He went home on 1/1/08. Prayers for his continued recovery and
for Debbies mom, Norma, as she cares for him are very much appreciated!
Chuck Cunningham (former West-Ark member) continues to improve following surgery
in Denver, Colorado. He moved from ICU to a room on 12/28/07. He
may begin occupational therapy
soon.
Debra Gail Hatfield requests prayers for Dean Domela and his parents of Halcyon, California.
Dean is scheduled for brain surgery on January 3.
Eleanor Casey was dismissed from the
hospital and is back with Helen & Jim Pratt. She did not have
pneumonia, but was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. She is improving.
John Fowler is in St. Edward Hospital, Room 4529, with pneumonia.
LFC Ski
Trip Our skiers left early this morning for Colorado and will return January
8th.
Wilma Son is in St. Edward Hospital ICU. She had
surgery 1/2/08 to remove a tumor from
her lower intestine.
**Continued Prayers**
Betty
Monk (Gene's mother)
Donna Wheeler (friend of Tammy Cypert)
Dorothy
Green (Danna Turpins sister-in-law)
Gerald Jones & Family (friends of
Karen Carter)
Harry Smith (Barbaras husband)
Rebecca Holloway has
requested prayers for her mother, Helen Epton.
Jim Bynum (brother-in-law of
John & Nelda Fowler)
Joel Prigge (Louise Howard's brother-in-law)
Margaret Stone
Mary T Kolb
Palmer Richardson
Rusty Howard (son
of Wilburn & Louise)
Vicki Varvel (daughter of John & Nadine
Hawkins and sister of Robin Murphy)
Virginia Freeman (Danna Turpins
cousin)
**Bereaved in Prayer**
Our love
and sympathy is extended to:
Barbara (Binns) Smith in the death of her
sister, Kathryn Kitty McCubbin. Visitation is Thursday night (1/3/08)
from 6 to 8 PM at Lewis Funeral Chapel. Funeral service is Friday, 11 AM
(also at Lewis Funeral Chapel).
Joe Parker (former West-Ark member) in the
loss of his father, Max Parker, on Jan. 1.
Pat Campbell in the death of her
aunt, Claudine Box. Services were 12/31/07 at Edwards Funeral Home.
Jim and John Priester in the death of their Aunt Jean, on December 18th in
Hubbard, Ohio.
**Welcome, New Members**
Joel,
Andrea and Lauren James
1204 Breckenridge Dr
Van Buren, AR
729056
479-431-9856
**Change of Address**
Harold
Dickens
5608 Summit
Fort Smith, AR 72903
Phone: 595-9709
*Welcome, Baby Joshua!**
Joshua Sylvester Priester was born December 28th to John and Melody.
He weighed 8lbs. 1 oz. and measured 20 inches long. Congratulations also
to grandad, Jim Priester! If you would like to take a meal to the Priester
Family, contact Shelley McGehee.
**Prayer Pagers**
Donna
Wheeler, 441-2378
Greg, Dena & Caitlyn Russell, 441-2387
Bob
Callicott, 441-1792
**Prayers for Our
Military**
Brian Perkins
Danny Kweekul
John Clark
Michael
Priester
Mike Gooden
Mitchell Bryant
Ron Wheat
Shawn
Walker-Bandy
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear Church
Family,
Thank you for the cards, calls, visits and especially the prayers on
my fathers behalf. He and my mother were married for 65 years, and I know she
is going to be lost without him. He was a good man, and I wish you all could
have known him personally. Please continue to pray for us as we go through this
difficult time, and especially for my mom as she adjusts to being without
him.
In Christian love,
Sue Hastings
Dear Christian Friends,
Thank
you for the big, beautiful fruit basket. It was very thoughtful of you. I
hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you a very Happy New
Year.
Love,
Alice Jean Rogers
Once again my church family has
given me their love with visits, prayers, cards, calls, and food. Jay was not
bodily hurt, but his nerves were shattered. We are on the road to full
recovery.
In Christian love,
Jay & Retha Wood
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**VBS Planning**
Sunday,
January 6
5:00 PM in Room 100
This is an important Planning Session for
EVERYONE wanting to work in VBS 2008!
**Missionaries in Prayer**
Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
John Paul & Ruby Lee
Hundley in France and Belgium.
Evangelists and their families with whom we
work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.
**Guyana Medical
Mission**
West-Ark's 18th annual medical mission trip to Guyana, South
America, is scheduled for May 31 to June 8, 2008. Our first team meeting
will be in Room 100 at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9. Deposit of $500
will be needed by January 15. We need medical workers and Bible teachers.
Talk to Michael or Jeannie Cole if you have questions.
**York College Concert
Choir**
Jan. 9, 7:00 PM, Downtown Church of Christ in Searcy, AR
Jan.
10, 7:00 PM, Broken Arrow, OK, Church of Christ
Sara Firm (daughter of former
members, Tim & Kathy Firm) is a featured soloist with the York Concert
Choir. Sara would be delighted if any of the
family's West-Ark friends can catch a performance!
**LTC Practice
Schedule**
Sunday, January 6
3:00 Elem. Signing / Junior-Senior High Puppets
4:00 Elem.
Drama /
Junior-Senior High
Drama
5:00 Elem. Chorus / Junior-Senior High Chorus
6:00 Elem.
Puppets / Junior-Senior High Signing
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**Youth & Family Ministry
Update**
Dear West-Ark
Family,
The elders wish you a happy and blessed New Year.
We want to give you the first of many regular updates on the
development of our Youth and Family program in the upcoming year.
We have started the formal process of seeking, finding, and hiring
a Youth and Family Minister. We are unsure of the timetable involved, but we are
comfortable in simply allowing God to establish and control the timetable.
However, there are several interim steps that we are working on that will take
place in the near future, such as:
Establishing the composition
of the search team.
Seeking and engaging individuals to serve on the
search team.
Establishing a clear and concise job description.
Establishing the qualifications desired in a Youth and Family Minister.
Turning the process over to the search team who will conduct the search on
behalf of the congregation and make recommendations to the elders.
We love you, and we want you to know that the elders have
continually prayed for you, our Youth and Family ministry, and that God would
grant us wisdom as we seek to do his will. We will continue to seek his counsel,
and we will keep you informed of the progress of the search process.
Your West-Ark Elders
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**Youth Group NEWS**
Happy New Year!
The New Years
Eve Party was a blast! It was a fun (and loud!) way to bring in the New Year.
Thanks to those who participated and to those who helped make it
happen!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Prayer Night
Sunday, January
6
6:00 PM, Junior and Senior High, Youth Room
SNL in Rogers
Sunday, January
13
Home Devotionals
Sunday,
January 20
Junior High - David & Sandy Bergers home
Senior High -
Jerry & Cyndi Glidewells home
*For a list of other youth events
to come, please pick up a calendar in the foyer or the youth room.
**Library Memorials for Agnes Ely
(mother of Dave Cogswell)**
From Calline Ellis:
* Apostolic
Church/Harrison
* DVD/Where Fact Meets Fiction
From Jerry & Meg
Canfield:
* Reeves-Cook Debate on Baptism
* Crowe-Kieran Debate on
Catholicism
From Gary & Nancy Fine:
*
Lord or Legend/Boyd
* Choice, Desire and the Will of God/Runcorn
* The
Spirit/Jacoby
* Understanding 4 Views of Baptism/Engle
* Unchristian/Barna
Group
* A Gathered People/Leafwood
**Happy Birthday**
January
6
Coleen Shirley
January 7
Pauline
Alberty
January 8
Patti Anderson
Rex
Mason
January 9
Jessica Frost
Bill
Kamp
Marcia Tomlin
January 10
Russell
Burger
Sarah Hartley
Judy Wright
January 11
Nancy
James
January 12
Sam Lively
Tyler
Robbins
Charlotte Rye
**Morning Nursery**
Dena
Jenkins
Suzie Jennemann
Melissa Walker
**Evening Nursery**
Gina
Williams
Tammy Cypert
**Attendance and Contribution
Count**
Sunday AM Worship 586
Bible Classes 368
Sunday PM
Worship 233
Life Groups NA
Contribution
$16,268
Childrens Homes $226
Wednesday Classes 159
Lao Worship
Attendance
71
Contribution $234
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance 43
Contribution $185
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"Making
disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve
others."
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