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Family Lines Newsletter,  January 31, 2008
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**The Power of Words: God Spoke**
By David Chadwell
 
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)
Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water ...” (Genesis 1:6)
Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place ...” (Genesis 1:9)
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night ...” (Genesis 1:14)
Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth ...” (Genesis 1:20)
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind ...” Genesis 1:24)
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image ...” (Genesis 1:26)
Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed ...” (Genesis 1:29)
 
In the Bible’s brief account of God’s creation of the physical world, there is enormous emphasis on the power of speech and the words speech uses. In the creative acts of God, your attention is directed to two declarations:  (1) the creation of the physical happened because God spoke; (2) people were made in the image of God.
 
It would be difficult to exaggerate the power of speech.  Through speech people are encouraged, lifted to the heights, challenged to make great sacrifices, and moved to give life itself for a cause.  Because of speech, great battles have been fought, the underdog has achieved the impossible, dreams become visions, movements become governments, and governments become empires.  Because of speech, people live and people die.  Because of speech, literally the direction of lives is changed.
 
We have words and phrases that acknowledge the power of speech.  We acknowledge wordsmiths exist.  These are the people who can create concepts and direct thoughts by the use of words.  A quality wordsmith can stir our emotions and penetrate our thinking.  We acknowledge spin doctors exist.  They specialize in transforming undesirable words into worthwhile thoughts.  (Surely, both can abuse as well as use words.)
 
Most of what exists in your life began with words.  This is so true that you likely have a great appreciation for someone who can say or write things well.  For anyone—man or woman—who can use words to inspire us or to make us think, we have profound respect.  Who is your favorite author?  Why?  To whom do you listen (always) when he or she speaks? Why? To whom will you never read or listen?  Why?
 
If God made things happen by speaking, and we each were made in God’s image, do you realize the power found in your speech, in the words you use?  Do you realize the power your words have to challenge a life to rise to its finest efforts or to dismantle a life so that it crumbles?
 
If we as Christians represent the God who is so powerful that He said and it existed, always be aware of what you say and the words you use.  One of the powers you have because you are in God’s image is found in your speech.  In that understanding, those who seek to reflect God are quite careful about what they say.
 
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6).
 
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**Say A Prayer For**
• Gene Beckham (Wanda Wear's brother) had a heart attack and is in Sparks Hospital, room 528.  He had open heart surgery Wednesday morning.
• Gerald Jones (friend of Karen Carter) has started chemo treatments and will have one every other week for at least 3 months.
• Madelyn Grist (7-year-old granddaughter of Ed Grist) is having more cystic fibrosis lung problems.  She will receive IV antibiotics at home for the next 3 weeks.  Please remember Madelyn and her family in prayer.
• Marshall Kid (96-year-old father of Margaret Moss) was admitted to Sparks Hospital Monday afternoon with dehydration.
• Patty Kaiser is home from the hospital. The cause of her severe pain was diagnosed as degenerative disc disease.
• Rick Johnson, a former West-Ark member, is currently on a short-term mission trip to India. He is very thankful for those from West-Ark who supported him on this trip. He is scheduled to return February 28th.
• Ruth Burns will have out-patient shoulder surgery Thursday.
• Curtis McDonald requests prayers for a friend, Tommy Holmes (age 39) who suffered a brain aneurysm.
• Wilma Son has moved to Covington Court Rehabilitation, room 33B, 4500 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, AR 72903.
• Sandy Chavis requests prayers for her aunt, Willard Lewis (99 years old) who has suffered a stroke, and for comfort and peace for Willard's family.
• Virginia Mobley’s broken ankle did not require surgery. It was placed in a cast and she is recovering at home.
• Wanda Wear is doing fine after out-patient eye surgery today.
 
**Continued Prayers**
• Becky Hargrove (daughter of Marjorie Blake)
• Bob Callicott
• Bob Williams (father of Debbie Belote)
• Clarice Tisher (grandmother of Carrie Burress)
• Donna Wheeler (friend of Tammy Cypert)
• Dorothy Green (Danna Turpin's sister-in-law)
• Ericton Chitwood (requested by Layne Downs)
• Harry Smith (Barbara’s husband)
• Helen Needham (former member)
• Joel Prigge (Louise Howard's brother-in-law)
• Lloyd Priester (father of Jim)
• Lynn Dickey
• Margaret Stone
• Mary “T” Kolb
• Rusty Howard (son of Wilburn & Louise)
• Tanya Smith (sister of Angela Dunavant)
• Virginia Freeman (Danna Turpin’s cousin)
 
**Bereaved in Prayer**
Our love and sympathy is extended to Judy Walker in the death of her mother, Vashtie Locklear, in North Carolina.
Sandy Chavis requests prayers for the family of her uncle, John Childers, of Memphis.  He died yesterday at age 97.
 
**Prayer Pagers**
• Tanya Smith (sister of Angela Dunavant), 441-2386
• Donna Wheeler, 441-2378
• Greg, Dena & Caitlyn Russell, 441-2387
 
**Pray for Our Military **
Brian Perkins
John Clark (son-in-law of Jim Priester) is scheduled to go to Iraq very soon. 
Michael Priester
Mike Gooden
Mitchell Bryant
Ron Wheat
Shawn Walker-Bandy
 
**Pray for Our Missionaries**
• Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
• John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley are home for a visit from their work in France and Belgium.
• Evangelists and their families with whom we work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.
 
**Change of Address**
Frances Tyler
3019 South 66, Apt. #6
Fort Smith, AR 72903
Phone: 452-0117
 
**Wedding Shower**
A shower is planned for Adam & Candice Davis on Sunday, February 17th, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM in the Annex.  Adam & Candice are registered at Wal-Mart and Linens ‘N Things.
 
**Sunday Morning, February 10**
Dr. Charles Siburt (ACU) will be our guest speaker for worship and combined adult Bible classes in the Auditorium.
 
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**Note of Thanks**
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your prayers, cards, visits, and kind thoughts during my stay in the hospital with pneumonia. I love you and appreciate you more than I will ever be able to say. You are so special in my heart.
 God bless you all,
 John Fowler
 
To the Congregation,
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers during my painful illness. I am getting stronger every day and the pain is slowly diminishing. God bless you all.
 With gratitude,
 John Wade
 
**No LTC Practices Sunday Feb. 3**
 
**Car Clinic**
Saturday, February 2
8 to 11 AM
Annex parking lot
(Weather permitting)
 
**Widows/Widowers**
The vans will leave the Annex at 11:30 AM on Saturday, February 2.  We will be hosted by Glenda Lewis and Maxine Yates. Please call Bobbie, Mary, or Janice if you need transportation to the Annex.
 
**Valentine’s Banquet for Widows/Widowers**
Please join us for a Valentine's Banquet hosted by the youth group on Wednesday, February 13. Dinner will be at 5:30 in the Family Life Center. If you would like to share a photo of your “Sweetheart” with us, please do so. You can give the pictures to either Mary Burkett or Jackie Sofio. Please RSVP to the church office (479-452-1240) if you are able to attend.  Please come and join us!
 
**West-Ark Ladies’ Retreat -- “Pajamas & Pearls”**
February 8-9, 2008
If you have already signed up, please meet at the front of the auditorium Sunday morning after worship! There is still room for more ladies! You may sign up in the Information Center or online at http://www.westarkchurchofchrist.org/retreat.htm. If you have questions, call Coleen Shirley. Dena Jenkins, Staci James, and Esther Gunn will be collecting the money.
 
**West-Ark Youth and Family Ministry Update**
 
Search Team Members
Bill Kamp
Colleen Frost
Dave Cogswell
Bruce Davenport
Lisa Grace
Mary Burkett
Chris Benjamin
Jackie Sofio – Ex officio providing administrative support
 
Youth and Family Ministry Survey
The survey is available online from now until the end of the day on Sunday, Feb. 3. 
 
All members of the West-Ark Church Family are encouraged to participate in the Youth and Family Ministry Survey.  Even if you do not have teens in the Youth and Family Ministry, we welcome your input. We especially encourage our teens (7th – 12th) to take the survey.  We want to hear from you.
 
For convenience, there is a portal to the survey website at the following webpage - http://www.westark.org/survey.  This webpage will redirect you to the Zoomerang site, which is independent of West-Ark's website. The survey will ask for general demographic data, but it is anonymous.  All data collected by the survey is managed by Robert Oglesby, Jr. and his team at the Center for Youth and Family Ministry in Abilene, Texas. Only aggregate data will be reported to the West-Ark elders and search team.
 
Your input will help the Search Team and West-Ark Church of Christ fulfill its mission to make disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve others.
 
Note:  If you know someone without Internet access who wishes to take the survey, please have them contact the church office to make arrangements to take the survey.
 
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**Youth Group News**
 
Bulletin Board
There is a new Youth Group bulletin board downstairs in the lobby. All sign-ups will be located there from now on. (Make sure you check it out--there are fun pictures on there!)
 
Super Bowl Party
The Super Bowl is this Sunday!!!  Kick-off is at 5:30 PM 
We ask that the guys bring 2 liter drinks and that the girls bring desserts. Pizza and chips and dip will be provided for you! 
Please sign-up (or email Jackie@westarkchurchofchrist.org) soon so we know how much food to bring.
Feel free to bring board games, etc. to play while the game is going on.  (It's in the Family Life Center.)  Parents are welcome!
 
Winter Retreat
The sign-up deadline for the retreat has passed. The cost is $45/person - please give the money to Jackie Sofio on or before Wednesday, Feb. 6. 
The adults sponsoring this trip are: Shanna Davis, Cyndi Glidewell and Brian Robbins.
Every teen going needs to fill out a Medical Release Form. (If you filled one out for SNL then you don't need to do another one.)  Copies will be available on the table by the new bulletin board in the lobby. Please turn them in soon.
 
Valentine's Banquet honoring the Widows and Widowers
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 5:30 PM, FLC
Please sign-up to serve at the dinner.
This is a great way to show our love. 
We will also share our class time with them. It will be a fun time to talk to them and get to know them.
 
Take the Survey
Please make sure you take the survey! It's extremely important!  Go to http://www.westark.org/survey.
Please make sure your voice is heard!
 
**Happy Birthday**
 
February 3
Jared Hollomon
 
February 4
Jenapher Burnett
Jaythan Johnson
 
February 5
Krystabella Jones
 
February 7
Chris Belt
John Glidewell
 
February 8
Megan Perkins
 
February 9
Austin Curtis
John Holley
Mike Williams
 
**Morning Nursery**
Dena Jenkins
Suzie Jennemann
Melissa Walker
 
**Evening Nursery**
Gina Williams
Tammy Cypert
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM Worship  637
Bible Classes  428
Sunday PM Worship  209 
Contribution  $15,970
Children’s Homes  $243
Wednesday Classes  188
 
Lao Worship
Attendance  47
Contribution  $288.
 
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance  57
Contribution  $138
 
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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