-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Lines Newsletter, March 27, 2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**Healthy Congregations, Part 1**
Focus on God’s Purposes
By David Chadwell
 
"In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:8b-14).
 
God always has had a purpose.  God made it clear He had a purpose in the Bible’s first book in Genesis 12:3.  Paul confirmed that the divine promise to bless all families of the earth through Abraham’s descendants was a reference to God’s intention to send Jesus to be the Christ  (Galatians 3:8, 16).  In Romans 3:21-26, this same Paul declared how much God accomplished in Jesus’ sacrifice—righteousness, the power to save gentiles by faith, justification, grace, redemption, propitiation, a demonstration of God’s righteousness in pre-Jesus forbearance, and a declaration of God’s justice in mercy.
 
God has never bumbled along achieving good by accident.  God is and always has been intentional.  He intended to achieve in Jesus what He achieved.  Long before Jesus’ birth, God intended for Jesus’ life and death to be the core (the centerpiece) of every good thing He did and would do for sinful humans.
 
Healthy congregations are filled with intentional people who surrender to an intentional God.  These Christians are not accidental in the way they live their lives for Jesus Christ.  They serve their Lord Jesus Christ with thought, planning, reason, and purpose.  They understand one of God’s purposes is for Jesus to be their example!
 
A person has to be intentional to believe that good is stronger than evil (Romans 12:21), to pray for his/her enemies (Matthew 5:44), to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39), to understand God’s grace covers all our flaws (Ephesians 2:4-9), and to grasp that God rewards the righteous after physical death (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Healthy congregations are the result of the members’ faith in God.  These God-focused members understand physical life is an investment in the life that exists after physical death.  Physical life is not about one’s earthly lifestyle, but about life with God—now and in Heaven!  Poverty is no hindrance to God’s blessings!  Poverty is not proof of God’s lack of concern!
 
To be a healthy congregation, it is not enough to believe God exists!  It is only enough to believe God exists and has objectives!  The healthy congregation allows God to declare His objectives as believers in God adopt His objectives rather than making our objectives God’s purposes.  Our objective: to grasp all God’s purposes in Jesus Christ.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**In Our Thoughts & Prayers**
• Aylene Brownfield (sister of Faye Jones from the Mansfield congregation) is seriously ill in Sparks Hospital, room 545.
• Donna Lindgren is recovering from a blood clot (discovered last week) in her leg.  She is getting better with bed rest and medication.  She returned to her doctor today for a follow-up visit.
• Georgia Burns (James Anderson’s mother) was moved into the Skilled Nursing Unit in Sparks, Room 239.  She will be there about a week before going home.
• Louise Cline will be transferred soon to University Hospital in Oklahoma City for surgery.
• Marvin & Bobbie Hughes' granddaughter, Brandi, has returned home.
• Patty Kaiser has been dismissed from the hospital.
• Rhonda Burgess had gallbladder surgery yesterday (3/26/08) at St. Edward Hospital.  If all goes well, she will be dismissed today.
• Wilma Son is tolerating the chemo well and is rejoicing that she is home (since last Thursday).
 
**Continued Prayers**
• Betty Monk (mother of Gene)
• Billy Sue Atkins (a friend of Norma Jean Breedlove)
• Denna Rogers (Sharon Faries' mother)
• Gerald Jones (friend of Karen Carter)
• Isaac Mobley
• Joel Prigge (Louise Howard's brother-in-law)
• Leo Atkins
• Margaret Stone
• Ruth Branum (Richard Branum’s mother)
 
**Prayers for Our Military**
Brian Perkins
James & Megan Johnson
John Clark
Michael Priester
Mike Gooden
Mitchell Bryant
Ron Wheat
Ryan Almond
 
*Ryan Almond will be deployed to Iraq in about a month.
 
Dear West-Ark Family:
Brian is back from Iraq safely and should be home this weekend! Thank you for all the prayers for our family over the past 12 months. They were very much appreciated.
Love,
The Perkins Family
 
**Prayer Pagers**
• Brothers and sisters of Ashton Stein, 784-7490
• Donna Wheeler, 441-2378
 
**Note of Thanks**
Dear West-Ark Family,
Your prayers, cards, calls, and visits were such a great comfort to me and my mother during such a difficult time (the loss of my step-father and my mother’s husband). Thank you for the donation to the Library.
 Yours in Christ,
 Kathryn Rosalez &  Trucilla Surratt
 
**Wedding Shower**
A shower honoring Ben Dye and his bride-elect, Tara Gurley, is planned for Saturday, April 5th, from 10 to 12 in the morning at the Davidson home, 1811 South 73rd Circle.  Ben and Tara are registered at Dillard’s, Linens ‘N Things, and Now and Then Shoppe.
 
**Teacher Needed **
Wednesday Nights for the
Games Workshop (Grades 2-6)
Call Carolyn Harrell.
 
**Sill Missing … our Sony Digital Camera**
If you have it or know where it might be, please contact Mat Griffin.  This is the camera that is/was kept in the photography room (just off the foyer).
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**LTC Awards Luncheon**
Sunday 3/30/08 at noon will be the LTC Awards Luncheon in the FLC.  We encourage participants, their families, judges, coaches (and anyone interested in finding out more about LTC) to come and celebrate the achievements of our 2008 participants.
 
**Useful to God**
This new Bible study, written by David Chadwell, begins April 6th. Teachers’ Study Guides are available in the Library. Student lessons will be in participating classrooms on Sunday morning, March 30.
 
**The HOPE CHEST **
We have an immediate need for deodorant and toothpaste. 
 
Clean, usable clothing for infants and children is always needed. 
 
Your contributions may be left in the large container in the foyer just outside the library door.
 
**Thank You**
As always, the members of this congregation generously responded to the request for renewal of school scholarships for children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  The need for 25 scholarships was met on Sunday, March 23.
 
**Family Meeting**
March 30, 6:00 PM
Fellowship Meal afterwards in the FLC
Please bring desserts!
 
**Car Clinic**
Car Clinic for 60+ and single ladies will be Saturday, April 5, 8 – 11 AM at the Annex.
 
**Widows/Widowers**
Saturday, April 5th, will be our annual trip to Parks Bros. Nursery. We will eat lunch at noon then hop on the vans to do our “plant shopping.” Please come and eat lunch with us even if you cannot go to Parks.  Call Mary or Janice if you need transportation to the Annex.
 
**Area Events**
Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop
March 27-29, 2008
“Prayer – Our Declaration of Independence”
http://www.tulsaisww.com/
 
Ladies’ Day at Church of Christ
45 Railraod Street, Alma, AR
Registration at 8:30; Lunch at noon
Guest Speaker is Pamela Dawn O’Neal (daughter of Bill & Fredde Path).
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
**Youth Group // News**
 
Congratulations!
Andrew Todd, a member of the Union Christian Academy Quiz Bowl Team, competed in the Regional Quiz Bowl Tournament. The team received third place and will compete in the State Quiz Bowl Tournament on April 5.
Brent Perkins won First Place for a Future Business Leaders of America District 1 Business Procedures competition. He will be traveling to Little Rock this weekend for the State competition. Brent was also inducted into the National Honor Society.
 
West-Ark Retreat at Camp Caudle 
Several members of the youth group will leave for the retreat on Friday. Please be praying for a safe and spiritually uplifting weekend.
 
Family Meeting
Sunday, March 30 // Meet in the Auditorium at 6:00 PM
 
Youth Worship
Sunday, April 6 // Youth Room // 6:00 – 7:00 PM
Junior and Senior High
 
**Library Memorial for Ruth Choate**
 
By Margaret Thompson
• God Is by Rhodes
• Four Views of End of Time by Rose
 
By Mr. & Mrs. Dan Ogden
• Does God Know the Future by Saia
 
By John & Bev Lankford
• God of the Possible
 
**Happy Birthday**
 
March 30
Taylor Anders
Alyssia Beneux
Daniel Tignor
 
March 31
Chuck Combs
Harold Gouty
Lauren Hankins
Ken Hollomon
Trenton Schien
 
April 1
Kelli Coggins
 
April 3
Sherrell Buchanan
 
April 4
Helen Blackman
Sandy Chavis
Wade Pressley
 
April 5
Jeff Null
Michael Wear
 
**Morning Nursery**
Louise Howard
Cristy Pressley
Hannah Pressley
Kay Pressley
Maddie Pressley
Cami Stancil
 
**Evening Nursery**
Robertta Moses
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM Worship 717
Bible Classes  387
Sunday PM Worship 180  
Life Groups 9
Contribution   $17,105
Children’s Homes $276
Wednesday Classes 220
 
Lao Worship
Attendance 19
Contribution $167
 
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance  63
Contribution  $251
 
Office Phone (479) 452-1240
Fax  (479) 452-5767
office@westarkchurchofchrist.org
www.westark.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Making disciples for Jesus who are eager to serve others."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------