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Family
Lines Newsletter, April 17,
2008
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**Healthy Congregations, Part
4**
Being An Example Within
By David Chadwell
Therefore leaving the
elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying
again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of
instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the
dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case
of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and
have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of
God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is
impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to
themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame (Hebrews
6:1-6).
For whom did Jesus die? For
first-century Jewish people in their society? For gentiles then
also? For those who lived for the next 2,000 years world-wide? For us
now? For people in Fort Smith not in Christ? For those in our
world who are not in Christ?
Ask the same questions from
another perspective. Is Jesus a “world Savior” or an “us” Savior?
Does he prefer my background and concepts? Since he was never American, never
ate hamburgers and fries, never spoke or read English, never went to college,
does he prefer another background? Does he have any background preference?
Hopefully, if we took a thin slice of the “midsection” of a
congregation and placed it under a microscope to determine make-up and needs, we
would find visitor needs, new convert needs, young Christian needs, growing
Christian needs, and mature Christian needs. Hopefully, we would find a
diversity of people with a diversity of backgrounds. Hopefully, we would find
numerous people being stretched spiritually to meet a complex situation, and
people in Christ using an understanding of God to meet that challenge.
These Jesus-led, God-directed people of faith have the courage to walk
righteously.
A practical question: What is the
newly baptized person learning from me? How to “safely” gossip? How
to be bitter and hold grudges? How to “get my way” correctly? How to
exploit people? How to “be political” in the church? Generally
speaking, how to “play the religious game” to achieve “my interests”?
Or, how to serve? How to
sacrifice? How to encourage? How to be godly even if wronged? How to
be committed to a Savior’s values? How to be God’s light in an evil
world? How to trust in God in hard times? How to endure injustice
(which God and Jesus did in Jesus’ cross) and yet remain spiritually true to
God’s character?
Or am I a confusing mixture of
both?
Nothing is more powerful than a
godly example. Effectiveness in helping others spiritually depends on
people holding themselves to a high level of accountability that exists because
of a love commitment to God. It exists voluntarily, not by force.
Mature congregations are filled with individuals who dare to be Christ-like
examples. Spirituality is not a veneer finish only surface deep—it is
intentional godliness!
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**Present Your Prayers and
Requests to God**
• Bill Jenkins had triple bypass surgery Tuesday evening at
Sparks Hospital. He is in room 266 (ICU) and is making good progress.
•
Brady Perkins (infant son of Lloyd & Randi Perkins and grandson of Larry
& Donna Roper) is doing much better. He will be in St. Edward Hospital
until Sunday. Grandma Donna is coming to help next week when Brady goes
home.
• Don Todd (father of Larry Todd and Linda Davis) is at home now and
doing well after a heart cath and stint placement.
• Jim Priester requests
continued prayers for his father, Lloyd Priester, who faces a long
recuperation after pneumonia and heart problems.
• Louise Cline has moved to
rehab and continues to improve. Her new address is below, and her birthday is
coming up -- April 23!
Louise Cline
Valir Rehab
Hospital
700 NW 7th
Street
Room
413
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
• Patty Kaiser
is in St. Edward Hospital, room 5509. Patty enjoys visits and cards.
The e-mails/cards sent via the St.
Edward website ( http://www.stedwardmercy.com/email ) a few weeks ago were a special blessing to her.
Please encourage her any way you can.
• Prayer is requested for Randy Bridges (educator and
preacher at Washburn Church of Christ) who has cancer.
• Mitch &
Robin Harper will go to MD Anderson in Houston next week for Robin’s checkup,
April 21-23.
• Betty Summers’ sister, Rose Mixon, is in hospice care at
Sparks Hospital, room 690. Rose would
enjoy visits.
**Continued Prayers**
• Bill
Beall
• Bob & Norma Williams (parents of Debbie Belote)
• Carolyn
Cathey (sister of Dan Cathey)
• Gerald Jones (friend of Karen Carter)
•
Joel Prigge (Louise Howard’s brother-in-law)
• Leo Atkins
• Lori White
(friend of Michelle Lovelace)
• Margaret Stone
• Wilma Son
**Bereaved in Prayer**
Our love
and sympathy is extended to Harold Gouty & Janice Lowry in the death of
Dorothy Gouty (sister-in-law and aunt), who died Monday in Springfield,
Missouri. Funeral services will be later this week.
**Pray for Our Missionaries**
•
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.
**Prayer Pagers**
• Brothers
and sisters of Ashton Stein, 784-7490
• Donna Wheeler, 441-2378
**Pray for Our Military**
James
& Megan Johnson
Jered Goddard
John Clark
Michael Priester
Mike
Gooden
Mitchell Bryant
Ron Wheat
Ryan Almond
Will Domer
Ryan Almond was deployed to
Iraq on April 15.
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**VBS is Coming and We Need
You!**
*Evenings, June 15-18*
There is truly a place for
everyone in VBS 2008! We want to make this a true family experience – for
each individual family as well as our church family. Go to www.westark.org/vbs.htm
to learn more and to sign up! You can contact
Staci James or Dena Jenkins for more information. To Him be all the glory
and praise!
**Welcome, New Members!**
Heath
and Ashley Hogeland
3330 Eagle Drive
Greenwood, AR 72936
Phone: (817)
372-5818
E-mail: hahogeland [at] yahoo.com
**New Address &
Greetings**
Al Wood
129 Harris Grove Road
Humboldt, TN 38343
Mat
Griffin visited with Al recently. Al sends greetings and says he misses
everyone. He is worshipping at North Jackson Street Church of Christ.
**Notes of Thanks**
Dear Church
Family,
Marv and I want to thank everyone for all the prayers for our
granddaughter, Brandi, while she was in the hospital. You all are a
blessing.
Love,
Marv & Bobbie Hughes
I am so grateful to the West-Ark
family for their support during this difficult time -- especially for the
prayers offered by so many.
God bless you!
Betty
Callicott
**Senior Girls’ Tea (and
Brunch!)**
Saturday, May 3, 10 AM until noon in the FLC
Guest Speaker:
Daisy Powell
Musical Guests: United Ladies of Tulsa
All West-Ark ladies
are cordially invited to attend a Tea (and brunch) honoring the Senior girls of
the class of 2008. Come be a part of this special day and let our seniors
know how proud we are of them!
**Coming Events**
April 27: 4th
Sunday Evening Fellowship Meal after
worship in the FLC.
“Friends & Family Day”
Rena
Road Church of Christ
Sunday, April 27
Guest Speaker: Jack
Harriman
Afternoon activities include a lunch at noon, singing at 1:30, and
worship at 2:00 PM.
Gospel Meeting
Dyer Church of
Christ
Speaker: Ancil Jenkins
April 21-23, 7:00 PM nightly
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**Youth Group //
News**
Thanks!
Thanks to all of
those that helped with Trevor's party! It went really well!! It is sad to
see him go, but it is good that we were able to show him how much we love him
before he left!
Youth Worship //
Youth Room // 6:00 – 7:00 PM
April 20 // April
27, Combined worship with the LFC’s
Paintball with the LFC’s
// This Saturday, April 19
-Vans will leave at Noon, Parents can
pick up teens at 7:00 PM
-Be sure to eat lunch beforehand - Or you will be
really hungry!
-Please turn in your $20 to Jackie as soon as possible. The
$20 covers your field fee, gun/mask rental, air and 500 paintballs, and pizza at
the church.
-You will need to fill out one of All American's waivers and have
your parents sign it too. You will not be able to play if you don't have a
waiver filled out! Copies are on the youth table.
-If you haven't already,
you will also need to fill out a Medical Release Form. (Available on the youth
table)
-Remember to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty!
Wear extra layers for protection if necessary.
It’s that time again! ~Green
Valley Bible Camp!
-Information sheets about camp are available on the
youth table. Sign up now!
**Library Memorials**
In loving
memory of Leroy Null
from Ron &
Brenda Lenderman
• Kept By the Power of God by Marshall
• 1, 2, 3 John by
Eaton
In loving memory of Ona
Dickens
from West-Ark Church of
Christ
• You Are the Christ by Whitcomb
• True Worship by
Whitcomb/Ward
**Happy Birthday**
April 20
Jenny
Atchison
Wyatt Benjamin
Robin Webber
Lauren Willis
April 21
Inez
Hatfield
Jewell House
April 22
Valerie
Beshears
Lindsay Hines
April 23
Louise Cline
Sarah
Gilley
Mia Nelson
April 24
Christy
Pressley
April 25
Karen
Carter
Adriane Martin
Madine Rose
**Morning Nursery**
Elaine
Hill
Flora Johnson
**Evening Nursery**
Tiffany
Blake
Sheila Vaught
**Attendance and Contribution
Count**
Sunday AM Worship 640
Bible Classes 414
Sunday PM
Worship 248
Life Groups 23
Contribution
$17,125
Children’s Homes $259
Wednesday Classes 285
Lao Worship
Attendance 43
Contribution $200
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance
50
Contribution $252
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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