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Family Lines Newsletter,  June 26, 2008
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**Remember the Good News!**
By David Chadwell
 
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures ... (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
 
Allow me to begin by paraphrasing Paul’s encouragement to a distressed congregation:

I want to remind you who are now family in Christ of the good news you heard from me.  Please remember some essential facts about that good news and you:
    1. You decided to accept that good news.
    2. You continued by choice in that good news—it grants your life stability!
    3. This good news is the source of your confident relationship with God.
 
Your salvation relationship with God continues as long as you remember and remain in that good news.  Remember, three truths lie at the core of that good news:
    1. Jesus Christ died for all of us—his death makes our sins history!
    2. He actually died—his dead body was buried!
    3. He was resurrected—whereas he was for certain dead, he is now alive.
 
Paul continued his emphasis on the importance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.  Paul said a lot of people saw Jesus alive after he died, including Paul.  Jesus’ resurrection was not a Jewish phenomenon affecting only Jewish people—Jesus died for everyone’s sins.
 
Very young people respond to God because He is the living God who loves them.  As adolescents become adults, conversions to God through Christ plummet. 
 
Life often goes through stages for many people.  Stage one:  you can do anything you desire because you are young and have opportunity. Stage two:  you race breathlessly, trying to manage all your responsibilities, get weary doing so, but never admit weariness. Stage three: you have a tinge of fear as you wonder if “this is what life is about” and if “life has passed you by.” Stage four: life is all about your physical future, and your physical future looks less than wonderful (doctors increasingly replace ambitions). Stage five: you are deeply aware that you “cannot go back”; there is neither time, strength, nor energy to “do” your life over; and experience and observation teach you how uncertain anyone’s future is.  Sounds increasingly dismal, does it not?
 
It is—unless... Unless what?  Unless you are aware that death does not win!  Regardless of what age you are, you have choice.  Yes, 20-year-olds and 70-year-olds have the same choice!  Is life about physical indulgence with death the unavoidable end, or is life an investment that destroys the fear-hold of death? Amazingly, life often is only about the physical until our death is on our horizon.  Then, suddenly, Jesus’ resurrection becomes very relevant, things are just things, and death’s defeat is relevant to the meaning of physical life.  Do not waste your collateral!  Life is an investment!  Invest the only thing that is yours for now—yourself!  Good news—God welcomes your investment!
 
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**Remember in Prayer**
• Frances Quenin injured her ankle.  She is home but having difficulty getting around.
• Jeff Loftin requests prayers for his niece, Melissa Meeker, who has incurable melanoma.
• Jerry Aldridge is recovering from shoulder replacement surgery, and is making good progress. He is in St. Edward Hospital, room 5408.  Cards are appreciated.  No visitors, please -- rehab is quite extensive.
• John Davis (Harold’s brother) is off the respirator, praise the Lord!! He is awake and trying to talk, but it is difficult because the tube was down his throat for so long.  He is very weak from lying in bed for two weeks and is going to rehab in Mena today (6/26/08). Thanks to all for their care and concern and most of all for their prayers. ~~Linda Davis
• Lance Haines is unable to walk and is scheduled for surgery to fuse two vertebrae on July 2nd in Fort Worth, TX.  Cards may be sent to Lance in care of Steve Morgan, 6316 Elm Crest Court, Fort Worth, TX 76132.
• Patty Kaiser was discharged from the hospital Monday.  She is feeling well and has gone to her own home.  She would welcome visits and cards.
• Prayers are requested for Randy Bridges (minister at Washburn and an area educator) who is currently receiving treatment for cancer.
 
**Continued Prayers**
• Harry Smith
• Inez Hatfield
• Jean McConnell
• Jessica Frost
• Joel & Bertie Prigge (Louise Howard’s brother-in-law and sister)
• Karen Benjamin
• Leslie Ziegler
• Lloyd Priester (Jim’s father)
• Louise Cline
• Margaret Stone
• Rick Wade
• Tom Drane
• Wilma Son
 
**Bereaved**
• Our love and sympathy is extended to Mary Broyles in the death of her step-mother, Erva Tillery, Wednesday afternoon. Services are incomplete at this time.
• Donna Lindgren requests prayers for the family of Joann Lewison, who died unexpectedly last week.
 
**Special Prayer Request**
Christians around the world are asked to pray for the Beijing Church of Christ, which will have its first assembly on August 3 during the Summer Olympics. This will be the first time a legally sanctioned congregation will meet in the capital city of The People’s Republic of China. For more information, go to http://www.ptccoc.com/breakingnews_.html
 
**Military Prayer List**
• James & Megan Johnson
• Jered Goddard
• Jeremy Grist
• John Clark
• John Lemley
• Lance Hurst
• Michael Priester
• Mitchell Bryant
• Ron Wheat
• Ryan Almond
• Will Domer
 
**Prayer Pagers**
• Jean McConnell, 441-2379
• Jessica Frost, 441-2386
• Karen Benjamin, 441-6639
• Family of Ashton Stein, 784-7490
 
**Missionaries in Prayer**
• Our missionary families in Vietnam and Laos.
• John Paul & Ruby Lee Hundley in France and Belgium.
• Jack & Glenda Lewis are due to return home on Saturday.
• Evangelists and their families with whom we work in Ethiopia and Nigeria.
 
**Welcome, New Member!**
Jimmie Cantrell
302 A Free Ferry Drive
Roland, OK 74954
Phone: 918-427-7528
 
**Farewell & We’ll Miss You!**
• Rhonda & Rheva Burgess have moved.  Their new mailing address is:  P.O. Box 2046, Muskogee, OK 74401.  Their new physical address is 3316 Monta Avenue, Muskogee, OK 74403.
• Louise Biggers is moving back to the northwestern U.S. to assist her family.
 
**Notes of Thanks**
Gerald [Jones] finished his last chemo and all his tests results are great!  I would like to thank everyone for their prayers during the past 8 months.  It has been a long and difficult journey for Gerald and his family, and they are so grateful for the prayers of their Christian family.  My personal thanks for keeping them on the prayer list for so long. 
    ~~Karen Carter
 
Dear Church Family,
Thank you for your prayers, the cards, the food, and for your loving concern for me during my knee surgery, and your care and concern for my son Richard with his heart attack and recovery. He is still in the doctor’s care. Thanks for the calls and your heartfelt sadness in the loss of my dear sister-in-law, Polly.  Seems the month of May has been a time of testing for us all.  Know you all are very dear to me. Without your love and the love of our dear Lord, I would have fallen for sure.  
    In Christian love,
    Barbara Miller
 
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**Alliance Counseling and Therapy**
“Working together to help individuals and families resolve life’s challenges.”
 
Objectives:
1. To offer faith-based support services.
2. Emphasize solution and growth-focused approaches to therapy.
3. To help people address immediate problems while equipping them with the skills to resolve future challenges.
 
Populations Served:
•  Children     •  Adolescents      •  Adults
 
Services Provided:
• Pre-Marital Therapy
• Marital Counseling
• Family Therapy
• Play Therapy
• Individual Sessions
• Addictive Behaviors
• Groups
• Enrichment
• Education
 
Focusing on emotional, relational, behavioral, addictive, and parenting issues.
 
ACT Counseling Interns:
• Temple Carson      • Gary Green       • Jennie Killion
 
If interested, call David Chadwell at 452-1240.
Confidentiality will be protected.
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**5th Sunday Night**
Family Meeting and Fellowship Meal!
Our brethren from Iglesia de Cristo (Hispanic church) will join us (and cook for us) this Sunday night.  Brush up on your Spanish and come ready for fellowship and great fajitas! All who can, please bring a dessert!
 
**The Hope Chest **
We need plastic bags (grocery and department store sizes). Please put them in the BIG BOX in the foyer.
 
**Baby Bottle Campaign**
This is the last Sunday to return your filled baby bottle for the Heart-to-Heart Pregnancy Center.  Place your donation in the baby bassinet in the foyer.
 
**Useful to God, Part 2**
David Chadwell’s new Bible class material for July 6 - September 28 will be available in participating adult classes this Sunday morning.  The study is available online at http://www.westark.org/chadwell/useful.
 
**Lost and Found**
If you lost an important item during VBS, please contact Lynn Dickey at the office, 452-1240. 
 
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**youth group // news**
 
The Pool Party Was A Big Splash!!
Thanks to everyone who helped with the pool party! It was a lot of fun. We enjoyed a refreshing summer meal, did flips off the diving board, slid down the slide with style, shot water guns at each other and the boys ambushed each other in the water! It was a great way to celebrate the close of VBS and kick off the summer. Thanks again!
 
Are You Ready For Camp?
Green Valley Bible Camp begins Sunday, June 29.  Are you all set to go?  Have you visited the small bulletin board in the lobby?
Contact Rochelle Brown for any questions you have about camp.
  
More Summer Activities Are On The Way!
Remember to check your e-mail, the youth bulletin board and the West-Ark newsletter for updates about summer activities. They are coming! So keep an eye out!
If you haven’t been receiving emails about youth group activities and would like to, please let Jackie Sofio know at Jackie@westarkchurchofchrist.org.     
 
Family Meeting Sunday Night – 6:00 PM, June 29 -- No class in the Youth Room. Everyone meets in the auditorium.
 
**Library Memorial**
In memory of Leroy Null by Jack & Arenda Yancey:
• The Dawkins Delusion by McGrath
• What Do Jewish People Think About Jesus? by Brown
• Testimony of the Beloved Disciple by Bauckham
 
**Happy Birthday**
 
June 29
Bethany Brown
Sedalia Douglas
Margaret Thompson
 
June 30
David Burns
Shane Hughes
Judy Walker
 
July 1
Roy Dunavin
Ruth Gouty
Dillon Hamilton
DeAnn Hankins
 
July 2
Trevor Curtis
Nelda Fowler
Dale Lusby
 
July 3
Dwonne Cogswell
Jane Fisher
Aiden Scott
Lindsey Yowell
 
July 4
Hannah Jones
Suzanne Karr
Jeff Lovelace
 
July 5
Brent Douglas
Margaret Gillian
Melody Priester
 
**Morning Nursery**
Louise Howard
Cristy, Hannah, Kay & Maddie Pressley
Cami Stancil
 
**Evening Nursery**
Robertta Moses
 
**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Sunday AM Worship…….576
Bible Classes…………….363   
Contribution………….$16,881
Children’s Homes....……$205
Wednesday Classes……..441
 
Lao Worship
Attendance…………….….51
Contribution…………….$250
 
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance………………...51
Contribution……………..$254
 
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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