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Family Lines Newsletter, December 18, 2008
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**The Need**
By David Chadwell

 

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”  Luke 7:36-50

 

We need forgiveness!  This forgiveness must not be a “one time” event but a continuing state.  Stated simply, we cannot “be good” in the sense that God is good.  We “goofed”!  We repeatedly “goofed”!  If God wiped our slates clean but once, we would sin again.  None of us are even aware of all our sins!  We sin “ignorantly” constantly!

 

Long ago it was commonly believed that God forgave once—at baptism.  Once God forgave, He forgave no more.  There arose the practices of (1) guessing when you would die and (2) postponing baptism until anticipated “death time.” Why? So the person might receive God’s forgiveness when he had little time to sin and did not wish to sin.  The problems: (1) People delayed baptism too long by dying sooner than expected, (2) God was completely misunderstood, and (3) Sin was completely misunderstood.  The result: people lived and died in anxiety, not the peace Jesus came to bring.

 

Obedience does not earn salvation.  It says, “Thank you!” to God for what He did for us in Jesus Christ.  No human act places God in debt.  We cannot earn anything.  We serve God wholeheartedly because we deeply appreciate what God did for all in Christ through Jesus’ death.  The more we see our need for forgiveness, the more appreciative we are of God’s gift.  The more we fail to see our sinfulness, the more arrogant we become.

 

We needed an enduring solution that worked.  In Christ we find God’s enduring solution that works—regardless of who we are, what we did, and how much we need to grow.

 

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**In Our Thoughts & Prayers**

• Ashley Haworth had gall bladder surgery on Tuesday, December 16, at St. Edward Hospital.
• Joyce Dunavin slipped on the ice Tuesday.  She is scheduled for surgery for a broken wrist on Friday (12/19).  Joyce also broke two bones in her pelvis and will need up to eight weeks of bed rest.
• Prayers are requested for Clarence Scarbrough (member at Rena Road in Van Buren) who is fighting a staph infection in his toes and also has colon cancer.
• Danielle Lamp (a friend of Azia Blasdel) was in a car accident Tuesday night and is in Washington Regional Hospital.  She has three broken places in her neck, but does have feeling in all areas at present time.  It is hoped that she will heal on her own and not need surgery.   Danielle and her family are members of the Bentonville church.
• Joel Prigge (Louise Howard’s brother-in-law) began experimental oncology treatments this week.
• Marquetta Walker requests prayers for a co-worker’s four-year-old grandson. Grayson Vaughn has lost hearing in both ears. Children’s Hospital will do a cochlear implant in January if the nerves have not been damaged.
• Patti Anderson is recovering from eye surgery for a detached retina.  She returned to Little Rock Wednesday for a follow-up appointment.
• Ron Falcon, the new youth minister for the Skiatook, OK Church of Christ, is in Sparks Hospital, Room 441.  He is being treated for MRSA, and required additional foot surgery Wednesday morning (12/17/08). He is a friend and colleague to Rick Odell and Chris Benjamin.
• Todd & Adriane Martin learned last weekend that their planned adoption of a newborn had fallen through.
• Rick and Kristi Odell request that we join them in prayer as they continue to wait for someone to rent their house in Colorado.

 

**Continued Prayers**
• Amanda Basham
• Becky Hargrove (Marjorie Blake’s daughter)
• Doris Karr
• Dotty Saegert (Niketa Stinchcomb’s mother)
• Inez Hatfield
• Kathleen Taranto
• Larry Treat
• Lloyd Priester
• Louise Cline
• Margaret Stone
• Robert Loudermilk
•Wilma Son

 

**Prayer Pagers**
Dotty Saegert, 441-2378
Patti Anderson, 441-2381
Joyce Dunavin, 441-1722
Todd & Adriane Martin, 441-1648
ALL Pagers, 441-2395

 

**Bereaved**
After a long illness, Tammy Cypert’s friend, Donna Wheeler, died last week. Our love and sympathy is extended to Tammy.

 

**Notes of Thanks**

 

Dear West-Ark friends,
I want to thank you for all the prayers and all the cards.  People have been so amazing.
 With Christian love,
 Cheryl Craven

 

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the big, beautiful fruit basket.
 Alice Rogers

 

West-Ark Family,
We would like to thank you for our wonderful reception and gifts we received this past weekend.  What a blessing!  More importantly, we want to thank you for being our family and all the wonderful memories we have built together over the last four years.  We love you all very much. 
John, Melody, and Joshua Priester

 

**Moving Help Needed**
John and Melody will be loading a U-Pak trailer on Thursday, January 1st.  They need some help, and John hopes to have all workers back home in time for afternoon football games!  If you can help, contact John.

 

**Guyana 2009**
West-Ark’s next medical mission trip to Guyana is planned for June 6-14, 2009.  We need YOU on the team.  A deposit of $500 is due by January 15.  Contact Michael or Jeannie Cole with questions.

 

**Baby News**
Congratulations to Niketa Stinchcomb!  She is the proud new grandmother of Sarah Autumn, born December 11th to Krystal and Stephen Wiser.  Sarah weighs  8 lbs. 7 ozs. and is 20 inches long.

 

**Ladies’ Prayer Breakfast**
‘Tis the season to be busy, but try to open up your heart for a “BREAK” from the “FAST” pace. Come share with other ladies, 10:00-11:00 AM on December 20th in the Family Life Center. If you can, bring a breakfast food or drink to share.

 

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**Youth Group Caroling**
The youth group will be caroling in the Methodist Village on Sunday, December 21, between 4:45 and 5:45 p.m. If you live in the Methodist Village, be listening for them!

 

**Financial Peace University**
January 11th – April 5th
Sunday Evenings, 5:00 - 7:00 PM in Room 211
Childcare will be provided.  Class is now forming. Contact Jeff or Michelle Lovelace.

 

**Re-opening The Hope Chest**
Hope Chest work days to get ready for re-opening are Monday, December 29 and Monday, January 5, starting at 9:30 AM each day.  Everyone is welcome to be a part of these work days.  There will be a job for you.  Please join us!

 

**Parenting Class**
On January 4, Michael & Jeannie Cole will begin a weekly class on Building Stronger Christian Families on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in Room 215.  We will work toward improving relationships between spouses, parents and children, and one another as we seek to honor God.

 

**Holiday Schedules**
• On Wednesday evening, December 24 and 31 (Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve), we will not have classes (adult or children).  We will have a Family Devotional at 7 PM in the Auditorium.
• The office will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, December 24 & 25 for Christmas.
• We will not publish a newsletter on December 25.
• We WILL publish a newsletter on December 31 (one day earlier than usual).  Please get your news items to Debbie@westarkchurchofchrist.org by Tuesday, December 30th.

 

**Winterfest Scholarships Needed**
The youth group will be attending Winterfest in Arlington, Texas, January 16-18. The total cost of the event is $60. We would like to make this opportunity available for any teen who would like to go, regardless of the cost. This is why we are asking for donations of any dollar amount. If you would like to help with this effort, contact Jackie Sofio in the office.

 

The 2008 Hope Chest Toy Giveaway was a huge success.  Toys (all kinds and for all ages of children), bicycles, books, and stuffed animals were provided to over 300 people. The West-Ark congregation helped in numerous ways.  Special thanks to the following:

• All who donated the toys throughout the year.

• The Toy Giveaway Work Crew that worked year round with a commitment that the toys and bicycles given to the children were clean and in working order.

• Mat Griffin and Ron Moreton, who helped behind the scenes in so many ways.

• Linda Davis for her hard work, creative ideas, and encouragement.  She was invaluable to all of us.

• The ladies from the Wednesday Night WINGS class that made the Giveaway their service project. They provided money for batteries and for the cookies served at the event.

• The youth group and its leaders who worked at the warehouse sorting and packing toys and provided hot cocoa to those waiting in line for toys.

• The junior high girls’ class and teachers that took the dolls and cleaned and dressed them.

• Flood Janitorial for providing 200 apples for the crowd.

• Everyone who contributed so generously to the battery fund, cleaned and dressed the dolls, and helped set out the toys at the Hope Chest.

• The Elders and the Hope Chest Board for their support of and participation in the event.

• The wonderful office staff that helped so much getting the information out to everyone.

• The groups that worked passing out toys and assisting the shoppers, including the 5th and 6th grade classes, the youth groups, the Wednesday Night Wings class, the 20-Somethings and ALL the individuals that gave so freely of their time on Saturday.  Many in our community were blessed as you served with a heart like Jesus.

 

It was a joy to work with each of you, and I am already looking forward to 2009 when our Giveaway will be even bigger and even better.  ~~Connye Neal  

 

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**youth group // news**
 
Thank you!
Thanks to those who helped with the Christmas Dinner and the Youth Group Christmas Party! Everything was a great success!

 

JR High Girls’ Ornament Exchange Party  //  Sunday, Dec. 21
DeAnne and Lauren Hankins are hosting a Christmas Party for the Junior High Girls. If you need a ride, meet at the church at 1:40 PM. The party will be from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM. You will be back at the church by 4:30 PM in time for caroling. Please bring a wrapped ornament to exchange ($5 or less). There will be lots of snacks!
     
Caroling to the Elderly  //  Sunday, December 21 
This is a great way to reach out to our elderly members who aren’t able to make it to church every week. We will leave at 4:30 PM and return in time for class at 6:00 PM. We will be caroling around Methodist Village.

 

New Year’s Eve Lock-In  //  Wednesday, December 31 // FLC
Sign up for the lock-in! The lock-in will start after class at 8:00 PM. Pick up will be at 7:00 AM on Thursday! We would like everyone to bring a snack food item (chips, candy, etc.)!

 

Winterfest!!!  //  Friday, January 16 – Sunday, January 18
It is not too late to go to Winterfest! Pick up an application on the youth table and turn it in to Jackie Sofio. January 4 is the deadline for registration.

 

**Library Memorials**
In loving memory of Aline Story from Donald & Doris Ellicott
• Holman Bible Atlas by Brisco

 

In loving memory of Aline Story from Thomas & Jean Eppler
• Re-emphasizing Bible Basics by Easley

 

**Happy Birthday**

 

December 21
Jim Johnson

 

December 22
John Paul Hundley
Holland McClendon
Jim Wilson

 

December 24
Claretta Bartlett
Debbie Belote

 

December 25
Bill Moss
Laurie Sexton
Frances Tyler
Sheila Vaught

 

December 26
Bill Brazelton
Rodney Jones
Mary Beth Oliver

 

December 27
Hope Frost
Sharon Knight

 

December 28
Hannah Hesslen
Natalie Nelson
Joshua Priester

 

December 29
Mack Farris
Patrick Pruitt

 

December 30
Lyndell Foster

 

December 31
Bob Davidson
Christy Puckett

 

January 1
Billie Neisler
Julie Wilson

 

January 3
Dale Mason

 

**Morning Nursery**
Amanda Basham
Betty Callicott
Carol Schaper
Flora Johnson

 

**Evening Nursery**
Denise Lusby

 

**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Bible Classes...………...…..380    
Sunday AM Worship.………606
Sunday PM Worship……….190
Contribution……….…...$39,278
Children’s Homes…..…….$244
Wednesday Classes………..NC

 

Lao Worship
Attendance…………………..32
Contribution…………….....$163

 

Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance……………….…..60
Contribution……………….$196