-----------------------------------------------------------------
Family Lines Newsletter, April 2, 2009
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

**The Urgency of Choosing Wisely**
By David Chadwell

 

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:14, 15

 

The choices we make in life are critical.  Often what appears as a simple choice of no consequence becomes an important choice of multiple consequences.  Choices made early in life seem insignificant because numerous options seem to be a part of living.  “After all, we always seem to have numerous options that come with most of our decisions.  If we choose poorly, big deal!  We will just make another choice.”

 

Choices are not as easily undone!  (a) A choice resulting in an addiction [regardless of the kind of addiction] rarely is simple to abandon because it is powerful.  (b) Choices that require an investment of resources often devour those resources.  Would you use your credit or savings differently if five years ago you saw the recession coming?  (c) Choices which require time do not return time if abandoned.  Time spent is life lost!

 

As life diminishes, one’s choices diminish.  As time and life pass, the person is reduced to living from the choices he or she has made.  How often have you met a person over fifty years of age that does not wish “I could go back and do this differently.”  Fortunate is the person who has only one such thing!  What we all discover is this: “I can change me right now, but I cannot change how I used the past.”  Even if we have the joys of changing “now,” we still have the “sorrows” of a lost past.  The joys of “now” are real, but so are the “sorrows” of a misused past.

 

The Israelites knew many blessings from God: the ten miracles that released them from slavery, the crossing of the sea, the sustaining and guidance in the wilderness, and the gift of Canaan.  Yet, they either took God for granted (“Look at how important we are!”), or they rebelled against God (“We will do things our way!”).  The result: centuries later their descendants continued to pay for their ancestors’ bad choices.

 

Choose soberly and wisely—you and your descendants will be affected powerfully by the choices you make.  The more God is incorporated in your decisions, the more good choices you will make!

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Order of Worship
Sunday, April 5

Worship Leader --  Brent Evans

 

Mansion, Robe and Crown (on screen)

 

Welcome

Great Are You Lord (3 times)
#47 – Holy, Holy, Holy (vs. 1, 4)
#96 – I Stand in Awe  (repeat)
Anywhere Is Home (on screen)
18 – Faithful Love (vs. 1, 2)

 

Lord’s Supper
Offering

 

Holy and Anointed One (on screen)

 

Children’s Worship
There’s A Stirring (on screen)

 

Sermon -- Dr. Charles Siburt

 

Song for Responses
943 – Do You Know My Jesus? (vs. 1, 3)

 

Elder’s Prayer

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 
-----------------------------------------------------------------

**Remember in Prayer**

• Aiden Scott (daughter of Randy & Ashley) will have surgery for her second set of tubes in her ears on April 14th.
• Bernice McFarland (mother of Wendell) is scheduled for surgery on April 13th at Sparks Hospital.
• Cecil Mathies is in hospice care at Fianna Hills Nursing Home, room 106. 
• Clayton Amos is home from the hospital after being treated for pneumonia.
• John Hawkins will have a liver biopsy on April 9th here in Fort Smith and then see a specialist in Little Rock on the 15th.  Recent blood work has indicated some kind of liver problem.
• Kathy Glidewell’s brother, Ronnie, had surgery to remove what was thought to be a non-cancerous tumor  recently. The tumor did have cancer, and he will begin 5 weeks of radiation at the end of April.
• Winnie Brown (Gary’s mother) began chemotherapy treatments on Monday for lung cancer. She will receive a treatment every three weeks for a duration of 6 months.  Gary is very appreciative of your prayers.

 

**Continue to Pray for ...**
• Inez Hatfield
• Jessie Moore
• Kathleen Taranto
• Kathy Glidewell’s mother
• Kelly Brewer (relative of Van Basham)
• Larry Treat
• Laura Autry (friend of Wanda Braker)
• Lloyd Priester (Jim’s father)
• Louise Cline
• Madeline and Benjamin Reed (newborn grandniece and grandnephew of Louise Howard)
• Margaret Stone
• Pat Brown (Kathy Monk’s sister)
• Ruth Martin
• Trucilla Surratt (mother of Kathy Rosalez)
• Wilma Son

 

**Love & Sympathy**
Retha Wood died early this morning (4/2/09).  Our love and sympathy is extended to Jay and the family.  Funeral services will be under the direction of Lewis Funeral Home and will be announced later.

 

**Welcome, New Members**

Adam and Lana Huffman
Jacob, their son
11136 Lucian Wood Road
Cedarville, AR 72932
Phone: (479) 653.2273

 

Mark and Kristi Wilson
Mandy, John, and Amy
5631 Happy Hollow Road
Chester, AR 72934
Phone: (479) 369-0076

 

**Youth Baptism**
Hannah Hesslen, March 19

 

**New Arrivals**
• Ava Beth Greer, born March 27 to Matt & Lindsey Greer, of Bentonville, Ark. Grandparents are Mark & Suzie Greer, of White Hall, Ark.  Great-grandparents are Tom & Mary King.
• Cathy Harris has a new grandson.  Gage Harris was born March 28 to Brian & Andrea Harris.

 

**Anniversary Celebration**
On April 4, the Newtons (former members) will celebrate their 60th anniversary!
Cards may be sent to:
Jim & Sarah Newton
312 Dripping Springs Drive
Edmond, OK 73034
E-mail: jimljn7ranch [at] aol.com
Phone (405) 471-6397

 

**Happy Birthday**

April 5
Michael Wear

 

April 6
Chandler Harper
Ron Orick
Seth Seiter

 

April 7
Gary James
Rachel Null
Jeff Pressley

 

April 9
Saige Blasdel

 

April 10
Clayton Amos
Lisa Hollomon
Robbin
Murphy
Rachel Snider

 

April 11
Rachel James
Duane Walker

 

**Nursery Workers**

Morning
Melissa Walker
Suzi
Jennemann
Dena Jenkins
Julie Orick

 

Evening
Gina Williams

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Page 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Special Event Sunday Night!**
5 to 7 PM in the Auditorium
Come and see what Leadership Training for Christ (LTC) has been doing! Family and friends are invited to help encourage our kids as they make final preparation for the LTC Convention next week in Rogers, AR.  There will be puppets, singing, drama, and many other events -- all giving the glory to God!
• Kids for Christ will not meet
• Short break at 6 PM
• Evening communion will be served after 6:00 PM for those who want it.

 

**Special Tignor Life Group Event**
Sunday, April 5, 5-7 PM
Canfield Home (2 Chestnut Ct., Fort Smith)
5 PM Burgers/Fellowship
6 PM Devotional/Report on Ethiopia
from John Ed Clark
Any who are interested are invited to attend.
Please RSVP to the Tignors, Canfields or Wilsons

 

**Notes of Thanks**
Your kindness and caring mean so much to Eugene and I during his surgery and the weeks that followed. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement during this time. We love and appreciate each of you.
Love and blessings,
Eugene and Myra

 

 

**Great News from the Hope Chest**
Thanks to everyone who helped get the Hope Chest restocked for spring/summer.
On opening day, April 1st, 98 households containing 356 family members were served!

 

**Attention Deacons and Ministry Leaders**
Please look over a copy of “What’s Happening at West-Ark” this week.  Copies are available in the foyer or you may see it online at http://www.westark.org/ongoing.htm

 

Make a note of any changes that need to be made in your ministry, and e-mail your changes to the office, or hand-deliver it to one of the staff.   Thanks for your help in getting current information ready for our new members.

 

**Prayer Pagers**
We need a someone or a group of someones willing to work the Prayer Pager ministry.  Contact Lynn Dickey in the office.

 

**Senior & 7th Grade Sunday**
We are beginning to gather information for our Graduation/Promotion Sunday event on May 17. The names below are all of the graduating seniors and incoming 7th graders that we have on record. If your name is not on the list, or is on there by mistake, please contact Jackie Sofio in the office.

 

Seniors:
Erika Beshears
Meredith Brown
Kaitlynn Burk
Julia Flood
John Kamp
Kaylee Lindgren
Brad Moore
Tori Sweatman
Andrew Todd
Hannah Watlington
Lindsey Yowell

 

7th Graders:
Race Burns
Hope Frost
Hannah Hesslen
Hailey Hickey
Megan Howard
Pedro Luna
Alexandra Martin
Hannah Null
Madelyn Willis

 

**West-Ark Online Calendar**
www.westark.org/calendar.htm

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Page 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Youth Group // News**

 

PICK UP A SOUL QUEST APPLICATION!
June 14-20  //  There is still time to get $25 off your application fee. Turns yours in today! Applications for this new camp are in the hanging file next to the new youth group bulletin board in the foyer.

 

CONGRATULATIONS
Andrew Todd was named the winner of the 2009 “Burls Award,” an award presented annually to one high school senior. The award is presented by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation for “Outstanding Performance on the Football Field and Doing it the Burls Way.”

 

LTC PREPARATION PRESENTATIONS
Sunday, April 5  //  Auditorium  //  5-7 PM
We will meet in the auditorium to watch the LTC participants rehearse what they have prepared. (No Youth Worship)

 

YOUTH GROUP  //  Wednesday, April 8  //  Youth Rm, 7 PM

 

LTC CONVENTION  //  Friday - Saturday, April 10-11

 

YOUTH WORSHIP  //  Sunday, April 12  //  Youth Rm, 6 PM

 

SKILLET/DISCIPLE CONCERT  //  Tuesday, April 14, 7 PM
The vans will leave at 6:15 PM and return after the concert.

 

LTC AWARDS LUNCH  //  Sunday, April 19  //  FLC
There will be an awards luncheon in the Family Life Center for LTC participants following morning service.

 

SNL AT BENTONVILLE  //  Sunday, April 19
Vans will leave at 4:30 PM and  return around 9:45 PM. No Youth Worship.

 

FAMILY MEAL  //  Sunday, April 26  //  6 PM
Instead of Youth Worship we will join in on the singing service in the Family Life Center, followed by the Family Meal.

 

INTERSECT WORSHIP  //  Sunday, April 26  //  8 PM
At 8 PM will we have the first ever Intersect Worship for High School, LFCs and the 20-Somethings. It will wrap up around 9:30 PM. Location: TBD

 

New Sunday morning classes begin this week:
Junior High - Becoming a Contagious Christian
High School - Do Hard Things
Sunday PM - Promises
Wednesday PM - Community

 

**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Bible Classes...………...…400   
Sunday AM Worship.….....618
Sunday PM Worship……..278
Wednesday Classes……..169
Contribution……….…$13,804
Children’s Homes……....$361
Lao Worship
Attendance………………....46
Contribution……………..$321
Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance………………....69
Contribution……………..$265