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Family Lines Newsletter, August 30, 2009
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**Where Will My Knowledge Lead Me?**
By David Chadwell

 

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  Romans 10:1-3 (NASV)

 

Few societies throughout history have dedicated themselves to the education of everyone within the society as have we.  This nation has long realized that an essential key to opportunity, to a better lifestyle, and to an improved life is education.  To neglect people’s mental development curses a nation.   How many nations aspire to teaching every person for years?  Why do we?  Education benefits the person and the nation.

 

We wish to encourage and challenge those who impart knowledge and those who gain knowledge.  There are benefits, and there are dangers.  We urge you to see both.  To those of you who impart knowledge, may your task be a privilege.  May it never be just a job.  To those who seek knowledge, may knowledge always be a part of opportunity.  May seeking knowledge never be just an obligation to get “out of the way.”  To both groups, may education always be a challenging opportunity that only begins with school.  May learning to think accurately be a key to personal fulfillment.

 

May none of us use our knowledge as the means for justifying evil.  Most murderers justify their destruction of life.  Most addicts justify their addictions.  Most greedy people justify their greed.  Most people who exploit justify their exploitations.  When we justify our evil acts, we often lose sight of the consequences of our actions, or the impact of our actions on other people.

 

Paul even knew people who were extremely committed to their religious views, but were committed to zealous ignorance rather than honest insight.  Their basic problem: they substituted their values for God’s values—and were not aware of the substitution.  The result: they substituted their righteousness for God’s.  Learn, but do not be foolish in what you know.  Know, but never justify the existence of evil within yourself.  Knowledge cannot make you a god, so never let what you know deceive you.

 

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**Order of Worship**

 

Worship Leader -- Brent Evans
Lord, I Lift Your Name on High (on screen)
#162 -- All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (vs. 1, 3, 4)
#167 -- Hosanna (vs. 1, 2)

 

Welcome -- Rick Odell
Here I Am To Worship (on screen)
#264 -- O Come Let Us Adore Him (vs. 1, 3, 4)
How Great Is Our God (on screen)
How Great Thou Art (chorus only)
In Christ Alone (on screen)

 

Table of the Lord
Coins for Christ
#718 -- We Shall Assemble

 

Back to School Blessing
• Students through 12th grade
• Teachers & School Workers
• College Students & Faculty

 

Offering
#781 -- Thank You, Lord

 

Song for Responses
#448 -- The Greatest Commands

 

Elder’s Prayer

 

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**Remember in Prayer**
• F. E. Cook is scheduled for a biopsy on September 2.
• Jerry Canfield is scheduled for double knee replacement surgery at UAMC in Little Rock. The first surgery will be Thursday (8/27/09) and the second surgery on Friday.  If all goes well, he may be able to come home on the weekend.
• John Hawkins has developed a blood clot in his right arm.  He is still in MD Anderson Hospital in Houston.  Cards and notes may be sent to John & Nadine Hawkins, c/o Quality Inn Suites, 2364 S Loop West, Houston, TX 77054.
• John Holley is scheduled for lung surgery Monday (August 31) at St. Edward Hospital. (This is new information and not in the printed newsletter.)
• Toka Beall’s brother-in-law, Clifford Davis, is in Sparks Hospital, room 573, recovering from a stroke.

 

**Jail Ministry Update**
Thomas Jenkins was baptized last Saturday by Mike Williams.  Remember this new Christian in your prayers.

 

**Continue to Pray for ...**
• Aura Lee Land
• Bobbie Bolinger
• Genevieve Rhodes
• Inez Hatfield
• Jay Wood
• John Holley
• Lyndell Foster
• Margaret Stone
• Patty Galvez
• Terry Davis
• Wilma Son
• Winnie Brown

 

**Widows/Widowers**
We will be going to the home of Marvin & Bobbie Hughes on Saturday, September 5, for lunch.  Sorry -- the guys backed out of cooking -- but Bobbie’s cooking will probably be better.  The van will leave the Annex at 11:30 AM.  Call Mary or Janice if you need transportation to the Annex. 

 

**We will not have a Car Clinic this month.**

 

**Men’s Bible Class**
Begins Tuesday, Sept. 1
10 AM in the Annex

 

**New Photos for the Directory**
• Kim Shawver, Alexandra Martin, Randall Martin, Matt Psencik
• Drew & Kelsey Spickes
• Jeff & Jennifer Burks, Savannah and Samuel
• Daveina Scholle, 16 Hillsdale, Van Buren, AR 72956, Phone 479-471-8076

 

**Letter from Fort Smith Public Schools**

 

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**Back to School Blessing**
Sunday, August 30 at 10:30 a.m.
We’ll be praying for students of all ages, teachers and school workers.

 

**Back to School Bash!**
Kids entering Kindergarten through 6th grade and their families join us for our 
"Back to School Bash" immediately following worship on Sunday morning until 1:15 p.m. in the West-Ark Gym.

Lunch, games, and ways to get us all focused on Jesus before the craziness of the year begins!

PLEASE RSVP at www.westarkkids.org/BTSbash or at the King’s Kids bulletin board in the foyer!

 

Children’s Worship will not be meeting this Sunday so we can all enjoy our Back-to-School Blessing together.

 

**King's Kids**
Mark your calendars!
• September 19 - Family Scavenger Hunt
• October 25 - Family Fall Fest
• December 12 - Family Movie Night
Really looking ahead?? VBS 2010 will be June 6-9!  

See a pattern here?  We care about your kids --- and your family!

 

**Time for Tutoring **
Sign-up sheets are in the foyer!
Our first tutoring session with the kids is Oct. 6!  Being a tutor doesn’t take a lot of time out of your week (3:10 - 4:45 PM every Tuesday school day until May), but it means a great deal to a child struggling in school or struggling to know what is right and what is wrong. If you have questions, please call Sheila Vaught.

 

**Tuesday Morning WINGS**
September 15th,  9:30 AM in the Family Life Center
This year our first study will be on Proverbs!  On September 15th, we will have breakfast provided as we hand out curriculum and information about the coming year!   Beginning September 22nd, we will offer extended childcare for WINGS participants for those moms who need a little extra time to run errands until 2:00 PM.  If you’ve never participated in Tuesday WINGS before, we especially want to invite you to come and try it out.  We have a great time of Bible study and fellowship.

 

**West-Ark Online Calendar **
www.westark.org/calendar.htm
• Bean & Bailey Comedy Show, August 29, 7 PM in the Auditorium (a back-to-school special event; invite your friends, admission is free!)

• Family Meeting, 6 PM, August 30 in the Auditorium. Since our volunteer cooks, Curtis & Company, are taking time off for the summer, we have decided to have a Pasta Potluck Supper after the family meeting.  If you can, please bring either a pasta dish OR a salad AND dessert.  If you would rather bring something else, please do. The important thing is to come!

 

**New on the Bulletin Board**
• Thank you note from Aaron Trent (youth intern)
• Flyer for Ladies’ Day, Clarksville Church of Christ, Saturday, September 19
• Flyer for Ladies’ Day, 9th Street Church of Christ, Saturday, October 17

 

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**Youth Group // news**

 

Church Family Meeting - Sunday, August 30  /  6 PM 
We will join in on the Family Meeting in the Auditorium.

 

Intersect Worship - Sunday, August 30  /  8-9:30 PM / Youth Room
For High School, Lions for Christ and 20-Somethings. Join us as we experience God together in praise and worship.

 

Youth Worship - Sunday, Sept. 6 / 6 PM / Youth Rm
Join us as we discover what purpose God has for us in our lives.

 

Rock the River Concert - Saturday, September 12  / Noon - 11PM  /  Kay Rodgers Park
Don’t miss this all day event featuring Thousand Foot Krutch, Seventh Day Slumber and Everyday Sunday. Registration forms and $20 due to Rick by Wednesday, September 2. Vans leave at noon and will return at 11PM.

 

Bulgaria Mission Trip Informational Meeting Sunday, September 13  /  5 PM  /  Youth Room
If you want to find out about this high school only mission trip, come to the meeting!

 

Home Devo at the Glidewells - Sunday, September 20  /  6 PM 
Join us for praise, food, fellowship and fun for all 7-12th graders. Vans leave at 6PM and return at 8PM. Cost is $3 per person to help cover food costs.

 

Crosswalk - Saturday, September 26  /  Rogers, AR
We will be leaving at 7:30 AM sharp on Saturday, September 26. We return that evening at about 11 PM. The cost is $35, which includes transportation, conference fees, and a t-shirt. Money and applications are due to Rick by Sunday, September 13. Applications are available in class and in the hanging files by the bulletin board in the foyer.

 

**Youth Group Events At A Glance:**
• MOVE Fall Advance: November 13-15
• Winterfest: January 15-17
• Girls Conference, Memphis: January 29-31

 

**Happy Birthday To...**

 

August 30
Stan Burkhart
Eli Hartley
Jackie Sofio

 

September 1
Megan Howard
Linda McRay
Brenda Wewers

 

September 2
Bobbie Hughes
Stephanie McClendon
Charlotte Pinedo
Leah Saunders

 

September 3
Norma Jean Breedlove
Dixie Burkhart
Brandon Miller

 

September 5
Brent Douglas
Natalie Hughes
Jena Roberts

 

**Morning Nursery**
Cristy, Kay, Maddie, Hannah Pressley
Louise Howard
Cami Stancil

 

**Evening Nursery**
Robertta Moses

 

**Attendance and Contribution Count**
Bible Classes...………....392   
Sunday AM Worship.…...671
Sunday PM Worship…...239
Wednesday Classes…...N/A
Contribution………..$16,219
Children’s Homes……..$269
Coins For Christ.............$50

 

Lao Worship
Attendance……………......33
Contribution……………$158

 

Iglesia de Cristo
Attendance………………..62
Contribution……………$272