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Open
Up to God
By Chris
Benjamin
"Elkanah had two wives. One
was named Hannah. The other was named Peninnah.
Peninnah had children, but Hannah didn't ...
Every time the day came for Elkanah to offer a
sacrifice, he would give a share of the meat to
his wife Peninnah. He would also give a share to
each of her sons and daughters. But he would
give two shares of meat to Hannah. That's because
he loved her. He also gave her two shares because
the Lord had closed her
womb." - 1 Samuel 1:2,
4-5
How can Hannah eat the second helping
knowing that it is charity? Sure, her
husband probably means well, but when you have two
wives this sort of favoritism is bound to create
problems. (Actually, two wives are bound to
create problems - but it's a different time and
place, yes?)
Hannah did not need Penninah's
help to feel hopeless. Penninah's ridicule
was nothing more than an amplifier of what Hannah
and everyone else already knew about Hannah:
she was barren. I suppose that is the
acceptable term, but it is such a hopeless,
lifeless sounding word. Yet, no better
sounding word could remove Hannah's pain and
sorrow. Not even Elkanah's well-intention
doting could do anything to remedy the feelings of
uselessness and bitterness that crept into
Hannah's heart. But let's not ignore what is
often unsaid. After all, the Bible comes
directly to the point when it asserts that "God
closed her womb."
That blunt
statement hits us with the reality that Hannah's
trouble is about more than her physical or medical
condition. Hannah has a spiritual
problem. God has closed more than her
womb. He has closed off her future. He
has closed off her sense of purpose. He has
closed off her opportunities. Worst of all
if the LORD is responsible, then to whom can
Hannah go? Fighting back with Peninnah is
useless. Elkanah's patronizing love
unfortunately makes the pain worse. And the
priest? He will probably just condemn her
and make her feel like it is her fault.
One day Hannah had a remarkable change of
heart. So remarkable that Hannah wiped away
her tears and rose up from her seat during the
religious feast. Since the Lord is
responsible, then Hannah decided to go straight to
him. After all, He can certainly open what
he has closed, yes?
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Order of
Worship
Worship Leader -- Brent
Evans
This Is The Day (on screen)
#63 --
I Will Call Upon the Lord (vs. 1,
2)
Welcome
#72 -- Blessed Be The Lord
God Almighty
#71 -- As the Deer (vs. 1,
2)
#232 -- Worthy, You Are Worthy (vs. 1, 2,
3)
Come To the Table (on screen)
Table
of the Lord
Offering
#83 -- God Is So Good
(vs. vs. 1, 2, 3, 4)
Coins for Christ
Children's Worship
#412 -- Jesus, Hold My
Hand (vs. 1, 2, 3)
Message -- Chris
Benjamin
Song for Responses
#943 -- Do You
Know My Jesus? (vs. 1, 3)
Shepherd's
Prayer |
Prayer
Requests
- Carlene Payne had a spot removed from her
leg that was diagnosed as melanoma. She
will have further outpatient surgery May 6th on
that location plus two more spots (undiagnosed)
on her foot.
- David Dotson went to Sparks ER with chest
pains on Wednesday afternoon.
- James Word hopes to begin rehab at
HeathSouth soon. Please pray for a speedy
and full recovery from the stroke.
- Lance Haines' back surgery was moved up to
May 5 at the Harris Hospital in Fort Worth,
Texas.
- Continue to pray for comfort and
encouragement for Myra Flippo-Puckett.
- John Richards is in St. Edward Hospital,
room 4512.
Sympathy &
Prayers
David Boozer's
sister-in-law, Daphne Boozer died on April 28th.
She and David's brother, Stephen, live in Little
Rock and have three children.
Barbara
Aldridge's brother, Johnny Bailey, died
unexpectedly last Sunday morning. His funeral
service was May 3rd at Northside Church of Christ
in Greenwood.
Vivian Ford, Lynn Dickey's
uncle, passed away May 3rd in Athens,
Texas.
Continued
Prayers
Allen Mobley
Betty
Williams
Bill & Doris Stokes
Bonnie
Taylor
Burnie Morris
Caidan Dockery
Diane
Murrell
Hannah Kannady
Harold Gouty
James
& Mary Ann Scholle
James Nixon
Jim &
Bonnie Jenkins
Karen Windsor
Keith
Avery
Lela Neal
Margaret Stone
Martha
Bonilla
Mary Frances Jackson
Melba Jean
Welch Griffin
Richard & Mary
Broyles
Sammy Martin
Tina Eudaly
Travis
McDonald
Wilma Son
Heart to
Heart Baby Bottle Campaign Begins!
How
can I help? On Mother's Day, May 8, take a
Baby Bottle from the bassinet in the foyer. Fill
it up with loose change, cash, or checks and bring
it back on or before Father's Day, June 19. All
donations will go towards Heart to Heart Pregnancy
Support Center, a Christian pro-life
ministry dedicated to helping young girls, women,
men, and families who are experiencing a crisis
pregnancy.
CURE Linen
Sorting
Monday, May 9th, 6:30 - 8:00
PM at the Vicksburg warehouse
Help us be ready
for the next shipment to those in need. Thanks to
all the volunteers on Sunday and the fuel money
donations. CURE loaded and delivered another
10,000 pounds of bedding to Huntsville, Tuscaloosa
and Smithville on Tuesday (May
3rd).
Oklahoma Christian
Chorale
Next Wednesday night (May 11),
students from the OC Chorale will be traveling to
Fort Smith to perform for West-Ark at 7 PM in the
auditorium.
All classes, including nursery
and children's classes will meet in the
Auditorium.
After the performance, we will
feed the students in the Family Life Center (the
meal is for OC students only), and then we will be
housing them overnight at members' houses. If you
have students staying in your home, you can pick
them up in the FLC (gym) about 8:45
PM.
Notes of
Thanks
THANK YOU to all the ladies
who came through to provide food for the Willis
and Harwell families. Once again you showed
your love and light in the community. I
should never be amazed at your compassion and
care. I was overwhelmed. Thank you
again for blessing those in need, in Jesus'
name.
Linda
Davis
West-Ark,
Thank
you for your prayers, cards, and the delicious
food (ladies). It was good to be together and
celebrate Debra's life. Your support has helped us
make it through this tough time. Thank
you!
Mark
Willis
Thank you so much for the
expressions of kindness shown to us during the
loss of our brother and uncle, Johnny
Bailey. We appreciate the calls, cards,
visits and potted plant. Please continue to
pray for our
family.
In our
Christ,
Barbara
Aldridge and Gina
Williams
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Wedding
Invitations
David & Donna
Carson and Jim & Janie
Reano
request the honor of your
presence
at the marriage of their
children
Elise Lynn Carson to Brandon
Jay Odle
Saturday, May 14, 3:00
PM
West-Ark Church of
Christ
Small reception immediately
following ceremony
The couple is
registered at Target and
Wal-Mart
Donald and Sally Moore of
Long Beach, California
announce the
engagement of their daughter
Sarah
Elizabeth Moore to Stephen Austin Tomlin
son of Jeff & Marcia
Tomlin.
They will marry in Long
Beach at 1:30 PM on May 21 at the
Lakewood Village Community
Center.
Stephen is the grandson of
Richard & Emma Adams
and Louise
Tomlin.
The couple is registered at
Target.
Mother's Day
Cards
Cards will be passed out by our
Bridge 56 kids at the end of morning worship.
Let's find creative ways to bless others
today and invite them to worship with us.
The reverse side has a map to the building and our
worship times.
Houston Impact
Interns
Interns are Tia Hayes, Lindsey
Yowell, Lauren Carson, Matty Moates, Greg Dupries,
Craig Johnson, and Brad Moore.
Please pray
for our college students who will be serving at
Houston Impact this summer. They will be
leaving on May 21 and return about August 14. Your
encouragement and support of these students is
greatly appreciated.
Inner
City Intern
Trenton
Schien is joining us this summer as our first-ever
intern in the Inner City ministry. Trenton
will continue to work alongside Jack Lewis at Hope
Park, the Hope Chest, and the Way.
Scholarships
for Children in Vietnam
The West-Ark
congregation again has generously provided thirty
annual scholarships for public school education
for the children influenced by the evangelistic
outreach of our brethren in Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam.
Your
generosity will allow continued contact with
families of children, many of whom live in slums,
and with the maturing of leadership in the Church
in Vietnam. Please continue to pray for
Stephane Phoumasone, our other brethren there, and
wise efforts to share the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
--Jerry
Canfield
King's
Kids
Faith Fusion Planning
Session
Sunday, May 22, 5 PM, room 100
All
are welcome to help with this fun, family
event.
Saturday, May
14, 6 PM
6th grade party -- Walker
home
Promotion
Sunday, May 15
3 year olds through 6th
grade
(Those just promoted in January will
remain in their current group.)
Sunday, May
22
Bridge 56 Parents' Meeting
(during
morning class)
Saturday, July
30
Faith Fusion (1 Day Family-Style
VBS)
All
classes, including nursery and children's classes
will meet in the Auditorium on May 11 to hear the
OC Chorale. |
Youth
Group News
WAYG Class -
Sunday, May 8, 9:30-10:30 AM
Today is a
VERY special day... we introduce our new Interns
AND have a special SURPISE event!!! You will
NOT want to be late or miss it!
Interns Begin -
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Please pray for our
incoming 4 youth ministry interns - Logan Waugh
(Oklahoma Christian University), Cameron Franklin
(Oklahoma Christian University), Marissa Hale
(Lubbock Christian University) and Laura Carter
(Lipscomb University) who will arrive today.
We know that God has great plans for them to help
our students and families grow in
Christ!
Bulgaria
Mission Trip Meeting - Sunday, May 8, 4-6
PM
Don't miss this mandatory
meeting. We are getting closer to our trip
and need to have EVERYONE in attendance and on the
same page! Bring all homework that you have
not yet turned in!
No Official WAYG
Activity Tonight - Sunday, May 8
The Journey -
Wednesday, May 11, 7-8 PM
Our
normal WAYG get together will be pre-empted for
this week. We will all meet in the
auditorium for a performance by the Oklahoma
Christian University Chorale. Don't miss
out!
Seniors &
Incoming 7th Graders - Sunday, May
15
THIS IS PAST DUE!!!!
Letters/emails have been mailed out to this year's
Graduating Seniors and the new incoming 7th
graders. PLEASE check to see that you
received one on behalf of your student. If
not, or if your student's name needs to be added
to our list below, please let Rick or Rachel know
immediately. Also, for the rest of the
church, we'll be placing the baskets out in the
foyer near the Youth Group bulletin board for the
Seniors now through May 15 for your convenience if
you have a gift you would like to give them.
We still need Food Helpers for the Senior
Banquet/Party that evening! See the sign up
sheet on the youth group bulletin board to
help! We need you!
Incoming
7th Graders
Ethan
Benjamin, Nash Burkett, Tia Burnett, Hunter
Canfield, Brooklyn Howard, Alexander Keller, Nadia
Nelson, Rachel Null, Mariny Phomokay, Carolyn
Seglem, Jon Soukkaseum, Tatum Walker, Ben
Webber
Graduating
Seniors
Laura Akoum, Eric Berger, Rose
Davis, Jessica Frost, Elizabeth Harper, Kyle
Haworth, Forrest Hickey, Emily Kee, Uriel
Lindgren, David Orick, Tyler Robbins, Allison
Todd
Incoming 7th
Grader Party/Parent Meeting - Wednesday, May 18,
7-8 PM
Next year's Senior class in the
WAYG will be hosting a party in the High School
portion of the youth group room to honor our
incoming 7th graders! At the same time, in
the Jr. High School room, parents of all incoming
7th graders and any other families new to the
youth group in the past year are asked to attend a
special orientation meeting.
Soul Quest -
Sunday, June 12-18 , 2011
Applications
have been emailed and handed out in class!
You will NOT want to miss out on this for
ANYTHING!! PLEASE let Rick know if you want
to donate money for scholarships or if you need a
scholarship. Open to all incoming 7th graders
through 2011 graduating Seniors! This week
will be the BEST way to kick off your summer for
God!
Welcome Children and Youth
Interns!
Children - Ashley Mohler,
Oklahoma Christian University
Youth - Cameron
Franklin, Oklahoma Christian University
Youth -
Laura Carter, Lipscomb University
Youth - Logan
Waugh, Oklahoma Christian University
Youth -
Marissa Hale, Lubbock Christian
University
Happy
Birthday
May
8
Marjorie Blake
May
9
Ronald Bartlett
Haley
Hickey
May
10
Adina Boatright
May
11
Mandy Wilson
May
12
Ronald Moreton
May
13
Sarah Smith
May
14
Mathew Griffin
III
Nursery
Workers
Morning
Melissa
Walker
Suzi Jennemann
Dena
Jenkins
Attendance and Contribution
Count
Bible Classes ............
331
Sunday AM Attendance 481
Sunday PM
............... N/C
Wednesday Classes
... N/C
Contribution ...
$16,645.70
Children's Homes .. $265.75
Coins
For Christ .... $49.43
Lao
Worship
Attendance ..................
23
Contribution ............
$137
Making Disciples for
Jesus Who Are Eager to Serve
Others |
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