FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
Volume 10 25 JANUARY 2009 Issue No. 48
Service Arrangements
COMMUNION FOR JANUARY 2009
SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE
AM
Bob Hedges
Gene Campbell
David Neal Roger Grimes
Sid Charlton Daniel McCary
PM
Grady Duncan Darrell Cooper
ANNOUNCEMENTS ………………..… Jim Duncan
(Sunday and Wednesday)
SONG LEADER
(AM)……………………........…...… Hal Roper
(PM) …………………..…........… Wade Miller
Wednesday Nite ……………... Wade Miller
PRAYERS —– Sunday
AM First Prayer …….........… Weldon Miller
AM Closing……………........... Kent Cooper
PM First Prayer…....….…...….Jim Duncan
PM Closing………….........……. Jon McCain
PRAYERS — Wednesday Nite
First Prayer…………..........…Fred Harkrider
Closing……………........….……. Wade Miller
PRAYER LIST:
Betty Abbey, Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Louis & Nona Bell, Doris Bell, Billye Campbell, Suzanne Charlton, Steele Cooper, Irene Duncan, Amber Kimbrough, Dorothy Kyle, Jo Ann Miller, Wade Miller, Elna O’Neal, Thelma Reed, Bud Roach
ALSO: Beth Adams, Roy Coats, Wesley DuBose., Wayne Lineberger, Ben McCain, Yvonne Waldrup, Charlie Whitney, Linda Wysinger
And now for … FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
New Minister:
For those of you who were not present last Wednesday night, we are pleased to announce the employment of Bro. Kris Groda as our new minister.
Kris and Lena’s current plans are to arrive in Mount Pleasant sometime on Thursday, February 5th and Kris will preach for the first time as our minister on Sunday, February 8th.
The Groda’s are excited about the work here at North Jefferson. They began packing Tuesday and are getting ready for their move to Mount Pleasant.
We’re grateful for your input and participation into our preacher selection process and the confidence that has been expressed in whatever decision the elders made.
May we all focus on the future and the opportunities that are before us, letting go of the past; putting behind us any preferred preferences with a strong resolution to work together in harmony, peace and unity for the cause of Christ. May we each resolve to work more diligently for a common goal; for the glory of Jesus our Savior and for the growth of his Kingdom at this location … both numerically and spiritually.
Many thanks to Bob Hedges for presenting the Sunday morning sermon. Also, thanks to Grady Duncan for the lesson he presented on Wednesday night on “Standards”.
Due to a “Senior Moment” last week’s bulletin showed one of new deacons was named Rance Armstrong. That should have read Rance Robison. Sorry for the mistake.
Rance will be presenting the lesson for morning service and then tonight we will continue our viewing of the DVD presentation concerning “Behold the Lamb.”
REMINDER … beginning today … and continuing each last Sunday of the month each month … the Children’s Bible Hour following morning services. This program is to teach our children about God’s Word and fellowship, and give the parents a chance to eat out if they wish to do so. A meal will be furnished the children.
LADIES ….. All ladies of the congregation are invited to a monthly Ladies Devotional on January 29th at 7:00pm at the home of Vicki Miller. Phone 903-572-1772 or 903-285-4939. This will be a time for Bible Study, Encouragement and Friendship. We will have a devotional lesson, singing, and snacks.
CLOTHING … Now is the time to begin bringing clothing of all kinds (for ALL seasons) for our Christian brethren on the Navajo Reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. We need clothing for all age groups, adults, women and children. We will be collecting clothing for the next several months. If you have any questions contact Karen Roper.
Dorothy Kyle is scheduled for surgery at the Spine and Joint Clinic in Tyler on February 3, 2009 (problems with several of the vertebras in the neck area).
Jo Ann Miller is scheduled for foot surgery at TRMC on February 4, 2009.
Elna O’Neal is back at home after the procedure she had last week at Baylor. As of Wednesday, she was still experiencing some discomfort.
Sister Nona Bell was admitted to Mother Frances hospital in Tyler mid-week last week. Gene Campbell had received a phone call from their daughter, Gloria. Basically, Nona’s condition is not good.
Baptism
Hugh Fulford
Reprinted by permission from the Gospel Advocate
[Guest Article from The Southwesterner—Southwest church of Christ—Ada OK]
Biblical baptism is for a believer in Christ who has repented of his sins. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved”
The New Testament mentions several baptisms; yet Paul emphatically states that there is “one baptism” for all true Christians (Ephesians 4:5 NKJV). Of the several baptisms mentions, which is the “one baptism?”
John’s baptism (Matthew 3:4-6) ceased to be valid after the formal inauguration of the Christian era (Acts 19:1-7). The baptism of suffering (Matthew 20:22-23) was fulfilled in the agony of Christ on the cross and the subsequent persecution of his disciples (Luke 12:50; I Peter 2:21). The baptism of fire described in Matthew 3:11 is yet to occur in the eternal punishment of disobedient (II Thessalonians 1:6-9). Holy spirit baptism could be administered only by the Lord (Matthew 3:11). But the baptism commanded by Christ in the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) could be and was administered by men in water (Acts 8:36-39). Thus water baptism is the “one baptism” of which Paul spoke when he wrote to the Ephesians in A.D. 62/63.
To understand the place of this “one baptism” in God’s scheme of redemption, three questions, each encapsulated in a single word, need to be asked.
What?
Baptism is described as a “washing.” Saul was instructed to “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16). God, “according to his mercy,” has saved us by the ‘washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5). The church, the aggregate body of the saved, has been sanctified and cleansed “with the washing of the water by the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26).
The New Testament describes baptism as a going “down into the water” and a coming “up out of the water” (Acts 8:38-39). Paul says that we were “buried with Him in baptism, in which you are also raised with him through faith in the working of God” (Colossians 2:12). Neither sprinkling nor pouring meets the requirements of baptism as set forth by God in the New Testament.
Who?
Biblical baptism is for a believer in Christ who has repented of his sins. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). The apostles stressed that one must “repent, and let every one … be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). Without a personal faith in Christ and a genuine repentance of sins, baptism has no efficacy. Because children under the age of accountability are not charged with sin (Matthew 18:3; 19:14; Ezekiel 18:20), they have nothing of which to repent and thus are not proper candidates for baptism.
Why?
A number of things occur when a proper candidate is baptized. Baptism is “for (eis, unto, in order to obtain) the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Baptism is into the death of Christ (Romans 6:3). Because Christ’s blood was shed din His death (John 19:34), when one is baptized he contacts the blood of Christ which takes away sin (Matthew 26:38; Revelation 1:5). Thus in baptism one’s sins are washed away (Acts 22:16), and he becomes clean again.
Baptism puts one into Christ (Galatians 3:27). It likewise inducts one into the spiritual body of Christ, the church (I Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 1:18). The person who has been cleansed by the blood of Christ is saved and added to the church (Acts 2:47). thus the church itself is said to have been purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). No wonder in referring to Noah’s deliverance from the corrupt world of is day, Peter declared, “the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Peter 3:21 KJV).
Conclusion
Every morally accountable person on earth needs to hear the good news of Christ’s death for the sins of the world, believe that news, confess that Christ is truly the Son of God, repent of his sins, and be immersed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the remission of sins (Matthew 28:18-20). This is the only true way to the Father, and the blessings of forgiveness of sins.
