FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
Volume 10 24 August 2008 Issue No. 26
COMMUNION FOR AUGUST 2008
SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE
AM
Jerry Freeman
Bob Hedges
Rodney Cook Darrell Cooper
Ben McCain Charles Kyle
PM
George O’Neal Fred Harkrider
ANNOUNCEMENTS …...………... Gene Campbell
SONG LEADER(AM)……...… Rance Robison
(PM) ..…….... Rance Robison
Wednesday Nite ...….. Grady Duncan
PRAYERS —– Sunday.
AM First Prayer ……….................Glenn Parham
AM Closing……….……..................…. Tim Jones
PM First Prayer…...............…..…. Rodney Cook
PM Closing……………................. Jerry Freeman
PRAYERS — Wednesday Nite
First Prayer………...............…….. Jimmy Jay Fox
Closing…………..……................… Fred Harkrider
TEACHING BIBLE CLASS WEDNESDAY:
Royce Armstrong
*
PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Doris Bell, Louis & Nona Bell, Billye Campbell, Randy Cooper, Irene Duncan, Amy Jones, Joyce Lee, Mary Jo Lee, Georgia Lide, Lacy Farmer Maxwell, Wade Miller, Ben McCain, Keely McCary, Thelma Reed, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Lana Downs, Wesley DuBose, Michael Gilbert, Cammy Jo McCain, Betty Newman, Johnine Phillips, Don Shuette, Paul Unger, Shirley Wright
*
THIS MORNING … Since David is out of town … Teaching Bible Class this morning will be Rance Robison. Preaching today will be by Chris McElyea of Mount Vernon.
And then … teaching Wednesday evening will be Royce Armstrong.
A few reminders:
LADIES BIBLE CLASS will resume on Tuesday morning, September 2, 2008, at 10:00 AM. Topic is 4th chapter of Ephesians with Janice McCain teaching.
Ladies, if you have not done so already, please mark Saturday, September 20, on your calendars for our LADIES DAY, with Cindy Armstrong as the featured speaker. We will be reminding you of this again later.
Amy Jones … GOT A PHONE CALL FROM HER ON FRIDAY MORNING …
“To Everyone … Thank you so much for the beautiful cards, calls and prayers before, during and after my recent surgery. I am feeling much better and hope to be back home sometime this weekend. My phone is: 903-466-5164 — Amy”
Randy Cooper was scheduled for neck surgery at the Spine & Joint Hospital in Tyler (Dr. Gordon) this past Friday. No update at the printing of the bulletin.
Wade Miller is scheduled for surgery on his left leg on Monday. Some of you will recall that he twisted his leg at one of the local businesses and broke his left tibia just above his ankle.
Keely McCary has not been feeling well this past week but is on the mend. Elora is doing great!
WEDDING SHOWER … to honor Jessie Wisdom and Jacob Massey, to be held here in the Multi-Purpose Room today, August 24, 2008, beginning at 2:00 p.m.
On August 30, 2008,two best friends will join hands in marriage.
Jacob Dean Massey and Jessie Renae Wisdom Will exchange wedding Vows at the
Handley church of Christ building at two o’clock in the afternoon.
Their parents, Richard and Cathy Massey And Michelle Pickrel Request your presence at this
Joyous event and invite you To stay for the reception to follow.
Maps to Handley, Texas are available on the table in the foyer if you are planning to attend.
We have needs for our pantry. If you are able we want your contribution. You can give greenbacks, a personal check (to Jim Duncan or Barbara), or most of all some of the items on the list located on the round table in the foyer. If you donate foods please make certain the dried food items are still within date. This is very important. Our list is pretty long and you do not have to bring all items, just pick some you feel comfortable with. We thank you all very much for your continued support of our Food Pantry.
Our Heritage
By Floyd Kaiser
[Guest article from The Southwesterner—Southwest church of Christ—Ada, OK]
Heritage is defined as that which is passed down from preceding generations; an inheritance or a tradition.
In the midst of the agonizing struggles of the church today to define itself and to chisel out its identity, I read of Christians referring to “our heritage” and the “common heritage.” Often such men as Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, T. B. Larimore, David Lipscomb and other Restorationists are referred to as fathers of our heritage who conferred to our generation a framework of Christianity that we need to build upon today.
Well, as good as this sounds — indeed we should honor these Christians to whom honor is due — we need to also ponder some serious questions. Did these men, though great in their accomplishments, become models for Christianity today? Were they infallible? Were their perceptions of the church absolute? Should their teachings be proof of what we should or should not be doing today?
The Bible teaches that the gates of Hades will not prevail over the church (see Matthew 16:18). The church will always stand somewhere among mankind. Therefore if the New Testament church had not been planted by these gospel preachers of centuries ago, then it would have been accomplished by someone else. God will not allow the gospel to be silenced. If one does not speak it, someone else will. The American Restorationists were simple vessels, nothing more, nothing less.
Knowing the teachings of some men such as Campbell, Stone and Smith, I suspect that they would want us to know that our heritage is of God and not of them.
In Job 31:2, the afflicted prophet expressed his chief concern when he asked, “And what is the portion of God from above or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?” Above all Job wanted the heritage of God.
What is the common heritage of God’s people? It is what we receive from God by means of the word of God!
When meeting with the elders from the church of Ephesus, Paul announced, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Clearly, it is by the “word of His grace” that a heritage is given. Therefore it follows that when given by God’s word, the heritage is from God and not from man.
Restoration is a scriptural concept. During the reign of Josiah, a book of the law of God was found in the house of the Lord (2 Kings 22:8). Finding its way into the hands of the king , the book was read and the words were applied. A restoration took place. The temple was cleansed, the idols were removed and worship was re-instituted according to the pattern described in the book of law. It is written that Josiah confirmed, “the words of the law which were written in the book” (2 Kings 23:24). Resulting from his efforts, we are told, “Before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might” (2 Kings 23:25).
Josiah was the standard of greatness among all the kings to ever rule Judah. However, any future restorations of God’s people were not accomplished by quoting Josiah but knowing and applying the word of God, God’s only source for the “common heritage” of true religion.
