FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
Volume 10 21 September 2008 Issue No. 30
COMMUNION FOR SEPTEMBER 2008
SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE
AM
Weldon Miller
Wayne Pickrel
Ronnie Stewart Jody Sparks
Cody Sparks Royce Armstrong
PM
Ron Traughber Tim Jones
ANNOUNCEMENTS ………..….… Gene Campbell
(Sunday and Wednesday)
SONG LEADER(AM)…….……….… Hal Roper
(PM)…………......… Hal Roper
Wednesday Nite ….….... Daniel McCary
PRAYERS —– Sunday
AM First Prayer ……................… Weldon Miller
AM Closing……………...............….. Jim Duncan
PM First Prayer…..…..............… Darrell Cooper
PM Closing……………................. Fred Harkrider
PRAYERS — Wednesday Nite
First Prayer……….................…… Daniel McCary
Closing…………………..................…. Jon McCain
PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Doris Bell, Louis & Nona Bell, Billye Campbell, Suzanne Charlton, Irene Duncan, Jerry Freeman, Amy Jones, Mary Jane Joyner, Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide, Wade Miller, Ben McCain, Thelma Reed, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Wesley DuBose, Michael Gilbert, Mary Jo Lee, Wayne Lineberger, Cammy Jo McCain, Betty Newman, Johnine Phillips, Don Shuette, Paul Unger, Shirley Wright
And now for … FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
Copies of the Minutes from the Men’s Business Meeting and Financial Report for the month ending August 31 are available on the table in the foyer. If you are interested take a copy.
LADIES DAY on Saturday, September 20th has arrived and departed. Decorations on the tables and pews looked great. Of course at the printing of this bulletin (before the fact) we can’t give you a report on the number of ladies who attended. However, it is hoped that will happen this morning. Many thanks to all the ladies who worked so hard to make the LADIES DAY a great success.
Our “Bible Bowl” will begin again for its second season on Monday nite, October 13. We will host this first meeting. Study session this afternoon at 5:00 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room. Participants need to read Judges chapters 3 and 4. Jason Rollo will be our speaker. We will host and provide refreshments and Sloppy Joes. See Bob Hedges or Veleta McFerrin if you can help. All of the competitions will be held here, but with different congregations hosting each month. Our study material will be the Old Testament book of Judges, out of the NKJV. Our coaches this year will consist of the Armstrong(s), the Robison(s), and the McCary(s).
Suzanne Charlton had surgery on Tuesday at Medical Center in Tyler to do an artery by-pass surgery on one of her legs. The surgery was a great success, restoring good blood flow to her lower leg and foot and hopefully ultimately eliminating the pain in her leg and foot. She is hoping to come home sometime this weekend.
Report on Justin and Rachel … some more local testing is to be done and the results sent to the specialists in Michigan before they make their determinations.
Billye Campbell is scheduled to enter Titus Regional Medical Center on Tuesday to prepare for knee surgery on Wednesday. (at the printing of this bulletin Gene did not have a time for the surgery).
No updates yet on Donald Johnson or Wayne Lineberger … or Bro. J. D. Smith of the Sheppard Street congregation.
Happy belated 90th birthday to Ola Mae Simpson last Tuesday. –David McCain
Mark your records to show the following address correction for Jan Hargrove.
Jan Hargrove
P O Box 151
Mount Pleasant, TX 75456
Phone:903-572-0800
Cell: 903-434-0705
God’s Worker Bees
God’s worker bees are the backbone of the growing church. The Lord's church can do nothing without them! These are the brethren who are always there when you need them, ready to pitch in and do their part to the best of their ability. They are always ready to use their talents, when the Lord calls for volunteers.
Sometimes you will find them in the public leadership roles, but not always. Sometimes they are the unassuming ones, who quietly go about doing the work of the Lord, even though no one is looking. Every time the doors are opened, their pew is warm, because they are in their place ready to worship the Lord, and exhort their brethren. They are ready to joyfully participate in the singing, ready to bow their heads in fervent prayer, ready to humble themselves at the Lord's table, ready to eagerly listen to every word of the sermon, and ready to contribute beyond their prosperity to see the Lord's work go forward. Their chair is never empty at the Bible study hours, because they truly enjoy feasting on the Word of God!
When the sign up sheets go out for food, or chaperons, or transportation, or Bible Bowl sponsors, or hospital/nursing home visitors, or teachers, or bulletin board decorators, or someone to sit with the sick, these are the brethren who volunteer. You won't hear these brethren complaining about being bored in the Lord's church, because they are too busy working for the Lord. When they see something which ought to be done for the Lord's cause, they just do it, most often without a lot of fanfare.
When you are sick, or sad, or down, or bereaved, don't be surprised when a card of encouragement arrives in your mailbox, penned by one of these "Barnabuses" (Acts 4:36). When you need some help from your brethren, don't be surprised when these folks show up with food at your door, or when they come by to clean your house, or to do the wash for you, or just to sit with you for an hour or two, to help you get through the day. And please don't destroy their joy of Christian service by rejecting their acts of kindness. We all need to learn the grace of giving and doing for others, but sometimes we also need to learn the art of graciously receiving the acts of service which others render in our behalf.
In John 13:12-35, we read the following admonition from the lips of Jesus, "So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. ...A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." When the world observes Christians lovingly serving each other, they will perceive that we are truly the followers of Christ, and many of them will want to join us in serving Him.
Humble, cooperative, Christian servants are God’s worker bees! Where would we be without you? Please know that your work is not in vain and your humble service will not go un-rewarded (I Cor. 15:58, Heb. 6:10). Indeed, your reward will be great in heaven, when you hear the Lord say, "Well done good and faithful servant" (Mt. 25:23). ----- David McCain
