Family News and Notes
MEN'S BUSINESS MEETING today following the evening services. All the men are encouraged to attend as your input is very important.
A FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON is scheduled for Sunday, October 19 following morning services. Everyone is invited. Please make plans now for this fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
This editor apologizes for the quality of the photo of David that appeared in Friday's edition of the Mount Pleasant Daily Times. We cropped him out of a family photo that was not best quality and a more recent and clearer photo did not arrive in time to change it in the paper. So look carefully at him he will not look blurry to you in real life and may even look more handsome. He will be in focus.
The Ladies Bible Class will be going to lunch after class on Tuesday, October 14. We will be going to Barrington's on Main in Naples, Texas. All ladies are invited.
There will be a Skating Party this evening following the evening worship services, from 8:1510:15 PM at the Mount Pleasant Roller Rink with the brethren from the Mount Vernon congregation. Bring $2.00 per skater and have fun.
Sandra Cooper was scheduled to begin another round of her new medication this weekend. Our prayers go out to her and Darrell during her battles with her physical ailments. We miss them both very much.
Ercell Fetters is feeling much better since her release from the hospital.
R. C. Grissom is doing some better and is able to be up and about a little.
There are so many others in our congregation that continue to need our prayers. Please check the Prayer List for those. If you know of others, please advise the editor of this bulletin.
Gladys Cannon (Ann Pickrel's mother) passed away Monday. Graveside services were conducted at 1:00 PM Thursday in Chillicothe, Texas by Williams Funeral Home of Garland. Please remember this family in your prayers.
THANK YOU. "Thank all of you for helping me celebrate my birthday. The cards, visits and calls (especially the ones who sang to me) made my day very special. I love you all. Please keep me in your prayers.
Dorothy Sargent"
THANK YOU. "Dear Brethren at North Jefferson:
I've received so many phone calls and cards, I wanted to say thanks so much and God bless you all. You will always be so special in my heart, and your love and prayers have always been a fantastic boost to my soul. I love you so much and Shirley and I cherish the years we spent together. Keep praying. (II Cor. 13:14)
Yours in Christ
BIRTHDAYS in OCTOBER (that have been provided to the Editor):
2 Elna O'Neal
2 Nelda Dunn
9 George O'Neal
10 Karen Sargent
10 Darrell Cooper
13 Sandra Cooper
17 Sara Neal
18 Jack Cooper
20 Ann Pickrel
22 Richard Hargrove
25 Donna Davis
25 Corine Hudson
30 Christi Charlton
30 Ralph Phillips
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Rhodney's "Funny Bone"
Gross ignorance: 144 times worse than normal ignorance.
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Sandra Cooper, Bonnie Horton, Howard Horton, Carl Lee, Autumn Miller
ALSO: Judy Betts, Marie Butler, R. C. Grissom, Gene Riley, Nelcene Steele
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Service Arrangements
ANNOUNCEMENTS.........................Bud Roach
SONG LEADER....................................Bill Jones
PRAYERS Sunday
AM First Prayer............................Weldon Miller
AM Closing..,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Glenn Parham
PM First Prayer.........................William Embree
PM Closing........................................David Neal
PRAYERS Wednesday Nite
First Prayer..........................................Lee Moses
Closing..............................................Rodney Cook
COMMUNION FOR OCTOBER
AM Jerry Freeman.......................Grady Duncan
Vernon Garrett..........................Bob Hedges
Devon Phillips.............................Joe Ferrell
PM Ralph Phillips..........................Glenn Parham
ATTENDANCE COUNTER.........Grady Duncan
TRANSPORTATION..........Call Frankie Sargent
903-573-2647
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Possibility-Thinkers
By David McCain
People who believe in themselves, or in a higher cause, often accomplish great things which leave their detractors amazed. For instance, scoffers told the Wright brothers that if God had meant for man to fly, He would have given us wings. However, thanks to the positive attitude of men like the Wright brothers, who weren't afraid to try the "impossible," air travel has become as commonplace today as horse and buggy travel was in years gone by.
From the very beginning of time, mankind has divided itself into two classes of people: the "nay-sayers" and the"possibility thinkers." Like ten of the twelve spies, who reported to Moses after spying out the land of Canaan, some "faith-less" men see only the giants in their seemingly invulnerable walled cities. Thank God, though, sometimes other men arise like Joshua and Caleb, who, through the eye of faith, can see those walls come tumbling down (Num. 13-14).
Hopefully, all of us realize that a person, or group of people, who think they are going to fail will more than likely do just that. Their "down-in-the-dumps" outlook on life, and their "gloom and doom" philosophy will often become a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, those who think they can succeed in life, usually will, if they work hard at it!
Surely most all of us remember the childhood story of the little train with the big load that faced each new hill with the "I think I can" philosophy. The moral of the story is that positive thinking can accomplish great
things in life. Possibility-thinkers face setbacks and failures just like the nay-sayers, but they don't allow discouragement to keep them from trying again. They believe in what they are doing so strongly, they view failure merely as a narrowing of the field of possibilities, which helps to point them towards the final solution.
Norman Vincent Peale dubbed this attitude, "The Power Of Positive Thinking!" God calls this attitude "Faith." Like the power of positive thinking, faith says, "I think I can!" Unlike positive thinking, though, faith is not nearly so much belief in our own inherent abilities, as it is belief in the power and ability of God, to work through us to accomplish His purposes. As Paul wrote, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). Or, as the giant slayer, David proclaimed, "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's..." (I Sam. 17:47). Neither is faith based on blind luck, nor random chance, but rather on the absolute evidence of Truth presented to us in God's Holy Word (Heb. 11:1).
Jesus was a possibility-thinker. His mission was to bring salvation to a lost world. He chose to let the world know about salvation through the Gospel, and by "the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 1:21). He chose just twelve men to help Him accomplish His mission. Who would have thought that only twelve men could "turn the world upside down" (Acts 17:6), with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Obviously, only someone like Jesus, who had faith in the Gospel as "the power of God unto salvation" (Rms. 1:16).
Brethren, the Gospel of Christ still contains the power of God which can turn the world upside down for Jesus. It will work right here in Mount Pleasant, just like it worked in Jerusalem, Thessalonica, and Antioch, so long ago. All that's needed to unleash the power is for God's people to say, "With God's help, we can do it!" Away with the visionless "nay-sayers," and in their place God give us positive, committed, zealous, hard working "possibility-thinkers," who will lead us on to victory in accomplishing great things for the glory of God!
Which kind of person are you, a "nay-sayer," or a "possibility thinker?" As we begin a new era of work together in the Lord's service here at the North Jefferson congregation, let me encourage you to give this matter some serious, soul-searching thought. I hope and pray that you will determine along with me that we are all going to work together to be a part of the solution not the problem. May God help us to dream big dreams and visualize great progress in the Lord's service for the spiritual and numerical growth of His Kingdom. May He also help us to stay focused on Jesus, and His will for our lives, as we work zealously and faithfully to help those dreams to come true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ McCain's Musings
By David McCain
It's great to officially be, as of today, "the new kid (preacher) on the block" at North Jefferson, even though we're not quite all here yet (no pun intended)! Thank you to the elders and every member for inviting us to come work with you in the Lord's work here in the Mount Pleasant area. We are excited about the many wonderful "possibilities" which await us, as we begin laboring with the North Jefferson congregation, under the oversight of our three fine shepherds, brethren Campbell, Miller, and Pickrel.
We are looking forward to getting to know each one of you in a personal way. We are eagerly anticipating our move to Mt. "P," just as soon as we can make arrangements to get into our new home, which we put a contract on last week. For the time being, we will be commuting the 102.5 miles from our current home on Cedar Creek Lake outside of Mabank, to our new responsibilities in your fair city. There are, of course, many loose ends for us to tie up as we try to sell our house and prepare for the move, however, we hope to move here just as soon as is humanly possible.
In the meantime, we will be present for every service Sundays and Wednesdays, and will try to be in town several other days each week to begin visiting and getting to know you members as well as other folks in the community. If you need me for anything, I am only a phone call away. Our current home number in Kemp is: (903) 498-5575. If we're not home, please leave a message on the answering machine and I'll call you back as soon as possible. If you need me on an emergency basis, my mobile phone number in my truck is: (903) 658-8594. The mobile number in our van (Janice's vehicle, but the one we will be driving on Sundays and Wednesdays) is: (903) 658-8533. As soon as we get new local cell phone numbers, I will print them in the bulletin
Please pray that the Lord will bless us during this transition period, by providentially aiding us to sell our home, and to get moved soon!
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