Family News and Notes
We will meet on Tuesday evening this week instead of Wednesday evening due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. This will be an old-fashioned prayer meeting and singing with scripture readings, prayers and songs.
Visitation Teams No. 1 and 4 will meet after services this morning for sandwiches, chips & dips. All team members are encouraged to attend.
New Cleaning List on the table in the foyer. We need Volunteers. If you are able to help please sign the list to help Grady.
The ladies will be doing "Care Boxes" again this year and are requesting that anyone who wants to donate funds for the boxes to give their donation to either Veleta McFerrin or Amy Jones ASAP. These are taken to shut-ins, nursing home residents & elderly.
On Wednesday December 29, we will have singing in the auditorium. Also, all classes will meet in the auditorium on that nite.
Anna Ruth Brown went back to the Care Center from the hospital on November 18.
Johnny Barrett is still in serious condition in ICU at Titus Regional Medical Center. He still cannot talk. At the printing of this bulletin the family has been called. We need to keep him in our prayers and also Lynn.
Howard Horton is now at Mission Manor Nursing Home in Mount Vernon where he will be undergoing therapy for a few weeks.
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Holiday Dinner Parties At McCain's
For many years, Janice and I have hosted an "adults only" holiday dinner party and crazy gift swap at our home in early December. At first we invited the "young adults," when we were such, but when we reached the age where we qualified for membership in AARP, we switched and started inviting the "mature adults."
However, since we are living in a country where it is now against the law to "disenfranchise" anyone, and since I am seriously considering beginning my "second childhood," we have decided to invite both young and mature adults this year! However, lest there not be room enough for all our adults in the congregation to attend, we decided to have two parties this year, so that both age groups will have an opportunity to visit in our home and enjoy some good food, fun and fellowship together.
The "mature adults" party will be Fri. evening, Dec. 10th, and the "young adults" party will be Sat. evening, Dec. 11th. The age break will be in the 50 to 55 year old range. If you (and/or your spouse) are younger than 50, you are invited to the young adults party. If you are over 55, you are invited to the "mature adults" party. If you are between the ages of 50-55, it's your choice. Pick a party that suits you and sign up, or come to both if you desire, but the menu will be the same each night. Finally, if either date presents a conflict to anyone in either group, you are welcome to come to the other age group's party and pretend like you are that age (just remember there will be no wearing lamp shades on your head or dancing on the tables, Wanda or Pat, if you come to the young adult party)!
At both parties, appetizers will be served at 6:30 p.m. for early arrivers, and dinner will be served at 7:00. We will provide the appetizers, the meats, the bread, and the drinks. Everyone should bring one side dish of a salad, a vegetable, or a dessert. Dress is festive casual (wear your favorite holiday sweater). We hope all "adults" (singles, couples, widows/widowers) will attend!
We will have some wacko entertainment, fun games, and of course our crazy gift swap, which is usually the highlight of the evening. Men should bring a wrapped gift for a man, and women a wrapped gift for a woman, although you never know how I may change the rules when we start swapping, since we do it differently every year. Your gift can be something store-bought ($10 or less please), something homemade, or even a gag gift or "white elephant," but in my opinion the most fun is to have a combination of a gag gift for laughs, and a legitimate useful or decorative item, which makes it more inviting when the swapping starts. Whatever, leave your feelings at home, because if you get something good you will likely not go home with it, because someone else will "borrow it." Remember it's all in fun! Please sign on the appropriate list in the lobby if you plan to attend.
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Johnny Barrett, Louis Bell, Annah Brown,
Sue Browning, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Narci Cooper, Vernon Garrett,
Zenith Hargrove, Bonnye Horton, Howard Horton, Ruby Lawhon, Glenn Parham, Winnie Patton, Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets, Ola Mae Simpson
ALSO: James & Marie Butler, Ronald Duncan, Ercell Fetters, Marie Holloway, Patricia McCracken, Kelsey Meyers, Tonya Mullins,
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The Grace Of Forgiveness
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4:30-32).
How many "Christians" make their lives and the lives of others miserable, because they cannot find a tender forgiving spirit in their heart? How many otherwise "faithful Christians" have jeopardized their soul's salvation because they hold a grudge against a brother or sister who supposedly wronged them? How many "Christians" send themselves to an early grave and eternal doom, because they are consumed with a spirit of bitterness, malice, hatred, envy and wrath?
Brethren, the Bible is abundantly clear: an unforgiving spirit is just as dangerous to our souls as false doctrine or vain worship. In the "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus taught that our willingness to forgive others would determine God's willingness to forgive us (Mt. 6:12-15). Following are some reasons why we must practice "the grace of forgiveness," towards others who have wronged us, if we would truly manifest the spirit of Christ.
First, we need to be forgiving because God has forgiven us. We have all sinned (Rms. 3:23), and we all to deserve to be punished eternally for our sins (Rms. 6:23), but God loved us in spite of our sins and let His only begotten Son die to pay the price for our sins (Rms. 5:8). Knowing that God has extended love and forgiveness to us, how can we dare be unforgiving to those who need our love and forgiveness? We need to be forgiving to others, because we desperately need God's mercy, which is contingent upon our own mercy (Mt. 18:21-35).
Secondly, we need to be forgiving so that we may experience the joy of extending forgiveness. Unforgiving grudge-holders are bitter people. They make themselves miserable with their hatred, malice, and anger. Sadly, their unforgiving spirit hurts others too, but it hurts the grudge-holder even more. Without correction, an unforgiving spirit will eventually consume you. However, forgiveness releases the bitterness and misery of holding a grudge. The grace of forgiveness will truly bring joy to the one who extends it.
Thirdly, we need to be forgiving because others need to experience the joy of being forgiven. Think how Joseph's brothers must have felt when they learned that Joseph had forgiven them for what they had done to him in his youth (Gen. 50:15-21). They had carried that burden for years, but now they could finally lay it down. What a relief that must have been! What joy they must have felt! Compassion, tenderness, and forgiveness will bring great joy in the home, in society, and in the church, if we can only find it in our hearts to be forgiving to those who have hurt or wronged us in some way.
Finally, we must develop the grace of forgiveness because an unforgiving heart strangles the better part of us, snuffing out the influence of the forgiving Christ in our lives. It hinders our prayer life, for how can we pray, "Father forgive us...," if we have not been forgiving to others? It grieves the Holy Spirit and places us in a hopeless predicament, seeing that God's forgiveness is based upon our own forgiveness toward others. An unforgiving spirit may seem like such a little thing, but sometimes small things contain great destructive power. When we hold a grudge we build our own prison walls, which isolate us from humanity, but worst of all, they isolate us from God. However, by practicing the simple "grace of forgiveness" we can truly be set free!
David McCain
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Lord Forgive
© By Grady L. Duncan
11/15/04
I saw a man the other day, who truly was in need,
but I turned and walked away. His begging, I did not heed.
I never stopped to think that day, how blessed I am to live,
and enjoy what comes my way. Dear Lord, will you forgive?
Touch my apathetic heart, and compassion place within,
that I should never turn and walk away again.
All blessings come from you; all I need and some to spare.
Remind me lest I forgetthat what I have, I should share.
In anger, I said some things that offended a very good friend,
not knowing the sorrow it brings. I wish I could recall them again.
I often speak what's on my mind, no matter the consequence.
If in your heart you can find, please Lord, forgive my offence.
The tongue is a little thing, and is hard for me to control,
Help me to bridle it, lest it condemn my soul.
Sweeten its bitter words and restrain its every move.
Teach me to use kind words, spoken in heartfelt love.
I'm secure in what I know about your tender loving care,
and that you love me so. I know you're always there.
Neighbors are non-believers, Lord. Yet, I've had nothing to say,
even though I should share your Word. Forgive me, Lord I pray.
May your Word awake in me to become a burning fire.
that I may proclaim the news of your grace and saving power.
No greater deed could I do, than help them find their way,
so they may stand justified on the judgment day.
Worldly pleasures allure me. Their enticements catch my eye.
Sometimes I can't resist them; sometimes I don't even try.
Though you may forgive me, guilt feelings still remain.
Help me to forgive myself. Please, remove the guilt and pain.
Instill in me a righteous mind, fixing my eyes on Thee.
When tempted to fulfill my lusts, may I learn to flee.
I trust in Thee with all my heart, to keep watch over my soul.
I'll do my best to do your Will, finding peace within your fold.
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