Family News and Note
As the men serving on the communion table make their way toward the front to be seated, please begin to prepare your minds for our worship service.
IT'S NOT THAT FAR OFF .. There will be a New Year's Eve get-together after the evening services Sunday, December 31, 2006. Everyone will be in the Multi-Purpose Room. If you are planning to attend bring sandwiches, snacks of your choice, table and board games. Coffee and tea will be furnished.
Youth Devotional after services tonite at the home of Weldon and Jo Ann Millerat 206 Bluebird. Refreshments will be furnished.
Grady is preparing an updated 2007 Church "Condensed" Directory to be published sometime during January. There are proof copies on each table in the foyer. Please examine the information that we have and make any necessary corrections. Then place a check mark by your family's name. If other members of your family are listed separately, make the corrections necessary and place a check mark by their names also. This needs to be completed no later than the second Sunday in January (the 14th). The sooner, the better, tho.
Thanks, Grady Duncan
About $300 was collected from the Youth and other concerned individuals to send to the Graham Family in Ireland for holiday gifts for their kids. An anonymous donor matched the funds, so $600 was sent to the Mabank congregation this past week to forward on to the Graham Family. Thanks to all who generously donated to this cause.
Charles Kyle is home again but he still needs limited visitors for a few days, until he is feeling stronger.
Vernon Garrett continues his recovery at home following his recent eye surgery. He is still having a little pain and his vision is still slightly blurred, but is confident that will improve with time.
Hollis Lee is still in Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. He is very ill and is still on the respirator.
Bob Hedges has been pretty sick at home for many days with pneumonia. He has fluid around his heart.
Sue Browning got a good report from her doctor this past week as she continues to recover from her recent surgery.
Judy Freeman continues recovery at home following her recent heart attack and stint implant. She is to begin physical therapy Monday and will go 3 times a week for the next 3 months. She is not allowed to lift or drive yet.
Carl Lee is scheduled to return to his doctor on December 19th.
Ruthie Jefferies (sister of Mary Glover) was able to go home this last week after her car wreck last weekend. She did have a little stroke but she does not seem to have any side affects from it.
R. C. Grissom has been in the local hospital for over a week with several hairline fractures in his vertebra. He is hoping to go to Tyler for a new treatment of injections that will fill the cracks and ease his pain.
Denise Deering, niece of Jim & Barbara Duncan, is in Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview with the last stages of cancer. Please pray for her and her family.
If you have something that needs to be included in the announcements...please make certain you get it to the person making the announcements ... in legible written form prior to announcement time.
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PRAYER LIST:
Judy Freeman, Vernon Garrett, Sue Browning, Hollis Lee, Justin Barker,
Rachel Barker, Jean Bell, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown, Sue Browning,
Nancy Chastain, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Judy Freeman, Jan Hargrove, Charles Kyle, Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide, Wade Miller, Carl Lee, Marie Plemmons, Helen Roper, Alva Mae Sheets, Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Robert Brewster, Cristell Cato, Juanita DuBose, Wesley DuBose, Carolyn Fox, Roy Fox, Edna Graves, R. C. Grissom, Ruby Jeffery, Carlos Kidwell, Wayne Lineberger
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A Stronger Church Begins With "Me"
Spiritually, there is no middle ground when it comes to pressing forward with the Lord's work. We are either marching forward with the banner of the Lord, or we are losing ground. It's great for awhile to bask in the joy of a successful project, but we must never rest on the laurels of our past accomplishments, lest we begin to stagnate spiritually. Stagnation in the Lord's work will eventually lead to spiritual death, so we must always be planning and working towards a better, brighter future. The old adage, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it," certainly seems appropriate here!
We have a mission to accomplish in seeking and saving the lost (Lk. 14:23)! We have been given marching orders by "the captain of our salvation" (Heb. 2:10). "The Great Commission" authorizes and compels immediate action towards our objective (Mk. 16:15-16, Mt. 28:18-20). We have a wonderful goal to strive for - eternal life in heaven with God (Jn. 14:3, 17:24, Rev. 21:1-4). We have a perfect example in Jesus to follow (Acts 10:38, I Pet. 2:21-22). Perhaps the only thing lacking is a willingness on our part to occasionally take a navigational "fix" on our spiritual position, in order that we might make whatever mid-course corrections are necessary, to keep us on the proper heading for our ultimate goal.
We must ever strive for spiritual maturity or perfection (Eph. 4:13-15, Col. 1:28, II Cor. 13:9). To do that, we must constantly examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (II Cor. 13:5). Vigilance, circumspection, and self- evaluation are all vital tasks of piloting our spiritual ships to the safe harbor of heaven (Heb. 3:12-13, I Thess. 5:6, I Pet. 1:13-16). Therefore, the greatest of all spiritual dangers for mature Christians may well be spiritual complacency. It's easy to get in a rut and become self-satisfied. It's much easier to keep house for the Lord, than to launch out into the deep on a dramatic rescue mission. Preserving the "status quo" requires a lot less energy, time, money, and commitment, than the planning and effort required to stretch ourselves to accomplish some great new goals. However, it is still true that, "where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18). In other words, spiritual death is never far behind spiritual complacency!
The new year of 2007 is not far away from us now. It can be the best year ever for the North Jefferson congregation, if we will plan our work and then work the plan: His plan! Here are some challenges, which will help to strengthen each Christian, as well as help our congregation to grow stronger spiritually and numerically!
1.Let every member read the Bible everyday and pray everyday. Strive to have some family devotional time in your home on a daily basis.
2.Make sure you and your family attend every worship and Bible study assembly of the church that you are physically able to attend.
3.Give generously of your time, money, and effort to support the work of the Lord.
4.Take into consideration church activities as you plan your weekly, monthly, and yearly schedules. Try not to be out-of-town during special events the elders have planned, such as our Gospel Meetings, VBS, or other special endeavors. Be sure to attend every service of such activities.
5.Talk about Jesus, salvation, the church, and other spiritual topics with your relatives, friends, and neighbors. Invite them to attend services with you. Try to set up Bible studies with those who are truly seeking God (if you are not able to teach the study yourself, I would be happy to do so).
6.Make meeting and greeting visitors at our services a high priority in your Lord's Day activities. Talk to them. Invite them to sit with you. Help them to find the classrooms, or restroom facilities. Invite them out to lunch or supper. Love them! Remember, a friendly church will be a growing church.
7.Develop a positive attitude! Be enthusiastic, it's contagious! Love the brethren! Talk up the church! Be a Barnabus! Send cards and make calls of encouragement! Visit to encourage! Encourage the elders, deacons, teachers, preacher, other workers, the young people, the sick, the bereaved, the lonely, the downtrodden, and every member (Acts 20:35). Believe we can succeed and work hard to see it happen. Volunteer to help!
8.Look for opportunities to enjoy fellowship with your brethren. Be hospitable (Rms. 12:13). Invite brethren over to your house for a meal. Take food to the sick and bereaved. Host the young people for some wholesome activity. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10).
9.Finally, never quit believing that, "with God, all things are possible" (Mk. 10:27).
Remember, a stronger church begins with "ME!" I hope you'll take that personally, as you strive to help the North Jefferson congregation be the best it can be in the upcoming year. As we work hard for the Lord in the coming year to bring glory and honor to His Holy name, we might adopt for ourselves the motto, "We're on our way to heaven in 2007!" Let's redeem the time (Eph. 5:16), and make every day count for the Lord. To God be the glory! David McCain
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The True Me
By Grady L. Duncan
12/10/03
As I look into the mirror,
with dimming eyes, I see,
a wrinkled gray haired person,
that they say is me.
It is hard to realize,
the changes time has made.
It just keeps getting worse,
with each passing decade.
The true me is almost ageless,
I don't feel I've made a change.
When I see my image,
to me, It's someone strange.
It makes me often wonder;
Is someone playing tricks?
Something's wrong with the mirror!!!
I most get it fixed!
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