(Letter read to the congregation last Sunday morning:)
July 31, 2004
Dear North Jefferson brethren,
Recently the opportunity was offered to Kelley and me to begin full-time work with the Lord's church in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. After much reflection, discussion, and prayer, the decision has been made to accept the work. I feel that the opportunity is there for great things to be accomplished by and for the Lord, and am honored that the brethren there have deemed me worthy of assisting them in their efforts as evangelist.
Under other circumstances, this would have been an extremely easy decision to make. However, Kelley and I have grown very attached to the congregation here at North Jefferson. From our first visit to North Jefferson, you welcomed us with a warmth that other congregations only wish they had. Since then, the sense of family has only grown as you have repeatedly treated us with kindness and Christian love. You have been patient and encouraging with me in my growth as a preacher and as a Christian. So many of you have been a blessing to me as I have seen your love for God's truth, and I have seen many of you grow significantly during this time as well.
I do not know how much lasting impact our stay in Mount Pleasant will have upon this congregation. I do know that it will remain in the hands of three faithful elders, with an able preacher who desires to serve the Lord and to see your souls saved when the books are opened. This is our heart's desire as well yet the time has come for us to move on. But we will remember, cherish, and love the brethren of the North Jefferson church of Christ for the remainder of our lives. May the Lord bless you immeasurably.
Your brother and fellowservant in Christ, Lee Moses
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Family News and Notes
The Men's Business Meeting following services this evening. All the men of the congregation are encouraged to attend.
Visitation Team No. 2 will meet following the morning services on today. Members of this team are encouraged to meet with us. Check the list from last week's bulletin to see if you are on this team.
There will be a "Going Away & Farewell Get-together" in the Multi Purpose Room beginning at 7:00 PM, Saturday, August 14th, to honor Lee and Kelley Moses, Travis and Luke, as they prepare for a new journey and their move to Arkansas. Refreshments will be furnished. We hope to have a good "Money Tree" as a going away gift, so please keep this in mind. Everyone is invited.
Pat Dillard has been confined to her home with a severe case of shingles. She has been in lots of pain.
Marty Newman (son-in-law of Rhodney & Judy Freeman) had gastric bypass surgery Tuesday morning at Christus Schumpert Hospital in Shreveport. He is doingwell. He returned home for further recovery on Saturday.
Jerry Freeman was admitted to Titus Regional Medical Center on Thursday about noon with a kidney stone. He was kept overnight for observation and a chance to pass the stone. He was able to go home Friday.
Barbara Duncan will have an upper and lower GI on Tuesday or Wednesday to try to determine the cause of her problem and how best to treat her condition.
Elna O'Neal was admitted to Baylor Hospital last week for the purpose of trying to determine if she should have heart surgery. She did have a couple of episodes during the tests but was able to return home on Thursday. She will be returning to Baylor on Monday for possible early in the week.
Vernon Garrett made another visit to his eye doctor last week and received a good report.
Ruby Saltsman (mother of Mary Jane Joyner) passed away last week. She was a resident of Sanger, Texas, near Denton. Graveside services were held Monday with burial at Volivar, west of Sanger.
Lynn Parker, faithful Gospel preacher in New Braunfels, and his family were in a serious auto accident last week. Lynn and his family members received multiple injuries, including broken bones. At the printing of this bulletin they were all out of the hospital but are still facing lengthy recovery. Thanks be to God for sparing their lives. We need to pray for this family for their recovery in the weeks ahead. If anyone wants to send them a card of concern their address is:
Lynn & Mary Ann Parker
1650 Gander Slough Road
Kingsbury, Texas 78638
Lavonne McClish, wife of faithful preacher and Gospel Journal editor Dub McClish, has recently been diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. This disease is a very aggressive malignancy with a 2-3 year average life expectancy. She began chemotherapy treatments Friday at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. Please keep her in your prayers.
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PRAYER LIST
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Annah Brown, Sue Browning, Darrell Cooper, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Pat Dillard, Barbara Duncan, Zenith Hargrove, Howard Horton, Elna O'Neal, Winnie Patton, Dorothy Sargent, Ola Mae Simpson
ALSO: Tom Dooley, Robin Embree, Lavonne McClish, Kelsey Meyers, Marty Newman, Lynn Parker & his family, Lois DeWahl
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MIND YOUR "O" RINGS
Do you remember where you were the day the space shuttle "Challenger" exploded in the skies over Florida? Most people remember such shocking tragedies for a lifetime. I was walking in a mall in Port Arthur, Texas, with brother V.P. Black, who was holding a meeting for the congregation in Bridge City, where I was preaching at the time. We saw a big crowd gathered around the TV sets at the front of the Radio Shack store, so we walked over to investigate. When someone said, "the space shuttle just blew up," we thought they were kidding until we saw for ourselves the video footage of that fateful launch. I doubt any of us will ever forget the tragic video image of the "Challenger" disintegrating in that fiery explosion in the skies above Cape Canaveral.
Months later, after the investigation into the tragedy was completed, the cause of the accident was traced to a small and relatively inexpensive "O" ring, which had failed to do its job of sealing a fuel control valve. The failure of that one little part began a sequence of events which ultimately led to the total destruction of the "Challenger." Because someone failed to properly design or maintain one little "O" ring, seven people lost their lives, NASA lost a lot of credibility, and the American taxpayers lost several billion dollars.
Brethren, is there a spiritual lesson here? I think there is! Sometimes small decisions in life can lead to tragic and eternal consequences down the road. Satan doesn't have to conquer you with a frontal assault, he can just slip in the back door while your guard is down and get you to make a little mistake which can ultimately lead to your soul's destruction.
Most major spiritual problems in life could be prevented if we would more carefully mind our "O" rings (take care of the little problems). That full-blown adulterous affair with her co-worker could have been prevented early on, had she just resisted his seemingly innocent flirtations on their coffee breaks. The delinquent brother didn't start out to quit the Lord, he just started missing Wednesday evenings and it kind of snowballed from there. Their marriage now headed for the divorce courts could have been salvaged if the couple had just spent a little more time communicating about their problems, before they grew so large as to seem insurmountable. Those rebellious teenagers might have turned out differently if dad had just spent a little more time with them and shown a little more interest in them while they were young. One little drink with your friends seems like such a little thing, until it leads to a life of alcoholism, or to a tragic auto accident, which ends in the death of an innocent victim.
Do you see my point? I think it will help you to remember it if I call it, "the lesson of the 'O' ring." How we need to carefully consider the little decisions we make each day, in order to save ourselves from tragedy down the road. When you come to the crossroads each day, choose your pathway carefully. Look down the road to the very end to see where that road leads. Don't even start down a road, if that road in the end will take you to sin, death, and eternal destruction. Choose your daily choices carefully! Choose to serve the Lord today (Joshua 24:15). Save your life from eternal tragedy and certain destruction. Mind your "O" rings! David McCain
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This &That: I'll be away in a Gospel Meeting with the Lord's church in New Summerfield, TX, this Sun. - Tue. Lord willing, we'll be back with you Wed. P.M. Please keep us in your prayers. ...Sad news indeed to learn of the Moses family's pending move to AR. We are happy for their opportunity but sad for our loss. We know the Lord has great things in store for them. Truly our loss is Mammoth Spring, Arkansas' gain. We will sorely miss them, but we pray God's richest blessings upon them all!
