Family News and Notes
We have a new sister in Christ. Kaitlin Grimes (Roger's daughter) was baptized last Sunday morning following the morning worship services. Please meet and congratulate this new Christian.
We need Volunteers to help clean the building for the month of October. If you are willing and able to help with this good use of your talents please sign the sheet on the table in the foyer.
Building Fund Day . next Sunday, October 3, 2004. If you are able and willing you may contribute to our Building Fund on that day. We are still in need of items to replenish our Pantry. Please check the list(s) on the round table in the foyer. Your help is appreciated.
We want to remind you of our Gospel Meeting begins October 10th thru 13th with Bro. Jack Orbison. We will have a Fellowship Luncheon on Sunday following the morning services. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Watch for brochures to appear soon on the round table in the foyer.
Ladies Bro. Orbison will be teaching the Tuesday morning Bible Class on October 12 and will teach from Ephesians 5 & 6 "The Home As God Would Have It." Someone said there would be a noon luncheon following. Please make plans to attend.
Please remember Leslie Reynolds (age 16) in your prayers. She has cancer and is a friend of Jessie Wisdom and Ashley & Stephanie Thomas.
Annah Ruth Brown fell on Saturday night (Sept. 18) and broke her hip. She had hip replacement surgery on Monday at Titus Regional Medical Center. She is in Room 511B.
Jim Eagan has been experiencing health problems and has asked that we pray for him and for his doctors in helping to diagnose and treat his condition.
Linda Ferrell had heart catheterization last week in Tyler. Please remember her in your prayers.
Thank you Thanks to the Sargents for the Youth Get-together out at the old church building and farm Saturday evening September 18th. A great time was enjoyed by all participants young and old alike.
David McCain, Janice and little Meghan, will be gone this next week to the "Polishing The Pulpit" Preacher's Seminar in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Please mark your records for new mailing address for Devon Phillips:
Devon Phillips
100 East University
Box 9051
Magnolia, AR 71573-9051
Cell Phone: 903-513-5954
THANK YOU "I would like to thank all who helped with the teen fellowship Saturday evening. The food, the singing, the devotional, and preparation of the farm everything was great. A special thanks to Frankie & Carolyn Sargent for opening up the farm and taking a special interest in the youth as they have for years. As always, the farm fellowship was a great success. It brought back many fond memories of fellowships from my youth. I wish more had been blessed by such an evening.
Thanks again. In Christian love,
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Annah Brown, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Zenith Hargrove, Bonnye Horton, Howard Horton, Ruby Lawhon,
Winnie Patton, Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets, Ola Mae Simpson
ALSO: James & Marie Butler, Tom Dooley, Jim Eagan, Linda Ferrell, Lavon McClish, Kelsey Meyers, John Moses, Lynn Parker & his family, Leslie Reynolds, Lois DeWahl, Joan Williams
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First Impressions
Have you ever thought about the fact, that you never get a second chance to make a first impression? That's true individually, as well as congregationally. When visitors happen by to visit one of our services, whether or not they ever darken the door again will depend to a great degree on what kind of "first impression" we make on them. Will they find us warm and friendly or as cold as ice? Will they observe our worship and devotion and discover a faithful, dedicated, "on-fire," spiritual, zealous, life-filled church, or a church that is just waiting for the last nail in the coffin before being permanently laid to rest?
As you contemplate an honest answer, please think about the part YOU play in creating the first impressions our visitors get upon visiting one of our services. As you do so, please realize there are two characteristics, which are critical in assessing whether or not we make the kind of first impression with others the Lord wants us to make.
The first characteristic that should concern us is doctrinal purity. It doesn't take long for a visitor to discover whether they've found a doctrinally sound congregation, or an apostate church. Hopefully, any visitor who visits North Jefferson, can check out our tract racks, look at our bulletin, listen to our Bible classes and sermons, and observe our worship to quickly see we are a congregation striving to teach and practice God's Word (I Tim. 3:15).
The other crucial characteristic is an atmosphere of love, which must permeate the church if we want people to visit us again. Like doctrinal purity, this too is a critical factor in the Lord's sight, for an unloving church is not the Lord's church, even though the sign over the door reads, "the church of Christ meets here." Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (Jn. 13:35). Again, it doesn't take folks long to figure out if they've found a loving church. A loving church is a friendly church. Handshakes and hugs abound. Visitors get the V.I.P. treatment in being welcomed and shown to the proper classes, invited to sit with us, invited out for a meal, and shown every kindness to make them feel welcome and at home with us.
To be "the Lord's people," we must believe, teach, and practice the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. Without a doubt, doctrinal purity is critical in determining whether or not the Lord would claim us as His faithful people. Indeed, may we always make every effort to be true to God's Word, and faithful in work and worship. At the same time, we must always remember a big part of the doctrine of Christ, is to be guided by an attitude of love (Mt. 22:37-40, I Cor. 13:1-7). Ephesians 4:2-3, & 15 admonishes us to, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," and to "speak the truth in love," even as Galatians 5:15 warns us, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."
Brethren, I am thankful that North Jefferson is a faithful, loving church, which comes together to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to show our gratitude for His love, by loving each other like Christians should. The buzz of fellowship at our services shows you really care about your brethren, which is what God intended for His people. Of course, while we are visiting with our brethren before and after all of our services, let us ever be mindful of our visitors, making sure we always give them a warm welcome and shower them with love, so they will leave here with a great "first impression!"
David McCain
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My Mother Taught Me
David recently taught about how we should respect and love our mothers. And we all have experienced valuable lessons from our mother and hopefully, she is with us from the day we are born and thru our growing up years. These are our learning years and she teaches us much. Usually more than our fathers, because our fathers are usually away from home most of the time. So, here are some humorous things my mother taught me.
(Author unknown from the Internet)
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. ''If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning"
2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My mother taught me LOGIC. "Because I said so, that's why."
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the shop with me."
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your dinner."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a cyclone went through it."
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING. "You are going to get it when you get home!"
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you keep watching the TV, you'll get square eyes."
19. My mother taught me ESP. "Put your jumper on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My mother taught me HUMOUR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."
23. My mother taught me about my HERITAGE. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a tent?"
24. My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"
If you think I am lying, you should meet my mother!.........
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