March 28, 2012
HAVING BEAUTIFUL FEET
by Cindy Wyatt
Having beautiful feet is being a witness and soul winner
to spread the good news of the gospel to every lost sinner.
Having beautiful feet is going where sent,
following our Savior's command without relent.
Having beautiful feet is obeying the great commission,
being faithful to the Savior's calling and being on a mission.
Having beautiful feet is sharing the gospel with those who've never heard,
explaining the way of salvation in God's Holy Word.
Having beautiful feet is proclaiming the good news to all who will hear,
remembering Jesus died for all and to Him every soul is dear.
Having beautiful feet is showing the ungodly that Jesus died for them,
and they can be forgiven and receive eternal life when they trust in Him.
Oh, how beautiful are the feet of those who witness for God's glory,
the faithful servants whose purpose is to tell the gospel story.
Dear Jesus, please give me beautiful feet,
help me to care about souls and not be asleep.
Please keep praying for our brothers and sisters who are returning home from serving the less fortunate in Mexico this week. May their efforts bless the two families who now have new homes, and may God guide them all safely home to us.
Pannell
ARE WE LISTENING?
I recently read a book review of Lynne Gerber’s book, Seeking the Straight and Narrow: Weight Loss and Sexual Reorientation in Evangelical America. The reviewer, Matthew Lee Anderson, reviews the book’s focus on two organizations: Exodus International, a Christian guided sexual reorientation organization that helps Christians struggling with same sex attraction, and First Watch, a popular Christian focused weight loss program. The reach and popularity of each of these programs is extensive and far reaching among people of Christian faith across a wide spectrum of Christendom.
The reason I am mentioning this book review is because of a perceptive insight by the reviewer, Matthew Anderson, who asks, “Why is discipleship in matters of weight and same sex attraction outsourced to parachurch ministries and support-groups, rather than enfolded into the normal life of the church?” In other words, where is the local congregation when it comes to dealing with these two societal issues of weight loss and same sex attraction? When the church fails to address issues of importance to society, then society will seek answers outside the borders of the church in so-called parachurch organizations.
I personally do not blame Christians for seeking sources outside the organized church when the church is not organized or willing to speak to the questions that burn in the minds of various individuals. Just like a hungry man seeks food wherever he may find it, so individuals will leave the church in search of help the church seems unwilling to provide or incapable of giving. Yet, herein rests a major potential problem: What answers will individuals find when stepping outside the Christian church for answers?
Sometimes, the answers parachurch organizations provide are patently wrong. For instance, consider this statement from First Watch founder, Carol Lewis: “I think we have a responsibility in our world to share Christ. If I'm 100 pounds overweight and trying to tell them about God's power in their life, they will look at me and wonder why there's no power to help me in this area.” In another “Christian” weight loss book, one reader wrote, “What shall I do? At a size 16 I look awful! How can I ever tell anyone about Christ until I take this disgusting body back down to a size 10?” Apparently, the key to evangelism is weight loss.
Some of you may remember the popular weight loss program Weigh Down Workshop. When I was living in New England, this program was in virtually every Christian congregation. Admittedly, Weigh Down Workshop was used as an evangelistic tool to attract women from the community to attend a local congregation with women seeking to lose weight. Through these contacts, Christian women shared their faith with other women and many came to Christ. Sadly, the founder of Weigh Down Workshop, Gwen Shamblin began to deny the basic doctrine of the Trinity, and founded her own local congregation and has become a quasi-cult leader of spirituality and weight loss. How many women through local congregations that offered Shamblin’s program followed her?
The moral of this story is simple: If the Church does not speak to the questions society is asking, then someone else will. The question is, “Are we listening?”
-- Terry
OUR DADDY~DAUGHTER DINNER-DANCE will be held on April 21 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. Cost is $10.00 per person. All girls five years and older are invited to attend. Marcie Dixon absolutely needs to know by this Sunday, April 1, if you will be attending so that she can order supplies. Please R.S.V.P. and/or pay Marcie by April 1.
OUR NEW DIRECTORIES are ready and are on the information table in the courtyard. Please take only one copy per family - the directories in the binders are for our new members.
DEACONS’ MEETING -- All deacons are encouraged to attend the meeting on Monday, April 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room.
ELDERS' OPEN HOUSE -- Our next Elders’ Open House will be on Sunday, April 15, at the home of Gerry and September Flock and Lance and Betty Lake. You are invited to visit their homes from 2:00-4:00 p.m. We will have maps to their homes on that Sunday for your convenience.
PRAYER REQUESTS . . . For Tom Dixon to regain his strength after a fall. He is in Three Fountains, Room 27...Sara Thurmond requests your prayers for raising her son and for her financial situation and for the homeless that their needs may be met...Pray for the family of Jackie Godfrey, who recently passed away...For Lorena Green that she have a safe trip home to Arizona and for Lindsay to have a healthy pregnancy...David Mayes continues to ask your prayers for his friends Cora and Barbara and for him to be a person of integrity...For safety for our families who are traveling during Spring Vacation....Dave Reavis’ mother passed away recently. Please remember Dave and family in your prayers...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
February Financial Statement
INCOME:
|
General Fund Contributions |
|
$ 21,869.50 |
|
Non Budgeted Contributions |
|
$ 10,650.11 |
|
Development Funds & Rents |
|
$ 1,027.00 |
|
Interest/Other Income |
|
$ 300.11 |
|
Total Income for Month |
|
$ 33,846.72 |
EXPENSES:
|
Administration and Payroll |
|
$11,723.37 |
|
Youth on Fire |
|
$760.05 |
|
Vision Ministries |
|
$161.00 |
|
Office |
|
$1,100.85 |
|
Nurturing Brethren |
|
$605.60 |
|
Operational Ministries |
|
$2,210.41 |
|
Worship & Facilities |
|
$1,440.57 |
|
Non-Budgeted Mission |
|
$1,847.16 |
|
Development & Kings Hwy |
|
$4,798.44 |
|
Total Monthly Expenses |
|
$24,647.45 |
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APRIL SERVERS
Coffee Servers: Laura Drew
Nursery: April 1 & 15: Stacey Robbins & Quinn Drew
April 8: Donna York & Lily Gann
April 22: Connie & Colin Ivey
April 29: Shawna Chavez
Greeters: Michele Cooper; Larry Denn; Kent & Sandy Watson
Children’s Worship: Josh & Chaley Johnson
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MARCH ATTENDANCE
1st Sunday 225
2nd Sunday 259
3rd Sunday 229
4th Sunday 223
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 1: No Children’s Worship
April 2: Deacon’s Meeting; FSR; 7:00 p.m.
April 15: Elders’ Open House at the Flock & Lake Homes
April 21: Daddy-Daughter Dinner Dance
Looking Ahead:
July 4: Picnic and Enjoying Fireworks Display at Central Point Don Jones Park
July 8-14: CAMP
July 28-Aug 3: PUMP
