West Main

As many of you know I was away last weekend to drop off my daughter Kelly at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Saying goodbye to my “middle-child” is a sad and happy experience. I say sad because I cannot believe that this beautiful girl whom I can still vividly remember the day she was born is now in college and living in a separate state and place. I say happy because Kelly is growing up and embracing a new and enriching journey into adulthood.

 

 

One of the other joys I experienced this past weekend was meeting up with a longtime friend and his family. My friend Matt Thomas is a dear brother in the Lord whom I first met in my first full-time ministry in Mount Vernon, Ohio twenty-two years ago. When I first met Matt he was working as a YMCA director. Long story short, I influenced Matt to pursue a different line of work and earn his living as a full-time gospel preacher. Matt’s son is a junior this year at Harding and was dropping off his son as well. So in many respects I felt this past weekend was completing a circle in my own life journey.

 

 

While Matt and I were visiting and enjoying a cup of coffee together, Matt’s son, Kolton, along with a number of Kolton’s friends joined us. One of Kolton’s friends, Zach, began to engage Matt and I when he learned that we were both ministers. Zach is a young man of twenty-one years and a senior this year at Harding. Though Zach is getting a degree in Public Relations, he desires to serve as a “full-time” minister and so engaged both Matt and I about life in the ministry.

 

 

Talking to Zach was for me like looking into a reflection of my past. I was just a little older than Zach when I began my first congregational work. I can easily recall having some of the same questions and concerns as this young man. However, there was one distinctive difference between Zach and myself when considering the ministry. The difference between us rests in how we view the local congregation. Zach told Matt and I that he wants to love and serve people for the cause of Christ, but not exclusively for one congregation of people. Zach fears being “pigeonholed” into how to do ministry or having to do things that he does not consider his calling. While I can appreciate much of what Zach is concerned about, I on the other hand have personally always had a singular love for the local body of Christ. I do not mean to imply that I am (or was at Zach’s age) better, but the difference between us is, I think, a generational distinction with tremendous implications.

 

 

Now a lot of what Zach expressed to me could be chalked up to youthful naiveté. Yet, there is a deeper issue here at stake. One of the most troubling things Zach shared with me was that he had not regularly attended one local congregation of the Church of Christ his three years so far while attending Harding! Zach is not unique in this respect among Harding students. As I engaged other young people around the table that night and other students, I learned that not a small amount of Church of Christ Harding students attend other fellowships besides the Church of Christ. Why are there a significant number of Church of Christ college students who attend a Church of Christ university in a geographical location heavily populated with congregations of the Church of Christ not attending a congregation of the Church of Christ? In the following bulletin articles I want to explore the reasons for this shift in attitude toward the local congregation, and specifically the shift in attitude toward the Church of Christ among our college age students.

  

 

SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND CLOTHING GIVEAWAY will be held on Saturday, August 25, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. ***For our members needing school supplies, please contact September Flock.

 

**** If you would like to help cook or serve food, work at the carnival, or help in any capacity, please contact Lance or Betty Lake, Brian Pannell, Terry Christopher or the church office. We want ALL members to be there to serve the people and get to know them and make this a special day for our neighborhood!

 

 

WORSHIP ENCAMPMENT AT EMIGRANT LAKE will be held on Sunday, August 26, at 10:00 a.m. We will have lunch and activities following the morning services. Parking fees are $4.00 per car.

 

Please bring your lawn chairs, games, and a potluck dish to share. We will provide the meat, but ask that you bring the side dishes.

 

Services at the building will begin at 10:15 a.m. for those not going to the Worship Encampment. We will have NO Bible Class and NO Nursery Care that morning and NO Evening Worship.   We will have transportation to and from Emigrant Lake if you need it. Please contact the church office if you need transportation services.

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP RETREAT -- Deacons and Elders please mark your calendars for the Leadership Retreat scheduled at Cantrall-Buckley park on September 22 for you and your family. We will begin about 10:30 a.m. and plan to be together throughout the afternoon. More details to come.

 

 

LADIES: If you plan on attending our Sunday morning class and you do not have lesson materials, let Denise know so she can order them. Class will begin September 2 with Lesson Eight.

 

 

 

PRAYER REQUESTS  . . . .  Praise the Lord that Shane Braneski, five month old great-nephew of Ranae Westeren and Debi Robbins came through a successful heart by-pass surgery. Please continue to pray for his improved health and for his family...Connie Ivey requests your prayers for her grandmother, Ruby, as her husband, Wayne, (Connie’s grandfather) passed away last Saturday. Please pray for comfort and strength for her and the family...For the sister of Peggy Woods, Ruth, who had cancer surgery and will have a long rehabilitation...For Eva Loy Knight who has been ill...Moe and Nancy Miller request prayers for their friend, Pat Evans, who is very ill...David Mayes requests prayers for Layla, for better health and recovery; for Barbara to accept Christ in her life and for David to be more Christlike.   Please pray for our President and all of our military men, women and families.

 

 

 

COME AND GO PARTY:  Gary and Linda Anderson are hosting a Come and Go Party on Saturday, August 25, beginning at 4:00 p.m. for their daughter, Mereena, who will be leaving September 2 to join the Air Force for six years. (Mereena is the granddaughter of Martha Gentry.)

 

 

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING BIRTHS:

Kinsley Elise Anderson was born on August 16, and weighed in at 7 pounds 15 oz. and was 20 inches long. Proud parents are Kevin and Briana Anderson; proud grandparents are Charlie and Becky Anderson. Proud big sister is Reece.

 

EEthel Flock is pleased to announce the birth of her great-granddaughter, Ella Grace Barfield. Proud parents are Joel and Lannae Barfield. Lannae is EEthel’s granddaughter.

 

Malachi Michael Sporer was born on August 7, to Eric and Annie Sporer. Proud grandmother is Donna York, and proud great-grandmother is Evelyn Bates.

 

Penelope Jean Condra was born on July 15, to Matt and Ally Condra. Penelope weighed in at 6 pounds and was 18½ inches long. Proud grandparents are Tony and Kim Testerman, and proud great-grandmother is Glenda Rennels.

 

 

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT:  Dwight & Patty Heffner are pleased to announce the marriage of their son, Travis Heffner, to Darby Holmes on August 11^th in California. Travis and Darby are living in Oroville, CA.

 

 

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

Aug 25: School Supplies & Clothing Giveaway; 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Come and Go Party for Mereena Anderson at 4:00 p.m. at the home of Gary and Linda Anderson.

Aug 26: Worship Encampment at Emigrant Lake; 10: 00 a.m.

               Parking fees $4.00 per car.

Sept 2: Fall Education Quarter Begins

Sept 22: Deacon and Elder Leadership Retreat; Cantrall-Buckley Park;

               10:30 a.m.