September 26, 2012
MAKE EVERY EFFORT
Ephesians 4:1-6: “Therefore I Paul, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” AMEN?????
Let’s very simply break these lovely words down this morning. For the sake of room we will spread this out over several weeks. Let’s just lay out the basic idea of each one, and invite the Holy Spirit to work it over in each of us individually:
PEACEMAKING – We ALL want peace, right? Paul told the Ephesian believers that he wanted them to make every effort, to work very intentionally, to keep unity through the bond of peace. This a challenging statement. And, it can be easily misunderstood and even misapplied. Paul is NOT saying, “just do ANYTHING to make peace and keep everyone happy.” NO!!! There are just SOME things we will not stand for. There are some KEY FOUNDATIONS as the body of Christ where we will not bend! Paul isn’t encouraging the church to just “do any and everything to make folks happy.” Paul is saying that WHEN WE CAN, make peace over matters that we make bigger than they really are! Paul says we have a responsibility to go the extra mile, to work for than unity. Why? Because God values it! Romans 12:18 tells us to, “do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” Peace does not just come about by itself. Sadly, it is NOT the natural instinct of men! It is going to take PATIENCE, SACRIFICE, and DISCIPLINE.
-- Pannell
THE CHURCH IS ON FIRE!
I was reading a book review this past week where the author asks the question, “Why is it so hard for us to be a church?” One answer that is proposed is that the contemporary church is on FIRE. FIRE is an acronym that stands for freedom, independence, rights, and equality. FIRE at first blush probably sounds like a good thing. After all, FIRE sounds like the Bill of Rights upon which our country is built upon. So what is so bad about FIRE?
The author gives the following example of why FIRE is dangerous for the local congregation: “If freedom seems essential to a person, she’ll insist on floating from church to church. As soon as she gets bored with the music in one church, she’ll change to a church with a better choir, and as soon as a better job beckons, she’ll move to another town.” The reviewer goes on to add the insight that “Scripture calls us to communities of mutual submission—how can we submit when we are centered on demanding our own freedom?”
In other words, how can we be the Church of Christ God calls us to be without commitment and submission to one another? Can you have freedom without commitment or commitment without freedom? When we read the pages of the New Testament the image is of a body that needs every member. The body of Christ cannot function or be Christ’s body without each member exercising their gifts to the enrichment of every other member.
To be a child of God added to the body of Christ inherently means we are born again with responsibilities and accountabilities to one another. Now responsibility and accountability immediately implies time and commitment. The New Testament is replete with admonitions to use our Christ-given gifts to the strengthening of the local body (Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12 are just a few noteworthy passages).
Furthermore, the Apostle Paul gives us the question, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19-20). What we choose to do with our bodies is a choice about where, when, and how we value the gifts Christ has given and the value we have for one another in the local congregation.
Whatever secular and political freedom, independence, rights, and equality we imagine ourselves as Americans to possess dies with us as we die by faith with Christ in baptism. We are born again to a new life and a new allegiance to the Church of Jesus Christ. What freedom, independence, rights, and equality mean are completely re-ordered in Jesus Christ.
Now I recognize that the authority of the local congregation can become corrupt and even in some cases abusive. The local congregation must constantly remind itself that we are called to use FIRE for the sake of others and not for our own sakes. What the West Main Church of Christ needs is to be on FIRE for one another, and to put out the FIRE that currently burns the citizens of this world from enjoying the peace of Christ that could be theirs.
New Life Groups -- We have two new Life Groups that are now meeting on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Please join us either at the home of Lance and Betty Lake or at the home of Bruce and Linda Farris.
Our Annual Women’s Retreat will be held October 5-7 in Bend, Oregon, at The Riverhouse. Registrations are available in the courtyard. Each attendee is responsible for booking and paying for their room at the hotel and arranging for their roommates. See registration form for details.
West Main Fall Seminar is scheduled for October 18, 20, 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Our theme this year is:
“Submission: Subordination or Freedom?”
Please make plans to join us for this insightful seminar and invite your friends to come join us also. More details to come.
Fireside Room Furniture Needs – Our building is in constant use throughout the week. There are classes that meet during the day and there are groups that use the building in the evenings. There are very few church buildings that are as well used as our building. Because of the constant use, the chairs and tables in the Fireside Room are worn out!
There are about one hundred chairs and about fifteen tables that need to be replaced. The cost to replace this number of tables and chairs is about $6,000.00. We are planning on replacing the chairs with a Lifetime brand stackable chair that will cost approximately $36.00 each. We purchased several of these chairs several years ago for the teen classrooms and they have held up very well. They are not cloth covered or as cushy, but they are much easier to clean and set up. The tables will cost approximately $155.00 each to replace.
The Elders would like to ask you to consider helping with the purchase of new furniture for the Fireside Room. If you would like to contribute toward the purchase of the furniture this week, please mark your gift so we know it is for the purchase of the furniture and put it in the regular collection (contribution envelopes are available on the information tables.) Your generosity is always appreciated.
***A sample of the chairs that we would like to purchase are located in the courtyard lobby for you to preview.***
Prayer Requests . . . For Billie Kay Barnett who is in Avamere Three Fountains, Room 12 recovering from hip surgery...For the sister of Linda Farris, Cindy, who had a successful hip surgery this week...For Matthew York, for his upcoming brain surgery...Jenny Way would like to thank everyone for their support while she has been here in Oregon - please continue to pray for her progress...For Al Vice and Becky Walker as they recover from having surgery for a pacemaker...For the mother of Zana Walker as she drives home to Texas this week...For friends of David Mayes, Cora, for her spiritual growth; Barbara, that she will accept Christ; Layla for her continued recovery; and for David to be more Christlike in his ways...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
August 2012 Financial Statement
INCOME:
|
General Fund Contributions |
|
20,603.00 |
|
Non Budgeted Contributions |
|
646.45 |
|
Development Funds & Rents |
|
1,122.00 |
| Interest/Other Income | .58 | |
| Total Income |
22372.03 |
EXPENSES:
|
Administration and Payroll |
|
11,903.57 |
|
Youth on Fire |
|
1,116.97 |
|
Vision Ministries |
|
402.07 |
|
Office |
|
283.05 |
|
Nurturing Brethren |
|
1,443.26 |
|
Operational Ministries |
|
4,391.37 |
|
Worship & Facilities |
|
1,019.20 |
|
Non-Budgeted Mission |
|
520.00 |
|
Development & Kings Hwy |
|
4,611.74 |
|
Total Monthly Expenses |
|
25,691.23 |
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September Attendance
1st Sunday 258
2nd Sunday 244
3rd Sunday 223
4th Sunday 220
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October Coffee Servers: Fran & Cindy Sharpe
October Greeters: Josh & Chaley Johnson; Stephen & Diane Liles
October Nursery Helpers:
October 7: Barb Viera; Lily Gann
October 14: Jessica Fitzsimmons & Zach
October 21 & 28: Marcie Dixon & Aspen Drew
October Children’s Worship Leaders:
Levi & Ariann Wisdom
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Oct 5-7: Ladies Retreat in Bend
Oct 18, 20, 21: Submission Seminar; 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Oct 28: Anniversary Sunday (Please note the change of date.)
