West Main

For about the last six months I have been working with Steven. He is a kid who called me out of the blue just to talk. He had been couch surfing for many weeks and really wanted to try and reconcile things with his family, but didn’t know what or how to do it. He is a typical teen who thinks he is stronger than he really is and usually says and does things that get him into trouble. His situation arose due to an argument with his mother one afternoon. His father came in to hear this and told him that if he didn’t stop he would have to kick him out. Steven told me that because his father said that to him it made him want to push back that much harder. But when it actually happened, Steven had no idea what to do. He began staying at friends’ houses and when that ran out, he just moved on to anyone who would let him stay for a night or two. You can imagine how this might put him in some pretty tough situations. During this time he thought that he needed to get back home, but had no idea how to do it. So he eventually worked up the nerve to call me.

 

 

I listened to his story and felt bad because the last time I saw him we had just talked about the prodigal son during talk time. It was something that I then tried to remind him of. I began to ask him if he remembered that talk and he said he wasn’t sure that he did. So I asked him if we could meet so that we could talk and I could show him something. We met up and I had my Bible open and began to read that story once again. As I did I looked up and saw that he was trying to hold back the emotions. I asked him why he was so upset, he told me that he could see himself in that same situation. He asked if I thought that his father would accept him back in the same way and I told him I really didn’t know, but if he went to his father and asked to be forgiven it might just work out in ways that he wouldn’t understand. So he asked if we could pray about it and I told him yes!

 

 

Steven went home to his family the next day. While he wasn’t met with nice clothes and a party he was welcomed back with open arms. He said that he could feel the pain he caused roll away without words. His father accepted him back with the open arms that he so needed and wanted. The thing that we tend to let get to us is the need for acceptance. We forget that we are accepted by God when we come and kneel at his feet. When we ask for the forgiveness he opens up his arms and tenderly takes us in. While there may still be consequences we are accepted and forgiven. The lives of so many kids today rest on those two things…forgiveness and acceptance. Most are too stubborn to say it or let alone ask for it. They long for the love and compassion of so many people because they don’t get it at home. They reach out in many ways, most of which come across as something other than a need for it, but rather like they are constantly causing problems. They just don’t know how to reach out.

 

 

At Campus Life we provide a safe place for them to come, a place where they can feel a part of something that is good, solid and consistent. A place where they can feel the love of God when they walk through the door. But we need help, we need support in many different areas, financially, as volunteers and as mentors to these teens. I would ask that if you feel led to do something in one of these areas or in several, that you would pray about the possibilities and let God direct you in where to go.

 

 

 

Our Annual Corporate Business Meeting will be held this Sunday, January 13, immediately following morning services in the Fireside Room.

 

 

Upcoming Seminar  -- January 25-27 – Our focus will be on “Faith and Social Media.” Please be watching for details in the coming weeks.

 

 

Directory Photos  -- If your photo was not in our 2012 directory and you would like to be included in our upcoming 2013 directory, please contact Sandra Cummings to schedule an appointment for your photo to be taken in January. Photos will be taken after Sunday morning services.

 

 

Coffee Servers are needed for 2013. If you can help, please sign up on the sheet posted by the stairs in the front entryway. Thanks! :)

 

 

Nursery Help Needed  --  We are staffing our Nursery for 2013. If you are able to help on a Sunday during worship services, please contact Diane Liles to volunteer.

 

 

Prayer Requests – For Leilla Sparks as she recovers from surgery...For Lillian Casebier who is in RVMC recovering from some broken ribs...For Tabitha and Samara Walker who have been sick this past week...For the family of the Walker’s niece – the father of her husband was killed in an auto accident. Please pray that they may have peace...Theo Roberts fell and broke her right hip and is in the hospital. Please pray for a speedy recovery...The Liles family requests your prayers for Nick, Danielle and Joel as they drive here from Colorado. Nick’s next duty station will be at Fort Lewis, WA...Bob Stapp requests prayers for the Bontrager family on the passing of Katie - she was 93 years old and a member of the Weed congregation...For Gabriel Liles as he awaits the news of his ASVAB test for the Navy...April Olson requests your prayers that her semester finals will go well especially in AP...For Alisa Wisdom who has been sick for a few weeks...Healing of the brother of Kathy York, who has a grade three concussion...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.

 

 

 

Our Sympathy and Love is extended to two of our West Main Families. Doyle Fenley went home to the Lord Sunday afternoon after his brief struggle with cancer. Graveside services for Doyle will be held on Tuesday, January 15, at 11:00 a.m. at Rocky Point Cemetery in Gold Hill. Please take exit 43 off of I-5 and then follow the signs to the cemetery. Please remember his mother, Lula, and his sister, Linda, in your prayers.

 

John Young passed away late last Saturday night. Viewing for both John and Janice will be held on Thursday, January 10, at 9:30 a.m. at Conger Morris in Medford on Riverside Avenue. Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the Eagle Point VA Cemetery. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to the Cavitt Church of Christ, 3200 Cavitt Avenue, Bryan, TX 77801, for their special projects fund. A memorial service will be held in Texas in March. Our love and prayers go to the family of John and Janice.

 

 

Thank You Note  --

Dear West Main Family,

 

We want to thank you all for the way in which you have honored and loved our mom and dad throughout their time in Medford.

We truly appreciate the lovely preparations made for mom’s funeral as well as the personal support you have been to our family during this time.

 

God bless you all, Carol and Dana

 

The storybooks of John and Janice Young are available on the internet. Please contact the church office if you are interested in viewing their lives online.

 

 

 

Our Congratulations and Best Wishes are extended to McCall Anderson and Malcolm Thomas who were married in a beautiful ceremony this past Saturday, January 5^th. Proud mother is Wynter Thomas and proud grandparents are Larry and Wydie Denn. May the Lord bless them with a long and prosperous life together.

 

Placing Membership – We want to welcome three families to our West Main fellowship who placed membership this past Sunday. Please introduce yourself and get to know our new members:  Fay Coghlan, Darold & Kathy Hutsell and Willa Johnson.