West Main

There are two areas of study that have occupied much time of the elders. One area dealt with is the ministry of Deacons and the other dealt with is the quality of marriage of leaders.

First:

There are varied views on the work of deacons, just as there are varied ways of interpreting the Greek word: deacon, servant and minister. Some view the deacons as doing material things and the elders doing spiritual things. The more the elders have studied the matter the more it has been seen that every time someone was called a “deacon” in the New Testament church he was doing “spiritual” things. The result of the study was to reorganize the work of the deacons to involve them more aggressively, along side of the elders, in areas of Proclamation, Edification, Member Care, Worship and Ministry Logistics. Each deacon group is led by a deacon, with an elder serving as a liaison of the eldership. Each group studies opportunities, proposes plans, gets the eldership’s approval when necessary, and implements the plans. The new approach is in the early stages, with small group meetings underway. For example, Member Care has re-launched the senior saints group, The West Main Primetimers (formerly called the Hilltoppers), under the direction of Bob and Joan Tisdel. To complete the system several more elders and deacons will need to be appointed since some are serving in two groups.

Second:

There are varied views on the qualification of elders and deacons in respect to their marriage. The Greek terms Paul used in I Timothy 3, literally mean a one woman man. How should that be interpreted? 1/ “Only once married?” 2/ “Husband of one wife?” 3/ “Devoted to one woman?” All are possible translations but each has a different nuance and application. All underscore monogamy as opposed to celibacy or polygamy. The tipping point for the eldership was that Paul elsewhere, when speaking of marriage, spoke of the husband qualities of care, devotion, love and respect (I Cor. 7, Col. 3, Eph. 5). Paul would likely be consistent that leaders should be exemplary in the quality of their marriage. The application would be that our greatest consideration of a man for the eldership would be the way he treats his one wife in a devoted and quality relationship that has taken years to develop. As in the case of all other qualities of a prospective elder, if a faulty past has been overcome with virtue, then, it is the present that is to be examined. Each situation would be scrutinized individually.

Your Elders,

Charlie Anderson, Dan Beeks, Larry Denn, Gerry Flock,

Mel Hamilton, Lance Lake, Truman Scott, Ron Zielke

Elders’ Open House – On Sunday, April 7, there will be Elders’ Open Houses at the homes Dan & Denise Beeks and Lance & Betty Lake. Lunch will be served from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Beeks and desserts from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Lakes. Maps will be available on that Sunday.

There will be NO SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE at the building this Sunday, March 31.

Children’s Worship Schedule – We will not have Children’s Worship on March 31 and April 7 due to Spring Break. We will resume our regular schedule on April 14.

New Directories  -- Our new directories are ready and are on the information center in the courtyard. Please take only one copy per family - the directories in the binders are for our new members.

College Treats  -- We will be sending our College Students another “Treat Box” on April 15. If you can help supply treats or contribute money for the mailing of the boxes it would be greatly appreciated. The cost of mailing each box is $16.00. Please contact Denise Beeks if you need more information. All donations need to be brought to the building or given to Denise by April 14.

Vacation Bible School Sign Ups  -- Our Son Surf Beach Bash is now ONLY THREE MONTHS away! VBS will be June 18-21 from 9:00-11:45 a.m. each morning. After morning classes on Friday we will have a program, serve lunch, and have lots of carnival games to play. We will: Meet up with Jesus, Look up to Jesus, Join up with Jesus, and Fire up for Jesus. If you can help in any way, please sign up with Denise Beeks.

Nursery Help Needed  -- Diane Liles still has a need to fill our attended nursery on Sunday Mornings. Please contact her this week to see how you can help.

Coffee Servers are needed for the months of May and June. If you can help, please sign up on the list posted in the lobby by the stairs.

Prayer Requests . . . Please continue to pray for Bob and Dorothy Trimmer - both are having health concerns...For Meagan Gordon, daughter of Leslie Miller, for a safe pregnancy...For Nethaniel Liles who has poison oak and for safety as the Liles’ family travels to Tacoma...Continued prayers for Melanie Cummings that she will not deliver the baby early...For Wayne Barnes as he recovers from shoulder surgery...For Jenny Way - continued healing for her brain injury...For all of our military men, women and families.