Archive for 'July, 2009'

Sunday, 7/26

Sermon: Michael Bryan

Song Leader: Greg Chaney

Prayers: AM- Opening: Joel Owens     Closing: Jerry Russell

      PM- Opening: Jimmy Bellah     Closing: Tim Walker

Lord’s Table:  Jim Jacobs, Dustin Simmons, Kelly Woolard, Mark Rogers, Wayne Deen, & Joe Swinney              PM- Jim Jacobs

Pick-up Cards:  Tyler Jones  & Kyle Owens

Worship Helpers:  Jonathan Juarez  & Russ Russell

Nursing Home:  Logan Cravens

Wednesday, 7/29   Boy’s Night

 Devo: Lou David Allen

Song Leader:  Lane Boyd

Prayers:  Opening: Billy Lucas        Closing: Jim Goldsmith

    It is always interesting how we see God work in our lives. I went on a Wilderness Trek last week in Salida, CO and boy did I see some things that God wanted me to see. As we hiked I noticed that parts of my body just didn’t move like they did 20 years ago. I prayed to God that He would allow me to make it through this week and He did. I managed to get to the top of Mt. Arkansas 13,795 elevation. What an accomplishment that was and I praise God for my success.

    Throughout the week we were asked to do things that would strengthen our relationship with God. One day we spent time with God for three hours, for some this seemed like a long time. I also thought that this was a while, but as time went on I drifted into deep thought and then began to realize that time alone with God can be an awesome experience. The sounds we hear, the wind that we feel, the beauty that we see, the time alone with God. WOW!!

    We were mixed with another group since our group was only five people. It was neat to see how our youth and we adults mixed with them. We had an awesome experience and with hopes to see some of them again. When we allow God to be in complete control we can get along with anyone or succeed at anything.

    It is always about God and should continue to always be about Him. I praise God for the time that I had with Him last week and for the weeks ahead. May we all learn to allow God to be a BIG part of our lives. Paul said in Gal. 3:26-29 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

    Let us all see that we are fellow heirs of the promise. Let’s long for it always!

God bless you all this week,

Michael

Shelby Brianne Jacobs was born Friday, July 10, 4:24 p.m. at ARMC.  She was 9 lbs 8.7 oz and 21 ¼” long.  Her proud parents are Collin & Tasha Jacobs and her grandparents are Jim & Ann, this is their first grandchild!!

     The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said.

      One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who came down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous!  Keep up the good work. We are proud of you.  God bless you, sir.”

      It was not until the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard.  Not quite knowing what to say, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

      How many times have you ever heard someone say, “Nobody ever listens to me!”?  And how many people go through life frustrated because there truly is nobody who will take the time to really listen to what they have to say?  Everybody wants to talk, but so few want to listen!

      Benjamin Franklin once said, “A pair of good ears will drink dry a hundred tongues.”

      The Bible has much to say about the value of listening.  Take to heart this instruction:  James 1:19 “Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

      May I encourage you today to put down the newspaper, turn off the television set, and take the time and effort to listen to those around you. It will show that you care, and who knows, you might even learn something in the process!

God bless you all and have a great week,

Michael

Sunday, July 19

Sermon:  Michael Bryan

Song Leader:   Lane Boyd

Prayers:  Opening  AM-Dustin Simmons     PM-Billy Lucas

     Closing  AM- Burl McCoy        PM-Joe Neill

Lord’s Table:  Shelton Boyd, Lou David Allen, Rick Buczyna, Wayne Deen, Jason Myers & George Smith

     PM-Shelton Boyd

Pick-up Cards:  Tyler Jones  & Kyle Owens

Worship Helpers:  Cody Buczyna & Odell Walker

Nursing Home:  Joe Neill

Wednesday, July 22

Devo:  Dustin Simmons

Song Leaders: Lou David Allen

Prayers:  Opening- Jim Goldsmith       Closing- Jim Jacobs

    One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen.

    The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart. Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, “Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as
mine.”The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

    The people stared – how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said.” Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

    “Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to
them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

    Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of their heart to me. These are the empty gouges – giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

    The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man
with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as
there were some jagged edges.

    The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side. 

    How sad it must be to go through life with a whole heart! – Author Unknown

I Tim. 4:15 “give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”

I Pet. 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

God bless you all and have a great week!

Michael

Congratulations to these girls for being voted “All-America Cheerleaders” at the cheer camp this summer: Varsity-Chelsea Chaney, Chera Chaney, Traci Childers, Jessi McGuire, & Carly Szabo and Junior Varsity-Nichele Emhoff. 

 Also, congratulations to Chelsea Chaney for receiving the Captain’s Individual Leadership award.

Dustin and Michael are taking our youth to Colorado for Wilderness Trek.  We pray for their spiritual growth and safety.  Have an awesome time and see God’s beauty in nature.

We will have a one day VBS this year followed by a ‘Back to School’ fellowship for Middle School & High School students.  On Saturday, August 22, before school starts on Monday the 24^th, the day will start with VBS for children 4 years old – 5^th grade and end around noon.  Back to School gathering will start later in the afternoon into the evening with games, food and fun.  We will have more details at a later date.  Please make your calendar with this date and plan on coming to help. 

The Family of Joe Dell Gregory made a donation to the Kitchen Fund in honor of the following: Cynthia Taylor, Gwendell Clemmer, Larose Arrington, Lavelle Gregory, Barbara Goode, Teresa & Robert Wheeler, Harold & Betty Sloan, Sue Tucker, Glenda Smith, Wayne Deen, Christi Barnett, Jeanette Pursley, Billie Burnett and George Smith.