Family News

July 31, 2005

SHORT  BY
STUFF   DAVE SHANER

Since Wednesday several of us have been at the Great Northwest Evangelism Workshop (GNEW). It has been a great time of learning and rubbing shoulders with others of like faith throughout the Northwest.

Don't forget that everyone will be meeting tonight for Sunday Night Live! We will be simply sharing our faith together in a common time for edifying each other. In the early church the Christians gathered together to give heed to the apostles' doctrine (Bible study), fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Although it is desirable to make our assemblies attractive to unbelievers, they exist to build up the believer. We also see that they would meet both in larger groups and smaller groups. Sometimes the entire church would gather together. At other times they would meet house to house. In our larger gatherings, we celebrate our unity and focus on our purpose which is to worship God. In our smaller groups the emphasis is to develop a closer walk with God and each other. Our LIFE groups exist to help us develop relationships both with each other and they provide an atmosphere to lead the lost to Christ.

Flavil Yeakley, church statistician, has shown that despite how right a church is doctrinally, that the reason that new Christians stay faithful is directly related to the number of friends that they make. He found that if a new member made less than 4 friends within a few months that his/her chances of falling away were almost certain. Making 4 or more increased the chances dramatically. If a new person made 7 new friends, than his chances of remaining faithful were close to 100%! We must keep this in mind and go out of our way to make a new person feel welcome. This is very easy to happen within the context of our LIFE groups.

Once ever three months, this church brings all the groups together to remind us that there are many groups all meeting throughout the community for the same purpose. It is always very encouraging. We will have some singing, some words from scripture, and some time for testimonials from individuals.

Have a Great Week!!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. - II Corinthians 4:7

SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE!!
Tonight at 5:30 p.m., we will be having a special worship assembly. All of our LIFE GROUPS are requested to be in attendance as well as anyone who is not currently a member of a particular LIFE GROUP. The groups have been a blessing to so many, but we would like to bring them all together on the fifth Sunday of a month for a common encouragement and worship experience.

Camp Prince's Pine
Early registration for Junior Camp (6th-8th grades completed) are due today! Registration forms can be found on the kiosk. Be sure to register early. SAVE $30 BY PRE-REGISTERING!!!
Pre-Teen Camp is coming soon! The directors are: Scott Koopman and Mike Winegardner. If you can help out at camp as a counselor or a helper in the kitchen, please contact the Richland church at (509) 946-1658.

ATTENTION LADIES & TEENAGE GIRLS
LADIES FALL FELLOWSHIP MEETING
There will be a Ladies Fall Fellowship meeting on Monday, August 8, 2005 at 6:30 p.m., in the kitchen at the church building. We had a very good turnout for our meeting in April and the enthusiasm was wonderful. We are so blessed with the many talents of our ladies and teen girls within our congregation, and we encourage all of you to attend this meeting. There is a special job for everyone. Babysitting, the theme, and other topics will be discussed at this meeting. Latayne Scott will be our speaker for this year and her lessons for this year's session will be on Rahab. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is the author of 'The Red Cord of Hope'.

Get Ready - Coming Soon!!!
The first annual all women's retreat at Spirit Lake, September 16-17. This is for women of all ages 18 to 98. Dads, please encourage your wife by babysitting so she can come to the slumber party. More information to follow soon.

Shepherd's Corner
Understanding Unity and Edification Values
'The head even Christ... maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in LOVE.' -Eph. 4:16

Two subjects are brought before us in the above scripture.

I. Our Union To Christ: 'The Head even Christ.'

1. Essential to life. Severed from him we are dead.

2. Essential to growth. We grow up into him who is the head. Eph. 4:13

3. Essential to perfection. What should we be without a head? See Eph. 1:22-23

4. Essential to every member. The strongest needs union to the head as much as the weakest.

II. Our Compact Unity As A Church. 'The body edifying itself in love.'

1. There is but one body of Christ, even as he is the one head. Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4

2. It is an actual, living union. Not a mere professed unity, but a body quickened by 'the effectual working' of God's Spirit in every part (member).

3. It is a growing living organism. It increases by mutual edification. Rom. 14:19
   NOT BY BEING PUFFED UP, BUT BY BEING BUILT UP. It grows as the result of its own life, sustained by suitable spiritual food.

4. It is an immortal body. Because the Head lives, the body must live also. Are we in the body of Christ? Are we not concerned to see it made perfect. Mt. 5:48

To what extent are we active in the body for edification, unity with Christ and growing spiritually? Are we ministering the supply which the body may fairly expect from us as members?

- From The Elders

Thank You!
Thank you church family for the going away party, cards, well wishes and money for our move. You're the best!

Love, Mike, Earlene & the girls

A Bridal Shower on Saturday, August 6th
for James Dupey & Tanya Watson
Given by Teri & Majorie Dupey
705 Spruce, Coeur d'Alene at 2:00 p.m.
They are registered at Target, Macys
and Bed, Bath & Beyond
Also, everyone is invited to the wedding:
August 20, 2005 at 6:30 p.m.
Northside Church of Christ, Spokane, Washington

Calendar of Events
July 31 - 5:30 p.m. - Sunday Night Live
July 31 - Aug. 6 - Senior Camp at Prince's Pines
Aug. 2 - 6:30 a.m. - Prayer Breakfast at JB's
Aug. 6 - 2:00 p.m. - Dupey/Watson Bridal Shower
Aug. 7 - 13 - Junior Camp at Camp Prince's Pines
Aug. 14 - 20 - Pre-Teen Camp at Prince's Pines
Aug. 20 - Dupey/Watson Wedding at Northside
Aug. 24 - Noon - Ladies Brown Bag Luncheon

Prayer Requests

Kathy Shaner is healing at home after surgery.

Robin Utter has been released from the hospital and is resting at home.

Brian McLaughlin, Earlene's nephew, thanks you for all your prayers. He has been diagnosed with a sprained heart muscle which mimics a heart attack. Because of prayers he will recovery fully.

Dana Barbarick, daughter of Judie Sanborn, has begun chemo treatments.

Al Poland has been down with back problems.

Sammy Utter is having bad dreams about the accident. Keep their family in your prayers.

Tom Nelson, John Nelson's father, is suffering from bone cancer. Pray for the family to find strength through God.

Emily Ward has been struggling with an iron deficiency and her body is not absorbing nutrition.

Teri Dupey is recovering from leg surgery.

Clara Ward's brother, Alva Davis, is home from the nursing home. He has asked her to thank the church for your prayers.

Remember to keep in your prayers: Andrew Crump, Mike Kish, Matt Rude, Terry Morgan, Phillip Kirkham, who are serving in Iraq.

Pray for the Kabiye Christians and the Team of Missionaries in Togo, West Africa. David & Becky Reeves and their family are in the states now for a well-deserved furlough.

In Sympathy
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry Welch and his family in the loss of his brother, Johnny Welch, last Monday morning. Remember to keep Jerry and Christine in your prayers during this time of loss and for their safety as they travel back home from Oregon.

Continue Praying For....
The Kelly & Rehms Family, Jeff Almond,
Judy Anderson, Lillian Lane, Matt Bunker
Dores Howell, Don Green, Kathy Adams,
Grace Wallin, Wayne Pearson, Mandy Mood

Youth Scoop:
This was a sweet e-mail that was sent to me a bit ago. It was good for my heart, and I believe it's a good reminder of God's wisdom in our lives...

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care anymore? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to her son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the university for study. He said it might help somebody else. I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.'" She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place -- Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you.

God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from: God, Jesus & Me.

...Life, often times, doesn't make sense. Things happen that we have no explanation for, and sometimes it just doesn't seem fair. We need to remember that God is always in control, and HE'S looking out for us. He does a better job than we could ever do for ourselves. Just remember that He loves you, and his purpose in your life may not always be immediately visible. Trust him to know what he's doing - he's been at it a while :-).

In Him,
Nathan

Job Opening at C.C.S.
A school secretary is needed for the Coeur d'Alene Christian School. If interested please contact Dan Dupey at 664-7008 or Betty Rude at 772-5532.

Please check the Garden of Prayer board on the easel in the foyer. Your help is needed!

Please Note....... If you feel you might have misplaced any of your dishes from past potlucks or events, please check on the brown counter going towards the kitchen. Thanks!

TO SERVE August 7^th, 2005

Contact Warren Brown ASAP if you are unable to serve.

Assembly Times:

Love Involvement Fellowship Evangelism Groups:

Dalton Gardens Church of Christ
6439 N. 4th Street
Dalton Gardens, Idaho 83815
(208)772-0541
Fax # 772-2963
E-mail: office@dgchurch.org
web site: http://www.dgchurch.org/

Church Office Hours:
8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Friday
Closed daily from noon-1:00
Phone messages can be left any time.

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