The Champions Spirit
Volume 68, Issue 36
Sept. 13, 2009
In This Issue
It's true...Family Matters!
Family Matters is not just a title of a section of our weekly bulletin. It is intended to have a two-fold application. It does include the “goings on” of the congregation at Champions, but it is also to stress the concept that “family” does indeed “matter!”-This is a basic belief and fundamental truth that has been stressed here at Champions for many years.-Family is an important concept within Christianity. It wasn’t by mistake that the Creator of heaven, earth and everything in them can be addressed as “Our Father” (Matt. 6:9). It was very much on purpose that Paul would call Phoebe a “sister” (Rom. 16:1) and was committed to not causing his “brother” to stumble (1 Cor. 8:13). It was this concept that could cause Peter to say, “Love the brotherhood” (1 Pet. 2:17) and Paul to speak of the church as the “household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15).
Yes, Family Matters! It is a wonderful thing that our family can be, in large part, here today – together – worshipping God and encouraging one another in one place at one time. It is a wonderful thought that Family Matters – and never forget – you matter too!
—Larry Keele
FAMILY MATTERS...
We are thankful to every one of our guests today. You have chosen to study the scriptures and worship with us at the church of Christ in Champions and we feel blessed by your decision. Please come again!
Today is the day! Finally! I appreciate each of our members who rearranged schedules and calendars to be sure that you were with us today. Obviously it is difficult to get 400+ people together on any given occasion, but we are thankful for each one who has made being “home at Champions” a priority today.
Again, perhaps small groups can get together and go somewhere to eat together for additional fellowship following services. However your day goes, we are glad you made this morning part of it.
Our hearts were touched with the coming of Lauren Freeman, who asked for the prayers of the congregation in her behalf Sunday evening. May the God of peace give her calm assurance within! Wednesday evening, the angels in heaven rejoiced with the coming of Tamara Bush to be baptized into Christ Jesus. Tamara had studied with Dwan Reed as well as Jason and Natalie Freed. Welcome, Tamara, into the family!
Next on the calendar is the return of Fireproof and our neighborhood Bible studies. These studies will focus on various themes which will be first reviewed by re-watching various clips from the movie, and then discussed from a biblical perspective. Saturday, Oct. 3, will be the showing of the movie. Small group studies will be for one hour on Tuesday evenings for the following five weeks. An alternative study of Psalms will also be available.
This evening, John Qualls will lead us in a prayer service that our nation will follow God’s will in every way.
PARTING THOUGHT: “Let us so live that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry.”
—Mark Twain
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy's Junction
This week, the very diverse citizens of our country will be brought together by the memory of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. I ran across this poem that I would like to share with you.
Power of One
As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride the sacrifice of heroes,
We become one people.
~ Anonymous
This beautiful poem reminds me of the words of Jesus as he prayed in the garden. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23).
—Jeremy Geurin
John's Jogs
WHAT DOES 9/11 MEAN TO YOU?
This past Friday marked eight years since that fateful day. Many people ask what were you doing and others just remember what they were doing. However, a more meaningful question is, “what does it mean to you” in remembrance? Is it important for you to remember or would it be better for you to just let it go and ignore it? Does it have any real significance for our present life and going forward?
Ramona and I were at Cy-Fair Hospital waiting for her to go in for a cat/scan when the first plane hit. Then she was inside the CAT scan tube when the second plane hit and we all realized that we were under attack. But that’s not really important. What I really remember at this anniversary is what was occurring in our nation just prior to the attack.
Just ten short months prior we had gone through the closest presidential election in my lifetime and then went through a month of rancorous recounts and lawsuits with the Supreme Court finally closing down the turmoil but not the animosity. The rancorous accusations and recriminations continued on through the next nine months until suddenly on Sept. 11 four planes struck. Then a miracle happened – all of a sudden we all became Americans. The bickering and animosity ceased – everyone hung their flags and came together in harmony with one another. Democrats and Republicans together solidly united against the enemy.
However, it was not long – I don’t remember just how long – probably the next election cycle – the rancorous cycle began all over again. For the next six years it got worse and worse until we had another close election with wide differences in philosophies of government and the rancorous attitudes have multiplied. Fifty years ago Nikita Khrushchev said they would bury us without ever firing a shot. We are on the way to fulfilling his prophecy if we don’t learn how to live together as one people again. We are destroying the nation from within. Jesus said, “A house divided against itself, falls” ( Luke 11:17).
Many Christians think we should not become involved in national or political affairs. However, we must live and operate our lives within the framework of a political structure. I personally would rather live my life within one that guarantees the freedom that God gave me will not be infringed upon by a governmental structure; and the U. S. constitution is the greatest force other than God himself that guarantees that protection. Paul was proud of his Roman citizenship and did not hesitate to use it. “But I was actually born a citizen” (Acts 22:28).
Because of the great turmoil our nation is in at this memorial of 9/11, we will spend most of our time in this evening’s service in prayer for our nation. Will you join us for this prayer service?
—John Qualls