A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 2 NO. 51                                         February 5, 2006

A TOP FIVE LIST!

BY STEVE HIGGINBOTHAM

I'm sure all of you have seen “the top ten lists” that David Letterman has on his show each night.  Here's an abbreviated top ten list for you (otherwise known as the Top Five List)---“Top Five Ways You Can Tell If You “Grew Up” In The Church Of Christ.”

     5.  You've ever wondered what would happen if the preacher didn't have a “ready recollection of the things
           he studied.”
     4.  You thought “guideguardanddirectus” was one word.
     3.  You ever wondered who Ebon Pinion was.
     2.  You don't think of people going home, but to their “places of abode.”
     1.  You know the 1st, 2nd, and 4th verses to nearly every song in the book, but you rarely know the 3rd verse.

You know, traditions are great!  They provide us with a sense of security, belonging and familiarity.  But, as good and meaningful as a tradition may be, it becomes a vain ritual when our heart or spirit is not in our worship service.  Make sure that your worship is offered up in “spirit” and in harmony with “truth.”

FOLLOWING THE LEADER

REARRANGED BY STEVE NIEMEIER

President Calvin Coolidge once invited friends from his hometown to dine with him at the White House.  These friends, of course, were overwhelmed by their surroundings and all the proper etiquette.  Not wanting to embarrass themselves in front of everyone, they devised a “fool-proof” plan.  They decided to do everything that Coolidge did.

This strategy succeeded until coffee was served.  The president poured a little coffee into the saucer.  The guests did the same.  Coolidge added sugar and quite a bit of cream.  His guests did too.  Then Coolidge bent over and put his saucer on the floor for the cat.

You know, during the teen-age years, a lot of young people are looking for an identity.  They are looking for acceptance.  And to gain that acceptance, they will do whatever their peers do, right or wrong, just to fit in.  That's one of the reasons you'll see young people doing drugs, getting drunk, having sex, using profanity, and cheating.

The challenge before you is to be your own person and to be true to yourself and to God...and He will accept you for who you are!

URGENT NEEDS IN THE CHURCH TODAY

BY LEROY BROWNLOW

• More open hearts and fewer open mouths.
• More knocking on doors and less knocking on each other.
• More sound heads and fewer sore heads.
• More seed-slinging and less mud-slinging.
• More concern over direction than speed.
• More sacrifice of self and less sacrifice of others.
• More standing for the faith and less falling for the fanciful.
• More profit from yesterday's problems and less blindness to the pitfalls of tomorrow.