Happy New Year

Another year is about to pass. Tonight at midnight, it will be 2018. We encourage everyone to ready your bible more, pray to God daily and keep a positive attitude no matter how hard Satan tries to knock you down. Life is short and our time could be over any minute. Let's start this New Year with a commitment to serve God more. If you have not obeyed the Gospel then don't wait any longer. Be baptized today and make God number one in your life. The best advice for the New Year is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Let the blood of Jesus Christ wash away your sins and start the New Year out becoming on of God's children.

Happy New Year,

Keith Jones

Thank You - Hog Roast

Thanks to all that helped at the hog roast.  John and Barb for getting the hog.  Derek and Kelci for use of the cooker.  The cookers - Brent, Dan, Bill.  Also, Gary, Bev, Dawn and Sue for all their help.

Thank You - Fishing Day

A special thanks to the volunteers for cooking hot dogs and helping with our annual fishing trip to Ault's pond.   There were 45 at the pond and 23 fish were caught.  Walker Jones landed the biggest fish at 6 7/8 inches.  Congrats to Walker.  His name will appear on the Clyde Ault and Foxy Dailey award plaque in the Fellowship Building.

We appreciate the family's support and love in providing a time for some kids to fish for the very first time.  The expression on their faces tells it all.

Milestone for Keith Jones

This September marks the 30th year working full time for the Woodsfield  Church of Christ. Many roles have taken  place since I was employed by this family.  Elder, Deacon, Youth Ministry, Golden  60’s Minister, Joy Bus Minister (Tina and I were some of the first workers on th Bible School on Wheels), weddings,  funerals, Family Life Minister, Bible Class  teacher, Bible hour, Puppet Ministry and  the list goes on. God has Blessed Tina & I  with a super church family and my prayer is  that God will continue to give me wisdom  and good health to serve this family. The  family at Woodsfield is one of the best and  everyone’s love and compassion to win  souls and help the church grow is very  much appreciated

We thank the Woodsfield Church of Christ  for all your love and support. May God  open opportunities for us to grow and may  we use those opportunities and give our  talents, time and support to win souls.

World Bible School

We all want to share the Good News of Jesus.  World Bible School has simple, effective tools that let everyday Christian's share Jesus with real people who want to learn.  You can be an online friend for people who have enrolled on their own to study the Bible.  Anyone can do it -- youth, singles, families and seniors.  Right now, WBS students are waiting for someone to hlp them.  You can become a WBS study helper today at worldbibleschool.net/teach.

Rest

This week as you’re reading this, Abby and I are wrapping up our vacation with my family in Chincoteague, VA.  Chincoteague is an island near the ocean that my family has been going to since I was a little boy.  Each year in August, my parents and grandparents would load up the vehicles and we would spend a week together in Chincoteague swimming, fishing, eating, and relaxing.  It was (and still is) one of the highlights of my year.

Vacation is such a highlight for me probably because I’ve always struggled to rest.  Abby regularly accuses me (and rightly so) of not taking enough time to slow down.  If I’m not doing something ministry-related, I usually have a long list of school, vehicle, or house projects I need to work on that consume my time.  I share this because I’m probably not that much different from many of you.  Many of you probably can relate to the difficulty of taking time to rest.  There always seems like there’s something else that needs done.

In Gen. 1 and 2, God creates the world in six days.  On the seventh day, the Bible tells us that God rests, which is funny because an all-powerful God doesn’t get tired.  God rested after creating to make a point to His creation—rest is important.  God wanted to send a very clear message to us that it’s essential for us to slow down and take time to re-energize.  He did this with the Israelites by establishing a pattern of weekly Sabbath and yearly feasts that would allow the people to stop working and enjoy time recharging.

In our culture, work is prized and celebrated and, rightly so.  God prizes, celebrates, and even commands work.  But, He also commands rest.  How good are you at getting regular periods of rest?  It could be a hobby, something you enjoy doing.  It doesn’t have to be kicking back in a chair and doing nothing, but it should be something that energizes you.  I would also go so far as to say this should be a weekly thing.  A few generations ago, this was always on Sunday.  Many can remember the days when stores were closed on Sundays and people didn’t go anywhere or do anything.  Those days are gone, but that doesn’t mean we need to stop creating our own periods of weekly rest.  Whether it’s a Friday night date with your spouse, or designating Saturday as a family day, pick a spot in your week that you don’t do anything work related.  You may find that you’re actually more productive throughout the week with an expected rest period at the end.  Rest is a healthy thing.

~Scott

Helping Our Neighbors

Our thanks to the family at Woodsfield for their prayers and financial suppor to the flood victims in Hundred, Pine Grove, Mannington, etc.  Out neighbors across the Ohio River needed help and the family at Woodsfield thanks God that we were able to help.  Continue to pray for these families as they struggle to get back on their feet.  Losing everything you own can be a horrible thing, but God can and will see you through the darkest storms if you trust and believe in him.  Thank you family for your help in providing aid to sister congregations.

“God Speak to Me”

The man whispered, “God speak to me,” and a wild bird sang. But the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, “God speak to me!,” and the thunder rolled across the sky. But the man did not listen.

Next, the man looked around and said, “God, let me see you,” and a star shone brightly. But the man did not notice.

Then the man shouted, “God show me a miracle,” and a life was born. But the man did not know.

Finally the man cried out in despair “God touch me and let me know that you are here.” Whereupon God reached down and touched the man. But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

Please don ‘t miss out on a blessing just because it isn’t packaged the way you expect it to be.

New Directory

It's time to start thinking about that smile!!  If you were not in the 2011 directory, have not filled out an information card from Merna, or been personally hounded by her by phone, then please fill out the new directory card today.  We don't want to miss a single person!!!  Thank you a get ready to smile!

2017 Bus Inspection

A special thanks to Lester, Brock & Tina  Jones for helping with inspection this year  and a special thanks to Carla Rose, Dan  Christman, Dan Watkins, Jeff Bettinger and  Ronnie Beardmore for coming to the rescue  of preparing the buses for inspection.  Buses can fail inspection if they are dirty.  The State Highway Inspector looked at our  Bible school on wheels and said that they  were so clean you could eat off the floor!