You Probably Should Be Paying Attention

A while back, Jeff Seidler invited the Woodsfield congregation to hang around after a Sunday evening  service so that he could give a lesson in administering CPR and operating the AED device, which I assume remains mounted in the back of the auditorium. A small percentage of the church attended the class. I suspicion what some of  you absentees were thinking was, "I'm never going to need this,” or "If something happens here in the building, we have  Jeff, or Kevin, or Rick, or somebody who can do CPR." Possibly, some of you were like me - you attended Jeff's class but you didn't pay as much attention as you should have.  You were just there because you didn't want to look bad by not being there. Maybe you thought it was kinda like your high school algebra class - I‘m here because I know I should  be here, but I'm never going to use this. What I can say now is thank you Jeff Seidler for your time. And thank you Lord for putting me at the front of the Woodsfield auditorium on that evening. As it turns out, I would be in need of it  

Evening services here at the Aberdeen church of Christ had just ended. Chairs and tables were being  rearranged in preparation for an upcoming fellowship when suddenly a brother in Christ, by all physical appearance a picture of health, collapsed on the floor and began gasping for air. In the crying and the chaos, Shannon looked at me  and said, “You know what to do, Darlin" I really didn‘t, but I remembered enough of what Jeff taught us to try something. For fifteen minutes we pumped and pumped. (Ended up breaking two of his ribs in the process). When the  EMT's took him from the building into the ambulance, I thought it was all for not. He looked bad. In fact, for the next  week, things didn‘t look good. However...I‘rn writing this on a Sunday afternoon two months after that evening, and I  am pleased to report that Glen Sayles served today on the Lord's Table, very alive and very well. God is good!  

You know, there's just some lessons in life, some conversations, that truly do deserve our undivided  attention, none more so than God's message to us. Something tells me we may need it later. How to accept the grace of  God, how to live like His Son, how to share his love with others - we should be listening and learning. The day will  come for all of us when we will find out this was all more important than high school algebra, or even CPR.  

I know what your excuse is because I've‘ used the same one - the preaching is boring, the teaching is dry and  uninteresting. It's just too hard to pay attention. Other things in life are more interesting, more captivating. Brethren,  what ever you have to do, you must get it, you must learn it It is a matter of life and death. If you have to change  congregations to find a preacher who interests you, then do it. If you have to have a bible study in your home on Sunday  nights rather than go to the building, then do it. If you have to buy a Bible that has pictures in it, D0 IT!  

By the way, you want to know something interesting about Jeff's CPR/AED class? l didn't recall his teaching  style. When I was hovered over that gasping, dying brother on the church floor I did not recall whether Jefl' was an  exciting or boring teacher. I didn‘t remember what shirt he was wearing, or what tie he wasn't wearing. I couldn’t  remember whether he used good English or bad slang. What came to my mind were his words, his instructions, "Put  your hands like this, pump like this, breathe like this.” Pay attention to what God has to say. Listen to the preaching and  teaching of his word. Someday you'll either be glad you did, or wish you had.  

~Charles Schultheisz - Aberdeen, WA, 2016

VBS

We had a very successful Vacation Bible School this summer.  Check out the video.

Call Randy!

During the nine years I preached for the Woodsfield church of Christ  this was the proclamation I repeatedly heard in my house. Whatever the  emergency, whatever the question, the answer was to call Randy. The car  won't start -- call Randy. The horse is out -- call Randy. The horse is dead --  call Randy. How do I make hot mustard? What do I do if the peppers in the hot mustard burn my  hands? What does it mean when a chicken lays a purple egg? How am I going to get to the  airport? Where are we going to get wood for the stove? Shannon's response? "You better call  Randy!" I had no way of knowing that first Sunday I met him that Randy Williams knew so  much about so many things and had so many connections to so many people. I had no way of  knowing that he would be my doctor, my mechanic, my carpenter, my travel agent, my vet, my  chef, my marriage counselor, and the only man other than my father, that Shannon would allow to  be so involved in all of our dilemmas. One of the hardest things to swallow about being three  thousand miles away from Monroe county is not being able to call Randy. Now admittedly, the  only thing I hate worse than talking on the telephone is having to ask someone for help while  talking on the telephone, but I sure miss having the option! 

Having a friend to call on is a great blessing in life. Having an all-powerful God to call  on is an even greater one. Sometimes our friends can't answer the call. Sometimes they won't.  And sometimes even when they answer, they are unable to help. As I read my Bible, I hear my  God saying, "Call me. Call me anytime. I care about you. In fact, I'm waiting on your call. And  I do have the power to help you." 

Not only does he know a little about everything, he knows everything about everything.  And as for connections, he doesn't seem to need any. When you call with a sincere, obedient  heart, he answers. And what‘s broken, he can fix. What's hurting, he can heal. Who's lost, he can save. At some point everyday you should call on God. He is your friend and your salvation.

HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER GOD'S MIGHTY HAND, THAT HE MAY LIFT YOU  UP IN DUE TIME. CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU. 1 Peter 5:6-7

~Chuck Schultheisz -- August 2016       

A Note From Our New Interim Minister

In Galatians 6:10 the Apostle Paul offers encouragement and instruction to believers with these words: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” As Christians we want to “do good to everyone.” We can show compassion to those in need, offer a compliment to someone discouraged, render aid in seasons of distress, or teach the gospel to a hungry heart. We ought to always be on the lookout for opportunities to “do good.”

SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR JOY BUS  RIDERS  

The Joy Bus Ministry will be handing out  school supplies to each rider. We  appreciate the church family for their  compassion to equip these students with the  paper, pencil & etc. for the upcoming  school year.

Donations for WV Flood Victims

A special thanks to the family and community for its help in providing items for the flood victims in Southern West Virginia.  Your love and compassion is greatly appreciated in this disaster. 

Box Tops for Education

CCA is collecting box tops for education.  If you have any of these labels, please give them to Theresa Harris.  Thank you.

Bus Garage

The new garage is up and the men have been working hard in preparing the grounds around the new Joy Bus garage.  Thanks to Donnie Weber and his equipment, drainage ditches have been installed, landscaping around the garage has been changed and now we are in the process of ordering concrete.  We are blessed to have a great team of deacons and members who donate time and sweat to get the job done.  A big thanks goes out to Jeff Bettinger, Ron Beardmore, Dan Watkins, Dan Christman, McKenzie Christman, Cordell Gauding and Donnie Weber for the great job they have done for God's Kingdom.

Bible Sticks

We have set a goal of $2500 to buy 100 Bible Sticks for our troops. The family has given $5,180. Thank you church for your giving.

www.militarybiblesticks.com

Virtual Library

Attention Website Members:  Check out the free virtual library.  Just log in to the member's section and click on Virtual Library.

See the demo here.