The Woodmont Word E-Newsletter

The Woodmont Word

E-Newsletter

A Family of Faith on Mission

May 2018

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS

Mothers are a wonderful example of living this verse out for us?

"Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous; is not proud; is not conceited; does not act foolishly; is not selfish; is not easily provoked to anger; keeps no record of wrongs; takes no pleasure in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things." 1 Cor 13:4-7

Hess's Headlines

Dear Church,

Recently in a discipleship group with some men in our church we read Nehemiah chapter two.

Read the first few verses of this chapter and let them soak in for a few minutes:

"In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, 'Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.'" (Nehemiah 2:1-2)

Did you catch that? Nehemiah had not been sad in the presence of the king the whole entire time he had served the king. Suddenly, Nehemiah is sad, and he cannot hide it. Now let's take the time to put the book of Nehemiah in the correct historical context. Nehemiah was a Jewish exile to the Persian government. Another way of saying this: he was a victim of circumstance, somewhat of a prisoner of war, being held in Persia instead of being in Jerusalem, his home. He was forced to be a servant of the king; not just any servant, but the cup-bearer. Nehemiah was disposable - that's the meaning of being the cup-bearer. It means, that if someone tries to poison the king, he would die instead. Cup-bearers can be replaced, but Kings are a more difficult transition. He is in a foreign land, carries the title of servant, and is very homesick; however, he has not been sad in the presence of the king one time. It is not until he hears that Jerusalem is in ruins that his face is downcast, and his heart is broken.

How about you? Are you sad and overwhelmed because of your situation? Or are you heart-broken over what has been broken and lies in ruins. So often, we only are upset when something affects us. Nehemiah is upset because Jerusalem, God's promised land, was broken and destroyed. There are a lot of people around us who are broken and destroyed by sin and shame; let's be heartbroken for them. Nehemiah prays and asks the king to allow him to go back to Jerusalem to fix and repair what has been broken. Let us pray and ask the King to go to the broken and lost and introduce them to the one person that can recreate them, restore them, and ultimately redeem them for all of eternity, Jesus Christ! Here am I, send me!

In Christ,

Chad

Thompson's Text

Alexa - Read to me from the Bible

My niece gave me a smart speaker for Christmas, ( I need all the smart I can get a hold of .) We hooked it up to our television set in the living room. It's interesting. You can call out to Alexa and ask her whatever you want. My wife asks me every evening what the weather will be the next day to help her determine what she should wear. Now I can say out loud, "Alexa, what will the weather be like tomorrow." And she tells us.

Alexa can also quote the Bible at a moment's notice, but Alexa is stumped if you ask her about Jesus. The Southern Baptist periodical "Facts and Trends" recently reported:

"A series of recent viral videos shows Alexa-the digital personal assistant featured on Amazon's devices-and other smart speakers - struggling to identify the second person of the Trinity.

"Sorry, I'm not sure how to help," the Google Home device says in one of the videos when asked to identify Jesus.

That answer has made some Christians mistrust Alexa and other smart speakers, reports Emily Miller of Religion News Service.

Almost 1 in 5 Americans have a smart speaker in their home, but the tech industry is still struggling with how to handle religion.

Google has temporarily turned off all references to religious figures on its smart speakers, reports Miller, while the company explores "different solutions."

In some cases, however, Christians found some smart speakers do get religion.

Some Christians are using apps like YouVersion to get their daily dose of the Bible.

YouVersion offers a verse of the day and four different versions of the Bible, read by professional voiceover actors.

Or Alexa herself can read one of seven translations.

You can ask her to play the local Christian radio station or the podcast from a favorite pastor. There are also apps with daily devotions from best-selling authors, including LifeWay's DevoHub.

There's even a video that shows off Alexa's Scripture reading technique to some folks gathered in their living room.

"Alexa, ask the Bible App to read Romans 10:17," one of them says.

"So faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of Christ," Alexa replies.

Apparently, the hearing can happen even with a digital voice from a smart speaker that may not have any idea who Christ is."

It is not Alexa that is tasked with going into the ends of the earth to share the Gospel. It's you and I. Perhaps using digital tools - but it requires effort and intentionality on our part. How am I making Jesus known? How are you making Jesus known?

Under His grace,

Steve

Reese's Pieces

My life tends to be a never-ending series of overlapping projects and deadlines. Before I'm finished with one, I must begin another, and another, or I will fall behind. I'm sure many of you can relate to this.

There is something in my cognitive makeup that constantly wants to count down. Or maybe this became instilled as a result of listening to too much Casey Kasem in my childhood. But whatever the reason, I have a tendency to count down the days toward an event (like my infamous annual countdown to Christmas which begins on December 26 and drives my wife crazy), or more often, toward the end of a particularly grueling trial.

When I was in college, I had a wall calendar that I used to keep track of tests, projects, auditions, rehearsals, and performances. One day a friend noticed that each square representing a day was, one by one, being marked through with a red ink pen. He commented that it seemed like a morbid way to live, and even though his words were lighthearted, they have haunted me over the years as I continue to feel this gravitationally strong pull toward marking off days. And at my current stage of life, as time appears to be crashing ahead at breakneck speed, I sometimes chide myself for what could essentially be seen as a countdown to death.

(Hold on. I really am going somewhere with this.)

Once, during my seminary days, I was struggling to write one of many fiendishly tedious research papers and finally erupted one night in frustration at my poor bride. A wise English major who already had her master's degree and had written scads more papers than I, offered these wise words: "I don't love writing, but I love having written."

And there is a quandary for all of us who abide in Christ. It is a real danger at times for us to find this life so arduous and burdensome that the temptation is to just "get through it" and mark time till Jesus comes for us. And yet, I believe that, for the Christian, there is JOY in the JOURNEY.

It has been said that our greatest need in life is to know God. I would take that a step further and say that the abundant part of abundant life is getting to know God. It is a process. In Ephesians 3:18-19, Paul prayed that believers would "grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge." Does that sound like something that happens overnight? Paul himself said in Philippians 3, "I want to know Christ... [but] I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it."

Our God is a deep, deep well; His ways are so much higher than our comprehension; His love is as vast as the ocean. Traveler, don't be so focused on the arrival that you miss the journey. Be patient. Don't become more fixated on knowing in full-someday we will!-than on the lifelong pursuit of the Pearl of great price. The reward will come, eventually and certainly-I'm counting on it-but for now let's savor every minute of the glorious process of knowing God.

Kevin

Shoals Christian School - Part-time Maintenance Position

The position is part-time Monday - Friday (20-25 hrs./week) and the hours are flexible.

Phone: 256-767-7070

Contact Person: Felicia Jones ([email protected])

For more information click HERE!

Student Ministry

We will be honoring our High School Graduates on May 20 @ 10:15

Jarod

Singles' Ministry

Rec ently, I came across some sad statistics that I want to share with our church family.

There are over 14 million single parent homes in America today
Mothers make up 83% of all single parent homes; fathers the other 17%
Children from fatherless homes account for 71% of all high school drop outs, 75% of all teens in chemical abuse centers, 85% of youth in prison, 90% of all homeless and runaway teens
In 2013, the median household income for married families was $84,000; for single mom homes it was $26,000.
When non-custodial fathers are highly involved with their children's learning, the children are more likely to get A's at all grade levels

According to another article, 67% of single moms do not attend church. I would imagine that figure would also be similar for single dads. What a mission field!

Single moms cite several obstacles that prevent them from coming to a church: not being accepted; being judged for their past; not having appropriate clothing for mother or children; no time because of working so much; too tired on Sunday to get kids ready and be there on time.

Woodmont has single parent and single mom classes which provide a great support system for those who are involved . We are thankful for each one the Lord has led here and so proud of their commitment to having their family in church because we recognize there are challenges.

How can the church help with this mission field? A few things come to mind and I will list some for you to consider.

Adopt a Single Parent Family- Church members could be paired up with a single parent family to encourage them and maybe invite them to a meal occasionally.
Bible Study Connections classes who have children might invite the single parents to one of their class fellowships occasionally when the children are included.
Church members can help spread the Word that we love single parent families and we have a support system in place where they can feel welcome and grow in their relationship with God. Some just need a sincere invitation.

Please pray about how God would use you to reach out to single parents and make a difference in this mission field right here in our own back yard.

Singles Beach Retreat:

June 20-24

Summerhouse Condos in Orange Beach

$375 per person

Contact Belinda Green for more information.

Single Parent Family Beach Retreat:

July 19-22

Summerhouse Condos in Orange Beach

More details soon. Contact Belinda Green if interested.

Guatemala Mission Trip

November 1-7

The team will be working again this year with Building Believers in Christ Ministry in Guatemala.

There are several spots still available for ANYONE who would like to go. For more info, contact Charlotte Cramer or Belinda Green.

Belinda

Family Life Ministry

The Family Life Ministry team would like to thank all the BSC classes and ministries who participated in the Spring Carnival and helped to make it a success. Food, fun, and fellowship were enjoyed by all ages. Great job Family Life team!!

Mark your Calendars:

Woodmont Marriage Retreat
August 17 & 18
Details coming soon

Children's Ministry

This two phrases were a part of a devotion I have been reading:

If any good thing, large or small, happens in our day we can immediately, right where we are, thank God for it. We can say it out loud, quietly under our breath, or if we're in the middle of a conversation we can think it in our minds.

If any thing unpleasant happens in our day, ask God what he may be wanting to show us. Is there something in us that He wants to change or transform? How many times in our day do we actually stop and thank the Lord for His goodness?

This journey of cancer as taught me so much: to be thankful for the little things, and to praise Him in the pain. There are so many side affects of chemotherapy I could not begin to know where to start. I saw something recently on a shirt I have been stuck, X-ray, scan more in my lifetime than I care to mention. I know if God had not wanted me to be well He wouldn't have sent me to doctors that are knowledgeable. I say all this just remember to Praise Him no matter!

During the month of May Blue Coast Burrito is giving a percentage of sales to our children that are going to Centri Kid camp. Now here is the catch, you must save your receipt and place it in the box downstairs marked "Blue Coast." Thank you for all you do for our children at Woodmont.

VBS

July 16-20

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Register Online here!

Printable Registration here!

Family Fun Night

Wednesday Night, July 18

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Woodmont East Campus - Wednesday July 18; 5:00-7:00 pm.

( Children will perform songs at 6:30 in auditorium)

Dinner plates are $4 each. Each plate includes drink, chips, & dessert along with 1 hamburger OR 2 hot dogs. More information about sign-up to come.

Denise

55 and Older Join Us For These Upcoming Events...

Game Day is Cancelled for the Summer!

Pot Luck - Thursday, May 17, at 12 noon, join us at East Campus for a pot luck luncheon. Our speaker will be Dr. Jeff Goodman, Orthopedic Surgeon with Bone and Joint Clinic. We invite you to join us for this interesting and informative speaker. Please sign up in the breezeway by Sunday, May 13,
so we will have sufficient seating.