The Woodmont Word

E-Newsletter

A Family of Faith on Mission

November 2014

Make sure you check out our new website at www.woodmontbaptist.org. For any feedback you may contact Marilyn at mnelson@woodmontbaptist.org.

From the Pastor

God Has Plans for You!

This one is 1.) copied and 2.) dated... but I love the message. Enjoy!!

"Cliff Barrows served as Billy Graham's lifelong associate and crusade song leader. In 1945, before he met Billy Graham, Barrows and his fiancé, Billie, had scraped together enough funds for a simple wedding and two train tickets to a city with a resort hotel.

On arrival, however, they found the hotel shut down. Stranded in an unfamiliar city with little money, they thumbed a ride. A sympathetic driver took them to a grocery store owned by a woman he knew. The newlyweds spent their first night in a room above the store.

The next day, when the lady overheard Cliff playing Christian songs on his trombone, she arranged for them to spend the rest of their honeymoon at a friend's house. Several days later the host invited them to attend a youth rally where a young evangelist was speaking.

The song leader that night was sick, and Cliff was asked to take charge of the music for the service. The young evangelist, of course, was Billy Graham. The two have been serving partners ever since.

When things don't go the way you plan, God may have plans for you of his own."

I love you and am praying for God's "plan" for your life!

Bro Jerry

Thompson's Text

This has to be the best e-mail I have received in a long time, because when you think about the meaning, it is true.

The Garbage Truck Story

One day, I hopped into a taxi and took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly, a black car, jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed the brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck'

He explained, "Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. NEVER take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on with the routine life." Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.'

*** As very rightly said: Life is 10% what you make of it and 90% how you take it!***

Have a garbage-free day!

Under His Grace,

Steve

Reese's Pieces

I started writing a "Here's what I'm thankful for" column, and it quickly ballooned to the size of a Russian novel with a sequel. So I've decided to share only one. Here it is.

I am thankful that my God is big and small at the same time. Do you know what I mean by that? The wording of this concept is not original with me. I'm borrowing it from a Nichole Nordeman song called "Small Enough," which my wife sang in church a few Sundays back.

The lyrics explore the marvelous, mysterious, paradoxical attribute of God that encompasses His greatness and simultaneous diminutiveness. Since we were kids, we've known about the Big part. We were taught to pray "God is great, God is good..." and to sing "My God is so big, so great and so mighty; there's nothing my God cannot do!" And, as a child of God, there is such solace in the idea of His largeness! We feel protected because Somebody bigger than you and I is watching over us. We can turn off the nightlight and sleep soundly because "He's got the whole world in His hands." How could anything be more comforting than that? Well...try this.

Our great big God also has the mind-boggling ability to become as "small" as He needs to be to provide His people with intimacy and near-as-your-next-breath closeness. Because sometimes I don't need to be reminded that Someone up there loves me as much as I'm simply desperate for the assurance that my Friend cares about the mundane issues of my life and that my Shepherd is holding my hand and walking beside me as I grope along in darkness. I think the reason the Creator of the Universe chose to make His earthly appearance as an infant in a manger was to demonstrate to us this largeness and smallness. I'm eternally grateful for a powerful-yet-personal God who is not too small to hear my prayers for world peace ...and not too big to listen to my frustrated cries over a plumbing problem. I don't understand how He does it; I'm just thankful that He does.

There is a song I've sung for years called "Almighty God" (Koch/Chapman) that goes, in part, like this: "If one little sparrow falls, if one of His children cries, the Lord Who is over all understands the reason why; And even the smallest prayer He hears and meets the need, For He is everywhere and still He's there for you and me." Golly, I wish I'd written that! As I count my blessings in this month of thankfulness, my numero uno is my BIG and small God. What are you thankful for?

Kevin

P.S. Don't miss this year's Fall Mini-Concert Series:

Hess's Headlines

Dear Church,

Recently we studied Genesis 6 in our college Bible study called, "Two or More." There is a lot of discussion and some controversy about this chapter of the Bible, but in the middle of all the questions, in discussion of all the theological points, and in the middle of the unknown there were some deep truths in that chapter that stood out to me. I hope you don't mind if I share a few with you:

Grace and Justice - God is a God of both grace and justice. In his grace and mercy he gave the people 120 years to repent, to hear the truth that Noah was preaching, to turn from their wickedness. In fact, in His longsuffering, He observed the people's wickedness for more than 120 years. Can you imagine that, a holy God watching and observing wickedness for that long? The question comes up often, if God is so good, why would he destroy the earth and the people in a flood? My question back is always, if God is so holy, why would he allow anything good to happen to us? His justice and His wrath were poured out, but His mercy and grace saved Noah and his family to replenish the earth.
A Calling and Obedience - Noah was called to build an ark in the time of no rain. For 120 years he cut down trees around his neighborhood. In the middle of evil and wicked people he stayed the course. He built and was made fun of. He prepared and he was rejected. He preached and there were no conversions. He stayed faithful when it seemed as if there were no results. I wonder sometimes what God has called us to? Do we think the calling of God on our lives is too big, so we don't ever start on the task? Do we hear the negative remarks and the voices start to get to us? Do we lay down our tools and resources too early? Do we cut corners and try to do in five years what he has called us to do in 20? Do we listen to His direction and His calling on our lives, and know Him enough to surrender anything else we are doing?
The Gospel - For some of us, the story of Noah and the ark is just a story that we learned in VBS. However, look deeper. God warns Noah that judgment day is coming. According to Hebrews 11, Noah's faith causes him to act in obedience. Noah preaches, Noah builds, and Noah is obedient. Once the ark is built, Noah takes refuge in the ark. As the wrath of God is poured out around Noah and his family, they are in the refuge of the ark, God's provision for them. Today we are warned throughout the Bible that judgment is coming. Our faith, according to James, should lead us to works of obedience. We should build His kingdom, preach the Gospel, and be obedient to His calling. Most of all, we should take refuge in God's provision for us: Jesus. Colossians 3:3 says our lives are hidden in Christ. So, as the wrath of God is poured out, we have our refuge in which we hide, our hope, our security for the future: Jesus Christ!

Continue to pursue the calling God has given you. Be faithful and obedient no matter the cost. The Lord has provided all of our needs! Praying for you all and thankful for each of you!

Chad

Children's Ministry

I want to say a special thank you to all that helped feed 600 people Wednesday night at our "Trunk-or'Treat."

Denise

Singles Ministry

The Singles Leadership would like to thank everyone who participated in the Cardboard Testimonies service, including the choir and orchestra. The testimonies were very powerful, giving glory and praise to God. The video can be viewed on the church website under videos.

November 29th - Soup Kitchen

Singles will prepare and serve at the Soup Kitchen

Iron Bowl Party - November 29th

(starts 30 minutes before kickoff at the East Campus.)

Bring a finger food and wear your favorite teams colors.

December 13th- Singles Progressive Christmas Party

January 16-19 - Smoky Mountain Get Away

Women's Ministry Team

2014 Upcoming Events!

"Operation Christmas Child"

a Ministry of Samaritan's Purse

Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus with hurting and impoverished children around the world through Operation Christmas Child. Let's encourage others to be a part of this wonderful mission activity by filling shoe boxes with small gifts, non-liquid toiletries, school supplies and hard candies.

Beginning November 2, the following will be available in the lobby of the worship center.

Pre-wrapped shoe-boxes (first come first served). Feel free to take one or more of these boxes, or use your own if preferred. Plastic shoe-boxes are usually available at discount stores for a couple of dollars, or less, and these may be used as well.
Brochure with Labels (Boy / Girl). Brochure also includes envelope for $7 shipping fee or pay online and print off a shipping label for your box. After Christmas OCC will inform you as to what country your box was sent.
Handout with packing tips and ideas. Items listed are merely suggestions.

Be sure and check out www.Samaritanspurse.org for additional information about Operation Christmas Child.

The last day for returning your shoe box to Woodmont is Sunday, November 16, when there will be a special prayer of dedication for the boxes.

Samaritan's Purse adds a gospel tract to each shoe-box in the child's native language. Many children and their families have come to know Christ as their personal Savior, as a result of a shoe-box full of love.

Thank you for sending the message of God's

love through Operation Christmas Child.

Woodmont Women's Ministry

December 14, (Saturday)

Ladies Christmas Luncheon

Ministry Team (Brenda Bailes, Charlotte Cramer, Marleen Dortch, Marcia Gartman, Annette Menne, Denise Olive, Loletha Simmons and Kathy Austin, Dir.)

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

Thursday,Nov. 6. - Please join us at the East Campus for Game Day at 12:30. Bring a finger food to enjoy for our lunch. We play Bridge, Mexican Dominoes, and Orbit. If you have a favorite game you may bring it to share with the group. We usually end our games around 4:00. We hope you plan to join us. If you are unable to participate this month, mark it on your calendar for the first Thursday of each month.

Thursday, Nov. 13 - A Group will be traveling to Nashville to enjoy a box lunch and performance of "Gone But Not Forgotten." We plan to visit Franklin, TN for a short time of shopping.

Friday, Nov. 21 - We will pack the Thanksgiving Baskets at 5 p.m. in Room 10. We will then have supper in the gym. Our meal will be prepared by Ray Frens with help from Wayne Beavers. The cost is $5 per person paid to Ray Cross or Jim Green by Sunday, Nov. 16 for your reservation. If you do not want to participate in the Meal please join us for the Packing.

Saturday, Nov. 22, - Please join us for the delivery of the Thanksgiving baskets. Pick up your name(s) for delivery in Room 10. Delivery begins at 9:00 AM