March 2017

Date Song Leader Opening Prayer Closing Prayer

March 5 Caleb Kennedy Shawn Pitts Robert Inman

March 12 Ben Morgan Jim Rogers Tillman Heard

March 19 Ben Coleman John Foote Clay Viar

March 26 Jon Horton Doug Lowrie Larry Majors

Communion Service:

Allen Wyke, Mike Plunk, Craig Kennedy, & Ben Holley

Contribution Counters:

Craig Kennedy & Mike Plunk

Date Nursery Children’s Church Sermon

March 5 Michelle Talbot Debbie Markin Wayne Scott

March 12 Lisa Engle Melanie Linder Ben Coleman

March 19 Jackie Inman Lisa Kennedy Ben Coleman

March 26 Layne Norris Lindsey Morgan Doug Lowrie

Wednesday night Devotionals:

March1: Singing

March 8: Allen Wyke

March 15: Shawn Pitts

March 22: Craig Kennedy

March 29: John Foote

Service Times

Sunday School: 9:30

Sunday Morning: 10:30

Sunday Night: 6:00

Wednesday Night: 7:00

Elders:

Craig Kennedy and Shawn Pitts

Deacons:

John Foote, Robert Inman,

Larry Majors, and Ben Morgan

Youth Minister: Interim Pastor:

Ben Coleman Doug Low-

Eas side

Church of Christ

Follow us on Facebook!

Eastside Church of Christ or

@believersateastside Email us at believersateastside@gmail.com

A huge THANK YOU to any and everyone

involved in the Progressive Dinner!

HOPE AND CULTURE

Cory Maxwell-Coghlan writes about four ways Christians have his-torically interacted with culture during times of tension: Retreat, Accommo-date, Transform, and Wage War. Perhaps you have reacted in one of these ways or belonged to a church that did. In an increasingly complex national (and global) society, a myriad of issues stand before us that no one has had to face before: transgenderism, instantaneously available information on almost any subject imaginable, same sex marriage, the evils of the internet. In trying to deal with these new viewpoints and stances, we might wonder, how do we relate? Better yet, how do we keep up?

Should we, in fact, retreat and say no to all that culture has to offer? Many have tried, some successfully, but in so doing have removed their god-ly influence from the world. Should we accept these issues in a non judg-mental way? While a sound premise, there are some issues that cannot be accommodated, no matter how unconditionally accepting we want to be. How about transforming the world? There are many good things about our culture. Should we start there, emphasize what we have in common, and try to change it for the better? While maybe the most popular interaction be-tween Christians and culture, it still involves us in trying to “fix” what only God can fix. So are we to fight to completely destroy any non Christian influ-ence? Oddly enough, this approach will prevent us from being what the ac-commodators might call their strong point. Unconditional acceptance does have its place in fighting the negative influences of society.

So do we pick and choose from these strategies? Do we try to find some middle ground that will allow us to be effective as Christians and also make the church relevant, helpful and necessary in the life of our culture?

Maybe the answer is hope. It has been said that hope and optimism are two similar emotions. However, there is a huge difference between the two that hints at the answer to the question before us. While optimism seeks to find the best in all circumstances, to “look for the silver lining” and use that to make our lives better, that is not consistently possible.

Hope, on the other hand, is a positive outlook no matter what the circumstances. While suffering through the death of someone close, hope helps us through it. Not by making us happy, but by helping us hope to see them again. While enduring tragic circumstances, optimism tells us we will pull through (with a better job, new relationship, more money, etc.). Hope says, “I may never have any of those things again, but one thing I will have is a heavenly home. The Psalmist tells us, “For God alone does my soul wait in silence, for my hope is from him”. Paul stands trial and says, “…it is on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors.”

While we may not have the impact we would like on the culture around us, the example of hope will break through the attitudes we experi-ence and lead people to that home that we all look forward to.

Doug Lowrie

March Birthdays & Anniversaries

Amanda Harville - 3/1

Jesse Inman - 3/3

Mike Markin - 3/4

John Foote - 3/6

Larry and Robbie Majors - 3/6

Josh Harville - 3/10

Johnnie Ellis - 3/12

Nancy Holley - 3/15

Robbie Majors - 3/17

Announcements

• March 5 - First Sunday meal. Everyone please stay and join us in fellowship

with one another!

• March 8 - Pack the Pantry! Everyone (especially youth) bring as many canned

goods as you can and place them in the white bin in the foyer for the West Ten-

nessee Children’s Home or the food pantry! See Craig Kennedy to donate $15

for perishable’s.

• March 11 - Laser TAG, YOU”RE IT! Meet at the church at 9 A.M. to go to Jack-

son for laser tag at the Family Fun Center. See Ben Coleman for additional de-

tails!

• March 22 - There will be no Stone Soup this night because of Spring Break.

• April 4 - The Children’s Home will be here on this day to pick up our donations to

their food and supply drive. Don’t stop on March 8, bring things in until this day!

• April 21-23 - The Youth will be having a spring retreat to the Coleman’s house in

Savannah. Ben is asking people bring snack foods to help keep the cost down

for the Youth. See him for details on what to being next. Sign up sheet to

come soon!

• May 7 - Friends and Family day! More details to come soon, but go ahead and

start inviting people. We’ll have an invitation/flyer ready that you can give to peo-

ple by the end of the month.

• June 11-14 - VBS!! It’s going to be here before you know it! Go ahead and begin

to think of how you would like to be involved this year.

Totals for the month of February:

Sunday School: 176 Sunday Morning: 284 Offering: $7,983

Sunday Night: 179 Wednesday Night: 168

Walter Markin - 3/20

Hunter Foote - 3/22

Carson Kennedy - 3/24

John Talbott - 3/29