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West Huntsville

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

I hope you can come…

Every now and then, a digger or someone who is reading the blog asks me about the church of Christ: “What do you believe about ______?”  Perhaps most often, the question is “ Why do you not have a band or a piano in your praise?” Maybe you are local to Huntsville and you’d be interested to know more about the church of Christ. If you are only ever going to visit an assembly one time at West Huntsville, this would be a great time!

What you need to know is that there is no sense in which this church family is a denomination; no creed but the Bible, no hierarchy, no synod, or responsibility to follow any dictate from any board or diocese.

If you’re local to the Huntsville area, and you can come just once in your lifetime to hear this beautiful a cappella singing and have your questions answered, this next Sunday would be the time to investigate. The lesson that day will be a simple, Biblical overview and you will leave with an understanding of what this group is about. No money will be asked of you. You will be invited, but not pressured, to stay for lunch (but it’s always delicious and free and just a good time of talking, kids playing and an atmosphere you want those kids to love). There’s nothing about the day that will be awkward or make you “feel” like an obvious “visitor.” You won’t be asked to stand or speak or donate—at all.

There’s a really fun and free time together the day before, too. You can see details below. I’m speaking seven times from Thursday night till Saturday noon at another event in Tennessee, but I’m going to travel back as fast as I can to be at this cook-out/hayride/fun time on Saturday. My grandchildren think it’s an annual highlight. My nine-year-old grandson already asked “Will we get to have a hayride?”  Colleyanna is more about the face-painting. I REALLY hope all of my grandchildren will grow up in church families that think kids’ souls are worth the time and effort it takes to give them spiritual family and put the Word of God in them.  

Speaking of that, you will also see “KIDSING” on Sunday morning just before we begin our worship. I often hear people say “I’ve never seen children who know that much about the Bible!” It’s pretty phenomenal how they soak it up in this fun little ten-minute time with my husband. You’ll want to get there on time, so you can see KIDSING. Classes for the kids (and adults) will follow the morning worship. They will love those, too, if you can stay.

Okay, enough! I just wanted you to know. Maybe I’ll get to see you there. If you come on Saturday, be sure I get to meet you. I’ll be the one with big bags under my eyes. But those eyes will be so happy to see you!

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

This! Girl’s Day.

If you just have one mother-daughter trip left for 2022, make it this one! I can’t say enough good things about what our teen girls do to make this available every third year. I can’t say enough about the importance of sharing times like these in a world in which the devil is seeking to devour. But only you can put your girls in this place on this important day. Here’s the info you need. Also read to the bottom and click the “f” for facebook sharing. 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Welcome to Spark!…from the West Huntsville Elders

We are excited to be able to host PTP Spark next week. We want to welcome you to Huntsville, Alabama and to West Huntsville church of Christ. We are expecting that the number of people attending will push our building to its capacity and we ask your patience as we try to accommodate everyone.

As you are aware, the number of Covid 19 cases is on the rise in the United States and in Alabama. We will do all that we can to prevent the spread of this virus. We ask that you help us in this matter. Please practice good hygiene and please do not attend if you are sick. Masks are optional.

We look forward to a wonderful week studying God’s word together and enjoying fellowship with our Christian family.

Thank you for coming to be with us.

The Elders

West Huntsville church of Christ

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Family Ties in the Social Distance…

My husband, Glenn, is sharing these daily lessons from Philippians 4:8 for our West Huntsville family as we are necessarily (because of the virus) spending less time physically together in worship, study and fellowship. We may be “socially distanced,” but  we’re a close-knit family and we want to keep it that way! One way to stay on track together, spiritually, is to think about a common passage and make applications for our lives together even when we are unable to assemble as frequently. I’m sharing these daily family lessons here for those in other places, whose families (or even congregations) might benefit from a common study in these uncommon days of semi-quarantine. Blessings!

From Glenn:

As the virus separates our West Huntsville family from the assemblies for worship, prayer and study, we need to stay near our Lord.  That involves thinking on the right things day and night (Psalm 1:2).

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you (Phil. 4:8-9).

This week, every day, I will post thoughts in the order that the apostle Paul listed them in this important “finally” verse of Philippians.

Monday — Whatever is true…

I love truth in all aspects of my life, even in things that hurt, because the alternative to truth is a lie.  Lies destroy lives. In John 8, Jesus told Jewish leaders that their spiritual father was the devil, because they imitated his lying.  The trials of Jesus were filled with lies (Mt. 26) and, when He was resurrected from the dead,  wicked men paid money to the tomb guards to entice them to lie.  

Loving something implies hating.  If I really love something or someone, I hate things which will do them harm; disease, violence, crime.  Similarly,  a man who doesn’t hate lying doesn’t really love truth.  Ask yourself, “Do I really hate lying?”

According to Proverbs, friends who lie to you actually hate you.  “A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin” (Prov. 26:28).

Marriage cannot survive without truth. Every lie that is told does damage to the foundation of love and, thus, before long, the home will irreparably collapse because it has no foundation on which to stand.  Never lie to your spouse.  Never lie to your parents or children.

What distinguishes the church from men’s religions is adherence to the word of God. The true church is one which is described by Paul as the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).  I love the church of Christ for this reason.  I need to know God’s will in order to please Him.

Want God’s peace? Want to live a life that’s praiseworthy?  Think on truth; Value it. Love truth in all areas of your life.  Today meditate on the importance of truth in your life.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

(Psalm 19:7-11)

Additionally, I’d like to challenge those of you who have children to use this time to build family closeness in the Lord.  For that reason, I’m also suggesting that all our  WH families be on the same nightly “story time” character: Joseph. He, like us, faced times that must have felt surreal.  

Monday — Tell your children the account of Joseph being sold by his brothers from Genesis 37. Be sure and emphasize these details:  

1.  Reuben, the oldest brother, tried to be a good leader and understood that doing the right thing meant speaking up when the crowd was going the wrong way (vs. 21-22).  Through our lives we must do the same. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

2.  When Judah had the idea to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, and explained the awful plan to his brothers, the Bible says they “listened.”  What are some things you should teach your children that they must never listen to? Talk about these with your kids.

3.  Lying often accompanies sin: adultery,  stealing, disrespecting parents’ authority, etc.. . How did the sin of selling Joseph involve lying to Jacob (Jn. 8:44)?

4.  Joseph couldn’t see it right then, but God was watching over and protecting him even in this hard, frightening time.  He will be with us too (Heb. 13:5-6).

Close with this little song, if you have very young children (to the tune of the chorus of “Blessed be the Name”):

I must tell the truth.

I must tell the truth.

I must never, ever tell a lie.

I must tell the truth.

I must tell the truth.

I must never, ever tell a lie. 

Then pray together. Include a prayer that He will help you to always be truthful with each other and to walk in the truth of His Word. 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Ladies Seminar: Women Under Construction

Women Under Construction is the theme of this year’s ladies seminar at West Huntsville. I hope you can come meet our speaker, Denise Surles, from Big Spring, Texas, and hear her practical wisdom for growing, building and influencing for Christ in our homes and communities. I’ve met Denise, who’s the mother of four and now also a grandmother, and I know you’ll be blessed by her study. But that’s not all; the fellowship we share–the singing, the prayers, the words of encouragement you’ll hear, just the knowledge that there are many women in the same room that day who are all about the superlative goal of heaven for our families–all of this and more in a single morning is a great redemption of time. So come! You’ll go home a stronger woman for Him!

It’s happening September 14 from nine till noon. Childcare is provided, so you moms can take a small physical break concurrently with a large spiritual renewal.  Housing is provided, free of charge, in homes for those who travel to Huntsville to attend. Sometimes the most uplifting part for those who “road-trip” to the seminar is the traveling fellowship. Come on Friday and enjoy a little mini-vacation with your sisters in Him. Plan to take a couple of hours at Bridge Street after the seminar to peruse Huntsville’s prettiest outdoor shopping area or take a stroll through Firehouse Antiques (my personal favorite Huntsville antiques store….It’s huge!)

It’s hard to imagine doing something this productive that’s still this much fun. It IS fun to get to know and love our sisterhood. But the growth we experience from time we spend together in the Word makes a fun day a fruitful one.

Mark your calendar. Pray for this event…and register here: https://westhuntsville.org/ladiesday/