BRIAL SHOWER There will be a Come and Go Bridal Shower for

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ON TRACK RESUMES
September 2
NEW PATHWAYS
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the email Newsletter from
New Pathways For Children,
there is a sign up sheet at
the Information Station.
THANK YOU
Those To Serve: August 16, 2015
Singing: Paul Hill
Lord’s Table: Greg Ferguson
Kevin Dobbins, Jamie Clark, Gene Clark
Jimmy Smith, Jim Roberson, Chris Gooch
Read Scripture: Jeff Nicks
Closing Prayer: Royce Aker
Power Point: Phil Green
Prepare Communion: Dobbins
Greeters: James and Anita Nicks (side)
Tony and Brenda Henson (back)
BRIAL
SHOWER
There will be a
Come and Go
Bridal Shower for Katie Gooch,
bride elect of Ethan Flatt, on
Sunday, August 16, from 2:00 to
4:00 p.m. in the Activities Building.
Ethan and Katie are registered at
Bed Bath & Beyond and Kathy
Hulgan Gifts in Dyersburg (next to
Acred Shoes).
“Thank you for your CRC DAY
gift. CRC DAY is a tremendous
blessing to Crowley’s Ridge College. Having friends like you
support and pray for us is especially helpful and we believe
some of the main reasons for
our growth in reaching more
HA PPY A N N IV E RS A RY
students each year. 100% of the
Leaton and Mary Johnson will be celefunds for CRC DAY this year will
brating their Wedding Anniversary this
coming Saturday, August 15. Here’s their
be used for our Bible Department, Bible major scholarships, address of you would like to send a card:
Leaton Johnson / Mary Johnson
Preacher training, Restoration
Obion County Nursing Home
Tour field trip, Annual Bible Lec1084 East County Home Road
tureship, and Bible Educational
Union City, TN 38261
materials.” - Ken Hoppe, President
YOUTH NEW S
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Those Serving This Week
“To serve and lift up our God to the best of our abilities, and to unite as one
to lead others.“
Hello all!
Hope back to school went well!
Don’t forget that we are having the back to school devo/party at
Mr. Paul Hill’s house tonight from 6-8.
POST OFFICE BOX 216
TROY, TN 38260
PHONE: 536-4611
RON (HOME): 536-4655
Come out and let’s have some fun.
__________________________________________________________________
Taking Christ to Our
Community
FISHERS OF MEN
We took a little vacation this week and got to go fishing. It was
great to be able to cast a lure and relax. We caught a few and
got to play in the water a lot! It was a blast. But, every time I go
fishing it reminds me of a Randy Travis song about spreading the
gospel like a fisherman.
“Keep your lure in the water, Don’t just sit by the shore
There are souls to be caught, Everywhere in this old world.
Go where hearts are plenty, Don’t just drift with the tide,
Keep your lure in the water, in the waters of life…”
Meaning that we should always be ready to spread the gospel
and actually actively looking for people to evangelize to.
Always be ready.
I have to admit, I wrote this while I was on the
lake, so I have fishing in the rain!
Have a great week!!
Evan
Sunday Services:
9:30 a.m.—Bible Study
10:30 a.m.—Worship
6:00 p.m.—Bible Study
Wednesday Services:
7:00 p.m.—Bible Study
P r ay e r L i s t
Troy Church of Christ
August 2, 2015
A little publication known as Our Daily Bread, published the following in the October 4,
1992 edition.
During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control
them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went
along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not faced harsh persecution.
In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp.
When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was
much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each
group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands. Then they came together.
Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do
then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to
God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love
filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred.
When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
In the 1830’s, the American Restoration Movement swept across frontier converting people by the thousands. There were several groups that were making efforts to just be Christians and break free of denominational affiliations. As they learned of the efforts of other
groups, they merged consolidating their efforts and the church increased even more.
That trend continued for a couple of generations. They did not claim to be Christians only
and not the only Christians. Then came the Civil War in which brothers in Christ fought for
the north and for the south. Reconstruction was a difficult time as the century came to a
close. The divide between churches in the north and churches in the south simmered until
the division officially marked in 1906. I say “officially” because the rift had existed long
before that. The date 1906 is the time of the official census which simply recognized the
“divorce”.
Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ and Christian churches (three branches of the Restoration Movement) drifted farther apart as the 20th century rolled on. In spite of all the
teaching of Scripture including Jesus’ prayer in John 17, in spite of all the emphasis of
“doctrinal soundness”, there was little weight given to the doctrine of unity. What there
was seemed to always come in the form of “We’re right and you’re wrong and we can have
unity as soon you admit you’re wrong and agree with us.”
Efforts to bring about unity came in the form of debates in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Few
were persuaded by polemics. Evangelism took the form of argumentation. To this day we
carry that legacy. We have fewer and fewer members who teach others because they are
afraid they will not know all the answers to all the (imagined) objections. Evangelism classes I’ve been part of over the years were geared more to how you can “out argue” others
rather than how to tell them about Jesus. Sermons – gospel sermons as they were called –
were more condemnation than good news.
Perhaps God would be served better if we prayed more and argued less, if we confessed
our hostility and bitterness rather than being defensive. Maybe then love would fill our
hearts and the Holy Spirit would create a spirit of unity.