Bulletin 11-20-18

1. 4
Hugh
Vol. 43 November 20, 2018 Number 46
GOD MADE ME GRATEFUL
Barry Kennedy
Thanksgiving is the holiday that reminds us of all our blessings, at least that is
the way it should be. Far too many people today see thanksgiving as the time to eat and
get a long weekend of football and leisure. Of course, the child of God celebrates
thanksgiving on a regular basis. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his
courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). That
being said, is it true that God made man to be thankful? Is it “normal” for man to show
appreciation? That is a very interesting question to consider. If it were the case that
man was by nature grateful, then would it not be the case that all mankind would be
“grateful?” Furthermore, it would be illogical for the Holy Spirit to inspire men to
encourage (i.e. teach) the need for gratitude in the human race, seeing that man is
already thankful. The question is not, “Are there people who are thankful and people
who are not thankful,” but rather, “Did God make (impose/force) me to be thankful?”
Mankind has made many accomplishments throughout history. Could it be that
man has allowed our accomplishments to make us feel self-sufficient? Have we truly
forgotten that God is still in control? Nebuchadnezzar found out what happens when
pride takes control.
“O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom,
and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people,
nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and
whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he
put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was
deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven
from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was
with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the
dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and
that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will” (Daniel 5:18-21).
The heart of the man who trusts in himself has lost the attitude of gratitude.
Daniel makes it clear that God is the one who rules in the kingdoms of men. This
nation has been blessed to be a shining light of freedom not because of the goodness of
man, but by the grace of God. The sobering thought is that He can just as easily take it
away. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs
14:34). Are we grateful to be living in a free nation, or do we show ingratitude through
immorality?
--article continued page 2--
ELDERS
Mike Childers..............397-6453
Dennis Hallmark .........255-5557
Mark Hitt.....................322-0917
Bobby Lindley.............260-9193
DEACONS
Wade Bryan.................419-5552
William Harris.............416-8149
Ricky Lindsey .............255-8136
Jeff Mansel..................871-0357
Jimmy Spearman.........840-8957
Michael Wilson ...........891-0891
PREACHER
Barry Kennedy ... (931)787-7108
SECRETARY
Renee Childers
Office...........................842-6116
Fax...............................842-7091
E-MAIL
eastmaincoc38804@gmail.com
WEB PAGE
eastmaincoc.com
SUNDAY SERVICES
Worship....................... 9:00 a.m.
Bible Classes............. 10:15 a.m.
Worship..................... 11:15 a.m.
Singing or Devotional
Last Sunday of the Month
MID-WEEK
SERVICES
Wednesday Classes .....7:00 p.m.
EAST MAIN CHURCH OF CHRIST
1606 East Main Street
P. O. Box 1761
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
“Thou shalt observe to do all that they inform thee”
(Deut. 17:10)

2. --article continued from page 1--
God made me grateful by the example of His
great love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for His friends” (John 15:13).
For man to stop and to consider this truth must
produce a response. That is not to say that everyone
who thinks about Jesus’ death will be saved. To reject
Jesus is not the correct response, but it is a response
none the less. It has been said that ingratitude is the
first step toward apostasy (total rejection of God).
Paul let the Roman congregation know that
ingratitude was one of the reasons God gave some up
to serve their own lusts (Romans 1:18-32). God is the
“SOURCE” of all things (John 1:1-5), but the fact that
He gave up His life to secure our lives with Him
should cause us to be grateful. Sadly, some will not
thank God for anything. Their hearts are too hard for
the love of God to penetrate, germinate, and produce
faith (Matthew 13; Romans 10:17). Jesus said, Ye are
My FRIENDS, if ye DO whatsoever I command you”
(John 15:14).
Yes, God made me grateful because of who
He is and because of what He has done for me. He is
the Almighty God of Heaven who created all things,
and although man contaminated this life with sin, He
did not give up on us (Romans 3:23; 6:23). He has
made salvation from sin available to all men
everywhere (John 3: 16; Titus 2: 11-14; Hebrews 2:
9). How can one not be grateful when considering
these words, “Who his own self bare our sins in his
own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye
were healed” (1Peter 2:24). Knowing the blessings of
God, it is easy to see that the first step toward
apostasy is ingratitude. God made me grateful, how
about you?
Community Outreach Item:
Toothpaste
Community Outreach
Program
The Community Outreach
Program would like to ask
each one who can to choose a
tab off the trees on the table in
the foyer to purchase items for
the Nursing Home residents to
be given to them at Christmas. Please return items to the
building by December 1st
. Thank you for your help!
Placed Membership
Last Sunday, Nov. 11 Mike & Carol Cross made
known their desire to be recognized as members of
the East Main congregation and work under the
oversight of our elders, Mike Childers, Dennis
Hallmark, Mark Hitt & Bobby Joe Lindley. Their
address is 763 CR 1451, Saltillo 38866, and their
phone numbers are 871-7400 (Mike) and 871-1920
(Carol). Please welcome them into our number.
Visitation Team #4
Visitation Team #4, Mike Ratliff’s team, will
meet this Sunday, Nov. 25 at noon in Room 10
briefly to hand in cards and get new ones. There
will be NO meal.
Wednesday Thanksgiving
Prayer & Praise
This Wednesday, Nov. 21 our evening Bible
study will be a little different. Everyone will be
asked to stay in the auditorium for a period of
Scripture readings, prayers, and songs. Please make
plans to be here!
Parents of All Youth
All the youth and their parents will be hosting a
holiday luncheon for our Senior Saints in the
multipurpose room on Sunday, Dec. 2 at noon. We
need ALL parents to please sign the food list posted
in the foyer beside the tract rack so we will be sure
to have plenty of food. Thanks so much for your
help.
John Duke is stationed in Long Beach, MS.
Matt Duke is stationed in Ft. Carson, CO.
Caleb Williams is stationed in Norway.
Dylan Kelly, Steve Kelly’s grandson, is in Kuwait.
Ty Nichols, Patsy Nichols’ grandson, is in
Oklahoma

3. Daily Bible Reading
November 21 .............................................Romans 1-3
November 22 .............................................Romans 4-6
November 23 .............................................Romans 7-8
November 24 ...........................................Romans 9-11
November 25 .........................................Romans 12-16
November 26 .....................................1 Corinthians 1-4
November 27 .....................................1 Corinthians 5-7
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays: Shirley Lyons (Nov. 21), Lee
DuBois (Nov. 23), Debbie Hallmark (Nov. 23),
Tammy Minor (Nov. 24), Eli Rushing (Nov.
26), Rodney Voyles (Nov. 26), Addie Hitt
(Nov. 27). Anniversaries: Jeff & Natalie Mansel
(Nov. 22), Kyle & Summer Smith (Nov. 22), Shawn
& Jean Mounce (Nov. 26).
Our Sick
Lauren Lindley continues in room 386 at NMMC.
Please no visitors. Jean Mounce is in room 363 at
NMMC. Tommy Goff, Patsy Nichols’ brother, is in
the M. D. Anderson Hospital in TX following surgery.
Bettye Davis, Carrie Hitt, LuAnne Funderburk, Mary
Ann Wallace & Carolyn Willis, Lynn Sanderson’s
mother, are all home recuperating from surgery.
Debbie Duke’s mother, Carol Nichols, is undergoing
chemo & radiation treatments for her lung cancer.
Scarlett & Kannon Smith are home sick. Charles
Tharp is on home hospice care. Kaye Lindley, a MES
secretary many of you know, has been diagnosed with
colon cancer.
On-Going Illnesses
Laverne Raper, Frankie Estes, Donny Dulaney, Adam
McCurley, Linda McCurley, Mary Jordan, Bretta
Robinson, James Goddard, Ray Scribner, Bill Goff,
Linda Bryan, Mitch Maclean, James Nichols, Sheba
Tuggers, Sherry Gregory, Shirley Owens, Mickey
Bailey, Sammy Carson, Nathan Hale, Leroy Brown,
Mike Stroup, Shirley Lyons, Jadon Parish, Charlie Evans
Nursing Homes/Assisted
Living
Nancy Haywood, Randy Attaway, Shirley McCarthy,
Mary Southern, Veona Harris
Home Devotional
In what chapter of the Bible do you find?
Creation......................................................Genesis 1
Joseph sold by his brothers ......................Genesis 37
Twelve apostles...................................... Matthew 10
Lord’s Supper..................................1 Corinthians 11
Faith ....................................................... Hebrews 11
List the books of the New Testament:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,
Acts, & the Letter to the Romans,
I & II Corinthians, Galatians & Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians,
I & II Timothy, Titus & Philemon,
Hebrews, James,
I & II Peter,
I & II & III John,
Jude & Revelation
Memory Verse:
• Why do I need Jesus?
• Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have
separated between you and your God, and
your sins have hid His face from you, that
He will not hear.”
Put the following Bible characters in
chronological order:
• Aaron
• Enoch
• Cain
• Abednego
• Methuselah
• Moses
• Abraham
Can you tell a Bible story from the
following picture?

4. Men to Serve Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 a.m.
Announcements................................. William Harris
Bible Reading.............................................Ian Willis
Opening Prayer .......................................Jeff Mansel
Lord’s Supper
Terry Kingsley & Clinton Kingsley
Serve Congregation, East Side:
Greg Lyle, Will Davis, Lee DuBois
Serve Congregation, West Side:
Chad Willis, Aaron Willis, Zac Tucker
Lead Singing..............................................Mark Hitt
Closing Prayer.........................................Tanner Hitt
Ushers ............. Jason Dickinson & David Ramseyer
Please meet in the library by 8:45 a.m.
Sunday Afternoon
Opening Prayer ................................Michael Wilson
Closing Prayer..................................James Simmons
Lead Singing............................... Bobby Joe Lindley
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Prayer ........................................................Sam Hood
Lead Singing........................................John Mounce
Contact Ricky Lindsey (255-8136) if unable to serve.
The elders kindly request that men leading in public
worship wear the best dress clothes they have.
Greeters ...................................Chad & Susan Willis
...............................Hugh & Rachel Scribner
Prepare Lord’s Supper—November .................... Joe
& Alicia Smith
Nursery..................Dundee Donald & Hallie Donald
Pantry................................................Spaghetti sauce
Attendance & Contribution
Mid-Week, 11-14-18............................................116
Sunday 1st
Worship, 11-18-18 .............................178
Sunday Bible Class ..............................................174
Sunday 2nd
Worship.............................................165
Contribution (budget $7,900)..........................$6,831
The youth of East Main invite our
Senior Saints
(age 60 and above)
to a holiday luncheon prepared in your honor on
Sunday, Dec. 2nd
Immediately following worship services at noon
in the multipurpose room.
Please sign the list on the bulletin board across from the library if you plan to attend.