FBC Carthage E-News
January 24, 2011

Good Morning,

January is a great month to take care of things we have put off all year long. It is a good time to clean out that closet filled with stuff we don’t know what to do with. It is a good month to sort through the receipts and the finance drawer in preparation for tax preparation. It is a good month to get started on that diet and/or exercise program we have been talking about. January is a good month to do the things that need to be done.

One of those items to do during January is making a will. January is designated as “Make Your Will Month.” A will is a document that directs how your property and responsibilities are to be administered after your death. The statistics show that over 70% of people die without a will.

Your will is your final act of Christian stewardship. Stewardship is more than what you give in the offering plate. Stewardship is the understanding that everything you have, including yourself, belongs to God. We are entrusted by God with our life, influence, abilities, talents, and gifts, as well as, our possessions. One day we will give an account to God for how we used what He entrusted to us.

How you leave your possessions and to whom you leave your possessions are matters of stewardship before God. Many times, families are divided by an estate that is left for them to “fight it out.” God receives no glory when our families are hurt by our failure to have a will.

With that said, I encourage you to prepare your will, and if you don’t already have one. In fact, I encourage you to begin the process this week. You can go to the Internet and learn more about wills. Talk to your attorney; he will be glad to help you design your will to do what you feel is the best. A will is very inexpensive when compared to the possible costs to your estate if you do not have a will. The time to make your will is right now. Even young families need a will. Especially young families need a will. Who will raise your children if something happens unexpectedly? You need to be the responsible one to make that decision.

As you consider your will, I encourage you to consider the impact your final act of stewardship can have for the cause of Jesus Christ. Many people include their local church in their will. Others include mission work through the International Mission Board or North American Mission Board. Other Christ-centered works have been greatly blessed through a generous bequest through a Christian’s will. A will is about more than stuff. A will is a matter of being a good steward of everything God has entrusted to you.

Have a blessed week as you faithfully serve the Lord Jesus Christ,

Bro. Tim


Here’s the news for this week:
1. We will observe the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, January 30 in both of the morning worship services. We have set aside the 5th Sundays as our scheduled times for the Lord’s Supper observance. The Lord Supper is one of the ordinances of the church and is open to all believers in Jesus Christ who have followed Him obediently in baptism by immersion.

2. As we continue the Amazing Journey through the Bible, we will be preaching and teaching this week from the book of Leviticus.

3. Adult Sunday School teachers are reminded of our potluck dinner this Friday, January 28 at 6:00 PM. Bring a covered dish, your family, and The Small Group Leader’s Toolkit you received in the mail.

4. Saturday, February 19 is “We Love Smith County Day”. We, along with other churches in Smith County, will be doing mission projects throughout the county. We often think of going away to do missions, but this day is set aside to do missions here in our own county. Each Sunday School class is encouraged to be a part of this effort. In addition, those not involved in Sunday School are invited to join in. Hopefully, you will meet some of the class members and want to be a part of a small group within the church. Relationships are best made through the Sunday School classes. Listed below are the projects being planned:

We Love Smith County Day
Saturday, February 19th
8 am to 2 pm

Project #1
Bathroom Main Floor 5’X8’ need small board and linoleum, fix the faucet (they have washers), needs transition strip, needs cleaning
Kitchen needs linoleum or tile 13’7”X7’6”, faucet needs repairing, refrigerator makes noise (if can’t be fixed, possible to move one from the back porch, cabinets need to be washed down, shelf paper needed.
Basement Walls need to be bleached or cleaned and then painted with Dri-lock (probably take 2-3 gallons)
Bathroom Downstairs needs major scrubbing and cleaning.
Outside Back steps - Top two or three steps have holes and need to be welded. Steps are sturdy, but need repair.
Back door will not shut. It is hitting at the bottom.
Window Screens on back porch need re-attaching. Back porch could be painted. Vinyl strip (Gray) on the back needs to be taken down and replaced.
The gutters need to be checked and cleaned.
Garage – needs to be organized and move things to the upstairs of garage.

Project #2
Electrical and Wiring Project
Bathroom Floor needs to be replaced. Need 1 pc of plywood
Basement needs painting, possibly with Dri-Lock
Windows need to be washed and cleaned.

Project #3
Mini Barn needs organizing
Several Things need to be taken to the dump
Branches need to be cut and lots of misc yard work
Walls in the basement need to be checked for water damage and possibly replace sheet rock
Needs 2X4’s put in Mini Barn and also insulation added. (She has material)

If you have questions about any of these projects, please contact Jerry Wilmore, Lisa Reece, Kandy Smith, Brad or Melody Tackett, Zeke Tomaselli or Bro Tim.

5. Here is a good one I received last week from our friend, Bro. Billie Friel:
Dentist's Hymn..................Crown Him with Many Crowns
Weatherman's Hymn...There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
Contractor's Hymn..............The Church's One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn......................Holy, Holy, Holy
The Golfer's Hymn............There's a Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn...............Standing on the Promises
Optometrist's Hymn..........Open My Eyes That I Might See
The IRS Agent's Hymn.................I Surrender All
The Gossip's Hymn.....................Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn.................Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn....................Sweet Bye and Bye
The Realtor's Hymn. . . . . . I've Got a Mansion Just over the Hilltop
The Doctor's Hymn......................The Great Physician

AND for those who speed on the highway - a few hymns:
45mph....................God Will Take Care of You
65mph....................Nearer My God To Thee
85mph....................This World Is Not My Home
95mph....................Lord, I'm Coming Home
100mph.... ........ ....Precious Memories

Give me a sense of humor, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk.