The Fairviewer November 8, 2009
Volume 3, Issue 21
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Elders Fairview Church of Christ (931) 363-3475 2211
Glen Brady
Russell Fox
Steve Gordon A congregation where you
Robert King can find help for today and
Greg Tinnon
Bill Walters
hope for tomorrow.
Deacons
Barry Alsup
Chad Alsup
America’s “Sudden Catastrophe”
Alvin Doggett
Ray Doggett
Scanning the social landscape of America, one is struck by a
number of cultural factors that characterize the present condition of
Ronnie Edwards
society. Consider the following four.
Rodger Fox
First, Americans have shifted dramatically away from instruction
Foster Garrett
in Christian religion and respect for the authority of the Bible. The
Minister public school system and the scientific community are thoroughly
Brandon Britton ensconced in an anti-religion, evolutionist posture. Statistics show
that fewer Americans attend church, read their Bibles, or retain
Schedule of Services commitment to the precepts of Jesus Christ. Even among those who
Sunday School 10:00 am maintain an affiliation with the “formal” aspects of religion, churches
have become “seeker sensitive” in their thrust, providing centers of
Sunday Morning entertainment and strictly positive, “feel good,” anecdotal talks in
Worship 11:00 am place of Bible-based, soul-strengthening sermons. Sermons that stir
the soul and convict the conscience are decried as “too negative” and
Sunday Evening “hell-fire and brimstone preaching.” Yes, Americans are rejecting
Worship 6:00 pm religious instruction and authority.
Second, Americans have distorted the notion of justice. In many
Wednesday Bible ways, the criminal justice system has become a laughing stock,
Study 7:00 pm earning the distrust and dismay of large segments of the population.
Since the 1960’s shift from the rights of the victim to the rights of the
Assisted Living Ministry criminal, America’s laws and sense of justice have been gradually
restructured and redefined. Prisons are full to overflowing, resulting
Hewitt House: 1st Sunday in unjust early release programs. Having committed crimes
2:00 pm
“deserving of death” (Acts 25:11; Romans 1:32), inmates continue to
Ivy Crest: 3rd Sunday
live on death row for years and years. “Because the sentence against
2:00 pm
an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons
Thought For The Week: of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11). On one hand,
criminals commit multiple heinous crimes, inflicting injury and death
“Is what you are living for, on law-abiding citizens, only to be released on technicalities to
worth Christ dying for?” continue their vile rampage on the security and well-being of the
innocent. On the other hand, Christian parents can apply proper
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Page 2 of 4 The Fairviewer
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discipline to their children and be brought before authorities for child abuse and
imprisoned. Yes, Americans are violating the rules of eternal justice.
Third, for over 150 years, Americans shared a common and virtually
universal moral framework. As political sociologist Alexis de Tocqueville
observed of America in the 1830’s: “Christianity, therefore, reigns without
obstacle, by universal consent; the consequence is, as I have before observed,
Upcoming Sermons: that every principle of the moral world is fixed and determinate.” Since
November 8 World War 2, Americans have steadily relaxed the moral sensibilities that once
(am) Big Lessons From governed society, providing citizens with certainty and stability in their daily
Little Books: Philemon behavioral choices. The riding parameters that once gave society cohesion,
defining what is right or wrong, moral or immoral, have all but evaporated.
(pm) Singing Night From abortion and embryonic stem-cell research to same-sex relations, clear cut
distinctions have become blurred in the minds of many people. Yes, Americans
November 15 are trifling with the injunctions of morality.
(am) Big Lessons From Fourth, liberal politicians and activist judges are running amok
Little Books: 2 John throughout the country. Foolish, ungodly decisions have been perpetrated on
the public---from the removal of Ten Commandment monuments from public
(pm) Things That Would places and the banning of prayers in city council and school board meetings, to
Have Gotten Us Killed the redefinition of marriage and accommodation of easy divorce. Even Supreme
Court justices are looking to foreign courts to guide their judicial decisions and
November 22 thwart the intentions of the Framers. Their reinterpretation of the Constitution
(am) Giving Thanks Before that results in the expulsion of God from the public square constitutes an illicit
The Meal tampering with the foundations of the nation. Yes, Americans are recklessly
destroying the political constitution that holds us together.
(pm) Big Lessons From In view of these most unfortunate circumstances, consider the words from a
Little Books: 3 John speech delivered on February 23, 1852 by second generation American, Daniel
Webster, who offered the following chilling prophecy: If we and our posterity
November 29 reject religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice,
(am) Youth Conducting trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political
Services constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe
may overwhelm us that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”
(pm) Youth Conducting This uncanny, prophetic anticipation of America’s current condition is being
Services fulfilled before our very eyes. All that remains to happen is the judgment that is
inevitable---since God remains consistent with His actions throughout world
December 6 history (Genesis 19:13; Psalm 9:17; cf. “calamity” in 2 Chronicles 7:22).
(am) Hindrances To Prayer ~ Dave Miller ~
(pm) Big Lessons From
Little Books: Jude
Finding A Home For The Holidays
The holiday season is upon us again and once again we are going to devote a Sunday
in December to reaching out to friends, co-workers, family members and neighbors with
December 13 the Good News of Jesus Christ. For many people the holidays are painful and difficult
(am) Were You There When times when we can offer them comfort, love and hope. For others it is a time to
They Crucified My Lord? remember the importance of family and what really matters in life. We can introduce
them to the family of God and the purpose of life. Our “Finding A Home For The
(pm) Singing Night Holidays” service will be Sunday morning December 20. To help with inviting people
to our services, postcards will be made available in a couple of weeks. Make your list,
check it twice and then invite them to make Fairview their home for the holidays.
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Notes Of Interest Apes Deserve Personhood?
“In some ways, Hiasl is like any other Viennes: He
We offer sympathy to Bill Jennings and his
indulges a weakness for pastry, likes to paint and enjoys
family in the death of his aunt. She passed
chilling out watching TV.” This line introduces an article
away last week in Alabama.
written by William Kole of the Associated Press. The
twist to the article is that Hiasl, who the author says is
We extend our love to Birdie Morrow in the
“like any other Viennese,” is not a human being---he is a
death of her brother Ed Nienast, who died in
chimpanzee.
Fall Branch, TN on Sunday. In lieu of
Animal rights activists have banded together in an
flowers, the family requests donations be
attempt to have Hiasl, a 26 year-old chimpanzee, granted
made to help offset the funeral expenses.
legal personhood. Eberhart Theuer, a lawyer fighting for
Hiasl’s personhood status, stated: “Our main argument is
We want to express our sympathy also to the
that Hiasl is a person and has basic legal rights. We mean
family of Effie Woodard, who passed away a
the right to life, the right to not be tortured, the right to
couple of years ago. Effie was the
freedom under certain conditions.”
grandmother of Theresa Armstrong and
Granting an animal personhood could “set a global
great aunt of Amanda Gordon.
precedent,” according to Kole. It is interesting, however,
that the article deals only with granting personhood to
Andrea Hobbs, daughter of Jack and Eunice
“apes.” In fact, Kole noted that Austria is not the only
Parks is continuing to recover at home
nation considering such novel ideas. “Spain’s parliament
following surgery. She will begin
is considering a bill that would endorse the Great Ape
chemotherapy at the end of the month.
Project, a Seattle based international initiative to extend
‘fundamental moral and legal protections’ to apes.”
Those age 18 and up who are interested in The underlying assumption involved in such legislation
traveling to the San Blas islands off the coast
is that the apes are closely related to humans from an
of Panama to conduct a medical/evangelistic evolutionary standpoint. Since, according to evolution,
mission campaign the week of March 13-20, humans are simply a higher degree of animal, and not a
2010, need to contact the elders by December different kind of being, then animals that seem to exhibit
1st to learn about the trip details. This trip will physical similarities to humans deserve to be treated like
be a joint effort between three congregations humans. Only humans have been endowed with souls and
and under the oversight of the Latin American created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). Humans are
Missions Board (a mission work we not a higher animal, but beings of a completely different
financially support) in Valdosta, Georgia. Our nature than animals.
group would conduct a VBS for the children. In truth, no animals deserve human rights. God gave
the animals to humans to use. He even permits humans to
Birthdays In NOVEMBER eat animals (1 Timothy 4:4). And, while God expects
Nov. 8 ~ Sandra Duncan, Beth Morrow humans to treat animals in a way that accords with the
Nov. 10 ~ Mary Mize animals’ purpose (Proverbs 12:10), He does not consider
Nov. 12 ~ Robert King animals to be people, nor does any rational thinking
Nov. 15 ~ Audrey Duncan, Randy Mayes human. Outlandish attempts to blur the lines of
Nov. 17 ~ Peggy Sanders personhood are little more than evolutionary propaganda
Nov. 18 ~ Kathleen Pierce drenched in misplaced 21st century sentimentalism. If
Nov. 19 ~ Dyllin Dale activists need a cause, why don’t they fight for the rights
Nov. 21 ~ Zac Putnam, Lake Foster of thousands of unborn humans who are being slaughtered
Nov. 22 ~ Chad Tarpley, Herbie Foster on a daily basis in abortion clinics across the globe?
Nov. 25 ~ James Hasting, Frances Polly ~ Kyle Butt ~
Nov. 27 ~ Helen Pagel
Those Privileged To Serve In NOVEMBER
October Announcements Serving All Of November
Fairview Nov. 15 ~ Barry Pigg Baptismal Prep
Church of Nov. 22~ Frank Maxwell Sheri Putnam
Christ
Connie Johnson
Song Leaders
Nov. 15 ~ Alvin Doggett Count Contribution
1765 Industrial Park Nov. 22 ~ Clay Doggett John & Connie Dobbins
Road
Pulaski, TN 38478 Joel & Karen Allen
Lord’s Table
Phone: Stephen Gordon Clean Communion
(931) 363-3475
Joey Hamby Kara Williams
E-Mail: Lynn Hamby
brandonbritton37@ Servers
yahoo.com Mike Gaines Count & Usher
Greg Tinnon Bobby Lovett
Visit us on the web at Greg Sanders Russell Fox
www.fairviewcoc.org Tony Townsend
Member Log In:
Email: member Bob White Pick Up Visitor Cards
Password: fcoc Rick Hyatt Tristan Pickett
Bobby Sanders Brody Brown
“The only thing
Phil Glover
missing is YOU!”
Pick Up Communion Cups
Substitutes Weston Duncan, Abby Glover
Tune in for our Preston Doggett Wyatt Gaines, Brad Sellers
Radio Bible Study Glen Brady
Sunday mornings
at 9:30 am on Bus Drivers Schedule: 1st Sunday: Steve Putnam; 2nd: Joel Allen; 3rd: Paul
98.3 WKSR Daniel; 4th: Preston Doggett; 5th: Foster Garrett
& 1st & 2nd Wednesday: Bruce Rogers; 3rd & 4th Wednesday: Clay Doggett
1420 AM
News and Notes
Sunday Night Service Time To Change ~ During the months of December
and January our Sunday evening worship services will begin at 5:00 pm.
Fairview Congregational Christmas Dinner ~ The annual Christmas dinner
will be Sunday night December 6 at the Giles County High School cafeteria
immediately following evening worship. This will be a pot luck meal.
The Ladies Ornament Party is scheduled to be held on Thursday night
December 10th. The theme is “These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things.”