Deacons
   Guy Dale Adams - Transportation
   Bub Barron - Benevolence
   R. M. Bledsoe - Finance
   John Brownd - Fellowship
   Charles Burrow - Worship
   John Chronister - Worship
   Jimmie Darling - Worship
   George Leland - Fellowship
   Harold Rutledge - Building
   Justin Rutledge - Education

Staff
Pulpit Minister:
Glen Knabe
501-278-5628
glen@holdenavecofc.com
Youth Minister:
Ryan Wilson
870-217-5838
ryan@holdenavecofc.com
ymryan17@yahoo.com
Secretary:
Brenda Stegall
brenda@holdenavecofc.com
Custodian
Goldie Arnold

      Adore. It simply means to love or revere deeply, even to worship. But do we adore someone just because we are supposed to? We know we should; we ought to, but is the adoration there? It won’t be unless the relationship is there as well. To know Jesus is to adore Him. To have a relationship with Jesus is to love Him.
      How can one develop a relationship with Jesus? How can one come to know Him? We adore our children because we know them. We spent 9 months or more anticipating their arrival. When they came we spent every minute we possibly could with them. We learned all that we could about them. We stared in wonder at that which God created. Because we are so intimately involved with them, we love them deeply, we adore them. We adore Jesus for the same reasons.
      How do we get to know Him? We spend time with Him. We read God’s Word. We pray. We study. We learn about Him. Who is He? What is He like? To the Jews Jesus said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40) We do not read the scriptures in order to find eternal life, we read the scriptures in order to find Jesus, in whom life is found. The more we find out about Him the more we know Him. The more we know Him, the more involved we become with Him. The more involved we become with Him, the more we love Him, the more we revere Him.
      I love Him because He, as His name implies, saved me from my sins. He came to earth to be Immanuel, “God with us.” As my Shepherd, He leads me through the troubled times of my life. A shelter, a rock, to whom I run and take refuge when the winds blow and the rain falls. He calms the storm in my life. He is the gate to eternal life and as I walk through that gate I know I have found the way, the truth, and the life. He is the lamp to my feet and the light for my path, always lighting the way through the darkness that I not stumble. When my sins separated me from God, He was the precious Lamb that brought me back. When I am attacked by enemies, He is the Lion that fights to protect me. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He will not hear any accusations against me from the accuser because as I have confessed Him, He confesses my name to the righteous Judge. Even though I stumble and fall because I failed to listen to Him or submit to His guidance, He faithfully sticks closer to my side. He is with me always and He never stops forgiving me. He is the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field, the bread that sustains me and the water that keeps me alive. When I die He is my resurrection. He is the King of kings and yet invites me in to His banqueting table and there His banner over me is love. I love Him because He loves me. How do I know? He has demonstrated His love for me in that while I was still a sinner, he took the punishment in my place. Do you know Him? What is He to you? What goes through your mind when you hear His name? Seek Him and you will find a lamb, a lion, a door, a guide, a light, a star, a treasure, a friend, a savior ... O come, let us adore Him!

Welcome to the Holden Avenue Church
of Christ.   We are especially glad that
you are here. We hope you enjoy your time
with us and come back to visit real soon.
It is our hope that you will find your time
here encouraging and beneficial. If you have
any comments, questions, or prayer requests,
please share those with us. We are here to
minister to you and your family.

Our sympathy is extended
to the family of
Paul Eddington
Paul is survived by his
wife, Bonita, and his
loving family.

Please call the office for any updates to the prayer list.

NURSING HOME SERVICES
12-19-07 - Lindley Healthcare @ 10:30am

Birthdays
Dec 18 - Franchelle Harrell
Dec 18 - Ryan Wilson
Dec 18 - Natalie Rutledge
Dec 19 - James McCartney
Dec 20 - Wright Burlison
Dec 20 - Cheyenne Hall
Dec 21 - Stacy Carter
Dec 21 - Sarge Gay
Dec 21 - Katie Lewis
Dec 21 - Madeline Lewis
Dec 22 - Ben Carter

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Anniversaries
Dec 16 - F.P. & Rita Jones
Dec 17 - John & Gail Clark
Dec 19 - Gene & Sandy Grise
Dec 21 - David & Phyllis May

Francis and Rita Jones will host a Christmas party for the A Cappella Angels and their families this afternoon at 4pm. Also, after our evening service the A Cappella Angels will entertain us with songs. Please make plans to stay and hear these young ladies sing.

The annual Christmas lights tour will be
tomorrow night. The bus will leave the
parking lot at 5:30pm and after the tour
of lights, refreshments will be provided at
the Barron’s home. If you need a ride, please
call Bud and Rovene Barron @ 523-3784.

A desert wanderer found a crystal spring of unsurpassed freshness and decided to bring some to his king. Barely satisfying his own thirst, he filled a leather bottle and carried it many days beneath the desert sun to reach the palace. By that time the water had become stale due to the old container in which it was stored. But the king tasted it with expressions of gratitude and delight, and sent away the loyal heart filled with gladness. After he left, others sampled it and expressed their surprise at how bad it was. “Ah!” said he, “It was not the water I tasted, but the love that prompted the offering.”

What we bring to God is marked by multiplied imperfections, but He looks beyond that to our motives. We may think our singing voice is “stale and rank,” but God listens with delight. Our prayers may not be filled with eloquence but God wants to hear what is on our hearts. Could our worship be better sounding, better looking? Perhaps! Yet God is primarily looking for the love that prompted the offering. “. . . the LORD looketh on the heart” - 1 Samuel 16:7
x

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I pray the world remembers
that special Christmas night
when just a little donkey
carried Heaven's precious light.

x

We rejoice with Grant Evins and his family!! Grant was baptized into Christ last Sunday!!! Congratulations Grant!!

Micki & Bud will be hosting a Christmas party for the youth group tonight after evening services!! Bring a small gift to exchange ($5 to $10) and guys bring drinks, girls bring chips.
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On December 21st Ryan will be taking the youth Glo-Bowling in Jonesboro. Plans are to meet at the church at 7:30pm and return 11:30pm. Bring $20 to pay for shoes, bowling and snacks.

Bus Driver:   James Yarbrough
Ushers/Greeters:
     Bruce Manning & Jim McCartney

Morning Worship:xxxxxxxxll235
Bible Class:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxl148
Evening Worship:lxxxxxxxxlll141
Evening Bible Hour:lxxxxxxxl--
Children's Home:lxxxxxxxxl$78.77
Contribution:llxxxxxxxl $4,585.75
Weekly Budget:lxxxxxl $5,200.00
YTD Budget:lxxxxxxll +$9,035.76

Sunday Evening, December 16
Communion:   O.L.Riley & Stan McKee
Announcements:   Junior Hinkle
Closing Prayer:   Cledas Manuel

Wednesday Evening, December 19
Announcements:   Guy Dale Adams
Closing Prayer:   Raymond Davis
Devotional:   Ryan Wilson

Sunday Evening, December 23
Communion:   Charles Burrow & Alfred Couch
Announcements:   John Clark
Closing Prayer:   Al Hall

Wednesday Evening, December 26
Announcements:   Charles Burrow
Closing Prayer:   Linzell Hutson
Devotional:   Glen Knabe