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They Wouldn't Bend...Will We? Since I was a little kid, one of my very favorite Bible stories is the one found in Daniel 3; the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. I’m sure I heard it in Sunday School, but my first recollection of the story is from the old Southern Gospel song, The Fourth Man In The Fire. Besides having really cool names that appealed to a seven year old boy, I’ve always been attracted to the sheer stubbornness of these three young friends of Daniel to do the right thing, even in the face of tremendous personal risk. King Nebuchadnezzar built a gigantic gold statue and decreed that when he struck up the band, everyone within earshot had to bow down and worship it. Those who failed to carry out the order would be thrown into a roaring fiery furnace. Now Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were devout Jews who worshipped the God of Israel, so they were in a tight spot. They could have quietly gone along with the crowd and bowed down to a meaningless statue, rationalizing their action by knowing in their heart they didn’t mean it. But instead, they made waves and refused to bow! As promised, they were thrown into the furnace, where God miraculously brought them out of the fire, and taught King Nebuchadnezzar a lesson in the process. Most of us will never have to make a choice about whether or not to literally bow down to a golden statue upon threat of death; but all of us who claim to be Christ followers face that choice in principle. Certainly the idols of materialism, power, pride, and greed come readily to mind as idols to which we’re tempted to bow. But as I reflect on this familiar story, I see more subtle idols that tempt us. Specifically, I’m thinking of the god of status quo and the goddess of comfort zone. September 7 will be my first anniversary as your pastor, and I humbly approach that milestone with a thankful heart. God has blessed Marilyn and me greatly by calling us here. I’m grateful for your love and support for our ministerial staff, for each other and for our ministries together. Westwood is a place of comfort and familiarity for many of us, and while that isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, it calls for our watchfulness. Comfort and familiarity generate an environment of temptation for us to bow to the god of status quo and the goddess of comfort zone. It’s very easy for us to enjoy loving and ministering to each other so much that we lose sight of Jesus’ commission to love outside our circle. He said we demonstrate our love for him by loving folks who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, cold, sick, imprisoned, strangers, even enemies. In fact, he told us to go further and let that love for them motivate us to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. I believe with all my heart that’s God’s vision for Westwood as we move forward. He would have us find tangible, practical ways to be his presence in this community. That won’t happen through programs and events. That will begin to happen when, as individual Christians, we follow the example of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and refuse to bow to the god of status quo and the goddess of comfort zone; when we open ourselves to God performing a transformational miracle in our lives. Like the three young Jews, that will require great personal risk for each of us, unconditional love always does. We’ll risk engaging folks who aren’t like us, having our traditions challenged, getting our hands dirty, hearing voices among us that sound strange to our ears, but most of all, we’ll risk having God change us. I’m not sure where the journey will lead us or exactly what we’ll encounter along the way, but if we trust God, he’ll involve us in building his Kingdom, not just a church. What do you think? I welcome your reaction, positive, negative, or somewhere in between, and I’d love to hear about any ideas you might have. Your fellow traveler, Mike
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Weekly Activities
Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Minister on Call
If you have a ministerial need over the weekend please contact the minister on call: 5th
& 6th Michelle Anderson
12th & 13th Caroline Allen
19th & 20th Mike Eddinger
26th & 27th Keith Vaughn *Look
every month in the West Wind for the |
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by Associate Pastor Keith Vaughn |
A thank you note has been received from Frank & Wilda Prince and Jerrall & Wyvette Spencer. Please stop by the bulletin board in Hall A to read their words of appreciation. |
Wednesday Evenings Pastor's Bible Study Woven into our human fabric is a desire to know and understand. Many of us spend much of our time, energy, and financial resources in pursuit of knowledge. Knowledge is good, but there is a vast difference in knowledge (having the facts) and wisdom (applying those facts to life). A man known for his wisdom, King Solomon, left a legacy of that wisdom for us written in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. During the month of September, we will take a sip from the pool of wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs where we will find intensely practical guidance based squarely on our relationship with God. Come join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall as we learn together. The Pursuit of Wisdom September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 |
September 1 |
N.C. State Fair Ministry September 6-27th Although it is quite warm, it is not too early to start thinking about and preparing for our N.C. State Fair Ministry. We will be collecting canned goods Sept. 6th—27th. Put them in the collection box in front of the Media Center. •Sweet Sue Brand
Chicken & Dumplings
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Friday Family Fellowship September 11
6:30 pm ~ Covered
Dish
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| AED/CPR Course September 12 9am-3pm Many of you may have noticed Westwood’s newest addition to the lobby area outside the sanctuary. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, we now have an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) mounted on the wall next to the telephone. This is an important piece of equipment to have available in the event of a cardiac arrest. The device is designed to be used with minimal training, so now that we have one, some of us need to learn how to use it. To that end, our own John White has agreed to teach the American Heart Association Heartsaver AED Course. This course will be offered in our fellowship hall on Saturday, September 12 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. There is a limit of eight (8) students for this course, so the first eight folks to sign up on the sheet in Hall A will be included. If there is a need, we’ll schedule additional courses in the future.
The Heartsaver AED Course teaches the basic techniques of adult
CPR and how to use an AED. Students also learn about using barrier devices
in CPR and giving first aid for choking. The course teaches how to recognize
the signs of four major emergencies: heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest
and foreign-body airway obstruction. We know with John White as the
instructor, the course will be entertaining as well as informative,
so sign up today!
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Red Springs NC Mission Trip
September 12 A group from our church will be going to red Springs, NC on Sept. 12. Red Springs is a new “Mission Work Camp” similar to Grifton that has been established by NC Baptist Men. Much of the equipment that was in Gulfport, Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief work has been moved to Red Springs. Red Springs is located in Robeson County southwest of Fayetteville. Men, women and youth can participate. No special skills are needed—just willing workers. We will leave from the church at 6:00am, work until 4:00pm and return to Cary by 6:00pm. A sign up sheet is posted in Hall A. Joey Grissom is the team leader 801-3641. |
| Parents Night Out September 18 6-9pm
Sign up on the bulletin board in Hall A or on the board downstairs. Children should have supper before they come, we will have a snack for them. The children will enjoy lots of fun and games! |
Missions Brunch September 19 We will hold our annual Mission Brunch on Saturday, September 19th in the Fellowship Hall. The meal is provided and will begin at 10:00 AM. Our mission speaker this year is Norman Willacy from Belize. Norman is a Pastor in Belmopan and is also the Principal at the Baptist High School of Belmopan. Three young ladies whose education is sponsored by Westwood attend that high school. Pastor Willacy will share about his work in Belize and his plans for the future. This will be a family friendly mission event with special activities planned for the children following our meal. Please mark your calendars now and plan to learn more about our Belize partnership from one who is on the front lines. Look for sign up sheet in Hall A. |
Fall Senior Adult Rally September 22 9am-1pm Mount Vernon
Baptist Church Amanda Lauren
Watson, One Accord Southern
Gospel Group Please sign up on the Senior Adult Bulletin Board in Hall A. Make your check payable to “Raleigh Baptist Association.” Call Keith Vaughn for more information. DEADINE TO SIGN UP: Sunday,
September 13 |
Community Service Day October 3 On Saturday, Oct. 3 we will be having our annual Community Service Day from 9:00 a.m until Noon. Please plan to come and go out with us as we share Christ's love by helping our neighbors. There will be something for everyone to participate in. There will be breakfast for volunteers at 8:00 a.m., flu shots will be available for volunteers at 8:30 a.m., and everyone will head out by 9:00 a.m. to complete their assigned tasks. Hope to see you on the 3rd! |
Flu Shot Clinic October 3
Insurance plans that
are accepted are as follows: At this time we have no information
on the availability of a vaccine for the N1H1 virus (swine flu). |
Processing Center for Operation Christmas Child November 30 On Nov. 30th from 2 pm - 10 pm, Westwood has reserved a spot for 12 people to serve at the processing center in Charlotte. All volunteers need to commit to working a minimum 4 hour shift. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Jessica Sidgreaves 720-1848 or the church office 469-9393.ur next meeting will be held Sunday, August 16th at 6:30pm. We have just completed a food drive for the Backpack Buddies program and we are excited about planning more activities. This is a new group and we would love to have YOU come and join us. Contact Joy Minster for further details. |
Chrismon Interpretation Service December 5 & 6 We invite you to join us and find the
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Mission Statement A
community of believers Mike Eddinger,
Pastor |
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September Sermon Topics September 6 September
13 September
20 September
27 |
Friday, Sept. 11 ~ 6:30 pm, Friday Family Fellowship Covered Dish & Talent Show Saturday, Sept. 12 ~ Youth Carowinds Trip Sunday, Sept. 13 ~ 6:30-7:30 pm, In Home Bible Study Saturday,
Sept. 19 ~ 10:00-11:45 am, Missions Brunch Saturday, Sept. 26 ~ 6:30-7:30 pm, In Home Bible Study
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