August 30th: WHBC Newsletter

Announcements:
 Wednesday at West Haven – Final Wednesday in August– The calendar has given us one more Wednesday in August, so let’s close out the month together! It has been a great month of growth, discovery and excitement of our church.  We have met new partners, gained new members and seen people come to Christ!  Thank you for your partnership is seeing our church reach our goals.  Join with us tonight as we set new goals for the new season and discover new ways to serve together in our community.  You are invited to join Mr. Joel and his crew of faithful volunteers in our Children’s department as they continue their dive into missions and how boys and girls can work for Jesus in their school and in their home.  Our youth program will meet in the MAIN BUILDING tonight.  Mr. Chris and Mr. Steven will begin a new Wednesday Worship series on September 6.  Youth will be introduced to the history and theological meaning of some of the worship songs we sing each week.  We are in the process of forming a Youth Worship team that will be meeting and practicing on Wednesday.  Make plans to join this new ministry!  Adults meet in the main building for at time of prayer and Bible study.  Adults are in the second part of our series What We Believe. We are studying how God introduces Himself in the Scriptures! Tonight, we will continue the story of the Messiah and see how the Bible told of our need for a Savior from the very beginning.  This study is showing us how the Old and New Testaments work together, delivering God’s plan for redemption.  The WHBC Café opens at 5:45 tonight, so stop by for a quick snack before going off to your designated area! God is doing a great work on our campus! Come see what it is all about!

West Haven Café – We are excited to rollout the new and improved WHBC Café! The Café is open at 8:30AM on Sunday for coffee, tea and refreshments.  Please step up to the counter and allow our WHBC Café Volunteers to serve you.  You will be presented with a variety of choices, from breakfast snacks to cold lemonade.  There will be something different each week. Each third Sunday of the month will be donut Sunday!  To allow our workers to serve you most effectively, we ask that you DO NOT enter the kitchen area.  We will be offering hot items from time to time and our workers need the space to do their job for you.  If you need something, please ask at the counter. The Café will open at 5:45PM on Wednesday with a snack for our younger students.  These snacks are designed to assist parents traveling between school, work and after school programs to tide students over so they may come directly to church, between busy schedules.  Thank you for your help in enjoying these new choices.  We also thank our volunteers for their faithful service to our church family!! If you would like to take a turn on Sunday and Wednesday, please check in at the Welcome Center!    

Men’s Breakfast – All men and boys are invited to join together for breakfast and fellowship this Sunday, September 3 at 7:30AM! What better way to start the week than with a delicious breakfast and an encouraging word? Jon Richerson will be our speaker for the morning.  Invite a friend to come with you and make some new friends while you are there!  Yellow House 7:30AM!  

This Sunday At West Haven – Super September – It’s the beginning of another month, so now is a SUPER time to join with us in September!!  Now is a great time to get involved on a new level at YOUR church.  Our Sunday School program is the first place you should look for new friends, Bible study and fellowship time!  If you are looking for place to belong, serve and grow, our small group program is for you! Our small groups are the best way to introduce your friends to your church and meet a few new ones! Each class has a prepared lesson, fellowship time and life application of the Scripture.  – Stop by the WHBC Café and enjoy a breakfast treat, a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate before going to Sunday School at 8:45AM.  Worship Services for everyone begins at 10AM.  We have one of the best blends of traditional and contemporary worship that will take you back to the hymns of your childhood and lift your spirit with the worship songs you hear on the radio. Sunday worship at West Haven is a great way to invite the Lord’s presence into your life by expressing your thankfulness in prayer and inspirational singing.  Join your heart and voice, along with others, as we praise the Lord together.  Children are invited to join us at the beginning of worship before joining other boys and girls their age in Children’s Church. Here, they will participate in a specially designed, age graded, worship time! Our praise team will continue to lead the congregation in worship, followed by Pastor Jonathan’s message for the week.  This Sunday we will take a look at our LABOR. As we celebrate Labor Day this Monday, what does God have to say about our work and our rest?  Find out as we dig into what the Bible has to tell us! Sunday morning at West Haven is the best way to begin your week.  Invite someone to come with you and be sure to stop by the Welcome Center for more information on all that is going on!  

New WEBSITE AND APP – We are excited to rollout our new WHBC website and app!  www.westhavenbaptist.com will take you to our expanding online site.  You can learn more about our church, view each ministry department and review previous services.  Our new app can be downloaded from the Apple or Google store.  We have all of the features from our app, with the addition of a Bible feature, group chats and connections while you are on the go.  We are in the early stages, and a several areas are still under construction.  In the days to come we will be moving to a new online giving platform and ministry connection portals.  To help with this, we are asking you to sign up as a new user on the app (top right on your device). Once we have your information, we can allow you access to many of these new features.  Thank you for your help in using this new technology that will help us get the word out about what God is doing and bring us closer together during the week!  A big thank you to Pastor Rodney Duckett for his help!

Stand Firm Men’s Bible Study NOT meeting September 4 due to Labor Day.  Will resume with regular meetings in the main building at 11AM each Monday on September 11.  WHBC Café for a time for Bible study, fellowship and fun at midday!

Sherry’ Run / Sherry’s Hope is NEXT Saturday, September 9! Sign up at the Welcome Center to join Team West Haven! Please register for the event through:  bit.ly/SherryRunWestHaven  We will meet together for a team photo before the event!

White Water Rafting is September 9. If you signed up for the trip, please watch your text or email for details.  

FISH FEST 2023Mt. Olivet Baptist Church has invited us to join them for their annual Fish Fest on Saturday, September 9, 3PM -7PM. This event gets larger every year! Enjoy fish, chicken and all the fixin’s! Live music, classic cars, kid’s activities and inflatables! 7463 Hickory Ridge Road, 37123.  www.mtolivetbaptist.com.  This is community event, so show your support of our Sister Church and meet new people in our area.  This is a FREE Event!    
 
The Women’s Ministry will meet in the yellow house, on September 11, at 9:30 am. We will be making sunflower wreaths.  Look for more information at the signup table.  See Lyn Piper with any questions.

Ice Cream Social – It’s Back!  Our annual end of summer fellowship returns on September 20 at 6PM!  If you would like to make your special signature recipe, sign up at the Welcome Center.  We hope to see some exotic flavors, so surprise us with your favorite to share!!  Join the fun as we get ready for a new season at West Haven!!  

Giving Opportunities:  You can mail your check to the church at 5860 Lebanon Road, Lebanon, TN 37087 or visit our website www.westhavenbaptist.com and click on the "Giving" menu item.    We also have Text to Tithe!  Text to Tithe phone # is 615-551-5737!  Let us know if you have any questions!
 
New Testaments for distribution through the Friends of Gideons are available:  5 for $10 or $175 will purchase a case of 100.
 
Outreach and contact system.  Please be sure to add West Haven Baptist Church to your cell phone address book.  Our number appears in your caller ID as 615-547-7729.  If you have not received a message from us and would like to be added please let us know!  
 
Church announcements – If you or your group would like to make an announcement for the church bulletin or newsletter please email us at alicia@westhavenbaptistchurch.com 
Please show your support of Kare 4 Kids ministry by making a donation to help feed kids in Africa.  $5 will feed one child for a month. Please see www.churchmissionsnetwork.org for more information.  Empty soda cans can be dropped at the Yellow House to show support of Miracle Power, ministry to Africa.  If you have large metal items you may deliver these directly to the collection bin at Immanuel Baptist!  

Volunteers This Week (September 3)
 Door Greeters– Mark Thorne & Elmer Richerson
Bulletins – Scott Jasper
Welcome Center – Hettie Lee Richerson
Café – Jackie Cross
Children’s Workers – Mary Webb Nolan; Melissa Bohrman
Children’s Church – Myra Jane Sloan, Joy Ann Baker
Video Camera – Brendan Dedman
 * If you would like to take a turn serving in one of these positions please sign up at the Welcome Center.

Birthdays:
August 30 - September 5, 2023  
Spring Ash – 31
September: RT Ash – 3, Scott Haston – 3
*If we missed your birthday, please ask for a directory information form this Sunday or reply to this email.
 
Prayer Requests
 Lyn Piper – Mother’s health failing.  Lyn and Dale will travel to Michigan to be with the family.  
Nolan Family – Steven and Hayden have been sick for a few days. Doing better.
Ralph Cochran – Sister has shown some improvements but still in poor health.  
Jerry and LaVerne Freeman – LaVerne going home Thursday!  Jerry successful arm surgery yesterday.
Linda Dowdy – Hand surgery healing. Hopes to return soon!
Emily Dickens – Brother passed away.  Funeral held last week.  
Brenda Kellow – Ablation appointment scheduled for Sep. 20.  Bedford back issues continue.
Cowley Family – New grandbaby!  Vivian Rose Baker 8lbs 8oz 19 inches  
Bolles Family – Brenda is scheduled for surgery August 31. Might be postponed due to insurance.  Thank you for your prayers.
Mary Wiseman – Continues cancer battle.  
Randell Pence – Brother continues his cancer battle.
Wayne Dodd – Having good and bad days, but working hard to return.  Thankful for your prayers.

Please remember our shut-ins and those who struggle with health issues each week. Support our Sunshine Committee who reaches out to these individuals.  Consider your possible involvement by praying or working with them.  

Midweek Challenge
We all have heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine," and now there is scientific proof.  A study from the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil has shown that regular chuckling expands heart tissue and promotes the flow of oxygen in the body, thus reducing the risk of cardiac disease.

"Our study found that laughter therapy increased the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system," said the lead author, Professor Marco Saffi, when presenting the study’s findings at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam this week. The randomized study, which was published in ESC 365, included a total of 26 patients averaging 63 years of age, 69% of whom were male.
All of the patients were previously diagnosed with coronary artery disease, which occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries and can restrict the flow of blood to the heart.

Half of the patients watched two hour-long comedy shows on TV each week for a three-month period, and the other half watched two "neutral documentaries." At the end of the study period, the group that watched the comedy programs showed a 10% greater flow of oxygen compared to the other group, indicating a stronger and healthier heart. The comedy watchers also demonstrated improved expansion of the arteries and reduced inflammation of the heart.

Doctors noted that laughter does not take the place of a healthy diet, exercise and medicine, but they cannot deny the positive results that a good belly laugh produced.  

Just another example of what the Bible has always taught us.  In an already stressed out world, don’t make your problems worse by adding to your stress by neglecting your relationship with your church.  Church should be one of the safest, happiest places you go each week.  If that is not the case, don’t blame the Church in general, find one that will help you find the humor in life.  

Some of the best scenes we told about in Scripture are those where Jesus has a sense of humor.  A camel though an eye of the needle?  The Sons of Thunder? A log in someone’s eye?  What about when Nathanael sarcastically replies, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" When he met Jesus, Jesus first words to him: “Here is a true descendant of our ancestor Israel. And he isn't deceitful" (John 1:47, CEV)!  That was a joke toward Nathanael’s sarcasm!  

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a proper time for everything, including humor!  Learn to laugh a little! If you can’t find anything funny in your life, look in the mirror and loosen up!  

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22