Sometimes I use the bulletin article to catch all of us up on some things that are happening around South Cobb and ways you can get involved. Here are some things that you need to be aware of and ways you can help.

1. FLOOD RELIEF — our flood relief efforts from July are winding down, and we are slowly getting things back to normal. We still have a few beds that we are holding for some of the flood victims as they get back in their homes, and we will be disbursing these as soon as possible. Finally, and most importantly, we have had some of the flood victims visit with us at recent services, and as we had hoped, they have been very positive about what we are trying to do. Please pray for us as we continue following up of all these, and pray that we might be able to reach some of these with the gospel.

2. PANTRY — you have responded beautifully in our calls and pleas to bring more pantry items, and we have already been dipping into these to help some of the evacuees from New Orleans and some of our flooded families. However, we have the Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets coming up soon, and we need to stock up the pantry as much as possible so we can help the victims of the flood. I suggest that over the next few weeks we all start bringing the following items to help stock up: 4 bags of flour, 4 bags of sugar, 4 bags of corn meal, 4 cans of shortening, 4 jars of peanut butter and jelly, 4 bottles of oil and various and miscellaneous canned goods (meats and vegetables). This will help us in preparation for the baskets and will give us some extra items to help families until that time.

3. FAMILIES AT CAMP INAGEHI — some of the evacuees from New Orleans are spending the next couple of months at Camp Inagehi, and we have been asked to assist them with the items listed under benevolence in the bulletin. Please help with this if you can.

4. COOPERATIVE MEETING — the meeting came to an end Thursday at Piedmont Road, and it was one of the better meetings I have attended in some time. At last count, 45 people responded to the gospel. Pray for each of them, and continue to encourage one another as we “fan the fires of evangelism.”

5. NORTH GEORGIA STATE FAIR — The fair begins September 22 and runs through October 2. We are again sponsoring a booth and will be giving out information about the church to all who pass by. We need your help in stuffing the bags for the fair (which we plan to do September 19 during Monday Night for the Master) and by signing up to staff the booth. This is a great way to let the community know about who we are and what we are trying to do. We ask that each of you help us if you can. One person, or two or three, cannot do it alone.

6. FALL MEETING — we have canceled the fall meeting scheduled with Bill Irby in November, using the money instead for hurricane and flood relief and the baskets.

As you can see, we have a great deal going on, and we will continue to need your help, your prayers and, most of all, your involvement. 2005 has been a wonderful year of service—I can only hope that 2006 will be even better.

May God continue to bless us all.