We're building a bigger heaven and better lives!
Pictures of Us Getting into S.H.A.P.E.
Here are a few pictures of us discovering the marvelous way God has SHAPEd us for service.
Get in S.H.A.P.E. this Sunday!
Discover God’s unique purpose for your life based on the way He has SHAPEd you. He made you marvelously unique for a reason. Tap into that reason and into the secrets of your own deeply personal makeup—the remarkable ensemble of passions, talents, experiences, temperament and other components that work together to make you who you are—and you’ll discover the path to a life of unimagined purpose, impact, and fulfillment. Join us as our exploration of your SHAPE concludes this Sunday, October 26, 9:30 a.m.
Making the Most of Your Experiences
The experiences that come into your life are not random. God intentionally has a purpose behind them – even the “bad” experiences! Discover God’s plan for your experiences and how to make the most of them, this Sunday, October 26 at 10:45 a.m. 101 Pecan Drive, in Schertz [map and directions].
Nursery (infant to age 3)
A caring nursery is available for children infant – age 3 at any time during the worship service on Sundays in the Mother’s Room, to the left as you exit the worship area.
Movers & Shakers (ages 2-4)
Children ages 2-4 are invited to Movers & Shakers during the LifeLesson portion of worship after the children's talk for a fun learning time. Join us in the Mother's room, to the left as you exit the worship area. Interested in helping with Movers & Shakers? Contact Isabella White at 650-3166.
J.A.M. (ages 5-8)
Children ages 5 - 8 are invited to join us for J.A.M., our age appropriate worship/learning experience for children, just after the Children's message next Sunday! Interested in helping with J.A.M.? Contact David White at 650-3166.
Just for Tweens (ages 9-12)
Kids ages 9—12 are invited to be a part of Tweens, a group specially designed for them. Join them on Sunday during the LifeLesson portion of worship for this fun learning experience. Want to know more? Call David White at 650-3166.
Grace Prayer Team
Know the miraculous power of prayer. Word of Life has a team of prayer warriors ready to pray for you. The team meets on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. [map and directions] to pray for the morning worship and other needs. Also, prayer partners will be available to pray with you or for you after worship. Just come to the right side of the worship area.
If you would like the team to pray for you throughout the week, just let Pastor Ken know (566-2237 or Ken@WordofLife4u.com), and he will share your request with the team. Want to be on this exciting prayer team? Contact Betty Tolsma 659-8107 or bettytolsma@sbcglobal.net.
Building a Bigger Heaven in Texas
This morning we’re praying for Raquel Fehr and the University Lutheran Center at UT, Arlington. Word of Life is supporting this outreach to International and American college students through the Texas Partners in Mission (TPIM) program. Ten percent of our regular offerings are given to TPIM. On Sunday, November 16, we’ll celebrate the ministry of Texas Partners in Mission. Michael Fuchs, Director of Development for TPIM, will be our guest speaker. It will be our opportunity to learn more about this vital ministry.
Bible Study Opportunities:
For Men
Men, feast on your favorite IHOP food and God’s Word on Fridays, 6:30-7:30 a.m. at the Schertz IHOP 17220 I-35, Schertz. Bring a Bible and be ready to be filled. Invite someone to join us. Questions? Contact Pastor Ken 566-2237.
For Women
Daytime
It’s a chance to make new friends and be refreshed! Bring a girlfriend and/or neighbor to join our new daytime Bible study for women. We meet on Wednesdays from 9-11 am. We’ll be studying the book, A Woman of Contentment, based on the Book of Ecclesiastes. Join Sherri Smith at her house at 3309 Dusty Crossing, Schertz. Questions? Contact Sherri at 659-2585.
Evening
A New Song: Planted by Streams of Water will encourage and uplift you as you reflect on the life-giving stream that never floods, never dries up, a stream that always sings songs of God’s wisdom, songs of our Savior’s love. Becky Peterson leads this study on biblical psalms. The study meets on Mondays from 7—8:30 p.m. at Patti Mitschke’s, 1531 Jasmine Dr, Schertz. Questions? Contact Becky Peterson, 945-7952 or Patti Mitschke, 566-1650.
For Youth
The Molina’s will be the hosts for the Tuesday night youth Bible study. Join them on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. at their home 1660 Cloudy Brook, Schertz. Questions? Call 705-9586.
Voters’ Guides
What values should inform Christians’ votes? What are the candidates’ positions? Take a look at these resources before you vote:
www.ivotevalues.org/step3
www.glassbooth.org
www.freevotersguide.org/docs/2008-General-English-Voters-Guide.pdf
www.ontheissues.org
Calendar (beta)
You've read through the WordofLife4u. You sense what God wants you to do, but how do you keep track of events to invite your friends and neighbors to, groups where you can grow, and ministries where you can use your gifts to make a real difference? Check out our online calendar at:
www.WordofLife4u.com/calendar.
Things you can do with the Word of Life online calendar:
Open a bigger version in a new window by clicking on Bigger Calendar.
Click on the tabs to view by day, week or month.
Click on individual events to access a map of its location.
Print the entire calendar and post it on your fridge.
Place a shortcut on your Desktop so you can open the calendar with a couple of clicks.
Create a personal calendar and view the WOL and personal calendars together or separately, or easily add WOL events you plan to attend to your personal calendar.
Sign up to receive event reminders.
Make an iGoogle page (personal homepage) and add your Google calendar to it.
Talk with a Leadership TEAM member, Patti or Pastor to add an event.
Contact Pastor Ken at Ken@WordofLife4u.com or 566-2237 to let me know about any other cool features you find or how you use the calendar.
An A-MAZE-ing Evening!
Join us on Saturday, November 8 for a trip to a NEW maze just outside of Marion, TX. We’ll meet at the Mitschke’s (1531 Jasmine Dr.) at 5:30 p.m. to carpool together for the short trip to the Schmoekel Farm. Bring a picnic supper for your family and wear tennis shoes. We’ll have a picnic on the grounds, a chance to get lost in the maze, s’mores by the campfire and, for brave souls, a chance to go back through the maze after dark! Group admission to the Maze is just $5/person (children 2 and under are free.) If you’re interested in shooting the air cannon, you’ll want to bring some quarters. You also will want to bring a flashlight and bug spray. Invite friends to come! Questions? Contact Patti Mitschke, Patti@WordofLife4u.com.
Ministry Questions
Ever considered being a pastor or deaconess? Rev. Kyle Castens, from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, is interested in meeting with prospective seminary students of all ages—elementary school age through adults who are already employed in another vocation. He’ll be at Lutheran High School in San Antonio on Wednesday, November 5 from 9 –11:00 a.m. Call 694-4962 to set up an appointment to meet with Rev. Castens.
Removing the Veil of Islam
All women, high school age and older, are invited to hear Kimberly Idress, a former Muslim, share her testimony. In her 30’s, Kimberly converted to Islam. Thankfully, God delivered her and opened her eyes and heart to Jesus. Come hear Kimberly’s story and find out more about Islam, Saturday, November 15 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 6914 Wurzbach Rd. The event starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students (includes lunch.) There will be an optional dessert and Turkish tea at the Raindrop House Turkish Cultural Center after the workshop. To register, contact Frona McGuire, 614-3742 x. 203 or Fmcguire@shlutherean.org.
Father & Child Retreat
Looking for a weekend get away just for dads and kids? Camp Lone Star in LaGrange, TX is the place for you. November 7—9, dads and kids are invited for a special weekend of archery, devotions, s’mores and making memories. The weekend will focus on ways to encourage the gifts God has given your child. Cost is $80/adult, $60/youth (children 4 and under are free.) For more information, or to register, log on to www.LOMT.com.
Listen Online to Worship at Word of Life
If you have a broadband internet connection, you can listen to audio streams of recent worship services at Word of Life, or you can download a recording of the service to your computer or mp3 player and listen whenever you'd like. Click here! and you'll be directed to our Worship at Word of Life page. Left-click on "Stream" to listen to a service right away or click on "Download" (some require a right-click) to download a service to your computer and/or connected mp3 player to listen to later. You can view, save or print a copy of the LifeLesson notes too.
Billy: The Early Years
Most of us know Billy Graham as the self-assured and charismatic preacher who became one of the most important figures of 20th Century Christianity. Now, with the release of Billy: The Early Years, we meet Billy as the earnest and promising young man at the crossroads of faith and doubt. This new film paints its portrait of Graham against the backdrop of his relationship with Charles Templeton, another gifted young preacher whose faith could not withstand the onslaught of scientific skepticism. He and Graham parted ways and in the film, Templeton comes to personify the rising tide of disbelief into which Graham launched his crusades. The movie is showing at selected theaters in San Antonio. To find out more, visit http://www.billytheearlyyears.com/theaters.htm.
"Better Life" Links
Walk With the Wise - "Wisdom is the knowledge which experience entitles you to possess..." [more]
Are We Raising a Nation of Wimps? - "Our kids are growing up to be pampered wimps who are incapable of assuming adult responsibility and have no idea how to handle the routine challenges of life..." [more]
The Secret to Building a Close-Knit Family - "When we share experiences together as a family it forms the very fiber that weaves a family into a close-knit unit...." [more]
Prayer Requests and Thanksgivings
We Thank God…
for making even painful experiences into positives, for teaching us to trust Him, for giving us endurance, character and confidence, for transforming every challenge into an opportunity, for the wisdom and knowledge of others, for the sense of significance He gives us when we use our experience to encourage and help others
for favorable test results for Steve and his reconnection with the Lord
for new employment for Harold Toomey
for our nation and our leaders, for standing guard over our troops and their families, and for those who have been wounded or who have sacrificed their lives defending us
for all the resources He has entrusted to our care, and we ask Him to bless the gifts we offer Him today so they may help build a bigger heaven and better lives.
We Ask God…
to inspire and empower us to examine our experiences, extract what we were supposed to learn from them, explore the experiences of others and employ our experiences to help and encourage others
to bless the ministry of Raquel Fehr and University Lutheran Center, UT, Arlington as they reach out to American and International students.
to direct us to the piece of property which will best help us reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for resources to help us buy it
to comfort the families of victims of persecution, terrorism and disaster
for better days and the strength to trust those days will come
to move Christians to vote for candidates whose positions are most consistent with a Biblical worldview
to provide employment for those who are unemployed
to protect our troops abroad, especially Elizabeth Grossart, Filip Malka, Nathan Zimmerman, Billie, Jacob Woo and Stephen Linn in Iraq and Jonathon Isquierdo in Afghanistan
to protect Howard Leasure in Iraq
to protect Mitch Namendorf as he returns from Afghanistan
to comfort the friends and family of Bryan Van Valkenburg and Rudy Noeh as they mourn their deaths.
to heal John Bowden, Debra Gutierrez, Jordan, Fred Hamrick, Staci Gregory, Quinn Ussery Henderson, Bea Bernthal and Erwin Michalk; to heal those battling cancer: Richard Grantham, Natalee, Brandon Landsbury, Rebecca O'Dell, Ruie Pines, Alden Malachowski, Pam Toifl, Oscar Morgan, Pam Smith, Ann Dube, Vonda Boerger, Kurt Bickel, Susan Doering and to give comfort and strength to their families
to empower us to connect our community to Christ.
Join us in prayer wherever you are! You may leave prayer requests at 566-2237 or Ken@WordofLife4u.com.
Military Experience Fun
"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire
when you least expect it. That would make you quite
unpopular in what's left of your unit."
-Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.
"Aim towards the Enemy."
-Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend."
-U.S. Marine Corps
"Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The
bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground."
-U.S.A.F. Ammo Troop
"If the enemy is in range, so are you."
-Infantry Journal
"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the
area you just bombed."
-U.S. Air Force Manual
"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously
never encountered automatic weapons."
-Gen. MacArthur
"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo."
-Infantry Journal
"You, you, and you... Panic. The rest of you, come with
me."
-U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.
"Tracers work both ways."
-U.S. Army Ordnance
"Five second fuses only last three seconds."
-Infantry Journal
"Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't
ever volunteer to do anything."
-U.S. Navy Swabbie
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid."
-David Hackworth
"If your attack is going too well, you're walking into an
ambush."
-Infantry Journal
"No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection."
-Joe Gay
"Any ship can be a minesweeper... once." -Anon
"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do."
-Unknown Marine Recruit
"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you."
-Your Buddies
"If you see a bomb technician running, follow him."
-U.S.A.F. Ammo Troop
Just a Thought
"Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." -Benjamin Franklin
Pastor Ken Mitschke
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P.S. For past issues or to subscribe [WordofLife4u].
Word of Life Fellowship-LCMS
1531 Jasmine Dr
Schertz TX 78154-3738
www.WordofLife4u.com
210-566-2237
Ken@WordofLife4u.com
We're building a bigger heaven and better lives!
Word of Life Fellowship LCMS
1531 Jasmine Dr
Schertz TX 78154-3738
Pastor Ken Mitschke
210-566-2237
Ken@WordofLife4u.com