We're building a bigger heaven and better lives!
StressBusters
LifeLesson Series on Psalm 23
What are the seven greatest sources of stress? They’re all found in Psalm 23. So why is this one of the most beloved passages in God’s Word? Because here God administers the antidotes to stress; because here God reveals who He is and how much He loves you and how much you matter to Him. Invite someone you know for some stress relief!
God's Antidote for Indecision
If you can't make up your mind you're going to bounce back and forth like a pinball in a pinball machine. There is a right path. God can guide you to it and keep you on track, discover how this Sunday, May 2, 10:45 a.m. at 101 Pecan Drive, Schertz. [map and directions]
A nursery is available for children infant – age 4 at any time during the worship service on Sundays in the Mother’s Room, to the left as you exit the worship area. The audio of the service is broadcast into the room. Interested in helping with Nursery? Sign up at the Info Table or contact Chris Stemmermann at 566-1401.
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 this 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 this Sunday during the LifeLesson portion of worship for this fun learning experience. Want to know more? Call Becky Peterson at 945-7952.
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). He will share your request with the team.
The team is compiling a quarterly newsletter and they would like to add your story of answered prayer. Please share YOUR story and/or become a part of this exciting prayer team. Contact Betty Tolsma 659-8107 or bettytolsma@sbcglobal.net.
Building a Bigger Heaven in Brazil
In our prayers this week, we’re lifting up missionary pastor Diegho Luiz and the ministry of Concórdia as they reach out to people in Nova Venécia and beyond. We support their work through the gift of 10% of our Sunday morning offerings to Brazil Mission Society. To find out more, visit www.BrazilMissionSociety.com.
Taste of New Orleans
Stay around after worship this Sunday and enjoy a delicious New Orleans style meal. Our youth are cooking up a number of tasty dishes to share with you. Proceeds from the meal will be used to help send our students to the National LCMS Youth Gathering in New Orleans, LA this summer. Even if you didn’t sign up last week, please join us for lunch in the Fellowship Hall. There will be plenty of food!
Fresh Start with God
If you've been a believer for some time or you’ve recently come to know Jesus as Savior; if you have questions about the Christian faith or you have a friend to bring that would benefit from this group... our Fresh Start with God course is for you. Everyone should attend this class at least once! It will help you:
build on a firm foundation which will benefit you for life,
discover or brush up on the essentials of the Christian faith (including what we believe at Word of Life Fellowship),
get connected with Pastor Ken and others,
play "Stump the Pastor," and
prepare for meaningful membership at Word of Life and more!
The course will answer seven common questions:
How can I be sure I’m a follower of Jesus?
OK, I believe in Jesus, but what does that mean?
Prayer and Bible Reading: Where Do I Start?
Why do I need baptism?
Why do I need the Lord’s Supper?
Why is it so important that I connect with other believers?
What do I need to know about Word of Life Fellowship?
This two session class will meet two Saturday mornings, May 8 and May 15 from 8:30 a.m.—noon at the Mitschke’s 1531 Jasmine, Schertz. If you plan to join us, please sign up on the RSVP form at worship or contact Pastor Ken at Ken@WordofLife4u.com or 566-2237.
Join a Missional LifeGroup
Youth Group - Tuesdays
7:00 p.m. at the Weissmann's
108 Rustic Trail, Cibolo
Questions? 314-3754
Adult LifeGroup
7:00 p.m. at the Goeke’s
21927 Paseo Corto, Garden Ridge
Questions? 651-3075
Women’s Group - Wednesday Mornings
9:00 a.m. at Sherri Smith’s home
3309 Dusty Crossing, Schertz
Questions? 659-2585
Reading Group - 3rd Wednesdays
Meets Wednesday, May 19 to discuss “Far from the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy
6:45 p.m. at the Schertz Library
798 Schertz Parkway, Schertz
Questions? 566-1650
Men’s Group - Thursdays
7:00 p.m. at Ken Mitschke’ home
1531 Jasmine, Schertz
Questions? 218-3685
God Sightings Group - Anytime
Go to www.MyGodSightings.com and click on “Sign up now.” Once you have created your profile, use the search box to search for the “Word of Life Fellowship” group.
Help us celebrate Moms
We thank God for the gift of moms and will celebrate that wonderful role on Sunday, May 9. There will be special gifts for moms who deserve unique recognition and a treat for all women in attendance at worship. Be sure to invite your mom or a friend or neighbor to join us for Mother’s Day.
Mission & Ministry Facility Update
The Cibolo City Council approved the zoning change for the property on FM 1103 and Coy Road. However, there were a number of area residents who spoke against the change. Many were not opposed to a church in their area, but they were concerned about access, congestion on Coy Road and the impact on property values. We share some of their concerns and want to work with area residents, the City of Cibolo and Texas Department of Transportation to assure safe traffic flow. The next step is closing on the property which is scheduled to take place this month. Please pray about this process and watch for more information.
Neighbor in Need
One of our Word of Life members, a single mom, has recently lost a home-care client resulting in significant income loss. While she still has one client, she is looking for other elderly or disabled clients to serve and to restore her income. Also, her trailer needs repairs. These problems will become worse if they are not fixed soon. However, she cannot currently afford even the materials for the repairs. If you know of potential clients, please contact Pastor Ken at Ken@WordofLife4u.com as soon as possible. Consider making a donation to Word of Life's Neighbor in Need fund to help provide materials for her repairs. Please make your check payable to Word of Life and write "Neighbor in Need" in the memo line or place your cash donation in a "Neighbor in Need" envelope available by the offering box.
$49,000 + $49,000 + Interest!
At the end of April, our Mission & Ministry Facility Fund total stands at just under $49,000. For every dollar you give to our Building Fund until the end of 2011, the Texas District LCMS has generously offered to match it up to $100,000. As a bonus your donation will receive a high rate of return in the coming year through our Texas CEF Building Fund which is currently paying 2.78% apy. Just write "Building Fund" in the memo line of your check or place your gift in a Mission & Ministry Facility Fund envelope available by the offering box.
Missional Worker Training
San Antonio Missional Worker Training will be held Saturday, May 15 at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 5323 Blanco Road. LINC San Antonio is sponsoring this training opportunity for lay people. This one-day seminar, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. will begin a 12-month journey for people who are ready to serve God and His people. Cost for the workshop is $15 for lunch and materials. Take a look at the FAQs about Missional Worker Training at the Missional Worker Training Blog http://missionalworker.blogspot.com. For more Missional Worker information and resources go to www.missionalworker.org.
Stamp Out Hunger
On Saturday, May 8, letter carriers in more than 10,000 communities will collect food items and deliver them to local food banks to help some of the millions of Americans, including an estimated 16.7 million children, who face hunger every day. Since 1993, families have donated nearly 1 billion pounds of food to Stamp Out Hunger. You can help make this year the most successful ever.
Simply place bags filled with nonperishable food items like canned meats, fish, soup, juice and vegetables, and pasta, cereal and rice next to your mailbox on Saturday, May 8. Your letter carrier will pick up the bags and deliver them to Randolph Area Christian Assistance Ministry.
Worship at Word of Life
You can listen to audio streams of recent worship services at Word of Life through the internet or download a recording of the service to your 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.
You can also subscribe to our Podcast/RSS Feed of Worship at Word of Life. To subscribe to the podcasts and LifeLesson notes, click on Subscribe. To take advantage of this feature you may need to update your web browser or get a free RSS reader. For more information about RSS subscriptions and readers go to www.WhatIsRSS.com.
Online Calendar
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.
"Better Life" Links
The Christian Leader's Guide to Making Decisions - "We think we hear God and know His will, and we act on this confidence, but what we are really hearing is not God at all..." [more]
Making Career Decisions within God's Will for Your Life - "Although the Bible is not a manual on career planning and decision making, it does teach some important principles that can assist you in becoming a wise decision maker..." [more]
Right and Wrong in the Workplace - "Everybody lies on their resume..." [more]
How to Make the Right Financial Decisions - "It's pointless to think of the 'right' investment portfolio simply in terms of maximizing profits. If that is your approach, you will always be frustrated and second-guessing your decisions..." [more]
Prayer Requests and Thanksgivings
We Thank God…
for leading us in paths of righteousness, for promising to give us wisdom whenever we ask, for speaking to us through Scripture, Church and circumstances, and for leading us by hand through difficult places
for healing and continued health, especially the miraculous healing of Debbie Larkin
for providing Joe Curry with employment and other amazing blessings
for the acceptance of our rezoning request
for our nation and our leaders
for standing guard over our troops and their families
for those who have sacrificed life and limb defending us
for all the resources God has entrusted to our care
for His promise to multiply our tithes and offerings to help build a bigger heaven and better lives.
We Ask God…
to inspire and empower us to admit our need for the Lord’s leadership, to ask God for wisdom without doubting, to recognize and respond to the Lord’s voice and follow Him, to trust the Lord even when we don’t understand why His path goes through dark, difficult places
to bless missionary pastor Diegho Luiz and the ministry of Concórdia as they reach out to people in Nova Venécia and beyond
to direct the closing on the FM1103/Coy property to help us reach our community with the Gospel
to comfort the victims of persecution, terrorism and disaster
to bless our leaders with godly wisdom and guidance that they would lead according to His will
to bless students as they work on papers and finals, as they tryout for sports teams and as they seek scholarships and aid
to bless David & Ana Koester, Paulita (Koester), Daniel & Cate (C. Stemmermann), Jim Smith, Harold Toomey and Chuck Tolsma with employment, Jeff Conley with a working car and employment and to bless Stacy Kohan’s business and health
to bless Juan Pizarro (Molina) as he prepares to deploy to Afghanistan
to bless and protect our troops abroad, especially Tom Hermel & Erik Moore in Iraq and Jason Leible, Elizabeth Grossart, Chuck Quist (Myers) & Jason Lieber in Afghanistan
to comfort Ed Tomkow and family as he faces imminent death
to comfort the family and friends of Kale and the family and friends of Natalie Robles as they mourn their deaths
to heal Peggy Myers, John Bowden, Archie Wortham, Lisa Flowers, Katherine Puller and her unborn child (Flowers), Carey (Tolsma), Tim Berg (Christiansen), Bob Townsley, Georea, Gary, Lisa Smith and to heal those battling cancer: Betty Tolsma, Debbie Larkin, Dr. Sauri, Cathey Edgington, Pastor Linderman, John Dury, Rachel Midgett, Kayla Nunnery, Sadie Norris, Matthew Provencio, Manuel Coloura, Zach Vangundy, Amanda Conniff, Pam Smith, Kurt Bickel, Susan Doering and to comfort and strengthen their families
for financial and people resources to enable His vision to come into being through us
to empower us to build a bigger heaven and better lives.
Join us in prayer wherever you are! You may leave prayer requests at 566-2237 or Ken@WordofLife4u.com.
Decision Making Fun
Tommy's house is packed with relatives for Christmas dinner. Grandpa calls 6 year old Tommy and starts asking about school, girlfriends and other stuff he can think of. After a while grandpa notices that Tommy is losing interest in the conversation so he pulls out two bills from his wallet -a ten and a twenty dollar bill. He shows both bills to Tommy and tells him he can keep any one he chooses. Tommy reaches over and grabs the ten dollar bill. Grandpa is surprised and upset about the unwise decision his grandchild made, so he pulls out another ten dollar bill to see if it was a mistake. Again, he tells Tommy to take one of the bills. Tommy grabs the other ten. Grandpa again is surprised and upset. He takes Tommy over to one of the uncles and shows him how Tommy is choosing the ten over the twenty. Grandpa goes on and on showing every uncle and cousin, and each time Tommy chooses the ten over the twenty. Grandpa finally shows the stunt to Tommy's dad. Dad's quite surprised and take Tommy aside to talk. He asks him if he knows the difference between a ten dollar bill and a twenty. "Of course," answers Tommy. "So why did you always choose the ten over the twenty?" asks dad. Tommy, with a wide smile answers, "Well dad, if I had chosen the first twenty dollar bill, do you think grandpa would have played the game fifteen more times?"
Just a Thought
1. Good decisions take a lot of time.
2. Good decisions combine the efforts of a number of people.
3. Good decisions give individuals the freedom to dissent.
4. Good decisions are reached without any pressure from the top to reach an artificial consensus.
5. Good decisions are based on the participation of those responsible for implementing them.
- Charles Moore, after a four year research project at United Postal Service
Joy & Peace,
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