We're building a bigger heaven and better lives!
Confirmation Parents
Students in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more about their Christian faith and continue the process of becoming passionate followers of Christ through Confirmation instruction. Confirmation classes explore primary Christian teachings and help students develop the means to share their faith publicly. If you have a student in 7th, 8th or even 9th grade, please plan to join Pastor Ken for a Parent’s Meeting this Sunday, August 30 at 9:45 a.m. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Ken at Ken@WordofLife4u.com or 566-2237.
Powerful Word
Many Christians, even those who attend church regularly, are Biblically illiterate. That’s too bad since there is power in the Word. Get a firm foundation, the power of salvation, lessons for life, equipped and invigorated this Sunday, August 30 at 10:45 a.m. 101 Pecan Drive, in Schertz [map and directions].
Nursery (infant to age 4)
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.
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), 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 Brazil
In our prayers this week, we’re lifting up missionary pastor Delmar Kopsel and the ministry of Emanuel as they reach out to people in Roque Gonzáles, Brazil and beyond. We support their work through the gift of 10% of our Sunday morning offerings to the Brazil Mission Society (BMS). To find out more about BMS, visit www.brazilmissionsociety.com.
LifeGroups
Two of our LifeGroups are taking a break from regular studies for the summer. However, we still have two groups meeting:
NEW! For Women—Daytime
This group is beginning a new study on the Holy Spirit. Join them this week for insight and discussion.
They meet on Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m.
Location: Sherri Smith's home 3309 Dusty Crossing, Schertz
Questions? 659-2585
For Men
Join us this Friday, 6:30 a.m. as we study and discuss, Jesus' Final Warning: Hearing God's Voice in the Midst of Chaos by David Jeremiah.
Location: IHOP 17220 I-35, Schertz
Questions? 566-2237
Neighbor in Need
We received word the other week of an area family who is struggling with Back to School expenses. The family has 4 children, three who are school aged. They live near a Word of Life member. We were able to point them to some community resources for initial help. We’d also like to give them some financial assistance (Walmart gift card) which can be used for school supplies, clothing or other needs. If you would like to contribute to this need, please use one of the neighbors in need envelopes Sunday. (Make checks payable to Word of Life.)
Congregational Assembly Highlights
Thanks to everyone who stayed for our first official Congregational Assembly last Sunday. We had a great potluck and a productive meeting. Here’s what was decided at the meeting:
The Constitution and Bylaws were ratified (copies available here and at the Info Table this Sunday).
The number of persons on the Leadership TEAM was set at 7 members plus the pastor.
Seven faithful candidates were elected to serve as your Leadership TEAM for the upcoming year:
David Christiansen
John Goeke
Mike Hilman
Toby Molina
Greg Peterson
David Smith
David White
Joyful thanks were given for Mark Stemmermann, Jim Leible and Kirk Stocker, who had previously served on the Leadership TEAM.
The 2010 Ministry Financial Plan was approved (copies available at the Info Table).
In addition, Pastor Ken handed out a summary sheet of highlights from the past year and a statement of future goals for 2010. Copies of this handout are available here and at the Info Table.
Special Congregational Assembly
A Special Congregational Assembly will be held right after worship on September 6. There are two items on the agenda: 1) to determine whether Word of Life intends to call Pastor Ken as their pastor and 2) if so, to ask permission of the Texas District to use a fast track process to do so. Let’s pray for the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Educator Sunday
As area schools gear up for the 2009—2010 school year, let’s show our educators that we appreciate all they do for our children. Invite your friends and neighbors to join us for Educator’s Sunday on September 13. Here are a few of the highlights of the day:
prayers for all teachers, administrators, and students
special emphasis on the importance of education
free gift for all educators/administrators at worship
In addition, in anticipation of Educator Sunday, we want to take snacks and special invitations to area schools. We want to focus first on schools where a Word of Life member works. We have Word of Life people on 6 area campuses! If we have enough help, we’d like to take snacks and invitations to additional new campuses in the SCUCISD system. Can you help? Sign up on the RSVP form this Sunday or contact Patti Mitschke, 566-1650 or Patti@WordofLife4u.com
NEW! TeleCare
You may receive a phone call from a member of our new TeleCare ministry. If you do, take a couple of minutes (more if you want) to talk. If called, you may be asked how you're doing or if you have any prayer needs or thanksgivings. We value relationships and relationships are built on communication. While LifeGroups are the best way to build relationships at Word of Life (You are in a LifeGroup aren’t you?), TeleCare strives to care through communication by phone. If you'd like more information about our new TeleCare TEAM, please contact Mary Flowers, 658-4130.
Building/Land Fund
Word of Life is currently receiving 2.78% APY on funds specifically designated for building. Where do we get such a great rate? Through Texas District Church Extension Fund (CEF) of course! To see the rates you could receive, go to www.TexasCEF.org. To make a special donation to the Word of Life Building Fund, just write "Building Fund" in the memo line of your check and drop it in the offering box Sunday.
Answered Prayer
Members of the Grace Prayer Team have prayed for jobs, healing, comfort, restoration and much more. They have seen many examples of God’s intercession into the situations of our lives. They also know many of you have experienced reaffirming examples of God’s mighty presence. The team is compiling a quarterly newsletter and they would like to add your story of answered prayer. Please share YOUR story with Betty Tolsma, bettytolsma@sbcglobal.net.
Bottles/Groceries Needed
Randolph Area Christian Assistance Program (RACAP) is in need of empty 20 oz. Gatorade-type bottles and empty 8, 12, or 16 oz. water bottles. We use these empty bottles to divide large jugs of detergent and large bottles of dish soap. Just rinse the Gatorade bottles out with soapy water – no need to run them through the dishwasher or sterilize them. Place your donation in the RACAP basket on Sunday morning. In addition, it’s been a very busy summer at RACAP. In July, they set a new record for number of clients seen in one month (151, previous record was 132.) The food pantry shelves are emptying faster than the food is coming in! Please continue to think about RACAP when you are doing the grocery shopping for your family. They have plenty of corn and green beans, but are low on just about everything else.
Options for Women Annual Banquet
The annual fund raising banquet for Options for Women will be held on Thursday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Braunfels Civic Convention Center (375 South Castell Street, New Braunfels). Mike Williams, Christian comedian and author, will provide the entertainment. Individual tickets are available for $30 each. Additional sponsorship levels are also available. Deadline for ticket purchase is September 10. For more information, contact Connie_Hendrix@sbcglobal.net or call 830-629-7565.
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.
Recently Updated:
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.
"Better Life" Links
How We Got Our Bible: Did You Know? - "Little-known and remarkable facts about the history of the Bible..." [more]
About the Bible - "The Bible is unique among “Holy Books;” it is rooted in and intertwined with actual human..." [more]
Archaeology and the Bible - "Reliability of the Bible—In what ways have archaeological discoveries verified it?..." [more]
Prayer Requests and Thanksgivings
We Thank God…
for giving us a firm foundation for faith and life, for the power of the Gospel which works in us even from infancy, for breathing out His Word and using it to teach us, reproach us, correct us and train us, and for completing us with His Word
for our guests and those who invited and brought them
for directing and blessing our Congregational Assembly
for blessing Junior Almazan & Randy Long with partial healing
for blessing the Scotts with a smooth closing on their house
for employment for Ryan Lester, Jeff Ray and Sarah
for bringing Sarah Livesay back safely from Slovakia
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 continue to live in His Word, to know we stand in a loving relationship in Him, to learn doctrine, to be convicted of wrong, to be made correct, to train to live a righteous, virtuous life, to be completed so we may complete every good work He’s given us to do
to bless missionary pastor Delmar Kopsel and the ministry of Emanuel as they reach out to people in Roque Gonzáles, Brazil and beyond
to direct us to negotiate for a property which will best help us reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for resources to help buy it
to comfort the victims of persecution, terrorism and disaster
to bless our leaders with godly wisdom and guidance that they may lead according to His will
to bless us and refresh drought stricken lands with rain
to bless our efforts to encourage, invite and bless educators
to bless Ana Koester with employment and bless Stacey Kohan and her publishing company
to bless Logan Christiansen during his deployment
to protect our troops abroad, especially Erik Moore in Iraq and Julie Astrachan in Afghanistan
to bless Louise Nordmeyer (Mary Flower’s mother) and her family and friends as death appears to be near
to bless the family and friends of Joy Conley (Peggy Myer’s sister) and of Vonda Boerger as they mourn their deaths
to heal Lisa Flowers, Art Stemmermann, Paul Mitschke, Emmanuel Moreno, Daniel Sanchez, Diane Johnson, Junior Almazan, Jordan Hernandez and to heal those battling cancer: J.T. Medford, Kayla Nunnery, Alden Malachowski, Marcia Waldgeir, Sadie Norris, Matthew Provencio, Manuel Coloura, Todd Reineck, Zach Vangundy, Amanda Conniff, Pam Smith, Kurt Bickel, Susan Doering and to comfort and strengthen their families
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.
Bible Funnies
Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah: he was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.
Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter: she went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he got married?
A. Ruth-less.
Q. Who was the first drug addict in the Bible?
A. Nebuchadnezzar: he was on grass for seven years.
Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Honda... because the apostles were all in one Accord. 2 Cor. 4:8 describes going out in service in a Volkswagen Beetle: "We are pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement."
Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson: he brought the house down.
Q. Where is the first baseball game in the Bible?
A. In the big inning. Eve stole first, Adam stole second. Cain struck out Abel. The Giants and the Angels were rained out.
Q. How did Adam and Eve feel when expelled from the Garden of Eden?
A. They were really put out.
Q. What is one of the first things that Adam and Eve did after they were kicked out?
A. They really raised Cain.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. The ark was built in 3 stories, and the top story had a window to let light in, but how did they get light to the bottom 2 stories?
A. They used floodlights.
Q. Who is the greatest baby-sitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David: he rocked Goliath to sleep.
Q. Why was Goliath so surprised when David hit him with a slingshot?
A. The thought had never entered his head before.
Q. If Goliath is resurrected, would you like to tell him the joke about David and Goliath?
A. No, he already fell for it once.
Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds.
Q. What is the best way to get to Paradise?
A. Turn right and go straight.
Q. Which servant of Jehovah was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses, because he broke all 10 commandments at once.
Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around the Jordan: the banks were always overflowing.
Q. How do we know that Job went to a chiropractor?
A. Because in Job 16:12, 14, 16 we read, "I had come to be at ease, but he proceeded to shake me up: and he grabbed me by the back of the neck and proceeded to smash me."
Q. Where is the first tennis match mentioned in the Bible?
A. When Joseph served in Pharaoh's court.
Q. Which bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.
Q. Why didn't Noah go fishing?
A. He only had two worms!
Q. How do we know that they played cards in the ark?
A. Because Noah sat on the deck
Just a Thought
The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold on me. - Martin Luther
Joy & Peace,
Pastor Ken Mitschke
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Word of Life Fellowship-LCMS
1531 Jasmine Dr
Schertz TX 78154-3738
www.WordofLife4u.com
210-566-2237
Ken@WordofLife4u.com
KenMits - Twitter
Ken Mitschke - Facebook
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