Hey Church Family,
I hope you’re having a good year so far! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last written an update so there is much to share. First off, we are back to THREE morning worship services so please keep that in mind when you’re making your Sunday plans.
Our traditional service is at 8:15.
We have two contemporary services at 9:30 & 11:00.
You can also stream our 8:15 service live on our website, Facebook, YouTube or church app. We livestream our “At Home” service at 9:30 & 11:00.
Hospitality Team Announcement
As people get more and more comfortable with coming back to church “on campus,” we’re finding the need to expand the number of volunteers for our hospitality ministry. This coincides with an answered prayer for a new director of our hospitality ministry.
In light of this new leadership and the need for more volunteers, we are having a hospitality team meeting this coming Sunday after the 11:00 service. It will go from 12:15-1:30PM or so. You’ll be able to meet the new directors and we will discuss a game plan for moving forward in 2021.
If you already serve on the hospitality team please RSVP by replying to this email so we have a proper count on food. If you’re not on the hospitality team but would be interested or willing to serve, please register below.
Register Now
I also want to give you a heads up on an upcoming conference for our student ministry. It’s a female only conference at our South Campus for teenage girls.
The There{4} Gathering
The T4 Gathering will be hosted at our South Campus Education Building on February 19th-20th. You must sign up by February 10th (see registration info below). The event starts at 6:30 on Friday and finishes Saturday by 4PM.
In the words of those putting on the conference, “every girl deserves to have someone speak God’s affirmation, ‘You are beautiful, you are talented, you are priceless, you are loved.’
The mission of T{4} is to “inspire the next generation of girls to bnewly live out their identity in Christ.” A girls’s identity is simply what God says is true about her through her relationship with Jesus. She is smart, beautiful, valuable, worthy, and a priceless treasure in the eyes of God.
This year’s T{4} Gathering, will center around the theme of Abide based on John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” We hope each attendee will grow to understand in applicable ways what it means to Abide in Christ.
For more information or if you would like to sign up your youth age girl please contact:
Joseph Tobias: 254-424-4051
Bonnie Barlow: 325-338-2126
Tonya Holland: 325-513-2117
More Groups & Gatherings
Now that the holidays are over we are full-steam ahead in terms of activities up at the church. Many of our small groups have resumed meeting back on campus. If you don’t have a small group, please consider looking at the available options. There are Sunday morning and mid-week options available.
Our new ladies Bible study just started last Wednesday so it’s not too late to join if you’re looking to plug in. There is a morning option and an evening option. Choose whichever is most convenient for you.
The study is called “Take Courage” and it’s an exploration through the book of Haggai.
Register Now
Also, I’m moving my small group to Wednesday evenings and I’m going to host it up here at the church. If you don’t have a small group, you’re new to the church and you’re looking for a group with a familiar face, you’re welcome to join us. We will meet at 6:30 in the music suite.
Register Now
Lastly, our Freedom Ministries meets on Tuesday evenings and they have recovery groups available for those looking for support to overcome their hurts, habits and hang ups. It’s a non-judgmental, non-threatening and safe environment to be real about what’s going on in your life.
There are snacks and fellowship from 6:00-6:30
There’s a topic/testimony from 6:30-7:00
Recovery Groups meet from 7:00-8:00
Just show up to our Education Building any Tuesday evening after 6:00PM.
Closing Thoughts
Before I close I just want to encourage you to make the most of this new season. It’s a great time to recommit yourself to daily disciplines like Bible reading and prayer. If you’re looking for some help in this area then please consider checking out this personal worship tool box.
I also want to recommend this book I just finished reading entitled “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller. As you might imagine, I read a lot of books but every now and then a book comes along that makes a big impact. This was one such book. I highly recommend it.
It’s one of many things that the Lord has been using in my life to reignite a spirit of prayer and renewed dependency on Him. As I’ve shared in past updates, I believe that in order for us to experience what God has next we are going to have grow in this area as a church. I must grow in my ability to lead our church in this arena. I appreciate your prayers in that respect.
Right now, our staff is meeting weekly for worship and prayer on Mondays at 12:00. Right now it’s staff only but we are praying through how best to facilitate “church-wide” prayer meetings in the coming months.
In the past, Wednesday night prayer meetings consisted of a 30-45 minute Bible study and 5-10 minutes of prayer. The prayer meetings I envision God creating would be stark contrast to that kind of experience. It would be a prayer meeting full of prayer.
Imagine a prayer meeting you couldn’t wait to attend because you knew without a shadow of a doubt you were going to meet with God. Imagine a prayer meeting in which prayers are actually answered in measurable and specific ways. Imagine a prayer meeting in which miracles of healing and deliverance are the norm instead of the exception. Imagine a prayer meeting that, if it was removed, Sunday morning worship would fall completely flat.
That’s the kind of prayer meeting I’m expecting God to create in our church family. I’ve been watching, reading and even experiencing for myself how the Lord is doing this kind of work in the world right now. I’m praying God will create a similar movement here.
I can sense in my spirit that this is something God wants to do. The question is whether or not we will respond to his leadership.
Starting next week we will be examining prayer on Sunday mornings. I’m confident that the Lord has something special in store for our church if we will follow His leadership down this path. If there are any ways I can pray for you please let me know.
Until He Comes,
Pastor Wes