A monthly publication of the Garden Community Church

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Brendan Ross
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A monthly publication of the Garden Community Church A new

It also means transitions on the church board.

their commitment to the church for the past three to six

open Elder position, and Brent Garber was elected to fill

They were then installed as on December 30 th.

serve on the Church Board as they seek God s will in

Elder Board: Deacon Board: Larry Friesen Chairman Gerhard

1 A monthly publication of the Garden Community Church A new calendar year is a new beginning! It also means transitions on the church board. A Huge thank you to Lindley Harms and Ernie Goering for their commitment to the church for the past three to six years, as they gave of their time and energy to serve on the Elder and Deacon Boards. This past November, Larry Friesen was elected to fill the open Elder position, and Brent Garber was elected to fill the Deacon position. They were then installed as on December 30 th. Please continue to lift up all the men who faithfully serve on the Church Board as they seek God s will in leading our church into this next year. Elder Board: Deacon Board: Larry Friesen Chairman Gerhard Fast Chairman Abe Schmidt Vice Chairman Art Huxman Vice-Chairman Scot Loyd Secretary Brent Garber Secretary Full Board: Theo Rempel Chairman Scot Loyd Vice Chairman Larry Friesen Secretary Kevin Friesen Treasurer

TAG Together At Garden we are learning Truth About God! This year we are learning about promises of God that we can rely on because He is Faithful to all His promises!

The first thirty minutes is spent listening to the evening s lesson and learning the verse which corresponds with the lesson.

The older children (3 rd 6 th grades) spend the next 30 minutes in small groups where they talk about the lesson, say their verse and fill out activity pages in their student journals.

The last portion of the evening gives the younger children time for a snack and a craft or coloring activity while the older students enjoy game time in the gym or other games in the

The 6 th graders have also enjoyed spending some of their time on special projects such as sand art, crocheting bookmarks and making essential oil products they could use or give away.

2 TAG Together At Garden we are learning Truth About God! This year we are learning about promises of God that we can rely on because He is Faithful to all His promises! Each Wednesday evening children and adults arrive at GCC to learn more about God and enjoy fellowship with each other. The first thirty minutes is spent listening to the evening s lesson and learning the verse which corresponds with the lesson. To date we have learned twelve promises of God along with 12 Scripture verses. The older children (3 rd 6 th grades) spend the next 30 minutes in small groups where they talk about the lesson, say their verse and fill out activity pages in their student journals. The younger children (ages 4 to 2 nd grade) have game time in the gym during the second half hour. The last portion of the evening gives the younger children time for a snack and a craft or coloring activity while the older students enjoy game time in the gym or other games in the fellowship hall. The 6 th graders have also enjoyed spending some of their time on special projects such as sand art, crocheting bookmarks and making essential oil products they could use or give away. In December the TAG children and adults made sacks to give away to each apartment at Hickory Homes in Hesston. The sacks included a package of popcorn, hot chocolate mix, chocolate candies, Kleenex and a signed Christmas card. The sacks were delivered as students and leaders caroled around the entire complex. Each week in TAG the children can earn TAG bucks which can then be spent in the TAG store. They shopped for gifts for many of their family members and then were able to wrap those gifts before taking them home. Caroling at Hickory Homes in December Activity/Craft Time in the Tigers Room Shopping for Christmas gifts in the TAG Store Wrapping Christmas Gifts for Family Members

The month of February is often known as the month of LOVE. The Adult Library is celebrating successful marriages during the remainder of January and during the month of February.

They each want to feel valued and to experience marriage the way God intended. Look for these titles along with others on our table in the North overflow. * The Marriage Check Up by Dr.

Discover how healthy conflict can take you to deeper levels of intimacy. * A Marriage You've Always Dreamed Of by Gary Smalley.

When Shauna heard her husband confess his affair and ask for a divorce, she faced the hardest decision of her life. Would she give up on her marriage or fight for it.

3 The month of February is often known as the month of LOVE. The Adult Library is celebrating successful marriages during the remainder of January and during the month of February. We are featuring a variety of books which give positive messages about strengthening marriage. In every season of our married lives, husbands and wives want peace and closeness. They each want to feel valued and to experience marriage the way God intended. Look for these titles along with others on our table in the North overflow. * The Marriage Check Up by Dr. Norman Wright Learn how healthy your marriage really is by using a helpful assessment tool. * Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage by Gary Thomas. Discover how healthy conflict can take you to deeper levels of intimacy. * A Marriage You've Always Dreamed Of by Gary Smalley. Discover how you as a couple can cultivate a positive and safe marriage; find treasures in the trials and how to genuinely listen to each other. * A Fierce Love by Shauna Shanks. This is a true story. When Shauna heard her husband confess his affair and ask for a divorce, she faced the hardest decision of her life. Would she give up on her marriage or fight for it. A powerful book of commitment and love! For those readers who are wanting words of encouragement for daily living, look for these titles. * To Fly Again by Gracia Turnham. Learning to survive the tailspins of Life * Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Majors. A book on seeking God's goodness in the broken and beautiful. * Hope Heals by Katherine and Jay Wolf. A true story of overcoming loss and an overcoming love. * Everything We Need by Ginger Millermon. How do we discover His strength for our journey? The theme for the Children's Library this month is SHARE THE LOVE.. Each child, ages 2 years - fifth grade, has been given a heart to decorate and bring back to the library to post on our entrance door. Stop by and see our creative artists works on display. We also have an Interactive Bulletin Board where we are asking for your involvement to answer the question - WHAT IS LOVE? Place your answer on one of the hearts on our table and add it to the bulletin board display. Adults, please participate in this opportunity to build faith based messages into the lives of our young ones. We encourage you as an adult to share a touch of love - either through word or action - with one of our kiddos this month. LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE LOVED AND RECOGNIZED!

4 It was the Tuesday after Christmas. We had arranged to meet Gerhard s sister and her husband at a local coffee shop for relaxed conversation. We went in, approached the counter, discussed the options, and placed our order for coffee and some yummy treats. As the rest of the group headed to find a table, I pulled out my credit card to pay for the food and the barista looked at me and smiled, It s covered someone ahead of you paid for your order. I began to protest, No, I ll pay. You can save it for another person. She smiled at me again and said, I can t do that it was specified for the next customer and that s you! I felt a mix of gratitude, surprise, awkwardness, and unworthiness. I walked to our table, sat down, and said, Someone else paid our bill. We all marveled that had not happened to any of us before. We gave thanks and enjoyed our paid-for coffees and treats. Later, I sat down with my Bible and read, Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1) I stopped and thought that s exactly what happened this morning. The coffees and treats were not free the coffee shop received full payment for them. Our group enjoyed our coffee and treats, but we did not pay for them. Our bill was paid by someone else. Come is used four times in this verse it is a clear invitation to two kinds of people: 1) those who are thirsty and 2) those who have no money. The invitation is to the waters, a place of refreshment and satisfaction. Twice these people are invited to buy. They are to buy so they can be satisfied with wine and milk. But they have no money. They cannot afford what they need. But they are to buy without money and without cost. It wasn t free, though it had to be purchased. But the purchaser was not those invited to it was another source. Isaiah continues in verse 2: Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. What is offered without cost is unearned. It is good, it is a delight, it is par excellence! This passage is a sweeping invitation to everyone not just to the Jews. Anyone thirsting for what really satisfies is welcome to come. This identical invitation was given by Jesus to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10-14). Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. Sir, the woman said, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock? Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Revelation repeats the theme twice: He said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. (Revelation 21:6) The Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let the one who hears say, Come! Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17) Jesus is the living water. He paid the extravagant price to purchase our salvation. All we have to do is receive what s already been paid for. It s free, but it s not cheap. Have you been to the spring of living water? Have you drawn from the cistern without holes (Jeremiah 2:13)? Have you received the free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23 & Ephesians 2:8)? If you have, what a great time to stop and give thanks! If you have not, it s time to buy without cost. (This post is from January 2017 I wanted to share it with you again. Hallelujah what a Savior!)

Prayer Calendar and Memory Verse Memory Verse: Psalm 83:18 That men know that you, whose name alone is Jehovah, are the Most high over all the earth.

3 Thank God for 4 Thank God for church family, young people in that we stretch & the church that challenge each are seeking to other. know Him more.

7 Thank God for skills & gifts He has given Ivan & Mary to use for His glory & the good of others.

5 Prayer Calendar and Memory Verse Memory Verse: Psalm 83:18 That men know that you, whose name alone is Jehovah, are the Most high over all the earth. Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1 Thank God that He has shown you goodness and mercy and has been patient with you. 2 Thank God for all those who have heard truth taught through Harvest Radio. 3 Thank God for 4 Thank God for church family, young people in that we stretch & the church that challenge each are seeking to other. know Him more. 5 Thank God Ivan 6 Thank God & Mary have humble, compassionate hearts. Tami, Jeanette & others are committed to teaching young ones about Christ's love. 7 Thank God for skills & gifts He has given Ivan & Mary to use for His glory & the good of others. 8 Thank God you 9 Thank God for have heat in your sunshine, growing house & money in things, birds & your bank account beauty all around - many don't. us. 10 Thank God for 11 Thank God 2nd chances - and for medical personnel who sacri- 3rd and 4th chances - that He ficially & tenderly is longsuffering care for others. and loves us. 12 Thank God for the smell of wood smoke, cinnamon, and fresh baked bread. Non -essentials, for our pleasure. 13 Thank God for providing medical care for Molly & peace for James. Thank God He knows & controls the number of our days. 14 Thank God for believers in Washington DC, seeking His wisdom & living for Him. 15 Thank God He made us uniquely & purposefully. He has a plan for each of us & work for us to do. 16 Thank God for those in Brazil who are growing in their love for God, living for Him. 17 Thank God that He sees us all, wherever we are, never out of His sight or care. 18 Thank God for 19 Thank God technology that is that He alone can used to teach & bring good out of spread the gospel. even wicked things, redeeming what has been lost or stolen. 20 Thank God for Christians in the Ukraine, seeking to tell others of Christ. 21 Thank God He gives us the strength to obey Him and do His work. 22 Thank God for contacts & relationships Joe & Denise have been able to develop. 23 Thank God that we can forgive others because He forgave us. 24 Thank God for 25 Thank God the Holy Spirit, in us, teaching us, enabling us, guiding us. David & Karl Hansen have those who can help with their physical/ mental needs. 26 Thank God for those who know you and love you. That is a treasure. 27 Thank God for missionaries who faithfully serve in difficult places. Thank God for His protection & provision for them. 28 Thank God that we live with hope - the absolute assurance that what He has said is true.

January 15, 2019 Good morning, Garden, What a wonderful surprise our boys gave us for Christmas when Andrew walked off the plane with Nathan (we were expecting Nathan, but not Andrew).

10 January 15, 2019 Good morning, Garden, What a wonderful surprise our boys gave us for Christmas when Andrew walked off the plane with Nathan (we were expecting Nathan, but not Andrew). The boys were able to help Elwyn finish getting our auxiliary transmission site up and going. Several other praise items since our last update: 1. Stage one of Harvest Radio's solar project inspection went without a problem. 2. The documentation for the land title got another signature and moved to the next office. 3. We sold our old truck the day before leaving for the US! After spending a few days of vacation in southern Brazil, we got to Tulsa yesterday and were greeted by COLD! OK, most of you probably wouldn't call freezing COLD, but we do. We're spending a couple of days with Linda's Dad and then will head to Kansas where we'll call home for the next 8 months. Thanks so much for your prayers. Elwyn, Linda, and Susanna

Garden Community Church had the privilege of installing Pastor Craig Miller as the 17 th Senior Pastor on March 18, Although Craig is the NEW

Garden Community Church had the privilege of installing Pastor Craig Miller as the 17 th Senior Pastor on March 18, 2018. Although Craig is the NEW Senior Pastor, his face is not unfamiliar in the church.