The WIRE. Persevere and Trust. continues to happen today on a completely different scale. Dear Church Family,

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1 August 2016 The WIRE Persevere and Trust INSIDE THIS ISSUE: August Calendar 2 Fall Adult Classes 2 Youth Ministry News 3 Children and Family Ministry 4 Dear Church Family, I recall when Elizabeth and I were first having children, one of the popular books everyone was reading was "What To Expect When You're Pregnant." While I only skimmed parts, (at best!), I presume that the sense of the book was "Don't be alarmed when these things happen; you're to expect it! It might be painful, it may not be fun, but expect it." I see what's going on around us today in much the same light. And, in fact, things haven't changed a lot even since Jesus' days. In Matthew 24, Jesus is speaking with his disciples and what he says might well be entitled "What To Expect at the Close of the Age!" To that end, Jesus says "See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet." (Mt. 24:6) He then goes on to describe what's going on around them as "the beginning of the birth pains." (Mt. 24:8) It's hard not to see the parallels with the news today. Each day brings news of more terrorist attacks, more attacks on law enforcement officers..."birth pains." What are we to do with all of this? First, I think we're to follow Jesus' admonition to his disciples to "not be alarmed." Sin has a hold of this world and the enemy of our soul is alive and well. While we grieve at the loss and the hurt, we need not be surprised. Jesus said this would happen then and it continues to happen today on a completely different scale. Secondly, we trust. We trust in what John Piper refers to the "future grace" of Jesus. We believe that there will come a day when this age will pass away and Jesus brings to completion all that is around us. But, in the meantime, we simply persevere. We persevere in prayer and ask that the Lord continue to shape up into His image. We persevere and ask the Lord to not allow us to grow cynical or bitter. We cling to the promise a few verses later: "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." (Mt. 24:13) Yours and His, Pastor George

2 PAGE 2 THE WIR E Fall Sunday School Classes Are Set CALENDAR Recurring Meetings Mondays 7pm-Celebrate Recovery Wednesdays 9:30am-Women s Study 6:30pm-Youth Firesides Thursdays 6:30pm-Worship Team Sundays 9:15am-Prayer Gathering 9:30am-Worship August 2 6pm-Buildings and Grounds Meeting August 7 Communion August 9 6:30pm-Elder/Deacon Mtg. August Men s Conference-Canada August 16 4pm-Personnel August 23 6:30pm-Mission Meeting August 28 11am-Prayer for the Nations Unoffendable: Led by Dick Weide and Shana Friend It s a radical, provocative idea: We re not entitled to get offended or stay angry. The idea of our own righteous anger is a myth. It is the number one problem in our societies today and, as Dallas Willard says, Christians have not been taught out of it. As it turns out, giving up our right to be offended can be one of the most freeing, healthy, simplifying, relaxing, refreshing, stress-relieving, encouraging things we can do. In Unoffendable you will find something of immeasurable value a concrete, practical way to live life with less stress. You ll adjust their expectations to fit human nature and replace perpetual anger with refreshing humility and gratitude. D6 Family Curriculum: Led by JP Wilcox and Brian Hiller D6 connects the church to home and families to one another. D6 curriculum is one of the most effective small group and Sunday School curriculums you can find. D6 is based on the principles of Deuteronomy 6:5-9 l ove God, love His Word, and teach your children to do the same. D6 Curriculum aligns small group environments at church so the entire family is studying the same theme at the same time. This one of a kind discipleship curriculum goes beyond the small group experience and helps parents and grandparents reconnect with kids and teens through the use of devotional study guides, Splink, Home Connection, and other take-home resources that help equip the home. DiscipleShift: Led by George Dakin Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. An attractional model will seek to attract people to a local church. Younger leaders may advocate a more missional approach, in which believers live and work among unchurched people and intentionally seek to serve like Christ. While each of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples helping people to trust and follow Jesus is the church s God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationship with non-believers. Have A Spare Moment? God has blessed us with a beautiful setting for our church campus, nine acres. With that acreage there are many buildings and flower beds that need care. We have developed a way YOU can help serve God and care for our grounds and facility. HAVE A SPARE MOMENT? There is a bulletin board located by the door that exits towards Garrett Hall. It is by the nursery and across the hall from the mailboxes. On this bulletin board are 3x5 cards with tasks that need to be done. For example, pull weeds in front of Youth Bldg, wash inside windows of Sanctuary Bldg, or pull weeds in playground. You can choose to do the whole task or a bit of it. Just let Mary know how much is completed. So check out this board, choose a task and help spruce up our campus

3 PAGE 3 What s Happening With Our Youth? FIRESIDE is Wednesdays 6:30pm to 8:30pm, all summer long, for students grades 6-12, at the fire pit, by the pond. SUNDAY SCHOOL... will start up again in September. We have a great new curriculum from D6 and Ben is looking for some new teachers for middle and high school ages. Please tell Ben if you can help Monday Funday Middle Schoolers Jaidyn at Fireside Audrey, Natalie, and Shyler at VBS Ann and Josh at Fireside Colby, Camryn, Moses, and Sophie on Celebration Sunday WHAT HAPPENED IN JULY Vacation Bible School Did you know that VBS is a ministry for teenagers as well as younger kids? We had dozens of teens lead stations and crews. They helped kids memorize bible verses and introduce kids to Jesus. Also, the teens are learning the bible verses and gospel concerts alongside the kids some for the first time, since not all of the teens have a church background. Baptism We baptized youth-groupers Camryn Ennis and Kate Perlot, alongside two others, on Celebration Sunday. Way to go girls! Monday Funday One Monday, we took a field trip to Snoqualmie Falls. The next week, we went Pokemon hunting in Seattle. We usually have 20 or 30-something kids and few church adults or parents for Monday Fundays. Weeks' Cabin The Weeks family treated our youth group to a fun day at their cabin on the beach. Fireside Michael Eckblad is teaching each week at Wednesday Fireside about the fruits of the spirit. Mission Trip We sent a bunch of students, some parents, and two vans to Ione, WA and Noxon, MT to share the gospel and ministry of Jesus Christ with rural communities. COMING UP Monday Funday each week Go to facebook.com/groups/wabashyouthgroup September 7 Wednesday youth group is back indoors September 11 Sunday school begins DID YOU KNOW that Nolan Carthum built a shed out by the fire pit for his Eagle Scout project? Snoqualmie Selfie on Monday Funday

4 PAGE 4 PAGE 4 CHILDREN S And family MINISTRY Do you ever wonder, Where do I even start with discipleship? Chances are you are discipling your children already whether you know it or not. In Deuteronomy 6:5-9 it says You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. We believe parents are the primary disciplers in their home and we want church to be a primary equipper of parents. We are very excited to introduce a new curriculum we will be starting in the fall in Children s, Youth and Adult Ministries that will help parents intentionally disciple their children. D6 2 nd Generation is a curriculum intentional about empowering parents, homes, marriages, leaders, and churches to live out the story of Deuteronomy 6. This Scripture paints a beautiful picture for the family and of God s heart for discipleship at home. The family is God s original small group. D6 provides resources to align the church and home to accomplish God s design of generational discipleship. D6 aligns Sunday school groups so the entire family can study the same theme at the same time. Children in their class will be studying the same topic as their brothers and sisters, as well as their parents and even grandparents. Throughout the lessons, D6 uses the idea from Deuteronomy 6:9 of doorposts to draw attention to scriptural ideas critical to developing a biblical worldview. D6 Doorposts include: The Bible is God s word God is a personal, spiritual being. God created the universe and everything in it. I am a special creation of God with an eternal soul. I am engaged in a spiritual warfare. Sin brought death and destructions into the world. Bad things happen because the world is a sinful place. I cannot save myself, I need a Savior. God offers salvation and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. God established the home to make disciples and transfer the faith. God established the church to make disciples and transfer the faith. Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord of all. We hope that you and your children will join us on this journey and we are eager to watch God move in our church and our homes! Blessings, from your Children and Families Ministry of Wabash August 21 Faith and Family Day at the Mariners Game For tickets please contact the church or Abby or Lindsey

5 PAGE 5 VBS 2016 We can never say thank you enough to everyone who helped with VBS! Whether you prayed, donated or volunteered we could not have done it without you! Thank you God that we get to be a part of your mission of reconciling all your children to You, sharing the Good News of Jesus and loving on your children! Do you see these cute kiddos?! They need you! Please consider volunteering in nursery or children s church! We are always in need of more volunteers to help shepherd the children of Wabash! We will also be in need of Sunday school teachers this fall! Please take some time to pray this summer and ask God if it would be a good way for you to serve! Sign up at the ministry center! Each month choose a focus for your prayers for your family. This month maybe focus on Personal Responsibility. Do you have a heart for children ages infant-2 years-old?! We are looking for someone to love on the children in the nursery during education hour come fall! Maybe you could commit monthly, quarterly or for the whole year?! Please contact Elizabeth Wilcox at elizabethawilcox@gmail.com

6 George Dakin, Pastor/Head of Staff Ben Auger, Director of Youth Ministries Anthony Stair, Director of Worship Fred Pahlow, Lay Assistant of Pastoral Care Abby Hanson, Co-Director of Children & Family Ministries Lindsey Patterson, Co-Director of Children & Family Ministries Elizabeth Wilcox, Nursery Coordinator Debbie Frederickson, Finance Administrator Mary Stevenson, Office Manager WIRE Editor Michael Eckblad, Youth Ministry Intern SE 384th Street. Auburn, WA Fax website: Sunday Schedule: 9 :30am; Sunday School for all 11:00am A Congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Office Closed During the month of August our church office will be closed on Fridays. There will be someone in the office to help you Monday-Thursday. Women, begin planning to attend our annual retreat at Dumas Bay Conference center on September 30-October 1. Sign up at the Ministry Center. Cost is $80. Men s Campout Friday September 23rd to Sunday September 25th Ranger Creek off Highway 410 Kids are welcome to attend, boys and girls. Signup now, cost will be $20 per adult and $5 per kid, with a maximum of $30 per family.