The Great Bend Christian

Transcription

1 January 2015 Vol. 48 No. 1 The Great Bend Christian There was a time when Christmas was really about bringing family together, the birth of Christ, and encompassing the spirit of giving. These days, the Christmas Season seems to be all about Black Friday Deals, Cyber Monday Madness, and making sure we have more Christmas presents under the tree than last year. Society makes it way too easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. This Holiday Season let s Bring Heaven to Earth by focusing on random acts of kindness instead of the gifts under the tree. This will encourage everyone to live out the true meaning of Christmas, and transform countless lives for the better. Here are some ideas for you. - Buy food for a homeless person (or someone in need). This does not have to be expensive. $5 could cover lunch. - Share a book with a child - Participate in an Angel Tree project - Write a kind, hand-written letter to someone that changed your life for the better, not an or a text...but sent via snail mail. (This can be to a childhood friend, a teacher from the past, or even an old baby-sitter that impacted your life for the better). - Pay for the person's order in line behind you in either the coffee drive-thru, or fast food, purchase an event ticket, train ticket, etc. (There are a LOT of options here...) - Do something kind for the elderly. This can be anything from helping them load their car with heavy groceries, holding the door open for them, volunteering at a retirement home, or even raking their leaves. It comes down to believing that what we do can make a difference, we can change our community and Bring Heaven to Earth. It also may be that that those of us who participate are the ones who will be impacted most. Giving to others changes our focus from "me" to the overwhelming needs of our world. In this Holiday Season we celebrate the Birth of Jesus, and the love from Our Heavenly Father. As noted on our Heaven to Earth cards, Because I have been blessed by God s goodness, I would like to extend a blessing. Happy Holidays. Outreach Committee

2 SPECIAL PRAYERS: Betty Hartle; Patricia Hassman; Shelby Jones-aneurysm & cancer; Marcelle Lemons; Victor Marshall-recovering from knee surgery; Lance Morris-cancer; Carolee Nolte; Ralph Stalcup; Brock Steinert; Kerry Watkins-cancer; Carey Worthington; Mike Zager CONTINUED PRAYERS: Cora Allen, Mabel Bender, Joyce Bray, Laura Brown, Myrna Campbell, Derek Christendon, Cody Clark, Larry Dannebohm, Corina Dean, Amanda Degenhardt, Lola Donecker, Denise Ehrlick, Tim-Jan Embrey's brother, Mel Enabnit, Tammy Flowers, Mary Lynne Grandclair, Mildred Harders, Sarina Johnson, Don Jones, Lisa Jones, Babette Kinderknecht, David Kirby, Todd Klein, Martha Knight, Jaxon Kretchmar, Gayl Lee, Amber Lloyd, Evelyn Mead, Doug Nairn, Stan Nelson, Stacy North, Brad Patzner, Lana Penney, Terry Piland, Rose Rein, Marvin Rose, Doug Schenkel, Patricia Shultz-Ruth Behrens' sister, Ava Smith, Jessica Stephens, Donna Stejskal, Juanita Thomas, Connie Weiser, Doris White, June White, Kadin White, Terry Worthington MILITARY SERVANTS: Chris Batchman, Brandon Deason, Malcolm Deason, Steven DeWitt, Blake Frager, Ted Jackson, Steven McGee, Jake Myers, Adam Schwartz, Justin Sperry.to Marilyn Deason & Family upon the loss of her grandson, Cody Deason...to Derek & Sandra Jean & Family upon the loss of Derek's grandfather...to Reta Brack & Family at the passing of her husband, Karl...to Eric Ricker's Family at the passing of Eric's Grandma...to Becky Hill, Bob & Patsy Hiss & Family upon the passing of their mother, Mabel Hiss...to Dolores Westfall upon the passing of her brother, Delbert Deckert

3 The FCC garage sale is February 7th. You may start bringing your items for the sale on Sunday, January 25th. Martha Group Hostess: Louise Gunn Program: Anneliese Ward January 14, 2015, 1:30 pm Lunch Bunch January 21, 2015, 11:30 am January 2015 is the month that we, The First Christian Church, give of our time to the Barton County Food Bank. Workers are needed to help on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 12:45 to 3:00pm. If you can help or would like to be introduced to this worthwhile cause, please sign the signup sheet in the foyer of the Church. Thank You. Joy Group Hostess: Carolee Nolte Lesson: Dolly Gaede January 27, 2015, 12:00 pm New Day Group Hostess: Rachel McCaulley Lesson: Janis Fairchild January 26, 2015, 7:00 pm A new Women s Bible Study will begin Tuesday, February 3, at 6:30 pm. This is an 8-week study of Malachi with Lisa Harper. Contact Marta Edmonds or Kim Guesnier with any questions. See you there! The Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Class will begin on Monday, January 12, 2015, at 7:00 pm in the church parlor. The class will run on Mondays for 9 weeks. If you have any questions, please see or call Randy Goering ( ), Clayton Noffsinger ( ), or Debbie Noffsinger ( ).

4 Pray Starting in January, the Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) wants to invite everyone in our congregation to begin praying for who and what it is that God is calling us to do and to be as the First Christian Church of Great Bend Kansas. This time of prayer is meant to help us as a church begin to open up so that we will be able to discover God's specific will for the mission of our church. Dream While we continue to pray, starting in February and continuing though March, the LRPC is going to be holding 10 to 15 different listening sessions, where we will be asking congregation members 3 important questions: 1. What is the most life giving event you have experienced at the First Christian Church of Great Bend? 2. Why is First Christian Church so important to you? 3. What is your most passionate dream for First Christian Church? The first two questions will help us to answer who we are as a church already, specifically helping us to understand our strengths. The second question will help us to answer, based on our strengths, who and what God is calling us to do and to be as a church. Build While we continue to pray, in April-June the LRPC will be going over all of your answers to the 3 questions in order to discover 3 to 5 of the most predominant themes that come from the data. After those themes are discovered, the LRPC will begin to shape those themes into a mission statement, a mission statement that we believe is to be used to guide us and help us build the future that God has planned for us as the First Christian Church of Great Bend. For more information on the Appreciative Inquiry process check out definition.cfm, or just Google Appreciative Inquiry. Starting January 25th Give a warm welcome to our newest members: Loren & Arlene Schamaun, Jim & Lucy Jay, and Sarina Johnson. We are so glad you joined us!

5 In December, Outreach mailed twelve care packages to our college students. We have students studying in the following places: Glendale, Arizona; Columbia, Missouri; Edmond, Oklahoma; six students in Manhattan, Kansas; one in Emporia, Kansas; and two in Hays, Kansas. Pastor Josh sent encouraging words to these young adults reminding them that what they are doing matters, not just for now but for the future, and for the many people that will be depending on them. Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for my basket of goodies for final week. It s a great feeling knowing I have so many great people to lean upon in times of need. Thank you so much again. It is very appreciated! Love Always, Madison Unruh A heartfelt thank you to my church family for the concern and thoughtfulness show during Karl s illness. Our family appreciates all the cards, memorials, and prayers during this difficult time. A special thank you to Pastor Josh for the beautiful and inspiring funeral service. Also, thanks to the kitchen crew for the wonderful lunch. The Family of Karl Brack Dear Church Family, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with each one of you!! Words cannot tell you how thankful I am. Thank you, Pastor Josh, for visiting me weekly with a bag of goodies to get me through the upcoming week while I was in the hospital. Thank you for all the prayers and calls. I felt a lot of comfort in knowing this too will pass with all your letters, notes of encouragement. And, it too passed! Not for a moment did I not feel God had his arms wrapped around me like when I was discharged. That was another answered prayer. In Christ s Love, June White Church Family, Thank you SO much for my finals week care package! To know I am thought about and loved by such an amazing church family really warms my heart. With Love, Nicole Web Site: FCC's podcast: Facebook:

6 2015 SCHEDULE GROUP 1 GROUP 2 Glen & Dixie Hughes (Contact Person) Jennifer Cauley (Contact Person) Nadine Maier Mattie Begg Ted & Susan Brown Dolores Westfall Ken & Donna Marston Carrol Jaco Amy Karst Lynne Scheuerman Jean Berger Marilyn Deason Mike & Tammy Nicholson Rachelle Sheets GROUP 3 GROUP 4 Roger & Leesa Butler (Contact Person) Ruth Behrens (Contact Person) Lane & LaDonna Moore Louise Gunn Bob & Patsy Hiss Randy & Annette Goering Clark & Donna Rusco Lew & Jan Embrey Kenny & Lori Reneau Sam & Anneliese Ward Becky Hill Dennis & Ruth Heinrichs GROUP 5 Rev. Sue Bishop (Contact Person) Youth January 7 - Group 3 January 14 - Group 4 January 21 - Group 5 January 28 - NO DINNER (gym in use) February 4 - NO DINNER (gym in use) February 11 - NO DINNER (gym in use) February 18 - Group 1 February 25 - Group 2 March 4 - Group 3 March 11 - Group 4 March 18 - NO DINNER (Spring Break) March 25 - Group 5 April 1 - Group 1 April 8 - Group 2 April 15 - Group 3 April 22 - Group 4 April 29 - Group 5 May 6 - Group 1 May 13 - Group 2 May 20 - Group 3

7 Past 5 Weeks Attendance and Gifts Sunday School Early Service Late Service Children s Church TOTAL General Offering 3, , , , , Special Offerings 2, , TOTAL 5, , , , , *Special Offerings include donations to: Operation Christmas Child, Memorials for Helen Morgan & Mabel Hiss, Wednesday Night Dinner Donations, Thanksgiving Dinner Donations, FCC Food Bank, Sound System Fund, Golden Belt Community Foundation, Outreach, DMF Christmas Offerings, Water 4 Foundation, Wedding Fees First Christian Church 5230 Broadway Great Bend, KS The Great Bend Christian (USPS ) Published Monthly By First Christian Church 5230 Broadway Great Bend, KS Postmaster Send Address changes to: First Christian Church 5230 Broadway Great Bend, KS Periodicals Postage Paid At Great Bend, KS Sunday Services 8:15 am Early Worship 9:00 am Sunday School 10:20 am Morning Worship 5:00 pm Chi-Rho 6:00 pm CYF (6th-12th) Wednesday Activities 5:30 pm Family Fellowship Dinner 6:15 pm Pre K 2nd Grades (Discoverers) 6:15 pm 3rd - 5th Grades (Navigators) 6:15 pm Chancel Bell Practice 7:00 pm Chancel Choir Practice If you need to contact our staff: Rev. Josh Leu, Minister revjleu@gmail.com Rev. Sue Bishop, Associate Minister of Children and Youth im4uth@gmail.com Kathy Rose, Church Secretary fcc@cck.kscoxmail.com