THE OPEN DOOR LAKEWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) An Open Door to a Vital Faith Church Officers and Leaders A congregation is only as strong as its lay leadership. Lakewood is blessed to have dedicated, faithful lay persons who accept and fulfill their responsibilities. The following persons have been chosen by our congregation for 2019. Officers Moderator Phil Roach *Financial Secretary Vacant Moderator-Elect Thad Barker *Treasurer Vacant Secretary Pat McFerrin Program Group Coordinators Congregational Life Sue Lowry Physical Resources Roger Bailey Mission Dana Renschler Child Development Center Rick Cross Administration Russell Scott Trustees Trustee Gary Fraser 2019 Charles Holley 2021 Trustee Jon Carothers 2020 Elders Roger Bailey Thad Barker Rick Cross Terry Ermoian Sue Lowry Patti Beaty Phil Roach Jim Young Deacons Cathy Banks Lana Gilbert Russell Scott Jim Banks Marilyn Jackson Pepper Seaman Angela Carothers Mike Jackson Russell Snider Ken Carothers Pat Oubre Al Thurston Ila Jean Carothers Susan Pardaen Laurie Thurston Bette Cook Dana Renschler Jean Vestal Scott Cromie Jennifer Roach Wendy Cromie Rachel Roach *The functions of Treasurer and Financial Secretary are currently being done by Theresa Davies of the accounting firm Pattillo, Brown and Hill. Our Nominating Team for 2019 Church Officers and Leaders was made up of Phil Roach, chair; Sue Lowry, Lana Gilbert, Linda Jensen and Gene Hall. January 17, 2019 6509 Bosque Blvd. Waco, TX 76710 Phone: (254)772-3416 Fax: (254)772-9354 Email: office@lccwaco.org Meet the Staff Rev. Richard Roland Interim Minister Carrie Forehand Director Brad Forehand Handbell Director Cristina Mathis Organist/Pianist Pam Huffstatler Director, CDC Vonessa Barker Administrative Assistant Office Hours Monday Friday 9:00am 3:00pm Minister s Hours Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday am-12:30pm 1:30pm-3:30pm January 6 Morning -79 Offering-$8,039 January 13 Morning -71 Offering-$3,807
CWF/DW CORNER Prayer Group: Tuesday, January 22, 10 a.m. at the church. Priscilla Group: Tuesday, January 29, 6:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. There will be food and a program by someone from M&M Tours! Come join us! GARAGE SALE: The CWF Garage Sale will be Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2, 8a.m. to 1 p.m. You may bring your items to the church Fellowship Hall beginning Monday, January 21. We will place dividers to contain the tables. Just a reminder: We do not take clothes, old TV's (only flat screens), or any appliances or electronics that are not working. We do take hats, shoes, scarves, belts, and jewelry! Youth Volunteering Need assistance with yard work, changing light bulbs, washing windows, completing projects, cleaning, and other such chores? Our Lakewood youth would like to help you out! For more information or to schedule a project, please contact Jennifer Scott 254-495-7507 or email jscott@mcgregor-isd.org Thanks a bunch Special Thanks to Gloria Walker and Lana Gilbert for hosting January s Hospitality Sunday! We appreciate your efforts and sure enjoyed the fellowship. More Thanks! The Church (Missions Group) has received very nice Thank You notes from The Kairos Lane/Murray Units Prison Ministry, as well as from The New Beginnings Group of Disciples Crossing Camp Ministry. Both groups will be using the funds for future growth of their ministries. Save The Date: March 1-2 LCC Rummage Sale Come join us and bring your friends and neighbors to Lakewood Christian Church CWF Rummage Sale Friday, March 1st, and Saturday, March 2nd, in the Fellowship Hall, 8am to 1pm! We have loads of treasures that you can t live without. This is our Women s fundraiser for 2019 to help fund our Church and other charities in the Waco area. Place: 6509 Bosque Blvd, Waco, TX 254-772-3416
Bylaw Update Historically Lakewood Christian Church has been part of the Trinity-Brazos Area of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest Region. Faced with declining membership and reduced finances, the CCSW and the Areas have gone through a Restructuring process that was implemented on January 1, 2019. The Trinity-Brazos Area was dissolved and all of its ministry functions were assumed by the CCSW. The Bylaws of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Adopted December 8, 2013, Section 4 Closure or Non-Viability read: Upon closure or non-viability of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) all assets, financial and physical, of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be given to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Trinity-Brazos Area or its successor. Aware of the dissolution of the TBA, Thad Barker, Moderator; Phil Roach, Moderator-Elect; Trustees Brenda Kirkpatrick, Gary Fraser and Jon Carothers, along with Rev. Roland met to discuss what measures the church needed to take. It was the unanimous feeling of the group that any Lakewood Christian Church funds resulting from the closure or non-viability of the congregation be given to a Waco financial organization that could hold them in perpetuity and distribute whatever earnings there were to local Waco charitable organizations. The organization suggested to receive the dissolution funds was the Waco Foundation. It was emphasized that this Bylaw matter has no relationship to our present relocation efforts. It is simply meant to protect our church monies in the future. There is currently no discussion of closing the church. On November 19, 2018 the group met with Natalie Kelinske, Director of Communications and Donor Services and David Dickson, a member of the Waco Foundation Investment Committee. The Waco Foundation would receive our monies and hold the principal as an Endowed Fund. The income produced would support designated charities named by the church. The following change to Section 4 of our Lakewood Bylaws was approved by the Steering Board on November 29 and the Congregation on December 16, 2018: Closure or Non-Viability. Upon closure or non-viability of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) all assets, financial and physical, of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be donated to Waco Foundation Tax I. D. #74-6054628, a nonprofit organization as described in section 170(b) of the Internal Revenue Code that exists to improve quality of life in McLennan County. Once assets are transferred to Waco Foundation, they shall be held in an endowment with the purpose of producing income over time to support designated charitable purposes. The designated charitable purposes will be selected by the governing body and congregation of Lakewood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the time assets are transferred to Waco Foundation. A copy of the full document presented to the Congregation is available in the church office.
What s Happening at Lakewood Christian Church in Jan/Feb Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thur. Fri Sat 17 18 19 Foster Parent Meeting Forum Room 8:00-12:00 20 21 Homespun Quilters Guild Fellowship Hall 5:00-8:30 22 Women s Prayer Group 10:00 CDC Program Group 3:00 23 Quilt Guild Workshop 9:00-3:00 24 Waco B (quilters guild) Fellowship 9:00-2:30 Steering Board Meeting 6:00 25 Jan. 31st Newsletter Deadline 26 Quilt Guild Workshop 9:00-3:00 27 Elders Meeting 28 29 Priscilla Group Fellowship Hall 6:15-8:00 30 31 February 1 2 3 First Sunday Cookie Fellowship 10:00 4 5 6 7 Waco B (Quilters Guild) Fellowship 9:00-2:30 LOAF 10:00 8 Feb. 14th Newsletter Deadline 9 10 11 12 CWF Executive Meeting 10:00-11:00 13 14 Valentines Day Boy Scouts 15 CDC Open House & Valentines Dance 5:30-6:30 16 Foster Parent Meeting Forum Room 8:00-12:00
Serving Schedule JANUARY 20, 2019 COMMUNION PREP: Al & Laurie Thurston SCRIPTURE READER: Phil Roach OFFERING/LOAF: Rick Cross CUP/OFFERING PRAYER: Patti Beaty COUNTING TEAM: Russell Scott Ken Carothers JANUARY 27, 2019 COMMUNION PREP: Jennifer and Rachel Roach SCRIPTURE READER: Jim Young OFFERING/LOAF: Terry Ermoian CUP/OFFERING PRAYER: Sue Lowry COUNTING TEAM: Thad Barker Russell Snider Happy Birthday Jan. 16 - Jan. 30 Leia Coker Frank Andrle Jean McAtee Pat Rash Gene Hall Mary Alexander John Strickland Tom Wenger Happy Anniversary Jan. 17 - Jan. 30 Mr. & Mrs. Ross Smith Sympathy Jim Banks, Cathy Banks, Lynette Baugh, Charles Beaty, Mike Brown, Sunny Brous, David Coody, Vanita Cook, Elizabeth Cordero, Becky Cornett, Casey Daugherty, Earl Delaney, Nancy Delaney, Betty Dungan, Darrell Dungan, Family of Jimmy Espinosa, Marian Fraser, Jerred Glasgow, Cora and Samuel Gore, Adelle Gray, Jerry Hall, Marietta Holcombe, Jerry Holley, Pam Huffstatler, Ellen Julsen, Dorothy Kendrick, Lonna Kincaid, Family of Elbert Lambert, Family of Marilou Littleton, Gloria Martin, Bill Mathews, Jean McAtee, Kim McLean, Lucretia Meer, Mary Mikalouski, Doris Mize, Family of Jackie Moyer, Mary Nell Murphree, Tom Pardaen, Sandra Raley, Pat Rash, Family of Joy Simons, Jerry Stephens, Terry Sutcliffe, Valerie Swiger, Bob Talley, Bill Tobin, Ann Turner, Patrick Valentine, Melba Waldrop, Sharon Walker, Emily Wettland, Mike White Special Birthday Wishes! Happy Belated Birthday to Leia Coker, Myra Ward s 11 year old Great Granddaughter. Leia, we hope you had a wonderful day! Jimmy Espinosa, the husband of Margie Espinosa, died on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. Family funeral services were on Monday, January 14 in Rockwall. Margie is Miranda Brown s cousin. Let s remember, Jimmy, Margie, Miranda, Joel and others in the family in our times of prayer.
Insights and Inspiration The new year is under way and significant things are happening at Lakewood. We are open for worship every Sunday. Our women are meeting, planning and serving. Our youth are launching a project offering help to members of our congregation. Sometimes after the holiday season we experience a let down that affects all areas of our lives including church. The Serenity Prayer is a good thing to remember when things seem slow and difficult to handle. It goes, God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Our Search Team is active. After not being able to reach agreement about compensation with one candidate, they have interviewed another candidate they are excited about. He is very well qualified and requested to talk to Lakewood. He is a TCU Brite Divinity School graduate and has about 20 years ministry experience. His expectations are also in our salary range. The members of our Search Team are Thad Barker, Phil Roach, Rick Cross, Valetha Ermoian, Charles Holley, Jennifer Scott and Jim Young. Let s continue to hold all the members of our Team and their efforts in our prayers. After discussion with Thad, Phil and Russell, I will continue as Interim Minister for a while longer as we work to complete our Search. Brad Harrell continues to work with us as prospective buyers look at our facilities and grounds. Phil, Thad, Russell Scott and I are in contact with and meet with Brad as the circumstances warrant. Our prayer ministry is alive and well. God is responding to our concerns with his love and healing. In May, 2018, we sent the following Prayer Request to our congregation. The sister of a friend of Carrie Forehand s delivered a premature, 7-month-old baby yesterday. The baby is in NiCu Cooks Children s Hospital in Dallas. The mother, Crystal Garrett (her maiden name) experienced excessive bleeding following the delivery and is in stable condition in Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. Baylor Scott and White EMS delivered the baby and transported Crystal to the Hospital. Following the delivery, Crystal had a hysterectomy. She and Melody barely hung on to life as we kept them in our thoughts and prayers. Early last week I received a text from Carrie with a beautiful Christmas picture of Crystal holding Melody with Evelynne, Crystal s older daughter, sitting on Santa Claus lap. Santa Claus was Jason Wilson, one of the EMS Team, who helped with the delivery on Memorial Day in 2018. Thank you for the many congratulations I received on Facebook, by text, email, phone call and card for my recent birthday. Thanks also for the delicious birthday cake. Jean and I came to Waco in 1994 when I began my first ministry with Central Christian Church. That ministry ended in December 1998. I served Central again from 2007 to 2012. We have continued to be members of and supportive of Central and its ministry since 2012. Jean and I have decided that we would now like to be part of the Lakewood Christian Church family and have moved our membership accordingly. We are very grateful for the way we have been received and our ministry supported during our time with you. May God continue to guide, strengthen and bless us as we go about His business. Richard