fall in this issue - Wasilla Bible Church

WBC
NEWS
FALL
2013
Community Groups
Community Groups, you will start to hear
that phrase in the months ahead. Over the
past year we have been preparing for a return
to a structured small group system in our
congregational life. We have been taking slow and
deliberate steps in order to build a system that will
last. Most of the work has been behind the scenes
to this point. This fall that will begin to change.
The first “visible target” is to have a team of 27
Community Group Leaders in place and on line
leading Community Groups by October 1st. It
is an aggressive goal – but we are making good
progress towards it. We do not plan on letting up.
Even as we bring the first wave of leaders on line
we will, Lord willing, be recruiting and preparing a
second wave.
As we build our team of leaders you will begin to
hear the phrase “Community Groups” more and
more often. I think this would be a good time to
provide a simple definition of a Community Group.
A Community Group is a small group that meets
regularly to encourage and engage one another
in the practice of our Five Core Commitments:
1) The Centrality of Christ,
2) The Authority of Scripture,
3) The Priority of Prayer,
4) Authenticity in our Spiritual Life,
5) Community in our Congregational Life.
Because these groups are being built around
dependable and capable leaders we have
minimal “required” criteria for the groups. We
are committed to maximum leader flexibility and
strongly encourage diversity in our various group
demographics, locations, and schedules. We do
have a basic group “template” (or format) but we
understand that Godward relationships are more
organic than they are organized. A healthy vine
can, and will, grow well on a simple trellis.
place. We are not planning a general participant
signup. We will build the groups slowly around
each leader. Starting Point will
eventually become a key element
in that process. This will take time.
We are okay with that. You can
build a trellis quickly—it takes
time to grow a vine.
Adult Ministries
~Larry Kroon, Senior Pastor
Starting Point
As Larry has indicated, community groups will
be the default place people will build and foster
Christ-centered relationships to live out the 5 Core
Commitments in our congregation. In order to
help people get involved in community groups
we are beginning Starting Point this October.
Starting Point is designed to be an on-ramp into
congregational life. Through the three sessions
of Starting Point we will relationally coach you
through the process you want to begin (whether
that’s joining community groups, pursuing church
membership, getting baptized, or something else).
We’ll do that in a low-key, relational setting where
we can get to know one another, typically over a
meal. The bottom line is that if you want to move
deeper into church life, Starting Point is where you
want to go.
Fall Course Line-Up p. 2
Extended Ministries
Summer Blessings p. 3
Youth Ministries
Check Out Our 2013 Summer
Trips Report & Photos p. 4
Music Ministries
Staffing Change p. 6
Children’s Ministries
From VBS to Mid-Week
Children's Ministry p. 8
Support Ministries
Baptisms p. 10
Resource
New Resource Projects,
Service Video, The City p. 11
WBC LIFE
In Pictures. p.12
The first sessions of Starting Point will begin here
at the church the first full week of October. One
set will begin on Sunday, October 6th, immediately
following second service. The second set will
meet on Friday evening, October 11th, at 6:30pm.
Signups for the sessions will start next Sunday,
September 8th.
If you want to get more involved in
congregational life and are ready
to take the next steps toward that
end, I look forward to seeing you
at Starting Point.
As we move into the fall months our primary focus
will be upon getting a strong cohort of leaders in
MAKING DISCIPLES AS WE…
IN THIS
ISSUE
W O R S H I P TO G E T H E R .
AND MORE!
~Ashley Brown, Associate Pastor
L E A R N TO G E T H E R .
S E RV E TO G E T H E R .
ADULT
MINISTRIES
Fall 2013 Adult Ministry
Course Line Up
Adult Studies: Beginning the week of September 8th
• Sunday Mornings
11:15-12:15pm
Pastor John
Annex
Traditional Sunday School: Families are encoraged to worship
together at the first service and individually go to Sunday School
second service. All adults are welcome.
• Sunday Evenings
6:30-8:30pm
Pastor John
Gillespie’s
GAP (college and career age): “I searched for a man among
them who would build up the wall and stand in the GAP. Ezekiel
22:30 Please join us this year as we enjoy food, fellowship and an
in-depth look at the Bible. Contact John @ 841-2934 for more
information.
• Tuesday Evenings
7:00-8:30pm
Joe Kirkwood
Rm. B03
Spirit World: The world of God, Satan, angels and demons is a
very real world all around us. Living as God wants us to in this
physical world requires a clear biblical understanding of the spirit
world. This is a 14 week class, all materials are provided.
Men’s Bible Studies:
• Sunday Mornings: Begins the week of September 8th
11:15-12:15pm
Loren Kroon
Sports Complex
Men’s Connection: The men of WBC meet weekly for discussion
and prayer to encourage one another.
• Tuesday Mornings: Begins September 10th
7:00-8:30am
Pastor Joel
Rm. B11
Psalms: Join us for this interactive study. Each week we will read,
discuss, sing, and pray a psalm.
• Wednesday Nights: Begins September 11th
7:00-8:30pm
Pastor Larry
Women’s Bible Studies:
• Tuesday Mornings: Begins September 10th
10:00-12:00pm
10:00-12:00pm
Sarah Brown
Merry Doner
CoffeeHouse
Rm. 204
Women’s Bible Study: This fall the women will be jumping into Hebrews.
Hebrews is about the supremacy of Christ. Join us as we explore “so
great a salvation” through so great a Savior. If you are looking for a
Bible study to join, please know you are welcome; we would love to
include you in our journey.
• Wednesday Evenings: Begins September 11th
7:00-8:30pm
Nikki Toll
Rm. B20
Women’s Bible Study:This fall the women will be jumping into Hebrews.
Hebrews is about the supremacy of Christ. Join us as we explore “so
great a salvation” through so great a Savior. If you are looking for a
Bible study to join, please know you are welcome; we would love to
include you in our journey.
Specialized Studies:
• Tuesday Evenings: Begins October 22nd
6:30-8:30pm
Dave Eller
Rm. B03
Financial Peace University: FPU teaches God’s ways of handling
money. Through video teaching, class discussions and interactive small
group activities, FPU presents biblical, practical steps to get from where
you are to where you’ve dreamed you could be. This plan will show you
how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and
much more!
Other Ministries:
PrimeTimers: A Senior Adult Ministry for men and women at or near
retirement whose purpose is to fellowship, support, and encourage one
another. Primetimers meet on the 1st Saturday of each month at 9am.
Call Mel @ 376-7719 for more info.
Stephen Ministry: Our congregation’s Stephen Ministry equips lay
people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals
in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in
their lives. Call Pastor Jim @376-2176 for more information.
CoffeeHouse
Men’s Bible study: The coffee is on at 6:30pm. The study begins
at 7:00.
• Thursday Mornings: On Going
6:00-7:30am
Pastor John
CoffeeHouse
Men’s Breakfast: Come eat, fellowship and study the Word.
PAGE 2
FALL 2013
EXTENDED
MINISTRIES
Summer Blessings
God has blessed Wasilla Bible Church this summer. No, I
am not referring to the multiple days of temperatures over 80
degrees, although that was nice. I am referring to a fantastic
summer of Extended Ministries.
First, I must explain something important. We support a
missionary couple who need to remain nameless when we
discuss missions. In today’s digital age every missionary must
assume that their name will be Googled upon entry into a
foreign country. This is especially important if the country in
question is hostile to the Gospel. If the missionary’s name
pops up connected to a church or a missions agency their
work and freedom are immediately in jeopardy. Also, if they
are identified as a missionary, each person that they speak with
is then placed in jeopardy. With this in mind we have codenamed one of our supported missionaries “Charis.” (Charis
means grace.)
Having said all that let me say that we were blessed with
having Charis with us all summer long. They have been
staying in Wasilla since the end of May and have just now
relocated to Anchorage. It was such a blessing to have Charis
meet with various groups and tell of how God is at work within
their (unnamed) country. Charis has been in our Bible studies,
fellowships, and church services. They were as blessed as we
were with all of the fellowship. It was also a good summer of
translation work for them. I hope you had the opportunity to
spend time with Charis and to hear of all that God is doing
through them. Please continue to pray for them as they return
to their home and the work within the country God has lain on
their hearts.
We were also blessed by a visit from the Brubaker family.
They work with World Venture missions in Rwanda where
Tim is a pastor's teacher at New Creation Ministries in Kigali,
Rwanda. Tim is an integral part of a school that offers in-depth
training to Rwandan pastors. Currently Tim, Jessica and their
family of 2 boys and 2 girls are traveling in the U.S. visiting their
supporting churches, family, and friends and ultimately settling
in the Chicago area where Tim will finish his own studies. As
with Charis we were blessed to hear of how God has been
working in their lives and ministry. Many people of WBC were
able to spend time with the Brubakers and enjoy their company.
I (Pastor John) was able to take Thomas and Martin out to
the woods for some .22 shooting. It was a first for both of
the boys. I showed them how to safely handle a rifle and then
pointed them towards the
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.
targets. Martin laid on the sand bag for a long time looking
down the barrel—not shooting. I finally got next to him and
said, “You may shoot when you are ready.” He just kept looking
down the barrel. I looked up at his dad, we both shrugged our
shoulders, and then he finally shot. He got a perfect bulls-eye.
He was studying the target! I asked if he could do that again
and he did. Both
boys enjoyed the
day in the Alaskan
outdoors. Again,
we were blessed to
have been visited by
the Brubaker family.
Please continue to
pray for them while
they are stateside
and pray for Tim as
he studies. Also,
continue to pray for
the pastors who are
studying at New
Creation Ministries
in Rwanda. I am sure that they are eager to have the Brubaker
family “home” again.
Our summer may be winding down (say it’s not so) but
we continue to be blessed within Extended Ministries. On
September 2nd Sasha and Natasha from Good News
Church of Vladivostok, Russia will arrive for a visit. We are
looking forward to many hours of fellowship and learning of
God's blessings within the church where Sasha is pastor. Our
prayer for this visit is to learn how to pray more specifically for
Good News Church and to learn how we can be a continued
support to the building of God’s kingdom there in Vladivostok.
Please look for Sasha and Natasha in church on September
8th and warmly greet them. If you have been praying for them,
please tell them so. If you have not been praying for them,
please start. If you wish to learn more of their ministry and our
church’s connection with them, please contact me at
[email protected].
Thank you, Wasilla Bible Church Family of Faith, for your
hospitality, support, prayers, and time spent
invested in our Extended Ministries partners.
Your support and prayers do make a difference
within the kingdom of God. Keep up the good
work.
~John Doak, Adult Ministries Pastor
PAGE 3
YOUTH
MINISTRIES
My wife, Audra, and I are very thankful to be a part of the family
of faith here at WBC. I am excited to begin working with the
Elders, Britt, and the team of youth leaders to make disciples of
the young men and women at WBC, teaching them to obey all
that Jesus has commanded. I deeply love Jesus and his body
and desire for others to as well.
A Look Back
The time I was able to spend with the teens on a few of the trips
this summer was absolutely amazing! It was great to watch the
Spirit of God so evidently working in the hearts of our young
people.
Our up-coming freshmen spent 3 days camping in Kenai. They
spent time hiking Exit Glacier and hanging out at camp. They
also looked at the reality of walking humbly with Jesus and
following his example by putting others’ needs above their own
through studying Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Our up-coming sophomores rafted to various locations along
Kenai Lake while discovering what Paul says true “Christian
fellowship” ought to be through his letter to the Philippians.
Our up-coming juniors traveled to Fairbanks to put into
practice what Jesus says in Matthew 20:26 “Whoever wishes to
become great among you shall be your servant.” They labored
many hours each day working on projects at a local camp, as
well as looking into many different passages that challenged
them and gave a clearer understanding of what it means to
sacrificially serve one another for the glory of Jesus.
Our up-coming seniors ventured into B.C. to kayak on the
ocean for about a week. It was not only challenging physically,
but spiritually as well. Through great conversations and
scripture meditation, the students were challenged to sit
with Jesus and listen for his voice. It was a great time for
strengthening and building Christ-centered relationships.
A Look Forward
Charles Spurgeon, a theologian and preacher from the 1800s,
who is known as "The Prince of Preachers" and who was called
by God to begin preaching at the age of 15, wrote the following
statement: I know of nothing which I would choose to have as
the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my
God till death, still to be a soul winner, still to be a true herald
of the cross, and testify the name of Jesus to the last hour. It is
only such who in the ministry shall be saved.
WEEKLY
YOUTH
SCHEDULE
PAGE 4
Like Spurgeon and so many other followers of Christ, our
ambition and pursuits should be to remain faithful and
productive for the glory of Christ Jesus. Through the Holy
Spirit we were given his Word as a written testimony of the
supremacy and love of Jesus who gives us eternal life.
This year we will be following the Apostle John through specific
events in the life of Jesus. We’re told in John 20:31
“...but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life
in his name.”
As we venture through The Gospel According to John , we will
see the very intentional way Jesus draws us to himself so that
we might find our ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment of joy in
him.
Would you join me this year in praying for the teens in our
family of faith as well as those in our community?
Please pray that through a growing affection for
Jesus, they would experience life abundantly in
the worship of Jesus and thus avoid the snares
of this world.
~Josh O'Donnell, Youth Pastor
STUDENT CALENDAR
High School (Crossfire)
October 11 & 13 - Fall Retreat
October 26 - Youth band leads Sunday Worship
November 27 - No Youth Group
December 1 - S.A.L.T. Christmas Party
December 25 - No Youth Group
January 1 - No Youth Group
Middle School (Crosswalk)
Septemeber 14 - Butte Hike
November 26 - November Fest
December 24 - No Youth Group
December 31 - No Youth Group
YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER CALENDAR
September 28 - Leader Training
December 8 —Leader Christmas Party
High School Youth
Group (Crossfire
Middle School Youth
Group (Crosswalk
Middle School Sunday
School
Wednesday Nights
7:00 - 8:30pm, B03
Tuesday Nights
7:00pm - 8:30pm Gym
11:15am - 12:15pm
Rm 204
FALL 2013
YOUTH
MINISTRIES (Summer Trips)
Youth Summer Trips 2013
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.
PAGE 5
MUSIC
MINISTRIES
All the Way Our Savior Leads Us
WORSHIP LEADER PROFILE: Cathy
I enjoy seeing God at work. Most recently I have
been able to see Him at work throughout a recent
Worship Ministry staffing change.
For the past two years, Willy Shelton has been
on staff part-time as Worship Ministry Assistant,
overseeing all of the Fishing Crew worship teams
as well as the GrowZone worship leaders, a job he
enjoyed very much. However, this past spring Willy
was feeling led to step down in order to have more
time for work and family. Willy and I prayed together
about who should replace him, and God brought
Cathy Winter to mind. Meanwhile, unbeknownst
to us, Cathy had been thinking and praying about
trimming her hours a little at her physical therapy
job and doing more with music. When I first spoke
to Cathy about the Worship Ministry position, I
learned that God had already been leading her in
this direction. After much prayer and some schedule
adjustments, Cathy officially came on staff part-time
at the end of July. As Worship Ministry Assistant,
Cathy will be overseeing all of our children’s music,
as well as working with the youth band. She will also
be co-leading one of our Sunday morning teams
with me.
Cathy has a beautiful servant’s heart, and I am
excited to see what God is planning to do through
her this year. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand, that we
should walk in them.” God has led Cathy into this
position to accomplish His good purposes, just as
He has much good for Willy to do this
year as a Worship Ministry volunteer,
father, and financial advisor. All the way
our Savior leads us.
~Joel Stamoolis, Worship Pastor
PAGE 6
How long have you been involved in the
Worship Ministry at WBC and how did you get
started?
It all started on a S.A.L.T. retreat, when Tonya Jones
brought both a guitar and music leaving me no
excuse but to rise to the occasion. I had been taking
guitar lessons from Joel for almost 2 years at that
point, but had managed to avoid sharing my gift.
That was about 8 years ago. Since then, I have led
for AWANA, and have enjoyed playing on various
FISHing Crew, youth and adult teams in addition to a
few youth trips.
What instruments do you play?
I play guitar with the most confidence, but I
also enjoy playing piano and djembe. I own a
few percussion instruments and I can pick up a
harmonica and play a few songs. On my list to learn
are the cello and the fiddle.
What are some of your favorite worship songs
and why?
“Be Thou my Vision”
The line “Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High
King of Heaven, my Treasure thou art” has been my
favorite since high school, challenging me to keep
Him first in my heart.
FALL 2013
MUSIC
MINISTRIES CONT.
“It is Well with My Soul”
Similar to “Blessed Be Your Name”, this song
challenges my heart to be content, recognizing that
I already have everything I need. It is well with my
soul.
“For the Moments I Feel Faint” by Relient K
This one has been a tremendous encouragement
to me, and is one that I have found to be a huge
encouragement to our youth, to remember that
when the world tells us there is no hope, the God
that we serve is steadfast and we should never
underestimate Him.
“Psalm 62 (My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone)" by
Aaron Keyes and Stuart Townend
them, and even later in life, how the Holy Spirit will
bring a song to mind to affirm, guide or direct. And
let’s face it, standing in front of those kids singing,
you have the best seat in the house.
What do you find most challenging about
leading worship for kids?
I enjoy picking songs that kids can relate to, the
challenge is making sure that the kids are singing
concepts that they understand.
Do you have a favorite verse or passage
related to worship?
My favorite verse related to worship (for today) is
Psalm 100.
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
This song became precious to me when I was
preparing to leave home for college. God reminded
me that no matter where I was, my soul could find
rest in Him. He will always be my rock and my
salvation.
Serve the LORD with gladness!
“Be Still, O My Soul” by Joel Stamoolis
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
God brought this song to my heart when I needed to
be comforted by the reality of His remarkable justice.
Knowing that He is God, and that I can trust him, is
enough to bring me through anything.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
“Center” by Charlie Hall
For the LORD is good;
This song is continually an encouraging and
convicting reminder, as it was a few Sundays ago
when paired with the sermon on Discipleship. It’s my
prayer for every aspect of my life that Christ would
be found in the center.
his steadfast love endures forever,
These songs are just a few of my favorites that God
has used to remind me of His truth. True to the cry of
these songs, I get caught up in being busy and need
to be reminded what makes my soul sing and to be
still, be content, find rest, and wait.
What do you enjoy most about leading worship
for kids?
I love hearing how the songs that we sing on Sunday
morning stay with the kids, how they continue to sing
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
and his faithfulness to all generations.
What excites you most about coming on staff?
I cannot express how excited I am to come
alongside the WBC ministry team to specifically
encourage our kiddos in musical worship. I love
music and even more I love God’s children, so for
me, the combination couldn’t get any better. Working
with children is an incredible
responsibility and blessing. I am
overjoyed at this opportunity to get to
use music to help them know and praise
Him well.
~Cathy Winter, Worship Ministry Assistant
PAGE 7
CHILDREN’S
MINISTRIES
Looking Back...
This summer has been a busy one! We kicked it off with
Vacation Bible School at the beginning of June. This was
a fun filled week
when the kids
traveled back to
Babylon. They met
with Daniel and
visited shops that
included a metal
shop, mosaic shop,
astronomy school,
and many more. We were blessed with 197 kids and 120
volunteers. What a great adventure. This next year we’ll be
traveling to Athens. Think white columns, red velvet swag
and gold bling. If you would like to be part of the team for
this next year, or if you know you’d like to run a shop, let us
know and we’ll add you to our sign up.
Some of our first year volunteers were Bud and Doreen
Beech. They ran the Synagogue in Babylon and did an
amazing job! We asked them to share with you their
experience and this is what they had to say:
"My wife Doreen signed us up one Sunday to help in VBS.
I was not comfortable with the idea at first, but after the
first meeting it became clear that this was a well planned
program with some very organized people working
together, and the second meeting only proved to reinforce
my initial impression.
When VBS started, I realized there were a few things
I was not sure of, like how everything worked together.
This was easy to figure out after a couple of days by our
conversations with the young people and other shop
keepers.
As with every summer, we switch from a full swing Children’s
Ministry to a smaller version we call Summer GrowZone. This
is for our 4 year olds and under. It has been really neat to see
so many new faces down stairs serving our kids. We switched
up our lessons and crafts this year and worked on updating
the website to reflect what was currently going on. Hopefully
you had a chance to check it out and benefit from it. We really
desire to pour into our kids over the summer and continue the
learning experience. We’ve been blessed to see an increase
of dads signing up and serving. We love when a family serves
together. One of the dads that spent several weeks serving had
this to say:
“For many weeks this summer, I've had the privilege of working
with my family in the Galloping Goats toddler nursery. I've
enjoyed the time spent with my wife and kids and many of your
lively and shining children. The Bible says that children are a
heritage from the Lord, and being surrounded by so many little
ones helps to make God's truth that
much more real.
Being around these energetic
toddlers each week in class, I can
see myself in the trials and joys they
experience. Whether it's the struggle
leaving the arms of the parents
love or the delight in being able
play with some new toys. We're not
different, those kids and I. And to be
honest, their innocent outlook on life is encouraging.
of
they
to
so
Has it been a little while since you've had some fun?
Being new at this, it was a lot for me to take in, but I felt
good about each day's experience. The material was
well put together and the
organizers made it a fun and
a rewarding experience. I
would encourage others to
join in. This is a great way to
serve and help further the
kingdom of God through His
people." ~Thank You, Bud and Doreen Beech
PAGE 8
FALL 2013
CHILDREN’S
MINISTRIES CONT.
Volunteering with these kids is much more fulfilling than it
is draining. And don't worry - they don't all cry at the same
time. If you don't feel like you're up to the task, take heart and
have a little faith. Be a part of what God is doing in the body
of Christ, even the youngest part of His body."
~Jeremy Bacon
Another first time volunteer said this:
"My wife and I recently experienced our first time teaching
in the Terrific Turtles class on Sunday morning. We were
very impressed with the fact that the curriculum and activities
were all laid out and ready in advance for us when we
arrived. We were able to show up 15 minutes early and
sufficiently share Jesus with the kids and have a lot of fun too.
Having been our first time teaching that class, we were very
thankful that the Children’s
Ministry staff was stopping by
to make sure we were doing
well—they even brought us
coffee! Our time serving in
the Children’s Ministry on
Sunday mornings was not at
all as intimidating as we had
anticipated. We love it!" ~Josh & Audra O'Donnell
Sunday School classes for all
children begin on September 8th!
See you there!
Mid-Week Curriculum will be:
Boz for 3 and under: Understanding
the importance of all aspects of early
childhood development, the creators
of BOZ are committed to developing
entertaining stories that help reinforce
key educational concepts and the
foundational faith values that you are
teaching your preschool children.
Answers in Genesis for 4 and up: This three-year program
covers the entire Bible in chronological order. It provides
answers to the issues that confront today’s culture through
the media, school, friends, etc. Answers in Genesis provides
a thorough understanding of the authority and primary
teachings of Scripture. All ages will be equipped to defend
the Bible, and become conformed to the image of Christ, as
they apply God’s Word in their everyday lives.
Mid-Week Children's Ministry
Parents
One of the big things on the horizon
for Children’s Ministry is the addition of
Mid-Week Children’s Ministry. We used
to just have “childcare” but always felt
like we were missing the opportunity to
minister to our children by not utilizing
this time. Sooooo, we plan to start
utilizing it :)
Wondering what will be happening this year? Want to get
plugged in? Check out our new Parent Handbook. This
contains all sorts of information about Children’s Ministry,
Events, and Policies. These will be available for pickup at
the information desk and check in stations.
Mid-Week Groups
This year our mid week groups are Tuesday am/pm, Wed
pm, and Friday pm. You read that correctly! We are SO
excited to have all these opportunities to minister to these
kids but that also means that we need help! Have you ever
benefited from the Midweek Children’s Ministry? Would you
be willing to give back? Do you have a homeschooled highschooler that’s responsible and loves kids? Contact Amy
Fischer to join our Mid-Week team.
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.
Look for some new changes in FISHing Crew
as well! Memory verse rewards, cool prizes
and new faces. Have questions? Want to get
involved? Check out FISHing Crew starting
September 8th!
~Tonya Jones, Assistant Children’s Ministry Director
Awana starts September 8th for 4
year olds through High School!
Sundays 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
PAGE 9
SUPPORT
MINISTRIES
Stephen Ministry
Baptisms
We are thankful for a new class of Stephen Ministers that
finished training this spring and are now caring for people in
our congregation in one to one formal caring relationships.
One of the most important parts of their ministry is good
listening skills. In this article we want to share a few thoughts on
the ministry of listening.
There is a great joy in hearing people profess their faith and
trust in Jesus. There is something that captivates our attention
as we listen to someone share a testimony of a certain situation
in their life and then they tell us how God met their need or
provided the answer to their question in a great time of need.
Think of a time when you really felt cared for. Chances are
someone focused on what you had to say, was attentive to your
needs, and listened to how you felt instead of telling you how
you should feel or what you should do.
Listening is one of the most powerful ministry tools at your
disposal. It demonstrates that you care about the other person.
In Stephen Ministry, a great deal of time is spent teaching
and practicing listening skills because of its importance as a
caregiving tool. You too can become a more caring listener by
understanding and applying these six listening concepts from
Stephen Ministry training.
1. Listening is active. It takes energy and commitment to listen
really well. Focus your attention on what the other person has
to say instead of thinking what you will say next.
2. Listening takes patience. Often you need to build trust
before someone will open up to you. Constant, patient listening
is key.
3. Listening involves more than just words. Pay attention not
only to what is said, but to what is not said- or to what is said
with a smile or a sigh. Pay attention to body language also.
Does it agree with or contradict a person’s spoken words?
4. Good listeners aren’t completely silent. They restate key
thoughts or ideas to be sure they understood correctly or ask
focused questions to encourage the person to reach a little
deeper.
5. Listening happens over time. One conversation might build
upon an earlier one. As you listen over several conversations,
are there recurring themes or patterns in what the person has
said? Are there any contradictions from what was said earlier?
These are signs there may be more to explore underneath.
When a person comes to be baptized, they are also sharing a
testimony of something God has done in their life. It is a very
personal and intimate thing that God has done in their heart
and soul. They are sharing that God has convinced their heart
of His righteousness, their sin and guilt before a Holy God, and
that God has provided one solution to their great dilemma—the
death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the One
who had no sin, but became sin for us so that we might become
righteous before God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
It was a great joy to hear twelve people profess their faith in
Christ as Lord and Savior and to watch them be baptized in
Memory Lake this summer. Each one is a very special story of
the love God has for them.
Our next baptism is scheduled for October—indoors this time!
If you would like to share your personal testimony about God’s
gracious work in your heart and soul and respond in obedience
to Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 28:18-20),
we invite you to contact Pastor Jim after one
of the Sunday services or call the church office
during the week at 376-2176 in order to set up
your baptism interview.
~Jim Eller, Contact Pastor
6. Listening is confidential. A great way to build trust and to
show the person you really care for him or her is to maintain
confidentiality and not to share with others what was told to
you in private conversation.
Just as our Stephen Ministers use good listening skills to
communicate how much they care, so can you. Follow and
practice these listening principles and make a concentrated
effort toward becoming a better listener. Listening is a great gift
we can give to one another.
PAGE 10
FALL 2013
RESOURCE
This Summer
By far this was a summer that goes down in the record books
for sun! What a great summer we had and enjoyed. I liked
watching our family of faith take full advantage of the prolonged
days of sun. Whether that was recreation or productive days
of work on the construction site or fishing boat, the sun was
a refreshing shift. I very much enjoy the seasonal shift that
summer brings both in weather as well as in our congregational
family life.
This past summer started well with a successful annual meeting
that brought the members of this family together for our
traditional Terry Olson sourdough pancakes! The fellowship
was rich, the food great, and the direction clearly set, and
resources needed were approved.
The rest of the summer has been filled with planning and
preparation for another year of ministry support. We started
with our standard budget preparation where we close out last
year’s budget and input and prep the coming year's approved
budget. Projects are started, goals are formed, and the work is
started on ministry support needed for the coming year.
Fall and the Work Ahead
A few major projects that are in the works for this fall are video
deployment of our Sunday morning service, a congregational
communication tool to help build community called “The City”,
and continued improvements in our kitchen and coffee house.
Video of Sunday Service – currently we are recording
and deploying both a sermon only and a full service video
through YouTube. You can view our progress and sermons at
wasillabiblechurch on YouTube. We are continuing to work
on improved deployment through our website as well as fine
tuning our recording of the service. Jesse Jones has been
leading this process and we are excited to be able to add this
functionality to our Sunday morning service.
church for the church and we are excited to start implementing
it over this year. We will be deploying this tool first to the
various service groups, leaders, volunteers, community groups,
worship teams, and other groups that are currently functioning
in our family of faith. This first step will allow us to get things
up and rolling and all the kinks worked out. Right now we are
planning to launch “The City” congregationally after the first of
the year. We are excited for this tool to better support us as
we seek to build community in our congregational life. We will
be talking more about this over the year and we look forward
to bringing our whole family into this common communication
forum.
My Prayer for the Coming Season
As I look at the work ahead I want to pause and request your
partnership in prayer. While we can labor hard to achieve
this objective or walk this plan, or implement this program, we
must never lose sight of the purpose. Making disciples through
Christ centered Godward relationships in the context of our
family is it! That’s the goal! Everything we endeavor to do must
be and will be in support of this. The key in this is the working
of the Holy Spirit through you as a member of this body. He
has joined us together for the advancement of His kingdom for
the glory of His name. As it says in John 15:5, "I (Jesus) am
the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I
in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can
do nothing." Nothing! That word resonates in my head and
directs my focus back to the start of the verse, back to Jesus.
My prayer is that we would abide in him and
through this we will bear much fruit over this
coming season. Verse 8 “By this my (Jesus)
Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and
so prove to be my disciples”.
~Jake Davies, Resource Manager
Congregational Communication (The City) – Over this past
year we have been researching a solution to help our family
of faith better communicate with one another. Like any family,
building community with one another happens with active
and engaged communication. We have settled on an online
communication tool called “The City”. You can find more
info about it at www.onthecity.org. This tool was created by a
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.
PAGE 11
WBC LIFE IN PICTURES
A great group of VBS kids with their leader, Heather Fussell.
Anne Anderson and her first caribou.
Sydney Weaver enjoys her time in
Busy Bees
Adah Grace Lathrop and David Jones
learning to share.
Our seniors on their summer trip to Beyond Malibu, BC.
PAGE 12
Ladies biking group on an outing from WBC.
Malachi Stamoolis and Owen Beaudry working on a hole to the center of the earth.
8th grade girls having fun at Middle School Youth Group.
Making Disciples As We...Worship Together, Learn Together, Serve Together.