This blog began as documentation of my journey into formal ministry. Now that I have received a call it will continue to function as a place for me to address concerns, celebrations and anything else that might catch my fancy. Please remember to "Be A Blessing To Someone Today"! God Bless, Roy
Fall is in the air and October is quickly coming upon us! Honestly, Fall is one of my favorite seasons (second only to Spring) but of course, the problem with Fall is that we know it's a very brief season, and all too soon we'll find ourselves in the grips of another Midwestern Winter. Hopefully, it will be a mild winter this year and we'll all get through with flying colors. These last couple weeks have been very sad for all of us here at Woodlawn with the passing of our very dear and beloved friend Lou Green. Lou has been such a long-term fixture here at Woodlawn that she'll be forever missed. If you haven't reached out to her family with words of support, please do so. God's love and strength to all of Lou's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. This past Sunday was, however, a great day for us all here at Woodlawn, as we saw the Kuhlers family come forward to ask to become members here at Woodlawn. We welcome Jared, Laura, Stephanie, Will, and Lucas to our little family. I will be putting together a baptism class for them and if there is anyone else that is interested in getting baptized, please let me know. Right now I'm thinking we'll schedule the ceremony for Easter 2018, which happens to fall on April 1st. Please make sure and introduce yourselves to the Kuhlers and welcome them to Woodlawn. Our concert “Son Celebration” on the 16th was a bit disappointing due to the rainy weather. But undaunted, we moved the concert into Fellowship Hall and everyone that turned out really enjoyed the show. I do thank our performers for the evening, “Peregrine” along with “Will & Jane”, both groups were fantastic! “Will & Jane” performed for us last year as well, though last year they performed under the name of “Orphan's Cry”. On the 21st, the 'Women of Woodlawn' had a dinner and meeting to celebrate a new name for the Women's Group. It was a great night and even though I was unable to attend, everything I'm hearing about it is very positive and exciting. Thank you to all those who worked to make this program happen, and thank you to Kim Anderson especially, for all her hard work on planning and preparation. On the 9th, we had a wedding here at Woodlawn, Jordan and Kelsey Beidler were married and we all wish them all the very best. Jordan and Kelsey have started attending the 'Sunday Night Group' since their work schedules clash with being able to attend our normal Sunday Morning Worship. We're very glad that they've started attending and we welcome them here to Woodlawn. The big news to remember is that starting October 1st, we have moved our normal Sunday Morning Worship from a start time of 10:30 AM to a starting time of 10:00 AM. Please, make sure to note the change or else you'll find yourself coming into worship when we're about halfway through. If by chance you discover you're running late, PLEASE do go ahead and come to worship... none of us is going to mind you walking in at the mid-way mark of the service. The 'Catch' training program is going along very well, and we have just two more sessions left to complete. The next sessions will be October 10th and 24th. Even if you've missed the previous sessions, please feel free to join us on either or both of these nights. In the spirit of 'Catch', I would like to invite everyone to invite someone to Church in October (and November and December and...). We're called to be 'Fishers of People' and it's tough to catch fish if you don't cast a line every now and again. Please, invite a friend or relative to join you at worship or at a Church Event. Other things to note in October are; Contemporary Worship Committee Meeting on the 1st after Sunday Worship, Christian Council Meeting on the 3rd at 6:30 PM, Elder's Meeting on the 8th after Worship, Church Council Meeting on the 11th at 6:30 PM, Men's Meeting (at Sweet Things) on the 14th at 7:00 AM, and the 'Baked Steak Dinner' on the 19th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. As you may have noticed, the Men's Meeting in October will be down at Sweet Things. We've decided to try this for a few months to see how it goes over, it relieves us of having to plan for how many may or may not show up, and it also gets us out and visible in the community. Please plan to gather with all the men on the 14th at 7:00 AM. It's also time to start thinking about the “God's Portion Sale” in November. If you'd like to be on the committee for the sale there is still time to add your name, the committee is currently made up of Clyde Westcott, Jesse Gorden, Bill Hungate, Leon Hendricks, and myself. We could certainly use a lady or two on the committee, if you're interested please give me or one of the other members a call. Well, I've probably used up my allotted space in the newsletter already so I better wrap it up... “BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE TODAY”! In His Grace & Care, Pastor Roy
This past Sunday, September 18th the sermon was focused upon the Concert that we held on Saturday evening at the Rodeo Arena here in Lake City. Everyone pulled together so very well, and I am so very pleased with it all and with everyone. Our headliner for the concert was a group out of Treynor Iowa called "Orphan's Cry". It's fronted by Willy and Sarah Jane Roberts and honestly, they're amazing. Here's a link to their website, check them out you won't be disappointed! Orphan's Cry
And here are a few links to their videos on YouTube:
And here is a video of the opening act, "Topher Booth".
The concert was a blast and we had a group of youths that showed up from Fort Dodge and made it all more than worthwhile. Take a listen to the sermon linked below to find out more about this group and how impactful it was for all of us as well as for Willy and Sarah Jane. I had several members even that night asking me if we were going to do this again next year. It is certainly my hope that we can and will do this again, I'd like to see us add a band or two to the offering. This year we started off with "Topher Booth" a young artist from Omaha who was also very good and the young folks seemed to really like him. He was an incredibly pleasant soul and I enjoyed visiting with him. If we do it again I'd like to see him come again along with Willy and Sarah. When they were ready to head out Saturday after the concert, I asked them if they'd like to come back again next year if we did the project again, they all were more than anxious to return. It's great music with a great message so I pray we are able to put it all together again next year. We'll just have to be in prayer and discernment as we look to the new year.
The Sermon on Sunday was all about the concert and built around the following scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 NRSV 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Additional scripture references were as follows: Ephesians 4:1-6 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:29-32 NRSV 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,[b] as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 1 Peter 4:8-11 NRSV 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 11 Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Here is the sermon, it's in two parts due to technical difficulties during the recording. Take a listen, it's not that long and I thought it was a pretty good message.
With that, I need to run. Thank you all for dropping through this little corner of the internet, may it find you all well and blessed. Be a blessing to someone today! In His Care, Roy
