Bye Bye 2012

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2012, I wanted to thank those who helped at church with anything the children's dept. has undertaken. We have done a lockin, Easter egg hunt, food fight (which will never happen again), movie nights, inside inflatable's for the wee ones, summer clothing drive in Memory of Ben Clough, coats for the needy, trunk or treat, Smokies trip, pies in our faces, many pizza suppers, Archie Wade and his Christian Magic Show,The Mom song, Doughnuts with Dad, food drive for the pantry, Operation Christmas Child, Breakfast with Santa, swimming party, Christmas musical, Salvation Army bell ringers, other things that my brain has probably chosen to forgot... the food fight should have fell into that category haha and of course the best VBS ever Allison Williams!! We have the best folks who will do whatever they can to make sure our children have a great time at church. Even though we have a whole lot of fun, the most important part is teaching the kids about Jesus. The fun is nothing if Jesus isn't living in the hearts of these kids. I want to thank the parents for getting up when it is hard to on Sunday mornings knowing your body could use the extra rest, for bringing them on Wed. nights when you rather come home from work and plop on the couch. You are showing your children learning about Jesus and fellow shipping with your church family is important. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I look forward to the New year with much excitement for you and your children. I pray that 2013 will be a year that you and your children grow even closer to God.  Big thank you our whole church family, staff and preacher because you support us in every endeavour with excitement and love! It is great to be involved in the children's ministry at WBBC!! God has really blessed us and I know He has great plans for our future! 2013 bring it on!

Merry Christmas

I had to sit down & take a moment to wish you and your family Merry Christmas. I know we are all immersed in cooking, baking and the children are excited about the presents, spotting Santa & hearing the reindeer hoofs on our rooftops tonight (Jack is already bouncing off the walls) but I hope each of us take a moment and remember the real reason for Christmas, Jesus Christ. My prayer, this Christmas, is that Jesus lives in each one of your hearts. I pray that you forget about who got what & what we didn't get & focus on family and just enjoying your time together. I look forward to a the new year with excitement because I can't wait to see how God is going to work in our church. I am excited to continue to see how God is using the Mayo's abroad & I am excited for the Ayres as they now have 2 more children! God has greatly blessed our church family!

My boys head off on their 1st youth trip to Winter Extreme! I am so excited for them and all the other youth! I know this is going to be a great experience for them & the chaperone's. Whoever rooms w/ my boys, please make sure they match & brush their hair. They still don't care how they look! Pray for safe travel for these kids & if their is anyone on this trip who doesn't know Jesus I pray that Gatlinburg will be the place that hearts are changed.

Merry Christmas to you all. May God continue to bless you and your family! Kristi

Sharing Jesus

I know we are all sadden by the events of last week & the weekend but I hope as you watch the little children last night you were able to put the horrific events out of your mind for a few minutes and focus on the story, showing Jesus's love to a person who needed it. My hope and prayer is that we all do as Rebecca & Drew did in the story, step out on faith, take a chance, even a second chance and go to someone you know who is in need of knowing about God's love. As a saved person it is our responsibility to share Jesus with others. I know it is the gift giving season and everyone is running around trying to get the perfect presents, spending crazy amounts of money(my house is no exception to this) but there is no gift you can purchase, no amount of money you can spend that will have have a more lasting affect than Jesus.  So as we give the perfect gifts we have so carefully chosen for our family & friends take a moment & think about the person & question "do they know Jesus?" If not I pray you have the courage and the opportunity to share Jesus with that person. I pray I have that same courage & opportunity too!

Big thank you to anyone who helped w/ the kids program. I had so many people help with this or that. I am blessed to work with wonderful parents and church family who try to help out anyway they can. You should all be so proud of your children. They practiced so hard.....and practice is not fun but they did it because they wanted to share Jesus. I am proud of them!

This Wed. night we are going to have a break & have some deserved fun! I told the kids to bring a snack to share (anything they chose) and we are going to read the Christmas Story & play reindeer games in the gym. This Sunday there will be no children's church during preaching because we will listen to the adult choir perform. Next Wed. night, Dec. 26, there will be no church.

This Friday, at the Gadsden Mall fountain, our children will ring the Salvation Army Bell from 10-6. I have a few hour time slots left to fill so let me know if you would like to be a Bell Ringer......it is something you will never forget! If you are out & about stop by the fountain & drop some change in the pot.

Remember Jason & Lauren Ayres as they take off on this wonderful trip to bring home their children! Remember their children who are home, who I know will miss their parents but look forward to meeting their siblings. Remember Elizabeth & Davidson who are about to be welcomed into one awesome family!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christ centered week!

Final December Reminders...... I hope!

Alright boys & girls, Moms & Dads this is the final week of practice for the kids Christmas musical. We will practice Wed. night 6-7. Then Friday night will be the dress rehearsal, 6-8. They will be feed Deoreos pizza from 6-6:30 then we will start the musical practice. I do need a few moms/dads to help w/ feeding, clean up & costumes. The kids do not have to wear the clothing they are wearing Sunday but they need to have their lines memorized & know those songs. I think the only song we are struggling with is Here We Come A Caroling. I have been saying wear the red VBS t shirt & stick a long sleeve tee underneath but I told them yesterday they can wear any red shirt or something w/ a festive Christmas design. I really don't care as long as they are festive looking. I was just trying to keep us from buying new clothing for one night. Some also had Santa hats they wanted to wear so anything like that is fine w/ me. They story revolves around the kids caroling so they can wear those crazy toboggans or scarves if they want. JUST LOOK CHRISTMASY OR WEAR THE RED VBS SHIRT! If y'all have questions just call or text me. Invite people! When kids perform it is always a great excuse to get people into the church. I firmly believe it we get them there God handles the rest!

The last thing I have is the Salvation Army bell ringing. The children's dept. has been doing this for yrs now & it is such a worthy cause. The kids & their parents pick a 1 hour time slot & just ring the bell at the center fountain of the Gadsden Mall. I have already had 2 families hit me up for time slots so right now I have 12-6 open. Let me know if you want to work for an hour! You will not regret the decision!

Please pray for the musical....that some part of it touches a heart and that if anyone is in our church that night who doesn't Jesus that they leave there knowing Him. Please pray for a good pathology report for Mom on Thursday & for Mrs. Johnson's grandson Kyle. I hope you all have the most blessed week!

December Reminders

Before I even start on all we have to do I need to give a big thank you to the kids in my SS class. I am so blessed to be able to spend time w/ the most compassionate & loving kids. I had 2 children as soon as they saw me yesterday ask about my mom, 1 ask to put her on the prayer list, then a group want to make cards for her. The apples do not fall far from the tree! Great parents= great kids! Thank you for all the prayers, texts, handling movie night & just awesome words of encouragement!

Reminder that Breakfast with Santa is this coming Sat. Dec. 8, 9 am. Santa will arrive by firetruck! This is a great opportunity to invite someone to church so take a moment & call someone & invite them! Please remember there is no cost for the breakfast but I need reservations made by Wed.  Dec. 5 so I know how much food to purchase & prepare. At this moment I have very few reservations. I would also love some youth & a few youth moms to volunteer to help w/ serving & clean up. Maybe that way those Moms w/ little ones can enjoy the event. If you can help please let me know. PARENTS DO NOT FORGET A CAMERA FOR THAT SANTA PIC!!

We are moving right along w/ our Chistmas musical practice. The kids have done a great job learning the music. This Wed. we will start to practice lines & put the whole show together. I need everyone who can to be at practice Wed. & Sunday. Sunday we will practice for the full preaching hour. Reminder on outfits. Kids need there red VBS shirt (There is extras in Allison's room) & a white, green or something festive looking long sleeve shirt under it. They can wear jeans or whatever pants they choose. I'll have all the costumes next week for those in the nativity. Dress rehearsal is Friday night Dec. 14.  After the musical the kids will perform 2 songs during the dinner theatre. As it gets closer, I know some of you might not stay for the dinner theatre, just let me know so I have an idea how many kids will be staying to sing. If you have questions or want to make reservations for breakfast, call me 256-442-0120 or text 256-393-1063. have a great week & remember Jesus is the reason for the season!!

November Redo

I joked last night w/ a friend who is having some difficulties that we both need a November redo. Seems like November has been a stinker for many of us. I know of a friend w/ surgery gone wrong, one caring for an ailing parent, some losing parents, children sick, divorce, loss of job and of course my own family's situation w/ mother. It has been a tough month for so many people, yet I have seen so many just keep on keeping on! As Christian's God never told us this world would be easy, He never said everything would go our way. Every plan I have made lately, God has rearranged. I know His plan is perfect and I  have gotten over not getting my way & now I am just going with what ever comes my way. I have seen so many in the situations listed above doing that....just making the best of it and going w/ whatever God has planned. I am thankful for those people because they are such inspirations to me. We can't get a November redo but in less than a week it will be a new month & I am believing it will be a better month.

The kids should all have their music cd's by now. Please have them learning those songs & if they have a speaking part, memorizing it. We will be practicing Wed. nights upstairs in my SS class & every Sunday during children's church for the Christmas musical. PLEASE REMEMBER rehearsal is DEC 14 6-8. They will have a pizza supper then practice the entire play so I need every child there PLEASE!!! Show will be Dec. 16, 6 pm. I will have all the costumes for the kids who are in the nativity scene.

A few other reminders: This Friday night is the Polar Express PJ Movie Night. 6:30 in the gym. Everyone wear your PJS. We will have cookies, hot cocoa & watch the Polar Express. I do realize Mom is suppose to have surgery that day & if I can't make it, the show will still go on thanks to Katie & Teresa! Also, remember Breakfast w/ Santa. This is for anyone, I just need reservations in by Dec. 5th so I can prepare enough food. Santa has been located & I believe he will arrive by firetruck! There will be a heavenly angel named Ben Clough watching over Santa! Hint Hint!! Any of these events would be a great opp to invite someone to church.  I hope you all have a great week and remember even though we have alot going on at church, we do it all because of Jesus.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK

I am pretty sure we are all in the same boat & have so much to be thankful for. God has been so good to me and blessed me w/ a wonderful related family & a wonderful church family. I have really struggled (struggled is probably a mild word if you were Jami & Joey and had to listen to my wailing) these past few weeks w/ mom having cancer again & then the news of waiting to see if it is anywhere else & if it is there being nothing we can do. As usual, I doubt & God handles it. After going to church yesterday & hearing the choirs music I just felt like it was just for me...just the things I needed to hear. Same thing last night @ the Community Thanksgiving Service. The words of being thankful just spoke to my heart & then this young couple sang & I just knew God had this under control. WHY DO I DOUBT?? My brain knows God has this but my emotions have been all over the place! I have felt like a crazy person, w/ my insides churning & my mind running nonstop. Drove my Mom & her sister home last night in complete peace.  I am so thankful for my church family covering my mother in prayers. I ask for your prayers as she has all her scans tomorrow that the cancer is confined to the one breast. I am also going to ask that whatever she goes through that we pray that God uses that to bring someone closer to him. I want every situation my family & I go thru to be used for the glory of God & to bring someone to Him. We have to stay focused on God & he will handle the rest. I hope you all have a very blessed week w/ your loved ones! No church Wed. night.

Kids Reminders:
Christmas music went home yesterday. If you didn't get it please let me know & I'll bring it to you this week. I really need the kids to get those songs learned asap. Please read the letter that was included. The letter said the dress rehearsal would be Friday Dec. 15 but the date is wrong. The rehearsal is Friday Dec. 14. PLEASE  make sure your child is at the dress rehearsal!!!!The Christmas musical will be Sunday night Dec. 16 . Kids need to be at church by 5, show starts @ 6:00. This is the same night as the dinner theatre which will be after the kids perform. Mr. Edwards said he will have tickets for sale next week for that.

Polar Express pj movie night is Nov. 30. In the gym 6:30. Invite someone!!!Cookies & Hot Cocca

Breakfast W/ Santa (STILL NEED A SANTA) is Dec. 8, 9 am in the fellowship hall. There is no charge but I need reservations in by Wed. Dec. 5.