“The Great Bend Christian”

January 2015

Vol. 48 No. 1

There was a time when Christ-

mas was really about bringing family

together, the birth of Christ, and en-

compassing the spirit of giving.

These days, the Christmas Sea-

son 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 expen-

sive. $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

email 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, pur-

chase 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 com-

munity 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

“The Great Bend Christian” January 2015

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 Wor-

thington

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

“The Great Bend Christian” January 2015

Martha Group

Hostess: Louise Gunn

Program: Anneliese Ward

January 14, 2015, 1:30 pm

Lunch Bunch

January 21, 2015, 11:30 am

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

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 (620-786-5881), Clayton

Noffsinger (620-617-3364), or Debbie

Noffsinger (620-793-0604).

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 intro-

duced to this worthwhile cause, please sign the

signup sheet in the foyer of the Church.

Thank You.

The FCC

garage sale is

February 7th.

You may start

bringing your

items for the sale

on Sunday,

January 25th.

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 Great Bend Christian” January 2015

Give a warm welcome to our newest

members: Loren & Arlene Schamaun, Jim &

Lucy Jay, and Sarina Johnson. We are so

glad you joined us!

Starting January 25th

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 discov-

ered, 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 http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/

definition.cfm, or just Google Appreciative Inquiry.

“The Great Bend Christian” January 2015

Web Site: www.fccgbk.com

FCC's podcast: http://bit.ly/1CCGBPodcast

Facebook: www.facebook.com/firstchristiangb

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 mat-ters, not just for now but for the future, and for the many people that will be depending on them.

Dear Church Family, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with each one of you!! Words cannot tell you how thank-ful 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

Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for my basket of good-ies for final week. It’s a great feeling know-ing 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

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

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

“The Great Bend Christian” January 2015

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

“The Great Bend Christian” January 2015

Past 5 Weeks Attendance and Gifts

*Special Offerings include donations to: Operation Christmas Child, Memorials for Helen Morgan & Mabel Hiss, Wednesday Night Dinner Dona-

tions, Thanksgiving Dinner Donations, FCC Food Bank, Sound System Fund, Golden Belt Community Foundation, Outreach, DMF Christmas

Offerings, Water 4 Foundation, Wedding Fees

23 30 7 14 21

Sunday School 72 51 66 70 68

Early Service 29 30 35 32 36

Late Service 170 114 136 166 168

Children’s Church 12 8 13 9 7

TOTAL 211 152 184 207 211

General Offering 3,522.83 2,927.58 9,900.13 14,715.52 9,961.01

Special Offerings 2,083.70 160.00 855.00 1,105.05 440.00

TOTAL 5,606.53 3,087.58 10,755.13 15,820.57 10,401.01

First Christian Church

5230 Broadway

Great Bend, KS 67530

The Great Bend Christian (USPS 576-380)

Published Monthly

By First Christian Church 5230 Broadway

Great Bend, KS 67530

Postmaster Send Address changes to: First Christian Church

5230 Broadway

Great Bend, KS 67530 Periodicals Postage Paid

At Great Bend, KS 67530

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