Connect Living Word’s Weekly Newsletter Meet the Candidate for Associate Pastor!
ARIEL WILLIAMS TODAY at 6:00pm There will be a brief worship followed by a Q&A forum in the sanctuary. The congregational vote will be held on August 12 following each service.
July 29, 2018 Blessing of the Backpacks There will be a Blessing of the Backpacks at all services on August 12th! People of all ages, bring your backpack (or whatever you carry to school) to any service that day and receive a blessing for the new school year along with a keychain!
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Today’s Change Offering: LWR School Kits & Baby Care Kits Imagine having to choose between a meal or purchasing a notebook. Lutheran World Relief sends School Kits to places where even the few required school supplies may be more than a family can afford. LWR also distributes Baby Care Kits as part of emergency relief efforts, and they are given to encourage expectant women to seek prenatal care. Please help us support these ministries with your Change Offering next Sunday! __________________________________________________
LWR School Kit Drive Backpacks, rulers and pens! OH MY! The LWR School Kit Drive is gearing up and will run through September 9th. This annual ministry will supply school kits for under privileged kids in places all over the world. Please pick up a supply list in the lobby, where you can also find the donation box. The list is VERY item specific, so please check it carefully. Items that do not conform will be donated elsewhere. We hope to send no less than 100 kits. Even with the interruption of Harvey last year, we were able to collect 150 kits! Take advantage of those sales while they last! Thanks for your support. Questions? Nancy Tuttle –
[email protected].
We invite you to the celebration of the 10th Ordination Anniversary of Pastor Emmanuel Jackson. Pastor Emmanuel joined our Living Word family in 2008 fresh out of seminary and has been our longest serving pastor. God has used Emmanuel's unique gifts to bless our community in many ways. On August 5th we will have the opportunity to give thanks to God for the ministry and gifts of our pastor during worship at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am. Bishop Michael Rinehart will preach and preside. A reception will follow all services in the Life Center.
"This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." - Psalm 118:23 __________________________________________________
2018 Giving Actual YTD Receipts $677,268.66 Actual YTD Expenses $733,744.15 __________________________________________________
Dear Friends, Over the past several months our community has been engaged in thoughtful conversations about the future. We listened to the Spirit through prayer, we listened to each other through individual conversations and a congregational survey, and we analyzed numerous documented trends within our community. Based on these factors, we have made several ministry decisions that we are hopeful will lead us to continued growth and a more robust fulfillment of our mission. Myself, along with council, our recently formed learning team and staff are guiding Living Word towards a dedicated hour on Sunday morning for Sunday School and faith formation opportunities for youth and adults. In order to achieve this we plan to implement the following changes to campus ministry schedules beginning in the Fall of 2018. 8:00 AM
Traditional Worship
9:15 AM
Contemporary Worship
10:00 AM Sunday School (Youth & Adult) 11:00 AM Blended Worship We acknowledge that change is often difficult, but necessary if we are to grow and fully live into our values as a community of faith. There is no perfect "one size fits all" ministry plan and there never will be. I encourage you to join us as we chart a path into the future. Blessings, Emmanuel Jackson, Lead Pastor Four Elements of a Faith Milestone:
In baptism, the faith community promises to help parents raise their children in the Christian faith. The Milestones Ministry is a key way the church can partner with families in equipping them with the tools to live out their faith together. All classes involve practical hands-on instruction, parent participation is expected and wraps up with a worship celebration on Sunday morning. What is a Milestone? A faith milestone is a marker along life's journey that says, "This is something important and God is here, too." Marking a milestone is a Biblically-based spiritual practice in both home and congregation, that helps all generations recognize God's presence in all of life.
1. Naming the sacred and ordinary events that are recognized in the life of a congregation, as well as in our daily lives. 2. Equipping brings generations together, builds community, invites conversation, encourages storytelling and provides information. 3. Blessing the individual and marking the occasion in a worship service and in the home. 4. Gifting is a tangible, visible item that serves as a reminder or symbol of the occasion being marked, as well as a resource for the ongoing nurture of faith in daily life. Milestones include: New Member, Baptism, 1 yr old Bible, 2 yr old Prayer, 3 yr old Worship, 4 yr old Bible, Kinder Lord’s Prayer, First Communion, 3rd Grade Bibles, 5th Grade Bridge, 7th Grade Human Dignity, 8th Grade Confirmation, 9th Grade Welcome to HS, 9th Grade Driver’s License, 10th Grade Stewardship, 12th Grade Graduation, and Grandparent. For a complete schedule, visit livingwordkaty.org and enter “MILESTONE” in the search field.
We are reinstating Sunday School and expanding our faith formation opportunities in the Fall of 2018. We intend to invest time and ministry resources to develop Sunday School and Christian Education for all ages. It must be a priority for our Living Word community to equip ourselves and provide meaningful opportunities to grow in faith with younger generations. To successfully pass on faith to our children and the next generation, we need to equip parents and adults. Therefore, our approach in bringing back Sunday School includes an adult Christian education component. To accomplish this, we are dedicating A FULL HOUR on Sunday mornings to Christian education for ALL AGES. This is an opportunity for entire community to be equipped in age appropriate settings. We are encouraging families and individuals to dedicate 2 hours per week for worship and Christian education. We believe this is important and deserving of our time and our commitment. The best way to start the week is to be engaged in dynamic worship and Christian education. I urge you to make a commitment THIS FALL. To have a dedicated hour on Sunday morning for Sunday School geared towards all ages, we will need to adjust our existing worship times. Starting in September of 2018 worship times will be as follows: 8:00 AM Traditional Worship, 9:15 AM Contemporary Worship, 10:00 AM Sunday School (Youth & Adult), and 11:00 AM Blended Worship.
The Living Word Sunday School program will commence in September 2018 every Sunday. As a “Safe Haven” campus and to ensure the safety of all our students, there will be two teachers in each classroom. Teachers will be scheduled on a “per unit” basis, with each unit lasting 4-5 weeks. In doing so, we hope to provide the opportunity for our volunteers to participate in adult education during the alternating periods should they wish to do so. The overreaching goal of our Sunday School leaders is to shepherd the children God has entrusted to us. We will be using the “Deep Blue” curriculum as our model. The following are responsibilities you assume as a leader: 1. Facilitate a small group of children during Sunday School time. 2. Contact absentees and maintain attendance records. 3. Pray for assigned children and their families. 4. Share faith and fellowship with children and their families. 5. Participate in planning per unit or as Sunday School team agrees. 6. Agree to teach 1 full unit (4-5 weeks), then take off one unit. Alternates are available for emergencies. To volunteer to become a leader, click on the “Sunday School Leaders Needed” image on the homepage of LivingWordKaty.org.
At its core, a Life Group is a gathering of people, and it is less about what you do and more about who you do it with. It is through doing life together that our problems become smaller and God uses others to bring healing, support and encouragement to our lives. You've probably seen Life Groups meeting and not even realized it. A Life Group looks like friends at lunch, teams playing basketball, or people studying a book or topic of interest. Life Groups meet in places like homes, parks, restaurants, coffee shops and office buildings. New members are always welcome, so look for Life Group registration forms which will be online soon. Currently we do have a small number of groups that will continue to meet. If you are interested in getting more information about Life Groups please email Ephraim at
[email protected].
CHILDREN Pray for the Lutherhill Elementary Campers this week!
Learn how money doesn't have to be stressful with Financial Peace University. Plan for your future, dump debt, and build a legacy. This class will be offered at Living Word beginning on August 26 at 2:30pm, and will continue for 9 weeks. For more information, visit the kiosk in the lobby this morning. To register, visit livingwordkaty.org/EVENTS. __________________________________________________
Thank you for your support of Camp Hope 2018! We appreciate all your donations and prayers! We had a total of 165 campers, told 15 different stories, and used 163 cans of shaving cream over the three weeks! Stay tuned for next year’s dates! __________________________________________________
We are sending 19 campers, some of whom will be spending the night away from home for the first time! Please pray for new and experienced campers, the staff and the weather. They will be blessed at the 9:30 service today!
JR HIGH 2018 - 2019 Confirmation Registration will open Aug 1! Remember there are two parts – one for the release form and one for payment/tee shirt size. You’ll get an email with links on Wednesday. You can also go to the Confirmation page on the website! www.livingwordkaty.org/discipleship/jr -high/confirmation
HIGH SCHOOL High School Hang-out Sunday’s (aka HSHS) Do you want to get to know your fellow HS students??? All HS students are invited to attend church together on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays and then go out to eat afterwards and hang-out. The 2nd and 4th Sundays you would go to your regular service time with your family. Parents don't have to come with you, but they are welcome. Parents can still go to their regular service time. Friends are always welcome to come!
JULY: worship together at… 7/29, 9:30 AM & go to brunch at 10:45 AM AUGUST: worship together at… 8/5, 11:00 AM & go to lunch at 12:15 PM 8/19, 11:00 AM & go to lunch at 12:15 PM All youth ages 6 to 10 are invited to Camp Jam, Living Word's Music Day Camp! We only have a few spots left! This kid's immersion music program will expose youth to a variety of musical instruments and ensembles. If you are interested in signing up your child or grandchild, please register this week!
To register, go to livingwordkaty.org and click “Events”. For additional information, contact Barry Sames at 281-392-2300, x213 or
[email protected]. We are also presenting 5 scholarships to Katy Christian Ministries, so if you feel led to sponsor a week of camp for a child, please contact either Barry Sames at
[email protected] or Lynda Dowd at
[email protected]. __________________________________________________
SEPTEMBER: worship together at… 9/2, 9:30 AM & go to brunch at 10:45 AM 9/16, 8:00 AM & go to breakfast at 9:15 AM (set your alarm for EARLY AM) For more information or if you need a ride, call or text Ginger Carlton at 281-814-3132
Want to be in the know about upcoming HS events??? Join the Remind group! There are 2 ways to join: (1) Text @lwlch to the number 81010 or 828-348-1855 or (2)Open your internet browser and go to rmd.at/lwlch—follow the directions to download the mobile app. For help, call or text Ginger Carlton at 281-814-3132.
For more information about Living Word events, visit the “Events” page at livingwordkaty.org
