They have to the Muslim world, and Carol Branson is going to be the speaker at Lake Geneva on Lake Geneva at Conference Point on May Fifth and Sixth, and with that I returned the meeting over to I turned the meeting over to Jim quint I think this is the next thing.
Would anyone like a bulletin?
Well, good morning. Ingredients to each and every one of you, and to those who are, and zoom this morning is going to be a little bit different.
I'm going to have a brief message, because we want to allow our various ministries here at the chapel to be able to participate and share with you some of the things that they're involved in.
But before I get started, before I forget, I wanted to mention that I had gotten a call from Ellen Thrall, and she wanted me to thank each and every one of you for your prayers to support.
To this time that she got some nice cards and night E mails, and she just wanted to thank you for that.
Also when I was there, in Arizona. For the momentura service of all through, I ran into Dave and Aurora.
Welshher, and they were. They send their greetings as well.
So, and they they plan on, possibly coming up sometime this summer.
Lord Willing. Dave has had some health problems, but they would love to come up and and visit with each and every one of you.
So they send their greetings as well as I said, our format is a little bit different.
We decided as we when we met with the deacons and Ellers met, we decided that we haven't had an annual meeting for a long time, basically because of Covid that hindered us from it.
Having some meetings, but we wanted to again inform the assembly about the various activities.
What takes place. You get to know some of the people that add up these ministries, and we decided that the best way to do it is to get your attention was, we're going to get and get people here.
We're going to have a lunch, and usually food brings people in.
But we thought that the best time to do it is during the family Bible hour, because often, when we have had our meetings in the past, we have had our lunch.
We had the meeting afterwards, and many of the families could not stay due to family restraints, and we understood that, and we just felt that some of the people were missing.
Some of the areas of ministry, and what was taking place, as we as Kane read this morning, I just want to touch on some things about the the body of believers and very so spiritual great gifts.
And I think that tizen real well with these various ministries.
And you know, R. We understand here is in leadership that it's important that these ministries succeed.
But it's what's vital is your participation.
And we value each and every one of you in order for it to be successful.
And we have to recognize the various gifts and abilities and talents, and we appreciate all those who participate.
But most of all we appreciate the prayers that all of you contribute.
We know that without you these things will not have success, and we will not see that Lord's blessing, as I was drawn to this passage in First Corinthians, 12 talks about the spiritual gifts and its purpose in the local body, but also in the Church as a whole, and we have a
great outline here and I really appreciated it was some weeks ago when Ian Taylor spoke on spiritual gifts.
He did a fantastic job, and I'd I'd like to go back and and actually listen to that message.
But he talked about the importance of spiritual gifts and our responsibility as as believers.
We read it in first Corinthians 12, and and I'd just like to read one other verse there versus 4 to 7, each one of us has something to offer, and we read that.
And from this chapter I'm just going to read it.
Verse 4, it says, now there are a variety of gifts, but the same spirit, their varieties of service, but the same Lord.
There are varieties of activities, but the same God who empowers them, and everyone to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
As we understand the Holy Spirit is the one who's the Giver of the Gifts, and those that were given to us at that at conversion, in as a gift has been given the manifestation of the Spirit.
It shows the new life, and you and the Lord has given us specific gifts.
And it's not based on just male or female.
All are included people from all national nationalities, from all social standing, young and old, each one has received a gift, and as brothers and sisters in Christ we all share in the same standing in this we're all on the same plane.
We belong to Christ, and it means that we all share in the same privileges, and we have an obligation.
There we read that the Lord has a pacific purpose for each one of us, and we read this also in Ephesians.
Chapter 2, verse 10, which I'll read, it says, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand.
That we should walk in them. It's interesting that even before conversion the Lord has had a plan for us, and he's prepared and has had a gift in line for us.
So we can serve him in a further his kingdom. And so each member of the body who has been given a special gift has a responsibility and a specific function.
Now we read in first Corinthians 1221 cade in red.
The importance that because we need to recognize that everybody has a function, no one has is any less or any greater than the other one.
So we see, in verse 21, says the I cannot say to the hand, I don't need you, and Head cannot say to his feet, I don't need you.
Each part of the body is needed, and that's the important thing.
We realize that each one of us is needed in a pacific role.
I often listen to Jay Vernon Mcgee.
He's always like his little application in his little funny comments, and he was actually speaking on this this pacific passage about the spiritual gifts related to and using the analogy of of the human body.
And he had spoken on this passage, and he says, after that he says, I was invited to dinner at at home of a physician, and we were sitting there, and and the physician says Vernon, do you know what was the most important part of your body today and he says well, my
tongue, no no, it was your big toe, he says if you didn't have your big toll you wouldn't be able to stand up there for that period of time, and he says it's important.
He says if you are missing a toll, especially your big toll, you do not have that.
That support, and he was just explaining to him that you know we think of some of these things they're the lesser things of the body, doesn't isn't as important.
But it definitely is important, and we do not. You know, we don't all have the same gifts, and we need to be careful that we don't judge one another or others thinking that you know the gift that we have everybody has to have that same gift in accepting the difference.
Is is important. And I was thinking about that. We have a variety of guests in being able to accept that.
And I was reading a comment by Warren Worsby, where he talks about these differences and diversity of gifts also bring unity.
If we apply it in the in the correct way, and he says, unity without diversity would produce uniformity, and human uniformity tends to produce death as a human body weakens its systems slow down, and everything tends to become uniform ultimately the body turns to dust.
You know the leadership here at Wauatulsa.
It's our desire to recognize the various gifts that we hear have at Woah, Tulsa, and it's our desire to encourage those people that we, as we recognize these certain gifts that we use them and encourage them in the service here, and you know my gift might not be your gift.
And your gift might not be mine. But we need to recognize that each one of us plays a vital role in this local body.
You know some of the most important functions of when you think of the human body are the ones that are not seen, and that's true also can apply in the spiritual realm as well.
It's been said. It's one commentator.
Put it this way. Your place may not be prominent.
That prominence is not the issue. It's performance.
And recognizing that each one has a role to play in, how important it is that and recognize that is reread in this this last verse, I think the last verse that Caden read in verse 28 it talks about those various various gifts.
There he says, and God has appointed the church first apostle, second, prophets, third, teachers, then miracles that gives a healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
I'd like to focus a little bit on the gift that helps.
I think that when we think of the word help, we think of what comes to mind.
You think of help? Someone that supports or gives assistance?
And I think we can use analogy like. For example, I look at the ceiling.
We have this nice ceiling. But what we don't see what's on the other side of the ceiling we see that there's trusses that hold this the roof in place, and it's a support system.
If one of those trust is fails, we don't have a ceiling.
We don't have a roof and it plays an important role.
There's many gifts that maybe might be obscure, I think about.
For example, when I walk into the front door of the chapel, when you walk in here, and what is the first thing you see in the morning, when you walk through those those up that front walkway, besides, my grandson Samuel.
But laughter. But often you know your eyes kind of catch the doors, you know, and you see the doors, and and you realize that it's the doors that allow us into this building.
And that brings us into a place where we can worship and fellowship one together.
But there's a saying that says large doors swing on small hinges.
And those obscure things play such a vital role.
And I think what we need to appreciate, and sometimes we don't always recognize there's those obscure gifts and abilities that people have, and how vital theirs are in this ministry and our ministry here at Wauwatos and you know it and it
doesn't matter. The age. You know. I was growing up in the chapel here.
I thought, well, it's just the older people that do the work.
You know, but that can include all ages, and I encourage our young people.
I'm encouraged when I see some of our young.
But boys, pants passing out the Boltons, you know that's acting of service something that's needed.
I think of our are girls here that help with maybe babysitting or help teaching or involved in vbs, you know, it's all important without them.
We can't function properly, and we need to appreciate that and give honor to those who sometimes we think are because they're not seen.
Often we forget, and but they all. Everyone has a place. I was thinking this of some of the various roles that we have here.
You know we think of, I appreciate our musicians that we have that every week play for us.
We think of our are also maintain the building here, and I think of those who prepare the food and those are preferring the food for us.
You're going to appreciate it in about a half an hour, and but these are all things that God has given ability in, and talents, and He can use them for your service, and it's important that we we recognize these things. You know this past year.
We celebrated our centennial, and it's really need to see some of the pictures of those in the past.
Of course I've had the privilege being here for so so many years to witness those who have gone before.
I think of as I I can still picture certain people sitting in certain pews.
There's always those that this is my pew. This is my pew, you know, and his.
But I was thinking about these people in the past, every one of them.
I can't think of anyone in the past that in some way didn't have play some role.
It could be in a small wave, used to have an older gentleman.
Sometimes we'd be joke about him. It's called Mr.
Mertz, and he was an old, an older gentleman, and he was actually he kind of scared me because he was just kind of.
He's tall, and he kind of like he didn't say much, but before we had somebody had to pass out the books in the morning, those books that we have in the remembrance service.
The black books, and he was the one that would pass the books out to everybody.
At the end of the service he was the one that collect them, he didn't talk much, you know, he wrote, it would take the bus every Sunday from downtown Milwaukee take the bus.
Come here and then take the bus back. But he did those little things.
He was also kind of our somewhat. Our janitor, too.
He would pick up things, but he wasn't one that would communicate.
You couldn't really get much out of him, but he was faithful, and he was there, and it was something that was needed.
And often as kids, maybe we kind of, you know, made fun a little bit.
But you know, when you think about it, that here was a person that was faithful in a very small task, but it was essential in the ministry here at Walla Tulsa, and there's, I'd say you know, we can go into the hundreds of people that have over the years.
Have been faithful, and how important it is that we recognize that, and of course God will honor them in their faithful service.
I was thinking also of that that you know, as we move forward, and we continue in our ministry, we have to have respect for one another.
Not placing, maybe value on on certain gifts over another, recognizing that they're just as important, and we read that in Romans, chapter 12, I'm just going to read that passage to you and first, start in verse 3 for by the grace given to me I say to everyone
among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment.
Each according to the measure of faith, that God is assigned, whereas in one body we have many members, and the members do all do not have all have the same function so that though there are many are one body, in Christ, and includes members one of another having gifts, that differ according to the grace given to
us, let us use them. Let love be genuine abhor evil, old, fast to what is good, love one another with a brotherly affection.
I would do one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful, and zeal vervet and spirit serve the Lord, and that's a passage that really is motivating, and one that we should be.
Keep in mind. And I was thinking, too, especially with some of our young people here.
Some of them would say, well, I don't. I don't know what my gift is, you know.
How can I know? Well, I guess the suggestion I would make, you know, if there's something of interest.
Volunteer, suspect. If you can help in this area, you might find out it's something that you you like.
You might discover. This is what the Lord has for you, and you might find that no, that's that's not my area.
But I would encourage especially our young people to, you know, get involved, and we do appreciate.
You know the attitude that I've seen with our young young people.
We're wanting to serve, wanting to be parked, and we want you to feel like you're included.
And we're just. I think it was great when we had Juanas here in.
I think he really encouraged our young people in a great way, and I think we just need to continue on with that as well, and we look to the Lord for the future, that what he might have for us and we've you know we've been blessed over the years.
Lord has been good, good to us, and good to this assembly.
I think it's because of the love that's expressed here.
The unity that we have. And they actually can also recording people in the various gifts and their contributions and using them for his honor and glory.
Of course you know the greatest example of service is the Lord Jesus himself, when he's when he says in Matthew 2028, even though the son of Man came out to be served.
But to serve in kib is life a ransom for many, and that's what the Lord Jesus.
He set the example on service, Eve. When you see how he washed the disciples feats others, you know, he he demonstrated, that that's what we're here for, the gifts that we're given.
It's not for our benefit. It's for the benefit of others.
And may we use that to the fullest extent? I would like to at this time allow some of these various areas of ministry to share what they're involved in.
And so at this time I'm going to call on Tom, and he's going to share a little bit about the music ministry and in areas, too, that you might be able to be involved in.
Morning again. I'll try to keep this a little bit brief, but as just for the annual meeting, I'd like to do 2 things, one is, look back at the year behind, and then look forward to the year ahead again, Jim says specifically, just talking about music 2 things that came to mind thinking about last year one of course
was Juanes. He was really great last year, led a lot of songs, was very enthusiastic, introduced us to a lot of new songs, so he will be missed.
But he's down in Columbia now, doing another great work.
The other thing from last year that I thought about was that we transitioned to using a new hymnal.
So it includes sort of a mix of songs from the Black Book and the Blue Book.
But now we'll just in one book this anthem, hymnal Songs.
It also includes a lot of other songs that we haven't sung before.
So I've been reading through it and trying to get myself familiar with some of them.
You might hear some of them come into our meetings now over the next couple of months, and that gets us sort of to looking ahead.
Similar things to what Juan Ice was doing. But I still also want to be singing some of the old hymns, but, lastly, I want to just give another reminder out there that for anybody that wants to use their musical gifts or there are opportunities.
Work more people into being up front here and singing or playing music instruments.
Whatever you have, especially some of the younger kids. We want to get you involved.
If that's what you want. I mean that we're going to be flexible and so I think music is a wonderful way for us to express our gifts and our worship of the Lord, and we want to do that together.
So thank you.
Do you want me to say who's next? The Seela group leaders?
The English here, chair.
I don't see.
Where he might be running.
But it may be an Aaron Schultz. We have sheets available.
Aaron. Wanna share about the Ladies Ministry?
Hello! Everyone. It's great to be up here and represent the Ladies Ministry.
I was going to give a little kind of a little joke couple years ago in the Reader's Digest.
Hello!
I was reading about now. Hopefully, this applies to the Ladies Ministry.
Hello!
Yes.
I was reading about a former President. I think it was the first George Bush and Barbara Bush and their relationship, and they were in a Limo, and they were on they were on their way somewhere and that Limo had to stop and get gas and I was reading the reader's digest version of this and
Oh, my son didn't do that. He got my phone here when we had that but that's not my cell phone yet.
I guess, George Bush went over to Barbara Bush. Aren't you glad you married me?
Well, but sure.
Really mute yourself.
Because I'm the President in Barbara looks overhead.
Oh, and okay. So the gas attendant. Sorry. Sorry. Messed it up. Shoot!
Okay.
So the gas attendant was filling up their car, and he had said, Aren't you glad you married me, and not the gas attendant filling up our gas?
Yes, home phone. Yeah. On my cell. Phone. Yes, absolutely.
Yeah.
And she says, if I want to marry him he would have been President.
So it's a joke. It's maybe more for couples.
Oh yes!
Hey! Rose!
But just it's kind of funny an impact that women can make.
Oh, yes, I've had young.
I stand up here, not as one, but as a team.
Obviously I don't do this work myself, but am supported by many, many women in this ministry.
We are a ministry that reaches out to women and assists with chapel events and kind of like Tom did.
I just want to go through Our Lady's breakfast is kind of the center of the Ladies Ministry there's a lot of other ministries, but I just wanted to review.
Our year, we in September we started out with a salad supper, and we had a I think I spoke at that one in October.
I believe we did not have one, but we had the Centennial celebration.
That a lot of the women were involved in in November.
We have a Thanksgiving time. It's a chance for women to share.
How they are thankful for the Lord in December we have our ladies Christmas dinner every year, and that is focused more of an outreach, and where the Gospel is preached, where women can bring their non-christian friends and family to hear the gospel a lot goes into
that has definitely a team effort. With that January.
I believe Carmen, I think she spoke on worship, so she shared February.
We did a mother's love. We had Joanne, and she'llit a share about a mother's love.
In March we had asked Barb Taylor from Kenosha.
Speak from the Kenosha assembly. She was actually a part of creating the anthem songbook, and she spoke on, taking a step of faith, and just recently, in April we had Sarah Esther, Serena and Alsie Speak about their trip to Columbia, and that was a really
really great time, and in May we have our joy break, and that'll take place.
May fifth and Sixth Carol Bramson from South Carolina, will become, and then in June we will be doing a dessert night as well.
We host like wedding showers and baby showers help with a groom's fund, help with Potlocks, provide cards and flowers for the sick.
We've also provided meals for people in need, women having little ones providing meals for them.
This year. The women also raised funds to provide missionaries in Turkey. After the earthquakes we presented it that there was a need, and we were able to raise.
I don't want to miss. Speak on how much we raise, but also we were able to provide funds to help the Torresises in Brazil.
Joyce Torres is in charge of like a childcare center, and we were able to provide funds from our ladies.
Ministry, to update some of the toys there.
We have had a full and busy year, and I am not even touching on all that the women do here at the Waabotulsa Bible Chapel.
I think we are a multi-generational ministry.
We have young girls all the way up, which is such a blessing and an encouragement as I've looked up to a lot of the women before me learning a lot, and how they walk with the Lord.
And then the younger ones, coming as they are watching us, serve the Lord as women in this chapel.
I think the most for me personally.
And I've seen it like no other. I've been here for 20 years.
The encouragement from the women at the chapel is like no other.
I'm telling you you are in need, and this is a ministry.
It's not about us, right? It's about serving the Lord with our whole heart, and I can say every single woman here gives of themselves, of their time and their strength.
It's not just money right? Their mind and their prayers.
So there have been women before me that have done a lot of work as well.
And so if you are interested in being a part of the Women's Ministry, there's announcements always, and I just want to say it's a true privilege to be at the chapel and be a part of a team of women, and thank you so much.
Thank you, Erin. At this time. We're going to have Neil come up, and he'll talk about the Sunday school, and then I'll follow up with the Ministry of the Deacons as well.
Hello! Everybody I'd like to talk a little bit about the Sunday school and Sunday school is very important to me.
As I grew up, add an assembly just like this in in Maryland, where my father was a Sunday school superintendent, and for many years he performed that function, and I saw the work that he did to coordinate the Sunday school over the years of course I was in
Sunday School, and I was able to make some lifelong relationships with teachers that I had growing up additionally, I've been a Sunday school teacher and one of the very fulfilling things is to prepare a lesson.
You know, preparing a lesson, or preaching, or teaching at all, requires you to put some effort into it.
To pray, and to read, read the word. So it's really a blessing to be a teacher.
But also to get to know the kids. There's many kids that I've taught over the years that still acknowledge me as their Sunday school teacher, even though they've they're adults now, and of you know, grown.
They still remember me. And so the Sunday school is an important part of our ministry here at Wootosa Bible Chapel.
I wanted to mention a couple of things a few years ago we did change our curriculum over to the curriculum that gospel folio press ut utilizes.
It's called the line upon line, modular Bible lessons, and we had a whole set of these in the basement, and we hadn't used them for about 2030 years.
And they're still good because they're undated.
So we we decided to start using them again and you know I'm flipping through, and I see Jamie Myers name on some of the materials.
So you know this is nothing, nothing new. It's it's a very good curriculum, and it's through an assembly-based ministry as well.
Modular means. Basically, you go through certain parts of the Bible, and there's about 17 different.
Modules, and so it rotates in about every 5 years.
So I think teachers have been happy with the curriculum, and we're going to continue with that.
So I also wanted to mention the actual classes that we have.
We have 8 classes. We have about 2 teachers for each class, and I did a little count.
We have about 70 kids. So that's that's quite a big number.
We've got a lot of kids coming through we're we're happy to have them.
And you know our our main prayer is to see these kids saved.
That's number one, number 2. Those that are saved.
We want to see them grow. So another big part of our Sunday school is our song leading.
So Tom was talking about the song leading. We also have songs downstairs, and Dan Keller and Carmen are right now sharing that responsibility, and I applaud them for the hard work that they do.
There, and additionally, Tom has has taken the songs, and also Aldo.
So there's a lot of effort going into that. So the classes and the teachers I wanted to just mention it.
So we have a preschool class 2 and three-year-olds Jan Appleton has really been taking that responsibility, and Norma has been also helping as well.
There's about 4 kids in that class in kindergarten 4 and 5 year olds in kindergarten.
Tanya Rajin and my wife Alex are or teach in that class there can be up to 7 kids in that class.
We have a primary class. That's 6 to seven-year-olds and grades, one and 2.
Tom Peterson and Aldo are teaching that class, and it can be about 9 kids.
The midler class. That's 8 or 9 year olds, grades 3 to 4.
Joseph Rajin and Donna Harris have been sharing that, and that's a bigger class.
About 12 kids can be in that class. There's middle school girls 10 to 12 year olds that are in grades 5 to 7 approximately.
Jamie Myers and Fazzie Welleskov for taking that class about 8 kids.
There's a Middle School boys class, and that's Alex Grobe and Craig Mckendrick, and that's the same age range 10 to 12 year old, 5 to 7 grades, 5 to 7.
That's that's about 9 kids then we have 2 high school classes.
The girls are headed up by Janine and Leah, and that's about 8.
8, through 12 high school 13 to 18 year olds, about 7 kids, and then the boys class, headed up by Ray and again, high school kids.
So about we've got about 10 to 13 kids listed in that class.
So we've got quite a few.
So it's a great responsibility. There's other things that go in with coordinating the Sunday school.
Additionally, we have summer Sunday school. We try to give most of the teachers a break, so we combine our kindergarten primary middler's classes together, and different teachers have opportunities to teach that class throughout the summer and last year we learned about the tabernacle and that
was a good time, so we're able to get maybe some younger men to, you know, dip their feet in the waters of teaching, and we try to encourage some of the younger men to do it.
So 2 of the big events that that is part of the Sunday school is the picnic, the Sunday School picnic, and we've reserve the Elm Grove Park again this year.
So that's going to be June eleventh.
I think we enjoyed that. So we're going to try that again.
And the Christmas program. Now it's become less of a Sunday School Christmas program.
It's been more inclusive, and I think we've gotten a lot of good feedback.
Everybody can contribute, not just the Sunday school kids.
So I think that's been a success. So what can you do?
For our Sunday school. Well, if you're not a teacher or song leader, or you'd like to be, you can approach me or the elders, and we can discuss that.
And I'd like to just say you we'd like you to pray for the teachers and the song leaders in this opportunity to build relationships with the kids we'd like you to pray for the students.
As I said, their salvation and their growth, and you know you as parents, ask your kids, what did they learn this week on the ride home?
You can ask them that, and they'll say about God, and you'll say, Yeah, but I want a little more details.
So get the details, you know. Talk to your teacher, talk to your kids' teacher, you know.
Ask them how things are going, and thank them. So yeah, what I wanted to talk about for the Sunday school I did see Kadim come in.
Maybe he can jump in, and then I can talk a little bit about the deacons.
After that Kadine.
Hello! Hello! Everyone! Yeah. I'd be talking about sailors and what me, Esther, and a few other people have been doing with Sayla just to start off when we first started. Sailor.
We had no idea what to expect, especially when I first meeting.
We know how many students were going to show up, or some of the kids.
So we've been super thankful just to see people show up.
We've been going through the book of James. Part of our mission is to to teach the kids about having faith in wisdom.
As they walked through their Christian lives, and maybe they face different trials, different temptations at school or just at home.
We just want to bring, maybe a message of hope like, Hey, you don't have to give up me and your your life you can have wisdom. You can have faith.
You can be bold as a young believer, so we've been pretty much teaching that.
And James, and something that we come back to is James shocked one where he says, Come on, all joy when you face various trials and different things like that, and every time we have a sailor we always come back to that verse Kellynella, Joy, and we wanted the romantic kids, that we
know it's hard to do that. We know it's hard to be persistent and be very genuine in your faith.
But the idea is to basically have you. What does it mean to have genuine faith as a believer and that's what we've been talking about.
If you say you're a Christian, how can you live that out?
Practically, and and and be intentional about that. So, as you guys know, the book of James is a challenging book, is challenging for the teachers.
Me, Esther, Mario, and Adele has been helping out already.
We were very appreciative for you guys, but first I would just want to thank the host who's been email the notes and saying, Hey, can we host?
This week, that's been a huge blessing to us, even if we don't get to you guys that week, and we don't let you guys know.
Hey? We need somebody to host. You guys have been very, very helpful in that.
So I just want to thank you guys who Host Ray, she will lead.
There are those, of course, Mario and Adele, and so many do more, and I can't wait to Seymour, hosts and see more people.
Host The Salog Group. This is really just a huge blessing just to go through what we do.
I say, love. So basically we have, we started off with a lot of games, just a lot of different things just to get the kids warmed up.
We want to make the kids feel comfortable when they first come to say lost.
So we'll start with a bunch of games. So you know, Esther know that I'm not really good at coming up with games, so always tell her, or even Nathan, who plays piano for us.
I tell them, hey, you guys have to come up with games because I just cannot do it.
Sometimes so usually, you know me as a retrial to me while we're at emails and talk about sailor.
So we come up with some games just to kinda get the kids warmmed up and get them more comfortable before we have the actual Bible study.
And then, after the games, we do a time of worship.
Which I again would point to Wester and Nathan.
And actually, we've been having some of the staleog kids help out.
I believe Lc has been helping out with guitar and Zoe with the guitar as well, and some just you guys singing too.
So that's been super helpful, and we definitely won't some of them, just to step up and if they want to be involved in worship, or even sharing a devotional from time to time, there's something that we can think of in the future but yeah, we go into a time of worship, and
then usually I would do like a small devotion of maybe 5 to 10 min.
Kind of go through the passage, and then after that we will break off into small groups.
The boys and girls apart, and me or Nsa. Is me, Mario, where already will lead the guys group.
And Esther will lead the girls group, and and this's been really helpful, as you guys know, being in small groups or knowing different ministries is always helpful to break the guys.
The girls up. They tend to be a little more vulnerable in those situations but something that's been really helpful is having the say, a lot of kids go through the texts before we actually, you know, started making applications or tried to draw some theological truths.
And that's been really helpful. This was actually Esther's idea.
She kind of learned that one of her classes and what we do is we try to bring sheets of paper of the texts in essay James, chapter 3, where it talks about the tongue, and we'll bring a sheet of paper with the Bible voice already on there or we will encourage the students
to bring their Bibles, and we will have them highlight what they, what they see in the text.
That's important, maybe something that stood out to him. Our observations, you know, those of you who have taken Ibi.
You have to make observations. Just like, what do you see in the text?
And that way when we come back together as a group, the kids, they have a lot more to talk about, because otherwise you try to go through the texts.
It's like, it's not too many people speaking up. So that's been super helpful. Again.
This was Esther's idea that we've been doing it ever since.
In both groups, and the idea is to really get the kids familiar with the text.
Of course we want to lead them, and we want to guide them.
You know, we want to be the ones to answer questions and things like that.
But most importantly, we want the silly kids to know the word for themselves.
We feel like that would be high highest potential and benefit for them personally to come to the Sale group.
So, you know, have some fun, have some fellowship, but most importantly, get familiar with the text to get familiar with the Word of God that way it can impact their lives individually.
So that's been our goal, really, for the past sailor classes.
Again, we've been going through the book of James. I think we're on Chapter 40 now, so we just have one or 2 more weeks.
But yeah, we just wanted to start off with something challenging and something that can really get the get the kids thinking like, Hey, what is my life?
Looking like as a Christian is. It aws me saying that I'm a Christian, or is it something that can be seen in my life?
So again, it's been a challenge in text, but we've really enjoyed it, me, and Esther, we've been super blessed to have this opportunity.
So thank you to the parents, and thank you to the elders who have this allowed us to lead this group, and provided a lot of different opportunities and just different resources. You know.
And, as you guys know, become, we come from you mayors, and sometimes we don't always feel prepared.
Me and Esther already, or whomever sometimes we have to pray just 20 min before we do, sailor, and but it allows us to.
Rely on the Lord and realized we're just his vessels to be used for His glory and that's what I want to leave you guys with.
You know, as we continue to do, Saleor, we understand that it's really God who's working through us.
You know Paul in the Second Corinthians, 5. You know he speaks of himself as being being used as a vessel of the 4 or 5 being used as a weak vessel.
You know we have this gospel and jars of clay.
I believe he says, and that's how we. That's how we choose to see it.
We are weak vessels to be who are honoured to be used by God.
So please pray for the sale group. Please pray that you can continue to see a lot of students come.
We've been having a lot of good groups. Sometimes it's up and down.
We'll get. Maybe I want to say 8 to 10 students, but sometimes we'll get around 20 so it's been awesome just to see people show up just to keep you guys up to date about what's happening.
These next few months. So we want to do after say, light ends.
I want to say. Sometime in May. We want to do a couple of activities throughout the summer.
Just to continue to build a fellowship amongst the say.
Our group. So the first thing we were thinking of is having a outreach day where we can practice sharing the gospel, maybe give out different materials or resources.
Those in need, in the community, and this would be like a group event where people will come together.
We can have even someone, their parents, or other other ministries in Southern Shap will join us.
I keep that in mind. We're still trying to figure out.
Some dates because Esther she'll be out of town a lot this summer, so we've been trying to work around her schedule.
But we're thinking June for that. Sometime in June that I'll keep you guys updated through email.
But yeah, we just want an event where we can go out and have outreach.
And that might look like passing out tracks sharing the Gospel, or that might look like this and giving back to those in need, and things like that.
If you guys have any ideas for that, you know me, ask.
We have a couple. We met somebody in Debu Guy, Will Eddie Mayors, who who's gifted and evangelism, and we actually did some evangelism with him a few weeks ago, and you know we talked about bringing him down.
Here. But you know, if any of you guys have any ideas or any experience with that, we would love to talk with you and have you join us?
So keep that in mind hopefully. I want to say either late June or early July.
We want to have something like a I guess like a say lig group party, just like more of a fun event.
I talked to Shalida, and she said, maybe like a pool party at the Junede's house.
So that's a possibility. Again, I'll give you guys some hard dates pretty soon again.
If you guys have any ideas about a good location where we can just have some fun with the students that would be awesome as well.
But and then if you guys have maybe a third option of mine, just let me in.
The Esther note, and we'll be glad to talk with you and discuss the details.
So we're thinking 2 or 3 events, not something every week, of course, but just a couple of things just to again make sure we're continuing the fellowship of months to sail our group.
And yeah, you know, that's pretty much what we've been up to.
So just keep us in prayer. Keep the kids prayer.
Keep me Esther already Mario Adele. Everybody who's involved the hosts.
There are so many people who have been involved also, Nathan, for playing piano all the time, and everybody who's involved in worship.
We're just super grateful. So yeah, join me in prayer.
And this prayer over, the Sailor group.
Your father. We thank you for the privilege and the honor to to share your word, to use us as people who who are really just weak vessels.
But, Laura, yet your power can be made strong through us.
And we ask that you will continue the minister with sailor.
What are we asked for that we asked for good fruit to come from there, whether it's maybe some kids come into salvation or maybe growing in their faith.
We ask that you would be the ones to strengthen them, help them to be pointing towards the Word of God as we go through the Book of James, help the Word of God, come to light, to them, to life to them illuminate their minds, and get them excited for golly things, Laura, we just pray
for these next coming events that's before us. We pray that you would lead us into organizing good events for fellowship, and doing all things for your glory.
We pray for your protection, we pray for your blessing.
And let all things be done according to your will. Laura.
Thank you so much for the people who stepped up to host and helping, or even just pray behind the scenes.
Lord, we were so thankful for all who was involved, and we're thankful for all the other ministries in the chapel.
Lord, we just pray for your continual blessing, and wash over us.
Like for the Lord Jesus, who gave us His all, including his life, and we were just so grateful to conceiving that mystery to others in Jesus, name.
So I'd like to talk about the deacons for a few minutes.
Here the word deacon means servant in the Bible, and what do deacons do here at wow!
Otosa, Bible Chapel deacons, the word deacon in different churches means many, many different things, but here it waltzes the Bible chapel.
I just want to say that deacons assist the elders with the care of God's Church.
That's the subtitle of Alex Strok's new book that's titled Paul's Vision for the Deacons, and that encapsulates what our deacons do here at Wall with Tulsa Bible Chapel.
We take direction from the elders, and we've been directed to do very particular things at the chapel, and I want to go over those briefly here.
Well, first, I'll say Marty Wellskopf is one of the deacons, along with Craig.
Mckendrick and myself, and over the past few years we've had 2 deacons go home to be with the Lord Ed.
Wazard and Dennis Schultz, and both of them did a great deal for many, many years, and we're happy to see that Luke will be joining our group and he'll be a great asset.
So some of the really key things that the deacons do, and that the elders have really put into our charge the cope fund.
So, if you're not familiar with the cofund, the code fund is meant to be funds that are available to for the deacons to distribute for those that are in need in our Congress, so we look at health needs financial needs things like that that affect people's finances so we're able to distribute
these funds, you know, discreetly, and those funds are we meet with the person we see what they're needs are, and we prayerfully decide on whether they should receive some funds, or whether we can pay some bills for them directly and and we get direction from the elders maybe they know a little bit more than we
do so we get direction from the elders in that you can give money to the code fund directly by saying that it's just for the cofund.
We the other big thing is that we are in charge of the business meeting.
The monthly business meeting. So so the deacons are making sure that that happens, and I'm the chairperson.
Marty is the secretary, and Craig is the treasurer.
So 2 out of the 3 of us must be there for this meeting, and of course the elders are represented there as well, and it's open to any of the men at the chapel that are interested in in helping or giving input.
So what are the other things that we do? While the deacons meet also?
Monthly, and we have a deacon's list, and it's it's about a page.
Long, specific people at our chapel that we're praying for.
He might be a widow. It might be elderly, it might be someone going through health issues it might be someone that's out of a job.
These are the type of people that are on the deacons list, and we pray, pray for them.
First of all, and then, secondly, we discuss, if there's something that we can do to help sometimes, it isn't giving money, but it might be giving our time or or efforts.
So we go through this list. We just want you to know that we pray for you, and we're really interested in the things that are going on in your life.
And you know, if there's many people here that come to us and let us know about needs, I wanna encourage that.
People don't always want to bring up their own needs.
So if you see needs, please see the elders, but also you can see the deacons, and discreetly just just tell us about some needs we'd we'd really like to help.
So if I said Marty Craig and myself, and one thing in common is that we all have wives that are doing a lot that are much more responsible than we are, and you know they're they're really doing a lot with us.
There. We invite them to our deacons, meetings as well, and I just want to thank them for all the hard work that they do and continue to do.
They are able to give us feedback, that we really wouldn't, wouldn't really know.
They know a lot more things that we do. They talk to people and know the needs.
And so we're really thankful for them. And additionally, I wanted to mention about the business meeting that there's a lot of work that goes into that.
The business meeting, especially Craig has a lot of responsibility for putting together the the financial reports each month, and additionally, Craig has a lot of responsibilities with paying our commended workers paying the ministries that are decided that should be given money.
For paying the bills at the chapel. Craig has to pay the Internet Bill Foam Bill.
You know the trash, all of that, all of that needs to be done, and, as you know, paying.
Bills is not as easy as it seems, so there's a lot of work that goes into that.
Additionally, Craig needs to deal with our bank relationships, and he also deals with the month, the yearly year-end contribution.
Among many other things, we are also responsible for the building and the grounds, and there's many things that go into that we deal with insurance.
We are insured, and even things like when when Kadim and Sailor go on a trip, the driver is insured under our policy as their driving kids to an event.
So these are things that we pay for, and we have to manage as well, and that is an important part of the the chapel.
So you know what other things happen in the church building.
We need to be aware of it. And we're we're coordinating things, you know, mowing the lawn or snow removal, fixing and maintaining the building.
The technology in the building. We've got tons of things going on with zoom and computers and things like that.
All of that needs to be coordinated. So, although those things are there, we really want to focus in on the people relationships that we have.
And we want you to know that we're we're interested in the things that you're going through.
Difficulties, ups and downs, however, the deacons are not spiritual advisors.
That's where the elders are going to be. The place you want to go.
So that's that's the category that we like to give to the elders.
And you know your spiritual needs and advising you spiritually.
We encourage you to to go to the elders, and we we have a great relationship with the elders.
We meet quarterly with them, and of course we meet with them all the time.
Throughout throughout the weeks. And so, you know, we're really thankful for the elders and the work that they're doing.
So with that, Craig's going to come up and talk a little bit about the finances.
Over so that we can see the projector as well.
Good morning. If you haven't final sleep yet, now would probably be the prime time I was trying to look for an accountant joke, and one of them was accountants's wife never had problems sleeping because they just asked their husbands as they were getting ready for bad to tell them about their day at work
and that's generally what happens with Gene. Her eyes just glazed over when I start talking about work and financial things.
But if I could just quickly O'neill was getting a set up just mentioned 2 ways that my wife, my life and wife, for that matter, have been rich too fast by being the treasure here.
It's been about 13 years since the elders asked me to be the treasurer.
Not exactly sure why they asked me, or or what what throw them to do that?
But besides, maybe nobody else wanted to do it, or would do it.
But at that time in my life I was really struggling in my career, floundering it was basically on a path to just ultimately, ended up losing my job at the current position that I was in.
I was married, had a couple kids. My wife was pregnant, trying to figure out what to do next.
It's a really hard thing for men to be going through, and I was asked to be the treasurer here and took over that job from Dennis, and really got into.
We have quip books. We're just getting accounting, doing that kind of stuff we kind of awakened that passion in me of might.
Allow for that kind of work studied in school so might have been part of the reason why I was asked to be it, because I had a business degree.
But I was working in retail management, and was extremely unhappy and quite depressed in I mean, it was a really hard time in my life, and I ended up losing my job.
I worked for about a year with a family, but doing the Treasury work, and that meets you.
You do a lot of soul searching what I want to do next, and I decided to go back to school, become a Cpa.
And now I'm in a position where I love what I do every day it's not for everybody, but I think it's one of my encouragement to you would be that if the word is asking you were leading you somewhere.
The elders are asking you to serve here. If I would have said no, I could have said no.
I was in a bad spot of work. I had small children.
I could have easily said, No, no, thanks, ask somebody else. But I took it on, and that led me, I think, doing that for I don't know.
I think I've been a deacon for 5 or 6 years now, so you don't need to be if you're going to be the treasure that led me, I think, to just serving here and just getting more involved with the church year.
So my wife has been basically changed for forever, and I would what what Neil was saying about the wives, and I remember when I first became a deacon, Ted, Shortness said to me, You know it's not just about you, Craig It's.
About your wife and you have a good one. So I agree with you, Ted.
I do have a good one. The other way is just that I've been blessed with this task of being a treasurer.
Here is through just the faithfulness of all of you here, and just seeing how the war provides, and how we can, making impacts globally through this little semi here in wallets, oza just through financial gifts that we can give to full-time workers missionaries throughout the world and we've done
that in the 13 years that had been treasurer we've done that for the 100.
Years, that this assembly has been here, and we're continuing to do that, going forward.
And so those are just 2 things I wanted to highlight what being a treasure has meant to me here, while it's Tosa today, I just want to give a quick financial update where we've been the past year 2022 where we're at now what our monthly support is the people that we support
Monthly, and have never missed a month of support since I've been treasurer, and talk about the Gusquint Camp Fund, and then couple miscellaneous things at the end.
So if you want to go to the next slide, financial update 2020.
So every time we pass around the offering each week the money is specifically designated for a different fund that goes into our general fund.
So in 2,022 we had general fund income of $265,000, and you can see what general fund expenses last year of $296,951.
So we ran a deficit last year, which is not a way that you really want to run a business but there's a lot of things that go into that number.
So if you go to the next one, some of the expense highlights from 2022, we did a lot of things that were kind of above and beyond our general operations here, while with so so one of the things we at the beginning of the war with Ukraine cum laude had a
recurring, relief fund. We, through the business meeting in the average direction, did a $10,000 donation to that fund.
We did a. The Timothy school. That is what Jeremy and Sonia Ambassador are working at, and Burundi, so Jeremy is heavily involved in the school.
There runs 9 months a year, and the students come in.
They think they stay on the grounds right where Jeremy lives.
They feed them, and they give. He brings other teachers in so they kind of give them a small gift that they can afford.
So we Jeremy was doing a lot of renovations there. Last year a lot of the money was come out of his own pocket as a missionary, and so we gave a $10,000 gift over a period of a few months to help Jeremy pay for those expenses.
They built a new outside area for eating that was covered with a roof.
They expanded that area and they built. To put, I think, some new roofs on some other areas.
And some new water. I think there were like big things that would catch water so they could have water there.
So that was a big gift that we gave with should we also support that on a monthly basis the Timidity school we give 500 h to Cmmo.
Out to gifts of that school. We had our hundredth anniversary so we won't have another one of those for another 100 years.
That was a big expense, but also to know there was gifs that came in through through individuals that helped offset those costs as well.
A honda Odyssey last year, if we're beginning a year for when Juanus was here to use with the youth, and just for himself to get around to get to various places and minister.
So that was a pretty big expense, and then our monthly support is the missionary sport comes to, you know, a little over 122,000 h a year that we're sending out monthly.
That's the whole year of Mount, but we're sending that out each month to support recommended workers.
Mine as well. So so for 2023 for the first 3 months, as Martini.
First, we're at General Fund income of $85,000, $883.
We've had expenses of 70,384, which gives us a surplus year date of 15,501 of the things we look at at the business meetings each month is a rolling 12 months.
So looking at from last April through the end of March, we are still running at a deficit of 12,500.
But as you can see, we have a general fund balance of $40,250.
We haven't had a lot of big expenses so far this year.
One of the big things we had was want us going back to.
We gave him a one-time gift of 8,000 to help with his kind of expenses down there you need to get a vehicle and kind of things.
So that was one of the big expenses we had for this year.
So far. And I'm going to the next slide.
I just had a list on here of are monthly support people.
So, as you can see, we have quite a few people that we support monthly.
Some of these people are commended from Wava tosa, and then these are the amounts that we give.
Do that monthly. I did have handouts that I forgot to mention, because I was rambling in the beginning that I give to.
Gideon. If anyone wanted a printout of these mentioned that at the beginning, so you could take notes from all this great stuff I'm talking about.
But I forgot to do that. But if you guys wanted to copy this or any of the financial reports, just let me know and I can email them to you.
And so, yeah, this is everybody that we support monthly.
And, as I said, that's a big portion of our budget.
We do that every month, and, as I said in 13 years, who never missed one of these payments.
And so another thing that I'm really excited about that we do here at Wallwood Service want to support kids going to summer camp?
I grew up at the Shineau youth camp. So it's dear to my heart, but I think it's a big thing for kids to go to Summer camp to get away from their families.
I mean, Mike always say it was like a vocation from the family.
That's why he liked going so much. So you get away from your siblings, you get away from your parents, and you go to a camp.
Your nature and your you know, taught the gospel, and I think it can be really life changingchanging for kids.
We've seen it here and a number of ways in this assembly, just with people's lives impacted by camp.
I can remember years ago at one of the baptisms.
I think we were 3 for 3 on 3 of the teenagers that were being baptized, all attributed to a big part of their face story to going to camp, and so I think it's a really important ministry, and I think we need to continue that and so we have a over the last couple years
we've spent 25 last year with the Gust Quint Fund is therefore we don't want finances to be a reason for someone not to go to camp.
So we basically give 50% up front, is anybody going to an all that approved camp that we will cover 50% of the cost because campaign's just getting more and more expensive every year.
So that's one thing to know. And I think most people know that and are taking advantage of it.
But if you don't, that's something that we can do.
And then above beyond that camps have sponsorships themselves. Election of youth.
Camp does. But also again, if 50% isn't enough, some people have many kids expense is just astronomical.
So we don't want that to ever be deterrent.
So if there's more needs, besides the 50% myself or one of the deacons or algorithms take care of the rest.
And, as you can see, our current fund balance right now is that 4,000, almost $4,000?
Just want to remind everyone. Send your kids to camp. I think it's a great investment in their lives, in their spiritual growth.
And then just the last site. Here we do have a building fund that we've been talking about over the years has been kind of on hold with Covid over the last few years.
What we're currently seeing at a bond balance in there of $180,940, and we're just continuing to trust the Lord for his guidance on that.
What he would have for us. We have a sign fund for, as you can see, are signed on the front as walk in this morning, and notice that there's letters missing, and it's just really old.
It's one of those things where it seems like something easy to do but it's a little more complicated.
With city and rules and restrictions, and then just finding the time to have a group of people come together and make a decision on what sign we want.
But we do have funds available and I believe there's more funds that have been committed to that.
If we make a decision on what to purchase insurance fund it's another one over a big annual expendit so we set aside the business meeting $800 a month.
To pay for our annual insurance fee to cover the building and cover liabilities involved with running a church in Sunday school and having kids here, and those kind of things that are involved with ensuring a church in a building so that runs about I think it's about 9,600 last year.
Was. There was our bill, and a speaker. A missionary gave.
We give these out when summer's here, from a different assembly or church, and they're speaking here.
We give them a gift, we right now. It's a 400 h gift, and then we also cover the travel.
So we they drove from, or if they flew here, we cover that sometimes the Saint, a hotel, and a missionary, if they are here on a even a Sunday or Wednesday night, we give them a $500 gift.
He signed that they're here so that's one of the things we do.
And then each month of their business mean, we have a special ministry gifts that we had had going.
It was called a Tickler List and it's got a couple of different ministers each month that we, you know, kind of just.
We've opened to the floor, and someone throws out an amount that we would give to one of these ministries.
So some of those, for example, would be Cml, Cf.
Horace Magazine and Emmaus Worldwide.
Various ministries that are on that list, and then we also have a time with the business meetings.
If anyone has any, that's in attendance which has opened all men to kind of give something that they may know about her ministry, or a missionary need, I think last meeting Marty had talked about the Schaffer's Kent and Jenny Schaefer who are believe in
Mozambique with some needs, so we gave them a gift at the last business meeting because of that need that was brought ahead, brought up.
So those are the kind of things that involved with you, and really just blessed to be treasure here. Thanks for your time.
At this time I was just going to call on Fred to come up before he comes up.
I just want to acknowledge, too, about our security team, which is neat, although a John and myself.
We are concerned also about maintaining safety and security here. So we're constantly in touch with local authorities as well, and we recently installed security cameras.
And you, just we want to make sure things are safe around here also, just want to mention that we are purchasing these life facts which are for choking victims.
So we'll be purchasing that for children and adults.
We'll have one in the nursery. We'll have one upstairs here, another one downstairs as well.
The devices work very well, I know some people won't. Them.
Personally area. I was just gonna say.
Sure. Oh, sure. Sure. Okay. And just to. So we're we're just trying to stay updated.
We live in a different day and age, and so we also try to provide just a little attention when the women are here in the evening we always have one of the guys here usually, or during the day, when the women are meeting.
We also encourage if anybody's using the building, and you're downstairs keep the doors locked just for precaution.
One other item, we have a little bit of an issue with trash that's being left around.
We are finding some empty containers with liquids in, and Mcdonald's wrappers screwed around.
We're trying to eliminate any rodents into the building, and we just ask everybody to be attentive to any of your trash needs that you take them with you or just dispose of them as well.
So did you see? 6, 30.
Sure. Sure. Okay.
So on behalf of the elders of Walatosa Bible Chapel.
I thank all those who have submitted reports and given such interesting and and encouraging messages about Wallatosa Bible Chapel in the various ministries.
I was looking at the old notes from the assembly, when it was formed by Bible Truth Hall.
It was called, and it was in October of 1920.
2. Remember, we celebrated our anniversary that time, and in the bylaws it said that they are calling an annual meeting once every year and that's to be the last Tuesday of December.
If you can imagine that, that's when there's was supposed to have an annual meeting so officially or theoretically, this is our 100 first and meeting and welcome to well, it was 100 and first standard. But I was looking also at the old minutes.
And I thought I should read through them, because I noticed we have never really approved the old minutes, and but I'll entertain a voice vote to wave the reading of the minutes about all those in favor.
Say, say, aye, okay. All those in favor of having the elders report come next Sunday, when Ray is also giving a message.
Would you also say, Aye, hi! All those in favor of having lunch right away after we we recognized Luke as a deacon, say, Aye, Hi, okay, so we'd like to have Luke and Jamie come up and we'll pray for Luke and Jamie as Deacons
at Wootosa Bible Chapel, and we thank you for really the good morning we've had.
So could Ray and Jim come up by Joel Schultz.
He's gone fishing, I guess, because his father-in-law, who's been quite.
I'm on this trip with them. You can read the qualifications for deacons which are in first Timothy.
Chapter 3. And they're also mentions their wives.
And we really appreciate the ministry that Luke and Jamie have done since they're back here to Toawatosa.
And so, meeting the qualifications and and doing the work, we were very grateful, like you all, to join with Ray as he prays for them, and Will will. We'll go to lunch as we pray for that.
Well, we have our our father. We just come before you and Jesus name are so grateful.
Lord, for all that we have heard about the various ministries that go on in the chapel.
Those who help. Lord, we want to pray for Luke and Jamie, and we are so grateful for their desire to have Luke serve as a deacon here at Waltos Bible Chapel.
We have recognized the work that both of them do in the chapel, and we believe, as elders, that he would be a perfect fit for this role.
We ask that you would bless him in all that their hands accomplish.
Here we pray for Luke, Lord, and the deacon.
Leadership, responsibilities. We are grateful, Lord, for the instructions you've given us.
On what a qualifying deacon needs to be. We feel that he has met those requirements and we are grateful for this time together as a congregation to recognize Luke and his wife. Jamie.
We asked this in Jesus, name, oh, and Father, we just sp our heads again.
And we just asked that you would bless the food they were about to serve.
Maybe a good and godly time, and we're so grateful for the resources you provide us to do that.
In Jesus, name. Amen.