Glenwood Church Blog » ministry

Preacher Search Update

Donna LaRue — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:40:34 +0000

Glenwood Church of Christ – Preacher Search Update Announcement

So, “Where are we with the preacher search?” That has been one of the persistent questions we’ve been hearing from this congregation, and rightly so, as we have just passed the one-year mark since Jeff Christian resigned and relocated to Houston. As we continue to work and pray about our search for a new preaching minister, we acknowledge that times of change and transition can be unsettling to some of us, while others can readily look forward to new promises and new challenges. As we’ve expressed before, the elders have been actively and prayerfully engaged in searching for the minister that God is leading to us. We sincerely appreciate the many words and notes of encouragement and support that we’ve received over these months of our Season of Transition. We are humbled by the way so many of you have made this search a topic of prayer, and we continue to seek God’s guidance.

The elders want to especially thank our ministry and office support staff members who have shouldered so many extra burdens during this past year, along with the dozens of volunteers who have given so much of their time in maintaining the quality of our programs of ministry while we have been without some key staff members. We have been blessed by the addition of two key ministers, and we are looking forward to the ways that Tim Hicks and Brad Sullivan will influence us for years to come! This congregation has also been extremely blessed by the outstanding preaching ministers who have filled our pulpit this year; Dan Bouchelle, Dwight Robarts, Ben Siburt, Bert Reynolds, Randy Harris, Curt Niccum, Jerry Frazier, Freddie Anderson, Marty Koonce, Tommy King, Andy Luster, Paul Faulkner and John Siburt. We are especially grateful for the ongoing commitment Ronnie White has made to us as he has regularly shared his experience, gifts, passion and energy.

In the midst of the uncertainty of the times, our attendance, offerings, and acts of ministry continue at steady or increasing levels, and the sweet spirit of unity, love and devotion to our LORD has never been greater!

Since December, our search for a preaching minister has consisted of the elders making and following up on confidential contacts, and having private conversations with prospective candidates. In keeping with the nature of the position and the needs of top-quality candidates, this has been a completely “under-the-radar” process, which is still ongoing. Whenever a particularly strong or well-suited candidate has emerged, we have focused on him, temporarily suspending broader search efforts, to allow time for the necessary in-depth conversations to occur.

At this time, we are still in the midst of those conversations, praying for an extra measure of communal discernment and guidance. We do not have a date to give you when the process will be completed. The elders are completely united and committed to carrying out this search process, as we are being led by God Almighty. We are open to hearing your suggestions and questions, and we intend to get your input on a more formal basis soon. We are also considering other options and ways to assemble the ministry staff to enhance the equipping and empowering of the saints of Glenwood. Our goal is to communicate with you more regularly about this search.

We are looking forward to some special events this year, including the special Easter services planned for later this month and the 60^th Anniversary celebration in July. This will be a great year for Glenwood! Our God has blessed us in so many ways over so many years, and we eagerly await His guidance and blessings as we move forward!

EEM

Donna LaRue — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:22:51 +0000

OPEN DOORS FOR BIBLES

Eastern European Mission has been asked to put Bibles and Biblical literature in all the public schools in the states of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, and Krasnoyarsk, Russia,.representing 1,063 schools and over 250,000 students. EEM is asking Churches of Christ nationwide to collectively raise a million dollars on October 31. If you can only provide $4 for one student or $940 for one school–or much more–all of us participating together will bring a great harvest.

Trunk or Treat!

Donna LaRue — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:43:20 +0000

TRUNK OR TREAT
OCTOBER 31

Join us Sunday night, October 31 from 4:30 to 6:30 for Trunk or Treat!

We will gather in the south parking lot and welcome our church family as well as the children in our community to a time of fun and fellowship. Dinner will be provided.
Please place candy donations in the red bins outside the office or in the Worship Center foyer.

YOUTH SEARCH CONSULTANTS

Donna LaRue — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:15:13 +0000

Robert Oglesby Jr., Director, Center for Youth and Family Ministry, will be here September 25-26 to consult about the Youth Search Process.

Dr. David Fraze, Director of Student Ministries and Sr. High Youth Minister from Richland Hills Church of Christ, is coming Thursday September 30 from 4:30 – 7:30. Dr. Fraze will present on current trends and helpful models in youth ministry.

Glenwood Night at Spring Creek

Donna LaRue — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:12:56 +0000

Join us Monday, October 4th for some great Texas Barbecue and help us with a great cause! 25% of the proceeds from the sales at Spring Creek on this night will go to help our Karing Kitchen and The Gathering Ministries. These ministries reach out to feed and minister to the needy in the downtown area of Tyler. Please bring your friends and join us – we would love to spend time eating and fellow-shipping with you for a good cause!

Glenwood “Membership Matters” Class

Donna LaRue — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:28:03 +0000

A new class will be offered this fall called “Glenwood Membership Matters”. Each week, this class will allow an attendee to meet the elders, staff, and ministry leaders of Glenwood, who will discuss their roles and specific works within their respective ministries, along with presenting Glenwood’s core values and providing basic biblical doctrinal principles and instruction.

One key goal of the class is to assist attendees in identifying their spiritual gifts and work interests. This will be a 13 week class that begins this fall. A sign-up sheet for this class will be available in the Foyer in front of the Worship Center.

For more information, please contact Tommy Gilbreath, Dewayne Manning, or Chris Neel.

Season of Transition

Donna LaRue — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:22:07 +0000

Psalm 91 begins with these verses: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. They say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

As Glenwood’s Season of Transition continues, the elders want to assure you that trusting in God to work through us and in us and for us is still our best course of action. This congregation has been extremely blessed by several groups of people during these months, including:

A.    Our short-handed ministry and support staff who have worked extremely hard to help us maintain the level of ministry and equipping and caring that we are known for.
B.    Our guest speakers who have ministered to us through the sermons and lessons that God has placed on their hearts for us.
C.    Our young summer interns who have shouldered huge responsibilities and provided much-needed leadership of our Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry programs.
D.    And, the dozens of volunteers who have stepped up their involvement to serve on the Search Teams, to teach classes, to welcome visitors, to care for the hurting, and to lead in ministry to our children and youth group.

At this time, the Preaching Minister Search Team has reviewed recommendations and information on dozens of prospects and is in the process of interviewing viable candidates. The Children’s Minister Search Team has done a large amount of research and has prepared a survey to receive congregational input about our ministry to the younger members of the Glenwood family.

Recently, the decision has been made to form a Search Team for the Youth Minister position, based on input we received from the congregation. On an interim basis, the Youth Ministry leadership has been organized from a combination of experienced volunteers, elders, ministry staff and committed parents to form a Task Force to ensure this ministry continues to function well during the next several months. Likewise, the Children’s Ministry is being coordinated by volunteers and staff who are fully devoted to loving and ministering to our children.

Despite the uncertainties, Glenwood continues to attract new families to our membership, attendance and contributions continue to meet or exceed prior years’ levels for these summer months, and our new and existing ministries continue to thrive. We ask you to continue to pray and to work for the unity of this body. We are eagerly looking forward to the time when we will again be fully staffed, but this Season has reminded us that all will be well when we place our complete trust in the LORD! Grace and peace to all!

The Glenwood Elders

Children’s Summer Schedule

Donna LaRue — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:32:51 +0000

Following is a list of Events for our Children this Summer. If you have any questions, please contact Tara Tesseyman in the church office at 903-509-9494.

Monthly Events

Sunday – Kids of the Kingdom – June 6 – August 15 @ 6 to 7pm

entering 2nd through entering 6th grade (or currently 1st – 5th)

Children’s Worship Room

Monday – Girls’ Bible Study

June 7 – August 9 @ 2 to 3 pm

entering 2nd through entering 6th grade (or currently 1st – 5th)

4th grade classroom

Tuesday – Boys’ Bible Study

June 8 – August 10 @ 2 to 3 pm

entering 2nd through entering 6th grade

4th grade classroom

Wednesday – VBS

June 9 – August 4 @ 6:30 – 7:30 pm

3’s through entering 6th grade

June
11 – Summer Bash

Family Cook-out, Water Fight, and Movie Night

5:30 – 8:30p

Cradle Roll through entering 6th, plus their families’!

$3 p/ person or $15 for families 5+

July
7 – Boy’s Wednesday Night

12 – Muffins & Aprons (Girls’ Evening – following Girl’s Bible Study)

3 to 5 pm

13 – Nerf Party! (Boys’ Evening – following Boy’s Bible Study)

3 to 5pm

August
11 – Boy’s Wednesday Night

15 – Kids’ Hosted Dinner

VBS 2010

Donna LaRue — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:14:56 +0000

The countdown to VBS has begun! VBS will take place over the course of several Wednesday nights. We will meet beginning June 9 through August 4, from 6:30 -7:30 p.m. This is for all those that are 3 years of age through those entering 6th grade. We look forward to taking our kids on a journey through Egypt! If you have any questions, contact Tara Tesseyman in the church office at 903-509-9494.

Daily Bible Reading Plans Are Not New!

katiekirksey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:13:27 +0000

Do you want to read through the entire Bible, but aren’t sure where to start or how to go about doing so? There is no shortage of new plans or creative approaches. One of the most recent is READ THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS! Another brand new resource is God Sightings One Year Bible by Tyndale. There are one minute plans, a five minute one chapter a day Monday through Friday 52 week plan to read the entire New Testament and many, many other systematic plans. One thing is for sure, READ THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS (or B.I.N.D.) is outside the norm of most other approaches. So why select this approach? To begin with, it is designed to be read in community for mutual support, accountability and reinforcement. The best ideas and principles from leading behavior modification programs including how to lose weight, quit smoking or even how to successfully run a marathon has been adapted and incorporated in developing the curriculum. There is even an option listening plan using the NIV Dramatized Audio Bible 0n 64 Audio CDs or 6 MP3 CDs where listeners will “read” through the entire Bible in 88 days with 2 grace days. They take between 38 and 62 minute listening sessions. You can go to our Web site and watch the READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN 90 DAY video by clicking Senior Adults and then clicking the READ THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS link. The 8 minute video makes a solid case for the READ THE BIBLE IN 90 DAY Approach, Structure, Why 90 Days ?, Why cover to cover ?, Resources and other valuable insights programmed into the curriculum that set it apart from all other existing plans. If you currently participate in a regular Bible reading or daily Bible reading plan, you might double up for 90 days and see how reading the Bible like a novel and in community expands your spiritual horizons. If you currently do not have a systematic plan to read the Bible, give serious and prayerful consideration to joining us for what promises to be an amazing adventure. Consider inviting a neighbor, friend or relative to join us as well. What better way to begin a New Year or even a New Decade?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS…

“This simple God inspired plan has brought our community together and blessed our church. I am now on my third time through the Bible in 90 days and it gets better every time!” –Greg Nance, Preaching Minister, Signal Mountain Church of Christ.

“This has been the most significant program that I ever brought to the church… ” –Jody Harrington, Director of Christian Education Southminster Presbyterian Church, Houston Texas

“Fantastic! The only program we’ve ever offered that actually changes lives…” – Scott Furrow, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of San Diego.

“I had no idea it would touch so many people in so many ways.” –Jim Foster, Senior Pastor, John Wesley United Methodist Church. Houston

“Most Christians get a little Bible here and there. Most have never read it cover to cover. Many don’t think they could. I never expected 620 people to sign on and show up… I was hoping a couple hundred of our 1,200 attending members might go for it. A third of the people are not even church members.” Don Sweening, Senior Pastor, Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, Denver Colorado.

“I love the Bible in 90 Days. As a Christian school teacher, I’ve studied and taught the Bible for over 15 years, but never connected more than one book. This new love and excitement for reading the Bible is from one who already knows the Bible well.” –Sue Foster , graduate

James Fife

Senior Adults Minister