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As we continue in our journey at Wazeecha, we want to take steps to strengthen our church for future challenges. We may not be able to hire staff members to do all that we want, but we can develop our own leaders. We will begin a discussion at our upcoming quarterly meeting about developing elders.
One of the key elements of church governance we find in the New Testament is the concept of elders. Elders are spiritual leaders who provide guidance, wisdom, and accountability within the congregation. Introducing elders into our church could be a positive step forward to develop our church's leadership. Scriptural Foundation This concept is firmly rooted in the Scriptures. 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and Acts 14:23, highlight the qualifications and roles of elders. Additionally, examples from the early church, permeate the activities of early church mission. Elders can be seen actively shepherding the New Testament church and guarding its doctrine. Practical Rationnale As mentioned above, churches of larger sizes will hire staff members that serve youth, children, and music. Often these staff members have certain training that make them right for specialized tasks. Smaller churches cannot hire out all their needs so leadership must be developed. Our Plan At our upcoming quarterly meeting, we will discuss these thoughts and have discussions about if that is right for Wazeecha. Possible discussions might include: 1. Scriptural and Historical Context: We will look into the biblical foundation for elders in the church, emphasizing the importance of aligning our governance with God's Word. 2. Practical Application: We will discuss the benefits of introducing elders, such as providing spiritual leadership, congregational guidance, healthy transitions over time. 4. Nomination and Selection: We will outline a plan for nominating and selecting elders within our congregation, allowing for transparency and congregational involvement. 5. Responsibilities: We will clarify the roles and responsibilities of elders, focusing on teaching, shepherding, and overseeing the church as demonstrated by gifts, training, and calling. 6. Timetable: If the need is determined by the congregations, we will set a timeline for the evaluation process, with the goal of implementing this change over the next year. 7. Feedback: All along the way we will discuss questions and concerns. We would rather go through all these things together as a healthy congregation, so we will take our time and talk our way through. We believe that this step forward could strengthen us for the days ahead of us. For that reason, we ask for your prayers at every point along the way. Scriptures for Review Here are several scriptures that provide the rationale for having elders in the church: 1 Timothy 3:1-7: This passage outlines the qualifications for overseers (another term for elders). It emphasizes the importance of having spiritually mature and exemplary leaders in the church. Titus 1:5-9: Similar to 1 Timothy, this passage discusses the qualifications for elders and their role in maintaining doctrinal faithfulness and discipline within the church. Acts 14:23: In this verse, we see Paul and Barnabas appointing elders in every city where they planted churches. It demonstrates the New Testament practice of having elders as leaders in local congregations. Acts 20:17-38: This passage offers a model of elder leadership within a modified-congregational framework. It shows the responsibilities of elders in teaching, guarding, and shepherding the flock. Hebrews 13:17: This verse emphasizes the importance of submitting to church leaders who will give an account for their oversight. It highlights the role of elders in governance. 1 Peter 5:1-5: Peter's instructions to elders and the church emphasize the importance of humility and service in leadership, contrasting it with lording over the congregation.
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 You are invited to an extraordinary event that seeks to enrich and strengthen one of the most cherished bonds in our lives - marriage. As a church dedicated to supporting our community, we realize our families need support. That means strengthening marriages, fostering love, understanding, and grace, we are thrilled to announce our upcoming event, "A Journey From ‘I’ to ‘Us’: Navigating the Marriage Path."
Date: September 29-30th Time: Fri 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Sat 10-Noon Location: Church at Wazeecha, 8016 County Rd. FF, Wisconsin Rapids Register Here The Objective: This event is designed exclusively for couples seeking to deepen their connection and understanding within their relationships. By learning personal insights and then the dynamics of our interpersonal partnerships, we can strengthen the marriages we have. Why Attend? This event is a unique opportunity for you and your partner to: • Use insightful tools for personal and relational awareness. • Use these insights to build a foundation of understanding. • Discover effective ways to navigate through challenges and conflicts. • Use these insights to help foster healthier communication and genuine connection. • Connect with like-minded individuals and form meaningful relational support within our community. Who Should Attend? Over a short Friday night and Saturday morning, discover how to gracefully traverse the beautiful yet challenging landscape of marriage. Through engaging activities with other couples, insightful presentations, and discussions among yourselves, you'll be equipped with insights to enhance communication, understand emotional nuances, and strengthen the bonds that unite you. Join Us: Take steps unraveling the mystery of our personal journey as a couple, fostering heartfelt conversations, and igniting the spark that can rekindle the flame of your love. Your journey from "I" to "Us" starts here - an opportunity for growth, connection, and an enduring commitment to the beauty of shared experiences. Don't miss this chance to enrich your relationship and rediscover the path of love together. Church at Wazeecha  Church at Wazeecha's Easter Week Schedule
Maundy Thursday 6:30 p.m. We will be taking the Lord's Supper together as we contemplate Jesus' service to his disciples. We will have readings from the gospels, prayer time, and some worship music. Good Friday, 1:00 p.m. This service will be a series of readings and prayers to contemplate the betrayal, arrest, and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus. Both of these services show us what God did to bring us salvation's redemption. We are recipients of a fully God-work. Easter Sunday Sunday morning we will offer breakfast at 8:30 a.m. This is a fellowship time before our Easter celebration service at 9:30 a.m. Come worship and celebrate with us.
Together, we give. And in that act of giving, we show the world something that only God can accomplish. The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering makes us one. When we pray, we go and we give, we are united.
Its almost Christmas 2022, and the church got together for our Night of Thanks. We played games, ate, and celebrated the goodness of God among us. Here are a few of our pictures.  Everyone deserves a good New Testament church. Churches exist as an onramp for people to connect to God. If churches get in the way of that basic mission, something is terribly wrong. Let's work on creating an atmosphere where people can easily discern their best avenue for hearing from God and then exploring God's plan for the truest version of themselves. This is, the life God intended all along.
Romans 10:9-10, 13 "that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved... For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 6 month leader development for anyone who wishes to participate.
We want to train the next group of Wazeecha’s leaders by working together on Personal Growth, Spiritual Growth, and Relational Growth. Once a Month on a Sunday Night Sometime in November for 1 1/2 hours, (locations to be determined) Session 1— Introduction, where we are going. Three Callings: Follow me and I will make you, fishers of men. Mt 4:19 Session 2— Guided discussion of Spirit of the Disciplines and Spiritual Growth. What can look like spiritual growth but is not. What does maturity look like in the believer? Session 3— Biblical look at Elders and leaders in the New Testament and how they functioned. Session 4— Guided discussion of the book Canoeing the Mountains with focus on the changes in culture, church culture, and the future work of the church. Session 5— A look at personality types in the Bible and their impacts on relationships. Why it is important to understand yourself. How to give yourself and others grace. Session 6— Guided discussion of The Road Back to You with focus on how we show up in life, work, families, and our church. Participants will be able to
· Purchase, Read, and Discuss three books:
· Do the assigned homework (Scripture, Articles or Book Reading, and Questions) related to upcoming sessions · Commit to pray for each other and the church every day.  Do you have some things you need to have hauled away? Let Church at Wazeecha help. September 18th you can arrange for our volunteers to come collect approved items. This is a service we wanted to give to our local community to know you and possibly create a valuable relationship to you. **We can't take really large items like cars, boats, appliances (Washing Machines, Dryers, Refrigerators, microwaves) or Computers and monitors. They have to be distributed in other ways 
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AuthorDr. Trey Turner is planter and now pastor of Church at Wazeecha. He is married with three children, two adult children and one teenager at home Archives
September 2023
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