​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.

During this time of COVID-19, we have an opportunity to help our medical community. If you have the ability to sew and you are looking for projects to do, our nurses are asking for face masks. Below are the criteria for the masks and a video that will walk you through the how to. When you have completed the masks you can contact Jolina and she will come and pick them up. 
If you are interested in being a part of this community project and do not have material, Jo Ann Fabrics is still open and has put together face masks kits to help provide fabric and materials. 
What a great opportunity we have to sow some seeds during this time of crisis. As we come together in this time, let us continue to pray for those who are serving our community. 

​I was reading Psalm 18 this morning and it showed a Psalm writer that felt threatened. I am not sure how long this challenge was for him, but this was his testimony, "He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support." (Ps 18:16-18, HCSB) 

My friend, Pastor Chuck and I prayed together this morning. He reminded me that there is a virus that is far worse than a physical virus we are facing today. It is a spiritual virus that is fatal (Romans 6:23). People struggled in the Old Testament for a cure. God stepped out of Heaven, put on flesh, and lived a human existence (John 1:14). He died in our place as the only acceptable payment for sin (1 Peter 3:18, Heb 10:12). Now, everyone who calls on His Name will be saved (Rom 10:13). 

Our role as believers in Jesus Christ is to point to the finished work of Jesus Christ. Let's live spiritual lives in the middle of physical challenges. Thrive spiritually for we are passing through this world on a layover to a better place (Heb 11:13-16). 

Continue to pray for your 'one'; that is, the person that is close to you but far from God. Pray that God will use the challenges of today to make them spiritually ready to look for spiritual things. Luke 14:23 is part of a story telling us that God's servants use social pressure to encourage people to come to God's invitation. (Look at a few other verses that use the word here). May the Lord love your one, through you well.

With Love,
Trey

Church at Wazeecha is taking steps to be sensitive to the state of emergency recognized by our state and federal governments. Look at those links for their recommendations. As of Monday, the President recommended only gatherings under 10 people for the current time. Wazeecha is taking steps to comply. Romans 13 tells us to obey the government because God put it there.  We ask God to direct our leaders. We will resume a more routine schedule after this difficulty is over. 

 I want you to know that this is out of love and not fear. We love our neighbors, we love our community, we love our nation. Because of that love, we pray that God will give mercy and draw people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because of this turbulent time. 

Psalm 16 says 
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.
2  I said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.”
3  As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them.
4  The sorrows of those who take another ⌊god⌋ for themselves will multiply; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not speak their names with my lips.
5  LORD, You are my portion and my cup ⌊of blessing⌋; You hold my future.
6  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7  I will praise the LORD who counsels me— even at night my conscience instructs me.
8  I keep the LORD in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9  Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely. (Psalm 16:1-9 (HCSB))  We will update this space and communicate on our website, and by facebook, email, and stay in contact with you in other means if you let us know what means you prefer. 

His best to you,
Trey

​Here is a link to the video tribute we showed Sunday Morning. We both thank and congratulate Jolina Janus for her 5 years service to Church at Wazeecha. Your gifts to the men and women of central Wisconsin is a gift to God. May the Lord bless you as much as you have blessed us.

From their biography: "Jesus unshackled four religious people and filled them with the knowledge of God’s amazing grace. Adam’s Road is made up of these four individuals, whom God rescued out of Mormonism and brought into a personal and saving relationship with Jesus. Through the transformative power of the Gospel, we who once were blind, lost, and dead are now trophies of God’s immeasurable grace. We have discovered the Bread of Life and no longer hunger; we have drunk from the fountain of life and no longer thirst. We are proof that no one is outside of the reach of God’s grace. We were lost, but Jesus searched us out, relentlessly pursued us, and saved us. We are evidence of the life-changing power of God’s incalculable love."

6:00 p.m. time together with refreshments
7:00 p.m. concert

​Hear them here. 

October 20th, 7:00 p.m.
Performing Arts Center, Wisconsin Rapids
Duct Tape Date Nite is the perfect evening for couples who want to stick together (see what we did there?). Grab your spouse and join us for a night of comedy for couples. In the midst of the rush and madness that is life, we believe every couple on the planet would do well to press pause and simply laugh together.
Get tickets here. 
See videos of Kenn on Youtube
See more about the event here. 
​
Small Group Experience
Congratulations!
We are excited about partnering with you to provide not only a super fun Duct Tape Date Nite evening but also the DIY Small groups experience. The Duct Tape Date Nite evening will leave the couples in your church laughing at themselves and others, but how much better would it be, to continue that great experience and give couples an extra opportunity to have an even better marriage??

That’s exactly what Kenn thought as he began to develop the DIY small groups material! 
The DIY Small group material will provide a 5 minute video clip by Kenn, some interactive
questions, 5 devotions to do with your spouse during the week, plus a date night option.

​More than forty years ago, a Hispanic church in the Minnesota Wisconsin Baptist Convention started 5 more churches in the area. Those churches missed Pastor Ramon Osorio’s leadership as he moved away to continue his Theological Education. The churches suffered without that leadership as recalled by pastor Napoleon expressed in a new gathering of Hispanic churches. He said that for 27 years he waited and prayed, and God answered that prayer when in 2014 pastor Gerardo Antiveros came to the Twin Cities as a NAMB Church Planting Catalyst. Hispanic pastors struggle with isolation in the upper Midwest. God is inaugurating a new movement for Hispanic churches in the two-state convention. A recent meeting may be the first time NAMB has enabled all these pastors to gather and discuss working together for support, education, and strategy. Pastor Osorio currently serves as the International director for NAMB in Latin America. 
Our own Eric Hernandez is instrumental in the Wisconsin pastors relating together for fellowship and enrichment. He has an opportunity to travel to Atlanta in a few weeks to further discuss that work. He expressed the value of having the support of his church, Church at Wazeecha in Wisconsin Rapids, and his pastor, Trey Turner. 

FPU was helpful to a number of our families last spring. We wanted to start another one with a series of messages in January. Jeff Davidson will lead it on Sunday Nights at 5:00 p.m.  To sign up for the class or to look into the cost, go to the Wisconsin Rapids FPU registration site here.