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A fresh week is upon us, church family! I was sad to miss worshiping with you yesterday, but chose to stay home and lay low as my body seems to be fighting some version of these germs that have been floating around. Rest was valuable as today I am feeling a bit more like myself! I trust that you all had a meaningful Sunday together! 

When it's a week that doesn’t have a Wednesday Roots Night in it, it always feels quieter and slower around here. It’s helpful to have these weeks built in so that we can catch up on loose ends or work on some big upcoming projects. One of those projects on my list is finalizing our Lenten resource that Pastor Kevin and I have to share with you. Believe it or not, Ash Wednesday is next week! Our resource will be a great addition to what else you may have selected to study or practice during the Lent season. 

This week is also the serious start of my graduate class that I’m taking this year, “Leadership in Children, Youth and Family Ministries.” This is a very different style course than others I’ve taken so far in my program, but I’m looking forward to the learning and application that will come from this course. 

Our Sr. High Youth Roots returned home safely from the annual Ski Retreat this weekend. A special thanks to Jeremy Stoltzfus, Michael Herr and Jake Holzhauer for helping chaperone this year! You’ll hear on behalf of both of our Youth Roots Winter Retreats next Sunday!

We are officially half way through the first session of BELIEVE! It has been fun to hear your feedback, to see you working in your BELIEVE books and for every generation to learn together! I am teaching our Bridge Roots (4th-6th graders) this block and have challenged them to take sermon notes in their BELIEVE books. I’ve incentivized them with prizes, but you would be amazed to see some of their notes! Ask them sometime!

Prayers for warm (this cold is no joke!) and healthy bodies for you (and me too!) over the next few days! 

 

What WE’RE Learning This Week: A nugget of what our Lil’, Youth and Adults Roots heard this week

Our Key Idea: “I believe the church is God’s primary way to accomplish his purposes on earth..”

Our Key Verse: Ephesians 4:15

How Every Generation Lives This Out: Do this together or individually... Commit to praying for our church family and programs for five minutes each day this week!

Check Out This Week’s PODCAST

*This season of the “The Dig” podcast is specifically designed for EVERY 

GENERATION to deepen their understanding, ignite their curiosity and grow as fruit-producing, God-glorying disciples! Don’t miss out! To make it easier for you to find and listen, you can now grab “The Dig” episodes on the church website: https://www.mgcb.org/family-ministries/the-dig-podcast--8

 

What I’M Learning This Week: Sharing what I’m reading and listening to lately

I came across this poem this week. I was drawn to read it because it had the word “gardener” in the title so it felt instantly relatable to me and my hobbies. But really it’s a gentle encouragement for all of us in our discipleship journeys. Enjoy…

“Our God is a good gardener, even when it hurts to grow. Every day He works  in our lives in ways we will never know. 

He gets up early in the morning to tend to the budding shoots and water the fertile ground that is slowly bearing roots. 

His timing is held carefully in His soil-stained hands. He knows when to sow the seeds and when to reap the land. 

But sometimes we can doubt if our God is really good because He gardens us in ways that we don’t think we should.

When He prunes our dormant branches or pulls weeds from the ground, we worry that this rooting out will last the whole year round.

But the gardener is patient, returning each morning with care, because He knows the kind of fruit His plants will one day bear.

Just know a time will come when our gardens will come alive, and everything that was cut back will soon begin to thrive.

Our God is a good gardener, even when it hurts to grow. Every day He works in our lives in ways we will never know.”

 

Make Every Week Count: Parenting, Grandparenting & Spiritual Mentoring Resources

***Sharing some resources you may want to consider to help you prepare for Lent!

Something to Read: The Promise and Power of Easter Bible Study: Captivated by the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus

Something to Listen to: Here’s a podcast for you to check out… Lent - Do I have to give something up?

Something to Follow: Check out this RightNow Media Study called “Between Two Trees”

 

How Can You Pray? Prayer Requests and Praises from Roots Ministries

PRAY for the little “c” church (MGCB!) and the big “c” Church (God’s Global Family!)

PRAISE for new mornings and new mercies!