Yes, I am a bad friend. I got too carried away today at study and I neglected to thank those who have served quietly behind the scenes! Shame on me...so now I want to try to make it right. I know I have too many words and not enough time, but please let give me a few minutes to thank my dear friends who have made Ladies Bible study possible this year.
First off, I need to thank Beth Tarnow. She has been my prayer/memory verse gal for several years and this year was by far the best! Each year I see her grow - she is more confident in front of the women, her passion is more evident, her ability to inspire is more natural (as seen in the wonderful response to the Bible memory this year) and her creativity in mixing up the women and stretching them in prayer time was off the charts this year! I don't know if you gals know what goes into that first half hour, but from finding Puritan prayers to picking out appropriate music, to separating colored candies and printing copies - she has put many hours into making our prayer time special. Thank you, Beth for teaming with me and encouraging me!
Next year Beth is going to venture into the world of teaching...actually, she is a teacher already, but she is expanding her audience to the women of Harvest. She will be teaching in January a six week series, so please keep her in your prayers as she takes on the study and preparation commitment for this. I am confident that she will be a powerful and effective teacher - she loves the Lord deeply and is growing in the Lord. She has a passion for His Word and a heart for obedience - she is a good communicator and I know we will all be blessed through her teaching.
Next I want to thank Crystal Miracle, which means that her husband Lee gets a shout out, as well. I've known Crystal a long time and to see what God is doing in her life has been a great source of joy for me. She is too old to be my daughter and too young to be my sister - but you will see we have a relationship that goes deeper than age. She is my sister in Christ and I am so thankful for her servant's heart. Crystal makes sure you all are fed each week - making coffee, setting it out, cleaning it up, making sign-ups for treats, contacting you when you're on, supplying food when no one signs up, getting plates and napkins...the list goes on and on. Lee helps as well - he has covered the sound booth a few times to make sure everything goes smoothly (remember the worship service we had for the crucifixion lesson?). Plus, you know those wonderful frittatas from this morning? Lee.
Thanks Crystal and Lee for your faithful service to the body at Harvest. To see that God is using you as small group leaders and even more specific, as counselors, does Momma Wisen's heart good!
Next is my daughter-in-law, sweet Mary. She has manned the sound booth this year. Moving our study into the sanctuary was one issue this fall, but choosing to video cast the lessons was a whole new ball game! She scurried around in the back, flipping on mics, monitoring the cameras and manning the power point here and there - all without a sound or a complaint! I tend to pace and somehow, she was able to keep up with me! Thank you, Mary, for your competency (she was a valedictorian, after all) and your precious servant's heart - your willingness to serve continues to humble me.
Mary did have some help here and there - Chris and Carolyn Moeller often found themselves behind the sound booth controls, as well. And my daughter, Katherine, makes sure that the video casts and podcasts are online each week. Katherine also designed our lesson cover and the fun little timeline each week - thanks, Chris, Carolyn and Katherine for your kind service of the women. It takes many hands to make this go smoothly and we have a great team!
Finally, I want to thank our children's workers. I have two faithful high schoolers who have sat with the children for years! Daniel and Becky Bollweg are dependable and faithful servants - who always have a good attitude and are never late. I don't even need to check in with them anymore because they have everything under control! They added some of their friends this year, so that each week our babies, toddlers and homeschoolers were cared for and watched. Thank you so much for your service and...what are you doing next fall???
Last but certainly not least, are the three gals who ran our children's program. Lindsey Lindberg, Beth Lile and Tami Swart set the bar high with the children's lessons, making everything from their treats to their crafts child-friendly. I was told today that there were tears from some of the children when they heard it was the last week. One little boy said, "I don't need to go to school - I can just come to church every day!" That speaks of the love and care these gals put into every lesson. Thank you so much, ladies, for your ministry this year.
I have one gal committed to running the program next year and I need two more to come alongside and help. Yes, it is a huge undertaking - but the blessings are immeasurable. Please prayerfully consider serving the children this coming year - you will be surprised at what the Lord teaches you through this experience. With the ability to watch the study online, it is my prayer that a few more of you will be willing to serve in this manner.
Thanks all for a great year! God's love and faithfulness to His bride was evident in your service.
No comments:
Post a Comment