Unexpected Blessings:

Women's Fall Brunch & Tea

If you attended the Women’s Ministry Fall Brunch, you most certainly encountered beautifully decorated tables with teapots of flowers and lacy cookies. It was a delightful morning that included a delicious breakfast brunch provided by our own church members and followed by a time of special music that set the tone for our three testimonies. Our theme was “Unexpected Blessings” that come through times of trials, fear, growth, or hardship. Just as tea grounds steeping in hot water produce a strong flavor, so too, believers can grow stronger in times like these. And if we look for them, there are unexpected blessings that appear during these times.

In keeping with our new logo, “Becoming,” we asked representatives of three age groups to speak about how God had affected their lives and brought them through times of trials. Tiffany Neal, Ami Trull, and Maxey Sumlin spoke with uplifting words that will provide encouragement to each of us in our daily walk.

We presented a new name and logo at the brunch, based on the following verses:

“He must become greater; I must become less.” - John 3:30 (NIV)

“ . . . speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” - Eph 4:15 (NIV)

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” - 2 Peter 3:18 (NET)

The name, logo, and scripture give the idea of growth and progression as believers in Jesus Christ at every stage of our Christian walk. There are small green leaves in the logo to represent our growth in becoming more like Christ and the candle logo of WBC reminds us that our flame needs to become brighter individually and as the body of Christ. We need to be growing in our worship of our Savior, becoming more mature disciples, and in that growth we hope to become better witnesses of the message and love of Christ in our homes and every sphere of our influence.

We expressed our desire to be more intentional in reaching the younger generation in all that we do in women’s ministry. We enjoyed having young teen girls, younger women in their twenties and thirties, and every age beyond that in fellowship with us at the brunch. Thank you for coming!

The brunch was to kick-off all the women ministries at Waxahachie Bible Church for this school year. At WBC we have diverse ways to serve and be served. Our hope and prayer is that women will develop deep relationships with Jesus and others in the community through Women’s Ministries at WBC. Here are some ways to accomplish it:

- Dive deeper into God’s Word through small groups and Bible studies.
- Journey with other women through relevant mentor and support groups.
- Gather with other women of all ages at our special events and retreats for teaching, worship and connecting with other women.
- Serve globally by your support of our missionaries.
- Visit our website for links to discover all that is available through our Women’s Ministries
at waxahachiebible.org.

Will you join us this year in women’s ministry in BECOMING more like Jesus? Girl to girl, woman to woman, we can have a positive influence on each other as we connect and grow together.

WBC Ministers to Those in Prison

by Phil Blevins

For the past several months, a team of volunteers from WBC has been going into the Estes Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Venus, Texas. The team is responsible for conducting a worship service on the last Saturday evening in months where there are five Saturdays on the calendar.

The last service was held on August 30th. Approximately 30 volunteers, following Jesus’ call to “go unto the least of these,” ministered to over 100 inmates out of the 1036 prisoners currently incarcerated at the Estes unit. The service started at 7:00pm with a worship team leading praise and worship singing followed by 2 people sharing their testimonies of a recent mission trip to Colombia. Bill Cox brought the message and the service concluded at about 8:45.

In addition to sharing in worship, the volunteers are allowed to interact with the inmates for brief times of fellowship and prayer. The men are challenged to accept Christ and live according to the Scriptures. Believing inmates are encouraged to be good examples in the general prison population, lift up one another in the Lord and share their faith with others. This was the third time in 2014 that a WBC team has performed this ministry, and the next opportunity will be November 30th.

There are many other ministry opportunities available to individuals who are interested and go through the required training. Contact the church or Jerry Weiler for more information.

The Sanders Estes Unit of TDC is a male minimum-security facility managed by MAC for TDCJ. Many of the men there are preparing to transition back into life after prison.

Ministry Partner of the Month - Charles & Bridget Ulibarri

Prayer Requests:

• We are hoping to be traveling in October to do some short term ministry and explore some overseas fields. Pray we will have travel mercies and be a blessing wherever we go.

• Pray for God’s clear direction and timing for the overseas field and team that we will  serve on starting next year. We have had many mission ministry opportunities that have come up, and we need clear direction.

• Pray for our finances. We had some unexpected medical expenses last year that has put us in a bind. We need more individuals and churches to partner with us in monthly support as well as funds for ministry trips and future overseas ministry setup expenses.

• Pray for Charles as he completes his online Bible school studies, that we would have the finances for him to complete them, and that he would do well: expected graduation in 2015.

• Pray for our daughter, Brianna, for her to do well in her university studies and also for her walk with the Lord.

• Pray for our son, Micah, that he would have wisdom and discernment with his job situation. Also pray for his walk with the Lord.

• Pray that we all stay healthy.

• Pray for Bridget and Charles to be good witnesses in their neighborhood and to make disciples where they are.

• Continue to pray for the Fang people of Equatorial Guinea that they would read the Fang New testament now available in their language and come to know Christ. Pray also for people in West Africa suffering Ebola.

• Pray for our mothers’ health. Both are in their mid-70’s now, and we can see them deteriorating. Pray for Bridget’s mom that she knows the truth.

• Pray for our brothers and sisters and their spouses to know the Lord and walk in Him.

• Pray that we will continue to do our ministries to glorify God in all we do.