Hello, fellow Speedway-ers! We currently have some opportunities to SERVE within the kids ministry! Check it out:

9:00 MC (Grades K-2) 9:00 MC (Grades 3-5) 10:20 Children’s Check In 10:20 Sound (Grades K-2) 10:20 Sound (Grades 3-5) 10:20 Small group leader (Grades 3-5)

If you love to serve kids, then please consider one of the available opportunities today! Please contact Rachel Pierce (rpierce@westsidefamilychurch.com) for more information.

As was recently announced, Westside Family Church now includes a fourth campus, located at Lansing Correctional Facility.  We praise God for the lives changed at LCF, and for the way He will continue to be at work there!

Kasey Robinson, of the Lenexa Campus, posted some info on his blog about a training opportunity the worship ministry team will have tomorrow, as well as some tidbits about possible future ministry opportunities at LCF.  I encourage you to head on over to Kasey’s blog and read all about it!

So, today is Earth Day, and I thought I’d pose a question.  Have you given much thought to this day we set aside to think about “eco-friendlyness”?  Many people dismiss all the buzz about Earth Day as nothing but the chatter of “tree-huggers”.  I think there is a place in the Kingdom for Earth Day awareness and “green” solutions to our environmental conundrums.

Genesis 1:26 reminds us that God created man in His likeness, and gave us rule over the birds, fish, animals…over all the earth.  In effect, the Creator made us managers of his great creation.  Westside preschoolers have recently been learning the creation story in Genesis.  As a member of the pre-k volunteer team, it’s been a good reminder for me about the responsibility we have not only to our fellow man, but to the rest of His blessed creation as well!

Let’s remember to make Earth Day an every day thing, whether it’s recycling, using less electricity, walking more & driving less…the ideas go on!  Let’s be the best managers of creation we can be in the name of the Creator!

HE IS RISEN!

Good day, Speedizens!  Have you registered to attend this Wednesday’s concert?  If you have not, time is running out! Here’s the scoop:

Tim Hughes, Benton Brown, Michael Gungor Band and Al Gordon will be leading a night of worship, featuring many of the worship songs we’ve come to know and love. Tickets are $10 each and the proceeds go to the New Life Children’s Home in India.  A fantastic way to support WFC missions AND get a spiritual recharge for the week!  Get more info about the concert here.  Tomorrow is the last day to order and print your tickets online, so mosey on over and get your tickets today!

Doors open at 6:30 pm, concert begins at 7:00 pm.  See you there!

Westside Family Church is hosting Arthur Blessitt to teach in all of our 9 weekend services on April 4 and April 5 and will share his incredible journey with us at a special evening event on Monday, April 6 at 7pm. Childcare for birth-preschool is available for the Monday event with advance registration.

Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear Arthur share what he has learned from taking up his cross and following Jesus.

UNPRECEDENTED JOURNEY

After an unprecedented 40 year odyssey, Arthur Blessitt has just completed the longest walk in history—38,102 miles on foot! Called to share the good news of Jesus, Arthur has carried a 12-foot cross through 7 continents and every country (315), territory and island group in the world. He has walked through 53 countries at war, been jailed 24 times (not for crimes) and has shared the gospel of Jesus with hundreds of thousands of people, of every culture around the globe.

Arthur’s 40 year journey has now been documented in the feature-length movie “The Cross” being released nationally on March 27.

Originally posted 3/18/09 on the WFC blog.

Preschool Room Switcheroo
Parents of Speedway Preschoolers - Our preschool ministry is growing!  To accomodate increasing attendance we are changing room assignments as stated below.  Effective April 5th.

One’s:  Party Room A at 9:00 am & 10:20 am
Two’s:  Party Room B at 9:00 am & 10:20 am
Three’s:  Theater 2 at 9:00 am; Theater 3 at 10:20 am
Pre-K:  Theater 2 at 9:00 am & 10:20 am

Easter Volunteers
We’re looking for loving and nurturing volunteers to serve in our preschool and K-5 classes during Easter services, April 12th.  Contact Rachel Pierce or Alissa Ruffin to sign up!

K-5 Volunteers
Consider partnering with us to reach children for Christ!  We’re looking for volunteers who would like to serve once a month in the K-2nd Grade or 3rd-5th Grade programs at the Speedway campus. Contact Alissa Ruffin to sign up today!

contact INFO
Alissa Ruffin:  aruffin@westsidefamilychurch.com
Rachel Pierce: rpierce@westsidefamilychurch.com

Today I was reminded of the story of Joshua, and the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27).  It’s an incredible reminder of the might and power of the one true Living God!  If you know the story, you’ll remember how an angel appeared before Joshua. The angel instructed Joshua and his army to march around the city of Jericho one time every day for six days. On the seventh day they were told to march around the city wall seven times, with priests blowing trumpets.  When all this was done, the angel said, God would bring down the wall for the Israelites to enter the city and claim it for the Lord.

The story also tells how the Israelites carried the ark of the Lord with them each day…In other words, God was right there with them each day!  Joshua and his army faithfully followed the angel’s instructions and God honored their faith. On the seventh day God brought down the wall of Jericho, and the city was claimed for the glory of God!

My friend, are you facing a Jericho in your own life? Do you have a wall of burden that you just can’t seem to move beyond?  Let me encourage you to hold fast! The mighty and powerful God of ages past is still the the mighty and powerful God of today, and will always be the same mighty and powerful God of the days ahead.  Let that be the certainty in these uncertain times!  Take a moment today to lift your heart before the Lord.  He will honor your faith, even if it seems as small as a mustard seed. He will be at your side, seeing you through the storm!

Do you need help facing the battle?  We’re here for you!  Let your Westside family come alongside you, to be warriors of prayer for you.  We have a Next Steps area at the Speedway campus, where we will talk with you, pray with you and extend the grace and love of God to you!  If you need to speak to someone right away, please call us at (913) 422-8257.

Are you connected to a life group?  These small groups are a great way to get connected at Westside.  Life groups come in all shapes and sizes, with the purpose to learn, grow and do life together.  Find a life group near you

May the God of hope bless you today!

Join top worship leaders Tim Hughes (Here I Am To Worship, Beautiful One), Brenton Brown (Everlasting God, Hosanna) and Michael Gungor Band (Friend of God, Ancient Skies) for this unique concert that will renew your passion!  You won’t want to miss out on this opportunity!

April 1, 2009
6.30 pm Doors Open
7.00 pm Concert Begins
Venue: WFC Lenexa Campus
$10 Ticket

Good day, fellow Speedizens!  This past Sunday Campus Pastor, Brad Mann, shared a brief update on Westside’s prison ministry at Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF).  For anyone who may have missed the news, here’s the scoop.

Since June last year several Westsiders have been faithfully ministering to inmates at LCF, helping serve their spiritual needs and mentoring the men there.  WCF has also been diligently developing worship leaders among inmates to better lead worship services, while working alongside InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) staff to implement better ways of meeting the needs of LCF inmates.

IFI is a program within Prison Fellowship Ministries, which was established in 1976 by noted author and speaker, Chuck Colson.

Through all of this God has blessed the prison ministry in amazing ways!  You may recall an earlier announcement that Westside will soon include this ministry at LCF as a regional campus.  The projected “official campus start date”, including Sunday worship services, will be sometime around Easter.

Volunteer leaders for this partnership are already in place.  Serving as Campus Director is John Ocker, who will be doing most of the relational work and overseeing campus operations.  Serving alongside him is Jason Presley, Assistant Campus Director.  Jason will be instrumental in helping Westside develop plans for the ongoing mentoring of inmates and for helping other Westsiders to get plugged in to ministry opportunities at the LCF campus.

I encourage you to pray for God’s continued blessing over the prison ministry.  Please pray for the relationships being forged and the lives that are being transformed!