The Keene Koinoia

Keene Evangelical Free Church Newsletter November 2011

Pastors Corner
What Good Is There In Waiting?
I have said it before and I will say it again and again, I hate waiting! Nevertheless, it is something that I do often. One time I waited for Joy for 1 hours just to eat with her in college [I will owe her for sharing that one!]. Ive waited for my parents to pick me up from basketball practice in a snow stormthey forgot I was at practice [too many kids in the house when you dont realize you are missing one] so I had to walk 7 miles home [in penny loafers!]. So let me ask this: what good is there in waiting? Read some of these passages in Scripture Psalm 27.14, 40.1, 130.5; Isaiah 30.18; Acts 1.4; Romans 8.23; 1 Thess. 1.10; Titus 2.13. Go ahead, Ill wait. Im starting to get a theme coming out here from Gods word. There is something drastically significant about waiting in Scripture. Here is what I think it is all about [the waiting, I mean] when we are not waiting for the Lord we are missing His will. What I mean by this is that when we are constantly moving [even in good ways] we, as finite, fallible humans, more often than not, miss the Lords moving, guiding, directing, speaking, revealing, etc., in our lives. However, when we wait on the Lord, when we set aside our agenda and wait for His, I believe it will not only be clearer to us what He is about in our lives, but we will be able to follow much easier. Think about it, drive fast through an obstacle course without knowing where you are going with a navigator at your side even with them calling out directions it is difficult to react and get through the course safely [if you dont believe me go to a state troopers driving range and watch high speed chases boy can those orange cones fly!]. However, if you drive slower and wait for instruction, very few of us would have any difficulty negotiating the obstacles [remember I said driving, not canoeing that is a completely different lesson!]. Again, I hate to waitbut if waiting is what I must do in order to see Gods will in my life and ultimately see Him face to facethen wait I will! Let me encourage you to do some waiting this month. Blessings, Pastor Matt

Inside this Issue

Page 1 Pastors Corner -Womens Circle - Mission Update -Church Directory Correction Page 2 - Sunday School Update -S.W.A.T. Ministry -Christmas Program Practice Dates -Awana Ministry -Wednesday Bible Study Page 3 -Womens Ministry News -24-Hour Prayer (note date change) -Financial Peace University Class Preview Page 4 -All-Church Harvest Dinner Info. -A Heartfelt Thank You from the Wells Family -Thank You So Much, Lord Poem -Coming Up at Keene -Contact Information

Womens Circle for November

Circle #1 headed up by Teresa and Jody V. is responsible for serving at events taking place at church in November. Thank you ladies!

Mission Update
The Mission Keene EFC is supporting in November is Mark and Martha Hendrickson LATN EFCA in Costa Rica.

Church Directory Correction

Please make the following correction to the College Student Section of you Church Directory. Michaela Hinrichs Hastings College 809 Ash Avenue Altman Hall #319 Hastings, NE 68901 Please dont hesitate to let Jennifer know if there are further changes, corrections, or additions needed. Thank you!

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Sunday School News

The children have started a new unit in Sunday School. It comes from All-in-One Sunday School. During the next several weeks the kids will learn these Bible points: 1. God offers us the free gift of salvation. 2. God gives us his armor to protect us. 3. God wants us to spread the good news. 4. Gods Word makes us strong. 5. Its good to give thanks. 6. Its important to listen to God. 7. God is more powerful than anything or anybody. We are excited on how well our church families are doing on learning the memory verses and Pledge of Faith Statements! Below you will find the verse and Pledge of Faith Statement addition for November. Keep up the great work! November Verse Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11 November Pledge of Faith Statement God is who He says He is. (September) God can do what He says He can do. (October) I am who God says I am. (November)

Christmas Program Practice News

Kids grades Pre-K through 6th grade mark your calendars for Christmas Program Practices that will be beginning soon! Sundays (during of the Sunday School Hour (9:30-10:30) November 13th November 20th November 27th December 4th December 11th Wednesday Evenings (TBA) November 30th December 7th The Christmas Program will be on Sunday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m. with a cookie reception to follow.

AWANA Ministry News

Praise to God that AWANA continues to have around 40 students each week! Our schedule for November is: 3:30 -5:00 p.m. Nov. 2nd 3:30-5:00 p.m. Nov. 9th 3:30-5:00 p.m. Nov. 16th *Thanksgiving Party No AWANA Nov. 23rd 3:30-5:00 p.m. Nov. 30th With so many kids attending, listeners are welcome each Wednesday! If you are ever free, please drop by and listen to our students recite their verses to pass sections in their handbooks. our handbook time each week is approximately 4:00-4:30 p.m.

Spiritually Willing Active Teens

November Schedule: November 6th: Jr. High at 6:00 p.m. S.W.A.T. Supper at 7:15 p.m. Sr. High at 7:45 November 13th: Both Jr. and Sr. High will meet at 6:00 p.m. Jr. High will be at the Parsonage Sr. High will be at the Church NO supper will be served to to Harvest Dinner after Morning Worship. Please bring our own pop or drink. November 20th: Jr. High at 6:00 p.m. S.W.A.T. Supper at 7:15 p.m. Sr. High at 7:45 *Mark your calendars for Friday, January 20th. S.W.A.T. will be in charge of the concession stand and meal at the Axtell vs. Wilcox-Hildreth Basketball games.

Cookies or snacks are needed for snack time each week. Sign-up on the bulletin board. Thanks! Also needed is blue painters tape (1 wide) to mark the floor for games. We also need round stickers (blue, green, red, yellow) for team scoring. Financial donations are always welcome to help pay for the handbooks and supplies needed. Simply mark your gift for AWANA and place in the offering plate. We appreciate anything you can do to help us reach out to the community kids using AWANA as the vehicle for the ultimate goal being to help them to know Jesus.

Wednesday Bible Study

We are studying the gospel of Mark in Bible Study! Bible Study is at 7:00 p.m. and will take place on Nov. 2nd, 16th, and 30th this month. Everyone is welcome!

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Womens Ministry News

All church women are invited to attend a Womens get together at the Parsonage on Sunday, November 6th at 6:30 p.m. Please join us for a casual time of refreshments and a discussion on gratitude.

24-Hour Prayer
Wednesday November 9th at 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service A time to begin our 24-hours of prayer to Thursday November 10th at 7:00 p.m. Praise Service with Salad Supper (please bring a salad or food item to share)

Fundraisers Concession Stand: The Keene women are in charge of the concession stand and meal at the Axtell home basketball games on Friday, December 9th. Please look for a sign-up sheet this month. We will need help in the following ways to make this fundraiser a success. 1. We will need ladies (and any willing men) to work a shift at the concession stand or the taco meal. 2. We will need monetary donations to purchase the food for our taco meal. Also, if anyone is willing to donate hamburger, please see Nurita Lambert. She will be purchasing all of the ingredients for our taco meal and preparing it in bulk.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Church families have 3x5 cards in their mailboxes to write prayer requests and praises on. Please place all prayer request cards in the basket provided. (Cards can be anonymous or named.) SIGN-UP: Please sign-up for an hour slot on the sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. Come alone, with your spouse, or with your whole family to pray through the prayer request cards in the Sanctuary during your hour time slot.

Financial Peace University Study Information

Church Garage Sale: The tentative date for our next Church Garage Sale in Axtell will be on Friday, March 9th. Please save any sellable times you are willing to donate. If you are not able to store your garage sale donations, please bring them to Church and we will have them stored. *Our Womens Ministry uses the profit from our fundraisers for special needed projects around the church. A few examples of projects we have funded in the past have included the purchase of the new church sign, playground equipment, lapel mike, nursery renovation, kitchen water filter and kitchen appliances. You are invited to attend a preview session for a class on Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University. Preview Sessions will be on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. or Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. The preview sessions will give you an ideaof what will be covered during the class. The classes will begin in January 2012. Classes will be lead by Ty Fickenscher and Justin Moore What is Financial Peace University? This life-changing program teaches congregations to achieve financial goals by eliminating debt, saving for the future, and giving like never before. They will be challenged and motivated to make a plan for their money and change their family tree forever. This is a biblically-based curriculum that teaches people how to handle money Gods way. To find more information go to the website: www.daveramsey.com/church/home

Womens Circles: At Keene, groups of women work together to serve at and provide food for various Church meals, functions and events. All women who attend Church at Keene are automatically placed on a Womens Circle, unless you specifically request not to be on one. Working together on a Womens Circle also provides an opportunity for fellowship and fun as you spend time with other women in the Church in the kitchen. If you have any questions about our Womens Circles, please see Joy Snell. Please be watching in the mail for our new list of Womens Circles and information about upcoming Womens meetings and events!

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All-Church Harvest Dinner

Sunday, November 13th Following Morning Worship Everyone please bring: A main or meat dish of any kind AND A side dish of any kind. All our traditions go- the men will be cleaning up!

Thank You So Much, Lord

by Belinda van Rensburg I want to be still and think upon You Counting the blessings received from Your hand; A Godly husband; our children and theirs; Good health and the strength to stand. More than enough of the things I might need Such as shelter, good food and clothes. A reliable car that can drive really far For eyesight; ten fingers and toes. Thank You for letting me hear Your dear voice For talking to me night and day. I praise You, Lord, for guidance and council; For list'ning to me when I pray.

Circle #1 Serves Teresa and Jody V.s Circle Thank You so much, dear Father of Lights For Your promises; every one; For all that You've done and all that You do, But most of all for Your Son!

A Heartfelt Thank You

This is so long overdue, but there is so much to thank you for. First, thank you for all your prayers during Scotts illness and the prayers that continue for us now. It is your prayers that carried and continue to carry us through each day. Your support in the way of cards, calls, texts, food, gifts and messages on Caring Bridge meant more to us than youll ever know. We also felt a part of you each Sunday when we watched the service with you. What a blessing that was (and continues to be)! We know there are many more Acts of Kindness that we are not listing; but know, all were appreciated! Thank you for following our Caring Bridge site. There was an amazing sense of peace knowing that so many people were praying for us and for our specific needs. Also, thank you so very much for all you did to make Scotts visitation service and luncheon special. We know it was a lot of work, but we are so thankful for each big and small thing done. Scott would have been so very pleased, but would have thought there was too much fuss made over him. Thank you to Pastor Matt for the wonderful message, I still have people commenting on it; the choir for singing Scotts favorite, No Other Name; Joy for playing; Tom, Brent, and Brad for their parts; and Mark W., Blake, Heath, and Bryce for ushering. We are so blessed to have such a special, special church family. There really are no words for the love we have felt from you, and we pray God will bless you as you have blessed us! With much love and gratitude, Celeste, Matt, Sara, Nolan, Dusty and Michelle

Coming Up at Keene
December 3rd 12:00 noon Womens Christmas Luncheon at Alley Rose in Kearney December 4th 5:30 p.m. Hanging of the Greens Family Night December 9th Keene Women in charge of concession stand and meal at Axtell Basketball games. December 11th 7:00 p.m. Childrens Christmas Program with Cookie Reception to Follow December 14th AWANA Christmas Party and Store December 24th 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service

Keene Evangelical Free Church 662 F Road Axtell, NE 68924 (308)743-2611 (Church and Parsonage) Church Email: keeneefc@rcom-ne.com Pastor Matthew J. Snell Pastors Cell (308)830-2603 Stay up to date on blogspot keeneefc.blogspot.com For general communication items for bulletin, announcements, newsletter, etc. email to: keeneoffice@rcom-ne.com

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