Some of you may remember the old song by We Five (I think it was) with words that went "Monday, Monday, so good to me! Monday, Monday, it was all I hoped it would be." Well, unless you're on vacation in a warm place right now, you might not say today is all you hoped it would be, but I'm trusting you are finding a lot of things in your life that you can give thanks for today. For me, one of the big ones is my dad's health. When I got home from church yesterday I got a call that Mom was taking him to the ER in McMinnville as he'd had a TIA (known in layman's terms as a mini-stroke.) I left the house three minutes later and met them at the hospital. Turns out Dad had taken a fall out at the lake on Saturday, hitting his head. So between the concussion and the TIA he'd gone through a period of confusion in the morning. They ran all kinds of tests and he checked out okay and was doing well except for extremely high blood pressure. But he was sent home late in the afternoon and is doing fine. As we all know, things like that grab our attention and remind us of how good even a Monday can be!
I've got some good news for those of you who won't be able to go to our retreat in April because of having babies to care for. I'm going to do something I did in the past, which is to offer a mini-retreat at my house on Friday, May 10th and Saturday, the 11th. I realize it won't be the same experience you'd have at the retreat, but it's a good alternative, and we'll cover the same material.. And you can bring your babies to this! It won't be a sleepover, but we'll meet here at Ashberry Lane for a potluck dinner together and have a teaching session that evening. Then the next morning you all can come back for breakfast and we'll have another session before lunch, followed by a session, some free time for games or the hot tub, and finish the final segment before sending you home for dinner. How does that sound? Cost will probably be around $10 a person to cover expenses. So, if you're interested in that, please let me know right away. I'd like to have at least four of five of you to make it happen.
Doing the Impossible, our retreat for this year, is filling up quickly. Remember, it's April 12th-14th at "our house" in Lincoln City. I only have 14 spaces left. (We're limited to 40 women by the contract for the house.) Cost is only $80 and once you give the money to me, that makes you registered! At that point you're able to select your bedroom/sleeping arrangements. At this time we're only accepting registrations from women who normally attend Wapato, in order to give our ladies first dibs at getting to go. But on Sunday, March 17th it will open up to your family and friends (if we still have space available.) So don't delay--turn your money in soon and don't get left behind because of procrastination! Arrangements for car pooling will be made closer to time, as we have a limited amount of cars we're allowed to have on the property.
We're doing something a little bit different this year. Remember how we always select Secret Sisters when we get to retreat? Well, we're changing that up a bit, as sometimes it's really hard to get a little something for them when you only have the weekend to do so. This time we're going to give you the name of your SS a couple weeks before retreat, so we'd like to have all the spaces taken by then. During the first week of April you'll be given a random name of someone who then becomes your Secret Sister. (Yes, you'll also have a paper with their info concerning likes and dislikes, etc.) This will give you time to do a little shopping ahead of time, or make them a homemade gift, etc, before going to retreat. Should make your time there even more relaxing. In a few weeks those of you who are registered will receive paperwork to fill out for information for your Secret Sister.
At our Bible studies last week, we only got through the first half of the lesson I was planning, so we'll be finishing it up this week. If you want to read through the passage before you come, my plan is for us to cover Luke 9:28-45. There's a slight possibility we'll go a little farther, but that's about as likely as waking up in Hawaii tomorrow morning! So join us at either Common Grounds, Wednesday at 6:30 PM, or at The Perk on Thursday morning at 9:30. We are having really special times together, and it's never too late to start attending. (Child care is provided on Thursdays.)
Our let's-just-hang-out-and-have-fun-together WOW activity for March will be a game night on Friday, the 15th. This is just a casual thing we do every year, meeting at the church at 7 PM for a relaxing evening of fun. You can even wear your jammies and slippers! Just bring a snack and game to share, and we'll have tables set up around the room so we can have different games going at the same time. Put it on your calendar now.
And now, to our first-ever WOW Want Ads! Last week I told you I'd be glad to post notices about anything you want to sell, give away, a service you need, or something you'd like to buy? Well, here's a few things to get you started:
~ The Paz family is looking for a Christian lady to watch our girls for
4 hours on Tuesdays and 2 hours on Thursdays during the day while
Nicole gets some work done upstairs. Our business is exploding and we
are in need of a little help from the right person. Interviewing now! (Nicole's number is 503-703-0069.)
~Sherrie Ashcraft (moi) is looking for an inexpensive washer and dryer to buy for use upstairs. (971-285-6699)
~The Ashcrafts are looking for two Christian young women who would want to rent upstairs. Our granddaughter Cassie will be moving in upstairs the middle of June, along with her toddler. She's looking for some gals to share the space with her. Rent will be lower than you'd probably expect, so if you know of a college-aged Christian woman who needs a rental, please contact us.
So there you have it! Anything you'd like me to post next Monday? If so, send it to me and I'll put it in the WOW-Zine next week. As we make our needs known, maybe we can help each other out!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, February 18, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013 WOW-Zine
A happy Monday morning to all of you! This is the week of LOOOVVVE, so I thought it only fitting to start off this issue with red print. I hope you find plenty of opportunities throughout the week to show your love to that special man, or your children, or your close friends. I'll close this WOW-Zine with the article I wrote for the church newsletter this month, as it deals with love.
Speaking of which, don't forget about the Valentine Extravaganza at Wapato on this coming Friday, the 16th, at 6:30 PM. Tickets are selling about as fast as you walk barefooted on hot sand, so you'd better call the church office and buy yours now! Don't wait until it's too late, as there are a very limited number of tickets left, and none will be sold at the door. You must purchase them ahead of time. Don your finest finery and come out for a lovely dinner, music, and dancing.
Congratulations to all the women who have started making Common Grounds on Wednesday night at 6:30 a part of their weekly schedule. You gals rock! As we continue to work our way through Beth Moore's study of Jesus The One and Only, we'll be concentrating this week on Luke 9:18-45. (And my sincere apologies for giving you the wrong passage in last week's blog.)
We'll be covering the same material Thursday morning at 9:30 at The Perk. We're so grateful to have a couple of home-schooled girls there to provide childcare for us. That's such a ministry! I'm so thankful for the wonderful bunch of you ladies who come out every week and share in each others lives.
Before reminding you about our WOW retreat coming up in April, I'd like to talk to you about something. I'm sure that with the amount of young moms and new babies we have in the church, some of you might be wondering why our policy for the past several years has been to not have babies be able to attend the retreat. Several years ago we did allow nursing babies as long as they weren't able to scooch around on their own. But for the past three years at least, the guidelines changed for the following reasons:
The bottom line (no pun intended! I could go back and change that, but I won't!) is that a woman's life is made up of various seasons. There have been times in the lives of we older women where we have not been able to attend certain events because of our family responsibilities. It's just what happens when you have a young baby that you're not able to leave home with daddy. If you're not able to attend this year, we will most certainly miss you, but hopefully you'll be able to join us next year.
So that brings us up to details about the retreat. April may still sound like a ways off, but believe me, it will be here before you know it. We'll be meeting at our gorgeous retreat house in Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. Amy completed The Book of Rooms and ladies have already started to register and select their rooms. We only have about 25 openings left, so get me your money as soon as you can in order to hold your spot! It only takes $80, which is a real bargain. It includes the beautiful lodgings, plus Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, and will be led by myself and my daughter Christina, whom most of you know. Talk about fun!! So either give me $80 cash, or write a check out to WVC and hand it to me, and you'll have a place.
This Wednesday, February 13th, is the next meeting of the Christian Women's Fellowship no-host luncheon, and my own Christina Tarbochia will be the guest speaker. I'm excited about that! The group is open to everyone, and meets at Jake's Deli in McMinnville, just past Linfield College. The actual meeting time is from noon to one, but get there a little earlier to order your food. They have good sandwiches, soups, and salads. Just park in the back and walk through the door. I'll be watching for you!
And don't forget Beth Moore is headed our way two weeks after retreat! A group of us are going down to Eugene for the evening of Friday, April 26th and will return home the next afternoon. I'm asking you to take care of registration ($69) on your own, but then inform me you've done so, and I'll reserve a motel room for you for an additional $25 to $30. You can sign up by going to www.lifeway.com/livingproof
Hey, I'd like to add a new feature to the WOW-Zine, beginning next week. How about we have a section at the end where we can list items we'd like to sell or give away, as well as ask for something we need? For example, I know Chrissy's washer and dryer just broke and she is looking for a new one. Or maybe it's services you have to offer, such as childcare or house cleaning. Send me the information (can even do a photo) and I'll post it for you on here. So be looking for that next week.
In closing, I'll leave you with my newsletter article:
John and I have been married for forty-two years, so I’ve learned a thing or two about love. I met him when I was a senior in high school and our wedding ceremony was a year later. He lived sixty miles away during the time we were dating and engaged, and lots of letters passed between us. (Remember, this was back in the day when the Pony Express had just stopped running and the US Postal Service had taken over! No such things as e-mail and texts!)
I still have that ribbon-bound packet of letters we wrote to each other, safely stored in my hope chest. (Or as I now call it, my fulfilled chest.) They contain the dreams we had back then, the plans for our future. I especially remember the one where I told John how our days would play out—we’d live in a cute little house with a white-picket fence encircling it. We’d wake up to sunshine most mornings, and I’d fix him a big, hot breakfast while he was showering. I’d pack his lunch before he’d give me a kiss and walk out the door. My day would be delightfully filled with dusting, vacuuming, ironing, and some time for myself to read and relax. He would return each evening to be greeted by a loving wife and the aroma of a delicious dinner wafting through the air.
Yep, it was a pretty idealistic picture, wasn’t it? I don’t remember us ever envisioning the pain of going through four miscarriages, or ever imagining the Lord would call us to serve as missionaries in Nigeria for 3-1/2 years. I didn’t know we’d face dangerous illnesses while there, or go through the political uncertainty of living in a third-world country. I had no idea that years later we would deal with divorce, family disintegration, prison, and all the pain inherent in those things. Where did the white picket fence and sunny days go? This wasn’t what I signed up for.
Ah, but it was! When we enter into a relationship with another person, whether a friendship, marriage, or parenthood, we are in effect saying we’re willing to accept the good, bad, and ugly. Life is a mixture of all of those. We don’t have the option to pick and choose. Every day, the Lord allows what He knows is best for our lives at that particular time. It doesn’t mean we always like it, but I’m here to tell you if we accept these gifts, no matter how ugly their wrapping, we receive the benefit. We see they really are an expression of God’s love to us. Because wuv, true wuv, doesn’t always feel good. Love has many different aspects, and sometimes it has to be very tough, not touchy-feely.
The Distinguished Clergyman (that’s his name in the credits of The Princess Bride) lispfully pronounced the beautiful Buttercup married to the evil Prince Humperdinck, but she continued to hope. She longed for her true love, Westley, to arrive on the scene and rescue her from her farce of a marriage. Which, being her true love indeed, Westley did. And they rode off into the sunset and all lived happily ever after.
The movie versions of love are not always accurate, but God’s definition of love, as found in I Corinthians 13, most certainly is. In the paraphrase found in The Message, that familiar passage says it like this:
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,,
Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.
We all need to look at our lives and see if we’re showing wuv, true wuv.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Speaking of which, don't forget about the Valentine Extravaganza at Wapato on this coming Friday, the 16th, at 6:30 PM. Tickets are selling about as fast as you walk barefooted on hot sand, so you'd better call the church office and buy yours now! Don't wait until it's too late, as there are a very limited number of tickets left, and none will be sold at the door. You must purchase them ahead of time. Don your finest finery and come out for a lovely dinner, music, and dancing.
Congratulations to all the women who have started making Common Grounds on Wednesday night at 6:30 a part of their weekly schedule. You gals rock! As we continue to work our way through Beth Moore's study of Jesus The One and Only, we'll be concentrating this week on Luke 9:18-45. (And my sincere apologies for giving you the wrong passage in last week's blog.)
We'll be covering the same material Thursday morning at 9:30 at The Perk. We're so grateful to have a couple of home-schooled girls there to provide childcare for us. That's such a ministry! I'm so thankful for the wonderful bunch of you ladies who come out every week and share in each others lives.
Before reminding you about our WOW retreat coming up in April, I'd like to talk to you about something. I'm sure that with the amount of young moms and new babies we have in the church, some of you might be wondering why our policy for the past several years has been to not have babies be able to attend the retreat. Several years ago we did allow nursing babies as long as they weren't able to scooch around on their own. But for the past three years at least, the guidelines changed for the following reasons:
- Retreat is a special time for women to be able to leave the cares of their usual life and responsibilities and just be together with other women. It needs to be relaxing for all involved.
- Babies are a distraction--an obvious distraction if they're fussying and crying, but also a distraction if they're being terribly cute, as babies are apt to be! Retreat is a time to allow God the opportunity to speak into our lives in as much as an unhindered atmosphere as possible.
- Our schedule is such that our noisiness could easily infringe on baby's sleep schedule, and the baby crying during the night could infringe on our sleep.
- The paraphernalia inherent in taking care of a baby takes up needed space.
The bottom line (no pun intended! I could go back and change that, but I won't!) is that a woman's life is made up of various seasons. There have been times in the lives of we older women where we have not been able to attend certain events because of our family responsibilities. It's just what happens when you have a young baby that you're not able to leave home with daddy. If you're not able to attend this year, we will most certainly miss you, but hopefully you'll be able to join us next year.
So that brings us up to details about the retreat. April may still sound like a ways off, but believe me, it will be here before you know it. We'll be meeting at our gorgeous retreat house in Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. Amy completed The Book of Rooms and ladies have already started to register and select their rooms. We only have about 25 openings left, so get me your money as soon as you can in order to hold your spot! It only takes $80, which is a real bargain. It includes the beautiful lodgings, plus Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, and will be led by myself and my daughter Christina, whom most of you know. Talk about fun!! So either give me $80 cash, or write a check out to WVC and hand it to me, and you'll have a place.
This Wednesday, February 13th, is the next meeting of the Christian Women's Fellowship no-host luncheon, and my own Christina Tarbochia will be the guest speaker. I'm excited about that! The group is open to everyone, and meets at Jake's Deli in McMinnville, just past Linfield College. The actual meeting time is from noon to one, but get there a little earlier to order your food. They have good sandwiches, soups, and salads. Just park in the back and walk through the door. I'll be watching for you!
And don't forget Beth Moore is headed our way two weeks after retreat! A group of us are going down to Eugene for the evening of Friday, April 26th and will return home the next afternoon. I'm asking you to take care of registration ($69) on your own, but then inform me you've done so, and I'll reserve a motel room for you for an additional $25 to $30. You can sign up by going to www.lifeway.com/livingproof
Hey, I'd like to add a new feature to the WOW-Zine, beginning next week. How about we have a section at the end where we can list items we'd like to sell or give away, as well as ask for something we need? For example, I know Chrissy's washer and dryer just broke and she is looking for a new one. Or maybe it's services you have to offer, such as childcare or house cleaning. Send me the information (can even do a photo) and I'll post it for you on here. So be looking for that next week.
In closing, I'll leave you with my newsletter article:
Wuv … True Wuv
I still have that ribbon-bound packet of letters we wrote to each other, safely stored in my hope chest. (Or as I now call it, my fulfilled chest.) They contain the dreams we had back then, the plans for our future. I especially remember the one where I told John how our days would play out—we’d live in a cute little house with a white-picket fence encircling it. We’d wake up to sunshine most mornings, and I’d fix him a big, hot breakfast while he was showering. I’d pack his lunch before he’d give me a kiss and walk out the door. My day would be delightfully filled with dusting, vacuuming, ironing, and some time for myself to read and relax. He would return each evening to be greeted by a loving wife and the aroma of a delicious dinner wafting through the air.
Yep, it was a pretty idealistic picture, wasn’t it? I don’t remember us ever envisioning the pain of going through four miscarriages, or ever imagining the Lord would call us to serve as missionaries in Nigeria for 3-1/2 years. I didn’t know we’d face dangerous illnesses while there, or go through the political uncertainty of living in a third-world country. I had no idea that years later we would deal with divorce, family disintegration, prison, and all the pain inherent in those things. Where did the white picket fence and sunny days go? This wasn’t what I signed up for.
Ah, but it was! When we enter into a relationship with another person, whether a friendship, marriage, or parenthood, we are in effect saying we’re willing to accept the good, bad, and ugly. Life is a mixture of all of those. We don’t have the option to pick and choose. Every day, the Lord allows what He knows is best for our lives at that particular time. It doesn’t mean we always like it, but I’m here to tell you if we accept these gifts, no matter how ugly their wrapping, we receive the benefit. We see they really are an expression of God’s love to us. Because wuv, true wuv, doesn’t always feel good. Love has many different aspects, and sometimes it has to be very tough, not touchy-feely.
The Distinguished Clergyman (that’s his name in the credits of The Princess Bride) lispfully pronounced the beautiful Buttercup married to the evil Prince Humperdinck, but she continued to hope. She longed for her true love, Westley, to arrive on the scene and rescue her from her farce of a marriage. Which, being her true love indeed, Westley did. And they rode off into the sunset and all lived happily ever after.
The movie versions of love are not always accurate, but God’s definition of love, as found in I Corinthians 13, most certainly is. In the paraphrase found in The Message, that familiar passage says it like this:
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,,
Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.
We all need to look at our lives and see if we’re showing wuv, true wuv.
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013 WOW-Zine
Good morning to all of you! I started my morning off by having to drive over Bald Peak to meet my daughter at the Cruise In Diner parking lot to get my purse (phone and wallet) that I left at her house after the Super Bowl last night. You have no idea how proud I was of myself for not spending the ten minutes right before I left to meet her searching the house for the purse I was going to pick up!
I had a really busy week last week, and a weekend full of wonderful family, but I'm taking the day off today after getting this sent to you. So, it's going to be shorter than usual.
Don't forget about our two Bible study possibilities this week--Common Grounds Wednesday evening at 6:30, and The Perk (childcare provided) on Thursday morning at 9:30. These studies are designed to be able to jump in at any time. In other words, if you've never come before, it's not too late!!This week we'll focus on Luke 10:1-23.
Next Wednesday (Feb. 13th) at noon at Jake's Deli in McMinnville (by Linfield College) the Christian Women's Fellowship will be gathering for their monthly meeting. This is a great time to get together with women from various churches in the area and listen to a speaker while enjoying a no-host lunch. And I can promise you this month's speaker will be well-worth hearing, as it's my daughter, Christina Tarabochia! Those of you who already know her will anticipate the fun spirit, humor, and wisdom she will bring as she speaks on Who's Your Daddy?--Finding Your Way to the Father's Love. It would be great to carpool together, so please let me know if you'd like to do that. I know as a speaker that it's really nice to look out in the audience and find a lot of familiar, supportive faces!
If you read this following paragraph this week, you don't need to read it again. However, if you didn't get a chance to read last week's WOW-Zine, you need to be aware that our annual women's retreat will be at Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, led by myself and my daughter, Christina, and based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times in our lives when God asks us to trust Him and simply obey, even though the situation looks impossible. How to do that? Come and find out. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, and you can check out our accommodations by following this link:
http://www.vrbo.com/309670. Because of the interest already being generated among you gals, I'm going to open registration up a few weeks early. Remember, you must pay in full to be considered registered. And when you give me that money, I'll be able to point you to the room reservation notebook that Amy is making up, like she did last year.We have one room for those who like to go to bed relatively early, and another room for those who like to stay up much of the night talking and/or playing games. And then we have lots of rooms for those who fall somewhere in between! So when Amy completes the Book of Rooms, I'll open registration for those who attend Wapato. Checks should be made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "retreat" in the memo section. But please give them to me so I can keep up on who is going.
I told you I was keeping the WOW-Zine short this week, as I've got places to go and people to see in order to relax on my day off! If you'd like to check out last week's issue, just go to www.womenofwapato.blogspot.com to read about the up-coming Valentine's gala, as well as the Beth Moore conference the end of April in Eugene that several of us are going to.
I hope you all have a blessed week and take the time to see the hand of God working in the details of your life. I'll see you at one of the Bible studies!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
I had a really busy week last week, and a weekend full of wonderful family, but I'm taking the day off today after getting this sent to you. So, it's going to be shorter than usual.
Don't forget about our two Bible study possibilities this week--Common Grounds Wednesday evening at 6:30, and The Perk (childcare provided) on Thursday morning at 9:30. These studies are designed to be able to jump in at any time. In other words, if you've never come before, it's not too late!!This week we'll focus on Luke 10:1-23.
Next Wednesday (Feb. 13th) at noon at Jake's Deli in McMinnville (by Linfield College) the Christian Women's Fellowship will be gathering for their monthly meeting. This is a great time to get together with women from various churches in the area and listen to a speaker while enjoying a no-host lunch. And I can promise you this month's speaker will be well-worth hearing, as it's my daughter, Christina Tarabochia! Those of you who already know her will anticipate the fun spirit, humor, and wisdom she will bring as she speaks on Who's Your Daddy?--Finding Your Way to the Father's Love. It would be great to carpool together, so please let me know if you'd like to do that. I know as a speaker that it's really nice to look out in the audience and find a lot of familiar, supportive faces!
If you read this following paragraph this week, you don't need to read it again. However, if you didn't get a chance to read last week's WOW-Zine, you need to be aware that our annual women's retreat will be at Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, led by myself and my daughter, Christina, and based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times in our lives when God asks us to trust Him and simply obey, even though the situation looks impossible. How to do that? Come and find out. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, and you can check out our accommodations by following this link:
http://www.vrbo.com/309670. Because of the interest already being generated among you gals, I'm going to open registration up a few weeks early. Remember, you must pay in full to be considered registered. And when you give me that money, I'll be able to point you to the room reservation notebook that Amy is making up, like she did last year.We have one room for those who like to go to bed relatively early, and another room for those who like to stay up much of the night talking and/or playing games. And then we have lots of rooms for those who fall somewhere in between! So when Amy completes the Book of Rooms, I'll open registration for those who attend Wapato. Checks should be made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "retreat" in the memo section. But please give them to me so I can keep up on who is going.
I told you I was keeping the WOW-Zine short this week, as I've got places to go and people to see in order to relax on my day off! If you'd like to check out last week's issue, just go to www.womenofwapato.blogspot.com to read about the up-coming Valentine's gala, as well as the Beth Moore conference the end of April in Eugene that several of us are going to.
I hope you all have a blessed week and take the time to see the hand of God working in the details of your life. I'll see you at one of the Bible studies!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, January 28, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2012 WOW-Zine
Hello, ladies. Good to get to talk to you again today. I know your lives are all very busy and I appreciate the time you take each week to read the WOW-Zine and find out what's going on. We also need to take the time to pray for each other, as I know we have several women who are facing a lot of problems, whether it's health, family, or finances. One of the best ways we can love each other is by praying for each other.
Both our women's Bible studies will be meeting this week as usual. Common Grounds is on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, and The Perk meets Thursday morning at 9:30. (Childcare is provided for the morning study.) Both groups meet at the church and are a great place to bring friends who may not know much about the Bible, but are curious about how it could apply to their lives. Boy, are we ever learning how much it applies to day to day life as we go through Beth Moore's study of Jesus The One And Only. Remember, there's no book to buy or homework to do--just show up with your Bible and an open heart. We glean so much from each other each week. This week we'll continue our study in Luke 8, verses 22 through the end of the chapter.
And speaking of Beth Moore, have you heard that she'll be LIVE in Eugene two weekends after our retreat? Yep, join a group of us as we head down to Eugene on Friday, April 26th for her teaching that evening and the next morning. Please register on-line by going to http://www.lifeway.com/livingproof.
When you've done so, let me know, and I'll get motel rooms for us, which will probably cost around $25-$30 each if we put four ladies to a room. The registration fee for the conference is $69. We're going to have such a good time!!
But we don't have to wait that long to have a good time! Oh, no, not us!! Our annual women's retreat will be at Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, led by myself and my daughter, Christina, and based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times in our lives when God asks us to trust Him and simply obey, even though the situation looks impossible. How to do that? Come and find out. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, and you can check out our accommodations by following this link:
http://www.vrbo.com/309670.
Because of the interest already being generated among you gals, I think I'm going to open registration up a few weeks early. Remember, you must pay in full to be considered registered. And when you give me that money, I'll be able to point you to the room reservation notebook that Amy is making up, like she did last year.We have one room for those who like to go to bed relatively early, and another room for those who like to stay up much of the night talking and/or playing games. And then we have lots of rooms for those who fall somewhere in between! So when Amy completes the Book of Rooms, I'll open registration for those who attend Wapato. Checks should be made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "retreat" in the memo section. But please give them to me so I can keep up on who is going.
Have you heard the news? The Wapato Valentine's Dinner and Dance has been moved back a week, to Saturday, Feb. 16th, due to ascheduling conflict. Tickets are only $20 per couple, or $12 for a single one. Childcare and dinner if available for $2 a child. This is another event you don't want to miss. It's so much fun to dress up a bit and celebrate this special day with wonderful food, music, and company. You can start practicing those dance moves now!
Today I'd like to leave you with a thought from Susie Larson, who is a writer and radio personality I met a few years ago. She writes:
Blessings on you all,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Both our women's Bible studies will be meeting this week as usual. Common Grounds is on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, and The Perk meets Thursday morning at 9:30. (Childcare is provided for the morning study.) Both groups meet at the church and are a great place to bring friends who may not know much about the Bible, but are curious about how it could apply to their lives. Boy, are we ever learning how much it applies to day to day life as we go through Beth Moore's study of Jesus The One And Only. Remember, there's no book to buy or homework to do--just show up with your Bible and an open heart. We glean so much from each other each week. This week we'll continue our study in Luke 8, verses 22 through the end of the chapter.
And speaking of Beth Moore, have you heard that she'll be LIVE in Eugene two weekends after our retreat? Yep, join a group of us as we head down to Eugene on Friday, April 26th for her teaching that evening and the next morning. Please register on-line by going to http://www.lifeway.com/livingproof.
When you've done so, let me know, and I'll get motel rooms for us, which will probably cost around $25-$30 each if we put four ladies to a room. The registration fee for the conference is $69. We're going to have such a good time!!
But we don't have to wait that long to have a good time! Oh, no, not us!! Our annual women's retreat will be at Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, led by myself and my daughter, Christina, and based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times in our lives when God asks us to trust Him and simply obey, even though the situation looks impossible. How to do that? Come and find out. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, and you can check out our accommodations by following this link:
http://www.vrbo.com/309670.
Because of the interest already being generated among you gals, I think I'm going to open registration up a few weeks early. Remember, you must pay in full to be considered registered. And when you give me that money, I'll be able to point you to the room reservation notebook that Amy is making up, like she did last year.We have one room for those who like to go to bed relatively early, and another room for those who like to stay up much of the night talking and/or playing games. And then we have lots of rooms for those who fall somewhere in between! So when Amy completes the Book of Rooms, I'll open registration for those who attend Wapato. Checks should be made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "retreat" in the memo section. But please give them to me so I can keep up on who is going.
Have you heard the news? The Wapato Valentine's Dinner and Dance has been moved back a week, to Saturday, Feb. 16th, due to ascheduling conflict. Tickets are only $20 per couple, or $12 for a single one. Childcare and dinner if available for $2 a child. This is another event you don't want to miss. It's so much fun to dress up a bit and celebrate this special day with wonderful food, music, and company. You can start practicing those dance moves now!
Today I'd like to leave you with a thought from Susie Larson, who is a writer and radio personality I met a few years ago. She writes:
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Blessings on you all,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, January 21, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013 WOW-Zine
Good sunny morning to you! I don't know what's it's like where you are, but sitting here at Ashberry Lane I'm enjoying the second day in a row of blue skies and sun. It's still below freezing, but since I'm inside, I really don't care.
Let me just say that if you weren't at the bowling party Saturday morning, you sure missed out on a good time. What makes it so much fun is that no one is an exceptional bowler. If we'd all been good, it might have ended up as more competition and less fun. (Though there did seem to be a bit of competing going on as to who could break 50 and who could bust through 100. Talk about good humor and joy, we had it in abundance there!
Both Bible studies are on for this week--Common Grounds at 6:30 Wednesday night (hi, Neva!) and The Perk at 9:30 Thursday morning (childcare provided). It was fun to see some new faces at both groups last week, so always remember you can invite your friends. If you'd like to, read Luke 8:1-39 before coming, even though I'm not sure how far we'll get. I know we'll at least go through verse 25.
It will be here before you know it!! Wapato's Valentine Dinner is Saturday, February 9th, with doors opening at 6:30 and dinner beginning around 7. Make sure you take note that this is BEFORE Valentine's Day, not after. And guess what? Child care, including a meal, is available at the annex for only $2 per child. What a deal! So you have no excuse not to put on some kind of fancy duds and come out and spend a delightful evening with your Wapato family. Tickets are on sale now for $20/couple, or $12 per person. Instead of the proceeds being used for a special Wapato youth event as has been done in the past, the monies will be given to the Gaston school for needs they might have. Isn't that a wonderful way to reach out to our community?
Are you socking money away for Doing the Impossible, our women's retreat coming up April 12th-14th? If not, now's the time to start. We'll be at that beautiful beach house again, with up to 40 women present. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, which is much lower than any other retreat I've heard about recently. And for that $80, you get quality! This year's retreat is one we're designing ourselves, and my daughter, Christina Berry Tarabochia, will be co-leading with me. We can promise you it won't be boring! Based on the book of Nehemiah, we'll be discovering what happens when God asks us to do something we think is impossible. We'll have our own music team back this year with songs of their choosing, so you just know it's going to be a wonderful experience! Registration will begin next month.
A couple weeks after our retreat is an opportunity of a life time--the chance to hear Beth Moore in person! She'll be in Eugene on Friday evening, April 26, and speaking again the next morning until lunch time. There's a group of us that are planning on going, and we'd love for you to join us. I'm asking everyone to register on their own, and then let me know when you've done so. The registration link is www.lifeway.com/livingproof. Just click on the Eugene event and enter your information. I will reserve however many motel rooms we need, with four ladies to a room. I imagine both the tickets ($69) and the rooms will go quickly, so please get back to me on this as soon as you can. At this point, Debbie, Janet, Kathy, Cindy, and myself are planning on going. So you see we have plenty of room for more.
The schedule is that doors open Friday night at 5:30, with the program going from 7-9:30. The next morning doors open at 7:30, and it runs from 8:30-12:15.
Well, I think that's enough good things to tell you about today!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Let me just say that if you weren't at the bowling party Saturday morning, you sure missed out on a good time. What makes it so much fun is that no one is an exceptional bowler. If we'd all been good, it might have ended up as more competition and less fun. (Though there did seem to be a bit of competing going on as to who could break 50 and who could bust through 100. Talk about good humor and joy, we had it in abundance there!
Both Bible studies are on for this week--Common Grounds at 6:30 Wednesday night (hi, Neva!) and The Perk at 9:30 Thursday morning (childcare provided). It was fun to see some new faces at both groups last week, so always remember you can invite your friends. If you'd like to, read Luke 8:1-39 before coming, even though I'm not sure how far we'll get. I know we'll at least go through verse 25.
It will be here before you know it!! Wapato's Valentine Dinner is Saturday, February 9th, with doors opening at 6:30 and dinner beginning around 7. Make sure you take note that this is BEFORE Valentine's Day, not after. And guess what? Child care, including a meal, is available at the annex for only $2 per child. What a deal! So you have no excuse not to put on some kind of fancy duds and come out and spend a delightful evening with your Wapato family. Tickets are on sale now for $20/couple, or $12 per person. Instead of the proceeds being used for a special Wapato youth event as has been done in the past, the monies will be given to the Gaston school for needs they might have. Isn't that a wonderful way to reach out to our community?
Are you socking money away for Doing the Impossible, our women's retreat coming up April 12th-14th? If not, now's the time to start. We'll be at that beautiful beach house again, with up to 40 women present. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, which is much lower than any other retreat I've heard about recently. And for that $80, you get quality! This year's retreat is one we're designing ourselves, and my daughter, Christina Berry Tarabochia, will be co-leading with me. We can promise you it won't be boring! Based on the book of Nehemiah, we'll be discovering what happens when God asks us to do something we think is impossible. We'll have our own music team back this year with songs of their choosing, so you just know it's going to be a wonderful experience! Registration will begin next month.
A couple weeks after our retreat is an opportunity of a life time--the chance to hear Beth Moore in person! She'll be in Eugene on Friday evening, April 26, and speaking again the next morning until lunch time. There's a group of us that are planning on going, and we'd love for you to join us. I'm asking everyone to register on their own, and then let me know when you've done so. The registration link is www.lifeway.com/livingproof. Just click on the Eugene event and enter your information. I will reserve however many motel rooms we need, with four ladies to a room. I imagine both the tickets ($69) and the rooms will go quickly, so please get back to me on this as soon as you can. At this point, Debbie, Janet, Kathy, Cindy, and myself are planning on going. So you see we have plenty of room for more.
The schedule is that doors open Friday night at 5:30, with the program going from 7-9:30. The next morning doors open at 7:30, and it runs from 8:30-12:15.
Well, I think that's enough good things to tell you about today!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Monday, January 14, 2013
Monday, January 12, 2013 WOW-Zine
It's been a busy, but very good day, so I'm just now getting around to talk to you at 5 PM. I'm not usually that late, but some days just turn out like that, don't they? Anyway, I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll all take a few minutes to read through this.
Common Grounds and The Perk both will be meeting this week as usual. Okay, you Common Grounds gals, you need to show some gumption and get back in the routine. I know the Lord is always present no matter how few or many ladies show up, but it's usually more fun when there's more of you there!We'll be continuing with our study in Luke 7, hopefully covering verses 18-50, though we may not get through all of that. I know it's a struggle to leave your home after being busy all day, or working at your job, but it's really important for us to meet together for encouragement and study. Hope I see you this week!! And The Perk? Continue your good work!! (A little competition, anyone?!)
This coming Saturday, the 19th, is our WOW Bowling Party for women and girls, age 8 and above. Someone let me know about a Groupon that was available, so I purchased two of them and got a great deal. Follow me here: Two games of bowling with shoe rentals for up to five people, and it was only $18! So I have enough to cover 10 of you. (Well nine of you actually, cuz I get dibs on one!) So depending on how many people show up, the cost might be very low for you. I'm not all that great at math, but even I know if that five of us use the $18 coupon, that works out to ... hmm .. five goes into eighteen three times, three times five is fifteen, subtracted from eighteen is three, carry a zero, makes ... $3.60 for shoe rental and two games!! You just can't beat that. That deal will be available on a first come, fist served basis, so be prepared to pay a bit more if necessary. I'll limit it to one person per family at first, and if there's room you can use it for your daughter too. Meet behind the church at 10AM if you want to carpool, or at Four Seasons in Hillsboro at 10:30 when the event starts. Their address is 322 SE Washington St. And don't forget, we'll do lunch together afterward at their restaurant.
Later that afternoon, from 3:30 to 5, is the baby shower for TiffanyKrautscheid. She's well prepared and has this mothering thing down pat, but could really use diapers and wipes. So between bowling and a shower (and we may all need one after bowling!) we should have a super day together!
Several of you have been asking about the theme for our retreat April 12th-14th, and we are organized enough to be able to share that with you now. Our retreat is titled, Doing The Impossible, and my very own, as well as your used-to-be very own, Christina Berry Tarabochia will be co-leading it with me. We're soooo excited! There will be a lot of humor, depth, and challenge as we lead this study based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times when God asks us to do what seems utterly impossible, and that's what we'll be looking at during that weekend in April. I can promise you that you don't want to miss this, so like I said last week, start stashing that money away now! It's $80. Wish I could do a Groupon for you on it, but that's just not possible. (But since the theme is about doing the impossible, maybe I shouldn't have said that!!) Registration opens February 24th for women who attend Wapato, and at that time you'll also be able to select what room you'd like too. You must pay in full to be considered registered.
Be watching for up-coming announcements about the Wapato Valentine Dinner and Dance that will be held Saturday night, February 9th. If you've been here in the past, you know it's a wonderful evening of fun and romance, held at the church, with childcare available in the annex.
If you ever struggle with finding yourself in the midst of a difficult conversation, here's some good advice from Christian blogger Holly Gerth:
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Monday, January 7, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013 WOW-Zine
Good morning, ladies, and welcome to the first WOW-Zine of 2013! I was so proud of myself for typing the correct year on my first try! I just got back from a quick trip to southern California for a family wedding, and now it's time for all of us to jump into the new year with a renewed sense of calling and enthusiasm. So let me tell you about all the events that will be available to you.
Both Common Grounds and The Perk resume this week. If you haven't attended either of our women's Bible studies, now would be an awesome time to start. Whether you come to Common Grounds (6:30-8 PM Wednesdays) or The Perk (9:30-11 AM Thursdays) you'll find the same thing--a wonderful group of women who genuinely care about each other, a safe place to be "real", and a challenging Bible study every week. If one of your goals this year is to grow in the Lord, this is a great way to facilitate that. Both groups are studying the same material, and this week we'll be focusing on Luke 7:1-17. Childcare is provided for the Thursday morning group.
This Wednesday, January 9th, the Christian Women's Fellowship will be meeting for a no-host lunch at Jake's Deli in McMinnville at noon. (You're welcome to come a bit early and get your lunch order in before noon.) This month's speaker will be talking about "New Beginnings", which we're all thinking about at this time of year. I'll be attending, so let me know if you'd like to ride with me. It only lasts for about an hour, and is a good way to meet Christian women from other churches. I'll especially be "pushing" this event next month (February 13th) when my daughter, Christina Tarabochia, will be the featured speaker. Those of you who already know Christina will also know you don't want to miss out on that!!
Not this Saturday, but the following one, January 19th, is what has become our annual bowling party. This is a chance for women and girls (age 8 or older) to meet at Four Seasons Bowling in Hillsboro for a couple games of bowling, followed by lunch in their restaurant. We'll start at 10:30 AM, but if you'd like to carpool, meet behind the church at 10.
Our annual Women's Retreat will be here in just a few months--April 12th-14th, a Friday evening through Sunday morning. This is always one of the high points of our year, and pretty soon I'll be announcing our theme. Your Women's Ministry Team works very hard to provide a special time for you. We'll be meeting at "our" beach house in Lincoln City. If you've never been there, you are in for a treat! When we get a little closer I'll give you the VRBO # so you can take a look at it. It sleeps up to 40 women, so that's the cap we put on the number of ladies that can attend. Unfortunately, we're not able to accommodate your sweet little babies, so if you'd like to attend you'll have to plan to leave them them home for some special bonding time with daddy! The cost is only $80 for the retreat, which includes your beautiful lodgings plus most of your meals. So start stashing those $5 and $10 bills away in your undie drawer so you have the money on hand when we open up registration.
Right on the heels of retreat is another great opportunity for us! You know who Beth Moore is, right? A couple of years ago we used one of her video teachings as the basis for our retreat. And that summer we went through a follow-up book based on the same thing, called Loving Well. And this year in our Bible studies we're using her study on Jesus, the One and Only as our guide. Well, how would you like to go hear Beth Moore in person?? (Yes, I can see you jumping up and down, waving your hands back and forth like a fool to get my attention!) She will be speaking in Eugene on Friday night, April 26th and Saturday morning, the 27th. I think it would be great fun to get a bunch of us to head down there, spend the night in a motel, and get to hear her teach in person. And Travis, her music guy, will be leading the worship. What fun! So let me know if that's something you'd like to do, and we can make it happen. (Thanks, Heidi, for letting me know about this!)
Well, I think this is probably enough information for you to try to absorb this week. Take out those fresh 2013 calendars and put in all these dates right away so that you don't miss out on any of the fun!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
Both Common Grounds and The Perk resume this week. If you haven't attended either of our women's Bible studies, now would be an awesome time to start. Whether you come to Common Grounds (6:30-8 PM Wednesdays) or The Perk (9:30-11 AM Thursdays) you'll find the same thing--a wonderful group of women who genuinely care about each other, a safe place to be "real", and a challenging Bible study every week. If one of your goals this year is to grow in the Lord, this is a great way to facilitate that. Both groups are studying the same material, and this week we'll be focusing on Luke 7:1-17. Childcare is provided for the Thursday morning group.
This Wednesday, January 9th, the Christian Women's Fellowship will be meeting for a no-host lunch at Jake's Deli in McMinnville at noon. (You're welcome to come a bit early and get your lunch order in before noon.) This month's speaker will be talking about "New Beginnings", which we're all thinking about at this time of year. I'll be attending, so let me know if you'd like to ride with me. It only lasts for about an hour, and is a good way to meet Christian women from other churches. I'll especially be "pushing" this event next month (February 13th) when my daughter, Christina Tarabochia, will be the featured speaker. Those of you who already know Christina will also know you don't want to miss out on that!!
Not this Saturday, but the following one, January 19th, is what has become our annual bowling party. This is a chance for women and girls (age 8 or older) to meet at Four Seasons Bowling in Hillsboro for a couple games of bowling, followed by lunch in their restaurant. We'll start at 10:30 AM, but if you'd like to carpool, meet behind the church at 10.
Our annual Women's Retreat will be here in just a few months--April 12th-14th, a Friday evening through Sunday morning. This is always one of the high points of our year, and pretty soon I'll be announcing our theme. Your Women's Ministry Team works very hard to provide a special time for you. We'll be meeting at "our" beach house in Lincoln City. If you've never been there, you are in for a treat! When we get a little closer I'll give you the VRBO # so you can take a look at it. It sleeps up to 40 women, so that's the cap we put on the number of ladies that can attend. Unfortunately, we're not able to accommodate your sweet little babies, so if you'd like to attend you'll have to plan to leave them them home for some special bonding time with daddy! The cost is only $80 for the retreat, which includes your beautiful lodgings plus most of your meals. So start stashing those $5 and $10 bills away in your undie drawer so you have the money on hand when we open up registration.
Right on the heels of retreat is another great opportunity for us! You know who Beth Moore is, right? A couple of years ago we used one of her video teachings as the basis for our retreat. And that summer we went through a follow-up book based on the same thing, called Loving Well. And this year in our Bible studies we're using her study on Jesus, the One and Only as our guide. Well, how would you like to go hear Beth Moore in person?? (Yes, I can see you jumping up and down, waving your hands back and forth like a fool to get my attention!) She will be speaking in Eugene on Friday night, April 26th and Saturday morning, the 27th. I think it would be great fun to get a bunch of us to head down there, spend the night in a motel, and get to hear her teach in person. And Travis, her music guy, will be leading the worship. What fun! So let me know if that's something you'd like to do, and we can make it happen. (Thanks, Heidi, for letting me know about this!)
Well, I think this is probably enough information for you to try to absorb this week. Take out those fresh 2013 calendars and put in all these dates right away so that you don't miss out on any of the fun!
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com 971-285-6699
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