Tuesday, February 24, 2015 WOW-Zine

Hi, ladies! Are you ready to get away for a few days and relax in a beautiful house in Lincoln City? If so, have I got a deal for you!! The weekend of April 11th-13th, you can join 39 other women for our annual women's retreat. Our guest speaker this year is Gina Detweiler, from Central Oregon. Our theme is Hope, an Anchor for the Soul. Who doesn't need a little more hope in their life? For those of you who have never joined us before, here's a picture of the "rustic cabin" (ha ha!) where we stay. 




For only $80 for the weekend, you can sign up to go. That cost includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and dinner, and Sunday breakfast, plus exquisite accommodations. Registration opened this past Sunday and we've had a great response. When you give me your $80 check (made out to Wapato Valley Church), you are considered registered and get to select your bed. On March 22nd registration will widen to include those who don't attend Wapato but have come to retreat in the past. A week later, if there's still room (we're limited to 40 ladies), I will open it up to your friends or family who have never joined us. Please note that this is a child-free weekend. No nursing babies. In the past several years, I've offered a mini retreat at my house a few weeks later, but I will not be doing that this year. I will be carrying registration forms with me at both Bible studies and at church from now until we fill up, so you can catch me easily. I sure hope you're able to join us!

Thank you for being so understanding when I had to cancel both women's Bible studies last week due to being so sick. Yesterday was a big turn-around day for me, and I'm anxious to get back to meeting together weekly. We just barely got started in our new study, Higher Ground, two weeks ago. Just a reminder to those of you who attended, that we're supposed to memorize this verse to be able to say together this week: "You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other." Deuteronomy 4:35. And we were also going to share times that we've been especially aware of God's presence, protection, and/or provision since we last met. 

Common Grounds meets Wednesday at 6:30 PM, and Christine is bringing snacks for this week. The Perk will study the same lesson on Thursday morning at 9:30. There is no one signed up for goodies this week, so please let me know if you'd like to provide something.

I know our main focus is on the up-coming retreat, but I'd also like you to be planning ahead for our Feminini-Tea on Saturday, May 16th. We weren't able to do one last year, but want to be sure we have it this year. This is an opportunity for you to bring your daughters, grand daughters, etc, as well as friends, to join us for a couple hours as we celebrate spring. I'll be letting you know more details as we plan them, but please put this date on your calendar. We will need a lot of women to host a table, which means providing dishes, tea cups, etc. This is always a potluck-type affair where everyone (except the table hostesses) brings a tea food to share. Maybe the weather will be as nice in May as it's been for the past few weeks! One can hope, right? (Which is your reminder to sign up for retreat!)

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, February 17, 2015 WOW-Zine

Hi, my dear friends. This will be extremely short as I can just barely hold my head up for five minutes at a time. It's been ages since I've been this sick. That starting to feel better thing I had going one last week was certainly short-lived. I relapsed and got sicker than ever. Went to the doctor yesterday and have a respiratory infection, so now I'm getting by with Jesus and drugs! 

I've had to cancel life for this week and just concentrate on getting well. I feel terrible about it, but am cancelling both Bible studies this week. There's just no way I can do them, nor would you want to be around me. So let's plan on meeting together next week, instead.

I certainly hope to be well by Sunday, which is when our retreat registration opens up to those who attend Wapato. I don't have enough energy to rehash the details right now, so I'll just paste in what I wrote about it last week: Retreat is coming! Retreat is coming! I hope you're making plans to join us at Lincoln City April 10th-12th for Hope: An Anchor for the Soul. The cost is a phenomenal $80. Registration (which means you've paid in full) begins soon. We do a three-tier approach, broken down like this:
Sunday, February 20--Open to women who attend Wapato
Sunday, March 22--Open to other women who have attended retreat in the past
Sunday, March 29--Open to family and friends who have never attended
Remember, we are limited to the first 40 people that sign up.

So bring an $80 check made out to WVC with you on Sunday, and you'll get to register and select your room.

Oh, one of the missionary families we support, the Foldens, are now living in the Forest Grove/Cornelius area. They just had a new baby and a move and have been through some recent hard times. If you would like to provide a meal to help them out, please call Cheri Morey at 503-830-8876. I'm too sick to do the TakeThemA Meal coordination that we usually use, so we're going old-school with this one!

Until next week,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director

sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 WOW-Zine

Would you believe I originally thought I'd have this sent out before most of you had your first cup of coffee or tea this morning? And now here it is, 5 PM, and I'm finally writing. It's been one of those catch-up kind of days. I'm hosting two meetings at my house tonight (Life Group and the Women's Ministry Team) and after having been gone for a week, then sick on my couch for 5 days, then gone for the weekend and all day yesterday--let's just say I've needed to do a bit of cleaning around here!

I'm excited that we'll be starting our new Bible study, Higher Ground, this week. Bring your Bible and a notebook on either Wednesday night at 6:30, or Thursday morning at 9:30. Both groups meet at the church. I just found out today that the band for the Valentine's shindig needs to practice at the church on Wednesday night, so Common Grounds will meet across the street at the annex this week. Jody is up for bringing snacks for that, but you'll need to bring your own drink. Carol R. is bringing something yummy for Thursday morning. Thank you both!

Speaking of Valentine's, this Saturday evening is the Heart to Heart dinner and concert at the church. Feel free to wear something a bit fancy if you'd like. You can still purchase tickets ($12.50 per person) from the church office, or reserve them by calling Susan at the church (503-985-3351) by Wednesday (tomorrow). And you don't have to scramble to find a sitter. Childcare (including dinner) is available for only $2 per child at the annex. Again, let Susan know if you're using that service. Dinner is at 7, but the doors open at 6:30. By the way, proceeds from the evening will go to benefit a 3-year-old girl named Paisley. She has a genetic mutation that promotes cancer growth. Invite your friends to come with you!


Retreat is coming! Retreat is coming! I hope you're making plans to join us at Lincoln City April 10th-12th for Hope: An Anchor for the Soul. The cost is a phenomenal $80. Registration (which means you've paid in full) begins soon. We do a three-tier approach, broken down like this:
Sunday, February 20--Open to women who attend Wapato
Sunday, March 22--Open to other women who have attended retreat in the past
Sunday, March 29--Open to family and friends who have never attended
Remember, we are limited to the first 40 people that sign up.

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Monday, January 26, 2015 WOW-Zine

Those of you who pay attention to detail will realize this is a day earlier than I usually write to you, but that's because I've got a lot going on the rest of the week. I'm heading over today to be with my daughter, Christina, as she has a tonsillectomy early tomorrow morning. I'll be there all week helping out with five kids during her recovery. Prayers are appreciated all the way around!

Remember, there is no Common Grounds or The Perk this week since I'll be gone. We'll resume next week with the start of a new Bible study, which is appropriately entitled Higher Ground. It deals with some basics of the Christian life--the might and love of the Lord, how to renew our heart, how to remember what He's done for us, spiritual warfare, intercessory prayer, and how to find refuge. It's based on the book of Deuteronomy. You know that my Bible studies don't involve homework, as I know your lives are extremely busy and I don't want any barriers for ladies to attend. But I would suggest you bring a notebook designated exclusively for this study, as there are questions you'll need to answer at points during the class, plus a lot of things you'll want to write down.

I have a request from Pamela Lake, concerning a client she is caring for. The lady is plus-sized and needs a pair of shorts, as well as queen-sized sheets and some towels. If you'd like to help provide any of these, please give Pam a call at 971-279-3238.

It will be here before you know it! I'm talking about Heart to Heart, our Valentine's Day dinner, concert, and dance. This is an annual tradition at Wapato, and you don't want to miss this chance to dress up and enjoy an evening with your friends. This is for everyone, both singles and doubles! Tickets are $12.50 per person, and childcare will be available at the annex for an extremely reasonable price. Call Susan at the church office (503-985-3351) to make your reservations. 

Well, I've got a suitcase to pack, so I'll keep this short this time. Feel free to call, text, or email during the week if you need me. This isn't vacation time! All my info is always at the end of the WOW-Zine.

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Good morning, friends! I just finished my workout for the day and thought I'd visit with you while I cool down. (It's a good thing you can't see me, but those of you who used to meet at the church and do Zumba with me may remember how red-faced and "glistening" I am after exercise!) I was just thinking of some of the reasons I'm focusing on working out more this year--to get rid of some excess weight, for my clothes to fit better, to feel better about myself, and to enjoy the thrill of self-discipline. Do you ever think about doing spiritual workouts? Why would we want to do that? Perhaps for the same reason as doing physical ones--to get rid of some excess weight (the sin that so easily besets us), so that our robes of righteousness fit better, to feel better about ourselves in knowing that we're doing things that please the Lord, and for the feeling of accomplishment when we've built some spiritual discipline into our daily life. Are you joining me in this process? I hope so. And maybe by the end of the year we'll all be able to prayer bench press more than we ever imagined!

Please pay special attention to the following public service announcement about our women's Bible studies, Common Grounds (Wed. 6:30 PM) and The Perk (Thurs. 9:30 AM). Both groups will be meeting THIS WEEK to finish our study on God Is Just Not Fair. Christine is providing snacks for Wednesday, and Carol R. for Thursday. But NEXT WEEK (the 28th and 29th) we will not be meeting. My 37-year-old daughter is getting her tonsils out next week and I'll be staying in Tigard all week to help take care of her. (Some people will do anything to get their mother to come help with five kids!!) Our Bible study schedule will resume the following week as normal, and we'll be starting a new study at that time. In next week's WOW-Zine I'll let you know what that will be. So, we meet this week, but not next. 

(A heads up for Thursday morning this week--neither of our teen childcare workers will be able to be there this week, so I'll definitely need at least one woman to volunteer to watch the kids.)

I hope you're all looking forward to the Valentine Day dinner and concert at the church next month, as well as starting to put money aside for our April women's retreat. I talked about both of those events last week, so hopefully you've already got those inked in (which is completely different from having an inkling, no matter what Pastor Pete thinks!) on your calendar. 

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Good morning, ladies! I hope your week is off to a great start, and that you're still following through with decisions you made at the beginning of the year. So far, I am, and we're already 13 days in! I only have to keep choosing the same good options for another 352 days!! What victories are you seeing in your life? I'd love to hear about them.

It was really good to get back to our Bible studies last week. This week we have a slight change with Common Grounds, our group that meets Wednesday nights at 6:30. The youth need to use the sanctuary for a movie, so we ladies will be gather across the street in the annex. If you usually park out front or at the Tire Man, you'll want to pull around to the back for this week only. Also, BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage) as I won't have coffee and tea available. Janet will provide a little something to go along with your beverage of choice.

On Thursday at 9:30 AM The Perk meets to study the same material I cover on Wednesday nights. Nicole is on for treats this week. We've been blessed to have Nola helping with childcare but she won't be able to be there for a while, so I'm going to need a mother to volunteer to go across the street with Danielle and the kiddos during our study. Please let me know if you'd be willing to do that. And thanks to Cindy for stepping in last week. 

Have you started to put money away toward our April retreat? It's not too soon to start. Remember, it's Friday, April 10th through Sunday, April 12th at the beautiful beach house in Lincoln City. Our speaker this year is Gina Detweiler, niece of Carol Gross. I'll be sharing more about Gina as our event gets closer. Our theme this year is Hope, an Anchor for the Soul. If you've never been to one of our retreats, this would be a great year to start! If you've been before, this would be a great year to continue!! The price is only $80. We are limited to a total of 40 women, and we fill those spots on a first come basis. (You have to pay in order to be registered.) Registration will  begin February 22nd for Women of Wapato. On March 22nd, ladies who have come to retreat in the past but don't attend Wapato are able to register. Then, if we still have any open spots after that, on March 29th it opens up for you to bring friends or family. 

Let me close out this week's WOW-Zine with a devotion from FaithHappenings:

Let God Steer ~ 

I’ve never had the opportunity to ride a bicycle built for two—but I’ve ridden double on many a bike meant for one. The experience might be similar but I expect it’s nowhere near as exciting. 

Riding double was our standard mode of transportation back on Bull Run Road. I’m talking about the extra seat, the one provided on the handlebars. If you’ve ever ridden up front there you know it can be exhilarating on the handlebars. Life’s anything but dull when you’re trying to balance on a tiny chrome bar while keeping your feet out of the spokes. 

Another plus to riding the handlebars is being able to benefit from someone else’s labor. Neat. 

Of course, there are times when it can be less than pleasant for the one up front. I remember several failed attempts at our rural version of tandem biking. Sometimes one of my visiting city boy cousins (who were almost always smaller and weaker than us girls) would decide he should be the one to peddle. Bad idea! 

Here’s a handlebar lesson for the uninitiated: If the weaker one insists on peddling, the bike will wobble fitfully down the road at best and crash at worst. And it doesn’t help if the weak one decides to stand up and put his pitiful might into it. The ride only gets shakier, making the experience even more uncomfortable for everyone involved. 

I realize giving your life over to God can often feel as scary as riding on the handlebars, but it’s a fantastic deal. Your Creator is fully capable of handling the job and His offer is almost too good to believe. We can rest on the work his Son did on the Cross by giving up and giving in. 

But that’s where the rubber often hits the road, pun intended. See, one of the things I remember about tandem biking is that along with putting the Stronger One on the pedals, it is imperative that you not try and steer from the handlebars. Actually, it’s outright dangerous! That’s one time when two sets of hands never proved better than a single skilled pair. 

Sometimes, we agree to ride on God’s handlebars…as long as we still get to steer. Bad idea! God wants to power your trip and steer it, too. Are you scared? That’s okay. It’s even a bit healthy. Think of it as “hanging on for dear life” on the adventure of a lifetime. 

Previously at newsstar.com 

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Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is a Jesus loving, humor-gathering author, speaker, and radio host known as The Belle of All Things Southern. Shellie believes "The whole world stops for a story." She lives in Louisiana and stacks her stories up at All Things Southern.com

More of Shellie Rushing Tomlinson:http://www.allthingssouthern.com/

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Welcome to the first WOW-Zine of 2015! While I hope your New Year has got off to a good start,  I realize that life itself is no respecter of days of the year, and it doesn't always allow you to have things go right simply because the year on the calendar changed. If things are going well right now, appreciate and savor it, as it won't last forever. If you find your circumstances to be rocky and difficult, remember that it, too, won't last forever. None of us know what God has in store for us during these next twelve months. We may have dreams and plans, but those can certainly change. But when we truly know the character of God, we understand we can completely trust Him no matter what is going on. I pray that this year will be one of spiritual growth for each of us.

One of the ways you can help make that happen, is by being involved in one of our women's Bible studies. You have two to choose from--Common Grounds meets Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8, and The Perk gets together Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11.(Both groups meet at the church, and we provide childcare on Thursday mornings.) We are finishing up our study on God Is Just Not Fair, which has challenged us to develop our trust in God no matter what. How do we find hope when life just doesn't make sense? This week we'll deal with the question--does God really know me? I really hope you can join us for one of the studies. There's no homework, you can start attending at any time, and it's a wonderful way to make those deep friendships that we women need. This week I'll bring treats for Common Grounds, and Cindy will take care of our nutritional needs for The Perk. (Nathalie was going to cover Wednesday night, but she and Tony and James are very sick with the flu. She asks that you pray for them.)

We had a good time last Friday night taking down all the Christmas decorations at church, chowing down on pizza, and having a fun game night. Wow, the things that come out of some people's mouths during Catch Phrase! Pretty funny!! That was the special event we have planned for January, but if anyone wants to throw together a movie night or game night, just let me know. Our next big thing will be the Valentine's Dinner and Dance on Saturday, February 14th. That is always a fun occasion to dress up if you'd like, and invite friends to come with you and your date. More information will be available soon.

April may seem like a long way off, but guess what?? IT'S NOT!!
Our annual women's retreat will be at "our" beach house in Lincoln City April 10th-12th. For the bajillionth (yes, I'm sure it's a word!) year in a row, we are able to keep the cost down to only $80. Start putting money aside now so that when registration opens in a couple months, you'll have the money to hold your spot. 

Until next week,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699