Tuesday, September 30, 2014

It's hard to believe that this is my youngest's 37th birthday! You may not believe this, but the truth is that when she was born, we lived in rural Nevada (most of it is!) and were an hour away from the hospital. We were so rural (I can hear you asking, "How rural were you?") that we didn't even have telephones! So there was no calling the doctor to see if it was time to head to the hospital. I just had to trust my gut and my contractions! What a gift to get Christina at the end of a 4-1/2 hour labor!

The big thing going on this week is the marriage seminar this weekend. Wapato is excited to have David & Kelli Pritchard bring teaching on marriage and parenting! 
We will begin Friday evening with a potluck meal at the Rusaw’s, with an informal meet and greet. (Limited to 20 couples) Those who have signed up, please meet at the Rusaw’s at 6:30 pm with a main dish and a side, salad or dessert.


Saturday, Oct 4th, meet at Wapato from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm for sessions on marriage and parenting, followed with a Date Night “assignment”. 

Suggested donation $20 per person for the seminar.

On Sunday, the Pritchards will share during our worship service. We will be taking a special offering for their ministry. Please spread the word and invite your friends! It's not too late to sign-up! Call the church office at 503-985-3351.

Common Grounds and The Perk (our womens' Bible studies) meet this week as usual. Common Grounds is on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8, and Nathalie is bringing our treats. Thursday morning for The Perk, Aimee is providing snacks, and Kristen S. is our MIC. Thank you, ladies, for your help!

We only got partway through our lesson last week, so will finish it up this week and start the next one. (Remember, you just show up--no book needed, no homework, no excuse not to come!) Last week we talked about different views regarding healing (not just physical healing) and of how some people believe they deserve to be healed by God because of their faith and God's goodness. Others of us believe healing is not based on our faith or merit, but on God's plan for our life. We took a look at the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago (or, as my parents always said, AbedWEgo!) in Daniel 3:8-30. We saw that sometimes God chooses to deliver us through the fire, rather than from it. So come join us this week as we continue studying what we deserve from the Lord. 

Thanks to all of you who showed up Friday night to watch the movie Moms' Night Out. That was the most entertaining movie I've seen in a long time. We got to share a lot of laughter and groans!

Coming up NEXT WEEKEND (those who saw the movie will know what I'm alluding to!) is the Wapato Harvest Party. This family event will be on Saturday, Oct 11th, from 5-8 PM at the Krautscheid's. Food, games, pumpkin dish contest, fellowship! This will be a potluck - bring a main dish, plus A- L: salad or side dish and M-Z: dessert. Bring your own chair or blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather. Optional pumpkin dish contest - start refining those recipes now! If you have some pumpkins, hay bales or other harvest decor you can lend for the evening, let the office know. 

Until next week,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Womens' Ministry Director

sherrieashcraft@gmail.com    971-285-6699

Tuesday, September 23, 2014--WOW-Zine

Hello there, my friends! 

Let me start right off with the most important thing I need to tell you this week, and that regards a CHANGE OF VENUE AND TIME for our WOW Movie Night. It will still be this Friday, Sept. 26th, but will be indoors at 7:30 at Janet George's. (2751 Phillips Rd., Gaston. She's about 1/2 mile up from Karen's driveway. The house is on the left side and the address on the mailbox is easy to see. And their motor home is near the road, which is another good indication that you're at the right place!) Now you won't have to bring all the stuff to keep warm outdoors, but don't forget to bring a snack to share. We'll be watching Mom's Night Out, and this event is open to high school girls also. Karen, who was going to host this event, is back in Illinois spending precious final hours with her grandma, who is dying. Our prayers are with Karen and family. 

We got off to a good start in both Bible studies last week, and it's just going to keep getting better. It would be even better if you would come too! Last week was our introduction to God Is Just Not Fair. There are a lot of questions we tend to ask God when life gets hard and we can't figure it out--God, is this fair? Do You err? Do You hear my prayer? Do You care? Are You aware? Are You there? 

You may have wondered why I asked people to bring a blanket with them to study. It's because we all have a "faith blanket," comprised of the things we believe, the experiences we've had, etc. It was fun to have the ladies say why they liked their "blankies" so much and to hear the stories behind them. One was about 30 years old and had holes and tears, and stuffing all bunched up in one corner with no batting at all in the center. Another was simply tatters, held together with love. And don't you find that's what happens to your faith blanket? The hard stuff happens and our questions create holes and tears. But just because the blanket is torn doesn't mean we don't continue to wrap it tightly around ourselves. We talked about Job and how in the midst of all his questioning (he asks over 60 of them in that book!) he pulls his blanket tightly around him and says, "Though He slay me, I will still trust Him," (Job 13:15) and "I know that my Redeemer lives!" (Job 19:25). When we have questions, getting answers isn't the answer. The answer comes in seeing God through the rips in our faith blankets. 

So join us this week at either Common Grounds on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 (Kristin L. is bringing snacks) or at The Perk on Thursday morning at 9:30 (Kristen S. is bringing snacks, and Stephanie will be our Mother-in-Charge.) This week we'll be talking about our Just Desserts!

I hope you're telling your friends about the marriage and parenting event Wapato is sponsoring the first weekend of October, led by the Pritchards, nationally sought-after speakers on these subjects. Sign-up sheets started filling up Sunday. You can still sign up this Sunday, or call the church office (503-985-3351) to get your name on the list. Suggested cost is $20 per person. Friday night's (Oct. 3rd) event will be a potluck dinner at the Rusaws and the opportunity to hang out with the Pritchards and Saturdays seminars will take place at the church. This event is open to everyone, but no child care is provided.

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

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014 WOW-Zine

Good morning, ladies. I don't know what's going on in your lives today, but I'm pretty sure all of us are very busy. Whether it's entertaining little kids at home, dealing with the drama of school, finding your path through difficult relationship problems, or going through a day out in the work force, we may be facing challenging hours. Let me share this verse of encouragement from Romans 15:13--May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Isn't that a wonderful verse? The joy and peace that we all long for doesn't find its source in ourselves, but in the Lord. And He doesn't just give us a little dab of it, but causes us to overflow. Think of when your washer or toilet overflow--it's hard to contain. God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, wants our joy and peace to be more than we can contain, even during the extreme difficulties of life. Will you let Him do that today?

I'm so excited! Both our Bible studies resume this week, and I can hardly wait to get together with each of you! If you've never attended before, now is the perfect time to jump in. You will find a safe place to grow in the Lord. God Is Just Not Fair is our theme for this year, and I am loving my time spent preparing the lessons for us. You won't want to miss a week as we work our way through some of the hard questions of life. 

Common Grounds meets on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 PM, and The Perk studies the same lesson on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 AM. I still need someone to bring snacks for this Wednesday. Stephanie is bringing treats for Thursday, but I still need a woman to volunteer to work with Danielle in taking care of the kiddos that morning. I know everyone hates to miss out on the actual study, but until such time as we're able to have one person who takes that on each week as a ministry, we're going to have to take turns. If you do it this week, you'll get it out of the way for several weeks! Please let me know if you can do it this week. 

Are you ready for some fun?? Then plan on coming out to our WOW Movie Night Under The Stars on Friday, September 26th. We'll meet at Karen's at 8 PM. Bring along a snack to share, a camp chair and blankets or sleeping bag to keep yourself warm. This event is open to those girls who are at least in high school. We've got the perfect movie to watch--Mom's Night Out!

Just a reminder that you don't have to fix lunch this coming Sunday! Wapato Valley Church will be providing a free lunch after the worship service to celebrate our 15th birthday! 

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

Tuesday, September 9, 2014 WOW-Zine

What a beautiful, early-fall day! I was just out watering my garden and enjoying the warm sun in the cool air, the sounds of bird calls echoing through our forest. A little piece of heaven! And don't we all need a little peace of heaven? Here's hoping you'll find time to experience that at some point during the day.

Coming soon, to a Bible study near you--God Is Just Not Fair. Ladies, I'm really excited about this new study, as I'm pretty sure we all deal with some of the following thoughts from time to time--Is God fair? Can He change? If He really cared, wouldn't He get me out of this situation? Those, and many more questions will get our minds and hearts engaged as we meet together to study the Word this year.

We'll start off next Wednesday night, September 17th, at the church. The Wednesday night group is affectionately known as Common Grounds, and meets at 6:30 PM. I try to get us out of there as close to 8 as possible. Feel free to bring dinner with you if you're kind of rushed making it after work. Would someone like to volunteer to bring a treat next week? Let me know if you would.

The following day, Thursday, at 9:30 AM, The Perk will begin our year. We work together to provide child care for this, with a different mother each week (known as the Mother In Charge--or MIC) assisted by Danielle Anderson providing care for your children. Who would like to volunteer for this coming Thursday, the 18th? And I'd also love to have someone sign up to bring treats that morning too. You know, Bible study just goes better with a cup of coffee or tea, and a little something to nibble on! (I'll have to do extensive research to find a verse to support that idea, but it sure seems to be true!)

Perhaps you've never attended our Bible studies before. Well, this is the perfect time to jump in! Everyone is at different stages of their Christian walk, and as we share, we learn from each other. Our studies are very interactive with lots of discussion among the teaching. I encourage you to pick one of these days (the same lesson is taught at both groups) and commit to showing up each week. I think you'll benefit spiritually and emotionally as you join other women around God's word. 

Your Women's Ministry Team is meeting tonight to begin planning some of the activities we'll offer throughout the year. So be looking for up-coming news about those!

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

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Happy First Day of School to many of you! I'm sure it was a busy morning trying to get your kiddos up, fed, and out the door with great attitudes (both theirs and yours!) early this morning. Congratulations on doing it!

Does the first day of school feel like the first day of a new year to you? Even though I'm a grandma and a great-grandma, it still feels that way to me. I want to get things planned out, cleaned out, and carried out. Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time cleaning out desk drawers and organizing my desk top. No, the fact that I was desperately seeking a misplaced item had nothing to do with that! I'm sure I would have taken on that task anyway. (Yeah, right!)

The hiatus we've been on for the past several weeks will soon be over, and our Women's Ministry will be geared up and ready to go. Two weeks from tomorrow, Wednesday, September 17th, Common Grounds will resume, followed by The Perk on Thursday morning, the 18th. I'm really excited about the new study we'll start with this year, called God is Just not Fair. (You can punctuate that however you best see fit!) This study will deal with how to find hope when life doesn't make sense. We've had a lot of that going on in our community over recent weeks--things happening that break our hearts and make us wonder why God allows them. I'm not saying you'll get answers to every question you have during our time together, but I think it will help each of us as we struggle with "real life." We are in great need of a teenage girl who can assist with childcare for Thursday mornings. We've used three home schooled girls over the past couple years, but all of them are unavailable this year. So if you know of a reliable young woman who can be an assistant to the Mom in Charge (MIC) this year, please let me know right away. (There is a small remuneration each week.) It's such a blessing for our mothers to have childcare provided and only have to be in charge of it every now and then. 

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

Tuesday, August 26, 2014 WOW-Zine

Happy Last Week Before School Starts! I imagine a lot of you have a lot of things you'd like to fit in during these last few days. If a Beach Day is on your (sand)bucket list, have I got the opportunity for you! This Wednesday morning a group of us are meeting at my house at 10:30 and heading over to the Road's End area of Lincoln City. You know the routine--bring your kiddos, lunch, all the stuff you need for an afternoon at the beach. Right now the weather report is calling for a high of 68 that day, with a mixture of sun and clouds. That's perfect sunburn weather, so be sure to bring the sunscreen! If you're coming, please let me know so we don't leave without you if you're running a few minutes late. 

Both of our women's Bible studies will be resuming in September. Common Grounds will start up again on Wednesday evening, September 17th, and The Perk will meet on Thursday morning the 18th. Every year we end up with different women in the studies due to changes in schedules and commitments. I really hope you'll plan ahead to be a regular attender at one of these. Next week I'll let you know what we'll be studying. 

Here's a closing thought for you, ladies.

Embrace Your Freedom Fully Today Holley, 2014-08-20 10:30 Dear You, We often picture God’s will for our lives like a thin, definitive line. A tightrope we must walk carefully and with the utmost caution. One wrong step and we’ll surely fall. And when we do, we’ll mess up our future forever. But when we come to know Jesus, our life is not a tightrope but a wide, open space of grace. We have so much room to breathe, to grow, to learn. God knows we are human. He knows we will take detours, face obstacles, and make mistakes. If he were committed to using only those of us who never stray, then no human would ever be part of his plan. The fear of not getting it just right can paralyze us. We stand with our toes on that imaginary tightrope, perfectly still, and we miss out on so much of what could be. We miss the invitation from the One calling us to his side. You are made to move in grace—not to be held in place by fear. You are guided by love and by a God who can redirect you as many times as needed. You only need to be willing to follow where he wants you to go. He will do the rest. Life is meant to be a glorious adventure, not a continual test in which one slipup means you fail. It’s okay to move forward, my friend. It’s okay to try something and see how it goes. If it works and God affirms it, do more of it. If it doesn’t, simply try something else. You’re not made to walk a tightrope. You’re made to dance. And it’s not about getting the steps right. Instead it’s all about being close to your partner. Until next week, Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director sherrieashcraft@gmail.com    971-285-6699

Tuesay, August 19, 2014 WOW-Zine

Hello, friends! It seems like forever since I last stopped by for a visit. I've been on vacation for the past two weeks, and the days were packed. I attended a memorial service at Trillium Lake by Mt. Hood, which was in honor of an Ashberry Lane author who died a year ago. Her books are set in Scotland and her family had a bagpiper there in her honor. It was a wonderful experience to get to celebrate her life. Then it was right to the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference at Jantzen Beach, where Christina and I were the recipients of a Cascade Award for our book, On the Threshold. After four days of conference I was off for a week-long camping trip with John up by Mt. Rainier. We had a wonderful time relaxing plus doing a lot of hiking. Home for one night before taking off to the coast with my folks last weekend and celebrating Mom's 84th birthday. So lots of good things happening in my life. But now it's time to settle down and appreciate the "normal" life the Lord has called me to.

We're still on hiatus from our Bible studies, but they'll be resuming the middle of September. It will sure be nice to be back together again, won't it?

In the meantime, is anyone interested in getting together for a beach day? For the past three years we've gone to Rockaway, but I'm thinking it would be nice to change that up. (Most of you know I like change!) What about heading out Lincoln City way? I found a neat spot there on vacation (North Fogarty Beach) but it's several miles south of L. C. and is probably too far. But what about going to Lands End, there on the north side of town? I know we're running out of time before Labor Day and the start of school, but what about Wednesday, the 27th? This would be for moms and kids. Let me know if you want to go, as I don't want to go by myself! If no one has time to do this, I understand, and we just won't have a beach day this year.

Your Women's Ministry Team will be meeting the beginning of September to plan events for the coming year. Let me know if you have any suggestions, or if you might like to be on the team. 

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