Sunday, August 22, 2010

Back Packs for Kids!

Hello West MI! Time has just flown by this summer. Many of you are doing special activities to help kids get ready for school. This is a great place to post what you are doing. The EDGE Church needs your help in collecting back packs filled with supplies for school kids in Grand Rapids. If several of our Wesleyan Churches would commit to do at least 3 or more back packs we could provide a blessing for several kids. Lets get behind this project and make it happen. I know we can do this!! Please spread the word. For more information about where to deliver them please contact the EDGE at 616-805-4700.

Back Pack Stuffers

These back packs will be given to students of The Edge church

1 Backpack Generic for High School Boy or Girl

4 Notebooks Generic spiral notebooks

4 Folders Generic folders for holding homework

1 package Pens Click style of black or blue

1 package Pencils Mechanical – pack of at least 4

1 Calculator Basic standard calculator

1 Binder Three-ring or similar

1 Pencil case

1 Stapler

1 package markers

Our wish is to provide full backpacks to 30 inner city children. Please pray and consider starting the school year on a positive note for a student that may start off already behind.

Thank you!!!



Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Hello!

Is anyone out there? Please let me know there is an audience! I want to hear comments from you and have you comment to each other. We can do this~YES we can!

Just Pacify Me. Let me know you are there.

Love and Blessings,
Saundra

Wednesday, July 7, 2010






Hello Everyone!


"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. . . " John 1:4


Hope the heat isn't getting to you. Seems like not too long ago we were talking about how much snow we had and how cold it was!! Just gotta love Michigan! My husband and I took a little road trip last month around the west side of our beautiful state and on the coast of Lake MI. We have this thing for lighthouses so we followed around the "pinkie" side of the Michigan mitt and saw 15 lighthouses and break lights. I must tell you I had not done that before. We had visited a spot here and there but not taken the trip to see it all at once. We just got in the car and started driving, it was awesome! The lake was absolutely beautiful and what a joy to see the lighthouses right here in our own state. I was so proud of our MI beauty.

My husband and I spent time worshipping God on the shores of Lake MI. As the tears rolled down my cheek several times on the trip I couldn't help but think of the old song our family used to sing, Jesus is the Lighthouse! Many of the lighthouses were in ruin but now have been restored, however, it took many determined, steadfast lighthouse believers, that have formed "lighthouse keepers", to not let them be torn down and fall into complete ruins.

I thank God for the Lighthouse, Jesus, that stands upon the shore shining out the Light for a lost struggling soul to rescue and guide to shore. That Light never goes out! I want to be a Lighthouse Keeper for Jesus. I don't want to see the world ignore Him or try to tear Him down. The Lighthouse keeper is responsible for keeping the lighthouse in good repair, but primarily to keep the light shining strong. Join me in being a Lighthouse Keeper for Jesus.



Oh, let me tell you how wonderful our Annual Convention/Mini Retreat was! It was Wonderful! Thank you to all of you who attended, I know you were blessed. The West Berlin Women are amazing!! Thank you for being the perfect host and providing the most delicious "down on the farm lunch". Dr. Steve Edmondon's and Kathy Cox's presentation of their work in Haiti touched our hearts. Thank you to each of you who had a part in making this day a blessing. Thank you to Mark and Sherry Gorveatte for being part of our day, "Make hay while the SON shines!" And a special thank you to our guest, "Legendary Ralph" (Pastor Mark Lipscomb)

Follow Dr. Edmondson's blog address: http://www.cultureandsensitivity.blogspot.com


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

STANDING AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Standing Against Human Trafficking!!!


Everyone is invited to attend!! Especially Pastors, Leaders and Lay Leaders.


West MI District! Save the date and register for the J3 Jesus, Justice, Journey Workshop on June 12, 2010, 8:30-2:30, @ Kentwood Community Church, Grand Rapids MI. Cost is $15, includes lunch. Call Laurie at the Dist. office to register 616-872-9450 or email at lvandyk@westmichigandistrict.com. Make checks out to West MI District.


Taking a stand against human trafficking and modern day slavery

J3, Jesus, Justice, Journey

Guest Speaker: Sandie Morgan, RN, MA
Administrator of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Kentwood Community Church



Sandie Morgan, RN, MA
Sandie is a Registered Nurse and has served on the board
of the International Nurses Association in Athens, Greece
where she lived for ten years. It was there that she first
became aware of human trafficking. She served as a Human
Trafficking Dialogue Facilitator at the National Association
of Evangelicals Global Leaders Forum in Washington D.C. and
was invited to the first Whitehouse Roundtable on Human
Trafficking. Sandie currently is the Administrator of the
Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and also serves
as Director of Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women
and Justice and is adjunct professor of Family Violence and
Human Trafficking. Her journey in the fight has taken her from
local communities and various churches to the halls of the
US State Department. Changing the way we think about the
forces that drive demand for human trafficking is her goal.
She says, “The modern slave trade is a business fueled by
demand. Consequently, to some degree we are all part of the
problem or part of the solution. “
Please join us to become part of the Solution
to Modern Day Slavery.



Workshops to choose from and Community Organizations to find out more about.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Make Hay While the SON shines!

Hello Wesleyan Women!

Many wonderful things are going on in West MI this spring and summer that I want to tell you about! But, first let me tell you that the North Central Area Spring Retreat in Shipshewana was absolutely a blessing, fun and refreshing! Susie Shellengberger kept us laughing, but more than that she presented messages that were entrenched with teaching of Holiness living and challenged us in making commitments of fully surrendering ourselves to God. Worship music was provided by some of our own districts, the atmosphere was awesome and beautiful. Of course Shipshewana has great opportunities for the shoppers and browsers. Thank you to all those that had a part in making it a successful weekend. West Michigan was one of the districts that had the most attendance (we had 19). I enjoyed spending time with all of you. I especially had a sweet time having my daughter, Tammy, with me. Three special women did receive a $50 bill to spend as she wished. We look forward to another NCA time in 2012!


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I had the honor of attending and speaking at the Jackson Cascades Wesleyan Women's retreat in April! Let me tell you I have never seen such a bunch of crazy fun-loving women!! I am serious! Thank you ladies for a great day of "Spring Cleaning".


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Coming up in May is the Beth Moore Conference at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, on May 21-7:00pm to 9:30pm and May 22-8:30am to 12:00. Many of our district Wesleyan Women are registered! I think there is still time to get registered on line. www.lifeway.com Hope to see many of you there!! Hotels are filling up fast, though.


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Annual WW Convention/Mini-Retreat
June 26, 2010 is the day for West MI Wesleyan Women Annual Convention/Mini-Retreat. The theme is "Make Hay While the SON Shines", a down on the farm experience, including a Pig Roast for lunch. Our offerings will go to Haiti for their relief. We want the churches to start now collecting funds in your own special made "piggy" bank, to purchase vegetable seeds. Bring your "piggy" to the retreat!


Our Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Steve Edmonson, sharing his trips to Haiti. Also, sharing her trips to Haiti, will be Kathy Cox.


The retreat will be held at West Berlin Wesleyan Church, in Lake Odessa, sign in at 9:00, meeting 9:30-3:00. Register before June 21 for $15 after June 20, call for registration and pay $18 at the door. Call Joyce @ 269.673.6790, mail checks made out to West MI District (WW in memo), to 1938 Homestead Drive, Allegan, MI 49010.

I am looking for groups to prepare a "Joy" Basket for display at our retreat. Put together a basket with a purpose and theme for a ministry to women in your church or community. Share these ideas with us at the retreat. Call Saundra at 517.331.1415.

Come prepared to register your church with the General (World) and District Wesleyan Women and get in the drawing for "Love Books" for your group.



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West MI Wesleyan Church District-

The West MI district Conference is, Fri. July 30 at Battle Creek First Wesleyan Church.



Watch for God's Blessings,
Saundra
Night is coming when no one works. John 9:4b

Thursday, February 25, 2010

What's Goin' On?

Hello Again West Michigan,



Here are some things going on near and dear to my heart lately. At this very moment the Olympics is on my TV, as it has been from the very beginning ceremonies! I find if I sit for a moment to watch then I'm glued there for quite awhile! Tragedy and victory all at the same time!

We still have a bundle of snow on the ground and thankful for a very kind neighbor for shoveling us out! There are days I love it, when I have no place to go and I smell the coffee and fresh baked cookies...yum! But more often I have to go out in the freezing cold and tromp through it all.

I am still recovering from a broken arm, that happened the first week in December, when I fell in my home. Broke my arm at the wrist and at the elbow, which has almost healed completely but the Doctor thinks I have a tear in my rotator cuff, because I have been in so much shoulder and upper arm pain. So now I am doing some physical therapy. Workin' it into an already packed schedule is so hard! It hurts to do physical therapy but it hurts more later. I know I'm whining waaawaaawaaa!

I visited Faith Church Women of Faith's Winter Retreat on Fri., Feb 19 and was so blessed! As usual they did a fantastic job of planning and had a wonderful speaker, Lucy Wingerd, from southern California. The question was "Why did God create Woman?"



Our WW of West MI is in the midst of making plans for our annual convention/mini retreat, June 26, 2010 and will be held at West Berlin Wesleyan Church, Lake Odessa. Start now helping to collect donations to assist our Haitian brothers and sisters. We will be purchasing, also, farm animals from World Hope, Int. to help those in need. We suggest you have a piggy bank set out now for collections and make it a fun "dressed up" pig. Then bring your pig and donations to the convention for a pig contest. We are doing a pig roast.



Also, for the convention/mini retreat we are looking for churches to help us promote "Joy Basket" ministries. Be creative as to how to fix up a basket to use as ministry to someone, such as a meal in a basket (foods already to prepare easily and partly prepared), a devotional basket (a quiet time of prayer and thought, chocolates, note cards, candle, Bible...etc.), a Tea Time Basket (take a service for 2 w/Tea Pot and cookies, to share with a shut in or anyone new to church but don't leave your Tea set because you will need to keep doing this with others), A new mom basket, welcome to neighborhood basket, a just because basket, and whatever else you think of. We would like to display these at the convention and pick out a couple to talk about. Let me know what your church would like to do. I will be calling some of you.



North Central Area Spring Retreat!!!! Get registered if you haven't done so and reserve your room! This will be an awesome time. I have an extra room reserved if someone needs it, at the Farmstead Inn. See the following link for more information.



This month has been our Wesleyan Women's Heart of Ministries! Please order more flyers if you need to from our headquarters, www.wesleyan.org/ww You can still promote this even in March. Wesleyan Women do so much for so many and we need to pull our resources together and accomplish more. Also while you on that website take a look around at all of the resources available to you. You don't have to do ministry alone! We have great ways to reach women in your church, community and around the world!! Join Us Now!

One more thing! Those of us who love Beth Moore, she will be in Grand Rapids, MI, May 21-22, at Van Andel Arena. I have been asked to please have our women be in pray and help promote this event. You can get tickets and flyers online @ www.lifeway.com (click on women) I know many of our Wesleyan Churches are attending this event. But I have found out the hotel rooms are getting hard to find, so if you plan on going get you remove fast.

My schedule for March is working on our West MI convention retreat, moving forward with my human trafficking Project Liberty Task Force (should hear soon about our 501 (c) 3 status) and MI Hands of Hope (our WW Human Trafficking Awareness), attending the Spring Retreat in Shipshewana in April, speaking at Cascades Wesleyan Ladies of Faith Retreat April 17, attending the Beth Moore Retreat in May, speaking at the American Baptist Women's Conference June 5th, West MI WW Convention Retreat June 26th. Plus, I'm sure, more will fill in.

Let me know how your life is going! You are most likely as busy as the rest of us. Let's encourage each other.

EXCTING NEWS!!!!!REGISTER NOW FOR SPRING RETREAT! REGISTER BY JAN. 15, 2010.$75 plus your hotel. Please click on link for printing brochure and registrationwww.indiananorth.com scroll down Wesleyan WomenPLAN ON ATTENDING APRIL 9-11, 2010SHIPSHEWANA, IN, IS THE FUN PLACEA TIME TO GET TOGETHER WITH FIVE STATES OF WESLEYAN WOMEN!!AN OPEN HEART AND COMFY SHOES ARE REQUIRED!Our West MI district is giving a refund of a $50 bill to 3 women attending through three drawings on Friday night dessert time and special recognition to the church that has the most attending. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!

Love and Blessings to each of you,
Saundra