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Woodward Park Baptist NewsOctober 2O14
Worship with us Sundays at 10:30am | SW corner Maple & Teague, Fresno CA 298-7087 | woodwardpark.org
Niki Marie DeLaBarreChurch Family Spotlight
Niki was born January 27, only 15 minutes after her twin brother, Ronald. The twins were the second and
third children of Ron and Bernice DeLaBarre.She also has an older sister, Michelle, and a younger brother, George. Niki’s parents enjoy retire-ment in Boulder City, Nevada.Those closest to Niki know she likes to laugh and enjoys a good sense of humor. Her friends describe her as creative. She loves crafts, fine art, photography and graphic design.Niki works at Fresno Pacific University where she is the Creative Director in the University Communications and Marketing department.“Working for a private Christian college is so different than working for a major, secular retail corpora-tion, which I did before FPU.At FPU we open meetings in prayer and we have a different view of our purpose as an institution. My job has an eternal purpose.” Niki’s father was a career Marine so the family spent her childhood and teenage years moving from base to base.Niki explained, “I liked the mov-ing around. I enjoyed traveling from state to state, getting to know a place and then moving on. I es-pecially loved the two years we spent in Japan. I graduated from Matthew C. Perry high school on the Marine Corps base at Iwakuni Japan, just 30 miles south of Hiroshima.”It was a wonderful experience and I still have a very soft spot in my
heart for the Far East. I was able to travel to Taiwan and Korea while I was there, as well.”Moving around almost every two years had its ups and downs, though.“As kids, my brothers and sister and I were very close. We spent a lot of time together, building forts and exploring. But I did miss having a lifetime history with one town, and growing up with the same kids from kindergarten through high school. It was a trade-off, but I am so grateful for the trav-eling experience.”Niki describes her childhood spiritual experience as a holiday Christian. Her mother grew up in the Lutheran faith, and when Niki and her siblings became teenagers, her mother sent all four children to catechism and youth group at the closest Lutheran church. This was her first experience of being a regular attender in a church. Her father would attend church with the family during the holidays, and while he was supportive of her mother’s efforts, her father was not an active spiritual leader (except to say the nightly prayer before dinner).In the late sixties, her father was sent to Viet Nam, so for that year the rest of the family moved to Washington state to be close to family.At the time, Niki remembers that her mother was trying to raise four teenagers and work while her hus-band was at war. Thankfully, her mother had the help of her in-laws,
See Niki, inside
9-11am 4OO Rooms
Sundays @ 1O:3O
George and Emma DeLaBarre. Niki’s grandparents were very involved in a Methodist church in Ron’s hometown of Grandview Washington.Emma DeLaBarre, Niki’s grand-mother, was the Junior Choir Director and was thrilled that she was able to immediately increase the Junior Choir membership by four members. Niki and her siblings really had no choice.Niki remembers her grandmother and grandfather fondly. “Both my grandparents loved people, enter-taining and singing. They taught square dancing for years and even built a large hall onto the back of their house, which they called “the Hospitality House.”Here they entertained large groups of friends and students and every gathering would eventually include my grandmother playing the piano, my grandfather playing the har-monica or banjo, several silly skits, plus mandatory sing-a-longs.“I loved it and I admired their joy and positive attitudes.”But it was their habit of daily devo-tions and their faith walk that pro-vided a living example of what it means to walk with Jesus.“Even when my grandmother was well into her eighties, she still vol-unteered to play for church services held at her nursing home, and she still would cart all of her old German hymn books off to another rest home to play for the residents there. She was my hero. I miss her terribly,” she said.The year at Grandview, Washington was also the year Niki accepted Christ as her savior. It was the first time Niki remembers really under-standing John 3:16.“I can remember just weeks before, sitting in the pew and listening to the pastor give what sounded like a long list of things I needed to do in order to go to heaven,” she said.At 15 or 16 she remembers think-ing there was no way she could be perfect like that. Her poor mother was only too familiar with her sassy teenage mouth!But then, at a revival that came to town, she remembers the preacher explaining the free gift of salvation using John 3:16 and asking if there was any reason anyone wouldn’t want that free gift. He explained it in a way that, in retrospect, she knows the Holy Spirit was work-ingto open her spiritual eyes and heart.“I remember looking over at my friend next to me and thinking ‘Did
you hear what I heard?’ This sound-ed like a really good deal! I was so relieved that salvation did not de-pend on me being perfect!”Niki went down to accept Christ, although her mother was surprised and did not seem to understand.Niki says one regret is that her mother was wary of the follow- up volunteers and after that they moved, so the opportunity for dis-cipleship was lost. It wasn’t until many years later, after Niki was married, that she felt the tug of the Holy Spirit and came back to church. “It was actually very difficult for me to walk into that church alone,” she admitted. She joined a small church in the Madera Ranchos where she was baptized and served in many ca-pacities. Her husband accepted Christ about four years later.Soon afterward, they joined Woodward Park Baptist Church af-ter visiting several times.“I really felt connected during the worship, and the preaching was Christ-focused. It’s remained my church home, even after the break- up of my marriage.Her church family, who also knew her husband and who reached out to him during the struggle, were literally a Godsend.“I was so touched by their words of encouragement, little gifts and prayers. I remember thinking, ‘how do people without Christ and with-out a church family make it through sadness like a divorce?’” Currently, Niki is one year away from finishing her master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Leadership Studies, at Fresno Pacific.“When my husband left and filed for divorce, it was a time of mourn-ing. But during this healing pro-cess, I have seen how God has used this season to open doors for me to finish my degree and to go on to my graduate degree…something I never would have thought to even dream about.I have hung onto Jeremiah 29:11 and Joshua 1:9 for this season of healing. I truly believe He has a plan for me that include Hope and a Future…I only need to be ‘strong and very courageous’. And I know He has a purpose, so I am listening, watching and praying for His direc-tion in my next steps. I am excited to see what ministry opportunities He will invite me to join Him in, once I am finished with the leader-ship program.”
Niki, continued from page 1
Clovis Hills Community Church 10590 N. Willow Avenue, Clovis
Class Name TeacherMoral Earthquakes and Secret Faults ................Mike McCulloughLoving Our Kids on Purpose ...............................Gary and Nancy WilliamsResolving Every Day Conflicts ............................Peter CelumGod Provides (Financial Class) ...........................Diane HamillStudy on the Book of Philippians .......................Richard HaahrSacred Marriage ................................................Glenn and Sandy KoslanForward Classes ................................................David Carothers
Sundays, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.Oct. 5 - Nov. 9 (6 wks.)
Let’s Grow Together
Adults: Register for your class in the church lobby, Sunday, October 5
Once a year members from Southern Baptist churches all over California gather for an annual meeting. This event is packed with great preaching, inspiration, reports about what God is doing in our state, and more. It will be held at Clovis Hills Community Church in Clovis on October 21-22. You can attend any of the sessions, but if you want to vote on business you will need a messenger card. Each church has a limited number, so please contact Dennis Schmierer at the church office if you want to request a messenger card.There is something special about this year’s event. Teresa Watts and our very own worship team will be leading in worship. We encourage you to come and be part of any of the sessions, but the Tuesday night one will have no business and will take an inspirational look at ministry across all generations. You’ll be blessed! If you would like a closer look at the schedule visit csbc.com
KIDS Join us on Sunday evenings for WPBC KIDS (Kids In Discipleship and Service)! Every week we will enjoy games, Bible study, missions, and service oppor-tunities. During the fall we will be studying about
the birth of Jesus and the gift of salvation we have through Him. Along with this, we will be learning songs and preparing for a Christmas musical called, “The Christmas Puzzle.” We will present this for our church family and hopefully a retirement center. WPBC KIDS is for children 3 years old through 6th grade. Childcare is available for children under 3. Please let us know if you will be attending! If you have questions about Children’s Ministry please contact Joanie Carothers at 696-3523.
Oct
. 21-
22
CA Women’s Conference October 21, 2O14
8:30 am - 11:15 am Clovis Hills Community Church
Opportunities between now and Christmas to...Give and Serve Others
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is named in honor of Lottie Moon who served nearly 40 years as a missionary to China (1873 - 1912). In 2013 Southern Baptists celebrated 125 years of annual giving to support international missionaries.More than $3.5 billion has been given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, whose namesake inspired the first collection of gifts in 1888 so the world might know Christ. Then, as now, every penny you give to Lottie Moon supports missionaries as they share the Gospel overseas. WPBC will be collecting this offering during the month of September.
On October 31, WPBC will be hosting a Fall Festival for women and children who are in transition at Rescue the Children (RTC) located at Clinton Ave. and Highway 99.This will be a safe and secure alternative to Halloween that points others to Jesus.We will need about 40 volunteers to serve food, play games, set-up and tear down equipment, etc. We also need people to just hang out with the ladies and children and talk to them.Why are we doing this?
Jesus calls us to engage with our community and we have an opportunity to share Christ’s love.The evening will be about shining God’s light in a dark world. Even if you cannot attend, you can also get involved by donating items we need for the night. If you are interested in volunteering OR donating, please see Vanessa Ovideo on Sundays, or call the church office during the week at (559) 298-7087.
Rescue theChildren‘Fall Festival’1O/316:30-9p
Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power
of simple shoebox gifts. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches (like WPBC) to deliver gifts and share the Good News of
Jesus Christ. Stay tuned for details on how our church family will participate to reach our
goal of 125 shoeboxes!
I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
Isaiah 1:26
Sunday, November 16th, 1:30-6:30
On our tour we’ll hear from experts on...
Come see God’s presence throughout our city
We will visit our four ministry partner sites and hear from survivors who are learning to thrive through Jesus Christ.
Human trafficking Homelessness Hunger
$5 per person and optional event shirts available for $10 eachMeet at Woodward Park Baptist at 1:30pm
Dinner and bus transportation will be provided
Please keep in mind that some content will be PG-13and may not be appropriate for children
Harvest of Hope Canned Food Drive
NOW through Nov. 2Remember to bring extra CANS of food to church and place them inside one of the large circular bins.Community Food Bank serves over 220,000 people each month in Fresno, Madera, Kings, Kern, and Tulare Counties through a variety of programs. Help us in the fight against hunger. If you have any questions please contact Paula Aranaz at (559) 647-5657.
Sign-up to sort and pack! Call Paula Aranaz at 647-5657
Nov 1& Dec6Helpers, Servers, Volunteers
3145 S. Northpointe Ave. | Fresno, 93725
Saturday
8Holiday Boutique (Nov. 8)Did you know that last year’s Holiday Boutique generated over $1,500 for Rescue the Children? You can help contribute toward this great local ministry by baking your favorite goodies. Please kindly decorate your goodies because they sell better! We also need silent auction and gently-used books. If you have donations, please call Georgia Prentiss at 709-5705.
We’ll distribute boxes onSunday, Oct. 12
Missionary Lottie Moon
On Saturday, September 6, 130 people joined together for Day in the Mountains at Shaver Lake. Five individuals also were baptized: Gail Devin, Ruth Ann Good, Keano Carrasco, Aaron Heisinger, and Devin Shelton. Thanks to Louie Quijada, and his faithful team, who helped make this day memorable!
For information about this Student Conference at Crosspoint Church, please see Youth Minister Vanessa Oviedo on Sundays, or call the church office during the week at 298-7087.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, dozens of men gathered to pray, worship, enjoy breakfast and hear a testimony from our own Woody Wojdylak. Thanks to all the men who helped make this happen, including master chef Louie Quijada.
Woody Wojdylak shared his testimony of Christ’s work to overcome anger, and more.
Every 3rd Thursday of the month! TNL joins FairwindsOur students will spend time getting to know the residents of Fairwinds retirement center as part of Thursday nights. We will hang with them from 6:45-7:45pm playing games, singing, and chatting. Parents: our time is still from 6:30-8:30pm. We will be leaving and returning to church for pick up. Please make sure you have signed the permission slip for your student to participate off campus. The registration forms are upstairs in the youth meeting room. If you have any questions please contact Vanessa @ 298-7087.
October 5th begins Discipleship through sports in the Gym @ 6pmCome be a part of basketball, volleyball, and badminton for 6 weeks as we apply God’s truth to our lives through the lessons we can learn from team sports. Any questions please contact Seth Lane, [email protected] or Bobby Kearney, [email protected].
Friday, October 17 @ 7pm Family Community Church 2434 E Nees Ave Fresno 9372O Attention all 18-29 year olds! WPBC young adults, this is just for YOU! It will be a night of worship, games, and food. You will have an opportunity to meet other young adults and strengthen the body of Christ. Let’s build relationships with sister churches and see how God uses us in our community. Make plans to attend and invite a friend to join you! If you have any questions please contact Vanessa @ 298-7087.
Girls Afternoons in the Kitchen – (Jr High/HS)Learning to cook, bake, and sharing lessons in life!EVERY Saturday in October 2:00-5:00pmLynette Johnson’s Home 424 E. Everglade Fresno 93720 559-217-2159Come join us for an afternoon of fun in the kitchen. You will enjoy cooking different foods, baking yummy desserts, laughing, and have hours of girl talk! All you have to do is show up and don’t forget to bring an apron!
“Surrender” Student Conference, November 1, 1:00-6:00pm @ Crosspoint Church in FresnoAll Jr.high and High School students join us for a time of discovering how to live as new creations because of what Christ has done for us. How do we live a life that reflects Christ in such a dark world? You will be able to attend different break outs, a large worship session, and meet other Christian teens in the area. We will meet at the church by 12:25 p.m. and go together. Pick-up will be back at WPBC at 6:45pm. The cost is $10 which includes a t-shirt, materials, and food. Please register with Vanessa by Monday, October 20. The registration forms are upstairs in the youth meeting room.
Ignition Student Conference – December 29-31 in Ontario, CAThis is a three-day high energy conference for Jr. High and High School students. They will experience conferences, concerts, and church group time that will challenge them in their walk with Christ. Teens from all over the state come together and will be reminded that everything they do— It Matters! It is a great way to refuel for the next semester after winter break. The cost is $120 per person and includes the conference, hotel, transportation, and a t-shirt. Your student will need another $50-60 to cover meals. Please register with $20 deposit and the registration form (located at the Welcome Center). Deadline to sign up at the $120 cost is October 12. After that date, it is $150, plus meal money. If you have any questions please contact Vanessa Oviedo: [email protected]
