September 2014

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Mission Trip

Word from the Pastor

Every church I know of struggles to recruit the volunteers necessary to function at their maximum capacity. Recruiting is hard work, but Greg Baird has some common sense tips for us all when it comes to keeping that pipeline full of volunteers.

19 Ways to Improve Your Ministry Recruiting By: Greg Baird

1. Start making it more about vision. A big, compelling, well-defined, life-changing vision. 2. Stop making it about need, People won’t buy-in to or commit long-term to great need. 3. Start identifying new places to find leaders. Have you recruited youth? College age?

Seniors? What new group can you share your vision with? 4. Stop doing it alone. Equip other leaders (your core leaders, staff, other church staff, etc.)

to recruit with you. 5. Start asking! It’s one thing to make the need known…it’s another to actually "make the

ask”. 6. Stop pigeon-holing people. Have multiple opportunities available for the people you

speak with. 7. Start being clear about available opportunities – specific functions, commitment time,

etc. 8. Stop losing volunteers by limiting their freedom to be creative and bringing their own

ideas to what they do. 9. Start creating systems to make volunteer assimilation easy, not difficult. 10. Stop relying on cattle calls or bulletin invitations. 11. Start asking personally. 12. Stop making excuses that no one is interested in hearing. 13. Start expressing appreciation to volunteers (personally, individually & corporately). 14. Stop abandoning volunteers once they begin serving. 15. Start being flexible with scheduling, training, subbing, etc. 16. Stop talking about all the challenges you face in your ministry. 17. Start telling stories about great things happening in the lives children, parents &

volunteers. 18. Stop doing program beyond your capacity to build teams to meet the need. 19. Start doing what Jesus told us to do in Luke 10:2: “These were his instructions to them:...'The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest;

ask him to send more workers into his fields.'”

Pastor Pete

WORD FROM THE PASTOR

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The following are reoccurring

events that take place each

week/month at the same time

unless otherwise denoted.

Discipleship before Church

at 9am

Church Services - Sunday at

10:45 AM

Baptism Sunday mornings

Children’s Play Group Every

Tuesday from 10am -

11:30am.

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

3rd Sat. 8-9 Call Bob Byrd

for info at: 210-896-5525

CFY - Every Wednesday @

6:30pm

Pre-Teen Ministry Every

Wednesday @ 6:30pm-8

Bldg D

2nd Sat. Cleanup 8 am-10

2nd Thursday Helping

Hands 10:30 —12

Please Go To Our Website

For Times And More

Information! www.cowboyfellowship.org

SEPTEMBER 2014 SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT

1

Labor Day

Office

closed

2

10a-11:30a

Play Group

3

6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30p-8p CFY

4

6:30p-9p

CF band

practice

6:30 p–8p

Judo

5 6

7

9a

Discipleship

10:45 a

Worship Serv.

Roping after

services

8

6:00 Women’s Bible Study Stronger

9

10a-11:30a

Play Group

10

6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30p-8p CFY

11

10a

Helping

Hands

6:30p-9p

CF band

practice

6:30 p–8p

Judo

12 13

8a-10a

2nd Sat. Clean

Up

10a-12

Ladies Riding

Group

14

9a

Discipleship

10:45a

Worship Serv.

12-2p

Leadership

and Lay

Pastor Mtg.

15 16

10a-11:30a

Play Group

17

6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30p-8p

CFY

7p-9p

Adult Riding

Group

18

6:30p-9p

CF band

practice

6:30pm– 8

Judo

19 20

8a-9a Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

21

9a

Discipleship

10:36

Saddle up

10:45a

Worship Serv.

22

23

10a-11:30a

Play Group

24

6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30p -8p CFY

25

6:30p-9p

CF band

practice

6:30p – 8

Judo

26

27

28 9a Discipleship 10:45a Worship Serv. 12pm-1 Elders mtg. Roping after services

29 30

10a-11:30a

Play Group

Schedule

Of Events

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?

The Arena Ministry Adult Riding Group 2nd Wednesday of each month

7pm - 9pm Contact Liz Powell 830-426-9391

Youth Riding Clinic 4th Wednesday of the month 7pm-9pm

Contact Liz Powell 830-426-9391

Ladies Riding Group 2nd Sat. of the month 10am-12 noon

Contact info : Marian Knowlton - phone 210-831-6079

email marian.knowlton@gmail.com

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Church and Arena Events

September 1st Labor Day - Office Closed

September 7th Discipleship classes start 9 am

September 7th GriefShare 1:30 in conference room

September 11th Helping Hands 10a -12a

September 20th Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at Plaza

Tapatio 8a-9a

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Covered Facility Update

The Memorial Brick wall has been completed and it looks awesome.

The restrooms and concession stand is still a work in progress. The walls

have been painted, the windows for the concession stand are in so the fix-

tures and electrical work are next. The project should be finished by the

end of September.

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The Helping Hands met in Building C on August 14th to put

together the Children’s Church Curriculum. The group was small with

only 7 Helping Hands and Chris the summer intern. Present were

John and Loretta Reppond, Avalon Newell, Connie Walker, Ross

Duren, Paulette Williams and Dottie Ellis. The team broke for lunch

at Café Chris and after lunch a few of the team came back to finish

up.

Anyone interested in joining this hard working group of volunteers call Marty Pryor

at 210-823-9098. The Helping Hands Ministry meets the 2nd Thursday of each

month at 10:30 am. at Cowboy Fellowship.

Starting September 7, 2014 - GriefShare

Grief Recovery Support Group

Your Journey for Mourning to Joy

GriefShare is a special weekly seminar/support group for people grieving the death of

someone close. It is a place where people understand how you feel and the pain of your

loss. At GriefShare you’ll learn valuable information that will help you through this

difficult time in your life.

GriefShare group will meet every Sunday at 1:30 pm at Cowboy Fellowship upstairs in

the conference room.

If you have lost someone close to you or know of someone who has please call for more

information.

Church Office 830-769-3733

George Hannah 239-218-3377

New Semester

Classes start September 7th join us for Absolute Basics

Sunday Mornings at 9 am before church service.

Sign up at the back of the sanctuary

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The mission team going to India will leave on September 28th and return on

October 9th. Associate Pastor Scotty Smith will be leading the team and

will be accompanied by Darlene Koons, John Pawelek, Bob Schimefpfening,

and Frankie Ellis. Scotty has made the mission trip to India before as has

Darlene but this will be the first trip for John, Bob and Frankie. We pray

that they have a safe and productive trip and everyone comes back safe and

healthy.

Christy Reed has accepted the position of Children’s Pastor. at Cowboy Fellowship. Christy is very familiar with the work involved in this ministry; she has been a vital part of the Children’s ministry since 2008. The Children’s ministry always needs

volunteers so if you feel the call to help in this ministry Christy can use you.

Christy grew up in Pleasanton and is currently enrolled at Liberty University. She was married to Nick Reed Dec 18, 1999 and they have three boys, Wesley 23, Alex 20, and Nathan 11. Christy en-joys spending time with family and attending children’s events.

Christy came to know Christ while serving at a Ranch Rodeo Cowboy Fellowship held May 2007. She has helped with Chil-dren’s Ministry since Jan 2008 and became the leader for CF’s Pre-teen ministry in 2010.

One of Christy’s favorite verses comes from Ephesians:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Children’s Pastor

THE RED SWEATER

I was traveling merrily down memory lane the other day as I flipped randomly through a box of old family photos. My smile started to grow as my thoughts were suddenly overflowing with familiar faces and places of long ago. As I leaned over to pick up another bunch of photos, a single picture fell to the floor that stirred both my memory and soul. It was a faded school picture of my son Harley wearing an unforgettable red sweater. Harley was about nine when that picture was taken. He was a very proper and conscientious dresser for his age, a trait he inherited from his father. One of his beloved articles of clothing was a red sweater, which Harley so wanted to wear to school for picture day. But at dinner the night before the pictures were to be taken, he was very upset because he had somehow lost this precious sweater. I recommended that we should take time and pray to God asking for His help with this emergency situation. My husband was a bus driver and had been absent that night from the family dinner as he had to work the late shift. When he got off work that evening another driver handed my husband a bag of clothing. This driver had a son about the same size as, you guessed it, Harley. God at work, perhaps? I searched through this bag of clothes like it was a treasure chest full of precious jewels. Then the miracle happened. There in the bag of clothes was a beautiful red sweater almost identical to the one Harley had lost. This red sweater was a miracle from God.

The following morning Harley was beside himself as he spied the red sweater lying on the dining room table. His face was aglow as he announced for all to hear that God sure does answer prayer, doesn't He! My prayer for my son over these many years since his proclamation about the red sweater is that the faith he had as a child will continue to mature and guide his life as he grows older. Deane T. Glendale, CA

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How to Thrive in a New Routine

Like frozen treats on a 100-degree

day, summer is melting away. That

means it’s time to get back into old

routines and start some new ones.

Experts say routines offer kids

stability and help them develop self-

discipline. Knowing what to expect—

and what’s expected—can make fam-

ily interactions smoother, too.

Follow these tips to make the most of

September’s opportunities to hit the

“reset” button:

Have a family meeting before the

school year begins. Review sched-

ules and brainstorm new approaches

to easier mornings, healthier eating,

more productive studying, and so on.

Focus on just one or two goals at a

time, rather than tackling everything

at once. When a new habit is in place,

then move on to the next goal.

Prepare for changes to your daily

routine by practicing before school

begins. Create simple checklists as

visual reminders for getting ready.

Empower kids to make decisions.

Encourage them (in age-appropriate

ways) to adapt routines whenever

unexpected situations arise.

Build spiritual practices into your

family’s daily routine. This allows faith

development to occur while children are

growing in other ways during the new

school year. See the next page for a

variety of ideas you can try.

POWERSOURCE ASK GOD:

1. To ease the back-to-school

transition for your family.

2. To protect your children as

they tackle new subjects and

face new challenges.

3. To help your children use their

new routines to share Jesus

with other people.

parenting

CHRISTIAN kids

September 2014

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TEACHABLE MOMENTS

Backward Olympics

Gather your family outdoors and con-

duct some silly “Scipmylo” games

(that’s “Olympics” spelled backward!).

For example: Take turns trying to say

the alphabet backward. Run a relay

race or obstacle course backward.

Toss water balloons to a partner while

facing away from him or her. At the end

of the games, gather together and ask:

What change did you experience in

these games? What was the most

challenging for you, and why? How

was this experience like the changes

you experience in life?

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Then ask:

How does God help you handle

change? How can God help you with

the new school year ahead?

Add Jesus Into Your Routines

When busy schedules resume, Jesus is often left out of the mix. Even if

we attend church more regularly in fall and our children move up a

grade level in Sunday school, faith formation frequently takes a back

seat during the action-packed weekdays.

Feed your family spiritually.

When you set the breakfast table

the night before school, include kid-

friendly devotional materials. Chil-

dren who like to read or look at pic-

tures while eating can do so—or

can be read to briefly.

Make use of travel time. On the

way to school, take turns saying a

prayer for the day ahead. On the

way home, use the time to share

highlights of the day and any “God

sightings” family members had.

Schedule a regular faith booster.

Incorporate a midweek faith activity

into your family schedule. Many

churches offer midweek programs

for families. Other clubs may be

available in your neighborhood. If

you’re time-strapped, simply set

aside time one day per week to talk

about faith-related issues and to

pray together.

Explore children’s strengths,

talents, and gifts. A new school

year offers a variety of excellent

opportunities for kids to try new

things. Different sports and activi-

ties let children discover what they

enjoy and how God made them.

Point out what developing talents

and traits you observe in your kids.

And encourage them to glorify God

in everything they do (see Colos-

sians 3:17).

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.”—Malachi

3:6

Expand your family’s faith out-

reach. Use new routines to help

build children’s faith-sharing skills.

With older kids, role-play how to

talk about Jesus with their friends.

Encourage your kids to invite their

friends to church and Sunday

school. Welcome new friends into

your home, showing them Chris-

tian hospitality and love.

Move on up! As children move up

to new Sunday school classes this

fall, help their faith blossom with

individual challenges. For exam-

ple, older kids can spend 10 min-

utes a day reading through a par-

ticular book of the Bible. Younger

children can learn about a simple

Scripture passage each week.

Keep talking—to each other and

to God. Real, deep conversations

can suffer when families get busy.

So carve out time to reconnect,

whether it’s at the end of each day

or at the beginning of each week-

end. Share your joys and strug-

gles, and take time to pray for one

another. Also make prayer a regu-

lar part of mealtime and bedtime

routines. This reminds children

that God is an always-present,

unchanging help every day and in

all situations.

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MEDIA MADNESS

MOVIE Title: The Maze Runner

Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery

Rating: PG-13

Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scode-

lario, Will Poulter

Synopsis: A boy named Thomas

wakes up remembering only his

name. Trapped in The Glade with

other teenage survivalists, Thomas

must use clues to piece together his

past.

Our Take: This film, based on James

Dashner’s popular 2009 book, con-

tinues the dystopian trend made

popular by The Hunger Games. Be-

cause of the theme and some sci-fi

violence, exercise caution—

especially with younger children.

MUSIC Title: Brave Author: Moriah Peters

Synopsis: This 21-year-old Christian

singer began writing songs at age

13. Although initially self-conscious

about her voice, Peters was deter-

mined to serve God through a music

career. Because of her wholesome

image, she didn’t make it far on

American Idol.

Our Take: On her second album,

Peters sings about relying on God

during times of fear and social perse-

cution. The “Footprints in the Sand”

poem inspired her single “You Carry

Me,” which Peters calls “a reminder

to look back on the difficult times

God has brought us through.” That’s

a powerful message for young listen-

ers—and for families.

Tomodachi Life

In this Nintendo 3DS

life-simulation game, a

player watches Mii

characters interact. It’s

been compared to Ani-

mal Crossing but does-

n’t have a typical

game-like structure.

Rated E for Everybody

Art Games kids.albrightknox.org/lo

ader.html

This interactive art-

based site lets kids

create masterpieces of

their own. They can

design cards, paint in a

“studio,” and play sev-

eral art-related games.

Recommended for

ages 4 to 12.

SpeakaZoo

With this free app, chil-

dren can take care of

20 original creatures in

four habitats. The ani-

mals actually “talk” to

children, who can inter-

act with them on

screen. Recommended

for ages 4 to 6.

CULTURE & TRENDS

Effects of Helicopter Parenting—Long-term studies are now weighing in on this overly involved parenting style. Despite parents’ good intentions, kids often suffer when their par-ents constantly intervene. When parental involvement is exces-sive, experts say, it hinders chil-dren from developing necessary skills, strengths, and coping strategies. (vitals.nbcnews.com)

QUICK STATS

“What Age Restrictions?”—

78% of parents think it’s accept-

able for a child to violate mini-

mum-age restrictions for online

sites and services. And 76% of

parents say their child joined

Facebook when he or she was

younger than 13, the site’s mini-

mum-age requirement.

(firstmonday.org)

Obesity Denial—New govern-

ment statistics reveal that 42% of

children classified as obese con-

sider themselves to be the right

weight. Another study shows

their parents are often in the

dark, too. Almost 30% of parents

who hear from a doctor that their

child is obese or overweight don’t

perceive the weight to be a

health problem. (npr.org; wash-

ingtonpost.com)

This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t

meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our goal is

to help you make informed decisions about what your chil-

dren watch, read, listen to, and play.

Highland Lakes Kid’s Camp The kids spent 4 days at camp enjoying lots of fun in the sun with

many activities to keep their days filled. They also spent time in bible

study and there were four that committed their life to the Lord by

accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Awesome bunch of

kids.

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Salvations at Camp

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Our Links

Cowboy Fellowship

P.O. Box 68

Pleasanton, TX 78064

September 2014 Issue 63

www.cowboyfellowship.org