Timothy Connects November 15, 2024
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Sunday 9 am Contemporary
Sunday 10:30 am Traditional
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November 22, 2024
In this Timothy Connects you will find

On Mission with Jesus

 

Acts offers more than history; it reflects the Spirit's ongoing work within the church. We'll examine how early  believers faced challenges, built community, and boldly shared the gospel—experiences relevant to us today.

With a dedicated reading plan, we’ll explore the stories of Peter, Paul, and others, learning how the Holy Spirit empowered them and how He can empower us. We’ll find practical ways to apply these lessons to our lives and become effective witnesses for Christ.

Follow along with our sermon series and weekly Prepare for Worship emails for reading assignments. Let’s be inspired by the early church's courage and faith and ignite a fresh wave of God’s Kingdom.

This week’s reading: Chapter 27-28


The Book of Acts details the early church's dynamic growth, showcasing ordinary people doing extraordinary things through the Holy Spirit. Over 13 weeks, we'll see the birth of a movement that reshaped the world.

Never Stop


We've all been there. Overwhelmed, exhausted, ready to throw in the towel. Whether it's our jobs, relationships, or even our spiritual lives, the weight of it all can be crushing. But what if our greatest challenge is also our greatest calling? The book of Acts paints a picture of church on fire, relentlessly pursuing God's mission. Yet, even they must have faced moments of doubt and fatigue. So, how do we sustain the pace? Where do we find the strength to keep going when it feels impossible? Let's explore together the secret to enduring faith and tireless service. As we conclude our journey through Acts, let's discover the power that fuels a never-ending mission. Are you ready to renew your commitment to the Gospel and discover the resources you need to keep going?
Welcome to the Advent Conspiracy: A Deeper Dive into the Christmas Story
Rediscovering the True Meaning of Christmas

 
Advent Conspiracy invites us to step away from the commercial frenzy and reconnect with the profound story of Christmas. It's a call to celebrate this sacred season with humility, beauty, and generosity.
The Heart of Advent
At the core of Advent is the anticipation of Christ's coming. It's a time to reflect on the miraculous birth of the Savior, the Word made flesh. This extraordinary event has the power to transform our lives and the way we celebrate Christmas.

The Four Tenets of Advent Conspiracy will be address in the upcoming four weeks of Advent.
  1. December 1 | Worship Fully: Prioritize Christ in your life. Worship Him with your heart, mind, and soul.
  2. December 8 | Spend Less: Focus on intentional, thoughtful gifts rather than mindless consumerism.
  3. December 15 | Give More: Give your time, energy, and presence to those you love.
  4. December 22 | Love All: Reach out to the marginalized and forgotten in your community.
Why These Tenets Matter
  • Worship Fully: When our hearts are oriented towards Christ, our actions naturally align with His teachings.
  • Spend Less: By spending less on material things, we can free up resources to give more meaningfully.
  • Give More: The most meaningful gifts are often those that come from the heart, not the store.
  • Love All: Following Jesus means loving our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable.
A Call to Action
Join the Advent Conspiracy movement and experience a Christmas that truly matters in our four-week sermon series. Let's rediscover the joy, peace, and hope that can be found in the humble birth of Jesus Christ.
Together, we can make a difference. Are you ready? 

 
Advent Conspiracy

Sunday Contemporary 9:00 am
Sunday  Traditional:   10:30 am
301 East Wyatt Road

Holy Communion 1st, 3rd, & 5th Sundays

Worship Attendance

November 17, 2024
 9 am 176

10:30 am 168

November 17, 2024:
(Budgeted Weekly General Contributions: $24,038)
Actual General Contributions: $17,570.23
2024 First Fruits Budgeted Goal: $100,000.00 (1st $12,000 to NYG expenses)
Total to date: $62,619.32
Timothy Online Giving

New Giving Options


Your faithful generosity allows us to show the Love of Jesus in a very tangible way. Stewardship is a spiritual journey, and we’re committed to meet you every step of the way in whatever season of life you’re in.

We recognize we have givers from every generation at our church, so whether you’re still writing a check faithfully, or if you give online, we’re excited to announce we recently added four new ways to give using digital wallets:
  1. Paypal
  2. Apple Pay
  3. Google Pay
  4. Venmo
Here is the link to our online giving form if you’d like to be a part of what God is doing, and experience His faithfulness through your obedient stewardship.

https://www.shelbygiving.com/app/giving/timothy

Bible Studies


Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study "Old Testament God Vs New Testament God"; 9:00-10:00 am; Library; led by Fritz Barlag and Dale Russell

Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study "The Real God",10:30-11:30 am; led by Gary Storck and Wayne Diveley. 8 week study (NO meeting Sunday November 17th)

Monday Morning Adult Bible Study 10-11 am, "Epistle to the Ephesians"; Pointe of Hope Coffee House; led by George Zimmerschied

 

Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Study "2 Corinthians", 6:30-7:30 am, Conference Room; 
led by various men

Tuesday Morning Women’s Bible Study "Becoming like Jesus" by Cynthia Heald; 9-10:30 am, Pointe of Hope Library; led by various ladies

Wednesday Night Sr High Revolution 6:30-8 pm;  Mobile Classroom 4 (Youth Room)

Wednesday Night Confirmation 6:30 - 8 pm; auditorium and various classrooms

Thursday Night Men's Bible Study "Red Letter Challenge" 7 - 8 pm; Pointe of Hope Church; led by Pastor Rod

Staff Highlight This Week


Meet Chris Krenz, Timothy Lutheran’s Financial Coordinator. Chris is known for her exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, ensuring that every financial aspect of our ministry runs smoothly. Her desk might have piles of papers, but she knows exactly where everything is. Her thoroughness in handling tasks is truly unmatched, and she is always available to answer questions with a smile. Chris consistently goes above and beyond in her work, offering support and solutions even during the busiest times. She is incredibly reliable and often comes in on the weekends, taking advantage of the quiet hours to stay ahead of her responsibilities. Her dedication and sweet nature make her a treasured part of our team!

Call Committee Update

 
Timothy's Voters' Assembly, with 162 voting members present, met last Sunday, Nov. 17, to issue a divine call for a senior pastor.  The official call documents and a packet of information about Timothy and the surrounding area has been sent to the candidate. The call documents were also sent to the MO District Office.
 
Leadership is developing plans for the candidate to visit Timothy within the next couple of weeks. Please continue to keep the divine call process in your prayers as we continue to seek God's will in finding the shepherd He already knows will fill that need. To God Be the Glory!

Fall Generosity Emphasis
 

Thank you for joining your Timothy family in prayerfully considering how your family can participate in the generosity emphasis this fall to support Timothy's ministries moving forward in 2025. Your commitment card, sealed inside the provided envelope or a similar one, may be returned in the offering plate between now and Dec. 1 or mailed to the church. Please remember to provide your name on the outside of the envelope so it can be returned to you at this time next year.  

Jesus, we gather to express our deepest gratitude for Your unwavering love and grace. We thank You for the opportunity to serve You and Your kingdom through Timothy’s ministries. We praise You for the vision You have placed in the hearts of Your servants to reach out to others and share the transformative power of Your Word. We are thankful for the privilege of participating in Your divine plan. As we prepare to make our 2025 commitments, we ask that You would guide us to discern Your will and to give generously and joyfully. May our offerings be a reflection of our love for You and our desire to further Your kingdom.

Final Stages of the Storage Building Project Near Completion

 
The Storage Building Project is reaching its final stages, with inspections underway. If all goes as planned, we anticipate receiving the Certificate of Occupancy by next week, marking a significant milestone in the project. 
Next Steps:
  1. Final Inspections and Certificate of Occupancy (Temporary Occupancy received 11/08/24)
  2. Moving Church Property to the Storage Building Moved items over to the storage building 11/16/2024
  3. Removal of Excess Dirt and Grass Seeding (Volunteers Needed)
  4. Selling Storage Containers (Members interested in purchasing a container should contact Mary Taggart)
  5. Building Blessing Ceremony (Date TBD)
Thank you to everyone who has supported this project with their time, talents, and resources.



FaithRoots Helpers Needed!  

 
We are having a good year in Faithroots as we have aligned our children’s ministry with our sermons this season, hoping to connect the whole family in the same place in God’s Word. As we get near the end of the year, though, we are running short on 9am service FaithRoots volunteers.  Our goal is for everyone simply to help once a month or every 6 weeks, but that means we need enough hands to help. Currently, we are running a little short.  Please pray about it and consider whether you may be willing or able to help out.  If you’re interested, please contact Pastor Ryan, and perhaps you can set up a time to see what’s going on in Faith Roots some Sunday and if it might work with your gifts and willingness.  Thanks for considering!

Pack the Cart for Charity - Middle School Event

This Saturday, November 23rd, our middle school group will head to Walmart to "Pack the Cart" for a great cause. We will meet at Walmart at 2 pm. We'll shop for Christmas food baskets to help local families in need and pick up gifts for a few adopted children to make their holidays brighter.
After our shopping trip, we’ll return to the church for a fun gift-wrapping session, complete with cookies and hot cocoa. It's the perfect way to spread holiday cheer while serving our community together.
Don’t miss out on this special event—let’s make a difference this holiday season! Click Here to sign up.

 
 



LWML Nuts & Candy Sale

 
The deadline is drawing closer for placing Nut & Candy orders this year.  With the Thanksgiving holiday next week, all orders placed this weekend through Monday morning, December 2, will not be at church until Sunday, December 8.  This is the last date to pick up orders and buy remaining items on the table.  So, double check those recipes and gift lists to make sure you have all the bags needed for the season.

https://www.timothylutheran.com/events/nuts-and-candy/

Proceeds benefit Mites (Missions), Concordia seminary Food Bank in St. Louis and Timothy School classroom needs.
 

Donations Needed - Christmas Toy Drive

Community Services League is opening their Christmas Toy Shop on December 11th. We are asking for donations through our Amazon Wish List below. All orders must be delivered no later than Monday, December 9th. Please make sure that when ordering online the ship date is prior to the due date. We appreciate all your donations. Let's make this an amazing event for the Blue Springs area.

Please click the button below. If you don't have access to Amazon, there will be tags on the Christmas Giving Tree the week of Thanksgiving.
Amazon Wish List

Staff Appreciation Gift for Christmas 
We again look forward to presenting a monetary Christmas gift to Timothy’s staff, who will be acknowledged during worship services on Dec. 22nd.

The Board of Elders and Executive Board would appreciate your participation in the opportunity to thank our Timothy staff with a contribution. Please consider one of the following ways to contribute by Sunday, December 1st:

  • Placing an offering envelope or ordinary envelope clearly marked “Staff Christmas Gift” in the offering plate between November 3rd and December 1st.
  • Dropping off or mailing to the church office (301 East Wyatt Rd., Blue Springs, MO 64014) before December 1st, clearly printing “Staff Christmas Gift” on memo line of check
  • Submitting electronically by visiting Timothy’s website (www.timothylutheran.com/give), clicking on “Give,” and choose my donation one-time, fund (Staff Appreciation)

Thank you for prayerfully considering your gift to these dedicated servants. They work tirelessly to make Timothy Lutheran Ministries the incredible House of God that it is. Your gifts are appreciated!

Thanksgiving Eve Service

 
Come join your Timothy family during Thanksgiving Eve Service on November 27th at 6 pm. Every year we take time out as a nation to celebrate Thanksgiving. As the day draws near, children's artwork is filled with things they are thankful for. Our homes are decorated with little ceramic cornucopias with the words,"Give Thanks." And at our tables filled with family and friends, we go around listening to people share what they are thankful for. But behind the decor, words, and crafts, are we truly thankful? Are our hearts filled with thanksgiving toward God, or are these just words? Maybe it's time to consider what it is that leads us to a life of Thanksgiving. As is tradition at Timothy, our Thanksgiving offering will support our Emergency Assistance Fund.

Journey to the Manger

Timothy’s annual Journey to the Manger will take place before both services on Sunday, December 15. Beginning Wednesday, November 27, worshipers are invited to choose gift tags from the Giving Tree to support families in need identified by Hillcrest Transitional Housing and LUMA in Kansas City. Additionally, gift card tags will be available to support CSL.

Gift tags will be available through Sunday, December 8. Please check your tag carefully to see if the gift should be wrapped or unwrapped. A registry will be available to log the giver’s name, phone number, and the specific gift selected.

Thank you for returning your gift(s) with the tag(s) attached by Sunday, December 15! If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Gregory at 816.228.5300.

Blood Drive Sign Up Click Here

Advent Services


As part of your preparation for celebrating the birth of the Christ Child, make plans to join your Timothy family at this year’s Advent Services. The services on Wednesday, Dec. 4th,  and Wednesday, Dec. 11th will be in the auditorium at 6pm. The Dec. 18th Advent service will at 6:00pm in conjunction with the TLS 1st grade - 8th grade Christmas program.

Women of Hope Advent Prayer Evening

 
All ladies and their friends are invited to celebrate the upcoming Advent season by attending a special prayer evening on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6:30-8pm in the 4G's area at church. In addition to prayer time, Blair Graham, Timothy's recent Hillcrest apartment graduate, will share her journey toward self-sufficiency through the Hillcrest program. Members of Miriam Lindemann's family will lead us in devotion and singing, and, of course, there will be Christmas cookies & other goodies to satisfy our sweet tooth. You may even go home with a door prize! It promises to be a special time with your sisters in Christ. Click on the link below before Nov. 26 to register for this free event! Don't forget to register your friends!
Prayer Evening Sign Up

Christmas Cantata

On Sunday, December 8th, a combined worship experience for the whole Timothy family will start at 10 am. This Christmas musical is a dynamic retelling of the Christmas story divided into four parts: Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy. Each section is packed with an amazing array of familiar carols, culminating in an uplifting celebration of the joy of the season. Thoughtful narration and scripture readings appear between each movement. We hope to see you as we celebrate with our combined choirs and look to worship at a single service on
Sunday, December 8th, at 10 am, cookie reception following. Please see below article for donations.

Sweet Traditions:
Holiday Cookie & Candy Buffet

 
On Sunday, December 8th, following the one-service Cantata, join us for fellowship and festive treats! The Gather Commission invites all church members to bring a batch of their favorite holiday cookies or candies to share. This is a chance to taste a variety of homemade goodies and to discover new holiday recipes. Please drop these goodies and recipe at the church Monday-Friday during office hours the week prior. Or drop them by Sunday early before the service.

If you'd like to share the recipe for your treat, feel free to bring a copy. We'll have tables set up to display everyone's creations after the Cantata. Let's make this a sweet celebration filled with delicious treats and holiday cheer. Thank you for sharing your family traditions with our church family!!!

Mark your calendars for Timothy Lutheran’s December Voters’ Meeting on Sunday, December 8th, at 11:45 a.m.  Make sure to watch your email this Sunday, November 24th for important documents including 2025 Proposed Budget, 2025 Slate of Lay Leaders, and Budget Q&A prior to the meeting. This year, this email will also include a video of the "Moments That Matter in 2024" and updated 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. This important gathering is to bring us together to vote on the budget for 2025, slate of lay leaders, and discuss the future Next Generation planning. Make your voice heard as we look forward to an impactful year ahead!

November Food Donations

 

The cool mornings of fall are upon us, and soon it will be time for family Thanksgiving gatherings.  It is also time to begin thinking about Timothy's customary November food drive to support the Jesús el Buen Pastor Lutheran Church of Kansas City's Thanksgiving food distribution effort.  This year, they expect to support approximately 100 needy families with a box of food, including a frozen turkey from Harvester's, to fill their tables at Thanksgiving. Donations may be placed in the grocery cart which sits in the Church lobby just to the right (east) of the south entry doors. Grocery bags with an attached suggested food list are located in the grocery cart.  Just take a grocery bag(s) and return them filled with your food donation to the same location no later than Sunday, November 24th.

Thank you for your continued support of this vital ministry for those who need food! Blessings to you and your family in this Thanksgiving season.



The Timothy Food Ministry team recently needed assistance with collecting and delivering food donations to the Blue Springs Community Services League. We are incredibly grateful to Daryl and Becky Fowler for graciously stepping up to help with this vital service to the Blue Springs community. Thank you, Daryl and Becky, for your faithful service to the Lord!

Support TLS While Christmas Shopping

 
Would you like to support TLS while Christmas shopping? Purchase a card at face value thru scrip, and a portion of the proceeds is given back to the school. Pretty cool!
  • If your budget is $450 for Amazon, order an Amazon gift card for $450 from the school to use for placing your order.
  • Do you know where you shop on Black Friday? Buy a gift card to use at those stores.
  • Going to use gift cards as Christmas presents and stocking stuffers? Order from the school.
The list of retailers includes places like Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Ulta, Panera, Casey’s, and so many more. Check out the complete list of participating retailers at https://www.raiseright.com/brands .
To place your order, contact Kristen Anderson at 816-228-5300 ext. 8017 or at kristena@timothylutheran.com. Orders will be placed weekly, depending on the number of orders that come in! Delivery time is about a week. Thank you for supporting our school!

Best Choice Labels

 
Did you know you can earn money for TLS simply by saving Best Choice labels? Clip the UPC code from any Best Choice products and turn them in at the front desk by Dec. 1 for 2024 tabulations. We earn $30 for every 1,000 submitted labels. Questions? Contact Lois Warren at 816.427.5168. Thank you!
Do You Have A Story To Share?
If you have an article or celebration you would like to share with the members of Timothy, please submit it to Diane Mayfield (click on either) or Mary Taggart. Please send it by Thursday at noon to be published on Friday.
Please keep your submission between 200-250 words. 
Copyright © 2024 Timothy Lutheran Ministries, All rights reserved.
*Timothy Connects*

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301 E Wyatt Road, Blue Springs, MO. 64014-5801

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