Tomorrow Morning

Friends:

I've uploaded our material for class tomorrow (see Problem Solving 2 to the right or attached in email).

See you in the morning!

Wes and Dana

Message from Stefanie Bunting

Please read the message below from Stefanie Bunting. Let's be thinking of ways that we can help her. We'll talk more about this on Sunday.

Wes

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Dear friends

I have struggled all week to write this email…

I have come to the conclusion that I am not good at being vulnerable so after much prayer and only with God’s guidance here goes…

For those of you who have not heard, I will be having back surgery on May 6th, and will be completely out of commission for 3-4 weeks. I will have restrictions for the following 3-6 months depending on my rate of recovery. I reluctantly give you this personal information but realize the necessity of asking my brothers and sisters in Christ for help.

We have many friends and amazing church family that have kindly offered to help with the Bunting Family’s personal needs – I appreciate the outpouring of love, kindness, and generosity.

The help I most need at this point is in filling the preschool teaching positions. I would very much like to fill positions through August, but especially for the next three months - April, May, and June. Sandy will have to take over everything preschool in my absence, not to mention all the preparation for VBS, and I would love to do all that I can to help things run smoothly. Having teachers in place would be a huge help!

I need 9:30 and 10:50 teachers for April, May, June, July, and August. I realize many of you have already taught this year and many of you have taught more than one month. I also know that some of you have expressed that teaching is not your gift. Some of you are taking this year off. I respect and appreciate all of you and the decisions that you have made. I do not want anyone to feel pressured or obligated to volunteer. I ask only that you prayerfully consider how you might help meet the present needs.

I thank you for the opportunity to serve in this church and enjoy the preschoolers of FUMC Waco. I am blessed by the ministry that each of you represent to me and to the children at this church.

Humbly,

Stefanie Bunting

Preschool Ministry Director

Update on Brad Burney

Dear Wes and Dana,

Thanks for the prayers! Brad is hobbling around - "tired and weak but recovering". (He's prompting my typing.) The surgery was a success - entire tumor removed completely outside the spinal cord, pathology says totally benign, just huge.

The spine surgeon had to remove 4 inches each of 2 ribs, and part of a third, to reach the tumor. The incision is about nine inches long down the middle of the back...seeing the staples for the first time made even this hardened hospital gal woozy for a minute.

Brad also asks that you join him in thanking our blessed Lord for morphine and Vicodin!
Will send a report in later...time to hit the hay. Poor guy still doesn't get complete rest [and therefore I don't], but it's better than the hospital!! I swear I was starting to see things that weren't there after nights of incessant beeping machines and
people flipping the lights on as they marched in the room.

Happy Easter!

Luv,

Jen and Brad

Happy Easter, Photos, etc.

HAPPY EASTER!

Friends:

Good afternoon, all!  Well, we lucked out.  No snow this year for Easter.  Hope you enjoy the photos above, from our church Easter egg hunt yesterday.  These youngsters are growing up!

Thanks to the Buhners for bringing our donuts and kolaches this morning.  Next week, Brad and Jen Burney are signed up.  Brad and Jen, if you folks aren't up to this task after Brad's surgery, just let us know and Dana and I will take care of it!

PRAYERS

First off, I want to pray that all of you will have an enjoyable, fulfilling Easter.

Next, let's pray for Jeff Hookham's dad.  He's headed back to Iowa tomorrow.

Jennifer May and the three May amigos are driving to see Jennifer's parents today.  Please pray for their safe travel.

From what I know, Brad Burney's surgery last Wednesday went just fine.  Please continue to pray for Brad and the Burney family during Brad's recovery.

We need to pray for Stefanie Bunting.  She will be having surgery soon and will be out of work as our nursery director for several months.  Please pray for Stefanie as she prepares for this surgery.  Pray that everything will go well.  If anyone out there is interested in helping cover for Stefanie while she's out, please contact her.

Mary and Vince Erickson are both traveling this weekend (albeit to different places!).  Please pray for safe travel for the Ericksons.

We need to continue to pray for Shawn Buhner and his parents.  Pray that they will find a resolution soon that will enable Shawn's parents to move to this area and be happy with their living arrangements.  Hang in there, Shawn!  One day at a time.

The Hudson family is traveling this weekend.  Please pray for their safety as well.

Get this, Barry and Erica came to visit us today!  That's right; everything seems to be going well for the Sullivans.  It was great to see them.  Please pray that things will continue to go well for them.  We need to pray especially for Erica.  She is looking at another job opportunity that may be better than what she currently has.  Pray for discernment for the Sullivans as they decide what is best for Erica.

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I think that's all for this Sunday, folks.  Dana and I hope that all of you enjoy the rest of your Easter Sunday.  I'm off to watch the rest of Enchanted with Miss Raegan.

Have a good week!

Wes and Dana

What is the Meaning of Easter?

Dear Friends:

Good afternoon!  I hope all of you are enjoying this great weather.  The bad news is that it looks as though rain will move in tomorrow.  Let's enjoy it while it lasts!

For tomorrow's class, I've put together a handout where I've asked the impossible-to-answer question "What is the Meaning of Easter?".  See the link to the right (or attached in the email).  Just because the question is difficult to answer, however, doesn't mean that we shouldn't try!  We'll be thinking about this question for eternity, but I've done my best to provide a few answers for us to discuss in the morning.

Let's pray for an uplifting day tomorrow.  Dana and I look forward to seeing you in the morning!

Wes

Go Bears, Article for Sunday, Easter

Friends:

Three matters.

Number 1:  Go Baylor Bears!  Let's hope we get to celebrate a big victory tomorrow.

Number 2:  My Dad sent me an article today that I am adding to our list of matters to discuss on Sunday morning.  It combines many of the interests of the folks in our class (sports, faith, Longhorns, journalism, etc.).  Click here to read it now.  I look forward to hearing what Brian, Vince, Steve, and others of you have to say about this one.  It's a great story of a transformation of sorts.  Go Longhorns as well!

Number 3:  Speaking of transformation and resurrection, let's prepare ourselves for a great Easter weekend.  The weather looks to be much better than last year!

Okay, one more point.  In honor of Easter and our 6th anniversary as a class, we now have music.  Be sure to visit our blog!  Enjoy!

See you this weekend,

Wes

Easter Has Arrived, etc.

Friends:

Good evening, all!  Let's begin by thanking the Hudsons for bringing our snacks this morning.  Way to go, Courtney!  Next week, the Buhners are at the plate.  I believe that Shelley will be bringing a specially-designed Easter cake of some sort.  We'll look forward to it, Shelley!  : )

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Let's begin this week by praying for Brad Burney.  He will have has back surgery on Wednesday.  Please pray that everything will go well with the surgery and with Brad's recovery.  Be sure to keep us posted, Brad and Jen.

Lots of people are busy traveling and doing other family things during this spring break season.  The Mays are off to California tomorrow, so pray for their safe travel.

Jeff Hookham is returning from Colorado today.  Pray that his return trip will go well and that he will enjoy his new backyard bass pond when he arrives home.  The fish look great, don't they Jeff?!

This is a busy time of year for Vince Erickson.  Please pray for Vince's safe travel as he follows various sports teams around the country.

Mary E. also is traveling.  She's headed to South Dakota this week.  Pray that she will have an enjoyable and safe trip.

We need to continue to pray for Shawn Buhner's parents.  They are coming to town this week to look for a place to live here in the Waco area.  Pray that God (and Shelley and Shawn!) will help Shawn's parents to make good decisions about where to live.

Sean Goolsby is in Las Vegas this week for a business trip (can you believe that?!).  Pray for safe travels for Sean, and for Stefany while she's at home with the three little Goolsbys!

Two gentlemen in our class are dealing with back problems:  Brian Nicholson and Greg Hudson.  Please pray that they will have less pain in the days ahead.  

Teresa Sullivan has asked that we pray for her grandmother, Ardelia.  She has not been doing well.  Pray that Ardelia will get better soon.

I believe that takes care of our prayers and praises for this Sunday.  If there are others, please send them along.

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BRISKET COOKOUT AT THE VANZEE HOME!

In other news, Brian and Jill VanZee have kindly offered to host a brisket cookout at their home on Saturday evening, May 3rd.  I know this date is a few weeks away, but please put this event on your calendar.  This will be a great time for our class.  Thank you, Brian & Jill, for coming up with this idea and for opening your home to us!  We will work out the details later.  For now, just take note of the date.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

Dana and I hope that all of you have a great Holy Week.  Let's be sure to ask God to be with all of us as we prepare ourselves for celebrating Easter next Sunday morning.  We look forward to seeing all of you then.

Wes and Dana

See You in the Morning!, Solving Problems the Right Way

Friends:

Good evening, all! Dana and I are looking forward to seeing you in the morning. I've posted a link to our lesson for tomorrow. Look to the right of this message (see "Problem Solving"). We'll be discussing what Kenneth Boa has to say about how God helps us to choose the right problems and solve them effectively.

See you in the morning!

Wes

News, Prayers, and Spring Break! (For Some)

Friends:

Good evening!  I hope your weekend has gone well.  Thanks be to Steven and Jennifer Owens!  They brought our donuts today.  We appreciate it, Steven and Jennifer.  Next week, Courtney and Greg Hudson are in charge.  Thanks, Hudsons!

PRAISES AND PRAYERS

Let's go ahead and jump to our prayers and praises.  

The Buhners have been dealing with lots of sicknesses this week.  Everyone's been sick, except for Shelley.  Please pray for healthier days for the Buhners.

Jennifer Fadal would like for us to continue to pray for little Ethan.  He will have surgery this week.  Pray that everything will go smoothly.

Amy Nicholson has asked that we pray for her sister, Mindy.  Mindy will be going to Scott and White tomorrow to have some tests run.  Please ask God to be with Mindy and her physicians as they decide what is best for her.

We also need to pray for Brian Nicholson.  He has been having some trouble with his back.  He will be seeing a specialist this week.  Pray that things will be get better soon for Brian.

Brad Burney will be having surgery on March 19th.  He will have a tumor removed, which will involve back surgery.  Please pray for Brad and Jenessa as they prepare for Brad's surgery.  Pray that everything will go smoothly.

Teresa Sullivan has asked that we pray for one of her friends from school, Linda.  Her son-in-law died of cancer recently.  Please pray for Linda and her family.

Teresa also would like for us to pray for her as she drives to Dallas on Tuesday to pick up Ben.  Pray that the trip will go well.  Please continue to pray for Ben's safety as well.

Vince is headed to Kansas City this week.  March is a busy travel month for him.  Please pray for safe travel and successful work for Vince.

Salley and Chris area headed to Crested Butte for a 7 day trip, without kids!  Sounds like a great time, doesn't it?!  (Not that we don't love our kids, but, you understand . . . .).  Please pray for a safe trip for Chris and Salley.

Jeff Hookham is leaving for a ski trip to Breckenridge this week.  Please pray for a safe trip for Jeff.

Last but certainly not least, Mary and Vince will be making some important decisions soon about Mary's work.  She has been offered a couple of jobs, but she's trying to decide what is best.  Please pray for discernment and good decision-making for Mary and Vince.

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I think that's all for now, everyone.  For those of you who may have spring break this week, I hope you have a good, restful week.  Next week, we will move on to the next chapter in The Perfect Leader.  The subject is leadership and good problem-solving.

Dana and I look forward to seeing all of you next Sunday morning!

Wes and Dana

P.S.--See, I had an opportunity to give the Hookhams a hard time for missing church this morning because they forgot to set their clocks back, but, hey, being the kind soul that I am, I've decided not to mention it at all.  Am I a nice guy or what?!

See You in the Morning, Decision-Making

Friends:

Good afternoon, all!  For those of you who are watching the Bears game, we need to pick things up!

I'm writing to let you know what we will be discussing tomorrow.  We will be looking at Chapter 9 of the Boa book, which is entitled "Decision-Making".  You can find our handout to the right of this message.  Click on the "Decision-Making" link.  I'll bring copies tomorrow.

Dana and I look forward to seeing all of you in the morning!

Wes

Prayers, News, and the Big Election on Tuesday

Friends:

Good evening, all!  Dana and I hope that you've had a great weekend.  First off, I want to thank Mary and Vince Erickson for feeding us the donuts this morning.  We appreciate it, Ericksons!  Next week, Jennifer and Steven Owens are signed up.  Thanks, Owens family!

On the news front, rumor has it that the ladies (and Robbie!) had a great shower this afternoon at the Rogers home.  Thanks to all of the ladies for participating.  Dana had so much fun that she even mentioned the possibility of us Nulls having another baby so that she could have another baby shower!  (Uh, no.  That was a joke.)

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Let's go ahead and jump into our prayers and praises.

Please pray for Jennifer Owens and her family.  On the way to church this morning, Jennifer and Steven learned that Jennifer's grandmother, Doris Alexander, had passed away.  Please pray for strength and comfort for Jennifer's family during this difficult time of grieving.

Things appear to be moving along well for Matt and Beth Ramsdell, but we need to continue to pray for them and, especially, for their little baby-on-the-way.  Pray that the baby will grow stronger and healthier every day.

Jennifer Fadal has asked us to pray for a little boy named Ethan, who is the son of one of Jennifer's friends from work.  Ethan is in the hospital in Round Rock with brain problems.  Please pray for strength and better days for Ethan.

Jennifer also would like for us to pray for another one of her friends from work named Cherry.  Cherry's mother past away recently.

Last (but certainly not least!) from Jennifer, she would like for us to pray for her brother and sister-in-law.  They recently lost a baby at the end of the first trimester.  Please pray for comfort and God's grace for Wendy and Jennifer's brother during this time.

Vince E. has asked that we pray for a friend of his mother's.  She has been struggling with cancer in her spine.  Pray for better health for her.

Also from Vince, he has asked that we pray for one of his colleagues from work who is searching for a new position.

Teresa Sullivan would like for us to pray for all of the teachers and students who will be dealing with the TAKS test this week.

Great news from the Jantz family!  They have officially sold their home in Oklahoma.  This means that they cannot leave and are therefore official Texans at this point (whether you like it or not!).  Loren and Jenny also have found a home here in town that they plan to buy.  Please ask God to be with the Jantzes as they finalize things with their new home and make the transition.

Also with the Jantzes, we need to pray for Loren's mom, Kathy (sp?).  She has not been feeling well recently and has had some tests done to determine what might be causing her discomfort.  Please pray for health and strength for Kathy.

Bernie Hookham gave us an update today on Madison, the little girl we have been praying for for some time.  The great news is that Madison has come home from the hospital!  The family has set up a "clean room" in their home so that Madison can stay there.  Please ask God to continue to be with Madison and her family.

Finally (but certainly not leastly!), please pray for Mary Erickson as she continues to search for a better position here in the Waco area.  Ask God to comfort Mary and Vince during this search.

BE SURE TO VOTE THIS TUESDAY!

In other news, we have a very big day on Tuesday of this week.  Be sure to show up at your polling place ready to vote!  All eyes are on Texas, so let's make sure that we do this right.  God is not a Republican, nor is he a Democrat, so we need to think long and hard about every race.  We will make some crucial decisions this week that will impact all of us for many years to come.  Make sure your vote is counted!  If, by chance, you need help finding out where you should vote, please do not hesitate at all to send me a message and ask.  The time to get involved is now!

PEW FORUM RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE SURVEY

I enjoyed our discussion this morning about the Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey.  Thanks to all of you for your interesting and thoughtful comments.  There is much more to the survey than we had time to discuss.  I encourage you to click here to learn more about the survey results.  Interesting stuff!

READING FOR NEXT WEEK

As for next week, we will plan to discuss Chapter 9, "Decision Making" in The Perfect Leader.  I also may come across another interesting article this week, so stay tuned.

I think that's all for now.  Dana and I will look forward to seeing all of you next Sunday morning!

Wes and Dana

Article for Tomorrow, etc.

Dear Friends:

Good afternoon!  I hope all of you are having a good weekend.  I ran across an article recently that I would like for us to discuss tomorrow.  It's about a survey that was recently completed by the Pew Form, which studies religion in America.  Click here to read the article.  I have had copies made for tomorrow's class.

We will also plan to discuss Chapter 8 in The Perfect Leader.

I think that's all for now.  Dana and I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Wes

P.S.--Go Baylor Bears!