Stefanie Bunting and Meals for the Buntings

Friends:

I'm sure that all of you recall that Stefanie Bunting had to go undergo back surgery. I do not have any information on how the surgery went, so, if anyone knows details, please pass them along to me.

I have, however, been contacted by Jenny Jantz and Nancy Walker about asking to see who from our class would like to volunteer to take a meal. If you would like to do this, please contact either Jenny Jantz or Nancy Walker at the contact information below.

In the mean time, let's of course be praying for complete and speedy recovery for Stefanie.

Jenny Jantz
Email: jennyjantz@hotmail.com
Cell Phone: 644-0366
Home Phone: 235-6368

Nancy Walker
Email: nancyw@grandecom.net
Cell Phone: 214-5879

Thanks for considering helping the Buntings while Stefanie recovers!

Wes

3-Day Weekend News and Other Stuff

Good evening, all! Hope you're enjoying the 3-day weekend. Let's get right to our prayers this week.

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

I know there are lots of people traveling this week, but I know for sure about the Goolsbys. Please pray for their safe travel.

We also need to continue to pray for the VanZees following the death of Jill's grandfather. Pray, also, for little Raelynn. She's been sick with, believe it or not, ear infections.

Vince E has asked that we pray for his dad. He is 83 and has been having some difficult days lately. He takes lots of medications, which sometimes don't seem to work too well together. Please pray for better days for John Erickson and his wife (Vince's mom, of course!).

Teresa Sullivan brought a praise this morning that the Sullivans have purchased a home! Please pray for a smooth closing and transition for the Sullivans. Praise God that this will be a much better place for Ben, Teresa, and the kids. Teresa will be letting us know when we can help with the move-in. Just let us know, Teresa! I have a mean dollie that can move boxes like nobody's business. Wimps like Jeff Hookham and Greg Hudson seem to go for the small stuff, but me, on the other hand, I prefer to move refrigerators, pianos, couches, books, and big screen TVs. Just let us know when we can help!

Last but certainly not least, let's continue to pray for the Jantzes as they settle into their new home. They are finally official residents of Central Texas! They closed on their home last Friday. Pray that God will continue to be with Loren and Jenny during this time of transition.

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I just thought of one more matter. Us Nulls brought the goods this morning. Thanks, us! Next week, Vince and Mary are in charge. We appreciate it, Ericksons!

I think that covers things for this week, folks. Thanks again to Steve May for leading the class through "Lord, Save us from Our Followers". I'll look forward to another good class discussion next week. Come join us, folks!

See you then,

Wes

Who's free to help the Jantzes this weekend?

Friends:

See the message below from Loren and Jenny Jantz. I'll be helping them on Friday evening. Can anyone else make it to help on either Friday evening or Saturday morning? If so, send a message to Loren and to me. I've already volunteered to carry all of the pillows. :)

Hope to see some of you there!

Wes

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Wes,

Thanks for continuing to include us in the Christian living emails. The music on the blog is great and uplifting everytime we check in. Jenny and I wanted to let you that we are closing on our house on Friday morning. I know the class has been praying for us for a long time to have closure on our move from Tulsa. We have hired the movers to take care of all the big items, beds, dressers appliances etc. We wanted to see if anyone from class could help us Friday evening 6-9pm or Saturday morning 8am - noon in moving most of the small boxes and clothes. We will offer up free beverages and pizza on Saturday. I have a 17foot U-Haul rented to minimize the trips from our duplex in McGregor to the new house.

You can contact us by cell phones while the house is getting in order. Our new information will be:

11001 Westwood Drive
Woodway, TX 76712
254-235-6368 home
254-644-7789 LJ cell
254-644-0366 JJ cell

Loren's email address: lorenjantz@hotmail.com

Just let us know if you have any questions.

Loren and Jenny

A Great Note from David and Ashlee McCrary!

What a terrific note from Ashlee and David! Thanks, folks! We'll be praying for you as you move . . . . Told ya' the jokes were a hit (well, kinda).

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Dear Class:

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to extend a huge thanks to all of you for being so welcoming to us as we joined your class last Fall. This was our first Sunday School class to join, and we couldn't have joined a better one!

We have really enjoyed the lesson books, "jokes," and discussions. More importantly we enjoyed the feeling of "family"--especially after the birth of our daughter and everyone's generosity. You all have made us motivated to become more involved in church, and we appreciate that. Hope to visit again soon!

Lots of love,

David, Ashlee, and Rylie McCrary

Some More Prayers for this Week

Thanks for adding these prayer requests to your prayers for this week.

Thanks,

Wes

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From Franci Rogers:

Hi Wes,

When you get a chance, could you add one more prayer to the list? You may remember my friend, Chris, in Minnesota who had a baby around Christmastime. He was born with "hypoplastic left heart syndrome," which required an open-heart surgery soon after he was born. He's having a second surgery today (Monday). The whole story is here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/edwardkunze (I encourage anyone who has a minute to sign the guestbook. It's really a source of strength for Chris to know so many people are praying for baby Eddie.)

Thanks,
Franci

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From Brian VanZee:

Hey Wes,

I have another prayer concern to add to your list; Jill’s Grandfather passed away early Sunday morning. It was kind of ironic that he passed away this weekend because all of Jill’s family was home for her niece’s graduation so all of the kids were able to see him one last time and to be there for Jill’s mother. Please pray for comfort for Jill, her mom, and the rest of the family.

Brian

Class Matters for This Week

Friends:

Good evening, all! Let's start with a big thanks to Steve May for getting us off to a great start this morning on our new book! We certainly appreciate it, Steve.

Next, thanks to the Buhners for bringing our donuts and kolaches! Next week, Sean and Stefany Goolsby are in charge. Thanks, Goolsbys!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

We have a number of people to pray for and praises to give this week. First off, please pray for Ashlee and David McCrary. They will begin hauling stuff to Houston this week for their move. Pray for safe travel and a good start in their new home. We're gonna miss you guys terribly, Dave and Ashlee! We'll be praying for you.

Next, Jill and Raelynn VanZee are in South Dakota this week visiting family. Please pray for safe travel for Raelynn and Jill and for steady days for Brian and Breeley here at home.

Jenny LaSeur has asked that we pray for her and her family. Many of them will be traveling this week to celebrate the 80th birthday of Jenny's grandmother. Enjoy the event, Jenny! We'll be praying for you.

Kayla Jacque is headed to Chicago this week. Please pray for a safe trip for Kayla. Let's also be sure to pray for Russ while he's back here at home with Jackson.

Ben Sullivan is headed back to work on Tuesday. The good news is that he doesn't have to travel all the way to an offshore rig anymore. Please pray for safe travel for Ben and for Teresa back here at home.

We need to keep up our prayers for Shawn Buhner and his parents. It looks as though they may have at last made the decision to move into a better situation. Please pray that things will work out. Continue to pray for Shawn and Shelley while they help Shawn's parents work through this difficult time of transition.

Last but certainly not least, let's not forget our friend Amy Nicholson! We need to continue to pray for the little one that Amy is caring. Please pray for more strength for this little baby every day. (For those of you who don't know, Brian and Amy have been teaching one of the kids' classes during the 10:50 hour lately. That's why we haven't seen them. I believe the Schneiders have been teaching as well. I hope I'm not forgetting anyone! Thanks to both of you for your tremendous service to our kids!).

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I think that's all for now, folks. If you would like a copy of our new class book, don't forget to let Steve May know at smay@hot.rr.com. We'll look forward to seeing all of you again next Sunday!

Have a great week,

Wes and Dana

News, Mommy's Day, and Prayer-related Stuff

Friends:

Good evening! I hope everyone has had a good Mother's Day weekend. First off, I want to say a big welcome to Nicki (sp?), Brian Harris's friend, who was a guest in our class this morning. Great to have you, Nicki! I hope you will come back to see us again soon.

We also need to say a big thanks to Greg and Courtney H. for bringing us bagels this morning! Thanks, Hudsons! Next week, Shawn and Shelley Buhner are in charge. Thanks for signing up, Buhners!

PRAYERS, PRAISES, ETC.

As far as prayers are concerned, we need to continue to pray for strength for Mary and Vince E. We're praying for you guys, Ericksons! Please ask God to continue to be with the Ericksons as they look toward brighter days in the future.

Also on the Erickson front, we need to pray for Mary's cousin. He has had some difficult days recently, including having a tank of gas siphoned from his car! I'm afraid gas thievery could become a more common crime in the weeks and months ahead. Time for locking gas caps?!

Let's continue our prayers for David and Ashlee McCrary as they prepare for their move to Houston. David has also asked that we pray for everyone at his TV station who is working to replace him and a few others who have found new work.

We also need to continue our prayers for Matt and Beth Ramsdell.

Jill and Raelynn VanZee are hopping on a plane this week to visit family in South Dakota. Please pray for their safe travel. Let's also pray for Brian and little Breeley while they're here at home while Jill and Raelynn are out of town.

Let's keep praying for Steve May's dad. He's still battling Parkinson's disease as well as some other symptoms related to dementia. Please pray for better days for Steve's parents.

Jennifer May has a friend whose husband recently lost his job. Please pray for him and his family while they find new work.

Vince Erickson also has a prayer request related to his brother. He recently decided to leave teaching and begin working for an oil company in Oklahoma. Please pray for Vince's brother while he goes through this time of transition.

Last but not least, Brad Burney has asked that we pray for one of their little ones, Brittain (sp?). Brittain came down with a sickness this morning. Please pray for better health.

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NEW BOOK NEXT WEEK!

Don't forget that Steve May will begin leading us through a new book next week. For more on the book, click here. I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on the book!

Dana and I hope that all of you have a great week.

See you next Sunday!

Wes and Dana

Prayer Request from Steve May

Friends:

Thanks for your prayers for Steve and his family.

Wes

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Wes,

Please forward this on to the class. My dad's Parkinson Disease is progressing much faster than any of us expected. He is having hallucinations constantly during the day and night. Consequently, he's not getting any sleep and neither is my mom. He is also having trouble eating. The medicine the doctors have put him on doesn't seem to be working very well. My older brother, who lives the closest to my parents, is having to handle the bulk of the problems. So, we just need some prayers for the whole family but mainly my dad, mom and brother.

Thanks,

Steve

Update on Bella Bartram's Surgery

Thanks for praying for Bella. So far, so good!

Wes

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From Brian Bartram:

Bella had her surgery on her hand this morning and is doing fine. In fact, when they called us into the recovery room she was already awake and reaching for mommy. The doctor excised a strip out of her birthmark containing two dark spots, with a biopsy being performed on the dark spots to ensure that they are not malignant. Once the spots are confirmed benign, then we have as long as we need to remove the rest. According to the doctor, it is now common practice to have birthmarks of this nature removed, as the risk for melanoma later in life is high. But for now, Bella is resting and doing great.

Brian, Pam, and Bella Bartram

News, Prayers, and More News

Dear Friends:

Good evening, all! How can we get weather like this all summer long?! Man, what a great day. If it weren't for a little nosedive that I took at the roller rink this afternoon (I'm sure Jeff Hookham and Brian VanZee will be glad to share details), today would have been ideal!

I hope you've enjoyed the photographs from the Cookout. Let's give one more thanks to Brian and Jill. Be careful, VanZees, someone may get the idea to make the Brisket Blowout an annual springtime event! We also need to thank Jeff Hookham for arranging the Bounce House. That was a big hit with the kids. Thanks, Jeff! If you still would like to donate to help pay for the Bounce House, please contact Jeff at jhookham@yahoo.com.

Next, let's thank Ashlee and David McCrary for bringing our donuts (and kolaches!) this morning. Thanks, McCrarys. We do appreciate it. Next week, the Hudsons are in charge. Thanks, Greg and Courtney!


PRAYERS AND PRAISES

We have lots of people that we need to pray for this week. First off, let's say a prayer for our friends Mary and Vince. I don't think it's any secret that the Ericksons have been wanting a baby. Well, Vince and Mary were brave enough to tell us this morning that they had an in vitro procedure several weeks ago that began well but ultimately resulted in them losing the baby. This is, of course, a difficult time for Mary and Vince. Thank you, Ericksons, for sharing this difficult news with us this morning. Please know that we are here for you. God is with you as well. He has big plans for you guys down the road. I hope that all of you will pray that God--and our church and class--will comfort Vince and Mary during this difficult time. Hang in there, Mary. One day at a time! We love you guys. Please let us know if there is anything else that we can do for you while we pray. From where I sit, your strength and courage reminds me to count my blessings. God will bless you guys very soon. I just know it.

Let's also continue to pray for Amy Nicholson's dad and Amy's entire family. Pray for strength and healing during this time of grieving.

In different news, it looks as though we will be losing another couple to the Houston area. Must everyone move to Houston?! That place is like a huge vacuum. David McCrary has taken a position with Ford Audio and Video. I believe he begins in about 2-3 weeks. Let's praise God for this great opportunity for David. Please pray for Ashlee, David, and Rylie as they make the move. We're gonna miss you guys, McCrarys!

We need to pray for Miss Raelynn VanZee. She has been dealing with a cold and a bit of a fever this weekend. Please pray that Raelynn will get back to full health soon.

Also on the Erickson front, Vince brought good news that his friends Cole and Iva did receive a positive ruling on the children they have been keeping for some time. They will be able to keep the kids, but another challenge by the biological parents has arisen. Please ask God to be with Cole and Iva as they begin to face this next--and hopefully last--round of court visits.

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Of course, we need to continue our prayers for Matt and Beth Ramsdell. I received this note below from Beth yesterday. We're continuing to pray for you, Matt and Beth!

MESSAGE FROM BETH RAMSDELL

Hi Wes,

I just wanted to send a thanks to the class for their support and prayers during this hard time for Matt and I. We are very lucky to be part of such a caring class that helped us through this tough time in our lives. Thank you so much for the beautiful plant that Amy delivered, Please keep us in your prayers and hopefully we will have good news again in the near future and will be blessed with another little one. God bless you all!

Beth Ramsdell

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Ben Sullivan will be flying home on Tuesday morning. We need to pray for his safe travel and for Teresa as she drives to Love Field to pick him up.

We need to pray for little Bella Bartram. She will be having surgery on her birth mark on Tuesday morning. Please pray for Bella, Pam, and Brian as they go through this experience. Pray that the surgery will go smoothly and that it will be completely successful. We're praying, Pam!

Last but certainly not least, I would like to say a praise for our church and, especially, for our church leadership. Steve R. brought the great news this morning that our church has been given a great honor. Out of about 36,000 United Methodist Churches in the country, our church is within the top 100 as far as attendance is concerned. Praise God for his great work at FUMC-Waco! This strikes me as a particularly good accomplishment given the fact that A) Waco is not a major metropolitan area, B) fifteen years ago our church went through some difficult times, and C) this town has more Baptist churches than it has Baptists! Praise God for our great church leadership and for everything that God is accomplishing through us. Onward and upward, my friends!

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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR NEXT BOOK

As I mentioned last Sunday, Steve May will be teaching our class for a few weeks beginning on May 18th. If you would like for Steve M. to order a copy of the book for $12.00, please email him at smay@hot.rr.com. Otherwise, you can pick up a copy here through Amazon.com. Thanks again to Steve for finding this book for us. I'm looking forward to it, Steve!


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I think that covers matters for today. I hope that all of you have a terrific week. We'll look forward to seeing you next Sunday morning!

Wes and Dana

Photos from the Brisket Blowout!

Thanks again to Brian and Jill for hosting the Cookout! I think we all had a great time. And let's be sure to praise God for the great weather and fellowship.

Enjoy the photos!

Wes