Circuit 1 (Van Wert, Lima and Defiance area) NEWS:
District President Cripe visits Pastors of Circuit 1 gathered at Emmanuel, Van Wert to discuss "The Incarnation: Who is Jesus Christ and what are the Implications of His Incarnation?" by Dean Wenthe
Next Winkel scheduled for 13 January 09 at Redeemer, Convoy
The topic will be "The Sanctity of Life: What makes life sacred?" James Lamb
Feb 10 at St Stephen, Defiance
The Topic will be "The Sacrament of Holy Baptism: What is the place of Baptism in Christian Life?" Robert Preece
March 10 2009 St Thomas, Ohio City
The Topic will be "The Sacrament of Holy Communion: What is the meaning and what are the benefits of the Lord's Supper?" Art just
A sad farwell: Rev. Griebel accepted the Call to serve at Lutheran Homes in Ft. Wayne.His last Sunday in the pulpit at St. John, Wapakoneta wasNovember 2nd.
Pictured are the members of Circuit 2 in Northwest Ohio at St Paul, Napoleon (November 18, 2008) . Among their guests was Pastor Vern Bok (pictured on the right) of St John, Garfield Heights, Ohio (and the Ohio District's Missions and Ministry Facilitator for Northeastern Ohio). Pastor Bok spoke to the pastors of Circuit 2 about Project Barnabas, the Synod's attempt to help congregations reach out to and support deployed service members and their families.
Circuit 2 Napoleon Circuit Next Meetings:
January 20, 2009 (Tuesday) at 9:00 AM
Host: Zion, Ridgeville
Topic: Restructuring the Synod – Rev. Lance O’Donnel
Exegetical: Rev. Al Martis
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St Paul, Napoleon recently finished a very encouraging and successful effort with Consecrated Stwards.
for further information please contact: Rev. James Herndon at herndonj@oh.lcms.org
Interesting and helpful website: Prince of Peace in Oregon Ohio
go to: http://princeofpeaceoregon.com/
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Members of St Philip, Toledo celebrate Black History on Sunday February 22, 2009
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Circuit 3 Toledo area
Circuit 3 joined together at its December 1st meeting to say "Good By" to pastor Charlie Brandt of Trinity, Toledo. Pastor Brandt (in the solid red shirt in the back of the group), will be leaving with his family around 14 December for his new church in Madison Wisconsin. Pastor Brandt has over the years seen wonderful growth in numbers as Trinity grew from around 300 to its present average worship attendance of over 730.
Recently, along with Pastor Marcis and the members of St Paul, Napoleon, Pastor Brandt and the members of Trinity, Toledo began the church plant of River of Faith mission congregation in Waterville, Ohio.
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CONSECRATED STEWARDS IN CIRCUIT 3
Circuit 3 (Toledo Area). Began Consecrated Stewards in 2008.
Trinity, Toledo completed Consecrated Stewards on April 27, 2008.
for further information please contact: Rev. James Herndon at herndonj@oh.lcms.org
River of Faith made it through our first summer and has been truly blessed by God. Despite many members of the original launch team going back to their original churches or only helping us part time, we have maintained a steady attendance because of new people that are now attending. With summer over and people attending more consistently, we have had attendance figures in the 40's for the last four weeks. We continue to have new people visit almost every Sunday and are building relationships with them. We are starting small group book and Bible studies in October and hope that this will help build relationships as well as make disciples.
River of Faith held three monthly picnics over the summer to get to know each other and they were well attended. The best part was that different people attended each picnic so it wasn't just the same people but new ones getting acquainted each month. We are getting ready to have a booth at Roche de Boufe, a local festival, for the second year in a row. We will be handing out free water bottles with our logo so we are hoping for a hot day
We had our first baptism this last Sunday, Sept. 14th, and look forward to as many as four more this fall. This has been my greatest joy as well as seeing people who were not going to church previously get involved again. So far, we haven't reached many of the unchurched, but has mainly reached the dechurched (those who used to attend, but stopped for various reasons in the past). The best statement I received in this regard was from a man who has been attending since we started weekly services in March and has become fairly involved in River of Faith. He said to me one Sunday: "Tim, over the time I was out of church, my faith never wavered. However, I had lost faith in the institutionalized church, but you have restored that faith. Thank you." I praise God for this and the other lives that He is reaching through us.
Please keep us in your prayers and especially pray that we would continue to reach out in the Waterville area, that our small groups would go well and that the newer people would find their place of service at River of Faith. Finally, Heidi and I put our house up for sale in Toledo so we can move to Waterville. Please pray that we sell our house in God's timing.
Thank you and God bless,
Pastor Tim Behnke
In Christ,
Pastor Tim Behnke
Ephesians 2:4-10