**DON'T FORGET**

THERE ARE ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT BEFORE
"A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER"!
IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED-UP TO HELP, BROUGHT IN GIFTS, PURCHASED RAFFLE TICKETS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT IS NEEDED, PLEASE CALL CINDY SMITH AT 541-276-7020

*Christmas Shopping, Connecting, & Decorating*

*Christmas Shopping, Connecting, & Decorating*
It’s time for our monthly connection time!
Ladies your help is needed with decorating our Church with reflections of Christmas!
Friday, December 4th @6pm!
Come support our sister’s creativity and shop at our very own Christmas Bazaar and enjoy a bowl of homemade soup!
We will continue the merriment upstairs as we gather our hands together and dress up our church foyer and sanctuary for Christmas!
You don’t have to have a decorators touch…Just a willing heart with willing hands!

LADIES NIGHT

Join us in the coffee room...
Friday November 6th at 6:30pm
Come down for a good time of fellowship, coffee and treats!
This Sunday, October 11th, is the FINAL day for any registration for Retreat…they must be turned in on Sunday if you are planning on coming and your registration fee needs to be paid in full.
We don’t want anyone to miss out on this great time away!
If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Kristi Keene, Becky Manderscheid, or Sue Ellen Smith.
Memorial Service for Pam Moon
Monday, October 5th, 4pm at Pendleton First Assembly.
We need 2 ladies who can be at the church around 2pm to help prepare the food and stay to serve the dinner . We also need ladies to bring a dessert, mashed potatoes, and/or a salad, either Sunday or Monday by noon.
If you are able to help, please call Molli at the church office 276-6417,or Kristi at 966-63
54.
Happy Sunny Summer!
We have scheduled a Women’s Night Out – a social session for all of the girls in the church to get together, catch up, become better acquainted, etc.
It is scheduled for Friday, September 4th 6:30-9pm in the coffee house. We realize this is Labor Day weekend and some families will be out-of-town, but we really need to do this and we believe some of our ladies really need this. There are no plans for this evening other than asking each of you to bring a snack to share! This will be a very relaxed atmosphere for us just to enjoy fellowship with one another, maybe play a game, maybe sip some coffee.
Let us know if you think you can come!

Back to School Outreach

Would you be willing to help with an outreach to our church family & COMMUNITY to offer hope & encouragment to families going through difficult times during this economy down turn? Our emphasis would be helping families with back-to-school needs - such as backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, shoes & possibly some clothes or maybe a bag of groceries with breakfast/lunch items? We would do it Aug 22. at the church.
If you are interested or would like more information you can contact Maria Carney at gpcarneyis@gmail.com

From Kristi's heart...

Most people who know even just a little about me, know that I have a garden. If you were to happen by my house early in the morning you will find me outside tending to my garden. I tend to spend most of my free time there, but it's not for reason's most people tend to believe. My garden is my place of enjoyment, discipline, and surrender. And it's the very place where I can seek the very heartbeat of God and I tend to hear Him speak to me the loudest.

As I've been out in my garden the past few weeks, I've been amazed at all the weeds. Sometimes I take the time to pull them as they pop up while I'm watering. Sometimes I just don't have the time or take the time to pull them up as they are revealed. When I came back from vacation, I was amazed to see how much the weeds had grown and how invasive they were on the plants I am trying to nurture.

Little by little I've been weeding...trying to commit myself to pull at least a few each day. I've come to realize that I have to really commit to getting rid of the weed, if I half-heartily just rip it out, I rip off the top of the weed at the surface of the soil instead of uprooting it entirely. And if I ignore it because it appears small and allow it to grow for just a few extra days I come back to find it has doubled in size. The weed has stolen all of the water and nutrients from the soil that were intended for my plant. When I go to pull it out, it takes much more of my strength and effort because it's root system has dug down deep. There are some weeds I have ignored and because of it the weeds begin to compromise my plants and I am left with the decision to leave the weed and allow it to grow with my plant and continue to compromise the health of my plant or pull it and do all I can to nurture my plant and hope the life remains and the health of the plant is restored.

While weeding the Lord has continued to speak to my heart about this garden. How my life is filled with so many weeds. Some are under the surface and I don't even realize it while some are small and easily pulled out. Yet there are others that I have ignored either out of laziness or fear or my own resistant stubbornness. Sometimes in my impatience or half-hearted desire to deal with it, I break them off at the surface and the weed remains allowing the roots to sprout up more weeds. My Gardner gently and lovingly points out to me the weeds I have allowed to continue to grow and I am left with the choice to continue to ignore them and allow them to compromise the healthy life or trust Him as the Master Gardener, to get rid of those weeds that will compromise and choke out His life within me. He has come to give us an Abundant Life...a garden that is full of beautiful life with a sweet aroma pleasing to Him and all those around us receive the benefits of it, but it's up to us whether or not we will ignore the weeds and then once we see them, how we will allow them to be dealt with.

I have a garden...it's full of weeds, but I'm grateful I have a Master Gardner who is lovingly and patiently waiting to help me tend to it.


Kristi
You are invited to...

Awaken to a New Day
a journey into all things new.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19
Pendleton First Assembly's Women's Retreat
October 16-18, 2009
Cove Christian Camp, Cove Oregon
Registration begins Sunday, July 19th, 2009 with a $25 deposit as SPACE IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST 100 LADIES.
Cost before September 1st $75, after is $100
Check-in for camp will be Friday, October 16 between 5-7pm. Camp will be dismissed early afternoon on Sunday, October 18th.
MOMMIE & ME
THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH 6:30PM
BRING YOUR KIDDOS AND COME HAVE SOME FUN!
BOUNCY HOUSE AND A SPECIAL DECORATE-YOUR-OWN-CUPCAKE PROJECT.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER MOMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CHURCH.
BRING A FRIEND AND LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!

**AWAKEN TO A NEW DAY**

The planning has begun....mark your calanders ladies and start saving...we are having our very own,
**Women's Retreat **
October 2009!
If you are interested in helping with any of the prep, planning, praying, ect. please send us an email at:
DON'T FORGET:
FAMILY FUN BOWLING NIGHT
SUNDAY MAY 24TH
CONTACT ELI & CINDY SMITH FOR DETAILS
276-7020
NO MOMMIE & ME TOMORROW...MAY 21ST
NEXT MOMMIE & ME IS MAY 28TH AT 6:30PM
SEE YOU THERE!
*Baby Shower for Jesica Hardcastle and Nicole Hardcastle*

These sweet young ladies are sisters.
Jessica just recently gave birth to a baby boy and
Nicole will be having a baby girl very soon!

Help us bless and love on these two young ladies,
Saturday, May 16th at 10:30am
at Sherri Brown's house, 3305 SW Hailey

See you there!

Coming Soon

Mother's Day Brunch and Fashion Show is coming May 9th at 10:30am.
(Call or email us if you would like to help with this event)
Mommie & Me Thursdays at 9:30am in the gym.
**April 30th- 6:30pm and evening session of Mommie & Me for working moms**

Making Meals for our families/seniors in need Sunday May 3rd
**VERY IMPORTANT!**
**MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT**
WOMEN'S OPEN FORUM
APRIL 6TH 6:30PM
IN THE CHAPEL
KRISTI WILL BE SHARING THE HEART OF WOMEN'S MINISTRY
WHO IS IT ANYWAY?
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE AND MISSION?
WHO IS WOMEN'S MINISTRY FOR?
WHY DOES IT MATTER TO ME?
DO THEY REALLY NEED ME?
NOT ONLY DO WE WANT YOU, WE NEED YOU! WE ARE A BIG JIG-SAW PUZZLE THAT IS MISSING VITAL PIECES -YOU! WE NEED YOUR THOUGHTS, IDEAS, HANDS, FEET AND HEARTS. WOMEN'S MINISTRY NEEDS WHAT YOU ALONE CAN OFFER!
GOD HAS GIVEN KRISTI A CLEAR VISION FOR WHERE HE WANTS TO LEAD THE WOMEN OF OUR CHURCH, THE SHORT COMINGS IN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP, AND THE CHANGES VITAL FOR THE HEALTH AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS MINISTRY. SHE WILL BE OFFERING HER HEART AS WELL AS CHALLENGING YOU TO PARTNER WITH HER IN THIS JOURNEY WITH AN OPEN FORUM FOR QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS.

New for Spring!

Ladies we need you and your talents and gifts! We have some great opportunities for you to use your ideas, your hands and your hearts...

"Comfort in Your Own Skin"
Mother’s Day Fashion Show & Brunch
Saturday, May 9th, 2009
(Times and details to come)

Summer Women’s Day Hikes back by popular demand!
(Dates & Time still come)

October 16-18th – Fall Women’s Retreat
Join us for a weekend away!
(Details coming soon)

More great things to look forward to:

We have more great things coming up for our ladies! Here is a list of a few of them. Please feel free to email us or call the church for more info.

  • Join us February 6th in the Living Room at 6:30pm for coffee, treats and a movie! We will provided coffee and popcorn...you bring your favorite sweets.
  • Create-a-thon March 13&14th -be sure not to miss it! The Living Room will be open for those of you who feel you aren't "crafty", but still want to join in...look for details soon!
  • Ladies Fashion Show May 9th...look for more details soon!
  • Ladies bible studies...coming in February
  • Look for more info about shopping trips, movie nights, hiking trips, Women of Faith, ect...it's going to be an Extraordinary year in Women's Ministries

COMING UP...

www. Hearts is back on their regular schedule. Please join them for lunch in the church multipurpose room on Tuesday, January 26th at 12 noon. It will be an excellent time of fellowship!

Coming soon! We are planning for our Create-a-thon. The date has been set for March 13th & 14th. Ladies can plan to bring sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, stamping, crocheting, knitting, card making, and any other creative projects to work on. We will start on the 13th at 6 pm and finish up at 6pm on the 14th. It is sure to be an inspiring, exciting and fun event.

Please join us in preparing for this event. We need your prayers, labor, gifts, talents and passions. We are a committed community of women sharing the amazing Love of Jesus and the Extraordinary ways He has transformed each of our lives. We have so much work to do, with so many women to reach....their Eternity is at stake!

In other news....The Gathering Place is open to be utilized! We have books, videos & other resources available. Also, it is a place that is open for private prayer, reflection and sharing. If you would like to add to our resource collection, please do!