One little boy told the other that he was adopted.  "Adopted," said the friend.  "What is that?"  The little boy answered, "Well, it means that I grew in my mother’s heart instead of her tummy."

A beautiful thought, isn’t it?  It takes a special kind of person with a special kind of love adopt a child as their own!  Did you know, however, that we are all adopted.  It’s one of the most thrilling descriptions in the Bible of our relationship to our Heavenly Father.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.  And because you are children, God has sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'  So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God" (Galatians 4:4-7)

When a couple decided to adopt a child, they often look for certain things (not always, but often).  A healthy child, a newborn, perhaps one of the same nationality, etc.  Can you imagine someone wanting to adopt the dirtiest, most repugnant, meanest child available?  It would take a special kind of love, wouldn’t it?  Did you know that is exactly what God did with us?  He didn’t seek out perfect people.  He didn’t look for spiritual giants.  He didn’t go for angels.  He adopted the dirtiest, rottenest, meanest race of people on earth--sinners.  That tell me something about the nature of God!  God is love!  God is grace!  He’s my father, and I love him--because he first loved me.

Mark Mason, Ohio

Medina Children’s Home will send their truck for our winter collection during the week of March 28.  They have asked us to collect toilet paper.  There will be boxes in the foyer for your donations.

There will be a Supper-N-Song for our evening worship tonight.  All are invited for fabulous fun and fantastic finger foods!

There will be a Building and Grounds Committee meeting tonight.

CHILDREN
Karen and Kathy would like everyone to be on the watch for pictures of animals that they could cut out of magazines, post cards, etcetera.  The children will be making an animal collage for a take-home project during VBS.  They hope to have a big turn out and need everyone to help them out with this.

YOUTH & COLLEGE
The youth group and college aged group will be meeting at Brad’s house at 5:00 next Sunday for a Super Bowl Party!  1741 Walnut - all are welcome to come!

Do you ever find yourself reflecting back with a surprise on a conversation you had with a friend? Maybe you’re not surprised by what your friend said, but what you said.  "Did I really say that?"  You think, "where did that frustration come from?  Why was I suddenly saying those negative things?"

When we put our thoughts and feeling into words, we learn not only about ourselves, but who we are as a church body.  When we turn our thoughts into words and send them out to be heard by another, we experience them in a new way.  Often, in spite of honest efforts and good intentions, we are blind to our own strength and weaknesses.  Sometimes a very good friend can help us by reflecting out words back to us, help us to see ourselves more clearly, from a new perspective.

Spending time in thoughtful conversation gives us an opportunity to see ourselves from outside our own awareness.  People have unique character and personalities.  Agreed?  Can we also agree that churches have unique characters and personalities?  However, churches are composed of many members; no single member is Woodlawn.  Therefore, single conversations can help Woodlawn see itself from a new perspective.  Just as an individual, churches can also gain insight from conversation and reflection on questions such as: Don’t we want our purpose to be God’s purpose?  Don’t we want our mission to be God’s mission?  How do we see ourselves in relation to God’s mission?  How do others see us?  Do we all agree on what God’s mission is?  What if we all agree on God’s mission and we all agree that working together to His purposes, but others, those in the world, don’t’ see us that way?  After prayerful consideration, your elders have decided that Woodlawn members will have the opportunity to converse about God’s mission in our life together and in relation to the world and our community.  We are excited about sharing our vision for Woodlawn and eagerly wait to share in hearing your vision in how we are as a community can live out God’s will.

Jer. 30:9 states, "I know the plans I have for you.  Not to harm you but to give you a future and hope."  May we all remember God’s promise in blessing us as we turn to him for guidance.  Jer. 33:3 states, "Call on Me; and I WILL answer and show you marvelous things that you so not know."  Please make plans now to join us in the near future for we will be happy to talk to you...   ...Conversation...

The Elders

STATISTICS FOR JANUARY 23, 2004