Shawnee Alliance SnapShot february 11 - Edition 50

In this Edition:

Message from Pastor Kris

Watch this video for a celebration of what God has done and an invitation into Community

Wednesday Groups and Classes Canceled Feb 12

Last Thursday, our Shawnee Community lost a fifteen-year-old student to complications of a brief illness. Her visitation will be held at Shawnee Alliance on Wednesday afternoon/evening. Shawnee Alliance values being part of our community, and it is an honor to open our doors to the family and friends grieving her loss. I’m sure you were looking forward to joining with your group this week; however, I have chosen to cancel all Wednesday night groups and classes for this Wednesday, February 12 to allow our team and facilities to be available to the family, students, and community as they grieve.

We hope you'll join your church family for the Ash Wednesday Service, March 5!

50th Edition SnapShot Survey

This is our 50th Edition of the SnapShot e-Newsletter! It all began in 2020 with the help of some our talented high school students, intending to provide a way to connect people to our vision and communicate upcoming events and important details. We hope it has been helpful to you!

Please take our brief, 4-question survey to help us continue to improve the SnapShot!

Take Survey

God is doing big things in and around Shawnee Alliance Church. Your giving to the building fund helps us improve our facilities to increase the effectiveness of our current and future ministries! You can partner with us through giving below. Thank you for cheerfully being part of Transforming Lives!

Partner Through Giving

Connect with us!

Building a community of faith... Leading people to become fully transformed followers of Jesus Christ.

New to Shawnee Alliance or have updated information?

Would you like to know more about the church, submit a prayer request or connect with a pastor? Or maybe you'd like to find out about upcoming groups and events or let us know of a change in contact information? Let us know by filling out a connect card below! We would love to hear from you!

Connect Card

How to Connect With Us

As you're continually called into God's presence, we invite you to dive deeper into community. Click the links below for more information, and always feel free to reach out and connect with us!

Website
Facebook

Stay connected, watch our services live, and share special events with friends and family!

YouTube

Watch our church services live or view previous messages! Playlists make it easy to navigate between different topics.

Church Center App

Download the Church Center App to connect with us, keep up on events, sign up for groups, give online, begin volunteering, view our newsletter, and more!

Podcast

Listen to our lively podcast discussions between our pastors and guest speakers. We cover many different topics, but they are all centered on how following Jesus impacts our everyday lives.

Join Community

Life Transformation happens through discipleship, serving, and making connections with others. Below are some opportunities to join community throughout the week and month!

If you have a question about how to get connected, please feel free to reach out to our staff by filling out a Connect Card. If you'd like to serve Jesus and others but you're unsure of where to start or what your fit might be, we invite you to visit shawneealliance.com/volunteer for some ideas! From there, we will work with you to determine your next step to thrive in the Shawnee Alliance community.

Fill out a Connect Card

New & Updated Groups

Ladies in grades 8-12 are invited to study and grow by looking at the truth of Scripture and how it is lived out in everyday life. We will learn how to study the Bible individually and also lead others through sharing our stories. We will meet each Sunday from 4:30-6pm in East Campus Room A until May 4 (except Easter Sunday, April 20). We are focusing on how walking with Jesus transforms us and helps us to not get stuck in the yuck.

More Info or Join

Wednesday Night Groups

We meet Wednesdays from 6:30-8pm until May 7, 2025

Groups and Classes Canceled Feb 12

Last Thursday, our Shawnee Community lost a fifteen-year-old student to complications of a brief illness. Her visitation will be held at Shawnee Alliance on Wednesday afternoon/evening. Shawnee Alliance values being part of our community, and it is an honor to open our doors to the family and friends grieving her loss. I’m sure you were looking forward to joining with your group this week; however, I have chosen to cancel all Wednesday night groups and classes for this Wednesday, February 12 to allow our team and facilities to be available to the family, students, and community as they grieve.

Whether you’re new to Shawnee Alliance or have been here a long time, getting involved in a group is a great way to join community and deepen your faith! We have groups for Kids, Teens and Adults!

View Groups

NEW & UPCOMING High School-Adult Groups:

Ongoing High School-Adult Groups:

We invite you to volunteer with Kids, Youth or Worship/Tech Ministries during Wednesday Night Groups! Please fill out the applicable volunteer form at the link below. Thank you!

Volunteer

Life Groups

Life Groups are groups of about 6-14 adults that meet together on a regular basis to enjoy fellowship and lift each other up in prayer. Many groups are family-focused and their children are welcome to come as well. These used to be referred to as In-Home Groups, but as we have brought more intentionality to the groups, we have decided to change the name as well. The "Life Groups" name comes from the intentional design of fostering Christian friendship while living life together. The name is also an acronym which stands for:

  • Love – build relationships and show love in the body of Christ
  • Instruct – study the Bible to grow in their knowledge of God
  • Fellowship – value the experience of being with other Christians and enjoying time in the body of Christ
  • Evangelism – as with everything at Shawnee Alliance Church, life groups are a part of the way we fulfill the Great Commission

You can visit shawneealliance.com/groups at any time to view groups that are open for new members, and new Life Groups form regularly. If you want to get involved but don't know where to start, or have any questions, please join the group "I am interested in joining a Life Group" on the Life Groups page, and you will be contacted about how to become part of a group!

More Info About Joining a Life Group

YouVersion Bible App

Join our church family on YouVersion! Download the app below and search for Shawnee Alliance, set as your home church, and connect with others through our weekly devotionals. Whether you do a Bible plan on your own, with your family or small group, or together with your church family, there are many opportunities to pursue discipleship together!

Download YouVersion

As we walk through each week, watch for updates on social media and in the YouVersion app for new plans! Join in our newest plan below:

Congregation Devotional

For more details, please see below or visit shawneealliance.com/groups. If you are interested in leading or hosting a small group, please contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com.

Ongoing Weekly Groups

Ongoing Monthly Groups

Don't see a group you'd like to attend? Contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com if you're interested in leading your own!

As we talk about Transformed Lives, here are some of the ways we share and live that out at Shawnee Alliance.

LifeWise

Another year of LifeWise has not only been a success, but we are also seeing the over-abundance of God working in so many ways through this program! We welcomed back students in September and have added more sessions along with additional volunteers. We have been able to open up enough space to add 8th grade, too! The students are dedicated to attending, are very interactive and attentive. It's great to see the impact this program has on the students as well as their relationships with the kids around them and their growth in knowledge of their relationships with Jesus.

LifeWise 2024 concluded with an appreciation event for volunteers and their spouses. It was eye-opening for our volunteers to see the the scope and impact of this ministry. There was so much fun in being together, interacting and getting to know many new people who have become involved in teaching and assisting our students in the classroom, as well as volunteers driving our students to their sessions. We have seen a great amount of growth in our volunteers, both at Shawnee Alliance and our partner churches. We appreciate our volunteers immensely for the impact they have on our students and their obedience to the call that God has placed on them to be involved in this ministry.

We are also celebrating that Jesus continues to bring us the financial support needed to keep this program running well. Thank you to those who support our program in this way. You are just as much a part of this and we appreciate you and the impact you are helping us make in our community!

Connected Women's Tea

Women of Shawnee Alliance came together in December for a Christmas Tea filled with laughter, fellowship, and delicious food. We look forward to welcoming you to our gatherings in 2025!

Children's Christmas Program

We are so proud of our Preschool and Kindergarten–4th grade kids for their wonderful Christmas Program on December 15! Thank you to everyone who volunteered, provided treats or came out to support these children and their hard work.

Thank You to Our Volunteers!

Whether you’re welcoming guests, teaching kids, leading worship or serving behind the scenes, your efforts make a lasting impact on our church family. We’re so grateful for all you do to share God’s love and build this community!

Baptism - January 19, 2025

Baptism is an exciting opportunity for those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and have decided to make their faith public. It is a recognition of the way God is working in people's lives and a celebration of joyful obedience as they choose to walk in Jesus' footsteps in the waters of Baptism. Eight people were baptized in January and we are so excited for them!

Kailynn Stacey

[Accepting Jesus into my heart was like] 'a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.'

'God is teaching me to use my struggles with anxiety to help others.'

Judy Wagner

'God is teaching me to be patient and forgiving with those around me.'

Jim Haviland

'God is teaching me patience and empathy with those he places around me.'

Liam Reid

'God is teaching me to read the Bible.'

Jacob Reid

'God is teaching me to be nicer and more kind.'

Haley Frueh

'I know He is the only way and the only one who can heal me.'

Derek Crawford

'God is leading me in the right direction and making me more patient. {I'm learning} I just need to do my best and that's good enough {for Him}.'

Isaiah Teodosio

"Jesus is teaching me to try to make good choices.'

Missions

Guinea, West Africa: April 24-May 4

Pray for the team as they come together as one and raise finances to serve overseas.

The team will serve by teaching English classes, assisting with eye exam & glasses distribution events, helping local churches and volunteering at the Child Rescue Center.

Missionary Updates

Emma Rex, Navigator Campus Ministry

I am back to working with Xavier students at the start of a new semester. We are studying Romans in our Monday Night Women’s Bible Study and are beginning a new series on Thursday nights to highlight discipleship and following Christ as Paul did in Philippians. Students have been engaged in conversation and community in both spaces, and I am so excited to see what God does in their lives over the next few months.

I am celebrating a significant PRAISE recently: God specifically answered a prayer I brought to Him over Christmas break. Last semester, many women would attend Bible study once or twice but then believe that they were too busy to attend regularly. There is a group of women that I prayed specifically for: that they would not be turned away by a new semester but rather drawn in and ready to embrace God and His community. This semester thus far, we have had ten women attend Bible study, and FIVE of them were these “fringe” students! We celebrated by talking about Romans and then spending time playing games with one another. My prayer is that they keep attending, that they become fully plugged in, and that they encounter the Lord in a way that sends them out to help others encounter Him, too. Please join me in praying for these women: Corinne, Abigail, Audray, Hannah, and Kaya.

As always, thank you for your beautiful contribution to the work God is doing at Xavier. He is using your gifts and prayers immensely in the lives of these students!

Pam Reeder, Marketplace Ministries in the Middle East

Thank you for the continued connection and appreciation to the church, congregation and mission committee for their ongoing prayer and monetary support! I am giving God praises for the opportunity to hold a Bible study with seekers in this area, and that that my new role at work is bringing in and building more connections with colleagues. Please pray with me for seeds to be planted and for my colleagues to experience Jesus's presence in me.

Missions at Shawnee Alliance

If you have any questions or would like to know more about mission trip opportunities, please contact Jessica at missions@shawneealliance.com.

Prayer Ministry

Prayer is not just something we do, it's a part of who we are. We incorporate prayer into everything we do -- because prayer brings us closer to God, and that's right where we want to be.​

Send & Receive Prayer Requests

We invite you to pray alongside us as a community for different needs throughout our congregation and world! A great way to do this is by receiving Prayer Request emails with updated prayer needs for those in our church. Sign up below!

Receive Prayer Request Emails

You can send prayer requests and updates to prayer@shawneealliance.com, and we will pass it on to our Prayer List so we can all pray for you! If you'd rather keep your prayer request private to the pastors and staff, please fill out a Connect Card at the bottom of our website and mark your prayer request "Private".

Join the Partners in Prayer Team

On a rotating schedule, 2-3 people arrive before each Sunday service to walk through the buildings and pray for the pastors, worship team, and everyone who will join together in worship that day. Join with us to partner with the Holy Spirit as He brings to mind the right people to pray for and how to come alongside them!

Volunteer for Partners in Prayer Team

Join the Prayer Counselors Team

Toward the end of the worship services, we invite people to receive prayer in our Prayer Area. Prayer Counselors wait in the designated areas at the end of the services to meet with people, listen, and pray for them as the Holy Spirit leads.

Volunteer for Prayer Counselors Team

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities & Forms

Reach out to our staff at any time by filling out a connect card at the bottom of our website!

Volunteer Highlight: Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen

Come have fun while serving lunch with us!

I would like to invite you to serve at Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen & Community Center. It is a warm place for people in need to gather and have a hot meal. As we volunteer together, we get to know each other beyond just a friendly greeting at church, creating a deeper bond. There are many different jobs and you can choose how you are most comfortable serving. You may want to give your testimonial, help prepare the food, pass out the food on the serving line, pray with people, wipe off tables, etc. We all have the same goal of serving and being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Miss Sharon, our amazing cook, let us know of some things that are always in need: Dawn dishwashing liquid, bleach, sugar, butter and coffee. It made me think of how blessed most of us are, to have these very ordinary things readily available in our homes and the ability to purchase more as we need them. Then I thought about the enormity of keeping these items stocked when you are feeding lunch and dinner to well over 100 people each day! That is well over 500 people per week, every week of the year. Our Daily Bread operates 100% on donations; they do not receive any tax dollars for the services they provide to the community.

If you would like to donate any of the above items, please drop them off at the church office and let us know they're for the soup kitchen. You may also donate directly to Our Daily Bread at 125 S. Central Ave. in Lima. They are open weekdays, 7:00am – 5:30pm.

Our church volunteers on both the third Thursday and the fourth Tuesday of every month, and would love to have you join us! Click the button below to learn more or get involved!

Paula K. Riedel

More Info/Sign Up

Bible Reading Plan

Bring transformation to your life by reading your Bible! You will get to know Jesus on a deeper level and learn wisdom for your everyday choices.

You can find a free Bible in any of our church lobbies. Please feel free to take one when you're with us at church on Sunday or download the YouVersion app on your phone.

Download YouVersion Bible App

Use this simple SOAP format to guide your interaction with God's Word:

  • Scripture. Take your time reading each chapter and allow God to speak to you.
  • Observation. What do you see God doing in the Scripture? What is God saying to you?
  • Application. Ask yourself how you can apply this to your life right now.
  • Prayer. Communicate with God and ask Him to help you apply this to your life.

Try adding a chapter from Proverbs every day to the below plan! This list is also posted every Sunday on our Facebook page.

  • Tuesday, February 11 - Psalm 139
  • Wednesday, February 12 - Ephesians 5
  • Thursday, February 13 - Luke 11
  • Friday, February 14 - James 1
  • Saturday, February 15 - 1 Peter 2
  • Sunday, February 16 - Matthew 5:17-48
  • Monday, February 17 - Ecclesiastes 2
  • Tuesday, February 18 - Isaiah 60
  • Wednesday, February 19 - 1 John 1
  • Thursday, February 20 - 2 Corinthians 4
  • Friday, February 21 - 2 Corinthians 6
  • Saturday, February 22 - 1 Peter 2
  • Sunday, February 23 - Matthew 6:1-18
  • Monday, February 24 - Matthew 7
  • Tuesday, February 25 - Acts 13
  • Wednesday, February 26 - Acts 26
  • Thursday, February 27 - Romans 13
  • Friday, February 28 - Isaiah 58
  • Saturday, March 1 - Romans 2
  • Sunday, March 2 - Matthew 6:19-7:29
  • Monday, March 3 - Matthew 15
  • Tuesday, March 4 - Mark 13
  • Wednesday, March 5 - Ephesians 3
  • Thursday, March 6 - 1 Corinthians 16
  • Friday, March 7 - Acts 4
  • Saturday, March 8 - Acts 5
  • Sunday, March 9 - Matthew 8:5-13, 18-22
  • Monday, March 10 - Luke 10
  • Tuesday, March 11 - Matthew 28
  • Wednesday, March 12 - John 14
  • Thursday, March 13 - Mark 16
  • Friday, March 14 - Luke 9
  • Saturday, March 15 - 2 Timothy 3
  • Sunday, March 16 - Matthew 9:35-10:1, 10:16-20
  • Monday, March 17 - Mark 9
  • Tuesday, March 18 - Matthew 21
  • Wednesday, March 19 - Genesis 17
  • Thursday, March 20 - Genesis 18
  • Friday, March 21 - John 20
  • Saturday, March 22 - James 1
  • Sunday, March 23 - Matthew 11:2-10
  • Monday, March 24 - Psalm 34
  • Tuesday, March 25 - John 11
  • Wednesday, March 26 - Ephesians 4
  • Thursday, March 27 - Colossians 3
  • Friday, March 28 - James 5
  • Saturday, March 29 - Mark 6
  • Sunday, March 30 - Matthew 14:6-17
  • Monday, March 31 - Luke 15

Giving

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing all that God will do!

  1. Online at shawneealliance.com/donate
  2. Church Center App - download today
  3. In Person - place check or cash in offering box after Sunday services
Donate online

Giving Message from Pastor Kris

Giving Update Email Opt-In

Financial Update

Upcoming Events

Calendar Month View

There will be no Wednesday Night Groups or Activities tomorrow, February 12.

Keenagers Luncheon - February 11 at 11:30am in Kids Min Area

Prayer for America - Wednesday Nights at 6-6:30pm in East Campus Room E/Prayer Room

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Thursday - February 20 at 11am

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Tuesday - February 25 at 11am

Ash Wednesday Service - March 5 at 6:30pm in East Campus Sanctuary

Stamp Trimming - March 8 at 9am in East Campus Room C

Centershot - Begins March 10 (register by March 10)

Keenagers Luncheon - March 11 at 11:30am

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Thursday - March 20 at 11am

Family Fun Night - March 21 at 6:30-8pm in Activity Center

Our Daily Bread Volunteer Tuesday - March 25 at 11am

Membership Sunday - March 30 at 9 & 11am

LIFE 2025 - July 4-9 (National Youth Conference) (register by Feb 28)

Community Events

Cornerstone of Hope Women's Tea - March 1, 10am-12:30pm at Lima Community Axis Building

We hope you enjoyed this edition of the Shawnee Alliance SnapShot! Please visit shawneealliance.com/media to view previous editions of this newsletter, watch sermons and testimony videos, and more!

If you no longer wish to receive the SnapShot, please email office@shawneealliance.com to let us know. (Clicking "unsubscribe" removes you from all church communications including emergency email notifications, updated information about an event you registered for, scheduled volunteer communications, etc.)