Shawnee Alliance SnapShot march 14 - Edition 45

In this Edition:

Message from Pastor Kris

Below are links to some things we mentioned in the video. If you'd like to get connected with us, have a prayer request, or have any questions, please always feel free to reach out to us by filling out a connect card at the bottom of our website.

Blessings,

Kris

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, please be reminded of the community we have here. We invite you to reach out and connect with us.

Website
Facebook
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YouTube
Church Center App
Podcast

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!

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.

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

New & Updated Groups

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.

"Notions" Women's Sewing Group

Come join a group of dedicated ladies who minister to others through sewing skills! We make quilt tops for Flying Horse Ranch, a camp for chronically ill children, as well as fun items to include in an Operation Christmas Child boxes and throw blankets for area nursing homes. All skill levels are welcome; even if you wish to learn, we're here to help you!

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 9am-2pm. We invite you to join us!

Learn More/Sign Up

Middle School Bible Study

Our Middle School Youth Group discusses life and Jesus in a fun, understandable way. Grades 5-8 are invited to join us:

  • Every Sunday at 9:30 or 11am in the East Campus Hopeshakers Youth Room (D)
  • Wednesdays, until May 1 from 6:30-8pm in the West Campus Activity Center

At 9:30am (beginning Apr. 7), we will engage in reading Scripture and teaching how to interpret and understand what God is working to communicate in our lives. Students are encouraged to bring their own Bibles, we will be reading out of the New Living Translation (NLT) and if they do not have a Bible, we have them available. Rather than having a regular lesson, we will read through the Bible together. Students will be encouraged to wrestle with what is being read, how it speaks to us, and how we are to have it impact and change our lives as middle schoolers!

At 11am, we will continue as a class on life application of the teaching series we're covering, similar to our adult modern services.

"Easter" Sunday Morning Bible Study

​Join us Sunday mornings at 10:45am from March 3-April 7 for a RightNow Media series by J.D. Greear entitled "Easter". The resurrection is the most important moment in history, but it is more than an event we remember on Easter Sunday. Pastor J.D. Greear takes a deeper look at Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew, revealing the ways we should see ourselves in Jesus’s story.

Brad Reeder facilitates bible studies frequently throughout the year on Sunday mornings from 10:45am-noon in East Campus Rooms B-C. Stay tuned for future Bible Studies!

Learn More/Sign Up

"SonRise Seekers" Women's Tuesday Morning Bible Study

Women are invited to join our Tuesday morning Bible Study! We are are finishing up our study called "Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom. We will be starting a new study May 7 on the Book of Luke with videos from Lisa Harper and a study book. We would love for you to join us!

Learn More/Sign Up

Wednesday Night Groups

Join us for Kids, Youth, and Adult Groups each Wednesday from 6:30-8pm until May 1st!

Whether you’re new to Shawnee Alliance or have been here a long time, getting involved in a group is a great way to get to know others and deepen your faith! High schoolers are encouraged to attend adult groups or volunteer in Kids & Youth Ministries or Worship & Tech Team.

Click here to view all groups or click on a specific group below to learn more. Jump into a group at any time!

Interested in Volunteering during Wednesday Night Groups? Click below!

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!

Upward Basketball & Cheerleading 2024

Our ’23-’24 Upward season is over and what a great time it was! We’re so thankful that we were able to see Jesus move through the basketball courts and into the practices, the games, and into our families' homes. We want to thank all of the volunteers who put their time and energy into serving in this ministry! Thank you for helping ensure these children had a safe and fun environment to grow in!

If you have an interest in helping out next season, it’s never too early to get involved! Please email Pastor Josh at josh@shawneealliance.com for more details on next year’s season.

Library

Did you know that we have our very own Christian Library at Shawnee Alliance Church? It is located on our East Campus, down the hall from our office area (just beyond our Youth room). Self check-out instructions, as well as a notebook listing inventory by subject, title and author, are located on the armoire. We have over 2,000 items available, including fiction, non-fiction, audio books, and devotionals along with DVDs and Bibles of various translations.

NEW! At the request of several people, we now have an area of jigsaw puzzles which can be borrowed as well. Simply choose one, return it when you are finished, and select another!

Donations of good quality books and intact puzzles are presently being accepted. Come check us out and enjoy some good entertainment!

Baptism

I thought I was too much of a sinner for Him to want somebody like me. But a song reminded me that I'm exactly the kind of person He would want, and He loves me. I said I was so sorry for what I've done, and I wanted to follow His ways and not mine, and I wanted to learn His voice clearly. He's teaching me to be thankful, and to be patient and kind, and teaching my kids to follow him. - Kyli
I believed, but my life didn't show it. One day, God came to me at work, before I even knew I needed Him. When I went through my double lung transplant, He made everything run smoothly. After that, my life changed completely. I started reading my Bible and going to church, and started to really understand what it means to be a follower of God. I can't believe how much He's made my life meaningful. All you have to do is give yourself to Jesus, and He will change your whole life. - Brad
Back in September, I lost my son, and I knew I needed something. For me it was finding Jesus - to help me, strengthen me, and guide me through the loss and the grieving, and to stay strong for my family. Today, He is helping me go to church every Sunday, and I am helping with Sufficient Grace Ministries, who help mothers who have lost children. They helped me after my experience and still are, and I want to be one that helps out as well. - Leia

Missions Updates

We support several missionaries in their work around the globe with our finances. Here are some recent updates from them!

Our ministry typically involves leveraging the impact of local music and musicians to multiply Kingdom impact. However, in August 2023, Mary Lu lead her first drama workshop in Zambia! Here is a bit of that story: “Why didn’t Jesus heal them all?” the young woman lamented after dramatizing the story of Jesus at the pool of Bethesda from John 5. Most of these women have buried babies. Sickness and death are never far. Yet Jesus was drawing them to Himself in beautiful ways through the very stories they were re-enacting from the Injil (New Testament), recognized as a Holy Book in their community. These 78 women, including a few Jesus-followers, attended a drama workshop in which we worked on facial/non-verbal communication, character development and staging. The women’s questions about the stories opened opportunities to share Jesus in powerful ways.

Earlier that year, an Imam was brought in to “scope out what is being taught to the women”. He was sent to disrupt events like the drama workshop, but instead, he ended up intervening to protect the workshop from others who tried to create trouble. Despite local challenges, over 1,500 people experienced Bible characters “becoming real” in December Nativity drama presentations. And on Christmas Eve, more than 40 new believers were baptized – including the Imam sent to bring disruption! The gospel is beautiful and the arts matter for ministry and mission.

Doug & Mary Lu Anthony, Ethnodoxologist, Walk in Two Worlds

Small but great blessings lately to share! A muslim colleague of mine came over to my apartment for a visit. When she came in, she immediately noticed my Bible on a table. She began leafing through the pages. As she did, she was moved to tears and commented that "there is something special about this book". Please pray for Fatina.

The other day while walking in the halls, a Muslim employee that I had only met once before stopped me to tell me that of all the westerners she has met at the company, I had "the best spirit" in me. Pray for continued similar encounters that are a testimony of Jesus' light and presence as I live and move in His spirit at work and in the community.

Pam, aXcess, Middle East

Shalom everyone! Thanks so much for praying for all of us in Israel. I know this may be a long war and I know interest has waned, but please don't stop. We need you! With warmer and clearer days, I am able to get back to my friend's "O"s garden weeds. Because of the war, I am calling it a Victory Garden. I sometimes accompany ladies to medical appointments in Beersheva and Tel Aviv. These cities have been targets of a lot of missiles during times of war. Please pray for the health of these ladies, as well as our safety. "O" is one of those ladies. She recently had an ultrasound on her stomach because of inflammation so please join me in prayers for her health as well as endurance as she struggles with Fibromyalgia.

Stacy, Chosen People Ministries, Israel

There are lots of events and outreaches coming up this month that I am excited for! I am joining nationals to host a Ladies' Spa Day for International Women's Day on March 9th. Please pray that there will be powerful conversations and each woman will know that she is loved and not alone in this world! I am also meeting with a new university student; she is open to the Gospel but she also wants to learn English. We have started meeting and I plan to help her learn English through studying the Bible. Please pray for our time together!

Rachel, Creative Access Country

It was 3 years ago on February 27th that we (the Kellers) returned from Catania, Italy. We frequently get asked about the ministry there and how the bicycle shop is doing. Here is an update on what’s happening and how you can be praying for it. First, the work in Catania among refugees continues to grow and move forward in exciting ways. In January another family from OMS, Eric and Rebecca Harbin and their two young children, joined the team in Catania. The mobilization team and I (Paul) greatly enjoyed working with the Harbins to get them to the field. Eric will be working with interns and short-term teams going to Italy. This summer, another family sent by OMS will be joining the work: Josh and Jamie Holmes and their 5 children. The Holmes’ are avid cyclists and are very experienced in making reproducible disciples so they will fit in perfectly with the work in Catania.

Paul & Kate Keller, One Mission Society Director of Mobilization, Indiana

Please join us in praying for our missionaries! More information can be found below.

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 Opportunities

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.​

Koreans Praying for Us

In response to Billy Graham's crusade in Korea many years ago, God has prompted a group of Korean believers to come to the U.S. and pray for American churches! On May 10 at 9:30am they are coming to Shawnee Alliance to pray for us. Please join us in the East Campus Sanctuary to participate with them. We look forward to what God will do in the hearts and minds of His people!

Sunday Partners in Prayer Team

We to pray for our congregation (in-person and online), our pastors, staff, elders, and all volunteers involved in the worship services and ministries. Please check out the opportunities below, and contact Pastor Brian at brian@shawneealliance.com with any questions.

  • You are invited to join us one Sunday a month to walk with us around the facilities to pray with and for those leading and serving throughout the church that morning. We meet in East Campus Room A at 8:20am and in the Activity Center at 8:45am - you can choose to be a part of both or whichever one works for you!
  • Another prayer opportunity occurs during the services. Each Sunday, the East Campus Prayer Room E (down the hall from the office) is open for those who want to pray during our 9:30 or 11:00am worship services. Join us as often as you'd like!

We are a praying church and it's an honor to pray for you!

If you have a prayer request, please fill out a connect card at the bottom of our website or in the seat back in front of you during our church services. You can choose to either share your prayer request(s) with all of our prayer warriors or request that it only be shared with the pastors and staff.

Send Prayer Requests via Connect Card

Would you like to be added to our prayer email list? We send out emails whenever someone lets us know of a public prayer request. There is power in prayer!

Join Our Prayer Email List

Current Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities to get more involved by serving together! Check out the list of volunteer opportunities below! Fill out a volunteer form or a connect card and our staff would be glad to connect you in serving at Shawnee Alliance or in our community in a way that uses your gifts, talents and passions!

Volunteer Opportunities & Forms

Cards & Prayer on March 26

We have newly designed Church Center cards ready to be placed in the chair backs in the Activity Center before the influx of guests on Easter Sunday. We will be replacing the current cards and praying over the chairs on Tuesday, March 26 at 1pm. We'd love for you to join us!

Upward Volleyball 2024

The second season of Upward Volleyball is coming soon! We are excited to continue to offer a safe & fun environment for kids to learn volleyball, team bonding and sportsmanship, along with the love of Jesus each week. This league is open to boys and girls going into grades 4-8. Practices begin the week of June 10, and games are Saturdays from June 22-July 27.

If you are interested in being a referee or a coach, helping with setup/teardown, snack shack, etc., please register as a volunteer! We look forward to a great season!

Volunteer at shawneealliance.com/upward

Wednesday Night Volunteer Opportunities

Are you interested in teaching kids about Jesus while their parents are learning in their own classes? Do you have a heart for teenagers and enjoy having conversations that help lead them toward Jesus? Or maybe you're interested in singing or playing an instrument on the Worship Team, or running lights or camera in the sound booth. Whether you'd like to volunteer weekly, monthly, or as needed, if you're interested in serving on Wednesday evenings we'd love to have you! Find out more at shawneealliance.com/volunteer, or click below.

Volunteer in Kids & Youth Ministries
Volunteer in Worship/Tech Team

Ongoing Opportunities

Remember, you can reach out to our staff at any time by filling out a connect card at the bottom of our website!

New Ministry Ideas

Maybe you're looking to serve in a different way. Do you see a need in our community or church family that God is placing on your heart to begin meeting? What next step is God calling you toward?

If God is calling us to something, it's worth doing, and it's worth doing well.

Do you have an idea for a new ministry? Please fill out the form below. We'd love the opportunity to walk alongside you and help determine next steps.

New Ministry Idea Form

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.

  • Thursday, March 14 - 1 Thessalonians 5
  • Friday, March 15 - Galatians 6
  • Saturday, March 16 - Philippians 2
  • Sunday, March 17 - Matthew 28
  • Monday, March 18 - Psalm 37
  • Tuesday, March 19 - Proverbs 3
  • Wednesday, March 20 - 2 Corinthians 9
  • Thursday, March 21 - 3 John 1
  • Friday, March 22 - Matthew 6
  • Saturday, March 23 - Matthew 7
  • Sunday, March 24 - Luke 19:29-34
  • Monday, March 25 - John 11
  • Tuesday, March 26 - 1 Peter 1
  • Wednesday, March 27 - Acts 17
  • Thursday, March 28 - Romans 14
  • Friday, March 29 - 1 Corinthians 15
  • Saturday, March 30 - Luke 24
  • Sunday, March 31 - Matthew 27:62 - 28:15
  • Monday, April 1 - John 13
  • Tuesday, April 2 - Romans 12
  • Wednesday, April 3 - 1 Peter 4
  • Thursday, April 4 - 1 John 3
  • Friday, April 5 - Ephesians 4
  • Saturday, April 6 - John 15
  • Sunday, April 7 - 1 Corinthians 13
  • Monday, April 8 - Proverbs 1
  • Tuesday, April 9 - Proverbs 3
  • Wednesday, April 10 - Proverbs 10
  • Thursday, April 11 - Proverbs 11
  • Friday, April 12 - Proverbs 15
  • Saturday, April 13 - Proverbs 18
  • Sunday, April 14 - Proverbs 16
  • Monday, April 15 - James 1
  • Tuesday, April 16 - James 2
  • Wednesday, April 17 - Isaiah 1
  • Thursday, April 18 - Psalm 82
  • Friday, April 19 - Deuteronomy 10
  • Saturday, April 20 - Mark 10
  • Sunday, April 21 - Psalm 127
  • Monday, April 22 - Matthew 6
  • Tuesday, April 23 - Matthew 18
  • Wednesday, April 24 - 1 John 5
  • Thursday, April 25 - Mark 11
  • Friday, April 26 - Philippians 4
  • Saturday, April 27 - Luke 5
  • Sunday, April 28 - Luke 11
  • Monday, April 29 - Luke 18
  • Tuesday, April 30 - Colossians 4

Giving

Thank you for giving to the ministries of Shawnee Alliance Church. Through your generosity and faithfulness, we continue to see life transformation happen in our church, community, and around the world!

Giving Opportunities

When the Lord has blessed you and you want to give over and above your regular giving, here are some of the ways you can invest in the church and the community:

  • LifeWise - help bring Jesus to Shawnee Schools!
  • Missions - help bring Jesus to the world!
  • Building Fund - help us improve our facilities to increase the effectiveness of our current and future ministries!

Ways to Give

  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

Thank you for your generosity and partnership with our ongoing ministries!

Financial Update

Upcoming Events

Calendar Month View

Traditional Choir Rehearsals - Saturdays, March 9-30 at 10am in East Campus Sanctuary (for performances on Palm Sunday and Easter in East Campus)

Family Fun Night - March 15 at 6:30pm in the Activity Center

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen - Volunteer Thursday - March 21 at 11am

Palm Sunday - March 24 at 9:30 & 11am

"Notions" Sewing Group - March 25 at 9am

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen - Volunteer Tuesday - March 26 at 11am

Good Friday Service - March 29 at 6:30pm in Activity Center

Easter Services - please join us!

Office Closed - Easter Monday, April 1

Upward Volleyball Registration opens - April 2 (register by May 11)

"Notions" Sewing Group - April 8 at 9am

Keenagers Luncheon - April 9 at 11:30am in Kids Min Room

Stamp Trimming - April 13 at 9am in East Campus Room C

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen - Volunteer Thursday - April 18 at 11am

Connected Women: Lifeway Women's Conference Simulcast - April 20 (register by April 7)

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen - Volunteer Tuesday - April 23 at 11am

Family Fun Night - April 26 at 6:30pm in the Activity Center

Waymaker High School Retreat - April 26 & 27 (register by April 21)

Stamp Trimming - May 11 at 9am in East Campus, Rooms B & C

Happy Mothers Day! - May 12

Child Dedication - May 12 at 9:30 & 11am (register by April 28)

"Notions" Sewing Group - May 13 at 9am

Beulah Beach Work Week - May 13 - 17 (register May 1-6)

Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen Volunteer Thursday - May 16 at 11am

Keenagers Picnic - May 21 at Hermon Woods

Grad Dinner - May 30 at 6:30-8pm (register by May 22)

Grad Sunday - June 2 at both Modern Services, 9:30 & 11am (register by May 22)

Community Events

Our Daily Bread Silent Auction - March 17 at 2:30pm at 125 S. Central Ave in Lima - explore and purchase items donated by local vendors to help raise funds for a crucial sound system upgrade!

Primary Election Day - March 19

Beulah Beach Overnight Camps - June 16-August 9 (register by March 20 for $25 discount)

Scout Troop 777 Spaghetti Dinner - April 6

National Day of Prayer - May 2

Women's Encounter 2024 Retreat - October 17-20 in Red River Gorge, KY - register soon!

Thank you for reading this edition of the Shawnee Alliance SnapShot! Please visit shawneealliance.com/media to view previous editions of this newsletter, watch sermons and testimony videos with links to our YouTube channel, and check out our Tuesday Talks with Shawnee Alliance podcast!