If you were not with us in worship today you missed out. God continues to do AMAZING things among the Western Hills church! Today was our "DARE TO MOVE" Sunday. We collected the gifts and pledges for our auditorium remodel effort. After all of the cards were counted, Neil Haney announced, more than $100,000 dollars had been pledged! The second amazing announcement is that a member (who wishes to remain anonymous) will finance the remainder of the project at 0% interest. This kind of response to the project will allow us to bring the needed updates to the auditorium without incurring great debt or reduce any funding to current ministries. God has once again delivered on His promise to do amazing things! As I said in the sermon I have never been more excited to be at Western Hills than I am right now.

Scott

Back from Trek!

Last week I joined Matt Peacock and the youth group on a trip called Wilderness Trek. This is one awesome experience! Wilderness Trek is a 5 day backpacking adventure in the mountains of Colorado. Using the challenges of rappelling, hiking, and climbing to teach spiritual lessons about following Jesus. As I hiked along it occurred to me how many lessons of Trek fit our church right now. Here are a few...

Lesson #1 - Travel Light
When you have to carry everything on your back for 5 days you start to really evaluate how much you need each item. In church the temptation (at least for us minister types) is to always want to load down the church with program after program. Programs are not bad, but they can be deceptive. Staying busy with program after program does not automatically equal the mission of God. We need to carefully and prayerfully evaluate everything we do to ensure that it is keeping us on target with our mission.

Lesson #2 - Not everybody goes at the same pace
I am not going to lie...It is frustrating on the trail to be patient with those struggling to keep up. God uses such opportunities to teach me patience. He also teaches me that as Western Hills moves forward we must be patient and all move together. However, as we are patient there is a difference between encouraging those who struggle and stopping the forward movement. We must be sensitive to all who are a part of this great church but we can not stop just because the journey is too tough. Which brings us to lesson #3...

Lesson #3 - The best journeys are not easy journeys
Through the adventure of Trek we climbed and stood on top of Mt. Shavano (one of Colorado's 14,000ft.+ peaks.) The climb was NOT easy. Let me say again...The climb was NOT easy. Every part of my body hurt. BUT it was worth it. To stand on the top and look for miles in every direction made every step pay off. As this church goes where Jesus would go it will not be easy. At times it will simply be uncomfortable, other times it will be great sacrifice, either way the destination is worth it.

More reflections later...
It is good to be back home.

See you on Sunday,
Scott

Interview with Shelby Garmon

God continues to bless Western Hills with new people and families. We believe that each person who comes to Western Hills is a gift from God. Each person brings both talents we need as well as opportunities to minister. Shelby and Emily Garmon are among the many new faces here at Western Hills. We thought it would be fun to sit down with them and learn more about how God is shaping their lives. We also get to see Western Hills through fresh eyes as we work to become a church that is CONNECTING the unconnected, CARING for our people, and CHANGING LIVES for God.


WHBlog: Tell us just a little bit about your family and why God brought you to Temple?

Shelby: Emily and I grew up in Corpus Christi and met at Church of Christ South. We attended Lipscomb University in Nashville for two years before moving back to Corpus Christi to lead the college ministry at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi. We were married in 1995. Emily worked as a paralegal while I completed college. After graduation, I worked for 7 years as a commercial lender for Frost Bank while Emily finished her degree in chemistry. Emily was then accepted to medical school at UTMB-Galveston and we moved to the Houston / Galveston area in 2002. Our first daughter, Kendra was born in May of 2002. Our second daughter, Camryn, was born in August of 2005.

A number of things led us to Temple. Being that we had 2 small children, we wanted to find a good place to raise our kids. Scott & White seemed to have the best program for Emily's residency as far as quality of training and a family friendly program and atmosphere. Most importantly, we wanted to be in a place where there was an active church and group of Christians who were ready to reach out to each other and the community. God answered our prayer in bringing us here.

How did you first hear about WH?

Shelby: We heard about Western Hills through Chris and Jennifer Burnett. They were very enthusiastic about Western Hills and assured us that it was the kind of church home that we desired.

What were your first impressions of Western Hills?

Shelby: The first Sunday we walked in the door at Western Hills, we knew this would be our Church home. Donna Leavelle was the first person we met and made us feel right at home. She introduced us to lots of people, took us on a tour of the children's area, and just showed us the ropes. It's obvious the people at Western Hills know how important even the first few minutes are for people who are visiting and searching for a church family. We felt the warm, friendly, and loving atmosphere God has blessed this family with and knew we wanted to be a part of it.

What factors influenced your decision to become part of the Western Hills family?

Shelby: We were drawn to WH for a number of reasons. The people were obviously a major factor - there is a genuine atmosphere of love and acceptance and seems to be a strong commitment to drawing new families into WH. We also liked the fact that there is a good 'mix' of age groups at WH. We were happy to find that WH was deeply committed to a strong children's ministry. Last of all we were excited to see that WH was involved in building closer relationships through its small group efforts.

How can WH help your family to grow closer to God and look more like Jesus?

Shelby: The way we feel that we will grow as a Christian family most is just through being involved. It's amazing how much one can grow when they are reaching out and ministering to others. We know our children will also grow from the efforts at WH to make children a high priority. One of the areas Emily and I have grown the most over our years of involvement at churches is through a strong commitment to be involved and grow through small groups ministry.

What ways do you hope to minister/serve/get involved here at WH?

Shelby: In the past we have helped out in areas ranging from children's classes to sponsoring youth activities to leading a college ministry effort. As I mentioned above, one area where Emily and I have really enjoyed serving in the past is in small group ministry. It's amazing how people tend to flourish and grow and get to know each other on a deeper level through this ministry tool. We are excited about getting to know more people and find the various areas where we feel that God can use us best at WH.

Remember to pray! Our elders have called us once again to a collective season of prayer. The elders are challenging us to be in prayer everyday from now until July 30. On that day we will gathering the gifts/pledges for our DARE TO MOVE campaign. This is our effort to COMPLETELY pay for the remodel of the auditorium. Why are we eager to pay for it with out having to borrow? Because having all the funds in hand allows us to keep all current ministries going and even expand some. I believe this glorifies God!

So as you pray here are some things to remember in your prayers...

• our elders and their leadership
• the numerous new people God has brought to us
• for God to bring numerous more people to us
• for us to be ready to minister to all God brings our way
• for God to use the new auditorium for His glory
• for your part in the Dare to Move campaign

What an exciting time to be a part of Western Hills! So what are you praying for? Post a comment and let us know what you are asking God's blessing on right now.

Praying for you,

Scott

God is GOOD!

What a great morning to be a part of what God is doing with and through the Western Hills Church. Neil Haney (one of our elders) announced the effort to remodel our auditorium to bring it up to date. The new design looks AMAZING! Thanks to Patty for giving us all a peek into the future through her artist rendering seen above.

Many times churches choose to build something when they are stuck and there is no excitement. The belief is that "if we build we can get some folks motivated and get some energy back in the church again." It is an effort to kick start a church when church has become stale or stagnant. I can guarantee you that is NOT the case here. God is blessing WH in some amazing ways. Our elders are leading us into this effort because we need it to keep up with all the blessings God is sending our way. Every week we have new folks walking through the doors for the first time. These people are looking for a place to connect with God. We are going to see that we give that one chance the best possibility.

Be in prayer for the next 20 days asking God to direct our steps as we follow His lead.

Love Ya Much
Scott

Western Hills is on the Move!

So are you still planning to be there this Sunday, July 9? We will be tackling Myth #3: Church Should be Easy. Also there will be a special elders announcement about some exciting plans for the Western Hills Church. I am telling you not to miss. The whole day will be about the amazing things that God is doing to move this church forward. God apparently has some BIG dreams for us. One year ago we entered into 40 days of prayer and fasting. We trusted the verse in Joshua 3:5 that says...

consecrate yourselves because tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.

And amazing things He has done and is doing. Over the last year we paid off the debt on the gym, added Scott Seela and Matt Peacock to staff, sent a group to Mississippi for Katrina relief, started a new ministry in Wayman Manor, hosted a PACKED Upward league, hosted our inaugural Financial Peace University class, AND have been welcoming lots and lots of new people to Western Hills. Now the elders will share with us the next step that God is calling us to take as we move ahead.

See You Sunday
Scott

Success in spite of rain!

Last night's 4th of July celebration was a BLAST! Thanks to Elwood and Ann for opening your home to us. Even the the rain right before dark was not enough to slow us down. One of the coolest things of the evening was watching every young boy play in the rain. The food was great and plentiful, the spirit warm and loving, the fireworks were great and the turnout was tremendous.

In fact as we crammed into the Smith's large living room the thought struck me, "We are NOT a small church." I know it is tempting in church to want to stay small so "you can know everyone." Well it seems we need to get past that thinking because even with the fantastic turnout still 2/3 of the church was not present. We are a big church. So our challenge is not how do we stay small so that we can personally know everybody, our challenge is how do we create opportunities to connect with each other as we continue to grow?

Our elders have called us to be a place that is "connecting the unconnected." As we continue to put that in practice we WILL grow. Growth is what God desires for His church. Growth means more folks are connecting to Jesus and to Jesus' people. Growth comes with some challenges though. We will have to think in some new ways...increased small group opportunities, 2 services, new Bible classes, more prayer groups, new ladies Bible study opportunities...etc, etc. If God continues to bless us with more and more singles/couples/families joining our church then these are some of the things/ideas/issues we will have to think about and move toward.

Isn't being a part of a growing church fun?!

Scott

Celebration Tonight

Today is the day! The yearly Western Hills 4th of July extravaganza. If you have not participated in this event yet then you need to BE THERE tonight. This year will be different in the simple fact that the Beckers, who have hosted the event for years, have moved to Ballinger. Elwood and Ann Smith have stepped up to the plate and opened their home to us this year. So let the celebration begin.

Remember we will gather and celebrate tonight and then there will NOT be a meal or classes tomorrow night (Wed. July 5) at the building.

Have you made you plans to be there on Sunday??
Hope so...

See you tonight,
Scott

Don't Miss Next Sunday

I know it is only Monday but I can't wait till next Sunday...(and usually my Monday's are spent recovering from the Sunday before.) You will not want to miss this coming Sunday! I am serious, make plans now to do what it takes to be in worship on July 9. I won't spoil the surprise but don't miss it. We will be focusing on the future of Western Hills and our mission of "connecting the unconnected" to God.

So how is that for a teaser? Do I have your interest?

See you on Tuesday night @ the Smith's
Scott

PS -Keep checking in to this blog for more updates and clues.

What a Sunday!

WOW! It is Sunday afternoon and I am simply exhausted from the adrenaline rush I have been on today. The worship this morning was an awesome experience. I am not sure what I liked best..the singing was energized, the prayers were heartfelt, the reading of the 23rd Psalm powerful, and to top it all off...3 more families joined our church and our mission. In the last two weeks 5 families have committed to being a part of what God is doing here at Western Hills. It seems He is blessing us in some BIG ways. I have often said it is God's desire to bless His church beyond our wildest imagination. We just have to position ourselves to receive it. So to the Cunninghams, Rainers, Gibsons, Garmons and Frisch's we say WELCOME. We consider you a gift from God to help us be the church He is calling us to be here in Central Texas.

Because of the CROSS
Scott

Surprise Visit

Last night as I came down the hall carrying Cutter, Aloha grabbed me and said, "There is someone you have got to meet, John Roberts." For those who may not know, John Roberts is a former minister of Western Hills, now serving in Memphis. He, his wife and son were traveling and made sure to stop by and see friends at Western Hills.

This was my first opportunity to meet John. He struck me as a humble and sincere man with a deep faith in God. I was also struck by how many from this church threw their arms around him and his family. He literally could not walk down the hall without a sea of hugs and handshakes.

Again, I was reminded how much love Western Hills has to share. We continue to be a CONNECTING and CARING place almost by nature. Jesus says the world will be able to recognize my followers...Not by their doctrine...Not by their logo...Not by their clothes...But by their LOVE. It was amazing to see just a small taste last night. I continue to be grateful to serve in a church as caring as Western Hills.

Because of the CROSS
Scott

Build and Bring!

We are off and running with the Mythbuster Series. Many of you have encouraged me with how much you are looking forward to the series. Thanks! Encouraging words are always a blessing. What is even more encouraging is the number of people I am meeting every Sunday morning. God is bringing a tremendous amount of new people through our doors. When I ask a few questions I inevitably find out that all of these people are coming because YOU are inviting them.

That is the simple idea behind BUILD & BRING. You are building relationships with people God has ALREADY placed in your world. After investing in a relationship you bring them to church. This is our ongoing evangelistic strategy. That's it. We trust that God will cause the seed planted to grow.

You are in my prayers as you minister in the world.

See you on Sunday,
Scott

PS - Myth #2: God wants me to be HAPPY.

MythBusters

Raise your hand if you have seen this show? Ok, many of you have. If you are in the few that have not let me explain. The show is hosted by 2 balding and goateed guys who have an insatiable desire for truth, science and blowing things up. The premise of the show is to take a widely held belief, urban legend, or myth and try to recreate it in "the laboratory".

Well on Sunday, Toby Wilson (preacher for the Belton Church of Christ) and I will attempt to be Mythbusters! We will challenge some widely held beliefs by finding out what God has to say about that. So just like the show we will attempt to bust myths minus the goatees and the explosions.

This Sunday's myth is ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN!

See You on Sunday,
Scott M.

NEW CREW TIME

Last night Crew Time made its move to a new night and a new location. Our new Crew Time room is awesome! (Thanks to Patty Thomas, several teens and the Band of Brothers for helping transform the room.)

For those who don't know, Crew Time is a high-energy, active time of worship and learning for our 2 year olds through 5th Graders. Our Crew Time staff of teens and adults lead our kids in worship & interactive learning.

Crew Time has also added a new friend. Last night we met Dennis the Crew Time Carpenter. With Dennis' help, the kids learn about God, Jesus and many other things.

The room was packed with kids & energy as we learned about and participated in WORSHIP!

Be sure to stop by at 6:30 pm on Wednesdays to see Crew Time in action.

Wayman Manor

Last night the teens of Western Hills hosted their second Sidewalk Sunday School on the playground of Wayman Manor. In a word it was AWESOME. Our teens (and teens from Ave. T) prove that Jesus is bigger than any racial, social, or economic barrier or difference. Armed with kickballs, bubbles, frisbees and fingernail polish these students went to work playing with and loving on the children of Wayman Manor.

I am excited to be a part of a church that is committed to getting out of its building and going where Jesus would go. Keep our students in our prayers and keep Wayman Manor in your prayers. If this effort is part of the mission God has for Western Hills then the possibilities are far more than anything we can ask or even imagine!

A Church on Target

Our Elders have called this church to a new vision. Well actually they have reminded us of what our vision has always been. There is a saying that says, "The MAIN thing is to keep the MAIN thing the MAIN thing." Keeping the main thing the main thing is what our elders are helong us to do. SO in case you have missed it the vision/mission of the Western Hills Church of Christ is...

to Connect the Unnconnected

to Care for our People

to Change lives for God

Now the EASY part is to come up with the statement. The HARD part is to LIVE it out.
I want to invite eveyone who is a part of this church to begin praying about what God will do wiht us and through us in the immediate future. I believe he has BIG dreams and I can't wait to see them come to life.

End of the Spear

Fifty years ago this month, five men were martyred in the Amazon jungle of Ecuador and their story changed lives around the world. This month, the rest of the story will be told in a powerful motion picture coming to theaters called End of the Spear. Come and experience this unbelievable true story on opening weekend Jan. 20-22 and your view of missions will never be the same. This is a full Hollywood production that displays (in a postive way) the power of the Gospel message to change the culture of an entire people.

Upward Basketball Begins

Last Saturday, January 14th, we had our first day of Upward Basketball Games at Western Hills.

The Kindergarten teams started the day with excitement and energy! The 4th through 6th Grade Boys teams ended the day with heavy-duty action. In between, the day was filled with some great plays, awesome shots, loud cheering and a whole lot of fun.

Our coaches did a great job helping their kids do their best. Our referees did a great job teaching the kids the basics of the game with patience and love. Our concessions stand volunteers served up hotdogs, nachos and sodas with smiles. Our devotional speakers inspired and challenged the half-time audience. Our other volunteers did what was needed to make the day a success. (Thanks Kim Stern for hours of time keeping!)

All of these people made it possible to tell

a bunch of kids and their parents about Jesus!

It was a great day! There are 3 more game days at Western Hills.

• January 28th
• February 12th
• February 26

Come and join us for a game or two (or the whole day).

Or better yet...

If you are interested in helping serve in the Concession Stand, contact Matt & Heather Stephen.

If you are interested in helping with Refereeing a game or 2, contact Robert Moore.

If you are interested in giving a short half-time devotional, contact Marie Matthews.

If you want to help in any way needed (as Jesus would!), contact Scott Seela.

BUILD & BRING

These are two words you are going to hear me say often. Why? Because I believe in them. This is our strategy for reaching the lost of Central Texas. Sounds too simple, right? I know strategies for reaching the lost and bringing people to Jesus have been made complicated and intimidating.

So what is BUILD and BRING? It is simply this...prayerfully consider the people God has already placed in your circle of influence. This includes co workers, fellow students, friends, members of your bowling team, other soccer moms, your next door neighbor, guys at the gym...get the picture? You pray about God using you to be a missionary to those people. Don't get intimidated yet! Your job is to BUILD your relationship with them and then BRING them to Western Hills. Now that's not so scary is it? Another way to say this is with the words INVEST and INVITE. You invest in their lives and then invite them to join you for worship. I have a passionate belief that folks who come into our worship will encounter a living God. They might not understand everything or be able to put their experience into words, but they will NOT leave unaffected.

So there it is. The grand strategy in two words...BUILD and BRING. I wish I could take credit for this but Jesus beat me to it years ago.

God will do amazing things in 2006. I am praying for you and look forward to meeting the person/persons you bring to Jesus this year.

See you on Sunday,
Scott M.

Christmas Presents for Meadow Village

What a blessing this church has been to the kids in Meadow Village!

Western Hills, along with Canyon Creek, took on the challenge to help the kids living there have a good Christmas by providing gifts to 164 kids. On Saturday, December 17th we had the opportunity to pass out presents in the Meadow Village Apartment Complex in Temple. It was a great time! Some people were expecting us. Some were not. As each door opened and gifts were handed off, the Love of Jesus was truly shared. Everyone was extremely grateful. The smiles and thank yous were heartfelt.

I want to say Thank You to this church for taking on the challenge to share the love of Jesus through this ministry project. The generosity of Western Hills continues to impress me!

For those who took a name or two, I encourage you to keep those kids in your prayers. The ministry at Meadow Village continues to make an impact. Pray for our teens and others who regularly go there to minister to kids.

Thanks again for being living examples of what it means to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus.

God's Blessings.
-Scott Seela