November 2012 Issue 41

In this issue

Home Sermons Calendar Children Youth CAMO Roping

November

Word from the Pastor

Upcoming Events & Announcements

Calendar

Arena Up Date

Baptisms

Kitchen Ministry

India Mission Trip pgs.9-15

The Parent Link

Word From the Pastor Page 2

This Preacher’s Politics

Lots of people have been asking me about the election and poli-tics lately. Every four years this seems to happen as the presiden-tial race closes in on the last few days. People frequently expect, or at least desire that I would share my personal political views from the pulpit and attempt to weigh in and help them decide which way they should go. This past weekend at church one somewhat agitated worshiper (by my unwillingness to weigh in) said, “Just tell me what you really think!!” I promised her I would, so here is:

1. I really think everyone should vote, especially Christians. I have traveled around the world a good bit and I know that voting is indeed a great privilege that many waste in America.

2. I really think that elections matter. Some say it does not matter who is elected, because they are all the same, but in reality especially on the local and state level elections have the potential to make a great impact on our lives.

3. I really think every vote counts. During presidential races people are quick to point out that due to the Electoral College system we have in America votes only really count in a few “swing” states. I live in Texas and it is true that when it comes to the president our state goes Republican, and if you live in California it goes for the Democrats. While we may feel like our vote counts for little in that particular race due to the Electoral College system, what about the local and state level candidates and issues? Sheriff ’s, judges, school boards, state repre-sentatives, senators and members of the House of Representatives, bond issues, and much more are on the ballot as well. Every vote counts, many contests and issues are decided by a slim margin on the local and state level.

4. I really think the choice is clear for Christians. I have voted in every local, state, and federal election since I was 18. I have never struggled with making a choice. I have never been an “undecided.” I decided a long time ago to follow Jesus and that shapes the way I think, act, and vote. When the choices on the ballot don’t line up exactly with the way I think and act (and generally they don’t) I vote for whomever or whatever comes the closest.

5. I really think God cares about our elections. I have concluded that this is the case based on years of praying about who and what to vote for. Before I vote I learn about the issues then I pray. God has never failed to communicate for whom I should vote; therefore I believe he cares about our elections. My money, time, talents, car, house, family, life, and yes my vote all belong to God. So I always take time to ask Him what He wants me to do with this vote. Pray before you vote, and then vote the way God tells you to vote.

So that’s what I really think for those who care to know. I hope you will take time to consider the candidates and issues on your ballot pray about them, and then vote! The greatness of America depends not on the government, but the electorate.

Up Coming Events &

Announcements

The Arena Ministry

Adult Riding Group 2nd Wednesday of every month (except Dec.)

7pm - 9pm Contact Liz Powell 830-426-9391.

Youth Riding Clinic 4th Wednesday of the month 7-9 Contact

Liz Powell 830-426-9391

Page 3

November Church Events

Nov. 4th Baptism & Pot Luck

Nov. 4th Larry and Amanda Castro’s visit

Nov. 18th Lord’s Supper

Nov. 18th Saddle Up 4:00

Starting on the 2nd Saturday in December Marian Knowlton and

Cynthia Morgan are starting a Ladies Riding Clinic Ministry.

The hours are 10-12 in the arena. Cynthia will be teaching dif-

ferent riding techniques. If you are interested in this riding

clinic call Marion and let her know. Contact info: email

marian.knowlton@gmail.com phone # 210-831-6079.

Daylight Savings Time comes to an end on

November 4th, so remember to turn your clocks

back one hour before you go to bed Saturday

night, November 3rd.

Psalm 69:30

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify

Him with thanksgiving.

Page 4

The following are reoccur-

ring events that take place

each week/month at the

same time unless other-

wise denoted:

Church Services - Sunday

@ 10:45 AM

Discipleship Classes –

Monday 6:30pm—8:00

pm

Children’s Play Group

Every Tuesday from 10am

- 11:30am.

Men’s Fellowship Break-

fast 3rd Sat. 8-9 Call Bob

Byrd for info: 210-896-

5525

CFY R.E.A.L.M. - Every

Wednesday @ 7:00 pm

unless otherwise noted.

Pre-Teen Ministry—Every

Wednesday @ 6:30pm—8

Bldg D

Living Hope - Every

Thursday @ 7 PM For

more info call Louise

Manning at

830-480-4145

Please Go To Our Website

For Times And More

Information!

www.cowboyfellowship.org

November SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT

1 6:30p-9p CF band practice

7p-8p Living Hope

2 3

4

10:45 a Sun

Morning Serv.

Baptism

Larry & Amanda

Castro

12-1 Pot Luck

5 6:30 –8

Discipleship

Class

6

10a-11:30 Play Group

7 6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30-8p CFY

8 6:30p-9p CF

band practice

7p-8p Living

Hope

9 10

11 10:45a Sun.

Morning

Worship Serv.

12-2

Leadership and

Lay Pastor Mtg.

12 6:30 –8 Discipleship Class

13

10a-11:30 Play Group

14 6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30-8p CFY

7p-9p Adult Riding Group

15 10:30

Helping

Hands 6:30p-9p CF

band practice

7-8 Living

Hope

16 17

8- 9 Men’s

Fellowship Breakfast

18

Lord’s Supper

10:45a Sun Morning Worship Serv.

4:00 pm Saddle Up

19

6:30 –8 Discipleship Class

20

10a-11:30 Play Group

21

6:30p-8p 5th & 6th Grade Youth

6:30-8p CFY

22 OFFICE

CLOSED

6:30p-9p CF band practice

7p-8p Living Hope

23

OFFICE

CLOSED

24

25 10:45a-

Sun Morning Worship Serv.

12-1 Elders mtg.

26 6:30 –8

Discipleship

Class

27 10a-11:30

Play Group

28 6:30p-8p

5th & 6th

Grade Youth

6:30-8p CFY

7-9 Youth Riding Clinic

29

6:30p-9p CF band practice 7p-8p Living Hope

30

Schedule

Of Events

Page 5

We are very close to our goal of having the money to continue with

Phase ll, which will be the construction of permanent bleachers.

There have been several events not sponsored by the church.

Everyone that has used the covered facility is very impressed.

There are several on-going events booked in the arena for the

coming months. The Arena Ministry is sponsoring an Adult Riding

Group on the 2nd Wednesday of each month and a Youth Riding

Clinic on the 4th Wednesday of the month 7-9 pm. There is a new

Ladies Riding Ministry starting in December on the 2nd Saturday of

the month from 10a-12p.

Some members of CF have taken advantage of the facility for roping

practice.

We are grateful for those who continue to faithfully support this

project with your financial gifts. The goal has almost been met. At last

count we only need $ 7,183.00.

Donate Here

Covered Facility Update

Baptisms

Page 6

On Sunday October 7, 2012 six people professing they had accepted Jesus Christ as

their Lord and Savior were baptized . Pictured below are Ptiah Taylor, Sherry Ste-

vens, Andrew Elmore, Cody Spencer and Sydney Bogan.

Kori Miller was also baptized but no picture available.

Andrew Elmore Cody Spencer Sydney Bogan

Sherry Stephens Ptiah (Ty) Taylor

Matthew 3:13

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the

Jordan River to be baptized by John.

Matthew 3:16

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He

went up out of the water. At that

moment heaven was opened, and He

saw the Spirit of God descending like

a dove and lighting on Him.

Page 7

On October 25, 2012 the Helping Hands met at Cowboy Fellowship to put

together visitor bags. There were three new helpers this month, Layci

Vickery, Connie Diaz and Sarah Lee Pena. When the team finished their work

they headed to Café Chris for some great food and fellowship.

Kitchen Ministry

Plunko

Cake walk

Bowling

This past summer I was able to participate with the Cowboy

Fellowship Youth in two different events, one was World Changers

which is a mission trip where we helped the community in Corpus

Christi rebuild and restore houses for low income families from the

damage caused by a hurricane. The other event is one that I hold very

dear to my heart as being a parent counselor/chaperone at the Alto Frio

Youth Camp.

The theme for the week was "BE THE CHURCH" where we learned

that being a Christian didn't mean that you go to youth on Wednesdays

and go to church on Sundays but to be part of the church was to actually

participate in being part of the church and volunteering in the different

ministries. My goal in order to help lead our youth in their spiritual

journey was to challenge them into wanting to participate in being part

of the Kitchen Ministry, so I deemed that every 3rd Sunday would be

"Youth in Kitchen" where the kids would come into the kitchen and

serve. They learned to set up for Sunday pre-service fellowship, greeted

the members of the church and then did clean up. We have an amazing

group of young adults in the CBF and they do a great job in their service

to the Lord, our church and the community.

If you have a youth that would like to serve in

the kitchen ministry, please have them meet me

in the kitchen every 3rd Sunday at 8am.

Gigi Manning

Kitchen Ministry Leader

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God called me into clown ministry in January, 1999. It was a profound day in my life as I just wanted to learn how to apply clown makeup so I could volunteer at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas. But God had bigger plans for me and revealed such to me that day and my life has never been the same since my alter ego, Sniggles the Clown, was created. I found that through clown ministry you can share the Bible truths in a unique and different way and lead others to Christ. I graduated from Clown Ministry Knowledge College in May, 1999 and began serving the Lord thru laughter. Sniggles has travelled to Costa Rica, Germany, Ecuador and, most recently, to India, to share stories from the Bible thru gospel illusions. Clowning for Christ allows both children and adults see Bible truths come to life right before their eyes! They can see what they have only heard before. I have three favorite illusions that present gospel truths, my ketchup illusion, my cross illusion and the three ball illusion. People have come to Christ after "seeing" the Bible truths right before them. Nothing thrills my heart more than sharing my Jesus through the illusions. It just goes to prove that God has a special calling for all of us, we need only seek his guidance and obey Him. Let me close with thoughts from my most recent trip to India, which has forever changed my life. First, to see the darkness, and incredible sadness with all the idolatry in that country had a profound impact on me. I knew idolatry existed but had never been to a place where it was so prominent. I knew that when I was to perform in front of approximately 5,000 people that God needed to tell me exactly which illusion would bring Him the most honor and glory. God laid it on my heart to perform the cross illusion where I literally show the effects of sin in the world and tell them that no matter how much "good" we try to add to the world that nothing other than Christ being crucified on the cross can "clean" the world. Upon "showing" it to the crowd, they went wild! Screams of joy filled the church and I get goose bumps still, as am I telling this story to you. God is amazing and Jesus is my best friend. I invite you to ask Jesus into your heart and to watch the changes that take place when you follow Jesus' plans for you. Please remember, it's not about a religion, it's about a rela-tionship with Christ! My prayer is that God will richly bless each of you and that if you don't already know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, that you will spend time in prayer and become a part of the family of God. Blessings, Sniggles the Clown

Page 9

The time I spent in India was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had.

The people are warm and very welcoming. God is truly working in the lives of

everyone there. While driving around the city you could see all the different gods

that have been in that country for so long, but there are many who are starting to

trust God every day. We went to several villages giving our testimony and visiting

with the people. While giving my testimony one day I remember that there were

several people shaking their head yes like they knew where I was coming from and

understood just how I felt. It hit me then that even though we live half a world

apart we are all the same, feel the same and have the same wants, needs, and

dreams. Even though they had very little they shared a meal with us because that

was all they had. It made me see how very blessed we are with what God has given

us here and we should never take it for granted. While I was there I had my

birthday and they included me in the celebration with another woman whose

birthday was the same day. At midnight they had cake and prayer at the church for

us. They gave us a piece cake, and blessed us; it was the best way to start my

birthday.

We spent time with the girls who lived in the orphanage. They were some of the

best behaved children I have ever been around. They wanted to know so much

about America and how the kids were here. Many wish to make a trip here one day.

We got to take the girls to the park (they don’t get to go much). I had so much fun

getting to know them and playing with them. I went for a walk with the older girls,

just talking and being close was so special, and they have so much love to share. I

wish I could have brought them home with me.

We made many wonderful friends and I will always be grateful for the time I

spend there and pray that I get the chance to go back. I can say when I first got

there I was a bit scared and was not sure about going out to the different village

without Scotty, but after getting to know the young men that were taking us around

God laid it on my heart to trust them, after that there was no fear no matter where

we went I felt safe.

The youth fellowship was one of the best parties for Jesus I have ever been to.

You could feel the Holy Spirit filling the whole church. At one point a bunch of

young men got up and started dancing in front of me the energy was so high you

could almost see it. Oh and just so you know, for them anyone not married and

under the age of 60 is considered a youth.

Mission Trip to India

as seen through the eyes of Grace Partin

Page 10

Lots of stories from India, it’s hard to focus and share just one, but you see God at work through all of

them. I think this is the one that was more meaningful after we had gone and come to understand more of

where we had been.

We were going into an area that was somewhat hos-

tile, just because they didn’t want the church in their area.

So we didn’t know what to expect but in the van full of

guys that were willing to go, we were willing to go with

them. I will have to tell you that it was amazing to sit on

the roof top of a 3 story building and have worship un-

der the stars. This church was warm and friendly and

very kind to us.

As we started our service, in the background, a

speaker system fired up that was about 400-500 yards

away from us, somewhere around another building in the

dark, some adults were speaking on it at first, and then I

heard little children using it. They were just making

sounds and noise, saying stuff at random. For me it was

pretty easy to tune them out and say what I was focused

on, after all I do have 4 little boys at my house and you

develop a fine art of not being able to be distracted. That

saying a lot for an ADD guy. ha ha ha...

So we all went ahead to share what God had lain on our hearts and shared some passages of scripture with

them. We had listen to them sing some songs and then church was over. We went down stairs to the first floor

where the pastor lived in part of the building with his family. What we learn as we listen to the pastor and the

interrupter with us was that this was a very hostile area indeed. The man who allowed them to use the building

for a church was not saved, but felt it was important for the church to be there and be used by them. This was

a great thing for the church. What was startling to learn is the pastor has been dragged out of church by people

in the area and beaten in-front of the church body, and as soon as they were done, he would go back to the

church and continue on. It was not the first time, and they have expanded the beatings to some of the other

church members at times before or after their service. But they knew that God had placed them there in this

hostile community to reach out to them. Amazing! Most people go somewhere and would say, “hey if they are

beating me up, I’m out of here” but not this church, they get beat up, and they say, “this is all the more reason

we should stay and reach out to them” Amazing! Makes me think back to Paul and Peter when they rejoiced

that they had to suffer for the sake of Christ, not that they enjoyed it, but they knew it was a part of what they

would have to endure, a price they would have to pay.

So ask yourself what would you be willing to endure for the name of Christ? Would you be willing to go

back peacefully to the people that beat you and try to share the gospel again with them? To follow Jesus is not

just something a pastor or missionary does, or an elder, lay pastor, or deacon. It’s something He asks all of us

to do. Think about the old hymn if you will “Where ever He leads I’ll Go”.

Thanks for your time & prayers for our fellow brothers & sister in Christ in India. It was great to experience

God at work with the people of India and to be allowed to serve alongside them.

(pictures on following pages)

India Mission Trip Page 11

India Mission Trip Pictures

Page 12

Pictures of India Mission Trip

Page 13

Pictures from India Mission Trip

Page 14

Pictures from India Mission Trip

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Cowboy Fellowship

P.O. Box 68

Pleasanton, TX 78064

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