December 2011

Cowboy Fellowship News

December 2011 E-News

Issue 30

Inside This Edition:

Word From The Pastor…What Happened To Christmas?

Covered Facility Update

Ministry Updates

And lots more!

1 John 4:19

We love Him because He first loved us.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you and yours!

Pastor Pete Pawelek Associate Pastor Scotty Smith

Children’s Pastor Adam Shelburne Youth Pastor Tanner Butkay

Financial Secretary Renae McDaniel Ministry Assistant Sue Johnson

Receptionist Connie Zuniga

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Word From The Pastor

Matthew 2:11 NET As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him

gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

What has happened to Christmas? Did you know that on cyber Monday we spent over 1.25 billion dollars just on the internet alone making this the biggest cyber Monday in history. Records were set on the previous Friday as well, which is also known as “Black Friday.” That day, American shoppers spent over 11.5 BILLION dollars during the black Fri-day madness. It seems clear to me that Christmas is no longer a Christian holiday, but in-stead nothing more than a festival for consumers.

This morning as I read this passage of scripture I wondered where it all went so wrong. The first Christmas seemed nothing like what we "celebrate" now. The one thing that really stuck out to me was what the wise men did when they found Jesus. It says they worshiped Him! This, after all, should be our first priority when it comes to the celebration of Christmas, yet most make it their last. We go to church "if we can" or "if I can get the rest of my family to go." Worshiping Christ during the Christmas season should be our first priority rather than something we do “if we can”. Next, it says that they brought Jesus gifts. There was no gift exchange among everyone in attendance. The gifts were for Christ Jesus! When was the last time you gave Jesus something special for Christmas? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were among some of the rarest and special things anyone could give to another. Perhaps our largest most precious gift this year should not be for our spouse, children, or even ourselves. Maybe our most precious gift this year should be set aside for Jesus Christ. This might be a monetary gift of significance to His church. It might mean that you dedicate two or three days to serving the homeless over Christmas in Jesus name rather than your own. Maybe it is something different, but whatever it is, make Jesus the focus of your gift. We started doing this in our family several years ago. Each year we give our most precious, and expensive gift to Christ rather than to each other. I simply can’t explain in words how this has impacted our family. I believe that if we will make worship a priority, and if we will give Jesus our greatest gift this Christmas season, the world will be a better place and we will be better for it as well.

I really hope you will make worship the number one priority in your life this Christmas. Come out and join us on Saturday night December 24th for a very special Christmas eve service then worship with your family on Christmas day. Focus this year and look at Christmas as a Christian and not as a consumer and you will find that Christ-mas is much more enjoyable, memorable, and real, when you do this. Be blessed this Christmas season. Pastor Pete

Phase one is just about complete thanks to all who have made this possi-ble with your financial support and prayers. Please continue to pray for the next phase and continue to help with your contributions. If you have-n’t done so, please go take a look at the progress. God bless you all from your building team! As for Phase 2, for the month of November you all have donated $4777.50. Thank you for your donations and for continuing to support this vision for Cowboy Fellowship! If you would like to make a donation to our building fund you may do so by clicking the milk jug

below:

Covered Facility Update

~cont on page 13~

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John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.

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Letter From An American Hero

Ma’am,

I received the care package from Cowboy Fellowship yesterday. It

really touched my heart and I just wanted to send an email saying

how much I appreciated it. The notes from the kids really made me

smile. The snacks are awesome! I shared them with my co-workers.

Homemade food is hard to come by here. Thank you for the DVD and

CD’s too.

God bless. You guys rock!!!!

Jessica Bauer, SrA, USAF

The Acts Report

Matthew 25:35 Boot Box Christmas

Please consider sponsor-

ing a child today! We are

supporting orphans at the

Renata’s Legacy Life cen-

ter in Ciudad Victoria,

Mexico. Simply complete

a gift envelope and write

Boot Box Christmas on it

and drop it, along with

your contribution, in the

milk can next to the tree.

We also have Christmas

cards out if you would like

to include a personal note

to the kids. We will be try-

ing to send everything off

within the next two weeks.

If you would like to mail

your donation in you may

do so by sending it to:

Boot Box Christmas

c/o Cowboy Fellowship

P.O. Box 68

Pleasanton, TX 78064

Karen has less kids this

year as she had to aban-

don Nuevo Laredo Home

for a new home in Ciudad

Victoria due to the Mexi-

can Drug Violence in

Nuevo Laredo. These kids

are being raised in a drug

& alcohol free environ-

ment. The home is a

Christian home sur-

rounded by a drug in-

fested society and there-

fore needs your help for

Christmas.

God Bless and

Thank You!

Please call

Odis White at

(210) 275-9800

Jerusalem ~ Atascosa County

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Matthew 25:35

Facebook Link

(Must log in to access)

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Saturday, Dec. 3rd ~ 9-11 AM

River Park ~ Pleasanton

Come out and join Pastor Pete and other

Pastors from local churches to walk and

pray for our community, our emergency

responders, and our country. This will be a

wonderful time of our community coming

together in the name of Jesus.

We hope you will join us!

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*The following are reoccurring

events that take place each

week/month at the same time

unless otherwise denoted:

Church Services - Sunday: @

10:45 AM

Discipleship Classes - Every

Monday - 6:30 PM ~ New se-

mester begins Jan. 16, 2012

@ 6:30

Children’s Play Group Every

Tuesday from 10 - 11:30.

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

Wednesday @ 7:00 unless

otherwise noted.

Pre-Teen Ministry—Every

Wednesday @ 6:30—Bldg D

Living Hope - Every Thursday

@ 7 PM Call Paul @

830-570-4301 for more info.

2nd Saturday Clean Up @ 8:00

Breakfast Provided

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

Every 3rd Saturday

@ Stage Stop - 8:00 AM

Share The Harvest—Every

Wednesday @ 5:00 (Will resume

in the spring)

Please Go To Our Website For

Times And More Information!

www.cowboyfellowship.org

Schedule

Of Events

December 2011

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SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

CFY Bldg B

Pre-Teens Bldg D

6:30 PM

1

Living Hope 7:00

2

3

Community Prayer Walk

9—11 AM River Park

4 Services 10:45 AM Baptisms Ham Dinner Potluck

Servant’s Appreciation Dinner 6:00 PM

5

Discipleship

Classes 6:30 PM

6 Play Group 10:00 AM

7

CFY Bldg B

Pre-Teens Bldg D

6:30 PM

8

Living Hope 7:00

9

10

2nd Saturday Clean Up 8 AM

11

Services 10:45 Saddle Up After the service!

12

Discipleship Classes 6:30 PM

13

Play Group 10:00 AM

14

CFY Bldg B

Pre-Teens Bldg D

6:30 PM

15

Living Hope 7:00

16

17 Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

18

Services 10:45

Birthday Party for Jesus K– 4th grades During Service

19

Discipleship Classes

6:30 Last class for this semester

20 Play Group 10:00 AM

21

CFY Bldg B

Pre-Teens Bldg D

6:30 PM

22

Living Hope 7:00

23

Christmas Holiday

Office Closed

24

Candlelight Service 6 PM Special Music

25

Christmas Day No Services

Please worship with your families!

26

Discipleship Classes

27

Play Group 10:00 AM

28

CFY Bldg B

Pre-Teens Bldg D

6:30 PM

29

Helping Hands

10:30 AM

Living Hope 7:00

30

New Year’s Holiday

Office Closed

31

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we

might receive the full rights of sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

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You!

To lead one of the

following Ministries:

2nd Saturday Clean Up

Restroom Clean Up

ACOM

Oilfield OutReach

Motorcycle

If God has put it on your

heart to serve then one

of these ministries

might be for you!

Please call the office

for more information!

830-769-3733

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Play Group All Over The Place!

Ministry Updates

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GRAMMY®, AMA and 2010 Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year Casting Crowns is announcing plans for a massive 40-city fall concert tour, titled the "Come To The Well" Tour, taking its name from the bands highly-anticipated new studio project, Come To The Well, releasing Oct. 18. The tour kicks off Sept. 22, in El Paso, Texas, featuring premier modern rock bands Sanctus Real and The Afters, and introducing Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul.

The tour will coincide with the release of Come To The Well (the band's first new studio album in two years), featuring the hit single "Courageous," which will also be showcased in the upcoming Sherwood Pictures film by the same title, in theaters on Sept. 30. The "Come To The Well" Tour also follows the band's recent Dove Award win in the Long Form Music Video category for the hugely successful Until The Whole World Hears Live DVD/CD release, which captured the unforgettable 2009/2010 "Until The Whole World Hears" national concert tour, which saw more than 350,000 fans in 82 cities.

The "Come To The Well" Tour is partnering with Christian humanitarian organization World Vision (www.worldvision.org). World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 52,000 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.

Call Tanner @ 830-769-3733 for more information!

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Join Us At A Special Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 24, 2011 @ 6:00 PM

Share in a special message by Pastor Pete Pawelek

Special Music

Cowboy Fellowship

P.O. Box 68

Pleasanton, TX 78064

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