Midweek Check-in (Nov. 6, 2025)

Good afternoon, church family!

I’m a day late on our midweek check-in. As many of you know, I spent the past week in Ohio, where we had the funeral for my dear grandmother. She passed away Oct. 30 at the age of 91, and I’m so thankful that I was able to get there in time to spend that morning with her.

Many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren participated in her funeral. We told stories full of wonderful memories. She used to send us out to pick blackberries in the summer then bake blackberry pies for each of us. She was a fiercely competitive Scrabble player, and, if she beat you she’d tease you for losing to an old grandma. But if you beat her, she’d ask if you felt good about yourself beating an old grandma. She also prayed for us daily, a promise that was confirmed when we found multiple lists in her Bible with the handwritten names of each of her children, grandchildren and spouses.

After her funeral, some of us visited the place she was born. Though she spent most of her life in Middlefield, Ohio, she was born in Mespo, a town just a few miles down the road, where the first Amish settlers arrived more than 100 years ago. The town’s full name is Mesopotamia, named because the land’s beauty and fertile soil reminded the settlers of the biblical region that included the birthplace of Abraham and two rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden.

It’s a small town, and look what I found in the middle of the town lawn – two beautiful trees in their fall colors! I took this photo standing right in front of a hitching post where Amish horses and buggies still park when they shop at the local general store.

My grandmother was a wonderful demonstration of faithfulness and care for her family. In Luke 18 a parable of Jesus starts with this opening line: “Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged” and the parable concludes with this line: “But when the Human One comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?”

Both of those lines sum up the life and legacy of my Grandma Susie. She knew the importance of prayer and encouragement, and she was the epitome of faithfulness to the Lord and her family.

I don’t know if you have someone in your life who prays for you, encourages you and, on occasion, beats you in a competitive game of Scrabble. If you do, count your blessings. The Lord knows not only what we need in our lives but who we need. Today I’m thankful for a strong family legacy and foundation of love and care. If you don’t have a family like that, you do have a church family. And a pastor who loves you.

May we be reminded today of the love of God and His people. You are loved!

Your pastor,

Billy Byler

VETERAN’S DAY CELEBRATION: All veterans and friends of veterans are welcome to our annual Veteran’s Day Celebration featuring live music with the Wichita State University Jazz Arts II on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. All veterans in attendance will receive a special gift and there will be a reception with light refreshments to follow.

MEN’S RETREAT: The annual Kansas District Men’s Retreat is Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14-15 right here at our church! The $100 registration includes Topgolf and dinner Friday evening and breakfast and lunch Saturday, along with dynamic speakers that will help you become the man God has called you to be! Join Pastor Billy at this event by registering here.

MEMBERSHIP CLASS: Our next membership class is Sunday, Nov. 16 right after the morning worship service. Lunch will be provided. This class will cover the steps necessary to be received into membership at Woodland Lakes Community Church, including information about the history and beliefs of our church as well as our ministries, denomination and the privileges and expectations of members. Please RSVP to the church office.

EMBRACE GRACE: The next launch of our Embrace Grace classes begins soon. Embrace Grace is a ministry to help single, pregnant ladies navigate the journey of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood with weekly classes that provide education, support, encouragement and prayer. If you or someone you know would like more information, please contact Sherilyn Elder.

JUST FOR FUN

Hey, you read Pastor Billy's midweek check-in all the way to the end! As a reward, check out these crazy stories I came across recently:

·      A driver in California was pulled over for a traffic violation, but he handed the police officer a “Get Out Of Jail Free” card from Monopoly. He still got a ticket.

·      Some public restrooms in China are being tested for a new system. If you want to get toilet paper, you have to watch ad.

·      With only 49 days until Christmas, Oreo wants to make sure you don’t skip out on Thanksgiving. So they’ve released some new flavors, including: Creamed Corn Oreos, Sweet Potato Oreos and Turkey & Stuffing Oreos. A 12-count box featuring six new Thanksgiving flavors that absolutely no one asked for will cost you $19.99 plus shipping.