Midweek Check-in (Oct. 29, 2025)

Good morning, church family!

Let’s take a midweek check-in to celebrate something we saw this past Sunday.

The kids who are part of our Sunday School program stood before the church and recited the 23^rd Psalm! Weeks of work and memorization brought them to this point, and they were awarded memory medals, engraved with each child’s name, to celebrate their accomplishment.

But more important than our applause or an award is the truth that God’s Word now lives in their hearts and will linger for a lifetime. Let’s take some time to sit with the words that our kids shared with us…

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:

for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil; cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

-Psalm 23

I remember when I memorized this passage (and Psalm 100) as a child. Those words have stuck with me throughout my life – even when I have felt the darkness of “the valley of the shadow of death”. And it is perhaps in those times that I most feel these words coming to mind.

That’s why I’m so excited that these kids now have within them the words of the Lord. To quote a favorite book of mine… “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”

That is what the word of the Lord is to me. And I hope it will be the same for our kids!

Your pastor,

Billy Byler

MEMBERSHIP CLASS: Our next membership class will be this Sunday, Nov. 2 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.

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. If you would like to help with this event, we have a signup sheet in the lobby to bring cookies and items for punch.

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 by Nov. 5.

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:

·      Scientists were alarmed when recent photos confirmed that wild dogs near Chernobyl had developed an unnatural shade of blue fur. Turns out it wasn’t radiation related; the dogs had been rolling around in a broken port-a-potty.

·      A woman was walking her dog in the park when she was suddenly hit by a plane. She survived!

·      With only 57 days until Christmas, you can get this cleverly-designed coffee mug with a built-in compartment for cookies.