Again this year, the TLS Parent-Teacher League (PTL) is organizing a Christmas Wonderland Shop for TLS students to shop for gifts for their parents.

The congregation is invited to support this project by picking a gift tag from a Christmas tree in each lobby through November 19.

The unwrapped gift items may be returned to the bin next to the tree before Nov. 19 so that the Christmas Wonderland Shop can be set up for students to shop the week of Dec. 4th. Thank you for your support!

Now is the time to start thinking of families who may need some extra assistance at Christmas. If you know of an individual or family from our congregation or school who would be a candidate for our Care Ministry Giving Tree, please submit their name(s), address and phone number in a sealed envelope and place in Sandy Gregory’s mailbox in the RD Mize Communication Center or contact her at 816.228.5300 (8042). Deadline to submit names is October 30 for the team to coordinate all necessary steps for a successful 2023 Giving Tree ministry.

A Giving Tree will be displayed at each campus starting Wed., Nov. 22^nd, for members to choose tags and return the suggested gifts on Sunday, Dec. 10th, for Timothy’s annual Journey to the Manger. Gifts will be distributed to families suggested by Timothy members, Community Services League, Immanuel Lutheran in KC, and Our Redeemer in KC. Thank you for your generous support in the past. We look forward to this year’s gifts of love.

As the holidays approach each year, Timothy’s GriefShare Group offers special help to those who are hurting. The “Surviving the Holidays” session will be Thursday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8pm in the Fireplace Room at RD Mize, led by Lois Warren and Susan Ready. All who grieve the loss of a loved one at any time in their lives are encouraged to attend and bring family and friends.
The event begins with a 35-minute video that will help you feel understood and encouraged. You will be given a Holiday Survival Guide full of tips on how to navigate the season, including coping with painful emotions, handling social events and traditions, and more.

Contact Sandy Gregory in church office (816.228.5300 Ext. 8042) with questions and to request childcare. Register online at: https://www.griefshare.org/holidays/events/46736

Timothy’s DivorceCare support group invites members and their friends to the annual Surviving the Holidays: DivorceCare session on Monday, Nov. 13, from 6:30-8pm in the Fireplace Room at RD Mize, led by Kathy Wildschuetz and Christine Shaffer. This session will include practical suggestions and encouragement for managing the holidays after separation or divorce. Topics include What to Do with Your Holiday Emotions; Having a Plan; and Tips for Surviving a Social Event.

For more information, contact Sandy Gregory in the church office (816.228.5300 Ext. 8040) or go to Divorcecare website at divorcecare.org/holidays. You can register online at https://www.divorcecare.org/holidays/events/46737

After several months of vacancy in Timothy’s apartment at Hillcrest Transitional Housing, Timothy’s Hillcrest Team learned this week that new resident, Cordell, has moved is and getting settled. Single with no children, he is employed at Price Chopper. Please keep Cordell in your thoughts and prayers as he begins the Hillcrest program. Thank you for your support of this vital ministry!

If you would like to send a card of encouragement, his address is:
501 SW Mission Rd,
Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
ATTENTION < Cordell Apt 507C>

The congregation is invited to celebrate the completion of Timothy member Dalton Bodenhausen’s Eagle Scout Project on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 11:30am at the Wyatt soccer field. Dalton chose to design and complete all facets concerning the construction of a set of aluminum bleachers on a concrete pad for fans to enjoy while watching practices or games on the Wyatt soccer field.

A special part of the brief ceremony will be the dedication of the bleachers in memory of Pastor Ted Schubkegel, a dear friend of Dalton and an associate pastor at Timothy from 1988 until going to heaven in March 2014. Members of the Schubkegel family plan to attend.

Timothy thanks Dalton for enhancing Timothy’s property and honoring Pastor Ted.

Over 200 people attended the first Town Hall Meeting in person last Sunday.  A recording of the 80-minute discussion and the PowerPoint presentation can be accessed on home page of Timothy’s website or click here (https://timothylutheran.com/) for video and slides.

A second Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 3^rd, at 11:30am in the Wyatt Auditorium, to share additional information as it becomes available over the next month. Look for weekly updates here in Timothy Connects as well.

Since last Sunday, the following questions have been submitted:
1. Regarding amortization, will the interest rate change when we do this? If it goes up, shouldn’t we stay with current plan? Treasurer Joe Sauter forgot to report at the Town Hall that the interest rate will not change. The intent is to keep the same payment, which is dependent upon giving.

2.  Why don’t we continue to make the same payment schedule (instead of reducing payment) and reduce the debt faster? This is preference of Executive Board, again dependent upon giving to support ministry.

3.  We used to have an 8am service. Wouldn’t that be better than moving the traditional service to 10:30am? Shouldn’t we do a survey of the RD Mize parishioners? The service schedule, which is not “set in stone,” was approved by the Board of Elders after much discussion. This decision was predicated upon the goal of providing what is necessary (at this point) for both worship services to have proper time to offer quality and God-honoring worship. Surveying the entire congregation about service times as well as other implemented consolidation considerations may be possible as we navigate the first 5-6 months of 2024.

4.  I had trouble hearing because of the echo in the big room (auditorium, during the Town Hall). Have we considered adding additional sound panels to the walls, or making individual sound packs available like we did a long time ago at RDM?  This consideration has not been part of discussions to date, but it will be taken under advisement.

5. Are we going to hang the former/current pastors’ pictures (on the brick wall outside sanctuary) at Wyatt?  Yes, that is the goal.  Exact location is still under consideration.

6.  Was there ever a succession plan before the departure of Pastor Steensma? If so, present it. If no, was one formulated after his departure?  Pastoral succession plans are not officially documented as in the corporate world. Each LCMS district has resources to follow for local congregations in calling pastors. Since pastors may be called by churches at any time, the general practice is to allow time for the divine call process to take place. Once a called pastor accepts another call, the church assesses the needs for next steps. With Pastor Steensma’s departure, the vacant position was the Senior Pastor position, so there was no question concerning the need to fill it. The elders were notified on 06/16/18 of Pastor Rich’s decision to accept the call to Minnesota. Within 6 days (06/21/18), the elders held a special elders’ meeting to discuss the transition period and to initiate the call for a senior pastor. On 06/25/18, the elders contacted MO District President Hagan to start the call process. Unfortunately, Timothy’s situation as a two-site church along with COVID and other factors resulted in several calls to Timothy being declined.

7.  Was there ever a succession plan for Pastor Rod’s retirement? If so, present it.  If not, was one formulated after his retirement?  There was no succession plan following Pastor Rod’s retirement. There are several reasons for not filling this unique position (part-time Special Ministry Pastor—SMP), including the need to fill the vacant senior pastor position first.

8. What happened to the final reports prepared by the various Next Generation task forces in 2019-2020, such as the Review of 2020 Vision and Ministry Review?  With the arrival of COVID just as the reports were finalized and the resulting changes in worship and moving forward in general as well as other factors, the consolidation process was paused. Regarding Vision and Ministry Review specifically, the current Strategic Planning Committee has been meeting since early May to focus on a one-year (2024) and five-year plan (2024-2028) regarding staffing, discipleship, consolidation, and financial. The final plan will be presented to the congregation in January. The other reports from the original Next Gen task forces will be updated to coordinate with Timothy’s current consolidation efforts.

9. What are the plans for storing equipment now housed in the garage at RD Mize (lawn equipment and Festival Committee equipment)? As shared at the meeting, the generosity of members to offer their barns and the acquisition of two 40’x8’x8’ temporary storage containers (scheduled for delivery on Oct. 30, weather permitting) will address this situation for the immediate future.

10. What are the plans to provide for current regular RD Mize activities? As shared at the meeting, Timothy is partnering with our sister congregation, Pointe of Hope on North Highway 7, for its GriefShare, DivorceCare, Tuesday AM Adult Bible Study, Ruth Circle, and smaller Bible Studies. All other RD Mize evening activities will occur at Wyatt.

The congregation is urged to submit questions on Timothy’s website by clicking on Church, then Next Generation, or by clicking on submission button on congregational email sent  on Monday, Oct. 9, at 10am.