You hear it coming as the voices rise, “It’s my turn”…“I had it first” … “But now it’s my turn, GRANDMA!” It  doesn’t matter if it’s a 5-year-old, 8-year-old, 13-year-old or 15-year- old. The message is the same, and the battle begins as they fight to get their way.

I’m reminded of so many figures in the Bible who forced things, too. Sarah was afraid of not conceiving and forced her husband to sleep with her servant, Hagar. Moses used force, Judah used force, and Peter used force — all when they were faced with a fearful situation. But when we react to our fear by forcing our way forward, we usually end up hurting ourselves or others.
Life doesn’t have to be a battle. We don’t have to fight to get ahead or fear falling behind. Instead, we can surrender. We can let go of life on our terms. As fear rises, we can refuse to put on our boxing gloves and instead lean on Jesus. Like a litany, we can live these words: soul, be still.
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.”
Isaiah 12:2 NIV

Starts March 12th
Have you ever wondered if there’s more to life than what we see? 
Are you searching for a connection that transcends the everyday, a love that surpasses all understanding? If so, then our Discovery Class is for you.
In this warm and welcoming space, we’ll embark on a captivating journey together, exploring the Bible’s message of unconditional love, hope, and purpose. Discover how this message can bring peace, meaning, and guidance to your life, no matter where you are on your faith journey. Whether you’re a seasoned believer or just starting your quest, we invite you to join us on this transformative exploration. You’ll find a supportive community of fellow seekers, eager to share their stories and learn alongside you.
Don’t let your questions hold you back. This class is designed for open hearts and curious minds. We’ll delve into the foundations of the Christian faith and the Lutheran confessions in a way that’s easy to understand and engaging.

Visit the web or contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com to learn more and take the first step towards a life filled with purpose and joy.   
Date: Starts Tuesday, March 12^th                                                                                                                               
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Library
Led by: Pastor Rod Lindemann RodL@TimothyLutheran.com
Information & Registration: www.TimothyLutheran.com/discovery-class

Please join your brothers and sisters in Christ on  Wednesdays during Lent in the Auditorium for Dining with Jesus meals (6-6:30pm) followed by family-oriented interactions (6:30-7pm) for worship, fellowship, and a snippet of what Jesus has for us.
 
Why around a table? Because that’s where Jesus often did His most important ministry. As a matter of fact, throughout Scriptures, we see meals being a beautiful place where God does some amazing stuff. So we are going to dive into the Gospel of Luke where we will find Jesus not only sitting with those who loved Him but also with those who hated Him. We will hear some powerful red letter words, and we will wrestle with what it means to be sustained by God’s Word. This series will carry us through Lent, Holy Week, and Resurrection Sunday.

• Mar. 6, 6pm: Provided by TLS (menu: pulled pork); freewill offering to support TLS Scholarship Fund
• Mar. 13, 6pm:  Provided by GATHER Commission (menu: pancakes, sausage, fruit, coffee, juice, & water); freewill offering to support upgrades to the gathering area in the 4G’s
• Mar. 20, 6pm: Provided by TLS 7^th & 8^th (menu: pasta bake, salad, rolls and dessert); freewill offering to support 2024 spring class trip

Please be aware that entering through the west doors and parking lot is not available until 6pm due to TLS AfterCare.

Get ready for a fun-filled morning of Easter delights at Timothy Lutheran! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 23, 2024, because you won’t want to miss out on our annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Saturday, March 23, 2024
9:30 AM – Breakfast
10:30 AM – Easter Egg Hunt for Pre-K to 4th Grade
Capture the Egg for 5th Grade and Up
Make sure to mark your calendars and spread the word! The Timothy Lutheran Egg Hunt promises to be a memorable event for the whole family. We can’t wait to see you there for a morning of egg-cellent fun and faith-filled experience.

Exciting News from Saint Paul Lutheran High School!       
Get ready for an unforgettable summer experience with our summer camps at Saint Paul Lutheran High School! Whether your child loves sports, arts, academics, or just having fun, we have something for everyone.
Spread the word by sharing this post with your friends and family!
Flyer & Registration: tinyurl.com/2024SummerCampsSPLHS
Dates: Multiple Dates see the link above
Location: Saint Paul Lutheran High School
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make this summer one to remember! Register today and let the adventure begin.

As the adjustments continue for our new configuration, additional volunteer opportunities are available. Please consider how you can help in these areas. Click the links below to offer your time and talents. Thank you! 

1. FaithRoots teachers (Sunday morning children’s ministry, either service, once monthly):  Materials and training provided
2. Middle School Ministry leaders & assistants: planning events
3. Sunday Morning Parking Attendants : directing worshipers to open spaces and entering church, as needed.

The City of Blue Springs Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday Mar. 25th, concerning Timothy’s building project. The Public Hearing Sign is erected at the Wyatt Road entrance.

Building materials for the storage building were delivered yesterday, Feb. 29, to avoid another price increase effective today, March 1.  

Plans are in motion to modify the parking lot island to allow additional, easier access to the south entrance soon after Easter. Expected to take one or two days, the goal is to start the work on a Monday to be ready for foot traffic the following Sunday.

As the consolidation process moves forward, leadership and staff encourage members to express their One Campus Questions as well as Consolidation Success Stories.  Click here for One Campus Questions. Click here for Consolidation Success Stories.
Thank you!

One Campus Questions:

The following questions were submitted this week.

1.  Is it possible to add something to the auditorium and/or sound system to better accommodate worshipers with hard of hearing concerns?   Response:  Possible solutions for this situation are now being researched.

2.  How much are the retired pastors being paid?  Response:  It is not appropriate to publish this information in Timothy Connects which is posted to Timothy’s website each week and therefore on the Internet for anyone to read.

3.  Have we reached out to the District for an interim pastor? Response:  Timothy has contacted the MO District for support. There is currently a significant shortage of pastors as several churches have vacancies, but the District will provide a list to support Timothy’s ministries.

4.  If we want to be on the Call Committee, how do we sign up?  Response:

A Call Committee will be formed of 7-9 members, as recommended by MO District President Lee Hagan. This Call Committee, unlike our last call committee, will include representatives from the Executive Elders Board, Executive Board, and School Board. The committee may seek input and consultation from other interested members throughout this process. All of the members of Timothy congregation will be invited to play a role in the Divine Call process. Serving on the Call Committee will require a considerable time commitment and dedication during the next 12-18 months. More to come as the call process continues.

Consolidation Success Stories

The first Dining with Jesus was truly a success with 156 attending. What a blessing this is that we can come together under one roof and praise Jesus! LWML did a fantastic job serving the first dinner for Lent, and the food was wonderful as usual.

LWML stated they were so happy to be able to watch the funeral from the 4G’s on the TV’s. This was great so they could prepare the food for the luncheon and be part of the funeral.

Maybe the time is right for your 5^th-8^th grader to receive the Lord’s Supper.  If that is stirring in their heart, we encourage you to join us for Early Communion Class. This 4-week class, starting this Sunday, Feb. 18, at 4pm in the Music Room, preps our young people to receive this beautiful gift. One parent/guardian/mentor is expected to attend with the kiddo. Please contact Pastor Ryan with questions.

Please join your brothers and sisters in Christ on  Wednesdays during Lent (Feb. 21 through Mar. 20) in the Auditorium for Dining with Jesus meals (6-6:30pm) followed by family-oriented interactions (6:30-7pm) for worship, fellowship, and a snippet of what Jesus has for us.
 
Why around a table? Because that’s where Jesus often did His most important ministry. As a matter of fact, throughout Scriptures, we see meals being a beautiful place where God does some amazing stuff. So we are going to dive into the Gospel of Luke where we will find Jesus not only sitting with those who loved Him but also with those who hated Him. We will hear some powerful red letter words, and we will wrestle with what it means to be sustained by God’s Word. This series will carry us through Lent, Holy Week, and Resurrection Sunday.

• Feb. 21, 6pm:  Provided by LWML (menu: chicken tenders; potato casserole, jello salad, cookies and brownies); freewill offering to support mites (10%) and Hillcrest (90%), and LWML will match total freewill offering.
• Feb. 28, 6pm:  Provided by Women of Thursday Bible Study (menu: ham, cheesy potatoes, green beans, desserts); freewill offering to support Timothy’s operating fund
• Mar. 6, 6pm: Provided by TLS (menu: pizza); freewill offering to support TLS Scholarship Fund
• Mar. 13, 6pm:  Provided by GATHER Commission (menu: pancakes, sausage, fruit, coffee, juice, & water); freewill offering to support upgrades to the gathering area in the 4G’s
• Mar. 20, 6pm: Provided by TLS 7^th & 8^th (menu: tacos); freewill offering to support 2024 spring class trip

Please be aware that entering through the west doors and parking lot is not available until 6pm due to TLS AfterCare.

It seems like every time we blink, something is changing at Timothy lately. Not only that, but there is a lot of hurt, loss, concern, and grief stirring within many of us. And we are left in a heap of confusion. Let’s be honest—there are those who are disgruntled, those who are saddened, those who have stopped supporting ministry at Timothy, and those who are thinking about leaving. So what do men and women of faith do? We turn towards the God who loves and cares for us. We turn toward the one who promises renewal and restoration. That’s what we will do together starting this Sunday through March 24^th. We will tune into the books of Ezra and Nehemiah to be reminded that we worship a God who restores His people in the midst of their confusion, chaos, and grief. We will also ask the Lord to restore us: restore our hope, restore our focus, restore maybe even our faith. We invite you to join us and even come prepared! Here’s a suggested reading plan for our season of Lent:

• Prior to this Sunday:       Ezra Chapter 1
• Prior to February 25:       Ezra Chapter 3
• Prior to March 3:              Nehemiah Chapters 1&2
• Prior to March 10:            Ezra 4:21-5:2 & Nehemiah 4:10-15, 5:1-12, & Nehemiah 6:10-14
• Prior to March 17:            Nehemiah 8:9-18
• Prior to March 24:           Nehemiah Chapter 10

As the adjustments continue for our new configuration, additional volunteer opportunities are available. Please consider how you can help in these areas. Click the links below to offer your time and talents. Thank you! 

1. FaithRoots teachers (Sunday morning children’s ministry, either service, once monthly):  Materials and training provided
2. Middle School Ministry leaders & assistants: planning events
3. Sunday Morning Parking Attendants : directing worshipers to open spaces and entering church, as needed. 

Timothy’s staff and leadership are blessed to utilize help from Pastors Lieb and Rod to assist Pastor Ryan and other staff in moving forward with ministries. We thank Jon Kraft for leading the Tuesday morning Adult Bible Class through Easter as they delve into I & II Kings.
 
Last Sunday’s traditional service (Feb. 11) was recorded and placed on YouTube. Click here to view it again:  Feb 11th Part 1 and Feb 11th Part 2. 

At its monthly meeting this past Monday, the Board of Elected Elders started discussion about the call process for a senior pastor. Direction from the MO District Office and Timothy’s circuit visitor will assist in this process.
 
Worshipers are reminded to reserve the handicapped parking spaces and at least the first row of regular spaces along both the south and west sides of church for those with mobility concerns. Thank you!
 
The west doors are unlocked on Sunday mornings from 8am-9:20am and from 10am-10:50am for entrance into church from west parking lot. Those doors are locked during other Sunday morning times for safety and security considerations, particularly since FaithRoots classes meet in the classrooms in that hallway.
 
A coat rack is available along the west wall of the lobby. A container in the vestibule entrance for umbrellas will be available soon.

The Festival Committee freezer truck was moved from RD Mize to storage at Pointe of Hope. Timothy thanks Pointe of Hope very much!
 
As the consolidation process moves forward, leadership and staff encourage members to express their One Campus Questions. Feel free to click here One Campus Questions. Responses will be included in upcoming issues of Timothy Connects and on Sunday mornings as time allows.

Thank you! The following questions were submitted this week: 
The following questions were submitted this week:

1. “Will there be some sort of review done on service times? They seem to be running over each other so far.”  “Need an hour between services, no parking for seniors, services run long causing a parking problem.”  Response: Leadership is aware of these situations. We do not want to make minor or major changes until we completely understand the situation and the options available to resolve the problem. One option to address the parking situation is to utilize volunteers as parking attendants to help worshipers find open spaces and enter the building, as needed. More time is needed to assess the new format regarding service times and length of services. Thank you for your patience.
2. “Can a row of chairs be placed against the back wall for ushers and worship assistants?” Response: Yes. As of last Sunday, a row of 6-8 chairs was placed in front of the bleacher inside the Auditorium south entrance for this purpose. Reserved signs will be placed on the chairs for this purpose. 

In addition, feel free to click here to share Consolidation Success Stories. Thank you!