Pastor’s Column

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Having just come through a wonderful Christmas time, I was once again reminded of how much I love and appreciate this wonderful church family called Christian Life Fellowship. To have the privilege of worshiping together, serving together, fellowshipping together, and loving one another in the process, is one of the greatest joys of my life.

I am so grateful for the ways in which so many of you have committed yourself to the family here. The Christmas Musical was a great example of that camaraderie that exists among us. The entire cast of directors, musicians and drama people gave a significant portion of hours to perfect the performance. A whole host of you volunteered to serve in some capacity during the performances, and a huge number of you baked cookies to serve the largest crowds we have seen in recent years. And to all of you who invited people to come, thank you!

It is so rewarding to see so many be so energized to work together to spread the “good news” of the Christmas message. You are to be commended for your efforts. God has given us some wonderful doors of opportunity, and when we band together to take advantage of these open doors, who knows what will ultimately result from our efforts?

Leata and I also want to express our thanks for the Christmas cards and kind words that we have received over the last few weeks. When you stick around a place for as long as we have, the friendships run deep. To say that we love you and appreciate you

does not adequately express the depth of emotion we feel about all of you.

If I may be so bold, I would like to offer this blessing upon each and everyone of you:

“May the peace of God envelope your life, and the love of God saturate your heart, and the wisdom of God fill your mind for every decision you make.

May the joy of serving Jesus Christ fill each and every day. May God’s Word become more and more precious to you as you fill your heart and mind with His words. And may your path continue in a long obedience in the same direction. Amen.”

Now a new year begins, and its arrival is almost always accompanied by a renewed desire to change some things in our lives. A new year often means that we are ready for some new

things to take place for us. That is not a bad thing. New beginnings are what the gospel is all about. So, when we begin a new year with some new goals, and new direction, and new determination, that is just a reflection of the new beginning that salvation brought to our lives, whenever that occurred for us, be it many years ago, or more recently.

With that in mind, we are beginning a new series of messages this weekend called “What’s hot and what’s not for 2012.” Our culture is always broadcasting what’s in and what’s out, but we are not following culture in this series. Rather, we are looking at this from God’s point of view. What does

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God see as “hot” for our lives, and what is not? I think you will find these to be pretty interesting and relevant topics for all of us.

Pastor Jeff is going to take on the whole idea of having margin in our lives. He is a logical candidate to talk about this subject, in light of his roles of husband, father to four children (and another on the way!), son, pastor, and coach. Any room for margin there?

Pastor Dan is going to address one of the most significant issues that we face in the church, and that is shame. So many today seem shackled by shame because of the decisions they have made, or because of the decisions that someone close to them has made. But where does that fit in the idea that we are to experience freedom in Christ?

I am going to deal with the subject of forgiveness, which is so critical to experiencing joy in our lives. What happens if I refuse to forgive, and choose to hang on to my resentment about a situation or circumstance in my life?

These are very real subjects for the entire church, so I hope you will start off the new year right by being in one of the services every weekend. Pastor Paul will be covering these same topics at our Rapids campus, which is enjoying sharing space with the United Methodist Church in Wisconsin Rapids.

I am praying that 2012 will be a “hot” year for the whole CLF family.

If I can add a P.S. to this article, let me encourage you to consider making a time for reading the Bible each day in this New Year. This is so critical to your spiritual growth. If you would like a schedule to follow in your reading, go to this website, www.youversion.com and there you will find a multitude of reading schedules. Find one that fits your schedule and start the year off right by regularly “eating” good spiritual food. You will be amazed at how God’s Word will nourish your spiritual walk.

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IMPACT Kids Ministry

A new year! A time of reflection, to see what character building experiences that has taken place in your life. Some of the character building has been good experiences and some not so good. But nonetheless, character building. It is hard to see the good in the not so good times and easier in the good times. We all have been there, some years better than others. Whether in good times or bad, there is ONE who is always there for you no matter what the circumstances. I am thankful that the God I serve is a faithful God, who is al-ways there in the good and in the bad times. He is unchanging and His love is unending. Look forward to the New Year; be excited what the Lord has planned for you. Maybe He is going to ask you to do something you never have done before, maybe it is something He has been asking you to do for sometime and this is the year you are going to do it. It may be to lead a class, help in a class, or to volunteer in an area that you have not done before or haven’t done in a long time. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” What a great verse to pass along to your kids, grandkids or neighborhood kids! They need to know that God has plans and direction for their lives, that they have hope in him. Teach them to call upon him and pray and He will listen to them. Have them seek God with all of their hearts.

Happy New Year!

Paula Heil

Hello, we are Doug and Tina Freeberg. Commander Doug and Commander Tina, as our Ranger Kids kindergarten class would call us. 

We have been married for 28 years.  We have 2 daughters and 2 sons plus 2 sons in laws and soon to have 5 grandchildren. 

We have been a part of teaching Royal Rangers since Christian Life Fellowship first started as a church. 

From that very first meeting in the basement of the old church in Nekoosa until now, we have had a passion to REACH, TEACH and KEEP boys for Jesus Christ. 

Doug ‐‐‐‐‐‐”I grew up in the Royal Ranger program and have continued to stay with it all of my adult life.  Now I am the Outpost Coordinator/Sr. Commander for CLF. 

Over the years I have really enjoyed teaching skills to the older group of boys.  Whether it is teaching the compass, fire craft, tool craft, first aid, or knots, I love seeing their faces light up when they learn and understand it. 

Now that I have moved down to helping along side Tina in the Ranger Kids Kindergarten class for the last year and a half, I am so blessed and really enjoy being able to teach these boys about God’s word and telling them all the great stories in the bible and seeing them respond to His word when praying to ask Jesus in their hearts.  I know the Lord’s heart must be full of joy when each boy prays and so is mine.” 

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In The Spotlight 

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Books of the Bible

Challenge Winners!

In the Impact Kidzone area, kids and adults have been memorizing the books of the Bible since the begin-ning of fall. There were a total of 29 that accepted the challenge. The kids definitely won this challenged as there were 20 kids and 9 adults that memorized all 66 books of the bible. Great job to; Miquel Mathais, Ethan Hess, Roger Fuller, Beau Butz, Brynn Torrenga, Thomas Iver-son, Josh Carlin, Derek Coates, Ana Gon-zalez, Simon Burch, Brent Torrenga, Ka-shaya Morgan, Jackson Benda, Luke Kors-lin, Hannah Carlin, Hannah Korslin, Madison O’Connor, Ali Martin, Michael Iverson. The adults that participated were Jim Alft, Ronda Alft, Toni Butz, Karrie Benda, Michele Iverson, Sandy Jeltma, Julie Overturf, Randy Santora and Brenda Coates. Awesome job everyone!!

“Pop Out” For Missions

For 6 weeks, beginning October 22/23 through November 26/27, the kids in the Impact Kidzone area, have raised a total of $196.71 for BGMC. The kids were to give up drinking soda for the month and pledge the amount of money they would have spent on soda, to BGMC. BGMC money is used for providing adequate food and water supply to children around the world, meet-ing their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs through spreading the gospel. That brings our year to date total to $1226.46! Way to go kids!!

Www.clfkids.org Like us on Facebook: Clf Kids Ministries

Impact Kids reciting the books of the Bible at the Kids

Christmas Musical

Tina‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐”When I met Doug I knew nothing about the Royal Ranger program, but I would soon discover that the fundamental principles that this program had to offer was something I wanted other boys to know about and certainly wanted to be able to teach my own boys some day.  I had never seen a ministry dedicated specifically to developing the whole boy before and it made me wonder if my own 2 brothers would have had a better outcome in life had they been given a chance at a ministry like Royal Rangers. 

“DOING” Royal Rangers as a family over the years has really taught me how to connect with my own 2 boys, who are now grown, and has shown me that each boy really has a need to just be a “BOY” the way God intended him to be. 

Every boy that has come and gone in my class over the years has felt like one of my own.  It’s not always easy to have 10 –5 year olds wrestling with each other while you are trying to teach, but I know at the end of the night I will go home and thank the Lord for using me to help a little boy connect with Jesus and make an eternal difference in his life. 

The years have come full circle for us now.  Next year we will start the cycle all over with our 1st grandson coming into our class.  Something tells me we’re going to have a hard time convincing him to call us Commander Doug and Tina instead of Papa & Mimi.” 

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Wednesday Activities Begin....

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Sunday Night Activities Begin .

..................................... Jan. 8

Explore CLF ................ Jan. 15

Tuesday Support Groups Begin

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Men’s Breakfast........... Jan. 21

iLead ........................... Feb. 4

Youth I Heart Dodge ball

Tourney ..................... Feb. 11

Beef N Ice.................. Feb. 17

Kidz Blazt............Feb 24 & 25

Unquenchable ........... Feb. 26

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