TIME CHANGE!!!

Don't Forget to Change Your Clocks Back This Weekend!

You don't want to miss service

 and  materials for your

Garden Walk book!

See you Sunday Morning!

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church This Sunday!

IDOP
Sunday, November 2, 2014

It is hard to watch news broadcasts of what is going on in the Middle East and even around the world.  Christians live in fear of being beaten, imprisoned, and killed.  They are pressured daily to deny Christ.  We listen to the reports, and feel totally out of control to do anything.

This Sunday you can act.  Join us to get a glimpse of the life of a Christian in a country on the Persecuted Church Watch List as we watch the film, "Love Costs Everything."  Following this film we will have a time of worship and prayer... Both of which we enjoy total freedom to do.

Schedule:

5-7pm Love Costs Everything Film
7-8pm Worship and Prayer

High School Students Head to SICOM!

High Schoolers Head to SICOM!
Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, OH
November 14-16

I am excited about the opportunity for the students not only to see, but to be involved in the work God is doing around the world.

Students will be exposed to a great diversity of ways that people are making a difference for God's Kingdom... colleges, church planting,  social justice missions, arts, world outreach, counseling, and more.  They will also participate in missions by building walls with CrossRoads Mission for Cookson Hills and packing meals for Lifeline Christian Mission & IDES.

An Evening Out! LB In Concert!

Life Bridge In Concert

Saturday November 8th 6pm

Doors open 6pm
Performances from 6:30-9pm

In Concert is a  conglomeration of mostly musical gifts from people at Life Bridge and throughout our community.  It is an evening of family-friendly fun with family and friends!

Invite family, friends, and neighbors.  Plan on enjoying a night of entertainment and munchies.

If you are interested in performing there are only a couple of slots left.  Contact Frank Guzzo at Frank@ImagineLifeDifferently.com

Lunch with the Students this Sunday!

Waiting for session to start

SICOM (Student International Conference on Missions)!

This past weekend Christian Burns, Lily York, and Jasmine Gasaway, Kent Hillman, and myself took off for Columbus, OH where we were challenged by:wonderful teaching and worship,

• talking and praying with missionaries in the field in Poland, 
• putting our faith into action as we packaged food for Lifeline Christian Mission & IDES and built walls for CrossRoads Mission for Cookson Hills
• and seeing the world through someone else's eyes through a film about a young south Asian women trapped in sex trafficking, her escape, her recovery and healing through a Rapha House facility.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

It is time to bring in your last minute items for OCC!

• Bar Soap 
• Washcloths
• Small Toys
• OCC Envelopes near the Ministry Counter

Shoe Box Packing is Wednesday, November 12th from 6:30-8pm at Life Bridge in the Children's area.  Plan now to help pack boxes!

If you wish to contribute a pre-packed shoe box, please bring it in by Sunday, November 16th, at which time all the shoe boxes and 500 Turkeys food items will be prayed over.  Following services the shoe boxes will be packed up to take to our area OCC drop off location.  

500 Turkeys

500 Turkey Celebration!

Money has been raised to cover the cost of turkeys!!

Yam Goal within 100 cans!  

Goal: 200 cans! Large cans count as 2 and are cheaper!
Pick up some yams the next time you are at the grocery!

Upcoming Service Opportunities through 500 Turkeys - NEW!

Jesus Cookies and Prayer Vigil

Jesus Cookies due Sunday November 2nd.

This next weekend November 7-9, is the Kairos weekend at Westville Correctional Facility.  A prayer vigil begins November 6th and continues through the 9th.  While we are celebrating that all the prayer slots have been filled, we ask you to continue to keep Kairos' efforts in prayer.

This outreach uses Jesus cookies to help reach their hearts and soften them to hear God's Truth! People throughout the community help in the effort to supply 3500-5000 DOZEN cookies!  To be a part of meeting this need and show of love, please carefully follow the instructions below and return them to Life Bridge by Sunday morning.

Enjoy the Walk Off to a Great Start! Pick Up Your Own Book!

Enjoy the Walk Weekend Series has begun!

Last weekend everyone got to pick up a book to personalize their own walk with God.  In our current series, Enjoy the Walk, we are looking at some big milestones along the Garden Walk Path.  The book is used to track your progress.  Each week you will have the opportunity to continue filling in more of the iceberg with Sunday's half sheet, small group resources, daily devotions, and a guide to i.ImagineLifeDifferently.com.  In addition to these, you will be given ongoing resources to help track and make the most of your worship, small groups, path steps, ministry teams, and flock.

This Garden Walk book is intended not only to give you a clear picture of God's plan, but also practical tools to live it out.

If you didn't get your book yet, it is not a problem.  They will be available on Sunday.  We look forward to seeing you then!

To dive deeper in this study, plan on attending a small group at one of these times:

• Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 (Children, Student, and Adult groups; Potluck Dinner is served.)
• Wednesdays 7-8pm
• Thursdays 6:30-8pm (Potluck dinner served. Band practice is immediately following study.)

Let's enjoy the walk!

Intentional Valparaiso Happenings

The dIVe: Monday Night Bible Study

The dIVe is where Intentional Valparaiso meets to study together weekly, to bond together, to plan, and to imagine.

From community guest speakers to study led by IV members, "The dIVe" is a great place to learn new perspectives, meet people, and get involved!

"The dIVe" meets on Mondays at 8:30 pm, at LifeBridge Christian Church.

All are welcome to stop by and check us out, whether you've been a Christian for years, or you’re just investigating faith for yourself. 

Check out IV online here

In Concert Sign Ups Going On Now!

Life Bridge In Concert

Saturday November 8th

Doors open 6pm
Performances from 6:30-9pm

In Concert is a  conglomeration of mostly musical gifts from people at Life Bridge and throughout our community.  It is an evening of fun with family and friends!

If you are interested in performing contact Frank Guzzo at Frank@ImagineLifeDifferently.com

Luncheon Next Week! Sign Up and Enjoy!

College Lunch Sign Up!

Next week's lunch is Pasta and Salad!

Sign up to help provide salad, salad fixings, breads, deserts, and drinks.  Plan on staying to enjoy!

There will be a list at the Ministry Counter this Sunday so you can sign up.  

500 Turkeys Celebrates Successful Food Drive!

500 Turkeys Food Drive SUCCESS!!!

Last Saturday volunteers stood out in front of Valpo's Town & Country and invited the community to support 500 Turkeys' effort in feeding 800 families this Thanksgiving.  The response was amazing!  Over 6100 items were collected!

Thanks to all who volunteered to make this event possible and to the many shoppers who purchased items.  The difference you make may never be fully known, but it is significant nonetheless.

Kairos Prison Ministry Receives a Warm Welcome

Bill Bennett, Kairos Prison Ministry, joined us this past weekend and shared about the ministry that is being accomplished through Kairos.  

Bill expressed feeling incredibly welcomed by all of you!  Thanks to all who stopped by his table and asked questions and/or signed up for the upcoming prayer vigil for Westville Correctional Facility (Click here to sign up online for the prayer vigil.

Kudos to Sara Jax, who had the brilliant idea to serve Jesus cookies at the coffee bar!  This is a special recipe that is accepted by the prison for the inmates.  The recipe is available at the Ministry Counter if you missed it in last weeks program.  If you would like to bless these inmates with some Jesus cookies, simply follow the recipe, and when cool, freeze 6 cookies per ziploc baggy.  Any cookies brought to Life Bridge by November 2nd will be passed along.

If you are interested in other ways to participate, check out kairosofindiana.org.

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'  (Matthew 25:44-45 NIV)

OCC Celebrated Candy Goal Met!

Operation Christmas Child

OCC has collected enough candy to fill all 150 shoe boxes!  Thanks goes out to the students for packaging these and all who contributed!

OCC is still collecting:

• Bar Soap 
• Washcloths
• Small Toys
• OCC Envelopes near the Ministry Counter

Shoe Box Packing is Wednesday, November 12th from 6:30-8pm at Life Bridge in the Children's area.  Plan now to help pack boxes!

If you wish to contribute a pre-packed shoe box, please bring it in by Sunday, November 16th, at which time all the shoe boxes and 500 Turkeys food items will be prayed over.  Following services the shoe boxes will be packed up to take to our area OCC drop off location.  

Enjoy the Walk!

Enjoy the Walk Weekend Series has begun!

Last weekend Pete kicked off "Enjoy the Walk" with an overview of this series that will run up to Thanksgiving.  (View last weeks service.)

The idea of the iceberg was introduced:

• Sunday morning will get you started.
• Small Groups will help make it real.
• Daily Devotions will add more depth.
• I.ImagineLifeDifferently.com will out more below the surface.

In the course of this study, you will be given your own Garden Walk book to both encourage and empower you to enjoy your walk together with God and to build your own iceberg.

You will have the opportunity to continue adding resources to your book for each week and each step... daily devotions, small group materials, ministry tools, and more.

Make the most out of this series by attending service each week, plugging into a small group, reading the daily devotions and even logging into I.ImagineLifeDifferently.com.

Small Groups are meeting at Life Bridge on:

• Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 (Children, Student, and Adult groups; Potluck Dinner is served.)
• Wednesdays 7-8pm
• Thursdays 6:30-8pm (Potluck dinner served. Band practice is immediately following study.)

Let's enjoy the walk!

Latest News on 500 Turkeys!

500 Turkeys Food Drive TOMORROW!!!
Valpo Town & Country
Saturday, October 18th 8am-8pm

If you have participated in Feed the Need, you have the picture of what this event is.  Volunteers will stand outside of  T&C, handing out flyers listing needed items, and invite shoppers to purchase 1 or more items on the list.  It is a lot of fun, a great way to connect with others in our community, and involve the whole family!

To sign up for a time slot, simply click here!

Life Bridge In Concert is Coming Soon!!

Life Bridge In Concert
Saturday November 8th

Doors open 6pm
Performances from 6:30-9pm

In Concert is a  conglomeration of mostly musical gifts from people at Life Bridge and throughout our community.  It is an evening of fun with family and friends!

If you are interested in performing contact Frank Guzzo at Frank@ImagineLifeDifferently.com

Kairos Prison Ministry Joins Life Bridge This Weekend!

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'  (Matthew 25:44-45 NIV)

Bill Bennett, Kairos Prison Ministry, will be joining us this weekend for services.  He will be set up at the Ministry Counter.  Please welcome him, and learn what Kairos is doing to reach inmates for Christ!

Here are just a couple ways you can support Kairos' efforts:

• Sign up for a time slot in the prayer vigil for Westville Correctional Facility November 6-9th, 2014
• Bake cookies for the upcoming Westville Retreat (each weekend service to a prison requires 3500-5000 DOZEN cookies! Special recipe required.)
• And More!

Latest News from Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

As OCC enters the home stretch this month in preparing 150 shoe boxes for children around the world, they are continuing to collect items for shoe boxes and money for shipping expenses.  Here is how you can contribute!

OCC is collecting:

• Bar Soap 
• Washcloths
• Small Toys
• OCC Envelopes near the Ministry Counter

Shoe Box Packing is Wednesday, November 12th from 6:30-8pm at Life Bridge in the Children's area.  Plan now to help pack boxes!

Many have asked about bringing in boxes that are already packed.  This is great too!  Bring them in by Sunday, November 16th, at which time all the shoe boxes and 500 Turkeys food items will be prayed over.  Following services the shoe boxes will be packed up to take to our area OCC drop off location.  

Extraordinary Women Conference

Early Bird Registration Ends 10/31/2014!

Extraordinary Women Conference
Apr 24 - 25, 2015
Bank of Kentucky Center

Early Bird Registration: $59 by October 31st ($54 for a group of 10 or more); Boxed Lunch $12
Speakers include: Karen Kingsbury (Author), Tim Hawkins (Comedian), and more
Performers include: Michael O'Brien and Kyle Kupecky

This is always a great conference to attend!  Plan now to get away for a couple days, connect with other women, and be built up in the Lord!

Sign up at the Ministry Counter or contact Anna Sheets at Anna@ImagineLifeDifferently.com today!

College Luncheon This Week!

Join us for the College Luncheon This week!

We are having a Baked Potato Bar, salad, and desert immediately following 2nd service!  We are looking forward to meeting more students and enjoying one another's company.  So come on down and get to know someone new!

If you would like to participate in the food, feel free to bring something to share.

Extraordinary Women Conference

Extraordinary Women Conference
Apr 24 - 25, 2015
Bank of Kentucky Center

Early Bird Registration: $59 by October 31st ($54 for a group of 10 or more); Boxed Lunch $12
Speakers include: Karen Kingsbury (Author), Tim Hawkins (Comedian), and more
Performers include: Michael O'Brien and Kyle Kupecky

This is always a great conference to attend!  Plan now to get away for a couple days, connect with other women, and be built up in the Lord!

Sign up at the Ministry Counter or contact Anna Sheets at Anna@ImagineLifeDifferently.com today!

Men's Shelter Wrap Up

Pizza Party!

We celebrated the final night with the men from the shelter in Life Bridge style... food!

It has been a great 6 months of hosting the Men's Shelter on Thursday nights.  The energy on Thursdays is awesome as the team and men from the shelter all hang out and visit while the Worship team practices.  These evenings will be a little less exciting these next 6 months.  The men will be missed!

500 Turkeys Update

500 Turkeys Food Drive
Valpo Town & Country
Saturday, October 18th 8am-8pm

If you have participated in Feed the Need, you have the picture of what this event is.  Volunteers will stand outside of  T&C, handing out flyers listing needed items, and invite shoppers to purchase 1 or more items on the list.  It is a lot of fun, a great way to connect with others in our community, and involve the whole family!

To sign up for a time slot, simply click here!

All 800 meals have been reserved.  A waiting list is now open.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

OCC's goal is to prepare 150 shoe boxes for kids around the world this Christmas.  These kids will not only receive a few small toys, clothing, and/or toiletry items, they will also receive coloring books and age appropriate literature that shares with the the gospel.  These kids have an opportunity to participate in a class that will further teach them and answer questions.  Your money and material donations are making an eternal difference!

OCC is collecting:

• Bar Soap (need 150)*
• Hard Candy (Starburst, Skittles, mints,,, no chocolate!  It melts!)*
• OCC Envelopes*

College Luncheon Sign Up This Week!

College Lunch Sign Up!

Help us make an awesome Potato and Salad Bar!  If it can go on a potato, then we are hoping to provide it!  We are planning on having both baking potatoes and some sweet potatoes. 

There will be a list at the Ministry Counter this Sunday so you can sign up.  Feel free to do a write in!

Mark your calendars and plan on joining us for the fun!

What's Next for Encounter Student Ministry?

Encounter Student Ministry (Grades 6-12)

Encounter has just ended a study and before we jump into the next one we are taking a break!

Encounter Game Night
Sunday October 5th 6-8 pm @ LB

This is a great opportunity for students to join in and have some fun!  Friends are welcome and they love games too!  Students are encouraged to bring a munchie and/or a 2-liter to share.

Speed of Light Begins Sunday October 12th

Life can be tough as a teenager, and it definitely comes with its hardships: breakups, homework, navigating relationships, not making the team, rejection, and getting picked on. These are just to name a few.

In this series, Speed of Light, we’ll watch as three teenagers are put together for a school project. They become closer and closer as each student faces a hardship in their lives. They will have to figure out how to navigate through them.

As a parent, I have always valued opportunities to help my kids process these types of issues in positive ways.  That is often easier to do when you are not in the midst of one of these crisis.

Encounter Student Ministry is a resource to you and your students.  We care about being a part of your team when it comes to helping your teen walk with God.  Studies like Speed of Light is one way that we use to open real discussions.  We hope to see your teenagers for Speed of Light.

OCC Collects Bar Soap and Hard Candy

Operation Christmas Child

As OCC enters its final month of preparation for blessing 150 kids around the world with shoeboxes and the gospel, there will be many ways that you can join in!

Beginning this week, OCC is collecting:

• Bar Soap (need 150)*
• Hard Candy (Starburst, Skittles, mints,,, no chocolate!  It melts!)*
• OCC Envelopes*

* These items can be dropped off in the OCC bin near the Ministry Counter.

** OCC Envelopes are located near the Ministry Counter.  They are decorated by our kids and have a dollar amount on them ranging from $1 to $25.  To participate simply pick up an envelope, enclose that dollar amount and put the enclosed OCC sticker on the outside.  Then drop it in the offering bag or slot at the welcome center.  With the smaller dollar amounts, this is a great opportunity to have kids participate in sending boxes to other kids!  All funds raised will go toward OCC in the way of postage and materials.

500 Turkeys Meal Nomination is Now Open!

The Nomination Site is Now Open!

If you are a family in need, or you know a family that you would like to bless this Thanksgiving as a result of hardship they are facing, the 500 Turkey's Nomination page is where you go (Click here).

Reminder: LB is collecting YAMS!  

Pick some up the next time you are at the grocery and drop them at the 500 Turkeys display!  Our goal is 200+ cans.

Ministry Monday Hosted Kairos Prison Ministry

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'  (Matthew 25:44-45 NIV)

This Monday, Bill Bennett joined us and shared what God is doing through Kairos Prison Ministry at prisons throughout our country including both the Westville Correctional Facility and the Indiana State Prison.

This is a ministry that strives to give hope through the saving message of Jesus to all those incarcerated.  They have made it easy for us to be a part of this ministry.

Watch in the future for opportunities to:

• Join in prayer vigils for prisoners in our prisons
• Bake cookies (each weekend service to a prison requires 3500-5000 DOZEN cookies!)
• Sponsor prisoners participation financially
• Sharing Christ's love creating place mats (Children-friendly activity)
• Creating a poster (Group-friendly activity)
• Attend a closing program

THIS WEEKEND (OCT. 4-6) YOU CAN PRAY FOR
KAIROS' OUTREACH AT THE INDIANA STATE PRISON.

New Women's Study Begins 10/2!

New Women's Study on Ephesians

Looking for an opportunity to connect with other women and grow closer to God?  Look no further!

Thursdays beginning October 2nd
6:30-7:30 PM sharp
Life Bridge - Kids Area (Basement)

Hard to find the time?  This is one of the best things you can do to benefit your family.  Setting this hour aside will add focus and perspective to the rest of life.  Don't miss out!