Dear Living Water,

Both Keri and I wanted to thank all of you for your abounding kindness and overwhelming generosity towards us this Christmas.  Your gift to us is deeply appreciated and has given us very thankful hearts toward God and His grace which has overflowed in you and in your liberality toward us.  We are so thankful to have such a loving Body at Living Water!  You all make our ministry a true pleasure!

To be honest, it is sometimes difficult to receive a gift for our service knowing that there are so many at Living Water who go out of their way (often unnoticed) week in and week out in service to our Body as well.  The church would cease to function smoothly without them!  Some work diligently behind the scenes never receiving much in the way of recognition and gratitude.  No doubt,  their reward will be very great in heaven.  Nevertheless, we would like to take this opportunity to thank many of those whose work is depended on for the normal running of the church.   We would also encourage each of you to personally thank the following people as well.

Eric Pine    We can’t say thank you enough for your diligent, consistent, reliable help in driving the truck each morning and helping to set up church.  It is a grueling and time consuming job that often takes you away from your family and we are hoping and praying that someone in our body will come alongside you and share with you the responsibility of this task.  Nevertheless, we  thank you for never complaining and always doing it with a smile.  Certainly God is glorified in that!!  Thank you so much for all your help and know that it is very deeply appreciated.  Terri, we  would also like to thank you as well for allowing your husband to take on this task.  We have never heard you complain about it as well and have no doubt that the Lord will richly bless both of you for giving so much of yourselves in this area for the sake of the rest of the body of Christ at Living Water.

Dori Anderson  Ever since you took over the nursery, Dori, a peace has come over many of us who used to fret over it.  There were too many “managers” before and it was often a little chaotic, but when you came along, that all seemed to go away.  All the former “managers” agree and all have expressed sincere thankfulness for your service in this area.  You have managed the nursery area in such a way that you have made it a safe, happy and enjoyable place not only for the kids but for the many who serve there as well.  Your organization skills and your motherly instincts have created a wonderful place for our children, and we are all very thankful for that.  Writing nursery worker schedules, changing nursery worker schedules, revising nursery worker schedules and re-writing nursery worker schedules, not to mention the constant cleaning of toys, the purchase of supplies (diapers, wipes, cookies, name tags, etc), the organization of all the supplies, the filling in for sick workers, the filling in for late workers, the filling in for forgetful workers, the filling in for unavailable workers, not to mention your own days you’ve scheduled to work in the nursery – these are all things we are very thankful for and we want you to know that we see your hard work and labor for the Lord, and not only are we blessed by you – but God is glorified though you.  So thank you.

John & Marnie Farness  As the Christian Education Directors at Living Water you have the monumental task of coming alongside the parents to help teach our children about our glorious God and our Savior Jesus Christ.  Words cannot express our gratitude for your diligent care and your loving hearts toward our children.  All your hard work to diligently put before them our Great God in order that they might see and savor Him and desire to spread a passion for Him is something we all too often take for granted.  Your attention to and your regular review and clarification of the curriculum, the scheduling of Sunday school teachers, your constant willingness to fill in when someone is unavailable, your desire to constantly improve our classes, your willingness to do the hard task of dealing with “difficult” children, and the million other things you do that no one has a clue about, deserves gratitude, thanks, appreciation and admiration from all of us.  We are  hoping and praying that God will grant you (us) many more resources (Sunday School teachers) to help in the arduous task of training up our children.  Please know that we see your sincere service and are filled with thankfulness for it.  God is greatly glorified by it!  Thank you both for your passion and service for Him!

The Nursery Workers - Christy Goddard, Susie Waldrum, Jacob Goddard, Rene Espasandin, Sherry Dombrow, Meghan Anderson, Rachel Espasandin, Joan Jagelski, Emily Farness, Sarah Jagelski, JR Ehline, Karen Rathgeber, Michelle Visser, Ian Rathgeber, Lizzie Visser, Alana Schultz, Nequeshe Schultz, Deb Culbertson, Brianna Jacobs, Tyler Seavey, Emily Ehline, Colton Culbertson, Pam Crockford, Nancy Youngs, Katie Wharton, Jessie Wharton, Garrett Farness

AND…   The Sunday School Teachers – John and Marnie Farness, Shawn Moore, Bonnie Wharton, Sally Plitt, Kelsey Rathgeber  -  We want to thank all of you for your willingness to serve the body of Christ in this capacity.  As we think and pray over each of your names, we are reminded how many of you have expressed a certain amount of grief because of missing out on sermons and on some occasions, communion.  But please know that by your sacrificial service, you are allowing others to enjoy what you are giving up for their sake.  This is an act of love and we have no doubt that God will increase your own joy as a result.  Not only that, but the tender care you give to “the least of these” is seen as very precious in the eyes of Jesus, and the reward for such will undoubtedly be very great.  You are increasing the capacity you will have for joy for all eternity.  I have no doubt that those of us who serve out in the front of the Body and often receive the praises of men will have smaller “cups” than the many who served out of the sight of the masses.  Your larger “cups” for holding joy will be filled to overflowing – and because the capacity will be larger you will experience far more joy than many others.  That is not to say others will not also have their cups filled to overflowing.  We all will!  But those with larger cups will know a joy so much more full than the others.  You diligent service is even now increasing the size of your “cup”, for your joy, to the glory of God.  We all thank you for your service and are so grateful for each one of you!

Karalee Ehline – Without being asked, you have stepped up to where you saw a great need and have gone above and beyond in helping to meet that need.  We have been without a true sound person since we started Living Water.  Sure, we have had certain people come along that have dabbled around with sound boards here and there.  They come and go.  But you are the first to take it on with urgency, and you have done a marvelous job organizing, preparing, implementing, adjusting, and overseeing the sound system.  From getting there at 8:00am every Sunday morning and getting all the wires just right – to overseeing the sound checks and micro-management of every little buzz and hum – to making sure microphones are turned up, down or off depending on the specific scenario, we just want to thank you for a job that is just all too often taken for granted.  And by the way, in order to make your hard job a bit easier, we have begun looking into a new system and we are hoping the Lord will supply the necessary funds to make a purchase soon.  Thank you again for all your hard work and may the Lord richly bless you!  We also want to thank George Culbertson for all your knowledge and help in this area as well.  We know Karalee has been very thankful to be able to glean from your expertise here as well.  Thank you both for all your diligence and hard work.

John Seavey – What a faithful servant you are!  Thank you so much for doing all that you do, with all of your heart and might, as unto the Lord!  Whether it is leading the men to depend on God’s future grace, inspiring couples (in word and example) to love their mates with the Agape Love of the Lord, or the laborious task of the Audio Visual Technology, or the many other things that you do for our Body and the Lord, you do all with a smile on your face, patience in each step, and an infectious attitude of joy in your heart! 

Kelvin Crockford – Your example to all the other High School kids is invaluable.  Practically every Sunday Morning, there you are helping out anywhere you see a need.  It is usually helping out with the Audio/Video Technology, but I’ve seen you helping to set up sound, helping Eric set up the church (nursery and Sunday School), helping with the back tables, or simply helping by keeping all of our kids busy.  We are looking forward to the great things the Lord will accomplish through you as you so willingly give Him your sacrificial service.  Thank you!

Kathy Seavey – You bring a touch of beauty to all that you touch!  Thank you so much for all your help with communion each and every month, not to mention the kazillion other little things you do throughout the year that would inevitably fall through the cracks if were not for your attention to detail.  Everything from Easter Lillie’s and Christmas Poinsettia’s to Christmas Party Decorations and Potluck Desserts.  Thank you so much and know that it is all very much appreciated.  May the Lord richly bless you for all that you do.

The Worship Team – Bruce Johnson, Annette Jacobs, Todd & Sherry Dombrow, Brad Miller, Greg Plitt, Brant Rude, Wayne Goddard, Brian Ehline, Ralph Ray, Phil Anderson, George Culbertson, Gabri Kirkendal.

Each and everyone of you makes such a difference to our weekly Worship service.  Whenever any of you are gone it is noticed and you are missed.  You each play such an important role in leading our body before the Lord in corporate worship and so I want to thank you for the weekly sacrifice of getting up so much earlier than everyone else and coming to practice and prepare for our corporate gathering.  You all make such beautiful music together!  Thank you for your willingness to share your gifts with us and your desire to see that God is glorified through all you do.  You are often some of the most visible people in the church because you are up front.  Therefore, we are so grateful to our God that He has given us people who desire to become invisible, so that the One Who is invisible, might be visible through you.  Thank you for disappearing and allowing Christ to shine through.  We also want to thank Todd Jacobs as well who comes early each morning so that his wife can play the piano.  He always seems to find ways to help (i.e. folding bulletins or setting up spot lights, etc) and for that we are very appreciative.  Thank you all so much.

Tom Rathgeber & The Espasandin’s – A special thanks to our fearless Junior High Ministry Team!  Junior High is often a neglected ministry due to the “special” needs and HIGH energy that it required for the task.  You all are a perfect fit!  We were blessed to attend a Christmas Party with the Jr. High group last week and without a doubt, His plan of choosing the right people for this job was more than evident!  With energy levels soaring and volumes of voices ever-increasing, Lisa Espasandin walked peacefully through her crazy house and was blessed that the kids were “just making memories!”  She made it her job to make sure all were fed and fed and fed and having a great time.  And, David Espasandin and Tom Rathgeber were doing their much needed “tasks” of making sure those boys got to do their “boy thing” which included some pretty rousing wrestling.  They all were having such a great time, no doubt because of the example of joy in their leaders.  Like a father who tenderly loves his children, Tom made some very endearing comments about “his group of kids.”  He was beaming with a sense of pride (the good kind) as he spoke of the kids.  In an area that most shy away from, or run in fear of, Tom faithfully and joyfully prepares a “feast” for these kids as he teaches them through the Word about our Sovereign God and His Providence in all things.  Thank you so much Tom, David and Lisa for your faithful service to these, our children, and to our Savior!  We pray His rich blessings upon you all for your service!  You are much appreciated!

Greg & Sally Plitt – Thank you so much for your love of the Word and your burning desire to spread a passion for God with us!  You can see the evidence of a great work in those you are working with.  We love that our High School group is devoted to knowing God and the One whom He sent.  We love that they are deep in study in the Word each Monday night.  We love that you both set the example as “world Christians” as evidenced by your white-hot zeal for missions and your compassion for the poor and hungry of this world.  We love that both of you are so passionate for Jesus and desire others to know Him as you do.  We look forward to reading about and talking with those you have impacted for eternity down through the years.  When they start coming back to visit from the mission field or Bible College, when some start churches and others become lead worshippers, when we hear and see of others who go into the secular workforce and live out their faith boldly as you both do, we will all look back and thank you for your diligence in teaching our youth.  We even thank you now because we are already beginning to see those seeds planted and growing.  Thank you again for your contagious joy in ministry.

Rob Jagelski – Thank you Rob for taking on the time-consuming task of editing, duplicating and distributing the sermons on tape and CD.  Many people just assume that the CD’s and tapes will be there on the back table each week but they really have no idea how much time and effort goes into each and every copy.  So many of our people take those CD’s and send them to friends and relatives all over the country.  It is a great ministry and one that has such a broad impact.  Thank you so much for your sacrificial service.

Brian Ehline –Your joy in worshipping Jesus is evident to all of us at Living Water.  Thank you for your heart of worship.  Thank you for leading us.  Thank you for praying for us each Sunday and for leading us in prayer.  Thank you for all the hard work of picking songs, getting them out to your crew, for all the practice early each Sunday morning and your patience during each practice.  Thank you for all the hymns and all the spiritual songs and all the new songs you continue to introduce to us.  Thank you for your desire to put God at the center and the Cross on display for all to see through the music.  Again, thank you for your heart of worship.  God is greatly glorified in this!

Once Again – Thank You!  We love you all and wish you a very Merry Christmas.  May Christ be exalted in all that you do!  Hope to see you all at the Christmas Eve Service.  All for His glory and for the joy of the saints,  Jeff and Keri Seavey