Volunteers

We are still in need of some volunteers to help with setting up the sound and PowerPoint for large group and to run the camera for recording the teaching.  Training is available.  Right now we have one person who has volunteered to help with the camera, but that is it.  We would like at least two for each so you would not have to do every week.

Childcare?

We have been approached by a few people that would be interested in childcare on Tuesday evenings.  We are looking into what we our options may be and praying to determine if this is something we should consider doing.  To help us determine what the need is, please let us know if childcare is something that you would be interested in and if so what the ages of your children are.  Also, let us know if you know anyone who is not attending because we don’t have childcare.

Website

Don’t forget that you can watch large group teaching, download homework, and view these announcements on our website, www.InsightsBibleStudy.org, in case you miss something or want to revisit it.

Next week is our celebration!  Don’t forget the following:
1.  Wear something comfortable and bring a yoga mat, beach towel, or blanket to put down on the floor for our Holy Yoga time if you are going to participate.
2.  Sign up on the clip board at the coffee table if you plan to bring a snack or dessert to share.

Summer
If your group is meeting over the summer and would be willing to have others join you, please let Elspeth know.  If your group is not meeting this summer and you would like to meet with a group, please contact Elspeth.

Finally Forgiven
A new group is starting at Kensington called Finally Forgiven.  It is an abortion healing bible study.  They are currently doing a training for leaders and will be doing another if there is enough interest.  If you would like more information, please contact Julianne Reyes, [email protected].

April 1 is almost here.  We have one more week of study and that will be Women in the New Testament.  Then I hope all of you will come back on April 1 for our year end celebration.

Year End Celebration

Here are some more details about the celebration.

1.   If you are planning on bringing a dessert or munchies to share with everyone, please sign up at the clipboard on the coffee table so that we get a variety. 

2.   We are going to have a special praise and worship time at the beginning of the celebration led by Phyllis Bond doing Holy Yoga.  If you want to fully participate, wear something comfortable and bring a yoga mat, beach towel, or blanket to put down on the floor.  If you don’t want to get down on the floor, you can still sit in your chair or stand up and worship God.  Whatever you are comfortable with is fine.

3.   Each group will tell about what they did as a service project this winter, so be prepared to share that.

4.   There will be an opportunity to share what Insights has meant to you this year, something special you have learned, or how God has moved in your group.  So be thinking about how you have been blessed and if there is something you would like to share.

2 Hour Small Group

Next week you will have the full two hours in your small group instead of a large group teaching time.  Use the extra time together however you want.

Making Insights Happen

If you are interested in helping next year with all that it takes to make Insights happen, please let your small group leader know.  There are many different things that need to be done to keep things functioning smoothly.  We also provide additional leadership training that can help you lead a bible discussion or in the many tasks of organizing and caring for small group members.  It’s not just leading discussions that make a small group all that it can be.

Year End Celebration

April 1 will be our last official Insights of the 2013-2014 year.  The final night we have a celebration as one large group in room 212. 

This year instead of having a dinner, we are looking for a few individuals that are interested in bringing a dessert or munchies to share.  There will be a sign up on the coffee table so that we get a good variety.  However, not everyone needs to bring something as that would give us way too much food.

We are also going to ask each group to tell us about what you chose to do as a service project this winter.  If you want to be creative in your presentation or just simply tell us what you did, either is fine.  Just keep it to no more than 5 minutes max.

There will be more details about the celebration coming as we get closer.

Reminders

Don’t forget to pick up your next set of homework if you haven’t already.  They are available outside room 214.

If you missed the announcement last time about giving to Insights, check out the blog and pick up an envelope in room 212.

In two week on March 11 we will spend the full 2 hours in our small groups.  Some groups chose to meet offsite for this so make plans now and make sure everyone knows what you are going to do.

Finances

While we do not charge for people to attend Insights, we are not without expenses.  There are materials such as your binders and copies of the homework to be made.  The morning sessions have childcare which we pay for also and do not charge those using it. And then there are some other scattered small expenses such as the web site. 

While we are a ministry of Kensington, we try to be self-funding and God has blessed us to be able to do just that through the generous giving of our members.  Not everyone is able to give and that is fine.  We are glad you are here to study God’s word with us.  If you are able and appreciate all that Insights offers, please consider picking up an envelope as you enter the large group teaching.  Donations can be placed in those envelopes and put in the basket when you leave or mailed to the address printed on the front.  Just put Insights in the memo line of your check.  We greatly appreciate your faithfulness and support.

If you have specific questions about our finances, you can email [email protected].

Mid-Winter Break

Next week we will not be meeting as many of the schools are off also.  Use the time to catch up or work ahead even!  We will be back on Feb. 25.

Service Project

This winter we are asking each small group to consider doing some type of service project as a group.  If you haven’t talked about it yet, you’ll want to get started.  Hopefully someone other than the small group leaders will step up to coordinate whatever project your group decides to do.  At the end of the semester we will ask each group to share what they did.  It is not a requirement that you participate in a service project to be part of Insights. 

Welcome to Insights everyone!  Each week any announcements we have will be given to the small group leaders to pass on during small group time.  If you happen to miss the announcements because you are late or unable to come that week, you can find them on our website, www.InsightsBibleStudy.org, under Troy PM blog.  You will also be able to find a recording of the large group teachings on our website later that week.

Inclement Weather

Its wintertime in Michigan and that means there may be bad weather.  If Troy schools are closed, the Kensington Troy building is closed so there will be no Insights.  If the weather gets bad during the day, a decision will be made by 2 pm as to whether we are cancelling Insights.  The decision will be posted on our website and an email sent to the small group leaders if we cancel.  However, we always ask you to use your own judgment.  If you don’t feel comfortable driving, please do not feel you need to come just because we didn’t cancel. 

Small Groups

Each of our small groups has its own unique personality.  Please don’t feel that the small group you are assigned to is set.  If you would like to change for any reason or no reason at all, you are welcome to try another small group.  Elspeth can help you to select a different group or will just update our lists if you know what group you would like to move to.

FUEL     

FUEL is Kensington’s ministry for single parents.  This year they are looking for people, businesses, or groups to sponsor families for Christmas.  One of the coordinators for this program is a member of our evening Insights at Troy so we are letting you know to see if you would be interested in helping to sponsor a family.  We can sponsor as a group so you don’t need to do it on your own.  If this interests you please let Elspeth know.

Next Week

1.      Help us to plan.  If you are planning on bringing a donation for the College Exam Survival Kits, please let us know on the clipboard by the coffee.  If you could also estimate how much you are bringing so we know how many bags it will cover.  Donations are also being accepted for us to shop for things to fill out what is not being brought.  Get your monetary donations to Elspeth or Ivy.

2.      Before assembling the bags, you will have a little time with your small group at round tables in room 212.  If you want to bring a snack or something, feel free to do that.  After assembly we will go back to our small group tables for a few things.

3.      At the start of the fall, you were challenged to step out of your comfort zone and do something like praying out loud.  We’d like to share some stories about how you may have done that and/or how God has moved this fall.  If you would be willing to share, please let Elspeth know via email at [email protected].  If you don’t want to speak, just write what you want to share and it will be read for you.  So think about how Insights has impacted you this fall and share that with us.

No Insights next week   

Due to elections being held in KCC Troy’s building, we will not have Insights next week (11/5).  We will be back on Nov. 12 for our study of Rahab and then our service night Nov. 19 before we break for the holidays.