Murder, The Homeless, Gifts, and Merry Christmas

For as long as I can remember, I have loved Christmas. I don’t recall always having the best Christmases, but I always remember the joy of the season. It took my adulthood before I think I fully appreciated the meaning of Christmas, and even as a Christian and follower of Jesus, it still took some time to come to a place where I think I got it, at least for me. It was unfortunately through many tough times that I finally think I got it.

Over the last number of years I have tried to spend some time studying the historical character of St. Nicholas; I think the real St. Nick got it, it was really more about serving others and sharing the love of Jesus with the least of these, including prisoners, the poor and children that he shared the true and ultimate gift of God’s son with others. It is in showing love that we share the ultimate love with others; there is no greater gift that was given to the people of planet earth more important than the promise of a savior who would be a deliverer of, the poor.

This Christmas as has the last few Christmases for me been rather unique. I seem to work and be busier than any other time of year. This year with the operation of the Mosaic Women’s Homeless Shelter the business of this season has been multiplied, but it has also provided the opportunity to see more blessings.

This Sunday is Christmas and Mosaic is having an Old Fashioned Family Christmas Celebration. It is still time for the Mosaic Family, including those on line and others to be a part of this celebration. We plan to open up the doors on Christmas morning at 8 AM. From 8 AM – 10:30 AM we will be having a time of fellowship with snacks, coffee, hot chocolate and other things of that nature. We will have Christmas music on in the background and will also have several times where we break out and just sing some songs together. At 10:30 Santa will be on hand to share the gift of Jesus and the love of Mosaic and her friends with the homeless. Those who had placed their names on the Angel Tree will be given their Christmas Presents, and any extra presents that come in will be handed out, by # and order of arrival to additional homeless people. Just a note here, last week, we had 57 homeless people attend our meeting and we have been averaging over 30 who are attending our Sunday Discussion time prior to the start of church. Those gifts will be given out accordingly and individuals will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with Santa. We expect the celebration to end around 1 PM and people can come and go as they choose during those hours. We also have a large amount of clothing that has been provided by various groups that we will start giving out at 10:30 AM.

This week we have also had the reminder of the blessings of this church. We have seen it in an unfortunate way though with the recent murder of Marshall Haushulz. I spent some time with Marshall’s girlfriend last evening speaking to her and Darrell Durbin one of our homeless volunteers and church participants who gave Marshall his sleeping bag and camp location. I am very much aware of a lot that is going on in this investigation. As the number of suspects are coming down, and the police are narrowing in let me say this, this murder and some of the events surrounding it play into the need for the Mosaic Day program, church, and ministry that we carry out. I won’t go into detail, but as this investigation continues, many will know, God is using Mosaic, but there is more that can be done by Mosaic and her people. The bottom line though, the homeless of our city need a place to call home, not a place where they receive service, special treatment or things of that sort, but a place to call home, be treated with respect, and provided a safe atmosphere where they can come without the threat of being threatened, harassed or disrespected by service providers. I am honored and blessed that we have done what we can.

We started 4 years ago, Santa for the Homeless where we hand out items to the homeless and provide them love. This year we get to do it for the first time in our own church, downtown, where many of the homeless attend. There will be everything from coats to for some who requested it and more, cigarettes given out on Christmas day. The homeless, who are a part of our church, and many others, will get something they want for Christmas because God cares enough to provide not just our needs, but sometimes our wants. Jesus is the ultimate gift, and believe me, we will share that gift among all others. You are welcome to attend, or to donate to provide additional gifts to the homeless, or to just help meet Mosaic’s basic needs of being open. It is up to you, but above all, remember Jesus, the redeemer of the poor this Christmas. Remember the love, healing and salvation he provides for all people, whether the millionare who needs to be released from their pride, or a homeless person who needs the confidence of a meal or warmth for the night. Salvation implies not just salvation from the spiritual needs, but also the physical. For many in our city, they know, Mosaic is doing her part.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your continued prayers and support. We need them, and God is hearing them.

Please pray for our future, our needs, and those we are called to serve.

If you haven't please visit our web site where you can also contribute to the ministry at www.mosaicwichita.com you can also email me at mikefurches@yahoo.com

Blessings,

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

Mosaic Church Web Site

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Recent Murder Impacts Mosaic

Is there a need for Mosaic? With the murder of a Mosaic attendee and participant in the last few days, you tell me? Many have heard of the individual who was murdered near Wichita’s The Keeper of The Plains on Friday. The abuse, hatred, and neglect is nothing new to us, in fact, it is an all too common story for those who serve, live with, and are a part of this community. This community is, and I am honored to say, an important part of life for Mosaic. They make up the majority of our church, and they are among the primary population group we have chosen to serve in ministry because we believe, I believe, it is commanded in scripture that we do so. Frankly, at this time of year, I am incensed that this type of abuse, the lack of concern continues to take place in our city.

Mosaic is a church that even this week, is trying to make a difference, not just in the shelter space we provide every night for women, but even today and tomorrow as we have brought in William Fosterr, a mentally ill, former homeless musician from Tulsa Oklahoma to perform for our church. Last night many were talking about the murder, yet others were talking about the inspiration that was provided by William. Many shared at how he was among the best guitar players, singers they had ever heard, and others shared about how important it was to have someone who had been in their shoes providing hope. How important is this message to William, he even offered to help me pay for gas to come do the shows he is doing. He isn’t getting paid, isn’t receiving any compensation, but is willing to come to Wichita from Tulsa to give of his life and service. William will be performing today at 2:30 where we finish up some of the filming that has gone on over the last year and a half for a documentary movie being made on his life and tomorrow morning for the worship service at Mosaic that starts at 10:30.

During the normal discussion times tomorrow, Sunday at 9:30 we will be discussing with the homeless as to what we can do to better serve and protect the homeless. We hope those who care attend. As a church, we have a responsibility and obligation to serve those who are a part of our body of believers; the homeless are a part of our body.

Next week on Christmas morning we also give back, we will have an old fashioned Christmas Morning where we will provide a family gathering for our body, including, the homeless. Every name was taken off of our angel tree and we will provide those gifts as well as additional gifts being given. Santa will be attending and providing love to the homeless.

Today, some will say, there is a lot about the homeless here, I will say, you bet there is. When there have been some who have left our fellowship because we 'do too much for the homeless,’ and others who question our ministry, (btw a ministry Jesus commands all of the church to do) and with the recent murder of a homeless person we were honored and privileged to serve, you bet there is mention of the homeless, there is mention of the homeless because Jesus came to earth as a poor, homeless person, who was born in a feeding troth to provide salvation and redemption for all people, including the poor and homeless. There is more that we want to do, more I want to do, more that needs to be done, and a small church, made up of mainly homeless people continues on, month to month, not knowing how we are going to do it but seeing God work. This morning, I am sad, but I am also blessed because I know we have been where God would have us and there is no better place than being where God would have us.

Please pray for our future, our needs, and those we are called to serve.

If you haven't please visit our web site where you can also contribute to the ministry at www.mosaicwichita.com you can also email me at mikefurches@yahoo.com
Blessings,

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

Mosaic Church Web Site

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

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Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

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We Need You, Urgent!

There is a lot happening at Mosaic and while there are a lot of good, even great things, there are also concerns. As many know we have a property that we can purchase, on our block, that is valued at approximately $400,000. We can purchase this property, move in ready from $45,000 - $65,000 total. It would allow us as a mission oriented church to raise some money to keep us going, but it would also allow us to move forward to offer more needed ministries, including possibly a year round shelter for women and families with children. Not hardly a day goes by that I have to turn down shelter to families with children as there are currently very little available without a long waiting list. Please, we need the help. I have come to the conclusion that I am not the best person at raising funds, I wish I were, but I am a pastor, not a business person.

Mosaic also has a Christmas Angel Tree on site with names and gift ideas for homeless individuals. Would you consider adopting a homeless person or persons? The gift ideas are unique and requested by the homeless persons themselves. There is everything from bus tickets to towels, many would be greatly surprised at the simplicity of the requests.

Now can you help in one of these ways? I have in the past resorted to begging. As I hear that today there are rumblings of another group purchasing the building we are interested in, which I believe was a God send, I know there are those who could help us either raise the money for this property, or could contribute significant funds to help purchase it, and/or help us in raising the funds.

Mosaic also has its ongoing needs. We need a few families, preferably with youth and children to commit to our church to help us grow. We also need month to month finances as there are literally times that we don't know how we are going to make it. I challenge to come on virtually any Sunday, see the work, and see those who make up the church, most of which are homeless. I haven't received pay from the church in pastor salary in some months, and a total of $3,300 since January of last year. I don't say that so you can give, but to tell you, I believe in the ministry of Mosaic and will gladly take nothing as I know God provides if others are being blessed like they have been. There are hundreds we touch each week, but the reality is this, there is a possibility that in the future we can't make it and won't be able to continue on with the ministry we do. I know people often say these types of things, but that is the truth for this ministry. While some ministries may have their leaders living in big homes, driving nice cars and so forth, that simply isn't the case, we really do depend on the love and generosity of others. Please, consider helping this little church making such a big difference for The Kingdom of God.

If you haven't please visit our web site where you can also contribute to the ministry at www.mosaicwichita.com you can also email me at mikefurches@yahoo.com
Blessings,

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

Mosaic Church Web Site

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

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Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

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Mosaic Update, Christmas Wish Angel Tree News

Greetings, This week, at least for right now I am reminded of an old Larry Norman song that stated, ‘Christmastime is coming and the kids are getting greedy; It’s Christmastime. I know it stands for Santa Claus cause I seen it on the TV. It’s Christmastime. It used to be the birthday of the man who saved our necks, now it stands for Santa Claus you spell it with an X. It’s Christmastime.’ While I always enjoyed the song, I also understand Norman’s intent with satire and that the song was not meant to be a theological reflection. That said; it does seem that Christmas is more about commercialism than the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. Let me ask a question, if you could give Jesus a gift, what would you give him? What would he want? Let me challenge, much of what Mosaic is doing are the very things that would please Jesus on his birthday.

Mosaic is at a place where real ministry is taking place and others are noticing it. Last week, we had 35 at our Jesus Discussion on Sunday morning, most all, homeless. We had approximately 75 by the time it was said and done at church. We had women each night as we operated the Wichita Women’s Overflow Shelter. We served approximately 300 meals through the week to the homeless and much more took place at this place, through this little church with little money. People are starting to take notice, there are people who come through our doors every night to see what is going on, the word is getting out on the street, and Mosaic is doing God’s work! Yet if truth be told, we barely meet our basic financial obligations from month to month.

I was talking to a dear sister in Christ tonight from another church who told me of how her heart is in what Mosaic is doing. ‘Now is the right time Pastor Mike, we have to find a way to let others know. There needs to be people from other churches who support what is going on here.’ As we develop a new worship team, including 3 members who are currently homeless, and others take on and consider roles in teaching, we truly are representing the potential for the Kingdom of God, but we need your help to keep this ministry going. Some have been critical of a church like this in the past; we should according to them, ‘be self sufficient’ and on and on. Their emphasis is on finance as opposed to the work of God. Let me be clear, we are a part of the Body of Christ that consists of people from various denominations and faith systems, and we are all, as we support this ministry, a part of God’s work. I am not embarrassed that many call us a ‘Missional Church.’ I just happen to believe that all churches are called to carry out the mission of Christ.

The newsletter this week is a little different. I am asking those receiving it to consider supporting and contributing to help out Mosaic with our financial needs, if possible on a regular basis. There are possibilities to do more, and provide an ongoing service at a prime location in our city, but it won’t happen without help from those in other congregations and in other places. Let me ask again, what could you give Jesus this Christmas Season in recognition of his Birth? I challenge, few places provide the potential to have the impact, and please the savior as much as the work going on at Mosaic. I challenge you, if you don’t believe me, call me at 316-807-8034, let me show you first hand the work we are doing and introduce you to some of the people who have been touched by this ministry. I challenge, it will equal any foreign mission experience you will go through, and you will quickly see, God is at work in downtown Wichita through a little church called, Mosaic!

Now to the basic things regarding our weekly newsletter; a contribution form is included on our web site www.mosaicwichita.com. There is also a donation link at the bottom of the page of this newsletter. You can also contribute to Mosaic by sending your contribution to: P.O. Box 47261, Wichita, KS 67201. But there is more going on. For those receiving this newsletter via email, you will also have the bulletin attached that you can look over prior to this Sunday’s service.

Now there is one other thing I want to make mention of and we need you to help with this. We have put together an Angel Tree to provide Christmas gifts to the homeless who are a part of our women’s shelter as well as the active homeless individuals who are a part of our church. We have numerous names and items on their lists as to some of the wants they have requested for Christmas. While there are plenty of places to eat, plenty of clothes and more essentials and needs available in the community, there are few that are providing wants and blessings, especially on Christmas Day. We told our ladies and church participants to write down a few things they wanted for Christmas and have those items on individual cards. Would you consider adopting an individual and buying them something for Christmas? The items actually vary from towels, to bus passes, and from gifts for a father’s child, to a pair of boots for an elderly lady who recently had a stroke. You can contact us, get the name of an individual, or pick out the individual to buy gifts for. We will place the gifts under our tree where on Christmas Day we are going to have a family celebration at church where we provide the homeless a Merry Christmas to celebrate the birth of our Savior. My wife and I have already adopted a couple of individuals, won’t you do the same?

In the meantime, thanks for reading, and God bless you this Christmas season.

Praying for you and appreciating your prayers for us.

Blessings,

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

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Happy Thanksgiving and Touching The Least of These

Greetings on this Thanksgiving Day,

You know today is one of those days where many will sit back and reflect on the goodness of God in their lives. It is one of those days that as I sit here working the women’s homeless shelter we are now doing that I also realize there are those that while it may seem there is no reason to be thankful, in reality find ways to be thankful for the little things. Even the women staying at the shelter have found reason to be thankful, when I see that I can’t help but wonder, if a homeless woman, having no place to go on Thanksgiving Day can still be thankful, why can’t the rest of us?

At Mosaic there are reasons to be thankful, if we but look for them. An illustration of recent events indicate that to me, among those was the opportunity last week to share at Hope Community Church. I had 7 individuals with me last week, 6 of which were from the ministry outreach we are doing, 6 of whom have become active in the church. While some may see these individuals as a part of the ministry, I challenge, there comes a point in time, we must see them as a part of the church, as our new brothers and sisters who are in fact, Mosaic. To hear some of them speaking with members of Hope about Mosaic certainly lifted my spirits. As always the time at Hope proved rewarding and we joy in sharing in the ministry we are involved in, we continue to be open to share in that ministry with other churches and organizations in the community.

This Sunday we will have a different kind of service, we will have a brief teaching time on, The Family of God, and then as a family we are going to decorate the church together. It is pot-luck Sunday so come prepared to share a meal and good time with each other as we get ready for the Holiday season. This Christmas we are undertaking a project as well that will provide ministry to the homeless of our city. We are doing a sort of angel tree where we will gather a few wants from the homeless women at the shelter we are operating as well as the active participants at church. We are then asking others in the community to adopt at least one person, and buy the few things on that persons list, or at least some of the things on that persons list. We will then as a family celebrate the goodness of God and the birth of our Savior on Christmas day. There are always the needs that are provided, clothing, food and so forth. But to approach the season for people in need and to provide them a few wants is something unique and something we want to do. If you, your church, or some other organization you are associated with would like to adopt a homeless individual to provide gifts to, please contact me and I will provide you the name of someone with some of the items on their gift list.

Another blessing this week will be the first time of worship with a new worship team at Mosaic. While we are still working out some of the kinks, we have been practicing at night and with a number of guests looking in on us the response so far has been surprisingly positive. I will only say, I think a lot of folks are going to be in for a real treat. I also want to let everyone know we are pushing back the William Fosterr concerts and service to the third weekend of December. That gives us more time to promote as well as the time to take care of some other needed things.

This coming Sunday during our time of discussion we will be continuing our series on getting to know Jesus as we discuss, Why does Jesus allow people to fake or misinterpret Christianity? The discussion times over the last few weeks have been wonderful times of discussion with upwards of 20 or more people attending at times. The discussions at times have been lively and they are set up in such a way, that little preparation, if any is needed and one can come and start up on any given week.

On a side note, and in closing, one of the things that has suffered to some extent with the start up of the evening shelter hours for women, is the day program. If you or anyone you know would be interested in helping with the day program, please contact me. Our desire is to have steady and regular volunteers who can operate a program which provides opportunities to work and serve the homeless. The program based on the Fountain House Model of Rehabilitation has set methods and procedures and training can be provided to help with this model. Many of the homeless as I have spoken to them have expressed the value of such a program which is unique for homeless persons, it is not per say a come and eat, just hang out program. It is instead a program that encourages people to participate in the needed work of the facility and with each other, in the meantime developing attitudes of self-worth and purpose. It is as people begin to believe in themselves again that ultimate rehabilitation for many can take place, and for others, a since of value can take place. If we can’t and don’t love ourselves, it makes it difficult to love others in the ways God desires for each of his children. You can learn more about this program model, originally designed for persons with mental illness, but much of which can be adapted for all homeless persons by viewing the following video:

To view the video, just click on the following link, if the video does not appear as it should, click the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X27zKvbrZkQ


I especially would like to thank several groups who have been blessing us as of recent. Among those include the fine folks associated with 24/7 Life Ministries who has raised funds for our shelter program plus the purchase of 15 new cots which will better serve the ladies participating in the program. I would also like to publicly thank Kansasland Tires, located at 2904 S Spruce St. here in Wichita which also recently made a sizable donation to Mosaic. We are grateful for those who support the work we are engaged in.

Blessings to you, and hope to see you this weekend, and as always, for those receiving this via email the bulletin is attached.

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

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Movie Reviews

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Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Weekly Update for November 13, Hurt

Tonight, as last night, I listen to the cries of women at a shelter
Some sleep for the first time in a long time
Others can’t; there are nightmares
Whimpers
Tossing
And turning

To understand the pain is to understand the call
It is easy to turn away, ignore the pain
Pretending to care, but caring for self,
Pretending to love, but loving self
Is it they who are lost
Have we given our all?

To love is
To sacrifice
Care
Bare
Share one another’s pain
As we walk together

There it is again
Tossing and turning
Crying
Whimpers
They Dream of the pain they experience
Tomorrow

This week as I prepared for my sermon I couldn’t help but think of my surroundings as I worked at the homeless shelter we are operating each night. I normally enjoy the time alone after everyone is asleep. I get to work with no distractions late at night, but tonight I couldn’t help but think of the words I wrote above. The pain individuals endure as a result of their environment. I realized how blessed I am, to understand in part and to be there and be a part of a church that is making a difference in the lives of others.

Tonight I also heard complaints about the homeless. There are always those who will complain, tonight they came from an unlikely source, a few employees at the Department of Corrections next door who don’t like the homeless and have made their opinions clear to others. There are those at the DOC who do like what we do though, they like it because they have seen us go out of our way to show concern by giving bottled water on a hot day when they can’t get into their offices. They have appreciated the fruit baskets we have delivered. Some have made referrals to the shelter or day program and have seen positive results. Yes there are the complaints, but they are always from those who don’t know.

There is another benefit of working and observing; the discovery of the amazing way God works. This week as I prepared for the sermon for the week, following the series, Finding Jesus in Contemporary Culture, I use as a point of reference the scripture Psalm 23, and Psalm 9:9. God cares for the hurting soul and as we are called to be imitators of God, we need to find that place where we care. There is the hope of eternal life that awaits each of those who are followers of Jesus, there is more than that though, there are ways to find joy, despite our pain, ways to find security in the arms of God, despite our circumstance. To reflect on that for me tonight, was a blessing as I realized; I also need the message of the Good Shepherd and a God who provides not only protection from the enemy, but the seclusion and fortitude that comes from being within the fortress of God.

Yeah, there are lessons to learn, things to experience, I only hope I can become the lover of souls that God has called me to. I pray God uses me to model the behavior to a congregation of people that comes from all walks of life. I pray that not just for me though, I pray that for us all.

As always, the bulletin is attached, and for those receiving this email via some other means other than email, feel free to contact us with your email address so we can include you in our email list. Visit our website at www.mosaicwichita.com and share the link with others as the site changes weekly.

There is so much happening at Mosaic and God is at work, be in prayer as He continues to move for the development of our worship team, youth ministry, and other things He would have us do.

Blessings to you, and hope to see you this weekend,

Pastor Mike

Check out the video for this week, think about the Biblical concepts we could come up with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4UI_FxGLE



Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Weekly Update November 4

Greetings and blessings on this wonderful day, a friend who I went to college with and I still keep up with used to always take off on a local television show routine, “It’s a beautiful morning in KAKE Land!” Fen would say as they say each day from the television network KAKE here in Wichita. He would often remind me, no matter how tough the day, or the circumstance may seem to be, it was still a beautiful day if we looked for the beauty in the day.

As many know we are now doing the women’s homeless shelter and as a result have picked up some press and seen some beautiful things start to happen already. We have also seen some tough times and tough situations happen, but often times those people going through those tough times still find a way to see beauty. We have a lady who stayed at the program last night who is in town from Missouri where she lost everything in the Joplin Tornado from possessions, her home, and even her two best friends. She is trying to get to Colorado to take a job working with horses. Despite her difficulties, I have had a wonderful time speaking to her about the good things in life she sees and has experienced. I needed that last night as it was a tough night and there were also some issues that we had to deal with which was not the most enjoyable. I am grateful for the reminders and the places of which God has me to hear those reminders.

As many may or may not know, we now have the website up and going. The url for the site is www.mosaicwichita.com I am trying to make sure the web site is updated and information added each week. Check out the front page as there is some information posted there.

This week at Mosaic, for those on the Vision Team, please remember we are meeting at 12 Noon. We have some things to speak about and if possible to be there and you are on the team please try to make the meeting.

I also want to remind everyone of this week’s sermon, Discovering Jesus through Contemporary Culture, The Music of The Electric Light Orchestra. Some have to wonder, how or what ‘in the world?” I tell you at times, I love the complaints and criticism, especially when not hearing the message, last week we saw clear examples of how we can point to Jesus through Horror, this week we will see about the damage of our judgment and the reality of how you can see Biblical truths and Important Historical Stories of Scripture.

At Mosaic we want to grow, to grow, we need our members to invite others; we also need those who are involved in other churches to pray for us. We are a mission minded and oriented church because we believe God has called every church to mission. We are blessed to see fruit, for those praying, contributing, and supporting this ministry, thank you, the fruit we see and experience is your fruit, remember in that, for those who aren’t involved in missional ministry, God calls us to produce fruit.

Anyway, that is the update for the week, God is good, all the time, and all the time God is good.

Blessings and hope to see you on Sunday, and for those on the Vision Team, see you on Saturday.

Don’t forget the teaching time and discussion this Sunday at 9:30 on Why Jesus and Not Another. Also attached for those receiving this via email is this week’s bulletin.

Blessings to you, and hope to see you this weekend,

Pastor Mike

Check out the video for this week, think about the Biblical concepts we could come up with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLmpL2AzLs



Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Weekly Update 10/30/11 Halloween Week

This week a lot is happening at Mosaic, of course that seems to be the norm. Let me just mention a few for this Halloween week.

Tomorrow the message at Mosaic will be part 2 of Discovering Jesus in Contemporary Culture. The theme of this week, following the Halloween theme is Finding Jesus in Horror. This will be a kind of kick off service of this format and you will see how a sermon comes about specifically from the television series, Dexter. While there may be those who are critical, I think most will be surprised.

This has been a busy week and weekend for me. Last week was the showing of my film The Long Walk at the Tallgrass Film Festival, I want to thank everyone who came out for the showing. On Monday morning I left for Tulsa to cover for Hollywood Jesus the film Home Run. While there I met representatives from various agencies including The Dove Foundation, Focus on the Family, and numerous others including John Baker, the creator of Celebrate Recovery. It was a blessing to get to be on the set of the film being made as well as spending time with others covering the film. The discussions with Mr. Baker were really quite interesting and the opportunity to visit a Celebrate Recovery meeting in Tulsa was quite enjoyable.

This week at Mosaic we start a new venture. Starting on Tuesday, November 1st we start providing overnight shelter services for homeless women. We still need 2 twin beds for the staff as we currently have cots for the women staying in the shelter. We are also in need of food for the shelter, including presweetened cereal, powdered milk, coffee, sugar, and other items for breakfast. We are also still in need of volunteers, especially women volunteers to help out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Be in prayer as we provide these services.

This Monday, is Halloween, and as many likely already know, The Fox 104.5 FM Radio took on Mosaic as an organization to help out as they present their Classic Horror, Classic Rock event. They will be showing 2 movies The Shining and Halloween at The Forum Theater, located at 147 S. Hillside starting at 7 PM. There is a recommended donation of $10 of which all proceeds go to Mosaic.

I also want to remind everyone on the vision team, we will be meeting, next week at 12 Noon to discuss various plans and activities regarding growth and other agenda items.

Please help spread the word about Mosaic we need you, and we need to grow. We specifically continue to have needs with youth and worship so be in prayer regarding those things as we try to develop them and seek God’s wisdom and help in those areas. Also check out Mosaic’s new web site located at www.mosaicwichita.com

Until next week, God bless and don’t forget to check out the attached bulletin.

Blessings to you, and hope to see you this weekend,

Pastor Mike

Some have asked for the Panel Discussion video of Why They Like Jesus But Not The Church. That video is attached here, if it doesn’t show up or doesn’t show up in its entirety, just click the following link.
http://vimeo.com/30737572




Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Mosaic Weekly Update, 10/19

Greetings, this weeks Mosaic update is coming a little early due to a number of events that are happening this week, one of them, my commitment to the Tallgrass Film Festival which I cover for Hollywood Jesus and the showing of my own film at that festival. It is a busy few days for me as I cover Tallgrass through Sunday evening, then I leave for Tulsa Sunday Evening and return Tuesday night to cover the making of the feature film Home Run starring Vivica A. Fox and Scott Elrod and has as a point of focus, Celebrate Recovery a substance abuse recovery program like Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous except with a strong Christian Focus. I am excited about these things but we are also getting ready to launch the Overflow Women’s Shelter for homeless women.

In the process, I know, as I have heard through the grapevine, there are those critical of providing a service like this, despite the reality that it will provide needed income for 4 families including mine, and beyond that, at no cost to the church, we will provide services that no one else was willing to provide that will help keep women alive through the Winter. The reality is, very little of Mosaic’s money, and time from its members have been impacted by this ministry or our regular homeless outreaches which occur 5 days a week. I challenge for those who think it has, to show me where and how. The bottom line, God calls us to serve the poor. Many churches make excuses as to why they can’t do it, not Mosaic. We will follow Christ’s directives and we certainly cherish those who have come along with us to support this ministry. It is far from all we are, but it is a part of what we do in regards to fulfilling the call of Christ. We have 3 staff that starts training on Thursday and Friday, and we open up our doors from 6 PM – 7 AM starting November 1 and concluding on April 1. Please be in prayer that as this program starts that God would be glorified and Mosaic will be blessed for its efforts.

In regards to the above, we could use the following.

For overflow staff and volunteers:
2 twin beds and bedding
A dresser
A good working dryer to help treat clothing and bedding for potential bed bugs
And food donations such as coffee, breakfast items, (note on breakfast items we want presweetened cereals, preferably, in the self serve containers where the cereal is prepackaged in a bowl), creamer, sugar, sugar substitute, coffee cups, bottled water, etc. Any other food item or snacks would also be appreciated. So far Mosaic has spent very little money of its own on items for the homeless program, (estimated $200 or less). We are so grateful to those who have donated in the past. Your support has provided ample opportunities of ministry. We could use more volunteers, especially through the winter, through the day and evening hours. We hope to have the property open as much as possible through the day to provide a place to get out of the weather. Currently myself, and Kim who have been here through the day for the day program, will be working in the evening program which will limit to some extent our day to day operations.

Our staff for the program consists of the following: Myself who will be directing the program and providing coverage, Virginia Aurora who will provide part-time emergency coverage , Kim Pargas ongoing staff coverage, and Lisa Dimmitt, ongoing staff coverage. We also are looking for additional volunteers who can help out and make a difference in the life of a homeless lady.

I also want to remind everyone of the showing of my short film, The Long Walk, Sunday at the Murdock Theater here in Wichita, located at 536 N Broadway St., the High School portion of the program starts at 1 PM and the showing of Kansas Filmmakers, which my film is a part of, start at 3 PM. Students get in free with an id, otherwise admission is $8. I would love to see as many people as possible at the showing of The Long Walk on the Big Screen. Also be in prayer as there is a question and answer session after the showing of the film. I and other film makers are available for this but my prayer is that there are opportunities to share how my faith and specifically Jesus provided the healing I needed.

Then on Halloween Night, October 31, The Fox, 104.5 will be hosting a Classic Rock, Classic Horror movie night in College Hill at The Forum Theater, located on Hillside and Douglas in the Old Baptist Church. There is a suggestion donation of $10.45 of which all proceeds go to benefit Mosaic. The films are Halloween, The Shining, and The Exorcist. We are grateful for this benefit and especially the attention it will bring to Mosaic. Check out the attached bulletin for the remainder of announcements.

Remember, our teaching and discussion time starts at 9:30 on Sunday. We have had good attendance as we discuss questions individuals asked regarding getting to know Jesus. This week we explore the question of did Jesus have siblings? We start a new teaching series for church at 10:30. The series is Discovering Jesus in Contemporary Culture. This week the focus is on Why We Look at The Culture. I look forward to this series and the upcoming events during the Holiday period. I am also looking forward to the first of the year where we will start a new series by going through a book in the Bible.

I hope all of you have a great week, keep us in prayer and if there are things you would like us to pray for let us know. If you are getting this email via another source than email, and would like to get it via email where we can send you the attachments, send us an email at mikefurches@yahoo.com and let us know you would like to subscribe to the newsletter.

Blessings to you, and hope to see you this weekend,

Pastor Mike

Some have asked for the Panel Discussion video of Why They Like Jesus But Not The Church. That video is attached here, if it doesn’t show up or doesn’t show up in its entirety, just click the following link.
http://vimeo.com/30737572




Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Prayer and Worship Service On Sunday

Greetings on the weekly Mosaic Newsletter and update, while a little later than usual this week, it is still coming out despite a lot going on this last week.

As many know we are making progress in moving forward and receiving funding for the church and various individuals, (including me) by offering and providing an emergency overnight shelter for homeless women in Wichita. This program will run from November 1 – April 1. These last few weeks has involved a lot of work in trying to finalize the plans including the hiring of a staff to oversee this facility. The program will have very little impact on the day to day activities of the church. Keep this in prayer, while there are some who have taken issue at times with the homeless program, it is providing some financial help for 4 individuals plus providing a needed area of ministry which Jesus calls us to. There are still some concerns here and the prayers are greatly needed to lift this area of ministry up.

Also be in prayer as we look at expanding our ministry in the area of youth. Buckey has taken leadership in this and we want this part of our church to grow, the adjunct of a youth program will assist as we outreach to others. I met with several individuals this week about their involvement at Mosaic and they were interested in the particular area of youth, we need help here and we want to start reaching out to families with children.

Worship is also something we need to explore. We need a worship leader and musicians who are interested in assisting our church and bringing us to a place of legitimate worship. We need people who are dedicated and willing to promote the concepts of worship, plus stick it out and endure. We want to enter a place where God works each and every week.

A lot is coming up at Mosaic, we have a number of things regarding ministry during the holidays and we want those who believe in the ministry God has called each church to, (working with and ministering to the poor) to realize they are welcome at Mosaic. So many seem to ignore the call Jesus places on his followers to serve. We are more caught up with being served, than we are serving, yet he calls all of us who say we are his followers to serve. He reminds us that the last will be first. That isn’t to say we don’t give ourselves the attention we need, but the attention and growth we go through are to assist us in reaching the world around us. It is only as we are complete in doing the work we are called to do that we will find a place of peace. In finding that place, in doing that work, we need each other.

In closing, don’t forget that tonight, (Saturday) from 5 PM – 10 PM the youth along with various adults will be providing a Parent’s Night Out. During this time there is a suggested donation of $4 an hour and $2 for each additional child. This is a suggested donation and no child will be turned away. There are refreshments, games, drink and more provided during this time. You are invited to drop your children off starting at 5 PM and enjoy the evening. All proceeds from this go to support upcoming youth activities. Donations above the suggested donation are welcome,

Now I hope to see each of you this Sunday as we will be spending the service in Worship and Prayer. We will be having various sessions of prayer for individual needs, our church, and our city, nation, and world. Come prepared to share, worship, and pray.

Teaching time will start at 9:30 when we will be discussing the question: Was Jesus Married and will he be in the future? The discussion last week got a little active and we have been having a good group attending during this time, last week, around 18 attended so come on out during the church teaching and Sunday School time at 9:30.

Now if you are receiving this via some other form than email, you can always email me at mikefurches@yahoo.com to be placed on the church email list where you will receive a copy of the bulletin along with the newsletter.

Until later, God bless,

Pastor Mike

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Jesus & Football, Much More Weekly Update

Greetings and welcome to the weekly Mosaic Newsletter and Update.

As you may or may not know, a lot is happening at Mosaic. This last week we had a good conclusion to the series They Like Jesus But Not The Church. We had a panel of individuals from the community who are not active in the church, ranging from a business owner, to musician, and from a gay community advocate to a filmmaker. It was interesting on a few fronts, for me mainly the reality that they brought up much of what we have been talking about in the series. In all of this I must say, I was really proud of the folks at Mosaic for making each of our guests feel welcome and being respectful. Realize it is possible that events like this will not only inspire us to understand our culture more, but also have those we show respect to tell their friends in the community about their experiences at Mosaic.

As is the norm, the bulletin for the week is attached and I encourage you to look at it. There are a number of activities coming up as we approach the holidays, and you want to be aware of them. Some of those include:

Saturday, October 8, This Saturday, Vision Team Meeting from Noon – 1:30, we will discuss a number of things including updates on education, youth, worship, potential new property, and we will be discussing the plans for the upcoming Overflow Shelter.

Saturday, October 15, Parents Night Out, 5 PM – 10 PM, we will be offering a parents night out and the funds will support our youth program. The suggested donation is $5 per hour for the first child and $2.50 per hour for each additional child. Please let your friends and others know about this event. We still need some volunteers and we will have snacks, pizza, non caffeinated soft-drinks available.

Sunday, October 23, Murdock Theater, Showing of The Long Walk, $8, The Long Walk, the short film based on my book The Keystone Kid, and the reconciliation with my mom is showing at the prestigious Tallgrass Film Festival. The High School shorts start at 1 PM and the Best of Kansas Filmmakers shorts, (which includes The Long Walk) starts at 3 PM. Please, spread the word and I would like to see as many as possible attend this showing. There are awards and recognitions for the shorts which the audience can vote on.

Monday October 31 - Z 104.5 The Fox Classic Rock, Classic Horror benefits Mosaic, 6 PM – 1 AM, The Forum Theater, College Hill, The cost or suggested donation is $10.50 per person. The movies will include, The Shining, The Exorcist, and Halloween. It will not be for the faint of heart and all proceeds raised go to benefit Mosaic.

Sunday, November 20, Pastor Mike shares about Mosaic and what the Lord has been doing in his life at Hope Community Church in Andover. He will also have his book and short movie available during the morning services.

Thurs, November 24, Thanksgiving Dinner, 5 PM, This year we are going to have a dinner at the church. We need donations, cooks, and more to make this event as special as it can be.

Friday, December 2, 7 PM, William Fosterr Christmas Concert, William is back for a special Christmas Concert. He will perform Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, and Sunday morning.

Saturday, December 3, 1 PM, William Fosterr Christmas Homeless Concert

This week has been unique and special. On Tuesday I had the opportunity to spend an hour or so with a fellow named Michael who has been coming to the day program. He shared how his girlfriend had died of cancer this last week and how difficult that was. He had purchased a bus ticket to Salina where he was going back to get away from all of the problems of the city, and to try and get his old job back. He also shared how much the church had helped him and how much he appreciated it. As he left he told me that he loved me and was glad I was his friend. I can’t express enough the importance of things like this.

Then around 10 AM I had a lady came into my office with tears streaming down her face. She wanted to talk, and I realized from her brokenness that I had to stop and give her the time she needed. We spent the next 2 hours with her sharing her heart. She had been arrested for prostitution and released the day before, had used crack cocaine, and realized that she couldn’t go on, ‘I need to find God, I need to find God’ she would repeat over and over. She realized all she had done to hurt herself, her family and especially her children. Her breaking point came when her daughter picked her up from jail. I am normally very cautious and was here, but I felt the sincerity in her expressions. After a period of time, I told her that she could know God before she walked out the door of the office. At her request, and her invitation, I proceeded to pray with her as she prayed to receive Christ into her life. Today, Wednesday, I spent time trying to do what we are all required to do, and what wasn’t done for me, to go the extra mile in helping her overcome the obstacles in her life. I am convinced that God has us where he does for a reason.

Then at 2 PM I had a lady who had heard about Mosaic come in to take a tour. It was kind of strange though, in the early part of the tour, I told her of how we respected all people, no matter where they came from and that we didn’t force Jesus on anyone, she jumped in becoming rather upset, stating she didn’t want anything to do at a program where we didn’t share Jesus, without letting me finish what I was saying. I have learned over the years to not argue with people, especially when they jump in before even letting you finish your sentence. I told her it wouldn’t be a good fit and that I hoped she understood that we have seen an impact on the homeless including salvation, baptism and even this morning the salvation of an individual. She was ready to leave right a way though, and as she did, I was grateful that we honor Jesus by being Jesus to people. Jesus didn’t force himself on anyone, neither should we, we are called to love and be Jesus to those around us. I have learned when we do that, others receive the message of Jesus we share and we will see fruit. I told the lady as she left, I will gladly put the fruit of ministry up from Mosaic for anyone to inspect. There is more than giving food yes, but unless we show we care for the individual, I wonder, do we see them and love them the way God does or are they just projects and feathers we think we can stick in our cap? My prayer is this, we see, and love, in the same way Jesus does, not the way others think we should.

In closing, for those that don’t know, Mosaic is a very small church, we actually barely get by and sometimes the church has enough to pay me a little, sometimes they don’t, the bulletin has the actual numbers posted each week. It is hard at times but God continues to meet my needs, and the needs of the church. That said, our food pantry is running desperately low. We are coming into a season, and time of the month where our numbers pick up. In order for us to help those we can, we need food. Please consider making a donation to Mosaic in one of several ways, fixing a meal for the homeless, bringing in food donations, especially staples, and/or making a financial contribution to help. You can also pray for my families needs as it is tough on us right now; we are grateful that there is promise and hope starting in November. We are looking at having another person in need stay with us to help them out and disciple them, (check out one of those stories up above.) We aren’t complaining, in fact we are grateful but there are times it is tough and our family, and the church has been blessed by seeing God come through by using others. We are blessed! God is still our provider. Have you experienced the goodness of God in this way? It all comes down to what I was telling my new sister this week, surrender, surrender to the things Jesus has shown us, show faith that God will come through.

We meet Sunday morning at 9:30 when we will have a discussion about Does Jesus Have a Heavenly Mother, and then the message at 10:30 titled, Are You Ready For Some Football. You also want to be aware of some upcoming services including:

October 16 – Worship & Prayer Service
October 23 – Spirituality in the Movies
October 30 – Finding Jesus in Horror

Thanks again, God bless, and see you hopefully this weekend.

Pastor Mike

PS. Please Remember, if you are getting this at Facebook or another site, you can send an email to mikefurches@yahoo.com to receive your own email copy.

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

216 S. Market
Wichita KS, 67202
(316) 807-8034

Greetings, I will keep today’s note short because things are so busy. Please make sure to check out the bulletin as there are some events listed. I am on my way this morning to meet with the Mayor’s office and am excited to share with them about the future and ministry of Mosaic.

I also want to remind members of our Vision Team that we have a very important meeting this Saturday at noon. We could also use volunteers this weekend as Kim is out of town so we will need help serving food and welcoming our guests at our Saturday program. We will serve at 1AM and ask our volunteers to be here starting at 11 AM, no later than 11:30

I also want to make mention of several other things that are going on. This next week, we will be hosting a Missional Church Training at the request of a local Baptist church on Tuesday the 13th from 6:30 – 8 PM. There will also be a meeting in Wichita this week regarding sex trafficking in our city. I will be sending out information regarding that meeting but as of yet, don’t have confirmation as to the time or location, but am expecting that meeting to be held on Friday.

There is another bit of good news; I am meeting next week with and at the request of 104.5 Radio who is looking at using our facility on Halloween. This is an opportunity to get word out about Mosaic plus continue to serve the community. They will be requesting a donation for the event which they plan on donating to Mosaic. There will be radio spots which feature Mosaic and possibly a way to open up doors at building additional community connections.

There is no doubt that God continues to work and use this church. The reality is his hand is evident in the things that are taking place. Let’s all be careful though, there are those, some of which call themselves ‘Christian,’ who would have us fail. God is providing Divine Opportunities and appointments for us; we have to be prepared to act on those opportunities. The reality that people are still coming, commitments of faith, and baptism are taking place should cause us to celebrate, certainly the angels in Heaven do if we believe the teachings that come from Luke 15 where we are told the angels rejoice and throw a party over each soul that was lost and is now found.

God is working, what an honor to be a part of it. I kind of feel like Moses in the wilderness, Mosaic can likely relate as we have wondered and moved, but are now seeing God work, seeing opportunities like never before, there is no doubt that God is working, the issue is who wants to be a part of that work and experience the blessings of the Promised Land which God has called us to? I know I do, I hope to have company come along. I am sure there will be.

I also want to remind folks of our meeting on Sunday, the time changes for the start of services, we will enter a devotional prayer time at 9:30 for the church, the Jr. High and HS kids will meet during this time and attend church, and church will start at 10:30. This Sunday we continue the series of Why They Like Jesus But Not The Church, with a focus on Fundamentalism. Next week we complete the series, but we are planning a panel discussion of individuals on Sunday the 25th to talk about their reflections and beliefs regarding ‘The Church.’ This will be an enlightening meeting that will allow us to learn from those we want to reach.

One last note, don’t forget tonight, Friday Sept. 9, is the Drive In – We will be seeing the kids shows, Smurfs, and Cars 2. We will be leaving the church at 7:30 and it is $10 a car load. We will be taking the van and pack in first come first serve into the van, especially for those who don’t have money. I am looking forward to a good time, bring your chairs, snacks, drinks, and be prepared to have a fun time together.

Blessings and God bless you all,

Pastor Mike

PS. Please Remember, if you are getting this at Facebook or another site, you can send an email to mikefurches@yahoo.com to receive your own email copy.

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

The Keystone Kid

Facebook

The Virtual Pew

Movie Reviews

Twitter

Mosaic Wichita Facebook Page

Personal Web Site

Mosaic Capital Campaign

Dear Friends and Friends of Mosaic,

We are in a unique position where I am doing something I didn’t know if I would ever do, that is writing a letter asking you to consider helping Mosaic in regards to a capital purchase for a property we will own.

As most of you know Mosaic has been in existence for around 5 years now. In that time Mosaic has moved and is finally in a location where we are seeing unbelievable ministry take place. Some have called us a missional church, maybe we are, but let me ask, is there a church in Scripture that we see that isn’t supposed to be a missional church? We are seeing fruit and even today, am planning another baptism of another individual in the next weeks. We are seeing fruit and making a difference in the lives of people. While we have lost some folks, we have others come on board to replace them who believe in and care about the ministry that God is doing through Mosaic.

Now let me give some specifics. Over the 5 or so years that Mosaic has been in operation we have rented property. We have been reluctant to purchase any property but now with the incorporation of a Vision Team we believe the right situation has happened in the last few weeks that we need to act on. The property we want to purchase is on the block we are currently located on, that property was appraised at approximately $400,000. The previous owners of the property operated a restaurant coffee shop on part of that property and put in approximately $40,000 in renovations to that property. Unfortunately they recently filed bankruptcy and the property is now available to us for between $50,000 - $60,000. There is also condo fees associated with the property that covers much of the cost including maintenance, utilities, and more. We are seeking to obtain funds in the amount of $60,000, and $70,000 for the property.

What we believe would be an appropriate use of the property would be to open up a for profit business where we serve coffee, soups, sandwiches, and crocks (crock pot recipes) along with minimal breakfast items. We would open 6 days a week during breakfast and lunch, and on evenings during downtown and/or arena events. We would keep the prices low and affordable for the walking traffic located near us. Across the street are the SRS offices. One of the mistakes we believe the previous owner made was they offered Starbucks quality at Starbucks prices. It is our desire to offer prices at a much lower price and with not quite the variety. We have been assured from several downtown residents, business people and others that this would be a great adjunct to our area. We would operate the business end of it with volunteers and limited paid staff. Ultimately, once the business grows we would hire homeless individuals and others to work on site. We will also have a section of the property that will have available office space which we would consider renting out for additional income.

The benefit of the current property is there is also room for additional offices and a sanctuary space. Our current space which we rent for $1,300 a month is approximately 6,000 Square feet. The new location, including the restaurant would include approximately 7,500 square feet. We would also have the option to purchase additional floors of the property, located at the Sutton building for approximately $60,000 per floor if we were to decide or grow to the place to offer additional services, of course the purchase of these floors would be optional and dependent on the future status of ownership of those floors.

Obviously, the time is short on the availability of this property. This property will soon go on the market and there are likely other interested buyers. We want to move on the property as soon as possible.

We need your help, can you contribute and assist with this purchase for Mosaic. I can’t say what it would be like to own our own facility, where there is the possibility that we could maintain the type of missional church we are, yet have an option to provide funds for the church to operate. For those things to happen though, we need you to assist us. You could be another church making an investment to the ministry, a business who believes in what we are doing, or an individual who wants to make a difference. We are also willing to consider low interest loans to help with this, but would obviously really joy in the gifts and donations which make this happen.

The time to grasp the opportunity is short, the potential is tremendous. There is no doubt, that when a small church like Mosaic has the opportunity to purchase a property worth close to ½ a million dollars for $60,000 this is a God send. With the current redevelopment of downtown, the new apartments coming in imagine the impact we can have.

Lastly, we now have a way folks can contribute to Mosaic online. If interested in sharing with Mosaic online you can visit the following link and do so. Just designate what your gift is for when you donate, you can designate gifts for ‘general funds,’ ‘capitol campaign,’ or ‘homeless program.’

If the button doesn’t appear, you can give at the following link - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G6KQJMMUS72CA

All contributions to Mosaic are tax-deductible. If mailing contributions to Mosaic, you can send them to the following address:

Mosaic Wichita
216 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67202

Blessings to you and have a great week.

Mike

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