Hey Wildwood Family!

We pray you had a restful, encouraging time with family and friends at Christmas. The heart Christmas, of course, is the wonder of God loving us so much that He sent His beloved and unique Son into the world to give His life as a ransom for us!  Yes, amazing!!

Well, it’s here!  The last week of 2023!  Came quicker than you thought, right? On Sunday we will have only two services, 9:45 and 11:00am.  Both services are “All-In” meaning we invite you to bring your whole family since there will be no children’s, student or adult programming.

The key passage for Sunday will be Psalm 136:1-3; 23-26.  Since New Year’s Eve is a time for looking back and looking forward, I will look back on some predictions from the past, and also look at some predictions that have already been made for 2024.  In addition, I will be making a spiritual prediction for 2024!

You don’t want to miss Sunday!

See you then,

Bruce

On Sunday, November 12, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is Part 5 from our sermon series  “The Power of Love”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Bruce stated from 13:6 that love is in the construction business, it is a ‘people builder. What are some ways people have said to you, I believe in you, I see ______ as your strength?  What did that mean to you?  Who are some to which you could be loving people builder?
2. Reflect on and discuss some about the definition of love that Bruce shared early in the series: Love is the commitment of my will to your needs and best interest regardless of the cost.
3. Bruce pointed out that Jesus said (John 13:34-35) that Love is the greatest hallmark of our relationship with Jesus.  Why is it that people often fall short of displaying that hallmark consistently?
4. Peruse through the list of the attributes of love (verb forms) in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Which attribute would you say you most need to develop in your home?  In your closest relationship?
5. “Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing” (13:6), it does not delight in evil. What are some ways people can fall into that pattern of behavior?
6. Bruce said that Love will not tolerate ‘hearsay’ or ‘heresy.’  How should we respond when faced with either situation?
7. Bruce shared how he has been reading the book by Glenn Stanton entitled, Loving My (LGBT) Neighbor: Being Friends in Grace and Truth. Should we actually befriend folks who identify as LGBT? Are we limited as to who we are to love?  [see what Jesus says in Matthew 5:44]
8. As the song says, ‘Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me.  On and on and on it goes, it overwhelms and satisfies my soul [One Thing Remains]. Take some time in worship to thank God for his overwhelming love for you.

Hey Wildwood Family!

Greetings to everyone!  Holy cow! (likely what Jesus might utter) November will soon be half over.  Yikes!

Several things of special note this week.  First, there will be some 70 dads and daughters at the Father-Daughter campout on Friday-Sunday.  Pray for some sweet reconnections between the dads and daughters.

Second, you will find a prayer sheet in the bulletin this week regarding the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaway in San Antonio next weekend, the 17^th-19^th. While we have the privilege of speaking there, it is vitally important for us as church family to be praying. The guide sheet lays out a prayer strategy for the next week, praying both for the presenters and for the couples who attend.  There will be over 1,000 folks attending with a capacity of 1200.

Third, we’ve entered the key preparation phase for the Mission Norman Christmas Shoppe hosted by Wildwood again.  The hope is to bring an encouraging Christmas to 600 disadvantaged children in our immediate area. There will be an information sheet in the bulletin on how you and your family can be involved, or simply go to wildwoodchurch.org/missionnorman for more details. What a privilege to represent Jesus to so many in our community.

Sunday we will be concluding our series entitled, The Power of Love, unpacking the love section of 1 Corinthians 13.  This final message was a challenge!  I will be sharing the title of a book that I’ve been reading while working through these messages.  Don’t forget our call from the Lord:  May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in your love for one another, and for all people (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

See you Sunday!

Bruce

On Sunday, October 29, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is Part 4 from our sermon series  “The Power of Love”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. We can often hear folks say things like “I’ve fallen out of love,” “I don’t love him/her anymore.”  What is the core issue with statements like that?  From this series, what perspective might you share with them?
2. “Love is not rude” (13:5), not ill-mannered or crude. What are some common ways we/others tend to display rudeness?  What type of actions would be the opposite of rudeness?  Make a list.
3. ​​​​​​​”Love does not insist on its own way” (13:5). What are some practical ways we can give preference to others?
4. ​​​​​​​”Love is not irritable” (13:5), not touchy or quick to take offense.  What circumstances in life make you more vulnerable to being irritable? Bruce said that the difference between reacting and responding is what?
5. “Love is not resentful” (13:5), it does not take into account a wrong suffered, keeps no record of wrongs (doesn’t keep score). Why do we have this tendency to “keep score”?
6. ​​​​​​​Read out loud 2 Timothy 4:14.  What instruction for ourselves is found there?
7. ​​​​​​​Look at Ephesians 4:32-5:2.  As mentioned in the message:
   1. what is His will for me?
   2. what are we called to pass along that we’ve received?
   3. how are we to imitate our Heavenly Father?
   4. how does God view our responses before Him (see the end of vs. 2)?
8. It is a true blessing (giving a salute to the lyrics of Foreigner’s song, I want to know what love Is, I want you to show me) that our God has fulfilled our deep need for Him to show us what love is. He’s done it two ways.  One, by sharing the practical aspects of love from 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. Second, by clearly demonstrating His love through what the Lord Jesus did for us by coming into this world to give His life as a ransom for many.  Spend a few moments thanking the Lord both for His Word, and for the greatest act of love ever:  Jesus taking your place on the cross!

Hey Wildwood Family!

Welcome to November!  This is a busy week around the Hess house.  My wife and daughters (along with some other friends) are having a garage sale this Friday and Saturday.  That means a whole bunch of organizing and hopefully a significant departure of some good stuff that we no longer need to steward.😉

This weekend is extra special in that our daughter Jennifer and husband Zac (plus Summer and Max) will be in town for a couple of days from their church planting ministry in Mexico (hard to believe they’ve already served there for eight years).  They have spent this week in Kansas City attending a conference with their mission organization Avant.  It will be a brief stay, but one we are looking forward to very much.

This also will be a special Sunday at Wildwood for at least two reasons.  First, we are having a baby dedication with nine families dedicating their children to the Lord.  This is an opportunity for us as a church family to join the couples (each couple has composed a unique prayer for their child which will be in the bulletin) in praying with them that God would be at work early in their child’s life.  Exciting!

Second, this Sunday we will be launching the toy collection for the Mission Norman Christmas Shoppe.  Mission Norman and Wildwood are aiming to give a warm Christmas to some 600 underprivileged children in the Norman area as we did last year.  We need everyone’s involvement to make this happen!  Check out the video during the worship services and/or go to wildwoodchurch.org/missionnorman for all the details. We love sharing both the Gospel and blessings with those in our community!

Sunday is part #4 in our series, The Power of Love. We have the privilege of further unpacking 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, a section of Scripture many consider one the high points of the New Testament.  Come, let’s study 1 Corinthians 13 together…and let it study us!

See you Sunday!

Bruce

On Sunday, October 29, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is Part 3 from our sermon series  “The Power of Love”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Our culture is often obviously confused about the nature of love.  List some reasons as to why that is.
2. Bruce said, “Envy is the practice of focusing on another’s blessings instead of our own.”  Why do we struggle with that so much?
3. Bruce also said that “envy leads to discontentment and misery,” and that “envy chokes the life energy out of relationships.”  Brainstorm some real-life illustrations of how you’ve experienced that yourself or seen it happen with others.
4. Talk some about how you’ve seen social media become infested with “humble brags.”
5. We’ve all had times when we’ve been guilty of being a “boaster.”  What situations tend to make you more prone to boasting?
6. Philippians 2:3-4, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count [calculate or regard] others as more significant than yourselves. What are some practical ways we can grow in regarding others as more significant than ourselves?
7. 1 Corinthians 1:31 says, Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.  Take some time in prayer to ‘boast in the Lord.’

Happy end of October!  Man, this year is flying along.  Can’t believe we can see 2024 beginning to loom on the horizon.

Wildwood has some 90 dads and sons at the Father-Son campout this weekend.  The Father-Son campout has been ongoing since 1986, nearly four decades!  Please pray for our campers this weekend as they likely will face some weather challenges.  Pray for renewed connections between dads and sons.

This Sunday is Reformation Sunday where we remember that some 500 years ago the Gospel message was re-clarified as the words of Ephesians 2:8-9 were freshly embraced by a number of brave spiritual leaders.  Our desire is for the true church to remain the pillar and support of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

Speaking of the Truth, we will be continuing our series The Power of Love with the third message focusing on 1 Corinthians 13:4.  Paul will continue to unpack the true nature of love as he shares three aspects of love which underscore the theme that Love is Humble. Much good stuff here!  And practical!

We’ll see you on Sunday!

Bruce

On Sunday, October 22, 2023, Teaching Pastor Bruce Hess’ message is Part 2 from our sermon series  “The Power of Love”. Below are some questions for your personal or group reflection.

1. Outside of God and your family, share three things that you would say you “love”!
2. In our culture, so much of our concept of love is built around the dimensions of passion and/or affection. Why is it that those forms of love are not commanded in Scripture?
3. When it comes to your relationships, when are you most easily irritated? Be transparent.
4. Love is patient (with people). Rate yourself honestly on the “patient scale” from 1 to 10 (ten being the highest). What steps could you take to increase your expression of patience toward people in your life?
5. John Sanderson has said this: “The reason impatience is such a noxious weed is because it leaves God out of our thinking.” How has God shown patience toward you? (Make a list)
6. Love is kind. Rate yourself honestly on the “kindness scale” from 1-10 (ten being the highest).
   • Kindness can be expressed both in kind deeds and kind words towards others. Are you generally stronger expressing kind deeds or kind words.  Why?
   • What are some practical steps you can take this week to strengthen both where you are strongest and weakest
7. Our model in the love arena of patience and kindness is God’s love for us.  Spend some time in prayer rehearsing and reviewing God’s patience and kindness toward you.