This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)
Acts of Love – Community Outreach
Acts of Love was created in March 2020 as a response to the needs of the Waco community during the onset of Covid-19. We opened the doors of this emergency food pantry to help others, and God has allowed us to continue showing love to those in need through the support of the family of First Woodway. Acts of Love allows us to embrace others around us, not only with food, but with the life changing love of Jesus Christ. All of us can be involved in the simplest ways. You can serve by caring and checking on your neighbor, serving at the food pantry, bringing donations, and connecting and serving in our local missions projects. Our desire is to lead others to Christ through Acts of Love, because Christ laid down His life for us. Please prayerfully consider joining us as we continue to serve others through the ministry of Acts of Love.
What’s Happening
First Monday Prayer & Fasting
“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” – Ezra 8:23
The faithful and fervent prayers of His people are very much able to move the hand of God. The response of God to our prayers is an incredible thing – and we’ve seen and experienced this first- hand through our partnership with several missionaries and their families around the world. We invite you to fast and pray for our following mission partners this Spring:
Jun 5 | LSESD Lebanon Partnership
July 3 | Rohingya People Group (Bangladesh)
Aug 7 | Dominican Republic: STCH
Wash + Pray | Summer Dates
On select Monday nights (5:30-7:30 pm), we hang out at The Washtub Laundry on Hewitt Drive to bless the families there by praying with them, paying for their laundry, and providing some snacks. It’s a simple way to meet needs in our community as we share the love of Jesus. Mark your calendar to serve these families this summer.
May 15 // June 5 + 19 // July 3 + 17 // August 7 + 21
Summer Kick-Off | June 10 | 5:30 – 8:00 pm | FW campus
Everyone’s welcome to kick-off summer at this family friendly event with food, inflatables, games, train rides, snow cones, and a homemade salsa contest.When the sun goes down, Viento Fuerte will host La Pasion, a live bilingual passion play depicting Jesus’ death on the cross.
VOMO
What is VOMO? We have talked with a lot of you recently and have been incredibly encouraged by your faithfulness to care, serve, and proclaim the gospel. I’m convinced we have a church full of people passionate about the Great Commandment and Great Commission but sometimes are stuck and don’t know HOW to put our faith into action. That’s why First Woodway Missions signed up for a new technology platform called VOMO that will help our church serve better both inside and outside of our walls.
First Woodway is committed to taking the love and heart of Jesus to our neighborhoods and communities. We truly want to be a people who actively live out our faith throughout our day. Think of this new platform as our Church Hub for making an impact. It has mobile apps (both Android and Apple) that helps make serving as a church easy and fun. In just 3 clicks you will be able to see local service opportunities inside our church as well as ministries we consider partners.
Your invitation link is http://app.vomo.org/invite/org/ACTSOFLOVE. When you click this link it takes you to a form to create your volunteer account and profile. Once you have an account, you can then search and sign up for opportunities to serve, go, and be a witness.
Get connected to VOMO and be a part of the Acts of Love.
Ministries
Apartments Cookouts
Contact: René Maciel
Several times a year, we fire up the grill and spend a Sunday evening cooking out for a local apartment complex and getting to know others in our community. We provide hamburgers, hotdogs, and chips for the residents. Come and enjoy the food, the fellowship, and conversation with others.
Caritas of Waco
Contact: René Maciel
We minister in the welcome areas at Caritas every 2nd and 4th Thursday from 9:00-11:00 am. We will engage in conversations and pray with those who come to Caritas seeking help. We hope that these conversations and opportunities to pray with others will lead to sharing the gospel with many. The harvest is ripe to feed and share the gospel. While there we also assist with sorting and packaging food items as well as distributing groceries. Sign up to serve on VOMO.
Given in Jesus’ Name Food Pantry
Contact: René Maciel
Looking for volunteers every Tuesday and Thursday! We need volunteers to run errands, receive and sanitize food that has been contributed, and give away donated food bags at the west doors of the main foyer. Want to serve! Sign up on VOMO. Contact us: René Maciel at rmaciel@firstwoodway.org or Lynn Brooks at lbrooks@firstwoodway.org. Given in Jesus’ Name Food Pantry List: Every week we feed families from all over Central. We need your help in keeping our food pantry stocked. Please click here for a list of current food items needed.
God’s Toolbox
Contact: René Maciel
God’s Toolbox’s primary focus is to care for, share with, and serve others through home repair projects. They assist the elderly, people of low income, and the disabled, enabling them to live in warmth, safety and independence.
Prison Ministry
Contact: Betty at 254.744.3679
Men and women from the First Woodway family travel to the Gatesville women’s prison on Monday nights where they spend time with female inmates… sharing wisdom, providing encouragement, and praying together. Try visiting a couple times to see if this ministry is a fit for you.
Wednesday Night Saints
Contact: Wanda Glaze (or call 254.666.8276)
Each Wednesday night during the school year, 30-40 people receive a warm meal along with a hug and a prayer. These homebound families love the conversation time the most, just knowing someone cares about them. Call and see how you can spend one hour each week to help deliver a meal to someone who is hurting and alone. Learn more about ways you can serve here.
Viento Fuerte Church
We are excited to have Viento Fuerte holding Sunday morning worship services on the First Woodway campus. They host a Spanish service at 9:30 am and a bilingual worship service at 11:00 am – both in the MAC Parlor. We hope you will drop in some time to experience worship with them!
Pastors Tom and Elizabeth Gutierrez lead Viento Fuerte. To find out more information, please email Tom and/or Elizabeth at egutierrez@vientofuerte.net.
Missions and Community Outreach Team
René Maciel | Missions and Community Outreach Pastor
rmacie@firstwoodway.org
Lynn Brooks | Missions Coordinator
lbrooks@firstwoodway.org
Sherrie Anderson | Missions Associate
Sanderson@firstwoodway.org
Brenda Lewis | Given in Jesus’ Name Coordinator
cbbhlewis@grandecom.net
Rhonda Jones | Acteens Director
rhondajones2@hotmail.com
Vision Statement
Open to God, open to people, open to the world.
1. Open to God – we are open to be led by His Spirit.
- Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me. 2 Corinthians 2:12
- But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
2. Open to people – we are open and want to be extended and ready to speak life into individuals.
- We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 2 Corinthians 6:11
- Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
3. Open to the world – we are open and available to go and share the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
- On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27
- Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Click the icon below to stay connected to our First Woodway Missions Page!
Partners
Caritas of Waco
Caritas of Waco is a non-profit organization that was opened in 1967 to serve the needs of poverty-level individuals living in the Waco-McLennan County area. The mission of Caritas is to “provide urgent support to people in need in our community.” This is accomplished by offering emergency/supplemental assistance in the form of food, clothing and household items, utility assistance, prescription medication assistance, rent and mortgage assistance, emergency lodging and travel. The philosophy of Caritas is to move low income families “beyond hunger to hope” through a combination of urgent assistance (e.g., food) and the case management intervention. Caritas is effectively placing many individuals into employment positions and into vocational training programs through it case management program.
Mobile App
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