Hello Church Families,

Last week during our Children’s Message, we wrapped up our series on the Lord’s Prayer by exploring what it means to face temptation—that uneasy feeling inside when you want to do something you know is wrong. We learned that God can place an invisible "stop sign" right in our hearts to help us make good, honoring decisions when those moments come.

To help bring these beautiful verses to life for our little ones, I brought my friend, Mary the little lamb, with me to the Traditional Service. She was a wonderful helper in making these big concepts easy to understand.

Next week, instead of our usual message, our children will be standing together to pray the Lord’s Prayer out loud as a group, reflecting the deeper, growing understanding they’ve gained over the past few weeks.

Please continue to pray for First Kids, asking God to help them grow in their faith and their understanding of His wonderful Word. First Families, I hope you know just how deeply grateful we are for each of you.

P.S. Don't forget, Godly Parenting classes start TONIGHT! 



Bernadette Ostroff

Parenting is hard! But it can also be one of the most rewarding journeys. Join the Children's Ministry as we present a new multi-week parenting class - Godly Parenting 101. This class will focus on and define the foundation of Jesus-like parenting. 

• Dates: Wednesdays, October 21 - November 11

• Time: 6P - 7:30P

• Location: John Wesley Room

• Childcare: Available upon PRE-REGISTRATION ONLY

Whether you are parenting toddlers, school-aged kids, or pre-teens, there is a place for you at the table. Click here to register or contact:

bernadette@firstwaco.com 

We are so blessed to have incredible, seasoned leaders guiding our upcoming Godly Parenting classes.

Forty-five years ago, Charlie Halley began pastoring youth within a large church. Almost immediately, he and his wife, Mary Lou, began a lifelong journey of mentoring and discipling parents. Today, they are blessed with three grown sons, a very long list of spiritual sons and daughters, and a deep, Biblical clarity on what it means to practice Jesus-based parenting.

Together with Aldo and Carol Morell, Charlie and Mary Lou will be sharing wisdom gathered from a lifetime of walking with Jesus through the joys and challenges of raising children—and helping others do the same.

Whether you are just starting out on your parenting journey or navigating new seasons, you will find immense encouragement, grace, and practical guidance from this wonderful team.

When one of our children’s ministry leaders asked Phil to step into Sunday school, he and his wife jumped right in. Since Phil readily admits he has the "gift of gab," he figured he might as well use the gift God gave him to talk about Him!

Being a kid at heart makes it easy for Phil to relate to the children, though he admits they keep him on his toes and have definitely taught him a thing or two about patience. But the best part? Hearing them share their Bible knowledge—and, of course, the homemade artwork. Phil treasures the pieces the kids have made him so much that he keeps several of them proudly displayed in his office at work.

Above all, Phil’s greatest hope is that the children walk away knowing one simple, life-changing truth: Jesus loves them no matter what.



Thank you, Phil, for all of the lives you are changing.

Sometimes we get so used to things flowing smoothly and happening regularly that we forget someone is behind the scenes making it all happen. That is definitely the case with Anne Kinslow, our Director of Written Communications! She does so much for us here at First Waco, but in particular, she puts the finishing touches on all the newsletters we send out—including this one! I just sort of hand her everything I want to include, and she puts it together week after week and makes it make sense, just like a puzzle.



If I were to take a survey and ask people how they would describe Anne, they would probably all say she has the "patience of Job." And I would readily agree! She fixes all the typos, moves pictures around, tells us when deadlines are approaching... the list goes on and on! The next time you're reading one of our newsletters, send a special thanks to God for Anne—she's an angel!

Look who stopped by this week! Linda Price dropped in to say hello and gifted me an amazing book designed to help children understand the Bible. How thoughtful!

I am always so grateful when our families share creative ideas, helpful tips and experiences to support our children’s ministry. In fact, I’ve already started crafting a brand-new children’s message from her book! Thank you so much, Linda!

If you haven’t yet had the chance to get to know Kids Kastle, our wonderful weekday early childhood program, you are in for a treat!

At the heart of Kids Kastle are our incredible leaders, Sarah Hamm (Director) and Jessi Alvarez (Assistant Director), who have both faithfully served our families for an amazing 13 years. Both hold their official director’s credentials, and under their guidance, Kids Kastle operates as a fully state-licensed program dedicated to providing a loving, Christ-centered environment.

Ask Sarah and Jessi what they love most, and they will tell you it’s getting to know the children, watching them grow, and truly feeling like part of their families. That same deep sense of community extends to the teachers. Every single morning, Sarah and Jessi gather the team in a huddle to pray together. 



Kids Kastle is rich with long-standing traditions that the children look forward to all year, including a heartwarming Living Nativity and a fun Fall Show. In fact, Kids Kastle has a wonderful legacy—we are now serving multiple generations, having cared for children who have grown up and now have their own children enrolled in the program!

Interestingly enough, the vast majority of the children enrolled are not members of First Waco, but instead come from other large churches in the community that have their own childcare programs. That speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of our program and the stellar reputation Kids Kastle has earned across our community.

If you'd like to learn more about enrolling your child or want to see the program in action, please visit www.firstwaco.com/preschool

If you're not here in person on Sunday mornings - you're missing out on a lot of great fellowshipping! Thanks to everyone who posed with our "stop sign," you're great sports! First Kids learned that God can put an invisible "stop sign" on our hearts and help us to "stop" when we're being tempted to do something we know is wrong. 

As midweek comes to a close, we were able to take some great pictures of our children learning. growing in their faith and having a little fun, too!

If you volunteer in the Children's Ministry, we have a special "thank you" coming up, Sunday, November 8th in the Garden Room, 10:30-11:00 am. We'll be serving a tasty brunch along with a little gift to remind you of how "sweet" you are to invest in our children. Be sure and save the date!

CRAFTMAKER - Great fun for kids and helps strengthen their fine motor skills.

SCIENCE & NATURE - Loads of possibilities for your older kiddos.

TINY T-REX and the IMPOSSIBLE HUG - by Jonathan Stutzman, great for your little ones.

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING - by Max Lucado, a great book for parents/adults.

To reach the pastors by email, click here or call the church at 254.772.5630. To reach the Business Office, call 254.772.5630 x202 or Accounting@firstwaco.com. To give to church ministry, click here, use the app, or call the church. Mail checks to First Waco, PO Box 7736, Waco, 76714. You may text to give at 254.306.0810.

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