On September 19 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Lake Springfield Christian Assembly will be inviting seniors out to the annual Senior's Day Out. Head out to LSCA for cinnamon rolls, coffee, a fried chicken lunch, a camp update, speaker Don Green of LCU and a special concert by The Redemptions. Registration is $15 before September 12. https://lscacamp.org/lsca-events/seniors-day-out/ 

September 1 Lakeside Kids from PreK to 5th Grade will begin a two year journey through the Bible on Sunday mornings.  We will begin The Gospel Project curriculum.  The Gospel Project® for Kids immerses kids and preschoolers in the gospel through every story, theological concept, and call to mission from Genesis to Revelation. Ultimately, the gospel message changes everything; heart transformation can only take place when a child experiences the gospel. Through The Gospel Project® for Kids, kids and preschoolers will understand the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but one unified story—God’s story of redemption.  We are so excited to begin this journey through the Bible in chronological order!

Go to this website for a sneak peak video:

https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/the-gospel-project/kids

The current world population is 7.7 billion people and growing. Yet amazingly, there are just 3.4 degrees of separation between you every single person on the earth! Think about this amazing statistic. Right now you are 3.4 relationshps away from influencing anyone on planet Earth from the greatest to the least. This month we will unpack practical ways we can leverage our influence for God's glory. We will explore how to develop friendships, discover people's stories, and discern the next steps needed to impact people so far from God yet so near to us.  Click here for access to this series.

• August 18 - Develop Friendships - (Week 1)
• August 25 - Discover Stories - (Week 2)
• Sept 1 - Discern Next Steps - (Week 3)
  

We absolutely LOVE our partnership with Lee Elementary School!

Lakeside has had the honor to work with Lee Elementary in a variety of ways this year. Weekly, we have the privilege of working with Lee Elementary in a mentorship program, where Lakesiders work with students to practice reading, have conversation, and provide stability for students. We have DOUBLED our efforts from last year and have twice the amount of volunteers come out for weekly mentorship!

Monthly, we are able to pour into teachers and supplement their meetings with gifts, encouraging notes, and, of course, homemade snacks. On top of this we have implemented an Adopt-A-Class Program this year with Lee School where Lakeside Groups and Lee classrooms are paired up together. In this Lakeside Groups get to work directly with a teacher and a classroom to focus on personal relationships, provide direct support for classrooms/teachers, and act monthly in a tangible service opportunity. This has been an AMAZING program, one that provides support and encouragement for the teachers and students at Lee Elementary!

If you have any interest in working with the amazing staff and students at Lee Elementary, contact Olivia at olivia@lakesidechristian.com for more information. There are so many people to know, ways to serve, and love to give! Let's bless our community!

Here is a note from newly hired Worship Minister, Eric Radecki! 

Greetings Lakeside! Some of you may remember me from when my family and I served this congregation from 1993-1998. During that time we had two sons and established many lifelong friendships. Lakeside was my first ministry after college and we have always cherished those days. We never dreamed we might be called to return, but we can’t be more overjoyed at the opportunity. In many ways, this feels to us like coming home. 

I have undergraduate degrees from LCU in music ministry and youth ministry, and earned my MA in worship studies from Lincoln’s seminary. I am in the process of completing a doctoral degree in worship studies at the Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, FL. My passions for worship ministry are to develop worship gatherings that help to form us in the image of Christ, and raising up others to serve in worship leadership in the Church.

My wife Becky holds a BA in music ministry from LCU as well. She has been a preschool teacher for many years. She loves the children and parents of her classroom deeply—pouring into them with the love of Jesus. Becky is also a fierce soccer mom, as all three of our boys began playing soccer as preschoolers and continued through college. Parker (recently married!) is a worship minister at Indian Creek Christian Church in Indianapolis. Keaton is entering his senior year at Cincinnati Christian University as a biblical studies major. Camden is a junior worship ministry student at LCU.

I hope this helps you get to know us a little bit, and we can’t wait to grow with you in community. Thank you for welcoming us “back home,” and may God be praised for all that he will do through us in ministry.

Peace,

Eric Radecki 

Lakeside Young adults were able to retreat to the Shawnee National Forest to learn and experience listening to God. Our students talked about what it means to listen to God in an age of distractions. We worked through the Lives of Samuel and Elijah and their experiences of speaking with God.

Lakeside took 14 high school students to Franklin, TN for CIY. These students engaged in deep conversations through knowing that God’s story is still being written in their lives!

Nia Williams was baptized after church on 8/4/19. Nia joined our youth ministry in 2017 and has grown so much in this time. She is a bundle of joy and is a blessing to all! Nia has experienced God through CIY trips, service projects, and youth groups. After multiple conversations about baptism, Nia had decided to make her faith her own by being baptized into Christ!

Kassidi Ashford was also baptized 8/4/19 after church. Kassidi has long been a part of the kids and student ministry at Lakeside. Her energy is contagious and her love for God is growing more and more! Kassidi had been in conversation about baptism with a few leaders. While at Lake Springfield Christian Assembly, she decided that she wanted it to happen! Kassidi has joined us on our trips to CIY Believe and LCU the forge where she has been exploring who God is through worship and teaching. 

Congratulations to Parker and Theresa on the birth of their baby, Natalie Rose Freiburg.  Natalie was born August 13. 2019 and weighed 7.6 lbs. and 21 inches long. All are doing well.

Terry & Susie Droll will be moving out of the area, so we want to take a moment to thank them for being a part of the ministry of Lakeside. Terry has served behind the sound board in our worship services for several years. Terry has also maintained the flags on the corner of our property. Susie helped by sewing and repairing flags. Pray for the Drolls as they find a new church home and a place to serve.

Thank you to Dave Colborn and Dave Laird for many hours of work this summer on electric and sprinklers associated with our parking lot resurfacing. We love our Lakeside volunteers!

Lakeside’s Sunny Dahlquist is currently in Austria with Taking Christ to the Millions International, one our monthly supported mission partners. Sunny will be one of the short-term volunteers serving the international students at Haus Edelweiss. Earlier this summer five other Lakesiders served at TCMI. Please keep Sunny and the TCMI ministry in your prayers as these leaders from around the world are equipped to spread the good news of Jesus. She will be traveling back to the U.S. on September 5th. For more on the TCMI mission go to https://www.tcmi.org/

A big shout out to the Lakeside Kids!  They gave $176.94 to The James Project through their Sunday Morning VBS offering.

Inner City Mission will be celebrating 35 years of helping the homeless in Springfield on August 25 at 5:00 pm. The outdoor event will start at 5:00 pm with a chicken & fish fry, continue with a ribbon cutting ceremony, and conclude with a cake and ice cream social. If you would like to be a part of the celebration, RSVP via email to caleb@innercitymission.net.

Lakeside student ministries served at Contact Ministries, a local homeless shelter for moms, with their childcare. For four days our students took care of children from birth through elementary while their moms were able to sit in life skills and restoration classes.