Connect Dec 21-Jan 22

DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 CONNECT TheTshteosriteosribesehbienhdintdhethpeepoepoleplaenadndmminiinsitsrtierisesoof fTTooppeekkaaBBiibblleeCChhuurrcchh Using the Darkness for Good Debby Sowers Christmas @ TBC p 6-8 & Project 2 Restore

UPCOMING CONNECTING EVENTS WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS GIFT2GO LIGHT SHOW A new It’s our biggest Christmas outreach of Outreach the year! thats INSIDE How will the box! you serve? December 2 & 3 December 17-19 MEN’S CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST EVE SERVICES Sharing this Four service month: options to TBC Elder celebrate the Board Chair birth of Jesus. James Hurla Friday, December 24 Saturday, December 18 Visit DiscoverTBC.com for details on these and other upcoming opportunities to connect! Connect magazine is a publication of Our thanks to the volunteers Topeka Bible Church, 1135 SW College who contributed to this issue: Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604, 785-234-5545. Don Brent (photography) Please email inquiries to the editor: Todd Fertig (writing) Teresa Jenkins, [email protected]. Megan Goble (writing) Myrick Hawkinson (writing) Heidi Nelson (proofreading) Parker Robb (photography) Lori Tennyson (writing)

CONNECT DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 IN THIS ISSUE There are many reasons why this Deb season is a favorite for our staff. There’s a by Sowers • page 10 palpable buzz of energy from preparation for our Christmas Light Show and Christmas Eve services. Our Women’s Ministry volunteers are working long hours to put the finishing touches on our new Christmas Outreach, Gift 2 Go. This outreach has an opportunity to reach 2 A Legacy that Will Last even more families than ever before with the hope of Christ. And we’re excited to The Crook family’s tradition of serving partner with the One Body Project for our year-end Christmas Project campaign 6 Christmas at TBC (more about that on page 8). I’m a bit exhausted just thinking about all the work Light Show, Christmas Eve, and the that goes into this season! Christmas Project – get the details here! 9 Connect Kids Faces from our Children’s Ministry 10 Using the Darkness But the thing about which I’m most excited for Good as we wind down 2021 is to see how God moves through it all. How he uses these Project 2 Restore’s Debby Sowers events and efforts to bring His story to those who don’t truly know Him. How He 14 Relationships Beyond uses this ministry to lead people to life in Expectation Christ. Please join me in praying that God’s impact, much more than ours, is significant. Student mentors Aleda Berry & Betty Greiner And a blessed Christmas season to you and your family. 18 Connection Points: What’s one of your fondest Christmas memories? 20 Connecting With: Connor Kraus Keaton Riddle Lead Pastor NEW TO TBC? Text “NEW” to 785-432-4801 We’re so glad you’re here ... welcome! We know it can be difficult to find a good fit in a new church home. We have several welcome events throughout the year to help you get acquainted and to share more about our ministries and beliefs. To find out more, or to get connected with a Bible study, Sunday school, or small group, simply text “NEW” to 785-432-4801.

The Crook family’s history of service spans two continents and multiple generations A Legacy that Will Last K endall Crook has experienced the Rich City of the Holy Spirit. Literally. The TBC member was raised in a Paraguayan city of 26,000 called Villarrica del Espiritu Santo. Kendall’s parents were missionaries in the South American country, exposing him and his siblings to a bi-cultural upbringing, as well as to a vibrant life of service. Although he was born in Emporia, Kendall’s family moved to Paraguay when he was just three months old. For his entire youth, Kendall watched his parents, Virgil and Sharon, touch the lives of countless South Americans. He was immersed in the culture and developed a deep and emotional connection to the people his parents ministered to. “All I knew growing up was life there,” Kendall said. “My first language is Spanish, and I was very used to being the only light-skinned person around. “I grew up in a decent-sized town for down there. It was third-world, but it wasn’t really poverty. We went to public school, and we felt like the whole town was ours. We could ride our bikes or walk all over town, playing soccer with our friends.” Having seen the impact his parents made by ministering together, Kendall is now enjoying the opportunity to serve at TBC with his 18-year-old son, David. Having shown some aptitude for technical arts, David was invited a couple of years ago to assist the team that delivers video from the Mulvane Building to the College Avenue Building as well as to the Internet. Soon Kendall joined in, serving as a camera operator. “It’s been something that we can experience together,” Kendall said. “We get up continued 2 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Kendall Crook (right) and his son, David (left), serve together on the Technical Productions Team. DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 3

early on Sundays and drive to church together After serving in Jamaica in the late 1960s, and work as part of a team together. It’s really Kendall’s parents (Virgil & Sharon) moved more about me getting into his world.” their ministry to Paraguay in 1972. David plays many roles in bringing TBC programs to those not in the Mulvane Kendall moved with his parents, who both sanctuary. He often serves as video director grew up in Burlingame, to Kansas in his teen or graphics director in addition to camera years. It was a tough transition at first for operator and lighting tech for special events. a kid more accustomed to South America. Technical Arts Director Sam Reid Kendall spoke not only Spanish as his first appreciates the work Kendall and David language, but also Guaraní, a common provide the production team. language in Paraguay. “We can’t do what we do without people “My English was pretty rough when we like them,” Reid said. “It’s always fun to have moved to Burlingame. I had an accent, and families serving together. There’s something I struggled with the adjustment,” Kendall special about seeing Kendall and David recalled. using their talents as a part of the team.” Kendall owes a lot to his parents. His culture, his language, his spiritual formation. There’s something special And his wife. about seeing Kendall and When Kendall was 22 years old, a young David using their talents woman came to visit from Argentina. as part of the team. Mariela was an acquaintance of his parents through their outreach to the nation that We’re grateful that Kendall agreed to neighbors Paraguay. She was a young adult share his family’s story, but he’s really hoping to learn some English and to most comfortable behind the camera, experience the culture of the U.S. On her and can often be found there on short visit to Kansas, she struck up a Sunday mornings. friendship with Kendall. Mariela returned to Argentina, but the two kept up communication. A year later, Kendall visited her in her home country, and proposed. 4 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Kendall’s dad, Virgil (pictured here at far right), with a student choir at the Bible School in Paraguay. The school was comprised of students from Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. “It was tough for her at first,” Kendall said. weren’t planning to stay on the mission field “She didn’t know any English. She would that long. Just a few years. But they fell in come to TBC and leave with a headache love with the people there. They ended up from trying so hard to follow everything. staying 20 years.” But within a year, she was speaking it well.” Kendall said though they appear much like Mariela homeschools the Crook’s three any other Topeka family, South America is children and helps Kendall with the family still a part of the Crook family. They speak business, K&M House Plans, another thing Spanish at home, and they eat foods, watch Kendall owes to his parents. He gained movies, read stories, and recognize holidays some basic knowledge of building design from Paraguay and Argentina. and construction from watching his father And he will always be proud of the impact assist in the erection of churches and his parents made on South America. buildings in South America. “It was a great way to grow up. I got to see Kendall said moving from Paraguay to Dad preach a lot. I got to know a lot of Kansas ‘completed the circle’ that his pastors as he traveled all over to, maybe 30 parents started when they entered the churches – a lot of small churches in mission field in the 1960s. They moved from (remote areas) that needed help. We went Topeka to Jamaica in 1967. They eventually to a lot of church camps growing up. He moved to Paraguay in 1972. helped construct a lot of churches. He Having now spent more than 20 years in bought property to develop a camp. And Kansas, Kendall has a great appreciation for he taught at the Bible school that trained the enormity of his parents’ decision to go pastors from all over South America. to South America. “So my parents left a legacy that will last. “I didn’t know how big a move that was There were other Americans there, so I’m in the 1960s, leaving the security here, to not saying my dad was a complete pioneer. go minister in an area they didn’t know,” But I’m really impressed that two young Kendall said. “He had offers to use his people from Burlingame would go and accounting degree from Washburn. They make such an impact in Paraguay.” DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 5

It’s back, bigger than ever, and it’s OUTSIDE!!! Performances at 6, 7, 8, and 9* PM Friday thru Sunday, December 17 - 19 On the east side of the College Avenue Building, 1135 SW College Ave A Topeka Christmas tradition, the TBC Light Show is unique – one of the only productions in the area that coordinates Christmas light displays with live performances from musicians and vocalists. We need your help! This is our biggest outreach of the year, and there’s a spot for you – donate food for volunteers, spread the word about the event, direct parking, or welcome our guests with free glow sticks. There’s a role for everyone, regardless of your skills or ability! Register at DiscoverTBC.com under Events & Registration. Just look for the Light Show! *Please note that the Light Show is our free gift to the Topeka community. If you and your family would like to see the show, please attend one of the 9 PM showings to make room for our guests at the earlier performances. Thank you! 6 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

CHRISTMAS EVE AT TOPEKA BIBLE CHURCH FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24 1:00 • 2:30 • 4:00 • 5:30 College Avenue Auditorium (Livestream at 2:30 PM) Tickets required. Scan the code at left to get yours or visit DiscoverTBC.com DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 7

2021 Christmas Project: Work, Water & the Word A benefit for the One Body Project through Haiti Lifeline WORK. Rebuild WATER. Drill for new THE WORD. Provide essential community local water wells and Bibles, hymnals, churches that were build cisterns where and books to pastors destroyed by access to clean whose congregations hurricanes in drinking water are lacking these August 2021. is limited. resources. Cost to rebuild Cost to drill Materials for one church: $35,000 one well: $6,000 one church: $400 The One Body Project builds up the body of Christ in Haiti by building churches, building wells, and building disciples through local church leaders. • Make Christmas Project checks payable to TBC and indicate “Christmas Project” in the memo line. • If giving electronically, select “2021 Christmas Project” from the pull-down fund menu. Make your gift before midnight December 31. • Check or cash gifts must be delivered to the TBC office or postmarked by December 31 to be eligible for the 2021 tax year. 8 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

CONNECT kids Connecting with Children’s Ministry Volunteers and students by 11-year-old guest reporter Myrick Hawkinson Jennifer Hildebrandt, 6th Bella Bricker, Grade Sunday School Teacher 6th Grade Jennifer Hildebrandt has been walking Bella is 12 years old and is new to TBC. with Jesus for most of her life. She began She and her family switched churches her relationship with Him before she was and started attending here in June 2021. baptized at the age of 8. Bella, who is homeschooled and loves to Jennifer and her husband, Jason, have been draw, attends the Sunday school class teaching Sunday school for the past four taught by Jason and Jennifer Hildebrandt. years. Jason also helps with TBC’s Student She enjoys talking to them and likes it Ministry. The Hildebrandts have a real flair when the class watches The So and So Show – for creativity and enjoy putting that to work a children’s teaching video series depicting for our Treat Bash and Trunk or Treat events. two characters who get into funny scenar- Jennifer has helped with Sunday school and ios, play games, and talk about the biblical youth programs at churches she attended in truths that they’ve learned. the past, but never in partnership with her When asked what she would do if she husband. She said she has really enjoyed could change any one thing about Sunday getting to teach the sixth grade class (also school, Bella commented that she would known as The Cove) with Jason at TBC. give the students blank copy paper with “I wanted to be able to work with my hus- which to draw. band,” she said. Bella is quite happy with her family’s new As a homeschooling mom of daughters church home. Elizabeth, Sarah, and Katherine, Jennifer keeps busy with teaching and chaffeuring DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 9 her girls to dance lessons.

continued 10 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Debby Sowers’ dark and broken past uniquely equipped her to serve a particular group of women. Call it experience. Call it empathy. But Debby calls it Using the Darkness for Good During a drive from Topeka to Wichita nearly 16 years ago, Debby Sowers listened to a sermon on tape. What was unusual about this was that Debby was an atheist. Her life in the Elgin, Ill., area near Chicago involved what she calls, “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.” Debby was in a dark place and moved to Topeka to live with her daughter and son-in-law. The couple are followers of Jesus, and they gave Debby the tape she listened to on her drive to Wichita. The sermon title was a bit jarring – What Is Hell Like? The pastor asked listeners to imagine what it feels like to have their finger burned by a flame, something to which Debby could relate. Then he said to imagine that feeling over your entire body for eternity. Debby began to tremble. She pulled off the road. “God got my full attention,” Debby said. “I was a helpless sinner in need of a savior, and I cried out to God for mercy.” When Debby returned home, she told her daughter what happened. Her daughter started crying. She had been praying for her mother to come to Christ for a long time. Debby spoke with her family’s pastor a few weeks later, and he helped her make a plan to continue her spiritual growth. “At that point, I was a believer,” Debby said. “I knew Jesus was the son of God. That he died for my sins, was buried, rose, and now I am covered in His righteousness.” God used the next few years to change Debby’s life. She moved back to Elgin. “God used the time to take the world out of me,” Debby said. “My faith grew by mountains.” Debby worked at the Cracker Barrel in Elgin, but she desired to serve God in more ways. She had an opportunity to volunteer in a domestic violence shelter, but they didn’t allow volunteers to mention faith unless the victim continued DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 11

brought it up first. Debby knew that these been in a stabilization environment for at women needed to hear about Jesus, just as least a month, often more. Stabilization she had. So, she turned down the volunteer could include a substance abuse clinic, other position. Within days, God presented a inpatient settings, or an emergency shelter. chance for Debby to serve at the faith-based In those places, medical and other urgent Wayside Homeless Shelter. There she served issues are addressed. The next step is food and led women’s Bible studies. restoration, and that’s where P2R comes in. In 2019, Debby transferred to the Topeka Participation is entirely voluntary, and the Cracker Barrel to run the retail side of the application process is rigorous. If a woman restaurant. She soon found Topeka Bible is accepted, she’ll be living in a structured Church and met women’s ministry director schedule from waking until bedtime. There Patty Diliberto, who encouraged her to take is free time, but it has to be productive – a Bible study. At one class, a woman Debby journaling, reading, etc. Weekdays include had never met sat at her table. The woman classes on finances, health, relationships, (Angie Boles, also from the TBC Bible study, art, etc. Evenings and congregation) got up to speak about the weekends are for volunteer-oriented and human trafficking ministry. recovery-focused activities. Residents will At once, Debby knew why God had brought stay for one to two years (or more) until her to Topeka. they’ve entered the workforce and are ready Debby and Angie became good friends. to transition to living on their own. They shared a passion for opening Project Debby retired from Cracker Barrel on April 2 Restore (P2R) – a restoration house for 30, 2021 and started as the house manager women victims of human trafficking. Angie at P2R the next day. Although the house was approached by TBC leadership about won’t open until early 2022, there was a lot making P2R the beneficiary of its 2020 of work for Debby to do. She completed year-end fundraiser. On Sunday, January exhaustive online and in-person training, 10, TBC Lead Pastor Jim Congdon revealed did lots of reading, and had planning that the congregation had given more than meetings with P2R leadership. She’s also $380,000 to P2R. Angie, Patty, Debby, and spent a lot of time in prayer. others involved with the restoration house “I always pray for the armor of God around were amazed by how God had answered us,” Debby said. “What God means for good, their prayers. Satan hates. It’s a very dark, broken, and This funding, in addition to the mentorship shattered world we’re digging into.” TBC has program P2R had been awarded by The a prayer team that meets every other Samaritan Women Institute for Shelter Thursday to pray against human trafficking Care, meant that P2R had a solid foundation and for P2R and organizations like it. for the restoration house. The Samaritan Women mentees receive intensive It’s a very dark, training to operate Christ-centered broken, and restoration houses. The program includes shattered world instruction on leadership and finances, as we’re digging into. well as the day-to-day operation of a shelter. Restoration houses are for women who have been rescued from trafficking and have 12 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Debby’s private quarters occupy the third floor of the house. Tucked away in a somewhat hidden part of that level, she’s created a quiet room for study, reflection, and prayer. “I always pray for the armor of God around us,” Debby said. As house manager, Debby will oversee move-in (planned for January, which is the logistics of the house. She’ll make sure perfect timing for Human Trafficking schedules are followed, help women as they Awareness Month). prepare meals, do chores, and engage in Debby asks that our congregation continue healing activities. She’ll serve as a spiritual to pray for the restoration house, specifically “house mother” for the residents. for the women whom God has selected for “I look forward to loving the girls uncondi- the program. She also asks that God would tionally,” Debby said. “And giving them the use her and the P2R program to lead the power of choice again. Letting them know women out of the darkness and to Him. they are worth something in Jesus’ eyes and “God took my darkness,” Debby said, “and mine.” now, 16 years later, he’s using my darkness As of this writing, Debby hopes to spend a for good. I know the brokenness these week shadowing another house manager at women are in. If one girl walks out of here a restoration house in Indianapolis. The final healthy and walking with the Lord, then renovation at the P2R house is complete, we’ve accomplished something,” Debby said. and the residence is nearly ready for DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 13

Student Ministry mentors share the joys and blessings of investing time and attention. It’s a volunteer mission that has yielded Relationships Beyond Expectation “Oh, I’ve been praying about this!” Aleda Berry said excitedly when she found out she’d been matched with a student who was interested in an adult mentor. Aleda’s last mentee had graduated out of the program after four years, and if God willed it, she was eager to find another young woman whom she could mentor. In 2016, our Student Ministry team launched a mentoring program. The desire was to pair 7th-12th grade students with an adult from the congregation who would meet with them and pour into them to grow their relationship with Christ. Mentors commit to meeting with their student 12 times over six months. Afterward, the mentor and the student decide if they want to continue. Aleda was originally matched with Washburn Rural student Sunny Chen. Sunny was halfway through her freshman year at the time. Aleda, who previously taught at Washburn Rural, was excited to mentor a student from that school. The added bonus was that Sunny was born in China, and Aleda would be paired with a student whose background was different from her own. Sunny and Aleda hit it off immediately. They met regularly until Sunny left the United States to take a gap year in China before attending Princeton this fall. Before that, the two often met for coffee. They did Bible studies and talked about the things going on in Sunny’s life. As she began mentoring Sunny, Aleda cultivated a deep relationship with her and became friends with Sunny’s mother, Kui. “That was an added blessing,” Aleda said. When Sunny graduated from high school, Aleda met Kui for lunch and reassured her, “I pray for Sunny, and I will continue to pray for her because she’s part of my life now.” Like many ministries, the mentor program slowed down during the pandemic because the restrictions made it difficult for mentors and students to get together. Seeing Sunny graduate and leave for China was bittersweet for Aleda. continued 14 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Aleda Berry (left) and Betty Greiner (right) chat about their experiences as mentors for teen girls in TBC’s Student Ministry. DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 15

She missed the relationship she’d formed over the past four years. However, as COVID restrictions began to lift, mentor-student meetings also resumed, and Aleda was one of the first mentors contacted to be paired with another student. In September, Aleda was matched with Isla Skoda. Isla expressed excitement about being paired with her mentor, especially having someone to talk and connect with. “I really wanted someone to talk to about navigating school while still being a Christian,” Isla said, “making good deci- sions, and just get to know someone that I can talk to about anything.” I really wanted developed cemented so quickly that they someone to talk to decided to continue meeting weekly, even about navigating over FaceTime during the pandemic. school while still Betty says that the biggest surprise from being a Christian... mentoring Kaydn is, “the deep friendship that has developed.” Betty is an incredibly After meeting Aleda, Isla said, “She’s really supportive presence in Kadyn’s life, even cool! I really like her, she’s very open, a very attending her dance recitals and dance team good listener, and very welcoming.” halftime shows when possible. Kadyn says Not long after Aleda joined the Student that her favorite part of being mentored is, Ministry mentor team, another volunteer, “just finding such a good friend and that she Betty Greiner, signed up for the program. really supports me and my growth with the She had already been a blessing to the Lord. I’ve learned so much from her.” Student Ministry for many years by offering Like many people who consider mentoring, her house as a host home for our Big Betty and Aleda were both cautious at first. Weekend in-town student retreats. Betty says it was ultimately her “hope that I Betty was matched with Kadyn Fluke, and could give a young person someone to talk a deeply committed relationship began. It to,” which gave her the courage to sign up. was clear from the start that Betty took the Aleda said that she saw it as a “good relationship very seriously. She asked Kadyn opportunity to look back on her life and see to meet weekly. Betty explained that she what was applicable” to the life of a teenager wanted to do this until they got to know and how she might have an impact. each other better, but the friendship they 16 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Mentors and mentees meet regularly to visit and work through a Bible study, but mentors are also there for milestone moments in the lives of the young women with which they’re paired. (Left to right) Mentor Aleda Berry with her first mentee, Sunny Chen, at Sunny’s graduation from Washburn Rural High School in 2020. Aleda currently meets with another Washburn Rural student, Isla Skoda. Mentor Betty Greiner is a mentor to Kadyn Fluke, a junior at Shawnee Heights High School. Aleda and Betty are tremendous honest with each other and share your life cheerleaders for the mentorship program, experiences.” encouraging other men and women to Aleda suggests adopting a sense of consider becoming a mentor. The women surrender when becoming a mentor. acknowledge their lives have been enriched “Each student is different,” she said. “Yet through the time they’ve spent with their the assignment is the same, to give it to God students. and trust that He will give you the right “Decide if you have the time to commit to motivation and the right words to say, so it,” Betty said, “and then be willing to be you can really enjoy your time as a mentor.” Become a Student Mentor Mentors are caring, relational men and women who can devote one hour two times a month. You don’t need special skills. You just need to be available and intentional about how you spend your time with your student! To learn more and to apply to become a mentor, email Student Ministry Assistant Lori Tennyson ([email protected]) for more information. DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 17

CONNECTION POINTS We asked TBCers: What’s one of your fondest Christmas memories? I have two! On Christmas Eve, my father’s first gift to my mother and his four daughters was matching flannel pajamas. Once we changed into them, we would begin our Christmas Eve tradition of opening gifts and playing games. Later, while living in Florida, my boyfriend (and future husband) invited me over to his house for dinner a few days before we flew back to Kansas for Christmas. Much to my surprise, he proposed! When we arrived home for Christmas, we were able to share the joy with both families. – Angela Grindal, TBC Women’s Council Volunteer I always made and Every Christmas decorated Christmas morning, before we cookies with my mom could open up and grandmother. presents, my dad We have continued (Nat Diliberto) would the tradition with my put on some Kenny G daughter and niece. Time together smooth saxophone Christmas as a family is the best part. music, and we would read the Christmas story. I still don’t feel like – Sarah Harris Christmas is complete until I hear Kenny G playing Walking in a Winter Wonderland. – Natalie Senger 18 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

My fondest Christmas memory is every child in our big family buying (for 10 cents!) – or making – a gift for every other child; creating a mountain of 100 badly-wrapped gifts hiding the bottom half of our Christmas tree; then, from youngest to oldest, racing into the living room to claim the best seat for the all-morning Opening of the Presents! – Jim Congdon, TBC Pastor of Missions & Leader Development I remember growing up in the same house that Jim Congdon grew up in, but about a dozen years later. Because he left for college when I was four, Christmas was the only time I saw him and some of the other older brothers. One of my favorite things as a child would be waking up on Christmas morning to find that “Roland” had come home from college in the night to surprise us all. - Ruth Mahner Christmas Eve candlelight service at my parents’ church followed by my mom entertaining relatives for the Christmas Day meal and gift exchange. This tradition continued until my mom was about 82. - Sheldon Hochuli, TBC Elder Board Member DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 • CONNECT 19

CTING WITH:CONNE Keaton Riddle may not be a name that many TBCers would instantly MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT: recognize, but you may recognize TBC Deacon Board his face. FAMILY: Married to Valerie. They have two You might recognize Keaton children: Adeline (five years old) because he has worked behind and Deacon (two years old). the scenes as a member of VOCATION: the TBC Deacon Board for Biodiesel industry over eight years. Our deacons specialize in serving and have 20 CONNECT • DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 a heart for ministering to the church body through acts of service. When asked about the reason for taking on this role, Keaton stated that, aside from being hunted down by Doug Will, he had a desire to “provide needs where the church body has it.” Keaton also credited passionate leadership, a great staff, and inspiring volunteers as his reason for continuing to serve. The Topeka native and his wife Valerie have been married for over 13 years and have two young children – Adeline and Deacon. The Riddles’ children participate in Children’s Ministry through Sunday school and Camp Catapult. Keaton and Valerie were high-school sweethearts who both attended Kansas State University in Manhattan. Keaton studied mechanical engineering, which took the family to North Dakota and eventually brought them back to Topeka where he has worked in the biodiesel field for over 10 years.

#discovertbc – Church on the Lawn/ Fall Festival photos from our feeds AN AXE TO GRIND, We may not have WORKS OF HEART Sarah Seel helps a been grinding axes, but they certainly young man select which design he’d were flying! The axe throwing targets like her to apply at the face painting were a favorite in the “root beer gar- station. den.” Here, Colton Parrington and Lincoln Gibson go head-to-head in an axe-throwing battle. NOT EXACTLY A BAPTISM Our thanks THESE TWO! Jayne Clark and Melody to Jeremy McGrath, Alex Wolfe, Hank Congdon are long-time friends and Nelson, Jim Congdon (above), and valued members of our volunteer team. Connor Kraus for taking turns at the Our thanks to them and all the dunk tank during Church on the workers who helped make our Church Lawn/Fall Festival! on the Lawn/Fall Festival a tremendous success! CONNECT WITH US! @discovertbc @topekabiblechurch Topeka Bible Church

UPCOMING EVENTS Some events require registration. Visit DiscoverTBC.com for details or to register. DECEMBER 2021 26 Sunday Services 14 Harvesters Food All services this Sunday will be in the College Avenue Distribution Auditorium. Details on other Sunday programs to come. 8 AM, Stormont Vail Events Center parking lot JANUARY 2022 Volunteers needed. Anyone can receive food. 17-19 Christmas Light Show 9 Wipperman Update Hourly shows from 6-9 PM 3 PM, Mulvane Parlor (TBC families, please attend Hear from TBC-supported the 9 PM shows to make workers W. and M. on what room for our guests) they’ve been up to! We’re back outside with our biggest outreach of the year! 11 Harvesters Food 18 Men’s Breakfast Distribution 7:30 AM, College Ave Lobby 8 AM, Stormont Vail Events Invite a friend to join you for a Center parking lot hearty breakfast and sharing from TBC Elder Board Chair Women’s Expresso James Hurla. 7-8 PM, Mulvane Lower Auditorium 19 Foster Care & 15 Men’s Breakfast Adoptive Families Connection 7:30 AM, College Ave Lobby Invite a friend to join you for a 10:30 AM, College Avenue East hearty breakfast and a Conference Room (first floor) compelling speaker. A great time to connect with others on a similar journey! 19 Fed & Led 24 Christmas Eve 5:45 PM Wednesdays Gather your family for a meal Candlelight Services and programming for all ages across our campus! 1, 2:30, 4, and 5:30 PM, College Avenue Building Gather the family to celebrate the birth of Christ. Tickets available at DiscoverTBC.com. Find more events at DiscoverTBC.com!