September 9, 2012 Newsletter

Bearing Fruit
September 9, 2012


Mennonite Agencies

Everence representative Kent Blossom will be at Wayland Mennonite Church on September 18^th to help with questions on current accounts, Medicare supplements, budgeting, and retirement savings assistance, as well as health, life, and long term care insurance needs.  For more information call 877.656.4242.

How do we live faithfully by reusing, recycling, refreshing, recreating? The Annual Mennonite Women’s Fall Meeting is Sunday, October 21st, at 3:00 pm.  We are working with Crowded Closet by using their space and hearing how they take our “stuff” and reuse, recycle and recreate. See projects that have been created from donated items, including the plates we will eat our desserts off of!  We will see how others are rejoicing, responding and possibly re-evaluating how we can live our lives.  Come and join us!!  Bring $10/person to cover the cost of the event.  RSVP by October 10th to carolyncyoder at gmail.com.

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: MMN’s partner, DOOR, will send a delegation of staff and board members to participate in the Beloved Community Council, meeting Sept. 13-15 in Atlanta.  Pray for the Holy Spirit’s inspiration in reflecting on race and culture and in envisioning new programs that authentically integrate the gospel and urban communities.

Mennonite Education Agency Prayer Request:  Pray for Hesston College admissions counselors as they begin the travel season visiting students in churches and high schools across the country.

Washington Area

Crowded Closet is having an up-cycling contest.  Buy an item from Crowded Closet, take a before picture, refurbish it, take an after picture.  Turn your pictures into Crowded Closet before October 1st and have a chance at winning a $75 gift certificate, and second place wins a $25 gift certificate.

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course will be offered at East Union Mennonite Church starting this fall. The class will begin on Sunday, September 9th and meet for a total of nine Sundays, ending November 4th. The classes will be held each Sunday from 4-6 pm. The cost is $80 per family unit for the 9 week course kits. If you are interested in attending, please email Andy Swartzentruber at ajswartz001 at yahoo.com for registration forms and/or if you have any questions. 

Quad County Pork Fest  Sit back in your lawn chair and enjoy the gospel music sounds of Living Water, Reconcile, and Ambassadors of Grace from 3-7pm at North Park Bandshell in Wellman during the Quad County Pork Fest on September 15^th!  

The 9th Annual Art & Flower festival to benefit Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity will be held on September 15 from 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. at Anna's Cutting Garden at 1259 Rohret Rd SW, Oxford, Iowa.  Guests may pick fresh flowers, purchase local artwork, participate in children's activities and enjoy homemade ice cream and pizza from the wood-fired oven.  Freewill donations taken for food, activities and flowers will benefit Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity. Come rain or shine and bring a friend!

P.C. Alexander (Alex), the director of PTL-India, will be speaking at Kalona Mennonite Church on Sunday, September 16 from 4:00 to 5:00 with free Indian refreshments following.  Alex started out as a bold Indian evangelist, willing to share the gospel in spite of the constant threat of persecution.  He later started PTL-India, which is committed to training and sending out Indian evangelists and church planters to share the gospel and make disciples among the unreached people groups in India.  By God’s grace, they have started more than 100 churches with a total of about 20,000 baptized believers.  Jeff Miller and Erica Hostetler from Kalona Mennonite were both closely connected with Alex and PTL-India throughout their time in India.

Congo Centennial Celebration in Mountain Lake: Starting at 4:30 at Community Bible Church the evening will include an opportunity to hear African speakers, share a potluck meal, and watch video and powerpoint of 100 years of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) ministry and witness.  For more information call 507.427.2237 no later than September 16^th, or check the bulletin board in the foyer.

Movie Night at LDC  You are invited to see the movie OCTOBER BABY on Sunday, September 16^th, 7:00 p.m. at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church.  Admission is free but there will be a freewill offering to benefit Informed Choices of Iowa City.  OCTOBER BABY is the story of 19-year-old Hannah, who finds out she is adopted and is the survivor of an attempted abortion.  She goes on a road trip to find answers, locate her birth mother and, ultimately, discover how powerful forgiveness can be.  For more information on the movie go to octoberbabymovie.net.

The Washington Historical Committee presents 6 open houses at historical sites within Washington County all on September 16^th from 1-4pm.  Start at Blair house to pick up a map, but then you can visit the Conger House Museum, D.A.R. Cabin, F Troop Museum, Red Brick Country School, and Walnut School.  For more information call Carlton Mangold at 319.653.3646.

Jan Gleysteen, noted Mennonite historian and lecturer will be the featured speaker at the fall meeting of the Mennonite Historical Society.  Jan will be speaking on the Hutterites in the morning and in the afternoon will tell his life story which includes living through the German Nazi occupation of Holland during World War II.  The meeting will take place at 10:00 on Saturday, October 6 at Kalona Mennonite Church. All are invited to attend.  Please bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch.  A freewill offering will be taken.

The Dove’s Nest has a position opening for a 20 hrs a week Program Coordinator.  For more information visit www.dovesnest.net/files/Program_Coordinator_position.pdf