Newsletter for March 17, 2013

Bearing Fruit

March 17, 2013

Our Church

Happy Birthday to:  Vickie Bender (3/17),

Teag Miller (3/19), Martha Graber (3/21),

Happy Anniversary to:  Tim & Cindy Widmer (3/17)

Offering for 3/10/2013:  $1942.00 (regular)

There will a potato bar fundraiser today after Sunday School for Tanner and Jacayla in the fellowship hall.  Come and support Jacayla and Tanner as they prepare to go to the Mennonite Youth Convention this summer in Phoenix.

Everyone is invited to the Washington Mennonite Church Breakfast, hosted by Mike and Karen on Saturday, March 23^rd at 8:30am at the Bates Family Farms Shop.  Please RSVP.

Easter morning we’ll be having an MYF Easter breakfast fundraiser.  Come at 8:30 to support Tanner and Jacayla’s trip to convention this summer and enjoy a delicious breakfast!  We will not have Sunday School on Easter Sunday.  More details will follow.

Grant and Edie are in Pennsylvania visiting their family this weekend.  They will return Monday evening.

If you, or someone you know, would like to attend WMC’s Dinner Theatre on April 18^th, 19^th, or 20^th, pick up a few brochures from the back table or out in the hallway above the mailboxes to register.

Calling all artists:  All painters, embroiderers, quilters, wood-workers, draw-ers, graphic designers, cross stitchers, print-makers, calligraphers, etc. etc.  Our summer series this year will be a celebration of our 12 congregational scriptures.  We would like to include visual arts as a part of this scriptural celebration.  We are asking for a different artist (or group of artists) each week to choose one of the twelve verses and create some kind of a work of art based upon the verse(s).  We’re working with a pretty loose definition of ‘art’ and ‘artistic’ here—and would like anyone who does some form of graphic art or craft to participate!  See Amanda soon to have your pick of scriptures.  Once the shoulder tapping starts, choices may be limited :)

Iowa Mennonite School

Tickets are available for Red Campion, an ensemble featuring Wellman native and IMS graduate Lara Troyer; they will perform at IMS on Saturday, March 23^rd at 7pm.  The ensemble includes four vocalists and a pianist, and the evening will feature light classics and musical theater.

IMS senior Keilah Brokaw will present a recital of works for piano, guitar and voice on Sunday, April 7^th, at 2pm in Celebration Hall at IMS.

The IMS Culinary Arts class will again be serving international meals in the lobby outisde Celebration Hall.  Les aliments qui inspirent (foods that inspire) will be open March 27^th (German cuisine), April 3 (Brazilian) and April 24 (Finnish).  Serving will begin at 8:30am, and the cost is $8 per person.  Reservations are required and seating is limited; please call the office at 656-2073 or 683-2586.  Ranee Brokaw instructs the class.

Mennonite Agencies

Drones are a new form of warfare and may soon be based in Iowa.  JPOG (Just Peace Outreach Group) invites you to hear Ed Flaherty, army veteran and Veterans for Peace member, address the topic “Drones-Perpetual Warfare Everywhere?”  Join us at East Union Mennonite Church, 5615 Gable Avenue, Kalona, IA on Sunday, March 17, 2013, at 6 pm for a finger-foods potluck and conversation (please bring your own table service) or at 7 pm for Ed’s presentation and discussion.  For more information call Roger Farmer at 319.653.2547 or email Jane Yoder-Short at yodershort at netins.net.

The Sower Prayer Request:  Pray for safe travel for the Central Plains Ecuador Partners as they leave Ecuador tomorrow to fly to Bogota, Columbia, to make decisions about future directions for the ministries in Ecuador.

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:   Pray for MMN’s Raleigh Service Adventure unit participants: Christina Hershey, Annika Nachtigall, Emma Nafziger and Lee-Ann Pradels.  These young people, along with the leadership family, Leah and Todd Gusler and their daughter, Cora, serve in North Carolina through preschools, shelters for homeless people, Habitat for Humanity, and Ten Thousand Villages.

Prayers for Faith and Learning:  Give thanks for the Goshen College students and faculty who have shared their reflections through the online Lenten Devotional Series, “Ashamed No More.”  Pray that those who read the reflections will be inspired.

Washington Area

Kalona MOPS Annual Turkey and all the Fixings Lunch:  Please join the Kalona MOPS group at our annual fundraiser lunch on March 24^th from 11:30 to 1:30 at Kalona Mennonite Church.  Menu includes turkey, potatoes, green beans, lettuce salad, fluff, roll and dessert.  Free will donations accepted.  Also, our new MOPS cookbooks will be available for purchase.

Sacred Harp Singing:  Please join us on Sunday, April 7^th, at East Union Mennonite Church as we experience the power and joy of shape note singing!  Several of these early American hymns will be sung during the service beginning at 9:30am by a group of experienced singers.  Anyone interested is invited to join the group to sing or listen during adult Sunday School at 10:45am, rest your voice by eating delicious potluck food, and then sing some more in the afternoon from 1:00-3:00pm.  Songbooks will be provided.  Come see why this lost art is being rediscovered!  Contact Tammy Yoder with questions at 319.656.3743 or by email at greenearth at kctc.net.