Newsletter for August 25, 2013

Bearing Fruit

August 25, 2013

Our Church

Happy Birthday to:  Travis Leyden (8/26),

Karla Garrett (8/27), Adam Miller (8/31)

Happy Anniversary to:  Mike & Karen Bates (8/25)

Offering for 8/18/2013: $2262.00 (regular)

“We want to thank you for all you prayers, visits, and support during the past few months.  We don’t know how people survive without a church family like ours.”

                                                                - Marion and Marlene

End of Summer Picnic!  Next Sunday following church (no Sunday School) there will be a final summer church picnic at Sunset Park.  Bring table service for your family and food to share.

“Thank you for your donation to Crooked Creek Christian Camp.  Because of you, camp is able to maintain high-quality service for guests who use our facilities.  Your support is appreciated as we minister to the many persons who come here to meet God in the great out-of-doors.”

There will be a new Sunday School class starting in September!  The class will be studying the book “Sacred Pauses” by April Yamasaki.  “In a fast-paced world full of distractions, spiritual practice can help us become more centered-more in touch with ourselves and others, more in touch with the world around us, more in touch with God. Sacred Pauses offers simple ways for readers to do just that. Each chapter explores a different spiritual practice-from the classic disciplines of Scripture reading and prayer to other creative approaches such as paying attention, making music, and having fun.”  If you’re interested in joining the study, talk to Mary Lou Farmer.

A family in town is in need of clothes.  The mother has a 7 year old boy, a 6 year old girl, a 1 year old girl, and 4 month old child.  Sizes: boy (8 or 9 shirt/pants), girl (10 pants/shirt, 4T pants/shirt, 12-18 months)  If you have any clothes this family could use please bring them to church by next Sunday.

All who write reports for our year-end Annual Report need to submit their reports by August 28^th.  They can be emailed  to the church or placed on Andrea’s desk or mailbox.

Iowa Mennonite School

IMS’s Compassion Group is sponsoring a blood drive through the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center on Tuesday, Aug 27^th, from 6:30-11am in the school gym.  The group is accepting appointments to donate (one must not have donated since July 2), and may also walk in that morning.  To donate, contact Bonnie Smith at 646.2116 or bonniecsmith at hotmail.com.  Thanks for your support!

Don’t miss an outstanding performance on the stage of IMS’ Celebration Hall, on Sat, Sept 14^th.  Renowned singer Tony Brown will perform the works of noted civil rights activist Paul Robeson (1898-1976); Robeson was an actor and singer.  Tickets are available by contacting the school at 656.2073 or 683.2586; the show begins at 7pm.

Central Plains Conference

All Central Plains women are invited to attend a retreat at Swan Lake Christian Camp at Viborg, S Dakota, Sept 21 & 22.  The theme is “Power Made Perfect: How’s a Woman to live?” with speakers Elisabeth Harder Schrock and Charlotte Loewen, both of Mountain Lake, Minnesota.  Elisabeth and her husband recently completed a four-year MCC term working with Old Colony Mennonites and indigenous communities in Bolivia.  Charlotte has a private practice as a counselor.  The cost is $75.  Please preregister by Sept 14^th to Esther Jane Buller at 507.427.3064 or hebuller at gmail.com.

  

Register now for Engaging the Mystery: Introducing Advent 2013.  Worship planners, don’t miss this opportunity to learn the Advent 2013 Leader worship, visuals, rituals, dramas and songs from the writers themselves.  Bring all your Advent worship planners to Manson Mennonite Church on Sat, Sept 7^th, from 10-10:30 for Engaging the Mystery: Introducing Advent 2013.  The cost is $25 per person.  Ask your church office for a brochure or go to goo.gl/yZXOo.

The Sower Prayer Request:  Pray for those planning and attending Engaging the Mystery, the Central Plains Advent planning workshop taking ploace at Manson, IA, on Sept 7.

Mennonite Agencies

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:   Today, participants in MMN’s Radical Journey program begin their 10-day orientation in Chicago.  Pray for openness and a spirit of service for each person preparing for a year in Argentina, Paraguay or South Africa.

Prayers for faith and learning:  Give thanks for the educational ministry of Mennonite Schools Council schools – Hopi Mission School (Kykotsmovi, AZ) and Lezha Academic Center (Albania).  Pray that they may find qualified and gifted teachers and receive continued financial/gift support.

Area Churches

Kids Against Hunger annual community wide packaging event will be held Sat, Oct 26^th at the Yoder Auction Building in Frytown.  We are inviting your church/small group/Sunday school class/youth group to participate. We will be packaging 8am until noon.  To schedule your work time contact Ellis or Marcia Miller at 319.656.3242 or Marcia at kctc.net.

You are invited to Sugar Creek’s Fall Meetings with Brenda Matthews.  Mama Brenda, as she is known to many, has spent her life attending, contributing, and providing leadership to churches in Chicago.  Brenda is in her 5^th year of ministry at Ellis Avenue Baptist Church.  In addition to her pastoral work, Brenda is a widely published poet and spoken word artist.  Brenda will speak at 10:30am and 7pm Sunday, Nov 3^rd, and 7pm Monday, Nov 4^th, and Tuesday, Nov 4^th.