Newsletter for August 23, 2015

The Bearing Fruit

August 23, 2015

A Look Ahead     

Picnic in the Park                                          Aug 23

Service at the All-American Care Center           Aug 23

MYF                                                           Sept 11

Church Retreat at Crooked Creek               Sept 26-27

Saturday Kitchen                                           Oct 10

                                                                                   

   

Our Church

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

    Karla Garrett (9/27)

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

    Jason & Jillian Chalupa (8/29) 

Offering for 8/16/15:  $1,915 (regular)

There will be a Picnic in the Park following Sunday School this morning.

In order to meet the yearly budget, $6,000 in offering is still needed by the end of this month.

Pleasantview Retirement Home is asking if WMC would be willing to donate 2 hogs (which could be purchased for $400) for their Benefit Sale on Nov 6^th & 7^th.  The hogs would need to be purchased by mid-October.

Save and wash your milk jugs for cider making on a yet to be decided upon date!

It’s school kit time!  Take a bag (or two or three) from the table in the hall.  A list of items is included in each bag.  More bags will be coming later.  Return them by Aug 31, 2015.  Thank for your generosity!

The church council met and after much thoughtful discussion has decided to proceed with the kitchen remodel project, asking the kitchen remodeling committee to pare down the plans to fit with our existing ­­budget of $45,925, which is still $7,000 short of our optimum goal. The council agrees that we will not borrow money or use reserve funds for the project, but as the project continues, there will still be opportunities to donate time and resources. Renovation will begin this fall with the goal of finishing by Thanksgiving. Council asks that you honor your pledges to this project before August 1, 2016. Thank you for your support of this upgrade to our church facilities. 

Crooked Creek Christian Camp

Sing and Smores, our annual event of enjoying the outdoors and singing is Sunday, August 30, at 6pm.  We are privileged to have Edie Nebel as our music leader.  We welcome all ages to attend at Sunset Shelter!

Iowa Mennonite School

Classes begin at IMS tomorrow.  Please remember the students, faculty, staff, and administration as they begin classes.  The school also welcomes Steve Schrag as its new principal; keep Steve, Megan, Greta and Eden in your thoughts and prayers as they transition into new schools and new roles.

IMS parents are invited to join the school’s faculty and administration at the first Parent-Teacher Organization meeting of the year on Monday, Aug 31, at 7pm in Celebration Hall.  Beginning of the year policies and information will be distributed, as well as they chance to meet fall coaches and teaching personnel.  Please plan to attend.

Central Plains Conference

It is time to begin planning Youth Escape 2016, the weekend retreat for Central Plains youth next July 15-17.  I am looking for sponsors, pastors, youth and young adults who would like to be on the planning committee.  The committee will need folks from various parts of our conference who have experience planning worship, recreation activities or break-outs.  The purpose of Youth Escape is to connect youth to Jesus, the church and each other.  If you are interested, email me, Shana Peachey Boshart, at shanaboshart at gmail.com by September 8^th. 

There is still time to register for the CPMC Women’s Retreat at Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota, September 19 & 20, 2015!  Luann will speak on the theme “Time in a bottle.”  Come to listen, reflect, and celebrate each other as we gather as women who are continually being shaped by and living out of the stories we hold inside.  Cost: $80 which includes meals, camp fees and women retreat expenses.  See poster and registration forms that were sent to our church.  Registration due Sept 13. 

The Sower Prayer Request:  Today Seth Miller is being installed as pastor at Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson, Nebraska.  Pray for Seth, the pastoral team, and the congregation as they join in ministry together.  On Friday and Saturday of this week, the Central Plains conference board and committees will meet.  Pray for the meetings and for God’s blessing on our new moderator Margie Mejia Caraballo and assistant moderator Sid Burkey.

Mennonite Agencies

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  MMN partners, Gordon McDade and Karen Sethuraman, have created a space in Northern Ireland for people who don’t have a church background.  Pray for them and the Down Community as they offer Jesus’ hope to people.

 

Area Announcements

Crowded Closet, Iowa City, is hiring a full-time General Manager, who will have general responsibility for all Crowded Closet daily retail operations, including business administration, finances, marketing and computer operations.  Qualifications include a commitment to the goals of MCC and willingness to work with a team of staff and volunteers.  This position is available immediately and applications will be accepted until Monday, August 24, 2015, or until the position is filled.  For an employment applications form, job description, mission statement and other information, please contact Vi Graber, Crowded Closet Board Secretary, at 319.256.5701 or email vigraber at yahoo.com. 

We invite you to experience the Grillmasters of Kalona Mennonite Church at a bold, benevolent barbeque on Sunday noon, September 13, to benefit the KMC International Student Aid Fund.  Our current project is Rudi Mucaj from Albania.  Rudi attended IMS as an exchange student and is currently attending Goshen College.  (Read more about his IMS experience on the IMS website).  The KMC Grillmasters will be grilling chicken breasts, hamburgers and hot dogs.  Other menu items include baked beans, coleslaw, chips and a sundae bar.  Hope to see you there!