Contact Us

email: washingtonmennonitechurch@gmail.com

phone: 319-653-6041

address:

815 Polk Street

Washington, IA 52353

https://washmenno.weebly.com


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Newsletter for November 22, 2015

The Bearing Fruit
November 22, 2015




A Look Ahead     

Hanging of the Greens, 5pm                           Nov 22
Saturday Kitchen                                            Dec 5
Monthly Quilting & Potluck, 10am                     Dec 9
MYF, 5:30pm                                                Dec 13
                                                                                   
  
                                                                                                                       



Our Church

Happy Birthday to:  Jerry Roth (11/23),
    Shelly Bruegge                 (11/24), Justin Bruegge (11/28)

Offering for 11/8/15:  $2,471 (regular); $445 (MYF Fund)

Washington Mennonite will be serving the Saturday Kitchen noon meal at the United Presbyterian Church on Saturday, December 5th.  Signup sheets are in the foyer for kitchen help, servers and food items needed on Saturday December 25th.  All food items need to be at the Presbyterian Church before 10:00am.  Numbers of persons served the noon meal at Saturday Kitchen continues to run high and has consistently been 100 persons or more.  Sign up to help us.  We have a good time as we work together on this project.  If you have questions contact Phyllis Litwiller or Gloria Widmer.

Consider joining a new Sunday School class open to whomever is interested in teaching and discussing a lesson.  Each week a new person is in charge of finding an article, passage, summary or topic they would like to discuss. They can either send something to everyone the week before or bring copies to class or have discussion questions ready to go.  By attending this class you’re agreeing to both participate AND take a turn leading the discussion.
We (Amy , Andy, Angela, Jared, Megan, Amanda, Andrea) have done this style of class in the past and found it meaningful to talk about what is going on in our world while hearing from each person.  Discussions in the past have included: which version of Bible to use, when do we have enough?, what is prayer? etc…
We’re starting this morning in the far classroom upstairs.  Please join us!

“HANGIN’ O’ THE GREENS”:  This evening we will meet at the Church for the “Annual Hangin’ O’ The Greens”, routinely called decorating the church for the Holidays.  We will meet at 5:00pm for decorating, followed by a time of snacks, games and fellowship.  Bring finger foods to share with everyone, and we will have drink for everyone.


Iowa Mennonite School

Two upcoming visit days at IMS will afford potential students the chance to check out the school.  Eighth-grade and transfer students are invited to join us for the day and visit classes, eat lunch, attend chapel, and meet faculty and staff…as well as other students.  The dates are Wednesday, November 25 and Monday, November 30; parents are also encouraged to meet with administrators from 8:10-8:45 am either day.  Register by contracting the school (656-2073) or on-line at www.iowamennonite.org/visit

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…  Matthew 25:35-36.  The IMS chapter of National Honor Society is hosting a food drive to benefit area food pantries.  We have set a goal to collect 1,000 food items for the holiday season.  Please help us reach our goal by bringing your non-perishable food items to IMS (or to an IMS home basketball game) any time between now and Friday, Dec. 4.  NHS students will gather and sort the items and deliver them to the Wellman and Kalona food pantries on Dec 5.  Thank you for helping your community in this very special way.


Central Plains Conference

WMC Families!  Advent is the perfect time to model faith at home with your kids.  Download the FREE Advent Family Devoitions that go with the Leader worship materials, “Freedom Bound!”  Find prayers and activities to use from November 29 through January 9 at http://tiny.cc.adv entathome.  An early childhood supplement makes these useful even for families with preschoolers.

Just as the persistent widow cries to the unjust judge and to God for justice in Matthew 18:6, we call upon the Department of Homeland Security to bring Max Villatoro home.  Join us by signing a new petition at tiny.cc/bringmaxback.  Please help us meet our goal of collecting 5000 signatures to hand-deliver to the Secretary.  –www.FriendsofPastorMax.org 

The Sower Prayer Request:  Pray for Central Plains MC finances.  Seven months into the fiscal year, we have a significant shortfall.  Pray for generous giving to enable support for our congregations in the areas of pastor transitions, formation resources, church planting, resolving conflict and thought leadership.


Mennonite Agencies

Mennonite Central Committee Central States is accepting applications for a Director of Programs.  The Director of Programs will be responsible for the direction and oversight of all of MCC Central States Programs.  This position is expected to connect with constituent churches and groups, as well as like-minded organizations to provide information about MCC.  This position is open within the Central States Region.  Find more details at serve.mcc.org (look for Director of Program –CS) or email Heidi Huber, Human Resources Coordinator, at heidihuber at mcc.org.

Does sexualized violence concert you?  If so, MCC US invites you to participate in an online survey about this issue.  Your answers to the open-ended questions will be used to guide MCC US in its creation of trainings and resources for pastors and leaders in the faith community.  Log on to mcc.org/wwso to complete the survey by the end of December.  See the bulletin board for more information.


Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Colleen and Pablo Fast of MMN are rejoicing because of church growth in Brazil!  Pray for continued commitment of six members of a small group who all made a decision to follow Christ this summer.


Area Announcements

Ten Thousand Villages, Iowa City has two holiday pop-up stores through December to help artisans in developing countries earn a fair wage, be treated with dignity and respect, and be able to live a life of quality.  You’re invited to join in this vision.
    * 112 E Washington St, Iowa City Mon-Fri 11-6, Sat 10-6,
        Sun 12-4
    * 720 14th St, Kalona (Schlabaugh & Sons Woodworking)
        Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 10-3
For more information or to volunteer in the pop-up store, contact (and follow) at:  iowacity at tenthousand villages.com; www.tenthousandvillages.com/iowacity; face book.com/tenthousandvillagesiowacity 
Hospice of Washington County invites you to their annual Community Memorial Service on Sunday, November 22 at 2pm at the Unite Presbyterian Church.  For more information see the bulletin board in the foyer.

The Mennonite Historical Society of Iowa will welcome renowned Mennonite historian and story-teller John Ruth to their Fall Meeting at Kalona Mennonite Church on Monday, November 23 at 7pm.  As part of his presentation he will speak about “where the Mennonites came from, where they settled, what the Natives said and thought about this, where they went, and how the French and Indian War finished William Penn’s dream of a Peaceable Kingdom.”  Donations will be taken to provide for John Ruth’s expenses.  He will have his recently published memoir, Branch, for sale.  This will also be a time to renew your membership or join the Mennonite Historical Society.  Everyone is welcome.

Please join us on Tuesday, November 24 at 6:30pm as we “Tune In” to the Sound of Washington Radio Show presented at the Washington Community Theater.  The Sound of Washington is an adult special needs choir, directed by Amy (Swartzendruber) Drayfahl, made up of 30+ individuals from Washington County.  They are excited to take the stage and share songs from all decades and styles.  All who attend will be entertained and truly blessed by their performance.

Dan Fisher and his elves will be making cheesecakes once again for the Christmas season.  The following flavors will be offered: lemon, turtle and chocolate ganache.  The cost is $35 each ($15 for ingredients and $20 for donation).  Pickup will be on Saturday, December 12 or Saturday, December 19 from 9-11M at Kalona Mennonite Church.  The proceeds will go to Kalona Mennonite’s International Students Aid Fund.  Our current project is assisting Rudi Mucaj from Albania attend Goshen College.  To place your order please contact Wanda Miller Beachy at 319.683.3983 or email at beachydw at sharontc.net.  The deadline to order is December 6.  Thank you!

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