Newsletter for March 20, 2016

The Bearing Fruit

March 20, 2016

Upcoming Events:

Mar 24 – Maundy Thursday Service (6:30pm)

Mar 26 – Saturday Kitchen (UP Church)

Mar 27 – Easter Potluck (8:30am)

Apr 9    – Bday Bkfast Club Mar/Apr/May (9am)

Apr 13  – Spring Business Meeting (7pm)

Apr 16  – Spring Clean-Up Day (8:30am)

Our Church

▪ Amanda is out of town today, but will be back by this evening.

▪ Offering for 3/13/16: $3,180 (regular); $250 (HACAP)

▪ “Washington Mennonite Church, Thank you so much for allowing ‘The Family Connection’ to use your church for our Holiday Party in December!!  The families seemed to really enjoy the party!  Again, we appreciate your generosity.”  “We appreciate all the support you give.  Every one of our families enjoyed it very much.”  “Your consistent and generous support is greatly appreciated!  Thank You!”

▪ Interested in trying out an all-ages Yoga video with friends?  Then come join us in the Fellowship Hall at church on Tuesdays at 2:00pm or 4:30pm, or on Thursdays at 7:00am.  See Martha Graber with questions.

▪  If you would like to start receiving the MC USA monthly publication The Mennonite for $37 a year,  talk to Andrea or email washingtonmennonitechurch at gmail.com.

▪ March 24, 6:30pm—Maundy Thursday Service  See signup sheets in the foyer to bring bread and fruit.

▪ Washington Mennonite is hosting Saturday Kitchen on Saturday, March 26^th.  Today you will find signup sheets in the foyer for food items and a signup sheet for workers for March 26^th.  Join us as we work together serving a hot meal to persons who come to Saturday Kitchen.

▪ March 27, 8:30am—Easter Breakfast  Bring breakfast foods to share before our Easter Worship Service.

▪ More than 450 students from 13 Mennonite high schools are headed our way the second weekend of April to participate in the annual Mennonite Schools Council Choir Festival.  They will be on the IMS campus April 8-10 to rehearse; the weekend will culminate in a 3pm concert in the Washington High School gym, on Sunday, April 10^th. 

    How can you be involved?  You might host several students in your home for 3 nights (April 8^th, 9^th, 10^th).  You would provide them with breakfasts, transportation to Washington Mennonite, and possibly a sack lunch.  A few of

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the homes will need to be pet-free.                We’re also being asked to provide 25 people to help set-up chairs on Saturday and help take-down chairs on Sunday after the concert.

    Contact Cindy Widmer (319.461.5439, ctwidmer at gmail.com) if you would like to be involved with hosting or helping! 

▪ Birthday Breakfast Club, March, April, and May Birthdays – If you celebrate your birthday in March or April, mark your calendars and join Amanda for breakfast and fellowship on April 9^th at 9:00am.

▪ April 16, 8:30—Church-Wide Cleanup Day  Come help shine up the church building and grounds for the Spring!

Iowa Mennonite School

▪ IMS’s Touring Choir will present a program of worship at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church this evening (for real this time I think :) at 7pm.  All are invited to join the 16-member choir, under the direction of Josh Tyson.

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Mennonite Church USA :  Check out The Gathering Place, an interactive website for Anabaptist youth leaders to find connection, resourcing, networking, mentoring, and spiritual formation.  Join us for book studies, study circles and webinars, or watch archived videos and listen to podcasts.  Recent topics include a webinar on today’s media and its impact on our youth, a discussion on contemporary Anabaptist peace witness and a podcast on bullying.  thegatheringplace.us 

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Pray for Arloa Bontrager, Del Hershberger, and Sharon Norton of MMN as they spend the coming week with Journey International participants in Indonesia reflecting on their experience and strengthening the relationship with host church, Jemaat Kristen Indonesia.

Area Announcements

▪ Spring meeting of the Crowded Closet Association will be held Monday, March 21, 7pm at Kalona Mennonite Church.  All volunteers and interested persons are invited to attend and learn of the latest happenings at the Closet.