Newsletter for April 24, 2016

The Bearing Fruit

April 24, 2016

Upcoming Events:

Apr 24  –  MYF at Amy’s (5:30pm)

May 4   –  Church Council Meeting (7pm)

May 17 –  Elder’s Meeting (7pm)

May 18 –  Mennonite Women Sewing (10am)

May 21 –  Saturday Kitchen (UP Church)

June 3-4 – Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale

Our Church

▪ Offering for 4/17/16: $2,325 (regular),

    $250 (Kitchen Pledge Paid) 

▪ Remember to save your change (or bills, large and small) for MyCoinsCount, a special offering that we’ll be taking each week between now and the end of May.  This years MyCC project is wells in Lebanon for Lebanese people and Syrian refugees.  Let’s try to beat our congregations’s MyCC total from last year, $816.86!

▪ Saturday Kitchen, May 21^st – Mark your calendars and see Gloria Widmer, Phyllis Litwiller or Sandy Buhrow to help.

Crooked Creek Christian Camp

▪ Call the camp and register tomorrow, April 25 to ensure you have your official Camp-A-Palooza t-shirt for the color-me-fun 5k walk/run on May 14^th.  Want to join in the festivities but aren’t a runner?  That’s okay, the rest of the family-fun-filled day begins at noon with a BBQ lunch, live music and activities!

Iowa Mennonite School

▪ IMS is hosting a community-wide Open House on Sunday, May 1^st.  The annual children’s drama will be at 3:00pm, followed by refreshments, tours, student performances,

children’s activities, and the opportunity to meet faculty and staff.  Come and check it out!  The Open House will be from 4-6pm.  The drama will feature IMS students performing Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor and The True Princess, under the direction of Karenza Yoder; performances are at 7pm on Sat, Apr 30 and at 3pm on Sun, May 1. 

▪ IMS’s Touring Choir, under the direction of Josh Tyson, will worship at Kalona Mennonite Church on Sunday, May 1^st, at 9:30am.  The choir will sing a repertoire that includes hymns, spirituals and a variety of other choral pieces.  All are invited to attend.

Iowa MCC Relief Sale

▪ Please turn in information on donated items for this year’s general auction at the 2016 Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale by May 1^st so that they can be included in this year’s sale book.  Talk to your church rep (Jon Widmer) or contact Lynn Yoder at 319.325.3670. 

▪ The Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale Quilt Committee is requesting that all quilts for the auction be turned in by April 29^th so that they can be included in the sale book.  Please make sure the needed information is with the quilt including the name of quilt, donor, size, etc.  For more information contact Perry & Carolyn Miller at 319.430.5238 or Kent & Pam Widmer at 319.530.6086.

▪ Donation of beeves and hogs are needed for the 2016 Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale.  If you are willing to donate in this way please contact Roy Beachy at 319.430.9086 or Bryan Amstutz 641.675.3423.

Central Plains Conference

▪ In this last week of the Central Plains conference fiscal year, please remember that the first $12,500 in contributions will be matched dollar for dollar.  To count towards the match, contributions must be either from individuals or from congregations giving beyond their normal contribution.  We need a total of $11,000 by Saturday, April 30, to end the year in the black.  –Central Plains Stewardship Task Group

▪ The Sower Prayer Request:  Pray for Des Moines Mennonite Church and Christ Community Church as they prepare to host us at Central Plains Annual Meeting 2016 in Des Moines June 16-19.

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Everence Financial will present informative webinars on April 25, 27 and 28 (2 and 8 pm EDT).  Topics will include: Estate planning basics (minimizing taxes while maximizing what goes to heirs and charity); An overview of Everence (how this unique organization helps people incorporate their values into their financial decisions) and Donor advised funds (maximizing giving power and retaining advisory privileges over charitable accounts).  For more info or to register, contact Melissa Short at 800.222.5054 or Melissa.short at everence.com; or visit everence.com/direct.

▪ “The Basics of Medicare” webinar by Everence – Intended specifically for people approaching retirement age, this webinar will provide valuable Medicare-related information including: when and how to enroll, what is covered (and what is not), filling the coverage gap and navigating the Medicare alphabet.  Register now for the May 11 webinar by emailing Melissa.short at everence.com. 

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  From next Thursday through Sunday, DOOR Hollywood’s Dwell participants will be on their spring retreat.  Pray for these young adults as they spend time reflecting on their year-long assignment and vocational discernment. 

Area Announcements

▪ You are invited to attend a benefit meal for the Nacho and Melitza Jimenez family.  Melitza has been diagnosed with a genetic liver disease, and the family faces ongoing medical expenses.  A traditional Mexican meal of Chicken Fajitas, rice and beans and chips and salsa will be served April 24 (TODAY) from noon – 1:30pm at Wellman Mennonite Church.  Free will donations will be gratefully accepted.  If you cannot attend but would still like to help the family, send your donation to Wellman Mennonite Church, PO Box 122, Wellman, IA 52356.  Designate ‘Jimenez Family Fund.’

▪ J-POG (Just Peace Outreach Group) invites you to hear Kathy Kelly and Ann Wright address the topic, “War and Refugees: Peace is Possible.”  Kathy Kelly is the coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times.  Ann Wright is a retired Army Reserve colonel who resigned in protest over the US invasion of Iraq.  Join us on Sunday evening, May 1, at Wellman Mennonite Church for a finger foods potluck and conversation (please bring your own table service) or at 7pm to hear the presentation from Kathy Kelly and Ann Wright.  All are welcome to attend.  For more information please call Roger Farmer at 319.653.2547 or email Jane Yoder-Short at yodershort at netins.net. 

▪ The Seekers Sunday School Class of Kalona Mennonite Church invites you to join us for a fundraiser meal on May 1^st.  We will be serving homemade scalloped potatoes and ham.  We will feature a Sundae bar.  The proceeds will go to the International Student Aid Fund.  Our current project is helping Rudi Mucaj attend Goshen College.  Thank You!

▪ Everyone is welcome to come hear Peggy Reiff Miller speak on “The Seagoing Cowboys: Helping to Repair a Broken World” at the spring meeting of the Iowa Mennonite Historical Society.  This event will be held at 7pm on Tuesday, May 3, at Kalona Mennonite Church.  Peggy has just published a book for young readers telling the story of the large scale effort to assist Europeans in re-establishing farms and communities after World War II.  Several local Mennonites were part of this endeavor and we especially want to invite them and their families.  An offering will be taken to help defray costs and her books will be available for purchase.  This is also a great time to renew your membership or to join the Iowa Mennonite Historical Society.

▪ West Union MYF will be hosting a fundraising meal at Geyer’s Pizza Oven, 1259 Rohret Rd, Oxford, IA on Saturday, May 7^th from 6-8 pm.  The proceeds will help fund our missions trip to Omaha this summer.