Newsletter for September 17, 2017

The Bearing Fruit

September 17, 2017

Upcoming Events:

Sept 10 – MYF, 5:30-7:30pm

Sept 13 – Fall Business Meeting, 7pm

Sept 20 – Monthly Quilting, 10am

Sept 24 – Church at Crooked Creek Camp

Washington Mennonite

▪ Offering for 8/27/17 -  $2,643 (General Fund)

▪ If you are interested in joining a Sunday School class meeting in October and November that will study the topic Money from the new “Upside Down Living” series, let Andrea know so she can order a book for you!

▪ Saturday Kitchen:  Thank you to everyone who helped with our Saturday Kitchen last week on September 2^nd.  We served a large crowd of people.  We served 100 Plates and made twenty two carry-outs.  Angela Widmer and Roger Farmer provided music for the guests who commented how much they enjoyed the music. The blessings abound as we work together to serve the hot meal and the guests are blessed as they enjoy the hot food, fellowship and music.  Washington Mennonite is responsible to provide the meal again on Saturday October 21^st.  Mark your calendar and join us as we work together to serve in this ministry.

- Gloria Widmer, Phyllis Litwiller and Sue Widmer

▪ In March 2015, our beloved brother Max Villatoro was detained and sent back to his home country of Honduras.  There was an immediate outpouring of support for Max and Gloria, expressed in both monetary donations for the family and in advocacy for Max to be allowed to return to the U.S. 

People contributed extremely generously to the Villatoro Family Fund - some with recurring monthly donations - and Central Plains conference has been administering that fund.  The fund has supported the family with $1500 a month and has covered thousands of dollars in legal fees.  

The Villatoro Family Fund is currently in the red and the financial need remains.  In response, the Friends of Pastor Max steering committee is asking congregations throughout Central Plains Mennonite Conference to replenish the Villatoro Family Fund.  The goal is to raise $18,000 by December 31, 2017.  We fully expect that the family's situation will reach resolution one way or the other in the next year.  

Crooked Creek Christian Camp

▪ We're excited to welcome our newest staff person and one-year volunteer Kayle Kroeker! Kayle is no stranger to camp life having grown up at Swan Lake Christian Camp. Kayle will be living at Crooked Creek and working as a volunteer in various positions at camp. If you see Kayle, be sure to welcome her! 

▪ SENIOR DAY is October 12 with musician and story-teller Paul Siebert. Paul is a musician, song writer and story-teller. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, Paul travels a five state area sharing music and stories that include venues such as history re-enactments, weddings, nursing homes, schools and coffeehouses. You are likely to hear a song you love with a wide range of musical ability playing pop, rock 'n roll, country, gospel to folk music on one of his 8 instruments. Come to Crooked Creek to tap your toes and clap your hands as you listen to Paul Siebert lighten your day! Open to whoever wants to have a fun day register at http://www.crooked creekcamp.org/senior-day.html 

Iowa Mennonite School

▪ The 2017-18 school wide theme is 'Come & Worship' and the chapel committee is working with the theme 'Worship is....' Each week we will emphasis the variety of ways we can connect to God. Chapels happen from 9:49-10:09AM. All are welcome.

▪ Ice Cream Social Tuesday Sept 12 for prospective students in 6-8th grade and their families following the varsity volleyball game (around 8:00PM). Join us for the game and then ice cream. You will get to meet students from our National Honor Society, our volleyball team, and our cross country team. We hope to see you there!

▪ Homecoming & Alumni Family Weekend will take place on campus Oct 13-15. Events will include alumni volleyball and soccer games, Joetown Classic, food fundraiser by the PTO with outdoor music by The Young Ramblers, and the Annual Pork Supper. Campus will be open all weekend for tours and for classes to meet. *Note a change - we will not be having a worship service Sunday morning. Instead there will be a Hymn Sing in Celebration Hall at 7:30PM (after the Pork Supper).

▪ The Joetown Classic 5K run walk will take place on Saturday October 14 at IMS. Go to iowamennonite.org/joetown-classic for details and to register. 

▪ Practice has begun for the fall musical, Anne of Green Gables directed by Alisa Kandel and Michael Swartzendruber. There will be performances on Nov 4 and 5.  

SundaySucCentral Plains Conference

▪ The first Central Plains Bible Study Webinar is coming soon! Join us at 7:30pm on Tuesday, September 26, for Don’t Mourn or Weep: Goals and problems. We’ll start with how leaders can contribute to a good study and move on to addressing the biggest challenges leaders encounter.  These free webinars are especially for Sunday School teachers of youth and adults or facilitators of small groups, but anyone is welcome.  RSVP on the Bible Study Webinars 2017 page at www.centralplainsmc.org by Thursday, September 21.  

▪ Central Plains Mennonite Conference Prayer Request: Next weekend in Freeman, South Dakota, the Central Plains conference board will meet jointly with the Christian Formation, Pastoral Leadership, Outreach & Service and Discernment Committees. Pray for these meetings and for Sid Burkey of Milford, Nebraska, who is our new moderator.

Iowa MCC Relief Sale

▪ The Home Place Retreat will be hosting Sweet Sundae Serenade: a homemade ice cream sundae bar, to raise funds as part of the MCC Relief Sale on Sunday, September 10 at 3 pm. The public is invited to come enjoy live music. This is a donation event; no tickets are needed.  The Home Place Retreat is located between Wellman and Kalona, on the south side of the road: 1881 Highway 22.

Mennonite Agencies

▪ MCC is providing relief assistance in Nepal, India and Bangladesh after two weeks of severe monsoon rains displaced more than 1.7 million people and killed 1,246 in the region. We are working with partners to provide emergency food, water, tarps, mosquito nets and hygiene kits to those affected. MCC welcomes your support for our relief work in the area. www.mcc.org/south-asia-flood-relief

▪ Medicare Mondays – People approaching retirement have quite a few decisions to make regarding Medicare and Social Security. That’s why Everence is offering Medicare Mondays, a series of seminars designed to help people make informed decisions about both federal programs. The seminars are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11, and Nov. 13 at Kalona Public Library. Contact Cheryl Martin Miller at (319) 656-4242 or cheryl.martinmiller@everence.com for more information.

Area Events

▪ Kalona MOPS is in need of childcare workers from 8:30 -11:45 AM the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. If this is something you would like to donate your time to and bless a mother with some kid-free mommy time, please call Mary Beth Miller, 319-430-9226.

▪ The Crowded Closet Association will hold its semiannual meeting at 7 pm on Monday, Sept 18, 2017, here at Washington Mennonite Church.  All volunteers and interested persons are invited to attend and learn of the latest happenings at the Closet.  If you would like to know more about Crowded Closet, or would consider volunteering, please plan to attend.

▪ WELCOME THE STRANGER: Exploring Biblical View of Immigration is a training opportunity at SUGAR CREEK MENNONITE CHURCH, 1209 Franklin Ave., Wayland, IA  on Saturday, September 23 from 10 am-3 pm.  Immigration has become one of the most important and complex issues of our day. While often portrayed as a political issue, immigration is fundamentally an issue about people including those in our churches, workplace and school.  Come hear what the Bible has to say about immigration, recent immigration policies, common questions about immigrants and ways we can respond.  To registration, complete the digital form at bit.ly/WaylandWTS.