Newsletter for January 7, 2018

The Bearing Fruit

January 7, 2018

Upcoming Events:

Jan 10  – Church Council Meeting, 5pm

Jan 14 – Potluck, after Sunday School

Jan 17 – Monthly Quilting, 10am

Feb 3   – Saturday Kitchen, UP Church

Washington Mennonite

▪ Offering for 12/31/17 -  Regular Offering: $1216; Church Improvement Fund: $400

▪ SATURDAY KITCHEN 2018 schedule has been changed and Washington Mennonite will be hosting Saturday Kitchen on Saturday February 3^rd , 2018 and NOT Saturday January 27^th as previously announced.  The 2018 Saturday Kitchen schedule has been revised because of supporting church comments.  The supporting churches who have hosted since the beginning of serving Saturday Kitchen will not be hosting on an irregular basis as printed on the original schedule that included some two and five week intervals.  Watch for our sign-up sheets for food items and workers in several weeks as we then prepare to host Saturday Kitchen on February 3^rd.

▪ POTLUCK!  Come January 14th to a noon potluck at the church.  Come to continue our discussion of the church visioning process.  Come find out if we are "transactional" or "transformational".  Come find out what that even means!

SundaySucCrooked Creek Christian Camp

▪ WINTERFEST camp is next weekend January 12-14...and WE HAVE SNOW! If you haven't registered yet please register TODAY! (Register online or by asking your youth sponsor.)

▪ Coins for Camp January will go towards a new play structure near the Pavilion. 

▪ SAVE THE DATE: May 5, 2018, is Crooked Creek Wild mud run-obstacle course. Registration coming soon!

▪ THANK YOU for the ways you bless the ongoing ministry at Crooked Creek Christian Camp! Your involvement is the reason camp is a successful ministry providing opportunities for children and adults to experience Christ in new and different ways through retreats and the great outdoors! 

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Iowa Mennonite School

▪ THANK YOU | As we begin 2018, IMS would like to thank you for your continued support. It costs over $16,000 to educate a child at IMS, something that tuition alone does not cover. It is the faithful giving of our community that allows us to continue serving our students. We are thankful to those that choose to include IMS in their giving plans, your generosity is truly appreciated. And we look forward to having many more partner with us as we make the future of IMS bright.

▪ Visit Days | 8th grade and transfer students are invited to visit IMS for a day on January 15 or February 19. This visit will have a different format than the fall visit days so feel free to come again. Parents are invited for a short meeting at the start of the day to visit with the administrative team. Students are invited from 8:10 am - 3:15 pm to tour facilities, visit classes with a host student, eat lunch, meet faculty & other future students, and hear from a panel of current students. Register to attend at www.iowamennonite.org/visit.

▪ Special Chapels | January 17 Glen Guyton will speak during a special chapel time. Glen is the Chief Operating Officer for Mennonite Church USA. He is also an advocate for cultural competency and will be doing special sessions with teachers and each grade level of students. Watch our website for more information on the schedule for chapel that day. January 18 & 19 Michele Hershberger will come to speak at chapel around the topic of shalom justice. Chapel those times will be from 9:47AM - 10:17AM. There will be time for coffee with area pastors following chapel on Thursday, January 18 and Michele will join Bible classes on Friday, January 19. The public is invited to join us for our chapel times.

▪ Chili Supper | The annual Chili Supper hosted by the IMS senior class is on Saturday, February 10 serving from 4:30PM-7:00PM in Hillcrest Union. This year will take a trip back in time to 1960, the year the Chili Supper was started by Elta Burkholder. We have her handwritten, original chili and cheese sandwich recipes that we will be serving. And for those of you that remember watching the Audubon Society films after you ate, we will have a modern spin on those as well. 

SundaySucCentral Plains Conference

▪ Central Plains Mennonite Conference Prayer Request: Pray for the Pastoral Leadership Committee meeting on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at Swan Lake camp in South Dakota. 

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Mennonite Education Agency Prayers for Faith and Learning – Seminario Bíblico Anabautista Hispano (SeBAH)

May God fill SeBAH students with wisdom and blessings. May God help them to devote themselves to their studies and guide them through this learning process.

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request – Mennonite Mission Network partners Juanita and Lawrence Coetzee lead Grace Community Church in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Pray for them as they also work in a local prison for juveniles and help the young men there find new meaning in their lives.

Area Events

▪ Pleasantview Home looking for Chaplain.  30 hour/week.  Full time benefits.  Duties include lead Bible studies & prayer groups, schedule services, counsel & support residents in Independent living and nursing care.  Occasional preaching and worship leading.  Applications will be accepted online www.pvhome.org or in Pleasantview lobby, 811 3^rd Street, Kalona until  January 22, 2018.

▪ East Union Mennonite Church will be hosting a fundraiser meal TODAY at noon on behalf of Emily Miller (daughter of Dennis and Sally Miller) to help support her as she continues to undergo chemotherapy. Due to her recent move to Colorado, Emily has not accrued sick or vacation leave, which is an issue as she receives ongoing chemo treatments. All funds will go directly to ongoing living expenses. A main dish of scalloped potatoes/ham and green beans will be provided.

▪ Save the Date – Sunday, January 14: for a special screening of the film Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock at 3pm in the Luyken Fine Arts Center at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. The film captures the story of Native-led defiance that forever changed the fight for clean water, our environment and the future of our planet. A talk-back session will follow the film featuring film Co-Director Myron Dewey. MCC is teaming up with Kansas Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR) for this free event. Please join us!