Newsletter for May 12, 2019

The Bearing Fruit

May 12, 2019

This Week at Washington Mennonite Sunday May 12th   Monday May 13th   Tuesday May 14th   Wednesday May 15th   Thursday May 16th   Friday May 17th Saturday May 18th   ▪ Centro Cristiano (2pm) ▪ Ballet Class (3:30pm) ▪ Ballet Class (3:30pm) ▪ Monthly Quilting (10am) ▪ Ballet Class (3:30pm) ▪ Centro Cristiano (7pm) Upcoming Events ▪ May 11 –  Saturday Kitchen (UP Church) ▪ June 20-23 –  Central Plains Mennonite Conference Annual Meeting (Kalona)

Washington Mennonite

▪ Offering for 5/5/19 - Regular offering: $1399.00;  Saturday Kitchen:  $50.00;  IMS:  $200.00;  My Coins Count:  $41.00

▪ Join us on Wed., May 15 to quilt or to knot comforters in the church fellowship hall. We’ll start at 10 a.m. Lunch will be pizza with a jar for donations to cover the cost. If you have questions, contact Mary Lou.

Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale

▪ My Coins Count begins this month! This year's donations go to San Jose Parish Social Center in Montero, Bolivia, who provides programming that empowers Bolivian families to overcome poverty, improve their living conditions, and strengthen their health and psychological-physical development and forms leaders among the children, youth and women for the family and community. Visit the website to learn about the 2019 project and why we do My Coins Count: http://www.iamccreliefsale.org/my-coins-count.html

▪ It's time to register for the Relief Sale 5K Trail Run & 1 Mile Walk! On Saturday, June 1 at 8am, the 5K run begins at the fairgrounds and continues through the woods and hills of neighboring Ryerson's Woods Park. The 1-mile fun and casual walk will take place at the fairgrounds with mostly flat surfaces and suitable for strollers and all ages. After the run, enjoy an all-you-can-eat pancake, sausage, egg and fried mush breakfast. Register for the run or walk at: http://getmeregistered.com/ReliefSaleTrailRun

▪ The Apple Fritter booth is in good shape, thanks to your responses! Sign up online at http://www.iamcc reliefsale.org/volunteering.html to volunteer in another ways at the Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale.

▪ Calling all crafters, artists, carpenters, cooks, business owners and more! The general auction for the Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale needs your help to make this year the best yet! What can you gift or create for the 40th anniversary sale? Donations for the auction can be directed to Marty Roth at 319-430-4025.

SundaySucIowa Mennonite School

▪ Caleb Gingerich's Senior Recital | Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM in Celebration Hall at IMS. The public is invited to join Caleb for an afternoon of music with refreshments to follow. Caleb is the son of Dwight and Mo Gingerich. 

Central Plains Conference

▪ Did you know? Central Plains Annual Meeting isn’t just for delegates and pastors. All are invited to come learn, fellowship and discern together! Go to www.central plainsmc.org to learn more about Annual Meeting and to register adults and children (and pay) online.

▪ Central Plains Mennonite Conference Prayer Request:   Pray for your sister churches in the Quad Cities area cluster: Casa de Oracion Emanuel, Iglesia Cristiana El Balsamo, Iglesia Menonita Centro Cristiano, Iglesia Torre Fuerte, Templo Alabanza and the El Buen Pastor church plant. 

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Everence to hold Medicare workshop in Kalona.  Everence will host its popular workshop, Make Medicare an easy step, on Monday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about the various Medicare plans and what they cover; plans that supplement Medicare; and enrollment details and deadlines. The workshop will be presented by Everence staff and at the Kalona Public Library, Velma Skola Room, 510 C Ave., Kalona. The workshop is free, but space is limited! Reserve your spot by May 9. Contact Joyce Garvin at (877) 656-4242 or joyce.garvin@everence.com.

▪ Save the Date: June 26 for our annual Volunteer Appreciation event at Mennonite Central Committee in North Newton from 5-7. We will celebrate all the work our volunteers do by enjoying an indoor summer picnic together!

▪ Attention all MCC Alumni! Are you interested in connecting with other MCC alumni? Have you wondered about attending an MCC alumni gathering or even hosting one yourself? If so, please contact us at centralstates@mcc.org.

▪ Support MCC via AmazonSmile: This is not a plug to begin or continue to shop at Amazon.com, but if you find yourself making an Amazon purchase, please use the AmazonSmile site. The ordering process is the same, but the difference is that 0.5% of your purchases will be donated to MCC (assuming you will choose MCC U.S. as your charitable organization!) FYI…total donations to MCC from AmazonSmile in 2018 were $2,955; $2,625 in 2017. If you have any questions, please contact maynardknepp@mcc.org or jordanpenner@mcc.org.

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for La Casa Grande children’s home in Benin as it goes through leadership changes. Pray for Bienvenu and Chimène Kakpo, the new co-directors, and their biological family, as well as the larger family of more than 30 children, the house mothers, and other personnel.

▪ MC USA Prayer Request: "How has God called you to co-create bridges in your church and community with new imagination and understanding?" Read "Looking to the Bridge Builders" from Sue Park-Hur, MC USA denominational minster for Leadership Development, on the Menno Snapshots blog: mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/ looking-to-the-bridge-builders 

Area Announcements

▪ Spring is here with summer soon to follow, and it’ll soon be a perfect time to get our residents out for wheelchair rides! They absolutely love the warmth and the chance to interact with volunteers, and we’re asking your consideration in giving some time to make their day. The rides will begin June 5, and we’ll do them each Wednesday morning from 8:30-10:00 as long as the weather is nice. Please contact Renee Hershberger at 656-2421, ext. 155, or ReneeH@pvhome.org to volunteer or with questions. Thank you!