Newsletter for December 1, 2019

The Bearing Fruit

December 1, 2019

Washington Mennonite

▪ Offering for 11/17/19 - Regular offering: $1,395.75; Gay Widmer Mission Trip: $500.00

▪ Offering for 11/24/19 - Regular offering: $909.35

▪ Volunteer at Crowded Closet. Tuesday evening, December 3rd, we will travel to Iowa City to volunteer at the Crowded Closet. Work out a carpool with your friends, and try to leave town at 5:00 or 5:30. Bring $3 for pizza.

▪ Christmas Caroling: join us Thursday evening December 19th for our annual Christmas Caroling foray!  Come to the church around 5:00 or 5:30. Bring cookies and fruit to make plates for those to whom we sing. If you have homes you would like us to visit please tell Megan or Myron.

▪ Ballet Classes, Christmas Shows – The ballet classes that meet in the Fellowship Hall are inviting everyone to attend their Christmas Recitals on December 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th at 3:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  There will be refreshments and plenty of seating.

SundaySucHillcrest Academy

▪ Halftime Basketball Games | Get a chance to play on the main court in Hillcrest Union during these basketball games on Fri, Dec 6 (5th-8th grade girls) and Fri, Dec 13 (5th-8th grade boys). Sign up online. Contact Rebecca (rbeachymiller@hillcrestravens.org) with questions.

▪ Visit Days | The last of the first semester visit days is Dec 2. This day is open to transfer students and 8th graders. Visits will involve shadowing a current student. You can come for a half day or full day. And we will treat you to lunch! Details and registration can be found at hillcrestravens.org/visit. There will also be a coffee time at the beginning of the day for parents to meet with the administrative team.

▪ #GivingTuesday | This year GivingTuesday is Dec 3 and for the twenty-four hours of GivingTuesday we encourage you to give to Hillcrest Academy and give generously. You can give any size donation online, on our Facebook page, or you can send a check to the school postmarked 12.3.19. Through this event we hope to raise $20,000 in one day for The Annual Fund. By participating you are making a huge difference in the lives of our students and making our educational experience available to everyone!

Central Plains Conference

▪ Central Plains Prayer Request:  Pray for Conference Ministers across the United States and Canada who are traveling to the Conference Ministers Meetings in Banff, AB, Canada this week. May these meetings be a time of learning and renewal.

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Our cup runneth over! 2020 is the 100th anniversary of Mennonite Central Committee! Organized as a collaboration of Mennonite churches in 1920 to assist Russian Mennonites caught in the crisis of drought and war, MCC has provided disaster relief, development and peacebuilding work around the world since those early years. Join the Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale as we celebrate and give towards MCC’s cup that truly runneth over! Consider giving $100 for 100 years of Mennonite Central Committee. Donations can be made via PayPal at  www.iamccreliefsale.org or mailed to PO Box 234, Kalona, Iowa 52247. Thank you! 

▪ All MCC volunteers and alumni are invited to our annual come-and-go MCC Christmas Soiree on Thursday, December 12 from 5-7 p.m. at MCC in North Newton (121 E. 30^th). We will have food, Christmas cheer and plenty of time for fellowship. At 6 p.m. we’ll pause for a short program about Christmas around the world from our International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) participants. You don’t want to miss this annual event!

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for the Argentina Mennonite Church as it enters its second century. May its vibrant ministries of preaching, teaching, planting churches, and running businesses to support missions flourish. Pray specifically for a brick-making enterprise in Villa Mercedes, San Luis, that combines income-generating work with church planting.

▪ MC USA Announcement:  #GivingTuesday  Did you know that giving is good for your health? More than that, your financial support and engagement are directly proportional to the health and strength of our denomination. To learn more about the 2020 goals of Mennonite Church USA, read "Generosity impacts our lives," by Executive Director Glen Guyton at http://mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/ generosity-impacts-our-lives/

Area Announcements

▪ ONE Youth Event | ALL 6-12th graders are invited to “ONE” a community youth event which will be held at Hillcrest Academy, Dec 8 from 6–7:30 PM. It will be a time to build relationships, worship, and have fun together! Contact Samantha (info@samanthabender.com) for details. 

▪ Farmer Lunch Fundraiser for Randy and Paula Yoder:  You are invited to share in a fund raising lunch on Dec 12, 11:30 - 1:00 pm at the Terry and Deb Erb farm (east warehouse building).  Meal will be catered by Janet Stutzman and includes pork burgers, potatoes, beans, fruit salad, bars.  All are welcome and invited to attend – come as you are, boots and work clothes – accepted!   And you don’t have to be a farmer!