Newsletter for March 22, 2020

The Bearing Fruit

March 22, 2020

Washington Mennonite

▪ Offering for 3/15/2020:  Regular Offering: $1,065.00;  Coins for Camp: $12.18;  HACAP: $200.00;  Lighthouse Ministries: $200.00

▪ Even though we are unable to meet as a congregation right now, expenses of the church continue. Please send your donations directly to Dick See, 705 Perdock Court, Washington, IA. Thanks for your support.

SundaySucCrooked Creek Christian Camp

▪ Get excited for Crooked Creek Wild May 2, 2020! Be sure to register online by April 24 to ensure your CC Wild t-shirt and to take advantage of the early bird rate! Not sure you want to explore the wilds of camp? We need volunteers to help make this day a success! All proceeds from the challenge course run and free-will donation lunch go to the Summer Camp Fund which helps support families who otherwise may not afford the cost of camp. Contact megan@crookedcreekcamp with questions or to see how you can help! Make sure to register now to take advantage of the great prices! Call the camp office with any questions. 

▪ As we continue to prepare for the busyness that summer entails, we ask for your prayers as we find young men and women to work in our kitchens, with the cleaning crew, as counselors, lifeguards and more! We ask that you pray for the hundreds of families preparing to send their kids to camp, some as regulars and some for the very first time! Please think of the guest groups as they plan their reunions and gatherings and for the staff as we get ready for their arrival! 

▪ Applications are being taken for the position of Program Director at Crooked Creek Christian Camp. The Program Director is responsible for all camp programming, which includes summer camp, CC Wild, and other programs throughout the year, recruiting and supervising summer staff, and marketing.  Submit application, cover letter, and resume to Heather Bender heather@crooked creekcamp.org  Visit www.crookedcreekcamp.org for more information.

SundaySucHillcrest Academy

▪ Stories Needed | For the 75 year anniversary cookbook we have your recipes, now we need your stories! Please send us food related school stories. Stories about a particular cook, a particular lunch menu item, a favorite team meal, stories about the chili supper or pork supper or apple fritter booth, stories about the 'Center Room'...anything. Thanks for your help in making this cookbook a sentimental keepsake for our community. Please email stories to recipes@ hillcrestravens.org. 

▪ Host Families Needed | Hillcrest Academy is looking for families to host 4 potential international students for the 2020-21 school year. If you are interested in being a host family, please contact Rebecca Beachy Miller at rbeachymiller@hillcrestravens.org or (319) 656-2073 x20 for more information.

Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale

▪ The Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale executive board met virtually on Thursday, March 19 to discuss the future of the 2020 relief sale (May 29 & 30). As the current health situation is rapidly changing, the board decided that by April 1st a decision will be made as to whether or not the sale will continue as planned. This allows time for communication with Mennonite Central Committee staff and other relief sales to see how they are also moving forward. 

▪ We are still in need of an auction chairperson regardless of whether or not a sale happens this year. If you are interested in volunteering for this position. Please contact Rebecca Beachy Miller (rabeachy@msn.com) or Quinlan Miller (quinlansmiller@gmail.com) for more details on this position. 

We thank you for your prayers and continued support of the Iowa Mennonite Relief Sale and MCC.

Central Plains Conference

▪ Central Plains Prayer Request:  Pray for our country and the world as we figure out how to live well in this time of quarantine. We pray for those who are anxious, fearful, or lonely. We ask that God would give us wisdom and strength in these days. 

Mennonite Agencies

▪ Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for young people, ages 15-22, whom God is calling to participate in this summer’s Youth Venture programs in Benin, Colombia, Nazareth Village in Israel-Palestine, Peru, Spain, and the United States (Kykotsmovi, Arizona).

▪ MC USA Announcement: #MennoSnapshots  Why is climate change a social justice issue? Christy Miller Hesed of Shalom Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas, answers this question in her blog, "Why Jesus would care about climate change." Read more: http://mennoniteusa.org/ jesusclimatechange