September 16, 2012 Newsletter

Bearing Fruit
September 16,2012

Our Church

Happy Birthday to:  Mike Leyden (9/19), Elijah Wood (9/22)

Offering for 9/9/12: $1240 (regular), $50 (roof)

Amanda is on a mini-vacation with her mom today.

Iowa Mennonite School

IMS is in need of bus drivers for athletic trips and possibly field trips on occasion.  Anyone interested in taking the necessary class to become certified should contact Iris Brenneman for more information.

IMS will be participating in the Calling All Communities campaign that began on Friday, September 14th.  To help IMS chances to win up to $150,000 see the voting instructions on the bulletin board by the mailboxes.

Crooked Creek Christian Camp

Senior Day at CCCC is just around the corner on Thursday, October 4 from 9am-1:30pm at the Retreat Lodge. The day will be filled with lots of music! We will have special music, a hymn sing and a special time for you to all share stories about how music, or particular songs, have shaped you over the years. Please join us and bring a friend and a dish to share for the potluck. See the poster at your church for more information. Please RSVP by calling the camp at 319-653-3611.

Saturday, October 6, 2012 is Woodcutting Day at Crooked Creek Christian Camp. Mark your calendar and watch for more details.

Mennonite Agencies

Election 2012: Deepening our allegiance to Jesus. In this election season, billions of dollars are being spent to capture our commitment to particular candidates, parties and ideologies. The Executive Board of Mennonite Church USA is calling on members and congregations to spend time in prayer and fasting during this time to deepen our allegiance to Jesus. This complements grassroots initiatives such as an invitation to celebrate communion on Election Day. The Peace and Justice Support Network will also facilitate an online conversation about political engagement and Christian allegiance (coming soon).  See http://mennoniteusa.org/resources/election-2012/  for the Call to Prayer and Fasting and related resources.

Everence representative Kent Blossom will be at Wayland Mennonite Church on September 18^th to help with questions on current accounts, Medicare supplements, budgeting, and retirement savings assistance, as well as health, life, and long term care insurance needs.  For more information call 877.656.4242.

The Central Plains Women’s Retreat at Swan Lake Christian Camp in Viborg, South Dakota will be on September 22-23.  Bring a friend and enjoy a weekend of inspiration, relaxation, interest sessions and fellowship in a retreat setting.  See the bulletin board for more details.

How do we live faithfully by reusing, recycling, refreshing, recreating? The Annual Mennonite Women’s Fall Meeting is Sunday, October 21st, at 3:00 pm.  We are working with Crowded Closet by using their space and hearing how they take our “stuff” and reuse, recycle and recreate. See projects that have been created from donated items, including the plates we will eat our desserts off of!  We will see how others are rejoicing, responding and possibly re-evaluating how we can live our lives.  Come and join us!!  Bring $10/person to cover the cost of the event.  RSVP by October 10th to carolyncyoder at gmail.com.

The Sower Prayer Request:  Pray for the Outreach & Service Committee meeting tomorrow, September 17.

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Bethsaba and Dale Nafziger of MMN share God’s love in Nepal through business integrity, healing ministries, and participation in a growing congregation.  Pray for teenage daughters, Shova and Sushma, and ask God to grant health and strength as the Nafziger family works and studies.

Mennonite Education Agency Prayer Request:  Pray for the 8 students (6 from Goshen College, 1 from Bethel College, and 1 from Bluffton University) embarking on a semester of study at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, focusing on the complex issues around sustainable living and building sustainable communities.  Pray that their participation in the Sustainability Semester will be informative and inspiring as they seek peace with the world around them.

Washington Area

P.C. Alexander (Alex), the director of PTL-India, will be speaking at Kalona Mennonite Church on Sunday, September 16 from 4:00 to 5:00 with free Indian refreshments following.  Alex started out as a bold Indian evangelist, willing to share the gospel in spite of the constant threat of persecution.  He later started PTL-India, which is committed to training and sending out Indian evangelists and church planters to share the gospel and make disciples among the unreached people groups in India.  By God’s grace, they have started more than 100 churches with a total of about 20,000 baptized believers.  Jeff Miller and Erica Hostetler from Kalona Mennonite were both closely connected with Alex and PTL-India throughout their time in India.

Congo Centennial Celebration in Mountain Lake: Starting at 4:30 at Community Bible Church the evening will include an opportunity to hear African speakers, share a potluck meal, and watch video and powerpoint of 100 years of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) ministry and witness.  For more information call 507.427.2237 no later than September 16^th, or check the bulletin board in the foyer.

Movie Night at LDC  You are invited to see the movie OCTOBER BABY on Sunday, September 16^th, 7:00 p.m. at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church.  Admission is free but there will be a freewill offering to benefit Informed Choices of Iowa City.  OCTOBER BABY is the story of 19-year-old Hannah, who finds out she is adopted and is the survivor of an attempted abortion.  She goes on a road trip to find answers, locate her birth mother and, ultimately, discover how powerful forgiveness can be.  For more information on the movie go to octoberbabymovie.net.

The Washington Historical Committee presents 6 open houses at historical sites within Washington County all on September 16^th from 1-4pm.  Start at Blair house to pick up a map, but then you can visit the Conger House Museum, D.A.R. Cabin, F Troop Museum, Red Brick Country School, and Walnut School.  For more information call Carlton Mangold at 319.653.3646.

Quest is tonight at 6:00 at the MP High School.  A former University of Iowa wrestler and others will be sharing their stories along with the band Ransom Project.  Free food will be served. 

Jan Gleysteen, noted Mennonite historian and lecturer will be the featured speaker at the fall meeting of the Mennonite Historical Society.  Jan will be speaking on the Hutterites in the morning and in the afternoon will tell his life story which includes living through the German Nazi occupation of Holland during World War II.  The meeting will take place at 10:00 on Saturday, October 6 at Kalona Mennonite Church. All are invited to attend.  Please bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch.  A freewill offering will be taken.

The Dove’s Nest has a position opening for a 20 hrs a week Program Coordinator.  For more information visit www.dovesnest.net/files/Program_Coordinator_position.pdf

Surround yourself with the beauty of far off lands.  Spend a few hours a month in the international gift shop at Crowded Closet.  The pace is relaxed and the chair comfortable. Assist customers, read a book, browse Pinterest, tackle Sudoku all while helping to raise money to support disaster relief and community development.  Plus, you earn discount certificates toward your gift shop purchases.  Scheduling is flexible. Call the store at 337-5924 or email crowdedcloset.volunteer at gmail.com.