First Mennonite Church is affiliated with the Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA . The Mennonites are named after Menno Simons, one of our early church leaders, and are rooted historically in the “Anabaptist” movement, which began in 1525, with origins in Switzerland , Germany , and the Netherlands now reaching around the world.

Some primary Anabaptist convictions then and now are following Jesus Christ in service to others, rejection of violence and war, and joyful community life.

TODAY, November 30, 2008

  9:15 a.m.        -           Christian Education for all ages

10:30 a.m.        -           Worship Service – Steven Yoder preaching

THIS WEEK

Tuesday (2^nd)       -      Morning Prayers, 7:00 a.m. Sanctuary

-        Staff Meeting, 9:00 a.m. , Parlor

Wednesday (3^rd)  -       Adult Bell Choir, 6:00 p.m. , AR

-        Joyful Noise. 6:00 p.m. , Room 103

                              -      Jubilate, 6:00 p.m. , Room 113

                              -      Youth Bell Choir, 7:00 p.m. , AR

-        Chancel Choir, 7:00 p.m. , Sanctuary

-        LOGOS, 7:00 p.m. , Room 303

Thursday (4^th)       -     Blood Drive , 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. , FH

                              -     Worship Commission, 7:00 p.m. , Parlor

Saturday (6^th)        -     Education Commission, 9:00 a.m. , Carrie Mast ’s house

NEXT SUNDAY

  9:15 a.m.   -    Christian Education for all ages

10:30 a.m.   -    Worship Service, Second Sunday of Advent – Louise Wideman preaching

                        Scripture Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

  4:00 p.m.     - Messiah, Founders Hall

* * * * * * * *

Mennonite Women and Men – December 8, 7:00 p.m. , Church Sanctuary – come, find out who is the Scrooge of our congregation. Our reading was written by our own Ruth Unrau . Refreshments, business meeting and reports from our mission partners to follow in the Assembly Room.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you to the Advent Pl ann ing Team for coordinating the worship services for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany. Members on the committee include: Elizabeth Kelly, Laurel Neufeld Weaver, Mark Suderman, Lois Wetherill, Louise Wideman and Steven Yoder . Extending God’s light: Elyse Terry. Bulletin Cover: Andy Wetherill. LOGOS readers today are Marilyn Bishop and Gene Caskey.

This advent season we focus on the many surprising, unexpected and unpl ann ed ways in which God comes to us. When we stop, wait and really see we can find evidence of God’s presence. The framed visuals remind us that while we do not always feel God with us in clear or obvious ways we can be assured that the many faces of God shine through the darkness to restore us.

Persons using hearing units are receiving a statement about the new process for handling them. Thanks to a new storage cabinet built by Dwight Kauffman, we are able to store the units, recharge the batteries each week, and ensure that each user receives the same unit each week. Others interested in trying a hearing device during the service are invited to take one at the sanctuary entrance from Fellowship Hall. Please be sure to turn them off when they are returned.

On behalf of the Visual Arts Committee, we wish to thank Paul Dyck for making the lovely Parsons table, located in the basement hallway near the parking lot entrance.  We also thank Dwight and Trella Kaufman for the unique oak hutch in Fellowship Hall.  Paul and Dwight have also contributed a number of other small tables currently used in Sunday school classrooms and as display tables. First Mennonite is blessed to have many willing and talented members who share their time and talents with us.

The Bluffton Preschool Christmas program will be held here in the FMC sanctuary on Monday, December 1 and Tuesday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m.  This short program features all of the children who attend preschool through the school year. The preschoolers and their extended families will be in attendance. All are welcome to come and learn to know our neighbors. 

Items for Relief Kits are coming in – great job and keep’em coming. If you want to fill a bag there is a box of bags with a list of contents needed in the Fellowship Hall, we have a good start!!

In the coming weeks we are encouraged to send letters and cards to Linda Brown in Findlay . Linda is the daughter of Bob Brown from our congregation. She is currently awaiting trial (probably January) at the Hancock County Justice Center and would be encouraged to hear from people at First Mennonite Church . Her address is 200 W. Crawford St.   Findlay , OH 45840 .  

American Red Cross Blood Drive will be coming to First Mennonite Church on December 4^th. A variety of workers at various times during the day are needed to make this a successful day. Questions, please contact Trella Kauffman at 419-889-9564.

The Education Commission is hosting Pie Night for university students on Sunday evening, December 7, from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. We invite you to come and fellowship with students and enjoy homemade pie and ice cream. If you are willing to make a pie, please sign up in the Fellowship Hall. Thanks!

Copies of December Prayer Vine and Prayers for Faith and Learning are available on the new storage cabinet or the rack close to the kitchen.

  COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Brazo en Brazo Update – Four from the Brazo en Brazo group shared with Lima Mennonite Church in their service and Thanksgiving celebration on November 23. The Spanish services, with guest speaker René Mejía, were attended by twelve, and the offering was $62.

Grace Mennonite Church will be hosting its ann ual Faith & Life Books and Gifts Sale. This sale will be held in the Church Fellowship Hall during the Cranberry Creek Festival Friday, December 5, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, December 6, from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. A portion of this year’s proceeds will go toward purchasing books for the Pandora Branch of the Putnam County Library. Books will also be marked and made available for purchase for the library during the book sale.

Habitat for Humanity-Lima Area, Inc. is pleased to present the Alaska String Band, a musical family of five from southern Alaska , to present their musical travelogue Friday evening, December 5, 7:00 p.m. at the South Side Christian Church, 3300 Southside Drive in Lima . Titled “Southeast Alaskan Odyssey,” the concert brings a family skilled in a variety of stringed instruments—guitar, twin violin-fiddles, bass, mandolin and ukulele—performing a variety musical styles including bluegrass and gospel against a backdrop of beautiful sights and scenes from their home state. Tickets for this special family event are $20.00 for adults and $10.00 children age 6-18. Children five and under are free. Tickets may be purchased by stopping at the Habitat office 123 E. Wayne St. or by phone at (419) 222-4937. To get a “taste” of this special group visit their website at www.alaskastringband.net. Proceeds will benefit the Habitat program directed to building “Pam’s House” on Reese Ave.  This is a concert you will not want to miss!

Bob Yoder, Goshen College campus pastor, is available to do presentations on "faith and global warming" to churches, youth groups, etc. Recently Bob was trained by Al Gore to be a presenter with The Climate Project basically to do a version of the slide­show that he uses in An Inconvenient Truth...except that Bob tweaks it for a faith-based audience, and can easily adapt it for whatever audience he is engaging and can do it for varying lengths of time. Below is a news release from Goshen College that describes it a bit more in detail. There is no cost for Bob to do this...in fact, he is not allowed to take an honoraria or anything.

Bluffton University invites you to travel with alumni and friends to Paraguay , July 8-22, 2009.The tour includes visits to the Mennonite colonies, the historic Jesuit and Franciscan missions, participation in Assembly 15 of Mennonite World Conference in Asunción, and visits to the amazing Iguassu Falls and the Itaipú Dam. Arrangements for the trip are being made through Menno Travel Service of Goshen. The tour rate, based on double occupancy, is $2,795. (This rate includes your hotel stay during Assembly 15 but does not include airfare.) The first payment of $500 is due on November 24. Menno Travel will make all travel arrangements and will assist you with registration for Assem­bly 15 of Mennonite World Conference. For questions about the tour call Menno Travel representative, Tara Nisly, at 574-975-7766 or visit www.bluffton.edu/blufftonalumni/events/paraguay/.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is accepting applications for the position of MCC Great Lakes Executive Director. The director is responsible for all programs, staff and activities in the Great Lakes area and is responsible to the MCC Great Lakes board.

F amiliarity with MCC constituency, strong relational administrative skills, and cultural competency required. Experience with budgeting and administration also required. Significant travel time within the region.To request a job description or to send a resume and letter of interest contact Becky Stahly at: , or MCC Human Resources, P.O. Box 500 , Akron , PA 17501 or call 717-859-1151. Application review begins December 10, 2008 .

Come celebrate the beginning of the Advent season with an evening hymn sing today at Lima Mennonite Church ( 1318 N. Main St. , Lima ). The song service will begin at 6:00 p.m. We’ll be singing all the great Advent and Christmas songs, hymns and carols and there will be time to request your favorites. After the singing we’ll enjoy hot cider and Christmas cookies!

The Bluffton University Christmas Choral Concert will include both familiar and new Christmas carols, including pieces from England , Spain , Nigeria and Norway . All three university choirs (Accent!, Bel Canto, and Camerata Singers) will perform, along with Brass Society. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 in Yoder Recital Hall. Ticket prices are $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for senior citizens are on sale at the box office, call 419-358-3239.

The Bluffton University music department is pleased to present the 113^th production of Handel’s Messiah at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in Founders Hall. This event is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken.

LOGO DESIGN CONTEST FOR THE 35^TH ANNIVERSARY OF ET CETERA SHOP INC. STORES ( Et Cetera Thrift Shop, Ten Thousand Villages & Book ReViews) In 2009, the Et Cetera Shop Inc. stores will celebrate the 35th ann iversary of it’s founding in 1974. For this special occasion, a special logo will be used to mark this milestone. The logo will be used mostly in printed materials. The ECSI stores are sponsoring a LOGO DESIGN CONTEST. The guidelines for preparing and submission designs are available in any of the three stores. The designer of the selected logo will receive $100 savings bond from First National Bank of Bluffton, $35 gift card to Ten Thousand Villages and a $35 Visa card. Deadline for submission is Friday, December 12, 2008 .

Camp Luz Jr. High Retreat , January 9-11, 2009 . “Taking a FRESH look at God’s commands!” Speaker: Jess Engle, Pastor Aurora Mennonite. Cost $85 per youth, sponsors free. See your youth pastor or sponsor for more information or check www.campluz.com.

GRATITUDE AND PRAYER REQUESTS

Mennonite Mission Network – Please pray for Mennonite Voluntary Service participants serving with a refugee and immigration resettlement program and with youth care in Sioux Falls , S.D. – Udo Behm, Betha Maust and Ryan Troyer.

We express our sympathies to Elaine and Don Brubaker on the death of Elaine's mother, Pauline Stoltzfus, on Tuesday, November 25. Services were held at Paradise Mennonite Church , Paradise , PA on Saturday, November 29.

We wish a Happy Anniversary to Harold and Anna Balmer – 65^th  December 5.

We wish a Happy Birthday to Shirley Kirk – 81^st  December 1.