|
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 8, 2009 9:15 a.m. - Christian Education for all ages 10:30 a.m. - Worship Service – Louise Wideman Preaching 12:00 p.m. - Sojourners and Freudige Class Potlucks 6:00 p.m. - Film – “On Golden Pond”, FH 6:30 p.m. - SHYF – Kick the Can at Dick and Corrinne Boehr’s Farm
THIS WEEK
Monday (9th) - Mennonite Women, 2:00 p.m., MMH
Tuesday (10th) - Morning Prayers, 7:00 a.m., Sanctuary - Staff Meeting, 9:00 a.m., Parlor - Trustees Commission, 7:00 p.m., Parlor Wednesday (11th) - Mission, Peace and Service, 5:45 p.m., Parlor - Adult Bell Choir, 6:00 p.m., AR - Jubilate, 6:00 p.m., Choir Room - Youth Bell Choir, 7:00 p.m., AR - Chancel Choir, 7:00 p.m., Sanctuary
-
“A Family Undertaking” Film, 8:00 p.m., FH
NEXT WEEK 9:15 a.m. - Christian Education for all ages 10:30 a.m. - Worship Service – Steven Yoder Preaching Scripture texts: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 127; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 3:00 p.m. - Baby Celebration – Luke Diller, FH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome to our worship service today. Please sign and pass the friendship pads in the pews. Wireless hearing aids are available. If you would like your children watched over while you worship, our staff will care for them in the nursery available down-stairs . Worship Activity Bags are available. Visitors are invited to receive a peace candle to take with you to your home congregation as our way of sharing the peace. These candles are found in the basket in the Fellowship Hall. A “Basket of Blessings” is the theme for the Mennonite Women program at Mennonite Memorial Home this Monday, November 9 from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. First Mennonite Women attending should try to arrive 15 minutes early in order to help residents write down a word of blessing and to leave cookies for the refreshment table. There will be a short program and time for socializing with the residents. Remember to bring cookies to share. Air Conditioning Update: As of November 3, 2009, we have received $20,775 in cash gifts and pledges. The project goal plus additional electrical costs was $17,875. A short financial summary is available on a table in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for your support of this project. ~ Stewardship Commission Today, the fall Sunday school elective series, Embracing Life and Death . The class meets in the sanctuary beginning at 9:15 a.m. The focus for the class is Anticipating Death. Melinda Estell, John & Mary Anne Moser, Bob & Alice Ruth Ramseyer are the presenters. All youth and adults are invited to participate in this intergenerational class. The drive for relief kits begins Nov. 1 . The list of contents is on the cabinet in Fellowship Hall. You may donate a complete kit or donate items to go towards a kit. Another way to help is to write a check to FMC – Mennonite Women – Relief Kits. These funds can go towards purchasing items or sent to MCC to aid and shipping costs. There will be boxes on the pew in FH for completed kits, towels, and smaller items. There will also be plastic bags to take if you wish to make a complete kit. We will continue this drive till Feb. 1. The things we take for granted as necessities many people do without. LOGOS is an FMC speaking choir that presents scripture during worship in the seasons of Advent/Christmas/Epiphany and Lent. Gene Caskey, founder of LOGOS, has retired from this ministry. Gary Wetherill, a student of Gene, has agreed to give leadership to LOGOS this Advent/Christmas/Epiphany season. Any persons interested in participating in worship in the way should contact Gary, 419 358-1049. Weekly rehearsal time will be announced later. Come to the Stable , the indoor walk through display of nativities is being planned for Wednesday, December 9, Thursday, December 10, and Friday, December 11. Forms for loaning nativity sets, nativity tree ornaments, or nativity wall hangings are available in the Fellowship Hall beginning today. Forms are due by Sunday, November 22 in Lois Wetherill’s church mailbox. SHYF - Tonight, 6:30 p.m., Kick the Can and Capture the Flag at the Boehr Farm. Meet at the church at 6:15 p.m. if you need a ride to the farm. If you are going to meet us there, the address is: 7270 Grismore Rd. Wear warm clothing that can get dirty. New: A small number of large print bulletins are available for use during worship . Please ask an usher if you would like a large print bulletin. ~ Worship Commission Former pastor Jacob Friesen has requested that his “book,” the packet of his writing that was circulating among some of the older members of the congregation, should be placed in the church library. If anyone has this packet or knows where it may be, please contact the church office. Thank you. ~ Dick Weaver Thanksgiving dinner with FMC family will be held again this year in the Fellowship Hall. We will eat around noon on the 26th. Turkey will be prepared at the church, with the rest of the meal provided potluck style. Please let Lori Nester know if you plan to attend and what you would like to bring so that we can make sure we have plenty of food. Donations will be taken to cover the costs of the turkey and other expenses, with excess being donated to the Bluffton Food Pantry and the Deacon's Benevolence Fund. Wednesday, November 11, 8:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall – In connection with the Embracing Life and Death Elective Sunday school class, the film, “A Family Undertaking” will be shown . It lasts 56 minutes. This documentary explores the complex issues surrounding a growing trend: the home funeral movement. The film follows a variety of families who are experimenting with ways to make the death of a beloved family member or friend more personal and meaningful. (It isn’t just about saving money.) The program recognizes that there are caring professional undertakers whose services are welcomed by many families, but seeks to explore the needs many people have to reconnect with former rituals and observances around death. This film is very tender and opens the door for good discussion about faith, family, community and how we acknowledge death. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Brazo en Brazo Update - Enriquez and Veneranda have continued to call someone in Brazo en Brazo every week since moving to Madison, Wisconsin. They always express their gratitude for the things they learned in the Bible Class and Worship service and in English Class. Last Saturday and Sunday, Paul and Ann Conrad visited them. Veneranda was working and Enriquez had supper waiting when we arrived. Enriquez took us to the mall and showed us where he clerks in the shop of a Columbian importer of mostly woolen wearable art clothing items, all made by his family. We picked Veneranda up when she was done working at a Chinese food server at the food court in the same mall. Sunday we visited the growing congregation they are attending, toured Madison on foot and by bus and again answered questions, sang and prayed until bedtime. Enriquez and Veneranda reaffirmed that they are planning to return to Oaxaca to teach their people about God’s love for them and the good news of Jesus and forgiveness. We talked about options for training. They assured us they will return to Lima briefly before going to Mexico and said they hope we will visit them again. The bond of love in the Lord is strong. Camp Luz will host an Ohio Sustainable Food and Farming Conference, Nov. 20-22, 2009 , speaker Dan Davidson from Eau Claire, WI. This weekend event will provide a place for farmers, home gardeners, food enthusiasts, and church members to gather together to explore how our food choices impact creation as well as our communities. Visit our website for more information and a printable brochure and registration form. www.campluz.com Come join seven Mennonite congregations as we gather and lift our voices in song at the Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing at Lima Mennonite Church on Sunday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served following the song service. Lima Mennonite is located at 1318 N. Main St., Lima. Common Grounds Coffeehouse in Bluffton is sponsoring a " Cup of Compassion " Food Drive, next Saturday, November 14th, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Those who wish to donate a non-perishable food item or paper product will receive a FREE small drip coffee. Donations will benefit the Bluffton Community Assistance Program. Would like to give away the following: Almond color – Amana 21 Cu. Ft. electric fridge new in 1998. Has never needed any service – Amana Gas Stove – new in 1999: - oven electronic ignition replaced in 2007 - burners need to be lit by match Please contact Phil and Lois Sylak at 419-358-6132 or 419-722-3277. The items should be available the second week of November. GRATITUDE AND PRAYER REQUESTS Mennonite Mission Network - Pray that God will provide for the needs of Melanie Quinn and the youth she works with at the Bopaganang Basha youth center in Francistown, Botswana, as they study God’s word together and share the good news that there is life beyond an HIV-positive diagnosis. We wish Happy Birthday to James Dailey – 82nd November 12, Clarence Kooker – 81st November 14 Martin Kooker, son of Clarence and Mary Ann , had surgery on Tuesday, November 3 to replace an aortic valve in his heart. Surgery went well. He will remain in the VA Hospital in Washington, D.C. for another week. Cards can be sent to: Martin Kooker, SICU Unit, VA Hospital, 50 Irving St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20422. New Address: Ryan and Kristen Niekamp, 217 N. Lawn Ave., Bluffton, Ohio 45817
|
|
||||||
 |