Friends-
We need each other. God created us for unity and community. None of us stands alone in our faith or in our life for long. If we don't stand together, before long, we fall apart. We need God, and we need each other.
We heard a great word of admonition and encouragement just last Sunday from one of us. The point was, that while we have a number of opportunities for life and growth in our congregational life, not many take advantage of them. It wasn't spoken as a chastisement. Rather it was a call to recognize the opportunities that exist, and to take advantage of them.
I fully agree. The Bible clearly calls us to community. Clearly tells us that we need each other. "Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the day of the Lord is coming nearer." (Hebrews 10:24,25)
Don't you know that if the day of the Lord was drawing closer back then, it must almost be upon us by now. The world continues to be a mess. How long before the Lord returns? No one knows, and I'm not guessing. But we will be stronger, and able to face whatever we must, if we stand strong together in Jesus.
Not only do we need each other, our neighbors need us, too. Need us to stand together, work together, serve together, The people in the village, the school, the village board, our brothers and sisters in other congregations- we can bless all of them better by being together.
So here is a suggestion/request/plea- join us Sunday mornings as often as you can. Not just when it's convenient. Because we need each other. Someone is not getting a blessing if you aren't there. You won't get a blessing if you aren't there. Jesus is throwing a party, and he want's his house full (Luke 14:15-24).
Come to the party!
Gary
CALENDAR
Sunday March 1 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am.
- Worship Service with Communion - 10:30 am - Hill family providing worship music.
Saturday March 7 - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS TOMORROW - TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD 1 HOUR TONIGHT! Sunday March 8 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am.
- Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th -12th graders are invited.
Thursday March 12 - Church Board Meeting - 7 PM - Church Fellowship Room.
Sunday March 15 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Hiking after fellowship. Get out and enjoy some fresh air!
Thursday March 19 - Community Dinner at Poplar Grove Methodist Dinner - Please come to eat and meet other people from this area. Our church is the host this night and it would be great to have some of us represented at the meal. Serving starts at 5:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to reach out to some people who perhaps do not have a church.
Sunday March 22 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th-12th graders are invited.
Sunday March 29 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday April 2 - Maundy Thursday Soup Supper and Service with Communion
- Serving starts at 5:45 PM, service is at 7PM. Watch for sign up sheet in the fellowship room.
STUDY/GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Sundays - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - This group is finishing up the book of John. Next month there will be a new study.
-Youth Group - 5-7PM - Church Basement - Now meeting the second and fourth Sundays of the month.
6-12 graders are invited. Pizza, games, and a video lesson are all parts of the evening. Talk to Steve Barrick.
Wednesdays - Potluck and Bible Study - 6 PM - Barrick's Home - Just getting started on the book Love Does by Bob Goff.
Talk to Gary.
Thursdays - Women's Book Study - 1 PM - Judy Murphy's Home - Finishing up One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Saturdays - Men's Book Study - 8:30 am - Dandy Donuts on Riverside. Talk to Gary if interested.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Greeters and Refreshments - Always looking for people to take care of these important facets of Sunday morning. Sign up in the fellowship room.
Blue Barrel - Consider bringing a few groceries to place in our food collection barrel. Located in the fellowship room.
Pregnancy Care Center - Looking for donations of baby items. See full list at church in the fellowship room.
Maundy Thursday - April 2 will find us gathering for our soup supper and service. Watch for a sign up sheet to provide food for our soup supper.
Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16- Spring All Church Garage, Plant, and Bake Sale - featuring also a bake sale and perennial plant sale. To be held at Jacob and Kylie Loewecke's home. Start your spring cleaning now and gather things that you can donate to our sale. We ask that you price anything that is not clothing. Prefer clothing on hangers if possible. We will be collecting at the church. As spring moves along, consider dividing some of your perennial plants, and donate them to sell. Why not bake some goodies now and stick them in your freezer for our bake sale? We will hav a sign up sheet for specific areas that we need help with. Please consider how you can help! Let's all work together to build another well!!
OTHER NEWS
AFRICAN WELL - We voted at the annual meeting to send $15,000 to World Vision to build a well in Zambia. That check has been sent and now we are looking ahead to challenge ourselves to raise money for another well. We have one plan for a fundraiser for this spring. We really want everyone in the church to get involved with raising this money. We would like to see perhaps another idea for the summer, one for fall and one for early winter. We would like individuals to volunteer to be on the point for these fundraisers. Joyce Loewecke, Angela Green, and Jennifer Schwerin are organizing a Spring garage, plant and bake sale. Please talk to one of them, if you have a good fundraising idea that you would like to organize after the garage sale.
CHURCH LIBRARY AND BOOK EXCHANGE - We have many great books at our church. In the fellowship room are shelves of books focusing on our walk with Christ. Grab one and take home to read. The book exchange in the basement is a nice mix of fiction, non-fiction, magazines, and children's books. These can be borrowed and even kept if you want. Bring books and magazines that you are finished with and leave them in the book exchange.
We need each other. God created us for unity and community. None of us stands alone in our faith or in our life for long. If we don't stand together, before long, we fall apart. We need God, and we need each other.
We heard a great word of admonition and encouragement just last Sunday from one of us. The point was, that while we have a number of opportunities for life and growth in our congregational life, not many take advantage of them. It wasn't spoken as a chastisement. Rather it was a call to recognize the opportunities that exist, and to take advantage of them.
I fully agree. The Bible clearly calls us to community. Clearly tells us that we need each other. "Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the day of the Lord is coming nearer." (Hebrews 10:24,25)
Don't you know that if the day of the Lord was drawing closer back then, it must almost be upon us by now. The world continues to be a mess. How long before the Lord returns? No one knows, and I'm not guessing. But we will be stronger, and able to face whatever we must, if we stand strong together in Jesus.
Not only do we need each other, our neighbors need us, too. Need us to stand together, work together, serve together, The people in the village, the school, the village board, our brothers and sisters in other congregations- we can bless all of them better by being together.
So here is a suggestion/request/plea- join us Sunday mornings as often as you can. Not just when it's convenient. Because we need each other. Someone is not getting a blessing if you aren't there. You won't get a blessing if you aren't there. Jesus is throwing a party, and he want's his house full (Luke 14:15-24).
Come to the party!
Gary
CALENDAR
Sunday March 1 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am.
- Worship Service with Communion - 10:30 am - Hill family providing worship music.
Saturday March 7 - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS TOMORROW - TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD 1 HOUR TONIGHT! Sunday March 8 - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am.
- Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th -12th graders are invited.
Thursday March 12 - Church Board Meeting - 7 PM - Church Fellowship Room.
Sunday March 15 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Hiking after fellowship. Get out and enjoy some fresh air!
Thursday March 19 - Community Dinner at Poplar Grove Methodist Dinner - Please come to eat and meet other people from this area. Our church is the host this night and it would be great to have some of us represented at the meal. Serving starts at 5:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to reach out to some people who perhaps do not have a church.
Sunday March 22 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
- Youth Group - 5-7 PM - Church Basement - 6th-12th graders are invited.
Sunday March 29 - Worship Service - 10:30 am.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday April 2 - Maundy Thursday Soup Supper and Service with Communion
- Serving starts at 5:45 PM, service is at 7PM. Watch for sign up sheet in the fellowship room.
STUDY/GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Sundays - Adult Bible Study - 9:15 am - This group is finishing up the book of John. Next month there will be a new study.
-Youth Group - 5-7PM - Church Basement - Now meeting the second and fourth Sundays of the month.
6-12 graders are invited. Pizza, games, and a video lesson are all parts of the evening. Talk to Steve Barrick.
Wednesdays - Potluck and Bible Study - 6 PM - Barrick's Home - Just getting started on the book Love Does by Bob Goff.
Talk to Gary.
Thursdays - Women's Book Study - 1 PM - Judy Murphy's Home - Finishing up One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Saturdays - Men's Book Study - 8:30 am - Dandy Donuts on Riverside. Talk to Gary if interested.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Greeters and Refreshments - Always looking for people to take care of these important facets of Sunday morning. Sign up in the fellowship room.
Blue Barrel - Consider bringing a few groceries to place in our food collection barrel. Located in the fellowship room.
Pregnancy Care Center - Looking for donations of baby items. See full list at church in the fellowship room.
Maundy Thursday - April 2 will find us gathering for our soup supper and service. Watch for a sign up sheet to provide food for our soup supper.
Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16- Spring All Church Garage, Plant, and Bake Sale - featuring also a bake sale and perennial plant sale. To be held at Jacob and Kylie Loewecke's home. Start your spring cleaning now and gather things that you can donate to our sale. We ask that you price anything that is not clothing. Prefer clothing on hangers if possible. We will be collecting at the church. As spring moves along, consider dividing some of your perennial plants, and donate them to sell. Why not bake some goodies now and stick them in your freezer for our bake sale? We will hav a sign up sheet for specific areas that we need help with. Please consider how you can help! Let's all work together to build another well!!
OTHER NEWS
AFRICAN WELL - We voted at the annual meeting to send $15,000 to World Vision to build a well in Zambia. That check has been sent and now we are looking ahead to challenge ourselves to raise money for another well. We have one plan for a fundraiser for this spring. We really want everyone in the church to get involved with raising this money. We would like to see perhaps another idea for the summer, one for fall and one for early winter. We would like individuals to volunteer to be on the point for these fundraisers. Joyce Loewecke, Angela Green, and Jennifer Schwerin are organizing a Spring garage, plant and bake sale. Please talk to one of them, if you have a good fundraising idea that you would like to organize after the garage sale.
CHURCH LIBRARY AND BOOK EXCHANGE - We have many great books at our church. In the fellowship room are shelves of books focusing on our walk with Christ. Grab one and take home to read. The book exchange in the basement is a nice mix of fiction, non-fiction, magazines, and children's books. These can be borrowed and even kept if you want. Bring books and magazines that you are finished with and leave them in the book exchange.
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