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Where were you 130 years ago? Yeah, I can't remember either.
But 130 years ago, the Caledonia Congregational Church had its first worship service in its new building in August of 1895. This very building that we are still worshipping in. Sometimes I try to imagine what that would have been like. Sometimes I try to imagine how many people have come through the doors over the years. And sometimes I try to imagine what has been done in Jesus' name by those people over all these years. What impact did they have? What lives did they touch? How is the world different because of them? One of the things that motivates me in ministry is that we often have no idea how our ministry will impact the lives of those we touch. Annanias had no idea that when he obeyed God and went and prayed for a man named Saul, that Saul would become the great Apostle Paul, and that God would use him so mightily to change the world. We just don't know. So, if we are wise, we should always seek to know God's will and then do whatever he asks. Then we must trust that he will make those efforts good. 130 years ago, our spiritual fathers and mothers gathered together to worship and to go into the world as God's agents. We are likewise called. What will be our legacy 130 years from now? We have work to do. And God is our source of strength for that work. Let's do it! Love you all! Gary Calendar Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom. 8/3 - Communion Sunday 8/17 - Anniversary Worship Service and Picnic 8/24 - Prayer Time before worship - 9:15 a.m. 8/31 - Coin Collection for Benevolence Wednesdays - Bible Study - Every Wednesday except August 6 via Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursdays - 8/14 - Church Board Meeting - 7 p.m. - Meeting in person at the church. Other News and Details - Zoom - Please contact Gary at [email protected] for the Zoom link. Church Anniversary Celebration - Sunday, 8/17 - We are celebrating 130 years of worship services in this church building on Sunday, August 17. We hope everyone will be able to join us in person for this marvelous milestone. We are grateful to God for his faithfulness over all these years. We will start with worship inside and then go outside for a picnic. We will have brats, hot dogs, sides, drinks, and games to play. This will be a great day of celebrating! Help for the Anniversary Celebration - We will need lots of help to make this happen on 8/17. On Sunday, 8/3, we will be handing out flyers around the village to invite them. We need volunteers to take those around. If you know someone who should be at the picnic, be sure to invite them in person or mail them a flyer. We also need everyone to sign up to bring side dishes for the picnic. If we get many from the village, we will need lots of food. Please consider signing up for 1-2 side dishes. We will also need help setting up tables for the picnic. That would need to happen before church, so perhaps around 9:30 a.m. Of course, we will need help with cleanup as well. Let's all pray for this day as well. Pray for nice weather for the picnic, good attendance, and that it will be a God-honoring day. Sunday Morning Prayer Time - 8/24 - Join Gary before worship at 9:15 a.m. in the sanctuary to pray. Flowers for the Altar - We want to encourage you to bring your garden flowers to share with us on Sunday mornings. Feel free to bring them on any Sunday and put them up in the front of the church. Sympathy - Jessica Boezem's dad, David, died this week. We want to extend our sympathy to her and all her family at this time. They will be traveling to Tennessee for his funeral. Birthdays - We like to include birthdays in our monthly newsletter. We are missing dates for some of you. Please let Jennifer know if you have not seen yours listed, but would like to be included. Friends-
Remember what I said last month? Of course not! I wouldn't either, even though I wrote it! Except I checked... Let me say it again. Get out there. Live. Fully. Recklessly. Really? Yes, really. If you are his and you abide in Jesus, and he abides in you, then you can count on him to guide your steps, to take you to places you haven't yet imagined. All this because he loves you and wants you to be fully who he created you to be. Let me clarify. By reckless, I mean fully surrendered to him. Willing to go wherever he leads, do whatever he asks. To join him every day in this crazy dance called life. Not to do whatever I want whenever I want. But to do whatever he wants, whenever and however and wherever he wants. That's the adventure. That's the romance. So, I've said this now a couple of times. Only because I love you too, and want us to be the people he intends. What an amazing world this will be when we are! Have a great month! Gary Calendar Sundays - Every Sunday, Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom. 7/6 - Communion Sunday 7/13 - Outdoor Worship under the oaks 7/20 - Worship in the sanctuary 7/27 - Prayer Time before worship - 9:15 a.m. Raindate for outdoor worship Wednesdays - Every Wednesday - Bible Study via Zoom - 7 p.m. Thursdays - 7/10 - Church Board Meeting via Zoom - 7 p.m.- Note different date than normal. Saturdays - 7/12 - Coffee and Conversation for women at CopperBear Farm - 9 a.m. Other News and Details - Zoom - Contact Gary at [email protected] for the Zoom link. Upper Room Devotionals - The July/August Upper Rooms are now available at the church. Be sure to get one! Coffee and Conversation at CopperBear Farm - 7/12 - The women of the church are invited for coffee and conversation at CopperBear Farm, otherwise known as Angela and Stacy Green's Garden. We hope you can join us on Saturday, July 12, at 9 a.m. Their yard is beautiful and their garden is amazing. They grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Plus, they raise chickens! Angela is knowledgeable about using the herbs medicinally. She will give us a tour and a talk. Please RSVP to Jennifer if you plan on coming. We will plan on some simple refreshments. If you would like to help with that, please let Jennifer know that as well. You can park at the church and just walk over to their big garden across the street. Outdoor Worship - 7/13 - We will once again gather outside for worship on Sunday, July 13. Please come early and stay late if you can help with setup and takedown. The rain date will be July 27. Prayer Request - Please keep Colleen Blaney in your prayers as she travels on her mission trip to Guatemala this month. She is part of a team that is sharing water filters and the gospel with people in need. Thanks to many of you who gave her financial support to buy filters. This trip is saving people's lives both physically and spiritually. Flowers for the Altar - We would love to see your garden flowers. Feel free to bring a vase full of your flowers to share up front on Sunday mornings. If we are outside, bring them and we will display them out there. Sunday Fellowship - Every Sunday, we make coffee and have a few prepackaged snacks available. The freezer is now empty of any other treats, so we would love to have you bring something to share. Take the time to come in and get to know each other a little better. Sunday Morning Prayer Time - 7/27 - If you are interested in praying or being prayed for, plan on coming to the sanctuary at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, July 27. Hopefully, this will become a monthly time to pray together. Firestation Chicken Barbeque - 7/27 - The North Boone District #3 Firefighters Association is holding their annual Chicken BBQ on Sunday, July 27, starting at 11 a.m. It will be at Station 2 on the corner of Caledonia Road and Dawson Lake Road. The cost is $15, and includes half of a chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, beans, rolls, and chips. This is their 50th anniversary. Eat in or drive through options. Looking Ahead - Church Anniversary Celebration - 8/17 - We will be celebrating 130 years of worship services in this church building on Sunday, August 17. This is quite the milestone! We thank God for his many years of faithfulness to this church. We will start with a worship service and then go outside for a picnic. We will have brats, hot dogs, sides, and drinks. We are taking a flyer around to invite the village to join in our celebration. If you know someone who would enjoy this day, be sure to invite them. We will need help to make this all happen. Stay tuned for more details |
AuthorGary Schwerin, pastor Archives
February 2026
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