In a spirit of prayer, please keep these spoken concerns in your hearts and minds in the coming days.

 

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The next Food-Fun-Friends is coming up on Wednesday, January 11 from 6 to 7 p.m. We hope you’ll join us!

Please contact Kim Reinoehl (982-1461 or kjreinoehl@manchester.edu) or fill out the January 8 bulletin RSVP to make your meal reservation. Pizza requests are welcome!

 

We are grateful to the Fellowship Commission for providing Holy Hospitality between Worship and Sunday School for the month of January.

January 1 – Epiphany. Elizabeth Struble-Hedstrom Text: Luke 2: 22-40. Steve Cripe, Special Music

January 8 – In the Beginning. Pastor Kurt. Text: Genesis 1: 1-5; Mark 1: 4-11. Ecclesia Choir

January 15 – Communion Sunday  -  How do you know me? Pastor Kurt. Psalm 139: 1-6; John 1: 43-51. Taizé Choir, Ecclesia Choir

January 22 – Change your mind? Pastor Kurt. Text: Jonah 3: 1-5; Mark 1: 14-20. Ecclesia Choir

January 29 -  Becoming famous.Pastor Kurt. Deuteronomy 18: 15-20; Mark 1: 21-28. Melodia Choir, Youth Choir

 

Questers meet in the Chapel. 

Jan .8: Stewardship. Dennis Butler

Jan. 15 through 29. Earth on the Edge. Ferne Baldwin

Koinonia meets in the Conference Room. This month, Gordon & Darlene Bucher will be leading exploration into The Thirteen Disciples and their Attributes.

Friends Class meets in Room 211

All Things Considered Class meets in Room 220

Jubilee Class meets in Room 301. Beginning January 8, Kurt Borgmann will lead from the book, Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamont.

 

Let’s face it – when it comes to money, the cacophony of demands is truly deafening. It’s so hard to listen above the din of shouts of the mortgage payment, the utility bills, the tuition fees, the taxes, the credit card deadlines. They all scream, “Pay me! – or else!”

Then there are the quieter calls, the whisperings, the nudgings, from good causes, the charities, the church – not nearly so demanding, not threatening. If we listen closely, though, these calls are compelling and convincing. Let us listen to the quieter calls and feel invited to give.

(used in worship by Susan Klingler in 2011)

At its meeting on December 21, 2011, the Executive Board:

•      opening meditation led by Julie Garber.

•      participated in an exercise about the birth of Jesus, led by Jim Chinworth, who also read a poem by Jan Richardson.

•      received the Treasurer’s report as of November 30. Expenses exceeded contributions by $7,568. Other income exceeded expense by $15,981. Net income year to date as of November 30 was $8,413. The cash reserve ratio was 2.41 which means church operations could continue for nearly two and one-half months if no additional contributions were received.

•      learned a check in the amount of $20,000 was received from the estate of Gene and Beth Stone. This is 80% of the anticipated bequest.

•      adopted a “Policy on Background Checks for Professional Staff” as recommended by PMPC.

•      approved a transfer from unrestricted net assets to restore corrected balances to the Bell Choir Fund and Music Fund. This was a result of work by Jan who reviewed the way memorial gifts were classified the last five years.

•      approved the creation of a “Capital Expenditure Fund” in anticipation of future repairs and replacements.

•      expressed appreciation to Dennis Unger and Anne Myers who have completed their terms of service on the Board.

•      closed the meeting with prayer led by Karen.

 

Yoga is on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Narthex from 5pm to 6pm. For more information please contact Heather Mitchell at (214) 502-8035 or

 

 

Our holiday “warm-overs” are getting used up and our bellies are content. We are comforted by aromas and loved ones. How easy it is to become complacent and forget that not everyone can have such experiences.

 

 

REACH assisted 9 clients last month, six of those needs were for utilities, even though governmental energy programs kicked in.

THE THRIFT SHOP logged 349 volunteer hours and did a very brisk business. The cookies were appreciated by the shoppers.

THURSDAY’S CHILD Thirty small children were helped last month with food and clothing.

FOOD PANTRY has had progress with the walk-in freezer/fridge project.

THE ANGEL TREE project served over 81 families (400+tags), and the delivery process will be improved next year.

 

On Thursday, Jan. 19 come to a special performance of the third concert in the Freimann Chamber Series. The musicians will repeat their Jan. 18 Fort Wayne concert for the College and North Manchester community audience. The North Manchester campus performance begins at 7 p.m. in Wine Recital Hall. Tickets are $10, available at The Phil Box Office, 260-481-0777 or online at fwphil.org, or at the Manchester College Office of Academic Affairs, 260-982-5051 or Office of Academic Affairs, Administration 133.

 

 

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Persons enrolled in January graduate and academy level intensive classes, a place for fellowship and learning.

January 1:   Many of us are making lists for the new year. We long to better ourselves, make a new start, or even change certain patterns. At the same time there are those for whom the power to change has either been taken away by others or is inhibited by health. Pray for those whose longing cannot be satisfied. Pray that your own new beginning may also transform those around you.

January 8:   This week a number of Youth and Young Adult programs begin the registration process. Pray for the young people of our denomination. Pray that gatherings such as National Young Adult Conference and Workcamps might be places of encouragement and of transformation. Seek out the young people of your community and covenant to pray for their experiences in the coming year.

January 15: This week many businesses and organizations will take a day off to remember the witness and life of Martin Luther King Jr. Though racism is no longer legally sanctioned, many people are still deeply affected by more subtle forms of prejudice. First, pray that the Spirit might reveal your own prejudices. Second, pray that obvious and subtle forms of racism might be removed both from our hearts and actions.

Martin Luther King Jr. once commented that Sunday mornings are the most segregated hours of the week in America. Skim through the pages of your phonebook or do a Google search for churches near you. How might you reach out to these communities as part of the Body of Christ? Pray that the relationships that emerge between Christian congregations might transform your community.

January 29: Our physical warmth is often just a blanket or jacket away. Take a few minutes to count the number of winter coats and blankets in your house. Prayerfully discern how your own resources might be shared with those who are cold this week. How might your surplus be shared so that many might have enough?

 

Friends,

The Arab, AL project can use volunteers January 8-14 and maybe a few supplemental volunteers January 15-21 to add to the Michigan District assignment. The Pleasant Dale congregation has scheduled to be in AL again March 25-31.

As a district we are scheduled to provide volunteers April 1-7 for the BDM project waiting list for 2012. That just means we will be put on the schedule when a new project is accepted. It calls for a bit of flexibility because we don't know yet where we will be going and it may be (not likely) that no new assignment would open up. Please start recruiting folks from your church and send the registration forms to: kindy@cpt.org. Those forms are at brethrendisasterministries.org on the link about building new homes. Or call me at 260-982-2971.

That week is the week before Easter so this time you would be an Easter present to families! Remember that there are transportation funds from the district, Come be a part of this good work!

Cliff Kindy, District Disaster Coordinator