Manchester Church of the Brethren
October 2, 2011
Joys and Concerns
There are many ways in which our lives are woven together. Honoring those connections is one of the ways we continue to form deeper relationships within community. In a spirit of prayer, please keep these spoken concerns in your hearts and minds in the coming days.
Within our faith community:
We pray for the Middle School Youth and advisors who were on a retreat this weekend at Koinonia. We pray for those who aren’t able to join us in worship this morning due to their current health limitations including: Margie Petry, Gene Snyder and Louise Miller. Those Deacons we lift in prayer include: Anne Garber, Lois Good, Ann Hartsough, Tom Hess and Alan & Marilyn Kieffaber. We pray for Teresa Clingaman on the death of her brother-in-law, Thursday morning, September 29. Jo Anne Valentine recovering in Timbercrest Healthcare following a recent hospitalization. Dorothy Mason hospitalized at Lutheran. Wilbur McFadden recovering at home following a recent hospitalization. We pray for all those in our congregation who attended the service of Love Feast, Feet Washing & Communion. May we all continue to seek a deeper sense of God’s presence in our lives. In the wider community we pray for:
Our sister church in El Salvador, Emanuel Baptist. We pray for the church school teachers as they help children and adults apply Bible ethics and social practice to daily living in their homes and neighborhoods. We pray this day for peace. Pastor On-Call
Pastor Karen: 982-8420, cell: 578-1247
Council Announcement
Church Council meeting will be held on Sunday, October 16, at 3:00 p.m. Items to be discussed include the approval of the 2012 Budget, elections of Executive Board members and conference delegates. Reports will be heard from the church staff. Childcare will be provided. Come and hear about our church’s mission and program.
Richard Harshbarger, Moderator
Weekly Calendar
The Family Life Center is open daily from 8 to 10 am for walking and exercise.
Monday, October 3
7:00 pm Property Commission
Tuesday, October 4
9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool
10:30 am Preschool in FLC
10:30 am Staff Meeting
12:00 pm Noon Women’s Bible Study
3:00 pm Nurture Commission
5:00 pm Weight Watchers – Room 220
5:00 pm Yoga
6:30 pm Worship/Décor Committee
7:00 pm Circle of Trust – Room 213
7:30 pm Volleyball
Wednesday, October 5
9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool
10:30 am Preschool in FLC
1:00 pm ECR Staff meeting in Room 213
6:30 pm Education Commission
7:00 pm Bell Choir
7:00 pm Youth Musical Rehearsal
Thursday, October 6
9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool visits the
Apple Orchard
5:00 pm Yoga
7:30 pm Ecclesia Choir
Friday, October 7 – Office Closed
Walkers please use West FLC door
9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool/FLC
5:30 pm Parent’s Night Out
Saturday, October 8
1:00 pm Youth Musical Rehearsal
Sunday, October 9
9:30 am Worship. What’s our dress code?
Pastor Jim. Text: Matt 22: 1-14. Ecclesia Choir
10:30 am Fellowship Time
10:45 am Christian Education
1:30 pm Youth Musical Rehearsal
5:30 pm College Student Meal
7:00 pm Room 213 in use
Executive Board Meeting Report
At its meeting on September 21, 2011, the Executive Board:
• opened the meeting with poem read by Tom Hess.
• listened to selected readings by Jim C. from the book “Peace Bible.”
• received the Treasurer’s report as of August 30. Contributions exceeded budgeted expense by $7,881. However, $24,000 in outreach gifts for the 3rd quarter have not been paid. Other income exceeded expense by $15,140. Current bank balance of $213,072, includes Eldridge estate fund. Stewardship continues to monitor the budget and will make recommendations to the board if adjustments are needed.
• adopted a 2012 budget that will be presented to the Council. This budget is a 4.18% increase from 2011. Copies of the budget will be available for the congregation the Sunday before and the Sunday of Council Meeting (October 16).
• approved the list of names for the ballot to serve as members of the Nominating Committee. Two will be elected.
• affirmed the ballot for the Council meeting as prepared by Nominating Committee.
• approved the purchase of new playground equipment and the transfer of up to $20,000 from the Eldredge Estate to cover the cost.
• approved the names of persons to be contacted to serve on the Education Commission.
• reminded the Board of the Council meeting on October 16 at 3:00 pm.
• closed the meeting by singing “Go Now in Peace” as a round. (We sounded great!)
Anne Myers, Executive Board Chair
Food – Fun – Friends & PIZZA!
The new season of Food-Fun-Friends starts on Wednesday, October 12, from 6 to 7 p.m. The season will continue on the second Wednesday of every month until March. Food-Fun-Friends includes a pizza and salad bar. We hope you’ll join us! Look for the RSVP in the Sunday bulletin on October 9 or call Kim Reinoehl (982-1461) or the church office (982-7523) to make your meal reservation.
Another Great Combination!
The Questers join the All Things Considered Sunday School Class to sponsor the October Fellowship Meal. It will be held on Wednesday, October 19, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Narthex. As usual, proceeds from this dinner go to the Matching Scholarship Fund. There will not be any Fellowship Meals during the Holiday Season of November and December, but mark your calendars for January 18 when the Fellowship Commission hosts their annual Chili Supper!
Senior High Youth
ü Joseph rehearsal Schedule:
Wednesday, October 5 - 7-8:30 pm
Saturday, October 8 - 1-3 pm
Sunday, October 9 - 1:30-3:30 pm
Be sure to bring your books if you've taken them home!
ü Senior High Dinner - November 6 @ Chinworths’. 5-7pm.
ü Powerhouse 2011 - November 12-13. Registrations are due early November and all the forms are available on the Manchester College website or in the youth room.
ü CCS Registration begins December 6. This year's theme is, "What's your carbon footprint?" and the event is held in New York City and Washington, DC - April 14-19, 2012. Info forms in the youth room.
ü Parents’ Night Out - Friday, December 2: 5-8pm.
Middle School Youth
ü National Junior High Sunday – Oct. 16. Run-through will be on Sat., Oct. 15 - 11:30 am in the sanctuary.
ü Nov. 11 - Friday Night at Selfs’. 6-8pm
ü Saturday, December 3 - Toffee Corn baking. Sales will be Sunday, Dec. 4, following worship. A shift schedule will be put together for Saturday baking
Changes to the Directory
Deb Manges’ e-mail: debmanges@yahoo.com
Pat Price, PO Box 81, Liberty Mills, IN 46946
Peg Briner: pbriner@spiecefitness.com
Ink cartridges & Old Phones:
The Senior High Youth continue to collect old cell phones and ink cartridges to recycle. Please place them in the basket by the pie safe in the Narthex. There is also a receptacle in The Hub at Timbercrest.
Sign up for Retreat
The Circle of Trust facilitators invite you to an overnight event at the Fetzer Institutes retreat center near Three Rivers, MI. The $60 fee includes lodging and meeting space rental and some food. If interested, be in touch with either Nancy Olson, Helen Beery or Jim Chinworth. The group will depart North Manchester at 8am Monday, October 17, and return late afternoon Tuesday (18th).
Mark Your Calendars!
Everyone is invited to participate in a morning of workshops called “The Times of Our Lives,” Saturday, October 15, at our Church. The morning starts with a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and fruit from 8-8:45 and is followed by a keynote address from David Waas. This event is provided for you free of charge.
Please fill out your bulletin insert and return it to the church office by Sunday, October 9.
Trick or Treat for UNICEF
On Sunday, October 23, there will be a change in how we support the United Nation’s Children’s Fund. Our children will not be canvassing the Timbercrest Neighborhood Apartments this year. Following worship on October 23, ‘trick or treaters’ will greet you with donation buckets. Also, for Timbercrest residents, donation boxes will once again be placed outside Rose Garden and Courtyard Dining Rooms the week leading up to October 23. Your contributions to UNICEF work to bring the necessities of life to children around the world. Medical care, safe water supply, nutrition and education are provided through the efforts of UNICEF. We hope you’ll share in this worthy project.
Laura Gable, Education Commission
Progressive Brethren Gathering – Registration Open!
On-line registration is now available for the Progressive Brethren Gathering, November 11-13 at the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, IL. To register, either download a brochure or register online at:
Mark your calendars - "Silent Auction"
The senior high youth are sponsoring a Silent Auction to be held January 15, 22, and 29, 2012. Organizing this year's auction will be Jan Fahs and Bonnie Shenefield. Keep alert to details late in the fall for bringing items, services, etc., to be bid on to raise funds for a trip to El Salvador the summer of 2012.
Sunday School Project
Church World Service is in need of clean up bucket kits. Would you like to donate a bucket but do not want the job of shopping for all the items and getting the bucket shipped? The third/fourth grade class is willing to do the work of purchasing and putting the cleaning buckets together. Anyone that would like to donate toward this project, find our table in the Narthex on October Sundays of 9 and 16. Thank you, Harley Kruschwitz, Kelsey Eichenauer, Hannah Lehman, Samuel Reichenbach, Justin Self, Susannah Watson, Konrad Borgmann, Leo Fuller Wollman, Ann Hartsough, Alice Campbell, Angilee Beery.
Peabody Retirement Community
Is celebrating 80 years of the ageless spirit and invite us to join them for these special events:
Wednesday, October 5. Rededication
(re-creates the 1931 ceremony)
Thursday, October 6: Country Fair
(bluegrass band, carnival, pie contest, more!)
Friday, October 7: Recognition Service
(employee honor roll)
Saturday, October 8: Gala Event
(by invitation only)
Sunday, October 9: Worship Service begins at 11 a.m. in the Health Center followed by Chapel at 2:30 p.m. with a reception afterwards
Gratitude for Church Family
The Communion Committee would like to express our appreciation for this Congregation and the enthusiastic help provided with putting furniture away and all the clean-up following Love Feast Sunday evening, October 2. About 72 people participate in the worship, Agape Meal and Feet-Washing. It was a meaningful and memorable experience for all! Thank you.
Church of the Brethren announces layoffs from denominational staff
Nine positions on the Church of the Brethren denominational staff have been cut as part of balancing the 2012 budget. The layoffs follow a new management structure for staff (see www.brethren.org/orgchart) announced in August by general secretary Stan Noffsinger.
The need to reduce next year’s budget was anticipated for some time by staff and board doing financial planning. For two years the Mission and Ministry Board has chosen to use reserves to balance the Core Ministries budget, wanting time to complete a strategic plan before making changes in staffing structure.
In early July, the board approved a 2012 budget parameter that requires reductions of $638,000 to achieve a balanced budget in the Core Ministries Fund. Contributing factors to the budget gap include the continuing economic recession, declining contributions from congregations and individuals, and increasing costs for health insurance and other expenses
Messenger
Be sure to read the September issue of Messenger magazine, which provides detailed coverage of Annual Conference in Grand Rapids. Also available is an online study guide.
If you missed the September issue, you may order a copy at www.brethrenpress.com or call Messenger subscriptions at 800-323-8039, ext. 247. Copies are $2 each, and quantities are limited. Better yet, start a subscription for you or someone else. Messenger is an essential way for Brethren to keep connected. Read, reflect, respond. Submit your Letter to the Editor at messenger@brethren.org .
