There is much that connects us to each other in this community of faith. Please keep these thoughts in your hearts and minds in the days to come.

 

•         Those who were unable to worship with us due to their current health limitations, including: Kathryn Becker, Betty Campbell, Lois Thompson, Evan & Lucile Kinsley.

•         Ken Brown hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic. Ken was transferred to Cleveland on Tuesday, October 19.

•         Howard Domer recovering at Timbercrest following a recent hospitalization and out-patient procedure on Friday, October 22, to repair a fractured vertebra.

•         Jean Stone recovering at Peabody following a recent hospitalization for a fall on Tuesday, October 19.

•         Herb Chinworth recovering at home after a recent hospitalization.

•         The family of Kathryn Lugenbill. Kathryn died this past Tuesday, October 19. She was Eric Reichenbach’s grandmother.

•         Our sister church in El Salvador, Emanuel Baptist. We pray for the health and growth in wisdom of the teachers and the children of the Emanuel primary day school and secondary school.

•         The family of Ken Shafer. Ken was a long time archivist at the Brethren offices in Elgin, IL. He died Saturday, October 23.

•         The family of John Eller, former Executive Administrator of the Bethany hospital in Chicago. John died this past week.

•         We pray for peace.

 

The Family Life Center is open from 8 to 10 am for walking and exercise. Nursery School may use the FLC from 10 to 11.

 

9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool / FLC            

10:30 am Staff meeting

5:00 pm         Weight Watchers – Room 220

6:00 pm Yoga – Narthex

7:00 pm            Child Protection Policy Committee 7:30 pm    Volleyball

9:30 am Peace Patch Preschool / FLC            

6:00 pm       Witness Commission

6:30 pm Room 113 in use

7:00 pm      Stephen Ministry

 

 

Kurt. 2 Corinthians 9:11-15 Ecclesia Choir.

The voice-mail feature of our phone system is still out of order. While a new phone system is being installed, you may call the church office (982-7523) and leave a message with Alice to pass along. If you prefer, you may leave a voice-mail message on any of the staff cell phones.

Pastor Kurt: 1-260-450-0759

Pastor Karen: 578-1247

Pastor Jim: 1-260-402-7506

 

While not yet open to the public, the church staff is involved with training and editing the content on each page of our new website. You will find newsletter archives, calendar links, photos, sermons, and more as you explore the unfolding progress of our new website.

No more e-mails of newsletters once the new site is up and running! Each Monday you will be able to find the new issue or print it to read at your leisure. There should be links to any back issues you may have missed as well.

 

Elizabeth Waas-Smith: 810-986-0855

Stan & Christine Beery: 

stanbeery@gmail.com

 klingler@frontier.com

Jim & Carol Streator: jtstreator@frontier.com

 

The Messenger Bible Study Group will meet on Monday, October 25, at 7 p.m. in the Education Room at Timbercrest.   We'll discuss Matthew 17-20, with the help of our Bible commentaries. Come join us for this interesting hour of study together. Please direct questions to Jo Ann Schall, 982-16977. 

The All Things Considered Class will be selling our church cookbook in the Narthex on November 7 and 14 during Fellowship Hour. The cookbooks are $10 each. They make great birthday or Christmas gifts. Thanks

 

                

At its meeting on October 20, 2010, the Executive Board:

•      had a conversation with Pastor Jim reflecting on identity and call by focusing on a passage in John 4.

•      received the treasurer’s report as of September 30: current bank balance is $72,911; budgeted expenses in the General Fund exceeded income by $6,610; other income exceeded other expense by $17,350; third quarter outreach gifts have been made.

•      heard that new sound speakers have been installed in the sanctuary. Positive feedback has been received so far.

•      received a progress report on the new MCOB website, it is developing nicely, currently looking at ways to include sound on the site, a target date to go “live” has not been set.

•            discussed the church membership recordkeeping process and decided on the next steps to plan and implement new procedures.

•      approved a request for a transfer of membership into the congregation which will transpire in a future worship service.

•      approved the names of persons to be contacted to serve as Fellowship Commission members.

•      approved the creation of a new fund for Sabbatical Professional Growth. Information about the fund will be shared through a future Memo article.

We’re hopeful that you’ll “FALL” in for a new season of FOOD—FUN—FRIENDS beginning the second Wednesday of the month—November 10, from 6 to 7: pm. The season will co-tinue on the second Wednesday of December –the 9th. A fabulous pizza and salad bar awaits you. . . so come hungry!

Note: Children’s Christmas Program rehearsals will precede both of these meals.

Look for an RSVP in the November 7 Sunday bulletin, or call Joel Eichenauer (982-1509) or the church office (982-7523) to make reservations.

 

The following items were enacted and reviewed at the Fall Council Meeting:

Richard Harshbarger, Moderator

 

 

 

 

* Thank you to everyone who participated in our sub sale last Sunday. We sold 115 subs; the proceeds go toward next summer’s Heri-tage Tour and National Junior High Confer-ence.

* This Thursday, October 28, is our “Friday night at the church;” be in the Family Life Center by 6:30 pm. Part of the time we will plan for Junior High Sunday. Weather permitting, we’ll have a campfire at the new campfire ring on the church property.

*    November 7 – Junior High Sunday. Be at the church by 8:15 am so we can get ready for participating in worship.

*    November 20-21 – Fall Retreat at Koino-nia - late afternoon Saturday through Sunday noon. Flyers will be sent home early in November.

 

*    Registrations for Powerhouse 2010, a re-gional Church of the Brethren conference, are due to Jim Chinworth or the church office by Sunday, October 31. Information has been sent home. This conference includes all six area districts and will be held at Manchester College. Speakers include Angie Lahman Yoder and Dave Sollenberger, two NYC speakers.

*     December 3 - Childcare for Parents’ Night Out—followed by “Just the girls/Just the guys.”

* Thank you to everyone who continues to bring in old cell phones and ink cartridges for our Phoneraiser. We’ve raised over $500 so far this year. There is also a drop-off box in the Hub at Timbercrest—near the nurses’ station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Sabbatical Professional Growth Fund

In response to inquiries from members of the congregation, at its October 2010 meeting the Executive Board adopted the creation of a new restricted fund. Contributions to this fund will support professional growth expenses of the pastor and associate pastors while they are on sabbatical.

 

Pastors are entitled to regular professional growth funds in the general budget in the fiscal year in which sabbaticals occur. The pastors are also entitled to use monies from this restricted fund for travel, conference, courses, and other professional growth activities related to the sabbatical. The funds do not cover the expenses of accompanying family members, friends or colleagues.

 

Contributions to the fund can be made by check with the appropriate designation in the memo line of the check. Contributions can also be made via the offering envelope with the restriction noted on the “other” line of the envelope. Contact Jan Fahs, church treasurer, if you have questions about the restricted fund.

 

The third Progressive Brethren Gathering will be held on November 12-14 at our church. The conference will explore the theme: Forward Together: Conversations Towards an Enlivened Community. Cost of the two-day event is $100, with limited scholarships available and special rates for students and children. On-line registration is available at www.progressivebrethren.org..   For additional information, please contact Carol Wise at 612.343.2060, or email cwise@bmclgbt.org

 

 Almost 20 percent of Manchester College students are preparing for careers in education.

 “Wandering in the Wonders of Science is a collaboration between Manchester College and the North Manchester community,” said Stacy Stetzel, Wonders of Science chair and a member of the MC faculty. “Our seniors are able to put theory into practice by working directly with children.  The opportunity to develop, implement and then complete the cycle with reflections based on experiences is a very effective learning experience for our teacher candidates.”

Please bring your contributions, both food and $$, and place them in the pie safe in the vestibule.  Items that are always low at the pantry include:  soups, toilet paper, dish and bar soap, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables and cans of tuna.

Friday, November 5 - 9:30 am

Liberty Mills Church of the Brethren

This year’s celebration of World Community Day honors the challenge left to us by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It will be a gathering to renew our faith and commitment to wholeness, economic justice and a Beloved Community.

Church Women United, Dorothy Weldy

 

The Jesus Seminar on the Road is coming to the Unitarian Meeting House in Fort Wayne November 5-6. Two scholars, Charles Hedrick and Hal Taussig, will discuss Jesus as a wisdom teacher. Their topics include "Jesus, the Peasant Sage," "The Quips of Jesus," "Jesus's Wisdom and the Social Upheaval of His Galilean Setting," "Parables," and "The Promise of the Wisdom of Jesus for Making Contemporary Meanings in a (Post) Modern World."

 

The Church of the Brethren Credit Union is not a secret, yet many members are not aware of the services it offers. During the month of October several incentives are being offered to encourage people to become a partner in this ministry. Just call Connie or Jill at 1-888-832-1383 or visit www.cobcu.org.

 

Standing Committee Delegate Jeff Castetter has scheduled four Special Response Hear-ings. These will be facilitated discussions to assist the Standing Committee of Annual Con-ference in formulating its recommendations to next year’s Annual Conference regarding the 2008 Standing Committee Statement of Confession and Commitment and the 2009 Query: Language on Same-sex Covenantal Relationships. Please put one of these hear-ings on your calendar and participate in the process of listening, as well as giving input:

·       Sunday, October 31, 2:30-4:30 pm at Manchester C/B   PLUS a second one at 6:30 pm

·       Saturday, December 4, 9:30-11:30 am at Grandview C/B

 

Week of Nov. 7: Praise God for the middle schoolers in your church and elsewhere in your life. Pray that they would receive the guidance and mentors they need in their lives—and consider whether you might be a part of that mentoring.

 

Week of Nov. 14: Pray for sensitivity to differences in culture, race, life experiences, and more as we strive to be the church in an ever more diverse world. Take time for conversation with someone who seems very different from you, and explore what you share as members of Christ’s family.

 

Week of Nov. 21: Give thanks to God for all the blessings in your life. Be sure to do it not just this week when the calendar encourages us to do so, but every day as an expression of deep gratitude.

 

Week of Nov. 28: Prepare for the season of Advent by considering places in your com-munity and in the world that need hope. Pause in silence and pray for some of those.

 

1) Winamac, Indiana, Flood Recovery project this coming December 12-18, which may be the final week to complete that project. If you can help, contact Cliff Kindy at kindy@cpt.org or phone 260-982-2971.

2) The Haiti Workcamp information packet is available in the church office.

3) Chalmette, Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina for October 10-16, January 2-8, May 29-June 4, June 5-11, and June 12-18. Contact Jane Yount at jyount_gb@brethren.org or call 800-451-4407.

4) How can we build a strong disaster response network in our district? One suggestion has been $50 or $100 per year.

Thank you for your support,

Cliff Kindy, District Disaster Coordinator