Starting  September 1^st 
           Sunday school at 9:15 am
            Worship at 10:30 am.

 THIS & THAT—

• Choir practice will start on Wednesday, September 4,  7:00 to 8:00 p.m.  So come and join the choir for an exciting new year.  Invite a friend!
• On Sunday, August 25. Rev. Melissa Drake, was our guest speaker.  Melissa is now the Southwest District Field Outreach Minister in Atlantic.  In June at the Iowa Annual Conference Melissa was ordained as an Elder.  The Administrative Council voted to honor Melissa with a stole, which was presented to Rev. Drake during Sunday’s service.  We also shared with Melissa several congratulation wishes that the congregation wrote during the video feed of her ordination in June.
• There will be an Open House for  Rev. Melissa Drake the new Southwest District Field Outreach Minister will be held at the District Office in Atlantic on Friday, September 6 from 2:00—4:00 p.m.
• The Church and Society/Missions Committee had a fund raiser in August.  They sold Skeeter Insurance for $10.00 after worship.  This insurance protects church members from receiving  mosquitoes in their yard. (4-5 stakes with mosquitoes on them) The money raised for this fund raiser went to the NO More Malaria campaign. As of today (8/26/13) they were able to raise $ 310.00.  Thanks to all who contributed to this fun project.
• Getting ready for the Church dinner already?  On a Monday morning in August a group of 13 got together and froze 16 gallons of that sweet tasting Amos corn. (Thanks Milton & Laura for your generous gift of corn). It will taste really good on Sunday, November 3 –so mark your calendar now.
• Building Updates: The month of August has been an expensive one!  We ended up putting in 3  furnaces and 2 AC units.  We replaces the 2 ancient furnaces and AC unit in the Sanctuary.  (One of the furnaces was going to need major work) then the AC in the new addition which is actually 19 years old burnt up.  We now have all energy efficient furnaces in the church and parsonage.   The only problem with fixing these problems is that it requires more money then we have.  The total cost for this project is $11,584.00.  We have had $ 7,179.41 in donations given to this project but still needing more.  If you would like to help with the cost of the furnace /AC, please write Furnace on your donation.  Thank you.
• Drones:  Dream or Nightmare; A Christian Perspective —This is the topic of MFSA’s Fall Regional Gatherings - one to be held October 12 @ 10am - Griswold UMC.  We’ll look briefly at the history of drones and how they have been and are being used.  We’ll look at domestic use, but will spend more time on their use by the military, exploring a number of questions from a Christian perspective about their use.  The format I’ll use will include a lot of discussion by those present, as well as the sharing of some information that I’m finding as I research the topic, says Eloise Crank.   All are invited to attend, more information will follow later.

DWIGHT WRITES    

I was pleased to take part in a continuing education event ~ Habits of the Heart: The Courage to Practice a Faith Worthy of the Human Spirit.  Much of the focus was on Five Habits of the Heart, as written about by Parker Palmer in his book Healing the Heart of Democracy.  The five habits are:

1. An understanding that we are all in this together.
2. An appreciation of the value of ‘otherness.’
3. An ability to hold tension in life-giving ways.
4. A sense of personal voice and agency
5. An capacity to create community.
 I am thankful that I was able to get to know a number of people from all across North America.  There was such a rich diversity and an abundance of creativity.  Relationships grew as we learned and shared our own insights concerning the Five Habits of the heart.  I’m grateful that I was able to write a number of nesting poems.  I would like to share this one with you ~ and hope that it speaks to you.                ~Blessings and Peace,  Pastor Dwight

 

We are in this together

 Together we have joined each other.

 Together.  We have joined each other

discovering this new way to open our hearts.

 Together we have joined each other,

discovering this new way.  To open our hearts
and offer our lives will again create new community.

Together.

Together we have joined each other.
Together we have joined each other discovering this new way.

          Discovering this new way

to open our hearts and offer our lives
          will again create new community
longing for a way to be revealed.

Longing for a way to be revealed

the Holy One breathes the breath of life
          upon every individual
                   extending the invitation
                             to love another.

September Responsibility list

You are responsible for your own replacement.

 Greeters                    
1.    Steve & Stephanie Kimpson
8.    Kevin Whitehill & Girls
15.   Don & Amy Smith & family
22.  Ray & Billie Wilson
29.  Marty & Amy Wyman & Family

Ushers

1.   Dennis & Linda Nissen
8.  Greg & Janet Reed,
            Larry & Vicki Jones
15. Janet & Wendi Weaver,
            Shirley Adams & Amy Burnside
22. Gary & Kathy Bergstrom,
            Jim & Kay Byers
29. Amy Carlisle & Bryanna
            Sarah Porter & Naudia

Liturgist

1.    Laura Amos
8.    Kyle Drake
15. Lisa Buchanan
22. Joe Rush
29.  Cheryl Grosvenor

Communion

1.  Chuck & Cindy Miller