The Good News. Ladies Fellowship and Valentine Tea

Transcription

1 The Good News Runnells Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) A monthly publication of Runnells Christian Church ~ Issue #201~Feb 2017 (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) Cofee Fellowship 9:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 9:15 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m. Ladies Fellowship and Valentine Tea Mothers, daughters, sisters & gal pals of all ages are invited. Sunday, February 5, 1:00 3:00 pm Fellowship Hall Please bring your favorite tea cup and/or tea pot and all are welcome to bring a treat or favorite tea to share. We will have good fellowship and a fun activity. Chi Rho and CYF Super Bowl Party Sunday, February 5, at the Bracewell home 2155 SE 82 ST, Runnells 5:15 pm 7:30 (or until game is over) (Kick-off is 5:30 pm) Please bring a snack to share, drinks will be furnished. You don t have to be a big football fan to come and have fun. You can play pool, ping pong, board games or just hang out with friends.

2 CAPtions: The seasons of the church year have historically been thought of as the spiritual template which year after year impresses our lives with the story of our faith. Beginning with Advent we name the honest truth that the world isn t finished yet. Still east of Eden, our fallenness is yet more in evidence than our salvation. Whatever bright spots we might name, brokenness still surrounds us, estrangement; sin to use the church s ancient description. All of which is why we lean forward in our faith, in anticipation of the fullness of all that God intends. Anticipation and, indeed, expectation. The calendar then moves on through celebrations, laments and confessions and contemplations before reaching its climax each November with the celebration of the Reign of Christ Sunday one final punctuation point of faithful expectation before beginning the cycle all over again. So where are we in that annual template? Epiphany is the season that season that follows Advent and the brief celebration of Christmastide. Commenced each year with the retelling of the Magi s visit and their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the story moves on into the story of Jesus baptism by John and climaxes a few weeks later with the account of Jesus Transfiguration on the mountain attended by Peter, James, John, Moses and Elijah. As the name of the season suggests, the focus is on paying attention to those special moments of divine interruption when God is surprisingly manifest among us moments of epiphany a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b : a revealing scene or moment as The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defines it. And so in the Bible stories we learn of guiding stars, hear heavenly voices, and see visually striking confirmations. It would be possible, of course, to simply read the stories, check those boxes of the season, and move on to Ash Wednesday and Lent which follow after next. Countless have almost certainly done so. That s the typical practice of routine, of ritual in the case of Christians, piling all the attentions on the remembrance of the Jesus of history. We could, however, pause in the course of this season of manifestation to look around the environs of our own present story and watch for glimpses and listen for voices that look and sound conspicuously to our hearts like the very presence of God among us. Among us. I look forward to seeing you Sunday if not before. Timothy Cap Diebel Interim Pastor Dr. Tim Diebel Cell Phone: Timdiebel@gmail.com

3 Lent to Sing Hallelujah Hallelujah is a Hebrew word meaning Glory to the Lord. We utter it in times of great excitement and also religious fervor. It is the essence of the Psalmist s affirmation that the earth is the Lord s and all that dwells within it. Elsewhere in scripture we are encouraged to be a living hallelujah the glory of the Lord. It is also the title of what has come to be one of the most recognizable pop songs of our generation. Written by Canadian musician Leonard Cohen, who died this past November at the age of 82, and released in 1984, the song came to popular prominence as part of the soundtrack to the movie Shrek. Since then, it has reached anthemic status, sung in the wake of national tragedies such 9/11, at funerals, and in religious services as diverse as Maundy Thursday and Christmas Eve. One of the closing lines of the song anticipates the time when the singer will stand before the Lord of Song with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah. It is with that determination that we will move through the season of Lent this year: Standing Before the Lord of Song. The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on March 1. We will observe that special day with a special service which will include the imposition of ashes reminding us of our flesh s earthy origin and destination. The service will begin at 6:30 p.m. Later in the month, beginning Wednesday March 15 at 6:30 p.m. and continuing for four weeks through April 5, you are invited to join Dr. Diebel in a Bible Study exploring the biblical references, spiritual insights and theological affirmations suggested by this iconic song. Fantasy Football Award Ceremony Congratulations to Evan Bracewell with his fantasy football team, Bracewell Beasts. Evan was the 2016 RCCFFL Super Bowl Champion. Chi-Rho and CYF News The CYF and Chi Rho groups met twice in January. On January 15th, nine youth and sponsors enjoyed a cold day of tubing at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park. On January 29 both groups met with Pastor Tim, to begin planning Youth Sunday, which will be April 23. Pastor Tim gave the youth some great insight into worship planning. The youth sponsors have asked the youth to prayerfully consider where they can best assist with worship that day. On February 5 both CYF and Chi Rho will meet at the Bracewell house for a Super Bowl party. Besides Super bowl related games and the rating of commercials, you can play ping pong, pool or board games. Please bring a snack to share, drinks will be furnished. Kick off is 5:30 pm, you can arrive 5:15 pm or after. Ice skating at Brenton Plaza is the destination of our youth meeting on February 19. Right after church service, 11:30, we will have a quick lunch and then car pool to the ice rink. Skate rental and skating is paid for, but bring money if you want snacks or drinks while skating. Join us. Youth events are open to all 6-12th graders. Contact a youth sponsor if you need a ride. Friends are always welcome! Chi Rho sponsors are Julie Underwood, Katie Temple and Mike Miller CYF Sponsors are Mike and Deb Bracewell IOWA Energy Faith & Family Night Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 3pm Iowa Energy vs. Maine Red Claws Zach Williams Post-Game Concert Tickets are $10.71, which includes a food voucher good for a hot dog, popcorn, and pop! This will be the CYF and ChiRho event for the day. All youth grades 6-12 will be paid by the church, but please sign up so we can buy you a ticket. Deadline to purchase tickets is Sunday, February 19. A sign up sheet is available at church. Contact Jack Merkle or the church office, for more information. Iowa State Cyclone fans: Former ISU basketball player, Abdel Nader has been playing some great basketball this year for the Maine Red Claws. This is an opportunity to see him before he (hopefully) lands on the Celtics roster next year.

4 Caring Hands Food Pantry In December of 2016, 262 families were served at the food pantry, 500 adults & 377 children for a total of 877 persons. There was 6,864 pounds of food given, not counting the bread, cookies, cakes and fruits and vegetables donated by some of the local stores. Vouchers for $8.00 were handed out to 262 families to be used at the Fareway Stores at Altoona or Pleasant Hill or the Brick Street Market at Bondurant. These are to be used for perishable items like milk, butter, eggs, etc. that we cannot keep at the pantry. Personal items such as shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, diapers, etc. are also given and are not weighed. Laundry detergent can be given every other month. Rent assistance checks for $429 and utility assistance checks for $ were written. A Simple Supper is provided for our food pantry clients the last Monday of each month from 5:30 6:30 p.m. at Adventure -Life Church, and is provided by churches, organizations and families in the SEP area. On Monday, January 30th a Simple Supper will be provided for our food pantry clients by the Crossway Church. We want to say a Huge Thank You to the Bob & Sharon Townsend family who again donated a semi load of food to the Caring Hands Food Pantry in December. Statistics for the Clothes Hanger for December are: 157 families assisted (302 adults and 286 children) totaling 588 individuals. Clothing items given totaled 2,870 and household items, 54. On behalf of our clients we say THANK YOU to all of the individuals, churches, businesses, schools and organizations who are so very generous in donating food and finances to the pantry. It is all so much appreciated, and we pray your lives will be richly blessed. THANK YOU FOR LOV- ING OTHERS From Caring Hands newsletter Guatemala Mission Trip A group of 32 people organized by the Disciples of Christ of the Upper Midwest will be going to Guatemala March 2-9. We will be partnering with Paradise Bound Ministries. Our work will be in the remote village of San Ramon in the mountains. We plan to build 6 homes, 10 foot by 12 foot, with cement floors but no running water. There will be dental and health clinics as well as a couple afternoons of Vacation Bible School. I am privileged to be able to work with this wonderful group of folks. Please remember us in your thoughts and prayers. Noisy Offering Thank You Thank you to all who gladly threw in coins and bills to purchase dental supplies for the mission trip to Guatemala. Dr. Tom Mohr, our dentist, will use the funds to obtain masks, gloves, medicine and such supplies to be able to care for the people of San Ramon. Every penny made a difference! Submitted by Katie Temple Donated December pkgs childrens underwear 1 pkg socks 2 prs gloves 12 egg noodles 2 cans beans 3 vegetables 1 evaporated milk 4 cans tuna 1 ketchup 6 cans chili 6 cans chicken International Mission Trip to Guatemala 2017 Katie Temple is headed to Guatemala from March 2nd to March 9th. Please keep Katie and all those on this mission trip in your thoughts and prayers. By Federal Law the Food Pantry is unable to accept expired food. Do you know someone in need of assistance in the SEP school district? Regular Food Pantry hours: Monday & Wednesday 4:00 pm-6:00 pm 1st & 3rd Saturdays 9:00 am-11:00 am Items especially needed this month: Pork & Beans, Chili Beans, Egg Noodles Caring Hands Food Pantry Volunteers Please consider helping at the Food Pantry. Runnells Christian Church furnishes 2 volunteers on the third Monday of the month from 4-6 pm. If you are in high school at S.E.P., this would qualify for the Silver Cord program. Noisy Offering Report Our March newsletter will have the total amount collected in February and March. Please check back then to see the difference you were able to make in those two months. The February noisy offering will go toward the Caring Hands Simple Supper. Thank you for your support!

5 Preparation for Baptism While there is never a bad time to profess one s faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and to be baptized, each year the church sets aside a special time and process for those who are considering such a step. While the particular focus is on 6 th graders, the process is open as well to youth or adults who have never been baptized. This year s preparation will span the weeks between Easter and Pentecost (April 16 June 4) and will include some Sunday morning sessions as a group, augmented by individual sessions with a mentor in the faith at times arranged between the candidate and mentor. An organizational meeting will be scheduled for later in February, but if you or someone from your family are interested in taking part in this experience, please call the church office to add your name the class. Book Group News We will meet Wednesday, February 22 at 7 pm to discuss the book, Still Alice. Everyone is welcome. (From Amazon.com) From New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist Lisa Genova comes the definitive and illuminating novel about Alzheimer s disease. Now a major motion picture starring Oscar winner Julianne Moore! Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life and her relationship with her family and the world forever. As she struggles to cope with Alzheimer s, she learns that her worth is comprised of far more than her ability to remember. At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer s disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People. Mortgage Burning January 8, 2017 Russell Altes Jim Arnett Gary Bracewell Tom Canney Taylor Daugherty Don DeGroot Doug Donaldson Logan Erickson Jon Goode Ardis Lanzilotta Marta McCauley Tammy Murvine Jim Romans Chris State Ron & Jacque Tate Bradley Wolvers All Military Personnel and Veterans Prairie Vista Village: Maxine Phipps Norwalk Rehab: Randy Waltz Valley View Village: Jeanne Vermie Prayer Concerns In an effort to keep our prayer concerns current, names will remain on the list for four weeks. At that time names will be removed unless you have called the office to ask that a name remain on the list and give an update on the person s well-being. Thanks for your help!

6 Hom (U. S. Post Office requires P.O. Box 30 on all church mail.) COUNCIL MEMBERS: Katie Temple Chairperson Deb Bracewell Vice Chairperson Mary Beth Martin Secretary Jack Merkle Membership Coordinator Tammy Gaudette Chair of Elders Jill Simonsen & Julie Underwood Education Co-Coordinators Bill Ingle Finance Coordinator Pat Jesse Missions and Evangelism Bob Miller Property Coordinator Ben & Cindi Leal Worship Co-Coordinators JANUARY 2017 COUNCIL SUMMARY The Church Council met on January 11, In old business there was nothing new on moving the house, the council members shared their wish lists, and there was a short discussion on the employee oversight committee and Katie Temple and Deb Bracewell will bring back suggestions to the February meeting (including some PRC functions.) Reports were received from each Committee Coordinator and more details are in the monthly minutes. Pastor Tim discussed the Lenten Bible Study, Baptism Classes and Baptism. In new business we discussed ways to improve communication from council meetings to the church office and out to the congregation. The next council meeting is February 8, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend the council meetings. Submitted by Deb Bracewell for Mary Beth Martin Pastoral Search Committee If you have any questions, please contact one of the following committee members: Deb Bracewell Lori Clark Sherry Johnson Cindi Larsen Jack Merkle Bob Miller Beth Sagar Runnells Christian Church J E The Body of Christ: Place Stamp Here S U S Runnells Christian Church ( Disciples of Christ) Address Service Requested 309 Brown Street P.O. Box 30 Runnells, Iowa (Please use P.O. Box 30 when addressing all mail to Church) Phone: runnellscc@msn.com Website: Church Staff: Ministers: The Congregation Interim Pastor: Tim Diebel Council Chair: Katie Temple Church Secretaries: Barb Miller/Sherry Johnson/Deb Bracewell Choir Director: Mike Miller Children s Choir Director: Tammy Feeley Bell Choir Directory: Sheila Aukes Pianist: Tammy Feeley Custodian: Leonard Northway Nursery Attendant: Ann Hammen Building Growing Serving