Flexibility When Introducing The Bread Of Life

Transcription

1 the clarion February 2017 TOUCHING LIVES WITH COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND HOPE Flexibility When Introducing The Bread Of Life Do you remember reading Green Eggs and Ham and thinking: this guy does not give up? This guy, Sam-I-Am, provides an example of flexible persistence in caring enough to invite people to taste something far better than Green Eggs and Ham; and that is experiencing The Bread of Life. Sam-I-Am remained confident that something would interest his friend. Opportunities to reach people for Christ through Canfield Christian Church abound. However, we must act and invite people to experience the opportunities we offer. If you think someone may not like our music then maybe they'll like the excellent additions Jan provides for our worship - or the leadership she and Brenda provide for our children. Or if that is not meaningful, perhaps your friend will be especially touched by coming to the church with you on Valentine s Day to pick up a red carnation for you and one to share with a friend, a shut-in, or a person who just needs a smile, a prayer, and a hug. By doing this you represent God s love through Canfield Christian Church. Now if these opportunities are not particularly appealing, perhaps the person will appreciate our coffee fellowship every Sunday before and after worship. Or you could invite people to experience the joy our children offer with their wagons of Hope we will fill the wagons of hope for Operation Blessing on 26 February! And I ll bet our visitors would enjoy chili and laughter with us after worship. Or they will be touched by the Lenten series that will lead us to Easter Sunday. And Perhaps the Lenten breakfasts Alice Johns is arranging presents the best opportunity to introduce people to Canfield Christian Church. Who knows, they may enjoy the Bible Study Susan Crawford is leading after each Lenten Breakfast. Or perhaps families would appreciate having lunch and going with us to Cleveland, Severance Hall, on 3 April for the Cleveland Orchestra and Peter and The Wolf. Opportunities to experience Christ and Christian fellowship abound at Canfield Christian Church. However one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not inviting other people to try the Bread of Life. And the best place for the people we meet is right here at Canfield Christian Church. We look forward to welcoming people to try Canfield Christian Church. Ed Allen, Interim Minister

2 CHURCH REMINDERS Celebrating January & February Anniversaries & Birthdays Your church family encourages you to stay for cake and fellowship after worship on 12 February Enjoy laughter as we reminisce with people born, married, or both in January and February. This is an excellent occasion to introduce a friend or two, or more to Canfield Christian Church. ELDERS Serving in February: Date Lead Elder Table_Elder 5 Sally Ifill Jan Pumphrey 12 Rodger Shuback Susan Crawford 19 Sally Ifill Jan Pumphrey 26 Jan Pumphrey Brenda Hernan Award Winning Chili Pairings Friendship paired with our blue ribbon chili and shared friendships on 26 February What: Chili cook-off and friendship pairing When: Immediately following our 26 February worship service Who: All of us and your guests Outreach opportunity: Please help fill our children s Wagons of Hope with your nonperishable food gifts. Your thoughtfulness touches lives through Operation Blessing. Lenten Breakfasts begin on Ash Wednesday, March 1 and continue through April 12, 6:30-9:30 am. Your enthusiastic help and support will be most appreciated. Please contact Joann or Ed. Coffee Fellowship -- Hope you are enjoying our 10:00 Sunday Morning coffee fellowship. Please sign up to help host one of our Sunday morning Coffee Fellowships. How to Thrive as an Elder and Church Member This is your opportunity to multiply the rewards received by touching lives with Compassion, Understanding and Hope. We will discover helpful ideas for service and how we can prepare for prayer at the Lord s Table or in a hospital room. We will learn about shepherding, and why we do what we do. Stories and scripture will guide and inspire us. We are eager for you to experience this meaningful opportunity. Date: February 18, 2017 Where: Canfield Christian Church Time: 1:30 3:30 pm EST (Coffee will be ready at 1:00) Cost: There is no cost to you. We received a gift for your participation. Our presenter Rev. Bill McDonald shares his experiences from over fifty years of effective leadership in ministry with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Bill recently retired from service with Crestwood Christian Church in Lexington, KY. I know Bill and respect how he touches lives through a devoted life of faith and ministry of Hope. Please join us and discover the joy of serving through Canfield Christian Church.

3 FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS 1 Ricardo Condori 14 Cecil Hunt 1 Brenda Hernan 17 Timothy Wiant 3 Dawn Fredo 17 Levi Sharp REMEMBERING RICHARD TODD S LIFE AND FAITH 6 Gary Hendricks 19 Bud Richards 7 Susan Payton 21 Alan Coy 8 Karen Hunt PRAYER CONCERNS Please remember those who are in assisted living/nursing homes with your prayers and visits: AustinWoods: DeNise Martin, Betty Baird Hampton Woods: Richard Rees Shepherd of the Valley: Barbara Hepplewhite, Dr. John Krier Please remember those who need your continued prayers: Richard Seaman Theresa Alcott David Bush Edna Seaman Helen Bush Virginia Knauf Martin Crawford Matthew Payne Larry Kimble Floyd and Margaret Clark Ann Moncrief Dave Guillard Irene Lehtonen (Mother of Susan Crawford) Cecil Hunt (Husband of Karen) Doug Lewis (Brother of Joyce Coy) Scott Chepke (Waiting for a transplant) Rosa and Maria Arcenio (Sisters of Trinidad Galizia) Rebecca Murgia (Niece of Trinidad Galizia) Joseph Novacich (Father of Theresa Murphy) John Bauman and David Beach (Friends of Sally Payne) Margrit Galano (Mother of Cindy Stackhouse) Ted Harris (Nephew of Jerry & Dolores Hanna) Ingrid Vance and Laura Utterback (Friends of Dorris Baringer) Please remember our troops in your prayers. AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of the HIPAA laws, the church must be careful in disclosing information about someone s illness. **As these situations change, please notify the church office so we can make changes or give praises for answered prayer. Mom and Dad, Cindy's baby Megan, and Megan's baby Charlie. Just before Christmas. We often convey insightful words of inspiration when we rely on our faith for comfort. Cindy Pacella provided such inspiration when her father passed from this world on her Birthday. The unfolding events permitted those present to experience the love, the faith, and the neverending enjoyment for the life that is shared by Richard Todd s family. Ray Todd recently expressed their family s love and memories: Our Dad passed on 23 January 2017, at 4:15 in the afternoon with a Benny Goodman CD playing and Mom whispering in his ear. Ray shared Cindy s insightful words of faith: My sister Cindy put it eloquently and I hope that I can recreate her words. I (Cindy) was born on January 23 and I am honored that 59 years later my father was reborn on the same day." Your Canfield Church Family is blessed by Richard s legacy that clearly merits receiving the words of scripture: Well done thy good and faithful servant. We offer our prayers of thanksgiving and our support to each of you.

4 Touching Lives with Compassion, Understanding and Hope The joy of family and friends is priceless David enjoy his mother s support and encouragement from Church Friends David sends us his greeting with a smile Richard's devotion to family and church is evident in the enjoyment his great-granddaughter brings and his "carry out" participation in our Souper Sunday. Richard, we certainly appreciate your life of faith, love, and service.

5 A Thank You from Helen Bush and David What a delight to be fed! What a joy to feed! In rural areas of Cambodia, 41% of children do not receive adequate nutrition. This leads to chronic health problems, delayed development and educational challenges. By supplementing the diets of children, while also partnering with the community to develop sustainable agriculture, clean water and relational resilience, Week of Compassion helps create a better future. In rooms filled with the aroma of rice and vegetables, we are providing support just as a grandmother spoons life-giving food into the eager mouth of her grandchild. Where people are fed, Canfield Christian Church is providing hope through your gifts to Week of Compassion. As you offer your gifts to touch lives with Compassion, Understanding and Hope through Week of Compassion, remember these profound words by Albert Schweitzer: Seek always to do some good somewhere. You must give some time to your fellow man. For remember, you don t live in a world all your own. This is your invitation to give generously to Week of Compassion on 19 and 26 February 2017.

6 Inspiring Lessons of Faith from our Children Remembering Scriptural Themes For Our Giving THE GIVING TREE Your life will be more enjoyable because of the happiness you receive by helping others. And with your giving you have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose. It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Ralph Waldo Emerson The Bread Of Life Is Too Good To Not Try GREEN EGGS AND HAM Our children presented a clear message for us to never give up when inviting people to taste The Bread of Life. We received assurances that having tasted the Bread of Life at Canfield Christian Church, people will like what they taste and return to experience more of what Jesus offers for each person s journey to salvation.

7 Enjoying the Warmth of Friendship at Souper Sunday 29 January 2017

8 Canfield Christian Church Families and Children Attending a Special Concert Peter and the Wolf presented by the Cleveland Orchestra and the Magic Circle Mime Company on 2 April 2017 at 3 pm, Severance Hall in Cleveland. Reserve your tickets, lunch, and transportation by contacting Ed or Joann. We will appreciate hearing from you by 24 February Representing God s Love With Red Carnations Do you remember Marty Robbins being all dressed up with a white sport coat and pink carnation? Thought you would! That was Sixty years later, you can represent God s love with a white carnation and a red carnation! Let s all dress up for the dance; provide greetings of friendship; and share the enthusiasm that helps define Canfield Christian Church. So here is what we would like on your dance card. Please come to the church between 9:30 and 2:00 on Valentine s Day. Pick up your carnation and blessing card, and select one to share. If you bring a friend, be certain they receive a carnation and blessing. For even greater Valentine s enjoyment, discover the joy of sharing a red carnation and greeting of joy with one of our shut-ins, or a person who just needs a smile, a prayer, or a hug of friendship that will help lift them out of a potentially blue-mood. We will provide names, addresses, and phone numbers of our shut-ins. We will also provide blessing cards for you to use in bringing greetings from Canfield Christian Church. There will be carnations and blessing cards for you to share with a friend you are going to invite to come and worship with you. And carnations are available for you to present to people you believe will enjoy a carnation and blessing from Canfield Christian Church. Oh, and by the way: as far as being all dressed up for the dance the attire is your choice, but actually dressing up for the dance could be even more fun.

9 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly July 8-12, Indianapolis, Indiana Enjoy being inspired by: Worship that lifts your soul. Stories that touch your heart. Educational resources to assist our congregation in ministry. Conversations that stretch your mind. Messages that call you to action. Connections that remind you that God s family is bigger than just our congregation. All this and more in five short days! More information can be found at And 2017 will feature Have you ever wondered why we display a red Chalice? historic events the election of a new General Minister The Red Chalice symbolizes the centrality of the Lord s Supper as well as the cup of Christian self-giving for the world. The X shaped Cross of St. Andrew focuses attention of our Scottish Presbyterian roots and is identified with the laity and evangelism, prominent emphasis of the Disciples of Christ.

10 CANFIELD CHRISTIAN CHURCH 123 S. Broad St. Canfield, Ohio Website: canfieldchristianchurch.org NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID YOUNGSTOWN OH PERMIT NO. 28 Electronic Service Requested Canfield Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Canfield Ohio Touching Lives with Compassion, Understanding and Hope while Modeling the Love of Christ since 1829