them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18 20). 1

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1 Learning to Make Disciples of Jesus: The Calling of Every Believer by Thomas A. Tarrants, III, D.Min. Vice President of Ministry, C.S. Lewis Institute This article originally appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of Knowing & Doing. Have you ever been discipled by another believer? That is, did anyone help you in the process of coming to faith? After you came to Christ, did anyone help you grow more like Jesus, either informally or in some organized fashion? Or, from the other side, have you ever been in the discipling role, helping someone come to faith in Christ or grow as His disciple? If you answered yes, you already have some level of experience with disciple making. If you answered no, fear not, for help is at hand. Help? Why do I need help? you say. I am not called to a ministry of disciple making. That s somebody else s job. If this is your reaction, you have lots of company. Many in the church today think that disciple making is someone else s ministry. But Jesus doesn t give us that option. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples, told them that universal authority had been conferred on Him, and commissioned them to a universal mission: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18 20). 1 This was, and still is, Jesus plan to spread God s kingdom throughout the world, and you and I have a part to play. Simply put, they were to reproduce themselves by taking their disciples through the same basic teaching and training that Jesus had given them in their apprenticeship with Him. Let s look at Jesus call to make disciples and how we are to do it. The above is only the introduction to Learning to Make Disciples of Jesus: The Calling of Every Believer I encourage each of you to read the entire article (attached) for answers to questions like: What Is a Disciple? What Is Discipleship and Discipling? What Are the Qualifications of a Disciple Maker? How Do We Make Disciples? plus more Pastor Monique Turner

2 Nurture Money donations would be great also. Please write VBS on your donations. Thank you for your help. Special note:. Soon we will be looking for volunteers to help with VBS. Yvonne Kinney, VBS Director Looking ahead: On Easter Sunday, we are planning an Easter Egg Hunt. You can help us by donating Easter candy: jelly beans, small wrapped candy that will fit in the plastic eggs. Any goodies will be appreciated. Please leave on the table in the lower level SS area or in the office. Money donations are also appreciated. Please label your donation SS Easter Egg Hunt. Thank you, Sunday School Staff. Vacation Bible School News Mark the dates: Vacation Bible School will be August 7 th through August 11 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. The theme is: Hero Central: Discover Your Strength in God. If you your name on it. Other items that are needed: any color duct tape, clothespins, fabric scraps, small, empty clean jars (like baby food ones), small candles, yellow, red, orange tissue paper. March Birthdays 03/02 Janet Patrick 03/03 Jason Collison 03/05 Richard Dillman 03/05 Jan Holm-Shaw 03/07 Chuck Hansen 03/07 Jim Pilditch 03/10 Lois Arthur 03/11 Shirley Burgess 03/14 Robert Boettcher 03/14 Lois Ruple 03/15 Delores Adkins 03/16 Joann Farrand 03/16 Meghan Kinney 03/18 Betty Hare 03/18 Sean Sundquist 03/20 Betty Rae 03/28 Tom Miller Prayer Fellowship Book study "You'll Get Through This", March 22 at 1:00p.m. in Library. (Chapter 11) Each chapter is individual study so please join us. Books available for $4, see Lois Arthur.

3 Susanne s Chat with Jesus Jesus Comforts Me Good morning Jesus, it is a bright sunny morning and it appears that spring might come earlier this year!! You have instructed me to focus on how You comfort me. The list is endless..so many times you have held me in your loving arms to reassure me that all is well despite the challenges of life. You comforted me through the many hymns that I learned in my youth, the times that I felt alone before you sent Dick into my life, the day that you welcomed our precious Janeen to her heavenly home, and now as my vision diminishes and communication is becoming difficult. Lord, I never could have made it without You and the love of my precious family, friends, and prayer partners. I am blessed beyond measure with the comfort of Your constant love and tender mercies. I thank you dear Jesus for being my comforter. I love You!! Amen. March 2017 Susanne Dillman Recycling Reminder The recycle bin is now available and located under the mailboxes in the office hallway for the following: Upper Room devotionals You can continue to bring in: Labels for Education (Campbell products), Box Tops for Education (General Mills products), aluminum flip tops from canned goods, and eyeglasses (including sunglasses). All of these items help us to share God s love through recycling. Blessings, Dick and Susanne Maxine Schultz, Dora Moore, Dorothy Miller, Jill Burk, Bob & Betty Hare, Mary Johnson, Mark Huebler, Jacqueline Matlock, Zella Wallace, Joyce Davidson, Ed Kragenbrink, Esther Anderson, Frankie & Amy, Steve Worden, Elias and Tapuwa Mumbiro, Patrick & Collette Seaver, Yvonne Garrett, Becky Rumsey, Jerry & Lila Goff, Lauren Mertz, David Knights, Carol Kanarck, Sandy Hooper, Harvey Farrand, Scott and Gina Seipel, Meghan and Andrew Kinney, Dan and Jackie Burch, Linda Smith, Mona Ault, Shirley Burgess, Tosha Parker, Marcello Rios, The LaMantia family, Lois Ruple, Jean Dudewicz, Devin Chisholm, Dr. Rose Novey, Marcile Cunningham, Kim Kaufmann and the family of Muriel Humbert

4 Senior Care Prevent Stairway Injuries Stairs are a necessity in many homes. While stairs serve a practical purpose, they also have the potential to be dangerous. According to the National Safety Council, more than one million injuries result each year from stairway falls. Staircase and stairway accidents constitute the second leading cause of accidental injury, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Each year, there are 12,000 stairway accident deaths. However, many stairway falls can be prevented with some simple planning. Install sturdy handrails. A common contributor to stairway falls is a failure to use handrails. Sturdy handrails can decrease fall rates. Even if a person slips, he or she may be able to prevent the fall by grabbing on to the handrails and regaining some of his or her balance. Rely on highlighters or friction strips. According to a study titled Safety on stairs: Influence of a tread edge highlighter and its position, by Richard J. Foster, fall risk may be reduced by using a highlighter positioned flush with the tread edge. This helps make stairs more visible, particularly for those with impaired vision. Improve lighting on staircases. Failure to see steps may contribute to falls as well. Staircases should be well lit so that residents and guests know where to step. Subtle foot-level lighting can be installed to make it easier for people who frequently use steps at night. Use slip-resistant materials. Slipresistant surface material acceptable for normal floors should work on stair treads. Loose rugs should not be placed at the top or bottom of the landing. Outdoors, rough finishes are recommended, particularly on stairs that are subject to getting wet. Improve step geometry. If slips and falls frequently occur on a particular staircase, consider the relationship between the rise and the run. Within a staircase, treads should have a uniform run and tread depth that does not vary more than 3/8 on an inch. Steep steps with high risers and/or short treads can increase the risk of falls. Clear away clutter. One easy way to prevent falls is to keep stairs free of clutter. This means removing shoes, toys and other belongings that may be left on stairs or landings. Many falls on stairs can be prevented by being mindful of certain risk factors. Submitted by: Sandy Kaufmann Faith Community Nurses

5 Weekend Backpack Program We are still looking for volunteers to sign up. Remember we are offering to carpool from the church parking lot, just check the box when you sign up. Submitted by: Mary Ann Pilditch We talk about being good stewards as followers of Christ but just what does that mean? Some wise person came up with this statement, Christian stewardship is what one does after choosing Christ as Lord. I take that to mean that when we become a Christian and choose to live our lives with Christ as our leader, then we will live so that our lives will be used in His service. If God calls us to be in business, then we will serve Christ there. If we feel led to be a teacher or doctor or dentist or software creator or whatever else, then our lives will be an instrument for Christ in our work. When the hurricane Katrina hit the South, a Washington state doctor left his practice for a few weeks in order to help hurting victims in Louisiana. That was Christian stewardship for him. At home, he sings in a church choir, serves on various church committees, offers a helping hand wherever needed in the church and community. All in order to serve Christ as a steward. Please keep your address up to date! Please list name/s of people who will be using this . Send to statestreetcomm@gmail.com with the subject line of Update If Christian stewardship is what one does after choosing Christ as Lord, then it is imperative to say Yes to the Lord whenever and wherever we see service in the name of Christ is needed. Obviously, stewardship involves the whole of life. Submitted by: Janice Olafson

6 Looking Ahead: My Preparation for Lent and Easter Wednesday March 1 st will mark the beginning of Lent this year. We will be having a service on that day at 7:00pm. Come join us. To help you prepare for lent with both inward/personal and outward/social disciplines, Lenten Offering Kits are available in the parlor. Please pick one up. Palm Sunday is Sunday April 9 th On Palm Sunday Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday is April 13 th Thursday before Easter, observed in the Christian Church as a commemoration of the Last Supper. Good Friday is April 14 th Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. Sunday March 12 th at 3:00pm, we will be hosting a Lenten Concert featuring the Saginaw Area Concert Band. Easter Sunday is April 16 th On this Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Watch the bulletins and April newsletter for details on The Holy Week services. Word from the Street Articles for April 2017 are Due March 20, 2016