JULY 1, Main Street Kansas City, MO (816) Senior Minister. Rev. Shanna Steitz. Associate Minister. Rev.

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JULY 1, 2018 Rev. Shanna Steitz Senior Minister Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries is a partner ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the denomination with which we are in covenant.

They are located near Los Fresnos, Texas about a half-hour s drive from both Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas. The founder and executive director, Rev.

Earlier this year, our Justice and Mercy Ministries sent a donation to SWGSM for $2,000. In the last few weeks, many of you have inquired about Feliberto and the work of this vital ministry.

You can follow their Facebook page for daily updates and we will be providing more details from Feliberto and his team as the weeks unfold.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are living in humble gratitude to God for your outpouring of love, support, concern, and compassion. Muchísimas Gracias!

I suffered the conditions of torture on my mind, body, and spirit. I can tell quickly if someone is a real survivor or telling me a make-believe story. Here are some things we know at this point.

When the situation improves, it will not go away completely. The children and families will be HERE! They will need to be reunited.

1 JULY 1, 2018 Rev. Shanna Steitz Senior Minister Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries is a partner ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the denomination with which we are in covenant. Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries was established in 1985 with the specific purpose of providing assistance to refugees seeking asylum in the United States. They are located near Los Fresnos, Texas about a half-hour s drive from both Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas. The founder and executive director, Rev. Feliberto Pereira was himself a refugee from Cuba, having entered the United States on a Freedom Flight in 1969, only after having been confined to a forced labor camp for nearly four years. Earlier this year, our Justice and Mercy Ministries sent a donation to SWGSM for $2,000. In the last few weeks, many of you have inquired about Feliberto and the work of this vital ministry. We have included a portion of the letter just posted to SWGSM s website just this week. You can follow their Facebook page for daily updates and we will be providing more details from Feliberto and his team as the weeks unfold. The accompanying pictures are from the tremendous rains and flooding near Los Fresnos last week. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are living in humble gratitude to God for your outpouring of love, support, concern, and compassion. Muchísimas Gracias! Over the last 35 years most of the people we serve have come fleeing for their lives. I myself was a political prisoner under Fidel Castro in Cuba. I suffered the conditions of torture on my mind, body, and spirit. I can tell quickly if someone is a real survivor or telling me a make-believe story. Here are some things we know at this point. The situation is constantly changing. So, planning and flexibility, and prayer, are all needed. Also, to be blunt, the financial resources to help. When the situation improves, it will not go away completely. The children and families will be HERE! They will need to be reunited. It is unclear when that will happen and if the government will pay for the transportation to reunite them. They will need to rejoin each other and travel to friends, family, and newly assigned immigrant courts across the U.S. They just put them on the street in front of the detention center. This has always been the way it s done. If they are lucky, someone calls us and we are there to pick them up, provide food, clothes, spiritual care, housing (if needed), and put them on the right busses with tickets to their new home. We know from long experience and from recent trends that communication with family, medical and mental health care (especially in fluent Spanish), and safe transportation and food along the way are all areas of need. We know that we will likely need extra lines for the communication. We know that our health care, even for a few days could be taxed by the fact that even on a sliding scale, it is expensive and overcrowded. And, we know that the average cost of transportation to family and friends is $350 per person. We look forward to meeting with you as we respond to this fluid situation together in Brownsville, Texas, near our facilities in Bayview and Los Fresnos. We will pray together and work together toward the good for all our brothers and sisters, for the children, in God s Holy Name. Bienvenidos! In Gratitude to God for You, Rev. F. Feliberto Pereira Rev. Ryan Motter Associate Minister Rev. Suzanne Motter Children s Minister Amy Fisher Youth Director Jennifer Gilbert Nursery Supervisor Sheridan Fletchall Nursery Assistant Levon Weaver Business Administrator Kae Keller Executive Assistant Kevin Freeman Building Supervisor Will Evans Maintenance Jonathon Antle Organist John Stafford Choir Director Tim Whitmer Pianist 4601 Main Street Kansas City, MO (816) www. community-christian.org

As a mom, I love that we have a safe, clean space with experienced staff who love and care for our kids.

2 What I really want to say... Thank you to all who gathered Sunday to bless the new nursery and children s Sunday School space. I was inspired by the excitement felt across generations about the possibilities these newly painted walls represent. As a mom, I love that we have a safe, clean space with experienced staff who love and care for our kids. As a Sunday School teacher, it provides a bright, inspiring place to share Bible stories, learn of God s love, and create art projects. As a church member, I love the statement it makes about our commitment to children and families and their special place within our Community. As a Kansas City resident, I love that the mural was painted by a local artist with connection to Community and known for his larger-than-life works across the city. Our kids are so excited about this new space and the friends they meet here each Sunday. Our growing group of littles is such a great example of what church can be a place to share, to grow, to make a friend, to sing a song, to laugh, to love and be loved. Come visit -- I m sure one of our amazing kids will be glad to demonstrate the joy of the slide and climbing wall! The Children and Youth Committee met Sunday to discuss plans through end of year. Exciting things are happening come join us! Several art projects are planned for Sundays throughout July in preparation for our Children s Art Show in the Gallery August-September JYF and Middle School gathering at the home of Ella Jones is rescheduled to Aug. 11 and takes the place of the back-to-school event Blessing of the Backpacks is planned for Aug. 12 Jan Jones, Children & Youth Chair Coming Up at Community Every Sunday At Community 8:15-11:45 am Nursery Open 8:30 am Worship Service in Bonfils Chapel 9:30 am Education Hour 9:30 am Youth Group in the Youth Room 10:30 am Worship Service in the Sanctuary 11:30 am Coffee Fellowship Sunday, July 1 4:00 pm Sunday Meal in the Park Tuesday, July 3 9:30 am Staff Meeting 11:30 am Women s Equality Workshop in the Jenkins Room Wednesday, July 4 - Office Closed Thursday, July 5 10:30 am Summer Playground Meetup at Penguin Park Friday, July 6 5:30 pm Parents Night Out Sunday, July 8 11:30 am Elders Meeting 11:30 am Blood Pressure Screenings in the Narthex 2:00 pm Muiller Celebration in Centennial Hall Upcoming Staff Schedule July Rev Shanna on Vacation July Revs. Motter at Camp July 30-August 6 Levon on Vacation August 2-6 Revs. Motter on Vacation Parents Night Out Friday July 6 5:30-8:30 PM Drop your kids off for a night of fun at church and we ll all head to the Crossroads for some First Friday Fun! Amy, Miss Jennifer, & the youth group will have pizza and games/crafts planned for the kids. We ll plan to Uber to the Crossroads to help with parking. Please RSVP by Mon, July 2 so we can order enough pizza for the kids. Please let us know if there are special food needs. PRAYER CONCERNS At Grandparents Camp: Jan Marcason & Lanie Metz; Barbara George & Katie Schaer; Gayle Wood & Larry Evans, Ben & Luke Harting, & Ian Spatz New this Week: Continued Prayers For: Bob & Freda Moberly, Tammy Eaton, Bonnie Penegar, Norma Henderson, Maddie Jelmberg, Carol Barker, Equilla Ross, Tim Rooney, Bernice Watson, Anita McMillan, & Marj Palmer

Leadership Lines Justice & Mercy The Justice & Mercy Committee met on June 19 and devoted significant time to the activities report from the Mission Trippers and the enthusiasm they experienced was

It was clear that the twenty youth and adults from Community Christian Church not only lived and worked their faith in Fort Worth but deepened their connections with each other and to our

3 Leadership Lines Justice & Mercy The Justice & Mercy Committee met on June 19 and devoted significant time to the activities report from the Mission Trippers and the enthusiasm they experienced was wonderfully conveyed. It was clear that the twenty youth and adults from Community Christian Church not only lived and worked their faith in Fort Worth but deepened their connections with each other and to our congregation. They will be meeting again to consider how to use money left over to invest in the Kansas City metro area. The committee also discussed future community work days and better interface with the Elders and our Caring Circles. Justice and Mercy is committed to both funding outreach efforts and to inspiring the congregation to invest time in our neighborhoods across the bi-state area. Know Your Number August 24 & 25 Know your Number is a foundational course and is the first step in working with the Enneagram, an ancient personality typology rooted in deep spiritual wisdom. Join Enneagram master Suzanne Stabile as she introduces each of the nine Types. Workshop materials, snacks, and drinks provided. The workshop will run Friday 6pm-9pm & Saturday 9am-5pm. Contact the office for your members-only coupon code today! We approved transferring $500 to the Ministers Discretionary Fund. We will next meet in the fall. Jeanne Martin, Justice & Mercy Chair Celebrating the Arts Save the Date July 6 7pm Centennial Hall PeaceWorks-KC is grateful to Community Christian Church for welcoming our speaker, Peter Lumsdaine, to Centennial Hall for his July 6, Friday, 7 pm presentation. His topic: Turning the Clock Back from Midnight: How We Can Address the Crisis of 2018 and Renew Eco/Justice/Peace Work for the 21st Century. Mr. Lumsdaine, a member of Washington State Physicians for Social Responsibility, will challenge us to hope and action. His research has taken him to the inner security zones of Vandenberg Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral, and the US prison system, as well as to Pine Ridge, SD; Standing Rock, ND; Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Korea; Guatemala; the Philippines; Mexico; and occupied Iraq. For info, contact the chair of the PeaceWorks-KC Board, Henry Stoever, Kids 12 & under free! Nursery available for 5 & under. All are welcome to this free presentation.

The Midtown circle, led by elder Donna Duschen,

by elder Sandra Stites, met for lunch at Elaine

Mark your calendar for these fun activites for

10:30AM-1PM Mission Family Acquatic Center July

Deanna Rose Farmstead on Saturday Did You Know?

Shanna s Sunday sermons in the office, or even

4 Last Week at Community! Community s Kids Save the Date Several of our neighborhood Caring Circles have been connecting. The Midtown circle, led by elder Donna Duschen, met for coffee, and the Brookside circle, led by elder Sandra Stites, met for lunch at Elaine & Tom Scatizzi s home. Mark your calendar for these fun activites for Community's Kids! July 5 10:30AM-1PM Penguin Park July 6 5:30-8:30 PM Parents Night Out July 19 10:30AM-1PM Mission Family Acquatic Center July 30 5:30-7 PM Dagg Park in NKC August 2 10:30AM-1PM Loose Park Sprayground Four Community families shared a fun morning at Deanna Rose Farmstead on Saturday Did You Know? You can order CDs of any of Rev. Shanna s Sunday sermons in the office, or even listen to them on Fourteen Community members toured the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art last Sunday afternoon, enjoying the Worlds Otherwise Hidden exhibit. Watch for more Art in the Afternoon events! Follow us on social media

5 Community of Faith in Worship 8:30 ANNOUNCEMENTS... Rev. Ryan Motter PRELUDE...Tim Whitmer *CALL TO WORSHIP No. 279 Reach Out and Worship... Rev. Motter Minister: Sisters and brothers Arise. Lift your hearts. Lift your eyes. Lift your voices. Community: The living God, the living, moving Spirit of God, has called us together--in witness, in celebration, in struggle. Minister: Reach out toward each other. Our God reaches out towards us! Community: Let us worship God! *OPENING HYMN No. 722 This Is My Song OPENING PRAYER... Rev. Motter MOMENT FOR COMMUNITY SCRIPTURE READING Acts 15 (Edited Motter)...Bob Dinwiddie Reader: The Word of God for the people of God. Community: Thanks be to God. PASTORAL PRAYER... Rev. Shanna Steitz Minister: Christ be with you. Community: And also with you. Minister: Let us pray. The Lord s Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. AMEN PRAYER RESPONSE Spirit of the Living God" Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. SPECIAL MUSIC... Julia Scozzafava SHARING OUR OFFERING Improvisation...Tim Whitmer *The Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION...Donna Muiller MORNING MESSAGE WELCOME TO THE TABLE No. 393 One Bread, One body RECEIVING THE HOLY COMMUNION All are welcome to receive the gifts of bread and cup. If you are unable to come forward, we are glad to serve you in your seat. *MUSIC FOR THE JOURNEY This Land Is Your Land As I went walking that ribbon of highway And I saw above me that endless skyway, I saw below me that golden valley: This land was made for you and me. I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts, All around me a voice was sounding: This land was made for you and me. There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me A sign was painted, said: Private Property, But on the back side it didn t say nothing: *THE BENEDICTION This land was made for you and me. In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, By the relief office I seen my people; As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking Is this land made for you and me? Nobody living can ever stop me, As I go walking that freedom highway; Nobody living can ever make me turn back This land was made for you and me. POSTLUDE... Tim Whitmer *Please Stand, If Able

6 Community of Faith in Worship 10:30 PRELUDE...Jonathon Antle *CALL TO WORSHIP No. 279 Reach Out and Worship...Rev. Ryan Motter Minister: Sisters and brothers Arise. Lift your hearts. Lift your eyes. Lift your voices. Community: The living God, the living, moving Spirit of God, has called us together--in witness, in celebration, in struggle. Minister: Reach out toward each other. Our God reaches out towards us! Community: Let us worship God! *OPENING HYMN No. 722 This Is My Song *OPENING PRAYER...Rev. Ryan Motter SCRIPTURE READING Acts 15 (Edited Motter) Reader: The Word of God for the people of God Community: Thanks be to God CHILDREN S MOMENT... Rev. Suzanne Motter Following the blessing, children will remain in worship with their parents. A children s prayer station can be found at the back of the Sanctuary, where kids are invited to fill their own worship bags with coloring pages, pipe cleaners, markers, crayons, and all kinds of fun stuff! PASTORAL PRAYER...Rev. Shanna Steitz Minister: Christ be with you: Community: And also with you. Minister: Let us pray. The Lord s Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. AMEN. SPECIAL MUSIC... Julia Scozzafava SHARING OUR OFFERING Improvisation...Jonathon Antle *The Doxology: Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION... Sondra Bowers MORNING MESSAGE WELCOME TO THE TABLE No. 393 One Bread, One Body... Rev. Suzanne Motter PRAYER FOR THE BREAD & CUP... Louanne Cary RECEIVING THE HOLY COMMUNION All are welcome to receive the gifts of bread and cup. Partake of the elements as they are passed and then share them with your neighbor. MOMENT FOR COMMUNITY *MUSIC FOR THE JOURNEY This Land Is Your Land (see reverse) *THE BENEDICTION POSTLUDE...Jonathon Antle All are invited to Coffee Fellowship sponsored by the Worship Team *Please Stand, If Able

7 Scripture for Sunday, July 1 Say: The scripture reading today is edited from Acts 15 This week we reach the end of our Summer journey in the Acts of the Apostles. After last week s story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, the mission of the Apostles in Acts continues to expand. More issues immediately arise: who can receive the spirit of God, and what must they do to be fully included in God s community of followers? The problem centers squarely on Gentiles, those with no knowledge or experience of the Jewish faith Jesus came to exemplify and fulfill. It becomes clear to Peter, James, John, Paul Barnabas, and all involved in preaching the gospel: different preachers in different parts of their world are preaching different messages about what s required of those who will follow Jesus, and there is mass confusion and disagreement about what to do with the Gentile population. The question comes: will the apostles insist on keeping the old ways while making an accommodation for these Gentiles, or will the early church begin to evolve, finding ways to improve and include the Gentiles as full partners in Christ s gospel? This is where we pick up our story this morning: Some people came down from Judea teaching the family of believers, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom we ve received from Moses, you can t be saved. Paul and Barnabas took sides against these Judeans and argued strongly against their position. The church at Antioch appointed Paul, Barnabas, and several others from Antioch to go up to Jerusalem to set this question before the apostles and the elders. The church sent this delegation on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling stories about the conversion of the Gentiles to everyone. Their reports thrilled the brothers and sisters. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church, the apostles, and the OVER ->

8 elders all welcomed them. They gave a full report of what God had accomplished through their activity. Some believers from among the Pharisees stood up and claimed, The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must be required to keep the Law from Moses. The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. After much debate, Peter stood and addressed them, Fellow believers, you know that, early on, God chose me from among you as the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and come to believe. God, who knows people s deepest thoughts and desires, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, but purified their deepest thoughts and desires through faith. Why then are you now challenging God by placing a burden on the shoulders of these disciples that neither we nor our ancestors could bear? On the contrary, we believe that we and they are saved in the same way, by the grace of the Lord Jesus. The entire assembly fell quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God did among the Gentiles through their activity. When Barnabas and Paul also fell silent, James responded, Fellow believers, listen to me. Simon reported how, in his kindness, God came to the Gentiles in the first place, to raise up from them a people of God. The prophets words agree with this Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn t create problems for Gentiles who turn to God. Instead, we should write a letter, telling them to avoid the pollution associated with idols, sexual immorality, eating meat from strangled animals, and consuming blood. After all, Moses has been proclaimed in every city for a long time, and is read aloud every Sabbath in every synagogue. When Barnabas, Paul, and the delegates were sent on their way, they went down to Antioch. They gathered the believers and delivered the letter. The people read it, delighted with its encouraging message. Reader: The Word of God for the people of God. Community: Thanks be to God.

9 SERVER ASSIGNMENTS MONITOR: Norma Abernathy DATE: 7/1/2018 COMMUNION PREP: Dais X Trent Jones Liz McCullough Tyrone Gilbert Offering: Communion: Sondra Bowers Louanne Cary POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 3 & 4. Bring offering down for blessing 6. Serve roped area, Conference Room, & Balcony MONITORS: Count attendance; sort/secure offering with #3&4 positions; return communion trays to prep room post service. ARRIVE AT 10:15 TO CONFIRM ALL SERVERS & PRAY WITH ELDERS.

Last names A-M are invited to bring a salad or vegetable, and N-Z are asked to bring dessert.

Last names A-M are invited to bring a salad or vegetable, and N-Z are asked to bring dessert. NOVEMBER 12, 2017 Rev. Shanna Steitz Senior Minister Rev. Ryan Motter Associate Minister Don't forget that next Sunday, Nov 19, we have one service at 10:30 am followed by our annual congregational meeting.