Getting To Know You... Rusty and Rachelle Bird

Transcription

1 Hickory Grove Church December 2010 Getting To Know You... Rusty and Rachelle Bird Upcoming Events December Dec 3 6:00 Dreamers to Pastor Ken & Trina s Dec 4 Red Kettle Bell Ringing Dec 11 Emmaus Dinner Dec 12 10:00 Children s Program and gathering with cookies and punch immediately following church service Dec 18 3:00 Caroling Dec 24-10:00 Eve Service Dec 25 - Did you know Our Women s Fellowship sponsors a Dinner and Bingo at Emmaus Mission in Logansport. This year it will be held the evening of the December 11 th. Many people from our congregation participate in providing dinner, playing Bingo and fellowshipping with the residents. Please join us if you can! I don't really remember what the day was like when I first met Rusty but mom (Roxann White) says that she knew immediately, from the gleam in my eye, that I was in love. She was right... I spent the next 22 years convincing him to marry me... We graduated from Twin Lakes (I was in band and he played baseball, and attended Monticello Christian Church together) in 2001 and married in Delphi in We both attended college (Purdue and Ivy Tech) while juggling advancing careers. I worked with Charter One Bank as a banker and would progress up the ladder to the second youngest branch manager and the #1 Retail Branch manager in the state, and Rusty at TRW in Lafayette. We had purchased a home in in Yeoman, of course. Rusty had picked it out for us on a walk during high school, it was condemned. He said that if someone should ever fix it up he would buy it... It came up for sale 2 months after our house search began (7 years later). It was located between the homes of both of our parents and on the streets we walked as neighborhood friends, it was a perfect place to start our lives together. Rusty is an apprenticing electrician at TRW, in Lafayette and I am a stay at home mom with our 2 girls. Kamille is 2 1/2 and Sophie Ann is 1. Both of the girls were Rusty's idea... I could hardly believe what I was hearing when he first told me he was ready to start a family! Three days after Kamille was born he asked if we could have another one... I thought he was talking about a new car! Although less than 1 1/2 years apart they are totally different girls. Complete opposites really. Kamille looks like her dad and acts like me. Sophie acts like her dad and looks like me. Both are the pride and joy of our lives. We are currently living with my parents until we find a new home for our family, who out grew our starter home. Through a series of unexpected events, we will be here longer than we originally thought... but I have faith that God has a new direction for us to go. We will do our best to follow, even if it means sharing one bathroom with 6 adults, 2 babies, 3 dogs and a cat! OH MY! Y OUTH CHRISTMAS PROGRAM Sunday, December 12th, our youth will bring the morning message as they perform their program. Services begin at 10:00AM. A special thanks to Vicki Sickler for working with our youth to put together this special service!

2 Page 2 December 2010 P ASTOR S PEN What If Jesus Showed Up At Your Door On? is probably the busiest holiday of the year, even for Non-Christians. The Spirit of fills the air and celebrations are everywhere. There are office parties, block parties, company parties, church, family and friend parties. Plans for used to get started after Thanksgiving, now-a-days they start before. You can walk into most stores after Halloween and decorations can be seen and music heard. After all, It s the most wonderful time of the year. In order to get our families together, we often begin planning for the next year before this year is over. Planning for such an important day should be started ahead of time, not waiting till the last minute. It is fun to plan the time we will spend together. We look forward to seeing the family together again. Some people plan down to the last detail everything they will need. They have a list of when to start the oven, what time each food is to go in, and reminder notes just in case they forget. There is a designated time people will get there, a time when the meal will begin and a time people need to leave to get to the next meal or party. Make room for the unforeseen. Someone may have car trouble, someone may get sick, someone, (how dare they), must go to the hospital, emergency personnel get called out, and then there is always the person that will be late. We have often heard people say: this year was ruined because of so-and-so or such-and-such. Would something unexpected like this ruin your? Let me suggest the joy of is not predicated on clockwork, or timing or whether someone does or doesn t show up. The joy of is predicated on the love relationship between a person and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, born a humble birth to a peasant girl, in an obscure village, in a stable because people were too busy with their busyness at hand to make room for Jesus. Angels came to earth and most people were too busy to even notice. Jesus brought to earth that night and interrupted some people s plans. No room in the Inn? Oh, there was room; it is just that the rooms were preoccupied, pre-booked and pre-planned. I invite you to leave room in your busy schedules this year for the unexpected. Hebrews 13:2 Do not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it. What if Jesus showed up at your door on? Knowing how Jesus operates, He wouldn t be wearing a nametag. He probably wouldn t even be dressed as nice as you might expect. While pictures depict Him in a robe and with a beard, He could have on work shoes and be driving an old beat-up car. He might appear to be out of gas, out of money, down on luck. There again He might be dressed as a policeman who stopped you just before you did something stupid. He might appear as the person that knocked on your door looking for directions. Would Jesus ruin your plans for if He showed up unexpectedly? I hope not. Life s little unexpected distractions may well be God s orchestrated plans for your life. One joy of Christ is knowing He may show up at any place and at any time. The joy of knowing Him should always be the welcome mat and the welcome mat should always be out. This year why not expect the unexpected. You may have a better than you ever dreamed you could have. G OLDEN AGERS ~Pastor Ken Submitted by Bob Tobey Our meeting was held on Wednesday 1 1/10/10 at the USA restaurant. Those present, John Crowel, Martha Reedy, Gary Reedy, Helen Hanna, Don Dill, Ruth Crawn and Bob Tobey. All had arrived by 11:30 so Ruth gave our opening prayer. We talked about upcoming Thanksgiving. We had two cards to sign for friends in distress, Phyllis Wise and Diane Reagen. John Crowel reported Ron Slavens to need our prayers. While eating, John told us about a video he had seen on the Willow Run Ford plant converting to building B24 Bombers in early WW2. 1 was built every 55 minutes. We talked about Della Dill and how she was such an inspiration during her bout with cancer. Someone brought up the baptism behind the church and John Crowel piled in that he was baptized in the Rattlesnake Creek. Helen Hanna discussed how important baptism is. Bob Tobey gave devotions on God and our Country how deeply God was involved in the founding of our United States of America. Closed with prayer and dismissal. The December Golden Agers Fellowship will be a carry-in at Sherry and Dieter Hantschel's house on December 8. If you plan on coming, please let them know ( ).

3 Hickory Switch December 2010 Page 3 Hickory Grove Church SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT :00 Children s Program and gathering immediately following church Gloria Wharff Danielle Kelly Carolynn Clothier Chuck & Sara McManus 7 Ruby Kellogg 14 Jennifer Crowel Autumn McElroy 2 3 Sara McManus Sophie Bird 6:00 Dreamer s class to Pastor Ken and Trina's Kenny & Judy Miller Janelle Warford 16 Megan Barrett Gary Lantz Paul & Pat Cotner 10:00 Eve Service Jesse O Farrell Jo Dill Red Kettle Bell Ringing Emmaus Program 3:00 Caroling 25 Day 1 Martin & Donna Lewellen New Year s Day 9714 N 700 W Phone: Ken Smith, Pastor 2 Nick Spitzer Dieter Hantschel Kaleb Philo January Barbara Humphrey DELPHI, IN Page 3 Check out our website at

4 Page 4 December 2010 W OMEN S FELLOWSHIP OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2010 Women s Fellowship October 6, 2010 Our meeting was held at the home of Lonetta Felz October 6, We started with baby shower for baby Maci White, daughter of Josh and Ashley White. Vicki Criswell read several poems and scripture regarding the raising of children. We each presented our gifts to Ashley and baby Maci. Lonetta had made cupcakes with baby shower theme which were very cute. Judy Crowel, president, opened regular meeting. Pam Simons shared her paper for school titled Source of Change. Pam encouraged and challenged each of us as growing and/or converted Christians to fully and passionately change our lives as we grow with Christ. Reminding us that we get nowhere acting like Christians but that it s being Christ like that gets us into Heaven. 21 women answered roll call of our favorite fall decorations. I think the changing leaves were the most popular. Secretary and Treasury reports read and approved with October 1, 2010 balance of $ Material Aid asked if we would like to have Emmaus Dinner 2 nd Saturday in December. Pam Simons motioned that we continue to do it, Brenda Johns 2 nd motion. Motion carried. Thank offering in November (special collection for things we are thankful for) will be given to Keeping it Real, Inc. for gifts for children whose parents in jail. Ruth Crawn and Helen Hanna shared some books that they have read for our Library report. One was titled The Help by Kathy Stockett and the other The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper. Both were about people being treated badly, some by masters and others by war time. Helen Hanna motioned that we do not use Styrofoam plates and bowls for dinners at the Church. Helen voiced concerns about the environment and staying Green. Pam Simons 2 nd motion. Motion carried. Our goal is to be better stewards of the earth. Meeting was closed by repeating the collect. November meeting will be held at the Church on the 3 rd. Hosted by Brenda Johns who will provide meat and drinks. We counted off by 3 s to determine rest of meal. 1-salad, 2-vegetable, 3-dessert. Submitted by Brenda Johns, Secretary Women s Fellowship November women gathered at the Church for our Nov 3, 2010 meeting. Judy Crowel opened with prayer and we shared in our wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner provided by all the ladies present. After dinner we held our regular meeting. Judy Crowel opened the meeting with prayer and Jo White gave devotions. She read two articles from her Extra Country magazine, a poem titled Autumn Treasures and a story called On Top of the World. Roll call was taken by each telling of a memorable Thanksgiving they ve experienced. Cards were passed to be signed for sick and shuts ins. Secretary s report was not available at the time for reading. Treasurer report was read and approved with balance of $ at Nov 1, Lonetta announced that $ was profit from luncheon and $ was the profit from the items sold at the bazaar. Thank you to everyone who participated! Pam Simons motioned that we give $300 each to the White/Carroll County Food Pantries. Ruth Crawn 2 nd motion. Vote taken and motion passed. Material aid announced that we would be providing dinner to Emmaus on Dec 11 th. The Church van will leave around 4:00 on the 11 th. We will be providing Chicken Noodle dinner and a sign up sheet will be available for other items needed. Please also bring items for bingo prizes. Ideas: gloves, razors, shaving cream, crayons, coloring books, small games, candies and snacks. Sara McManus gave library report on story by Clement Stone called 17 Principals. Old Business: We had voted at last meeting to discontinue use of Styrofoam products for our meals. It was brought to our attention that the Church pays for these products, not the Women s Fellowship. It was agreed that we did not have the right to make this decision. Meeting was closed by reading the collect. Submitted by Ruth Crawn from Extension Homemakers newsletter: Volunteers Needed! December 10 (Friday) Toy Store from 4-6 at Honan Hall in Delphi December 16 (Thursday) Assemble Baskets at 7 p.m. at Delphi Armory. December 18 (Saturday) Distribute Baskets starting at 8 a.m. at the Armory.

5 Page 5 August 2010 F OR THE YOUNG AT HEART A NNUAL HAM AND BEAN S UPPER FUND RAISER The Hickory Grove Church Dreamers Sunday School class held it's annual ham and bean supper on November 6. It is the annual fundraiser, the class holds, to raise funds for teams of people from Hickory Grove Church to use for projects when they go to Haiti to work. The Dreamers class cooks ham and beans in a 20 gallon cast iron kettle over an open fire and they make corn bread and vegetable soup for the fundraiser. It was very successful again this year and close to $1000 was raised. There was also a silent auction for handmade Haitian crafts that were brought back by a team. The proceeds for the auction will be sent back to a community group in Cazale, Haiti to be used for educational programs. The Dreamers class would like to thank everyone who supported them during the fundraiser and donated desserts.

6 HICKORY GROVE CHURCH 9714 N 700 W Phone: Ken Smith, Pastor The friendly church at the side of the road! Cards and Visits People who may appreciate your cards, prayers and visits: Dee Davis 306 S Illinois St. Monticello, IN Mary Rishel Carroll Manor 6409 W 100 N. (Marlene Joseph s mother) Irma Jenni Room 518, White Oaks th Street, Monticello IN James Bailey Whispering Pines, 410 Tioga Road, Room D-3 Monticello, In (Amy Spitzer and Brenda Johns grandfather) Maxine White 106 W Vine Street Our College Students Tanna Lewellen 2048 Delray Dr W Lafayette IN Sam Lashbrook 1602 N. Second St. Vincennes, IN In Your Moment of Need... In your moment of need please feel free to call: Pastor Ken Smith Phone: Pager: Or one of our Deacons: Bryan Felz Ron Felz Jesse Kelly Alan Sickler Judy Miller Teresa Alexander Have something you want to share... If you have any minutes to meetings, class party info or anything you think the rest of us might enjoy hearing about, please get it to Amy or Brenda. We can be reached at: Amy Spitzer 605 W Hanawalt Rd, Monticello, IN alspitzer@ffni.com Brenda Johns 9457 W 650 N, Delphi, IN johns4@ytci.com Sundays in Review... Did you miss a Sunday recently? No problem, you can now borrow a taped copy of the Sunday service! Copies are made every Sunday to be distributed to Shut-ins or those who were absent for whatever reason. Just contact anyone from the church, and they can get you a copy!