UPCOMING EVENTS Join us this Sunday to welcome our new pianist Kait Wilson.

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1 1 September 21, 2017 Published twice monthly Lansing,Michigan UPCOMING EVENTS Join us this Sunday to welcome our new pianist Kait Wilson. We'll also be taking our denominational Reconciliation special offering, anti-racism and pro-reconciliation. It's not too late to sign up for the Church Growth Leadership conference on Saturday, Sept. 30 (see Details inside.) And it's not too early to sell pies that we will be making on Oct. 21 Join us on Oct. 1, World Communion Sunday, for a child dedication Sunday, Oct. 1 is World Communion Sunday. It is also a Potluck Sunday. And best of all, we will welcome Ben and Jessica McAlvey as they dedicate their son Nathaniel Robert McAlvey, who is Bob and Tina McAlvey's new grandson. Please join us for this joyous celebration! FCC Welcomes New Pianist We are pleased to welcome Kait Wilson as our new pianist this Sunday, Sept. 24. She has an extensive background in performance and musical theater direction and has been a choir director and is interested in song writing. We'll tell you more about Kait later, but please welcome her this Sunday for her first performance with the Praise Band and Choir.

2 2 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 2 Do you like to play games?? Join us on October 7th at 10:00 am for Can Con!! This is a board game/tabletop game convention themed food drive sponsored by & held at our church. Entry cost is $5 or five non-perishable food items. Game play is available with tickets which are $1 or one non-perishable food item per ticket. COME JOIN US FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN!! Important Pie Day Info Our Pie Making Day has been changed to October 21st!! This gives us more time to collect orders, allows us to focus on promoting after all the summer vacations are over, & means the pies will be delivered closer to Thanksgiving & Christmas. Please mark this change on your calendar & be sure to verify the sign up sheets you have already committed to working. Thanks!! WANTED!! Pictures of our congregation! Carolyn Haun is doing a picture project on one of the large bulletin boards. She would love to have you bring in pictures she can use for this. They need to be 5 x7 or smaller & she needs to know who is in the picture so, make sure to attach a note with your name(s). There is an envelope on the historian s door & a box on the secretary s desk in the office for you to drop off your pictures. If you have any questions, please call Carolyn at Thank you!!

3 3 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 3 Missions in Action During the month of September the Missions Committee donated to the following: Refugee Development Center Disciple Mission Fund World Vision Sparrows Nest The C.R.O.P. Walk is Sunday, October 8, 2017 Pastor Rick challenged the children in our congregation to raise money for the C.R.O.P walk. He gave them $10 to start. Any encouragement from the congregation is welcomed. If you are interested in walking and collecting pledges you may get a registration packet from Dawn Epstein or Pastor Boyd. There is information about the Walk and, how the money helps, in the literature on the card table in the Narthex. One sheet that may be of interest to you is a list of the IMPACT our donations make. Check it out. You may be surprised. If you are unable to participate there will be an opportunity to donate on October 8 during our Coffee Fellowship.

4 4 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 4 Do you enjoy reading books? Mary Walrath is hosting a meeting on Wednesday, September 27th at 7:00 pm in the Parlor to see what interest there would be for starting a church book club. We will also discuss possible book selections & future meetings. The club would meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month for reading non-fiction & fiction books that help Christians grapple with contemporary topics through the guidance of our faith. Four Perspectives Because different writers penned each Gospel, the four books offer unique angles & insights. Although the overall message is the same, the human authors backgrounds & perspectives shine through every account. These verses by an unknown writer remind us of each Gospel s characteristics: Matthew Messiah, Israel s King, sets forth, by Israel slain; but God decreed that Israel s loss should be the Gentiles gain. Luke, the physician, writes of a more skilled Physician still Who gave himself, as Son of Man, to save us from all ill. Mark tells us how in patient love this earth has once been trod by One Who, in a Servant s form, was yet the Son of God. John, the beloved of Jesus, sees in him the Father's Son, the everlasting Word made flesh, yet with the Father One. From Christian Services We received word the LOVE Clothing Center is need of underwear boys size & girls size Donations can be taken to Judson Baptist Church, 531 Glendale Ave, Lansing Their office is open 9 am 2 pm Tuesday Friday.

5 5 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 5 Birthdays October Marc Booher 10/01 Sadie Elsa McEvoy 10/01 Travis McAlvey 10/02 Jim Sturdevant 10/02 Robert Wooten 10/04 Ashley Yin 10/05 Grace Anne Opsommer 10/06 Lillian (Lilly) Knapp 10/08 Jill Dimmitt 10/10 Maria Wurtzel 10/11 Matt Simon 10/12 Lary York 10/13 Barbara Sparks 10/13 Don Price 10/13 Hans Morgan 10/15 Erika Charles 10/16 Lois Cutler 10/16 Kelly Schalter 10/17 Zachary Pope 10/17 Meg Murashima 10/19 Robert Hanna 10/20 Joseph McAlvey 10/20 Emily Bieber 10/23 Virginia White 10/23 Peter Morgan 10/28 Josh Martin 10/28 Kari Petersen 10/28 Harper Melina Morgan 10/29 Rachel Black 10/31 Anniversaries Gerry & Anita Such 10/02/2001 Nathan & Carrie Chance 10/06/2001 Jim & Suzie Sturdevant 10/12/1985 Tony & Jennifer Knapp 10/26/2002

6 6 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 6 Where do our offerings go? Reconciliation Offering 2017 As recent news events have shown, the need for addressing racism in America has never been greater. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a history dating from the 1960s of sharing our resources to address the racism of our society and the racism within our own church. We have called this process the Reconciliation Ministry. We receive this offering in the fall and use the funds throughout the year to give grants to the pro-reconciliation/anti-racism initiative to organize to dismantle systems and structures that perpetuate this sin of division within the Church. The 2020 Vision adopted by our church names this work as one of the four priorities of our mission together as a whole church. This voluntary annual offering is the only source of funding for this ministry. Here in Michigan, the money raised from this offering helps pay for camp scholarships and educational opportunities for children who would otherwise be unable to attend. The 2017 Reconciliation Offering will be received in congregations on September 24 and October 1. Please give. And thank you! Save the Date: Our Church will host a regional training event on Sept. 30. "Biblical Leadership and Church Growth" are the topics. The presenters are from Ohio and they have conducted similar events in the Disciples Region there. They are Rev. Dr. J. Thomas Johnson and Wanda Johnson. The following questions will be addressed: What is God's master plan? What is the primary purpose of the church? What is Leadership? Who is a Leader? What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? What are your spiritual gifts? All ministers, lay leaders and members of the congregation are strongly urged to attend. (After all, the experienced trainers are coming to visit us.) Registration forms are available from Pastor Rick, Elder chair Carolyn Haun and can also be found on the table in the Narthex. If you like, the church will reimburse you for the $10 registration fee. Please sign up soon! Thank you.

7 7 Volume 18/2017 Issue 17 Page 7 Prayer Requests: For those facing challenges: Samantha & Mervyn Shepherd; Chris Strayer; the people of South Sudan; the people of Syria; Eugene James; Bev Peeler; Tom & Rose Snitgen; Carolyn Haun; Carrie & Nate Chance & their children, Zephan & Miranda; Rick & Karen s friends, Peter & David. For everyone affected by the hurricanes & flooding in Texas, Louisiana, & Florida. For the animals in those areas, too. For the family of Chuck Thompson. From Anonymous: For My Grandmother s safety in Miami, Florida. From Pam: For John Stanbarger who has medical decisions to make & pain control following surgical procedure. From Tom Snitgen: For Rose who continues to have stomach problems. From Pam: For Kim Kelly who is recovering at home following rotator cuff surgery. From Anonymous: Prayers for Florida, especially my sister in Ft. Myers. Prayers for my brother in the hospital. Thank you Lord!! From Rick: For the people of South Korea & North Korea & for the Rohingya refugees. Remembering 9/11 & all the families involved & affected. From Laura Reyner: Praise for a loving church family for over 40 years!! Hired permanently at job, now waiting for full-time hours! From Ramon Abdelrhman: For my mom & her foot & my uncle in Egypt. For the family of Steve Osborne. For all affected by the earthquake that hit Mexico City & the hurricane that hit Puerto Rico. Are you making plans to go out for an evening or to go out of town? Let me help take care of your 2 or 4 legged children! Call Kristy Herman at or me at Kristy51589@yahoo.com. I am an MSU vet student, CPR trained, a certified tutor, & a licensed vet tech. Here is another new address to put in your directory: Laura & Michael Olabisi 1830 Cahill Dr. East Lansing, MI m.olabisi@gmail.com

8 8 First Christian Church (DOC) 1001 Chester Rd., Lansing, MI Phone: Fax: PASTOR Rev. Dr. Richard H. Boyd Home number for emergencies: Sunday Schedule Please join us for our Everyone Worships Service at 10:30 am Gather at 10:20 am Christian Ed Info Sunday School has resumed on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. Caraway has also started back up! It is every Sunday during worship at 10:30 am. (There is no Caraway on the 5th Sunday months.) Kids Klub is also back on Thursdays from 6:15 8:00 pm. And Christmas Pageant news will be coming soon! Also, remember that the Christian Ed Meeting is the 2nd Monday of every month at 5:30 pm & everyone is invited!