August, 2011 Volume 3, Issue 8 The Circuit Writer! BEING THE CHURCH FOR OTHERS Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: Don t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel God s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give freely as you have received! Matthew 10:5-8 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. Mark 6:12-13 I [Jesus] am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. John 17:20 We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn t live to please himself. Romans 15:1b-3a This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first hear and understood the truth about God s wonderful grace. Colossians 1:6 Wow! We are having an exciting summer! So much is happening and yet I think we are enjoying this summer more than some in the past. For us as a family, the girls have been gone enjoying some camps, we ve had some one-day adventures, but most of all, we have this wedding of our oldest son on the horizon with the big day being August 27 th. And, even though you may not know our son very well, know that you are welcomed to come and share with us. As a congregation, we are enjoying watching the progress on the new building and the website is just about ready to launch as I write this. We have spent time celebrating and building relationships through our progressive dinner, the community yard sale, and the free car wash. You will see that the momentum continues through August as we prepare for the annual Free Sale, a canoe trip, a community summer (family VBS) celebration event in the park, a free family fun & movie night, and a return appearance to the Riverside School Picnic prior to Open House. And, there is more special planning happening for our worship experiences. It s a wonderful time to be a part of something bigger! Jesus calls his disciples to go out with the message of God s magnificent love, sharing with others the healing and the gift that we have received through Jesus himself. When Jesus becomes the CENTER of our lives, not just the main priority, but that EVERYTHING in our lives revolves around, passes through, and comes from that center, then, we are no longer to live for ourselves, but our purpose is for God s glory. We are to love God (to have Jesus at the center of our lives) and to love others. We are to live for God and for others. The human part of us wants to live for our own desires. Until we understand the principle Jesus taught that it is most important and urgent that we reach OTHERS with the love of Christ, we fall short of the glory of God. We cheat God of the best we have to offer him. I m so glad that we are emphasizing relationships building new ones with people in the community as well as strengthening the ties that bind us in the church. PRESS ON CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH!!! In Christ s Love, Pastor Carolyn
Page 2 A Moment for Missions Busy, Busy Summer! The recent free car wash was very successful! Volunteers from young to not so very young cheerfully washed 15 cars during the event. Cold drinks were given out. People got a chance to visit with volunteers under the canopy while they learned about our church and we learned about them. Community surveys were also passed out for completion. People were very appreciative of our efforts and most insisted on donation to our mission fund. It was a good day of spreading God s love along with lots of refreshing water! Special thanks to all the volunteers! Our new church t-shirt and polo shirts have arrived and will be seen out and about in our community. They are bright yellow and will allow us to be easily identified when working on Missions Outreach Projects. Anyone may order a shirt to wear. Contact a Mission Team Member or the church office for more details! Plans are underway to hold another giveaway event for the Riverside Community. Saturday, Aug. 6th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the De- Graff United Methodist Church. Items to be offered for free will include clothing for the entire family, furniture, household items and school supplies. These items will be organized and displayed throughout the church and on the side lawn. Hot dogs and drinks will also be provided. Community Surveys are currently being distributed around the area for the next two months. These are for the purpose of finding out the most important things people are looking for in a church they attend. We also want to better identify our community s potential outreach needs. We ll share the results in October! Book Review From Publishers Weekly...MacDonald charts new territory in church growth books by turning what could have been a long list of dos and don ts into a highly readable approach to the subject. MacDonald creates a cast of church members I their 50 s, 60 s and 70 s who meet each week to discuss where their church has been, is now and should go in the future. All I know is someone stole my church & I d like it back, says one. MacDonald delves into the feelings of the older generation as they watch new leadership take over, see changes in music and us of technology, and begin to wonder how they will fit in. This is a challenging, innovative approach to a delicate subject. It s sure to benefit church leaders and members of all ages who dream of a reinvented church. This book can be purchased at Amazon.com
Page 3 Worship Leaders and Helpers... Acolytes Greeters Lay Reader ursery Jr. Church Children s Sermon August 7 Olivia Perk & Meghan Orr August 14 icholas & Christopher Smith August 21 Evan & Kara Kauffman Jerry & Barb Haas Dan Christman Shirley Linet Jean Carey Marylu Clute Deb Mohr Connie Madden Sue Walls Shelley Perk Brad Jenkins Kauffmans Jenkins Karol Rader Kelly Kauffman Darcie Jenkins adine Tussing August 28 Maddie Bowman & Daisy Armbruster Dan Christman Deb Mohr Dave Knight ancy Knight Pat Holt Aug. 7 Aug. 14 Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Harley Strayer Jennifer Bowman Deb Mohr Martha Siders Warren Carey Dan Bowman Sue Walls Gail Dodds Pat Holt Karol Rader LuCinda Holycross Bits and Pieces. Someone once said there are two kinds of folks in this world...those who wake up and say Good Morning, Lord! and those who wake and say, Good Lord! It s morning! Report of the June Finance Meeting The May Minutes and Financial Reports were approved as presented The Debit Card has arrived Karol Rader reported that the Trustees are looking at chairs for the new building.
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Volume 3, Issue 8 Page 5 Trustee Report... HERE WE GO! After so many ups and downs over many years, our new church building is taking off!! The financing is in place and the building is under construction. We are pleased to have quality people helping us design and build this building. I am pleased to report to you that the Design Team did an excellent job providing space, design quality and functionality for our use in years to come. Your Build Team has made a myriad of decisions that have netted us a savings of $12,000. However, we have experienced one major problem during this very wet spring. Part of the drive and parking area gave way under the weight of the heavy equipment used at the building site. This issue will be resolved over the next month or two and will involve some expense. We have scheduled a congregational visit to the building site after the worship service on Sunday, July 31. Everyone is invited. The building should be under roof and the interior wall studs should be in place so that everyone can get a feel for the size of each room. Our aggressive completion date in Oct. 31. Although much has been accomplished, much needs to be done the balance of the summer and fall. Support and prayers are important. Pray that God will give us the vision and perseverance to continue our quest to serve him better. Dave There will be a canoe trip down Mad River on Saturday, Aug. 13. Anyone interested in attending should meet at the church at 11 a.m. when a caravan will leave for Birch Bark Canoe Livery. Cost is $26 for 2 adults and $31 for 2 adults and 1 child. Following the canoe trip, the church will hold a picnic lunch. Participants are asked to bring their own eating utensils, lawn chairs and a dish to share. To register for the trip, contact Jennifer Ganson- Bowman by Aug. 8. She can be reached at 937-726-8057 or at jennifer.ganson@yahoo. com Family Movie Night from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. This event is free to the public and will include family oriented games and activities. The movie is Despicable Me
Mr. & Mrs. Ricky Phelps Request the honor of your presence At the marriage of their daughter Elizabeth Ann Phelps To Daniel Raymond Christman, Jr. Son of Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Christman Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 3:30 p.m. St. Jacob s Lutheran Church, Anna, Ohio