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The Season Of Thanksgiving
When the season of Thanksgiving comes, we turn our
attention to the harvest. This is many things to each one of us. Some think
of the bountiful crops that are produced, others think of the harvest as a
maturing of a person's spiritual life when he/she has completed their life's
work and is ready to meet their Maker. We reflect on the past year and
recount our many blessings.
Many years ago a decision was
made to have a special service where we could reflect over the past year and
give "thanks" to God. This is what we do the Sunday before
Thanksgiving. The Missions Committee of Bess Holveck,
Vi Gray, Mary Sparks and Betty Arterburn has selected four mission fields and individuals to
receive our "Thank Offering," or you may designate someone of your
choice. The service is open to one and all, and a basket is placed on the
altar to receive the offering as men, women, youth, and families come forward
to deposit their gift, and sometimes express their gratitude and reasons for
being "thankful." If you do not want to come forward, your
contribution can be placed in the offering plate or given to the church
treasurer. God knows your heart and what you give is totally between you and
God as you celebrate this Thanksgiving season.
The question has been
asked? "Why do we give?"
Jesus commands us to help each other, and because I have been given much, I
too, shall give. It is thus with our hearts full of blessings, that we say,
"Thank you, God."
Following our Thank
Offering Service on Sunday, November 23, 2003, everyone is welcome
to stay for our Thanksgiving potluck dinner which Social Committee #3 will be
hosting.
Following are the Thank
Offering recipients
for November 23, 2003:
Camp Scholarships:
Funds given will help our local children go to
Church camp next summer.
House of Compassion:
The general fund of the House of Compassion in Marshalltown will also
benefit from our thank offering. They recently have had large expenses: a new
water heater, bathroom repair and a washing machine that is not working very
well. Their mission: Called by our
faith in Jesus Christ to act in love, the House of Compassion responds
to the needs of our neighbor and advocates justice and dignity for all.
Cuba Yearly
Meeting:
The churches in Cuba are growing, with many young
people turning their hearts to God. The church buildings are old and are in
need of repair. Many of the roofs are falling in. When this happens the Cuban government seizes the property. The
people of Cuba
cannot preach or tell of Christ outside of their church property, and this is
one reason that they want to keep up their churches. Our thank offering will
help the Cuban people with repairs to church buildings.
Mike and Kay Cain in Belize:
School has started again with
32 boys and 6 girls enrolled at the Belize Friends
School. With the
increase in enrollment and the increase in the Johnny cakes, their feeding
program now costs them $120.00 each week. Also the house the Cains have been renting for the last four years has been
sold. When they met with the new landlady the first thing she did was raise
the rent $50. But Kay was able to convince her of an increase of only $25.00.
They are looking into the possibility of getting a lot of their own in the
area where the school is, and hopefully to build their own home. Our thank
offering will help support the Cain’s work in Belize.
The Missions committee has
suggested that the Thank Offering be divided equally among these four
Missions. Or if you like, you may designate a person or mission of your
choice to receive your offering.
Prayerfully consider your
part and giving in our Thank Offering Service on November 23.
-Bangor Liberty
Missions Comm.
Thankful for the Day
More
than any other date on the calendar, Thanksgiving has remained private and
personal, devoid of the tinsel trappings that mar the rest of contemporary
life….In a nation where the mall never palls and seven-days-a-week shopping
seems enshrined as a civic religion, Thanksgiving stands out as an oasis of
tranquility and a reminder of the values that once tempered America’s
materialism. -Time
-“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is
pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing. The great people
of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk
about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor
those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those who take time to
pray.” -S.D. Gordon
-“It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer
alone.” -Hudson Taylor
Children’s Church
Children’s Church will be held November 2, 9, 16,
and 30. Our lessons will come from Mark, John & the Psalms. For projects,
we will continue to encourage public school workers, make tray favors for a
nursing home, and give a gift of thanks to our BLFC servants. Our goal is to
encourage children to live their lives to honor Christ.
Liberty
USFW
Ladies of Liberty USFW will meet
at Audrey Norman’s home in Union on
Wednesday, November 12, 7:00 p.m. for a work night. Those attending will be
working on a group project--wear old shirts for painting. Ladies are reminded
to bring items for Tim Thomas in Iraq.
Bangor
USFW
On Tuesday, November 18, at
1:30, Bangor USFW will meet at Fern Tuttle's home with Betty bringing the
lesson and Bess the refreshments. If anyone has quarter-sized white buttons,
please pass them on to Betty so we can continue making snowmen pins.
Monday Night Bible
Study
Women in the New Testament are as diverse as women today. In meeting
these women you will grow deeper in your understanding of what it means to be
a disciple. Upcoming lessons include: Lydia, a businesswoman turns to
Christ and Priscilla, a partner in leadership. Come join the Monday study
group as they are challenged by these Biblical women to draw closer to God.
They meet at the church at 7:30 p.m. each Monday night.
Community
Thanksgiving Day Dinner
The Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be
held at the Salvation Army 107 West State St in Marshalltown on Thanksgiving Day, November
27. Serving will be from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Planning Committee hopes
that persons wanting the companionship of others on the holiday will take
this opportunity for fellowship. There is no charge, but donations will be
accepted.
The Community Thanksgiving Day
Dinner Committee
Library
Ledge
Mission Memories & Challenges
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.” Mark
14:15. These books will challenge
you to reach out to your world to tell others the Good News about Jesus and
His love though deeds and prayer. The
Smoke of a Thousand Villages is a compilation of several stories of real
life heroes of the faith such as Eric Lindell, Jim
Elliot and Amy Carmichael. Others you’ll find in our library include: Christian Mission: A Matter of Life,
Quaker Peacemakers, Bold as a Lamb, and Out of the Jaws of the Lion to name
just a few. Check them out during November.
Jr. Youth News
The Jr. Youth will be meeting on Saturday,
November 15 for their trip to Marshalltown
to shop for their adopted family for Christmas thru the House of Compassion.
This is a change from Sunday, November 16. The youth will leave from the
church at 2:30 p.m. to go shopping, eat supper together and then will attend
“The Martin’s” Concert at the BCLUW
High School. General
admission tickets are $12 each and the youth group is paying for half the
ticket price for each youth attending.
Jr. Youth will not meet on Sunday, November 16.
Jr. Youth Soup & Bread Fundraiser
Bangor Liberty Junior Youth are
having a Soup and Bread Fundraiser. Please complete the order form at the
bottom of the page if you would like to participate. The soup will be
prepared on Saturday, December 6 at the church. The soup will be cooled and
placed in quart jars and refrigerated for pick up after church on Sunday,
December 7. Bread will be baked on Saturday as well and will be ready for
pick up with the soup. We will also have a free will offering bake sale after
church that Sunday so you may take home an entire meal to enjoy. Funds raised
will be used for our activities this year. We would greatly appreciate your
support!
Please complete the order form
below and place it, with your payment, in Will and Jo Macy’s mailbox in the
communication center in the entrance of the church. We need to receive your
orders by November 30th so supplies for the soup and bread can be
purchased.
If anyone is interested in helping
on December 6th in preparing soup or helping cut vegetables prior,
please let Will or Jo know. Thank
you!
Counting Our Blessings
Counting our blessings is good practice.
1.
It makes us get along with people better.
2.
It makes us look around us instead of within us.
3.
It makes us more considerate, sympathetic.
4.
It causes us to live for others, not ourselves
5.
It makes us a blessing instead of a burden.
6.
It corrects our perspective of life.
7.
It strengthens our inner resources of faith and hope.
8.
In increases our confidence for living.
9.
It increases our awareness of God.
House of Compassion
October Report
We served 72 guests
generous helpings of pork stew, cornbread, mixed fruit, pumpkin bars or wafer
cookies & milk. Our great volunteers included: Sharon KJ, Tom, and Ann
who donated funds; Fern, Wayne,
and I who prepared; Bob, Jeanette, Keith, Leondra,
& Mary who served; Vi, Wayne M, Reg, Betty
& her daughter Nancy who helped with cleanup. The stew went well with
many returning for seconds.
Around 6:00 I noticed three grade school boys
watching TV and asked if they’d eaten. Two hadn’t so I took them some of the
last servings. They thanked me and ate all I gave them. Levi & Ramona
stayed the night with 6 people.
The following items were given for the HOC Supply
Closet during October: 32 pkg. Kleenex; 8 pkg. diapers; 5 laundry detergent; 13 adult medicine; 13 children’s medicine;
Darlene Bradley, 9 hand soap; 4 bottles shampoo; and a few other
miscellaneous items. Thanks for your generous donations! Margaret
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