The Bangor Liberty Bell

Sharing the News and Views of

Bangor Liberty Friends Church

 

September 2004   Volume 25, No. 9

Keith Haisch, Pastor

 

 

Four Big Little Words

Trust in the Lord for His promise is true,

Delight in the Lord, it will bring joy to you.

Commit yourself, do His will every day,

Wait on the Lord, hear what He has to say.

 

 

Sunday School Makes a Difference

           BLFC Christian Education Committee is gearing up for the new Sunday School year, which will begin September 26.  School age children and youth will be studying the Friends Sunday School curriculum. The adult class led by Chuck Nichols will continue to use the Adult Friend as their study guide, and the adult class led by Joe Feltz will be using the Faith Weaver series by Group. A new class, led by Pastor Keith, will study the book, Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren.

           The Christian Education Committee will host a Teacher Appreciation Breakfast for last year’s teachers and this year’s teachers at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 3.     

           The fifth graders will also be presented new Bibles on October 3 during Morning Worship.

 

 

BLFC Family Camp

Camp Quaker Heights

September 17-18-19

           We are looking forward to our annual Family Camp at Quaker Heights in September. The Committee is busy planning the weekend, along with some help from the Youth Group. Reservations were due Sept. 5, but late reservations with additional fees can still be made by calling Jo Macy.

           The weekend kicks off with a potluck on Friday night. Saturday will bring kids’ games, a spelling bee, canoeing, walking and other outdoor activities. Saturday evening a 1950’s Variety Show will be held. Take a trip down memory lane and bring memories and clothing from the 1950’s that you would be willing to share.

           T.J. Stanfield will bring the message for our Sunday morning Worship Service. We always look forward to seeing T.J. and Mari and the children, and hearing what God has laid on T.J.’s heart to share with us!

Come Join in The Fun!

 

 

Thank You

            Special thanks to everyone who donated funds for our Bell Tower Repair Project. As of September 1st $5,295 had been given for the project due to be completed this fall.

                                    -BLFC Trustees

 

Dear Friends,

            Thank you so much for your contributions to the ministry of the Chicago Fellowship of Friends. Every season is an important one in inner city Chicago. Throughout this busy summer, we have continued to pray for the Fellowship of Friends, for the Pedigos, and for God’s peace in the world, as we know you do.

                                   In Christ’s peace,

                        `        Kara Newell, Board Member, CFOF

 

 

To Be A Servant

            To be a servant, we must give up our agenda to gain personal success and advancement at the expense of others. Instead, we must commit ourselves to the welfare of (John Good) others and ask God to lead us as we give what we can to meet their needs.

            It’s a cold, lonely world when everyone looks out for himself. It is a warmer and friendlier one when we look out for each other--at home, at work, in our communities and in our churches.    

-Max Anders

 

-Opportunity may knock once, but temptation leans on the bell.

-Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

 

 

Liberty USFW

Liberty USFW invites all ladies of the church to join their group as they begin a new year. They share lessons, devotions and fun, meeting the second Wednesday night each month thru the school year. The ladies also work on mission projects and service projects throughout the year. Liberty USFW will begin the new year on Wednesday, September 8th at 7:00 p.m., at Mary Sparks’ home. Come join the fellowship and fun.

 

 

Attention Ladies – Quilt Talk

          All ladies are welcome to hear Marj Nelson of New Providence share a program about the importance of quilts on the Underground Railroad. Her talk includes displaying several quilts she has made and collected. We’ll gather at 1:30 on Wednesday, September 21st at Leondra’s and Miriam will provide the refreshments. Following the program will be our Bangor USFW meeting. Anyone is welcome to stay or feel free to leave if their schedule requires. Invite anyone interested in quilts to attend this informative program.

 

 

The Library Ledge:
Christian Living

            During the month of September the library ledge will display books to assist you to “walk the walk and talk the talk” in your Christian life. 

          Since the beginning, followers of Christ have been asking: Why do I often feel I don’t measure up to God’s standards? How can I love people I don’t even like? How does a Christian stay pure in such a dirty world? These and other questions are dealt with in How to Be a Christian Without Being Perfect, a life-related study of I John.

            Stan Toler is convinced that “Humor is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles!” In his book God has Never Failed me, But He’s Sure Scared Me to Death a Few Times, he writes from personal experience how God is faithful no matter how difficult your problem or how overwhelming your obstacles. God can do anything but fail!

            Check out the library ledge … you’ll find ways to stretch and grow there.

           

 

Children’s Church Resumes

Children’s Church has begun for the school year and your children age 5 through 5th grade are welcome to participate. This program is usually held twice a month. In September we’ll gather on the 12th & 26th. Children are dismissed to the fellowship hall following the children’s message part of the worship service. We hope to support your children in their Christian walk. If you have any questions, please ask Margaret.

 

 

Summer News from the CFOF

The missions news has been slow this summer, as many of the missionaries are or have been on furlough. Hopefully, will have more missions news in September. We did hear from the Pedigos in Chicago, and they have been participating in a funded program focused on bringing the message of peace to the cities. This was done through a grant from Boston University Theological Seminary to reflect and write about a new message of urban peace. While the Pedigos are gone, some of the high school girls who have grown up in the Young Friends After-School Program have been meeting as a chapter of the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority's Sisternet. One of their tasks was to talk about why this group at the CFOF was important. Some of their responses were --“it is like home -- it gives hope to children in Cabrini Green -- helps us to succeed educationally -- provides a place of support.” They talked about what it means to be a Christian for their lives and how they can help each other throughout the teen years. Through this work with the children of CFOF, they hope to grow "Oaks of Righteousness." Please pray for these young people as they strive to meet the needs there. A new Bible study series on Quakerism has been completed by Marlene, "Let Your Life Speak." You may request a copy by calling CFOF at 312-285-4493. Special thanks go to the churches and organizations that have volunteered work there this summer. They are also asking for prayers for the playground project as they have started a fundraiser for the construction costs, and would like to start the construction yet this year.

-BLFC Missions

 

 

Why Christians Should Vote

It’s an Honor, Privilege, Duty!

            Americans are blessed to have a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” But democracy has one key requirement: our participation. And the most basic democratic participation is voting. Yet it can also have the most profound impact.

            More than a right, voting is a privilege that millions of people in other parts of the world can only dream about. Still, many Americans choose not to vote.

            According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as many as 25 to 35 percent of eligible Americans are not registered to vote--that’s 45 to 65 million people! Less than half of the voting-age population actually votes in any given election.

            Our faith in God should influence our values in life, and that includes the political arena. We shouldn’t be bashful about injecting notions of right and wrong into public debates. These ideas come from moral standards, which are essential to a free society such as ours, to prevent it from sliding into social chaos. People of faith, grounded in moral truth, must be prepared to discern those candidates best able to uphold moral values. As Christ’s representatives on earth, we are under a mandate to be “salt and light” in our culture. Dr. James Dobson wrote, “We live in a representative form of government where we are its leaders. It means that every citizen has a responsibility to participate in the decisions that are made …and that includes people of faith…using his or her influence for what is moral and just.”                -Focus on the Family  

 

Are you registered to vote?

If not, get registered!

Make informed choices based on your faith on Tuesday, November 2

 

 

   Sovereignty

Sovereignty is that attribute of God that

    says He really knows and is controlling

    all that happens here on earth and even

    in our individual lives.

Occasionally things happen in our lives,

    and we scratch our heads and wonder--

    did God really intend for this to happen?

    And why?

Viewing the facts from our limited

    perspective can often leave us in doubt,

    but God does not always allow us to see

    His perspective.

Everything that God does has a purpose,

    and for His children He has given this

    promise.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all

    things work together for good to them

    that love God, to them who are called

    according to His purpose.”

Everything? Even those yucky things? (I

    chuckle as I remember my boyhood

    response to the verse. Yet adults say the

    same thing, too, don’t they?)

I remember asking my mother how could it

    be that even bad things could turn out

    for good. And I will never forget her

    simple response--the ingredients of a

    chocolate cake.

Good chocolate cakes are always a

    favorite. But do you know what my

    Mom, the cook, puts in them?

Nasty tasting flour (ever eat it plain?), raw

    eggs (yuck!), baking powder (horrible!).

Tasty things, too--like sugar, milk, and

    chocolate (yum!).

Yes, even those yucky things, when mixed

    with the good and placed in the heat of

    the trying fire, yields something good--

    chocolate cake. But only when Mom

    puts in the right amounts.

 

    God has the recipe--not me. He knows the

    amounts of good and yucky things and, in

    His sovereignty, He’s making something

    good. I just have to trust Him.

                                                -Copied

 

 

House of Compassion Report

August 26, 2004 Report

Our volunteers served 49 guests their choice of tuna fish or grilled cheese sandwiches, potato salad, coleslaw, carrot and celery sticks, pineapple, applesauce, a variety of puddings, cookies and milk. The serving was busy for the first 20 minutes, then just a few at a time came in. Many returned for seconds on sandwiches and potato salad, and gave their thanks and compliments. The grilled cheese was a big hit.

We had another great turnout of volunteers who furnished food, prepared, served or cleaned up following the meal. A HOC board member took his turn as monitor for the evening, staying with nine men.

            Our next commitment will be Thursday, September 30. Let me know if you are interested in helping.                       

-Margaret Good