Strong Relationships
Anyone will tell you that the key to keeping any relationship strong is good communication. That means speaking as well as listening. Our Christian life is founded in our relationship with God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; each of them unique persons, but all the same Being - God. Just like any of our other relationships we need to nurture this relationship by spending quality time with God. This means more than just going to church once a week. God isn’t confined to any building, after all the word church or “ekklesia” in Greek, really refers to the group or gathering of people and has nothing at all to do with a building. After all, “. . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you . . .” (1 Cor. 6:19) so besides the fact that God is omnipresent (which simply means God is everywhere all at once) His Holy Spirit lives in you, He lives in me. Do we acknowledge that fact and nurture that intimate relationship we have with Him? Or do we go about our day as if He were millions of miles away and only reach out to Him when we need Him? If that’s the case, how would you feel if you were God? Getting to know the other person in the relationship is crucial to the long-term survival of your relationship, and our relationship with God is no different. We are blessed to have the most intimate tool to enable us to see right into who God is and what He is all about. Not only that, it also gives us insight into how God has worked through intimate relationships with people in the past and promises to in the future. This tool is His living Word, the Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Reading our Bibles is a great way to get to know more about God, but still it could be so much more. That’s where our next and probably most important relationship building practice comes in – an active and healthy prayer life. An active and healthy prayer life doesn’t consist of listing off our wants, needs, and desires to God. After all, God already knows all that stuff and anything else we could tell Him. What He really wants is for us to share our heart; to share our dreams. Not only that, God also wants us to feel free to vent to Him just like Job did, but he did not curse God nor forget to give God His proper recognition. It’s all right to be upset and angry with God, all relationships have their rocks and rills. If we don’t talk them out with Him we will just hold them in and things will never get a chance to be healed. We also need to remember that all communication has a time to listen too. We all too often will tell God all we need to say and then walk away from the conversation without listening to a word He has to say, or worse yet, not even realize He wants or has anything to say. Prayer should be about 75% listening and 25% talking or praying. That will give us a chance to hear what God may be trying to say. There’s no better way to build a strong relationship than to spend time with that person, and there’s no better way to become a stronger Christian than to spend time with God. So let’s all make it a point to get to know each other better, but most of all, let’s get to know God better. -Dean
Tall Oaks Lodge Dedication October 1, 2006 4:00 p.m. - Worship & Dedication 5:30 p.m. Celebration Supper ($6.50 per person) Call 641-939-5977 or email campqhi@adiis.net to RSVP for the meal by September 24th
Fundraiser Barbeque The friends of House of Compassion are sponsoring a barbeque fundraiser for the general public on Sunday, September 24th. Serving from 11:30-1:00 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall201 West High Street Marshalltown, Iowa
Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Sunday, September 24th 8:30 a.m. - BLFC fellowship hall For last year’s Sunday School Teachers, this year’s teachers and their families.
Everyone is encouraged to begin a new Sunday School year on the 24th at 9:30 a.m. There are classes for all ages! Come join us as we study to grow as Christians.
Children’s ChurchChildren’s Church will begin meeting twice a month during the school year on September 10. Children who are age 4 though 5th grade are welcome to participate. Parents, check your church communication box for a sheet with lesson and project information.
Ladies Bible Study All ladies are welcome to join a new Bible study which meets each Thursday at the church at 10:00 a.m. The group is using a Women of Faith study entitled, “Giving God Your All.” Come join the ladies as they start this new book, look into God’s Word and have prayer time each Thursday morning. You’ll be glad you did!
The United Society of Friends Women Meetings All ladies are welcome to join the fellowship, fun and missions information that is shared during our USFW gatherings as we resume meeting after the summer break. Liberty USFW will meet on Wednesday, September 13th at Pam Norman’s home at 7:00 p.m. Devotions will be shared and the ladies will go thru plans for the coming year. Bangor USFW will meet at Betty Arterburn’s home in Marshalltown on Tuesday, September 19, 1:30 p.m. Fern Tuttle will provide the lesson. We’ll pass around the reading course books and discuss having a field trip in October.
Ladies Fall RetreatThe USFW Fall Retreat (open for all ladies) will be held Saturday, October 7th at Camp Quaker Heights. The theme "He Restores My Soul" is appropriate for the beautiful setting at camp. Our speaker, Gladys Kang'ahi, is a Quaker minister, who has worked in many leadership roles in Kenya, Africa. She currently serves on the USFW International board as the Christian Service Secretary. Gladys is an inspirational speaker whom you will both enjoy and appreciate for the challenge she brings. Cost for the lunch is $7.00 and tickets will be available from Margaret Good and Sharon K Johnson. Registration deadline will be announced in the weekly bulletin.
In Our Thoughts August brought much sadness to our congregation in the deaths of several individuals who had been a part of our church family here at Bangor Liberty. On August 2nd, Ric Garrison, our IAYM Associate Superintendent, Camp and Youth Director, died suddenly at Rochester, MN after battling a rare disease for 3-1/2 years. His wife, Linda, and children, Meredith, Patric and Isaac, survive him. Our dear friend, Mary Sparks, died on August 3rd at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Her children, Patricia and Paul McKinley, Bill and Olga Sparks, and her grandchildren, Erin and Sean, Kasee, Sarah, Brooke and Ilya, survive her. Funeral services were held at Bangor Liberty on Monday, August 7th. Mary served on numerous committees and helped in many ways here at BLFC. We will surely miss her quiet gentleness and caring attitude as a member of the church and Liberty USFW for many years, a wonderful example of a Godly woman. Connie Nichols, Melidy Martin’s mother, died on August 3rd in Marshalltown. Connie and her husband, Don, worshipped with us numerous times over the years as they moved to State Center and back to Marshalltown, and Connie had occasionally shared with us during Morning Worship. We always appreciated her words of wisdom. Carl Norman, a long time member of BLFC, died on August 14th at his home in Union. Funeral services were held at the Union Community Church on August 18, 2006. Even though Carl and his wife, Audrey, had worshipped in Union for a number of years, they always maintained their ties with BLFC. We are grateful to have had these faithful ones involved with our church family over the years and for the individual Christian examples they were to all of us. Please remember these families in your thoughts and prayers
Thank You -The House of Compassion Supply Closet Team sincerely appreciates your help with this year’s school supply project. You made it possible to provide school supplies for over 700 Marshall County students. Thank you for donating school supplies. Your contribution really made a difference! -House of Compassion Supply Closet Team
Library Ledge: Quaker Roots Discover our Quaker Roots this month in the church library. You can broaden your knowledge of Friends with the following. Quaker Biographies is a series, which contains information on Daniel Wheeler, Elizabeth Fry, Stephen Grellet and many others. Read series I, Vol. IV to discover which of these was called to preach to an empty lumberman camp. You’ll be surprised at the results of this obedience! Quaker Lite, by Stan Banker, will make you smile with its silly, yet thought-provoking look at the Friends Church in history and today. Because Someone Cared is the story of Quakerdale. Quaker Cavalier tells the story of William Penn. It is appropriate for youth as well as adults. Valiant Friend is the story of Lucretia Mott. Youth would also enjoy learning of this gentle woman who fought to end slavery and win equality for women. Check out these and more on the library ledge.
Do You Know…? 1. Emerald Green St.Mary's Lake lies in what stunning national park? 2. Who had surgery performed on him as he slept? 3."Peace be with you" is a part of many worship services. Where is that in the Bible? 4.In the book of Esther who does God speak to in a dream? 5.What did Jesus say would happen to proud people?
FDS Report from Stratford During two separate days in August, ten volunteers from BLFC took time from their busy lives to travel to Stratford, Iowa and help with the tornado relief work sponsored by Friends Disaster Services of Iowa. Sheet rock was put on a garage and a basement, mudding was done, a deck built, landscaping completed, a steel roof put on a baseball dugout, and lots of fresh paint applied to both homes and garages. We also listened to each ones unique stories of their experience during and after the tornado. FDS Coordinators, Dan and Nancy Ritchie organized the work and provided the meals. However, several homeowners donated food or entire meals to the workers during the two-week period, as a way to show their thanks. The homeowners certainly appreciated what was accomplished with the aid of Vi, James, Michael D, Betty, John L, Peggy, Neil, Wayne T, Ann and myself. We want to thank Bess, Gladys, Betty and Opal Wilson for sending along cookies and watermelon for our snack times. Volunteers also came from Honey Creek New Providence, Fairfield, and Woolson churches. Each homeowner received a copy of a New Testament marked with the scriptures for salvation. We pray that those who are not church attenders may find their way to Christ through the work that was done in Jesus’ name. I felt blessed to participate in this hands-on ministry and I’d certainly encourage others to be involved whenever they have the opportunity. -Margaret Good
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