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The Bangor Liberty Bell |
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| Excerpts from January, 2003 Volume 24, No. 1 | ||
| Bangor Liberty Friends Church invites you to our 150th Anniversary Celebration July 12-13, 2003Festivities will begin on Saturday, July 12 at 3:00 p.m. with a time of meeting friends, reminiscing and sharing of memories, a cemetery tour and activities for the children. A catered meal is planned for 6:00 p.m. followed by an evening meeting. Sunday’s activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a pastors’ recognition service followed by a Worship Service of praise and thanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. A potluck meal will follow the morning service. At 6:00 p.m. our Concert Under the Stars will take place followed by refreshments and fellowship. Mark these dates on your calendar and plan to join us! Further information and reservation forms will be included in future newsletters. To help with our celebration, we invite anyone with historical items, letters, pictures or memories to send them to us by March 15th. Some of these items may be displayed or included in a historical booklet that is currently being prepared and will be available for purchase later. Concert Under The StarsIn recognition of the 150th year of Bangor Liberty Friends Church, we invite you to join us Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. for a concert of praise and a time of fellowship. If you would be willing to share your talents for this special event contact Bangor Liberty Friends Church at 641-486-5434 or by email to blfchurch@juno.com Team Leaders & Members Needed -Ice Cream
Team If you could serve on one of the concert “teams” please contact Sharon Sparks Johnson, Phil Gould, or Keith Haisch. Thanks in advance for your support!!! Food For ThoughtReprinted from the Iowa Friend If you woke up this morning with more health than illness….you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation….you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, a place to sleep….you are richer than 75% of the world. If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and spare change in a dish somewhere…. you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married….you are very rare, even in the United States. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful….you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder….you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch. If you prayed yesterday and today….you are in the minority because you believe God does hear and answer prayers. -Author Unknown Skating PartyThe next Christian Ed. sponsored skating party will be held Sunday evening, February 9th from 5:30-8:00 at Skatetown in Marshalltown. Invite all your friends and family to join you for an evening of fun and fellowship – whether you skate or not! Back by Popular DemandIAYM Youth Ministries has brought back by popular demand the BLIZZARD BLAST for youth in grades 5-8. This mid-winter event, featuring volleyball, swimming, pizza and guest speaker, will be held at the Newton YMCA, February 28-March 1, with registration beginning at 9:15 p.m. on the 28th. Cost for youth is $30 per person (5 or more from the same church get $5 off per person) and adult sponsors are $15 per person. See Jr. Youth leaders, Will and Jo Macy, for registration forms. Weekly Prayer MeetingIn these times of uncertainty in our nation and around the world, do you ever wonder what you can do as an individual to make a difference in our country, in our community, and in our church? I believe that the biggest way we can make a difference is by praying. As believers we should be confident that God hears our prayers and will answer them. You are invited to join those who gather at the church weekly for a time of prayer to lift up these concerns and others that the Holy Spirit lays on our hearts. Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday nights. Pastor Keith House of Compassion December Soup Kitchen & Shelter Report We served 56 people their choice of beef burgers or chicken patties with scalloped corn, packaged Fritos, various canned fruits, and homemade cookies with milk. Many returned for seconds of meat and corn. In fact, with a little help from the crew, we had no leftovers this time. Thanks to our great volunteers! Joyce, Darlene, Lora & Tom who donated food; Fern & Betty who helped me prepare; Don, Mary, Wayne T & Neil who served and Tom and his daughter & son-in-law, Robin & Brian Clark, who came to do dishes and cleanup. They made up a great team. Tom Gilmore & Lisa Young were our monitors. Lisa reported the following: “It was a very quiet night. We had 9 people all together. One family with a 5-year-old boy stopped on their way cross-country to get some help with money. Not much to say, but a very good night. Tom asked Dave Colt how many people use the supply closet (toilet paper, shampoo and etc), he said 3,000 people. I was surprised. I didn’t think it would be that (Don Sparks) many people, but I am happy there is someplace that will help people out.” Adopt A Family Report Several Bangor Liberty individuals and families supported the Adopt-a-Family program. Neil & Peg Martin, Joe & Kay Feltz, Rosella Lane, Don & Shirley Davis & Grandkids, Diane Teske, Keith & Leondra, Betty Arterburn, Bess & Kenny Holveck, Don & Mary Sparks, Ann Rogers, Mary, Katie & Jennifer Davis, Leah Higgins, Joyce Macy, Rosalee Patten, Fern Tuttle, Ann Nichols, Peggy Martin, Sue Hoover, and John & Margaret helped brighten the Christmas season for two families with 2 parents and 4 kids each; 2 senior ladies; 3 single moms with 1 child each; and 1 single mom with 2 children. From the reports I have received all who received our gifts were very appreciative. Congratulations!T.J. and Mari Stanfield welcomed Zachary David into their family on November 29, 2002. He weighed 7 lbs, 1 oz, and was 21-1/2” at birth. He was welcomed home by big brother Jacob, and sisters Bekah and Emma. Congratulations to the Stanfield Family and grandparents, Peg and Neil Martin of BLFC! Their address is 211 S Main St, Rogersville, Mo 65742-9359. BLFC Historical ItemThe following article is from the church section of the June 25, 1940, Marshalltown Times-Republican Newspaper. Bangor Friends Church was established in the early ‘50’s, but was known by the name of Western Plains. The first building was of rude logs and was near the Honey creek. In a few years a large frame house of native hard lumber was built southeast of the townsite. This served the community about 60 years when it was replaced by a substantial brick building. From this meeting 10 other meetings have been “set off.” Bangor quarterly meeting was “set up,” or as we say now organized, “7th month the sixth, 1858,” and became a big affair for some years, especially in the month of May, when everyone must go to Bangor quarterly meeting. Members, those of no church inclination, and other church denominations would dismiss and all attend this meeting. For many years a regular fourth day meeting was held at 10 a.m. The first paid pastor was in the 80’s, but the meeting always had preaching. The youth have been educated thru the public schools, the Christian Endeavor, and thru the church school. Both the church and the church school ever have and are now stressing the subjects of missions, of peace, and of temperance. The present pastor, Rev. Lewis Savage, is having a series of pictures on Sunday evenings concerning Bible history and its teaching. The corps of Sunday school officers and teachers is untiring in its efforts to maintain as high a standard of school as required both by the denomination and of the general Sunday schools in the county. A Windshield View of LifeEveryone knows that the windshield in a car is much bigger than the rearview mirror. This is an excellent parable of the way we should approach life. Most of our attention should be focused on today’s traffic – or the things that are happening right now – rather than on concerns from the past. It’s a good practice to glance in the rearview mirror now and then to see what’s happening behind you. But we should never make the backward view our main concern. When we do, we become a danger to ourselves and others because we lose our awareness of the present moment and its significance. Learn from the past, but live every day to its fullest as you claim the bountiful promises of God. |