The Bangor Liberty Bell

Sharing the News and Views of

Bangor Liberty Friends Church

 

May 2003   Volume 24, No. 5

Keith Haisch, Pastor

 

Little Things

One little unshed raindrop

May think itself too small;

Yet, somewhere, a thirsty flower

Awaits its fall.

One little word, unspoken,

May seem too small to say;

But somewhere, for that one word,

A heart may pray.

                         -Helen Thomas Allison

 

Commentary by Evan Rayl

            When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush. He answered by saying…

            “Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those who did not return.”

It became very quiet in the room.

May 2003, Livestock Plus Inc.

Submitted by Don Sparks

 

VBS June 1-5, 2003!  JONAH: IT’S AN OVERBOARD ADVENTURE

            We’re praying that this awesome VBS program will touch children’s hearts and lives with God’s love. As they swim through VBS, kids in our community will learn to walk with God by…*Admitting Wrong  *  Showing Mercy  *  Being a Servant  *  Being Courageous  *  Praising Him.

            As we plan and prepare for this adventure, our team would cherish your prayers. Pray that God would give us wisdom in planning. Pray for the right staff members to join our team. And pray that God would begin working in the hearts of the children who will attend.

            There’s room for more volunteers on the VBS team! Contact Margaret Good or Mary Davis if you can give some time to our kids this summer.

            VBS will kick off with a family picnic on Sunday, June 1, at 5:00 p.m. at the church. All children, their parents,  and VBS staff are invited.

 

VBS Staff Training – Setting Sail on the Course!

            Sunday, May 18 is National Vacation Bible School Sunday. We’ll acknowledge this day by having a special time of prayer during the worship service and a time of training for all volunteers in the afternoon. Mark your calendars and plan to stay for lunch and this important preparation time. We’ll listen to the music, talk about the schedule and clear up any questions so we can all be “on the same page” when VBS week arrives. Dismissal should be before 2:00. (There will be childcare provided for those who have young children.)

 

A Prayer for the World

 

Let the rain come and wash away

the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds

held and nurtured over generations.

Let the rain wash away the memory

of the hurt, the neglect.

Then let the sun come out and

fill the sky with rainbows.

Let the warmth of the sun heal us

wherever we are broken.

Let it burn away the fog so that

we can see each other clearly.

So that we can see beyond labels,

beyond accents, gender or skin color.

Let the warmth and brightness

of the sun melt our selfishness.

So that we can share the joys and feel the

sorrows of our neighbors.

And let the light of the sun

be so strong that we will see all

people as our neighbors.

Let the earth, nourished by rain,

bring forth flowers

to surround us with beauty.

And let the mountains teach our hearts

to reach upward to heaven.

Amen.

 

-Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

 

Missions

            As most of you know our Missions pledge each month is going toward the Lugulu Hospital in Kenya, for the Adopt-A-Bed/Patient Program, to help defray the cost for people to stay at the hospital. The money will be sent to the hospital and they will disperse it to people as they see fit. The hospital handles approximately 6,000 admissions, 25,000 outpatients and over 750 babies delivered annually.

            Stan and Karen Bauer have returned from the Friends Theological College in Kenya. While they were in Kenya they got a cattle program started for the college. This will be a big help as it will provide the college with the daily milk and milk products that are needed as well as funds from the sale of some of the milk.

            Andy and Lisa Stout have been appointed to serve Happy Grove High School in Jamaica, which is a day school with 1,456 students. Andy will help the school regain their mission of providing spiritual growth for the students. Lisa will determine her role after initial school and community assessments. Andy and Lisa grew up in the Wabash Friends Church in Indiana Yearly Meeting and have known each other since high school. God is working in both of their lives preparing them for Christian service. We will be hearing more about this couple as God leads them in Jamaica.

-BLFC Mission Committee

 

LIBRARY LEDGE:  Marriage Builders

            Did you know a visit to your church library could build up your marriage? It’s true! During May the window ledge will display books to help you better understand your mate, spark romance or develop deeper communication. A few samples follow.

            Tenderness & 24 Other Ways to Make a Marriage Work will help you understand and fulfill your God-given roles as husband and wife. The author states, “marriage is a bond, not bondage.” Relying on each other allows for a demonstration of devotion. Such a partnership has friendship as a basis. Friendship transcends romance, enhancing it.”

            Charlie Shedd has said, “Marriage is not so much finding the right person as it is being the right person.” Check out the library…you’ll find growth there.

 

Summer Ministry Opportunity July 17-August 1

            Iowa Yearly Meeting is excited to offer a ministry this summer that will benefit the churches, the young adults, and the children of IAYM! We are looking for a group of young adults who have a passion to teach children about God through a Vacation Bible School program. This group is open to anyone entering 10th grade through those who have completed their senior year in high school. On July 17 the group will meet at Camp Quaker Heights to begin to prepare for the two weeks of service, July 20-August 1.

            Angela Dorrell, who will be the Director, will enter her third year at Malone College in Ohio. She will spend the summer under the Iowa Yearly Meeting Internship Program.

            Information/Application forms are available on the back table at the church.

 

Liberty USFW

            Liberty USFW will meet on Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 p.m. at Colleen Welch’s home. Please bring Campbell soup labels and any items for Seeds of Hope.

 

Bangor USFW

Bangor USFW will meet at The Embers social room in Marshalltown on Tuesday, May 20 for a 1:30 p.m. business meeting. Please use the south door. At

2:00 p.m. LeGrand and Hartland USFW will join us. Our guest speaker will be Delores Jones sharing the new reading course books for the coming year. Anyone interested in books would be welcome. You don’t have to be a member of the USFW to enjoy reading the books. Ann & Donna will provide refreshments.

 

Monday Night Bible Study

            Join us on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. as we look at heroes from the Old Testament. During May we’ll study Hannah and Samuel.

 

Jr. Youth

            The Jr. Youth is planning a Lock-In at the church on Friday evening, May 30th if there are adult volunteers to spend the night and help with meals and games. See Will or Jo Macy if you would be willing to spend part or all of the night at the Lock-In.

            On June 22 the Jr. Youth will have a family potluck and pool party following church. This will be the last meeting for the season.

 

House of Compassion: April Report

            We served 50 guests in April. The meal included chicken pieces and Ramen noodles with gravy and soups; buttered peas, cornbread & honey, mixed fruit salad, pudding, cookies & milk.

            We had many willing volunteers, and as usual, everyone worked well together. The evening was a fun time of fellowship with many opportunities for laughter.

            In the overnight shelter Peg and Neil reported having an eventful night! “The night started with 9 guests, one married couple and seven men. They were very industrious folding and putting away three large bags of laundry. Everyone was tucked in and quiet by 10:30 p.m. The phone rang at 11:45 p.m. with a request from domestic abuse wondering if we could take a young woman. She arrived at 12:15 and was quite agitated. She was wearing only a T-shirt and jeans and was quite frightened. She wanted to sleep in a room with someone, so Neil gave up his monitor bed so she could be in the room with me. Back to sleep by 1 a.m. We gave her a coat this morning (COLD!) and I took her to Tama to her aunt’ home, as she couldn’t get a ride.

            Around 2 a.m. a man came to the door. I asked him if he was intoxicated and he said he had only a few drinks, so we turned him away. The phone rang again at 4:20 a.m. with the police wondering if we could take a young many who was walking on the 3rd avenue viaduct. He arrived and was in bed by 5 a.m.

            All in all, it was a good experience, I wouldn’t want anyone left out in the cold. Please remember these guests and their various difficulties as you go to prayer.”

 

150th Celebration

            The Planning Committee continues its work with numerous details and with the historical booklet that is being prepared. Thank you to everyone who has submitted pictures, letters, or memories for the booklet or for display.

            Plans for the Concert Under the Stars are being finalized as well. Those who would like to sing with the choir for the Concert are encouraged to attend the Praise and Worship Service each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. as the group will be practicing the songs for the Concert at that time. If you are unable to attend on Sunday morning, an evening practice is scheduled for Sunday, May 18th at 6:00 p.m. before the Evening Service begins at 7:00 p.m. Additional evening practices may be scheduled if needed. If you have any questions, please call the church office at

641-486-5434.

            The Committee would like to ask everyone who is planning to attend our 150th Celebration on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13 to fill out and return the reservation form in this newsletter by June 8. You may also contact us by email or thru the church’s website.

We are looking forward to this special time in our church’s history and to meet and visit with all who will be attending our celebration. We are so thankful God has sustained us in the years past and look forward to discovering what He has planned for our future!

 

HOC Supply Closet Report

            Thanks for your generous giving to the HOC Supply Closet! The man in charge of the closet the day the items were delivered was very pleased with what was brought. We know it will all be used and appreciated. Donations included 36 bottles of shampoo, 68 small shampoos & hand soaps, 20 boxes or bottles of various medicines, 12 bottles & boxes of laundry detergent, 100 small soaps, 4 tubes toothpaste, 9 baby wet wipes, 4 baby powder, 3 baby lotion, 2 packages size 4 diapers, and several other miscellaneous items.

 

Iowa Hospitals began restricting pastors’ access to patient information on April 14 in response to patient privacy protections required by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If a patient does not note their church or denomination and authorize a clerical visit on their admission, religious leaders won’t be told they have a congregate in the hospital. So it will be each patient’s or family’s responsibility to let Pastor Keith know when they are hospitalized and wish him to visit.

 

Children in Church

One four-year-old prayed, “And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.”

 

 

Thank You

 

Dear Bangor Liberty Friends,

Thank you for the warm blanket of prayer, love, and care that you as a church have given us before, during and after my surgery. The lovely spring flowers, Keith’s visits, calls and food have been wonderful. We are so blessed to be in a loving church.

             With loving gratitude, Rosalee Patten

 

Bangor Liberty Friends,

You are very important to us at FBS! We’re so thankful for all of your support and concern for Belize and FBS and hope you’ll continue remembering us in your prayers. This year is nearly finished and we pray that we have planted a seed that will help these young men become Christian role models for their families! We thank you for the year that you supported us and pray God’s blessings on you as you faithfully support other mission projects.

            Thanks again, Mike and Kay Cain

 

Dear Bangor Liberty Friends Church,

             Stan and I are blessed by those who generously gave support so we could serve in Kenya. This has been a wonderful experience. We love and appreciate the Kenyan people.

We feel we have made a positive impact in the lives of the people living here and we are helping to continue the work started so long ago. It means so much to us to have support from our dear friends at Bangor. Thank you.

            Blessings, Karen & Stan Bauer