The Bangor Liberty Bell

Sharing the News and Views of

Bangor Liberty Friends Church

 

May 2004   Volume 25, No. 5

Keith Haisch, Pastor

 

 

Lava Lava Island

Vacation Bible School

Where Jesus' Love Flows!

Sunday, June 6 - Thursday, June 10

each evening at

Bangor Liberty Friends Church

 All children, ages 3 thru sixth grade

are welcome!

June 6-10 our church will be transformed into an exotic volcanic island! It's our goal to reach 60 kids with this program! That's 60 kids who will grow in their relationship with God!

Please pray: for leaders and volunteers that they might be plentiful, cheerful and wise; that our invitations might be welcomed and bring newcomers to BLFC; that ears and hearts will be open; that God's love and blessing will surround each one so that lives will be transformed.

           Call Margaret Good, VBS director at 486-5977 or the church office at 486-5434 to register any children for VBS.

 

 

VBS Staff Training:

Preparing to go with the flow!

            Sunday May 16 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 a free 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 by 1:30.

(There will be childcare provided for those who have young children.) Don’t miss this time of fun learning!

 

 

Blessed Is The Mother…

-Who can hold onto her children while letting them go.

-Who puts a tranquil home ahead of an immaculate house.

-Who knows a kind act will be remembered longer than an easy word.

-Who really believes that prayer changes things.

-Whose Bible never needs dusting.

 

 

House of Compassion

May Report

We served 35 guests generous helpings of Spanish rice, green beans and bacon, creamed asparagus, bread & biscuits, mixed fruit cups, cookies and milk. 

Many thanks to our group of about 20 volunteers who provided food or helped prepare, serve and clean up after the meal. All are appreciated!

            Because of the small group we had lots of Spanish rice leftover, but the 20 cans of green beans and 6 cans of asparagus were all eaten. People like our vegetables! For a fun story, ask Jeanette and Fern about the noisy biscuits and Vi about the water faucet. 

Neil had a quiet night with six men, two women, and three children staying.  One guest was starting a job with Swifts next Monday and an amateur poet shared his work. For a complete report, check out the bulletin board at church.  -Margaret Good

 

 

Memorial Day Musings

As Memorial Day is being celebrated throughout the nation this May, let us give thanks as we remember the men and women who gave their lives in battle for our temporal good; but most of all let us praise God for the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His all for our eternal salvation?

 

Men have fought to save their homeland

And uphold democracy;

They have prayed and toiled with valor

For the cause of liberty;

But the One who died to save us

On the cross of Calvary

Brought to us the greatest freedom-

For ‘twill last eternally!     -copied

 

 

 

Come see and hear

Joe White

Saturday, May 15

Marshalltown High School Roundhouse

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

Adults $5.00 - Students $2.00

Joe White will share a new presentation involving three crosses.

 

 

 

           Iowa Yearly Meeting

        Ministry Conference 2004

          “A Future and A Hope”                        

               Jeremiah 29:11

 

                August 4-7, 2004

          William Penn University

               Oskaloosa, Iowa

 

Conference Highlights

-Keynote Speaker - David Brock

-Worship Leaders - Alan & Sheryl Mullikin

-Informative Ministry Forums

-Heartfelt World Ministry Reports

-Transforming Worship

-Spirit Led Business

-Lively Children’s Program

-Meaningful Youth Events

-Eye-Opening Missions Banquet

-and More!

 

 

Missions

We just had encouraging messages from Steve Pedigo on April 16,17,18. He talked a lot about holiness and faith. He said, "The source of holiness is Jesus Christ." And "faith is not activated until used." Our monthly mission pledges for the next year will go to support Steve and Marlene Pedigo and their work at the Chicago Fellowship of Friends.

Mike and Kay Cain write from Belize about the death of one of the former students at the Belize Friends Boys School. After attending BFS he went on to study carpentry and house wiring. He came from a family of 6 children, and was only 19 years old. He was concerned for his neighborhood and had encouraged the young men to get rid of their guns. This led to some distrust in Charles and we believe led to his untimely death. Keep the BFS and the family of this young man in your prayers.

Andy and Lisa Stout write from Jamaica as they are enjoying an Easter break, and are making plans for deputation schedules for this summer. They will only be able to speak at Yearly Meetings in the month of July. We need to continue to pray for them as they share God's love and make positive contributions to the school in Jamaica. Andy is still working to define what his role, as chaplain should really entail. Lisa will be working much more with the school's reading program when they start the 3rd term. "Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18.

-BLFC Missions Committee

 

 

Read This Slowly…And Think…

            Does my life please God? Am I studying my Bible daily? Am I enjoying my Christian life? If not, why? Is there anyone I cannot forgive? Have I ever won a soul to Christ? How much time do I spend in prayer? Am I trying to bring my friends to Christ? Have I ever had a direct answer to prayer? Is there anything I cannot give up for Christ? Just where am I making my greatest mistake? How does my life look to those who are not Christians? How many things do I put before my religious duties? Have I ever tried to give one-tenth of my income to the Lord? Or more? Is the world being made better or worse by my living in it? Am I doing anything I would condemn in others? Do I realize that time is short and what I do for the Lord is all that will last?            -copied

 

 

Notes From Christian Ed.

With summer fast approaching, the Christian Ed. Committee is again planning to combine the children’s Sunday School classes for the summer. This gives the current teachers some time off and gives other adults in the congregation the opportunity to interact with the children by encouraging them to sign up to teach one or two Sundays during the summer. This sign up sheet will be available starting Sunday, May 9.

            The committee is also seeking a  TV/VCR to borrow for the summer for these Sunday School classes. Please contact Mary Davis if you have a TV/VCR that can be used.  Thank you!

           

 

Attention Children

Children’s Church will be held for children age 5 through grade 5 on May 2 and 16. Our service projects will be thanking public school teachers and making care packages for House of Compassion clients.

 

 

Liberty USFW

            Liberty USFW ladies will meet at Colleen Welch’s home on Wednesday, May 12th for their 7:00 p.m. meeting. Delores Jones, USFW reading course chairman, will give an update on the reading course books for the next year. Ladies are asked to bring to the meeting any soup labels and used greeting cards they have been saving.

 

 

Attention Ladies

On Tuesday, May 18, at 1:30 p.m. Bangor USFW will meet, with other local ladies, at Marshalltown Friends Church to hear Delores Jones talk about the new reading course books. Following Delores’ presentation we will have a short business meeting. Anyone interested in seeing, or purchasing, the new books are welcome to come along. Refreshments will be provided.

 

 

Props and Decorations Needed for VBS

If you can donate any of these items (or loan as appropriate) or make a cash donation, we would so appreciate it. If you have any of these items or anything else you think might be useful for us, please see Margaret or call her at 486-5977.

 

-Hawaiian shirts & hats (brightly colored/flowered) (all sizes – for crew leaders)

-Strings of Christmas Lights - all red

-Red rope lights

-Painters tarp or black plastic (paint spills okay...no holes please)

-Sheets- any color (the bigger the better)

-Rope

-Refrigerator boxes

-Coffee cans

-Silk flowers

-Brown paper grocery bags

-Tissue paper

-Hawaiian (or other tropical places) travel posters

-Carpet rolls - (the tubes carpet comes rolled up on)

-Any Hawaiian decor

-Large plants – real or plastic

-Discarded umbrellas (these will be used to create trees)

 

 

Thank You

Bangor Liberty Friends,

            Thank you for your donation of $766.63 we received recently.

            The students are just today taking their PSE Exam and it is very quiet here at school! We are praying for them to do well on the exam so they can enter high school or a trade school. This year there are 10 young men graduating from a high school that went through our Prep program. One of them is on the high honor roll or “Prefect” as they call it here. We are very proud of them.

            Thanks again for helping us help them to have a better life!         

    In His Service in Belize

                            Mike & Kay Cain

 

 

Dear Friends,

            This month of sunshine and spring flowers popping up reminds me of the beauty of God’s creation. New beginnings are everywhere in the midst of overwhelming poverty, war and injustice. FUM touches individual lives with the hope of new beginnings because of the generosity of our constituency. Friends Theological College in Kenya just began a new school year with the exciting possibility of accreditation for their students while Ramallah is just graduating another class of well-prepared youth to move into higher education and the workplace. These are only two examples. God is good. Thank you for your recent donation to the Lugulu Hospital’s Adopt-A-Bed project.

                                    Retha McCutchen

 

 

The Library Ledge
Parenting Pointers

            During the month of May the library will display books that will aid parents, grandparents and any adult who is associated with children. 

            S. Craig MacDonald wrote the following in an article for The Fruit of the Vine. “Three men stood waist deep in a trench, each shoveling dirt.  A passerby asked the first man what he was doing. “I’m digging a ditch.” The second man was asked the same question and responded, “I’m digging a foundation.” The passerby came to the third man whom, when asked said, “I’m building a cathedral.”

            Much of life is perspective. This can be especially true with mundane and routine activities, the things we do every day. Often it is these very activities that play the biggest role in determining the future. 

            Nowhere is this truer than in raising children. After the thrill of bringing home a newborn comes the daily routine, much of it unpleasant. The daily grind of parenting may feel like digging a ditch but it is in fact building a cathedral. God has entrusted each parent with the privilege and responsibility of shaping a life.

            There is not a more solemn duty for a parent than to be faithful in this stewardship. There is not a more worthwhile ministry for a church than its ministry to children.

            As parents and as a church we are building cathedrals. Let’s be sure we do it with all the care and attention the task deserves.”

            Check out the library ledge for encouragement, help and humor in your parenting life.