Thank OfferingNovember is fast approaching and Thanksgiving will be here soon. I know that I have a lot to be thankful for and I am sure that you do too. That song “Count your blessings, name them one by one” keeps going through my mind. I am sure we can count quite a few blessings. We will be taking the Thank Offering on Sunday, November 18th with a potluck meal to follow. The Missions Committee has had a hard time deciding where the offering should go, as there are so many needs out there. We have decided on the following places/people.
1. We will be giving $250.00 each (total $500.00) to Victor White of the Mesquakie Friends Center and Kevin Mortimer from Middle River Friends, who will be going to Kenya, Dec. 12-16, for a Kenyan Pastors Conference. They will be going as Iowa Yearly Meeting Representatives and will be leading workshops. After the $500.00 the rest of the Thank Offering will be divided equally between the following---
You can also designate your offering to the Mission Field of your Choice. (Just make a note at the bottom of your check.) The Missions Committee hopes that you will prayerfully consider these suggestions or give to the Mission field of your choice. BL Missions Committee
Am I Truly Thankful or Merely Grateful? -Dean It’s autumn, the days are shorter and the trees are losing their foliage. Major League Baseball is in its final innings (GO SOX!), the NFL is just about mid-season, and the NBA has just begun their 2007-08 season. At no other time during the year is there so much going on in the realm of professional sports! “But who has time for that all of that?” I hear some of you farmers out there asking. I’m sure you’ll all be happy to just be able to get the corn in before the middle of November. Soon we will be gathering around the family table with the aroma of fresh roasted turkey, candied sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and everything else in the air that sets our taste buds off and throws our saliva glands into overdrive. The reason for this gathering is to honor a tradition established many years ago by our forefathers as they recalled their struggles to come to and found our great nation. The first official Thanksgiving Proclamation made in America was issued by the Continental Congress in 1777. However, Thanksgiving did not become a federally observed holiday until our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, declared Thanksgiving a federal holiday as a "prayerful day of Thanksgiving" on the last Thursday in November, which is how it would remain until 1939 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. Well, enough of the history lesson. I have been wondering lately as that time approaches, am I truly thankful or merely grateful? You may say, “but aren’t they really the same thing?” Not necessarily. The definitions are slightly different and as you read them hopefully you’ll understand my question. Thankful means to be “conscious of benefit received”, whereas grateful means to be “appreciative of benefits received”. Now I know some of you may say I’m splitting hairs here, but please hear me out. With the word “conscious” in the definition of thankful, to me implies awareness, or an alert attitude to the One from whom these “benefits” are coming from, which therefore implies to me the need for a relationship. On the other hand, the definition of “grateful” merely states “appreciative”, which to me is just acknowledgement of the “value of the Supplier in light of the benefits received”. With this as a foundation let me ask the question again, “Am I Truly Thankful or Merely Grateful?” If I am merely grateful then I hinge my relationship, if I even have one on the benefits received from the Supplier of my needs. If I am truly thankful, then no matter what, I am in a relationship with the One to whom I look to for all my needs, but my relationship is not dependent upon the benefits. So, my answer, and I hope all of yours will be that we are “Truly Thankful” and our aim will be to emulate Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
HOC REPORT On October 25, 19 from BLFC made possible a filling meal of hot turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots, peas, cranberry sauce, Oreo cake or angel food cake with cherries, milk and coffee for 62 guests. Many returned for 2nd and 3rd helpings and shared their appreciation of the meal. It seemed to be a favorite comfort meal. Mark your calendars for our next responsibility on Nov. 23. We’ll also be helping on Christmas day. Let Betty or Margaret know if your family desires to participate in either of these.
Thanks! Your generous contributions to the House of Compassion Supply Closet overflowed the box. I’m sure the people who come to the window will appreciate each donation of dish soap, detergent, over the counter medicines and other various items. Some of the dollars given were used for baby shampoo, since the closet was completely out. Thanks for your support of this ministry.
Fire Damage at Swift-Purscell The Swift-Purscell Boys Home in Jamaica suffered major loss in a fire on October 10th following a break in. The fire consumed the historic Great House and another building and a third building suffered damage. The school lost computers, library, dining room and the tailor shop, plus offices containing years of records and other items. The kitchen and storeroom suffered some damage but are now useable. No one was hurt in the fire for which everyone is thankful, but the loss and replacement is far more than the Friends Education Council has funds for. If you are interested in sending funds to help with the losses, please make your checks payable to Friends United Meeting and send to 101 Quaker Hill Dr, Richmond IN 47374 and note in the memo section of your check, Jamaica Fire Damage. You can check out the FUM website where updated information will be posted as it becomes available - www.fum.org.
Little Thank-you’s Most of us think to thank the Lord For big things in our lives - Promotions, health, increase of wealth, Or when an heir arrives. But for the many little things We’re given every day, We take them hardly thinking and Without a word to say: A tasty meal, fresh-laundered clothes, A house that’s clean and bright; A button fixed, a torn place sewn, A restful bed at night, A tolerant look, a kind word said, A smile to lift the heart Are subjects to be thankful for, And each one plays a part To show how much we all depend On love’s unselfish arts. And we should thank the Lord and those Who serve with loving hearts.
Monday Night Bible StudyAs we continue to delve into the fruit of the Spirit, we’ll be looking at the fruit of peace. How can Christians find inner peace? What attitudes should we have? Join the discussion in the fellowship hall each Monday at 7:00.
Children’s Church Children age 4 through 5th grade are welcome to participate in Children’s Church on November 4th when we’ll talk about respecting and honoring Sunday School teachers. On November 28 we’ll review the Christmas story while making crafts.
Liberty USFW ladies will meet at Sharon K Johnson’s home on Wed., November 14th at 7 pm. All ladies are welcome!
Bangor USFWOur November meeting will be a workday held at Peggy Martin’s home. We’ll meet at 9:30 on the 20th to make small boxes from cards or wallpaper to be used as tray favors. A soup lunch will be provided. Bring used Christmas cards to share. We’ll also complete the bears from VBS and discuss our Christmas missions offering. Ann will provide the lesson. We take up our regular offering this month (note this change) and make the decision as to which ministries will receive our Christmas offering, which will be collected at the December 11th meeting.
Youth NewsThe Youth Group is planning a fundraiser for Sunday, December 2nd. The youth will be serving lunch featuring a baked potato bar after Morning Worship. There will also be a silent auction of goods and services and a bake sale during lunchtime. Funds raised will help the Youth Group to purchase Christmas gifts for an adopted House of Compassion family.
Congratulations to Don andShirley Davis on their 50th Wedding Anniversary onNovember 2nd! Friends are invited to a Celebration onSunday, November 4th from 3:00-5:00 pm at the BangorLiberty Friends Church. No gifts, please.
Congratulations! We send our congratulations to Bryce and Kristen Martin on the birth of a son, Caleb Alexander on Tuesday, October 16th in Louisiana. Caleb was born at 7:35 a.m. weighing 7 lbs, 6 ozs, and measuring 18 ½” at birth. Welcoming him home was big sister, Saryah, who is 2. Reg and Melidy Martin are Caleb’s grandparents, and Neil and Peg Martin are great-grandparents.
CQH Kitchen Expansion The kitchen expansion at Quaker Heights will begin in a few weeks. Funds for this project can be mailed to the Yearly Meeting Office, designated for the kitchen expansion. No workdays are scheduled for this fall at camp, but if you have time - a few hours or a day - to work call ahead and the staff will have a list of tasks that need to be done and you can pick what suits you.
Christmas Adopt-A-FamilyMany families will not have gifts for Christmas without the help of people like you. If you would like to adopt an individual or family, just tell Betty or Margaret the number of people you wish to help. $20 could buy a toy for a child or a small gift for a senior citizen; $30 could provide clothing for a child; $40 could provide a meal for a family of 3-4; $50 could buy a gift for a teen; $75 could provide gifts and a meal for a senior and $200 could provide Christmas for a family of 4. After you are given the name of your family, you are asked to call and let them know they have been adopted. Then you purchase gifts from their suggestions, provide a food basket for their holiday meal and deliver these by Dec. 20. If you are unable or prefer not to do the shopping, you may give funds to Margaret to adopt with others in the church. Please let us know how you wish to help by Nov. 20. It is worth noting you do not have to be wealthy to assist a family in need. Together our $ add up. One of last year’s recipients sent a note: "Our family wanted to send a special thank-you for making this Christmas so special. We want to let you know how much your kindness and generosity meant to all of us. God bless you!"
From Friends United Meeting - FUM Updates on funds raised to date: Jamaica VBS Project - $4,024.20 Adopt-a-Nurse Program - $11,203.43
Need Ideas for Children’s Messages? Stop in the church office and look at the Really Big Book of Kids’ Sermons and Object Talks. We are always looking for additional volunteers to present children’s messages and this might be just the inspiration you need-using one of the ideas outlined or as an additional resource for you own message. The book is located on the bookshelf next to the copier in the church office.
Library Ledge: Parenting PointersIt’s time to sharpen our parenting skills with books from our church library. Parents and all who work with children will find encouragement, challenge and humor in the varied selection. Inspire Your Kids to Greatness shows how to help those parent-teen relationships remain healthy. Breakthrough Parenting explains how to find each child’s powerhouse of underdeveloped potential. Creative, Confident Children shares frank discussions regarding child discipline, sex education, character development and spiritual health. Just Because They’ve Left Doesn’t Mean They’re Gone will help you with the ups and downs of parenting adult children. Check out these and others on the library ledge.
From IAYM Mission BoardThe Iowa Yearly Meeting Mission Board has picked Jamaica as our Thanksgiving missions project for 2007. The greatest needs at these schools are for a remedial teacher to help with homework, remedial curriculum, textbooks for each student, and a computer to use for remedial teaching. The goal is to raise $4,000 in IAYM to complete this project for the children at Swift-Purscell and Lyndale. If we should surpass this goal, the remainder of the money will be used to complete the new cafeteria at the Swift-Purscell Boys Home. Any donations can be given to Scott Davis and they will be sent to Bob Watson, IAYM Missions Treasurer.
Thankful for the DayMore than any other date on the calendar, Thanksgiving has remained private and personal, devoid of the tinsel trappings that mar the rest of contemporary life…In a nation where the mall never palls and seven-days-a-week shopping seems enshrined as a civic religion, Thanksgiving stands out as an oasis of tranquility and a reminder of the values that once tempered America’s materialism. -Time
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