Whiter Than Snow
Remember those days when you would go to bed hoping that when you awoke the next morning you would look out your window and see a beautiful white blanket of snow covering the barren ground? I can remember those days very clearly in my mind, and I can remember going to bed hoping that in the morning everything would be white. The reasons for wanting the snow were always different, sometimes I wanted it to snow so that there would be no school, other years I remember hoping for snow on Christmas, but mostly I wanted the snow because it looked so beautiful. When you live in a rural setting the fields are very beautiful in the spring and summer with their green crops and the trees with their leaves, but after the fall they are left with broken cornstalks, bean stubble, and barren branches. The landscape that was once very vibrant with life becomes very dead and dormant for the winter and that is where the snow comes in. In these winter months I think that there are few things as beautiful as a fresh coat of snow turning all of those dead fields into a beautiful work of art. It’s even more breath taking when the sun shines on the white powder making it sparkle and you can’t stare too long because it is just too bright for your eyes. Now, I’m not sure when I lost my fondness of the snow, it seemed that as I got older I became less impervious to the cold, less balanced on the ice, and too busy to stop and take in the beautiful scenery. However, there is a hymn that often plays in my head when the snow does cover the ground. It is a hymn that I have been singing since I was a boy at Pleasant Plain Friends and this morning as I was trekking across the icy, snowy, parking lot the words and music came to me once more. “Whiter than snow, yes whiter than snow; now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” As we enter each New Year we are often striving to change in some way. We set goals and make new resolutions to be “better” and become different in some area of our lives. Goals and resolutions are great, but they tend to revolve more around us and less around Christ. When I think about change within myself I think about Psalm 51:7 that say’s “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” It paints the picture in my mind of what I am without Christ present in my everyday life. Without Him I am dead and desolate like the winter before the snow. But with Him I am beautiful, washed clean, covered by grace, and reflective of His glory and my beauty is like that of the snow-covered landscape and so is yours! This year instead of seeking a change within yourself seek Christ because it is only in Him that we are truly changed and made beautiful. -Pastor Nathan
January Monthly Meeting -Dates will be determined for an "I Love Camp Quaker Heights” promotion Sunday and for our participation in the Friends United Meeting Chain of Prayer. -The Trustees will be seeking bids for a new awning/overhang to be placed over the main entryway for safety issues.
Wednesday Night Program Join Us for Fun, Fellowship, Learning and Prayer! For all ages!
New term starts January 13th!
Children Preschool thru 1st Grade Adventure Club, Grades 2-5 ~ YouthBeginning in Jesus a study on the life of Christ ~ Mixed Gender Book StudyDangerous Wonder by Michael Yaconelli ~ Women's Book Study Falling in Love with Jesus by Dee Brestin & Kathy Troccoli ~ Mixed Gender Spiritual Life Study with upcoming discussions on Lord of our Body Temples, Lord of our Labor, Lord or our Worship, Lord of our Service, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Meals are held twice a month at 6 p.m. Nursery for children under age 3. Contact Pastor Nathan or a member of Christian Ed. for more information.
10 Questions for the New Year
1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God? 2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year? 3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year? 4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it? 5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year? 6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church? 7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year? 8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year? 9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year? 10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity? -Copied
-A “religious awakening” is what takes place after the preacher ends the sermon.
-Patience is the ability to count down before blasting off.
-The New Year lies before you like a spotless track of snow; be careful how you tread on it, for every mark will show.
Thank You!-Christian Ed. & Ministry & Counsel for planning the Christmas Eve Program & Candle Lighting Service which ended up being held on Sunday, December 27th. -To the children & youth for their participation in the Christmas Program. -To Children’s Church kids & Margaret for providing cookie plates for the carolers to deliver on Dec. 20th. -To all of our carolers who brought Christmas joy to friends & neighbors -To the adult Sunday School classes for decorating the church for Christmas and for providing and packing the Christmas treat bags. -To Royal Young for clearing the parking lot and drives of snow and to Joe Feltz and John Good who kept the sidewalks clear of snow and put down the salt and sand for safe navigating! -To those who lead our Wednesday night study groups for the children, youth and adults. And to those who have prepared meals for Wednesday nights. -To all who have shared wonderful specials and special music during December!! -To all who shared poinsettias during the Christmas season. -For your monthly gifts for the Barber Family in Belize. -To all who contributed to the White Gift offering for Mesquakie Friends Center and for Morgan Martin's support. -To all who have been generous to give financial gifts to BLFC during the Christmas season.
Children’s ChurchWe’ll meet in the fellowship hall after the children’s message on January 3rd and 17th. Our lessons continue on the topic of joy. Service projects will be to make tray favors for children in Marshalltown Hospital and to emphasize giving to our local Food Box.
Bangor USFWOn January 19 the ladies will gather with Barbara Jo Morgan at the Embers for lunch at 12:00. Fern will bring the lesson following our meal together. Let Barbara Jo know by the 12th if you are able to attend.
Iowa Friend Subscriptions A good way to keep up with what's going on in Iowa Yearly Meeting of Friends - churches, youth events, USFW, and others is by subscribing to the monthly newsletter Iowa Friend. It only costs $9.50 for a year through group subscriptions. Contact Diane T. to renew or subscribe before the end of January 2010.
HOC Adopt-A-Family Ten families and individuals provided gifts, funds or food for our shared church family. A dad, mom, 10-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were given several gifts, homemade goodies and a generous food basket. They were very appreciative of our gifts and hugged us while expressing their thanks. The mother of a single mom with 2 children we helped 3 years ago contacted us recently, sharing that the daughter finished her education and is now a RN working in home health care. Seeing how our gifts blessed her daughter that Christmas, she now adopts families with her co-workers. The members of Liberty USFW adopted a single mom with a 2-year-old daughter. One other family in our church adopted an adult and young child. Thanks to each of you who helped to make it a happier Christmas for these people in need.
New Missionaries’ AddressesIf you would like to send a note of encouragement to our “local” missionaries for the New Year their addresses are:
Morgan Martin, 3201 H Ave NW, Apt 4, Cedar Rapids IA 52405
Nathan & Brianna Martin, PO Box 570 Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA
The Barber Family, PO Box 454 #4 Allenby St. Belize City, Belize CENTRAL AMERICA 00106
In Our thoughts & Prayers ~The need of additional youth leaders for our youth for the Wed. Night Program ~Tim & Kristy Albright and others who are dealing with serious illnesses. ~Those who have lost loved ones ~Our Wednesday Night Program ~Our need for additional youth leaders ~Sam & Becky Barber and family in Belize. ~Morgan Martin working with InterVarsity at Coe College ~Victor & Brenda White at Mesqukie Friends Center ~Nathan & Brianna Martin, new missionaries in Cambodia ~Friends Church West - IAYM’s new church venture in West Des Moines. Rich and Patty Kopp, new pastoral Couple, were to arrive from Colorado by January 1st ~Camp Quaker Heights & staff with project to complete
MissionsChristians engaged in missions are working in the front line. Whether they are in the western world, or with communities, which are largely unreached by the Christian gospel, there are many demands. Please pray for .... · Their walk of faith to be effective, and that they are growing as a Christian themselves. · Both financial and personal support to keep going. · Their family life. Pray for God's protection on the family, and for His wisdom in decisions. · That the missionaries will "fit in". · Protection from Satan's attacks. · Thank God for their faith and commitment, and praise Him for their work bearing fruit.
Thanks to your generous giving to the White Gift offering $440.00 was shared between the Mesquakie Friends Center for a new playground, and for Morgan Martin's InterVarsity salary. If you were unable to give, donations will still be accepted and passed along.
Library Ledge: Dandy Devotionals What exactly is a devotional book? The very word "devote" means, to set apart, consecrate, so a devotional book is any book which assists us in the moments we take for quiet, personal time with God. A book that helps us start or finish the day with some reflections on God's Word, with practical applications to consider and examine ourselves with, is a devotional book. The books on the library shelf during January are suited for anyone desiring to grow in their godly Christian character. One example: God’s Pace-Stress and Psalm 23. According to specialists, some of the most stressed-out people are religious leaders. God’s Pace explores the reality of God and his purposes in a pressures-packed world, in which we can enjoy the profound peace of a life of faith, a peace to sustain us as we discover who we are and why.
2010 Stewardship Resolutions Resolve to: · daily prayer and Bible study. Review the Church’s social teachings. · set aside time to stay connected with family. Eat dinner together, schedule dates with your spouse, plan family outings. · adopt healthier eating habits. Add exercise to your daily routine. · possess more “lightly” this year. Distinguish between the necessary & the unnecessary. · serve your church and encourage outreach efforts. · reprioritize financial goals so that the Lord comes first in all your spending. · be faithful to your daily work- related tasks and offer them up to the Lord. · keep your mind active. Commit to being informed on the issues of the day. · be a person of hospitality. · live with more compassion with those less fortunate.
The above was taken from the website of the International Catholic Stewardship Council -Contributed
God always give His best to those who leave the choice with Him.
New Year's Eve Meal On New Year's Eve 12 from Bangor Liberty prepared, served and cleaned up following a meal for 30 guests at the House of Compassion. Creamed turkey on biscuits, peas, mixed fruit, cranberry sauce, cheese, brownies or dump cakes, milk and coffee was served. Most of the crew sat and ate a meal and visited with the guests. Many people stayed around and visited longer than usual, most likely due to the cold weather, or wanting to catch a glimpse of the Iowa State football game on TV. Despite the small crowd there weren't many leftovers. Come join us next time...Thursday, January 28th! |