Camp, Kids, and the Gospel Preached Many years ago, when there were only three channels on TV, the Chicago Cubs were not World Champions and Jimmy Carter was president; I attended summer camp here in Iowa. Camp wasn’t really a new thing, I had attended church camps and boys scout camps for a few years by then. But this camp was different. It was at this camp that the Gospel was truly revealed to me. No longer was it just a story that was repeated at Easter. My counselor at camp was Ray. Ray had been horribly burned in a fire years prior. He had scars over his legs, arms and back. He was the one who shared his testimony with a group of campers one night in a way that made Jesus real for his audience. I sat in that audience and saw Jesus Christ through this man’s eyes and in that moment understood the sacrifice, love, conviction, triumph and joy of accepting Him as Savior and Lord. Mine is not a unique story, many people have had the same type of experience at hundreds of Christian summer camps over the years. It happens thousands of times every summer in camps all over the United States. However, as much as things remain the same, they also change. Attendance at camp has changed over the years. Just as churches have struggled to maintain and expand attendance the same is true of Christian based camps. Overall in the U.S. 11 million youth attend some type of camp in the summer. Many of these are sports camps preparing youth for competition at the high school and collegiate level. Some of these camps are academic based and focus on science or language instruction. There are many others too numerous to list here. There is a great deal more competition among camps to attract kids. This is mirrored in our weekly lives as kids attend school and participate in extra-curricular activities. Many times these activities prevent or conflict with attendance at church services and mid-week church functions. The Christian Camp has suffered over the last twenty years. Often the church has lost sight of the importance of camp and written it off as a major event and list it instead as a “nice to do if you have the time,” type of thing. This year both of my kids will attend summer camp. They are both excited about it and looking forward to getting away from mom and dad for a few days. I pray every day that they would meet someone like Ray and see the truth of Jesus Christ made real for them. While I don’t doubt the confessions of faith they have made in the past, it is always good to have someone show up in your life that preaches the Gospel to you all over again. Each time that happens it drives you closer to Jesus and deeper into your faith. I would like to challenge everyone to encourage the youth in your life to attend camp this summer. There will be much information coming in the near future about registration and scholarships. I would hope our youth are likewise sharing with their friends about camp and inviting them. For some it is the only opportunity they will have to hear the Gospel preached and see the changed lives around them.
Volunteers Needed: The House of Compassion needs volunteers to staff their Supply Closet. (Over 500 eligible clients choose 3 personal household items each month.) The requirements for this job include a welcoming smile and willingness to visit with the clients, knowing your ABC’s for general filing, being able to lift 1-2# jugs of laundry soap, etc. to give to clients, and occasionally stocking shelves. We want to have 2 people for each shift. 1 more worker is needed at each of the following times: Mondays 9:50-12:00; Wednesdays 12:50-4:30; Thursdays 12:50-4:40; and the 1st Tuesday of each month 9:50-12:00. If you are available or have questions call Karen at 752-5999. Please remember to prayer for Karen and the HOC clients. I have found that giving my time to HOC often brings blessings in return. Margaret Good and the Supply Closet Team
New Bangor Liberty Cookbooks are Here! Our new cookbooks have arrived and are available at the church for $10 each. Checks should be made out to Bangor Liberty Friends Church when you pick up your copy of the cookbook. Contact the church office if you wish to have a copy mailed to you. Additional fees will be charged for mailing.
Mission Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of the month
On pins and needles? Jesus will cushion you!
Save Dish Soap Bottles The House of Compassion has received bulk containers of dish soap so they need individual empty bottles to fill and give out at the supply closet. Any brands, 18 oz. and larger, are fine. Please rinse, dry and bring the empty dish soap bottles to the church or take directly to HOC.
HELP!! We are looking for Sunday School, Worship, and Deeper Nursery volunteers. If you are interested in helping in the nursery during any of these times please contact Dani Junker:
Adopt-a-family Report
7 family units or church groups adopted singles and families on their own or
with friends for a total of 18 individuals adopted plus the 7 individuals in
the shared families. 16 families or individuals (plus the high school
youth) provided gifts, food, and used items for our shared families.
I'm sure these people felt blessed this Christmas. Thank you for sharing
your resources and passing along God’s love at this special time of year. On Dec. 29, 14 people were
involved in preparing, serving and cleanup for 45 guests. Our meal was hot
beef sandwiches with au jus, potatoes, green beans, baby carrots, mixed
fruit, cupcakes or apple dump cake or cake with milk & coffee. Our next responsibility will be Thursday, January 26. Plan to participate. You may leave tired, but likely feel blessed.
Keep the faith-but not to yourself.
Youth Mark Your Calendars
1/27/2017-Winter Jam 2017 Des Moines 5th grade-High School-$10.00 a ticket/meal provided
2/17/2017-BLIZZARD BLAST- $25.00 a ticket Marshalltown- 5th -8th grade/spend the night at the YMCA For information contact: Chris or Josie ChrisandJosie@7520@yahoo.com
2017 Concert of Prayer
Iowa Yearly Meeting Join us for a Quarterly Meeting Kickoff February 4, 2017- 2:00 p.m. At 5 locations-one near you! Earlham Friends Lynnville Friends Le Grand Friends Fairfield Friends Indianola Library 207 North B St, Indianola Churches! Organize small groups to pray weekly Feb 4th-March 25th Video clips will be available At the start of each week.
Revival Meeting
Saturday, March 25th, Approx. 2-4 pm Following Spring Body of Representative at Mesquakie Friends Speaker, Steve Pedigo: For 30 years Steve & Marlene led an inner city ministry in Chicago. Then for 6 years served as co-superintendents of Western Yearly Meeting. Currently Steve is pastor of Westfield Friends in Indiana. He is a graduate of WPU and Asbury & North Park Seminaries. Steve is passionate about the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Hello, Everyone!
As the new president of Quaker Men of Iowa, I wanted to get some information out to you to help you promote our banquet that is scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2017. More information will be added later.
1) Location: MTC building at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. 2) Early Bird Session @ 10:00 AM. Topic: "Engaging in Men's Ministries" There will be no charge for this special session! As part of the presentation, a number of resources that can be helpful in Men's Ministries will be highlighted. 3) Banquet @ 11:30 AM [Prices to be announced later.] 4) Program following. Topic: "A Journey in Men's Ministries" 5) PIE AUCTION! Wes Blanchard will be our auctioneer this year. Notify your pie bakers.
Our speaker for the Early Bird Session and the Banquet Program will be Mike Conan of Cedar Creek Church in Sherwood, Oregon.A pastor in a Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Mike is also a Doctor of Ministry student at Portland Seminary of George Fox University. His dissertation research centers on engaging men in ministry. Below is a short bio for Mike from his church website. He is a very enthusiastic, positive guy.
Mike's pastoral experience has been helping struggling churches refocus and re-energize. Cedar Creek Church, where Mike is currently serving, is a church plant in decline that Mike has been asked to help revitalize. The church began in 2004, grew, and then declined. He was brought in 2016 to lead this Evangelical Presbyterian Church in its renewal. Part of Mike's strategies of church renewal include engaging and empowering men in the church.
So spread the word! Hope to see all of you and many more on February 25. More information will be coming soon!
A last note: A big thank you to Bill McCracken for his years of leadership in Iowa Quaker Men. His service and dedication have been greatly appreciated.
Blessings, Randall C. Nichols, President Iowa Quaker Men
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people (Philemon 1, NIV).
Welcome Friend of Friends As we begin a New Year, we want to provide to you "News You Can Use." Instead of multiple emails being sent as infomation is received and requested to be forwarded, we are going to begin sending out what we hope to be a once-a-week email on Wednesday. If you have dates, requests or other information that you would like to have included, the deadline will be Tuesday by noon. Send the information to the email office@iaym.org. Thanks! · Save the Date Items (iaym.org has a calendar with current event dates) o February 4: 50 Days of Prayer for Revival in various loactions (Indianola Library, Lynnville Friends, LeGrand Friends, Earlham Friends, and Light of the Lakes Friends). There is a Facebook page to which you can connect to stay informed of what is going on: https://www.facebook.com/IAYM-Concert-of-Prayer-2017-1428451700506206/ o Feb 12-12: Young Adult Retreat: 18-35ish retreat happening in West Union, IA. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3o5oa0f03ptcsju/Young%20Adult%20Winter%20Retreat%20%2717.pdf?dl=0 o Feb 17-18: Blizzard Blast: An overnight event for 5th-8th grade students along with chaperones. https://www.dropbox.com/s/j7zc5grlkv2wiq6/Blizzard%20Blast%202017.pdf?dl=0 o Febraury 25: Quaker Men's Banquet will take place at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. More details to come. o March 10-12: Ignite: High school leaders and adult leaders retreat with national speakers and a debrief at Friends. https://www.dropbox.com/s/655ca24yyc30m9u/Ignite%20%2717.pdf?dl=0 o March 25: Spring Body Meeting at Mesquakie Friends Church o March 25: 50 Days of Revival Meeting at LeGrand Friends (at approximately 2:00 pm. The event will follow the Spring Body meeting and lunch at Mesquakie Friends). o March 26th: Youth and Young Adult Revival Meeting at Mesquakie Friends from 3-6. Caleb and Johnny from camp o will be leading worship along with rapper Quese. o June 2-4: Young Adult Camp o June 9-11: Little Fry Camp(k-2) o June 11-16: Middle/High School Camp(7-12) o June 18-22: Elementary Camp(3-6) o Our annual Yearly Meeting Sessions will take place July 26-29, 2017 in Oskaloosa. It would be great to to see participation from all of our meetings, leadership, and pastors. If at all possible, keep these dates open on your calendars and encourage other you associate with to do so, as well. · Prayers: o Let us continue to collectively pray for revival in our midst. o Remember our pastors who have recently lost loved ones: Marlene Smith (daughter) and Len Masselli (brother) o Mike Moyer had surgery Monday to replace a heart valve. At this point, no additional information is known. o Grinnell Friends, Bloomington-Muscatine Friends, and Valton Friends are looking to fulfill pastoral openings. Valton has been in talks with a potential candidate so please pray for God's wisdom. o Tammy Ruffin (pastor at Davenport Friends) has three-month-old grandbabies who have been in the hospital with various illnesses. They have been improving, but your prayers are still encouraged and welcomed. · Other Information: o The Stewardship board met last weekend and would like to challenge churches to give $1 a day for 2017 toward our yearly meeting budget. Could you challenge 30 individuals in your meeting to give $1 per month toward this cause OR promote this idea to your meeting? o The Yearly Meeting office has been interested in updating the logo. If you or someone you know has the skills to offer their talents to submit a new logo idea, please feel free to submit those ideas or requests for more information to the Yearly Meeting Office at office@iaym.org Please feel free to forward this information to others so they can also be aware of upcoming events, dates, concerns, and other information.
Mary Thury
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