LIBRARY LEDGE Aging Gracefully:
Are we aging gracefully, or do we need help? For some of us, there may be problems to deal with as we age. Come into the library & check out some of our books. A few of them are: Guides to Creative Aging, With Faces to the Evening Sun, Alzheimer’s, Another Opportunity to Love, A Guide to Caring for and Coping with Aging Parents, Help Lord! I’m Having a Senior Moment – Again!, Middle Age & Other Mixed Blessings, Out to Pasture – But Not Over the Hill, and Living Longer & Other Sobering Possibilities, along with a few more
Ministry Conference Our annual Ministry Conference gathering will be here before you know it. I’d like to for you to remember the dates (July 25-28, 2018. Please keep in mind that all churches are to send representatives (see the Discipline for the exact number) We are currently in the early planning stages, but it looks like as exciting year (details to come…stay tuned).
Keep Praying God is hearing and answering our prayers!!
Be careful what you
think, because your thoughts run your life.
HOC Meal Report On January 25, 6 people were involved in preparing, serving and cleanup for 41 guests. The pork roast, tator tots, biscuits, green beans with bacon, raw carrots, fruit, pudding, chocolate cake, milk, and coffee were enjoyed and appreciated. Thanks to our great volunteers who provided food or funds or went to prepare, serve & clean the kitchen: Scott & Mary, Diane R., Darla, and Diane T. A small crew but they got the job done well. We are not on the schedule to do a meal in February. Our March meal will be Thursday, the 29th.
Mission Working with
women in India, Sierra Leone, and Kenya, making grants to jump-start
micro-enterprise ventures.
Eastern Region Friend Disaster Service
Is sponsoring a spring service trip to the Houston area impacted by last year’s hurricane. The IAYM friends Response Team (FRT) is “casting a net” to determine who might be available and willing to make the trip for the following dates April 7-16. The cost of participation is minimal. Most of the cost is getting to Houston, and the IAYM FRT board has allocated funds to assist in travel (gas, food, lodging, on the road). For more information please access the IAYM FRT Facebook page https://facebook.com/groups/friendsrt/ LIKE this page to receive notice of future postings. Please contact (text or call) Mike Moyer, IAYM FRT coordinator @ moyer@wmpenn.edu if you have interest in participation: all skill levels and expertise can be utilized.
Thank you to ALL who donated, worked, prayed, and helped support Rachel Bachman and her family! It was a great turnout with great chili! Praise be to God!
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 17, 20198: Spring Body Meeting (More details to come—note the date change June 8-10: Little Fry Camp June 10-15, 2018: Middle/High School Camp June 17-22, 2018: Kaleo Academy June 24-28, 2018: Elementary Camp July 13-19, 2018: Youth and Young Adult Camp July 13-19, 2018: Youth and Young Adult Board sponsored trip to Chicago August 8/10, 2018: Church Multiplication Conference at Barclay College (Haviland, Kansas)
Christian Social Concerns Committee
An Opportunity to Glorify God in the Midst of Conflict When we think about peace, unfortunately, what comes to mind is the opposite of war rather than the rich imagery of human wellbeing and harmony that is the Hebrew understanding of shalom. And yet, before we could ever begin to approach the implications of a biblical model of peace when it comes to something like war, perhaps we followers of Jesus might take a deeper look at what tools God has given us to address conflict among ourselves. Ken Sande’s book, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, has been studied by other Quaker churches; that study group has had a truly transformational experience as they wrestled together with what God’s word has to teach us about repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Sande’s interest in biblical conflict resolution draws from a wealth of experience with desiring God’s best for many of his Christian brothers and sisters who thought court was their last hope. Ken’s presentation style is personal, practical, and unflinchingly faithful. He has assisted God’s people to work through conflict in a way that gives glory to God and strengthens the credibility of our Christian witness. Our hope as the IAYM Board of Christian Social Concerns is to challenge our Yearly Meeting churches to consider making their way through this 8 week study. To do this, what is needed is a pair of facilitators with the time and passion, a book and study guide for everyone in the class. While some might not choose to purchase them, there are wonderful video resources designed to augment the study with teachings by Ken, and many illustrative short skits or “parables” that go with each lesson that truly bring these principles to heart. While not required, these video resources are recommended, and could perhaps be shared among our various quarterly meetings. We do have a Social Concerns Committee at BLFC and it hasn’t always been active, but if our church has a pair of co-leaders who are passionate about being peacemakers, you would be well on your way to facilitate a study. Is there anyone who would like to join us? Do we have the hope to empower ourselves with practical tools and inspire a passion for interpersonal peacemaking and biblical conflict resolution? We as Christians have such a foundation to draw on when it comes to living by God’s principles. Often, it is putting God’s best into practice where we struggle. Our hope is to equip Christ’s church for faithful service and witness in the world. This study is not political, and not primarily about addressing the violence of our broken world. What it is however is a starting place to come together and earnestly seek God’s will when it comes to the things that so often divide us. And from that common frame of reference in God’s word, learn to walk together toward maturity to the glory of God. Agape, More information will be shared for a possible bible study in April 2018 @ BLFC. Here are some resources if interested in looking at the materials. Kit with DVD’s http://peacemaker.christianbook.com/peacemaking-church-small-group-study-kit/pd/444488?event=CPO
Let’s Fill the Cart for the House of Compassion
Many people in Marshall County have jobs but still struggle. They get a little help each month at HOC by picking 3 non-food items from the closet. Over 500 households use the closet monthly. In March we will join other churches to help fill the shelves. The items most needed at this time are below. (The Dollar Tree in Marshalltown has these for $1.) Please bring your donations of items or $$ by Sunday, March 25. Thanks for easing some of the stress for these families in need.
· Over-the-counter Cold Syrup/Capsules · Tums/Antacids · Men’s 3 in 1 Body Wash · Dish Soap · Liquid Laundry Detergent (prefer 64 oz. that makes approx. 32 loads)
Job explains Genesis, Isaiah and Daniel Only three chapters into the Book of Genesis Adam and Eve stand before God ashamed of their nakedness. In that moment God tells the serpent in Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This passage is referred to as the Proto-Evangelium, or more simply the first mention of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in the Scripture. In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah describes in fine detail the crucifixion of Jesus Christ seven hundred years before it happened (Isaiah 53). The prophet Daniel has a vision of Jesus in Daniel chapter seven. So we shouldn’t be surprised to find Job talking about a Redeemer in the Book of Job. Job story begins with a life full of blessings and free from suffering. He was prosperous, he had a great family and many friends, he was respected in the community, and his relationship with God was good. But when everything was stripped away from him, he became acutely aware that something is desperately wrong with the world. He wished he had died at birth rather than live to suffer. Job wondered “why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?” (Job 3:20-22). Death would be a welcome relief—to go to the place where no one suffers. Yet despite Job’s desire that it would all just be over so he would be released from his misery, he sensed that there had to be more—that there must be a way to be restored and renewed and reconciled to God. Recognizing that he is nothing before an infinite God, Job expressed his need for a mediator—someone who could represent him before God: “He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both. Someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.” (Job 9:32-34) “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.” (Job 16:19-21 Job didn’t know who the mediator/arbitrator/witness/advocate/intercessor/friend might be, but we know that He is Jesus, whose unimaginable suffering ransomed us from death: As the Apostle Paul explained to Timothy in his first letter, “There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. (1 Timothy 2:5-6) Ultimately Job declares his belief in a living Redeemer who will come to restore him: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27) When God confronted Job at the end of the book, Job realized more than ever how small and insignificant he is before the Creator, and yet, this God reaches down to enter into an intimate and loving relationship with human beings. We celebrate every day the miracle of our Creator reaching down to us and sending his son to be that redeemer. Like Job we need to be aware of our standing before our Creator. More than that, though, we need to be aware of what God has done for us through His son, Jesus Christ. When we forget the Grace and Love of God and the difference it makes in our lives we become the most miserable of creatures. As Christians we should be the least miserable, we should be the most joyful, fulfilled and radiant people anyone knows because our past is forgiven and our future is secure because of what Jesus Christ did for us on that cross almost two millennia ago. |