Congregational Announcements
Vacation Bible School: Do you have preschool through 6th graders living in your house? Have you signed them up for VBS yet? If not, please dig out your paper copy and fill it out or register online. Plans are being made, and we hope your child will attend! Completed copies can go in Eunice Nickel or Sarahanne Unruh’s mailbox. Extra registration forms can be found in the church foyer.
Save the Date: VBS staff orientation will be Wednesday, May 10. If you are helping with VBS this year, put this evening on your calendar. Invitations and more information to follow in coming weeks.
The formation of the building committee is nearing completion. If anyone else is interested in being considered for this committee, please let me know by the end of April. I will be making contact with these people soon. –Jim Schmidt
Sister Care: Wed., April 26, 6:30 p.m. — For those signed up for MWUSA Sister Care II, Sister Care I is strongly suggested. We will have a crash course and refresher course at Goessel Elementary Library on May 5-7. If you can’t take the course, you can check out the DVD or Manual from Denise Nickel. (367-2226)
Kansas Mennonite Men’s Chorus concerts will take place on Sunday, April 30, 4:30pm at Presser Hall, Bethany College, Lindsborg and on Sunday, May 7, 7pm at Hesston High School, Hesston. A free will offering will be taken for the work of Mennonite Central Committee. Singers from Tabor are: Lewis Unruh, Steve Janzen, Lee Goertzen and Donavon Schmidt.
Tabor Mennonite Women- Save the Date! The mystery evening is planned for May 17 at 5:30 p.m. Be watching for more information and sign-up sheets soon.
Church Membership: Are you interested in learning more about church membership at Tabor? If yes, please talk to a Pastor by the end of April.
The McPherson Community Brass Choir under the direction of Jerry Toews will give a concert Mon., May 1 at 7 pm in the Church of the Brethren, 200 N. Carrie St., McPherson.
Register now for Summer Camps: Scholarships of $50 are again available through the Tabor Mennonite Church Education Committee for children attending either Camp Mennoscah or Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. Sign up on the bulletin board with your name and the dates you will be attending camp. When registering, mark the box on the form indicating that you are receiving a scholarship from Tabor and a check will be mailed to Camp Mennoscah. Register with Camp Mennoscah before May 1 to receive a $10 discount.
Spring Work Day: Please plan to participate in our annual work day on Saturday, May 6, beginning at 8 am and working until noon. There will be outside landscape work and inside cleaning and maybe some painting. It would be appreciated if volunteers could bring snacks for mid-morning break and fellowship. Thank you.
Conference Announcements
Prayer Requests:
« Western District Conference: Pray for God’s wisdom and grace to surround WDC participants gathering this next Saturday for a resourcing event on congregational ministry in the face of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
« Mennonite Mission Network: Ben and Laurel Woodward Breckbill serve as MMN interns in Belfast alongside peacebuilders at Mediation Northern Ireland (Ben) and WAVE Trauma Centre (Laurel). Pray for them as they learn to share the good news with people who have experienced trauma, and to work together with them for justice.
« Mennonite Education Agency: We thank God for over 400 graduates who will celebrate commencement exercises April 29. Bless them as they move into the world to serve and lead for the common good.
« Mennonite Disaster Service: In the next few weeks MDS will begin its project at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. MDS and its volunteers will be partnering with the Pine Ridge Long Term Recovery Committee to build four new homes this spring and summer. Severe weather 2015, and again 2016 destroyed hundreds of homes in the community. This compounded an already existing shortage of housing in the area. We ask for prayers as we begin this project and bring some hope back to individuals impacted by this disaster. Pray also for the volunteers as they serve and share the love of Christ in word and deed.
Western District Announcements:
Jeanette Roberts is filling in for Jennie Wintermote, WDC Library Director, while she is on maternity leave. Jeanette is in the library on Mondays and Fridays from 8 am-12 pm, and Wednesdays from 12-1 pm; other WDC staff can assist you when she is not here. Jeanette may be contacted at crlib.
Shalom Mennonite Church (800 E First, Newton, KS) will host a Community Conversation on Immigration on Saturday, June 3 at 10-11:30 am. The moderated panel discussion will focus on the panelists’ general perspectives on issues that affect refugees and immigrants in Kansas and Harvey County. A question and answer time to follow. If you have questions about the event, contact Shalom at office
Camp Mennoscah:
-The Retirees Relaxation Retreat is April 24-26! You are invited to join us to hear stories of courage, faith, and enrichment. Amanda Rempel will lead us in music and Stan & Marlene Smucker will lead us in Bible Study. Coffee breaks and as much nature as you want included!
-Men and Boys Retreat is April 28-30. The first meal provided is Saturday supper, so if you come sooner than that, bring your own food. Saturday evening will feature a performance by the Flannelbacks, a bluegrass band from the Bethel area. Michael Unruh will be our speaker for the weekend. No pre-registration is necessary, but if you have questions contact Kevin Neufeld at kevinneufeld2 or 316-322-5515.
-There are still openings for kitchen staff for the weeks of June 11-17, July 9-13, and July 30-Aug. 4.
Information for all of the above or to register:
Online at www.campmennoscah.org Telephone: 620-297-3290.
Email: office.
Contact: olivia.bartel.
Coming to a church near you! Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 6, 7 pm when the Theatre of the Beat, from Stouffville, Ontario, is coming to the Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church (655 S. Lorraine, Wichita) with the play “This Will Lead to Dancing.” The play follows two teens from a Mennonite congregation’s youth group who go on a hunger strike until their church decides to accept LGBT people as members. In her hunger, one of the girls begins to hallucinate the ghost of Menno Simons, who becomes a central character in the play. The writer, and theatre’s artistic director, Johnny Wideman, conducted interviews with LGBT Mennonites and two allies who work within the community and incorporated some of their reflections and stories. In discussions of church policy over sexuality and church membership, there has been much discussion over “forbearance”. Wideman wanted his play to represent those who, he believes, have shown the most forbearance, the LGBT community. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Refreshments will be served after the play.
Mennonite Central Committee: April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Mennonite Central Committee U.S. is offering four booklets that could help you and your congregation create a community of care for those affected by sexual violence and to find ways to act against it.
Understanding sexual abuse by a church leader or caregiver
Abuse: Response and prevention – A guide for church leaders
Created Equal: Women and Men in the Image of God
Pornography: Lies, Truth and Hope.
To order these free booklets, email resources or call toll free, 888.563.4676.
As immigration enforcement tightens in the U.S., women, children and teens from Central America who are fleeing domestic and sexual violence in their home countries encounter quick deportation or harsher legal processes and extended detention when they seek refuge in the U.S. To learn more about this issue, including how to speak with your legislators about acting compassionately, read this Action Alert from the MCC U.S. Washington Office,
mcc.org/protect-women-children
The FloraKansas Spring Plant Sale will be held April 28 to May 1 at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Hesston. Kansas’ largest native plant sale offering many species of wildflowers and grasses many of which are rare in cultivation. A large selection of adaptable perennials is also available. Memberships can be purchased on the day of the sale. Arboretum members receive a 10% discount at all arboretum plant sales and may participate in the members only pre-sale on Thursday, April 27 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 620-327-8127 or visit www.dyckarboretum.org.
Bethel College: Sun., April 30 – Bethel College Wind Ensemble concert, 3pm, featuring Copland’s Lincoln Portrait and the premiere of a commissioned work by Pulitzer Prize-winner Zhou Long; Memorial Hall
Seminars simplify Medicare and Social Security: Everence Financial will provide information about Medicare and retirement income at two upcoming seminars. The Medicare seminars will be held on May 1 and will include what Medicare covers, the differences between plans that supplement Medicare, and enrollment deadlines. The retirement income seminar, held on June 5, will help you determine if you have enough money to retire, what to do if the market doesn’t cooperate and how to know if your savings will last. Seminars are held at 7 p.m. at the Everence office in Hesston. To reserve your spot, contact Michelle Ramer at michelle.ramer.
Blood Mobile
The next drive is Thursday, April 27 from 2:00-6:00. To help us meet our goal call Rosi (367-2418), Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) or register on-line at redcrossblood.org/givemore
One of the recent options when you donate blood is the Power Red, where an automated process separates your red blood cells from the other blood components, then returns your plasma and platelets to you. Donors with blood type O negative, O positive, A or B negative are the blood types required for this. This process maximizes your donation and helps more patients. However, it does takes patience as it’s slower. It takes close to an hour, and the times to come for a Power Red this drive are at 2:00, 4:00 and 5:00. After a Power Red Donation you can’t donate for 112 days, so you could only donate every other blood drive. There are additional requirements to give a Power Red Donation. Females must be at least 5”5” and weigh 150 lbs. Males must be at least 5’1” and weigh at least 130 lbs. The usual volunteers will be needed, so watch for that sign up sheet .
At blood drives held between April 17-May 14, all donors are eligible to win one of 3 prizes for a $1000 gift card shopping spree. The drawing will be on June 1. Whether or not you win the sweepstakes, when you donate it saves lives, which is an even bigger reward.
April 23 announcements
