Congregational Announcements
Vacation Bible School: There is a sign up list on the bulletin board with items that we will need for snack time during VBS. Please sign up. Your help is appreciated. If anyone has questions, please contact Sarahanne Unruh or Pam Abrahams.
Summer FF begins June 17:
For such a time as this! You are here. You belong to Tabor. You can offer your presence and gifts to our children. Sign up on the bulletin board to help with summer faith formation for our children. Activity/craft leaders and helpers are needed as well as snack provisions. Carol Duerksen will be the storyteller for the summer. If you would like to help coordinate the schedule and make sure enough people are present each Sunday to help out, that would be wonderful. Just let the Christian Ed committee know. Thanks for sharing your gifts with our children.
—All high school youth through adults will meet together using Mennonite Central Committee’s curriculum, Preventing Gun Violence.
A schedule for Summer Faith Formation for adults and children will be in the June Newsletter.
Rejoice! A devotional booklet for the months of June/July/August and published by MennoMedia, is now available on the literature table in the foyer and also in the north facing mailboxes. The Education committee provides these for anyone who wishes to have one.
Bethesda Home Annual Meeting: Wednesday, May 30 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will include Sara Hiebert, CEO/Administrator, sharing of plans for the future of Bethesda, election of board members, financial report, an offering, AND a pie social following with wide variety of pies to select from. It’s a time to celebrate good changes at Bethesda. Please join us to be informed about this ministry that you support.
Tabor Garage Sale: A few new items, including used computer monitors, have been added along with the remaining ‘treasures’ in the fellowship hall. Please leave a donation for the building fund if you find something that you want to take home.
Conference Announcements
Prayer Requests:
« Western District Conference: Pray for God’s wisdom for WDC’s Gifts Discernment Committee as they seek nominees for leadership positions in WDC.
« Mennonite Mission Network: Diana Cruz and Felipe Preciado, serving with MMN, are on their way to La Casa Grande children’s village in Benin. Pray for them as they transition from their life in Colombia and participate in orientation in the United States and Spain in the coming weeks.
« Mennonite Education Agency: Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia • We ask your prayers for students coming from across the country and around the globe to study peacebuilding, trauma resilience and conflict transformation every week at the Summer Peacebuilding Institute from May 14 – June 20. Give them renewed spirit and enhanced skills for promoting positive change in their home communities.
« Mennonite Disaster Service: Prayer of thanksgiving. MDS gives thanks for all of the volunteers and the new hope homeowners experienced through MDS. Join us in giving thanks for the ministry of MDS to respond, rebuild and restore. Consider being an MDS volunteer by applying for one of these opportunities.
Western District Conference:
Save the date – the 2018 Western District Conference Annual Assembly will be held July 27-28 in South Central Kansas. More details and registration information will be emailed to pastors and churches and will be posted at: http://mennowdc.org/annual-assembly/#2018annualAssembly during the last week of May.
Summer Story Hour: Join us for Summer Story Hour at the Conference Resource Library! This summer, children ages 3-8 will have fun with the theme of Creepy Crawlies: Bugs and More! Led by Marjie Warkentine, we’ll meet at the library in North Newton on Mondays June 4-July 9 at 10:00am. Register by May 31 at https://goo.gl/forms/wlzeX9FZbFoNYBW32 or by calling the library at (316) 283-6300.
Camp Mennoscah:
—Come volunteer to help rebuild The Whale! Construction is continuing, and we need your help! May 25-26 will be cutting and staining the wood in Newton. June 1-2 will be platform and decking installation at camp, and the week of June 3 will be installing the railings and spreading mulch. If you’d like to be a part of the action, contact the camp, let us know which days you can be there, and we’ll get back to you with more details. We’re really excited to have this up by the time summer youth camps begin on June 10 and hope you are, too!
—Party in the kitchen! Kitchen staff at Camp Mennoscah this summer will enjoy the delightful new kitchen with shiny stainless steel, temperate temperatures (courtesy of A and C), and fun folks. Camp Mennoscah needs kitchen helpers for June 24-30 and July 15-21. Parent discounts are available up to full camp fees. Bring a friend, your swimsuit (for the pool), and make tasty meals for amazing campers and staff! Contact us at to get your piece of the fun!
—Bring a Friend! We love sharing Camp Mennoscah with others! It’s a time of fun, making friends, and growing in your relationship with Jesus. Surely those things are well worth sharing with others. Returning campers and their first time friend each get a free camp tee shirt and a week of great and amazing activities!
—Want to spend a little extra time at Camp Mennoscah? We’re always looking for volunteers and weekend hosts to help our staff. There will be a staff person around to lead in tasks or direct a visiting group and all levels of skill are welcome.
Information for all events at Camp Mennoscah or to register:
Online at www.campmennoscah.org
Telephone: 620-297-3290.
Email: office.
Contact: olivia.bartel.
Mennonite Central Committee:
New guidelines for making comforters: MCC has recently reviewed feedback from our partners around the world and some changes have been made to the guidelines for new comforters that we’re sharing with you:
https://mcc.org/sites/mcc.org/files/media/common/documents/2017-10-04_
comforter_making_guideline_us.pdf.
If you have questions or concerns please contact Kate Mast in the MCC Central States Material Resources Center in North Newton, KS: katemast 316.283.2720.
Join the upcoming MCC Haiti learning tour from September 22nd to 29th. Learn from Haitian farmers, artisans, community organizers and human rights advocates about how they – with your support – are building a brighter future for their communities. Limited spots are available, registration closes June 20th. Contact Jordan Penner at jordanpenner or 316-727-6837 for more information.
Mennonite Mission Network is seeking young adults to serve with the Tanzania Mennonite Church in its National Youth Ministry Team. Young adults will work with a team helping to facilitate Bible studies, discipleship training, and children’s ministries. Successful candidates will be willing to share about their faith and be open to working closely with others on the National Youth Ministry Team. For more information, check out our website at Journey International Tanzania or contact Sharon Norton at SharonN.
Dove’s Nest and Mennonite Women USA are joyfully partnering to sponsor a unique summer event: Empowering Women: Claiming Healthy Personal Boundaries July 26-27 in Omaha, Nebraska. We are excited about this opportunity to resource both women and girls (age 13-18) and are grateful for supporting funds from the Schowalter Foundation. For more information and registration: https://dovesnest.net/Claiming-Healthy-Personal-Boundaries
Summer is here and the Newton Et Cetera Shop is a great place to spend your time! You’re invited to become a summer volunteer if you’ve got a few hours to give back to our community once a month or once a week. Students, educators and everyone else is welcome to pick up a volunteer application, download one at newtonetceterashop.com/volunteer, or fill one out at our new volunteer orientation on Tuesday, June 5, 6 p.m. We need volunteers to help with clothing, dolls, electronics, bikes, housewares and as clerks. Evening and Saturday spots are available, as well as weekday shifts. Newton Et Cetera Shop is an MCC Thrift Shop, and gives away 100% of its proceeds.
Bethel College
—Centering Prayer will not meet Mon., May 28 (Memorial Day), but continues to meet most Mondays from noon-1 p.m. in Agape Center in Richert House on the Bethel College campus. Try it once, come occasionally or join us regularly – all are welcome, with no previous experience with Centering Prayer required. For more information, contact Nathan Koontz, 2nathankoontz, or Melanie Zuercher, mzuercher.
—Sat., June 2 – The public is invited to Walk Sand Creek Trail Day, part of National Trails Day®. Water will be available for people and dogs at the trailhead at Memorial Grove on the Bethel College campus, dawn to dusk (6 a.m.-8 p.m.), courtesy of the Sand Creek Trail Committee.
—Sat., June 2 – Kauffman Museum First-Saturday Bird Walk. Join experienced birders at 6:30 a.m. in the museum parking lot for a walk of 1 to 1.5 hours. Please be aware this is mostly on an unpaved trail and the terrain is sometimes sloping or steep.
Saturday morning retirement workshop to be held in June: Everence will host an all-inclusive retirement planning workshop on Saturday, June 2, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Topics will include Medicare, Social Security and retirement income planning. The workshop will be presented by Everence staff and will take place at the Everence office at 3179 N. Main St., North Newton. Reserve your spot soon by contacting Michelle Ramer at (316) 283-3800; (877) 467-7294 ormichelle.ramer.
