Congregational Announcements
The Trading Post is open again today! Come one, come all! Last Sunday there was $1,717 in the cash box, and some people ran out of products and are busy making more this week. THANKS to all of the vendors and shoppers! What fun it is to shop locally and support the building fund!
Advent Giving: Help mothers give their infants a good start. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) kits are given to families displaced by war or disaster and are used in a number of other settings to help support mothers who lack the
supplies they need for a new baby. Kits include 3 gowns/sleepers (flannel or similar warm, soft material); 1 cap; 3 undershirts/onesies (short or long sleeves); 1 pair of socks; 4 large, heavy-duty safety pins; 1 large bar mild soap (leave in wrapper); 1 receiving blanket (lightweight fleece or flannel, min. 30”x30”, larger preferred). New items only, size 3 to 12 mo. Items can be purchased or hand sewn. Contact MCC’s material resources centers for a pattern for hand-sewn gowns. Items may be placed under the Christmas tree in the sanctuary.
Wednesday Evening Schedule for December 19:
5:20: Faithful Fitness
Supper will not be served
6:30 – 7:30 pm: Christmas Eve Practice no regular Children’s activities
6:00 pm: TMYF Christmas party
7:10 pm: Adult Choir
No Adult Bible Study. Resume Jan. 2.
Christmas Day Service: You are invited to the Christmas Day service at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. An organ prelude begins at 9:45 and then at 10:00 a service with readings of the Christmas story from the Gospels, favorite Christmas hymns, and talented musicians.
Tabor Wellness: Thank you to everyone who participated in the “Climb The Mountain” wellness challenge! Recording has come to a close and you are encouraged to turn in your log sheet no matter how much you completed. Logs should be totaled and placed in the wellness box or turned into Kevin by Sunday, December 16.
Instrument for Fellowship Hall: If you are a church accompanist or are interested in discussing what might be an ideal instrument (e.g. piano, keyboard, etc…) for the new Fellowship Hall, please join us in the Sanctuary on Sunday, January 6 during Faith Formation. If you have any questions, please contact a pastor.
Commodities will be distributed on Friday December 21, at Goessel Mennonite Church from 5-6 p.m. If you know anyone that is struggling to make ends meet please direct them there! For any questions please contact Jenny at 367-8492.
Blood Drive: This fall Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Florence forced the cancellation of about 250 drives, causing 7,500 units of blood to go uncollected. In this season of giving please consider donating blood (800-733-2767 or redcrossblood.org), sign up to work at the drive, or provide a doz. Christmas cookies (sign up on bulletin board) on Dec. 26. Thanks for saving lives!!
Annual Report: Please submit your report now. Fiscal year end reports are due in the church office (email preferred: kfunk) by the end of December. Directory Updates and changes to the church directory are also requested at this time.
Volunteer Opportunity: Would you be interested in joining the team of volunteer drivers who deliver daily noon meals from Bethesda to homes in and around Goessel? If so, please contact Ruth Goertzen at Alexanderwohl (367-8192, alexmenno) for more information and to sign up.
Conference Announcements
Prayer Requests:
« Western District Conference: Pray for WDC chaplains and pastors who offer caring ministry to those seeking healing, hope and comfort.
« Mennonite Mission Network: MMN requests prayer for Mark and Mary Hurst as they prepare to move to a new area west of Sydney. Pray for them as they settle in and continue their ministry of teaching, peacemaking and hospitality with the Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand.
« Mennonite Education Agency: Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Pray for seminary students who are concluding the semester and reflecting on learnings from their coursework, and give thanks for how God is using their studies to equip them for ministry!
Come celebrate Christmas! The Resource Library is decked out in its Christmas finery. Come take a look and go home with a good book! (or DVD). There are stories for all ages, pictures to color, giant Advent posters, and scratch off ornaments to make. We will mail books and other Christmas fun to you! Just let us know. crlib. We’re open 8am-5pm all week! (Closed December 24-January 1) 2517 N. Main in North Newton, KS.
Borderlands Tour: WDC Immigration Task Force invites you to register for the May 6-11, 2019 MCC South Texas Borderlands Learning Tour. Go tohttps://mcc.org/get-involved/events/learning-tour-south-texas-borderlands to register. Cost: $650. For more information, please contact Kathy at 316-283-6300.
The WDC office and Conference Resource Library is open 8 am-5 pm through December 21, and will then be closed for Christmas & New Year’s break from December 24 through January 1.
Camp Winter Wonderland Worship on Dec. 28 from 3-6pm! Join us for songs from evening worship at summer youth camps (praise and worship songs) at Camp Mennoscah in the Dining Hall. Enjoy classic *Sunday* camp sandwiches, hot chocolate, time by the campfire/fireplace, and the warmth that comes from being surrounded by friends at camp! Also, TP the Christmas tree! We’ll metaphorically TP our Christmas Tree with your donations of toilet paper or paper towels. Cash or checks for 4-square/gaga balls are welcome, too. RSVP to 620-297-3290 or office by December 26 so we know how many sandwiches to fix–and tell us about any food allergies.
Camp Mennoscah is now accepting applicants for a quarter-time (10 hours/week) custodial position. The position starts January 2, 2019, and will remain open until filled. Contact Olivia at 620-297-3290 or olivia.bartel for further information.
Looking for that next great adventure? MCC SALT positions now available! Take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy. Be challenged. Learn some things. Teach some things. Spend a year living somewhere that you never dreamed you’d go… Serving and Learning Together (SALT) is a year-long, cross-cultural service experience. Through SALT, Christian young adults from Canada and the U.S. serve internationally in a wide variety of positions in fields like education, agriculture, health care, information technology, peace and more! Start now at salt.mcc.org, to find answers to frequently asked questions, assignment options and to apply, don’t delay the deadline to sign up is Feb. 15.
This Christmas, consider giving alternative gifts through Mennonite Central Committee! With 25 ways to give, you can find something for everyone in your family! Give chickens, provide hope, education, tools and new skills to help build up communities. These are gifts that easily fit under the tree and can fit within any budget, but have the power to bring joy for years to come! Visit mcc.org/christmas or call our office for details, 316.283.2720.
Come support Offender/Victim Ministries (OVM) at Mojo’s December Community Soup Night! Bring your bowl to Mojo’s Coffee Bar on Thursday, December 20 from 5-6:30 for homemade soup and live music by Ellie Bradley and Kate Szambecki. All proceeds will go towards OVM. For more information about the work OVM does in this community, visit offendervictimministries.org.
Kauffman Museum is open through the holidays (closed Mondays, plus Tues., Christmas Day, and Tues., New Year’s Day): hours 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays, Sat.-Sun., 1:30-4:30 p.m. Visit the current special exhibit “Better Choose Me: Collecting and Creating with Tobacco Fabric Novelties, 1880-1920,” featuring the collection of the late Ethel Ewert Abrahams. See www.bethelks.edu/kauffman/
or the Kauffman Museum Facebook page for more information.
The Neuf Memorial Run: The Neuf 9K and 2 mile run returns to the campus of Bethel College on Jan. 12, 2019 to honor the memory of Russ Neufeld, a former MC USA and Hesston College employee. The race will start at 10 a.m. outside of Mojo’s Coffee Shop on the campus of Bethel College, N. Newton. The Neuf will raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Russ Neufeld memorial scholarship at Hesston College. Register & read other details about the race at www.runtheneuf.neuf.ca. We would love to have you join us for this fun community event!
