Category: Bulletins
Dec. 23 announcements
Congregational Announcements
Christmas Eve Celebration Service: Everyone is invited to Tabor at 6:30 pm for the Christmas Eve Celebration Service. Plan to come early (6:05) to hear the Children’s Prelude. An offering will be received for Mennonite Central Committee Infant Care Kits. Make checks payable to Tabor Mennonite Church with MCC Kits on the memo line.
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.
No Wednesday Evening programming December 26
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.
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 dozen 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.
Conference Announcements
Prayer Requests:
« Western District Conference: Give thanks for the gift of God’s Word-made-flesh in Jesus, and for the many ways in which WDC congregations make God’s love tangible in our world today.
« Mennonite Mission Network: In this season of “Peace on earth, goodwill to all people,” Nancy Frey and Bruce Yoder of MMN request prayer for peace in Burkina Faso, where terrorist groups have become more active. May the Mennonite Church show the way to the Prince of Peace.
« Mennonite Education Agency: Seminario Bíblico Anabautista Hispano (SeBAH) Pray for fruitful teaching and learning during the first trimester of 2019 at SeBAH. Pray for SeBAH supporters and the many Hispanic/Latino churches that have benefited from SeBAH’s ministry. Pray that God brings all the funds needed for this fiscal year’s teaching program.
« Mennonite Church USA: “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2:10. This Christmas season, the staff of MC USA prays that you would seek the light of Christ and find ways to share joy with one another.
The WDC office and Conference Resource Library will be closed for Christmas & New Year’s break from December 24 through January 1.
Western District Conference year-end snapshot: Last January, over 130 people gathered to launch WDC’s Year of Evangelism and learn authentic ways to share the Jesus story in our own contexts. It was energizing to hear stories of relationships healed, community needs met, and spiritual lives transformed by love lived out through Jesus’ friends. The Year of Evangelism is just one way your gifts to WDC empower congregations to witness and invite others to faith in Jesus Christ, dwell in just and loving relationships, and connect to God’s mission in the world! As we work together to meet WDC’s budget goal for the year, we request your donations online at www.mennowdc.org or sent to WDC at PO Box 306, N. Newton, KS 67117. Thank you for planting these seeds of hope!
Call for Mennonite Disaster Service Volunteers: Eureka, Kansas. We will benroofing and completing exterior repairs on houses. Tools and lunch will be provided.
Work days are scheduled for 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Dec. 28 & 29, and Jan. 4 & 5. Please contact Jordan Miller for more details and to arrange transportation from the Newton area. Call, text or email 316-217-4570 or jordanmiller795
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.
Hello, future summer staffers! You can apply for a summer staff position at Camp Mennoscah at olivia.bartel with questions. We can’t wait to talk to you about being on summer staff!
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.
Five Times Harder will perform a holiday concert at First Mennonite Church of Hillsboro, KS on December 30 at 4:00 pm. They will perform a variety of Christmas music in styles ranging from classical to bluegrass to folk. No admission charge. Tom Harder is pastor at First Mennonite Church, Hillsboro, KS, and Lois Harder is Bridge Pastor at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, Goessel, KS.
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.
Do you know youth with gifts for leadership and ministry? Through AMBS’s!Explore program, students in grades 10–12 can explore ministry and theology, grow in spiritual practices and listen for God’s call through a summer congregational internship and a Group Experience (July 9-25, 2019). Scholarships are available. Apply for 2019! ambs.edu/explore
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.
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!
Dec. 9 Bulletin and Announcements
Advent Giving: Items may be placed under the Christmas tree in the sanctuary. 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.
Note of Thanks
"How can we thank God enough for you…" (I Thessalonians 3:9) From the museum’s earliest beginnings, this congregation has been a cornerstone of faithful support and continues to do so today. We were again blessed by your generosity at our recent pizza fundraiser meal on November 28. Contributions of nearly $1,000 were received. These gifts will be used as vital operating funds to close the year. We have also been blessed by the individual contributions of church members, both financially and through volunteer time. We are deeply appreciative of each and every one of these gifts and ask for your ongoing prayers and support.
With sincere gratitude, The Board and Staff of the Mennonite Heritage & Agricultural Museum
Congregational Announcements
The Tabor Trading Post will be back on December 9 and 16 following Sunday morning Worship and Faith Formation. Bring your projects to sell and come purchase items to benefit the Tabor Building Fund. The Trading Post will be located in the fellowship hall. If you have questions, please ask Carol Duerksen.
Night in the Barn: This weekend, December 8 and 9, is your last chance to experience Night in the Barn at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch from 5 – 8pm. Come and interact with the characters, animals, sights, and sounds of the timeless tale. Enjoy this walking tour of the Nativity with family and friends. The suggested donation of $5 per person includes a hot drink and snack (part of the proceeds raised will go towards the Tabor Building Fund). Come and share in the wonder of the Christmas Story!
Brass Christmas: Come join us at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church on Sunday, December 9 at 7pm for an evening filled with Christmas music! The evening will feature the McPherson Brass Choir under the direction of Jerry Toews along with the Elbiata Singers from Goessel High School under the direction of Braden Unruh. A freewill offering will be received to support the ministries of the Goessel Ministerial Alliance. We hope to see you there.
Wednesday Evening Schedule for December 12:
5:20: Faithful Fitness
5:45 – 6:30 pm: Supper
6:30 – 7:30 pm: Christmas Eve Practice no regular Children’s activities
7:00 pm: TMYF caroling
7:30 pm: Adult Choir
No Adult Bible Study. Resume Jan. 2.
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.
Giving Tree: The Goessel Ministerial Alliance Christmas Giving Tree is at the Citizen’s State Bank this year. Gift tags are available on the tree now and gifts will need to be at the bank by Dec. 14. Thank you for using this opportunity to help make a child’s Christmas more joyful.
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 here! 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: Give thanks for volunteers who share their time and energy to support the work of WDC.
« Mennonite Mission Network: MMN’s Service Adventure unit in Jackson, Mississippi, includes Gabe Graham, Alexa Rathscheck, Jakob Seiferth, and leaders Cynthia and Roger Neufeld Smith. Pray for them as they worship with the Open Door Mennonite congregation, and as they volunteer with a community soup kitchen and a transition home.
« Mennonite Education Agency: Join the Bethel College community in giving thanks for the light of Christ that has come into the world as students, faculty, staff and friends observe the 33rd annual Lighting of the Green this evening.
Nurture children’s faith at home this Advent and Christmas through family worship. Find a free, downloadable guide at AnabaptistFaithFormation.org with daily scriptures, songs, activities and questions to ponder together.
Christmas Gathering for Volunteers of All Years! Volunteers of all sorts from all years are invited to come to Camp Mennoscah on December 15 at 2:30pm-ish for a time to have conversation and cookies! If you have been a summer staffer, a cook, a nurse, counselor, program staff, part of Work and Play Camp or a service day, this is you! In fact, if you think you might have volunteered, it’s you! We’ll provide cookies and hot drinks. Bring a gift for a white elephant exchange or watch the crazy unwrapping of who knows what. It’s both a celebration and a time of relaxation. Join us!
You’re invited to the annual MCC Christmas Soiree at MCC in North Newton on Thursday, December 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Join us for this holiday party to enjoy festive food and fellowship! We’ll pause at 6 p.m. to hear from International Volunteer Exchange Participants share about their current work and Christmas traditions from their home countries. Everyone is welcome for this come and go holiday event. MCC is located at 121 E. 30th in North Newton. Call us with questions, 316.283.2720.
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.
Bethel College:
—Sun., Dec. 9 – 33rd annual Lighting of the Green at Bethel College, 8 p.m.
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.
Bethel College’s peacebuilding institute, KIPCOR, has seen a recent uptick in churches requesting help in resolving various conflicts. Because our own resources are limited, we’re offering an opportunity for congregations to help address this need themselves – KIPCOR’s semi-regular training course “Managing Differences within Faith Communities.” The two-day course runs Jan. 3-4, 2019, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at KIPCOR’s North Newton office. Lead instructor is Sharon Kniss, KIPCOR director of education and training. Cost is $300 per person, or $250 with a non-refundable deposit of $75 made by Dec. 12. For congregations who send three or more people, the cost is $200 per person with a $225 deposit made by Dec. 12. Please register soon so we’ll know if we have the numbers to run the course. Online registration is at kipcor.org (Managing Differences within Faith Communities link), or call KIPCOR at 316-284-5217.
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 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!
Come to Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp for the annual Men’s Retreat to spend time with God and other men in the beauty of creation, March 1-3, 2019. Men’s Retreat is planned each year by a committee from Mountain States Mennonite Conference church members. The festivities for the weekend include worship times, foosball, ping pong, chess, human curling, snowshoeing, great fellowship and more! Register online at rmmc.org or call camp with questions (719-687-9506).
