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Thoughts for the journey,
One of the things that I knew intellectually but had no idea how it would actually play out is how varied life is as pastor. From batteries that leak from the ceiling to sitting with a family as they mourn the death while also celebrating the wonderful life of their patriarch to going line by line through our by-laws and constitutions, visiting with Joann at Meadow Lakes and talking with a company about providing custodial service - the weeks are full and for the most part, enjoyable. And I am grateful for all of you who volunteer to help with whatever crops up (especially to Steve Saucerman and Randy Cooper for helping with the battery.)
Another surprise has been the honor that I feel when a family invites me to sit with them as we prepare for the funeral. To listen to the stories amidst the laughter and the tears and to catch a glimpse of a person who feels just out of sight. It is humbling.
Ginger Garner's family invited me into that this week. Ginger's grandfather was 93 years old and had lived a good full life and gathered around were children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - all with love and memories.
One of the things that made this even more of a privilege is that generally it is Ginger who is doing the giving. A memeber of the Christian Ed committee, she teaches Sunday School and VBS, she was trained and is one of three Worship and Wonder storytellers who worship with our children each week. When not with Worship and Wonder, she is one of the first to volunteer in the nursery. She seldom is able to come to an adult Sunday School class and frequently is out of worship because she is caring for our children and youth. While she is passionate about this work, she does more than she might because of a limited number of volunteers. Ginger is also a frequent donor of food - for youth events, for dinners, for VBS and I hear she makes great pasta sauce for Valentine's Day. Ginger is one of the volunteers that demonstrate servanthood and I am grateful for her involvement. Ginger is usually serving. In this case, as in during other times of her life, the church was able to serve her - through my services and through providing a meal at the church following the funeral.
For some it is hard to fine a place to serve. For some, being served is where the difficulty lies. One of my favorite hymns, The Servant Song names this for us:
Sister let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace,
to let you be my servant too.
For Ginger's service to the church and for her grace in letting us serve her, I give thanks.
Sharing the journey,
Glenda
Family Fun Night
After a pitch-in meal that centered around soup from the freezer, our family fun night saw two groups gathered around tables. One playing a new building game (think Jenga designed by an engineer) played by a group ranging in age from 6 to 55 and the other table had a game a chicken foot dominoes. Dominoes made all the more exciting by Will stealing his mother's playing pieces.
One of the things I love about our game night is that there is no technology to focus on, no list of things to do - just a time to pick a game and focus on the faces of those around you. Kids games, adult games, kids playing what we thought were adult games - nothing but fun. Our next family fun night is February 22nd. We will begin with devotions at 5pm and a pitch-in meal and games starting at 5:30pm. Bring a game, a dish or just come on in. You are welcome here. - Glenda
Women's Bible Study
Thanks ladies for another great evening at women's Bible study. Our discussion was on "Prayer as the Gift of Presence". We questioned what we should be praying for and how do you know if your prayers are answered. One of our key take aways was that according to Luke 11:13, all prayers are answered by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our next session "Prayer as Breathing" with a short video by Glennon Doyle Melton titled "Pray Ceaselessly" looks really interesting and is sure to have some great discussion. Each session is independent of the others so feel free to join us. Our next meeting is Monday February 23rd at 6pm. - Tammy Olmstead
Congregational Meeting
February 15 Following Worship
A Congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, February 15 immediately after church to vote on having Pastor Glenda Survance continue as our Senior Pastor.
In May, 2014 the Congregation voted to extend a call to Glenda Survance to become our Senior Minister beginning on June 1, 2014 through the end of 2014 at a salary of $4,200/month. Glenda would also continue to work part-time for the Indiana Region. Due to the Christmas season, it was decided to delay the decision on continuing with Glenda as our Senior Minister until February.
The Elders have met with Glenda on a monthly basis since May, 2014, have agreed that Glenda is doing an excellent job for Mooresville First Christian Church Disciples of Christ, and are recommending that the Congregation extend a call to Glenda as our Senior Minister.
Due to the church’s financial condition, the approved 2015 Budget includes a salary of $4,200/month for the pastor requiring that Glenda Survance continue her part-time job with the Indiana Region. Glenda has agreed to the arrangement.
Please plan to attend the Congregational meeting on Sunday, February 15 immediately after church to vote on having Pastor Glenda Survance continue as our Senior Pastor.
David Kollmeyer
Chair of Elders
Book Club
Book Club is back! Do you love to read? Then this group is for you. We are meeting on Wednesday February 11th at 6pm. We are discussing the book The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.
Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world.
Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.
Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.
You can order the book on Amazon (click here), check it out from the library or pick it up at a bookstore. If you have an e-reader, it is only $3.99 for the kindle version! This book is a quick read, so there is plenty of time.
This group met regularly in the past and enjoyed great discussion on some of our favorite books. I am excited to bring this group back and look forward to a casual evening of fellowship as we delve into this story. All are welcome.
Our next book will be Orphan Train: A Novel by Christina Baker Kline. The date for this discussion has not been set yet. - Tammy Olmstead
Opportunities for Study
For Lent we will be changing the worship service slightly. Drama, visual art and music will all play a part. In addition to this, there are some additional opportunities for study. To see the different options, click here.
From Our Mission Partners - Global Ministries
Pray for Thailand
Gracious and compassionate God we look to you to make us realize that our actions have far more reaching consequences then we think;
We ask forgiveness as we begin to realize those consequences on a global scale;
We lift up the workers and laborers of the world, particularly those who are exploited to make us those things which we “ iodize” the most;
We ask that you bring comfort, and life to the young men and women whose lives are exploited.
God of Life; help up understand the inequity that exist within us; help us find a way to close this divide. Teach us to love one another, to not only care and think of those who need our help but to truly love them. Help those that have no love come to accept the love we have to show them and offer them, especially those who are most vulnerable- the boys and girls exploited with their bodies, the refugees working in the fishing industry and all those who are forced into labor.
We ask prayers for these harsh realties of not only Thailand but also all of Southeast Asia to you, as we seek to understand how to truly love one another.
For our missionaries story from Thailand click here.
We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us
- Disciples of Christ identity
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