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Caring Notes...
- This year two youth will be meeting six times over the next two months to explore faith, the Bible, Anabaptism, and what it means to put beliefs into action. At the end of this time, youth will have the opportunity to decide if they would like to get baptized. Please keep them in your prayers!
- Pastor Ruth continues out on medical leave as she recovers from surgery. The exact end of her leave will be dependent upon how her recovery progresses. The Deacons will respond to congregational needs. Their names and phone numbers are listed below. Please contact one of them if a need arises.
Janelle Arnett Campbell (Chair): janelleacampbell@gmail.com; 816.830.4793
Duane Krehbiel: duanekrehbiel@reecenichols.com; 913.669.9261
Gary Long: garylongii@yahoo.com; 913.660.9382
Nancy Bosché: nancybosche@yahoo.com; 913.302.5422
Rachel Hostetler: rjhostetler@yahoo.com; 913.957.4111
Dale Graham: dnlgraham@gmail.com; 913.721.3087
Office Notes / Staff Updates
Office Hours: Monday - Wednesday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Thurs - Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
This week at Rainbow
Sunday:
- Worship Service: Offered in the sanctuary at 9:30 AM and by livestream on YouTube. View here or click the photo above to watch.
- Community Building Time in the Fellowship Hall: at 10:30 AM
- Faith Formation Hour: at 10:50 AM
Past or future videos are always available on YouTube. Search for Rainbow Mennonite Church KC.
This Sunday, March 5, for those participating via livestream, if you have a joy or concern you would like shared with the gathering, please email or contact Rosi Penner Kaufman by 8 am Sunday morning (816.797.2872). The scripture focus will be on Exodus 17:1-7, Matthew 4:1-2.
This Sunday, MORE2's Wyandotte county organizer will be at Rainbow to talk about the action items achieved this year as well as the plans we have for 2023 (and beyond). Please join us in the sanctuary during the second hour to hear about the outreach opportunities we have through MORE2. Rainbow, along with many other faith communities and community organizations, is a member church.
Congregational Highlights
Choir menu for Wednesday, March 1st: baked potatoes
Rainbow Young Adults! Join us at Jerusalem Cafe in Westport after church at 12PM for lunch. Kids and guests are welcome! Please RSVP, if possible, by clicking "going" on Facebook or sending an email to sarah@rainbowmennonite.org.
Little Library– we are in need of more books for the little library in Whitmore playground. Especially children’s books. People can either put them directly in the Free Little Library or in the tote in the closet at the top of the east steps.
The Rainbow Piecemakers are holding another Comforter Knotting Blitz TODAY, March 1st, to make good quality, beautiful comforters for MCC, to send warmth, comfort and love to the refugee camps. The Blitz is open to anyone in the congregation, men, women, children, friends and neighbors, we will be prepared to teach anyone who comes. We will start around 9 am and finish around 7. Stay the day or a couple minutes, or come in the afternoon or after work, or just drop in as you are passing by. Stay as long or as short as you are able. We will have coffee, tea, and snacks in the kitchen.
Schweitzer and Friends - I have agreed to be a contact person for sharing information in our congregation about the 150th celebration of the arrival of Swiss Volhynian Mennonites to the United States around 1874. The celebration will take place August 23-25, 2024 at the Eden Mennonite Church near Moundridge, Kansas. The event is currently called “Schweitzer and Friends.” Let me know if you would like to be on a mailing list to receive information about this event. You can email me at karenghostetler@gmail.com. Thanks! – Karen Goering Hostetler
Pastor Feedback Survey: The Deacons request your help as we collect feedback about Ruth's pastoral role. We are about halfway through a 5-year agreement with Ruth. Although this is not a formal evaluation, it makes sense for us to gather your comments at this midway point. Please answer the questions based on approximately the last two years (prior to December 2022) not including this time of medical leave. Ruth's current job description is available within the survey and the survey is anonymous unless you choose to add your name. If you would like a paper copy, please contact Janelle Arnett Campbell janelleacampbell@gmail.com or 816-830-4793.
Click this link to complete the survey: https://forms.gle/Wad42fMVcsLGeiiB9. Today, March 1st, is the last day to submit a response.
Are you interested in a rain barrel, rake, or a few tomato cages for your garden this Spring? The church has two 55-gallon plastic rain barrels and other tools that are no longer used, now that the community vegetable garden is on hiatus. In order to free up some space in the old garden shed, the barrels and some tools will be offered to interested persons in the congregation (with a voluntary donation suggested). There is also a working Craftsman self-propelled push mower, plus a few shovels, rakes, and wire tomato cages that need new homes. Call or text Mitch at 816-810-7654 if you are interested in any of these items.
Faith Formation
Upcoming Youth Activities
Sunday, March 12 | Youth Group 6:00-8:00 pm TBD
Sunday, March 26th | Youth Brunch 11:00 am-12:30 pm
MCUSA Convention - July 3-6, 2023
Senior High (entering high school in fall 2023 or older)- Youth will stay downtown in the conference hotels Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night. They will be picked up Thursday night after worship. Rainbow will cover the cost of the remaining registration fee, hotels, and four dinners.
Junior High (entering 7th & 8th grade in fall of 2023)- Youth will attend but not stay the night. Parents will drop off their youth in the morning and youth will be picked up before dinner each evening. Rainbow will cover the cost of the remaining registration fee. Lunches are provided each day.
Please RSVP by March 31st. The cost of registration is $369. The Faith Formation Board is asking that families pay $100 for each youth planning to attend. If cost is a deterring factor there are scholarships available. You can contact a deacon or me.
For more information see: https://convention.mennoniteusa.org/
COVID Blog
COVID 19 is on the decline but remains a high risk for people over 70 and immunocompromised people. Hospitalization and death rates continue to be higher than expected in these cohorts. Because of this, older people should practice good health lifestyles to improve their chances to remain healthy and safe. Wearing masks in closed areas with unfamiliar people can still be beneficial. Keep up to date on all vaccinations and boosters. Always wash your hands before eating and whenever you return home from being out. Keep your hands away from your nose and mouth as much as possible. Consider adding two safe low dose supplements that may reduce your risk for severe COVID complications: Vitamin D3 at 1000 IU per day and zinc at 50 mg per day. Check with your doctor if you are unsure about adding these supplements to your daily routine. These are simple measures to help high risk people stay healthy while the rest of society chooses to do whatever it will.
Community Sharing
For those interested in attending, the Bethel College Concert Choir will be performing Friday, March 3, 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 11 E. 40th St, Kansas City, MO.
Esther Walker (8th grader at Indian Hills Middle School) placed again in the Desmos International Math Art Contest out of tens of thousands of entries from all over the world. She used more than 350 complex and varied equations to create a picture of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. Esther’s graph is the first one featured in the 13-14 age group: https://www.desmos.com/art?fbclid=IwAR2KG5ijceGcEIE8fPEgso_fKeT-W_UBNDUHs5AEsemjmOo1owmHDNPGwe4#13. If you open the graph and click on the arrows to the left of the image, you can see the equations Esther used to build the artwork. – Karen Siebert
April 15th is All Rosedale Cleanup Day! Please share the attached flyer with your neighborhood groups and sign up as an individual or as a team. You can also submit locations in Rosedale that need some attention here.
Summer will be here before we know it, and RDA is hiring! We are looking for a coordinator for our Summer Youth Employment Program, and classroom facilitators for Rainbow Summer Program. Please share those job listings with your networks and anyone who might be a good fit-- thank you!
Mennonite Church News and Resources
MennoCon23: Interested in volunteering? We're seeking coordinators for special events, children's and junior youth programming, and more! Apply here. Got an idea for a seminar or presenter? We want to hear about it. Learn more here.
Everence is pleased to offer a webinar series in March.
Attendees will hear how Everence® can help them make important financial decisions that reflect their faith values.
- March 8: Everence 101: our story
- March 15: Invest in a better world
- March 22: What will your final statement be?
- March 29: Understanding Medicare
Please click here for more information and to register.
For recent links to Mennonite Publications, click below:
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