Lewiston Church of the Brethren Lifestyle February 2005

Our vision: Bound together on a journey of faith, we are a Christ-centered community, prayerfully discovering and sharing God’s love.

Our Mission: Knowing Christ and making Him known, through worship, growing in faith, community building and service.

Preparing for Lent

We are fast approaching that time of the church year called Lent. This is a 40 day period of time set aside by the ancient church to have each Christian contemplate their baptismal vows and how they are living up to them. In the Church of the Brethren these vows include: “Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son and do you receive and trust Him as your Savior and Lord? Will you turn away from all sin, and will you endeavor by God’s grace to live according to the example and teachings of Jesus? Will you be loyal to the church, upholding it by your prayers and your presence, your substance and your service?

Lent is generally seen as a time of repentance, when each person thinks long and hard about the ways he or she is not living up to God’s values. You know the ones spoken by Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Paul also writes about God’s values in Colossians 3:12-17: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, and thanksgiving.

While Lent is often viewed as a time to give up something, such as eating sweets or abstaining from bad habits, it is also a good time to begin new spiritual habits, such as Bible study, devotional reading, and being in service to church and neighbor. We already have in place two different Bible studies you can join: the Wednesday morning study using the Beth Moore video series, Jesus the One and Only, and the study of one chapter per day from a letter of Paul (see the listing in each Sunday’s bulletin). You also have an opportunity to read the Lenten devotional from Brethren press.

We will also offer an additional Lenten reflection time, based on the book, Widening the Welcome of Your Church: Biblical Hospitality & the Vital Congregation. Hospitality is also one of God’s values since it is a sign of how we relate to one another and to God. This reflection will go hand in hand with a service project at the church. As we study what it means to offer hospitality, we will work to make a warm, welcoming space for visitors and friends who will join us at our Love Feast and Easter celebrations. In tying this project with the season of Lent, we will ultimately be looking at welcoming the risen Jesus into our midst. --Sister Cara

February Scripture

2/6 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matt. 17:1-19

2/13 Rom. 5:12-19; Matt. 4:1-11

2/20 Rom. 4:1-5; John 3:1-17

2/27 Rom. 5:1-11; John 4:5-42

Bread and Cup Communion
 We will celebrate Christ’s redeeming love as we share bread and cup communion during worship on February 6th. Plan to attend this service and share in this special ordinance.

Serving us in February

Ushers: G/M Sanders

Greeters: W/G Schossow

Jr. Ushers: 6 Parker Cage

13 Bethany Dahl

20 Elizabeth Lee

27 Daniel Dahl

Tape Ministry: Jeffrey Peckover

Worship Leader: Sara Laqua

Worship Team: 6 Diane, Linda, Roger

13 Diane, Linda, Roger

20 Cliff, Sue, Karen

27 Cliff, Sue, Karen

Special Music: 6 Linda Risser

13 Elizabeth Lee

20 Jess Hoffert

27 Diane Radatz

Children’s Story: 6 Millie Bollinger

20 Dale & Cliff

Children’s Church:

6^th & 20th No Children’s Church 13^th & 27 Gordon Hoffert

Nursery: 6 Linda Dahl

13 Penny Wilson

20 Mary Lee

27 Beth Cage

Fellowship Meal: Hoffert, Bockenhauer

JANUARY ATTENDANCE AND OFFERING

Date S.School SS offering Worship *Worship

Attendance Offering Attendance Offering

2^nd Church cancelled due to ice

9^th …....…..25……….….69.00……..44………$1,947.00

16^th ……...15………..…14.00…..…37………..1,191.00

23^th ………19…………..22.75……..38………..1,065.00

Ave………20………….$35.25…….40………$1,401.00

*$1,560.00—projected need for our ministries each week.

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly—above what we can imagine.

Hold in prayer.......

….All the victims and families of the disaster in South Asia.

….National and world leaders that they seek God’s wisdom in their leadership and work for peace and justice for all people.

Because we have different ways of expressing our prayer requests and different needs for expression, we ask that you submit any prayer requests you wish to have listed in the bulletin and in the Lifestyle newsletter to the office in writing or via phone. Also notify the office when you wish to have that request removed or moved to “Thanks be to God” as we celebrate answered prayer. Let us continue to make prayer a priority in our congregational life!

Thanks be to God:

….for travel safety and a successful work project for Hands of Service for the Lord in Mexico. Cliff Bollinger and Dale Mill participated from our congregation.

Thank you….

…so much for your donation for Mexico Missions. We truly appreciate. God bless you. We are working in Mexico now and God continues to bless as we help the people in Mexico. In His service. Arnold and Jeanie Lein

 
Relief and Help for our brothers and sisters around the world
 As I mentioned in last Sunday’s sermon, I believe Jesus is very much present and active in our congregation. I have seen it every time I have heard of a person who has reached out to a neighbor in need. I saw it a couple of weeks ago when items such as clothing, quilts, tools, pots and pans were gathered to be sent along with Cliff and Dale to the poor in Mexico. I saw it again these past couple of weeks when items of health care kits were collected and we filled 64 ziplock bags to be sent to the Church World Service processing center in New Windsor, Maryland. The estimated value of this act of generosity is about $770 and includes an additional $1,294 given to aid the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia. And more help is being given to a local family who lost everything they owned in a house fire—aid given in the way of a quilt and household items. We are truly living up the call of an early Brethren leader, to do all things “for the glory of God and our neighbor’s good.”
 --Sister Cara 
 
Church Board
 Church Board will meet February 9, 8 pm at the church for their regular monthly meeting.
 
Upcoming Love Feast
 The time of our next Love Feast is coming fast. It will be held on Thursday, March 24th at 7:30 p.m. Root River Church of the Brethren and Hands of Christ project will be joining us in this commemoration of Jesus’ last supper. Mark your calendars and prepare to be fed in the sharing of the Word, the water, and the meal.

February Mission Outreach

February’s outreach focus is “New Church Development”. Sue Bollinger, from our congregation, serves as chair of Northern Plains District’s New Church Development committee.

The committee’s purpose is to encourage new church plants and to support sharing the good news of God’s love with those around us.

“Hands of Christ” is a new church project meeting in Rochester. They are currently studying Genesis, along with Messenger’s emphasis on reading scripture. They also meet with Rochester Mennonites and Quakers to strengthen the emphasis for faith-based peace and justice initiatives in Rochester. Please continue to pray for this ministry.

Also pray for another proposed district project in Sioux City, Iowa, and that God would lead us all to share our faith with those around us. “For the glory of God and our neighbor’s good.” Our offering to support Northern Plains District New Church Development will be received on February 20^th.

Stover COB plans Musical Festival

Stover Church of the Brethren, Des Moines, is planning their Annual Music Festival for Feb. 13,

4 pm.  2005 Annual Conference Moderator, Jim Hardenbrook, will be speaking at the event.
     Each congregation is invited to provide one brief selection of special music.  There will also be congregational singing, followed by a fellowship meal.  Those attending are asked to bring sandwiches or salads.
     Please notify the church office if you plan to attend and/of if you wish to provide special music.  

Music!

Come and join your voice with others in the congregation as we sing together the songs of the season. We will begin practicing on Wednesday, February 16, for Lent and Easter music. Anyone who enjoys music is invited to participate as we prepare music for Lent, Love Feast and Easter.

Deacon’s Corner

Growing up in a rural area I heard many interesting stories of the lifestyles of rural folks.  Mostly these stories were heard on a Saturday when we headed for town to mingle with the town folks and get our supplies for the week.  Of course some of the best stories were discussed at the little country church my family attended.

One such story was told to me about a family that lived in a small town in Iowa.  The wife was asked to paint part of a mural on the brick wall of a store in the downtown area.  Many artists each painted a small piece of the mural.  The wife’s part was a fox.

On the huge sidewall of that store, in the midst of the total mural, the fox was very, very small.  The same could be said of any of the pieces of the mural, yet those small parts together made a beautiful picture.

Likewise, each of us has a place in the beautiful picture that God is painting of the kingdom of God.  God has assigned each of us a purpose in life and given us gifts to use for the glory of God and for the sake of all people.  We may not be able to see exactly how our lives and our gifts fit into the total picture, but God can.  As God calls us to work together with other believers, we can offer the world a glimpse of the kingdom of God. (Excerpts from the Upper Room Daily Devotional)

In Psalm 8:1-9
..... “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

“Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

“Lord, Oh Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” -Linda Risser

Faith Ramblin’s

I’m sure during the course of each of our lives, we have all experienced being hurt by someone we love or admire. Maybe we were hurt by a friend, a spouse, our children, a relative, a pastor, or an acquaintance. Still others have been hurt by employers, business associates, or close friends. Everyone that is reading this today has been hurt at some point in their lives.

As painful as the experience was that caused this hurt in your life, so many of us have compounded that pain by letting bitterness, and even hatred into our life against the person or people who caused our pain. There is a way to be set free of this hurt and pain you have experienced in your life.

Too many of us are imprisoned by our anger and hatred. The key to unlocking that prison door is FORGIVENESS. As simple as this may seem, it can be one of the most difficult things in this world to do. Forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply is one of the hardest things to do in life. It is not something that we can even do in our own strength, but must be done in the strength we get from the Lord. Remember Jesus’ last act before He died on the cross. He asked God to forgive those who had crucified Him! God’s word is clear that just as Christ forgives us when we sin against Him, we must forgive those who sin against us. That is the key to unlocking the prison door and being free once and for all from the hurt and pain you have experienced in your life. FORGIVE the person or people who have hurt you in your life.

The other problem that we experience in relation to this is when we ask God for forgiveness and He grants it, then we must also forgive ourselves. He has forgiven and forgotten our transgression. He has wiped the slate clean. We must also forgive and forget our sins and forgive ourselves.

It is time to forgive those who have hurt you, and then forgive yourself. Put the hurt and pain of your past behind you once and for all and move forward with your life.

God still has much left for you to do and by forgiving you are now free to do all that He wants to do in and through your life for His kingdom!

-Linda Risser

God is like…

…Bayer Aspirin—He works miracles.

…a Ford—He’s got a better idea.

…Coke—He’s the real thing.

…Hallmark Cards—He cares enough to send His very best.

…Tide—He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

…General Electric—He brings good things to life.

…Sears—He has everything.

…Alka Seltzer—Try Him; you’ll like Him.

…Scotch Tape—You can’t see Him, but you know He’s there.

…Allstate—You’re in good hands with Him.

…VO-5 Hair Spray—He holds through all kinds of weather.

…Dial Soap—Aren’t you glad you have Him? Don’t you wish everybody did?

…the U.S. Post Office—Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

-From an Internet communication based on a fifth grade Christian teacher’s assignment to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them to communicate ideas about God.

Deacons Lunch Meeting

Deacons will meet on Sunday, February 27^th, following worship for a potluck lunch meeting. We’ll be discussing our various ministry areas and shepherding groups. Bring a dish for meal together, ask God’s Spirit to guide you in ideas for ministry this year, and come ready to share with enthusiasm!

Training for Worship Leaders

Do you sometimes wonder what it takes to lead worship on Sunday mornings? Then come to a training session for Worship Leaders on February 6^th. We will have a brown-bag lunch and a fun time of discovering the hidden talents within each person. This training is for all current leaders and those who are interested in participating in times of worship and praise.

2005

It’s a new year.

It’s 2005!

When I was young I used to wonder if I would be here to see the new Century, and here I am—5 years into the New Millennium already.

Am I five years better than I was before?

Well, hardly. But God has had 5 more years to work on me.

I’ve learned a lot these past five years. Like, I still fall into the same ruts. I still leave the same jobs undone. I’m still unorganized. I’m still a procrastinator.

But I love Jesus more than I did 5 years ago.

Now I have to learn to obey Him.

God speaks to me through His Holy Spirit. I get promptings.

When I listen and obey, things go well.

When I continue to go against God’s wishes, I feel guilt, and sometimes anxiety. Things don’t go well.

I know what I need to do. I know that I need to listen to that still small voice.

And I know that I need to obey God.

Will I succeed?

Some days I will. Sometimes for a couple of hours a day. And sometimes not at all.

It’s my old human nature. Whether or not I am successful is all up to me—by the grace of God.

--Fran Bockenhauer

February the “Sweetheart Month”

This poem has been sent to many for weddings and anniversaries.

Matrimony

Your name and mine together

are written on the line.

Husband and wife the paper says;

two bands of gold the sign.

“What God hath joined together…”

the bonds will stronger grow.

Through life’s hills and valley

Hand in hand we’ll go.

The Good Book is the reference*.

It has the recipe.

Our cup of joy will overflow,

And Love will be the key!

By Minnie Wright

*First Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter

February Birthdays & Anniversaries

2 Mike Bollinger

3 Robert Reps

6 Lynda Plank

9 Doug Plank

10 Dean Plank

14 Harlen Wilson

15 Jennifer Pospichal-Heublein

18 Lester Ladewig

28 Linda Risser

Machaela Pedersen