FIRST 2By Mattie Wesson CHRISTIAN C ch , HURCH 2014...Page 2 First Christian Church Busy Bees!...
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First Christian Church, 100 Water Street, PO Box 367, Belton, TX 76513 http://fccbelton.org [email protected] 254.939.3483 F IRST C HRISTIAN C HURCH It is often difficult to know what to say or even what to think when certain events happen: separations and changes in life circumstances, the death of a loved one. In life’s hard moments, perhaps we can only hope for an extra measure of that grace we believe surrounds us in all our normal moments. I say “extra measure” because the usual amount can never be enough in these times. Maybe this extra grace helps to show us what still is true (and may cause us to perceive truth in other ways and places, and to find connections to it differently) and what still resides at our center: that is, the story of ourselves. The following are the words of my friend and mentor, Lanny Henninger, written just a few days before his death, written for his last church newsletter, and copied in his funeral bulletin. Can we hold onto the truth about life and the world – and find hope in this truth- when we face “time’s passage,” and the hurts and fears that come with it? Mike For reasons I dare not divulge, I find myself thinking of time’s passage. And of the milestones with which we mark it. Like birthdays and anniversaries. Baseball’s regular season ended last Sunday. The Dodger’s Brett Butler closed out a 17-year career at age 40. He remarked, “I’m surprised at how fast it went.” So say we all. One of Neil Diamond’s old songs has it, “Done too soon.” And in somber measure the New Testament intones, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). So what do we do? Two things, it seems to me. At least two. One: Use up each day. Fill it to overflowing with good. Deliberately enjoy. And two: Begin now. Mend a fractured friendship. Mail an overdue letter. Correct a misunderstanding. Repair a broken heart. Lay aside a grievance. Act on a noble impulse. For as we all know, “The night cometh.” Pastor’s Corner Reverend Michael Dunson Mattie Wesson Each gift we give to the Lord should be a prayer or a statement of our faith in God. Our gift is an exchange we are making with God, which makes God and us richer. Our giving should not hinder or ever be a substitution for communication with God. Instead it should encourage it. The blessings we receive are God’s way of talking to us. Our tithes and offerings are one of the best ways we have of speaking back! How biblical a church is depends on how successful it is in meeting the needs – all of them – of God’s people wherever encountered, The offerings and tithes we give the church help it be both relevant toward others and reverent toward God! Our gift to God simply represents a tip we are placing on the table. Our gift, like a tip, is our expression of appreciation for the good service God has provided us through the loving sacrifice of his son. Like all tips we give, the amount we leave represents our gratitude and appreciation. (Each of these paragraphs are Quotes from various Meditations) Thanks to everyone for your willingness to serve in the Lord’s work at First Christian Church in Belton. Blessings, Mattie September 2014 Labor Day – Office Closed DWM Meeting Body of Christ Meal Fellowship Meal Elders’ Meeting Altrusan Well Aware Seminar Choir Hymn History Service Salad Kings Newsletter Deadline Bible Study September 1 September 2 September 4 September 7 September 14 September 15 September 21 September 22 September 28 Wednesdays at 6 PM
Transcript of FIRST 2By Mattie Wesson CHRISTIAN C ch , HURCH 2014...Page 2 First Christian Church Busy Bees!...
2By Mattie Wesson
ch ,
First Christian Church, 100 Water Street, PO Box 367, Belton, TX 76513 http://fccbelton.org [email protected] 254.939.3483
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
It is often difficult to know what to say or
even what to think when certain events happen:
separations and changes in life circumstances, the
death of a loved one. In life’s hard moments, perhaps
we can only hope for an extra measure of that grace we
believe surrounds us in all our normal moments. I say
“extra measure” because the usual amount can never be
enough in these times. Maybe this extra grace helps to
show us what still is true (and may cause us to perceive
truth in other ways and places, and to find connections
to it differently) and what still resides at our center:
that is, the story of ourselves.
The following are the words of my friend and
mentor, Lanny Henninger, written just a few days
before his death, written for his last church newsletter,
and copied in his funeral bulletin. Can we hold onto
the truth about life and the world – and find hope in
this truth- when we face “time’s passage,” and the
hurts and fears that come with it?
Mike
For reasons I dare not divulge, I find myself
thinking of time’s passage. And of the milestones with
which we mark it. Like birthdays and anniversaries.
Baseball’s regular season ended last Sunday.
The Dodger’s Brett Butler closed out a 17-year career
at age 40. He remarked, “I’m surprised at how fast it
went.” So say we all.
One of Neil Diamond’s old songs has it, “Done
too soon.” And in somber measure the New Testament
intones, “You are a mist that appears for a little while
and then vanishes” (James 4:14). So what do we do?
Two things, it seems to me. At least two. One:
Use up each day. Fill it to overflowing with good.
Deliberately enjoy. And two: Begin now. Mend a
fractured friendship. Mail an overdue letter. Correct
a misunderstanding. Repair a broken heart. Lay aside
a grievance. Act on a noble impulse. For as we all
know, “The night cometh.”
Pastor’s Corner Reverend Michael Dunson
Mattie Wesson
Each gift we give to the Lord should be a
prayer or a statement of our faith in God. Our gift is
an exchange we are making with God, which makes
God and us richer.
Our giving should not hinder or ever be a
substitution for communication with God. Instead it
should encourage it. The blessings we receive are
God’s way of talking to us. Our tithes and offerings
are one of the best ways we have of speaking back!
How biblical a church is depends on how
successful it is in meeting the needs – all of them –
of God’s people wherever encountered, The
offerings and tithes we give the church help it be
both relevant toward others and reverent toward
God!
Our gift to God simply represents a tip we are
placing on the table. Our gift, like a tip, is our
expression of appreciation for the good service God
has provided us through the loving sacrifice of his
son. Like all tips we give, the amount we leave
represents our gratitude and appreciation.
(Each of these paragraphs are Quotes from
various Meditations) Thanks to everyone for your
willingness to serve in the Lord’s work at First
Christian Church in Belton.
Blessings, Mattie
September 2014
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Labor Day – Office Closed DWM Meeting Body of Christ Meal Fellowship Meal Elders’ Meeting Altrusan Well Aware Seminar Choir Hymn History Service Salad Kings Newsletter Deadline Bible Study
September 1 September 2 September 4 September 7 September 14 September 15 September 21 September 22 September 28
Wednesdays at 6 PM
Page 2
First Christian Church
Busy Bees!
Undaunted by recent foot surgery, Ms. Karen
Fruehan rolled into the fellowship hall on Wednesday,
August 13, and taught our children’s “Wonderful
Wednesday” painting class from her wheelchair. This
was the last of our three children’s outings for the
summer, and Karen did a fantastic job! Assisted by her
three grandchildren, Will, Claire, and Luke, Karen
showed everyone how to use the three primary colors---
red, yellow, and blue---to make all the colors on the
palette. After everyone mastered orange and purple,
they worked on hues and blends. Did you know you
can “erase” water colors with extra water? Peyton
found a new friend in Will, as they worked closely
together. Grandmother Diane juggled three grandsons
all using brushes and paint and even managed to paint a
flower herself. Each of our events have welcomed a
variety of church children and friends; Dindy and
Houston were the only two to attend all three of our
events!
Once again Charlene and Mattie provided lunch.
These wonderful ladies supplied a crunchy garden
salad, chicken fingers, sweet potato fries, and delicious
homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Kudos to John, Michael, and Sarah Belle for
learning the Four Gospels of the Bible and for reciting
them to the congregation during the children’s moment
on Sunday, August 10. They also know the “Sermon on
the Mount” is the longest sermon in the Bible and
where it is found. This month we’ve been moving back
and forth between the New and Old Testaments.
We’ve talked about the psalms and gospels, and we’ve
also begun to study the Torah, the first five books of the
Old Testament. Pastor Mike has challenged our young
people to learn them in order for a future children’s
moment, and we’re also putting them into context, so
everyone knows which book teaches the creation story,
the story of Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Moses & the
10 Commandments, and so on. Thanks to all of you
who support our children’s Sunday School ministry
with your time, contributions, and prayers.
Blessings, Cindy
The Upper Room
Chow time! (Photos courtesy of Kathy Jordan)
The perpetuity of this nation depends upon the
religious education of the young.
--George Washington
Page 3 First Christian Church
DWM Circle By Cindy Capps
Hello, fellow disciples women and friends! Summer
vacation is behind us and Labor Day is here, so it’s time to
resume our regular meeting schedule. God has richly blessed
us with diverse personalities and talents, and I have no doubt
the coming year will offer us numerous opportunities to
serve our church and the community beyond.
Our first Disciples Women’s meeting will be
Tuesday, September 2, in the fellowship hall at 6 p.m.
Please come to this important meeting if you possibly can.
We’ll fill in our hostess calendar for the year’s fellowship
meals and also decide who our hostesses and devotional
leaders will be for each of our monthly meetings. In
addition, we’ll finalize the dates for our major fundraisers.
Our Stew Meal and Christmas Bazaar will probably be
Friday, November 14 (and Saturday, November 15, to
coincide with Belton’s Third Saturday Market Days.) If we
opt to schedule our Chili Day Fund-raiser to use the left-
overs for the Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday, our Chili Day
will be Friday, January 30. Please check your calendars for
potential conflicts and come ready to decide.
Our first DWM community outreach will be
Thursday, September 4. We’ll supply dinner that evening
to the doctors and staff at the Body of Christ Clinic. We’ll
finalize the meal plans at our September 2 meeting. Cindy
will be gone that day, but she will provide 2 lasagnas---one
meat and one vegetarian—to serve. We’ll also need a large
garden salad, bread, perhaps a second salad, and desserts---
enough to feed about 35 people. Keith Fruehan, our
representative to BOCC, will be there to help us, and we will
need a volunteer to give a very brief devotional to the
volunteers before they begin to see patients.
Special thanks to Mattie and Diane for hosting our
August Luau. As always the meal was delicious and the
fellowship conversations even better. Our September
fellowship meal will be Sunday, September 7, which is also
Grandparents Day. Charlene and Karen will be our
hostesses.
Even though we’re resuming normal schedules and
establishing back-to-school routines, please don’t forget the
summer heat is still brutal and we need to pace ourselves.
Please continue to pray for those in our congregation
who are recovering from surgery, illness, and loss, and
take care of each other. God’s peace be with you. Cindy
Worship Team News
The choir is in full swing, working on the Cantata
which is set to be presented in December. It’s not
too late to join us if you would like to take part in
the Cantata. There will be a special presentation
by the choir on September 21st
. Several members
of the choir will be doing a short presentation of a
composer of the hymns that we sing and we hope
you will enjoy singing the hymns along with us.
Mylessa Wheeler
Helping Hands Needs for September
Food Pantry….Canned Meat General Store….Bladder Control Pads
Page 4
First Christian Church
Lectionary Readings
September 2014
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunday Schedule
9:30am Sunday School
10:15 Choir Warmup 10:30am Fellowship 11:00am Worship 12:15 Choir Practice
1 Labor Day
Church Office Closed
2 DWM 6:00 PM Fellowship Hall
3 6:00 PM Bible Study
4 Body of Christ
Community Clinic We are serving the volunteers’ dinners
5:30 PM at BOCCC
5
6
7 Fellowship Luncheon
8
9
10 6:00pm Bible Study
11
12
13
14
Elders’ Meeting 8:30AM
15 Altrusa Well Aware
6-7:30 PM
16 17 6:00pm Bible Study
18
19
20
21 HYMN HISTORY
Service presented by the Choir during
Worship Hour
22 6:00 pm Salad Kings
23 24
6:00pm Bible Study
25 26
27
28 Newsletter
Deadline
29
30
September 7 September 14 September 21 September 28
Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 149
Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 18:15-20
Exodus 14:19-31 Psalm 114
Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35
Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm 105:1-6,37-45 Phillipians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16
Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Phillipians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS! 8 Joyce Spindle 12 Niecie McGill 13 Anna Marie Richardson 27 Rita Bartlett 29 Jody Suhr
14 Marilyn Ankenbauer 16 Tony Holwerda 17 Marilyn Van
Schoelandt
Page 5 First Christian Church
September 2014 Service Calendar
Prayer Requests
Bill Ankenbauer David Averill
David and Rita Bartlett Jeannine Blair
Virginia Carden Kate Carrigan
Gladys Cockrum Christopher de la Cruz
Dayna/Jeremiah Ebeling Melody Elldeger
Jabe Evans and Family
Mary Farris
Bob Garwood Kurt Gruver
Mary H Helping Hands Ministry
Eva Higgs Terry Hunter
Hayden Korsmo Joyce Klutts Long
Doreen Leland Betty Malone E. J. Malone
Margaret’s Grandchildren Dwain and Jane McDonald
Rick Montgomery Kay Oyler
John Parazinski Kathy Pavlica Ovella Phillips
Faye Ritter
Juanita Rodriguez Mary Rodriguez Doris Sanders
Bob and Joan Savage Joyce Spindle
Morgan Sthele Ennis Taylor Kirk Wallace
Debbie Whitson Terrence Woods
Elsie York
September 7
September 14 September 21
September 28
Communion Elder Amy Larson Cindy Capps Sharon Moore Cindy Capps
Offertory Elder Mattie Wesson Mattie Wesson Amy Larson Kurt Gruver
Early Deacon Mattie Wesson Cindy Capps Cindy Capps Cindy Capps
Deacon 1 Diane Pressley Judy Wallace Cindy Capps Judy Wallace
Deacon 2 Terri Holwerda Diane Pressley Judy Wallace Laquita Gruver
Deacon 3 Derek Smith Tom Korsmo Terri Holwerda Tom Korsmo
Deacon 4 Sharon Moore Kay Korsmo Derek Smith Kay Korsmo
Communion Preparation
Mattie Wesson Judy Wallace Judy Wallace Mattie Wesson
Homebound Communion
As Needed As Needed As Needed As Needed
Greeter Mattie Wesson Judy Wallace Mattie Wesson Judy Wallace
Refreshments Fellowship Luncheon Cindy Capps Mattie Wesson Laquita Gruver
Acolyte John Averill Michael Averill John Averill Michael Averill
Children’s Moment
Jaime Wheeler Pastor Mike Jaime Wheeler Pastor Mike
Worship Leader Amy Larson Terri Holwerda Sharon Moore Marilyn Ankenbauer
First Christian Church
100 Water Street, PO Box 367
Belton, TX 76513
Phone:
(254) 939-3483
E-Mail:
We’re on the Web!
Visit us at:
fccbelton.org
Pastor…Reverend Michael Dunson Choir Director/Pianist…Marilyn VanSchoelandt
Song Leader…Amy Larson Media Team…Dusty Smith and Melissa Wheeler
Nursery Attendant…Jaime Wheeler Ministry Assistant…Sandra Robinson
First Christian Church
PO Box 367 Belton, TX 76513
Customer Name
Street Address
City, ST ZIP Code
Wise sayings often fall on barren
ground, but a kind word is never
thrown away.
--- Arthur Helps
Come and See
