WITHIN THE FELLOWSHIP:
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Vivian Martindell 30th; Marge VanOmmeren October 1st; Shannon Connor, John DiLenge, Jim Eakins 2nd; Laura Heebner, Kendall Musselman, John Niederhaus 3rd; Andrew Heebner, Kelly Wilwert 6th.
- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Dave and Allison Walbrandt 30th; Brody and Renee Keeth 3rd.
THE SERMON TITLE this morning is Truths to Live by From the Wise and Learned. As a young child, I remember the wise sayings and tales of my grandparents. It was fun and exciting to hear how things used to be and what they learned in their lifetimes, but also how they wanted to pass these wise truths on to us. Today, such talks between the old and young are rare, but truths to live by from the learned continue to be passed on in Scripture.
NEXT SUNDAY is World Communion Sunday. Leidy’s Church will include the Lord’s Supper in our worship service.
CHRISTMAS APPROACHES, well, make that, thinking about Christmas approaches since the Operation Christmas Child boxes are now available for each of us to grab one or two. Martha Wolgemuth has assembled them and placed them at strategic points throughout our facility. Read the article in the October Newsletter for a detailed explanation of how the program works – and it does work! Boxes are due back to the church no later than November 7th.
ARE YOU READY AND WILLING? It may be possible for Leidy’s Church to sponsor an Afghan refugee family. This is no small task. It would require a core team of 6 to 12 individuals working together. It would be labor and time intensive. If you might be interested in being part of such a project, please contact the church office soon. This would encompass housing setup, transportation, community connections, education liaison, budget mentoring, friendship, perhaps English tutoring, and other matters depending on the particular family being sponsored. Bethany Christian Service would provide orientation, encouragement, resources, and other helps all along the way. The goal is to have the refugees self-sufficient in six months time.
GETTYSBURG GET-A-WAYS are being put in place. Two tours are offered this year: 1) The General Survey tour that covers the entire battlefield and all three days of the battle; 2) The Union Fifth Corps at Gettysburg that focuses on this one army unit for the first time. Cost for either tour is $100 p/seat. Lunch, drinks (no coffee, of course!), snacks, and illuminating commentary are provided. Departure time is 5:30am with an anticipated return time of 8:30 or 9pm. Fuller descriptions may be found in the October Newsletter. Call the church office to register for either or both of the tours. Proceeds will go toward the Gospel Gleaning project.
BIG THANKS TO ALL who helped provide boxes and other goods for the Afghan refugees. It will be a significant help to each family in some very practical matters as well as encouraging their spirits with hope and thankfulness. The Church and Community Committee is blown away by your generous response.
THE RUMMAGE SALE is just around the corner on October 13th and 14th. We need your help to set up on Monday and Tuesday, October 11th and 12th from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. We also need workers during the sale on Wednesday and Thursday ($2 a bag day) Pack-up begins at 6:00 on Thursday. Please plan to support this outreach where people in the community can get a good bargain on used clothes and other household goods.
A/V HELP NEEDED: We are in need of people to work in the booth on Sunday mornings. Contact the church office or speak to Sam Im (imsamuel@gmail.com).
PATTERNS OF PRAYER take place the first and third Saturdays of each month. We pray in the morning from 10 to 12 in Room 117. Participants are welcome to come and go as schedules permit/necessitate. This Saturday is the first Saturday of October, so we’ll be praying and you’re welcome to join as well. If you have any questions or suggestions for prayer, please speak with Patricia Martindell.
GOSPEL GLEANING PRAYER POINTERS
- The greatest of all commandments, according to Jesus, is to love God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength. If one loves God, then there are some things one will utterly despise. As we pray for the Erukula people and the work of God among them, Psalm 119:163 provides a prayer that illumines that point: I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Your law. This week let’s pray their love for God will also be evident in their despising and turning away from all lying, cheating, and deceptive practices. Guess what? That’s a good prayer for you and me as well!
- Beginning tomorrow Sept. 27 and continuing until Oct 1, seven worship leaders from CHAD will take part in the first ever in-person Worship Leader Trainings organized by Global Disciples. The seven leaders are sent by partnering clusters of churches to be trained to be trainers of others to see emerging churches in the region empowered in worship. As many new believers are from Muslim or pagan backgrounds, the new churches have been struggling with worship. Pray also for the 46 worship leaders who will take part in two separate trainings in Cameroon from Central African Republic, northern Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon. And pray for our good friend Tim Bentch who will be leading five sessions via Zoom. Tim couldn’t get a visa due to Covid restrictions, so each of his sessions will originate from Lancaster at 3am! Good thing he was raised on a Missouri dairy farm and know what it is to get up early to get the milking done.
CARD SHOWER – Regina Kogel will be celebrating her 80th birthday on October 10th. She would be so happy to hear from you. Her address is: 2101 7th St., Emmetsburg, IA 50536, or you may place them in Tosha Kogel’s mailbox and she will make sure her mother gets them.
WANTED: Gently used bras (including sports, nursing and camisoles). There is a strong demand for used clothing in poorer countries. Bras are especially valued and command top dollar in the marketplace. Free The Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that collects gently used and new bras. Two hundred bras are a half year’s inventory for a woman in Mozambique. There is a collection box in the narthex coat closet for your donations. Thank you.
THE NEWSLETTER for the month of October is published and a copy is in your mailbox. Extra copies and large print are on the table outside the sanctuary.