The Pastor’s Blog
The Right Stuff
I just got back from being fitted for my required uniform to be an official Medford Fire-Rescue Chaplain. I am excited to take this step to serve our community and reach out to those in crisis situations. It is a great chance to connect more with our area and build relationships for God’s kingdom. To do this effectively I need to have the right stuff. I need to get a bag together with all the things I might need on a call. I need to get the uniform. I need to make sure people know who I am and what my heart is for this ministry opportunity.
As Christians we need to get similarly kitted out. We need to get the uniform (Christ’s Righteousness) and have the tools necessary (Holy Spirit as our guide) in order to serve effectively in the Kingdom. These things help people identify us and understand what our purpose is in this world: to know Christ and make Him known. We are representatives of a larger organization, we are in service to it, we are not in charge but are connected to those that are. We need the right stuff to do this well. This season of Lent leading up to Easter is about Jesus and the temptation, denial of self and connection to God. We take our old lives and lay them before Jesus and He provides us with new ones that identify us as part of His Kingdom. I hope that you take time to reflect on what Jesus calls you to and offers you.
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Hopeful Vision
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the mid-year meeting for our region. It was a good time of vision casting for our future together. As we talked together about who we wanted to be the focus on Christ and His mission of redemption for our world was at the forefront. We are a people that thirst for God’s righteousness and are creating a vision together of how we can live that out over the next 10 years. This is a hopeful vision of a vibrant community of believers working together to fulfill the great commission in our region and throughout the world. I am excited to see what it is that God does in our lives over the coming years as we seek to fulfill the vision we have been given.
Here is the report from the Clerks on our time together:
“Northwest Yearly Meeting's Vision Day was held Saturday, January 27th at Sherwood Friends Church with over 200 people in attendance!! All eight areas and 33 of the 44 churches remaining in NWYM were represented. A lot of brainstorming, sharing, and visioning was done throughout the day. Planning Day followed on January 28th when the Task Force met on the George Fox University Campus. This all-day meeting summarized vision statements from the previous day to draft a vision statement of NWYM. Based on the vision, the Task Force began discerning priorities for NWYM in the upcoming months and years.
Within the next week, the clerks will send a more detailed report on the areas of priority that emerged during Vision Day.”
Brad Holton, Presiding Clerk
Debbie Harrison, Assistant Presiding Clerk
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FEBRUARY’S ALL CHURCH POTLUCK to have a Valentine’s Theme!
Please join us Sunday, February 18th, for our all church potluck! We always have a great time of fellowship and good food! We’ll meet in the fellowship hall at noon. Please bring a main dish and salad, vegetable or dessert to share.
1000 Pairs of Shoes
We are accepting donations of new shoes up until Easter time 2018! Please help us reach our goal and bless our community by participating in any way that you can for this shoe drive! New Arrival Shoes may be placed on the pew up front on the platform in the sanctuary on Sunday or given to one of the ushers! We want to tally them before they are placed behind the pew.
In House – Progressive International Dinner
Saturday, February 3rd, at 6 p.m.
If you haven’t signed up for this event, please contact Terrie Ziemann and let her know what you plan to bring to our
In House Progressive International Dinner (held at MFC)! We are asking for Appetizers from Asia, Main Dishes from Central/South America, Soup/Salad from Russia/Europe and Global Desserts/International Sweet Treats.
Please Join Us in the Celebration of
Phebe McManama’s 90th Birthday
The special occasion will take place at
Medford Friends Church
Saturday, February 10, 2018
from 2 to 4 p.m.
No Gifts Please – Cards are Welcome!
A Business Meeting will be held at MFC on Sunday, February 11, 2018 We will meet in the sanctuary after the worship service with Sunday School to follow. The agenda includes: new presiding clerk, new memberships and considering the proposed budget for this year.
Valentine Bake Event
Heart Shaped Delightful Delectable Delicacies are Coming Your Way! Sunday, February 11th is the first of four 2018 Bake Events offered by FW in support of our NWYM Friends Serving Abroad.
Friends Women Missionary Fellowship
We will meet on Thursday, February 15th at 10:30 a.m. in the fireside room at MFC. Following the meeting we will have lunch at Wendy’s. All ladies are welcome to join us.
The Annual Southern Oregon Fellowship and Spring Missions Rally is on the calendar for Saturday April 28th at MFC, time to be determined. This event is an opportunity for the whole congregation to participate in the commission Jesus gave to take the gospel into all the world (Mark 15:16). This year’s theme is “Remembering the Past – Looking to the Future”. Projected speakers are Johann and Judy Mauer, Russia, confirmed and Hal and Nancy Thomas, Bolivia. Offering project will be to help with the publication of the NWYM/Bolivian history project, now in it’s 5th and final year.
If you would like to help with the detail preparation of this event contact Nadine Brood.
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Friends Women Missionary Fellowship
Our regular monthly meetings resume January 18th at 10:30 a.m. in the fireside room at MFC. The meeting will conclude with a buffet lunch at noon. All ladies are welcome to join us.
Spring Missions Rally – Mark your calendars for Saturday April 28th. Watch for more details coming soon!
Baked Potato Fun – All Church Potluck
Please join us Sunday, January 21st, for our all church potluck! We always have a great time of fellowship and good food! We’ll meet in the fellowship hall at noon. Bring potato toppings and salad or dessert to share.
Seniors You Are Invited to Join Strong Friends!
Flexibility, strength and balance become more challenging as we age. If you've enjoyed watching children learn to walk you know it is a complicated set of skills. Falling many times is part of the process.
Wanting to pass on that part, we follow a program devised by Tuft's University and as STRONG FRIENDS meet M-W-F from 9 to 10. We exercise at the church and you are welcome to join us any time. I lead the class as a volunteer and there is no fee for doing the exercises that have kept us more flexible, stronger and less likely to fall. The group has been meeting since 2006. Curious if this would work for you or have questions, stop in and see Teddie Hight!
1000 Pairs of Shoes
We are accepting donations of new shoes up until Easter time 2018! 268 is the current pairs of shoes collected! Please help us reach our goal and bless our community by participating in any way that you can for this shoe drive! New Arrival Shoes may be placed on the pew up front on the platform in the sanctuary on Sunday or given to one of the ushers! We want to tally them before they are placed behind the pew.
It’s time to update our birthday file and directory information.
If you are new to MFC within the last year we would like to have the birth dates of those in your family. Please list the month & day on the back of your Information Sheet. (Adults are not required to list the year, however it is helpful for children!) Directory information…if you have moved or have new phone numbers or a new email address please fill out the top of the Information Sheet and place it in the box on the table in the foyer. Thank you.
Thank You from Jesse Davis, the Wilson, Garrett and Taylor families for the cards, gifts and the cash gifts shared with us throughout the Christmas season.
We are thankful for God’s generous provision to us and for the ways that everyone contributes to the ministries of Medford Friends. It is a joy to serve Jesus with all of you, our church family.
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