The Pastor’s Blog
MFC 1st ANNUAL SCAVENGER HUNT
Theme: The Total Armor of God
1. First-Find the passage that contains all the pieces of the Full Armor of God.
2. Take a collection bucket, bag, shopping cart, or whatever to collect the items in. These items can be big, small, trimmed up or used as is.
3. All items must come from anywhere but cannot be bought, ever purchased, or machine made, manufactured or the “real” thing. In other words can only be something scavenged from nature, litter, “God” made etc. You can use discarded premade items i.e. bottle caps, foil, etc. (get the idea?)
4. You must then take all your items and trim, shape, layer, bend or just as you found it and build a poster, picture, or collage with them and enter it in our upcoming October Pot Luck for all to judge and vote on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners. The “TOTAL ARMOUR OF GOD” must be in the entry. (no missing parts) for it to be entered. Prizes to be determined.
Sound like fun? Well Wait, There's More!
We will take a little trip Sunday afternoon Sept. 20, to Union Creek. Van will be provided. Sign up on the information sheet, circle “S” for Scavenger. Bring back all your goodies and let the Artiste in you do the rest. Turn in your entries no later than October 8th. They can be stored in the empty office at MFC behind Terry’s office.
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From Kayla Davidson “Thank You to my MFC family for all the cards, gifts, prayers, and support. It means the world to me and I could not thank everyone enough for the impact you have had in my life growing up in the church."
Kayla left last Sunday to get settled in at George Fox University! Remember her in prayer as she begins a new chapter in her life!
Thank You for giving so generously to the School Supply Drive! Howard School office staff gratefully accepted our gifts for students, families will be blessed as well.
All Church Potlucks are back on the fall schedule! Everyone is invited to join us Sunday, September 20th for a 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.
MFC’s Food Pantry
We have helped many needy people with bags of groceries during the summer months. We would appreciate your help in replenishing the shelves of our food pantry with canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, canned fruits, juice boxes for kids, soups, chili, noodles, boxed noodle or rice meals, & cereals. We have plenty of canned vegetables. Items that can’t be purchased with food stamps are also helpful. Place your donations in the designated food barrel in the main hallway. Thank you.
Friends Women Missionary Fellowship News
September 13th is our Baked Goods Sale to celebrate the beginning of a new school year! You’ll find us in the fellowship hall during the fellowship time between services. All baked goods sold by donation. Items for this event will be cookies and other goodies suited to perking up a brown bag lunch! Brown bags will be provided.
September 17th – First Meeting of the FWMF Program Year
Thursday at 10 a.m. we’ll meet in the fireside room. All ladies are invited to join in our meetings when you can or just come for lunch fellowship at noon. This year’s theme is “Got Hope?” Supporting scripture: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
October 2-4, 2015 Women’s Retreat @Twin Rocks – registration brochure are on the table in the foyer. Contact Lena Anderson for ride information and Nadine Brood if you want to go but need help with expenses.
Continental Breakfast & Workday at MFC Saturday, October 17, at 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
There will be a continental breakfast to start off the workday at 8 a.m. Mark your calendar now and join us, many hands will make the work load lighter!
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Camps and Concerts and Conflict
Another busy month is coming to a close! I was blessed enough to have participated in the Surfside Camp at Twin Rocks early in the month. It was a wonderful experience being there and serving as an Elder for the camp. I had some really great conversations with counselors and students alike. I got to play games and generally be ridiculous for Jesus (which suits me more than I should be comfortable with) and was overwhelmed by the welcoming love of everyone involved! Camps are always a highlight for me. I love them. I want to keep going and serving in whatever way I can as long as I can. I know how much camp experiences have meant in my development as a Christian (and still do). Why would I not want the chance to be renewed and refreshed with brothers and sisters in the Lord over the course of a few days focused on what God wants to do in and through us?
I was also blessed with the chance to attend the Dove Fest concert this month! I volunteered with Drew Krupp to serve as an usher. Most of my evening was spent on my feet asking if people had their tickets. While many people were frustrated by my repeated insistence to follow the rules many more were glad that I let them know to get their ticket so they could make it back to their seat. I am a rule follower. It is a part of who I am and I like following the rules I agree with. There are times, however, that my rebel side comes out and a rule I disagree with shows up. In those times I have to make a choice between following the rules and doing what is right or disobeying the rules and acting as I please.
It can be a struggle to follow the rules when we disagree with them. Our will gets in the way of our obedience to the rules. Often in our Christian walk we fall into the same trap. Our will gets in the way of our obedience to God’s will. Our natural (fallen/sinful) state is one of rebellion and pride, we do our things our way and feel like that is how things should be. In Christ we have a new will to follow and new ways of doing things, essentially we have a new set of rules which we can follow or break. At Camp we had to deal with some people who wanted to exercise their will in ways that were contrary to the rules established for our time together. This brought some conflict and tension into the camp environment and could have been a negative experience if it weren’t for the camp directors guiding the situation to a positive outcome.
Following the rules for Kingdom living is going to be difficult and cause conflict and tension in our lives. If we let Christ guide us through these times of conflict and tension we will certainly see a positive outcome. Maybe not today or tomorrow but in the end through Christ’s leadership and love we will see the purpose for these messy lives and know that it was all for something greater than we could have known at the time.
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Good Times Happening: August 2-8 is Surfside Camp at Twin Rocks
Kayla Davidson, Rosa Sanchez, Savannah & Brennen Dodson are attending Surfside Camp this week and Pastor Jesse Davis is serving as an Elder there. Please remember to pray for them this week. You can go to www.twinrocks.org for photos posted during the week of camp.
Sunday, August 9th, at our 9:30 worship service, we will welcome Russell and Sarah Badgley, who have felt the call to serve in the mission field, Ecuador to be exact! They are members of Greenleaf Friends in Idaho and have 3 children Emma, Joe, & Ruth. Russell is gifted in problem solving & management skills which he has learned from being a professional land surveyor. Sarah is a licensed professional midwife. They are spending the next few months sharing their ministry and beginning to learn Spanish & training for the field. They are 46% funded and climbing! The goal is to have at least 500 prayer partners in order to go to Ecuador.
Summer Fun Saturday, August 15th! Pool Party & BBQ at Stan & Earlene Schlosser’s
Pool Opens at 2 p.m. Potluck BBQ Dinner at 4 p.m. We will provide burgers & dogs (with all the condiments) Please bring potluck salad, chips, or dessert and your own lawn chair! If you plan to attend please Circle “S” with headcount on the back of your Information sheet in Sunday’s bulletin (note van if you need a ride in the church van) place it in the offering or wooden box on the usher’s table in the foyer. Be at MFC by 1:15 p.m. to ride in the church van.
School Supply Drive Many families in the local community cannot afford to provide school supplies for their children, we want to help! Below is the supplies list of items that we are collecting to share with students in need at Howard Elementary. Notice that some of the supplies are listed by their brand name, educators tell us that is because even though they may cost a little more, those brands provide better bang for the buck. A collection box is located in the main hallway.
Supply List: 12 pack Ticonderoga brand pencils, 24 count Crayola crayons; pencil top erasers; large erasers; 12 count Crayola color pencils; 8 count Crayola color markers (washable); glue sticks; bottles of white glue; rulers; pencil pouches; red, blue, yellow & green pocket folders, notebook paper; pens; solar calculators; 3 ring binders; pocket dividers for binders; 3×5 lined note cards; spiral notebooks; Kleenex tissues; backpacks.
DOVE FEST! Sunday, August 23rd 6 p.m. Concert at Lithia Amphitheater
Featuring Ryan Stevenson, Kutless, & headliner Toby Mac
Ticket prices are listed, children 3 & under do not need a ticket to the show (as long as they will be sitting on a lap the entire time) GA-lawn: $25, Reserved: $35, Gold Circle: $45
If MFC were to get 30 people signed up for GA-Lawn the price would be $15 per ticket! If you are interested or have questions see Terry DuLong or Bruce Workman. We need a headcount needed by August 16th. Circle "C" for concert on your Information Sheet in your Sunday bulletin and turn it in the offering or wooden box on the table in the foyer.
Holy Grounds Coffee Shop proceeds & tips are currently going to Child Evangelism Fellowship of Jackson County. So, buy a drink and help share the love of Jesus with the kids in our area. Thanks a latte!
Looking Bible Quiz Team Members: We're looking for students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades to join a Medford/Talent Bible Quizzing Team. Bible Quizzing is a Yearly Meeting sponsored activity. Teams from Idaho, Oregon & Washington will gather four times throughout the 2015/16 school year to compete over the books of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians. Team members will meet once a week from late August to late March for Bible study, practice & verse memorization. If you are interested in participating in this program or would like more info please contact Chrissy Muhr at cjmuhr@yahoo.com or 503-476-7898.
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