Focus on Faith
Be Happy
Faith United Presbyterian Church October 22, 2009
Greetings!
 
What if Hollywood called you up and said they wanted to make a movie about your life?  Would there be a story to tell?
 
Last Sunday, the youth watched the movie, "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story".  For those of you who don't already know, Benjamin Carson is a world-renowned neurosurgeon, who performed the first separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head, successfully.  One would think from the title, this story would be about his wonderfully gifted hands as a surgeon.  But this story dove in much deeper.  Dr. Carson didn't have an easy childhood.  He grew up in a single-parent home, with dire poverty, terrible grades, a horrible temper and very low self esteem.  He only grew to overcome the obstacles in his life with his deep abiding faith in God, and his determined mother, with only a third grade education, who challenged both of her sons to strive for excellence.  Yes, this was a very inspiring story on so many different levels! 
 
Now, maybe you don't think your life seems extraordinary like Dr. Carson's, but, I bet you do have a story to tell.  We all do!  Of course it's difficult for many to share their life journey with others, especially when a director isn't there to yell, "Cut!", when our story goes awry.  Too bad that our lives can't be depicted in 90 minutes on the big screen.  But, just because it's not or won't be, that doesn't mean our story isn't worth sharing! 
 
Blessings,
Heather
 
10/25/09 Worship Participants

Lay Assistant: 
Karen Angotti
Ushers: 
Gary Distin, Jon Graham, Bill Hoover, Dick  Speer, Larry Willett
Beedle/Crucifer:
 Will Best & Dalton Hottle
Greeters:  
Korey Fisher & Elizabeth Myers
Sheila, Brittany, & Jessica Wilson
Nursery:
Kathy Lewis & Elizabeth Myers
Coffee Hour:
Leroy & Joyce Lantz and Steve & Judy Andrews
Children's Church:
Erika Solberg
 
  
 
Faith & Life Class
John Calvin's 500th Birthday Celebration 

In the weeks surrounding Reformation Sunday (October 25) we will be learning and celebrating the contribution John Calvin made to our faith, history and our denomination.  We will continue our study around a documentary called John Calvin:  His life & Legacy.  All are welcome!  This Adult Education class meets on Sunday's at 9:15 in the Lounge.
 
Home Communion
 
If you have not been called to receive Home Communion and would like to be on the list, please notify the church office at 734-5129 so we can schedule you in the next week.
 
Peacemaking Offering
 
We will continue to accept any contributions to the Peace Offering throughout October.  Please use the designated envelopes in the pews or use a regular envelope and write on it, "For Peacemaking Offering."  We hope you will join us in committing ourselves to working for the unity of the church and the peace of Christ. 
 

Christ's Helping Hands:  Kandithankulam
 
As part of the Mission Committee's new giving program this year, for the month of October we are again targeting Kandithankulam.  We hope that at some point this month you will make a donation designated for this program; to do so, write "Kandithankulam" on the memo line of your check or on a regular pew envelope and make the contribution during the weekly collection - or drop it by or mail it to the church office.  Please also keep the project in your prayers this month as it works to help those in need.  Our goal is both to help the church maintain its trational support for this mission and to raise awareness that it is important for all of us, in whatever way we can, to carry our message of Christ's love to others.
 
October is Clergy Appreciation Month
 
Take a moment to send a card or somehow show your appreciation to our pastor who shares his time, talent, intuition, preaching, care, and concern throut the year! 
Food Needed!
 
Jamieson Center had to close their food bank for part of this week because their shelves were empty.  In talking with Dori, I discovered that this is a problem this time of year up until December. 
 
We can help!
 
Please bring food each week for the Jamieson Center box.  You may bring anything non- perishable and place it in the shopping cart or a box at the door.  To make it easier you could go with a schedule such as this.
 
Oct. 25 - Cereal
Nov.  1 - Pancake mix & Syrup
Nov.  8 - Spaghetti Sauce  & noodles
Nov. 15 - Raman noodles & soups
Nov. 22 - rice & beans
Nov. 29 - Peanut Butter & Jelly
 
Let's fill the boxes each week!  Thank you!!
 

Isabel Circle
 
Jonalyn Heaton will be giving the lesson tonight, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. for Isabel Circle.  Pam Youngblood will be hostess and the meeting will take place at her house (341 South 8th Street).
 
 
Icebreakers
 
The Icebreakers will meet Sunday afternoon, November 1 at 1:30 p.m. at the Buchanan Center for the Arts, 64 Public Square, Monmouth.  Susan Twomey, Director of the Center, will present information about the Center and its operation.
 
Sugar Tree Grove Presbyterian Church is holding its annual soup luncheon that day and all Icebreakers are invited to attend and help support their church's fund-raising activity.  Serving runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. so we will have time after our Faith Church morning service to attend and still make the 1:30 p.m. meeting at the Buchanan Center.  Cost of the soup luncheon is $5.00. 
 
 Reservations for the noon luncheon and the 1:30 p.m. meeting are requested by Friday, October 30, and can be made by calling Jo Ellen Dollinger (734-8627), Donna Larson (734-6103), or Darlene Moffett (734-5537). 
 
World Community Day
 
Church Women United will be celebrating World Communion Day with a luncheon at the First Lutheran Church on Friday, November 6 at noon.  The cost is $6.00.  All women of the community are invited.  Reservations must be in by Monday, November 2, to Darlene Moffet (734-5537). 
Hottle FamilyA Survivor's Celebration
 
Mark your calendars for November 14 at 4:00 p.m. for A Survivor's Celebration Benefit honoring Tammi Hottle. 
 
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and can be purchased from Heather Fisher, Jane Kellogg, or Barb Byrne.
 
T-Shirts have been made that while add a little humor, also raise much needed awareness of breast cancer and its research.  They are priced at $12.00 each.  Please let Heather know if you'd like an order form.
 
Calling All Bakers of Faith! Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon
 
As you know, on November 14 there is a Survivor's Celebration Benefit for Tammi Hottle.  Jane Kellogg has volunteered Faith members to stock and man the bake sale.  So, we need your help in that endeavor.  Please call the church office if you are able to bake or help that evening.  Call Jane Kellogg (734-5275) if you would like your baked goods picked up; otherwise, please have them to the V.F.W. by 2:00 p.m. on November 14.  Any baked goods will be thankfully accepted.
 
Please Pray for:

Tammi Hottle; Tammi's dad, Larry Dye; Tom Stansbury; Krista Youngblood; Janet Paris; Carson Dowell; Connie Louck; Lamont Huff; Corgan Lantau; and Mark Dunn, Susan Van Kirk's cousin.  
 
Sympathy
 
To Jack & Betty Mc Bride on the death of Betty's mother, Jane Gustafson, who died on Sunday, October 18, 2009.
 
To family & friends of Marilyn Sharp who died on Sunday, October 18, 2009.  Marilyn was a former member of West Side Presbyterian and Faith United. 
Thank You
 
Will Myers and Colton Mc Clintock, thank you so much for coming over and cleaning out our gutters.  We appreciated your help!
 
Sincerely,
Tom & Sinda Stansbury 
 
Calendar
 
Saturday       Youth to Gilson @ 7:30 p.m.
 
Sunday         Choir @ 9:00 a.m.
                     Sunday School @ 9:15 a.m.
                     Worship @ 10:30 a.m.
                     Youth Group @ 4:00 p.m.
 
Tuesday        Session Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.
 
Wednesday   Ministerial Association @ 8:30 a.m.
                     Wednesday Night Live @ 3:20 p.m.
 
 
October Birthdays
  
1          Dorothy Behnke
2          Lorna Blackford
4          Phil Painter
5          Barb Byrne
6          Elizabeth Nieman
7          Michael Crosier
10        Elizabeth Schroeder
11        Chloe Larson
            David Spoerl
13        Megan Byrne
15        Don Mills
            Austin Johnson
17        Thomas Best
28        Michael O'Neal
29        Marie Inman
30        Lynn Biggs
            Amanda Bowman
30        Andrew Ockert
            J. Eric Ockert
            Kathy Lewis
31        Jane Newberry 
 
          
Contact Information
Administrative Assistant
Heather Fisher
309-734-5129
 
What Do You Think?  

fall leaves

 Who are the Sheep  and How Will You
         Feed Them?
 
34As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 35When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat." 37But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" 38And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." 39Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42And all ate and were filled; 43and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.  Mark 6:30-44 (NSRV)


Jesus and the disciples were exhausted.  They had been preaching and teaching for days and had come to this place to relax only to be greeted by this crowd, sheep without a shepherd.  How did Jesus respond?  Why?  Had they not done enough?  Didn't they deserve a break? They couldn't save everyone.  Nevertheless...  Jesus had compassion on the crowd for they were like sheep without a shepherd.
 
This is who Jesus is,the perfect love of God.  He can do no other than to look upon people with compassion.  At times, his compassion takes the form of righteous anger, when people are squandering the blessings God has given them.  Other times, his compassion takes the form of compassion, for the poor, the weak, the outcast and the unloveable.  We are not Jesus.
 
Though we are called by God to be the body of Christ...  Though we have experienced for ourselves the very love of God in Jesus Christ...  Though we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to go into the world and share this love we have received...  We know well how the disicples must have felt.  We look at our lives, our resources, our riches, not with the eyes of Christ, but with our own shortsightedness.  We cry out to Jesus...  "Send them away.  We have nothing to offer."  Only to hear Jesus say, "Give me what you have, that we may feed my sheep together."
 
Who are the people in our community who have yet to hear the good news of God's love in Jesus Christ?  Who are the people God has placed upon your heart?  Where are the distressed areas of our community?  Where are the people economically, emotionally and spiritually hungry?  Where are the people whose lives are in transition?  Where are opportunities for growth and change, in our community and in our life together?  Who are the sheep waiting to be fed?  How will you feed them?
 
See you in church!
 
Pastor Myers
revhaggis1@hotmail.com