November December Newsletter

 From the Pastor:

Living from the Fullness Already Within

 

Too often, we approach our spiritual lives as if we are empty vessels waiting to be filled, frantically searching outward for God’s presence, peace, or direction. Yet in Luke 17:21, Jesus offered a liberating truth: “The Kingdom of God is within you.” Writing to the early church, both Paul and Peter echoed this reality, reminding believers that His divine power has already granted us everything needed for life and godliness, and that in Christ, we have been made complete (Colossians 2:10, 2 Peter 1:3). The Christian life is not an endless striving to obtain what we lack; it is learning to rest in the reality that the fullness of Christ already dwells in our spirit. We are not operating from an empty account—God’s boundless grace and resurrecting power are already at home in us.

 

Our calling each day is simply to activate and live from what we have already received. As Paul wrote to Philemon, our faith becomes deeply effective when we learn to acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ. Instead of waking up focused on our perceived deficiencies, we could begin to fix our eyes on what Jesus has already accomplished. When we replace striving with intimacy, renew our minds according to God’s Word, and put our faith into everyday practice, our lives naturally become living testimonies of His love. May we walk together this month not as people begging for provision, but as sons and daughters confidently sharing the abundance of the Kingdom within.

 

The kingdom of God is not something distant that we must strive to obtain. It is already within us. Our responsibility is to awaken to it, and release it into the world.

God Bless You!

Pastor David

Pastor David’s phone number is 217-329-4785. 

Email is devdrk476@gmail.com

Upcoming Events:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 10:00 Bible Study

November 5 6:00 Church Board

November 6, 7 District Conference in Polo

November 15 Council Meeting after worship

November 29 Soup lunch, decorate sanctuary

December 3 6:00 Church Board

December 6 4:00 Christmas Vespers here

December 9 Women’s Christmas lunch

December 12 10:00-12:00 Pickup candy orders

In Our Prayers

Pray for peace with Iran and for peace between Ukraine and Russia! Dave and Beverly White; Coden James; Jonah Martina; Dave and Gina Ritchie; Vinny; Nancy Fansler; Martha Wood; Bill Traughber; Randy and Michelle West; Martha Lynch; Karen Chenoweth; Ryan LeHew; Sam and Rosemary Brandenburg; Nancy Fansler; Doug Larrick; Ron Petersen; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Church of the Brethren around the world; immigrants

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

Needed:

--Volunteers for the children’s message during the service and/or for a children’s lesson/story time in the nursery during the sermon. Please sign up in the back of the sanctuary.

--Someone to take turns running the Power Point for worship. If you know a little about computers, you can do this job. Let Carol know.

--Chorister—Martha is carrying the entire load. Who can step up to lead singing once in a while?

--Greeters—if you are willing to hand out bulletins at the sanctuary door before worship, talk to Nancy Born Martin.

Discomfort and Joy

By Wendy McFadden, December, 2010

 

It used to be that I had trouble keeping track of baby Jesus. When our youngest child was small, she would tuck Jesus safely into a purse or small container. He would be missing, then, when I packed away the creche and hauled the Christmas boxes into the attic. In a busy household, it was no small feat to make sure that he was where he needed to be by the next Christmas.

     After all, what kind of Christmas would it be if we couldn’t find Jesus?

     But finding Jesus may turn out to be inconvenient. What Jesus brings “makes for a great deal of Christmas discomfort, in a society that stands for comfort and total security and status,” according to Sister Jean Chittister in a reflection written years ago for Whose Birthday is It Anyway? (but, unfortunately, even more relevant today).

     “We like ‘peace through strength’ we say. Then we spend the money of the poor on the militaristic agendas of the mighty. We don’t have enough money for day care of education or job retraining programs in this country, we insist. We don’t have enough money to develop the earth, but we have enough money to arm the heavens. Our peace is clearly not in the crib—our peace in in the sword,” Chittister writes. “We look for Jesus in the clean and the comfortable, not in the down and out, not in the uncouth, not in shepherds, not in mangers. We expect a syrup and butter Jesus, not the one who cleansed the temple or call the Pharisees hypocrites or told Pilate he had no authority over him.”

     And then Chittister quotes part of the Church of the Brethren tag line. Well, actually, she quotes the Gospel of Matthew: She points out that the Magi “departed to their own country by another way.”

     That is, they embarked on “another way of living,” as we Brethren say. That’s what finding the baby Jesus requires.

     May you be blessed this season with Christmas discomfort and joy.

(Wendy recently retired from her position of publisher of Messenger, our church magazine.)

 

Christmas Vespers December 6

 

Do you have special music or a special reading you could share? Let Carol, Kathy, or Martha know. We would like to have one or two specials from our congregation for this special occasion at our church again this year.

Laughter is good medicine:

 

1.     What is a dentist’s favorite hymn?

 

2.     How does Moses make his coffee?

 

3.     At what time of day was Adam created?

 

4.     What man in the Bible has no parents?

 

5.     A Sunday school teacher asked the children, “Why is it necessary to keep quiet in church?”

 

(Answers at the end of the newsletter)

 

History Corner:

 

What does Wissahickon Creek mean to you? This creek is where the first baptisms in the United States took place for the group of Brethren who had migrated from Germany in the 1700s. These baptisms took place on Christmas Day, 1723. The creek is near the Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia.

 

The Germantown congregation is one of the oldest in this country, as is their church building. There is a cemetery at the church where some of our original church leaders are buried, including Alexander Mack and Alexander Mack, Jr.

 

Women’s Fellowship

 

The women plan to make candy again this year. Ordering may begin in November. Candy to be made includes peanut brittle, buckeyes, peanut butter fudge, chocolate fudge, peanut butter meltaways, peanut clusters, and caramels. Order by December 2 by giving Nancy Born Martin or Kelly Timlin your order.

Orders may be picked up and paid for on December 12 between 10 and 12 or at church the next day. It is $7 per ½ pound bag.

 

The women will have their Christmas lunch on Wednesday, December 9. ALL women are welcome. Lunch will be at noon. Meat will be provided. We ask that those attending bring a dish to share with the group. Following lunch, we will have a short meeting and then reveal prayer partners. At some point in the day, we will package candy orders. Whether this is in the morning or in the afternoon is yet to be determined. Stay tuned.

 

 

Council Meeting November 15

 

This is the council meeting when we elect new board members and pass the budget for the coming year. Please plan to stay after worship for this important meeting.

 

Board to Reorganize December 3

 

The December meeting of the church board is when it reorganizes with new members present. All members are asked to select their preference of commissions, and the board chair determines final placement. If you are called to serve on the board, please come to this meeting.

 

 

 

Answers to jokes:

1.     Crown Him with Many Crowns

2.     Hebrews it.

3.     A little before Eve

4.     Joshua, son of none (Nun)

5.     Because people are sleeping.

(Thanks, Tina Martina!)

Love God,

Grow with others,

Serve faithfully,

Reach the lost,

Find peace.

 

  

September/October newsletter

 

How Do We Love?

 

One of the subtlest temptations of the Christian walk is believing that having the right words is the same thing as having a loving heart. In Job 5, Eliphaz rightly reminds Job that the Lord disciplines those He loves—a truth grounded in Scripture. Yet by assuming that Job’s anguish was proof of hidden guilt, Eliphaz weaponized a sacred reality against a broken friend. When sound theology is stripped of empathy, it ceases to comfort and begins to crush; it turns another person’s sacred grief into an argument to be won. Job never asked to be diagnosed or solved—he simply needed someone willing to sit beside him in the ashes and honor his pain with steadfast kindness.

Christ offers us a far better way, showing that divine truth is never an excuse for human cruelty. Jesus never compromised the truth, but He also never trampled a bruised reed or snuffed out a smoldering wick. True faithfulness does not demand that we posture as theological referees over someone else's storm, but rather calls us to embody the gentle, cruciform love that draws near to the brokenhearted. Before we speak into someone’s trial, we must pause and ask: Am I using the truth to carry this hurting person, or am I using it to stand over them? Let us choose the courage of compassion, letting our doctrine be known not by how sharply we defend it, but by how tenderly we love those who are hurting right in front of us.

God Bless You!

Pastor David

Pastor David’s phone number is 217-329-4785. Email is devdrk476@gmail.com

 

Upcoming Events:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 10:00 Bible Study

Sept 3 6:00 pm Church Board

October 11 Executive committee after worship

October 22 9:30 Women’s work morning and soup lunch

November 5 6:00 Church Board

November 6, 7 District Conference in Polo

November 15 Council Meeting after worship

 

We need 2 more delegates for District  Conference. Let Carol know of your interest.

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries

 

September

2          Jackie Born

Tim & Michelle Wright

4          David Biggs

6          Nancy Born Martin

15        Michelle & Randy West

21        Nancy Gorrell

23        Kevin Krall

26        Joe Martina

October

10        Shirley Krall

19        Tina Martina

20        Mike and Kelly Timlin

David and Loriann Biggs

26        Mike Gentry

27        Mary Hissong

28        Glen & Carol Kussart

Church Finances

The Board is grateful for the continued giving by our congregation! In order to keep us all abreast of our finances, especially since we are now paying a pastor, we thought it appropriate to keep everyone abreast of our income and expense totals. So far this year, we are running a deficit of $8781.

2026 Income:    $32,289 as of 8/31/26

         Expense: ($41,070)

Our reserves are covering the deficit so far, but we encourage everyone to keep up their giving so that we may continue to further the work of Jesus in our congregation, in our community, and around the world.

In Our Prayers

Pray for peace with Iran! And for peace between Ukraine and Russia! The victims of the Nepal floods, the ending of TPS for our Haitian and Syrian brothers and sisters;
Jonah Martina; Dave and Gina Ritchie; Vinny; Bobby Murray; Martha Wood; Bill Traughber; Randy and Michelle West; Martha Lynch; Karen Chenoweth; Ryan LeHew; Sam Brandenburg; Nancy Fansler; Doug Larrick; Ron Petersen; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Church of the Brethren around the world; immigrants

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

Needed:

--Volunteers for the children’s message during the service and/or for a children’s lesson/story time in the nursery during the sermon. Please sign up in the back of the sanctuary.

--Someone to take turns running the Power Point for worship. If you know a little about computers, you can do this job. Let Carol know.

--Chorister—Martha is carrying the entire load. Who can step up to lead singing once in a while?

--Greeters—if you are willing to hand out bulletins at the sanctuary door before worship, talk to Nancy Born Martin.

 

 

Sermon topics—Pastor David is seeking input on topics that you would like to hear more about from the pulpit. Please let him know about any particular interests you may have.

 

 

Study group:

Pastor David wants to know of interest in a study group. If you would be interested, let him know and give him some preferred days and times.

 

Coats for Kids will be starting to collect coats in October. Keep your eyes and ears open for where to donate. Gently used coats or new ones are appreciated. Money is also gladly received. This program was started in 1992 by DOVE in partnership with WAND. If you would like to volunteer to help, call 217-428-6616.

 

DeWitt County DOVE is having a fundraiser to support their RSVP (senior citizen volunteer program) at Kirby Foods in Clinton, October 9, 10 am to 6 pm and October 10, 10 am to 2 pm. If you are that direction, you might consider stopping by. I hear Kirby Foods has good food. A pork chop sandwich is $6, meal $8; a ribeye sandwich is $8, meal $10.

 

Remembering 9/11

Christ is our peace

A statement from Church of the Brethren general secretary David Steele marking the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001:

 

Twenty-five years have passed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, yet the sorrow of that day remains close for many.

We remember the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were taken in New York City, at the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pa. We honor those who moved toward danger to help others, and we hold in prayer the families, survivors, rescue and recovery workers, and communities that continue to carry grief, trauma, illness, and loss.

We also remember the suffering that followed. Wars devastated communities abroad and brought lasting loss and trauma to families in the United States. Muslim, Sikh, Arab, South Asian, and other neighbors endured racist and xenophobic discrimination and violence because of who they were—or were perceived to be.

The aftermath of Sept. 11 showed how fear can compound tragedy, turning grief into suspicion, exclusion, and aggression. That danger does not belong only to the past. Today, fear is again being used to divide neighbors, cast people as threats, and justify the pursuit of power.

The church must bear witness to another way.

Scripture proclaims that Christ is our peace and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between us (Ephesians 2:14). As a peace church, we are called to embody that peace with courage and action. Following Jesus means standing with people harmed by violence, resisting hatred, pursuing justice, and overcoming evil with good.

It also requires us to examine our loyalties. No nation, political party, leader, or ideology deserves the devotion that belongs to Christ. The church must not use faith to justify the pursuit of power or place national interests above love of neighbor.

Our loyalty to Christ becomes visible in how we live with those around us. Being “Jesus in the neighborhood” means moving toward one another, sharing one another’s burdens and gifts, and seeking the well-being of the whole community.

That loyalty must be more than words. At a time when fear pushes people apart, Jesus draws us toward one another—to know our neighbors, listen to their experiences, share one another’s burdens and gifts, and seek the well-being of the whole community. 

On this anniversary, we call our congregations to embody that peace with courage and action by:

• Remembering truthfully through prayer, worship, lament, and learning.
• Building relationships across religious, cultural, and political differences, rejecting language and actions that diminish or dehumanize others.
• Practicing healing through service, conflict transformation, and solidarity with those experiencing violence, exclusion, isolation, or hardship.

We cannot undo the violence of Sept. 11 or the suffering that followed. But we can refuse to let fear have the final word. May God comfort all who mourn and give us courage to follow Jesus toward one another, embodying his peace wherever we live.

For the glory of God and our neighbor’s good,

David A. Steele
General Secretary
Church of the Brethren

History Corner:

Did you know the Potawatomie came through this area on their Trail of Death march? There is a commemorative marker north of the Sangamon River. Follow Oakley Blacktop north and go straight instead of curving left. Turn right at that road (Caleb Rd). At the corner of Caleb and Dunbar is a marker on the right side of the road, at the edge of a farm. A second marker describes the Lorton Trading Post.

 

Another marker in this area is the one for the Peck family on the County Line Rd north of Cerro Gordo. This designates where the original Peck home was and lists some important events and the names of the descendants at the time. The Pecks were one of Cerro Gordo’s founding families. I don’t have a good photo of it.

 

All three markers are worth the short trip to see.

Love God,

Grow with others,

Serve faithfully,

Reach the lost,

Find peace.

July/August Newsletter

 

For years I believed grace was simply “God’s unmerited favor.” That is what I was always taught, both in Sunday School as a child, and in seminary as an adult.  But, then Luke 2:40 jumped out at me and forced me to reexamine what God’s grace truly is.  Luke 2:40 states that “Jesus grew in grace.”  That statement jumped out at me like few scriptures ever have. It posed a question: “How does the perfectly pure and Holy, the Savior of the world, The sinless and only begotten Son of God, grow in grace if grace is unmerited favor?”

2 Peter 1:3- “His divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life.”  Grace is not just kindness or forgiveness, it is not just a pardon. Grace is power and transformation. Grace is God’s very presence which enables us to become who He created each of us to become. 

The greatest lie of religion is that we must work our way to righteousness. The years I believed grace was “God’s unmerited favor” I was striving toward producing my own holiness.  I thought I had to do more, pray harder, even prove my worth to God.  But, then I discovered grace does not operate on effort, but operates on trust. Galatians 2:21-“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.”  Simply put, if we could become holy by striving harder, then Jesus’ sacrifice was unnecessary.  Grace then cannot be known as a reward for your effort, but can be known as the power which escorts you into transformation.

So, how does grace work or operate in our lives? Titus 2:11-12- “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions.”  Did you catch that? Grace doesn’t just forgive you, grace teaches you and changes you. Grace doesn’t lead you away from sin by force, but does lead you away from sin by filling you with something greater.  Grace doesn’t save, it empowers you to live differently. 

If you believe grace is only forgiveness, it would be easy to keep sinning and saying “I’m forgiven.”  But, if grace is power, moreover God’s empowering presence, then sin is overcome, and the believer walks in victory.  Romans 6:14- For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” 

God Bless You!

Pastor David

Pastor David’s phone number is 217-329-4785. Email is devdrk476@gmail.com

 

Upcoming Events:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 10:00 Bible Study

July 2 6:00 pm Church Board

July 20-24 VBS HERE

August Women’s Lunch Date TBD

August 9 Executive Comm after worship

August 12 School starts in Cerro Gordo

August 23 2:00 pm CUIC ice cream social

Sept 3 6:00 pm Church Board

 

Looking forward: District Conference will be November 6 and 7 in Polo, IL. We need delegates for this conference. We can have 3. Let Carol know of your interest.

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries

 

July

6          Chelle Shively

10        Dan Mogged

12        Tracy Mogged

26        Kaylin Born

Kelly Timlin

            Marlene Schultz

 

August

4          Ellis & Mary Hissong

9          Ron Born

14        Derek Born

15        Martha Wood

18        Jason Frydenger

24        Jason & Julie Frydenger

27        Michelle Wright

In Our Prayers

Pray for peace with Iran!

The ending of TPS for our Haitian and Syrian brothers and sisters
The Traughber family and our church family as they and we grieve the loss of Dorthea and Ruth; Vinny; Camille; Karen Chenoweth; Ryan LeHew; Martha Wood; Bill Traughber; Randy and Michelle West; Martha Lynch; Mike and Kathy Gentry; Nancy Fansler; Doug Larrick; Ron Petersen; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Church of the Brethren around the world; immigrants

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

Needed:

--Volunteers for the children’s message during the service and/or for a children’s lesson/story time in the nursery during the sermon. Please sign up in the back of the sanctuary.

--Someone to take turns running the Power Point for worship. If you know a little about computers, you can do this job. Let Carol know.

--Chorister—Martha is carrying the entire load. Who can step up to lead singing once in a while?

 

 

VBS—Vacation Bible School—is at our church July 20-24, from 5:30 – 7:30 each evening, for children who are rising kindergarteners through rising 5^th graders. Stacie Warren is in charge. Be alert for opportunities to help—we will be needed for this important witness to the community.

 

Sermon topics—Pastor David is seeking input on topics that you would like to hear more about from the pulpit. Please let him know about any particular interests you may have.

 

TPS—Temporary Protected Status—has regularly been granted to people who wish to come to the U.S. from particularly violent situations in their native country. Several years ago, TPS was granted to Haitians and Syrians. Many Haitians came to the United States and joined the Church of the Brethren, as well as other Christian denominations. Now that the Supreme Court has allowed the administration to terminate TPS for these folks, even though the situations in their native countries are still dangerous and life-threatening, the Church of the Brethren knows of at least 300 of our members who are affected by this determination. All of these individuals have made a home here in the U.S. with jobs, homes, family, just like us. Now their lives have been upended and they face potential deportation any day. At least a dozen immigrant members of CoB congregations have been deported, despite no criminality on their parts. These are people with families who want to live safe and normal lives. How do we help them? Be in prayer for all of our brothers and sisters who have immigrated from other countries, no matter where they came from. Even though I (Carol) know of no one in Cerro Gordo who will be affected, it is possible that someone each of us knows could be. We can also call on our government to have more compassion.

 

Strawberry Festival—The strawberry festival was well-attended and made a profit of about $900 which was split between the women and men’s fellowships. Thank you to everyone who helped in any way!! It takes us all to pull off this community event each year.

 

Annual Conference stats:

In Ft. Wayne this year, there were 389 delegates, 1279 nondelegates present, 153 nondelegates attending virtually, for a total of 1812 registered persons. There were 110 pints of blood collected. The silent auction brought in $14,759. Witness to the host city totaled 4 pallets of supplies and $11,350 in offerings. Pastor David and Carol plan to report on conference sometime in August.

 

Study group:

Pastor David wants to know of interest in a study group. If you would be interested, let him know and give him some preferred days and times.

 

 

“Not many sounds in life, and I include all urban and all rural sounds, exceed in interest a knock at the door.” Charles Lamb

 

 

The Global Food Initiative (GFI) is the primary way that the Church of the Brethren assists hungry people in developing food security. Since 1983, GFI (formerly Global Food Crisis Fund) has raised over $8,000,000 for community development projects in numerous countries around the globe. GFI seeks to:

• invest in small-scale economic development
• join efforts to improve diet and health practices
• champion soil conservation
• promote awareness-raising and advocacy on hunger issues.

This work is made possible through your contributions. We encourage participation with us by:

• praying that those who are hungry may have food
• giving an individual contribution
• participating in our ongoing “My 2¢ Worth” fundraiser (contact GFI for questions or materials)
• taking an offering for GFI at your congregation or camp

Support of the Global Food Initiative upholds the biblical command to lift the burden of the oppressed. Moreover, it honors God, for as stated in Proverbs 14:31, “Kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.”

 

Bethany Theological Seminary announced at Annual Conference that they are now able to offer all CoB members who qualify for their graduate programs free tuition via scholarships. This is an amazing way to help future pastors get their theological education. It will help our pastor further his theological studies as well. Our outreach to Bethany helps. Pray for Bethany, its staff, and its students as they move forward in the coming school year.

 

History Corner:

Annual Conference: Even though the first Brethren came to North America in 1719 and the first baptism of the Brethren in the Colonies was Christmas Day, 1723, the first general meeting was not held until 1742. The exact date and place are not known but believed to have been held in a home near Coventry, PA, around Pentecost. The Brethren continued to meet around Pentecost weekend. Before the 1830s, Brethren gathered on Friday morning before Pentecost Sunday. Business was conducted all day. Saturday was taken up in public worship and Love Feast in the evening. After Sunday morning worship, the meeting was closed. By 1847, more time was needed for business, so the meeting began on the Saturday before Pentecost with worship Saturday and Sunday and Love Feast one of those evenings. Business was taken up on Monday and the meeting lasted as long as was needed to complete business.

     In the early years, the location rotated around congregations near Germantown (home of the oldest CoB congregation in the U.S.). However, as members went west, the need to have meetings in other locations grew. In whichever area the meeting was held, participants usually gathered at the farm of a member of the local congregation. Annual Meeting was held in Decatur in 1895 on grounds that are now occupied by Millikin University.

     Up until 1927, this was called the Annual Meeting. Since that year it has been called Annual Conference.

     In 1912, the planners were asked to hold meetings where there were good acoustics and accommodations. Now we have our conferences in convention centers where hotels are close by and parking is available. Conference usually takes place around the July 4 weekend because rates are cheaper then (Who else wants a convention over July 4?). (BTW, Carol and Glen have seen some spectacular fireworks displays over the years in various cities in this country.) However, the 2027 Annual Conference will be July 28-August 1 in Daytona Beach, FL. Think about being our delegate!

 

 

“The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth and have it found out by accident.” Charles Lamb

 

 

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 KJV

 

 

 

 

Love God,

Grow with others,

Serve faithfully,

Reach the lost,

Find peace.

May/June Newsletter

 From the Pastor:

In our walk with God, it's easy to get caught up in doing things for Him—serving, volunteering, and trying to live a good life. Sometimes we focus so much on checking off our spiritual to-do lists that we forget why we're doing any of it. But the truth is, what we focus on, we empower. When we put all our energy into doing, we risk missing the chance to be truly present with God, even as we work in His name.

 

Instead, God invites us into a deeper relationship where being comes before doing. Being means resting in His presence, listening for His voice, and letting our identity as His children shape everything we do. When we prioritize being with God—through prayer, quiet time, or simply remembering His love—our actions begin to flow from a place of love and connection rather than duty or pressure.

 

This shift from doing to being doesn’t mean we stop serving or helping others. In fact, the opposite happens: when we focus on being close to God, the doing arises organically. Our service becomes more meaningful, our hearts more open, and our actions more aligned with His will. It’s a gentle reminder that our relationship with God isn’t about what we accomplish, but about who we are in Him.

 Pastor David

Upcoming Events:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesdays 10:00 Bible Study

May 10 Mother’s Day, Blanket Sunday

May 16 Cerro Gordo High School graduation

May 17 Council Meeting after worship

May 26 12:00 Women’s Fellowship lunch

June 14 Strawberry Festival

June 28-July 2 Annual Conference

We have an interim pastor! David Biggs officially starts May 15. He will set office hours to be available as much as possible. David’s phone number is 217-329-4785. Email is devdrk476@gmail.com

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries

 

May

12        Michelle West

17        Larry & Cathy Traxler

27        Alice Kinney

 

June

5          Bill Traughber

6          Glen Kussart

7          David Sawyer

9          Ron & Jackie Born

10        Kathy Gentry

11        Kaylin & Blake Born

12        Shannon Born

16        Tim Wright

18        Robin & Chelle Shively

22        Jodi Baker

23        Dave & Beth Sawyer

24        Randy West

26        Cathy Traxler

27        Randy & Jodi Baker

 

In Our Prayers

Pray for peace with Iran!
Pam and Tommy Trone; Ruth Siburt; Martha Wood; Bill Traughber; Randy and Michelle West; Martha Lynch; Mike and Kathy Gentry; Nancy Fansler; Doug Larrick; Ron Petersen; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Dorthea Wood; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; victims of disasters; victims of shootings; shut-ins; the Nigerian church; Haitian Brethren; Ukraine; Israel and Gaza, Sudan, other places where violence is happening; immigrants

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

***

Needed: There is always a need for volunteers for the children’s message during the service and/or for a children’s lesson/story time in the nursery during the sermon. Please sign up in the back of the sanctuary.

 

Needed: Annual Conference delegate for June 28-July 2 in Ft. Wayne, IN. It is close this time—a good opportunity if you have been thinking about going. The church pays the delegate fee and has some funds for expenses. Let Carol know by May 17 if you would like to do this. Delegates participate in business on June 29, 30, and July 1. Worship takes place each evening and on the morning of July 2 before the end of conference.

 

Looking forward: District Conference will be November 6 and 7 in Polo, IL. We need delegates for this conference. We can have 3. Let Carol know of your interest.

 

Watch for sign up sheets for help with the Strawberry Festival! Put Saturday, June 13 on your calendar for strawberry stemming.

 

"All women are mothers of the world. All of us give birth to something bigger than ourselves." by Lisa R. Delman

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my Angel Mother." Abraham Lincoln

“A daughter is happy memories of the past, joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.”

Unknown

Mothers’ Day History

If you google the history of Mother’s Day, the internet will tell you that Mother’s Day began in 1908 when Anna Jarvis decided to honor her mother. But “Mothers’ Day”—with the apostrophe not in the singular spot, but in the plural—actually started in the 1870s, when the sheer enormity of the death caused by the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War convinced writer and reformer Julia Ward Howe that women must take control of politics from the men who had permitted such carnage. Mothers’ Day was not designed to encourage people to be nice to their mothers. It was part of women’s effort to gain power to change society.

The women who had watched their hale and healthy men march off to the Civil War were haunted by its results. They lost fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers. The men who did come home were scarred in both body and mind.

Modern war, it seemed, was not a game.

But out of the war also came a new sense of empowerment. Women had bought bonds, paid taxes, raised money for the war effort, managed farms, harvested fields, worked in war industries, reared children, and nursed soldiers. When the war ended, they had every expectation that they would continue to be considered valuable participants in national affairs, and had every intention of continuing to take part in them. 

However, this was not to be for many years yet.

Howe was drawn to women’s rights because the laws of her time meant that her children belonged to her abusive husband. If she broke free of him, she would lose any right to see her children, a fact he threw at her whenever she threatened to leave him. She was not at first a radical in the mold of reformer Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who believed that women had a human right to equality with men. Rather, she believed strongly that women, as mothers, had a special role to perform in the world.

As Howe worked to unite women, she came to realize that a woman did not have to center her life around a man, but rather should be “a free agent, fully sharing with man every human right and every human responsibility.”

She threw herself into the struggle for women’s suffrage, understanding that in order to create a more just and peaceful society, women must take up their rightful place as equal participants in American politics.

While we celebrate the modern version of Mother’s Day on May 10, it’s worth remembering the original Mothers’ Day and Julia Ward Howe’s conviction that women must have the same rights as men, and that they must make their voices heard.

 

 

Love God,

Grow with others,

Serve faithfully,

Reach the lost,