ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today – Noon  Quasqui Kickoff Potluck Dinner, program following

            6:00 p.m.  Video on Prophecy Conference will be shown

Mon., Feb. 4 – 7:00 p.m.  Steering Committee for Quasqui

Tues., Feb. 5 – 7:30 a.m.  Men’s Prayer Breakfast

            9:15 a.m.  Religious Nurture at EO WAC

Wed., Feb. 6 – 6:30 p.m.  Confirmation Class and Youth Fellowship

            7:00 p.m.  Ash Wednesday Service at Lone Rock Presbyterian

Thurs., Feb. 7 – 7:00 p.m.  Hope Circle at church

                  Devotions:  Ruth Isebrand

                  Roll Call:  Bible verse with “love”

                  Bible Study:  Barb Carley

                  Hostess:  Connee Espe

Sun., Feb. 10 – 9:15 a.m.  Sunday School

           10:30 a.m.  Morning Worship Service

           6:00 p.m.  Sunday Evening Lenten Service

Building Fund Report

   As of 1-30-08:

         Total Cash Collected                    $174,012.14

         2008 Pledges                                 $ 18,191.00

Our Quasquicentennial Celebration will begin with a Kickoff Potluck TODAY, February 3^rd, after worship service.  All are invited to attend.  Please come whether you brought a dish or not; we will have plenty of food and we want you to stay and fellowship with us.  Let us have a great time in the Lord.

Lenten Devotional Booklets Are Completed and in your Box

This year we again have our Lenten Devotional booklets, a tradition that began with Pastor Judy Junkermeier.  Thanks to Judy for all her work.  Thanks also to Larry Sterk, manager of State Line, and Cindy, who ran them off.  Thanks to all who contributed Lenten messages for this booklet.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 6.  Please come to our extra services and do these special devotions each day as you observe Lent.

Lent begins this Wednesday, Feb. 6, with our Ash Wednesday Service at 7 PM, a united service with the Lone Rock Presbyterian Church in Lone Rock.  Come receive the cross of Christ. I hope you all might come to this inspirational service.  Pastor Glenn

 
Come see a video of a Spirit-led prophecy conference where speakers spoke about God’s revival moving in North Central Iowa!  Pat Funk will be sharing this inspirational video with Pastor Wilson and anyone who would like to view it tonight at 6 PM in the Fellowship Hall.  All are welcome to attend.  There will be a time of prayer for our area.

LIVING LAST SUPPER -- This year we bring back the well-received play, THE LIVING LAST SUPPER.  It will be performed for the public on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 6 PM.  We will have a few new players, but we are hoping most of our players from 2006 will again play their key roles as disciples of Christ.

Pick Up 2008 Offering Envelopes

Please stop in the office after church to pick up 2008 offering envelopes.  We would like to update everyone’s general fund/mission designation.  Without any designation, your offering will go to the general fund.

Churches to Pray for This Week

Staff of our Presbytery and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Lone Rock American Legion Brunch Today, Sun., Feb. 3^rd

The Lone Rock American Legion Post #557 Brunch will be held today, Sun., Feb. 3^rd, 9 AM to 12:30 PM, at the Legion Hall in Lone Rock.  French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, juice and coffee will be served.  A freewill donation is asked.  Supporting funds will be given by Thrivent Financial.  Everyone is welcome!

Burt First Responders Spaghetti Dinner – Sun., Feb. 10^th

The Burt First Responders will be holding their annual Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Burt Activity Complex. They will be serving spaghetti, meat sauce, green beans, bread and make-your-own sundaes.  Free-will donation will be used to purchase new equipment. 

Kindergarten Round-up 2008

The Algona Community School District is in the process of compiling the eligible students for the 2008-2009 school year.  Principal Blair Redenius announces that Kindergarten Round-up will be held March 27^th and 28^th.  To be eligible for the 2008-09 school year, a child must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 15^th, 2008.  If you have a child, or know of an eligible child, please call the Bertha Godfrey Elementary office at 295-3586.  If you have questions about the round-up procedure or the Kindergarten program, please call Principal Redenius at this same number.  We ask you to share this information to help us get the word out to all area parents and families.  Thank you.

Daffodil Days

Chances are you or someone you know will be or has been touched by cancer.  Let's help build a future where cancer no longer threatens those we love.  Please support the fight against cancer and share hope for all people facing the disease by buying daffodils to keep for you or to send to others. A bunch of daffodils is $8.00 and a Gift of Hope is $15.00.  Other items are available; see the order form in the narthex.  Please pay for your daffodils when ordering.  Orders are due by Wednesday, February 13th. See Dawn Chipman to order or if you have any questions. 

Thoughts from the General Presbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

God blesses the missional church – that is what keeps going through my mind.  It is the witness of all the “transformation experts”.  God blesses the church which lives its mission.  God blesses the church which keeps giving itself away.  God blesses the Christian who keeps giving himself or herself away.  One of the hardest scriptural teachings to live is – if we live to ourselves we die to ourselves.  If we die to self – give ourselves away – we find the abundant life. 

I observe many churches which seem to be living for themselves.  How many churches see themselves as life-saving stations for the community?  How many churches are giving themselves away for the community Christ has called them to serve?

The First Missionary Baptist Church in Pearlington, MS, gets it.  They have been fixing a noon meal for all the volunteers who come to rebuild the community after the hurricane.  Their building, which is modest, is open to all who pass through.  Their funds have been consumed as they have fixed meal after meal.  They trust God to provide for the next meal.  They work their fingers to the bone and receive true life in return.

There are examples of folks who are getting it.  We had our orientation for the Gulf mission trip on Jan 5^th.  I explained that we had not received many gift cards.  Lowe’s and Home Depot gift cards purchase the supplies to help folks rebuild their homes.  We only had a few hundred dollars.  When we arrived in Pearlington we had over $14,000 at our disposal, more than we could use in one week.  On Wednesday I asked the group what we should do with the remnant – nearly $8000.  They said “Leave it here for the next groups, when we come back we will bring more.”

There are examples of churches which are getting it.  This is obvious or apparent at budget time.  When it comes time to establish your budget for the new year --- where do you begin?  Do you begin with the mission line of the budget?  Do you establish that percentage

first?  In the old days the churches we respected and stood in awe of

were the churches which gave a dollar in mission for every dollar

spent for the ministry of the local church.  When I began my ministry in Fort Dodge they were giving 7% of their budget for mission causes beyond them.  Year after year we increased the mission budget by one percent.  When I accepted this call we were up to 22 or 23 %.  [I understand mission in the broad sense – it may be mission in your own community, not simply dollars sent away].

Do you believe God blesses the missional church – will you help your church become more mission-minded?

With love in Christ,

Dave Feltman