MWR : Sharing bread and blessings

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Jan. 12, 2009 issue

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Tags: Congregations

Sharing bread and blessings

Holdeman Mennonite Church, Wakarusa, Ind.

By Bonnie Gerber

Vernard and Florence Guengerich spent four weeks ministering at Cedar Grove Mennonite Church in Manistique, Mich., this fall.

During the summer we were challenged during a sermon by our pastor, Danny Jones, to give a sacrificial offering of one week’s wages, over and above our usual giving, on Oct. 26. We spent several weeks before and after the offering date discerning how God would want us to distribute the money that came in on our “Bold Giving” Sunday.

As part of communion on Oct. 5, small loaves of bread were given out to each participant to enjoy later or share with someone outside the church. Cookies were given to children to share with others.

Our annual women’s brunch was held Nov. 15. Our speaker was Cora Brown, director of Emerge Ministries, a ministry of Church Without Walls in Elkhart. Prior to the brunch, we collected laundry detergent and several other items for Emerge Ministries.

For three weeks prior to Thanksgiving, we were involved in “Growing a Blessing Tree.” Construction paper leaves were passed out for us to write our blessings on, and these leaves were then hung on a bare tree placed in the front of our sanctuary. The Sunday prior to Thanksgiving we focused on Psalm 136, and the congregation was given time to share our stories of “God’s love endures forever” and how God has been moving in our lives. We also shared stories of the bread we were given on communion Sunday.

We received Steve and Luanne Ramer and Wayne and Etta Risser as members in November.

Wedding anniversaries: Bob and Gwen Nunemaker, 35th, Oct. 6; Mike and Sara Reynolds, 40th, Oct. 21; Greg and Karen Beck, 40th, Nov. 16.

H. LaMar Stahly, 90, died Oct. 24. Survivors: wife, Pauline; and five sons.

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