MWR : U.S. flag removed

Last updated November 24.

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Nov. 9, 2009 issue

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Tags: Congregations

U.S. flag removed

First Mennonite Church, Newton, Kan.

By Dana Neff

At the congregation’s annual meeting Nov. 1, members voted by a 69 percent majority to remove from the sanctuary the U.S. and Christian flags that had been placed there in 1942. The action was taken in response to a request by the pastoral staff, followed by a recommendation by the church board.

Pastor Gordon Scoville has been preaching a series of sermons on things that prevent our vision of what God wants us to do. Some things that do this include being utopian, incautious hearing, fault finding, being too passive, being deceived by popularity and incorrect complaining. Pastor Scoville has also been having monthly open meetings for us to look at our vision for the congregation during the transition between lead pastors.

Outreach and service efforts included helping the Casa Betania church with a garage sale Sept. 25-26, holding a Safe Sanctuaries training on Sept. 26 for those working with children in our church, participating in the CROP Walk on Sept. 27, helping at the Harvey County Homeless Shelter Oct. 7-13, and helping with area meat canning Oct. 27-29. Mission Study Circle met Oct. 27 and put together items for relief kits. FMC women also had mission work days Sept. 15 and Oct. 20.

Wedding: Jennifer Koehn and Ruce Brown, Sept. 6.

Cindy Otte, 46, died Oct. 5. Survivors: husband, Bryan; daughter Emily; parents Melvern and Erma Goering.

Gus Entz, 89, died Oct. 7. Survivors: a son, Vern Buller and his wife, Ronit; two daughters, Carol Buller Lind and her husband, Darrell, and Judy Entz Peters and her husband, Charles; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Harold Schmidt, 71, died Oct. 20. Survivors: two sons, Larry and Jerry Schmidt; and three grandchildren.

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