MWR : Commissioning workers

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Sept. 28, 2009 issue

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Tags: Congregations

Commissioning workers

First Mennonite Church, Newton, Kan.

By Dana Neff

On July 12, Dave and Cookie Wiebe were commissioned to a four-year term of service in India.

That evening, the outreach commission sponsored a swim party at the Newton Public Pool.

Staff from Ellsworth Correctional Facility, whose inmates completed the renovation of our sanctuary pews, shared July 26 at our celebration of the completion of the sanctuary renovation project. We received an offering of $900 for the ECF Spiritual Life Center. We sent a thank-you card to the inmates who did the work on our pews.

The FMC youth group spent Aug. 2-9 on their mission trip to the Serving With Appalachian People program in Harlan, Ky., where they did home repair work. The youth shared on Aug. 16 about their trip.

Also on Aug. 16, we commissioned Rebecca Epp for a year of service with the Radical Journey program in Australia. That evening, five who spent last year in short-term mission assignments shared their experiences. Creigh Bartel spoke about his service in Israel with REACH, Amy Goering about her MDS work in Louisiana and Texas, Ruth Wiens about her service in West Virginia with Service Adventure, and Sheralynn Neff and Rachel Goering about their work with Radical Journey in Brazil and England, respectively.

On Aug. 30, we commissioned our Sunday school and church family night teachers. Pastor Gordon Scoville also began a 10-sermon series on things that prevent us from receiving God’s vision.

FMC member Dewayne Pauls was named the 2009 Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Wedding: Rachel Regier and Christopher Pardee, Aug. 22.

Thomas Fleming, 90, died July 14. Survivors: wife, Rosella; two sons, Gary and Roger Fleming; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Leonard Buller, 96, died Aug. 17. Survivors: sons Paul and John Buller.

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