DownloadFeb. 8 issue
Core beliefs
First Mennonite Church, Iowa City, Iowa
By Margalea WarnerOn Nov. 1, we celebrated All Saints Day by reflecting on faith mentors who have passed on, so great a cloud of witnesses.
Pastors Bob and Mag Richer Smith returned from sabbatical that week.
Bob and Mag offered a six-week class on Anabaptist/Mennonite core beliefs and practices during the education hour. Willie Yoder photographed the entire congregation during a worship service so that the group picture could be shared with Micah and Charlotte Shristi’s congregation in Nepal. Lonnie Bartel spent 10 days in a fellowship and work team in Ecuador. Kevin and Maria Kummer led Intervarsity Grad Fellowship in a week of events themed “Jesus and Justice” with focus on opposing human trafficking. Sarah MacDonald, a Christian Peacemaker Teams volunteer from our congregation in Palestine, was beaten by Israeli settlers while accompanying a Palestinian family on their way home. Paul Wiebe continues to make visits to India to aid a construction project at a Bible college.
Our Advent theme was “Lift Your Head in Wonder.” We were invited to take time to wonder about God’s coming to be with us in the days leading up to Christmas. Worship visuals included sparkling stars and spinning orbs. Christine Rumsey contributed her artistry in an Advent reflection guide. Households took home candles to light in prayer.
The children presented a Christmas pageant written by Rhonda Miller and her third-grade daughter Zoe. On Christmas Eve we lit candles, sang carols and celebrated the birth. On Dec. 27, Mark Gingerich, Jason Ropp, Dianne Brenneman and Margalea Warner reflected on experiences of meeting the Christ here and now. Our Advent project was to prepare 60 MCC relief kits for Afghanistan.
Bill Kraemer, 87, died Dec. 24.
Comments
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This sounds all very Catholic.
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