DownloadFeb. 8 issue
Friends new and old
Chicago Community Mennonite Church
By Mallory K. DigninWe celebrated the Christmas season with fellowship and worship. The annual cookie decorating party Dec. 13, hosted by Fred and Rosalyn Kniss, offered a chance to connect with friends new and old, including the Dyrst family, just returning from their MCC term in Mexico.
Our Longest Night Service, Dec. 20, confronted some of the pain that the Christmas season can bring. The service addressed how the loss of loved ones, poor health and broken relationships can make Christmas a difficult time for many. We followed this service with a hymn sing at a nearby retirement community, Heritage Woods.
We had the opportunity to join Christian Peacemaker Teams for several events in December. The first was a peace rally downtown Dec. 2, after President Obama’s announcement to increase troops in Afghanistan. The CPT Chicago office moved to their new building Dec. 5 with the help of a large group of volunteers, including members of CCMC.
To mark the start of the new liturgical year, members gathered Jan. 6 to read aloud the Gospel of Luke. In our weekly worship, we will hear Luke read in bits and pieces through the coming year. This reading allowed us to hear the gospel in its entirety, as many early Christians would have.
Bettina Ortiz shared her spiritual journey Dec. 13 during education hour. She told of her late-term ovarian cancer diagnosis and outliving the doctors’ predictions. Bettina also reaffirmed the commitment she voiced Oct. 11 when she became a member through transfer — to commit the rest of her life to living for God.
Wedding anniversary: Laura Hostetler and Mark Liechty, 25th, Dec. 20.
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