Table of Contents
Isaiah 65:17-25 NRSV
For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD– and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent– its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.
When I long for our community to value all life with dignity, I reflect and pray on this passage. I thought about it during Anita’s sermon on Sunday, during my suicide prevention training today, and while I read news stories. I invite you to reflect on it also.
– Pastor Jim
NOTE: Our next THIS WEEK will post on July 12.
SUNDAY MORNING Worship In Person & Live Stream @ 9:30am
The link for Sunday morning worship (as well as archives of past worship services) is found on our website: www.hutchfmc.org! Join at 9:25am to see the announcements!
FELLOWSHIP TIME is back with coffee/tea/juice between Worship and Sunday School!!
A signup sheet is posted for you to sign up to host this social time.
SUNDAY, JULY 3: Faces of Our Faith: Eutychus
Acts 20:1-12
- Preacher: Pastor Jim Unruh
- Worship Leader: Star Gipson
- Scripture Reader: Yu’Nique Reed
- Children’s Time: DeAnna Goering
- Pianist: Peggy Stucky
- Ushers: Russ Wedel & Diane Ziemer
- Nursery Attendant: Cheryl Warkentin
- Sound Tech: Earl Ediger
- Live Stream Tech: Joel Iwashige
SUNDAY, JULY 10: Faces of Our Faith: Queen Vashti
Esther 1
- Preacher: Rebecca Shetler
- Worship Leader: Carol Moore
- Scripture Reader: Jennalee Boggs
- Children’s Time: Jean Gaeddert
- Pianist: Shelley Kauffman
- Ushers: Cheryl Warkentin & Marlene Thode
- Nursery Attendant: Julie Esau
- Sound Tech: Earl Ediger & Allen Yoder
- Live Stream Tech: Joel Iwashige
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
During these summer worship service, you are invited to text your prayer joys and concerns to Pastor Jim. You are also invited to send prayer joys & concerns during the week. The recording of our worship service is public, so let us know if you’d prefer your request to only be shared via email during the week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements are scrolled Sunday mornings before (beginning around 9:25) and after the worship service. There will be no spoken announcements unless there are pressing announcements that did not make it into the PowerPoint. Please send any announcements you’d like to have included to the church office by Thursday each week.
CALENDAR – LOOKING AHEAD
- June 15-July 12 – Pastor Tonya on vacation and at Mennonite World Conference
- July 5-10 – Mennonite World Conference in Indonesia
FMC CENTENNIAL . . . LightHouse Giving Opportunity
To date, the total raised for the LightHouse project is $26,875, which exceeds the goal we set of raising $22,000! Thank you for your tremendous generosity! The $22,000 will be used for construction costs and furnishings for the apartments. But we are not finished! More dollars are needed for ongoing maintenance needs, so your donations are still very much appreciated from now until October and beyond. As contractors complete their work, we anticipate inviting volunteers for painting, trim work, cabinet installation, floor work, etc. Interfaith’s goal is to have the building finished by sometime this fall or winter.
REMINDER: If you are last one out of the church building, be SURE the doors lock behind you when you leave. Go out, watch the doors latch, give both door handles a tug, and make sure they are locked! Thank you.
DEEPENING in Christ…
SUMMER 2022 WORSHIP – FACES OF OUR FAITH
Created by A Sanctified Art, our summer worship series will explore ordinary people of faith – those doing what they can with what they have to make a difference. The worship series invited us into stories of those often overlooked in our Biblical narratives. Using visual art and prompts for reflection (study journal pages are available for each character explored), we hope to dig deep into the worlds of these characters, entering their stories with curiosity and openness to what they might teach us. As we journey with these characters, may they remind us that we all play a role in shaping God’s story of redemption and grace. May they awaken us to the faces of our faith in our world today. And may they encourage us to know that no action is ever too small to make a difference.
As part of the series, we will invite you to think about and name the faces of your own faith and how they have impacted you. You might wish to name friends, family members, mentors, pastors, public figures, strangers, authors, musicians, or artists … anyone and everyone who has made a lasting impact on your faith. There will be an interactive visual display in the foyer where you can add names that come to your mind (as many as you wish!) at any point in the summer.
UPCOMING WORSHIP SCHEDULE:
July 3 – Eutychus (Acts 20:1-12) Pastor Jim preaching
July 10 – Queen Vashti (Esther 1) Rebecca Shetler preaching
PRAYER GROUPS
- A Prayer group meets Thursday mornings from 10-11am in the Prayer Room. All are welcome.
- A small ecumenical Centering Prayer group meets on Thursdays (in person @ FMC) from 12:30-1:30pm. If you’d like to learn more, contact Pastor Tonya.
SUNDAY SCHOOL @ 11:00am (TWO SUNDAYS A MONTH – SEE DATES BELOW)
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Sunday School will be offered for children (preschool-6th grade) on the SECOND and FOURTH Sundays during the summer from 11:00-Noon. The Younger Adults Class will meet at the same time as the children.
- July 10 and 24
- August 14 and 28
The children’s group will gather in the fellowship hall from 11-Noon on the dates listed above. Plans for Jr/Sr Youth are TBD – stay tuned!!
The two Adult Bible Study groups will take a break during the summer and begin again in the fall when weekly Sunday School for all ages will also resume.
UPPER ROOM and REJOICE! devotional magazines
REJOICE! and UPPER ROOM . . . new issues are available above the mailboxes. Please let us know if you would like a copy mailed to you.
MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE . . . Tuesday, July 5 – Sunday, July 12
Join the MWC Assembly Online!
With online registration you will get access to a virtual hub, the “home-base” of online Assembly. Through the hub you will enter into the virtual Assembly world. Here you can access daily plenaries as live stream. You can participate in hybrid and online workshops and discussions. You can follow Assembly on-site through vlogs and participate in a mixed online and on-site small group. There will be exhibits of MWC related organization, concerts, children and youth activities. Click here for program and registration information: Online Participation Details – MWC Assembly Indonesia 2022 (mwc-cmm.org)
STRENGTHENING Community Connections…
FMC YOUNG ADULTS PARTICIPATING IN MISSION NETWORK SERVICE PROGRAMS (FALL 2022)
This fall both Michaela Esau and Micah Wenger are participating in Mennonite Mission Network voluntary service programs. Michaela will be with Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) in Tucson AZ. Micah will be with Service Adventure in Colorado Springs, CO. We are asked as a congregation to provide various kinds of support for Michaela and Micah, including prayer and financial support. Each are asked to raise $4000 to help cover the costs of participation. If you would like to donate to either Michaela or Micah (or both!), you can:
- send a check to the church (note in the memo line who the donation is for),
- send a check to Mennonite Mission Network (718 N Main Street, Newton, KS 67114 … for Michaela put MVS and her name in the memo line; for Micah put SA and his name)
- or donate on their personal fundraising pages:
Micah https://igfn.us/vf/SAColorado/MicahWenger
Michaela https://igfn.us/vf/MVSTucson/MichaelaEsau
NEW VIDEO BLOG (VLOG) FROM PASTOR JIM
Check out Pastor Jim’s new Video Blog (also known as a Vlog) on our church website: https://hutchfmc.org/ (scroll all the way down to the bottom of the home page!).
You’ll also find past episodes of “Beautiful Salt City Podcast” in which Pastor Jim talks with people in our community to learn their life stories and to dream together for a future story for our beautiful salt city.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
- Tuesday and Thursday 9:00am – 2:00pm
- Wednesday – during Pastor Tonya’s absence, church offices will be closed on Wednesdays
PASTORAL CARE June 15-July 12 . . . please call Pastor Jim or Delon Martens
Pastor Tonya’s travel schedule: June 30-July 11 in Indonesia at Mennonite World Conference
STRETCHING to Serve as Christ Served…
SUNDAY MORNING DONATIONS FOR RENO COUNTY FOOD BANK – ITEM OF THE MONTH FOR JULY
. . . is Hamburger or Tuna Helper!
Personal care/hygiene items such as these are appreciated anytime: toilet paper, laundry detergent, bath soap, Kleenex, deodorant, disposable razors, paper towels, shampoo, dish soap, hand/body lotion, tooth paste and tooth brushes. Travel size – new & unopened – are desirable.
FMC SERVES AT THE CHRISTIAN SOUP MINISTRY IN HUTCH ON JULY 23
Help is needed on Saturday, July 23 to cook (starting around 2:00pm), to deliver meals around 4:00pm, and to serve the meal at 5:00pm. Donations of applesauce and salad greens are also requested. Bring to the church the Sunday before, or to the soup kitchen on the 23rd. A sign up sheet is posted on the “Sign Up” bulletin board in the church foyer. Questions? Contact Kevin Martin Nisly, Sadie Nisly, or Juliet Nisly.
WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE announcements
WDC annual assembly will be July 29-31! WDC delegates, friends, and their families will gather at Camp Copass, Denton, TX. There will be lots of time for recreation for all ages, as well as sharing around tables about faith issues in our conference, congregations, and in our lives. Join us! Delegates from FMC will be Carol Moore (virtual), Ken Neufeld (virtual), Tonya Ramer Wenger (in person) and Delon Martens (in person).
Building a Lasting Connection Relationship Retreat – Communication is key for a healthy and long-lasting relationship. During this 2-day retreat, couples will learn and practice skills together that promote healthy communication with one another in order to promote ways of effectively expressing hope, validating feelings, and navigating concerns together. While these skills are helpful for all people, this retreat will be geared toward couples who have been together for 10 years or under (married, engaged, or dating are all welcome). This retreat will be held at Camp Mennoscah and led by Katie Dyck (LCMFT) and Renee Reimer (WDC ordained pastor). For more info click here: https://mennowdc.org/building-a-lasting-connection-relationship-retreat/ A flier with more information is available on the table in the foyer.
KANSAS STATE FAIR VOLUNTEERS . . . info and form on the table in the foyer
The Kansas State Fair needs volunteers for a variety of positions. A list of jobs and sign-up forms are on the table in the foyer. Volunteers must be 16 or older and will receive free gate admission and food tickets.
BETHEL COLLEGE announcements
Life Enrichment returns to Bethel College with the start of the fall 2022 semester – but It will be on a different day. Life Enrichment resumes Thursday, Aug. 25, and will be on Thursdays thereafter. Place and time remain the same: Krehbiel Auditorium, 9:30 a.m. See https://www.bethelks.edu/academics/convocation-lectures/life-enrichment for more information, and look for a brochure coming later this summer.
CAMP MENNOSCAH announcements
‘Tis the Season for Mowers and String Trimmers! Camp Mennoscah is looking for people to help us keep the campgrounds trimmed and looking neat. Let us know when you would be able to mow or string trim! Call 620-297-3290 or email office@campmennoscah.org –we’ll get you scheduled!
MENNONITE CHURCH USA announcements
Special Session of the Delegate Assembly: What Now? . . . July 18, 2022, 6:00 CDT
The Delegate Assembly is over, and decisions have been made. What has changed? What does it mean for my conference, my congregation and me? What opportunities are there for us to live into our Renewed Commitments to “follow Jesus, witness to God’s peace and experience the transformation of the Holy Spirit”? This webinar is open to anyone. Register here: https://mcusa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A2PQJswhRVGqxGBG9KfezQ
Carolyn E. Yoder invites you to enter into her blog. In times that “try our souls,” it is easy to be tempted into the narrative that there is a good and a bad side. In her Menno Snapshots blog, Carolyn E. Yoder wrestles with what it means to be an Anabaptist in times like these. “These are the times that try our nonresistant/nonviolent souls. May they also be the times that accelerate the rising consciousness of another way to meet evil in the world.” Read more here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/times-that-try-our-souls
Mennonites Against Militarism – a collaboration of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Central Committee, U.S. – is seeking to launch an initiative to counter military recruitment of U.S. youth, called Alternatives to Military Enlistment Network (AMEN). AMEN invites interested volunteers to complete a brief survey that identifies areas in which they may engage with AMEN, including administration, web and graphic design, publicity, budgeting, fundraising and guidance/career counseling. Learn more here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/news/mennonites-against-militarism-seeks-volunteers/
Take the survey here: https://rb.gy/gbehlm
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) announcements
MCC in need of material resources – MCC is resuming shipments of material resources to Ukraine. Go to mcc.org/kits for information on needed supplies and drop-off locations.