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August 2 – election day here in Kansas. This morning I decided to walk to our polling site at the State fairgrounds. Our daughter is volunteering as an election worker there today and since one of our vehicles is at the mechanic I needed to pick up the car from her. And, it was really nice to get a good walk in before sitting down at my desk here at the church! As I walked I had some snippets of encouragement and challenge spoken at this past weekend’s Western District Conference running through my head.
On Friday evening, Conference Minister Heidi Regier Kreider preached on the scripture for the weekend from Hebrews 10:19-25. In particular, she focused on verses 24 and 25: “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another….” And within these phrases, honed in on the verb translated here as ‘stir up’ but that could also be translated ‘provoke.’ There is the sense of the way we ‘sharpen’ each other through interaction, connection, honest conversation, encouragement, and more. We know how difficult this work is, and how easy it is to cease ‘meeting together.’
Walking to vote this morning reminded me of a different kind of provoking of each other fostered by the political process we are immersed in right now: a provoking to hatred and hostility, and even violence born out of deep fear and distrust of each other’s intentions and motivations.
And so I wondered as I walked: how do we, as followers of Jesus, allow Jesus himself to shape us into sharpening tools provoking ourselves and others to love and good works rather than the ever-ready tools around us of hatred, mistrust, hostility and fear? I suspect in the coming months and years we’ll have ample opportunity to wrestle with this question and to provoke each other toward answers rooted in the love and good works possible because of the Risen Christ walking with us and guiding us on the way.
Paul’s words in Romans 5:1-5 help provide perspective and hope on this “Jesus following” journey we are on, in which we not only hold onto our belief in Jesus but allow Jesus to shape the direction and content of our daily living:
Since we have been acquitted and made right through faith, we are able to experience true and lasting peace with God through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King. 2 Jesus leads us into a place of radical grace where we are able to celebrate the hope of experiencing God’s glory. 3 And that’s not all. We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer we develop endurance, 4 which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. 5 And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love. (The Voice)
- Pastor Tonya
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!
COVID-19 case increase prompts suggestions for safety for ourselves and others
CMT affirms these recommendations offered by the CDC: Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Get tested if you have symptoms. Wear a mask if you have symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19. Wear a mask on public transportation. You may choose to wear a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect yourself and others. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and taking additional precautions.
FELLOWSHIP TIME is on hold for the month of August. We will return to regular fellowship time in September when our regular Sunday School schedule resumes.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7: FACES OF OUR FAITH: Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego
Daniel 3
Micah Wenger Peace Essay
Sending blessing for Micah Wenger, and prayers for our college students
- Preacher: Pastor Tonya Ramer Wenger
- Worship Leader: Calvin Buller
- Children’s Time: Senior Youth
- Scripture Reader: TBD
- Organist: Pauline Buller
- Ushers: Dennis & Jennalee Boggs
- Nursery Attendant: Susan Combs
- Sound Tech: Micah Wenger
- Live Stream Tech: Jonathan Wenger
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
During each worship service, you are invited to text your prayer joys and concerns – usually to Pastor Tonya. 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
- August 4 – Service and Outreach Coordination Team, 3:00pm
- August 4 – Faith Formation Coordination Team, 4:00pm
- August 7 – Potluck after worship for FMC Families with children/youth
- August 10 – Followup discussion of MC USA resolutions considered at delegate assembly in May, 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall
- August 14 – Blessing of Backpacks in worship (Back to School!) – bring your backpacks!
- August 18 – Congregational Ministry Team (CMT), 3:00pm
- August 21 – Senior Youth Kick-off @ Camp Mennoscah (afternoon-early evening)
- August 28 – M&M Kick Off @ 11:00am, after worship
FMC CENTENNIAL . . . LightHouse Service Day and Giving Opportunities
The Centennial Committee of FMC is hosting a service day at LightHouse on Saturday, August 13, from 8:00 to around 2:00. The address is 1005 N. Washington. We will be setting cabinets, hanging doors, exterior painting and caulking. Richard Hooper will be supervising us. Tools are provided unless you prefer to bring your own. Bring your own water container. Lunch will be provided. If you are interested in helping, contact Russ Gaeddert at 620-200-2985. Thank you for considering!
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 + A NEW INVITATION!
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 invites us into stories of those often overlooked in our Biblical narratives, and to consider those in our own lives who have been the ‘faces of our faith.’
There’s a wonderful collection of names hanging in our foyer on the interactive visual display. As I read those names recently, I felt a lot of curiosity about the stories behind those names as I’m sure each one has its own well of memory and meaning. SO … I want to invite any of you to send me a sentence or two or three (or a couple paragraphs) telling more about how it is this person shaped your faith, describing the ‘face of faith’ they showed you. If there are some willing to share stories, I’d like to include them (with your permission!) in our “Faith Formation” worship service in September. This is the Sunday we bless our Sunday School teachers and dedicate Bibles for any kindergarteners, 3rd graders, and 7th graders in our congregation.
UPCOMING WORSHIP SCHEDULE:
August 7 – Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego (Daniel 3) Pastor Tonya preaching
- Micah Wenger’s Peace Essay
- Sending blessing for Micah’s Service Adventure term
- Sr Youth brief sharing about their recent backpacking trip
WORSHIP BEGINNING AUGUST 14 … LIVING AS CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM
“But our citizenship is in heaven,
and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Phil 3:20)
“You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.” (Mt 5:13a, 14a)
The last three Sundays in August our worship themes will center around questions of what it looks like to live as citizens in God’s Kingdom. On August 14 Pastor Tonya will pull together themes from her experience of participating in local (Western District Conference), national (MC USA) and transnational (Mennonite World Conference) gatherings of Anabaptists. She’ll also share some learnings from ideas and themes covered a small book written by Cesar Garcia who is General Secretary of Mennonite World Conference. The book is part of Menno Media’s The Jesus Way: Small Books of Radical Faith series and is titled: What is God’s Kingdom and What Does Citizenship Look Like? On August 21 and 28 Pastor Tonya will continue exploring themes of living as citizens in God’s kingdom.
August 14 – Faces of Our Faith: Our extended Anabaptist Faith Family Living as Citizens of God’s Kingdom: Reflections from gatherings of Western District Conference, Mennonite Church USA, and Mennonite World Conference
+ Blessing of the Backpacks (Back to school: bring your backpacks to worship!!)
+ Sending blessing for Michaela Esau and her upcoming MVS assignment in Tucson AZ
August 21 – Citizens of God’s Kingdom as Light: Relationships, Economics, Conflict
August 28 – Citizens of God’s Kingdom as Salt: How Christians Influence Societies
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.
August 14 and 28
The children’s group will gather in the fellowship hall from 11-Noon on the dates listed above. Senior Youth, check with Jonathan Wenger or Tanya Martin Nisly for youth group plans on these Sundays.
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.
AUGUST 9 – ECUMENICAL SING AND MEDITATIVE PRAYER SERVICE
All are invited to this in person only service, a variation of Taize-style gatherings, at FMC on Tuesday August 9, 2022 at 6:30pm. The service is hosted by Bobye Montonye and friends.
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.
STRENGTHENING Community Connections…
AUGUST 10 – FOLLOW UP TO MC USA SPECIAL DELEGATE SESSION
Join your delegates to the MC USA May Special Delegate session (Pauline Buller, Pastor Tonya, Micah Wenger) for a follow up conversation on the resolutions considered at that session. We’ll gather at 7:00pm, cookies/drinks and childcare provided. We are looking for volunteers to provide childcare during the conversation – please contact Pastor Tonya.
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 (leaving August 27). Micah will be with Service Adventure in Colorado Springs, CO (leaving August 13). We will be sending them both off in August (Micah on August 7 and Michaela on August 14) with our prayers and blessings.
THANK YOU to all who have donated financially to support their service terms. You can still do so if you wish, either through the church, directly to Mennonite Mission Network, or on their personal fundraising pages:
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
- Tuesday and Thursday 9:00am – 2:00pm
- Wednesday – 10:00am – 1:00pm
PASTOR TONYA’S HOURS/SCHEDULE
- Monday: Sabbath Day
- Tuesday-Friday: generally working 9:00am-5:30pm
- Office Hours: 9-2 Tuesday and Thursday; 10-1 on Wednesday
- Available other times by appointment.
- Available evenings and weekends (cell phone is most reliable)
STRETCHING to Serve as Christ Served…
SOUP KITCHEN MINISTRY
A BIG THANK YOU to Juliet Nisly who has been helping provide leadership to this ministry, along with Sadie and Kevin Nisly. Juliet is heading off to college in August so will no longer be able to participate. Sadie and Kevin would welcome another individual or family to help oversee this every other month service project – please contact one of them, or Pastor Tonya, if you are interested.
SUNDAY MORNING DONATIONS FOR RENO COUNTY FOOD BANK – AUGUST . . . Peanut Butter.
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.
WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE announcements
Fall Book Study on Healing Haunted Histories – Sept. 8-Dec. 1, 2022 – Elaine Enns, co-author of Healing Haunted Histories: A Settler Discipleship of Decolonization, will be leading an online, intensive book study this fall for the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition. Two-hour sessions will be every other Thursday, 6-8 pm Central Time, on Sept 8 and 22, Oct 6 and 20, Nov 3 and 17, and Dec 1. This book encourages personal and collective work toward decolonization. It asks those of us who are settlers, immigrants and displaced peoples to do our own pre-work of integrating our ancestral stories, so we can see more clearly and show up in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. Click here https://mennowdc.org/fall-book-study-on-healing-haunted-histories/
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) announcements
Thank you for your generous donations of school supplies to fill school bags for MCC. The children’s Sunday School filled 30 complete bags on Sunday, along with some partially filled bags.
CAMP MENNOSCAH announcements
Canceled — Camp Sing planned for August 6!
Work & Play Day on August 20! Camp Mennoscah has projects to complete and plenty to do after a busy, fun summer. You are invited to be part of this camping ministry through fellowship and service! Projects for all ages and weather are available. Let us know you’re coming so we can be prepared for you! Bring your lunch and a water bottle. The day will start at 8:30 at the maintenance shed. End your day with a leisurely kayak ride or stroll to the sandbar. Contact Olivia at 620-297-3290 or olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org to sign up. Want to volunteer either before or after August 20? Give us a call!
EVERENCE® announces August Medicare workshop date
Everence will hold its popular Medicare workshop at its office in North Newton on Tuesday, Aug 9 at 6:30 p.m. Topics will include, when and where to sign up for Medicare, what Medicare covers, plus an explanation of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.
The in-person workshop will be held at the Everence office: 3179 N. Main St. Suite 1B, North Newton. Those interested in attending should contact the Everence office at 316-283-3800, 877-467-7294 or central.kansas@everence.com.