THIS WEEK @ FMC — September 7-13, 2022

The “Season of Creation”has begun!!  This is a season set aside to encourage Christians around the world to pray for the earth and take action to protect this holy gift we’ve been given.  The season officially began on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of the Earth, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. 

This past Sunday we at First Mennonite observed just one Sunday in this ‘season.’ However, I want to take the opportunity to send you to two different websites to encourage you to continue your own exploration of how your call as a disciple of Jesus connects to the ways you care for God’s earth.

The first is Creation Justice Ministries.  Here’s the link to their website: creationjustice.org.  And, here’s a link to a blog post about their Season of Creation theme: Sacred Lands, Sacred Waters.

The second is Take the Jump – a super practical website focused on taking one or more of ‘6 shifts to protect our earth and live with joy”:

            End Clutter – keep products for at least 7 years

            Travel Fresh – if you can, no personal vehicles

            Eat Green – a plant based diet – no waste, healthy amounts

            Dress Retro – three new items of clothing per year

            Holiday Local – one flight every three years

Change the System – at least one life shift to nudge the system toward cleaner energy

I admit I find most of these really challenging; yet it is helpful to see in print some “clear, constructive, impactful and doable” actions we could take that would make a difference if we worked at them together.  You can read more details about each of these, and sign up to participate, on their website:  takethejump.org

Finally, a Blessing written by Kathy Galloway which I read on the Wild Goose Facebook page.  It comes from the book Living Faithfully in the Time of Creation by Kathy Galloway & Katharine M Preston.

Let us go out giving thanks for the good earth.

Blessed be God forever.

Let us go out in unity with all who seek to preserve the earth.

Blessed be God forever.

Let us go out in the conviction that change is possible

and climate disaster is not inevitable.

Blessed be God forever.

And the blessing of God the Creator, Christ the Redeemer and the Spirit,

the Sustainer of all life,

be with us, and with all the peoples of the earth, now and always.

Amen.    —Kathy Galloway

    Pastor Tonya

SUNDAY MORNING Worship at 9:30am 

The link to join is on our website: www.hutchfmc.org  Join 5 minutes early for 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 with drinks returns on September 11

Enjoy drinks and fellowship following the worship service beginning on September 11, when our regular Sunday School schedule resumes.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11:  Faith Formation Sunday/Bible Dedication & Re-Member:  God Remembers (Genesis 6:5-22, 8:6-12, 9:8-17)

• Preacher: Pastor Tonya
• Worship Leader: Maggie Goering
• Children’s Time:  Susan Combs
• Scripture Reader:  Nick Krehbiel
• Organist: Pauline Buller
• Ushers: Susan Combs, Joretta Martens
• Nursery Attendant: Kevin and Tanya Martin Nisly
• Sound Tech: Adam Pounds
• 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. 

OFFERINGS

We welcome, and are grateful for, your financial donations to our ministry here in Hutchinson.  Instead of collecting an offering during worship, an offering plate is placed at the back of the sanctuary for your Sunday morning donations.  You are also welcome to send a check to 52 Rambler Rd Hutchinson KS 67502. 

CALENDAR – LOOKING AHEAD

• September 7 – Congregational Ministry Team & Coordination Teams gathering, 7:00pm
• September 11 – Bible Dedication Sunday for Kindergarten, 3^rd grade, and 7^th grade!
• September 11 or 18 – Guess Who’s Coming to the Yard?  5:30pm (must sign up by Sept 4!)
• September 18 – MISSION & PEACE SUNDAY with Eldon & Jane Wagler (Mennonite Central
• Committee)
• September 24 – FMC serves at the Soup Ministry (sign up to help on the “Sign Up” board)

WANTED: FMC MEMORABILIA . . . FMC CENTENNIAL MEMORY MUSEUM

As we prepare for our church’s 100-year celebration (Oct 22-23), we are wanting to set up a display of FMC Memorabilia. Please check your closets, bookshelves, filing cabinets, drawers, attics, etc. for items that highlight life at FMC over the years! Treasures may include (but are not limited to): caps, t-shirts, hymnals, pictorial directories, wedding attire (if you were married at FMC), bulletins, Sunday school materials, etc. We plan to have these items on display throughout the celebration weekend. Please contact Marlene Thode or Jean Gaeddert if you have items available for this Memory Museum display. Thank you. 

FMC CENTENNIAL . . . LightHouse Service Day and Giving Opportunities

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 winter.

OCTOBER WNAF (Wednesday Nights at First) + 1 SUNDAY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION EVENTS

OCT 5  Dale Schrag: Anabaptist Streams Converging in Central KS

• 5:30-6:15pm Dinner
• 6:20-7:20pm Program

OCT 9 (Sunday) LeRoy Esau and John Esau: Hymn Sing-Along

• 3:30pm Sing-Along in the sanctuary
• Refreshments following

OCT 12  June Galle Krehbiel, Bonnie Swenson & Delon Martens, reflecting on the making of our 100^th anniversary history book: Arms Wide Open

• 5:30-6:15pm Dinner
• 6:20-7:20pm Program
• 7:30-8:39pm Choir Rehearsal (for Oct 23 Centennial Worship Service)

• 5:30-6:15pm Dinner
• 6:20-7:20pm Program
• 7:30-8:39pm Choir Rehearsal (for Oct 23 Centennial Worship Service)

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WEEKEND SCHEDULE – OCTOBER 22-23, 2022

RSVP BY OCTOBER 1 ON OUR WEBSITE: https://hutchfmc.org/fmc-centennial-celebration/

Questions? Email centennial@hutchfmc.org or call the church office 620-662-9385

SATURDAY OCT 22

2:00-3:30  Open House at LightHouse (1005 N Washington Hutchinson KS)

2:30 Dedication & Blessing at LightHouse: 

3:00-5:00pm Cookies and Activities for All Ages at First Mennonite (52 Rambler Rd)

• Outside: games and activities for the young and young at heart
• Inside: Memorabilia Museum of historical items to peruse; purchase your copy of the new 100^th anniversary history book; sit and visit with old and new friends; and more!

5:30pm Borscht Supper begins in the basement fellowship hall (RSVP by Oct 1)

SUNDAY OCT 23

            8:30am Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary

            9:30am WORSHIP Arms Wide Open – Set Free to Serve & Love One Another (Gal 5:13-14)

                Former and present pastors will share a scripture and prayer of blessing for First Mennonite

                Centennial Choir sings

            11:00am Fellowship & Transition to Potluck Lunch in the basement fellowship hall

            11:30am Potluck Lunch begins  (RSVP by Oct 1)

               Meat provided; local participants, please bring large side dishes and desserts to share

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…

WORSHIP SEPT 11 – FAITH FORMATION SUNDAY & “RE-MEMBER” SERIES BEGINS

Our annual Faith Formation Sunday includes a blessing of our Sunday School teachers and dedication of Bibles to our Kindergarten, 3^rd, and 7^th graders.  Pastor Tonya still welcomes any “Faces of our Faith” stories she can share!  This Sunday also marks the beginning of the Narrative Lectionary (NL). This schedule of scripture readings begins on September 11, following the big story of God in scripture all the way from Genesis to Acts, culminating with Pentecost on May 28, 2023.  This Sept-October we’ll be using worship resources created by Worship-Well titled Re-Member.  

On September 11 our theme is GOD REMEMBERS, based on Genesis 6:5-22, 8:6-12, 9:8-17. 

This series picks up on repeated references in the fall NL texts to remembering:  on God’s part, on the part of God’s chosen people, and those they imagined would some day hear their stories.  This series invites us to explore the divine and human experience of remembering and forgetting in Scripture while we also remember and celebrate our congregation’s 100^th Anniversary on Oct 22-23, 2022! May our remembering of old, old stories this fall “…invite us to recall and regard and reassemble them and ourselves in new ways  – ways that shine lights on, and open paths through our current moment in history.” (Worship-Well OVERVIEW)

WORSHIP SEPTEMBER 18-OCTOBER 16, 2022

September 25: Re-Member: ABRAHAM FORGETS (Genesis 12:1-17)

 October 9: Re-Member: MOSES REMINDS OTHERS (Exodus 19:1-9; Leviticus 26:40-45)

 October 16: Re-Member: IT WILL BE EASY TO FORGET (Deuteronomy 8:11-19)

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.     

FALL WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL RESUMES SEPT 11 @ 11:00AM

**ONE MORE TEACHER IS NEEDED FOR PRESCHOOL & GRADE SCHOOL!!**  You would be part of a rotation, could choose your dates, and benefit from easy to use Anabaptist based curriculum.  And we have most wonderful children who will surely be a blessing to you!

Preschool-5^th Grade: SHINE! Curriculum:  Fall of a Kingdom

• Preschool-Kindergarten (basement – rooms 1&2)
• 1^st-5^th (basement – rooms 5&6)

6^th-8^th (upstairs to the right)

Senior Youth: 9^th-12^th grade (upstairs to the left)

ADULTS:

“Younger Adults” Class meets in the adult education room in the basement.

UPPER ROOM and REJOICE! devotional magazines

REJOICE! and UPPER ROOM . . . new issues for September are available above the mailboxes.  Please let us know if you would like a copy mailed to you.                

LPC: Listening-Prayer-Conversation Groups BEGINNING January 2023

Pastor Tonya will be offering something new beginning January 2023 … an opportunity to participate in a monthly LPC group:  Listening. Prayer. Conversation.  The plan is for a once/month simply structured hour of listening to scripture and Spirit, praying with and without words, and conversation with God and others.

A fair number of folks responded positively to an initial email inquiry/announcement about this.  More details will be determined this fall, so stayed tuned!! Likely the group will be in person with the possibility of making it hybrid to accommodate some Zoom participants.  And Pastor Tonya is also open to doing a second group just on Zoom if there is enough interest.

STRENGTHENING Community Connections…

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO THE YARD? – SEPT 11 OR 18, 2022 @ 5:30PM

If you signed up to participate you can expect someone from the Faithful Community Coordination Team to contact you very soon with details!!

SERVICE TERMS for MICAH and MICHAELA

Micah Wenger (in Colorado Springs) and Michaela Esau (Tucson) are spending a year in service.  Continue to keep them in your prayers. Their new addresses are as follows:

• Micah Wenger, 605 Cooper Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
• Michaela Esau, 6046 East 30^th Street, Tucson, AZ 85711

To make a financial contribution for their support, designate your check in the church offering or access their fundraising pages:

• Micah    https://igfn.us/vf/SAColorado/MicahWenger 
• Michaela    https://igfn.us/vf/MVSTucson/MichaelaEsau

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 8:00am-5:30pm 
• “In 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)

**THIS WEEK Pastor Tonya will be taking her holiday on Friday (since the holiday fell on her day off)**

WDC WOMEN IN MISSION WOMEN’S RETREAT @ CAMP MENNOSCAH

We are cancelling the 2022 Women’s Retreat for Sept. 10-11, due to lack of enough registrations to make it feasible.  We needed at least 40-50 and had only 27, including committee members and seminar leaders.  Please inform your church members.  Any checks for registration already received will be returned.
Darlene Powers, for the WDWM Retreat Committee

STRETCHING to Serve as Christ Served…

FMC SERVES AT THE CHRISTIAN SOUP MINISTRY IN HUTCH ON SEPTEMBER 24.

Help is needed on September 24 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 24^th. A signup sheet is posted on the “Sign Up” bulletin board in the church foyer. Questions? Contact Kevin Martin Nisly or Sadie Nisly.

SUNDAY MORNING DONATIONS FOR RENO COUNTY FOOD BANK

SEPTEMBER: Canned Meat/Tuna

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.

MENNONITE FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITIES announcements

Position openings on mfc staff:  nursing positions on all levels, maintenance technician, dietary aides. Apply at www.mennofriend.com or call 620-663-7175.

OPEN DOOR PREGNANCY CARE CENTER INVITATION

You are invited to the Open Door Pregnancy Care Center’s 23^rd Annual Fall Fundraising Banquet. October 13, 2022 at 6:30pm.  Meadowlark Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson.  To register visit opendoorfriends.com or call 620-728-2229.

GOSPEL ECHOES TEAMS – BANQUET TUESDAY SEPT 27

The Gospel Echoes Teams will be holding their annual prison ministry banquet on Tuesday, Sept 27 at 6:30pm at Journey @ Yoder Activity Center, one mile north of Yoder at 3605 E Long View Rd. Haven KS. The

evening will include a home-style dinner, music and a prison ministry presentation.  For tickets contact: Dale and Miriam Lehman at 620-694-9823. 

CAMP MENNOSCAH announcements

Camp Mennoscah Annual Meeting and Dedication of the Renovated Campfire Amphitheater

Will be held on September 18!  Join us for an evening of song, popcorn, and generic pop, as well as updates and information on the year at Camp Mennoscah.  Time is yet to be determined.  (It’s like a mini-Camp Sing! Bring your friends for a happy sing-along.)

Fall Scrapbook and Crafts Retreat on Oct. 28-30!   

Crafters and scrapbookers are all invited to come for a weekend of creativity and friends.  Lodging will be in the Retreat Center and cropping/crafting will be in the Main Camp dining hall.  Space heaters will be available for both areas since the repairs for the furnaces will not be completed.  Register here!

CROP HUNGER WALK (Reno County), SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25!

You are invited to support the Reno County CROP Hunger Walk!  One quarter of funds donated will be shared by The Reno County Food Bank and the Christian Soup Ministry. Last year, each agency received
$1080! Church World Service (CWS) will use the rest globally, helping people start small livestock farms or dig wells for their communities. CWS also assists refugees from Ukraine and other nations. 

We are hoping at least some of our Mentors & Mentees will be able to participate in the walk this year, and others are also welcome to join in!  Come to Rice Park at 2 p.m., Sunday, September 25, as we “Walk with the World”!  On-site registration starts at 1:30 p.m. You can also register on-line.

If you would like to support this effort with a financial donation, you can:

1. Write a check to “CWS/CROP” and put our church’s name on the memo line.  Either put it in our offering at church by September 25 or send it by October 1 to Emanuel Lutheran Church, 140 E. 39th Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67502!
2. OR donate securely on-line at the Crop Hunger Walk website.  Click “donate,” then “General.”   https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/event/hutchinsonks

KANSAS COALITION AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY Do Justice.  Love Mercy.  

Panelists:

• Peter Goerzen, Professor of Bible and Religion, Bethel College
• Donna Schneweis, Board Chair, KCADP
• Ron Wurtz, Retired Federal Public Defender, First Director of the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit
• Katie Rose Friesen Birkey, Bethel College Student
• Steven Becker, Former District Court Judge 27th District/Kansas State Rep. District 104
• Wilma Loganbill, Murder Victim Family Member

Sponsored by:

• Bethel College Bible & Religion Dept.
• Kansas Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution
• Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty

BETHEL COLLEGE announcements

Sun., Sept. 11 – KIPCOR Film Series begins, with Generation 9/11, 2 p.m., Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center. Filmmaker Katherin Hervey tells the stories of an entire generation shaped by the events of 9/11 and the aftermath. Audience discussion follows the film screening.

“One and a Half Acres: Images from America’s Decommissioned Missile Silos,” photographs by Nate Hofer, now in the Regier Gallery in Luyken Fine Arts Center at Bethel College – through Thurs., Sept. 22 (closing reception Sept. 22). Gallery hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 2-4 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 16 – Bethel College guest recital, Spencer Myer, piano, 7 p.m., Administration Building chapel

Bethel College Women’s Association will appreciate donations of homemade baked goods for Market-in-the-Round at Fall Festival. Zwieback, cinnamon rolls, fruit pies, and poppyseed roll are especially needed. Please bring to Room 141 in Luyken Fine Arts Center 2-5pm on Friday Oct 7, or 7-9am on Saturday Oct 8. Email bcwa@bethelks.edu with questions.

Bethel College Fall Festival October 6-9, 2022:  For more than 50 years, Bethel College has celebrated education, diverse cultural traditions, special foods, fine arts, crafts and friendship at its annual Fall Festival, held each year on an extended weekend in late September or early October. More than 5,000 people come to Newton and the Bethel campus to enjoy an array of activities.  Check out our Fall Festival 2022 event on Facebook at Bethel College Kansas Alumni Association (https://fb.me/e/2uPob) or follow us on Twitter: @ThresherAlumni

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, Oct. 13, KIPCOR celebrates 50 years of Peace Lectures with Dr. Fania Davis, a leading national voice on Restorative Justice, speaking in Bethel College’s Memorial Hall.

EVERENCE® FINANCIAL WEBINARS starting September 14

Four consecutive Wednesdays at 2 and 8 p.m. Eastern time

• Sept. 14: Women, Wealth, and Well-being. Hear how a “Financial Checkup” can help you achieve a balance of emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness around your money habits.
• Sept. 21: The Dynamic Story of Stewardship Investing. Learn how Everence® is making a positive impact by incorporating faith and values into our investment options.
• Sept. 28: How to “ACE” your Financial Plan. Hear how a financial plan can help you align your life purpose with decisions about money. Become more confident in your financial future and maximize your charitable giving.
• Oct. 5: Retirement Readiness: Understanding your Income Options. You’ll hear sound ideas for generating a retirement income stream that lasts, including when to begin taking Social Security.

MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Excuse our mess! The work of making necessary repairs and reconfiguring spaces at the MCC building in North Newton continues to move forward, but if you’ve seen the building lately you can see the mess is getting bigger! Parking space is limited, but we are thankful for the donors and volunteers who continue to graciously adapt to the current challenges. Soon the new sewing room will be added, and we cannot wait to host more volunteers at MCC! We ask for your prayers and patience during this construction process so the important work of MCC can continue without undue interruption.

MCC Central States is hiring for two new positions, please consider applying today or passing these opportunities on to someone you know who has a passion for working in immigration!

Immigration Program Coordinator – Got experience with immigration, migration, and borderlands work? Love building multi-cultural relationships? This opportunity with MCC may be the one for you. Click through this link for more information and to apply.

Borderlands Program Coordinator – Join MCC and use your coordinating skills and knowledge of borderlands. Teach, connect, and work with MCC partners and asylum seekers in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Click through this link for more information and to apply.

Questions about either position? Please email claraswald@mcc.org or call 316.283.2720.

DYCK ARBORETUM OF THE PLAINS ANNOUNCEMENT

Season tickets for the 2022-23 Prairie Window Concert Series at the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains are available with an EARLY BIRD discount now through September 30. This year’s line-up includes Haymakers, Humbird, Goodnight Moonshine, John Fullbright, Lindsay Lou, The Barefoot Movement, The Small Glories and Bella White. Purchase tickets online at dyckarboretum.org or call 620-327-8127 to reserve your seats.  

The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains is a 29-acre public garden and arboretum, located in Hesston, Kansas and operates under the auspices of Hesston College. Its mission is to cultivate transformative relationships between people and the land.

THANK YOU FROM MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE

Thank you for your generous gift of $ 543.00 USD (via Western District Conference) for Mennonite World Conference’s core ministries supporting our Anabaptist faith community around the world.  Your contribution supports relationship-building across cultures, conferences and continents, in order to strengthen each church’s ministry in building up God’s kingdom here on earth. As Hebrews 10:24 says “Let us provoke one another to love and good deeds.” As members together in Mennonite World Conference, your contribution builds up the Body of Christ around the world.

As Bishop Simon Okoth from the Uganda Mennonite Church says, “It is good to be in a family where your voice is heard.” Together we are stronger. We support each other in times of trial and celebrate together in times of joy.

As churches face persecution, natural disasters, political turmoil and conflict, the presence and identification with the global Anabaptist church is an essential means of support, encouragement and resource to walk in the way of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and brother. Thank you for sharing your gifts and offering your prayers for the global church, and for your generous support of the MWC community.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need” (Romans 12:12).

In Christ, our peace,

Gerald Hildebrand

North American Regional Representative

Mennonite World Conference / Congreso Mundial Menonita / Conférence Mennonite Mondiale

www.mwc-cmm.org