Scripture:Ephesians 1:17-19

Right Click to Download: 05-05-2013

Scripture:Acts 16:6-15

Right Click to Download: 05-05-2013

Scripture:John 13:34-35

Right Click to Download: 04-28-2013

Hannah Circle – 10:00 AM Wednesday, May 1^st, at Rose Helmer’s house.

Deborah Circle – 1:00 PM Wednesday, May 1^st, in the Fellowship Hall.

Choir Practice – 6:30 PM Wednesday, May 1^st, 8^th and 15^th.  The choir will be on summer hiatus from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Church Women United May Friendship Day Lunch – 12:15 PM Friday, May 3^rd, at Salem United Methodist Church (120 Sheboygan Street).

MBW Spring Tea – 1:30 PM Saturday, May 4^th, in the Fellowship Hall.  Women and girls of all ages are encouraged to attend!

Sunday School – 9:00 AM every Sunday except May 26^th.  Classes will not meet Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Worship – 10:00 AM every Sunday in the Sanctuary.  On May 5^th, we will celebrate Communion and an offering will be taken for the Fondy Food Pantry, which provides groceries for families in need in the community.

Prayer Group – 4:30 PM Wednesday, May 8^th, at the McKees’.

Yard Sale Planning Meeting – 6:00 PM Wednesday, May 8^th, at church.

Youth Group – 6:30 PM Wednesday, May 12^th and 26^th.  On May 12^th, the group will share a meal.

Men’s Breakfast – 8:30 AM Saturday, May 18^th, in the Fellowship Hall.  Sign up on the bulletin board in the entryway so the host knows how much food to prepare.

Pentecost – Sunday, May 19^th.  On Pentecost, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church.  You can read about Pentecost in Acts 2.

Community Pentecost Service – 3:00 PM Sunday, May 19^th, at Ascension Lutheran Church (901 County Road V).  This simple service will consist of hearing the Pentecost story from Acts 2 and then listening to a handful of other scriptures in various languages.  There will also be some time for prayer and singing.  If you can speak or read in a foreign language, please talk to Pastor Brian if you would be willing to serve as a reader at this service.

Memorial Day – Monday May 27^th.  The church office will be closed in honor of the holiday.

Joyful Noise Practice – 6:30 PM Wednesday, May 29^th, in the Sanctuary.

Wanted: Old Shoes – A group of students from Fondy is collecting used athletic shoes to take to kids in El Salvador.  Shoes may be dropped off at the church office, where they will be picked up before the mission trip in July.

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing.

Give me your love for humanity.

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

Ones that are far beyond my reach.

Give me your heart for the ones forgotten.

Give me your eyes so I can see.

“Give Me Your Eyes”, by Brandon Heath

Sometimes it’s so hard to see what’s right in front of us.  A friend and colleague told me a story a while back that’s been percolating in the back of my mind ever since.  It’s a story about a church that recognized a need in their community for a food ministry.  Significantly, they didn’t try to just do it by themselves, but found partners in the community to share in the ministry.  It’s been a great way for all of them to experience and share God’s love and connect with the community.

Yet, as almost always happens in the midst of reaching out and caring for people, we find that people and needs don’t fit neatly into the processes and preconceptions we bring into the mission.  In this case, it was something relatively minor: as this food ministry took root, they found that people started coming early to get in line.  If you’ve ever driven down Division Street in Fond du Lac on a Friday afternoon, you can identify with what this congregation was experiencing…

The part of the story which caught my attention was the response to the people who came early.  For some of the leadership, the issue was how to discourage people from showing up early, or whether to limit who was being served to the people in their immediate geographical area.  It’s understandable; they had an idea of how things should go, and this was creating a stress.  And one of our first reactions to things that stress us is to figure out how to make it go away.

At the same time, what they saw as a problem was also an opportunity – an opportunity to get to know these folks, to spend some time with them, to build relationship and even possibly see God open up new ministries.  How often do churches long to see more people on Sunday morning, but miss other opportunities to connect through the week?

The story stuck with me not because it is something that is so very common to us all – in what we do as a church or as individuals.  We may be doing good things, but we can get a kind of tunnel vision that causes us to forget why we do what we do, and missing things that God wants to show us or invite us into along the way.

What’s the answer?   I’m convinced that part of it is continually remembering why we do what we do; not getting so preoccupied with the method that we forget it’s God’s mission and God’s love that sends us out.  To do that requires prayer and the recognition that walking in faith isn’t about having our heads in the clouds, it’s about opening our lives for God’s presence and direction in the present, mundane, ordinary things we do.  It’s about remembering that opportunities are present in the things that challenge us.

Blessings on the journey,

Pastor Brian

The programs developed include pastoral and management training, lay preacher training, women’s and youth ministries, back yard Bible studies, first aid courses, and computer training.  The emphasis is placed on developing a long term relationship between the churches involved.  For the US churches, the relationship is further strengthened when the US visiting group sponsors an overseas leader or representative for a 2-6 week visit to the US.  By speaking at women’s functions, Sunday services and youth meetings etc, the overseas representative brings new perspectives and helps to strengthen the bond between two countries, and the children of God.  Debbie writes:

“At the Banjara Development Trust in Hanamakonda, India, I participated in the Children’s Day program at the William Carey School.  The last time I visited them, many of the classrooms were three-sided rooms, open to monsoon rains.  The rest of the classes were held in buildings built around 1910.  The new facility is designed so that programs can be conducted on the porch, making it possible for the bulk of the construction money to be used for desperately needed classrooms.  There are about 400 students from low income families now enrolled in the school, most are Hindu and many are orphans.

“Nellore is the hub of the area where ABC targeted funds for helping with Tsunami recovery in 2004.  We were able to participate in the dedication of a new church in the area, and also in the baptism of 11 new believers.

“Balasore continues to have problems with Hindu persecution of Christians.  They have an active women’s group operating medical camps every 3-5 weeks in the jungle. Free medications were delivered as prescribed by the doctor.  A lunch of rice and boiled vegetable was served to about 300 people.  The women presented “object lessons” about the love of God to the people, and led praise songs.  Free used clothing and shoes were distributed.  The cost of all of this was about $120, including paying the doctor and paying for the meds.  White Cross funds make a difference at medical camps like this one.”

As our season draws to a close, please continue to pray for students, teachers, helpers, snack providers, and nursery workers.  The work of all of these people is greatly appreciated!

 Caroline Overzet,

Education Ministry Team Leader

Eight different denominations participate in One Great Hour of Sharing annually.  While specific allocations differ in each denomination, all use their One Great Hour of Sharing funds to make possible disaster relief, refugee assistance, development aid and more.

We will be receiving the One Great Hour of Sharing offering during the month of May.  Check your weekly bulletin to learn more about how we can bring joy to ourselves, others, and God by sharing!

What sometimes hinders my prayers is memories of those dark days and my mind asking me questions like, “Why are YOU praying?  What do you want from God?  What would God want to do with you?”  I examine and reexamine my motives sometimes to the point that in trying to have a true relationship with God I end up with none trying to be perfect.  I called Pastor about my doubts and in conversation with him, God showed me a noteworthy truth for anyone else who feels that they are not good enough for God: It is like we are all three year olds who proudly give our Father a picture we drew.  It’s not perfect, but God doesn’t expect it to be.  He loves it because we, his children gave it to him because he loves us and he, like a good parent, displays it on the refrigerator proudly.  It’s the same with our prayers and praises.  They may not be perfect.  Our motives may not even be perfect, but he loves them because they come from us.  Of course God is not satisfied with a 3-year-old’s tree drawn by a fourth year art student because he knows that that child can do more and better and he does expect the best, but this is because he wants the best for us like any good Parent and he loves us not because he is looking for a reason to reject us.  He loves what we do, the pictures that we draw for him, even if they and we are not perfect because he loves each and every one of us.  A comforting thought to an aspiring young artist such as myself…

Lisa Ludwig

Scripture: Acts 5:27-32

Right Click to Download: 04-07-2013