2013 Bread and Broth Series
IWanted: Candlelighters
"Bread, Bath, and Beyond: What It Meant, Means, and Will
Mean to Be a Member of the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)" March 27, from 6-8 PM
The Candlelighter (Acolyte) has the most important role in our
worship services, as they are charged with bringing in the light of
Christ each and every Sunday.
Have you ever wondered about the history of our
denomination? Have you longed to know more about why we
are who we are and why your church so values diversity?
Have you ever wondered what the bedrock beliefs of the
Disciples church are, and how they affect our life together
today? You may also have wondered: do denominations
really matter? Are they important anymore, or are they a relic
of days gone by. Where is Christianity headed in the zr'
century? What will our church look like in 50 years? This
series hopes to give some answers (not all of them!) to these
questions and more. Join us for a series on denominational
identity, history and mission.
Acolytes must be no younger than entering second grade and no
older than entering fifth grade. Very, very responsible first
graders are also welcome, based upon their parent's consent and
how their parents believe they will handle fire.
If you are interested in fulfilling this role, please let Jennifer in the
office know.
Food Pantry Report
James 5:12
Because of your donations, the pantry is holding its own and I
thank you.
Our church is busy and it is so great to celebrate this Passover
with all of you. Invite someone you know.
We could use plastic grocery bags, canned fruit and toilet paper.
Love Rick
Hebrews4:12
Revelation 1:16
:.
I
Camp Time - YEAH!!
"' It is once again time to register for summer camps at Tall
Oaks. Forms are located on the back table in the gathering
hall. You may register on-line at www.TaIIOaks.org.click on
"Summer Camp". You will save $5 off your camp fee if you
register on-line. If you register on-line, PLEASE print out a
copy of your registration for me so I can keep track of who is
registered and for what camps. Everyone going to camp
needs a completed and notarized health form also. SFCC
pays for half of your camp fee so make your checks to our
church and pay half of the early bird amount if you get your
completed forms turned in by 4/14/2013.
If you have any
questions, please call Traci Burns at 816-813-3994 or e-rnail
her at [email protected]. Once again, you will see
many familiar faces at camp. I personally know the director of
Day Camp 1 and our Rev. Ryan is in charge of Chi Rho 2. I
hope everyone who is school age gets the chance to
experience Tall Oaks - it has changed the lives of many who
attend our church! Let me know if you have questions or
need help with forms.
IEaster Egg Hunt - March 24, 2013
I
Please join us this Sunday, March 24, after Church service for the
annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Cara would love some help on Sunday during Sunday School to
hide the eggs. If you have any at home that are filled please
return them to the church at your earliest convenience. Also,
there are still some that need to be filled that can be picked up in
Fellowship Hall.
CWF Meeting Date Changed
The March CWF meeting has been moved to April 4, a Thursday.
During Holy Week the Community Chorus will be performing at
our church on Tuesday, March 26. We plan to have our regular
April meeting on April 23.
LENTEN "MEAT FAST" WEEK 7: "I'm stuck in traffic,"- Death
and Holy Week
The call never comes when you expect it. This time, I was on a
treadmill, just starting to run, a little sweaty. "Ryan, Dad passed
away this morning." A quick jump off the treadmill, a stop at
home, and a change into better clothes. Then, the roads still
slick with ice and snow from the day before, I head towards the
hospital. I'm not fifteen minutes down the road when ...traffic.
Getting stuck in traffic causes you the terrible inconvenience of
being trapped with your own thoughts.
I had begun to write this article before Ann Darr passed me the
news of her father, my neighbor, Lester's death. As I began to
think about that beginning, I just knew it needed to wait: I kept
coming back to the thought of how strange and how fitting it is
that I start the biggest and busiest week of the pastoral year
with the death of a close friend.
Lester was my friend. He was one of the first people I met in
Smithville because he lives next door to the parsonage. On the
day I moved in, a blizzard was preparing to settle on our houses.
Lester trudged through freshly falling snow, up the front steps,
and walked right into my house without knocking to introduce
himself! From then on, he'd pull up to my house on Sunday
afternoons, right about the time I was laying down for a postliturgical nap, ready to talk about what had happened at church
that day. On days he couldn't make it to the door, he'd sit
outside and honk the horn of his truck until I came to talk.
Lester was a member of our church, too. In recent years, his
health kept him from attending too often, but he made it a point
to be present on Christmas Eve at the late service each year. In
those hushed moments, Lester's knees prohibited him from
making it to the front of the sanctuary for Communion. So, after
'ev'eryone was served, the elders and I would take the bread and
cup to him in the back parlor. Every time, he greeted me just as
he would if he had seen me working in the lawn, "Hello,
neighbor." Quietly, I'd respond, "Hello, neighbor. I brought you
communion." His response? Quickly grabbing a piece of bread,
he'd dip it in the cup with shaky fingers and then, looking into my
eyes, he said, "Thank you, neighbor." It was one of the most
sacred interchanges of my year:
Christ was in Lester, and Lester in Christ. When we shared that
communion moment each year, we acknowledged our continued
fulfillment of our faithful promise, to continue to "love your
neighbor as yourself." - 'This Friday, Good Friday, we'll bury two men. One is Jesus, and
the other was not only in Christ but also of Christ. We will
observe the important place that death holds in our lives. Death
causes us to count the losses of our lives, to run our fingers over
the physical and emotional scars that we bear, remembering the
names of the ones with whom so much of our lives have been
shared. Stories are recalled. Memories cherished. Lessons
learned recounted and remembered .
•
•
To skim over these days of Holy Week in favor of the joy of
Easter would be to sell short the important, life-shattering,
perspective-giving role that death plays in our lives.
Remember the words with which we started this season?
"From dust you came, and to dust you will return." We will
all know death, both as those who are left and those who
leave. This week is about recognizing the overwhelming
power of that grave, that threatens to take us down with
grief, mourning, darkness, isolation, and selfishness. Without
knowing this depth, we cannot know the power of the
resurrection which we'll experience this coming Sunday.
So what does all this have to do with my Lenten meat fast?
A few weeks ago before his health turned, Lester drove by
my home on a Thursday evening. He had invited me a few
times to go to Harmer's Restaurant in Edgerton with him to
eat fried chicken, but the details had never worked out for us
to go. This time, as he drove up, the details still weren't
lining up. "Hey neighbor, you ready to go to Harmer's and
eat fried chicken?" I responded with a grin and a laugh,
"Lester, I'm sorry, but I'm not eating meat during Lent."
Lester looked at me, "Oh yeah! I read about that in the
newsletter. Are you sure you can't just have a leg or
something?" "Yeah, Lester, I'm sure. I'm sorry." "Well, if you
change your mind, I'll save you a seat."
Keep saving that seat, Lester. Although I can wait to get
there, that doesn't mean I won't miss our Christmas Eve
moment next year. And I promise, by the time I do get there,
I'll be eating meat again.
"0 Grave, where is your Victory?
Corinthians 15:55
With thanksgiving,
Ryan
0 Death, your Sting?" 1
Our Prayer list: Joys and Concerns
Thanks for your help!!
...for Fred Snider who had a heart procedure last week at KU
Medical Center. The procedure was successful, and Fred will
return to KU Med in a few weeks for a valve replacement. Fred
is the father of Susan French.
morning,
Denney & I would like to thank those who came out on Saturday
Merideth,
3/23/13,
to
help
Phil & Kathy
clean
the
chuch.
French, Jim Ratliff,
& Cheryl
Argel
Barbara
McFadden,
Judy Clough, Linda Neer, Bev Darling, Marcia & Dan Hayes, Val &
...for the family of Lester Paul who
Monday morning of this week.
passed away early on
Ed Blosser we appreciate
all the help. Thank you for caring for our
church .
...for Margie Rawlings who had surgery last week to remove
several kidney stones. Margie is now recovering.
...for Carol Whitmer, friend of Marcia and Dan Hayes, who
continues to be in ICU in Salina, KS, and will likely be moved this
week to Wichita or Topeka.
...for Daniel "Little Man" Snook who continues to deal with
cancer and has recently had several unsuccessful procedures.
PATCH Opportunity
PATCH (Parents
on volunteers
and Their Children)
to transport
in the Chillicothe
Women's
children
is a program
that depends
to visit their mothers
who are
prison. There is a need for volunteers
in our area. If you would like more details or would like to serve in
...for the family of Elaine Stubbs, wife of Laurence Stubbs, who
passed away this last weekend.
...for Sondra Gunter who received disheartening news about her
prognosis. The doctors believe that Sondra is nearing the end of
her courageous battle.
...for Twyla Beldsoe and Shirley Hellyer, friends of Shirley
Kimsey who are awaiting the results of tests that were run this
week.
...for Herman White, friend of Shirley Kimsey, who has bone
cancer.
...for Kacey Ellwein who continues to recover from brain surgery .
...for Eunice Holcomb, mother of Mark Holcomb, who has been
in North Kansas City Hospital with fractured vertebra and ill
health this week .
...for Brian, friend of Taylor Maedel, who has been diagnosed
with stage four melanoma .
...for Jan White, a woman who helps with our food pantry, who
has been diagnosed with lung cancer .
...for Kevin Kennedy, friend of Ryan Motter and Don & Betty
Lindsay, who continues chemotherapy for brain cancer .
...for Terri Burgman who has been moved to Plattsburg Nursing
Home and continues to be on hospice care .
...for Ray Kimsey who has at home with Hospice Care .
...for the work of our Congregational Vision Team .
...for Nicole and Craig Morris as they now expect their second
child, a son! Paige will be a big sister!
this
way,
please
contact
da mom(whotmail.com
Cindy
Mayberry
@
628-2260
or
.
CWF Garage Sale
CWF has set the date for the annual Garage Sale. April 25, 26
and 27. Start saving your stuff. We will have the basement the
entire week of April 21 and would appreciate you waiting until
then to bring your things to the church as we have limited storage
space .
201 North Bridge Street
Smithville,
PHONE:
NON PROFIT
MO 64089-8266
816.532.0773
VI/WW .SMITHVI
Presorted STO A
US POSTAGE
LLEFCC.ORG
PAID
OFFICE@SMITHV!LLEFCC.ORG
Smithville,
MO 64089
PERMIT NO. 57
(DISCIPLES
OF CHRIST)
Ryan Motter,
Pastor
Cell: 913.707.2870
Email: [email protected]
Mark Holcomb, Music Minister
Velva Fausett, Organist
Janet George, Pianist
Greg Atkins, Treasurer
Jennifer Schultz, Office Manager
Children's Worship & Wonder
GREETERS, EAST DOOR: Susie Clower
GREETERS, WEST DOOR: Bob and Barbara Arnold
April 7: Storyteller: Jacinda Manka
Greeter: Jacob Manka
LAY READER: John Summers
GREETERS, EAST DOOR: Mike and Mary Gordon
GREETERS, WEST DOOR: John and Kathy Hamilton
LAY READER: Susie Clower
CHILDREN'S SERMON: Greg Atkins
Interested in volunteering for Children's Worship
& Wonder? Contact Jacinda Manka at
CHILDREN'S SERMON: Alice Richards
CANDLE LIGHTERS: Jack Massie and Carter Massie
[email protected].
-ELDERS: Bill Drake and Jonica Lincoln
DIACONATE: Traci Burns, Rachel Drake, Josh Milne,
ELDERS: Ken Lippincott and Larry Priddle
Natalie Milne, Pam Maedel, and Billy Drake
PREPARE COMMUNION: Josh Milne
Otto, Donna Priddle, Peggy Miller, Rick George
PREPARE COMMUNION: Peggy Miller
CLEAN UP COMMUNION: Rachel Drake
CLEAN UP COMMUNION: Rick George
PICK UP SANCTUARY: Pam Maedel
PICK UP SANCTUARY: Margaret Otto
CANDLE LIGHTERS: Cole French and John Manka
DIACONATE: Sam Miller, Bruce Hathaway, Margaret
MARCH 26: Payton Hartman MARCH 27: Ted Cook, Fern Winkler MARCH 28: Sue Boswell MARCH 29: Marcus
Burchett MARCH 30: Bill Lake, Cindy Mayberry, Natalie Milne APRIL 2: Kathy Jensen