Announcements

Sunday: October 24, 2021

OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Are you interested in being part of the conversation about how First Mennonite can live into our new welcoming statement? The Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests is providing a free training on Oct 26 at 7 PM via Zoom. With the aid of experienced pastors, the training will provide ways congregations can engage pastoral care, social outreach, marketing, celebration as they grow into the decision to become a welcoming community. Contact Isaac Hooley if you're interested in taking part in this training and he'll help you get registered.

Next Sunday, October 31, we will celebrate ‘All Saints Day’ as Worship Commission leads our worship service in experiencing some of the saints from our Anabaptist beginnings, as well as more recent saints. There will be an opportunity for you to remember and name your loved ones who have died and then we will return to the rich and longtime practice at FMC of lighting a candle and placing it in sand as a way to honor and remember those who have touched our lives and shaped our faith journey.

MYF: Join us on Tuesday, October 26 from 6:30 -8:30 PM for some supper and pumpkin carving/painting. We’ll gather at the Hooley home: 1215 Ash Street in Iowa City. Weather permitting, we’ll be outside. Pumpkins and carving tools/paints will be provided. A reminder will be sent via the Remind app this weekend. If you are not getting texts from Remind and you would like to, please text your name and number Analisa Gerig Sickles (319.430.4898) and she will add you.

Football parking brought in over $7467 last Saturday. Thanks to those who volunteered for the Purdue game last week. Our next volunteering opportunities come November 13 and 23. Plan ahead … there's something for everyone. Thank you for signing up here: https://tinyurl.com/parkingvolunteers or emailing Allison or Isaiah Goertz.

CONFERENCE & COMMUNITY NEWS
There’s still time to help Ten Thousand Villages financially empower Pakistani women by shopping at the 5th Annual Fair Trade Rug Event October 20-24 at 923 E 2nd Ave in the Iowa River Landing. Approximately 300 rugs, each handmade in Pakistani homes by fairly paid adult artisans, are available in a variety of unique designs and sizes. Fri and Sat 10 AM-7 PM, Sun 11 -5. Visit bunyaad.com to view, or call 319-519-2104 for information.

From PEACE Iowa & Veterans for Peace:

Annual Meeting – PEACE Iowa & Veterans for Peace, Saturday, October 23, 2 – 4 PM at the Coralville Rec. Center Lounge, 1506 Eighth St., Coralville, IA. Join us as we look back over 2021 and envision the future of our movement in 2022. Our SPEAKERS will be Martha Hampel & Aleksey Gurtovoy, Scrap the MRAP Project, the movement to remove military-style vehicles from use by the Johnson County Sheriff's Department. Program and a brief business meeting will be followed by snacks & social time outdoors at S.T. Morrison Park, across the street from the Rec Center. All are welcome. Masks are required indoors.

Hammers & Hardhats Auction: Join Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity and the Jane Hagedorn Women Build committee for an online auction benefiting the Jane Hagedorn Women Build. Proceeds from this event will allow IVHFH to build a Habitat home in Iowa City and will also fund a critical home repair for a single-mother living in North Liberty. Join us online anytime, anywhere, now until October 30! The online auction will open on October 21 and close promptly on October 30 at 8 PM. Auction pickups: IVHFH cannot ship or deliver auction items. Auction wins must be picked up at the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity office located at 2401 Scott Blvd SE in Iowa City at the following dates and times: Monday, November 1 through Friday, November 5, 9 AM-6 PM.

From Crooked Creek Christian Camp (CCCC):

Join us at Camp on Saturday, November 6 for Wood Cutting Day! Meet at 8 AM at Shepherd's Inn. Bring a chainsaw and help cut fallen trees. Sack lunch provided.
We’re excited to be hosting another online auction, December 7-12 and are currently collecting NEW or LIKE NEW items as well as antiques. Food, experiences and meat bundles are some of the best sellers from last year. Please contact Saralyn (saralyn@crookedcreekcamp.org) or Heather (heather@crookedcreekcamp.org) or talk to your camp rep (Heidi Willems) to donate an item. Thank you for supporting CCCC in this way. Lots more information on our website at www.crookedcreekcamp.org.

From Hillcrest Academy:

Fall Music Concert | The Fall Music Concert will be held on SUNDAY at 3 PM under the direction of Shawn Sandersfeld and Donna Swartzendruber. The concert will feature the Concert Choir, Praise Band, Jazz Combo, and a Percussion Ensemble. This Percussion Ensemble, made up of students from the Introduction to Music class, will perform original compositions they’ve learned throughout the first quarter.
Kara Schlabaugh Painting | Various sizes and signed, limited edition prints of the commissioned painting by Kara Schlabaugh ‘11 titled, 'Hillcrest' are available to purchase on the school’s website at hillcrestravens.org/kara. Don't miss your chance to take home not only a wonderful piece of art, but a meaningful and visual part of school history.
Kalona Chocolates | Our sophomores are selling Kalona Chocolates from Oct 8-Nov 5. Order/payment options are cash or check through a student or order and pay online at hillcrestravens.org/kalonachocolates.
Community Invitation | Curtis Fry will be sharing his testimony on Oct 27 at 6:30 PM at Hillcrest Academy. Families, teens - everyone is invited to hear Curtis, join in worship, enjoy snacks, and an open gym.
Fall Drama | The fall drama, Mom’s Gift, will be presented at 7 PM on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov 6 and at 3 PM on Sunday, Nov 7. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $5 for seniors (65+). All tickets are general admission and can be purchased at the door or by calling the school office (319-656-2073). Doors will open half an hour before the show.

From Iowa Mennonite Historical Society:

When disaster strikes in our neighborhood is the theme for the Fall Meeting of the Iowa Mennonite Historical Society, 7 PM, November 8 at West Union Mennonite Church. Southeast Iowa Mennonites and Amish have long served other communities through Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) in clean up and restoration efforts after disasters like flood and tornadoes. At this meeting we will hear from families affected by destructive storms in our area. Wilbur Litwiller and Beth Litwiller Swantz will lead this evening conversation about the impact of local MDS service. (You can participate in person or via zoom)

From Mennonite Central Committee (MCC):

Read the latest good news from MCC in their newsletter, In Touch, here.
Seek is a new six-month intentional discipleship program from MCC which encourages young adults (18-20 years of age) to learn more deeply what it means to be an Anabaptist follower of Jesus. The program will include multiple discipleship and service opportunities with MCC partners. The Seek program begins in January 2022 and takes place in Palestine, Israel, and Jordan. To learn more and apply for the Seek program, visit mcc.org/seek.
For more information about MCC’s current service openings, please visit mcc.org/serve.

From Mennonite Church USA (MCUSA):

The Women in Leadership ministry of Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) has relaunched its popular podcast, “Holding It(,) Together.” Bonita Croyle of the Women in Leadership steering committee hosts this podcast, created by women for women. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/hit
Anabaptist History Today is hosting Racial Harm and Harmony Among Mennonites on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 7 PM. Experts from North American Anabaptist heritage organizations, including Mennonite Church USA Archives, will show and discuss historical documents relevant to current issues. Register here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/racial-harm-harmony-mennonites
Menno Snapshots: Have you ever found it difficult to talk about your faith? Do you feel vulnerable, or even underqualified, to tell others about your relationship with God? Sara Wenger Shenk, author of this fall’s Common Read book, “Tongue-Tied: Learning the Lost Art of Talking about Faith,” talks about her own difficulties in sharing her faith in her blog, “Tongue-tied.” https://www.mennoniteusa.org/tongue-tied
Learn, Pray, Join: Cost of Poverty: In her blog, “Poverty and person-centered language,” Cynthia Lapp discusses the language surrounding poverty and those who experience it. She argues that using ‘person-centered helps’ remind us that we are all human and made in the image of God. Lapp’s blog is part of Mennonite Church USA’s “Learn, Pray Join: Cost of Poverty” initiative. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/poverty-people-centered-language.

From MennoMedia:

Find a 40% discount code for new Herald Press titles; information about the book On Love and Mercy: A Social Justice Devotional by Stephen Mattson; the latest -ing podcast, and more here.

From Mennonite Men:

On Oct. 26, Nov. 6, and Nov. 16, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Men are co-sponsoring Knowing Your Narrative: Unpacking Our Stories of Masculinity and Equity. This three-part series of events, facilitated by Ben Tapper with the Kindred Collective, seeks to unpack narratives around masculinity, faith, and equity. After completing the series, participants will be able to coherently articulate their own personal narratives, identify the ways they've been shaped by masculine messaging, and reframe their own masculine identity so it is more inclusive and holistic. For more info and to register visit ambs.edu/narrative. Early registration ends October 19.
Read the latest news from Mennonite Men in their newsletter, Engage.

From Mennonite Mission Network (MMN):

Read the latest from MMN in their newsletter, Network News & Beyond.

From Pleasantview:

In lieu of the annual Benefit Sale, again this year Pleasantview in Kalona is asking for your financial support to help furnish our new Medicare and Memory Care suites in the new building project. If you wish to make a contribution, please do so by sending a check payable to Pleasantview and mailed to the attention of Larry Swartzendruber; or go to our website --www.pvkalona.com and scroll down to the ‘Donate’ tab; or use Venmo - @Pleasantview-Kalona (please bypass the 4-digit phone number verification). Your gift is important to us as we continue to improve our services! Thank you!

Birthdays (Oct. 24 - 30)

Sunday Joey Krabill
Wednesday Linea Rochford
Thursday Nathan Swartzendruber
Friday Simon Willems

Events for the coming week
(October 24 - 31)
Sunday: 10 AM Hybrid Worship, Terry Zimmerly, proclaimer
Wednesday: 7 PM Elders
Sunday: 10 AM Hybrid Worship, All Saints remembrance service

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