Announcements
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Sept.6- Sept. 14, 2024
OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Shalom: the fullness of God’s peace. During September our worship will center on the concept of shalom. This concept we receive in the Hebrew Bible is often translated as “peace” but holds a more holistic concept of all things being in right relationship. Each Sunday will focus on a different aspect of shalom, of our lives being at peace with 1) ourselves, 2) with God, 3) with others, and 4) with all of creation. The Parenting Pathways Sunday School class will meet in Room 212. Everyone at any stage of parenting is welcome! “Welcome Table” Schedule - Our new adult Sunday School option is open to anyone who wants to drop in here and there, and for those looking to attend every gathering. We'll normally meet in the Fellowship Hall except on the 2nd Sunday of each month we'll meet in the sanctuary. Here's what's coming up: Sept 8 (sanctuary) – A Peek Behind the Scenes: our teams and structure Sept 15 (FH) - Our Major Missions Sept 22 (FH) – Leadership Council forum about our future Sept 29 (FH) – FMC Trivia! (All-Church Activity – all ages welcome) Oct 6, 13, 20, 27 – Paul Wiebe: Christianity in India Check out the other Sunday School options and class locations on the bulletin board in the narthex! Contact Daniel Unruh or Isaiah Goertz with questions. During this interim time, the Leadership Council has arranged for pastoral care by reaching out to credentialed ministers within our congregation, and has formed a Pastoral Care Team of Orlando Redekopp, John Yoder-Schrock, and Marc Schlegel-Preheim. If you experience a time when you need pastoral care, be it a health concern, need of a hospital visit, or a family concern or crisis, please reach out to Orlando, John, or Marc, or contact the church office or a member of the Leadership Council for guidance. We’re thankful to these ministers for making themselves available to us in this important way. For the past 6.5 years, Kris Brenneman has served FMC skillfully and cheerfully as church treasurer. We’re so grateful for your expertise and helpfulness, Kris! Thank you! The job has now been turned over to Carol Miller. Please direct all treasurer questions to Carol. Our September Congregational Business Meeting will take place in the sanctuary immediately following the worship service on Sunday, September 15. Agenda items include acceptance of the 2024 Annual Report and discussion and vote on the 2024-2025 Spending Plan. Find print copies of the Annual Report on the Sip & Chat area table. Thank you to the people who took time to fill out our Worship Gifts Survey! If you indicated that you would be willing to be a worship leader, children's time presenter, scripture reader or music leader, plan to come to a brief training in each of these areas on Sunday, September 29th during the Sip and Chat time, hosted and led by the members of the Worship Planning Team. More details to come. Next Communion, October 6 - World Communion Sunday: We will not have communion in September. We'll plan to have communion again on World Communion Sunday, October 6; then we'll resume our custom of having communion the first Sunday of each month going forward. The Worship Planning Team wants to make sure we have our planning pieces to ensure we can do this shared practice in a life-giving way. – Marc Schlegel-Preheim (on behalf of Worship Planning) A Big THANK YOU to Phil Miller for creating a beautiful new tea cart in the Sip & Chat area! COMMUNITY & CONFERENCE NEWS Christian nationalism is on the rise, and it is a threat to both our democracy and religious freedom. A group of people from various religious communities here in Johnson County have come together in recent weeks to plan and sponsor free public screenings of the documentary GOD & COUNTRY. From producer Rob Reiner, God and Country examines the implications of Christian nationalism and how it distorts not only our constitutional republic but Christianity itself. Through the voices of prominent leaders, constitutional scholars, and journalists, the film asks the question: “What happens when a faith built on love, sacrifice, and forgiveness grows political tentacles, conflating power, money, and belief into hyper-nationalism.” The next free screening is Sunday, Sept. 8 @ 2 PM at the Iowa City Public Library. A discussion will follow. (presented by Interfaith Alliance to Expose Christian Nationalism). Watch the trailer here. See Orlando Redekopp with questions. Don't miss it! What really is immigration? What is truly happening at our borders? Come join other community members at East Union Mennonite Church at 6:30 PM on Saturday, September 21 to hear from Abraham Diaz Alonso, Immigration Program Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee Central States, about this important topic. An offering will be received for the ongoing immigration work of MCC. Refreshments will follow. Put it on your calendar! Ten Thousand Villages Annual FAIR TRADE RUG EVENT, Sept. 25-29, Coralville Hyatt Regency Hotel in the Borlaug + Clark Rooms, 300 E 9th St., Coralville. Wed-Sat 10 AM – 7 PM, Sun 10 AM – 3 PM. You’ll find hand-knotted, heirloom-quality Bunyaad rugs: Tribals, Bokharas, Persians, and Kilims in all shapes and sizes. Faith Field Days sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light:
At this special “Faith Field Day” for clergy & other congregational leaders, you’ll have an opportunity to begin your exploration of Climate-informed Ministry and consider what it means for your context. The event includes: 6 presentations on topics such as dealing with eco-anxiety, environmental ethics, environmental justice issues in Iowa, and what resilience can look like for a congregation like yours; A Q&A session with the panelists; an opportunity to tour the building and grounds of the “greenest church in Iowa”, and separate activities for children. The event is free, though donations to the sponsor, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, are welcome. Bring a group from your congregation and start dreaming together! Learn more and register by Sept. 27 for children and Oct. 3 for adults. See the flyer on the Area Events bulletin board for more details. From Crooked Creek Christian Camp:
From Crowded Closet:
From EVERENCE:
From Hillcrest Academy:
From Mennonite Central Committee (MCC):
From Pleasantview:
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Birthdays (Sept.8-14) Sunday Duane Miller,
Ellen Rempel Monday Carolyn Turvey Tuesday Melinda Turnbull Thursday Mike Brenneman Saturday Matthew Healy, Haley Miller, Pat Miller Events for the coming week
(Sept. 6- 14) Sat., Sept. 7 9 AM Football Parking Sun, Sept. 8 9:30 AM Worship: Dorothy Whiston, proclaimer 10:45 AM Christian Formation hour (children in the Fellowship Hall) Tues, Sept 10 7:30 PM Worship Planning Team meeting Sat, Sept 14 9 AM Football Parking Sun, Sept 15 9:30 AM Worship: Frederick Newell, proclaimer 10:45 AM Congregational Business Meeting 11 AM Christian Formation hour 5:30 – 7 PM MYF pizza & games, Fellowship Hall PRIDE parade & Festival 2024
2023 Children's Christmas Program, Dec. 17
All Church Putt Putt Golf Outing, September 2023
LIBRARY
See WHAT'S NEW in the LIBRARY for Spring 2024. (Click Spring above) or LIBRARY under the WELCOME tab. Search the FMC library catalog HERE. (No password required) Images from Virtual Services 2020 - 2021
Photos from our annual All Church Retreat at Crooked Creek Christian Camp,
Oct. 11-12, 2019. 
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