“Restoration is Near!” is the theme of the Advent at Home 2022 worship guide which can be found at the Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) website: https://mennoniteusa.org/adventathome. Using the theme developed for Leader magazine, the guide offers weekly and daily Scriptures from the lectionary texts, worship rituals, prayers, activities, and background information to help individuals and households of all ages prepare for Advent through Epiphany. If you prefer printed copies of the worship guide, these are located on the ledge between the mailboxes in the Gathering Place.
The Witness Commission has selected The Salvation Army as our Advent project. We will be collecting non perishable food items for the pantry and monetary donations. A table will be set up in The Gathering Place for food donations. A recent article in the Newton Now showed the shelves empty in the food pantry.
The Deacons Commission is working on a “Thinking of You” campaign for people who are isolated due to health concerns. For the next few Sundays, we will have a table at the back of the sanctuary with pages for your comments to members of our church whom we haven’t been able to see for a while. Please stop by and write a short greeting or sign your name to let them know we are thinking about them. For those of you who are unable to attend worship but can stop by the church during the week, these letters will be in the library during the week for anyone to write a note before we send them out. Thank you!
— Deacon Commission
Staffing for 2023: Welcome Roger Neufeld Smith!
We are grateful that Western District Conference has identified a highly qualified half-time interim pastor for our church beginning January 1. Roger Neufeld Smith was a pastor for many years at Southern Hills in Topeka and comes with strong reviews from Beatrice Mennonite in Nebraska where he has been an interim for the last two years. Roger will preach about once per month, work with committees and commissions, and will be available to assist with pastoral care. The board is excited to have him join us. Look for more introductions in the coming weeks.
You are invited to share a poinsettia for the sanctuary for the Christmas season. The Worship Decorating Committee will purchase the poinsettias, and have them delivered to the church. To contribute, email the following to the office or fill it out and put it in the offering plate:
Donor’s: name:
In memory of:
Or in honor of:
Make a payment of $10.00 (made out to BCMC and designated “Flower Fund”) place in the offering plate or bring to church office by Dec. 4. There will be forms at a table in the back of the sanctuary this Sunday, Nov. 27, if you wish to fill out a form in person. Contributors may pick up a poinsettia Dec. 24 after the 5 pm Christmas program or after the Christmas Eve, 9 pm program; or, if you can, leave them for the service on Dec. 25.