February 22, 2009 – Opportunities of the Week

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28)


Passionate Spirituality can describe a church and individuals that are “on fire” for the Lord. We’re not talking about destructive acts of violence. We’re talking about the fire that God puts into our lives. In the New Testament the term “fire” is generally negative, the eternally destructive kind. The positive kind is a refining fire that comes to us when we invite God (Spirit) into our lives. (Mt. 3:11). This fire generates ministry. Timothy received his faith in God through his mother and grandmother. Paul challenges him to “fan into flame” his God given gifts. God wants believers that are “on fire.” God wants another church fire – the beneficial kind.

NEXT WEEKEND
THE BIRDSONG FAMILY
Youth Oriented Concert & Fellowship Time, Saturday, February 28, 6:30 pm
Sunday Morning Worship, Sunday, March 1st at 10:30 am.

The Birdsong Family will visit local schools during the week. Lodging is needed on Wednesday and Saturday nights. If you have rooms available, please contact Ken Umble.

LEADERSHIP LISTENING MEETINGS
The Leadership Team will meet with each adult Sunday School class during February and March. The purpose is to listen to your comments and concerns about the church, passionate spirituality and an associate pastor. Today we meet with the Young Adults (Erin Metzler, teacher), next Sunday with Bill Umble’s Class. A schedule is posted on the large bulletin board in the foyer.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

‘Money Talks” is a 5-week Sunday School elective that will begin on March 1, in the sanctuary during the Sunday School hour. You can view a preview trailer on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NhpvGyJ6tE&feature=related, and episode 2 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS1Fx8sLtdE.

Caring adults are needed to volunteer in the nursery during Sunday School. Please see Jen Eby if you are interested.

There are NEW BOOKS IN THE CHURCH LIBRARY. Some of the new titles are “Have a New Kid by Friday” by Dr. Kevin Leman, “Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide” by G. Lloyd Carr, and “The Carol of Christmas: Life Story of Christmas Carol Kaufmann” by Marcia Kauffman Clark

FAMILY LIFE OPPORTUNITIES

The MEN’S RETREAT is March 27-29 at the Ponderosa Lodge. Larry Constable will be the speaker.

A FAMILY LIFE CONFERENCE will be held on Sunday, May 3. Gerald and Marlene Kauffman will be our speakers. They are the authors of “Monday Marriage.”

YOUTH MININSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

BIBLE QUIZZING continues. This week (Feb 22) the competition for our team is at Forest Hills Mennonite Church at 6:30 pm. Come cheer on our teams! Jeff & Rhonda Stoltzfus and Erin Metzler are coaches. Last week (2/15) Abbie Weaver quizzed out twice; Denver Groff, Rachael Copeland & Dillon King quizzed out once. Get all the information at www.accquizzing.org.

MYF (Mennonite Youth Fellowship) meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. This is a time of fun and spiritual growth for youth in grades 9 to 12. This week is for planning for the Sports Dinner.

A SPORTS DINNER AND AUCTION will be held on Friday, February 27at 6:30 pm. Support your favorite teams by wearing in sports attire. There will be lots of food and entertainment and lots of great items to bid on. This is a fund raising meal for the MYF.

Xtreme Worship on Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 pm. Music by Audible Truth; message by David Klingensmith, youth pastor at Sandy Hill Community Church.

FINANCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

A stewardship challenge was placed in your mailboxes; please contact Mike King if you have questions.

“Money Talks” is a 5 week Sunday School elective, every Sunday in March, sponsored by the Finance Commission.

EVANGELISM AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

We are collecting blankets for MCC to distribute in Afghanistan, Iraq and North Korea. New single or double winter weight blankets are preferred. There is a box and display in the foyer for your contributions.

Clean out your quilt closets for the MCC PA RELIEF SALE, April 3-4. You can recycle quilt supplies, unfinished quilt projects and craft items. See the announcement posted in the foyer for more information.

Please view the mission bulletin board in the foyer. Cambodia and the ministry of Ryan and Bethany Umble are highlighted.

PENNY POWER is here. Bud Eby’s class is taking charge of Penny Power this year. There are two bottles in the foyer for your pennies. These will be taken to the MCC Relief Sale in April for projects of peace, relief and development. Go to www.pennypower.org for more information.

WORSHIP & MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES

“Music in the Meadow” will be held on July 12. Your help is needed for this fun and inspirational event. Contact Ken Umble for more information.

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES OPPORTUNITIES

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER will be held on Friday, March 6 from 9:00 to 11:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. Sarah Mechler, missionary to Mongolia is the speaker.

The Ladies Bible Study meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. They are meeting at the home of Joy Sherman.

A captain for the Relay for Life team is needed. Contact RuthAnn Bruner if you can help.

MAPLE GROVE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION YEAR 1909-2009
Reserve Sunday, August 16 for our Centennial Celebration. The 100th Anniversary Committee will meet on Sunday, March 8 at 12:00 noon. Anyone interested is invited to come and participate.

CHURCH FIRES
A strange item in the history of Maple Grove Church has been that of four efforts to destroy the church building by fire. In October 1922, in August 1940, and in May 1952 mysterious attempts were made to burn down the frame edifice of the congregation. The 1922 burning called for closing the church for six weeks to allow for restoration, and again in 1940 it took six weeks to repair the damage. The loss of the 1952 burning was estimated at $2,000. Evidence of arson was discovered in kerosene cans and kerosene soaked objects found within the church in the first two burnings. For the third burning the arsonist used gasoline-soaked newspapers and hymnals that were placed at certain places throughout the building and ignited. A train of gasoline on the rug in the center aisle was lit and though the fire followed the gasoline trail, it did not burn the rug completely.
The latest and most serious burning occurred in December 1967. The damage from this attempt was the most extensive of the four, due in large part to the fact that the congregation had completed a $48,000 renovation project in 1966. This time the basement was completely destroyed and much of the main auditorium damaged.
The persons responsible for starting the blazes have never been discovered or apprehended and the reason for the burnings is unknown. In the January 1968 Maple Breezes, a monthly news bulletin of the congregation, appeared a “Prayer for an Arsonist” by Martha Kauffman, member of the congregation. “Lord, be with the arsonist today. Let him meditate on the dangers encountered by the firemen … let him see himself. He, too, is Thy child … Did none of us show to him the importance of serving Thee? Forgive us if we are at fault …” One member of the congregation expressed the feelings of many by saying that “our church didn’t burn; it was only the building.”
(From, Grant M. Stoltzfus, Mennonites of the Ohio and Eastern Conference, pp. 214-215)

MAPLE GROVE PRESCHOOL
Registration for the 2009-2010 school year is open. Check out www.maplegrovepreschool.org for more information.

MISCELLANEOUS
Reminder: Please contact the church office when repairmen are scheduled at the church facilities. Please make lock doors when you leave.

CD recordings of our Sunday morning worship services are available from the church office. MP3 downloads of the services are also available; give Chuck White your e-mail address and the date(s) of the services you want and he will send them to you.

THE WIDER BODY OF CHRIST
(See the bulletin board in the foyer for more information and additional announcements)

LANCASTER MENNONITE HIGH SCHOOL winter concert is February 22 at 3:00 pm in the Fine Arts Center. See www.lancastermennonite.org for more information.

WEST FALLOWFIELD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL will have an OPEN HOUSE on February 24 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Visit www.wfcs.org for more information.

Expand your world and your family through Serving And Learning Together (SALT). If you are 18-27 years old, consider serving oversees for 11 months through Mennonite Central Committee’s SALT program. Visit www.mcc.org/salt for more information.

MCC is collecting AIDS Care Kits. You can help by assembling a kit. See www.mcc.org/kits/aids for more information.

Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties invites you to its 10th Chester County Garden Luncheon with award-winning author Jane Kirkland, Chester Springs, talking on “Backyard Sanctuaries for Birds and Butterflies.” This event, held at The Desmond Great Valley Hotel, Malvern, on Saturday, March 21, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., helps homeless families build better futures. To make reservations, requested by March 10, call 610-380-1360 or visit www.bridgeofhopelcc.org.