Hammond Avenue

Brethren Church 1604 Hammond Ave. Waterloo, IA 50702

February 2017

Brrrrr! There’s a chill in the air and snow!

We don’t want anyone slipping & sliding unless you’re on a sled! Cancellation of church events and worship will be on KWWL news crawler & web page. When possible, we will also put this on the prayer chain.

February 2017 From the Pastor’s Desk

Visitors welcomed! We would be glad to have you join our church

family in worship. We pray God’s blessings upon your life and

would consider it a privilege to journey with you in your faith walk.

If you need a ride to any church event or Worship Service, Please call us at 319-234-4094

Our church is accessible; even the altar area, and we also offer valet

parking on Sunday morning.

CAPTURED BY LOVE February is the month we can show our love to one

another, in your marriage, to your friends, your co-workers, and your

church family. This is the time of the year to focus on love and it gives us

the opportunity to know what love is all about.

I would like to ask you a question, if I was to ask you to fill in the blank, "My

aim in life is to_____________________." What would your response be?

Do you love your success, your fame, or the approval of others in your life?

Your aim in life, your priorities determine your life principles. Life principles

determine how you confront the problems that you face daily. If you think

your life is ineffective, incomplete, insufficient, insignificant, inadequate,

too prideful you need to change.

If this is how you see yourself then we need to talk about self-love, if you

cannot love yourself, or you love yourself too much, you cannot truly love

others.

When love is lacking your life may have stress, love is conditional upon

your mood that you show in your life how your actions, appearance,

attitude, words, or when you are working with others, are you working with

them, or are they working for you? This Valentine's day remember what

the Bible says that love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, not

proud, rude, or self-seeking, is not easily angered, always protects, trust,

hopes, and perseveres, and love never fails.

Jesus said as the Father has loved me so I love you; now remain in my

love. That is the joy we have in life when we truly love one another. Love

is a feeling of not putting yourself above others.

God loves us unconditional and we need to learn to love others the same

way; looking for nothing in return. When you are celebrating love this

month think about how you want to be loved, then show others that same

kind of love.

Jesus loves you so love him in return. Your Pastor Larry

Hammond Avenue Brethren Church

Phone: (319-234-4094)

office@hammondavenuebrethren.com

We’re on the bus route! It stops directly in front of the church! The bus runs Monday thru Friday; ending at 5pm.

To love is to give. John 3:16 begins: “For God so loved

the world he gave…” A person can give without loving,

but you cannot love without giving. If you want to become

a loving person, you need to learn to give.

Our sympathy to Barb Ackman, Diane Waters, Verna Voshell and

families on the passing of their aunt & Verna’s sister-in-law,

Mildred Voshell on January 21. Please keep the family and friends

of Mildred in your prayers.

Has been changed to February 21! Please Arrive between 12:00 & 12:15. Stop inside the entry &

pick up the free gift book to give to your child. It is always nice to write a note in the book. Next, go straight down the hall to

Mrs. Trunkhill’s fourth grade classroom. The teacher will introduce you to your student.

Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17th On this day, people are encouraged to perform acts

of kindness to family, friends & strangers for no reason

at all. Perhaps we can use this day to spread God’s

love & grace!

Hammond Avenue Brethren’s Day of Prayer February 12

John 14:13 (NIV) “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Please take time to pray

sometime today for maybe a half hour; a list of prayer needs is available. You do not have to be at church to pray. You may pray

from home, work, etc. God hears our prayers no matter our location or circumstance.

15

February 5 Sermon Title: "Just AS I Ain’t" John 1: 14-18

February 12 “Love Is In the Air” John 15: 9-17

February 19 "Not All That Deep" Ephesians 4: 9-16

February 26 "From Out of Nowhere" Hebrews 10: 19-27

Rev. Ron Waters (Pastor Larry is on vacation)

December 14 “Promise of Hope” 1Corinthians 5: 50-58

December 21 “Preparation” Luke 3: 4-6

December 24 “Love & Joy” Luke 2: 8-16

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00 pm

December 28 “The Eighth Day” Luke 2: 17-21

Please keep all our first responders & law enforcement in

your prayers.

February is Celebrate Brethren Volunteerism

What are the ways you show God’s love? What are

the ways we as Christians can be more visible? How can we as a church reach our community more?

Please share your ideas with the corresponding Commission or Committee. Thank You for your

service & saying yes to God!

February 4th we will be taking goodies to all the Fire Stations, Sheriff’s Office, Police Station and Highway Patrol. It is our way of saying thank

you for their dedication & service. If you would like to help deliver, please let Pam, the church secretary, know. We will be putting the

goodie trays together Friday morning. We also still need some more baked goods. Thank YOU!

Kittrell

School

Congregational Meeting February 5 after

worship. This is to vote on a new electric sign for in front of the church. This sign will allow us

to advertise church events with 10 inch LED lighted letters. No more going outside to change

the sign or having letters blow off!

Cedar Valley Prayer Service February 17 @ 6:30 pm Every third Friday of the month various churches are

hosting a community wide prayer service. The next one will be at Heartland Vineyard Church in Cedar Falls.

ALL are welcome!

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

6:30-7:30 pm 1

G.R.O.W. Bible Study

6-8;30pm FLC in use

9:30 am 2

Women’s Bible Study @ church

9 am 3

Assemble Goodie trays for Saturday

delivery

4

Deliver Baked Goods to Law Enforcement,

Fire Departments &

First Responders

5

Congregational

Meeting after

worship

5 pm 6 Prayer

Warriors

6-8;30pm FLC in use

7

6:30 pm Gail’s Small

Group Bible Study

in her home

Noon 8

Golden Girls 6:30-7:30 pm

G.R.O.W. Bible Study

6-8;30pm FLC in use

9

6 pm 10

Family Game Night

11

6 pm 12

Men’s Group @

Church

Prayer Vigil

5 pm 13

Prayer

Warriors

6-8;30pm FLC in use

14

Commission Reports due

15

6:30-7:30 pm G.R.O.W. Bible Study

6-8;30pm FLC in use

16 10:45 am 17 Meals on Wheels

Delivery 6:30 pm Cedar Valley Prayer Service

18

19

Soup for the Soul fundraiser

lunch after church

5 pm 20 Prayer

Warriors

6-8;30pm FLC in use

21

5:30 Commission Mtgs

6pm Board Mtg

22

6:30-7:30 pm G.R.O.W. Bible Study

6-8;30pm FLC in use

23

6 pm 24

Family Game Night

25

Food Bank 26

Pen Pal letters are in your

church mail box

5 pm 27 Prayer

Warriors

FLC in use

28

Lent begins March 1

G.R.O.W. Bible Study’s focus is

the book of Colossians

Need a ride to an event? Please

call the church at 234-4094

Attention Please!! Ron’s Small

Group & GoGetters will not meet

during February. Weather permitting,

we will resume in March.

February 2017 Hammond Avenue Brethren Church Larry McKinney, Pastor

Sunday Morning: 9:00 am Coffee & Donuts ~ 9:30 am Sunday School for All ages ~ 10:30 am Worship

The food bank is in need of Canned Fruits, Meal Kits, Wheat Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Canned Meats, Baby Food, Peanut Butter, fruit snacks, granola bars.

Thank you for showing us your love and support to us, your cards, notes, letters, & gifts that have shown your love to us. Please know that your love and prayers that are needed and valued. Know that in return we love and pray for you in return. Pastor Larry & Linda

Cakes, cookies, pies, oh my! Yummy desserts

are needed for the fundraiser. Anyone interested in

making a cake for the auction please let someone from

Hospitality Committee; or let the office know!

AAAACHOO!! Kleenex Needed! Kittrell

School is in need of boxes of facial tissue to

help get through this cold & flu season!

Please stack them in the pew downstairs!

Let’s fill the pew with Kleenex!

Thank You! to Jerry Harmsen our dedicated and

faithful snowplow driver & salt spreader!

2017 Church Directories are available on the

table in the back of the Sanctuary.

2. You know how when you feel like you have bugs crawling on you and then you can't NOT think about it...yeah...you DO have bugs crawling on you. 3. It gets dark quickly. Start cooking supper early (4:30 at the latest) so you don't have to cook and wash dishes in the river in the dark. If you try to wear a headlamp, humongous flying insects that you've never heard of before will be all over you. 4. Stop fighting the mud. Just stop. 5. Clean is relative. When you wash yourself, your laundry, and your dishes in the same river...a stream, really...(see #4) 6. Life without refrigeration is possible. Not nice though. 7. When you finally give up on seeking comfort, you can sleep anywhere. For short, painful periods of time. 8. Fire ants do not care who you are. (See #2) 9. Women in this country are amazing!! and very strong!!

Some Things I Learned While Living in a Village in

Papua New Guinea It is in no particular order. I reserve the

right to add more items later after my brain has processed this

whole experience for a little while longer.

1. It's amazingly easy to forget to brush your teeth in the village.

Soup for Souls Fundraiser Luncheon

February 19 after worship Join us after church for delicious Chili, Vegetable

Beef & Chicken Noodle soups, salad & desserts! After the

meal we will be auctioning off some awesome desserts!

Thank you for all the prayers, hugs, calls and gifts after my recent break-in. You really helped me get thru a tough time! God’s Blessings to you all! Zona

Linda and I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation and to thank you for your kindness you have shown us during this very special time of the season.

Zoe & Bob would like to thank the angel that left us an anonymous gift. We cannot even begin to thank you!

February items: Wash Cloths and Mild Bar Soap.

March items: Toothbrushes

The total number of Shoe Boxes processed this year is 11,485,662.

If you helped in any way, know that you have blessed many children

throughout the world. God bless you. Carolyn

Family! What are ways you can show others you care? Our family is going to make valentine cards for the mouse nursing home and then go deliver them. We’re also going to take a heart cookie cutter and cut out pieces of cheese in a heart shape! That is always a “big hit” with our mice friends! Do you have friends who need a church? Another way to show you care is to invite someone to church so they learn about Jesus!

Did You Know?....Waterloo has a Veteran’s Homeless Shelter!

The month of March our church is going to be “Marching with our Military” We will be collecting items for the homeless shelter as a way of showing our appreciation for the veteran’s service.

The shelter recently opened last November and is in need of many items. They will come pick-up items and all donations are tax deductible. They are in need of: Decking Materials, Complete Remodel of 2 Bathrooms (vanities, sinks), Bath/hand Towels, Wash Clothes, Toaster, Kitchen Appliances including over the range microwave, 3 more Dining Room Chairs, Books & Book Shelves, Lamps, Nightstands, 3 Dressers, Bedding/Pillows for 2 twin size beds & 1 full size bed, Twin & Full Size Beds, Miscellaneous rugs throughout the house including the bathrooms, Lawn Mower, Rakes, Shovels, Gardening Tools, Desk, Chair, Miscellaneous Hand Tools, Game Tables, Board Games, Cards, End Table & Coffee Table, Men’s Clothes (jeans/pants, shoes, winter wear).

If you would like to arrange a pick-up of items, please call Teresa @ 319-243-9932

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION NEWS Due to the ice storm, there was no P.I.E. meeting. Please continue to lift up in

prayer: the faculty, staff, parents & students.

The Pizza Party will be February 21.

Servant Hearts – Serving God…

Hi! Church Mouse here! Valentine’s Day is coming!! That means CHOCOLATE! YUM! Oh! Yea, it also means showing how much we love our friends & family; which is A LOT! Did you know that when you accept Jesus into your heart you become a part of His family? WOW that is a REALLY BIG

A Few Bible verses that describe God’s love for us.

God’s Love Shown Through Jesus Christ John 3:16, Romans 5:8 Galatians 2:20,

Ephesians 2:4-5, 1 John 4:9-11

God Loves and Cares for Us Zephaniah 3:17, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 Peter 5:6-7, Job 34:19

Psalm 86:15, 1 John 3:1

What God Says About Love Deuteronomy 7:9, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:11,

John 13:34-35, Romans 8:37-39

Respond To God’s Love Through Thankfulness Psalm 136:26, Romans 5:2-5,

Colossians 2:6-7

Additional Bible Studies Gail Gavlock’s Small Group, the first Tuesday of the month in her home at 6:30 pm. Ron Water’s Small Group, the third Monday of the month at 6:30 pm at the church. Women’s Bible Study meets the first Thursday of each month at 9:30 am at the church.

“G.R.O.W.” Getting Right On Wednesday . Great time of Worship,

Fellowship, and Bible Study. Please join us every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

as we journey together in God’s Word.

GoGetters: Meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at noon for a luncheon and program. This is open to everyone, but especially those 50 and above.

Golden Girls: Fun, Fellowship & Food. These women meet at noon on the second Wednesday of the month. W Women’s Bible Study: Meets the first Thursday of the month at the church.

Then we were overwhelmed to receive a beautiful poinsettia plant. Our gratitude and

thanks also to Pam Griffin who updates us by sending bulletins, newsletters and

magazines. We sincerely appreciate each and every one of you and hope the New Year

2017 brings God’s Blessings to you in abundance. Love, Jim & Gloria

Thank you to our thoughtful church family for your many

Kindnesses: To the group who took their precious time to come

Christmas caroling, for the lovely greeting cards & notes, for Ron’s

special delivery of a goodie bag and to the people who

generously donated goodies and time to pack these thoughtful gifts.

Men’s Group will be meeting February12 @ 6 pm @ the church.

We have been studying 33 The Series which focuses on living an

authentic life based on the 33 years Jesus was here on earth.

2017 PEACE ESSAY CONTEST: Where Do You See Peace?—invites aspiring writers to tell the

story of a community, a person, or a movement that is addressing injustice and building peace in our world today. The contest is open to seminary, graduate school, college, and high school students who are fully enrolled in a program in route to a degree. Prizes of $2000, $1000, and $500 will be awarded for the top three essays. Essays can be submitted between March 1 and 27, 2017, and results will be announced by the end of April. Winning essays will appear in selected publications of the Church of the Brethren, Friends, and Mennonite faith communities. For guidelines, terms, and submission procedures, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/peace-essay. Contact Bryan Hanger at hangebr@bethanyseminary.edu for additional information.

Commissions meet the third Tuesday of each month @ 5:30 pm. The Board meets every third Tuesday at 6 pm. Commission reports are due the second Tuesday of each month. All are welcome!

2017 Offering Envelopes If you are interested in offering envelopes for this next year, Please let

Pam G. know. Thank You!

Join the FUN! Game Night!

February 12 & 26 @ 6 pm Please bring a snack to

share; if able. Most importantly, bring your friends!

All are welcome!

Blessings to the person who helped me with rent!

Gary & Rochelle have been able to be in worship!

Tammy V, Corkey’s wife is doing better!

Our missionaries Joel & Tina are enjoying their life in Papa New Guinea

Eunice is thankful for her wonderful church family!

Carolyn & Hollie are thankful for all the prayers!

Mary & Fred’s daughter Rachel received good test results!

Gail G., Daniel C., Lisa L. & Pam G. received good news from the doctor!

Chris is feeling better!

Hollie, Nate & Bethany are thankful for all the food and their loving church family!

Answered Prayers!

YOU†h News!

Bethany: With a difficult pregnancy, Bethany has

been a big help around the house. She has taken over care for our animals, does her

laundry, and dishes and anything else to help out. Her teacher at Poyner chose her

to be in an expanded learning group; I called it ELP when I was in school. Twice a

week, she and a select group meet with a special teacher and have lessons. She is

currently discussing engineering & it's benefits on our modern day society. She

reads daily & is also working her way through The Bible, starting in John. She loves

to sing and dance to music from Trolls movie & says her favorite song is True Colors.

Hers are always shining through💙

Kayla has started going to Allen once a week for Project Search. It is an internship

program with the following collaboration, Allen, Waterloo Schools, Inclusion

Connection, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation.

Daniel is excited about his Graphic Design class this semester.

Mia turned 6 this past week and was VERY excited about it:)

Sarah is dancing hours and hours every week getting prepared for Competition

season. She will have a dance showcase in March. She also recently joined choir at

her school and is excited about their spring talent show.

Hannah has been studying hard and competed in the Academic Decathlon Regional

Competition at Grundy Center High School. Thanks to Mindy Steege-Giesler for

volunteering her time to judge speeches and interviews.

This year's topic is WW II and Hannah will now be preparing to compete at the state

level on March 3rd and 4th in Cedar Rapids. She has also been very busy with

wrestling cheerleading and will be headed to state to cheer on the Union Knights.

Worship & Celebration every Sunday at 10:30 am A time for us to join as a Christian family to praise God, grow in faith, learn

what the Bible has to say for our lives and to lift each other up in prayer!

Invite your neighbors, friends and family!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Jack’s Sunday School class for stapling & folding the church directory! You’re the best!