october 2017 - monroe bible church · god to give us discernment, and trust him to do so (1 kings...

M BCOURIER O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7

Pastors Pen 1

Calendar Birthdays & Anniversaries

2

Marriage Ministry

Primetimers 3

Next Steps New Building Sympathy Art of Marriage No Men’s Breakfast

4

Ladies Retreat Mission:Monroe Ignite Corn Maze

5

Library 6

Mission’s Harvest Weekend 2018 Guatemala Pleasant View Birth- day Party

7

Pastor Appreciation Operation Christmas Child Volunteer Recruitment

8

M O N R O E B I B L E C H U R C H 2 6 1 3 8 T H A V E N U E M O N R O E , W I . 5 3 5 6 6 6 0 8 - 3 2 5 - 3 9 6 6 O F F I C E @ M O N R O E B I B L E C H U R C H . O R G W W W . M O N R O E B I B L E C H U R C H . O R G

This Issue

Includes

When Busy People and Ministry Needs Collide

As a church family we are in one of those “lots of hurting or struggling people” periods of time again. Whether it is grief from the loss of a loved one, anxiety over failing health, finances, or relationships, there seems to be a lot of discouragement, distress, and heaviness of heart. Add to this the stresses of life. I think almost all of us would say we have so much that we need to do, and so much more that we think we should do, that we are busier than we’ve ever been, and still feel behind. Even retired people remark about how busy they are. Add also to this, Christian fellowship and service. For many of us just going to church events and serving in ministry, while we enjoy it, exhausts us. Most of us wish we could do more, even feel guilty that we aren’t, but just can’t fit anything else into our busy schedules. Hurting hearts + busy lifestyles + Christian service = OVERLOAD. A lot of us feel overloaded. The obvious solution is to use the word “no.” While many of us should use it more than we do, I’m not sure that’s the response God looks for in our lives when He sends opportunities our way to help the hurting, or to join Him in His redemptive mission of transforming communities through His people. I ponder how to promote involvement in God’s mission to overloaded people. And I try to listen to the Lord for His answer, and look at what’s happening around me. Two answers come to mind: A Great Discernment We need to exercise discernment in what we say “yes” to, and what we say “no” to. God tells us through the apostle Paul, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17, NASB). Think about the meaning of the words, “careful, wise, most of your time, not foolish, understands the will of the Lord.” How often do we say yes to things right away, because they are good things, someone tells us we should, or because everyone seems to be doing it? Likewise, our disposition can be a quick “no” without giving due consideration. Our first concern should be the will of God, for God’s will is “good, acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:2). I know we can ask God to give us discernment, and trust Him to do so (1 Kings 3:11-12; Psalm 23:3; 31:3; 73:24; James 1:5). A Great Walk Discernment to understand God’s will for us comes through a relationship with God governed by the Holy Spirit who resides in us, and the Word of God (John 14:16-18, 16:13; 17:3, 17). “A deepening personal relationship with God” and “intake of God’s Word” is in our Vision statement strategy. How many of the decisions we make serve only to make us busier and have less time to build our relationship with the Lord? How many of our decisions really serve only us? We should see the seriousness of Galatians 5:16-17 which tells us to walk by the Spirit because the desires of our flesh are in opposition to the Spirit’s leading! Our relationship with the Lord should be the overwhelmingly dominant relationship in our lives. When our relationship with Him is strong (reflected in full submission to His will) that relation-ship will guide our decisions. Yes, some of us probably need to say “no” more. But some of us probably need to say “yes” more as well! In both cases we need discernment from God to know His will through strong personal walks with Him. I’m confident that as we make our personal relationships with the Lord and gaining His discernment for all our choices our priority, we’ll see that we have time to minister to needs and to minister in our mission. I also suspect we’ll see some of our worldly commitments be given lower priorities.

Pastor Dan

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

Worship Services: 9 & Café 10:30 am

Sunday School ~ 9 am

Ignite ~ 4 pm, LL #106

NO Fusion (returning home from retreat)

2 Mission:Monroe serving at CareNet Spaghetti Supper/Hope Community Center 4:30 pm—8 Prayer Mtg.~ 6:30 pm, LL #102

3 Primetimers Lunch/Games ~ 10 am, NC/K

4 Men’s Noon Bible study ~ LL #102

Awana: 5:30 ~ Jr High/H.S. 6:15 ~ 3 yr.—6th Gr.

5 “Prayer” Ladies Study ~ 9:30 am, NC

Good News Club ~ 3:15 pm, Parkside School

Choir ~ 6:30 pm, LL #106

NA ~ 7 pm, LL #102

6 Women’s Retreat 5:30 pm/ Walworth, WI

7 No Men’s Breakfast Women’s Retreat, Walworth, WI

8 Worship Services: 9 & Café 10:30 am

Sunday School ~ 9 am (No Pipeline Class)


Fusion ~ 7 pm, LL #106

Women’s Retreat, Walworth, WI

9 Prayer Mtg.~ 6:30 pm, LL #102

Elder Bd. Mtg. ~ 6:30 pm, LL #106

10





Choir ~ 6:30 pm, LL #106

NA ~ 7 pm, LL #102

13

14 Volunteer Training 8:30 am—Noon, NC

15 Pastor Appreciation Offering



Next Steps—Step 1 ~ Noon, Lunch provided, NC

Ignite ~ 1 pm, Corn Maze/Lodi


16 November NEWSLETTER

ITEMS DUE!

Prayer Mtg.~ 6:30 pm, LL #102

17





Choir ~ 6:30 pm, LL #106

NA ~ 7 pm, LL #102

20 Primetimers 11:15 am Pizza Hut lunch

21 Missions Harvest

Weekend 8 am Men’s

Breakfast 12 pm ~ Ladies Lunch

22 Missions: Harvest Weekend


Sunday School ~ 9 am (guest missionary)



Jason Gray Concert ~ PAC Auditorium—7 pm (Crossroads

sponsored)


24 Pleasant View Service ~ 9:30 am Board of Deacons Mtg. ~ 6 pm, LL #106





NO Choir

NA ~ 7 pm, LL #102

27 Awana Girls Event

28 Awana Girls Event S/NC/K in use 1 pm — 5 pm

29 Worship Services: 9 & Café 10:30 am


Guatemala 2018 Mtg. ~ Noon, LL


Next Steps—Step 4 (s.1) ~ 6:30 pm, NC



31

1 Pastor Dan & Jennifer Krahenbuhl

3 Shane & Jennifer Eddy

4 Ed & Cindy Demianiuk

Keith & Roxanne Geisler

Matt & Rachel Jenson

5 Tom & Brenda Rossing

7 Brian & Barbara Thompson

8 Walter & Carol Botteron

Craig & Helen Tuttle

11 Tyler & Crystal Hartwig

12 Chris & Elise Morris

15 Scott & Carol Larson

16 Shane & Karena Figi

19 Keith & Penny Ferreri

27 Nate & Shannon Ackerman

29 Scott & Jenny Turkelson

M O N R O E B I B L E C H U R C H 2 6 1 3 8 T H A V E N U E

15 Walter Krahenbuhl Elise Lincicum 18 Michael Rhoe 19 Arthur Sommerville Colette Wyttenbach 20 Doug Larson 21 Noah Kuenzi Aleigh Zettle 22 Elise Rossing 23 Pauline Wyss 24 Pam Young 25 Roger Becker Jeff McNett 26 Korah Thompson 30 Linda Samson

1 Jan Burke Rhys Witt 3 Sheri Baird MaryAnn Stauffacher 4 Jacob Grebner 6 Barb Bernhagen Kai Schadewaldt 7 Deb Setterstrom Jonah Thompson 9 Luba Dechtiarenko 10 Ray Jones 11 Ron Coppes 13 Anna Skoumal 14 Jacob Harder Ruth Zimmick

October 2017


The Most Important Text on Marriage One, simple, impossible verse.

(Part 2 of 3, continued from September. Part 1 at – www.monroebiblechurch.org/newletters-bulletins/.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

Gottman and his wife have observed the regular “requests for connection” couples make to each other throughout any given day - call them “bids.” They are the small talk we make as we ride together in the car, or take a walk, or sit together over dinner. Each “bid” is an opportunity to connect, however momen-tarily. Spouses can respond to these “bids” for emotional connection by “turning toward” each other or “turning away.”

People who turned toward their partners in the study responded by engaging the “bidder”, showing inter-est and support in the “bid”. Those who didn’t — those who turned away — would not respond or respond minimally and continue doing whatever they were doing, like watching TV or reading the paper. Some-times they would respond with overt hostility, saying something like, “Stop interrupting me, I’m reading.” But how do we cultivate such kindness when we have no simple switch just to turn it on? The Gottmans’ guidance only takes us so far. They commend ways to practice kindness: “being generous about your partner’s intentions” or “connecting over each other’s good news” (pursuing “shared joys”), but the re-searchers can’t drill much deeper than more specific external actions. What’s missing is a pathway for internal transformation. How does an unkind heart change?

Tenderhearted

Where secular research comes to its end, God has more to say than simply “be kind.” Ephesians 4:32 doesn’t leave us at the level of behavior. Are kind words and actions essential? Absolutely. But where do they come from? Not mere willpower, but a tender heart.

Colossians 3:12 instructs us to, “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” God not only calls us to kind actions and words, but to a certain heart: a kind heart, a tender heart — what Colossians 3:12 calls “compassionate hearts.” God doesn’t mean for us to merely produce kind actions, but to have the heart to back it up. The word for “tenderhearted” in Ephesians 4:32 appears twice in the New Testament. The other place is 1 Peter 3:8–9:

All of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may ob-tain a blessing. It’s another spot-on text for marriage that’s not just about marriage, but the whole Chris-tian life. Or to flip it around, the most common problem in “disaster” marriages, according to the Gottmans, is contempt. And contempt is in the heart. Beneath actions that are unkind, or “mean” (to talk in terms of a common marital complaint), is the feeling of deep frustration and low-grade anger called contempt. But a “tender heart” is the opposite of such inner hardness toward each other. Contempt produces meanness, but a “tender heart” or “compassionate heart” produces genuine kindness.

Ask yourself, is my prevailing heart-orientation toward my spouse one of compassion or frustration?

Look for part 3 of this article next month in Marriage Moments. Excerpt taken from article by David Mathis on DesiringGod.com.

Prime mers will meet on October 3rd, 10:00 A.M. in the Nehemiah Cen-ter. We enjoy good food, challenging games and happy conversa ons. If you are an empty nester please consider joining us. Just stop in and you will be warmly greeted! Lunch is served before noon with an offering tak-en to help defray food costs. You may leave at any me and we generally say goodbye by one o'clock.

We also meet the third Friday of each month (Oct. 20th) at the local Pizza Hut. If you arrive before 11:30 you can be sure to join the others in a lovely salad and pizza buffet. (Tables are usually set up by 11:15) Their charge is reasonable and every tenth meal it will be


God can turn any marriage into a masterpiece!

Who - all married couples, and da ng cou-

ples considering marriage, are invited and encouraged to a end.

What - Each session will include a video segment, workbook ques ons, discussion me, follow-up date night sugges ons, and

other helpful material. The cost for workbooks is $20/couple.

Where - Monroe Bible Church

Nehemiah Center

We would like to offer our sympathy to the families of Mike & Wendy Westcomb, Jenny & Scott Turkelson, Ryan & Joni Proudfit, and Jamie Westcomb. Wendy’s mother, Patricia Greiner, passed away on August 31st, 2017.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Arlene Hartwig passed away on September 19th, 2017 after an extended illness. We would like to offer our sympathy to her

husband, Leland and their family.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We would like to offer our sympathy to Bernie & Beth Roidt and their family.

Bernie’s mother, Lucy Roidt, passed away on September 24th, 2017.

Step 1—”Our Missions & Vision” (1 s.) Sunday, October 15th at Noon, NC

Lunch is provided. Step 4—”Our Equipping” (2 s.)

Sunday, October 29th & November 5th at 6:30 pm, NC

Please sign-up at the

Welcome Center!

Pick up a brochure at the Welcome Center for a listing of the

2017-2018 classes.

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No Men's Breakfast on

October 7th due to the

Missions Harvest Weekend

breakfast October 21st.

The New Outreach Property

Things are moving forward with the new church property! Over fifty people came to the first meeting at the property for those interested in what will happen there. The Elders have formed a charge and recruited people to serve on a transitional advisory board to formulate policies. They will research community needs and formulate policies for maintenance and program-ming. Please keep this phase of develop-ment in your prayers!


Mission: Monroe is partnering with Care Net Pregnancy Center for the October 2nd Spaghetti Dinner held at Hope E-Free Church.

We are looking for help in several areas: 3-4 people to help set up. 2-4:30 PM 3-4 servers. 4:30-8 PM 3-4 people for clean-up 7:30 PM People to supply desserts, especially pies! Please sign up at the Welcome Center, or call Carol Larson with questions. 608-558-1475 Thank you!

The women’s ministry team of Monroe Bible Church would like to invite you to attend this year’s retreat at Inspiration Ministries in Walworth WI. Our theme this fall focuses on worship. More specifically what worship really is, what gets in the way of our worship, and the fruit of our worship. Please pick up a brochure at the Welcome Center for more information. It’s not too late to register.

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. John 4:23 NASB

Worship is Life Ladies Retreat

2017

Ignite — Treinen Farm Corn Maze

Sunday, October 15th

12:50—8:00 PM

Cost $10, bring extra cash for fast

food dinner & concessions at the

maze. Dress for weather outside.

Permission slips required.


J O I N I N G C H R I S T - B U I L D I N G F A M I L I E S - T R A N S F O R M I N G C O M M U N I T I E S

What would cause an eighteen-year-old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose

all but a handful of her friends (because they think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person and didn’t even speak the language? A passion to follow Jesus. Kisses from Katie invites readers on a journey of radical love down the red dirt roads of Ugan-da. You’ll laugh and cry with Katie as she follows Jesus into the impossible and finds joy and beauty beneath the dust. Katie and her children delight in saying yes to the people God places in front of them and challenge readers to do the same, changing the world one person at a time.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kim Meeder has seen horses go where no one else can tread - stepping through the mine-field of a broken child's soul in a dance of trust that only God can understand. From a mis-treated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love washes away their barren places. Kim's ranch is a place where this miracle happens over and over again. It is a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality - a place where hope rises.

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They were willing to pay the ultimate price to help the people they’d come to love… Facing Terror is not only the spell-binding accounts of a day turned tragic by terrorists—a day that made headlines around the world — but the greater story that the papers never tell: of the mysterious Middle East and its warm-hearted people. Here is Carrie and David McDonnall’s captivating story of falling in love with God, with each other—and with the Arab Muslims they were called to serve. As you are transported to this ancient land-scape, watching modern events unfold, you’ll read of God’s Love Story for people every-where.

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In Prisoners of Hope, Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer tell the story of their work in Afghan-istan, their love for the people they served, their arrest, trial, and imprisonment by the Taliban, and their rescue by U.S. Special Forces. Their story is a magnificent narrative of ordinary women caught in extraordinary circumstances as a result of their commitment to serve the poorest and most oppressed women and children in the world. This book will be inspiring to those who seek a purpose greater than themselves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FOR CHILDREN (of all ages)

Christian Heroes: Then and Now series by Janet & Geoff Benge. Written spe-cifically to challenge readers with the powerful lives of missionaries who have profoundly shaped history, these books answer today's call for positive role mod-els and for opportunities to see how God works through the lives of those who follow him.

The MBC Library has many more wonderful resources related to missions, inspiring us to support those serving in Christ’s name around the world as well as challenging us to serve and to transform our own communities. Come and check out what is available…today!

MBC LIBRARY- FOCUSING ON MISSIONS


October 21 & 22 is Missions Harvest Weekend

Our church currently supports 20 missionaries. To help our congregation develop more personal relationships with them, we host missionaries for a weekend. Saturday will be the Men/Boys

Breakfast at 8 am and the Women/Girls Luncheon will be at 12 noon, in the Nehemiah Center. All food is provided at no charge and we will again be collecting items for the

GREEN COUNTY FOOD PANTRY. Look for sign-ups at the Welcome Center.

Our guest speakers this year are: Charles & Julie Champlin (Brazil, South America) and Eric & Kate Scholz (Los Angeles, CA). Mark your calendar now and

sign up for a Saturday of food, fun, and fellowship!

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2018GuatemalaMissionTripPreparationIt’salreadytimetostartplanningfornextyear’strip!Ifyouareinter-estedingoingtoGuatemalaJuly7‐14,pleaseattendONEofthefol-lowing15-minutemeetingsinthelowerlevelclassroom:Oct.29@noon Nov.12@10:10amNov.26@noon Dec.10@10:10am

Tobeconsideredforthe2018team,4requirementsmustbemet:CurrentlyinHighSchoolorolderAttend1oftheinformationalmeetingslistedaboveSubmitacompletedapplicationtothechurchof icenolaterthanDec.30,2017Attend#5NextStepsclass“OnMission”whichis2sessionsinJune

November14‐PleasantViewBirthdayPartyMonroeBibleChurchisamong12churchesinthesurroundingcom-munitythatsponsorabirthdaypartyandourmonthisNovember.WeaskforvolunteerstohelpresidentswithBingo,servefood,anddis-tributeBingoprizes,playaninstrument,sing,and/ortransportresi-dentsto/fromtheirrooms.

LookforaSIGN-UPattheWelcomeCenterOct.15toprovidecupcakesorhelpattheevent.AboxforBingoprizedonationswillbelocatedneartheWelcomeCenterbeginningOctober15.Donationsmayinclude:Individuallywrappedfun-sizedcandybars(nut-free),Diabeticcandy(nut-freechocolatesandhardcandy),Individualservingsizedcookiesandchips(ie.Keebler,Pringles,Nabiscocrackers),Lifesavers,tissuepackages,Jewelry(noearringswithposts),perfumeorcologne,WordSearchbooks.Pleasemakesureallprizesareageappropriate.


HELP! I NEED VOLUNTEERS! (NOW WHAT?)

——————————————— A training in Volunteer Recruitment October 14, 2017 8:30 am to Noon

(Breakfast included)

Our speaker, Maretta (Brown) Budde, has a degree in Recreation Management from UW LaCrosse. She is currently working as the Tomah, WI Site Director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of West-Central WI. She has been a volunteer in her church for 20+ years, including over 10 years on their AWANA leadership team in various roles including AWANA Commander. She also worked in Executive Administration for 5+ years at the Bible Ev. Free Church in Tomah. Maretta is passionate about Children’s Ministry because “Kids matter to God”. She served on the Cru leadership team at UW Madison while in college. In her current position with the Boys and Girls Club she daily works with and recruits volunteers.

LEARN

What to look for in potential volunteers (and what to avoid)

How to recruit volunteers Including tools available

Sample worksheets and forms

Tips for keeping and motivating great volunteers OPEN ENROLLMENT to anyone seeking to improve their abilities in volunteer recruitment and development. If you’re a Ministry Leader, Ministry Worker, Volunteer, or would like to improve your ability in this area, plan to attend!

Contact Jim Brown at 608-214-4187

or the Monroe Bible Church office to register or Sign-up at the Welcome Center (Yes, you may bring a friend!)

Special Offering for Pastor Appreciation

Please join us Monday, October 16th at 6:30 pm in the Nehemiah Center, as we lift Pastor Dan & Jennifer, and Pastor Troy, Crystal, & Jake up in prayer and show them our appreciation. A special offering will be taken for Pastor Appreciation on Sunday, October 15th. If you would like to encourage our pastors and their families with a card, a card box is available in the foyer during the month of October.

IT’S THAT TIME!

Stop by the Operation

Christmas Child table in

the foyer to get info or

pick up your Samaritan

Purse shoebox labels on

Sunday, October 8th, or

Sunday, October 15th.

october 2017 - monroe bible church · god to give us discernment, and trust him to do so (1 kings...

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