When you read that the Missions Committee of Marion First Friends has a local missions budget of $5,000, just what images comes to your mind?  If you are like the average attender, you may not even know that this Meeting’s goal is to have 10% of its annual budget be allocated to missions and Christian outreach.  It is the responsibility of our Mission Committee to distribute, on behalf of the entire congregation, those budgeted and gifted moneys that come to this church.

There are several ways that our committee attempts to inform our congregation concerning the distribution of mission funds.  The first is like this article in The Friend   simply explaining the mechanics of how the funds are spent.  We desire that each person in our church see that they have a direct link to the mission work of Friends locally and around the world.  Over the past decade, the local missions budget has gone from $500 a year to $5,000 for this calendar year.  That means that we have increased our gifts, to local mission outreach groups, 10 fold during that time.  We also give, through FUM Missions money, for the support of missionaries and mission programs around the globe.  This world-wide mission giving accounts for over $12,000 from our congregation this calendar year.  These gifts to FUM help with the work of 36 different people or groups throughout the world.  Together through FUM and local outreach gifts we have met our goal this year.

The money collected, for the support of Christ’s work in our local community and around the world, and as budgeted by our Monthly Meeting helps with providing the “cup of cold water” in His name.  Through your gifts, we are able to provide food, clothing and shelter to the “least of these.”  Even the recent collection of “Soap for Haiti” fulfills the biblical admonition that “cleanliness is next to Godliness” for those who can not afford even the most simple of health giving commodities, a bar of soap, to wash themselves.  Every dollar designated for missions is prayed over.   When those funds are distributed they are accompanied with a letter of encouragement to do the work of our Lord on behalf our congregation.

You are encouraged to continue to read The Friend or the bulletin board in the foyer or the back of the monthly calendar with its Missions Profile concerning the highlights of the people and groups that your gifts support.   Through the budget and through your special offerings during the year, Christ’s work continues to bless others.

The Missions Committee
 

 Simon Alexander Manwell, son of Nicolas and Jonda Manwell, born on Saturday, June 8th.  Simon is the grandson of Kim and Gayle Manwell.
 

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for supporting me in raising donations for The American Cancer  Society’s Relay for Life.  The Home Health and Hospice Department where I work had a goal of raising $1,500 this year.  With your help of $310.00, we exceeded that goal and reached a total of over $2,400 in donations.  The goal for Grant County in this fund raiser was $40,000 and as a community we surpassed that goal by raising over $53,000.  Grant County keeps 40% of the proceeds and 60% goes to fund cancer research.  Thanks for your generosity, Lisa Wimmer

Thanks Work Crew,
A special thanks to each of the approximately 19 persons  who worked the Saturday, June 1st on the work day for First Friends.  We made great progress, which could not have been accomplished without each of you.  Thank you again, Trustees of First Friends

Dear Friends,
Your kindness really meant a lot - thank you very, very much!  Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts.   The Stahl’s, Deanna, Melissa & Matthew

Thank you,
We would like to express our appreciation to our church family for the cards, flowers, visits, and prayers for the birth of our son Simon Alexander. He is a great blessing to us and so is First Friends Church.  Nick and Jonda Manwell
 

Our heartfelt sympathy is given to Deanna Stahl and family on the death of her mother, Deloris Bowman.  Deloris was an active member of First Friends Church where she served as secretary for many years.
 

Sunday morning, July 7th, the Sunday School opening will begin at 9:15 a.m.  Coffee, milk, juice, and doughnuts will be served by the William Penn Sunday School Class. Praises, concerns, announcements, and some singing will take place with the celebration of July birthdays and anniversaries.

The William Penn Sunday School Class will be Sunday School greeters for the month of July.
 

The church office will be closed on Thursday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day.  Have a great holiday.

 In July there will be one publication of The Friend newsletter.  This will be published the week of July 8th.   If a commission, committee, or individuals need articles placed in this newsletter, please have the article in the office by Monday morning, July 8th.  Thank you.
 

Our new Bible study will start on June 26th and continue thru July on Wednesday evenings starting at 7:00 p.m. No Bible study will be held on Wednesday, July 3rd.  A textbook will be used entitled, Exploring the Basics of the Bible.  This class will be taught by Bob Garra.  Please sign-up to reserve a place in this exciting study event.
 

Pastor Terry has been leading the Voyagers (Junior High) youth group since the time of their creation just over a year ago.  With Terry leaving at the end of June, the Voyagers find themselves in need of a youth leader.  This is a wonderful ministry opportunity that takes very little time (roughly 6-8 hours a month) but promises great fun.  Youth groups meet on the first and third Sundays of each month from 5:30-7:00 p.m.  A time of recreation, refreshments, and lesson is observed at each gathering.  A few hours of preparation along with the purchase of necessary materials (reimbursable by the C.E. committee) is all that it would take.  The youth group is made up of roughly a half dozen 6-8 graders who are energetic, and excited to learn about the Lord.  If you are interested in filling this vacancy or would like to assist in any of the youth programs, please contact Pastor Terry or Jill Jackson.

First Friends’ Vacation Bible School will take place at the church from July 22nd-26th from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Pre-registration for VBS attenders will begin on Sunday, July 7th and will continue on to the day that VBS begins.  Helpers would be appreciated in many areas including the classroom (teacher or helper), crafts, recreation, music, refreshments, or the opening/closing program.  If you are interested in helping out in any way at Vacation Bible School, please contact Jill Jackson.
 

The 4-H Fair is here!  The fair is a great time for fun and fellowship but it is also a lot of work. There will be a sign-up poster outside of the office for you to put your name on so you can be a part of the 4-H Corn Booth fun. Please consider a time that you could volunteer to help because there are jobs for people of all ages and abilities to do. We still have plenty of open spots that need filled with workers. If you have already signed up, it is alright if you want to sign up for more than one time slot. If you have not signed up please consider working.  If you have any questions about ways you can help or about any other part of the corn booth please contact Nick and Jonda Manwell.

This is a one year appointed position.  This person would coordinate the activities of keeping the garden up to date with new plants and care of the garden itself.  These tasks would be done by organizing the Sunday school classes and individuals with a schedule and the plans to accomplish the work which must be done.  This person only needs to have an interest in gardening and a willingness to organize the work of others to keep our garden beautiful.

We are in need of one or two people who would like to assist in the organization and distribution of library materials to the congregation.  Our library, located behind the sanctuary, houses various reference and media materials for the use of individuals and groups in our Meeting.  This is a one year appointment.  You need to have a love for books and a willingness to learn a few basic library skills to do this very needed job in our church.

We need two couples or four individuals who are willing to lead the work of the annual Corn Booth at the Grant County 4-H Fair.  Individuals do not have to have any special training only an interest in and willingness to assist in this fund raising event.  It is a three year appointment and everything you need to know will be taught during the time of your service.  These couples or individuals would serve as the Clerk on the committee their final year.

If you have a interest in any of these positions, please contact the Personnel Committee, Betty Hussong, Clerk, as soon as possible.  Each of these positions are necessary and needed by our church to fulfill the programing plans of our church.  We need you!  So volunteer today and start enjoying the work of your church on a first hand basis.   Personnel Committee
 

Ministry and Oversight wish to invite you to attend a reception in honor of the work Terry and Candy Dieckmann had done among Friends during the past several years as our Associate Pastor and his wife.  They are leaving our congregation on June 30th to begin a new work at Mooresville Friends Meeting as the new Pastor there.  The reception will be held on Sunday, June 30, 2002, from 2 until 4 p.m.  A basket will be placed in the foyer on Sundays June 23rd and June 30th for cards and gifts for the Dieckmanns that will be given to them at the reception.  Please come and share our joy for this couple and their faithfulness to God’s leading among Friends.
 

If you are online and have an email address, we will be sending out prayer alerts by email. It works like this. Each Monday we will send an email alert to everyone on our list with the prayer requests we have received in the office.  You can send in prayer requests by email as well. The new program will be called: ONLINE PRAYER. You can send your requests to onlineprayer@mail.com. If you are online and have not given your email address to the office let us know and you will be included in this new prayer/out reach program. If you have any suggestions for sermons or for programs in the church just send them to the same address as well.