Bulletin

September 27, 2009

Gathering

Opening Songs

Trading my sorrows

I will celebrate

We will walk with God

Welcome and Announcements

Opening Words

Hymns

WB # 344

I will sing of my Redeemer

WB # 121

Holy God, we praise thy name

Tithes and Offerings

Hearing the Word

Children's Story

Jeanette Harder

Birthday and Anniversary Offering

Scripture

Matthew 6:5-15 TM

Hymn

WB # 136

From the depths of sin

(younger children are dismissed to the nursery)

Sermon

Spiritual Disciplines: Forgiven and Forgiving

Responding to the Word

Hymn

WB # 407

We are people of God's peace

Sharing and Prayer

Hymn

WB # 580

My life flows on

Benediction

Assisted listening devices are available at the audiovisual desk.

Please stand and use a microphone during announcements and sharing

Worship Leader:  David Wiebe

Music Leaders:  Jennifer Lantz, Julie Schlegel, Heidi Hochstetler

Greeter:  Sharon Orr

Children's Story Next Sunday:  Carol Knieriem & Mary Cooney

Snacks Next Sunday:  Wiebes

Drivers Next Sunday:  Jerry & Sue Burkey

Nursery Today:  Evrett Lunquist & Ruth Chantry

Nursery Next Sunday:  Brenda & Megan McLey

Calendar

Today, 4:00-8:00 pm

Church Fall Party - Boshart's

Tues. Sept. 29, 7:00 pm

Worship Committee

Tues. Sept. 29, 9:00 pm

Third Way Fellowship - UNL

Wed. Sept. 30, 6:30 pm

First Annual FMC Game Feed

Wed. Sept. 30, 7:15 pm

Small Group 3 - Wiebe's

Sat. Oct. 3, 6:30 am

Women's Saturday Study

Sat. Oct. 3, 10-4

Relay for Life Fair - FMC

Sun. Oct. 4, 12:00 pm

Primary S.S. Teachers' Meeting

Sun. Oct. 4, 1:30 pm

High School Bowling & Bonfire

Record for September 20

Attendance:  110

Offering  $1,992

Sept. Budget  $8,564

Sept. Offerings  $5,757

YTD Budget  $81,358

YTD Offerings  $80,967

Building Fund Report

YTD Building Offerings  $17,950

Monthly Mortgage Payment  $1,101

YTD Mortgage Interest Paid  $7,802

YTD Principal Paid  $15,962

YTD Normal Principal  $2,511

YTD Additional Principal  $413,451*

12/31/08 Mortgage Balance  $141,979

6/30/09 Mortgage Balance  $126,018

Building Payment Fund  $18,000

*The additional principal paid in 2009 has shortened the life

  of the 20 year loan by 3.5 years.

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Monday, September 28 - Betta Kym

Tuesday, September 29 - Derek Stewart

Wednesday, September 30 - Emily Nitzsche

Thursday, October 1 - Tierney Stewart

Saturday, October 3 - Tyler Steinberger

Saturday, October 3 - Micah Thiessen

Announcements

FALL PARTY TODAY - You are invited to the All-Church Fall Party today from 4:00 to 8:00 at Chad and Kathy Boshart's house.  Details and directions are on the church door.  We hope you can come for hot dogs, pumpkins, fun and fellowship.

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP - Bowling and Bonfire with the youth group from Salem Mennonite Church in Shickley, will be here in Lincoln on Sunday, October 4.  Meet at Rick & Wanda Stauffer's at 1:30.  We will bowl at Parkway Lanes and then come back to Stauffer's for a bonfire.

LOOK FOR YOUR NAME - The church directory will be published in October and we don't want to leave you out!  Please check the pages on the wall of the fellowship hall for your name, address, birthday, etc. and make any corrections.  If you don't see your name there, write it on the wall!

RSVP FOR MEN'S NIGHT OUT - It's our First Annual FMC Game Feed.  Pheasant, Quail, Turkey, Goose, Bear, Deer, and Duck to be served on Wednesday, September 30th, 6:30 p.m. at Rick's house.  Please RSVP by today to Rick or Brett.  For all the non-red meat eaters, we will fry up some excellent fish.  Come and enjoy.

PRIMARY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS - We will have a meeting and lunch after the morning worship service on Sunday, October 4.

SCRIPTURE - The Scripture Reading this morning is from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene H. Peterson.

"THIRD WAY FELLOWSHIP" - Introducing the new name for the UNL Campus Discussion Group.  Meetings are held in the Nebraska Union near the Caffina Café each Tuesday at 9:00 p.m.  All college and university students are welcome.  This week the group will begin a study of Amos.

WORLD COMMUNION - This will be observed next Sunday, October 4.  First Mennonite Church practices an open Communion.  All who love the Lord and desire to follow him are welcome to partake.  Take time this week to prepare your heart for the Lord's Supper.

BIRTHDAY OFFERING - "I study in Girls High School.  I have a family consisting of four members, me and my mother and a sister and a brother.  I have received a new school bag, school uniform, shoes, tuition fees, as well as school fees.  Thank you very much for all these things as well as your love and support.  Without such support it is impossible to continue my studies.  - Your loving daughter, Payel"

Everyone born or married during September is invited to participate in our monthly birthday and anniversary offering.  Donations support Payel and two other students in Calcutta, India, through Mennonite Central Committee's Global Family Program.  This year our commitment to each student has increased to $300 per year and our offerings have been falling a bit short of this goal.

SAMARITAN COUNSELING - Building strong families is at the core of the new Samaritan Neighborhood Counseling Initiative.  Read their monthly update on the bulletin board.

RELAY FOR LIFE FAIR - Do your holiday shopping and support cancer research, too!  Come to a Crafts and Gifts Fair at First Mennonite Church on Saturday, October 3 from 10 to 4.  Booths will be set up from many vendors including Tupperware, Tastefully Simple and Tammy (Riedel's) crafts.  A portion of the proceeds goes to Relay For Life to support cancer research.  See church bulletin board for more details.

HELP STOP HUNGER - It's CROP WALK time again, where neighbors from different faiths, cultures and ages walk together to take a stand against hunger in our world.  Lincoln's Crop Walk will take place on Sunday afternoon, October 11.  Pick up your donation forms from Anita Breckbill.  This year, if you are contributing to Mennonite Central Committee through CROP, please make out your checks to MCC, indicating CROP on the memo line. 

FOSTER CARE CLOSET - Some children are placed in foster care suddenly and with only the clothes on their back.  To meet this need, Leigh Esau started the Foster Care Closet, which provides free clothes for foster children who need them.   Please bring gently used clothes to donate to this wonderful cause.  Clothing will be collected this month on the south wall of the sanctuary.  Clean used items of all sizes are needed: infant through teen sizes, dress clothes & casual clothes, shoes & all other.  Baby items are also needed (blankets, etc.).  Remember also that lots of teens are adult size!  Items not accepted are used undergarments.  FCC also prefers modest clothing.  Thank you for your donations.  If you have questions, please contact Carol Knieriem or FCC Director Leigh Esau. Thank you.

SAMARITAN COUNSELING - Building strong families is at the core of the new Samaritan Neighborhood Counseling Initiative.  Read their monthly update on the bulletin board.

RELAY FOR LIFE FAIR - Do your holiday shopping and support cancer research, too!  Come to a Crafts and Gifts Fair at First Mennonite Church on Saturday, October 3 from 10 to 4.  Booths will be set up from many vendors including Tupperware, Tastefully Simple and Tammy (Riedel's) crafts.  A portion of the proceeds goes to Relay For Life to support cancer research.  See church bulletin board for more details.

HELP STOP HUNGER - It's CROP WALK time again, where neighbors from different faiths, cultures and ages walk together to take a stand against hunger in our world.  Lincoln's Crop Walk will take place on Sunday afternoon, October 11.  Pick up your donation forms from Anita Breckbill.  This year, if you are contributing to Mennonite Central Committee through CROP, please make out your checks to MCC, indicating CROP on the memo line. 

ROOFING INFORMATION - Tom H. has decided that October 9^th and 10th would work the best for him to have First Mennonite re-roof his house.  Nebraska plays football on the 8^th so we would like to get started on Friday afternoon to start getting the shingles off and get the black paper back on.  It is a 20 square roof so it should be doable in a day and half with a good turnout.  Please let Wade or Dallas know so that we can coordinate numbers, for food and drink.

MISSION STIMULUS PAYMENT II - In response to special needs during the current economic downturn, the Leadership Board has agreed to make a second above-budget gift of $1,000 to People's City Mission and a $1,200 gift to Christian Peacemaker Teams to support one month of Jessica Frederick's work in At-Tuwani.  Her latest email report is posted on the bulletin board.

BUDGET COUNSELING - If you are facing a difficult financial situation or need questions answered about a mortgage, your credit report, or even your budget, MMA offers free, confidential budget and debit counseling.  Contact Sue Burkey, our MMA advocate, for information.