Midweek Message10/30/2024

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #224

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #224! Thanks for taking time to allow me into your world and into your inbox. I had a few moments on Saturday to begin writing this and I’m thinking maybe I should wait. It has taken me almost 3 minutes to type up to this point with all the mistakes the computer, oops my fingers, are making. So far it has not been a pretty sight. Then again, maybe it is a good thing I started on Saturday. Maybe by Monday or Tuesday I may have repaired the message to my fingers to type what I am thinking and not what they are doing.😊

Of course, the first thing on my mind is the anniversary celebration this past Sunday. But I’m going to put that off for the moment.

Our educator of the week is Rachel Nicholson. Rachel is in her 22nd year of teaching, her 10th at MCES. This is her third year as the Special Education teacher. She has also taught K, 1st, 3rd, 4th, & 6th grades. She and Dale celebrate their 20th anniversary today (Wednesday) and they have a son, Tad, a very active 7th grader who loves sports (especially baseball).

YOUTH CORNER

Yay! I have some youth information to share with you! I’m doing a happy dance here (and no, you don’t want to see that).

    • Congratulations to Jordan Mangia, Haven Mosier, and Brantley Schneider who were chosen as Top Cats at SES for the month of October. I loved their pictures! I really got a kick out of a video Brantley’s mom, Sarah, shared on Facebook that Tami showed me. When Sarah took the video of Brantley standing with his Top Cat certificate in front of him, his little sister, Stella, was recorded saying, “Prisoners do that!” I laughed my head off! That was funnier than many comedians who think they are. 😊Jordan, Haven and Brantley, we are so proud of you!
    • Addilynn (Addi) Hutchison was awarded with a certificate for the A/B Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance for the first 9 weeks. Way to go, Addi! (Mom may have posted a picture of her). 😊
    • Aubrey Mangia was chosen to receive the Patriot Award for her season on the Cross Country team. She was sick the morning of the awards but since she had connections to the coach (her dad) she was able to receive her award. She was a great teammate and leader. Way to go, Aubrey! Keep working hard!
    • Colby Beckwith, brother to Matt Beckwith and Amanda Hutchison, earned Male Golfer of the Week for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. He placed 2nd at the Kalamazoo Invite with a 74 this past weekend.

Pastor Ryan and I have a great opportunity every month to read to the Kindergarten classes at MCES (Ryan) and SES & GES (me). Mrs. Hensley’s husband reads to her class at PES. I absolutely love reading to my classes and I know Ryan does also. May I make a suggestion that you find a teacher and tell them thanks for their hard work? Having a teacher living in my house keeps me constantly aware of what they experience-the highs and lows-each day. It will do their heart good to hear a kind word from you.

Okay…now the moment you all have been waiting for. A recap of our anniversary celebration at Abram Event Venue. I’ll not mention any names for fear of leaving someone out.

    • We had tons of volunteers. I got there at 7:00 and a good number of tables were already set up. We had people help carry all the sound equipment, put up chairs, put the communion on the tables, get the food on the tables and ready to be devoured, and then help tear down, wipe tables down, sweep, take out the trash, and help carry things out to vehicles. Some of our younger ones helped put the “We’re Glad You Are Here!” papers on the tables.
    • Thanks to the volunteers who helped with the parking and shuttled people back and forth.
    • Thanks to the worship team who did a superb job of leading us in the singing part of our worship. It took a lot of work to cart everything over there and get set up, only to tear it down and bring it back to the church building.
    • Thanks to Diana for all the extra work it took and also Pastor Ryan with working with Diana on getting the kid’s papers ready and overseeing the parking and shuttle.
    • Thanks to all of you who came and celebrated with us. I appreciate you more than you know.

As many of you know the plan is for me to have surgery on November 11 to replace my knee. I will be preaching the first two weeks in November and Pastor Ryan will be preaching the other two. Lord willing, I will be able to preach on December 1st. The series for November is “I’m Thankful…” This Sunday is “God’s Got This.” Please read Psalm 2 ahead of time. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Love you all.

Pastor Bill

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