THE MEMO

Spring Green Memorial Church

SEPTEMBER 2008

“The Memo is designed to keep members and friends informed and to inspire a feeling of church fellowship and unity.”  Items submitted for publication will be reviewed by the Staff and those selected for publication must be in keeping with the mission statement of THE MEMO and may be edited for form or content.

LOOKING AHEAD

Pastor Barry’s sermons on September 21^st and 28^th will focus on: Stewardship.

In related NEWS

Diaconate Response

By Steve Brown, Chair

On Behalf of the Board of Deacons

During these last few months we have seen the rise in food and gas prices.  We have also witnessed the loss of many homes due to foreclosure.   How we as a society process these events will vary from person to person and from family to family.   Many people are pushed to the brink to survive in these hard times.  Spring Green Memorial Church is not excluded in this social turbulence.   We as a church have been approached for assistance by different individuals in the community.  The instances for assistance has averaged to be about once per month for various reasons over the last 4 or 5 months.  Our Christian values will not allow us to turn our backs when someone is in need. This is why the Board of Deacons is asking for your support in an effort to be a support to our community in these times of need.  Donations of grocery and gas gift cards in denominations that you can afford would be appreciated.  Another area that would be a help will be in donations for hotel/motel stays.   The dynamics of this is still being worked out.  More on this as information becomes available.   Please forward any donations to our church secretary Bonnie Dermanulian.

HELP IS NEEDED TO UPDATE OUR HISTORY

If you have any historical (or “hysterical”) anecdotal facts you would like to share from 1999 to the present, we would love to receive them.  You can give your submissions to any member of the Memo Committee (listed on page 1 of the memo) or by email to springgreenchurch@yahoo.com.

Thank you.

The Memo Committee

BOARD OF MISSIONS

Many exciting and worthwhile Mission opportunities will be available for you to participate in.  More information will follow in future bulletins and monthly memos.  REMEMBER, in September and October the World Mission Offering will be taken.  See open letter to congregations dated July 15, 2008 included in this memo.

BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

The Board of Christian Education is still in need of teachers, especially the High school age group.  If you are interested in subbing, teaching or team teaching let anyone on the Board know.  They are:  Louise Woolf, Becca Woolf, Pat Faella and Doreen Pepper.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Have you ever thought, "The needs of people are so enormous; how can we possibly make a difference?" What a common frustration! I am sure the early church shared it with us in their day.  The powerful news is that the early church overcame this frustration the same way that we can. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they healed people's hurts and showed God's love, one person at a time.

The World Mission Offering is one very powerful way to say to a world in need, "Jesus knows and loves you." I believe Christ wants us to increasingly make a differ­ence in people's lives by reaching them at their point of need. Because of last year's Offering, International Ministries has already appointed three new missionaries. We want to appoint at least seven as we did in 2007. Investing in the work of missionaries meets an incredible range of human needs while effectively sharing of the good news of Jesus. (See the enclosed separate sheet)

Most local churches receive the World Mission Offering in September and October.

We hope you will start planning for this in August. See how the enclosed materials and the worship and educational resources at www.worldmissionoffering.org can help you. Will you pray that God's people in your local church will surprise even themselves by giving to the World Mission Offering in ways that expand Christ's work through your missionaries and those with whom they serve?

Thank you on behalf of people worldwide whose lives will be transformed by deeds of love, so noble and so generous, that they will brand God's people in your church with the words, See how they love! Thank you from International Ministries' missionaries, staff and international partners.

Yours together in Mission,

God is at work! Moved by the Holy Spirit, people are coming to Christ, growing in Christ, and changing their world with Christ.