I grew up in a small Midwest village http://www.tremontil.com/index.html where the majority of kids with whom I marched to "Pomp and Circumstance" were also present when we gawked at the second grade teacher crying on the playground asphalt after she broke her ankle playing the dangerous sport of tetherball, giggled when 'you know who' kissed a girl at the Lakeview planetarium, and visited the sewage treatment plant on a thrilling fifth grade fieldtrip. While walking uptown over school lunch to Duke's for the world's best hot fudge sundae, we watched in horror when one of our classmates was hit by a vehicle, and some of us got in trouble for shooting water with the air pistons in eighth grade science class. We knew one another forever; our parents knew each other for an eternity.
Imagine our guffaws when one of our high school classmates got a speeding ticket en route to pick up his girlfriend only to be welcomed to her house with a call from one of his parents saying, "Do you have something to tell me?" Keep in mind that our communication device(singular), aka the telephone, was attached to our kitchen walls. OH, wait, some of us did have the CB radio. Anyway, I don't know exactly what his mom/dad said, but I imagine it was something like that.  (Feel free to remind me of the details if you read this. You know who you are.)  :)  Word got around, not always accurately, but it spread like wildfire without tweets and texts.

This week Brother Mick's message is called, "Speaking the Party Line" with scripture text from Luke 4:14-22. Jesus read and spoke in his neighborhood church. There is a bit of excitement, and I imagine some hometown pride. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" There is good news!  Good news for all! The worship service begins at 10:15am, and I'll join you in the Upper Room at 9am. http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

Sunday, Feb. 3 the senior high youth will host the annual Amish Wedding Feast fundraising event in the 1990 hall following the service. Yum YUM! Please come to eat plenty and give generously.  The funds are needed to take us to the Mennonite Convention in Phoenix.

If you are considering baptism, let me know. A "discovery class" is being offered for late winter and early spring.

A prayer for today: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims God's handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. Ps 19:1-2 
Creator God, thank you for your presence with us. You never leave us nor forsake us. Let our lives declare Your glory by the way we treat each other. Let your Spirit fruit be sweet and ripe within us, and let us share that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control with all of creation.  Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too.

Love and Light,
Carol

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference! Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend." jd