Worship this Sunday, August 27
Living Joyfully Through Visual Arts
Worship Leader: Matt Carlson
Preacher: Dayna Olson-Getty
Song Leader: Greg Yoder
Prelude/Offertory: Seth Crissman
Pastoral Prayer: Jason Gerlach
Upcoming CMC Events at a Glance (details below)
Aug 27 CMC Green Congregation Initiative meeting
Sept 3 Backpack Blessing during worship
Sept 3 Sunday school begins – Worship at 9 am, Sunday school at 10:30 am
Sept 22-24 CMC Retreat at Camp Brethren Woods
CMC Events and Announcements
CMC Green Congregation Initiative. Everyone who has interest and time is invited to meet Sunday, August 27 for the hour following the worship service for planning toward the CMC Green Congregation Initiative from the CMC vision and discernment process. Meet in room 109. If you need a ride home after the meeting (because the rest of the family has to get home), rides will be provided. Let me know if you want copies of the notes ahead of time. — Brian Martin Burkholder
Sunday School Begins September 3. Beginning September 3 all children and youth, ages 2 through high school, will begin Sunday school. Children ages 2-3 will begin their own curriculum called Wee Wonder. For ages 4-high school, lessons from the Circle of Grace/Our Whole Lives curriculum will be followed for the first three Sundays in September. Please see your mailboxes for details of topics for each Sunday, age groups and meeting locations, and teachers/assistants. The Shine curriculum will begin on October 1.
Children’s Sunday School Teachers for 2017-2018. We still have a need for teachers and assistants for children’s Sunday school for the fall quarter. Needed are teachers for the the “regular” lessons from the Shine curriculum, which will begin on October 1. We invite you to consider taking on one of these roles while also learning to know the children who are an important part of our church family. You may sign up for one quarter, two quarters or for a whole year. Please sign up on the Sunday school chart in the Fellowship Hall. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Monica Carlson or Joyce Peachey Lind. Thank you for your participation in helping guide our children on their faith journeys!
CMC Backpack Blessing. We will offer a blessing for all of those (students, teachers, academic staff) returning to school this fall during worship on September 3. If you'd like, you may bring your backpack or briefcase to hold as you receive a blessing for the coming school year.
CMC Potluck is next Sunday, Sept. 3 after Sunday school. We will be at Morrison Park, just behind Waterman Elementary. Please bring plenty of food for your family and some to share, as well as plates, cups and silverware. You may also want to bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. Hospitality will provide water to drink and we will have serving spoons. See you at the park!
CMC Annual Retreat. CMC's annual retreat will be held September 22-24 at Camp Brethren Woods. Our keynote speaker will be Isaac Villegas, pastor of Chapel Hill Mennonite Church. The theme will be Love, Joy and Resistance: Practicing the politics of Mary in the face of empire. In addition to learning sessions with Isaac, we are planning hands-on learning activities for children and youth, story-telling and s'mores around a bonfire, Saturday Night Live (CMC-style), and free-time for outdoor activities. Come for part or all of the weekend. Registration is available online at surveymonkey.com/r/2017CMCRetreat.
Potato Mashers Needed: 4-8 volunteers needed to help mash the potatoes for the MCC Relief Sale donuts on Tuesday, September 26, at Our Community Place. If you can help, let Jennifer and John Murch know! jmurch6@gmail.com.
Volunteers for donut making at the MCC Relief Sale. We are looking for volunteers to help with the following:
1. Set up and tear down. A team of five people to help set up on Thursday, September 28 from 1-5 pm and then again, on Saturday, September 30 from 1-3 pm, to help tear down. The tear-down volunteers need to know where everything goes (we will be dead on our feet, barely able to even talk), so we’re requesting—pleading, imploring, begging—that we have the same people for both set-up and tear-down.
2. Donut makers! Shifts are 3-6 am, 6-9 am, and 9-12 noon. Would some CMCers like to sign up to work a shift together? If so, let Jennifer or John Murch know by August 27th, or contact them by email at: jmurch6@gmail.com.
Local, Organic Chicken. If anyone is in need of some organic, non GMO, pasture-raised chicken to stock their freezer this winter, you can contact me at (540) 833-6710 or email me at jasonandwendygerlach@gmail.com. –Jakob Gerlach
Host homes for Goshen College singing group. Goshen College's Parables singing group will lead us in worship on October 15. We need several host homes for 2 – 4 students for Saturday and Sunday nights (October 14 and 15). Please contact Katie Derstine (katiederstine@gmail.com or 540-383-9500).
Summer Daze and Menno Nights. If you think that things slowed down at Community Mennonite these past few weeks, then all you need do is cast your gaze upon the new double-truck photo collage just posted on the bulletin board on the west wall of the fellowship hall. Relive highlights of the worship series themes, "Love is a Verb" and "Living Joyfully" as the remarkable people of CMC are caught sharing their gifts through the spoken word, music, everyday ministries and other activities. –Jim Bishop
This is an excerpt from a note we received on Wednesday from Tabea Zimmermann: “Hello family and friends. It was such a joy to open my email today and have a flood of greetings and well wishes from so many of you. I have been receiving treatment at the Sandton Mediclinic in Johannesburg for 2 days now and will be here for at least 3 more days. The orthopaedic surgeon took one look at my leg and diagnosed surface-level cellulosis, meaning the infection has thankfully not reached deeper tissue or my bone. I am on some heavy antibiotics and the infection has stopped spreading and today even looks like it is improving a bit. I am getting lots of rest and the nurses and staff are wonderful. I can now relax and let the medicine do its work. . . I am overwhelmed with your out-pour of prayers and blessings and I am realizing just how wide my network of support extends. That is something very special, which I do not take for granted. I thank you again for your continued prayers, well wishes, and will let you know when things clear up and I can head back to my home in Zambia. In peace, Tabea”
Biography of Harold and Arlene Eshleman. Ken Eshleman weaves together family records and oral history, interviews and archival documents as he tells the story of his parents. Harold was pastor at the Chicago Avenue Mennonite Church before the congregation moved and became Harrisonburg Mennonite Church. Harold and Arlene were the grandparents of Lee Eshleman, and author Ken is a cousin to Ruby Sawin. To pre-order or for more details, pick up a flier on the bookshelf at the back of the sanctuary or talk to Ruby Sawin.
Events and Announcements from the Broader Community
Invitation to Jewish Shabbat Service. Beth El Congregation is once again inviting those in our community who are interested in observing and experiencing a Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) service to attend our Community Awareness Shabbat service on Friday, August 25th at 7:30 pm at Beth El, 830 Old Furnace Road, Harrisonburg VA 22802. At this service, we will follow the order of the service, including the standard liturgy, with Hebrew readings from the Torah (five books of Moses) and Haftarah (Books of Prophets). To help our guests, there will be some explanations inserted into the service, and we will provide an opportunity for you to ask questions, following the service and a time for the Oneg Shabbat (fellowship and light refreshments). RSVPs are helpful but not required, to Rabbi Joe Blair, 540-434-2744 or RabbiJoeb@hotmail.com. The expected dress is business casual, or whatever you feel appropriate for your own faith community. We hope to see you on August 25th. –Rabbi Joe (for Congregation Beth El)
Fundraiser for (L)earn-a-bike Program. You are invited to an Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser for the (L)earn-a-bike Program sponsored by Gift & Thrift. The fundraiser is Saturday, August 26 from 8-10 am and tickets should be purchased in advance at Gift & Thrift. More information on the (L)earn-a-bike program can be found at http://learnabike.org/.
Attention Parents and Children! Come to the Sing Me High Music Festival for all kinds of fun. Old-fashioned games, crafts, and activities from the 1800s will be featured in the Harvest Fest activities from 10 AM – 3 PM. Then from 2 PM – 6 or 7 PM, make sure you have your swim trunks, bathing suits, or favorite soggy shorts to race your friends and family down our dueling slip 'n slides. Other activities will include GaGa, frisbees, texture tubs, face-painting, and more! The first 100 participants in Harvest Fest activities get an activity bag to take home, so be sure to show up when the doors open at 10 AM on Saturday, Aug. 26. Tickets are available at singmehigh.com/tickets, or you can purchase them at the gate. Call 540-438-1275 with questions.
Cornhole Tossers! They say you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. As of today, there are zero (0) teams registered for the cornhole tournament at the Sing Me High Music Festival. Why not take a shot at winning the $500 prize for the youth group at your church? Your odds are looking pretty good! Visit singmehigh.com/cornhole and sign up today!
Attention all Sing Me High Festival-Goers! Tickets for Sing Me High Music Festival are still available at singmehigh.com/tickets. You can also purchase tickets at the gate on Friday, Aug. 25 or Saturday, Aug. 26. Come out to support the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center. Celebrate music and faith with the Walking Roots Band, Bittersweet Gospel Band, Southern Grace, Tide Spring, Good Company, The Clymer Kurtz Band, and more! Bring some extra cash for delicious festival foods from A Bowl of Good, Grilled Cheese Mania, Deere Horn's Ice Cream, and others, and don't miss the Pie Auction on Friday night! Be sure to check out the Harmonia Sacra sing at 3:00 and the Hymn Sing at 5:30. You may also want to try to win a hand-made quilt or a custom-built guitar in one of the raffles. Sing Me High Music Festival is a great way to celebrate the close of the summer, and we hope you'll come share in the celebration! Call 540-438-1275 with questions.
Shekinah Auditions. Shekinah, an independent women’s vocal ensemble, will hold auditions on August 28 and 29, 2017 for new members. For more information and to schedule an audition, go to shekinahmusic.net or email us at info@shekinahmusic.net.
Auditions for the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir will take place on August 30 and 31. Children ages 8-18 who love to sing are encouraged to audition for the 2017-2018 season. Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings at Eastern Mennonite University. Instructors: Janet Hostetter and Joy Anderson. For more information, call (540) 432-4650 or visit www.svcc.org/programs
Musikgarten at EMU is now registering students for fall classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners through age 5. Classes are offered at various times on Tuesdays and on Wednesday mornings. Register now for the ten-week session that begins the week of September 11. Classes will include folk songs, movement, making music with instruments, music games and more in a fun, educational environment. Call (540) 432-4277 for more information or visit www.emu.edu/musikgarten