October  2008
5 World Communion Sunday
13  Executive Board Meeting @ 7:00 pm
20  Elder's Meeting @ 7:00 pm.
21 Men's Fellowship Breakfast
26 Reformation Sunday
29 Gal's Night Out @ 6:00 pm.
31 Friendship House Meal 

Mount Vernon First Christian Church General Board Meeting                September 15, 2008
Members present:
DonLeak, Joyce Leak, Steve Coleman, Art Neumarkel, Linda Paget, Jim Paget, Jeanne Frank, Janice Tippie, Beverly Madlung, June Steen, Marcie Labo
ACTION ITEMS
Approval of July 14 General Board Minutes - corrections noted and approved as read.  Approval of July 20 Congregational meeting minutes.
Capital Fund Pledge Update - Janice Tippie reported $51,875.00 given to date.  Pledges are up-to-date and paid on time.
Financial Report - Janice Tippie
Treasurer's Report - Linda Paget reported that she is working with Church Extension on the loan for the roof replacement costs. We will pay interest only until November 1, 2008.  She will contact them as to the amount of monthly payments to begin in November.  She reported that church pledging is going very well, and members are also remembering their tithing during the summer months.  Total campaign pledges continues to increase, with new pledges coming in August. We are very close to the target amount of 130,000.00. Iglesia Apostolica Church Termination of Covenant Agreement- August 13 Executive Board Action and General Board Vote by email from Don. All in agreement of termination on September 30, 2008.
REPORTS AND BUSINESS FROM CHURCH VALUE CENTERS & WORSHIP CENTER
Pastor's Report-Steve Coleman reported that attendance remained high during summer months, which is unusual. Bible study begins on 9/23. Sunday School begins on 9/21.  Steve is returning as an on-call chaplain for the Skagit Valley Hospital. He reported on the Pastor's Conference he attended last week. It was well represented. Good speakers, and good conversation among the pastors.
Elder's Report-Joyce Leak reported that the Elders will resume meeting this month. She gave an update on Jeanette who will start chemo treatment again this month.
Worship Report-Marcie Labo-no report.
Diaconate Report-Janice Tippie reported that she will schedule a meeting at the end of the month.
 NURTURE CENTER
Education Report-Beverly reported that Sunday School will begin 9/21 for all ages. The August 17 Picnic was well attended. Joyce counted 41 people. Family Fellowship Day - new date? October date to be announced.
 MINISTRIES CENTER
Missions Report-Jeanne Frank reported on Lincoln school supplies. There was an overwhelming response. Friendship House - we need   more volunteers to prepare and serve. 
Property Improvements Report-Jim Paget- 1.Roof Replacement-roof is done.  2.Final Billing-Star Roofing has been paid in full.  3.Steeple Removal and Abatement Test-steeple not removed. There was roofing tile stored under the front of the Sanctuary, from the building of the church. We were able to remove all the tiles. There is a large amount of dust remaining and Dave is having a test done to see if it contains asbestos. We cannot use the furnaces until we get results from the test. If there is asbestos, we will need to get professionals to remove it. The steeple will not be removed by the roofing company. They did not have the equipment to handle it. Jim will take this back to his committee for further action. 
Discussion Items  1. Sanctuary Renovation Ideas and Plans-Marcie Labo and Jim Paget reported that their committee met and recommended of the removal of the existing chancel. Marcie showed a sketch of what the front area might look like. Discussion followed. The organ needs to be removed, or moved in order to begin construction. A notice will go in the bulletin and the newsletter concerning the removal of the organ. Congregation members will be asked for their opinion concerning getting rid of the organ. Marcie will work up proposal as to the details of the remodel and how it will look. Wood verses drywall. Carpet colors. Motion made to announce in church on Sunday that we are planning to remove the organ and chimes and if anyone has an issue, see Marcie. Motion passed. A committee will be formed with Marcie as head.  Art made a motion to wait until January 2009 to begin construction. Motion passed.  2. Pastoral Relations Committee-Vi Richardson-no report.   3.Trustees' Report on Pastor Residence Transition-Ed Bethel-no report. Ed will be contacted as to a future meeting and recommendation to the board.  4. Skagit Valley Herald-Publicity-Bev Madlung-recommendations are to publicize our Christmas and Easter services, but not the expense of the weekly ad.
 
Respectfully submitted by Beverly Madlung, Secretary to the General Board

Minister's Musings
   
   We are the Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.  As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord's table as God has welcomed us.    

     With these words, on September 8, 2008, Reverend Sharon  Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) opened the first-ever Disciples' Pastor's Conference.  Held in Arlington Heights, Illinois, this conference brought together 325 pastors to hear from a variety of speakers, discuss topics near and dear to their hearts, worship, share communion, meet new people, renew old friendships, learn from each other, and take a little break from congregational activities. And, following the closing worship on Wednesday, a few of us even had a chance to tour the Chicago waterfront and then attend an exciting Chicago White Sox baseball game. Lela thought this died-in-the-wool Cubs' fan would never root for the White Sox, but I did - and they won!  I returned to Mount Vernon late on Thursday, September 11, a little tired but also rejuvenated, refreshed, and very happy to have been given the opportunity to attend this historic and memorable event. Thank you! 
In keeping with the centrality with which we view the table of  communion as the image of what it means to be a Disciple, the Reconciliation Special Offering being taken up during worship on September 28 and October 5 reminds us it is at the table where we are called to become the gift of reconciliation.  When we gather to share the bread and the cup, we are challenged to put aside those things that artificially separate us into socially constructed categories, such as blue states and red states, conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and progressives, and instead always remember followers of the Christ are called to come together as one. When we do so, we become color blind, too. There can be no room in our lives of discipleship to the Christ for racism, sexism, age-ism, and all of the other "-isms" that only serve to divide us. The bread of life and cup of forgiveness surely call us to wholeness, to Shalom.
It's good to be home, and it's good to be here with our family and friends of Mount Vernon First Christian Church.  Thank you for letting Lela and me be a part of your lives; and thank you for being such an   important part of ours.
With love and hope, Steve    

Elder's Message

Sunday, August 31st, the Gospel text: Matthew 16:24-26, was talking about how we value our existence. "For whoever wishes to keep his life safe, will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it." I learned a little about this principle when learning to ski. If you can just let yourself go you can develop a sense of rhythm and actually enjoy the sport. Just tense up trying not to fall and ?. shorter skis also helped.

 It seems that we tend to spend a lot time worrying about messing up when in fact a few mistakes might actually be good. Thomas Edison is credited with saying that "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." The only sermon I remember from my chapel days at Northwest Christian College was from an old guy (who was about my current vintage) opened his address with, "You all need to flunk at least one class." That really gave me heart. The moral: Just go for it. The problem most of us face is that we are afraid of failing, so we don't try. Or as I was told, "Can't never could do nuttin."

 This seems to apply to so many aspects of our lives whether it is talking about the exercise of our faith, our work, our social relationships, and any other arena whether personal,   community, national and even international. So we keep on keeping on!        Art Neumarkel

We will keep the following members in our thoughts and prayers this week: Jeanette Hamilton, residing at Mira Vista as she receives chemo treatments, Joyce Bethel, who is receiving dialysis, Jim Wylie, residing at Mountain Glenn, Ina Rasar, who is struggling with painful arthritis,

Dan Richardson, who fell recently and was badly bruised (his body, not his spirit), Kevin Steen who is experiencing a whole new way of life in Brazil as an exchange student, and all those who are traveling and away from our church family.  We are thankful for a new fall Sunday School program with classes for all ages.  We are thankful for the completion of the church roof, and the continuing progress being made on the remodel of the Sanctuary.                                       

Everyone can serve: Look for opportunities to serve; don't wait to be asked! Remember: You can serve without being a part of an "official" ministry. We all can:
-extend the word of welcome, whether or not we are official greeters;
-be listening, caring friends, whether or not we are official lay counselors; 
- be ready to give reason for the hope that is in us, whether or not we are on the  evangelism team;
-be enthusiastic participants and ready to give a hand, whether or not we are  on the planning or cleanup committees.

The Sense of a Goose
 When you see geese heading south for the winter, flying in a "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.  People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.
 When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are heading the same way we are.
 When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
 What message do we give when we honk from behind? Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their own group.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

Are you God's wife?
    While working at a shoe store in downtown Truro, Nova Scotia, I noticed a little boy standing on the hot-air register outside the bakery shop next door in his bare feet, trying to keep warm.
    I was unsure whether to invite the boy into the store, or just what to do with him, when a [woman] came by. After a few words with the barefoot boy, she brought him into the shoe store. She bought him new shoes and heavy woolen socks, for which he tried awkwardly to thank her. "Are you God's wife?" he asked his benefactor.
    Taken aback by the question, she took some time before replying, "No, son, I'm just one of his children."
    "Well, I knew you must be some kin to him," he said as he thanked her again and ran out the door.
?Zelda Cornish