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This Week's Newsletter
January 22, 2012 This Week Wednesday – MYF small groups, 6:30 p.m. Upcoming Worship Services
Our World (courtesy of Ron Good) I am an island country in the Pacific Ocean. My nearest neighbor is 185 miles to the east. I am the world’s smallest republic covering 8.1 sq. miles. I am the second least populated countries after Vatican City with a population of 9,322. I was originally called “Pleasant Island”. My current name means “I go to the beach”. I am a phosphate rock island. I was a major miner and exporter of phosphate during the early part of the 20th century until my reserves were exhausted. I received my independence from a U. N. trusteeship in 1968. Today I am a republic with a parliamentary system of government. The president, currently Sprent Dabwido, is the head of state. Land tenure is unusual. All natives have certain rights to all land on the island, which is owned by individuals and family groups. Government and corporate entities do not own any land, and they must lease land from the land owners. Non-natives cannot own land. I am divided into 14 administrative districts. I have no armed forces. Under an informal agreement my defense is the responsibility of Australia. There is a small police force to keep civil order. I am a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations. I am surrounded by a coral reef which prevents the development of a seaport. There are 16 channels in the reef which allows small boats to access the island. I have an international airport, which is served primarily by the airline called “Our Airline”. The only fertile areas are the narrow coastal belt and the area around Buada Lagoon. Here coconut palms, bananas, pineapples, and vegetables flourish. Fresh water is limited. Rooftop storage tanks collect rainwater, but the islanders are most dependent on 3 desalination plants. Since I am near the Equator and the ocean, my climate is hot and humid. Rainfall is variable and several droughts have occurred. I have no native land mammals, but there are native birds, including the endemic Reed Warbler, as well as insects, and land crabs. Cats, dogs, Polynesian rats, pigs, and chickens have been introduced from passing ships. There was a trust established by the government from a portion of the phosphate sales. However, poor investments have nearly bankrupted the fund. Unemployment is nearly 90% and the government employs 95% of those who are employed. I have received aid from China, Taiwan, Russia, and especially Australia. English is the language of government and commerce, but the official language is the one that bears my country name. The main religion is Christianity. There is a sizeable Baha’i group (10%), the largest proportion of this religion of any country in the world. There is a Buddhist population (9%), and a Muslim group (2.2%). Literacy is 96% and education is compulsory for children ages 6 to 15. I have the largest proportion of obese people in the world with 97% of men and 93% of women being overweight or obese. Not surprising, I have the world’s highest level of type 2 diabetes with over 40% of the population affected. Life expectancy is 61 years for males and 68 years for females. Australian Rules football is the most popular sport. A traditional activity is catching noddy terns when they return in the evening from foraging at sea. Lassos with a weight at the end are tossed at the birds. Once captured the noddy is killed, plucked, cleaned, cooked, and eaten. Who am I? (The answer is hidden somewhere in this week’s newsletter.) Berkey Avenue Announcements Two months ago we began to experiment with having the welcome of visitors and the announcements after the end of the worship service. Thank you to the handful of persons in the congregation who have thoughtfully responded to this experiment. We’ve heard from you that the ending has felt a bit awkward and that it seems we have two benedictions. These are good insights. In today’s bulletin, you’ll see we’ve made some changes based on your responses. For the next month or two, we’d like to experiment with a closing song and a closing prayer at the end of the service. We can either stand or sit during the closing song (whichever the song leader chooses), but normally we’ll sit for the closing prayer. In this closing prayer, we can thank God for being with us, for hearing our petitions and intercessions, and for touching us through words, images, and music. With this song and prayer, we conclude our worship of God. Worship is a special event unlike any other: at no other time of the week do all of us as a whole community of faith focus our minds and hearts on the Triune God. With our worship now over, we make a transition to our fellowship and Christian education classes. We introduce our guests and visitors. We hear announcements about our congregational life and our mission in the community. This transition from worship to fellowship ends with a blessing. We hope our focus on worshipping God flows seamlessly from the prelude to the closing prayer. We also hope for a good, clear transition from worship to other important parts of congregational life. As before, we welcome your responses to this experiment. —The Worship Commission From the Worship Commission and Mission Commission: We are planning to have the children collect change for the MCC Penny Power jug throughout the year at the exit doors at the end of the worship service once a month. This will be done the first Sunday of the month starting February 1. This money will be given to MCC during the week of the Relief Sale. MYF will be assembling care packages for college students on Wednesday, February 1. You are invited to bring items to include in the care packages. Please bring items to the church by February 1. Thanks! Maija Short's 4th grade class at Chamberlain Elementary is collecting pop cans to raise money for a trip to Chicago. If you have any pop cans that you would like to donate, let her know. Fellowship Commission event: Friday, February 3, thanks to a generous benefactor, we will again be hosting an evening of food, fellowship, and folk dancing! We’ll begin with a pizza buffet at 6 p.m., followed by folk dancing at 7 p.m., lead by Les Gustafson-Zook. Bring your own beverage if you prefer something other than water. It should be an evening for all ages to enjoy, whether you choose to dance or just watch and listen. A similar event in 2010 was one of the most popular activities of that year. Save the date! Everence Scholarships available for 2012: If your family uses Everence Financial services and you will be a full-time student in a two-or-four-year accredited undergraduate or trade school program this fall, you may be eligible to apply for a college scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year. Everence regional offices will choose up to 32 $500 awardees. Top regional winners will then compete for an additional $2,500 or one of three $1,500 national scholarships. Recipients will be chosen primarily based on academics, leadership and community involvement. Applications are due by February 28, 2012. Learn more at Everence.com (search on college scholarship). (Naura) Our Schools Bethany Christian Schools’ auction will be held March 23. Notify Anita or Dale Snyder of contributions you intend to donate or contact Bethany at 534-2567 by February 13, for inclusion in the catalog. 75 Hours with The Book at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary: The AMBS community invites area church members to join in reading aloud through the entire Bible, between Friday, February 3 and Tuesday, February 7. Readers will gather in the Chapel of the Word in Waltner Hall and will read in the language or version they prefer. We encourage youth groups, small groups, friends and families to sign up and read together. Times are available at all hours except between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. To sign up as an individual or group and select your preferred time, contact Campus Pastor Janeen Bertsche Johnson at 296-6216 or . Bethany Christian Schools invites applications for the position of maintenance director, with responsibility for overseeing general maintenance of the facilities, mechanical systems, and vehicles and controlling the building management system. Starting date: as soon as the position is filled. To apply please complete an application, which is available on Bethany’s website (www.bethanycs.net) or at the school office. For information, call principal Allan Dueck at 534-2567. Community Announcements The Window desperately needs volunteers. They are especially looking for volunteers in the following areas. If you’re interested, call The Window at 533-9680.
If you are a good listener, compassionate and kind and want to help your community; if you are looking for the kind of rewards that money just can’t buy, Hospice volunteering may be the challenge you seek. Goshen Home Care and Hospice is offering training for new hospice volunteers on February 28. Hospice volunteers go wherever a hospice patient calls home to help the patient and family cope during this difficult time. If you are interested in joining our team as a hospice volunteer, please call Cathi Merryman at 574-364-1387 for 800-446-4643 about our upcoming training program. More information is posted on the bulletin board. Saturday, February 18 is coming soon! Is your team ready to Walk for the Homeless? Walkers, in teams or as individuals, can gather sponsors to help 8 local agencies help homeless persons in Elkhart County. Won’t it be cold? It might be. Homeless people walk in the cold. Come to Concord High School at 9 a.m. for “A Walk in Their Shoes”. Contact or go to http://homewardboundindiana.org to register or to donate. MDC Goldenrod serves people with disabilities. One of Goldenrod’s vehicles, a 1994 Honda, is worn out. If you have a small, economic, reliable car (with an automatic transmission) that you are willing to donate, please call 574-533-9720 ext. 5 and ask to speak with Colin Rusel or email Colin at . You’re invited to the 2012 Celebrate MCC Gathering with MCC Great Lakes! The two-day event will take place on February 24-25 at Berlin Mennonite Church (4718 US Rte. 62 E., Berlin, OH 44610). Join fellow MCC supporters from across the region as we explore MCC’s theme of “Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ.” Doug Amstutz, recently returned MCC representative in Ethiopia, will be speaking on Friday evening, and Ron Byler, MCC US Interim Executive Director, will be speaking on Saturday afternoon. A variety of workshops will be offered on topics such as meat canning, thrift shops, material resources and relief sales. For more information call the MCC Great Lakes Office at (574) 534-4133 or register online at greatlakes.mcc.org/annualgathering. Our Church Office Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Tuesday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
Statistical Report for January 15, 2012 Attendance: 165
Today, January 22, 2012 Greeters/Bulletins: Merrill Krabill family Nursery: Jeannie and Phil Miller Offering Counters: Steve Garboden Dick Ramer Audio/Visual: Michael Sherer
Next Sunday, January 29, 2012 Greeters/Bulletins: Merrill Krabill family Nursery: Anita and Tavi Mounsithiraj Offering Counters: Shawna Born Diane Nafziger Audio/Visual: Michael Sherer
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Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship 2509 Berkey Ave Goshen, IN 46526  Map & Directions
Founded: 1979 Pastor(s): Daniel P. Schrock Lois Stoltzfus Mast 
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