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For about half a year now we have known that the Deters family has retired from the mission field for health reasons. In that time, Christian Reformed World Missions has been praying and searching for a replacement to continue the work in the Dominican Republic.
Recently, Don and Mae W. and family have accepted the challenge to work in the Dominican Republic. In April, the family will be headed to Costa Rica to study the Spanish language for eight months. After this, they will continue on to the Dominican Republic to begin their work with COCREF. This is an organization of twenty Christian schools reaching some 2500 students. Many of the students come from poor Haitian families. Without these schools, most of the students would have no opportunity for education. Even more important is that many of these children would never hear the joyous news of God’s salvation.
Please remember Don and Mae and their four young boys in your prayers as they are preparing for months of study and relocation of their home.
Faith Church is also supporting the Reformed Bible College International Student Program. Young adults come from all over the world to study and prepare for the ministry before returning to their homeland.
This year we are supporting Lincoln P. who is a sophomore and is from Liberia. He has a special call to work with children. Lincoln hope to return home to work with the children’s ministry of his own church. He hopes to train the workers and caregivers of this ministry. Lincoln has a mission goal to work with the church in helping to bring relief and reconciliation to the thousands of children and families who have lost much due to the civil war and internal conflict.
Please remember Lincoln in your prayers as he studies at Reformed Bible College.
to Jason B. and Dana Van K. on their engagement. The wedding date is June 3, 2000 here at Faith Church, followed by a reception at Morris Country Club. The two met on a class project at North Central College in Naperville. Dana graduated at the semester break and is employed as a Project Accountant at Pepper Construction in Barrington. Besides planning a wedding and working, Dana is studying for her Certified Public Accounting license. Jason is still a full-time student at NCC with double majors in History and Business/ Marketing. He is currently employed at Hawkinson Ford in Oak Lawn as Internet Administrative Assistant. After graduation and wedding, they plan to make Carol Stream their home.
That's when the Elim bus arrives at Faith Church each week. A faithful crew of 3 - 5 adults from the Elim Workshop and their job coaches have been our volunteer "mailbox stuffers" for about a year now. They seem to enjoy their job and they also enjoy spending a little time chatting in the office. Either Dan or Bob can be counted on to ask the Pastor "Did you shave today?" (This seems to be a fascinating subject for the guys!) The other regulars are Diane, Guy, and Brandon.
If you have a flyer that needs to go in everyone's mailbox, they will be happy to oblige. Just get it here by noon on Thursday.
Jan F.
We celebrate with the couples who have recently become engaged . . . Jason B. and Dana; Lexie DJ. and Bobbie Harding; John H. and Sara. We would also like to extend our best wishes to Ben and Monique on their wedding.
We have been busy this past year with Bible studies and various activities. We have been averaging 20 people at the Bible studies, which is great because of scheduling conflicts and the good number of young adults we have that are away at college.
Thanksgiving morning we praised God that 37 people gathered for breakfast and that others just joined us for coffee. Thanks again MOMS for the treat bags for the college students.
Christmas season we gathered at the DB's for a lesson and food. We are truly blessed that we had so many that night. We squeezed about 30 in the family room with some standing in the kitchen and others joining later because of family events.
We also give thanks to the young adults who volunteer at Pass It On Thrift Store. We are proud that Dave B. and Jay I. volunteer weekly on Thursday evenings so Marion and Herman can go home. Once a month 8-10 of us volunteer on the second Thursday night of the month. We Have fun setting up new displays, cleaning and bringing out the new treasures. We would love others to join in on the fun!
We regret not getting to the colleges so far this year, but we hope to get out and visit soon. Check out the list of Singles & Doubles addresses and e-mails at the end of Faith Focus.
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Hogar del Ninos orphanage in Honduras needs them desperately! Just imagine 117 children missing a button somewhere on their clothes! Any extra buttons would be greatly appreciated. A button container is located on the table in the narthex for your contributions. Call Cheryl D. at 460-6464 with any questions. |
An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.
“Well,” said the farmer, “it was good. They did something different however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”
“Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?” “O, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.
“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.
The farmer said, “Well, its like this. If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you,
‘Martha, Martha, Martha,
Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
The cows, the big cows, the brown cows,
The black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows,
The COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn,
Are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
The CORN, CORN CORN,’
Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus.”
Fiction
Sheldon, Chas., In His Steps
Hunt, A.E., Hartford
Hunt, A.E., Rehoboth
Koch, R., The Deserter
Oke, J.. The Meeting Place
Peart, J., Mirror Bride & Heroes Bride
Wells, M., Colorado Gold
Wells, M., Jewel of Promise
Wells, M., Out of the Crucible
Wells, M., The Silver Highway
Grisham, J., The Testament
Peart, Jane, Gallant Bride
Peart, Jane, Destiny’s Bride
Peart, Jane, Jubilee Bride
Peart, Jane, Senator’s Bride
Peart, Jane, Shadow Bride
Peart, Jane, Yankee Bride/Rebel Bride
Hunt, A.E., Roanoke, The Lost Colony
Hunt, A.E., Jamestown
Oke, J., The Meeting Place
Lewis, B., The Confession
Lewis, B., The Shunning
Junior Fiction
Ballard, M., Benji’s Portion
Mueller, J.T., The Secret of Castle Whitenburg
Dewey Nos.
100’s
Hunter, B., In the Company of Women
200’s
Clairmont, R., I Love Being a Woman
Wirsbe, W., Be Confident
Rogers, C., The Tpical Josephus
Lutzu, E., Chisled by the M.er’s Hand
Arthur, K., Lord, I Want to Know You
Lucado, M., Just Like Jesus
Sproul, R.C., Faith Alone: Justification
Campolo, A., Party Right
Elliot, E., Keep a Quiet Heart
Coyle, N., Answering God’s Call to Quit
Smith, M., Journal Keeper
Dobson, J., Christ in Christmas
MacCasland, O., Oswald Chambers-Abandoned to God
300’s
Coats, D.R., Mending Fences
Blue, R., Storm Center: Finances
Trilese, J., The New Read Aloud Handbook
600’s
Jordan, Dolores, Family First
Parrot, L., Relationships
Smalley, G., Love is a Decision
Others
Video (Easy), Easter
Video, Sunday Singalong
Tape (Easy), The Insider
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd finger-paint more, and point the fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
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Faith Focus Staff Debbie VM. |
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