FEBRUARY 2010 Encounter

WORSHIP TIMES
    9:00 am Traditional Worship
11:00 am Contemporary Worship

Sunday, February 28 at Noon,

8^th Annual El Salvador Soup and Pie Lunch

with Silent Auction Fundraiser for Corozal

Join us for fellowship, fun, and financial support of Corozal!

Friends and neighbors are welcome!

Silent Auction of gift baskets throughout the morning (ends at 12:30)

Delicious homemade soups and pies served at noon

Updates on our partner community

Our goal is to raise $3600 for fertilizer for our Corozal families this year. This is your opportunity to give where it makes an immediate and important impact!

You can help by providing items for the silent auction, donating pies, and attending the event! Sign-up sheets to help are on the mission table in the Fellowship Hall. Questions? Contact Marcia McAdoo (964-5244).

Are you ready for a most amazing cultural mission experience?

The trip planning for the sixth APC delegation to El Salvador is underway. It is time to reserve our week on the calendar for 2010.

Our face-to-face friendship gives our partners in Corozal strength and motivation that can never be equaled by just sending them money. Prayerfully consider including this important mission in your travel plans for 2010. Contact Marcia McAdoo with any questions (e-mail: justicebern@mchsi.com). Learn more about our Salvadoran-Des Moines Presbyterian partnership at www.oursisterparish.org.

“CALLED” BY GOD TO DO HIS MINISTRY

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

        Please consider praying about how God is calling you to use your gifts of talent at Ankeny Presbyterian Church in 2010. When the Nominating Committee calls and asks you to consider becoming a Deacon or an Elder, please be prepared to pray and respond with an open heart and mind. May you feel “called” by God to do this piece of ministry.

            Debi Garner (965-0711) and Kelly Murray (964-1934)

ATTENTION, PLEASE: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Older Adult Ministry is looking for volunteer drivers for people needing rides to Sunday worship or other church activities. We are also looking for APC attendees who would like some help getting to APC. If you need a ride, know of someone who does, or are able to pick someone up, please contact Jacque Hansen at 963-8531. Jacque is going to coordinate, and attendees do not need to be an APC member.

Also, Older Adult Ministry is looking for helpers for the Mill Pond Devotional Study which is held on the third Wednesday of the month at 2:30 p.m. Helpers right now are Marge Hennings, Wilma Akins, and Sue Nelson. Duties include helping get attendees to the meeting room, helping serve treats, and taking part in the conversation. If you would be able to help, please contact Sue Nelson at ksnelson@mchsi or 964-1546.

O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier, Seniors) -

FEBRUARY MEETING will be on Wednesday, February 10, at 1:00 p.m. with coffee and dessert at APC. Our speaker will be Patrice Webber from Iowa Health Systems on "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

MARCH MEETING will be on Thursday, March 11, at Noon at APC. This meeting will be a potluck with each single or couple bringing one dish to share with others. Coffee, hot tea, and water will be provided. Please bring your own plates and silverware. After the meal, we will be having a game day. Every attendee is invited to bring their favorite game to play with others. This should be a good way to fellowship with Holy Trinity and get to know one another.

MONTHLY SOCIAL LUNCHEON FOR MEN & WOMEN! This group meets the first Wednesday of the month. (February 3 this month) at the Dahl's deli area at 12:00 noon. Anyone who would like to fellowship is welcome and encouraged to bring a friend. We pass a "tip can" and the money goes to the DMARC Food Pantry.

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NAME TAGS !            NAME TAGS !

When entering the Church for any function (Sunday worship, Sunday school, Logos, committee meetings, etc.) grab your name tag and wear it!

CHILDREN WORSHIP BAGS Children Worship Bags are available for children during the worship hour. Your child may tear out a picture or activity they chose to complete. All other items should remain in the bag and be returned to the tree stand in the center sanctuary entrance.

Definition of the term, “Prayer Warrior”

The first time I heard this term was a couple of years ago. My oldest son called and asked me to be his Prayer Warrior. Of course, I was really flabbergasted but that is what I became! After the formation of our Spiritual Resource Team, we selected certain people to pray for specific things. We call these folks “Prayer Warriors.” I understand some do not care for the term Warrior. However, a Prayer Warrior is at war with evil (as in “Onward Christian Soldiers” - an old Hymn.)

The word Warrior is not specifically used in the Bible. However, its synonym ’soldier’ is stated. Ephesians 6:10-20 describes putting on the Armor of God. 1 Timothy 1:18 ‘Fight the good warfare’ which the study notes say means Spiritual warfare against God’s enemies!

The Session and Deacons have Prayer Warriors praying for them and also there are Prayer Warriors for the Nominating Committee and the Task Force Team that is working to find a Temporary Supply Pastor.

Do you want to know “Who is a Prayer Warrior?” Call me at home where I have the list or if you would like to be a Prayer Warrior.

Martha Gray, 963-4088

Prayer Quilts - Another ‘Prayer’ Ministry

Hopefully, there will always be a quilt in the sanctuary that needs your silent prayers. After a few Sundays, if no one in our congregation needs them, they will go to Hope Ministries or anywhere they are needed. You can contact me if you want or need a prayer quilt.            Martha Gray, 963-4088

Focus on Mission…
REMEMBER TO BRING FOOD ITEMS FOR THE FOOD PANTRY!

NEW MEMBER INQUIRY CLASS - Saturday, February 6 - 9:00 a.m. - Noon!

“Inquiry” classes are designed to present an occasion for you to discern whether God is calling you to be part of the mission and ministry of our congregation. There is no obligation to join us as a result of attending these sessions, but we hope you will find our church a warm and welcoming house of God. Attendance at our “Inquiry” class is a prerequisite to joining APC. If you would like us to provide childcare at the church, please inform the office. If you have questions or scheduling conflicts, please call our program leader, Sandy Wagener (964-3762) or the church office (964-0264) to discuss alternatives.

A reply by e-mail (office@ankenypresbyterian.org) or phone (964-0264) will be appreciated. Let’s begin building our relationship with God and one another soon. We look forward to getting to know you better and joining us in serving the Lord.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

PER CAPITA

Each new year APC provides Presbytery a per capita payment. Per capita is an assessment of $30 per member, given to support the wider church. Many congregations ask members to consider donating their own assessments to offset this cost. If you are willing to do so, we thank you in advance. Pease mark your donation for Per Capita and put it in the offering.

With appreciation, The Finance Ministry

Do you LOVE numbers?

Are you a detail person?

The Finance Ministry is seeking a volunteer to provide occasional back up for the Treasurer's position. Charity Dunwoody is our volunteer treasurer and we are so indebted to her for helping our ministry. We are hoping to find a second APC member to help out on occasion with financial duties. Knowledge of Quickbooks would be very beneficial! If called to do this, please contact Bonnie McCaughey at bjm42552@aol.com or 964-7152. Thanks!

DID YOU KNOW?

Sr. High Youth have an on-going fundraiser of collecting cans and bottles to return for redemption money. Please drop off cans and bottles in mechanical room off east hallway. Thanks, as always, for your support!
»» A friendly reminder— water bottles and Gatorade bottles don't get the 5-cent return in Iowa. Please add them to your home recycle bin. Thanks!

From Director of Youth Ministries

            For some reason I’ve really struggled with what to write in this article. Should I write about the special activities the youth have done this month like the “To Save a Life” movie or the concert we went to? Should I write about the importance of youth ministry? Should I write about what I’ve been studying this month? As I think about all the different possibilities, one thing keeps coming up in mind; my relationship with God.

            I was created to be in relationship with God and nothing on this earth is better. One thing that has become clear to me in an extreme way is that nothing is as important as my relationship with God. It’s more important than having fun, more important than happiness, more important than learning, more important than friends, more important than helping people, more important than ministry to youth, and even more important than my wife. To some that may seem too extreme, but don’t stop reading just yet.

            The more I put my relationship with God above everything else, the more God gives those things back to me in a more beautiful way. My relationship with God has been fun, brought great happiness, given me a new desire for learning, spurred me on to make friends, given me a desire to help people, spoken direction and passion into my ministry, and has multiplied my love for my wife.

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

                                    Matthew 10:39

God Bless,

Matt Narwold



Don Justo Coffees in one-pound bags (regular roast, French roast or flavors), A Just Cup of Coffee Mugs, and APC cookbooks are all available from the coffee cart in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Marcia McAdoo (964-5244) with questions or special orders.

FAIR TRADE DECAF COFFEE AND TEA AVAILABLE!

Order forms are on the coffee cart.

JANUARY 2010 donations to the Food Pantry were 45 items.
Total for 2010 so far is 45 items.
Thank you for your continuing support of the Emergency Food Pantry]

Ankeny Presbyterian Church
317 SE Trilein Dr.
Ankeny, IA 50021
(515) 964-0264

Page last updated 03/05/2009