Church guide

Don't forget that AWANA is back tonight! 6:30-8:00pm See you there!

Due to the weather forecast Awana and Strive will be canceled tomorrow night, January, 30th. Stay Warm!

Buncombe Wisconsin 1975 This story begins with my father getting a phone call late one evening from our neighbor Theda Curwen. I grew up in an area of Wisconsin known by the locals as Buncombe. It is hilly and beautiful with curving roads that can get any “outsider” lost for hours. It is not on a map but the locals all know exactly where it is. It is centralized around the Fever River and a group of 20 or so houses called New Diggings. Three family farms, the Richardsons, the Curwens, and the Beebes settled in this area before the Civil War. Each family owned several thousand acres and had been there for generations. Mom was a Beebe so that was my dynasty. These were not just neighbors. They were intermarried, interdependent, friends. We shared harvesting and planting, hardships and celebrations. These were the people you depended on. They were loyal. Bill Curwen had gone to feed his cattle around supper time. An early summer rain storm had rolled in through the hills and the Oak groves. As Bill carried bushel baskets of grain down the wooden feed troughs, the rain caused them to be slick and he fell. He broke his hip and lay there for hours in the rain unable to move because of the pain. Cell phones had not even been imagined yet. That is when Theda called Dad to go look for Bill. He found his truck and then found Bill lying wet and grain covered in the feed trough. He loaded him up in the pick-up truck, stopped to get Theda. and headed to the hospital. But this is only the beginning of the story. In early summer there is first crop hay to be harvested and stored. In those days small bales were made and then stacked in the large barns we all recognize with farms of recent decades. To lose this crop is just unthinkable. It is essential to surviving the winter with your cattle. Bill was in a body cast. His hired man was not up to the task of hundreds of acres of hay to be ‘brought in’. It was time to take care of our own. I do not know who organized the project but one day six or eight neighbors showed up with their hay bines. They cut hay for two days. The third day EVERYONE arrived. Tractors, rakes, balers, wagons, trucks, wives, food, kids… For two days we put up hay. Everyone had their job. Men ran the balers. Older kids and some wives hauled the hay from the fields to the barns. Younger kids unloaded the bales onto the elevators going up into the grand barns. As a twelve year old, that was my job. The older high school and college age boys stacked thousands of bales in the hay lofts. The women cooked and prepared the meals… Some lessons still real in my mind from that experience. Something was accomplished that would have never happened without coming together for a greater good. Everyone pitched in. Together, people can accomplish remarkable things. Someone else’s need is my responsibility to help. Everyone can contribute. Even 12 year olds. Every skill and ability was important. Before everyone went to work on the first day we baled, everyone got together in the barnyard to settle the details and work assignments for everyone. Men, women, kids all stood in a group and discussed who would do what. I don’t remember the exact words spoken as we parted to do our tasks, but in my mind it went something like this… “Bill really appreciates everyone coming out to help. Let’s be careful and no one get hurt. So if you are ready, all together now…” Thanks to Dave Driscoll for the pictures

Strive and Awana kicked off tonight with an all group concert by the Strive Band.

Join along with our STRIVE youth on October 3rd from 5:00pm to 8:30pm.

Tim Nealon Masonry doing a great job rebuilding some foundation repairs.

Repairs are being made to the emergency exit stairwell.

Hey, STRIVE and AWANA, tomorrow is our "What you sow is what you grow" planting party! Come prepared to play in the dirt!

STRIVE "Spring Training" Retreat is right around the corner. Be sure not to miss it. Get your registration in soon. The one and only Zane Paxton Sherrer will be returning to be our speaker!!!

Great Group of Guys did a great Job this morning.

In regards to the Toning Class, there will be a suggested $3.00 donation.

Toning Class at Fellowship Beginning Thursday, January 11, 6:30-7:30 pm, Lynda Knudtson will be instructing a weekly Toning class in the gym. Resistance cables will be provided. See Lynda if you have any questions. A Signup sheet will be at the Connection Desk.

Please remember we are collecting for Operation Christmas Child for the next 2 weeks. We are in need of school supplies, personal hygiene supplies, small toys, hair items, socks, etc.

Here is the full schedule for the upcoming conference.

Don't forget the upcoming conference "Inside the Mind of a Millennial" next Monday and Tuesday, October 23-24. You are invited to a dinner at 5:00pm on Monday followed by the first session with Andy Giessman at 6:30. Please RSVP with the church office if you plan to come to the dinner.

Events at Fellowship this morning

Good Morning Church Family. I would like to remind everyone that there is a sign up sheet on the Hospitality Ministry Fair Table to bring a dessert for Sandy Carlton's funeral reception. Please take advantage of this opportunity to be a blessing to Dale.

Lifest has begun!