Since recent price increases have nearly doubled our cost, the councils of both churches have voted to change how we distribute the newsletter.  Please watch for a letter that will lay out your options for receiving the newsletter in the future. Please return the stamped postcard that you’ll find in the letter promptly. As of Sept 1^st we hope to be publishing the newsletter monthly. This and the news bulletins we’ll start using in the fall, which will have space to update needed information, should increase our ability to communicate significantly.

Tim’s Column:

Southview Christian Church in Lincoln recently offered the following beliefs that congregational members should affirm about one another.

+ We will look for the good in other people

+ We will receive one another with unconditional love.

+ We will assume that everyone in the congregation acts with good intentions.

+ We will check out concerns directly with the responsible party.

+ We will talk opening. We will be all-inclusive.

+ We will trust those we elect and call.

+ We will trust God to make all things come out right.

+ We will practice forgiveness, because forgiveness has power and meaning.

I think that this is an excellent set of “core values” for any congregation. How are we doing about living according to these beliefs? How can we do better? What have we learned about treating one another that we might add to this list? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Youth News:

Remember that Vacation Bible School is July 21-25 at “Sucker Creek Beach”, also know as the United Church of Christ from 6:30 – 8:30 each evening. Our theme is “Beach Party”! The planning sessions for VBS have been exciting and it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. On Friday, July 25^th, we’ll gather at the park for a cookout and swimming. If the weather is bad, the church will be the “rain site”.

The Confirmation Retreat at Kamp Kaleo is August 6 & 7. We’re planning a great couple of days of fun, service and learning. The confirmands will help with preparations for Junk Jaunt, go to Calamus Lake for swimming and fund, and continue their preparation for the next step in their life as Christians and church members. The Women’s Fellowship has generously offered to pay the costs for this event. Confirmands will need to bring lunch money for the first day and spending money.

The Confirmands (and the pastors and Alyson) had a good time handing out water on Flag Day. Our picture was in the local paper.

Our next Confirmation class will begin in the fall. We’ll be contacting potential students and their families soon.

Congregational News and Notes:

The Exeter Church had a great picnic at Elva’s house on June 29. We looked back at the fire ten years ago, and the great things that have happened in the years since. God has been very good to the Exeter Congregation and we are grateful.

Have you ever found yourself thinking “It’s a shame we have to have Christmas during the holidays when we’re too busy to enjoy it?” Whether you have or not, make sure and be a church on July 20 when we celebrate CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!  We’ll sing carols and use a special “Christmas in July” liturgy. Why? Because it’s always time to thank God for the gift of Christ. Plus, it will be fun! All the joy of Christmas with no shopping or baking! Maybe celebrating Christmas at a special time will remind us of the meaning in a new way. Why not invite a friend to this special celebration?

Communion at the Friend Church will be on Sept 7 rather than Aug 24, due to the pastor’s vacation plans. The Exeter Church will hold communion on the first Sunday of the month as always.

The Nebraska Conference Annual Meeting:

Marv Kraus did a great job moderating our Annual Meeting. Marv presided over a lively resolutions session with good sense and good humor. He served our conference and represented the Friend Church well.

The Rev. Susan Smith, our keynoter and preacher for the meeting, led a Bible study on prayer. She presented the following outline for prayer.

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

Adoration is praising God simply for being who He is---it is a gift we offer because he is our God and we love him.

Confession is telling God who we truly are---with our faults and sins and our strengths. It’s admitting to God the wrongs we’ve done, telling Him we’re sorry, and asking for forgiveness and a fresh start.

Thanksgiving is different from adoration. Here we thank God for the gifts we’ve received from Him during the day, the things we’ve been able to do right, the ways our loved ones have been blessed-whatever it is we’re grateful for.

Supplication is bringing God our concerns and needs as well as those of family, friend, church, etc.

Daily prayer should include all of these. Through prayers like these we grow in our relationship with God.

Big News:

Some time this summer, and we’re not sure when, the Friend church is gong to be blessed by The UCC Summer Band! Paul R. is organizing this. Watch for further details and plan to be with us for this super event! If you’ve got a hankering to play let Paul know!

Note:

Ginny & Tim are planning to be on vacation in Michigan the last week of August and the first week of September. Dates are not final at this time.

Ginny’s Column:

At the June Women’s Fellowship meeting in Friend we had a lesson on joy and happiness. We were all asked to share something that brings us joy. One woman talked about the foals in the pasture behind her house, how they played, how they found their mothers for food, how cute they were in general.

I too, find much joy in watching the animals, the birds, even the insects outside. Hearing the birds sing in the morning reminds me to “sing” my praises to my Creator as well, to thank God for the gift of another day of life. Watching our outside mother cat with her kittens (Editor’s note: OUR?) is also quite a joyful moment each morning. She brings the kittens to our front porch (unfortunately!) to teach them where to find food (our house!). Instead of eating, she guards them as they play and she takes them to safety after each mealtime.

One of my devotion books talks about how important it is to see how all of God’s creatures give Him praise, so that we can learn to do so. I would encourage you to go outside early each morning, listen to all the animals and birds praising God, and then join in this chorus. We are truly blessed each day with many reasons to thank God, and the other elements of creation are great teachers to us in this regard.