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June 2023 Newsletter
Sunday Worship
10 AM
Sunday Fellowship
11 AM
Worship services will continue to be live streamed on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. You can either use the Facebook Link or the YouTube Link to see the live feed, or even worship a little later if you need to. Use the buttons below to choose which link fits your needs best.
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What if we simply sought to be faithful to who we are and who God calls us to be?
Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
– Matthew 10:5-10 (Message Version)
Faithfulness is a living and breathing thing. It calls for activity. Often we think of it in relation to it’s opposite: unfaithfulness, particularly in terms of a relationship. However, in relationships, if we limit it to ‘what we can’t do” we neglect the ways that we can be faithful in active ways. Faithfulness is about living in positive ways – giving our attention, our trust, our work, even our very lives. The thing is, to be faithful to God, we don’t need a lot of extra equipment. Being faithful as a congregation doesn’t require anything more than we already have – we don’t need more equipment, more people, more money, more…anything. We can be faithful as we are, listening to God’s Spirit as she moves through our church, our world, our neighbor, and each other. This season we will explore what it means for us to be faithful to God as individuals and as the church!
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Sunday, May 28
Stirred
Acts 2:1-20
Sunday, June 4
Authentic
Genesis 11:1-9
Guest Preacher Mollie Donihe Wilkerson
Sunday, June 11
Challenge
John 6:60-71
Sunday, June 18
Purpose
Genesis 12:1-9
Sunday, June 25
Present
Matthew 9:35-38, 10:5-15
Sunday, July 2
Yes, And
Acts 8:26-40
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There is an old Jewish blessing that goes “May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi.” It is a vivid, if earthy, image. It means something to the effect that as a disciple (apprentice) you would follow the ways of your teacher (master) so closely that you would catch everything they did and said. It means learning to live the way the teacher lives.
In the modern era, the roots of which are firmly established in the enlightenment, being a Christian has been largely an exercise of the mind. The primary questions being questions about what one believes – that is what is one willing to articulate or with what set of statements or concepts does one agree? That is, you are a Christian because you believe x, y, and z about Jesus. Or, worse yet, you are a Methodist because you believe x, a Catholic because you believe y, and a Baptist (pronounced ‘bab-dist’) because you believe z.
I find it interesting that Jesus’ initial invitation in the gospels is not one of belief, but it is an invitation to follow. Thus, the call to discipleship is a call, not first to belief, but a call to a way of life. Indeed, in John’s gospel the first two disciples ask Jesus, “Where are you staying?” – ‘staying’ being the loaded word in John’s gospel ‘abide’. They are asking for more than an address, they want to know in the vernacular – “Jesus, where are you coming from?” Jesus responds, “Come and see.” It is only later that they are asked by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?”
As we encounter Pentecost and the Sundays after we will be exploring what it means to be faithful in our following Jesus. It is the Spirit that compels and empowers us to do and say the things that Jesus said and did. The Spirit’s movement animates our discipleship and our faithfulness.
Christianity is at its core a way of life. It is not devoid of belief, but it is about following Jesus and seeking to live our life the way he lived his life. May you follow the Rabbi Jesus so closely that you are covered by the dust from his sandals.
Shalom,
Pastor Owen
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Special Sunday Moments
On June 4 we will have a guest preacher. Mollie Donihe Wilkerson will be preaching. We look forward to showering our hospitality on her and listening as the Spirit brings a word of gospel through her words! On June 11, two of our young people will be joining the church; one by baptism and the other by confirmation. We hope you will be present, in person or online, to experience that Spirit filled moment!
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CHAOS Needs Your Help!
CHAOS is preparing for a mission trip to Chicago this June and needs your help! We will be partnering with a couple of agencies that accept donations for our service work. One of those programs is Bundled Blessings, supported by the church where we will be staying. We'll be helping to package diapers for those in need. They accept diaper donations of any size or brand.
Another agenda we will be assisting is called Cradles to Crayons. This organization is focused on ending children's clothing insecurity. There, we will be sorting donations and getting them ready for distribution. The donations they are currently needing include: Short & Long Sleeved T-Shirts Sizes 2T-Adult Medium; Baby Pajamas Girls Sizes 0-24 Months and Boys Sizes 6-24 Months; and NEW Underwear Boys and Girls Sizes 2T-18/20/Adult Medium.
We will have a donation box set up outside the sanctuary and would love your help in supporting these organizations!
Seeking Donations:
Packages of diapers of any size or brand
Short & Long Sleeved T-Shirts Sizes 2T-Adult Medium
Baby Pajamas Girls Sizes 0-24 Months and Boys Sizes 6-24 Months
NEW Underwear Boys and Girls Sizes 2T-18/20/Adult Medium.
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STATE FAIR OPPORTUNITY
How would you like a free ticket to the State Fair? Or, better yet, how
would you like free parking at the State Fair? The Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest has, for many years, led a hymn
sing in the old church there on the fairgrounds. As a part of that, there is a
children’s moment. There is a need for people willing to lead the children’s
moment. Here’s the really cool part – you don’t even have to come up with
the material for the children’s moment…it is already picked out. All you
have to do is show up, do the children’s moment, then you have the rest of
the day to enjoy the fair! You can’t beat a deal like that. If you are
interested, please let pastor Owen or Georgene know and they can get you
connected!
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Kudos and Celebrations!!!
- Those who worked at the CCC work day - Clay and Christina, Elian and Owen, Steve, Darin and Kayla, Marlys, Bev, Judy, Cathy, Jeremy, Wesley, and Odin
- Pastor's Class Participants - Levi, Vinnie, and Madi, and mentors Rob, Shanon and Owen
- Those who helped with Max's Eagle Scout project
- Youth and youth sponsors for Youth Sunday
- Youth for serving at TAKE
- Jenn and Courtney from the ACCC for being nursery attendants on Easter so members of ACC could attend worship
- Patrice, Georgene, and Karen for leading music with children from ACCC
- Worship Committee for Maundy-Thursday service
- Pat for putting together and sending birthday and anniversary cards to the congregation and friends
- Connections Team for preparing cards for the congregation
- Laura for leading the Prayer Chain
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Ankeny Love Lunches – Special Offering for June
Again, this summer, Ankeny Christian Church is helping to support the
Ankeny Love Lunches program. There are two serving sites and we are
helping to support the west side site at Sunset Park at 1320 SW 3 rd St.
Each participating church donates to a general fund from which each
church can pull funds in order to be reimbursed for the cost of the
groceries purchased in order to provide the meals assigned to their
church. The west side site will be serving meals each week Monday
through Thursday starting June 5 th through August 17 th . Our (ACC) first
assigned days are Monday, June 26 through Thursday, June 29. Our
second set of assigned days is Monday, July 31 through Thursday,
August 3.
In addition to financial support for the program, ACC is in charge of
making sure there are enough volunteers signed up to prepare the food
for each of the assigned days, deliver the food and other supplies to
Sunset Park, serve the food, clean up the park serving area and return
items to the Methodist kitchen where the food preparation took place.
You are encouraged to sign up to volunteer not only when ACC is in
charge, but any of the serving days throughout the summer. You can
sign up by using the online site: Sign Up Genius. The link to Sign Up
Genius is https://bit.ly/LoveLunch23. For the two four-day periods we
are in charge, we will also have a sign-up sheet in the narthex area. A
member of the Missions Committee will transfer manual sign-ups to
the online Sign Up Genius site. Please note: volunteers must be adults
or must have completed 6 th grade or be accompanied by an adult. This
is an important community project. Please give generously. Thank you.
ACC Missions Committee
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Office Update
Please send any photos you may take while out and about at Church events either on the facebook pages or to the office, ankenyccdoc@gmail.com. We would really like to showcase what we are doing as a faith community on our website as well!
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June Birthdays
6/2 Rob Duffy
Elena Serrano
6/5 Larry DeMoss
6/6 Layla Hart
6/7 Chris Hart
6/9 Shelby Harris
6/10 Sherri Prowant
6/12 Steve Raver
6/13 Zoe Helmke
6/16 Samantha Dean
David Rice
6/18 Morganne McComas
6/20 Shanon Buckroyd
6/22 Joey Olson
6/24 Owen Cayton
6/27 Carter Bentley
Harrison Ukpabi
6/28 Andy Bentley
6/29 Jim Mann
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June Anniversaries
6/2 Dennis & Gerri Peterson
6/3 Rob & Lisa Duffy
6/11 Curtis & Amy Gage
6/13 Jim & Sherry Mann
6/20 Clay & Jade Dean
6/23 Matt & Emily Porath
6/26 Tom & Jodi Murphy
6/27 John Schneberger & Jennifer Koehler
6/29 Mike & Mary St. Clair
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If you would like to continue (or begin) to contribute to the work of the church financially, you can mail in a check to 2506 SW 3rd Street Ankeny, Iowa 50023 or you can give online by clicking the link below. There you can set up one time or recurring donations. | |
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Current Office Staff:
Pastor Owen Cayton, Senior Minister
pastorocayton@gmail.com
Nathan Green, Music Director
nategreenaccdoc@gmail.com
Kasey Romano, Office Manager
ankenyccdoc@gmail.com
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2023 Leadership
Officers:
- President: Eleke Ukpabi
- President Elect: Open
- Past President, Chair Personnel Committee: David Rawson
- Treasurer: Jackie Black
- Member at Large: Pat Warner
- Check Writer: John Lee
- Chair of PRC: Darin Leach
- PRC Members: Darin Leach, Randy Wehofer, Frank Prowant, Dorothy Mathis, Karen Fausch, and Mike St. Clair
- Nominating Committee: Rob Duffy, Lori Leach, Judy Krase
Current Committee Chairs:
- Christian Education: Cathy Helmke
- Stewardship & Finance: Open
- Property: Tom Murphy
- Worship: Open
- Social Life: Open
- Evangelism: Open
- Missions: Open
- Endowment: Dorothy Mathis
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Reminder: If you are not feeling well, please stay home and participate in worship online. The COVID task force would also like to encourage all of those who are eligible to get vaccinated. | |
Ankeny Christian Church
2506 SW 3rd Street
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
515-964-1083
ankenyccdoc@gmail.com
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