The Creekside Connection
Church Newsletter - Web Edition
May 2008 Edition - Updated April 26, 2008
Published Monthly - updated as needed
Featuring excerpts from the printed version and weekly bulletins.
Articles about and for the members and friends of Creekside Church

BLESSING OF THE BIKES...

The second annual Creekside Blessing of the Bikes and Riders and escorted ride through Elkhart County will be held Saturday, May 17, 2008. Registration is from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The blessing of bikes and riders will be at 11:15 a.m., and the ride departs by 11:30 a.m.

For more information see the Blessing of the Bikes website.

STUDENT AID SCHOLARSHIPS…

The Church Board has approved Student Aid Scholarships for 9 individuals this year. All are for full scholarships except for Rosanna McFadden. Below is a list of the students and the school they will be attending.

PRAY WITH PASTOR DAVID…

The Prayer and Care Team need volunteers to pray with Pastor David on Sunday Mornings. Please contact Lodema Hoke if you can help in this ministry.

ALUMINUN CAN DRIVE…

REMINDER: David and Lodema are still collecting aluminum cans for the Building For Christ Building Fund. Please contact them if you have any to donate. Thanks!

COLLEGE GRADUATE…

Pauline Arnold will be graduating Saturday, May 3, from the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne. She will be getting her Masters in Nursing (MSN). The graduation ceremony will be Saturday, May 3 @ 2:00 p.m. at the Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum. The public is invited (no tickets, etc. required).

PENTECOST SUNDAY…

In the Jewish tradition, Pentecost was a harvest festival, the next community observance following the feast of Passover. Christians observe Pentecost as the birthday of the church and the occasion for the outpouring of the empowerment and comfort of the Holy Spirit on the disciples in Jerusalem. This year Pentecost is on Sunday, May 11; it is also Mother's Day, when we typically recognize empowerment and comfort on a more human level. So this Pentecost, bring your mother to church if you are able, or, if you are a mother, bring your children to church so that we can celebrate the activity of the Holy Spirit as the family of God.

Mothers, fathers, children and grandchildren are all invited to be part of the worship visual that day: please wear red, yellow, orange, or other "warm" colors as we proclaim the fire of the Spirit within and among us. -Rosanna McFadden, Worship Team

JUNIOR HIGH EVENT…

May 17 - Junior High will be helping to serve lunch for the "Blessing of the Bikes & Ride". Watch for more details regarding times.

CALENDAR UPDATES…

6/1 - Choir Sings
6/4 - 9:00 a.m.-Volunteer Fellowship
6/11 - 7:00 p.m. Fellowship Team Mtg.
6/21 - Campfire, Singing, & Weiner Roast
6/26 - 6:30 p.m.-Worship Team Mtg.
8/17 - Worship & Picnic at Oxbow Park
September - Golf Outing
10/25 - Mystery Dinner
11/9 - Congregational Business Meeting

CAMP MACK CORNER…

Are you hesitant to accept God's call to counsel at camp? To give a week of one's summer - often one's vacation time - is a sacrifice. But what a difference you may make in the life of a child! Attend training and learn what is involved in counseling!

Leadership training: Volunteer counselors, prospective counselors, CITs and team leaders, don't miss the information-packed Leadership Training on May 16-17. Training is a critical ingredient in creating a great experience for our campers.

Summer campers may still register at the regular price (no discount). Call the camp office to see if there are openings for your preferred date.

Important date: CIT Training - June 1-3

CHURCH COMMUNITY SERVICES…

Church Community Services (CCS) has been blessed with the generosity of new friends and old along with our wonderful church partners. In January we were the recipients of a 2007 15-ft. box truck, given to CCS by a group of bighearted donors from the Middlebury area. We are using it almost daily to transport large quantities of food to our food pantry.

Thanks to the munificence of the seller, CCS was able to purchase the property at Oakland and Indiana Avenues. As soon as we have raised additional funds we will begin renovation to adapt the largest building for our use. We hope to relocate all our services there by this fall.

Thank you Creekside Church of the Brethren for contributing $615.00 and 15 boxes of food to CCS in the past four months (December 07-March 08). Your help is vital. As we head into spring we are especially in need of baby food, diapers, toilet paper and other personal care items for the food pantry. The lobby continues to fill each day with people looking for help. It takes a lot of food to keep our shelves stocked for the thousands of families who come to relieve their hunger with free groceries. It takes the whole community to feed the hungry and respond to critical needs of people in poverty.

Our needs are urgent! In the last 4 months we have seen a 7.7% increase in the number of people coming for assistance over the same period last year. That means almost 100 additional people each month!

Our costs for the food we purchase continue to rise. As the price of grain rises, so does the cost of many food products. Eight months into our fiscal year we have already spent our entire food budget for the year ($20,000). Your church's continued support through donated food and personal care products is critical. Your ADDITIONAL cash contributions for food are essential. Church contributions represent 30% of our income.

Thank you for joining with us in our mission to feed the hungry, prevent homelessness and offer hope to women through our SOS training program.