News in a Heart Beat!
Souper Bowl Sunday
Sunday, February 7th is Super Bowl Sunday and it has also come to be known as Souper Bowl Sunday to millions of Americans. Since 1990, $41 million has been collected and distributed to people in need. In 2009 alone, churches across the country collected over $10 million dollars. All of the money has been donated to local charities of our church’s choosing to alleviate the hunger in our neighborhoods. None of the money is sent to Souper Bowl headquarters. Only the total collected is reported to them for their records. The money stays right here! Our youth will be collecting money at the door after our services on February 7th for this worthwhile program. Please plan on participating! For more info you may contact Randy Eastep (459-3615) or go to their website at www.souperbowl.org.Two Cents a Meal
Two Cents a Meal is a small first step in the battle against hunger and poverty. Congregations invite every member — of all ages — to contribute a few cents at every meal. This simple act is an expression of thanks for what we have received. It is also a commitment to share with others in response to Jesus' command "You give them something to eat." When members bring their offerings to church on the appointed Sunday, all of those coins "make a joyful noise unto the Lord" as they are received and dedicated.
These small acts of faithfulness can add up: One hundred persons in a congregation will contribute $180 a month at two cents a meal. That's $2,160 dollars a year. A 30,000-member presbytery (such as our Central Florida Presbytery) has the potential of raising over $1.6 million annually at a nickel a meal.
Two-Cents-A-Meal originated in 1976 as a project begun by Presbyterian Women to involve individuals and families in a corporate response to world hunger. MIPC has participated in this campaign for years.
Perspectives
“Perspectives is a dynamic, internationally-respected 16-week course about the unfinished task of world evangelism.”
Developed by the US Center for World Mission, Perspectives is designed to equip and mobilize Christians to contribute their own abilities to advance the Kingdom whether locally, nationally or internationally. Since 1974, more than 80,000 believers in North America have experienced the Perspectives course. In 15 lessons, you'll engage with a range of dynamic speakers. Weekly readings and study will help you dig even deeper. Classes are being offered inTitusville at Indian River City United Methodist Church 1355 Cheney Hwy Titusville, FL 32796 starting Sunday January 10th, 6-9 pm. If you are interested in learning more, please go to: www.perspectives.org or contact Monia Yust at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Newly-Created MIPC Archives and a Request for the Entire Congregation
We had our first MIPC Archives Group meeting in late October and are planning our next meeting in February in the Session Room. Please join us if you have a little spare time and an interest in recording and safeguarding the history of MIPC. We are creating a new file in the Archives of every wedding and funeral that has taken place at MIPC starting now. We would love to get the wedding or funeral programs (and if you have them to spare, a photograph or two) from past weddings and funerals if you can find them. Questions? contact Cheryl Mahan, 452-5797 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Calendar of Events-List
January 31st-Confirmation Class Begins
February
February 7th-Worship 8:45 am & 11:00 am; Christian Education-Sunday School 9:45 am; ! SOUPER BOWL Sunday !
February 9th-Tremendous Tuesdays!!! Kids Klub, Fellowship Dinner, Classes
February 14th-Worship 8:45 am & 11:00 am; Christian Education-Sunday School 9:45 am
February 16th-Tremendous Tuesdays!!! Kids Klub, Fellowship Dinner, Classes
February 17th-Ash Wednesday-Taize Service 7:30 pm
February 18th-Hearts Alive! Bad Girls of the Bible-7 PM
February 21st-Worship 8:45 am & 11:00 am; Christian Education-Sunday School 9:45 am
February 28th-Worship 8:45 am & 11:00 am; Christian Education-Sunday School 9:45 am
Every week:
Sunday 7 pm Worship Leadership Team Rehearsal-Sanctuary
Monday 5:30 pm Yoga-Activities Room of Ennis Building
Tuesday-Tremendous Tuesdays (Sept.15, 2009-Nov 2009 and January 19-April 2010)
Wednesday- 6:00 pm-Generation Ringers-Ennis Building 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal
9:30 am-Big Girls Only-Session Room
12 noon-Brown Bag Book Bunch
Every Month:
Last Tuesday- First Hand History @ 7pm-Fellowship Hall
Third Thursday-7 pm Hearts Alive!!!
For past events:
Read more...
From the Pastor's Study
I recently bought a book of poetry, a collection of poems edited by Garrison Keillor. The collection is entitled, “Good Poems for Hard Times”. One particular poem by William Baer caught my attention. At first it was the title that got my attention. The poem had the simple title of “Job”. But it is the thesis of the poem itself that grabbed me up and further reinforced my thought that life is about understanding and appropriating just how much God loves us; and that the more we understand God’s steadfast love, the more that love casts out the fears in life we might have. I would invite you to read the poem “Job” at the following website address:
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2005/02/23
The poem begins with the line, “Yes: wisdom begins with fear of the Lord”. The poem closes however, with the polar contrasting line:
“…from fear, being its own reward, which is also wise, is faith, is hope, is peace, is tender mercy, over and over again, until, at last, is love, is love. Amen.”
Now what I find so interesting and what grabbed me is that we enter the reality of life as a crying infant. As the poet intimates, our wisdom begins at our birth with a cry about fears in which we have no understanding. The good news, the gospel in this poem, is that as we grow in stature so too our understanding grows. Likewise we grow in our understanding and appreciation of God’s love for us. We learn that our wisdom moves from fear… to faith, to hope, to peace… until at last… there is love, God’s love, which casts out all fear.
The Bible is God’s love letter to you. Jesus said, “Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The psalmist prays, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul”. And we are assured by the Apostle Paul that “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God… nothing in life… nor death… nor anything in all of creation”.
We have eleven months remaining in 2010. Let us not miss the opportunity to read about God’s love for us, especially as Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Holy Week are really not that far away on the calendar. I appeal to you and want to encourage you in the faith to keep reading those love letters from God. I invite you to join me in reading through the daily lectionary readings this year. You can find the readings – the love letters - for each day at the following website address:
http://www.pcusa.org/devotions/lectionary/lectionarylist.htm
I pray God’s love and peace for you!