Berkey Announcements

Volunteer Forms

If you have not filled out and turned in a 2016-17 volunteer form, please be sure to do that this week. Extra copies are on the literature rack by the mailboxes.

SLT Minutes

The April Spiritual Leadership Team (SLT) minutes are now available for you to read on the Berkey website. They are listed under the Resource tab. To access the page, use the same password that you use for the congregational directory.

New to the Library

Changing Lenses: Restorative Justice for Our Times, by Howard Zehr. Twenty-five years after it was first published, this book remains the classic text of the restorative justice field. Now with valuable author updates, it offers provocative new paradigms for public policy and judicial reform.

In Pursuit of Faithfulness, by Rich Preheim. Preheim investigates the heritage and innovations of Indiana Michigan Mennonite Conference which has been at the forefront of higher education, missions,and publishing, as well as some of the most contentious issues North American Mennonites have faced. Standing at the crossroads of tradition and change, Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan seek to pursue faithfulness to Christ in the 21st century.

An Amish Alphabet, by Ingrid Hess. In this juvenile nonfiction the author draws on her Amish and Mennonite heritage to introduce to children what the Amish believe and how they live.

Go to Church - Change the World, by Gerald J. Mast. By exploring such practices as baptism, communion, singing, and group discernment, Mast asks us to consider how participation in the life of the church shapes our daily witness--how "going to church" transforms "going to work" in the world that God loves.

A Treasured Friendship, by Carrie Bender. This christian fiction portrays Miriam along with her husband Nate and four children, who treasures the promises of faith and learns the power of words to wound and to heal in the interactions on their Amish farm.

Beyond Mist Blue Mountains, by Carrie Bender. This christian fiction portrays Dora and Matthew who buy a farm in an Amish settlement in Belize, adopt children, and enjoy the wonderful people and world God has given them.

Call the Midwife: Vol. 2 Shadows of the Workhouse, by Jennifer Worth. This novel is an account of the horrific conditions that persisted for over 100 years for the poorest citizens of Britain, as encountered by the author while working as a midwife.

At-Tuwani Journal: Hope & Nonviolent Action in a Palestinian Village, by Arthur G. Gish. Through vivid stories told in journal fashion, Gish offers a candid but sympathetic portrait of traditional Palestinians in the shadow of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

Summer Nurture Hour Schedule & Classes

Schedule

June 26 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
July 3 - Holiday, worship only (No Nurture Hour classes).
July 10 - All Church Picnic (No Nurture Hour classes).
July 17 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
July 24 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
July 31 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
Aug. 7 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
Aug. 14 - Inter-generational classes for everyone.
Aug. 21 - All Church Fellowship Meal and Congregational Meeting (No Nurture Hour classes).
Aug. 28 - Celebration Sunday/Refreshments (No Nurture Hour classes).

Intergenerational Classes

The theme for our summer program is Building Relationship/Building Community for ages 5-95. We hope you can join us for some fun and relaxing congregational picnics and intergenerational classes this summer that include:

Art (hands-on projects everyone can do and enjoy).
Music (music and movement for all ages).
Games (activities that build community and bring joy).
Sermon response class.

All the classes require no prior experiences. Just come and be ready to enjoy each other!

Pastor on Vacation

Dan Schrock is on vacation from June 11 through July 10 and will return to work on Monday, July 11.

Custodian Position

We have an opening for a custodian at Berkey. Tracy and Tim Thorne have been our custodians for a long time and are moving to Fort Wayne. We are looking for a replacement. This custodian would be responsible for cleaning church each week. Cleaning could be done on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays. If you’re interested in this paid position, please contact Patrick Buller.—The Stewardship and Finance Commission

Note From the AV Team

We are looking for anyone interested in helping out with the operation of the church Audio and Video system on Sunday mornings.

Following is a list of things to consider -

No previous experience or special knowledge necessary.
We will train you, until you are comfortable operating the equipment.
AV operators take turns working one month rotations.
Current AV operators have been doing this for many years and enjoy the job.
Our system is easy to operate.
You will be making your contribution to the success of our service.
We need more volunteers.
We can use any age, male or female.

If interested, contact Ben Buckwalter, Michael Sherer, or Phil Bauman to volunteer or discuss further details of the job.

Throwback Thursday

Head on over to our Facebook page for a photographic collection of our early history -- complete with difficult to recognize building features, incredible hairstyles and clothing, and who knows what else we will dig up! Play along and see if you can spot anybody you know, and don't forget to like our page if you haven't already!

Do you have an announcement for the Newsletter? Submit your announcement to the office by noon on Thursday. Announcements received after the deadline will be printed the following week.

Our Schools

Bethany Christian

Fun Fact: Bethany has a legacy of inclusion and has been hosting and boarding students since their opening in 1954. An international student program formally began in 1999. Since then Bethany has hosted more than 140 international students. Currently, approximately 10% of their student body are international students and about 25% represent ethnicities other than Caucasian.

Goshen College

Fun Fact: Goshen is home to the #4 nationally-ranked study abroad program, making it one of the best study abroad programs in the country and one of the few that emphasizes service and complete cultural immersion. Approximately 80% of students study abroad before graduating. Current locations include Cambodia, China, Peru, Senegal and Tanzania.

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

This year, 10 of the 33 first-year students at AMBS share a common background as staff members at Mennonite camps and retreat centers. Meet one of the 10, Renee Reimer, online.

Community Announcements

Hosting Opportunity

Mennonite Central Committee is looking for a host family in the Elkhart/Goshen area for a 29-year old male from Laos who will be participating in MCC's International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) beginning in August. Host families have the opportunity to learn about a new culture from the IVEP participant they host, as well as getting to understand their own culture in a new way when they see it through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. Each host gets a monthly stipend that is to be used to cover some of the costs for the room and board of the IVEP participant. For more information contact Amber Falcón by email or call 574-534-4133.

Eighth Street Preschool

Eighth Street Preschool is now accepting registrations for the 2016-2017 school year. Eighth Street Preschool emphasizes discovery learning and social interactions developmentally appropriate for 3-5 year olds, and believes that all children can learn and grow in a safe and inclusive environment. All lead teachers have education degrees. Spanish translation is available. Children must be 3 or 4 years old by August 1 and be potty-trained. Financial aid applications are available. Call 533-6720 for more information or to schedule a school visit. Eighth Street Preschool is located on the corner of Eighth and Purl Streets in Goshen.

Senior Luncheon

You are invited to the next Senior Tuesday Luncheon at Yellow Creek Mennonite Church's fellowship hall on Tuesday, July 19, noon. The program titled Green is the New Black, presented by Stan Kulp and Leonard Albrecht is about natural burial. For reservations, call the Yellow Creek office, 862-2595 by Monday, July 11.See the bulletin board by the mailboxes for more information.

Retirement Party for Zenebe Abebe

You're invited to join Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) for a retirement party to honor Zenebe Abebe, MCC Great Lakes Executive Director. The celebration will take place on July 23, 2:00 p.m., at College Mennonite Church. Please RSVP by email or call 574-534-4133. We hope you will join us in thanking Zenebe for his five years of service to MCC and wishing him well.

Senior Adult Day Trip

Seniors are invited to join Yellow Creek Mennonite Church in a day trip on September 13 to Cabela's in Noblesville, IN. Registration deadline is August 14. Please help yourself to one of the pamphlets pinned to the bulletin board by the mailboxes.

Classifieds

Have something to sell, rent or lend? Want to buy or borrow something? Looking for a job or wanting to volunteer? This is the place to have it be known!

LaCasa Community Engagement Specialist, Jose Elizalde, is looking for three volunteers to help with citizenship classes being held at the LaCasa offices (202 N. Cottage Ave., Goshen). He hopes for someone who can commit to help for the length of the class. This person does not need to know Spanish; English-only speakers are welcome. The class meets on Fridays, from 10:00 a.m.-noon. The series is 10 weeks long; today (June 24) will be the 3rd class. If you are interested, contact Elizalde by email or call him at 574-533-4450, ext. 19.

MDC Goldenrod is looking for volunteers to cover their front desk June 24-July 22. Their receptionist is embarking on a sabbatical and will be away for the month. Covering the reception desk would entail answering the phones and helping people when they come into the office. Office hours are 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Monday-Thursday and 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Fridays. If you are interested in helping, call (574) 533-9720 or email the MDC office.

June 26, 2016