Have you ever noticed, that when Jesus was physically present on the earth, he often used ordinary things to achieve incredible results? He used mud to heal a blind man, and a little boy’s lunch to feed a crowd. As we seek to follow Jesus, God is allowing our simple, ordinary offerings to be used to save hundreds of lives and reduce the impact of the plague of mosquito-borne malaria.

Malaria kills 3,000 people every day in Africa (that’s about one every 30 seconds), and it infects and weakens many, many more. Jesus MCC, through our Missions Board and the Sudan Ministry Team, are helping to change that by providing mosquito nets — a simple, ordinary thing — to save hundreds of lives.

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Join us Sunday August 10 as we celebrate at each service!  The day will feature

• Special Guest Rev. Belva Boone from St. John’s MCC, Raleigh, NC.  Rev. Boone has been a member of MCC since 1983, and is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, where her training emphasized preaching and worship.  She’s been pastor of St. John’s MCC since 2001, and is the first African American woman to hold that position.
• Performances by the Gospel Choir and the Praise Dance Team!
• A soul food potluck after the 11:00 am service!  Ham and fried chicken will be provided.  If you plan to take part in the potluck, please bring a side dish or dessert — and plenty of it! — to share.

Here are three ways you can make the earth a little cleaner and help some good causes here at church:

Pop Cans for Playgrounds
Bring your aluminum cans (crushed, if possible) to the collection bin in the social hall.  All proceeds from cans will be used for Playground Phase 2.

Ink and Toner Cartridges for the Office
Every inkjet or laser toner cartridge you bring in (HP, Lexmark, or Dell brand only, please) can be redeemed at Staples for $3 to use for office supply purchases.  The collection bin for cartridges is in the coat room.

Recycle Your Newspapers and Junk Mail
You’ve probably seen the green and yellow dumpster in the upper parking lot.  It’s for paper recycling, and the church receives payment for the paper.

If we recycle less than 4 tons per month, the recycling company pays us $5 per ton.  But if we cross that 4 ton threshold, we receive $15 per ton.  So continue to bring in your newspapers, magazines, office paper, and junk mail!  Please note that we can’t take cardboard, food wrappers, or any type of plastic.

It’s something no parent even wants to think about — the disappearance of a child.  But if the unthinkable were to happen, would you be prepared with the information the authorities need to help find your child and bring them back safely?

On August 17, after the 11:00 am service, we’re offering the Managing Information on Lost Kids Program in cooperation with Farmers Insurance Group.  Photos and fingerprints of your child, along with other essential data, will be compiled into an easy-to-use electronic resource.  And while we all pray that these will never have to be used, you can rest assured that you’ll be prepared for a time when minutes can make a difference.

There is no cost or obligation for this resource kit, and it’s not a sales pitch in disguise.

If you have questions, please email Melody Merida or call her at (317) 722-0000.