Minutes from February Meeting.

MINUTES

DATE:	February 3, 2010
TIME:	7:00 p.m.
PRESENT:	Mary Jo Price-Williams	Lisa Ressler
	Linda Van Valkenburgh	Norma Carbeck
	Sandy Connors	Susan Horn
	Dana Ziccardi	Linda Bradley
	Connie Radt	Shelly Szpara

1.                  Opening prayer & Devotion --Mary Jo Price Williams.

2.                  Monopoly –Connie prepared a letter to send to businesses to see how much interest there is before the group commits to this project.  Mary Jo will contact others.  Possibly broaden the scope to Southtownsopoly.  St. John would purchase the “court” square and possibly purchase cards with “St. John’s Women’s Ministry” printed on them. 

3.                  Mom’s Group –Twelve people are on a list to be called to coordinate a date to start.  The group will then be on their own..

4.                  Mommy and Me Class –Will be on alternate months.

5.                  Reading at Absolute Nursing Home – Mary-Jo has forms from Absolute for volunteers to fill out.  Mary Jo will scan and attach to the BLOG.  Seventeen people have signed up.  A date is needed for group orientation.  After the initial group orientation readers will go to Absolute at their convenience.  Mary Jo suggested that there be a status form for the volunteers to fill out so it can be determined how well the program is running.  The books are at the nursing home.  Absolute will prepare a list of residents who will be read to.

6.                  Baby Shower –This item is tabled and will be discussed at a future meeting.

7.                  Future Events:

March – Undie Sunday

April (showers) – actually baby shower will be held in May.  Baby bottles to collect loose change cost 75¢ each.  We would save bottles to use each year.

May – Mammograms and manicures.  Southtowns Radiology runs a promotion where they give a free manicure or pedicure at the spa next door when a woman gets a mammogram.  Mary Jo will run this past Parish Nursing to see if this event would be ok with them.  It may possibly be able to be tied in with Mother’s Day.

October – Trunk or treat.  Held in the church parking lot.  People decorate their trunks and dress up and hand out candy to kids.

January 2011 – Super bowl party for the men at Buffalo City Mission.

All events to be held in the Narthex must be approved by the administration office.  Mary Jo will hand in the proposed event calendar for March, April and May.

8.                  Weekday Bible Study –Eight women are interested.  Possible Laura Hartke will lead.  Volunteers from the congregation will provide child care.

9.                  St. Paul’s Ladies Birthday Party April 20, 7:30 p.m. – The women of St. John’s are invited.  Official invitations will be sent.

10.              Weight Watchers – Mary Jo will put out a notice to find out if there is any interest to have an on-site meeting at St. John’s.

11.              Next Meeting – Lenten Potluck, March 3 will be hosted by the women’s group in lieu of a meeting.

Prayer.

Love is in the air!

1 John 4:10 "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

So much fun at the Cards For Heroes Event!

We were able to make 300 cards for our congregation to write personal notes to our Heroes who are fighting and serving us!  We will be making all occasion cards in April to send to the soldiers blank so they can use them to send back home.  Watch for a date!

 

 

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!  It really went well--you guys are GOOD!  And some of you said you are not crafty or can't make anything--I hate to say "I told you so"  but, well you know!

See ya in April for our next cards for soldiers event!

Mary Jo

HANDBOOK for 2010

Some great ideas here, been trying to do many of them myself!


       Health:
       1.  Drink plenty of water.
       2.  Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner
           like a beggar.
       3.  Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less
           food that is manufactured in plants.
       4.  Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
       5.  Make time to pray.
       6.  Play more games.
       7.  Read more books than you did in 2009.
       8.  Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
       9.  Sleep for 7 hours.
       10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

       Personality:
       11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
            journey is all about.
       12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
            Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
       13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
       14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
       15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
       16. Dream more while you are awake.
       17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
       18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of their
            mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
       19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
       20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
       21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
       22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
             Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
             like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
       23. Smile and laugh more.
       24. You don't have to win every argument.
             Agree to disagree...

       Society:
       25. Call your family often.
       26. Each day give something good to others.
       27. Forgive everyone for everything.
       28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of six.
       29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
       30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
       31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will.
             Stay in touch.

       Life:
       32. Do the right thing!
       33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
       34. GOD heals everything.
       35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
       36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
       37. The best is yet to come.
       38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
       39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

       Last but not the least:
       40. Please forward this to everyone you care about, I just did!


"Living for God's glory is the greatest achievement we can accomplish with our lives."


--Rick Warren, "The Purpose-Driven Life"

January Mommy and Me class.

We had so much fun at the first Mommy and Me class! Remember this will be a bi-monthly class so be sure to mark your calendars.

The next one is March 20th 1-3 pm.

Cost for the class is $10 and includes all supplies for one adult and one child project. Ask about pricing for additional children.  All children must be accompanied by an adult. Class can be altered for boys or girls-we just want you to have fun with your child. Please bring a snack to share.  At this point we are not putting an age on the class—the pictures for what we are making will be posted on the blog and our bulletin board. You make the call if it is something you and your child would be enjoy.  The last part of the class will be snack and fellowship.  Sign up in advance  662-7888

Here are a few photos of the projects for January and a couple photos of those who gave me permission to post!

Each Mommy/child team made a photo frame and bookmark for children  and a calendar for mom.

Here are the samples of the calendar and photo frame

Here are the samples of the book marks.  The saying on them are as follows

If your a bookworm, we are made for each other.  apple
Lemon help you keep your place.  lemon
Berry yourself in books. Reading is sweet.  strawberry
Orange you glad you are reading this book?  orange--not shown.

 As you can see from the photos the children were all so creative and came up with some wonderful ideas.

There was even a guessing game.

The kids had to guess how many candy hearts were in the container to win it.

January's Devotion

January Devotion

This is the devotion for the January meeting.

What's There To Live For?September 13thREAD: 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 RSV).
Here again is the great motive in the life of the apostle--"the love of Christ controls us." Actually, controls is a word that means constrains us, drives us out, motivates us, and then guides us after we get there, that sets the limits to what we should and should not do. That motive, he says, comes from the sense that Christ loves us.
I do not know anything greater and more powerful as a motivating factor than that. I get terrified sometimes at what God can do to me if I do not behave. That motivates me sometimes. It is a low motivation, but it is there. But the thing that will get to me, when nothing else will, is the continuing experience of the love of Christ for me, a refreshment of spirit that I gain from the awareness that He loves me, He is for me, He stands beside me, He delights in me. Knowing that will move me like nothing else. That is what Paul is experiencing here--the awareness that God loves him. There is nothing like it. It gives him a sense of security, a sense of self-worth, and a good self-image. If you suffer from a bad image of yourself, then start thinking about what God says about you, how He loves you, and how Christ loves you and has given Himself to you, and that will change everything.
He also says he has learned that the death of Christ freed him from the need to live for himself I do not know anything more relevant to the current day than that statement. Everywhere I turn I hear people talking about what they have to do to "meet their needs." Whatever they do or wherever they go is determined by how well their needs are met. You need to understand this important truth: Jesus Christ died to set you free from that syndrome. You do not need your needs met; He has already met them. You must learn that He has met your needs, because they will never be met by any other source. No one else is able to meet them. If you have that expectation of other people, you will find yourself suffering rejection at others' hands because they know they cannot meet your needs.
"One has died for all," and that means, "all have died" in order that they might understand that they live no longer for themselves. After Christ has met your needs, you discover that the secret to life as it ought to be lived is that you then turn and try to meet the needs of others. That is what Paul is saying here. "He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves," no longer with their needs at the center of their life, trying to build everything around them, "but for him who for their sake died and was raised."
Lord, reveal more and more of Your great love to me. Let Your love meet all of my needs, and set me free to live not for myself but for You.
This daily devotion was inspired by one of Ray's sermons. Please read "What's There To Live For?" (or listen to the audio file Listen to Ray) for more on this portion of scripture.

Minutes from January Meeting.

ST. JOHN’S WOMENS’ MINISTRY GROUP MEETING

MINUTES

DATE:	January 6, 2010
TIME:	7:00 p.m.
PRESENT:	Mary Jo Price-Williams	Barbara Reichert
	Linda Van Valkenburgh	Norma Carbeck
	Sandy Connors	Cindy Milazzo-Schwartz
	Marlene Meyer	Linda Bradley
	Connie Radt	Shelly Szpara Dana Ziccardi

1.                  Opening prayer & Devotion --Mary Jo Price Williams.  Col. 5:6-17

2.                  BLOG. –BLOG address to be added to St. John Website.

3.                  Online Shopper –.Womens’ group to preview before presenting to congregation.

Monopoly –Sandy Connors suggested that we check with another group who has done this to see how successful they were.  Possibly sell squares in February.  Mary-Jo will discuss with Connie.  Linda V. will also help.

4.                  Mom’s Group – A notice will be put in the bulletin regarding the possible forming of group with a place on the Fellowship of Worship Form to check if interested.

5.                  Wedding Gowns – Mary-Jo will put out a notice asking for the donation of wedding gowns.  Mary-Jo will get a list from Deb Sedinger as to exactly what should be collected.

6.                  Mommy and Me Class – Mary-Jo made a flyer and will put up a sign-up sheet to hold class Saturday, January 23, 2010, 1-3 p.m.  Connie Radt will help.

7.                  Cards for Soldiers – Mary-Jo made a flyer and sign-up sheet.  300 cards will be made on 1/30.  Mary-Jo will ask the congregation if they have names and addresses of soldiers.  Mary-Jo will double check to see if U.S. postage can be used on cards to be sent out by soldiers.

8.                  Clear Vision Group – Mary-Jo contacted Absolute Nursing Home.  They said it is not a good idea to wash residents’ glasses because of liability.  They suggested it would be better for people to come and read to the residents.  Mary-Jo will put out a blurb asking if people would like to read or if they have another idea for a ministry at Absolute.

9.                  Baby Shower – Laura will register somewhere.  We will also bring “gently‑used” items to the shower to donate to charity.  Possibly hook the shower up with a Lenten potluck and call it “April Shower.”  Harvest Home could provide baby bottles to save loose change to donate.

10.              Undie Sunday – Possibly hold in May.

11.              New Ideas – Promote our group in newsletter by recapping what we have done so far.

Next Meeting – February 3, 2010

Prayer.