By Mattie Wesson

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First Christian Church, 100 Water Street, PO Box 367, Belton, TX 76513 http://fccbelton.org fccbeltonjan@sbcglobal.net 254.939.3483

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

How long will you forget me Lord? Forever? How much longer will you hide yourself from me? How long must I endure pain? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and

night? Psalm 13

Do you ever get that ‘blah’ feeling? Like nothing is as it should be - you’re just sort of there, but not there; your emotions, your spirituality, your intellect feel dulled, and everything seems disconnected from you? Or, more dramatic (though not more dangerous spiritually), the feeling that you are lost or afraid or angry? The feelings are not rare, but rather common - that is, if we are honest with ourselves. Read the Psalms to discover how often the writers are angry with God, or are beset with problems too large for them to handle alone. And perhaps we should take that hint from the scriptures and be honest with God. “Honesty is the best policy,” and that is true not only in business and personal relations, but in our relationship with God, as well; and it is the most helpful way to deal with mental, spiritual, and emotional upsets.

A Note from the Pastor

Moderator’s Memo By Mattie Wesson

September is here already. Those who love to have “fun in the sun” have had ample opportunity for that this summer, if they can tolerate the heat, but I think all of us are ready for a ‘romp in the rain.” Now that summer vacations and travel are slowing down, most of us will be returning to our normal routines and activities. It has been several months since our last Board meeting and there are some issues and concerns we need to discuss, so I am scheduling a Board meeting for Sunday, September 25, following the morning

Worship Team September 1

Fellowship Meal September 4

Labor Day/Church Office Closed September 5

Elders Meeting September 11

Wacky Women’s Wuncheon September 12

Spindles Birthday Reception September 18

Salad Kings September 19

Newsletter Deadline September 25

Church Board Meeting September 25

The church needs you to be your best. Your brothers and sisters need your encouragement and wisdom and love. But that means we need you to be at your closest to God, not hiding something from him: hurts, disappointments, weaknesses, sins. Rather, the church needs you to be right with God: in prayer to God, giving God your deepest feelings; and in fellowship with friends in Christ, together giving God your praise and worship. In all we do and think, remembering the perfect love of God for us, which we see in Christ Jesus our Lord.

O people of Israel, sing for joy to God, the Lord our Defender, for he says, “In distress you called, and I delivered you; from the secret place of the storm I

answered you.” Psalm 81

---Mike

Worship service. I want to encourage all board members to attend this meeting if possible. Thank you all for your service to First Christian Church Belton. “Love the Lord and walk in all his ways and serve him

with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

September 2011

1

By Michael Dunson

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First Christian Church

Worship Team By Mylessa Wheeler

Stewardship Team By Mattie Wesson

“Each of us is financially responsible for what we have control over. This means at the very least that God expects interest on what he gives us.” “A giver will always give, regardless of how much or how little he or she might have. That is because giving, at its core, is an attitude of the heart. Being a giver, however, does take effort. Everything will be tested, including your trust in God, your moral fiber, your commitment to honor pledges in faith that God will supply the means to pay them and your ability to internalize the truth that God will supply every one of your needs.”

“Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones said it perfectly when he said, “You can’t really enjoy anything without sharing it, and this includes your faith, love, talents and money. Someday you’ll discover we never really give; we are only returning and sharing a small portion of what we’ve received.” “And no matter how much we give, God will never allow you to give Him more than He gives back to you – never!” Paul J. Meyer, The Christian Walk, Volume I

Receipts: $6247.00

From investment account: $950

Expenditures: $6130.37

Balance: $113.63

(Figures accurate as of July 31, 2011)

Financial Snapshot – July2011

Meeting - The Worship Team will meet at 6 pm on Thursday, September 1, at the church. Request – The Worship Team needs suggestions from you for discussion topics. If you have any issues that you would like the Worship Team to address please let Mylessa Wheeler or Mike Dunson know. Reminder – We have Bible study on Wednesday nights starting at 6:30 pm. There are great topics and interesting discussion.

Diez y Seis The fellowship meal on Sunday, September 4, will have a Mexican theme. It is hosted by Judy Wallace. Bring your favorite Mexican dish and enjoy the celebration.

Birthday Reception You are invited to a birthday reception

to honor Floyd & Joyce Spindle Sunday, September 18

2:00 to 3:30 pm Stoney Brook, 500 River Fair Blvd, Belton

Cards only

Page 3 First Christian Church

"Vision is a point of view provided by faith, realized through prayer and obedience."

As summer ends and we resume regular church activities, we have a fresh opportunity to discover our Lord's vision for us as women of faith at FCC Belton. Between now and our first DWM meeting at 6 pm on Monday, September 12, let's ask God to spark ideas within each of us to make the coming year one of our best, and let's share them at our meeting. Conversations might include our ministries and outreach, congregational needs and enrichment, fundraising, and many more. We're already off to a good start, having provided school clothes and supplies for 10 children with Project Apple Tree. Some of us have begun making crafts for our Christmas Store and Stew Luncheon on Friday,

DWM Circle By Cindy Capps

Recipe of the Month – Gingerbread Man Cookies By Kathy Jordan

Ingredients: ¾ cup butter, softened ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 pkg (4 serving size) Butterscotch Instant Pudding 1 egg 2¼ cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions: Beat butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl on medium speed until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients. Gradually add to pudding

November 4. Let me know if you'd like to schedule church ladies' "crafting" parties in Fellowship Hall and when you'd like to have them. I'm sure our celebrity cooks will check their cookbooks soon for special breads, cakes & cookies, and jams & jellies. Judy Wallace is hosting our fellowship meal on Sunday, September 4. We'll have a Mexican "diez y seis" theme, so bring your favorite Mexican dish to our luncheon. She'll have a sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall with additional details. In the meantime, stay cool. These 100-plus temperatures can't last forever!

Shalom, Cindy

mixture, beating well after each addition; cover and refrigerate 1 hour or longer until dough is firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on surface with powdered sugar or flour to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. Use a straw to make a hole near the top of each cookie to use for hanging. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire rack. Decorate as desired. Nutrition Information (per 4 inch cookie) Calories : 170, Total fat: 7 g, Sat fat: 3.5 g, Carbs: 24 g

“Vision is a point of view provided by faith, realized

through prayer and obedience.”

Jell-O Boxes

Please save small empty Jell-O boxes (or other similar sized boxes such as Ivory soap) for Cindy Capps. She is working on a craft for the bazaar in November.

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First Christian Church

Lectionary Readings

September 2011 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Sunday Schedule 9:30am Sunday School 10:45am Fellowship 11am Worship 12:15pm Choir

1 6pm Worship Team

2

3

4 12noon Fellowship

5 Labor Day

Church Office Closed 6

7 6pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Bible Study

8

9

10

11 8:30am Elders Meeting

12 6pm DWM Women’s Wacky Wuncheon

13 14 6pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Bible Study

15 16 17

18 2-3:30pm Spindles Birthday reception

19 6pm Salad King

20 21 6pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Bible Study

22 23 24

25 Newsletter Deadline 12noon Board meeting

26 27 28 6pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Bible Study

29 30

September 4 September 11 September 18 September 25

Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 149

Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon Text: Ephesians 2:1-10

Exodus 14:19-31 Psalm 114

Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon Text: Psalm 46

Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon Text: Matthew 14:13-21

Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32

Birthdays: 8 Joyce Spindle 16 Tony Holwerda 12 Niecie McGill 17 Marilyn VanSchoelandt 13 Anna Marie Richardson 20 Floyd Spindle 14 Marilyn Ankenbauer 22 Charline Spears

Page 5 First Christian Church

September Service Calendar

Prayer List

Helping Hands Ministry People of Afghanistan, Iraq,

Libya, Syria Victims of violence

Joseph Andrews Tot Avant

Linda Baird Rita Bartlett

Lucille Booth Cindy Capps

Virginia Carden Gladys Cockrum Janice Cockrum

Bill Davis Thelma Grammond

Mary H

Haley, Lexie, Emmie Doris Kessler

John Lehrmann Ruby Llewellyn Susan Ludwig

Jane McDonald Larkin O’Hern Karen Robbins

Mike Seiler Floyd & Joyce Spindle

Volker Strubbe Charlotte Strunk

Jody Suhr Kirk Wallace

Debbie & Norma Whitson

September 4 September 11 September 18 September 25

Communion Elder Mattie Wesson Cindy Capps Amy Larson Tom Tapman

Offertory Elder Tom Tapman Kathy Jordan Cindy Capps Kirk Wallace

Early Deacon Mattie Wesson Cindy Capps Hope Brown Hope Brown

Deacon 1 Mylessa Wheeler Mylessa Wheeler Mylessa Wheeler Mylessa Wheeler

Deacon 2 Judy Wallace Judy Wallace Judy Wallace Judy Wallace

Deacon 3 Amy Larson Terri Holwerda Max Jordan Terri Holwerda

Deacon 4 Max Jordan Amy Larson Hope Brown Hope Brown

Communion Preparation

Tom Tapman Mattie Wesson Mattie Wesson Kirk Wallace

Homebound Communion

Betty Malone As Needed Mattie Wesson As Needed

Ride for Thelma Mattie Wesson Judy Wallace Charlene Tapman Mattie Wesson

Greeter Marilyn Ankenbauer Kathy Jordan Judy Wallace Max Jordan

Refreshments Fellowship Meal Cindy Capps Judy Wallace Blake & Hope Brown

Acolytes Dindy Brown Derek Smith Dindy Brown Darren Smith

Children’s Moment

Worship Leader Hope Brown Amy Larson Terri Holwerda Diane Pressley

First Christian Church

100 Water Street, PO Box 367

Belton, TX 76513

Phone:

(254) 939-3483

E-Mail:

fccbelton100@sbcglobal.net

fccbeltonjan@sbcglobal.net

We’re on the Web!

Visit us at:

fccbelton.org

Pastor…Reverend Michael Dunson Choir Director/Pianist…Marilyn VanSchoelandt

Song Leader…Don VanSchoelandt Media Team…Dusty Smith, Carol Harrison, & Kathy Jordan

Nursery Attendant…Jaime Wheeler Ministry Assistant…Jan Muske, Notary Public

First Christian Church

PO Box 367 Belton, TX 76513

Customer Name

Street Address

City, ST ZIP Code

It is not genius, nor glory, nor love that reflects

the greatness of the human soul.

It is kindness.

--- H. D. Lacordaire

Come and See

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.