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Greetings and peace to you, Being the month of May, I thought it would be fun to look at a few of the mothers found in the Bible.

Eve was the first woman and the first mother. Without a single role model or mentor, she paved the maternal way to become "Mother of All the Living." She and her mate Adam lived in Paradise, but they spoiled it by listening to Satan instead of God. Eve suffered terrible grief when her son Cain murdered his brother Abel, yet despite these tragedies, Eve went on to fulfill her part in God's plan of populating the Earth.

Sarah was one of the most important women in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham, which made her the mother of the nation of Israel. Yet Sarah was barren. She conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a good wife, a loyal helper and builder with Abraham. Her faith serves as a shining example for every person who has to wait on God to act.

Rebekah conceived and gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. During an age when women were typically submissive, Rebekah was quite assertive. At times Rebekah took matters into her own hands. Sometimes that worked out, but it also resulted in disastrous consequences.

Jochebed, the mother of Moses, is one of the underappreciated mothers in the Bible, yet she also showed tremendous faith in God. To avoid the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys, she set her baby adrift in the Nile River, hoping someone would find him and raise him. God so worked that her baby was found by Pharaoh's daughter. Jochebed even became her own son's nurse. God used Moses mightily, to free the Hebrew people from their 400 year, bondage of slavery and take them to the Promised Land. Although little is written about Jochebed in the Bible, her story speaks powerfully to mothers of today.

Hannah's story is one of the most touching in the entire Bible. Like several other mothers in the Bible, she knew what it meant to suffer long years of barrenness. In Hannah's case, she was cruelly taunted by her husband's other wife. But Hannah never gave up on God. Finally, her heartfelt prayers were answered. She gave birth to a son, Samuel, then did something entirely selfless to honor her promise to God. God favored Hannah with five more children, bringing great blessing to her life.

And I leave you with a prayer for all mothers everywhere.

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Most Gracious Heavenly Father, We thank You for our mothers to whom You have entrusted the care of every precious human life from its very beginning in the womb. You have given to woman the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for selfless love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children. Watch over every mother who is with child, strengthen her faith in Your fatherly care and love for her and for her unborn baby. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble. Grant her joy in the birth of her child. To mothers You have given the great privilege and responsibility of being a child's first teacher and spiritual guide. Grant that all mothers may worthily foster the faith of their children, following the example of Mary, Elizabeth, and other holy women who follow Christ. Help mothers to grow daily in knowledge and understanding of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant them the wisdom to impart this knowledge faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them. Yours in Christ, Pastor Doug

Sunday, May 14

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FROM OUR CHURCH RECORDS

Attendance for April: Sunday School Worship

4/2 37 103 4/9 60 104 4/13 Maundy Thurs. 47 4/14 Good Friday 45

4/16 7 a.m. 71 30

10:15 a.m. 134 4/23 NA 104 Hospitalized: Jack VanHoose Randalynn Nungesser Funeral: Carolyn Gore, born November 2, 1949, died April 9, 2017, funeral April 13, 2017.

Newsletter articles are

due on May 21st You may: ▪ bring your articles to the

office ▪ e-mail them to: friedenscircuitrider@hotmail.com ▪ fax the article: 667-6006

March Income $22,707 March Expenses $21,140 Gain (Loss) $ 1,567 Year to Date Income $57,007 Year to Date Expense $54,139 Gain (Loss) $ 2,868

Monday, May 29

(Office will be closed)

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Ushers May 7 Butch Schmidt Wayne Loehring Jim Galaske Kenny Grotefendt May 14 Ron & Sandy Harbison Jim & Claudia Galaske May 21 Gladys Skeens Joey McDowell Sandy Harbison Yvonne Kamm May 28 Larry Bliss Lloyd Bliss Sue Hanks Deb Spears June 4 Doug & Debbie Brendel Dennis & Cindy Westfall If you cannot be present on your day,

please call Yvonne, 667-8409.

Liturgists May 7 Jeff Estes May 14 Laurie Manwaring May 21 Gabriel Gregson May 28 Julie Loehring June 4 Marla Brown

Bus Drivers/Helpers May 7 Mike & Debbie Byrd May 14 Pat & Jenny Ruger May 21 Dennis & Cindy Westfall May 28 Dennis & Stephanie Williams June 4 Doug & Debbie Brendel

These are the words of Jesus: “If you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment…” (Matthew 5:22, NRSV). In our Lord’s eyes, hating or bearing a grudge against someone was asking for a judgment no one needs. Vituperation and meanness of spirit, Jesus said, could make one “liable to the hell of fire” (5:22). Even if “the hell of fire” is only a burning sense of guilt and a tortured soul, no on wants to live that way. Can we learn to set anger aside for forgiveness, as Jesus suggests?

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To my Friedens Family:

Thanks so much for the prayers, calls and cards while I was recuperating from a broken wrist. Special thanks go to Julie and Wayne for all their time and energy shown to me. They literally lived at my apartment for two months (except to sleep) since I broke my left wrist and am left handed. They made sure I had food, fixing all my meals and taking me to my many doctor appointments among other things. Thanks also to Butch who was on call for all other necessities. Words can’t express how much I appreciate them. Thanks to all of you for your concerns and thinking about me at this time.

Gladys Huston Thank you for the prayers and cards during my bout with appendicitis and subsequent surgery. Special thanks to Pastor Doug for his visit (and the little birdie who told him).

Kristin Lally

Thank you to everyone that sent cards and had a nice word to say about our Dad. Even though he wasn’t a church member, a lot of you knew him for many years and he loved bringing you vegetables and staying for a short visit. Thank you to Pastor for the funeral message, the guild for the food and serving the luncheon, and the support of a loving church family.

The family of Dale Willimann Leslie French

Mike Amy and Abigail Schroeter Lyle, Brenda and Zoe Willimann

A heartfelt note of thanks to Pastor Doug, the Women’s Guild and my Friedens friends for the visits, phone calls, greeting and Easter cards I have received since my move to Eden. Thank you all, so much!

Wilma Edwards

Thank you! The quilters want to thank whoever leaves fabric in the quilting room. All fabric is used to make lap covers and stuffed bears for Hospice and bed covers for Hoyleton. Once again, Thank you!

The Quilters

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Items collected for Ministries Unlimited in April were:

20 dozen eggs 204 cans pasta 143 1-pound pkgs. margarine 36 cans soda 12 boxes brownie mix 4 cans corn 120 boxes cake mix 13 boxes macaroni & cheese 1 can cake frosting 1 box pancake & waffle mix 1 bottle pancake syrup 3 boxes cereal 1 4-pound bag sugar 1 box taco shells 1 box no bake cheesecake 1 can Manwich 1 small can tomatoes/chilies 1 can mild cheddar cheese 1 small bag sliced almonds 1 can Pledge 225 plastic Easter eggs 1 bag oyster crackers

Thank you for your donation! The items for May are: macaroni and cheese, Jell-O, cereal, canned pasta, and toilet tissue

Friedens’ Chancel Choir will be performing a short concert at Eden Village on Wednesday, May 17 and also at the Fountains on Wednesday, May 31. Both concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m.

A Sunday school teacher was telling the story of the Good Samaratin. In graphic detail she

described how the assaulted man was left helpless beside the road. Then she asked the class, “If you came upon a wounded man lying by the road and he had blood all over him, what would you do?” A dainty girl spoke first, “I think,” she said with a wince, “that I’d probably throw up.”

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May 4 Gladys Huston Logan Matz 6 David Edgar 9 Barb Toennies 10 Marla Brown Joe Smith 11 Christian Bosaw Arianna Miles 12 Mary Ellen Schwehr Justin Whittington 15 Mary Ann Gaultney Joy Mesle 16 Jason Barker 17 Eric Bosaw 18 Kay Friederich Sean Smith Deb Spears 20 Kristen Ferguson 26 Emily Toennies 27 Ron Harbison Yvonne Kamm 28 Crystal Keilbach Sandra Morton Tanner Riden

Clayton Allen Whittington is graduating from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. Clayton will be a pharmacist at the Taylorville Walgreens. John E. Lally is graduating suma cum laude from the University of Missouri Columbia, majoring in statistics. John will commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and will continue his education in flight school. Kat Spears is graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with her bachelors of liberal arts, majoring in history and minoring in anthropology. Kat will continue her education at SIUC to earn her masters degree in history.

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Thank you to all who helped with our Easter Surprise event.

May 7th brings an end to Fall/winter Sunday School. Our summer classes will begin on June 11th

Summer Schedule

The Adult class will resume their regular schedule for the summer.

PreK on up - June 11th 18th & 25th July 9th & 16th August 13th & 20th

Sunday School will be during the worship services after the “Time with Children”

At this time, all children will follow the CEB member teaching Sunday School downstairs to the Craft room. Parent may pick their children up from this room after the worship service.

VBS will be June 19th – 23rd Get your registration form turned into the office to save your spot!

Anyone wishing to help out for one day or all week at VBS see Stephanie there is a place for everyone.

Thank you to our Sunday School teachers and helpers!

PreK – Jenny Ruger & Pam Hildenbrand

1st – 6th - Pat Ruger, Doug Brendel, Jane Maedge & Debbie Brendel

High School & Youth Leaders- Sean & Jamie Smith, Aaron Jaconis

Confirmation Pastor Doug

Adult- Julie Loehring

Our confimands are Gabriel Gregson, McKenzie Hall, Jill Hettenhausen, Rayne Smith, and Devin Wilkins.

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DuBois Center

Hickory Lodge Update As you know, the last several years we have designated the mission money for DuBois to the Hickory Lodge project. We have painted, cleaned, put in a new kitchenette, bought new couches, tables, blinds (living area) wall decor, mattresses, bed frames, sheets, bedspreads, & pillows for all the beds. Last year’s mission money will pay for a couple new patio table & chair sets with cushions & new blinds for all the bedrooms. Last fall a group of volunteers from Friedens did the landscaping around Hickory Lodge planting many hostas & other perennials. We can’t wait to go up there & see how nice that looks. There is still more work to be done to beautify Hickory Lodge. We would like to get new lamps, a mirror for each bedroom as well as matching chest of drawers & night stands for each room. So once again, we are asking that all Mission money given during the months of April, May, & June be designated for the Hickory Lodge

project. Remember all money given during this time will be matched by our Mission Matching fund!!!

May 7 Otis & Katie Carver May 14 Mother’s Day Breakfast May 21 Ron & Carol Klaustermeier May 28 Jack & Reva VanHoose

Begins June 11

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Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. – noon, Pastor Doug will be at

the church office, unless he is needed elsewhere. In the afternoons he will be

visiting church members at homes, hospitals or nursing homes. Frieday and Satruday are his days off; however, he will be available for emergencies. Please give Pastor or Monica a call if you would like to chedule a time to meet with him. Church: 667-6535, home: 416-7676, cell: 570-713-7363

Tuesday, May 2, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 7th at noon

Chicken and drinks will be provided,

please bring a side dish and/or a dessert to share.

Entertainment will be provided by Olivia, Victoria and Katie. Please

RSVP by May 3 (667-6535).

June 11

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BIBLE QUIZ!

An Old Testament book reveals some lessons that King Lemuel learned from his mother. One was the following: “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Which book contains that quote?

A. Psalms B. Jeremiah C. 2 Kings D. Proverbs

(answer on page 12)

May 24, 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Come join us

for a great meal and fellowship. Spread the word, the dinner is free

and open to the community.

The Summer Lunch Program will be resuming in June. Keep an ear out for ways you can help!

DuBois Center

is our mission for April/May/June

May 14, 8:30 a.m. Please join us in Fellowship Hall for

breakfast on Mother’s Day. This is an event for the entire family, with the women relaxing and being served.

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D (See chapter 31, verses 8-9.)