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Inside Faith MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FAITH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
AUGUST 2018
Congregational
PASTOR’S PEN
Your church leadership is already making plans for the “official launch” of
our church’s 5-year vision. I’ve mentioned its foundations to you in previous
newsletter articles. One of the key components is “Growing in Our
Relationship with Christ.”
Growing means changing. And not many of us like changing, right? Change is
uncomfortable, and growing is almost always accompanied by “growing
pains.” Any church that buys into its own vision for the future, especially if
that vision calls for “growth,” will go through times of discomfort and
dissatisfaction. It’s all part of the process.
With this in mind, I’d like to share an article with you on the topic of COMPLAINING (“Three Types
of Complaining” by Robert Biswas-Diener). Please know that we ALL complain. But there is “good”
complaining and “bad” complaining. If we are to enter a new season of church growth, we will likely
enter a season that contains some complaining. Remember, how much Israel complained on the
way to the Promised Land? It was a tough journey...and they needed to grow...a lot!
So, as we move forward to the place where God is calling us, let us commit ourselves to growth that
brings about positive change and growth that brings out the best in us. It may not be easy
sometimes, but we can do it!
Yours in Faith,
Pastor Rob Hunter
If complaining is so awful, why is it so prevalent? There is a growing body of research addressing
complaining: what it is, and when and why it happens. To begin with, complaining is simply expressing
dissatisfaction. This usually happens verbally and usually happens in the wake of a negative situation.
Traffic was worse than expected. The movie was disappointing. The contractor did shoddy work. The
city council should never have approved that new development. Of course, it is not just situations but
also personal factors that are involved. You’ll notice, for example, that some people tend to complain
while others hold their tongues. Indeed, there is a “complaint threshold” that must be reached before
someone decides to grumble.
This threshold is still being explored but it likely has many facets. One may be “locus of control,” or
how much control a person feels she has in a situation. If an airline misplaces your suitcase, for
instance, you are more likely to lodge a complaint because you feel that your notification of the
problem will help to solve it. There may be other personal factors involved as well such as tolerance
for conflict, age, and desire to present one’s self positively.
It is useful to understand that complaining (and—by extension—complainers) come in types. There
are those who never seem to be satisfied. These are known as chronic complainers. They have a
tendency to ruminate on problems and to focus on setbacks over progress. Some research suggests
that making a habit of complaint can “re-wire” the brain so that those particular thinking orientations
become ingrained. It is possible to re-wire this re-wiring to make it more positive, of course, but
chronic complainers probably don’t think it would work all that well.
A second type of complaint is the familiar “venting.” Venting is expressing emotional
dissatisfaction. It turns out that people who vent have an agenda. They tend to be focused
on themselves and their own—presumably negative—experience. By showing their anger,
frustration, or disappointment, they are soliciting attention from their confidantes. They can
feel validated by receiving attention and sympathy. Venters are particularly likely to discount
advice and proposed solutions to their problems. They aren’t looking to solve anything; they
simply want validation.
One unfortunate downside to both venting and to chronic complaining is that it can dampen
people’s moods. In one series of studies, researchers tracked people’s moods before and
after hearing a complaint. As predicted, listening to gripes made people feel worse. What’s
more, the complainer also felt worse!
The last type of complaint is known as the “instrumental complaint.” Unlike its wrinkle-
nosed conceptual cousins the instrumental complaint is all about solving problems. When
you confront your romantic partner about overspending on the credit card, that could be
instrumental complaining. Especially if you focus on the impact of the problem, the
importance of change, and cooperate to create a plan for change. One study suggests that
these types of complaints make up fewer than 25 percent of all complaints.
In one study, researchers found that happy people complain less. They also looked at the
evidence that the happy folks in their study were more mindful. They hypothesize that more
cheerful folks are likely to complain more mindfully—more strategically, if you will—and with
a specific goal in mind. When viewed this way a rough guide for complaining emerges:
Avoid dampening your mood by
complaining only rarely
Complain only in instances where
you believe it will effect real and
positive change
Consider whether affirmation or
some other strategy will work
instead of complaining
Limit your exposure to complaining
by limiting your exposure to
FAITH STAFF
Pastor
Rob Hunter
Choir & Music Director
Hazel Graham
Administrative Assistant
Frank Grieco
STEERING OFFICERS
President Marcia Steiner
Vice President Wilma Osterhoudt
Treasurer Kelly Phillips
Secretary Paula Akucewich
MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH
Community Outreach Ministry
Patty Hesser
Discipleship Ministry
Bob Santom
Property Ministry
Rich Pecho
Stewardship Ministry
Ron Knepshield
Worship Ministry
Carol McDonnold
Volunteers Needed to get…
See Patty Hesser or Sharon Ruzga
Back to school supply drive
• #2 Pencils• Glue Sticks• Composition books• Pocket folders• Facial Tissue
Sisters in Faith LuncheonSaturday, August 4 @ 12:00 Noon
Located on US 1 in PSL. All Ladies are invited.Sign up sheet in the lobby.
Have you experienced a significant loss?
Every 3rd Tuesday, 7:00 pm
at the Church
See Gladys Dolan for more info.
COMMUNITY KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS
NEEDEDTable Set-up Wait Staff
Drink Stations Bus Person
Greeters Dish room
Pick up Bread/Desserts
See Karen Overly or Patty Hesser
for more information.
Samaritan’s Purse—Operation Christmas Child:
Sisters in Faith is coordinating shoe boxes for the
Operation Christmas Child program again this
year. We have boxes available for those who
would like to get an early start. You can pick one
up the second Sunday of the month in the lobby
until October when we will have them available
every Sunday. For more information contact
Gladys Dolan.
Collecting Any ITEMS for children ages 2-14
that will fit in a shoe box.
2nd Sunday of each month
Please sign up for boxes…
See Gladys Dolan for more information.
READINGS FOR AUGUST 2018
August 1 Isaiah 18-22
August 2 Isaiah 23-27
August 3 Isaiah 28-30
August 4 Isaiah 31-35
August 5 Isaiah 36-41
August 6 Isaiah 42-44
August 7 Isaiah 45-48
August 8 Isaiah 49-53
August 9 Isaiah 54-58
August 10 Isaiah 59-63
August 11 Isaiah 64-66
August 12 Jeremiah 1-3
August 13 Jeremiah 4-6
August 14 Jeremiah 7-9
August 15 Jeremiah 10-13
August 16 Jeremiah 14-17
August 17 Jeremiah 18-22
August 18 Jeremiah 23-25
August 19 Jeremiah 26-29
August 20 Jeremiah 30-31
August 21 Jeremiah 32-34
August 22 Jeremiah 35-37
August 23 Jeremiah 38-41
August 24 Jeremiah 42-45
August 25 Jeremiah 46-48
August 26 Jeremiah 49-50
August 27 Jeremiah 51-52
August 28 Lamentations 1-3:36
August 29 Lamentations 3:37-5:22
August 30 Ezekiel 1-4
August 31 Ezekiel 5-8
11-Gary Mealy
13-Patricia Leader
14-Judy Luttrell
16-Charles Stracuzzi
17-Harold Wagner
17-Judy Byrne
22-Marcia Steiner
26-Brandon Burford
27-Dennis Dierksen
29-Shirley D’Andrea
30-Madilyn Joann Geraci
30-Sarah Lewis
13-Dee & Bill Davis
25-Deborah & Jim Tyger
29-Betty & Bob Gordon
31-Karen & Mike Overly
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1
Bible Study 10 am
2 Community
Meal 5-6:30 pm
Bible Study
7 pm
3
4 Sisters in Faith Luncheon 12 pm
5 Worship 9 am
Sermon:
Is Your Bread Perishable?
6 7
8 Bible Study
10 am
9 Community
Meal 5-6:30 pm
Bible Study
7 pm
10 11
12
Worship 9 am Sermon:
How Did you Get Here?
13 1st Day of
School
14 No Stewardship
Steering 6:30 pm
15
Bible Study 10 am
16 Community
Meal 5-6:30 pm
Bible Study
7 pm
17 18
19 Worship 9 am
Sermon: Is Eternal Life in
You?
Shepherds 10:15 am
Choir Rehearsal 1 pm
20
21 Growing through
Grief 7 pm
22 Bible Study
10 am
23 Community
Meal 5-6:30 pm
Bible Study
7 pm
24 25
26 Worship 9 am
Sermon: Can You Accept
It?
27
28 PRIMARY
ELECTION
29 Bible Study
10 am
30 Community
Meal 5-6:30 pm
Bible Study
7 pm
31