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“Where strangers become friends and friends become family.”
Simple Gifts ~ Operation Christmas Child brings needed supplies and salvation to Filipino children living in dire conditions.
IT smells so strongly of trash and cow dung at the big garbage dump outside of Manila that
most people hold handkerchiefs to their noses to block some of the smell. No one wants to visit
this area. Muck swallows shoes, leaving people barefoot in the smelly mess. And yet there are people who live and work here. These people are lower-class Filipinos. They collect bottles and
other pieces of trash to sell. Their houses sit right on the edge of the dump site and are made of trash. While most people crinkle their noses and want to leave, the dump people smile and
laugh while the brown concoction on the ground squishes deeper in between their toes.
The children in this area are quiet but happy. Boys run shirtless through small patches of grass with a soccer ball. Girls watch and giggle in their crisp, white school blouses and plaid skirts.
They’ve just finished a day of school and walked home under the hot and sticky June sun. Today, the smiles are a little wider. On the walk home, the children cradle Operation Christmas Child
shoe boxes underneath their elbows.
This was a special day at school, a day of surprises. Although the teachers had tried to keep it a secret, the children had found out that they would receive gifts, and they were excited. Before
she received her shoe box, 8-year-old Joy listed the things she wanted. “School supplies … slip-pers … a pencil case … a pencil … anything that can be used for writing … and shoes.” She
paused between each item as if she was afraid to say that she wanted more than one thing. Only after being prompted did she continue her list. Nine-year-old Ralph slowly listed what he
wanted, too. “School supplies, school bag, a T-shirt, shoes and socks.” All of these are simple things that most American children take for granted. But in impoverished areas like this one,
school supplies and basic clothing make a huge difference.
“Education is the only way out,” said Marlin, pastor of the church that arranged the shoe box
distribution at the school. “OCC will make a difference for them.” With new school supplies, the children will have more opportunities in class. But the shoe boxes don’t just offer physical items
to make life better for children. The gifts also present an opportunity to learn about the Gospel. That’s exactly what Ralph did. When he accepted his gift, he also accepted Christ. As he kicks a
soccer ball to a friend, his smile isn’t just because of his new toys. Now he has found God’s love. Ralph and his friends were offered “The Greatest Gift of All” booklet with their gifts, which ex-
plains the story of Christ and salvation through Him. Ralph said he is excited to learn more about Jesus. He is blessed because his mother is also a Christian, and she taught him about
Christ even before he believed. Joy also received the booklet, but she didn’t look at it as soon as she received it. She said she wanted to look at it later. When she reads “The Greatest Gift
of All,” there is hope that she too will find Christ’s love. At the end of (continued on page 5)
THE VOICE N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 O F W I L E Y H E I G H T S C O V E N A N T C H U R C H
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Passage: Francis (Betty) Mortimer-Rood YAKIMA - Francis (Betty) Mortimer-Rood, 89, passed
away in her beloved home of natural causes on Octo-ber 19th, 2011.
Betty was born January 9, 1922 in Calgary, Alberta to George and Grace Lunn. She married William (Bill)
Mortimer in 1951 and soon after moved to the Yakima area.
They both fell in love with this town and its
people, buying a
farm in the Cowiche area and raising their children Ann and Bruce there.
There are many joyous memories of camping trips and horse back riding.
In 1966, Betty started working for the West Valley School District helping children to read. She carried on
this tradition upon her retirement by teaching non-English speaking stu-dents to read and write English at YVCC.
Following Bill's death in June of 1983, she started her world travels, visiting places like Australia, China, Egypt and Europe. She enjoyed all
her trips and made sure to bring home souvenirs from each trip. She moved into her home in Yakima in 1996 and married Robert
Rood, M.D. who passed away in 1997. She so enjoyed her pool and hot-tub and could be found every day swimming and soaking up the
sun during the summer. Although a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, she usu-
ally attended church with her daughter and family at Wiley Heights
Covenant Church.
Favorite
Bird of the Month
11 Brian & Patty Arensen Lee & Edith Hunsperger 17 Steve & Lori
Carlson 19 Ron & Peggy
Johnson
1 Steven Snipes Kelsey Diaz 2 Jon Arensen 6 Chris Field 7 Ted Nyberg 8 Andrew Catron Sherrel Hailstone 9 Sandra Erlewine 10 Nadyne Snipes Sharon Vance 11 Maria Riedman 18 Susan Myers 20 Chawley Thomas 22 Gavin Carlson 23 Knut Johansen 26 Steven Carlson 28 Sofia Johnson 29 Steve Carlson Danilo Diaz
From Our Church Family
November BIRTHDAYS
November ANNIVERSARIES
November 4th, First Friday, is
Out to Lunch Bunch @ 12:00 noon
Bring your favorite Senior!
OUT TO LUNCH BUNCH IS BACK!
Let the Office know if you like the
New Feature this month On the next page (page 3), you will
see our monthly church calendar. Pe-
ruse this carefully and then turn to page 4 to see what you remember
about the upcoming month! The answers are on the calendar it-
self or within the pages of this month’s Voice. The final solution is on
page 7.
SONS OF NORWAY
31ST ANNUAL
LUTEFISK DINNER
AND BAKE SALE!
Saturday, Nov. 5, at Holy
Family Church
5315 Tieton Drive
5:00PM
September
3
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From the Desk of Pastor Mark
A Season at a Time
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
A much-praised picture has been circulating around the internet of a sign posted in Nord-
strom’s windows, stating Christmas would come out commercially in their department stores, in all
its glory, come November 27th. They deliberately continue to buck the trend of most stores who have had aisles devoted to lure in Christmas shoppers since September, only to grow as the
season approaches. They say they want to take each holiday at a time.
Now, this is not an advertisement for Nordstrom (I struggle, like a lot of us, with the commerciali-
zation of Christmas), yet their restraint appeals to me. I like each season for what’s it worth and the celebrations which accompany them, with its own rhythms, foods, and traditions. To do oth-
erwise, seems premature like forcing a junior higher to drive before she’s ready or legal. It’s
not the right season for driving, but their season has its own benefits.
I don’t think we give credit enough for the season’s of our lives and how they relate to God. I heard an interview with a pastor who had spoken to a young mom that felt guilty that she
couldn’t squirrel away enough time to be with God in quiet and solitude. She didn’t feel like she was seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:34). He commented to her the work she was
doing as a mom is the most valuable devotional practice she can participate in right now and
she should celebrate that and trust in God’s presence in that work.
Each season of life offers its unique boundaries and opportunities. For some, time is in abun-dance, - so they become prayer warriors. For others, like that young mom, it’s not, but they at-
tend to their tasks with a belief of God’s activity in them. For some, they feel strong to serve and lend a helping hand to a neighbor. For others, they can’t lift a heavy ladder, but they
choose to lift up a phone and call someone who is going through tough times.
Take a moment and reflect on your own life. What season of life do you find yourself in with
your time, energy, and interests? How can you use what God has given you in this season to serve him? Maybe He is speaking about something new? Or maybe he is leading you to re-
flect on how things are ordered in your life?
Take the gifts of each season for what they are and celebrate them, be them a holiday or a
season of life, as God has blessed each of us with the day we have today.
Pastor Mark
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A young Filipina boy, sit-
ting outside the dump in a homemade cart with his
shoebox fill of love!
Can you believe it is November already?
Seems like just last week we were talking of summer vacation! The cold mornings tell me
summer is over and it really is November, and that means it is time for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Party planning.
Our party this year is on Saturday November 19th at noon. Art McEwen will once again be making his famous biscuits and something warm and yummy to go with them.
You can begin bringing your toys, candy, toys, toothpaste, toys, and hygiene supplies to
the church any time. Did I mention you could bring the toys for the boxes to the church any time? I will once again have everything lined out assembly line style so we can get right to
work after lunch. Wondering what to bring? There are suggestion cards in the fellowship hall with what the boxes should have and what they should not have in them. Keep in mind the
power of the Holy Spirit, if you are out shopping and you get the overwhelming urge to buy a pair of shoes, trust it. Buy the shoes pack them in a box, write a note describing the leading
of the Spirit. I have heard several stories over the years of how God answered the prayers of children in shoeboxes. Who knows...you could be the one God uses this year to give a specific
gift to a child! Samaritans Purse will place in each box the book “The Greatest Gift Of All” written in the
child’s own language explaining all about our Lord and Savior Jesus! If you as a family want to pack a box at home, I will have information here at church or
visit http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ for more resources. If you have any questions please call or text Sherrin at 509-930-6227
the day, the smiling faces at the dump pick up their last bottles and throw them into bags. Then they walk the short distance to their houses.
Children have finished playing soccer and are helping to prepare the evening meal. Over dinner, they will talk about their day at school. Parents will see every gift in the shoe
boxes, and they, too, will hear about how Jesus loves them.
From Our Cover Story ( page 1, continued)
From the Desk of Sherrin Melcher
Remember: Operation Christmas
Child Shoebox packing party is Saturday, Nov.
19th!
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www.CrosswordWeaver.com
ACROSS
1 What to do with all these dates
4 Sunday, November 6
11 Shoebox Party
12 Favorite bird of the month
13 Eat after decorating the church
14 Begins on Tuesday, November 29
15 Sunday, November 13
DOWN
2 Can yu believe it's ________?
3 November 27
5 Out to Lunch Bunch
6 Bring your favorite senior citizen on
Friday, November 4
7 __________ the church for
Advent/Christmas
8 Sunday, November 6
9 Women ministries wrap gifts here on
November 15
10 Saturday, November 19
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
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International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church - IDOP
2011
IN the traditional church calendar, “All Saints Day”
and “All Souls Day” stand out in the month of No-
vember, set apart to remember the saints of the church and the souls of those who departed this
world. It is fitting, then, that the modern church has set apart the month of November to remember and
pray for the persecuted church, through the Interna-tional Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
(IDOP).
There are many countries in the world today where Christians are martyred for their faith. Be-lievers in Afghanistan are facing death threats; Christians in Uzbekistan, Nigeria and many
other countries all around the world face violence, imprisonment and even death. There are other places in the world such as North Korea where acts of persecution take place, but we
don’t see or hear of it. Brother Andrew of Open Doors once said, “Our heroes are not with us
simply because they are in prison.”
IDOP is a time set apart for us to remember thousands of our Christian brothers and sisters
around the world who suffer persecution, simply because they confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
MARKYOURCALENDAR
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Wiley Heights Covenant Church
12504 Gilbert Road
Yakima, WA 98903
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Pastor Mark Swanson
Cell 494-9850
Youth and Family Director,
Sherrin Melcher
Cell 930-6227 [email protected]
General Office Hours Tues-Fri 8:00AM– 1:00PM
(509) 966-2383
Fax 966-6948
Anne McEwen, secretary
We’re on the web!
www.wileyheightscovenant.org
Wiley Heights Covenant Church exists to magnify God’s
name, bring people to Jesus and membership in His family,
encourage growth in Christ-like maturity, and equip every
member for their ministry in the church and their life mission
in the world.
THE VOICE N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 O F W I L E Y H E I G H T S C O V E N A N T C H U R C H
Non Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Yakima, WA
Permit #168
