It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
I just took a walk in the neighborhood around the church. It was warm and sunny. The birds were singing. The tulips were blooming. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I was reminded of the song Mister Rogers sang at the beginning of his TV show: “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?”
I would like to be a neighbor to the people of this neighborhood. The corner of Okanogan and Peachy in South Wenatchee should not just be the physical location of our building. It should be the center of ministry to people who live around us. The Message’s translation of John 1:14 is, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” Jesus did move into our neighborhood and become our neighbor. How can we be good neighbors in South Wenatchee?
I believe that we already are good neighbors in this neighborhood. Several residents of Colonial Vista are members of our church. Other people from the neighborhood have visited and begun attending our church. The Hiking Day Camp, which Merry Roy leads, includes kids from the neighborhood. Last year’s Rebuilding Together project was in our neighborhood. The Center for Drug and Alcohol Treatment down the street has clients who attend worship.
But I sense that God is calling us to something more. South Wenatchee is an area with multiple problems and needs -- poverty, unemployment, drug dealing and drug use, gang activity. There are also strong families here, families that still need the support of a church community. There are people in many different circumstances who need to know Jesus. Here we are – Wenatchee Brethren Baptist Church. Could we be your neighbor?
We could…and the place to start is prayer. When Moderator Tim Harvey preached on April 15, he showed a video about a young woman who ministered in a tough neighborhood in northern Mexico. She started by doing a prayer walk around that neighborhood. I often take prayer walks through our neighborhood. I pray that God would bless the people of this neighborhood. I pray for people I see on the street. I pray that God would show us what the next steps are to being neighbors.
One step for me is to be bold and strike up conversations with people I see in the neighborhood. Another is to visit other churches in our neighborhood. (We are not the only church in South Wenatchee.) I know that in the past WBBC has had barbeques, game nights, and movie nights in the neighborhood. Should we do some activity like that? How should we build relationships with people in our neighborhood? It’s a beautiful day for a neighbor.
Blessings, David
Council Meeting Report
Staff Relations:
Linda Davis was elected to Staff Relations Committee.
Moderator:
Colleen Michael will be the church delegate to Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
Approval of disbursement of Planned Gift interest monies:
- Garden Terrace $3750
- Habitat for Humanity $500
- Pacific NW (OR/WA) District $1250
- Mustard Seed $1750
- Rebuilding Together $1500
- Camp Koinonia $250
Fund raiser was approved by council for Camp Koinonia.
Moderator Gary Shaw
CAMP KOINONIA
Camp Koinonia has an outstanding loan and needs our help in paying it off. It takes most of the camps operating funds to make the loan payments.
We have the opportunity to get matching funds for every dollar we raise. Our church "WBBC" has pledged $5000 toward paying off the camps loan. We are asking our congregation to help in raising money for the pledge.
If you can help it would be greatly appreciated, any amount will help. Your generous gift will make a big difference in the lives of people that get to experience a life changing moment by being at camp. Your gift is tax deductible.
Contact Lael or make your check to WBBC and write Camp Koinonia on the memo line.
Lael Vickery, Camp representative
‘Spring’ Cleanup day
Saturday, May 12, 9:00am – 12 Noon
Come and join us if you can; we will be cleaning up the outside as well as inside of the church. Your rewards will be great! We will also have coffee and donuts for you. Please bring your own tools.
Remember in Prayer:
Our Shut-ins:
Charleyne Roberts
Norm & Rose Delabarre
Bill & Johnnie Ham
Carolyn Storme
Mustard Seed
Residents at Garden Terrace
Clients from the Drug & Alcohol Center
May Birthdays
6th Elsie Nakata
11th Molly Taylor
15th Michael Cordell
Brian Ford
17th Jim Merlin
21st Robin Shockey
Ralph Jordan
26th Don Miller
27th Jim Taylor
28th Jesse Davis
29th Sally Allstot
Attention Deacons:
The next Deacon Meeting will be held Tuesday, May 1, at 6:30pm
Thank You, Jason!
Over the last few years, Jason Verbeck has taken on more and more roles and responsibilities in Wenatchee Brethren Baptist Church – worship leader, Sunday School teacher, sound booth operator, Community Outreach chair, Food Bank director, podcast and social media coordinator, Grace & Grace Group leader, and occasional preacher.
After much prayer and reflection, Jason has decided to step back from these multiple responsibilities and concentrate his efforts on his job search. He will still be an active member of his Grace & Growth Group and our worshiping community, but for now he is taking a well-deserved rest. Thank you Jason for your hard work and dedication to the church!
Thank You!
Thank you very much again for all your donations of time and the layette sets that you create! They are all appreciated very much!
Sincerely, Rosie Shipman & OB Staff at Central Washington Hospital
Farewell Reception for Laverna Couey
Sunday, April 29
This Sunday, April 29, there will be a farewell reception following worship for Laverna Couey. Laverna, a longtime member of the Wenatchee Brethren Baptist family, will be moving to Federal Way, Washington the first week in May.
Laverna, and her husband Melvin, were members of WBBC several years ago before moving to Hawaii and later to Oregon. When Melvin passed away, Laverna moved back to East Wenatchee to be close to one of her sons. She is now moving to the west side of the mountains to be close to her daughter and another son, and to spend time with young adult grandchildren.
We have all grown to appreciate Laverna’s thoughtfulness, caring spirit, and wonderful sense of humor. Please join us in saying goodbye to Laverna and praying God’s blessings on her as she begins this new adventure in life. We will miss you!
ABC Northwest Biennial
The biennial celebration of the American Baptist Churches of the Northwest will be May 18-19 at First Baptist Church in Chehalis, WA. The speaker is author and pastor, Dr. Lee Spitzer. If you would like more information, or would like to serve as a delegate, please contact Pastor David as soon as possible.
Food Bank Donations
Please remember to bring canned or packaged food to the basket in the Narthex for the food bank. Donations are always needed. The food bank has an average of 6 requests each Wednesday (through Serve Wenatchee's office). Serve Wenatchee then calls Betty who records names and number of family members for each box. When they arrive at the church they bring a voucher. Food is handed out between 3:00 and 4:00pm.
The food boxes have canned and packaged foods as well as fresh foods donated by Safeway and CrunchPak. Church member volunteers act as "staff" to prepare boxes and see that they are handed out. Recipients are always grateful for the gift.
Leanne Ford
Hospitality Heights
If you have towels or bedding in good condition please bring your donations to the tall box in the Narthex. The Hospitality Heights homes will soon be ready for occupants and donations are much needed.
Leanne
Burundi Presentation – May 20
On Sunday, May 20, Bill Kaysen and John Braun will give a slide show and presentation about their recent mission trip to Burundi in East Africa. There will be a potluck following worship with the presentation taking place after that. Other members of the mission team may also be present.
Bill, John and team of other volunteers traveled to Burundi February 23 – March 15 to work on the completion of a kitchen and dining hall for the THARS training campus. THARS stands for Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services, a ministry founded by Burundian pastor David Niyonzima, to promote reconciliation in the aftermath of war and genocide. John led a THARS work team from WBBC in 2007 that included Joe Roy, John Clevenger, and Cindy Walters.
This year’s work team included several members from Sunnyslope Church. Sunnyslope will have a similar presentation on Burundi Sunday, June 3. For more information, call the Sunnyslope office at 663.5745.
Rebuilding Together
Hello all! It is that time of year when we put together a team to repair a home through Rebuilding Together. We are still looking for a House Captain. We would love to have a group of us ready and willing to get dirty.
The work day this year is Saturday May 19. We will start the day with a pancake and ham breakfast at our church, then move to the home assigned to us for a full day of work with lunch provided.
There is a signup sheet on the table in the narthex where you can put your name, phone number and T-shirt size. You can contact Linda Davis (293.1463) or Lael (884.5292) for more information about the project.
Linda Davis
Save This Date!!! Friday, August 17th
Golf Tournament · Dinner · Auction, to benefit the children of the Mustard Seed Neighborhood Center.
Participate in the Golf Tournament at the Highlander Golf Course with dinner and auction, or get a ticket for the dinner and auction only.
Contact Merry Roy for additional details (884.2874)