October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Let’s thank our wonderful pastoral staff by showering them with cards, gift cards, notes of encouragement, or anything else you would like to do to thank them for all they do to bless our congregation! You may even want to give a Bible in a pastor’s honor through Gideons International. Cards and gift cards may be dropped off in the Spiritual Guidance Cabinet mailbox by the church office. The cards will be divided up by the SGC and distributed to the staff.

“Journeying through Grief” is a grief support class to help and encourage those on their grief journey. We will be discussing helpful ways to make it through special occasions and also the holidays that are coming up. We will also look at the four seasons of grief, as well as road blocks and detours one might experience along the way. The eight-week class will begin Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 2 in the lower level. The class will be led by Marcia & Jamie Cressman.  

The 2025 Mission Festival will be held from November 2-9 with services and activities centered around the theme "Missions Means Us." The Mission Festival brochure gives more information about the week's schedule, speakers, and food drive. 

What is God's plan for the nations? And what can kids do in Berne, Indiana to spread the Good News? During Kids Mission Festival, preschool and elementary students will learn that praying, giving, and telling others about Jesus are ways that Missions Means Us. For more details, scroll to the bottom of the Mission Festival Brochure. 

Sunday, November 2 is the day!  After morning worship is the time! Bring your family for a pizza lunch and stay to help fill 2,000 school kits. These kits will be sent to MCC for distribution to needy children in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world. Please sign up for lunch by Sunday, October 26.

The Wednesday night quilting group is attending the MCC Comforter Bash on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. We’ll meet at the church at 5:45 a.m. and leave the parking lot at 6:00 a.m. The event address is Pleasant View Church, 58529 Co. Rd. 23, Goshen, IN, 46528. No experience is needed for the event, and sewing supplies will be provided. If you have any questions, please see Brandi McGeath or one of the members of the quilting group. If you would like to attend, please sign up on the sheet just outside of the sanctuary.

Join us in sharing the love of Jesus with children around the world. By filling shoeboxes full of toys and other fun items, you can be part of giving boys and girls what may be their first gift ever! Local churches in more than 100 nations hand out these Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts at festive outreach events where the Gospel is presented in a child-friendly way. Boxes are available in the patio and should be returned to Room 9 by Sunday morning, November 23.

Handel’s Messiah rehearsals have begun and and will continue weekly on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. through December 2. A final rehearsal is on Friday, December 5, and the performances are Saturday, December 6, at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 p.m. All singers are invited to participate. "For Unto Us a Child is Born. Hallelujah!"

• 5:45-6:30 p.m. Fellowship Meal in the patio
• 6:10 p.m. JAM rehearsal (Room 7)
• 6:10 p.m. Mennonotes (Choir Room) 
• 7:00 p.m. Ages 0-3: Nursery
• 7:00 p.m. Ages 4-K: Room at the bottom of the ramp
• 7:00 p.m. Grades 1-5: Family Life Center
• 7:00 p.m. Youth: Youth Room (opens at 6:30 p.m.) 
• 7:00 p.m. Bible Study in the Chapel
• 7:00 p.m. Band of Brothers (Room 13) 
• 7:00 p.m. She Shares Women’s Group (Room 15) 
• 7:00 p.m. Young Women's Small Group (Room 15)
• 7:00 p.m. Exploring the Gift of Evangelism (Room 16)
• 7:00 p.m. Journeying through Grief - Marcia & Jamie Cressman (Room 2)
• 7:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry, Women’s Ministries, and Quilting (Quilting and Craft rooms)
• 8:15 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal (choir loft of the sanctuary)
  

Children’s Ministries FALL VOLUNTEERS: The children’s department is looking for the following volunteers for WEDNESDAYS - gym chaperone from 6:00-7:00. Please see Chris or Debby if you can help!

Kids’ Mission Banks: Mission Banks for the Children’s Mission Festival are available in the patio. Children/families are encouraged to take one, fill it, and return it by Sunday, Nov. 9. They will be collected in the morning worship service. The money raised through the kids’ banks will go towards El Nido (The Nest), a crisis pregnancy center at VidaNet in Heredia, Costa Rica. They will use the money in Costa Rica to purchase needed supplies such as diapers, wipes, etc. We will also collect NEWBORN clothes and burp rags that will be hand-delivered at the end of the year by Conner Hyman. 

Game Night: Youth will have a game night on Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. Bring your favorite board game! 

Harvest Party: The Youth Harvest Party will be Saturday, Nov. 1, from 4:00-9:00 p.m. at Fellowship Point. More details to come.  

Morning Star Ministries: Youth will be going to Morning Star Ministries on Saturday, Nov. 8, to help serve at their food kitchen.

Mission Festival Youth: Some individuals from Rosedale International will come speak to youth during Sunday School on Sunday, Nov. 9, and will stick around for a meal following Church. 

Friendsgiving: Youth will have a Friendsgiving meal on Wednesday, Nov. 26. More details to come.

CrossCon: The college age/young adults will be going to CrossCon on January 1-3, 2026. Information and sign-ups are now out in the college/young adult Sunday School room.

The Spiritual Guidance Cabinet would like to offer prayer for healing as well as anointing with oil to anyone struggling with health issues (James 5:14-15). Please contact Darin Ringger at (260) 820-0191.

Contribute to the needs of our community by participating in Project Share. You can place your donations on the table in the foyer or in the box inside the east entrance of the church.  Suggestions for each month are listed below, but all donations are appreciated.

• January - Cereal & Baby Food
• February - Monetary Donations
• March - Vegetables
• April - Boxed/Pouched Side Dishes
• May - Cake, Brownie, Muffin Mixes
• June - Paper Products
• July - Personal Hygiene Products
• August - Feminine Hygiene Products
• September - Canned Meat
• October - Soups
• November - Pasta
• December - Beans

Did you know that you can receive weekly parenting tips, videos, and devotion ideas right to your phone? If you would like to sign up for this, please text the following: @fmcpare to the number 81010 and request to be part of our Biblical Parenting thread. 

Do you have a Right Now Media account? This resource provides access to over 20,000 Bible study and devotional videos for youth and adults as well as a library of popular, safe kids' shows that you can view anytime, anywhere, and from any device. Activate your FREE account by clicking HERE.