United Presbyterian Women News

The United Presbyterian Women held their Fall Dessert Gathering at 1 p.m., Oct. 5. Pat Johnson lit the Christ candle and moderator June Asper opened the meeting with the Serenity prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. June presented Jane Fehr with a thank-you gift for her past service as moderator. The program began with reports on the missionaries supported by the circles. Circle III?s missionaries are the Callisons, who have a dangerous assignment with the Kurds in Iraq. Circle IV?s missionaries are Tom Johnson and family in Niger, Africa, and also the Risakotta family in Indonesia. They support with prayer Rick and Brenda Olson who serve in Liberia.

June Asper reported on the 2016 synod meeting in Sioux Falls that she attended. One of the sessions she especially enjoyed was on Healing Hands. She brought a guest to explain this process. Cathy Cuddeback is a Healing Hands practitioner. She explained that there are energy centers in the body that she prays over as she moves her hands. Two members of the audience had felt better after her treatment and she encouraged others to try it.

Circle IV served delicious refreshments made by Betty Beenblossom and Jane Cuddeback. Vivian Griffith provided the centerpieces.

June led the business meeting with minutes by Jane Fehr and treasurer?s report by Kay Hall. Committee reports were given by the sewing committee, the monthly mission committee and the funeral committee. June thanked the circles for their Brownlee birthday parties and hymn/sings. She thanked those who helped clean the kitchen on Sept. 29 and presented them with some cleaning tools.

Four members attended the Eastern Iowa UPW gathering on Oct. 1. Upcoming dates are Thank Offering Sunday, Nov. 20, and the December Tea on Dec. 7. The meeting concluded with reciting the Purpose of Presbyterian Women and extinguishing the Christ candle.

Circle III met on Oct. 11 with five people attending. After the Christ candle was lit, members shared prayer concerns and joys. Marilyn Johnston, Betty Colby and Thelma Wagner shared concerns. Joys were Pat Johnson?s new grandson and Deb Helmick?s daughter?s health improvement.

Jane Fehr laid out two symbols, a school bell and an apple, to represent the lesson. The book of Matthew is all about how Jesus taught His followers the Good News and sent them out to share it. The key idea was that Jesus is the long-awaited messiah whose teaching opened the kingdom of heaven. His teaching was to the Jewish people. Jesus used stories or parables as a strategy of teaching. Each of the parables was explored. The parables not only need to be studied but lived in our lives today. Jesus continually asked to see if there was understanding of what He was teaching. Each person read passages from the Bible that showed Jesus? teaching.

Deb Helmick gave devotions. The Yearly Mission Book told the story of the Crane family whose son was critically injured and in a coma for 77 days. The church rallied behind the family and provided help and support. After 77 days the son woke up and actually walked that same day. The mother went on to seminary.

Bernice Fehr gave the joke for the day. The group dismissed with prayer and the extinguishing of the Christ candle.

Wilma Wright hosted ten members of Circle IV on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in the Campbell Room of the U.P. Home. Leader Betty Beenblossom opened the meeting with prayer. The monthly mission offering for October was Pure Water for All. November?s special offering will be for the Menaul School. Reports were given concerning three corresponding missionaries by Julia Gamon, Maxine Martin and Vivian Griffith. Betty thanked those who helped with the Brownlee Birthday Party, Brownlee Hymn Sing and the PW Fall Dessert. She announced upcoming dates of interest. The next Brownlee Birthday Party will be Nov. 16, the annual Thank Offering service will be Nov. 20 and the PW Christmas Tea will be Dec. 7, where Circle IV will provide the program. Circle IV will meet next on Nov. 9 when Esther Bordwell will be the hostess. Julia Gamon gave devotions and Vivian Griffith led the study ?According to Matthew.?