February 22, 2023

Happy Wednesday, Allisonville!

I hope that all of y'all have had a wonderful week! I hope to see many of y'all tonight at our Ash Wednesday service! We have our pancake dinner for the first time since 2019 at 5:30 in the fellowship hall and then our worship service at 7:00 in the sanctuary. I hope to see you there as we begin Lent!

Today, while I was sitting in the Southex doing "ashes to go" - for people who might not have been able to make the in-person service- I got to spend time with two of our fantastic college students, Tara Callahan and Hanna Escue! It was a great, small-but-mighty reminder that even in the midst of gloomy weather among our preparations for the typically-heavier season of Lent, that there is always joy to be found in community and in friendships.

This Lent, we are focusing on God's liberating love, and I hope and I pray that y'all can all find moments like this, those little moments that are reminders that God is always with us and for us- in big ways and in unplanned ways.

Peace and blessings,

Josh

Dear ACC,

Beginning the week of 2/26, Josh and I will be offering two study groups throughout Lent. Each will include an in-person and virtual option, so you can participate as desired (or even go back and forth). 

Our first group will discuss Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. This group will meet in person on Wednesdays at 6 pm or virtually on Sundays at 4 pm.

The second group will focus on Unsettling Lent. This group will meet in person at 10 am and virtually at 7 pm on Thursdays.

If you plan to participate, let us know by clicking here (which takes you to a brief form) or you can email me at bunderwood@allisonville.org. A heads up isn't required but it makes our preparations a lot easier.

I pray this Lenten season is both unsettling and freeing in ways that draw us all closer to God!

Steadfast in hope,

Beau

Week of Compassion Offering Received February 19 & 26

Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. For nearly 80 years, Week of Compassion has pursued its mission, working with partners to alleviate suffering throughout the world, toward the vision of a world where God’s people transform suffering into hope.

The Allisonville Christian Church congregation traditionally supports the Week of Compassion special offering in a big way! There will be envelopes in the pew rack on Sunday mornings, or you can mail your offering to the church marked “Week of Compassion,” or you can give online on our website, allisonville.org. Thank you in advance for your gifts!

Baptism Class 2023

Do you have a child, grandchild, or know someone who is interested in baptism this year? We are offering a baptism class during Lent led by Rev. Josh Jackson. Typically, 4th-6th graders at ACC participate in this class, but if your child/youth/adult is interested please reach out to Josh at jjackson@allisonville.org. More details will be coming soon!

Youth Group on Sunday

We will have youth group again on Sunday. We will meet for fellowship at 12 pm. Lunch will be provided!

March Food Pantry Special Requests

Food pantry Sunday is March 5. Please donate any items for the Linwood Food Pantry on that date! Special requests for the month of March are:

• Tampons
• Diapers: 4, 5, 6
• Peanut butter
• Toilet paper
• Canned peas
• Boxed pudding

Thank you for your generosity!

Hyperion Players Latest Production

For weeks the Hyperion Players, a performance group which our own Mandy Wakefield is a part of, are putting on a production of the Yasmina Reza play "God of Carnage." A dark comedy, this show "features two sets of parents who meet to discuss an altercation between their children. Although the evening meeting begins in a civilized fashion, it soon degenerates into an evening of chaos, insanity, and outrageous shenanigans." If anyone is interested in attending the show, go to the link in the button below and secure your tickets. Please use the code ACCGOC at checkout and you will receive a 100% discount on your tickets!

ACC Ministerial Scholarship

Allisonville Christian Church Ministerial Scholarship applications are being received for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. The Ministerial Scholarship was established to nurture, encourage, and support those who are considering or preparing to enter professional ministry.

A maximum scholarship of $1,000 per year may be granted to an individual. Awards may be considered for renewal with a new application. The applicant must be entering or attending a

qualifying undergraduate school or a graduate seminary as a full-time student and be an active

member of a church affiliated with Disciples of Christ. Scholarship application forms may be

obtained in the church office or from Larry Rahn (email plrahn@comcast.net, phone or text 317-

379-3898).

Scholarship applications are due in the church office or may be received by a Scholarship Committee member by April 2, 2023. Potential applicants should also feel free to contact the Memorial and Endowment Committee chair, Theron Nelson-Mercer, at tnelsonmercer@gmail.com.

The form can be downloaded by clicking the button below!

General Assembly Registration OPEN

The 2023 General Assembly Kindom of God, Within Us, Among Us, is a call for Disciples to strengthen their relationship with God, both as individuals and as a part of God’s community through an expansive gathering of the church in Louisville. The past two years, we have had to be separated but we have also innovated new ways for God’s limitless love to be revealed in our church, our communities, and around the world. God’s limitless imagination holds so many possibilities for our church.



This four-day event will encourage Disciples who gather to celebrate the way that God’s expansive love connects each of us as “kin” and to be part of the larger Kindom of God. Join us July 29-August 1, 2023 for worship, workshops, Bible study, opportunities to explore Louisville, mission project, and the sacred work of the church for children, youth, and adults across the life of the church.

February 26 | Coffee Cafe

Please join us in the Family Room for Coffee Cafe this Sunday. Come for coffee, tea, and treats. But also come for the casual fellowship that is always available. If you are able, we would love it if you could help us with our expenses and drop something in our little brown baskets while you are there. So move on down the hallway and come where we have plenty of room for visiting with your church family. We would love to see you there!

February 28 | ACC Book Club

The ACC Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 28 at 7 pm via Zoom. The book will be The Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah. All are welcome! Please use the button below to join us on Zoom.

Published in 2006, Patty Engelmann of Booklist describes the book as follows:

"Although a judge rules in her favor, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is found guilty of incompetence in the press. Her entire life has centered on her exclusive practice, and now all her patients have abandoned her. Salvation comes unexpectedly at the behest of her estranged sister, Ellie, the chief of police in their hometown of Rain Valley, Washington. Julia never wanted to go back to their small logging town, where she was the scrawny bookworm and Ellie was the homecoming queen, but now, even though they refuse to admit it, the sisters need each other as they try to save a young girl found in a forest in the company of a wolf. She behaves like an animal and doesn't speak. Julia works hard to break the mute silence of the mysterious little girl; Ellie tries to find out where she belongs; and both of them defend the girl they decide to call Alice against those who would exploit her. Through helping this young lost soul, Julia and Ellie learn a lot about themselves and about their relationships in one of this perennially best-selling writer's most compelling and riveting novels to date. Magic Hour will enhance Hannah's popularity and affirm her dominance in women's fiction."

March 4 | Men's Breakfast at Skillets Pancake House

The men's breakfast group will be meeting for breakfast and fellowship at Skillets Pancake House on Saturday, March 4 from 8:00 am until 10:00 am. Come out and join for some hearty breakfast food and good fellowship to jumpstart your weekend!

March 4 | Crafters Group

The ACC Crafters Group will meet on Saturday, March 4 from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm for a morning of starting, continuing, and finishing projects. Feel free to join and flex your creative muscles!

March 8 | Prime Timers Lunch

Our next get-together will be at the Olive Garden, 6130 E. 82nd Street in front of Castleton Square Center. Please arrive at 11:30. They offer the very popular unlimited soup and salad special for $8.99 or several other lunch specials for $9.99. Their regular menu is also available. Please let Barb or Don Burrell (317-849-7470 or barb.burrell08gmail.com) know if you can join us. We need to reserve the number of tables needed. All friends and members of ACC are very welcome!

March 23 | Mary Martha Circle

The Mary Martha Circle will meet on March 23 at 1 pm in Room 15 at Allisonville Christian Church. We will be discussing Chapter 4, "Listen to God When All is Lost." We look forward to listening to each of you on this special topic, and hope you can join us!

Seeking Virtual Scripture Readers

Virtual scripture readers are needed. Please contact John Quick (317-294-2709, qman21611@gmail.com) to sign up!

Youth Group Meal Signup

It's that time of year again! Weekly youth group is back, and if you would like to serve and help out with our youth ministry a great way to do so is to provide the weekly meal for the group. Josh will communicate instructions with you the week before, but please click the link below to sign up for a Sunday (or two) to bring lunch for our young people! If you have questions, talk to Josh.

Exploring Worship and Worship & Wonder Volunteers for 2023

Would you like to be involved in our children's ministry next year? We are seeking volunteers for both Exploring Worship and Worship & Wonder. Here are brief descriptions of the roles we are needing to fill:

W&W Greeter - The Greeter helps to welcome the kids to Worship & Wonder and assists the Storyteller in crowd control and keeping the ministry flowing. 

W&W Storyteller - The Storyteller leads the lesson directly from the Worship & Wonder curriculum. We have access to the official W&W training. 

EW Teacher - The Teacher leads the activity for the day, such as the sharing of joys and concerns, reading the scripture for the day, etc.

EW Shepherd - The Shepherd assists the Teacher in getting the kids to the EW space and keeping the activity going smoothly. 

If you are interested in any of these roles or if you would like more information about them, please reach out to Josh!