American Baptist International Ministries

For more than two centuries International Ministries (IM) has walked alongside political refugees from every continent. Eleazar Ziherambere, the former General Secretary of the Union of Baptist Churches in Rwanda (UEBR), has experienced this fact, saying, “International Ministries stood with me in the darkest moments of my life, exiled from my motherland.”
Before he was forced to leave Rwanda, Eleazar had already observed IM’s sensitivity to refugees in Africa. He remembered how in 1988 thousands of citizens from Burundi fled to Rwanda. Because of IM’s financial support, UEBR was able to provide food, medication and New Testaments. That same type of help came to Rwandan refugees in 1994-96, after Eleazar and others fled their homeland in the wake of the genocide that killed more than 800,000 Rwandans. Many of them sought safety across the border in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), where they stayed in refugee camps.
A number of the Rwandan refugees later left Zaire and traveled west, to the Republic of the Congo (known as Congo-Brazzaville). IM again responded to their needs with assistance that included seeds, farming tools and educational materials for children. Today, IM continues to help these former refugees who have established churches in their adopted country.
(from International Ministries ON LOCATION, Autumn 2010)

Living In A Peaceful World

Often when my family gets together and we start dwelling on the awfulness in the world, after awhile my Dad will break into the conversation and remind us what my grandmother would generally say, “Ya, ya, est ist ein bose velt” (loosely translated means: yes, yes, it is an angry world). It generally gets a laugh from the whole family as we affectionately remember my wonderful grandmother, but it also brings to mind the helplessness she felt about what was happening in the world.
As technology causes our world to grow smaller, we are reminded of the wars and scrimmages from the past that have wounded and hurt us. We are also confronted by the diversity of people and places in the world and find out that not everyone thinks the way we do. So, the question is how do we relate to one another, how do we let go of the anger from past hurts and make those healthy connections?
Rev. Desmond Tutu makes the ominous prediction that without forgiveness there is no future. Henri Nouwen suggests that we are all looking for the same unconditional love from one another and when we don’t get it, we strike out and hurt each other, even to the point of abuse and war. He goes on to say we are all guilty of looking for that love in the wrong places (money, success, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc.) and if we could accept that God is the only source of that love, we could forgive one another and live in a world of peace.
(Prepared by the Samaritan Center of the Fox Valley, 886-9319.)

Food Pantry Change

The American Red Cross Food Pantry of Neenah-Menasha will be discontinued as of January 1, 2011. The Red Cross Food Pantry has seen a drop off of those seeking assistance while other larger food programs have reported significant growth in their programs. With the American Red Cross Food Pantry no longer being an option for us to feed the hunger in our community, we will now be collecting food for St. Joe’s Food Program. St. Joe’s has been around for a long time and has effectively fed the hungry of our community. They are located on Opportunity Way in Menasha, which is the same complex that has Leaven and Community Clothes Closet. Please continue your ministry to the hungry of our community by bringing food to our church which will then be donated to the St. Joe’s Food Program. Thank you.

The Essential Old Testament, by Rev. V. Rex Woods

The late Rev. Rex Woods was pastor of Whiting Community Baptist Church for over a dozen years. While pastor, Rex wrote curriculum and taught a class on The Essential Old Testament. Rex’s wife, Nancy, recently published his book, and has sent us a copy inscribed in this way: To Whiting Community Baptist Church. Thank you for twelve wonderful years together. We are so blessed to have this manuscript. If you would like to borrow it from our church library, please see Pastor Jim.

January Greeters

2 Nancy Biettler
9 Nancy Biettler
16 Nancy Biettler
23 Nancy Biettler
30 Nancy Biettler

January Birthdays

7 Margaret Huff
9 Troy Fisher
12 Kristin Bachorz
14 Krystal Rose
14 Perry Smith
18 Nancy Biettler
19 Doug Johnson
19 Holly Robinson
22 Kordell Grade
23 Kortney Fisher
26 Christina Hudson
27 Kaley Hill
28 Tina Bachorz

January Wedding Anniversaries

12 Dottie & Tom Dowman