The Maze by Cheryl E.

Mother's Day Luncheon

The weather and getting the field planted earlier has resulted in a very good, thick crop this year. The maze folks came out and did about ¾ of the tilling the second week of July, but had to stop due to the rain. Thank you to Christ and David K. for fertilizing and planting the maze. Thanks to Bill K. for mowing this year. It looks so much better. Also thanks to Pam M. for mowing and trimming the playground area. Thanks to Molly M. for pulling the weeds out front and planting flowers in the pots. A huge THANK YOU to Gene H! He has been trimming the hedge rows and with his help we were able to get the final path tilling done. It is so AWESOME to see how our members pitch in and contribute to all the work that needs to be done. We will be getting an aerial photograph done this week. A copy of the design is shown above. The emphasis this year will be more spiritual as shown by the design. The theme will be “The Path to Life”. There will be a religious passport with questions on the path to Christianity. We are also going to have handouts/devotionals on the path of salvation we will give to attendees.

On Wednesday, October 1st we will have a special youth night from 6-8: 30pm. This will be a reservation only evening and we hope to have a Christian band as well.

There will be a work day on August 16th at 9am. If you have time before then to do some work, the following projects are what we need to complete before the maze opens: 1) Move gravel in area just in front of the church to ditch on north side (we will be installing sod in its place), 2) frame and pour concrete base for brick around the sign base- thanks to Bill K. for bringing the bricks, 3) tear down ticket shed, 4) tear down the tower, 5) build horseshoe pits, and 6) install tile hopscotch, 7) paint the adult Sunday School classroom (NW corner room - paint is already at the church), 8) install “Catch the Spirit” sign at entrance, 9) clean and possibly repaint bathrooms. We plan to have a roll off dumpster at the church on August 16 and fill dirt delivered. If you have items at home you would like to get rid of (donation requested), you can bring them that Saturday. The Girl Scouts that meet at our church have already volunteered to re-stain the picnic tables and bridge on August, 9. They will also will be helping with concessions and the fire pit on two weekends. This will be a great relief/benefit to our church. Huge kudos to Michelle M.!

I will have the Maze DVD/CD available to be handed out to churches by August 1st. I need volunteers to start delivering them during the first two weeks of August. Please let me know if you could volunteer your time. There will be a handout with the DVD to give to the youth director or pastor. We already have a reservation for Eastminster Presbyterian Church for 60 on October 18, and Beech Elementary, October 17. Horizons is arranging to come out for a private party, but they will be using their own staff to man all of the events (we will train).

We will be open to the public for five weekends, beginning on Friday, October 3. Our last day will be Sunday, November 2. Hours will be Friday, 6pm to 10 pm (last ticket sold), Saturday, 2pm to 10pm (last ticket sold) and Sunday, 2pm-7pm (last ticket sold). Ticket prices have been increased due to the increase cost on running the maze, which includes paying sales tax on tickets. Ages 0-4 are free, ages 5 -12 will be $7 and ages 13 and up will be $9. A maximum discount of $1 will be given. There will be different individuals in charge on different days, we have the following persons in charge of the following areas: Pumpkins: Tere H., Kitchen: Pam M., Entrance and Exit: Don A., Corn Cops/Security: Randy P., Parking: Mike H.; Side attractions: Cheryl & Don E.; Marketing/Sponsorships: Carol R.; Tickets: Shirley W., Nursery: Elizabeth J., Set-up and Take-Down: Wanda R./ Gene H.. We still need a volunteer to be in charge of face painting. Because of the cost and difficulty in keeping dry we will not be doing the hay jump or corn crib. We will be adding washer toss and possibly hillbilly golf as new attractions. We are inviting Country Boy Wagons and Eagle Valley Raptor back as special guests.

In September we will have a special evening of worship and prayer for the Maze before we open. The date and time for this will be announced in the next newsletter.

Pastor Mike & Family on Vacation

Please note that Rev. Mike left for a family vacation in Colorado on July 27 and will be gone until August 14. While he is away, Rev. Guy Rendolff from Kechi UMC will be on call for any pastoral needs. Guy may be contacted on his cell at 650-2549. Mike would also like Carol H. (733-0842) notified about any pastoral needs so she can contact our own Ministry Leadership Team.

Kathy's Graduation Party

Getting Acquainted by Lois C.

This month brings us a little closer to an outstanding couple--Pastor Al and Dr. Karen R., who have endeared themselves to our congregation by their active participation in all of the church's activities.

Pastor Al started his life journey in Lyme, New Hampshire, and Karen in Kane, Pennsylvania; but they didn't stay at either place very long, as Al has lived in eleven of our states. Karen in six of them. Both of them love to travel. More about that later.

Karen and Al met each other in Danielson, Connecticut, in October of 1967, and were married on St. Patrick's Day in 1969. They became proud parents of Tonja (wife of Jade Helm and mother of Serenity); James (who is married to Danielle and has a daughter, a son and custody of Amanda); and they unofficially adopted two sons, Troy and Jimmy and a daughter, Jenifer. They have ten grandchildren and one great-grandson. Pastor Al still has his mother, Aleja, and two sisters, all of whom live in Vermont. Karen, as we know, has both of her parents in Pennsylvania, and also has a sister, who lives in Texas. Karen's father has recently undergone multiple by-pass surgery and aorta replacement, but is making a good recovery now.

Pastor Al gave 35 yrs to the medical profession as a Medical Technologist/Supervisor and another 12 yrs as a pastor; so he is now retired and working tirelessly for CCC. Karen has earned a PhD and a DBA in Business Administration/Management and is searching for a job. At present, she is a substitute teacher for the Wichita and Andover school districts.

Fortunately for us, Tonja and Jade were living here in Wichita, so Karen and Al decided they wanted to be near their daughter. The move here also entailed locating a new church home. After "shopping around", they felt our Christ Community Church was what they were looking for--to quote: because of the unpretentious faithfulness, genuine friendliness, positive welcome and family feeling here... unquote. Sounds strangely familiar, doesn't it?

We touched on their love of travel in the second paragraph. Quoting Karen's words on the subject seems to be the best way to describe the excitement and satisfaction this passion has brought to their lives, so... "We loved to go camping, via a motor home, of course, and with and without our children, we took many motorcycle trips (I had my own bike), covering most of the western states. We spent a lot of time with our family while the children were growing up. We love to travel. Just put us on a plane, we didn't care where it is going, as long as it didn't have a LOT of snow. We have been in 49 of the 50 United States (still have to get to Alaska). Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean area, Caruso, Venezuela, and we had the opportunity to travel to five countries in Europe on a Concert Tour, singing at many cathedrals and enjoying the sights. Karen has been to Italy and Japan, also. I guess you can figure out by now, we don't like to travel. "Naw, never could have guessed! There has to be lots of interesting stories in their memories from all that glamorous travel. Maybe they will share with us someday.

We have all benefited from having Karen and Al as members of CCC members of the “Praise Team” and we feel, as always, blessed to have them in our midst and we always look forward to the Sundays when Pastor Al takes over the pulpit to give our dear Pastor Mike a brief rest.

A Note of Thanks from Karen

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and their cards sent to Pennsylvania for me and my parents during the last three months I was away.

Jim and Valjean M. are doing okay. Jim’s triple by-pass and aorta surgery went great now the hard part, cardiac therapy and behaving himself at home for the next year. He can’t drive yet as he is getting dizzy, we believe from the medications he now has to take. Mother had a stroke while I was there and I was able to get her off 10 medications, yes 10. She is being seen by a pulmonary specialist now for a calcified nodule on her lung. She is seeing dad’s heart doctor now and I think she will be better off for this he is not a pill pusher like her last doctor. I am getting myself back into the swing of it here catching up from being gone so long. If you want to send words of encouragement to my parents their email address is gunnie@csonline.net I am sure they would appreciate it. My sister Debra finished her radiation for breast cancer end of July and has begun chemo via a pill once a month so she needs prayers that this pill will help.

Al is in Vermont attending to his niece and her brain cancer, he will return on August 29th.

Karen Rios

(Editor’s note: Al’s niece Tammy C. went to be with the Lord on July 29. Please keep this precious family in your prayers.)

Single women will enjoy lunch at The Diner(Harry & Webb) after worship on Aug 10. All single women invited

HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, LOIS!

Lois C’s son David and daughter-in-law Jeannie are hosting a birthday reception for Lois after worship on Aug 17. You are invited to stay and enjoy cake and ice cream. Cards are welcome but gifts are discouraged.

MATT GRAY CONCERT Friday, August 15, 7: 00 pm Christ Community Church

Ministry/Leadership Team

This past Sunday, July 20, was a great Sunday! In worship, I introduced our Ministry/Leadership Team, which currently consists of Cheryl B., Al R., Rick N., Becky T., and myself. All of these team members shared about their call to ministry and where they were in the process of responding to their call. Cheryl has received her Masters Degree in Family Christian Ministry with an emphasis on Christian counseling from Friends University, and is Director of our Christ Community Center. Pastor Al began his ministry in southern Calif., and was on the Pastoral Staff of Metropolitan UMC, a large downtown church in Detroit, Michigan before coming to the Wichita area and CCC. Both Rick and Becky are working on ministry degrees at Tabor College, and have plans to go on to Seminary after graduation. They have both completed Lay Ministry/Speakers School and are candidates for ordained ministry within the United Methodist Church.

After the introduction of our Ministry/Leadership Team, Becky brought the morning message and did a great job! The parables of Jesus in Luke 15 came alive and we were reminded once again the people matter to God! Thanks, Becky!

Our ML Team has been meeting every other Tuesday morning for the past three months. When we meet, someone brings a devotion and another person brings a ministry idea. We have a refreshing time of study, sharing, prayer, and support. We also discuss how our current ministries can be strengthened and be made more effective, as well as discuss new ideas for ministry at CCC.

I appreciate our ML Team so much! Every pastor needs to be surrounded by a group of loving and supportive people. It is so exciting to see God sending us persons who are called and gifted for ministry. I am making meeting and working with this team a high priority in my ministry. I also want to express that we are not a closed group! we are very open to others that God would bring to our ML Team. We are planning to have some of our meetings in the evening so that others, (like Carla G. who has also completed Lay Ministry/Speaking School) can join us.

Please keep this team and other CCC groups in your prayers!

Love in Jesus, Rev. Mike