I’m beginning to feel a bit like a broken record when it comes to loss. After coming back from the funeral of a long-time family friend, another friend, a close friend to Amelia and me, died suddenly from cancer at the age of 56. He didn’t know he had cancer until he was admitted to the hospital, and then he died less than three weeks later. Frankly, I’m getting quite tired of cancer and all of the horrible destruction it has caused in our congregation and everywhere. Even though I am still middle aged, I am reminded of my own mortality when events like this happen, and understand that no days are guaranteed for myself or those whom I care for. I have to be honest and say that not only am I tired of cancer, but I’m just emotionally tired, period. My prayers recently have centered around just needing some time away from grief. I am not alone in this, and I don’t even have it as bad as some other people I know. None the less, enough is enough.
I’ve been thinking about Matthew chapter 14 recently. After Jesus hears about the death of John the Baptist, he tries to take personal time. I take comfort in the fact that even our savior needed a break and went off into the mountains to be by himself. Of course, he didn’t get much time before everyone came to find him, but the important part is that no matter who you are, it is natural to need time to process and focus on what is going on in your life, to take a break. I think we often don’t allow ourselves to do that. We perhaps think it’s important to do this or that, but what is actually important is us and what we need physically and emotionally just to exist. It is no accident or coincidence that one of the ten commandments is to keep a Sabbath day. How many of us have kind of skipped over that one, myself included?
At the end of November, we will be starting a book study on our tendency to be addicted to hurry, as the title states. I think it will be helpful for me and hopefully others as well. Despite all of the difficulties lately in my life, there have been a number of blessings and wonderful things too. If I don’t stop to appreciate those, then I am not only missing out on the time I need to cope with life, but as well on the gifts God has given me. “Stop and smell the roses” might seem cliché, but there is truth to the fact that all of us need to indeed stop everything now and again, just as God has commanded us to, and just as Christ did by example. If we do this, we might even experience something as wonderful as a rose in the process.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Brian
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Daylight Saving Time Ends - November 5 - 2:00 AM
Standard time returns on November 5, 2023. Remember to set your clocks BACK one hour on Saturday night. This is also a great time to replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Operation Christmas Child (A Holiday Charity Program) - November 5 through November 12
We will be working with Samaritan’s Purse again to send shoebox-sized gift packs to children around the world for Christmas. We will be providing boxes and instructions, which will be available Sunday Nov. 5th through Sunday Nov. 12th at the church. We would ask that you bring all of the completed boxes to church by Sunday Nov. 19th.
Annual Volunteer Award - Vote November 12 through November 26
Beaver church sure does have a bunch of great people who volunteer and do many things for the church. A number of years ago we started an award to be given to a new volunteer each year. Our voting box for this year will be in the sanctuary from November 12th through November 26th and each person at the church can write down on a piece of paper who they think the volunteer of the year should be. If you are not attending the church services in person and want to vote, you can email your vote to Pastor Brian. All votes must be placed by November 26th. Please note that prior winners cannot win again, you can only win once. Below is the list of prior winners, so please do not vote for them.
Prior Winners:
Bob & Ruth Tobias; Kristine Petrick; Martha Stevens; Don & Sharon Parkison; Byron & Anne Kulander; Steve Filer, Bob Willhelm, Alan & Shirley Nelson; Melissa Baumbarger; Jeannette Papajcik; Dean Severtson; Karen Barger; Alice Clausing
Cookie Walk Fundraiser - November 18 - 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
As many of you know we are doing a cookie walk and bake sale fundraiser on November 18th from 10am to 5pm. Please tell everyone you know about the event. Below is info for the event:
Volunteer Signup: We have placed a volunteer signup sheet in the sanctuary under the clock, please sign up if you can.
Cookie Deadline: We are asking that all cookies for the event be brought to the church before 8pm on Friday November 17th. There is room in our freezers for cookies brought even earlier. Please write down on the container or with a piece of paper what type of cookies they are.
Pre-Setup: We will be doing an initial setup for the cookie walk on Friday the 17th from 6pm-8pm. We will be arranging tables etc. There will be slots for this on the signup sheet. Please note that cookies will not be on sale until 10am on Saturday.
Day of Setup: We will meet at 8am on Saturday the 18th to put all the cookies out and do the final setup. There will be slots for this on the signup sheet.
Cookie Walk: The cookie walk will be from 10am to 5pm on November 18th, and we will have slots for this on the signup sheet. Optional Bake Sale: For those that want to bring other baked items, we will have a table of baked goods. Please bring your items and suggested price either between 6pm and 8pm on Friday the 17th, or between 8am and 10am on Saturday the 18th.
Washington UCC Christmas Drive - donations through November 26
We will be collecting new, unwrapped, toys and children’s clothing for our sister church in Cincinnati. Washington UCC is located in the Camp Washington neighborhood of Cincinnati, a very poor community that struggles with many basic needs. Washington UCC is a mission church that provides many services to this in-need community, including an opportunity for parents in the community to come and “shop” for Christmas gifts at the free event offered by the church and stocked by donations from area churches. We will be collecting these items in the “cry/comfort-room” of the church. We will collect toys and clothes until November 26th. One note on toys, they have requested no toy guns, knives, or other violent items due to the environment of the neighborhood. If you wish to donate money instead that is very much appreciated as well. You can write a check to Beaver Church, and then the church will combine everyone’s donations and give the funds to Washington UCC.
Book Study: Addicted to Hurry, Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down - November 29 thru December 13 - 7:00 PM
Our new book will start on Wednesday November 29th, and will continue on Wednesday nights at 7PM for three weeks, ending on Wednesday December 13th. The book we are reading is Addicted to Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down by Kirk Byron Jones. We will meet online each Wednesday via Zoom, and the Zoom link will be sent out each Wednesday via the all-church email list. Pastor Brian will have enough copies of the book, so please see him for a copy. A bit about the book: A much-needed resource that debunks the "need for speed" mentality that so many people have embraced as a part of their everyday lives. This book goes beyond social and psychological analysis to include spiritual perspectives on the dangers of letting hurry become a chronic condition. Each chapter includes helpful questions that allow readers to identify their current pace of life and assist them in cultivating their own sacred, savoring pace.
November 29 - Chapters 1-3
December 6 - Chapters 4-7
December 13 - Chapters 8-10