• Sunday School Seminars: Sunday, September 14, Darius Meraj from Everence will lead an estate planning workshop during Sunday school. Sunday, September 21, Paul Thomas from Ferfolia Funeral Homes will lead a funeral pre-planning seminar during Sunday school.  

• MMN Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for the Bokgoni Sporting Club, in Francistown, Botswana, which offers young people an alternative to life on the streets by providing a healthy environment, training in life-skills and an opportunity to play sports. The women’s netball team is planning a community day this month to strength relationships between neighbors.

• MCUSA: MC USA’s 2025 convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8–12, set records for attendance and racial diversity. Of the 1,640 registrants — the highest turnout in three conventions — a record 17.2 percent (282 attendees) identified as Black, Indigenous or people of color. More importantly, BIPOC voices filled prominent leadership roles at the national convention. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/intentionality-drives-belonging 

• Potluck at Retreat: Join us this afternoon for a potluck at our retreat property. Arrive by 4:00pm for hiking, fellowship and games. The potluck will begin around 5:00pm. Please bring a dish to share, as well as your own table service. Directions can be found on our website.

• Outdoor Worship Next Sunday: Next Sunday, September 7, join us for an outdoor worship service at FMC. We will gather near the playground at 11:00am. Please consider bringing a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

• Sunday School Kickoff: Sunday school classes resume at FMC on Sunday, September 7 at 10:00am. There will be classes for all ages, so please be sure to attend!

• Sunday School Seminars: Sunday, September 14, Darius Meraj from Everence will lead an estate planning workshop during Sunday school. Sunday, September 21, Paul Thomas from Ferfolia Funeral Homes will lead a funeral pre-planning seminar during Sunday school.  

• MMN Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for the Mennonite Christian Hospital (MCH) in Taiwan, the largest Mennonite hospital in the world, which offers diverse medical specialties and advanced technologies across multiple campuses. Pray that MCH’s commitment to serving marginalized people in remote communities will continue to offer well-being to all of Taiwan’s people.  

• MCC School Kits Update: Thank you to everyone who helped collect supplies and put together the MCC school kits this year! We are excited to report that we collected enough items to put together 62 school kits – a considerable increase from last year when we collected 35 school kits.   

• MCC’s Seeking Shalom Peace Camp: Young adults ages 18-30 are invited to explore the meaning of shalom as a wholistic sense of peace at MCC’s Seeking Shalom Peace Camp on November 1-8. The camp will begin at Camp Friedenswald in Cassopolis, Michigan, on November 1–4, diving deep into God’s word and into practical tools of peacebuilding. We will dream possibilities of shalom for our communities and gain tools for engaging conflict effectively. On November 5–8, we will transition to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and participate in the Christian Community Development Association’s (CCDA) annual conference. This is a rich opportunity to hear from leaders across the country, connect with community development organizations, experience worship and attend workshops. Learn more and register by October 5 at mcc.org/seeking-shalom

• Sunday School Seminars: Sunday, September 14, Darius Meraj from Everence will lead an estate planning workshop during Sunday school. Sunday, September 21, Paul Thomas from Ferfolia Funeral Homes will lead a funeral pre-planning seminar during Sunday school.  

• Youth Activities Invite: It’s no secret that the youth and children of FMC are actively involved in tons of extra-curricular activities. As a way of supporting our youth and children outside of church, we invite students and their families to notify Pastor Alvis of a few of the extra-curricular events that they would like members of the congregation to be able to attend (games, concerts, plays, etc.). Families should send the dates/times/locations of a few of these events to Pastor Alvis so that he can put together a schedule to share (strictly) within the congregation.

• Sunday Worship at Retreat: Next Sunday, August 17 we will gather at Friendship Retreat in Geauga County for our worship service at 11:00am. There will not be worship in the building or online. Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on during the service. Following the service, we will share lunch together. You can either bring something to share for the potluck or bring your own picnic. Please be sure to bring your own plate, silverware, water bottle, etc. Directions to the retreat property can be found on our website.

• Sunday School Seminars: Sunday, September 14, Darius Meraj from Everence will lead an estate planning workshop during Sunday school. Sunday, September 21, Paul Thomas from Ferfolia Funeral Homes will lead a funeral pre-planning seminar during Sunday school.  

• Retreat Anniversary: This summer, our retreat property in Geauga County will celebrate its 60^th anniversary!

• FMC Conference Affiliation: FMC is now officially affiliated with Allegheny Mennonite Conference. Last weekend, their delegates affirmed our membership with overwhelming support and enthusiasm. If anyone is interested in attending next year’s Celebration weekend (always the first weekend in August), or serving as one of our 7 delegates, please contact Pastor Alvis.

• Youth Activities Invite: It’s no secret that the youth and children of FMC are actively involved in tons of extra-curricular activities. As a way of supporting our youth and children outside of church, we invite students and their families to notify Pastor Alvis of a few of the extra-curricular events that they would like members of the congregation to be able to attend (games, concerts, plays, etc.). Families should send the dates/times/locations of a few of these events to Pastor Alvis so that he can put together a schedule to share (strictly) within the congregation.

• Isabella Hartzler Grad Party: Gabriella, Diana and Jonathan invite you to celebrate Isabella’s graduation from Solon High School and acceptance to The Ohio State University.  We will be hosting an open house on August 3, 2025 from 3:00PM to 6:00PM.  All are welcome!

• Teachers & Activity Station Leaders Needed: Fall Sunday school for children and youth starts on September 7. This year we’ll be having regular Sunday school for children, youth, and adults the first three Sundays of the month and intergenerational Sunday school on the last Sunday. Sign up to help out as a Sunday school teacher or as an intergenerational activity leader using the QR code below.

• Blessing of the Bags: Sunday, August 10 will be Friendship’s annual “Blessing of the Backpacks.” Anyone who is going back to school (student or teacher) is welcome to bring a backpack, bag, laptop, or other item. We will have a special time during the service for people to come up with their item and receive a blessing as we transition into the new school year.

• Inclusion & Accessibility Working Group:  Pastor Alvis is putting together an Inclusion and Accessibility Working Group to help us live into God’s call to be a truly welcoming community. The group’s purpose is to generate ideas and collect suggestions from the congregation about how we can improve accessibility and better embody the inclusive values we hold, in all aspects of congregational life. If you’re interested and want to know more, please contact Pastor Alvis.
• Join us in the MCC School Kit Challenge: Mennonite Central Committee has issued a challenge for churches to pack 25,000 school kits during the month of August. Notebooks and pencils are a tangible message of God’s love for families around the world who have been forced to flee their homes or struggle to afford basic school supplies. Without these items, many kids can’t get the education they desperately need.  What’s in a school kit? A school kit is a cloth bag filled with notebooks, pencils, a ruler, colored pencils, an eraser, pens and a sharpener that gets sent to children in need all over the world. Bring any of the items below by August 10 to contribute to our kits for MCC. Monetary donations are also welcome! If you can’t shop for the items below, we invite you to donated funds that can be used to purchase items. Please indicate that your donation is for “MCC school kits.” 4 Spiral or perforated pages notebooks (8.5 in x 10.5 in and 70 sheets)
  1 ruler (flat, good quality; must indicate 30 cm; inch markings optional)
  4 new black or blue ballpoint pens
  12 colored pencils
  (in packaging)
  1 large eraser
  8 new unsharpened pencils
  1 small all metal pencil sharpener (one or two holes)

• Blessing of the Bags: Sunday, August 10 will be Friendship’s annual “Blessing of the Backpacks.” Anyone who is going back to school (student or teacher) is welcome to bring a backpack, bag, laptop, or other item. We will have a special time during the service for people to come up with their item and receive a blessing as we transition into the new school year.

• Visits for Parsilla Honsaker: Pastor Alvis is putting together a roster of people to visit or accompany him on a visit to Parsilla Honsaker. If you’re interested and willing to visit her once every few months, please let Alvis know, and he can provide you with more information.

• Inclusion & Accessibility Working Group:  Pastor Alvis is putting together an Inclusion and Accessibility Working Group to help us live into God’s call to be a truly welcoming community. The group’s purpose is to generate ideas and collect suggestions from the congregation about how we can improve accessibility and better embody the inclusive values we hold, in all aspects of congregational life. If you’re interested and want to know more, please contact Pastor Alvis.
• Teachers & Activity Station Leaders Needed: Fall Sunday school for children and youth starts on September 7. This year we’ll be having regular Sunday school for children, youth, and adults the first three Sundays of the month and intergenerational Sunday school on the last Sunday. Sign up to help out as a Sunday school teacher or as an intergenerational activity leader using the QR code below.
• Isabella Hartzler Grad Party: Gabriella, Diana and Jonathan invite you to celebrate Isabella’s graduation from Solon High School and acceptance to The Ohio State University.  We will be hosting an open house on August 3, 2025 from 3:00PM to 6:00PM.  All are welcome!
• Join us in the MCC School Kit Challenge: Mennonite Central Committee has issued a challenge for churches to pack 25,000 school kits during the month of August. Notebooks and pencils are a tangible message of God’s love for families around the world who have been forced to flee their homes or struggle to afford basic school supplies. Without these items, many kids can’t get the education they desperately need.  What’s in a school kit? A school kit is a cloth bag filled with notebooks, pencils, a ruler, colored pencils, an eraser, pens and a sharpener that gets sent to children in need all over the world. Bring any of the following by August 10 to contribute to our kits for MCC: 4 Spiral or perforated pages notebooks (8.5 in x 10.5 in and 70 sheets)
  1 ruler (flat, good quality; must indicate 30 cm; inch markings optional)
  4 new black or blue ballpoint pens
  12 colored pencils
  (in packaging)
  1 large eraser
  8 new unsharpened pencils
  1 small all metal pencil sharpener (one or two holes)

• Outdoor Worship Next Sunday: Next Sunday, July 27, join us for an outdoor worship service at FMC. We will gather near the playground at 11:00am. Please consider bringing a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.  

• My Coins Count: Next Sunday, July 27 we will have our monthly My Coins Count collection during the worship service. Please bring your coins, cash, and checks to help support the mission and ministries of the Mennonite Central Committee.

• Note from the Treasurer: The year to date giving through June has exceeded the budget!  Average monthly giving has been $9,700 versus the budgeted monthly giving of $8,600.
• Egg Carton Collection: Joe Kotva is always collecting egg cartons. Please bring your paper or styrofoam cartons (12 egg cartons only, please) to church on Sundays and give them to Joe.
   
  • Join us in the MCC School Kit Challenge: Mennonite Central Committee has issued a challenge for churches to pack 25,000 school kits during the month of August. Notebooks and pencils are a tangible message of God’s love for families around the world who have been forced to flee their homes or struggle to afford basic school supplies. Without these items, many kids can’t get the education they desperately need.  What’s in a school kit? A school kit is a cloth bag filled with notebooks, pencils, a ruler, colored pencils, an eraser, pens and a sharpener that gets sent to children in need all over the world. Bring any of the following by August 10 to contribute to our kits for MCC:
   
  4 Spiral or perforated pages notebooks (8.5 in x 10.5 in and 70 sheets)
  1 ruler (flat, good quality; must indicate 30 cm; inch markings optional)
  4 new black or blue ballpoint pens
  12 colored pencils
  (in packaging)
  1 large eraser
  8 new unsharpened pencils
  1 small all metal pencil sharpener (one or two holes)
• Blessing of the Bags: Sunday, August 10 will be Friendship’s annual “Blessing of the Backpacks.” Anyone who is going back to school (student or teacher) is welcome to bring a backpack, bag, laptop, or other item. We will have a special time during the service for people to come up with their item and receive a blessing as we transition into the new school year.
• Teachers & Activity Station Leaders Needed: Fall Sunday school for children and youth starts on September 7. This year we’ll be having regular Sunday school for children, youth, and adults the first three Sundays of the month and intergenerational Sunday school on the last Sunday. Sign up to help out as a Sunday school teacher or as an intergenerational activity leader using the QR code below.
   

• Outdoor Worship Next Sunday: Next Sunday, July 20, join us for an outdoor worship service at FMC. We will gather near the playground at 11:00am. Please consider bringing a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.  

• MMN Prayer Request: Today, participants begin Mennonite Mission Network’s week-long Underground Railroad Racial Justice Pilgrimage, which will take them from Washington, D.C., to Florida. Pray for open minds and hearts, as they retrace the courageous journeys of faith communities and individuals who helped enslaved people find their way to emancipation. Pray also that participants will be inspired to act for justice in their own communities.

• MCC School Kit Challenge is Back: The notebooks and pencils that devoted supporters like you lovingly pack into MCC school kits help kids write their own success stories, and rulers provide hope beyond measure. School kits provide these and other essential supplies that families navigating war, displacement or financial struggles would not be able to buy otherwise. Join the 2025 School Kit Challenge and help MCC provide 25,000 school kits for 25,000 kids this summer. To learn more about this challenge and to download a free activity guide, visit mcc.org/school-kit-challenge

• July 12 Retreat: Join us on Saturday, July 12 for a potluck at our retreat property. Arrive by 4:00pm for hiking, fellowship and games. The potluck will begin around 5:00pm. Please bring a dish to share, as well as your own table service. Directions can be found on our website.  

• FMC MennoCon USA Participants: MennoCon USA kicks off this week! This year FMC is sending 5 youth participants, 1 delegate, and 2 youth sponsors. Please keep them in prayer as they prepare for a time of learning, worship and growth.Youth participants: Darwin Hurley, Truman Hurley, Sam Mather, Elliot Speros & Ian Speros. Delegate: Pastor Alvis Pettker. Youth sponsors: Lauren & Ryan Hurley. Please note that July 8-12 both Pastor Alvis and Lauren Hurley will be “out of office” while attending the convention.

• No Virtual Bible Study – July 8: While Pastor Alvis is away for convention this week, the Virtual Bible Study group will not meet. The group will meet again on Tuesday, July 15 at 6:30pm.

• MMN Prayer Request: Join Mennonite Mission Network in praying for God’s spirit to move among all those who will participate in Follow Jesus ’25, Mennonite Church USA’s five-day biennial national gathering, which begins on Tuesday, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

• MCC School Kit Challenge is Back: The notebooks and pencils that devoted supporters like you lovingly pack into MCC school kits help kids write their own success stories, and rulers provide hope beyond measure. School kits provide these and other essential supplies that families navigating war, displacement or financial struggles would not be able to buy otherwise. Join the 2025 School Kit Challenge and help MCC provide 25,000 school kits for 25,000 kids this summer. To learn more about this challenge and to download a free activity guide, visit mcc.org/school-kit-challenge

• FMC Church Directory: Copies of the latest FMC Church Directory can be found at the back of the sanctuary. Digital copies were emailed out earlier this week. Please notify the secretary of any updates/edits that  need to be made.

• Lauren Out of Office: FMC Secretary Lauren Hurley will be “out of office” July 2-13.
• FMC MennoCon USA Participants: MennoCon USA is just around the corner! This year FMC is sending 5 youth participants, 1 delegate, and 2 youth sponsors. Please keep them in prayer as they prepare for a time of learning, worship and growth.Youth participants: Darwin Hurley, Truman Hurley, Sam Mather, Elliot Speros & Ian Speros. Delegate: Pastor Alvis Pettker. Youth sponsors: Lauren & Ryan Hurley

• Menno Snapshot: For spiritual director Ruth Johnston, who is ordained for ministry in MC USA, contemplation is easier than action. In this blog post, she shares how her friend and spiritual director helped her put her contemplative writing into action. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/weakness-into-strength