The 1st Preaching Confirmation/Youth Sunday Key Elder Chris Eriksen Greeters Tom & Ruth Drummond Megan Lorentz Ushers Greg & Deb Weins Janet Brown Jo Albin Liturgist Shari Dayton Van Driver Charles Leggate Sound Booth David Bauer Communion has been moved to May 8 due to confirmation/youth Sunday

The 8th Mother’s Day

Preaching Dave Thompson Key Elder Marvin Brown Greeters Margie LaFontaine Priscilla Laird Marge Myhra Ushers Pat Clark Sharon Mathews Chris Eriksen John Thompson Liturgist Judy Cuff Van Driver Don Harr Sound Booth Jeff Gruizenga Flower Delivery Chris Eriksen Communion Kathy Baskett Heidi Duncan Sharon Lincoln Sharon Mathews Kathleen Butler

The 15th Preaching Dave Thompson Key Elder Marvin Brown Greeters Bud & Joanne Leuthold Peggy Wilson Ushers Jerry Koch Bob Fedric Bill White Don Reed Liturgist Jeff Gruizenga Van Driver Don Harr Sound Booth Chuck Leggate Flower Delivery Phyllis Brown

The 22th Preaching Dave Thompson Key Elder Sharon Mathews Greeters Craig & Denise Hash Eleanor Reinecke Ushers Ken & Barb Eichenberger Gary & Judy Lohnbakken Liturgist Marge LaFontaine Van Driver Heather McLean Sound Booth Bob Culbertson Flower Delivery Sharon Lincoln

May 29th

Summer worship begins at 9:30

Preaching Dave Thompson Key Elder Chris Eriksen Greeters Phyllis Brown Ron Sperry Judy Nusbaum Ushers Paige Spalding Jim Hummel Jack & Karla Mahan Liturgist Russ Kline Van Driver Don Harr Sound Booth Flower Delivery Chuck & Cindy Leggate

M e m o r y J o g g e r s f o r M a y 2 0 1 6

June 5 Preaching Ruth Brown Key Elder Heather McLean Greeters Jo Albin Thelma Riggs Eleanor Reinecke Ushers Bob & Cathy Culbertson Earl & Sharon Henderson Liturgist Denise Hash Van Driver Charles Leggate Sound Booth David Bauer Communion Ken & Barb Eichenberger Heidi Duncan Jerry & Bobby Koch

Pa s t o r ’ s P e n

2016

“Let’s Celebrate!”

As I look over the upcoming May calendar I see a number of celebrations that will

take place during the month. There will be high school and college graduations, Mother’s

Day, and Memorial Day celebrations to name a few. During the month of May we will

celebrate Pentecost and welcome our newest group of members to our congregation. We

will usher in the summer with our worship time change on Sunday, May 29 at 9:30 AM.

What an exciting month we have before us! Celebration is at the heart of the Christian life. There

are some who assume the Christian life is dull and boring, but it is anything but that. Christians have always

had reason to celebrate as Christians gathered on the first day of each week to celebrate the Risen Christ.

The Bible reminds us that the “joy in the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

I hope you will take part in the celebrations that await us.

On Sunday, May 1 will be celebrate Confirmation/Youth Sunday as we welcome youth into the

membership of our church. The youth will be sharing various aspects of their faith during worship. We will

also be recognizing our high school graduating seniors with a special reception after worship.

On Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 8) we will be honoring women of our church with several opportuni-

ties to win gift card from area shops and restaurants. This gift card give-away is being sponsored by our fel-

lowship committee. We give thanks to our mothers who have provided care and nurture throughout our lives.

Join us on Sunday, May 15 as we celebrate Pentecost, the birth of the Christian church in the book of

Acts. On that special day, the Holy Spirit breathed life into the church, enabling it to be a place for worship,

renewal, and healing for years to come. On this special day we will welcome new members into the life of

our congregation. It is encouraging to see the church growing with new people and with that new ideas and

personalities. We are grateful for the contributions that all of our members make within the life of our church

family. Special thanks to so many of you who have helped with various aspects of our

ministry over the past school year. We truly rely upon a great group of volunteers to

keep our church functional and productive.

Are you ready to party in the month of May? I am and I look forward to the

great celebrations that await us. May the Lord continue to bless our ministry with

God’s mercy and grace as we reach our and continue to share God’s love within the

church, community, and world.

Blessings,

Pastor Dave

I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E :

Session Notes/

Finance/Church 2

Events/ PW/

Church and

Society

3

Youth/ Notices/

Personal 4

Birthdays

Mission 5

Calendar 6

Church Leader-

ship Team

announcements

7

Memory

Joggers 8

Coming Attractions:

New Members’ Class: Sundays May 1 and 8 at 9:15 AM in the Fireside Room Confirmation/ Youth Sunday: Sunday, May 1 during worship Church Clean-Up Day: Saturday, May 7 from 9-11:30 AM Pentecost Sunday celebration– wear bright colors: Sunday, May 15 Last day of Sunday school: Sunday, May 22 Summer worship time change begins on Sunday, May 29 at 9:30 AM Vacation Bible School: June 6-10 from 9-12:15 each morning

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Church Info

Office Hours: Mon—Thurs 8:30 am— 4 PM 406-252-3434 mainoffice@fpcbillings.org www.fpcbillings.org Sunday School @ 9:15 AM Worship Celebration @ 10:30 STAFF Pastor: Dave Thompson

Office Manager: Jeanne Thompson-Raney

Accompanist: Sandi Rabas

Choir Director: Janie Sutton

Custodian: Kent Fellingham

SESSION MEMBERS Clerk of Session: Marlene Spencer

Class of 2017 David Bauer Ken Eichenberger Sharon Lincoln Sharon Mathews

Class of 2018 Kathy Baskett Marv Brown Jeff Gruizenga Sandi Schoenberger Class of 2019 Chris Eriksen Jenice Fugere Chuck Leggate Heather McLean

SESSION MINUTES

Session Notes: Four of our youth who have attended confirmation classes this year met with the session on April 12. After hearing the confessions of faith from each of the youths, the session voted to receive Mara Duncan, Hayden Gall, Payton Kouba, and Halle Spring into the membership of the church with public reception on May 1. Since most of the microphones for the sanctuary are no longer usable, it was voted to purchase new ones. The purchase of a new lawn mower was approved. Jeff Gruizenga distributed plans for the restroom remodeling. He stated that this project should begin around July first and be completed by October. The annual session retreat will be on Saturday, April 30 at the church from 9-11:30 AM in the Fireside Room.

Financial snapshot

2016 Income Expense Net April $ 27,019 $ 24,662 $ 2,357 YTD $ 131,378 $ 140,102 $ (8,724)

Per-Capita is being received for 2016. Our church pays $45 per member to the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly

of the PC(USA) for it annual dues. If you would like to pay your share of the per-capita that would be appreciated. You

can write a check to the church and indicate on the memo line “Per-Capita.” We appreciate your giving to help off-set this

fund. Thank you!

APRIL 2016

3rd 205

10th 137

17th 212

24th 164

2016

April

Average

180

2015

April

Average

250

Flower Sponsorship Opportunities

Our flower sign-up sheet is located on the back table in the narthex. We invite you to sign up for a particular Sunday to sponsor the flowers either in honor or memory of someone or a special event such as an anniversary, birthday, etc. Suggested donation is $25. Special thanks to those who donated flowers during the month of March. They are Jody Mercer Wallace, Marge Stewart, and Marlene Spencer. Following worship each Sunday, the flowers are dis-tributed to church members and friends in the hospital, nursing homes, or among those who are unable to attend church. Thanks to all who donated Easter lilies. A complete list is found as an insert in this newsletter.

Church Mice: The sounds of music are heard loud, clear and gloriously throughout our sanctuary on Sunday moorings. In addition to Sandi Rabas, Janie Sutton, and our excellent choir, we have two interns from Rocky Moun-tain College contributing their voices and musical instruments to our music program. Thanks to Ramon Ochoa and Amy Papa for sharing their talents with us. They both have been working with us since last January helping with the music program by singing, playing, and directing. Food Bank

Sunday

Our church was one of the first churches in Billings to desig-nate a monthly Food Bank Sun-day. We invite you to bring some non-perishable food items with you on the first Sunday of each month as we help local people in need. Our next Food Bank Sunday will be held on . Thanks to all who brought food last month!

Sermons available on-line

Did you know that you can listen to sermons on-line at our website at www.fpcbillins.org? Just click the “Listen to Sermons” tab on the upper right front of our church’s homepage. Stay connected even when you are away. Sermon for the past twelve weeks are archived on our church’s website.

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BATHROOM/OFFICE REMODELING UPDATE Our session recently voted to remodel the bathrooms and office areas on the main floor, with a project-ed start date of July 1. The total project cost is $200,000. We have begun a capital campaign with the goal of raising $100,000 and the other half coming from church reserve funds. A letter will be sent out soon with fur-ther details of this project with a diagram of the plans. To donate to this fund, please indicated on your gift “Building Fund.” Any and all donations to this project would be greatly appreciated. For questions about this project, please talk with Jeff Gruizenga or Pastor Dave. We have raised $14,695 toward our $100,000 goal.

Volunteer help is needed We are looking for volunteers to join us at Friendship House (3123 8th Avenue South) on Friday, May 20 from 4-6 PM. We need volunteers to help cook, serve, and clean up for their annual Friendship House block party. Friendship House is a ministry to families living on the Southside of Billings and they provide after school programs, adult education, and other forms of ministry. For more information, please talk with Pastor Dave. Your help would be greatly appreciated and it will be a fun afternoon.

Stephen Ministry Update We are pleased to welcome our newest group of Stephen Ministers. They were commissioned during worship on Sunday, March 20. The group includes Yvonne Bohlman, Barbara Eichenberger, Pam Harr, Nina LaSeur, Joyce Liptac, and Amanda Webber. Each of these individuals will be assigned a care receiver to whom they will provide skills of listening, encouragement, and spiritual help. Stephen Ministry supervision is now scheduled for the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. More information about Stephen Ministry is available through JoAnn Jones, Doris Backus, Jack Bell, Shirley Shirley, or Pastor Dave.

Our Church’s Leadership Team Moderator of Session: Pastor Dave Thompson Clerk of Session: Marlene Spencer Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 David Bauer Kathy Baskett (2) Chris Eriksen (2) Ken Eichenberger Marv Brown (2) Jenice Fugere (2) Sharon Lincoln Jeff Gruizenga (2) Chuck Leggate Sharon Mathews Sandi Schoenberger Heather McLean

Deacons: Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Diane Noddings (2) Janet Brown (2) Peggy Cluff Kathy Ramage Pam Gore (2) Dodie Cox (2) Paige Spalding Ruth Kaufman Bob Fedric Marjorie Stewart Charlie Pinnick Janice Ward

(2) denotes a second consecutive terms that is currently being served.

Prayer Garden library is open and ready

Our new outside library, located in our Prayer Garden, is open and ready to be used. This newly refur-bished “garden” is located near the downstairs doors, to the right of the main entry door. Sharon Brady recent-ly placed some books inside the library deposit box for people to use. You can take a book and leave a book at your discretion. We invite you to use the prayer garden as a place of prayer, study, and quiet reflection. Several benches are in the garden for your use.

HABITAT APPRECIATION Special thanks to the nice group of volunteers from our congregation who spent the day on Saturday, April 22 helping to build two Habitat for Humanity houses in the Heights. We appreciate those who gave of their time, energy, and effort to this local mission. Habitat is always looking for volunteers to help.

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SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 9:15 Sun School 10:30 Worship Conf/Youth Sun 11:00 West Park worship

2 12noon BLT 6 Billings Child Care Assn Meeting in Fellowship Hall

3 9:30 Staff Meeting 9:30 Women’s Bible Study 12noon Property Committee

4 9-11 BSF Lead 10 Grief Support Group 6 Youth Group 7 Choir Rehearsal 7:30 Young Adults

5 9-11 Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) 1 Mission Comm 7 College Group 7 CE Meeting

6 Church Office Closed 6 RMC Baccalau-reate Service

7 Church Clean Up Day 9:00-11:30 AM

8 Mother’s Day 9:15 Sun School 10:30 Worship Communion 11:00 West Park worship

9 10 Worship Comm 12noon BLT 12noon Men’s Group

10 9:30 Staff Meeting 9:30 Women’s Bible Study 7 Session Meeting

11 9-11 BSF Leaders 9:30 PW Board 6 Youth Group 7 Choir Rehearsal 7:30 Young Adults

12 9-11 Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Last one until Fall 7 College Group

13 Church Office Closed

14 Global Village Fundraiser 5:30-7:30 PM at Valley Federal Cred-it Union

15 9:15 Sun School 10:30 Worship 11:00 West Park Worship

16 12noon BLT

17 9:30 Staff Meeting 9:30 Women’s Bible Study

18 Circles Meet (last

time until fall) 6 Youth Group 7 Choir Rehearsal 7:30 Young Adults

19 12 Congregational Care Team 7 College Group

20 Church Office Closed 4-6 Friendship House (3123 8th Ave South) BBQ

21

22 9:15 Sun School 10:30 Worship 11:00 WP Worship

23 12noon BLT 12noon Men’s Group 4 Deacons Meet-ing Fireside Room

24 9:30 Staff Meeting 9:30 Women’s Bible Study 6 Stephen Minis-try Supervision

25 6 Youth Group 7Choir Rehears 7:30 Young Adults

26 11 Fellowship Committee Mtg 7 College Group

27 Church Office

Closed Newsletter Deadline

28

29 Family Promise Here

Worship Time Change

8:15 FP Set-Up 9:30 Worship 11 West Park Wor-ship

30 Family Promise here

Happy Memorial Day

Church Office will be closed

31 Family Promise Here 9:30 Staff Meeting 9:30 Women’s Bible Study

2016

On a Personal Note

Alta Dakolios has returned home after breaking her pelvis several weeks ago. Barbara Eichenberger is home following recent back and eye surgeries. Jason Ascheman is home recovering from back surgery he had on April 20 at St. V’s Hospital. Jim Bateman recently fell and broke a rib. He is recovering at home. The Yellowstone Presbytery wishes to thank our church for hosting the March Presbytery meeting. The Rev. Jed Cauffman, pastor in Lewistown writes, “You were all so welcoming and made us all feel at home. Thank you for the work and prayers you invested in the meeting.”

New Members’ Class coming on May 1 and 8

A class titled, How Do You Spell Presbyterian? taught by Pastor Dave, will begin on Sunday, May 1 at 9:15 AM in the Fireside Room. This two week class will explore the history of the Presbyterian church, the structure of our denomination, the meaning of church membership, and ways to become involved in the life of our congregation. This is a great class for anyone wishing to become a member of our church and/or those wishing to learn more about our church and denomination. Those wishing to join our church will be welcomed during worship on Sunday, May 15.

GLOBAL VILLAGE FUNDRAISER will be held on Saturday, May 14 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Valley Federal Credit Union atrium (207 North 28th Street). The theme is “Out of Africa” and tickets are $35 and can be purchased through Betty Nesmith. There will be a catered meal and silent auction.

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Presbyterian Women The Presbyterian Women’s gathering of a variety of women from across our Presbytery met on Saturday , April 2 at our church for a full day of learning, fellowship, and sharing meals. Spe-cial thanks to the Rev. Kathy McLean who served communion. United Church Women will meet on Friday, May 13 for a salad luncheon The PW Board will be meeting on Wednesday, May 11 at 9:30 AM in the Fireside Room.

The monthly PW groups will be meeting on Wednesday, May 18. Check the church bulletin for meeting loca-tions.

Sunday school classes that are currently offered

Sunday school for all ages continues on Sunday morning for children, youth, and adults. Lots of great classes are provided for all ages! Hope you all with join us!

Classes for Kids: Kindergarten through 5th grade: This class meets at 9:15 AM with Leah Wright Middle School and High School: Youth meet in the downstairs youth coffee room with Russ and Heidi Sunday school during our worship service is held every week after the children’s sermon. A variety of teachers lead this class for children ages kindergarten through the 5th grade. With the growing number of children attending Sunday school during worship we will be offering two classes next fall. Additional teachers are needed for this growing program. If interested in helping teach, please talk with Robin Bauer.

Special Class for Adults: A class titled, How Do You Spell Presbyterian? taught by Pastor Dave, will begin on Sunday, May 1 at 9:15 AM in the Fireside Room. This two week class will explore the history of the Presbyterian church, the structure of our denomination, the meaning of church membership, and ways to become involved in the life of our congregation. This is a great class for anyone wishing to become a member of our church and/or those wishing to learn more about our church and denomination.

Church and Society will meet only on May 1 and then will resume in the fall. Our guest on May 1 will be: May 1: Sister Clara Scherr from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. With a lifetime of serving oth-ers, Sister Clara will tell how she decided to become a nun and the training and education that it involved. She will also discuss sisters from other religions. She has worked on the Pine Ridge and Zuni Reservations, and will relay some of those experiences, along with her volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul since her retirement.

Yellowstone Presbytery News

Revamp the Camp: Head out to Red Lodge the weekend of June 3-5 to help prepare Westminster Spires Camp for this year’s camp season. There will be plenty to do for a variety of skill levels. Hope you can make it!

2016 Camp Dates for Westminster Spires Camp: July 10-15 Senior High Camp; July 17-22 Junior High Camp; July 24-28 Elementary Camp. Applications for camp are on the Presbytery website.

June Presbytery Meeting to be hosted in Miles City, MT: Eastern Montana is preparing for your visit. Our congrega-tions in Miles City, Forsyth, and Terry are planning for a great weekend of fellowship, work, and spiritual renewal. Make sure to book your hotel room at Sleep Inn by calling (406)232-3000 and asking for the Yellowstone Presbytery Meeting room rate of $90. The rate will be honored through May 27. If you prefer to stay with local church members contact the church office at (406)234-4855 by May 15th. We know that our weekend together will be blessed!

Remember our Round of Prayer as we keep our churches, ministries, & leaders in prayer: Sunday, May 1 Colstrip United Community Church, CLP Robert Shy Thursday, May 5 Ascension of the Lord; National Day of Prayer Sunday, May 8 Rev. James Bell, Honorably Retired, Laurel Sunday, May 15 Day of Pentecost and Pentecost Offering; First Church Deer Lodge, Pastor Teresa Kendall Sunday, May 22 Rev. Dick Davis, Pastor At-Large, Billings Sunday, May 29 Rev. Paul Cousins, Honorably Retired, Philipsburg

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Youth News: We congratulate our high school graduating seniors! They are: Samantha Cormier and Alise Keenum from Central High School; Jay Almer, Zoey Bittner, Carter Gall, and Sam McClain from Senior High School: and Hunter Skov from Skyview High School. We are proud of you and wish you all the best in your future endeavors. They will be recognized during worship on Sunday, May 1. Thanks to all the youth who helped serve the free meal for the congregation on Sunday, April 17. This meal was a way for us to express our appreciation to the church. Youth group continues on Wednesday evenings from 6-8 PM for all middle and high school students through May 25. VBS decorating will begin in May with VBS scheduled during the week of June 6-10. Triennium Youth Conference is coming July 18-25. If you are ages 15-19, you won’t want to miss this excellent experience to Purdue University in Indiana. We will be driving to the conference where we will be meeting up with about 6,000 other youth from around the world for an action packed week of activities. If you have an interest, please talk with Pastor Dave as soon as possible. We have already registered our group, but if you have an interest in going we can add you up until May 30. It will be a great trip and will include some mis-sion work in Minneapolis on our way home.

Grief support group continues every month

A grief support group within our church continues to meet the first Wednesday of each month from 10-11. This group is open to anyone in the church or community who is experiencing grief. Facilitated by Dr. Don Harr, this group provide support, encouragement, and help to those facing grief, loss, or transitions in life. All are invited to join this special group. The next group meets on Wednesday, May 4 at 10:00 AM at the church in the conference room.

Men’s group

Our men’s group is meeting the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 12noon in the Fireside Room. Join other men for a time of encouragement, fellowship, prayer, and study. This group is currently studying the New Testament book of 1 Timothy which encourages Christians to build a strong faith in the Lord. For more information about this group, please talk with Pastor Dave. The next meeting will be held on Monday, May 9 at 12noon. All men are invited.

Upcoming Committee Meetings in March (All meetings are in the Fireside Room)

Property Committee Tuesday, May 3 at 12noon Mission Committee Thursday, May 5 at 1:00 PM Christian Education Thursday, May 5 at 7:00 PM Worship Committee Monday, May 9 at 10:00 AM Session Meeting Tuesday, May 10 at 7:00 PM PW Board Meeting Wednesday, May 11 at 9:30 AM Congregational Care Team Thursday, May 19 at 12noon Deacons Meeting Monday, May 23 at 4:00 PM Fellowship Committee Thursday, May 26 at 11:00 AM

Summer worship schedule changes on Sunday, May 29

Our summer worship schedule will begin on Sunday, May 29 with worship at 9:30 AM. This schedule will continue through Labor Day weekend. We hope you will join us for worship during the summer months when you are in town. If you worship in another lo-cation while you are away, Pastor Dave always enjoys getting bulletins form other churches.

Church Clean-Up Day is coming Saturday, May 7 from 9:00-11:30 AM

Join us on Saturday, May 7 from 9:00-11:30 AM as we spruce some things up around the church. We will have both inside and outside work to do. Your help would be greatly appreciated, even if you can only give us an hour or two. A sign up sheet is located in the gallery for those who would like to help.

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Mission News

Church mission statement is: “Our purpose is to reflect the love of Jesus Christ in the church, community, and world.” The Mission Committee is working to that end. On Friday, May 20th we will be helping at the Friendship House “Cook Out” from 4-6 PM. and we need volunteers to help. The Friend House’s mission is “To reflect the love of Jesus Christ by fostering renewal, stability and trans-formation in the lives of youth and families in South Billings.” Talk to Pastor Dave if interested. Our amazing congregation donated approximately $2,000 to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering at Easter and the Mission Committee will add an additional $3,000. We pray that that money is multiplied by God to help His children around the world. Ruth Brown, a PC(USA) missionary in the Congo, Africa, will be speaking in church on Sunday, June 5. Ruth will be sharing of her experiences and ways we can be supportive of the mission efforts in the Congo. Family Promise returns to our church May 29-June 5. Sign up to help with meals, overnight hosting, set-up, and clean-up on the bulletin board near the Fireside Room.

“Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10

United Campus Ministry fundraiser coming June 3

United Campus Ministry invites you to its fundraising dinner on Friday, June 3, at the Hilands Golf Club. We are featuring Surf and Turf and a live auction. Tickets of $50 each can be purchased from Bob Culbertson or Shari Dayton. United Campus Ministry is a joint effort of a number of Christian denominations that work to support the campus ministry effort at MSU–B. The Rev. Rob Kirby serves as a chaplain for the ministry program. Celebrate our ministry with us!

May Birthdays 2 Cindy Hessler Royal Johnson Ralph Myhre 5 Joanna Janiak 6 Cathy Culbertson 7 Linda Fedric Alicia Nelson 9 Heidi Duncan 11 Karla Mahan 12 Bill Dimich 13 Lois Munger Bill Castberg 18 Vickie Johnson 18 Ken Eichenberger 19 Jeff Gruizenga 20 Matt Lorentz

23 Meiriona Anacker 24 Dave Nusbaum 25 Amanda Webber 26 Marian Rudolf 28 John Wright 29 Ruth Van Fossen 30 Alta Dakolios

Anniversaries 12 Bob & Cathy Culbertson 14 Greg & Deb Wiens 19 Bill & Sharon Dimich Carl & Vickie Johnson 22 Earl & Sharon Henderson 25 Gary & Judy Lohnbakken 30 Bob & Linda Fedric

Support needed for Amanda Blackburn

Jan Blackburn’s daughter-in-law, Amanda, is facing high medical bills in dealing with a severe heart condi-tion. Funds are needed to help Amanda in covering travel and medical costs. A Go Fund Me account has been set up with the goal of raising $20,000. To contribute to this account you can go to the website link provided at https://de.gofund.me/pbu6ujbn&rcid=af958358f48011e589b2bc764e0525d6 or you can talk with Pastor Dave. Thanks to many from our church who have supported Amanda with these mounting bills.