Newsletter 8/10/23

Hi Everyone!                                                                        August 10, 2023 
The School Supply Fair was a roaring success and I mean roaring in every way! Things were hectic here for the first hour with people lined up on the sidewalk waiting for the event to start. We prepared at least 147 students with the supplies they will need to start a successful school year. In addition, we served lunch to the families of those students, gave them books to read, had clothing available and for the first time had sporting equipment available because of Landon Ruth’s senior project. I’m so proud of all the support it took to make this event happen. We asked for financial support and volunteers and both happened. A big thank you goes to everyone for loving our community! 
The entrance ramp construction starts on Monday, August 14th. The area will be blocked off with construction tape. We will be using the next door down next week until Sunday. The project will be finished by then. If you need the building disarmed, please contact James, Pastor Mary Beth or me because we can disarm the church with our phones. That entrance is way too far from the key pad to disarm it in time. 
The United Methodist Men will meet on Saturday, August 12th at 9:00 a.m. for their monthly breakfast meeting at Erika’s Kitchen in Payette. All men are invited and encourage to attend. 
Payette had a tragedy this week. On Tuesday, Jaydyn Ramos was in a terrible train vs. car accident on Washoe Road and lost her life. She should be starting her senior year of high school in a few days. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. 
Pray also for the students and teachers beginning a brand-new school year in the next few days. I remember Pastor Bill Hays saying every time he passed by a school, he said a prayer for all those inside. I love that idea! 
Pray for the students and staff on the school bus that overturned on Hwy. 55 last week. 
Danny has applied for a job at the prison and has an interview on August 16th at 8:00 a.m. Please say a special prayer for Danny. He really wants this job!
Ron had an appointment with his orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday about his knee pain. He will have total knee replacement on Monday, August 21st.  This was pretty shocking news since we both thought there would be an easier solution to fix his knee. Keep Ron in your prayers.
 We have some prayer requests that were on the prayer chain: Piper and her husband both have Covid.( Piper is a friend of ours who we first met at Fit and Fall Proof.) Colleen, a neighbor of Kathryn Gordon’s is having serious vision problems, John McEwen a friend of Jean Pollock is recovering from open heart surgery, Karen Sagehorn’s friend and neighbor Mari is being evaluated for spinal stenosis and Rev. Curtis from Benton UMC is recovering from eye surgery. (A last-minute update on Mari; she will have physical therapy and pain management for her spine problems. She thanks us for our prayers.) 
Please keep praying for Jean Pollock and Macy Steckley for complete healing. Macy was in church on Sunday and Bible Study on Tuesday. It was so great to see her where she belongs! 
Keep the folks on Maui in your prayers. Wildfires have destroyed so much!
 Continue to pray for Terry Hershey, Hugh Homan, Olivia Bybee, Teresa’s stepdad Larry, Steve Simonson, Anne DeBord, Jerry and Jay Hall, Jerry and Jim Warzyn, the Williamsons, Shannon Osborn, Mary Boesch and Teresa’s grandson. 
The praise songs this week will be Your Love Never Fails and Beautiful Things. Click on the blue links to listen in and sing along. We have sung these both before so they will sound familiar! 
The Ice Cream Truck will run on Thursday for the last time before school starts. It has been a big success this summer and we sure enjoy doing it. We did get stopped by the police last week but that went really well. We even offered the officer ice cream! 
I hope you are fixing something delicious for the potluck on Sunday. We hope to see you here! 
Blessings,   Cris