The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dear Editor,
The La Harpe Community Council has mailed approximately 800 Fund Drive envelopes to the members of our local communities.
The organizations listed on the Fall Drive envelopes are all local organizations who rely heavily on donations to maintain their organizations:
La Harpe Senior Citizens, La Harpe Public Library, La Harpe Volunteer Ambulance, La Harpe Historical Society and La Harpe Boy and Cub Scouts.
It is important that we give what we can during this Drive. Only about half of the envelopes mailed are returned with a donation during the Spring and Fall Drives.
I would like to urge each of you to put a few dollars in the envelope and return it to the drop off site at First State Bank in La Harpe.
If you can't find your envelope, you may put it in a plain envelope and indicate what organizations you wish to support.
Keep in mind that the Community Fund Drive is our communities' answer to reminding us to financially support these organizations.
I appreciate your support.
Jeanette M. Ford
Member La Harpe
Community Council
Dear Editor,
I really appreciate those faithful persons who put the beautiful flags on the poles up town for each of the Holidays.
It is so good to be greeted by those great symbols of our freedom.
I appreciate you for being so loyal to decorate our town for everyone to see.
Lois Campbell
Stronghurst
Parish Minister Accepts Call
Dear Editor,
My last Sunday as Parish Minister for the Presbyterian Parishes of Media and Stronghurst, will be the 27th of December. I have accepted a call to be the Senior Minister of a large Presbyterian Parish in Michigan. The month of January will be a time of preparation for the move, so to be in place the 1st of February.
First of all, I sincerely appreciate the fraternity that has taken place with my Brother Clergy, James Olsen, George Knox, Maurice Stribling, Ralph Demming and Paul Steele. These men are wonderful Pastors, and are truly Shepherds, Servants and Companions to their respective congregations. You all have been blessed by their presence and Pastoral Care within this community and county.
When Christ and the Spirit of God birthed our churches, we were instructed to be a people of Faith, a people who teach the story, who reach out into the world with love, who battle injustice and hopelessness. I suspect that each generation here in Media and Stronghurst, have taken on that task and you do it in your own ways, honoring the traditions that have come before and then tweaking those traditions slightly so they continue to allow the fresh breeze of God's truth to blow through all of your churches.
So maybe change is not always bad, but just different and requiring work on my part and yours to mold and shape the new ideas so they represent the very best possible good for all of God's people.
To all of you in this wonderful and exciting place. May you continue to be steadfast on your journey. Powered by the message of love and the command you serve. May you wear the Gospel on your sleeve so that all who come to know you may truly understand the value of injustice, the need for kindness, and the grace of forgiveness.
As you break bread with all who approach the Lord's Table, may you be blessed as my mother and I have been Blessed here in Media and Stronghurst, with a song of freedom and a prayer of hope, so that all may come to know deep peace and hear the good news that Jesus is truly risen, and present among us.
Well, it is time to close this letter to all of you.
May you all continue to have the courage to stand as yourself alone and strong. May you together understand the power that you have within this place.
May each and everyone of you, under the leadership of your individual churches, truly discover through your commitment to each other transforming energy and abiding peace.
May you open your hearts to each other so that together you can share with others the fullness of your joy.
May you all be filled with thanks and wonder, humor and fun, hope and perseverance, so that you may grow in wisdom and peace.
You all will be missed, but loved all the more. I remain,
Fraternally Yours in Christ,
The Rev. John B. Deal, D. Min. - Stronghurst