A few weeks ago several members of ECOB attended an appreciation lunch hosted by the H.I.T. Foundation where we received an award for our contribution to this community. As Susan and I sat with many volunteers from this church, I was full of joy and appreciation for how so many have taken seriously our values of “Generous Living” and “Community Engagement”.  Way to go church!

I’d like to give a special shout out of thanks to a few individuals from this congregation who have gone above and beyond to provide opportunities for all of us to serve in the community.  They are:

• Ginger Roth – H.I.T. Project Coordinator
• Rudy Roth – One Another Group Leader
• Keith and Cherie Reece – 2nd Saturday Leaders
• Steve and Doris Simmons – 2nd Saturday Leaders
• Jerry Deaton – Mission and Outreach Team
• Donna Deaton – 2nd Saturday Team
• Bill Wilson – H.I.T. Foundation Volunteer Handyman
• April Wilson – ECOB Volunteer

We received the following letter from the H.I.T. Foundation:

“We could not think of any one person, church, or organization that has had a greater Impact on the HIT Foundation’s programs and the people we serve as the Eaton Church of the Brethren.

• The Christmas Project – giving over $2,000 in money, gas cards, and supplies for the Cold Shelter
• Delivering 108 hot meals (1080 individual dinners) over the last year to the Homeless Shelter
• Hosting Game Nights at the Homeless Shelter
• 2^nd Saturday completing 7 Senior Home Repair (49 hours) projects and landscaping at the Homeless Shelter
• John 3:16 bags provided to homeless children by the One Another Groups
• A Volunteer familiar with the Social Security process regularly helps homeless clients through the application process.
• Completing 14 Senior Home Repair projects on Impact Day (144 hours)
• The countless individual donations to HIT: paper products, clothing, personal hygiene products, etc. 
• The Church’s ability to move past the stained glass windows, showing Christ by serving others is a bright light in the lives of so many consumed by darkness.”

Thank you church for tangibly carrying out our mission to “Share Life and Share Christ” in beautiful ways.

Pastor Dan

Etch launches on September 5th with our first community night of the Fall Sessions, which will be the last night to register for Session 1 electives. Then beginning on the 12th we will begin Session 1 electives.

Register for electives and your children this Sundays at the kiosk in the Gathering Area or here.

Opportunities to Serve – Children’s Ministry

OUR TWO AND THREE YEAR OLDS are looking for four fun-loving, caring people to become their teachers on Sunday mornings. If God’s love for little ones fills your heart, come talk to Miss Coleen.

CARE ABOUT KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE? We’re NOT looking for “Captain America” but for people with a heart to serve who care about protecting others, especially on Wednesday nights. Find out more by contacting Miss Coleen. (This is open to both men and women over age 20.)

Children’s Ministry:

MEN: If you are a daddy or a grandpa who loves little ones, come join our team in the nursery and our babies who settle down for men can love their nursery experience. Contact Miss Coleen for more details.

SNACK TIME: You can serve by gathering and delivering snacks to children’s rooms before church, then collecting and cleaning them up after church.  Contact Miss Coleen for more details.

What are the top seven things that hold people back from serving God in children’s ministry?

We as Christians know that it’s the right thing to serve God in some way – to be a part of His eternal work and not just focused on our own lives.  But sometimes people worry about various aspects of serving, and that holds them back from getting involved.  Here are some answers to those common worries:

1. I have to be out of town some weekends.

Answer – That’s what God made substitutes for!  There are people who feel called to serve as substitutes.  They are always on stand-by, ready to fill in when you need to leave town!

2. I’m really busy – I’m not sure I have the time.

Answer – And you never will if you are looking for extra time in your schedule.  But if you truly seek God and ask Him to show you, God will show you how to realign your schedule so you can make serving Him a priority and thus have the time to give. 

3. I don’t know anything about working with children but I do like them.

Answer – Great!  That means we don’t have to UN-train you before we train you how to do it well!

4. What if the children won’t listen to me?

Answer – If a child misbehaves and doesn’t listen, you get to call “Miss Coleen” and she will handle them.  Your get to focus on your ministry – not behavior problems! 

5. What if they ask me a Bible question I can’t answer?

Answer  – You don’t have to know all the answers because our pastors do!  (JK!)  Seriously we don’t want our children growing up thinking that we as Christians have all the answers to all the hard questions.  So it’s okay to say “We don’t know!”

6. But I don’t LIKE working with children!

Answer – That’s okay because there are ways to serve God where you’re not teaching or working directly with children but in ways that are so valuable to the ministry.

7. What if I don’t enjoy the area where I end up serving?

Answer – We want everyone to love how they serve God!  And we don’t want anyone to be stuck doing a piece of ministry that is not a match for them.  So if you find that something is not a fit for you, just come let us know and we’ll help you find a place to serve that truly fits what God created you to do!

When you find the right place to serve, not only do you love it, but you begin to grow exponentially in your relationship with God and others in the church.   IT HELPS YOU even as you are serving others.   So…ready to serve?   Call us to explore the choices for you!

Sunday, September 9 at Noon following One Service under the tent at 10am

Sign-up at the table in the Gathering Area so we have a count for seating/food. Also, sign-up to bring a dessert.

ETCH COMMUNITY KICK-OFF

• Wednesday, September 5. Meal begins at 5:45pm.
• Etch Electives: Register at the kiosk Sunday or at eatoncob.org/connect/etch by September 5.

CELEBRATING BAPTISM

Cami McCloud was baptized Sunday, August 5.

Why do people choose to serve God when life is so BUSY?

Sometimes we look at people who serve in the various church ministries and think to ourselves that they must have all kinds of spare time. But they actually don’t. Almost all of the people who serve are people who are crazy busy – but they choose to serve anyway. Why? Here’s what some of them might say:

• It’s a great way to get to know people and make friends.
• It helps give life meaning and purpose. What you do impacts other’s lives.
• It lets you be part of a Team – you can feel like you belong.
• It helps you grow spiritually AND get closer to God.
• You know that what you are doing makes a difference, not just in this life, but for ETERNITY.

Everyone is busy – everyone has a lot to do. People who serve – in spite of being busy – have learned what a difference it makes in their own lives when they serve. In spite of all the things going on in their own lives, they created margin in their lives, re-prioritized how they spent their time, and made room in their lives so they had time to serve God. Their focus is not just on the “now”, but on eternity. What about you? What will you do to make a difference for eternity this next year?

2nd Saturday – August 11

One strategy at ECOB is to make an Impact with the love of Christ by serving others. Join us as we do home repair projects for Senior adults in our community.

• Meet in the ECOB parking lot at 8:30 am

• Tools provided

This is a great opportunity for you to Share Life and Share Christ.

Why do people choose to serve God when life is so busy?

* It’s a great way to get to know people and make friends.

* It helps give life meaning and purpose. You can feel like you’re really making a difference.

* It lets you be part of a Team – you can feel like you belong.

* It helps you grow spiritually, AND get closer to God.

* You know that what you are doing makes a difference, not just in this life, but for ETERNITY.

“Will you pick me up?”, the little voice asked.   It was a busy Sunday morning in a new church.  But somehow this little girl had found the number to my office and had, all by herself, called to ask for someone to pick her up.   She REALLY wanted to come to church.  Who could do it?  Everyone I could think of needed to be somewhere else.  So I jumped in my car and headed for her house.

               She was a broken little girl.  Her daddy had left when she was still young, leaving her feeling unwanted and worthless.  So eager for attention, she did a lot to try to gain people’s approval, but it only pushed her peers away.  Over and over again, she stumbled through life, from one mistake to another.  But God sent Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, preteen leaders, game leaders, and other people to speak into that little girl over the next ten years. 

               Through them, God got a hold of that life – and that life was transformed.  This little girl is now a mother of five children, married to a godly husband, AND they are about to head to the mission field of Japan.  A life that was changed…

               That’s what God calls us to do as the Body of Christ.  No one person is to do it all.  But every person who is a Christian has a role to play.  So…what role will you take in the coming year?  Will you make room in your life so that you HAVE time to serve?  Will you take a step to do something new and different, maybe even outside of your comfort zone?   Or will you let the year go by, with much of life lived, but nothing to show for the Kingdom?   What will you do to make a difference for eternity this next year? 

Miss Coleen

Some Options for Places to Serve in Children’s Ministry on Sundays, Wednesday’s or weekday’s:

Sunday’s With Children:

• Provide loving care for babies and Toddlers in the Nursery
• Lead singing in a miniature Preschool Worship Service
• Assist a teacher with a group of children
• Play with volunteer’s children while the children’s ministry volunteers are praying (10:05 – 10:25 AM Sundays)
• Lead groups of children in an active Bible game that ties back to the Bible story (training provided)
• Be a buddy for a Special Needs Child

Sunday’s Support Ministries – not with children

• Be a part of the Children’s Welcome Team (formerly “check-in”)
• Welcome NEW families at the new Children’s Welcome Center
• Prepare snack for children
• Keep our children and people safe as part of the Safety Team.

Wednesday night Options for Places to Serve

Knight’s Club (Wednesday Nights):

• Teach a group of children
• Assist with a group of children
• Provide child-care to infants – threes.
• Listen to children recite Bible verses
• Welcome children and help families get signed in at Knight’s Club
• Lead fun active games related to Bible stories (training and ideas provided)
• Coordinate the ordering and distribution of Awards and add up children’s points
• Provide a mini-Knight’s program for children ages 4-5 (resources provided)

During the Week:

• Pray for specific children’s ministry needs (weekly email)
• Clean Nursery Laundry
• Put nametags back in order by color and alphabet.
• Prepare powerpoint for the Bible Quiz Game Show (1X a month)
• Assist in setting up for the monthly Bible Quiz Game Show
• Help in children’s ministry office
• Help chaperone/drive vehicle for Preteen Events (every 4-6 weeks)
• Assist with Preteen Drama Team
• Set up for Knight’s Club Wednesday Afternoons

Contact me if you are interested in serving in any of these areas.

The Elder Board wishes to inform you that we have accepted the resignation of Matt Owens as Pastor of Worship Arts. Today (Sunday, July 29th) was Matt’s last worship service, as his last day of employment will be July 31st.

Matt has served ECoB for 9 years. We thank Matt for his contributions, and wish him and his family the very best as they seek God’s leading.

Please pray for the Owens family, as well as the leadership here at ECoB during this time of transition.

In Christ,

Kent Hamilton – President, Elder Board

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY – OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

WILLING TO PRAY? We are seeking prayer warriors to intercede for us this year as we transition and build our children’s ministry. If you believe in the value of prayer and are willing to pray faithfully, you would receive an email weekly to update you on the needs – specific prayer requests for our children’s ministry and our children. Email Miss Coleen to join the children’s ministry prayer team!

LIKE OFFICE WORK AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORK? One great way to support our children’s ministry is by volunteering in the church office on a weekday. With all the new activities coming this fall, there’s an increasing amount of office work to do in support of it. See Miss Coleen for details.

WOMEN’S MINISTRY  

Love In Action: Wednesday, Aug 1 at 6:30pm, ECOB Kitchen

• Freezer meal prep for those in need: sickness, death, new birth, etc. 
• Opportunity to prep, deliver meals, write notes, pray or donate.
• Join us for our second meal prep of lasagna.

BRETHREN DISASTER MINISTRIES ICE CREAM SOCIAL FUND RAISER

• Saturday, Aug 4, 4-7pm  Happy Corner COB, 7037 Union Rd, Clayton
• Enjoy a full menu of food and some great ice cream while supporting this vital ministry.
• Pies needed – contact Nancy Muncy, 937-478-1893. If you would like to donate pies, bring them to ECOB on Sat, Aug 4, from 12:30-1pm.