Our Vision: Building Christian lives on a firm foundation.

Our Missions: Grow in Jesus Christ ~ Encourage the Discouraged

Magnify the Lord ~ Seek the Lost

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION The new Sunday School year is off to a good start. We very much appreciate the faithfulness of those who are serving as teachers and helpers. See you in Sunday School, Connie and Jo Ella Maugans

BREAKFAST

The monthly Men’s Ministry Breakfast will not meet in October. Meetings will resume in November.

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING The Annual Congregational Meeting will be Sunday, October 7. We will vote on elder and deacon candidates and on the proposed 2019 church budget. No absentee ballots are permitted. Only members who are 18 years of age or older may vote on congregational matters.

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10

OCTOBER 2018M

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Bishop Bytes 2Church Calendar 3Birthdays/Anniversaries 3

A Note from Ryan 4S.A.M. Group 5Women’s Ministry 6

Missions News 7

Inside this issue:

OUTING TO FAIR OAKS FARMS There will be an outing with the First Baptist Church to Fair Oaks Farms on Tuesday, October 2. The group will be leaving FBC at 9am. They will tour the facility and also plan to eat lunch there. The cost is $25, which includes the cost of the tour, plus the cost of food. Please sign up in the foyer on the “Community Events” bulletin board by Sunday, September 30, if you plan to attend.

There will be a special service at Main Street Christian Church as we celebrate our 170th Anniversary on Sunday, October 14, 2018, beginning at 10:30am. Please join us for this special gathering. We would love to have you! And bring a friend!

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BISHOP BYTESWalnut Grove, Minnesota, was the setting for Little House on the Prairie, though the television series was filmed in California. Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairie book series, and her family lived in the area of Plum Creek and the town of Walnut Grove for part of her childhood. The town grew in the 1870’s and was incorporated in 1879. The Congregational Church was built in 1874. Like many small villages in the Midwest, the church was the hub of the community of Walnut Grove. Charles Ingalls was a trustee in the congregation that the Rev. Edwin Alden of the American Home Society had helped organize. Life was tough on the prairie. It was determination, hard work, and a strong Christian faith that helped the communities survive.

Today the population of the town of Walnut Grove is nearly 900, slightly smaller than Russiaville. Much has changed here and there. Some churches over time have relinquished their caregiving roles in the community as they have become isolated and separated from each other and from the people of the town, and have become more internally focused. Citizens look to the government that generally sees people as numbers and throws money at problems, only superficially meeting needs. Churches often turn a blind eye and a hard heart towards those in need, thinking that the safety net of social services will do what really only a caring community can do with the help of God. Government does have a role, but the church community has a much bigger role. Beginning this year, Russiaville Community Outreach has organized a co-op of the churches, the town, the charitable organizations, the businesses and the concerned citizens of Russiaville, interfacing together to be more aware of the needs and sharing resources to help those who are struggling with life in our community.

In our town, several churches are keeping their own distinctive identities but beginning to work together again in caring for our community of Russiaville. Jesus is the answer, and we want to be more “show” than just “tell”! We want to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat1 2 3

CIA 6:30pm

Community Bible Study 7pm

4• Ladies Aid

12:30pm• Ladies Bible

Study 6:30pm

5 6No Men’s Ministry Breakfast

Women’s Ministry Outing 9am

7Annual Congregational Meeting

AKA 5pmTF3 6:30pm

8Board Meeting 6:30pm

9Last Prime Time Dinner of the Season 5:30pm

10• Bus Ministry

11:30am• CIA 6:30pm• Community

Bible Study 7pm

11Ladies Bible Study 6:30pm

12 13TF3 Amazing Race

14170th Celebration

No AKA or TF3

15Newsletter Deadline

16 17CIA 6:30pm

18Ladies Bible Study 6:30pm

19 20

21AKA 5pmTF3 6:30pm

22 23SAM Table Games Night 6pm

24CIA 6:30pm

25Ladies Bible Study 6:30pm

26 27

28AKA 5pmTF3 6:30pm

29 30SAM Outing to The Ark Encounter 7am

31Fall in the Hall 5-8pm

1 Rick Young 16 Chuck Mooney 3 Eddie & Kelly Hunt Ricky & Sara Williams Dustin & Laura Redding 17 Dennis Carter 5 Denny & Nancy Stout 18 Bev Bell 6 Tammy Scott 19 Jon & Erin Burk 7 Suzanne Allen 22 Linda Mansfield Larry & Vickie Starbuck 23 Dan Walden 8 Tom Etherington 25 Paul O’Blenis Jack Fivecoate 26 Sophia Bishop Derek & April Mouser 28 Cassius Mansfield 9 Bryce Milburn David Moody Missy Tatum Larry Starbuck 10 Jo Ella Maugans 29 Brin Heyer 11 Cary Middlekauff Martha O’Blenis 14 Jack & Nancy Fivecoate 31 Marilyn Burke

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10 Page 4

Do you know what the acronym SYATP stands for? It stands for See You At The Pole. Next question, do you know what that is? This is a really cool thing that happens once a year on the fourth Wednesday of September. It is a student-led prayer meeting around the flagpole in front of the school. In 1962, the Supreme Court made their first ruling against prayer in schools, and the court hasn’t varied since. As schools cannot promote prayer, the “student-led” part of SYATP is the most important detail because students are protected by their first amendment right of free speech. In 1990, the SYATP movement began with just 10 students, and now it is an event that happens all over the world.

Though it is on friendly soil, this is an opportunity for students to take a stand for their faith. This day allows them to unite as believers and pray for their school, state, country, and the world. The students learn that some of their friends follow Jesus, and may be questioned by other friends who don’t know much about Him at all. Either way, they are declaring that they believe in the power of prayer.

There are some that might ask the question about praying in our closets as is mentioned in this passage from Matthew 6:5-6 which says, “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” This passage seems to contradict the idea of SYATP, but we need to ask ourselves the question of motivation. Are we praying in public to be recognized for our devoutness, or do we desire to bring glory to God? There are many examples in the Word of public prayer, so we can conclude that it is a good thing when done under the right circumstances. Prayer and good works should never be something we do for personal recognition, but only for putting our King in the limelight. The heart behind SYATP is all about putting the attention on the Creator.

I believe most students are excited about participating in SYATP, but there are definitely some nerves. No matter how you look at it, they are definitely aligning themselves with Christ, and that has the potential to bring some reprisal. As adults, what is our SYATP moment? How do we stand out for God? Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp-stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” As followers of Christ, we are called to be different than the world around us, to be a light in the world. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we hold a Bible study at lunchtime. It just means that throughout our day we live in a way that reflects our God and King’s influence on our lives. When we get angry, we don’t overreact. We take the time to encourage someone who is clearly having a challenging day. We stop and pray with someone who needs God to intervene. These are things that may seem impossible to some and commonplace to others. However, these are just a few ways to show the world that God and His people are active.

SYATP is a great event, but it is just one day. That’s why I ask our students to seek out opportunities to do something for God on a daily basis. We won’t make a difference for God if we only have scheduled times to exhibit our faith (SYATP, Sunday school, church, Bible study). It has to be a lifestyle. It has to be from the very fabric of who we are, and that can only happen when we know the Father and live for Him every single day.

-Ryan

A Note From Ryan

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10 Page 5

S.A.M. Group Senior Adult Ministry

…OCTOBER 2018…

We are announcing our activities to place on your calendars for everyone, including your guests, 50 years of age and older.

PRIME TIME DINNER On Tuesday, October 9, at 5:30pm we will meet in the MSCC Fellowship Building for our last monthly Prime Time Dinner of the season. Please come and enjoy a meal and time of fellowship with us! We know there are several hungry people at this church, who also know others who are hungry, and qualify as 50 yrs. of age or older. Invite them now!

BUS MINISTRY On Wednesday, October 10, at 11:30am we will meet for fellowship and lunch at a restaurant designated by Rosie Mills. For further info call Rosie Mills at 566-3896.

TABLE GAMES & PIZZA NIGHT On Tuesday, October 23, at 6:00pm, we will meet in the MSCC Fellowship Building for several different table games. For this night we will not be bringing any of our home-cooked food. We will feast on several types of pizzas! Drinks and dessert will be provided.

THE ARK ENCOUNTER On Tuesday, October 30, we will leave MSCC AT 7:00am for our journey to a location south of Cincinnati, OH, to see a full-sized replica of Noah’s Ark of the Bible. We will eat lunch in the restaurant located on the grounds prior to the beginning of our tour where we will view many amazing displays within the Ark itself. We guarantee, you will not be disappointed. Wear comfortable shoes.

Wayne & Donna Janner / Wayne & Shirley Watson Joann Monroe / Charlie & Rosie Mills

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10 Page 6

SHOPPING TRIP Ladies, mark your calendars for Saturday, October 6! We will be going on a shopping trip to Jefferson Pointe Mall in Ft. Wayne. We will leave MSCC at 9:00am. We will eat lunch somewhere around the mall and plan to return to MSCC around 6:00pm. Please sign up in the foyer no later than Sunday, September 30, if you plan to attend. If you have any questions, see Donna Janner.

THURSDAY NIGHT LADIES BIBLE STUDY UPDATE

The Ladies Bible Study will resume on Thursday, October 4, at 6:30pm downstairs in the church basement.We will continue with Joanna Weaver’s study, “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World”. This study will go until November 8. If you missed the first half of the study, there is still time to join us. The study books are $10 dollars each and can be purchased from Sophia Bishop or Lee Ann Redding. As always, the Ladies Bible Study remains open to women of all ages and denominations so invite your neighbors and friends to join us this Fall!

This year’s Fall Women’s Retreat held on September 28 & 29 at the Ark Christian Camp was a great success! There were 25 women in attendance with 5 different churches represented. Our guest speaker, Bekah Shaffer did an amazing job sharing her testimony through the theme, Your Story is Worth Immeasurably More.” A great time was had by all as we made new friends and grew deeper in our relationship with Jesus Christ. A BIG thank you goes out to all those who donated their time, talent and/or treasure to help make this event a possibility. All the glory, honor and praise go to Jesus Christ for his endless mercy and blessings, His love never fails!

Save the Dates• Shopping Trip – Saturday, October 6, 2018 • Christmas Cookie Exchange – Saturday, December 1, 2018

Women’s Retreat Update

VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 10 Page 7

ONE 17 INTERNATIONAL (FORMALLY KNOWN AS PROJECT 117)

Our Name: One 17 International comes from Isaiah 1:17 which says, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” God's heart beats for the left behind. So does ours. We're currently operating our first school in Haiti for 176 students. This is our sixth year in operation. We see hope through education. Our goal is to launch our second campus in September of 2019.Our Philosophy: We equip our Haitian staff to see, serve, awaken, and empower our students as they discover who they are in Christ and what they were created to do.• We empower our students to share their faith with friends and family.• We awaken our students to discover their role in God's story.• We serve our students what they need, where they are, today.• We see potential in every person.Our Curriculum: We are in the process of becoming a certified school by the Haitian Ministry of Education. Our students learn to read and write in French and Creole, and as they get older the academic experience grows richer. Because true education is more than reading and writing, we’ve developed the 1:17 Curriculum for Kindergarten–3rd Grade and the Prodigy Curriculum for 4th Grade and up. Through the use of storytelling, art, music, drama, leadership training, and service projects, our students are learning about God’s heart in unique ways while exploring ways to leverage their own talents for His purpose.The Portrait of a Graduate:Even though each student has a unique future ahead of them, they will all graduate with four key attributes:1. A strong academic foundation2. Knowledge that they are prodigies with unique roles in God’s story3. The ability to lead with wisdom, courage, honesty, respect, humility, and a servant’s heart4. A foundation of truth set in God’s word and a spirit shaped by the vision of Isaiah 1:17Graduate Vision: Upon graduation, we see our students pursuing one of three paths:Scholars: Students who want to pursue higher education as they’re equipped to realize dreams of being doctors, nurses, teachers, business leaders, politicians, and lawyers.Apprentices: Students who have the potential to revitalize local economies through skills and talents ranging from pottery to plumbing to developing new farming techniques.Activists: Students who have strong desires to right the wrongs of injustice in their communities across the globe through church planting and nonprofit work.Graduate support:In order to help our students realize their dreams, we are taking action by:• Creating a scholarship fund for promising students wishing to go to college• Developing apprenticeship opportunities by locking arms with other nonprofits, lending institutions, and trade schools• Starting a Leadership Academy in 2028 for graduates with a desire to become church planters, nonprofit workers, and

missionaries

Thank you for your continued support to Further our impact! Please continue to pray for One 17 International as their staff and students are starting their 6th year! Join us in praying for:• influence with our students and staff in Haiti• wisdom for our board and leadership teams• discernment over next steps • resources to sustain and grow our movement• favor with new church and business partners• divine alignments with partners in Haiti

Curtis & Bethany Stout, One 17 International

Attendance/Tithing Aug./Sept. 2018

M a i n S t r e e t C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h

WORSHIP S.S TITHING

Date Last Year’s Average: 123

Last Year’s Average: 87

Weekly Budget Needs:

$4,380.96

August 26, 2018 99 73 $4,045.49

September 2, 2018 96 66 $5,499.78

September 9, 2018 117 82 $2,838.25

September 16, 2018 57* 47* $2,047.25

September 23, 2018 92 65 $3,622.76

September 30, 2018 n/a n/a n/a

220 West Main Street PO Box 155 Russiaville, IN 46979

Office: 765-883-5265 Fellowship Building: 765-883-7613 Email: mscc9@sbcglobal.net www.mainstreetchristianchurch.com

Grow in Jesus Christ ~ Encourage the Discouraged Magnify the Lord ~ Seek the Lost

Sunday School ~ 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship ~ 10:30am Senior Pastor: Steve Bishop Associate/Youth Minister: Ryan Mills

Church Secretary: Carrie Mills Church Office Hours: Monday - Friday ~ 8:30am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 3:30pm

PASTORAL TEAM Home Cell Steve Bishop 883-7793 (863) 446-2234 Ryan Mills 210-7719 Alan Anderson 854-0145 438-4824 Wayne Janner 459-8423 614-9473 Connie Maugans 453-4861 459-3941 (work) 437-1353 (cell)

*KohKohMah