November 19, 2024
Hello, church family and friends!
I read a short article some years ago by a certain attention-seeking pundit who shall remain nameless, who said that the invention of the washing machine was the beginning of the downfall of society. Because it allowed women leisure time, see. Don’t even get me started. I’m already getting a headache from my eyes rolling so hard.
Because I am a big fan of leisure time, thank you very much. And even though I’m not a gadget person, and I am absolutely a homesteader at heart, don’t you TAKE my washer and dryer from me. They are a joy and a wonder and a precious gift from the Lord.
What makes me think of this is two things. First, the folks who come and do their laundry at church, of course, and what a gift that is to them. We’ve talked about that a lot here in this space, and I talked with a new family on the phone yesterday who just learned we offer this and are so excited. The other thing that makes me think of it is my oven, which has been broken for a month and just got fixed yesterday!! Yay!!!!
I mean, we have been making due thanks to our air fryer and slow cooker and stovetop. But no casseroles. No lasagne. No bread, or cookies. I have been planning to BUY a couple of pies from Courtyard Café for our dessert auction. (Let’s be honest, I still might do that.) We even had plans to cook everything at church the day before for Thanksgiving, and just warm individual plates in the microwave!
But yesterday, a sweet and friendly repair man came and replaced a couple of parts and IT WORKS. We didn’t even have to wait for them to order parts, he had them on hand! And even though I definitely fantasize about having a big old heavy gorgeous wood-fueled turn of the century oven in my house, I don’t currently have one and so here I am, thanking God for modern conveniences and the time to enjoy them.
So now, all I can think about is all the things I want to bake.
Simple peasant bread is first on the list.
Then peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, which are WAY overdue.
Then lasagne, because it is my obligation to my ancestors.
And then, pumpkin twinkies. Dennis’s idea. Wish me luck!
And just thinking about all these things makes my heart feel more and more full. It makes me feel so grateful to God for…all of it. Everything. For physical health, and a warm home with a working oven, and the ability to make stuff and people to give the stuff to. All of it.
I usually order my spices from Penzeys, and they often include cute little buttons or stickers with the shipment. My favorite one says “Cooking is what happens when we love each other.” I love that, so much.
Gardening is also what happens, when we love each other. Talking. Sending cards and letters. Watching movies. Having coffee dates. Helping each other with things. Remembering important days. Giving things our people will love. Lots of good happens, when we love each other.
Which is what leisure time is for.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Worship This Week
Shout to the Lord! Music as Prayer, Part 4
This week we finish up our worship series about music as prayer. We’ve talked about musical prayers of joy, of sorrow, of comfort, of hope. We’ll finish up this week with worship, which is filled with all of those things and more. Worship is where we bring ALL of who we are, exactly as we are, before the Lord. It is where we praise God, the One who made and saved and sustains us. It is where we cry out to God for justice, come to God for healing, fall on our knees and beg forgiveness, find peace beside still waters as our souls are restored. Worship is where the fount of every blessing is recharged inside us, so that the well of our salvation springs up and overflows with joy. This is the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and Advent begins with the Hanging of the Greens next week. Let’s lift our hands and lift our hearts in worship! As you prepare your heart, you might like to read and pray with Psalm 100 and Micah 6:6-8.
Worship begins at 9:00am every Sunday, in person. If you can’t be there, remember to find us on YouTube so that you can watch live from wherever you are, or join us on KVLV radio on AM980 every Sunday beginning at 9:30am. If you have ideas or questions, or if we can be in prayer for you in any way, please call the church at 775-423-4714, or call Pastor Dawn directly at 775-671-5553. We’d love to hear from you.
News and Fun Stuff
Online Giving
Everything we do to serve God and our neighbors is made possible because of your generosity. THANK YOU! If you'd like to set up online giving, head to the church website at epworthfallon.org/give.
Church Family Potluck AND DESSERT AUCTION Sunday November 24
And Then, Stay for Messy Church!
Join us for a wonderful time of food, fellowship, and learning together. It’s church, but not as you know it! We start at around 10:45am and finish up around 11:30.
Advent Bible Study Begins Sunday December 1
Our Advent study this year is called “Who Needs Christmas” by Andy Stanley. We’ll have at least one class on Sundays after worship, one on Mondays at 10:30am, and one on Wednesdays at 6pm via Zoom. There is no book to purchase this time, just video in class and discussion. Join any class, any time! All are welcome.
Thanksgiving at Fallon Daily Bread
Epworth and Scout Troop 1776 are co-hosting a BIG pre-Thanksgiving supper on Monday, November 25. It’s always a bigger than usual feast, and a fun one with the Scouts there to help. We need help most with cooking and set up, but everything else too! Thank you!
Wolf Center Community Services Update
Thanks to the hard work of Steve Russell and the nascent Wolf Center Community Services (WCCS) board of directors, we are now officially a 501c3 nonprofit! We are all settled with the IRS and the State of Nevada, and we are off and running. Now, the real work begins. Soon the Board will begin meeting regularly to refine its mission statement and bylaws, and continue to organize. And you, dear church family, have a big part to play! It turns out that there are state and federal grants available to us for capital improvements and energy efficiency to support the work we are already doing. So, the WCCS board would love to hear about your priorities and ideas. What improvements would you like to see, to help us use the Wolf Center more efficiently? Like, do you think we need some updated equipment in the kitchen, more storage, better shelving, better room dividers, better lighting, safety improvements, better air conditioning? Give us your ideas, as big and wild as you want! Don’t hold back! Share them with one or all of the board members, and we’ll talk together and come up with a design plan to present to the church (since the church remains the owner of the property, and retains the right to approve how it is used.) Here are the WCCS Board members:
Grant Mills grantmfi@cccomm.net, Steve Russell stever49@gmail.com,
Margaret Knox coke@cccomm.net, Edith Isidoro-Mills eaim@phonewave.net
Kathy Fraker kathyfraker59@gmail.com, Lori Crook, loricrook1999@gmail.com
Tammie Sheminski Tammie@churchillcoalition.com
Steve Endacott endacottsteve@charter.net, Sean Rowe seanrowe@fallonlegal.com
Glenn Wassmuth gwassmuth54@outlook.com
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