1 HOLLAND, IA November - December 2019 HEARTLINE The Colfax Center Fertile Soil? An article in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier read, “Call it luck. Call it fate. Call it whatever you want. Mark Buskohl and other Grundy County farmers are just glad they raise crops in some of the most fertile soil in the world. Geological changes thousands of years ago, combined with flat ground and favorable weather conditions, make Grundy County the garden spot of Iowa. While the county's farmland may not always produce the top yields in the state, soil experts agree it is the best.” Clearly, fertile soil is essential for fruitful harvests and as it is in the natural world so is it in the kingdom of God! Jesus focused on the necessity of having fertile hearts eager to receive the seed of God’s word in the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20). Those who hear God’s word respond in four different ways. Some people hear the message, but it’s like “water off a duck’s back.” Their minds are full of other things which make them impenetrable to God’s word. Yes, they hear what was said, but their attention shifts this way and that and any im- pact of God speaking to them is lost. Alarmingly, Satan has snatched the seed of God’s word. Others appear to respond more positively. The message fills them with immediate joy but sadly their response is inade- quate. Why? A sense of joy that is not accompanied by sorrow for sin and a sincere desire for God to change us with hope in his grace to do so is superficial. Underneath remains a rocky heart that is resistant to the lasting impact of God’s word. Trouble is the test of true Christian faith. Those who are not rooted in Christ fall away, but true faith grows stronger through pain. Still others are like soil which, though good in many respects, is infested with weeds. No weeding has been done to give an opportunity for growth. Thus, as a crop begins to grow it is soon choked out. So it is, Jesus says, with some people who hear the preaching of God’s word and its message about him. They do not allow it to root out sin in their hearts. Instead, they substitute other things for their relationship with God (even good things) so that their priorities become completely confused. How easily we make time for everything else except developing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. As a result, any fruit we bear does not mature. By contrast is the good soil. Here the seed of God’s word and the message about Jesus takes root. Weeding and plough- ing of the heart is routinely performed in the hope of a harvest of spiritual maturity. Sometimes the spiritual fruitfulness exceeds all expectations! Philip Ryken says, “A good heart is not so hardened by sin that Satan can snatch away the good seed of God’s word. It is not so shallow that it withers in the heat of trials. It is not so distracted that it gets choked off by life’s troubles and pleasures. Instead, it stays rooted in the word of God, and as a result, it bears a bountiful harvest.” O, how this parable searches our hearts! Don’t we see that we are all in this parable somewhere? This should cause us to ask some serious questions: “How am I responding to God’s word? Is my heart like shallow ground, or am I deeply rooted in the grace of God? Are pain and pleasure distracting me from the work God wants to do in my life? Does my enjoyment of the Lord give me a desire to help others know him? What is the real condition of my heart?” Pastor Bill
Transcript
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HOLLAND, IA November - December 2019
H E A R T L I N E T h e C o l f a x C e n t e r
Fertile Soil?
An article in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier read, “Call it luck. Call it fate. Call it whatever you want. Mark Buskohl and other Grundy County farmers are just glad they raise crops in some of the most fertile soil in the world. Geological changes thousands of years ago, combined with flat ground and favorable weather conditions, make Grundy County the garden spot of Iowa. While the county's farmland may not always produce the top yields in the state, soil experts agree it is the best.” Clearly, fertile soil is essential for fruitful harvests and as it is in the natural world so is it in the kingdom of God! Jesus focused on the necessity of having fertile hearts eager to receive the seed of God’s word in the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20). Those who hear God’s word respond in four different ways. Some people hear the message, but it’s like “water off a duck’s back.” Their minds are full of other things which make them impenetrable to God’s word. Yes, they hear what was said, but their attention shifts this way and that and any im-pact of God speaking to them is lost. Alarmingly, Satan has snatched the seed of God’s word. Others appear to respond more positively. The message fills them with immediate joy but sadly their response is inade-quate. Why? A sense of joy that is not accompanied by sorrow for sin and a sincere desire for God to change us with hope in his grace to do so is superficial. Underneath remains a rocky heart that is resistant to the lasting impact of God’s word. Trouble is the test of true Christian faith. Those who are not rooted in Christ fall away, but true faith grows stronger through pain. Still others are like soil which, though good in many respects, is infested with weeds. No weeding has been done to give an opportunity for growth. Thus, as a crop begins to grow it is soon choked out. So it is, Jesus says, with some people who hear the preaching of God’s word and its message about him. They do not allow it to root out sin in their hearts. Instead, they substitute other things for their relationship with God (even good things) so that their priorities become completely confused. How easily we make time for everything else except developing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. As a result, any fruit we bear does not mature. By contrast is the good soil. Here the seed of God’s word and the message about Jesus takes root. Weeding and plough-ing of the heart is routinely performed in the hope of a harvest of spiritual maturity. Sometimes the spiritual fruitfulness exceeds all expectations! Philip Ryken says, “A good heart is not so hardened by sin that Satan can snatch away the good seed of God’s word. It is not so shallow that it withers in the heat of trials. It is not so distracted that it gets choked off by life’s troubles and pleasures. Instead, it stays rooted in the word of God, and as a result, it bears a bountiful harvest.” O, how this parable searches our hearts! Don’t we see that we are all in this parable somewhere? This should cause us to ask some serious questions: “How am I responding to God’s word? Is my heart like shallow ground, or am I deeply rooted in the grace of God? Are pain and pleasure distracting me from the work God wants to do in my life? Does my enjoyment of the Lord give me a desire to help others know him? What is the real condition of my heart?”
Pastor Bill
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We can touch the lives of children and families around the world,
bringing hope through the Good News of Jesus Christ in the form of a simple gift.
Harold Whitsell is coordinating this effort. We are so thankful for your giving in the past and look forward to what we as a church can do this year in providing shoeboxes to children.
The last day to bring shoeboxes to the church is Sunday, November 17. Shoeboxes will be in the back of the Church under the coat rack.
Doreen Getting will take monetary or money donations. If you wish to give and not make a box up, contact Doreen.
Make checks out to Operation Christmas Child. Do not make them out to the Church. It is again $9.00 to be put into the box. You probably know what is allowed in boxes, but suggestions are in the folders. Any ques-
tions, talk to Harold Whitsell.
Thank you!
Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child 2019
Colfax Center’s Angel Tree Project 2019
You are invited to take an angel tag
(beginning November 17th) from the Angel Tree in the
Narthex; purchase the small gift written on the angel tag and place the gift along with the angel tag under the angel tree on or before December 22n.
The Colfax Center Care Team will gather the gifts and take them to
Wings of Refuge in Iowa Falls. Please feel free to help yourself to as
many angels as you wish. Please contact Sheila Steinmeyer or Becky Randall
with questions.
The little brown envelopes for donating to
Christmas Sacks and Pastor Bill & his family’s
Christmas Gift will be in the Narthex in December.
Please place them in the offering plate by December 16.
If you are unable to pick one up and
would like to contribute, you can send your donation to:
Colfax Center Church,
18935 K Ave, Holland 50642 Attn: Lorraine Sents
Thank You!
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Hi,
I’m Kim , daughter of Chuck and Ruth Thoren. This is my brief story on my journey to becoming a candidate for a kidney transplant.
I was diagnosed with Lupus when I was in the 8th grade. Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks itself if the lupus is not kept under control. I have been very fortunate to have had my disease managed very well (for the most part) for the majority of my life. However, in early 1990, after moving to Rochester, my lupus flared up and it affected my kidney’s. Further-more, my lupus decreased my kidney function, but thankfully no other organs were damaged.
For the next 30 years, I have had the good fortune to have my doctors at Mayo monitoring my lu-pus and kidneys in particular, and I have managed to maintain a viable kidney function. However, recently my doctors informed me that my kidney function had reached a point where I would be considered for a transplant.
So, what does all this mean. I have gone through three days of testing and have been approved as a candidate for a transplant with my team at Mayo. Upon approval, I was placed on the national transplant list. This list is rather long, though, and it could be potentially 5-7 years before a de-ceased donor could become available for me. It is highly likely that I will be on dialysis well be-fore this time.
Another option that is available is to have a living donor supply a kidney for me. This can happen in one of two ways. If someone is a match to my blood type and they would meet the criteria for being a living donor, the donor can supply a kidney directly to me. The second option involves a liv-ing donor that is not a match but would like to be a donor for me. This is called a paired donor transplant, whereby my donor would supply a kidney to another recipient with the correct blood type match, and I would receive a kidney from another donor with my blood type.
At the end of all this and through a lifetime of dealing with my lupus, I am in one of my most un-comfortable positions of all – asking someone to make a sacrifice for me and donate a kidney for my health. It is with great humility that I am reaching out to others, since I know that this pro-cedure comes with its own set of risks for anyone that is a potential donor for me. I do, however, rest on one truth that has carried me through my lupus journey – God has a plan for me and I know that HIS timing in all this will be perfect.
Below is the contact information that any potential donors can use to explore if they would be a possible donor for me. Please know that anyone that contacts Mayo is anonymous to me.
Mayo clinic donor transplant phone number: 866-249-1648
doctor appointments or any other transportation needs,
please call:
Richard Lamfers 319-825-6789 (home) 319-823-0594 (cell)
Or
Eldon Kruger 319-824-6831
Funds Receiving Your Weekly Tithes & Offerings
1st, 2nd & 3rd Sundays: General Fund
4th Sunday: Mission Fund
5th Sunday: Building/Maintenance Fund
Deacon Fund - please designate any
Sunday
Thank You to those who shared flowers on Sundays in September and October.
Thanks so much for the many great deeds of kindness
during this sad time. Thank you for the food, phone
calls, special cards, notes, and memorial gifts. We plan
to honor Jake with donations to Colfax Center
Church, GCMH, and Cedar Valley Hospice. A special
thanks to Pastor Bill for his visits and prayers. Wava,
Staci, Anna, and Joey
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2019 Annual Reports are due in the Church Office
by Monday, January 13, 2020.
Thank you!
Let’s fill the church with
poinsettias in memory of our
loved ones.
You can bring them to the lobby of the Educational Wing starting
December 1st.
Please write your name and the name of the person(s) in whose memory it
is being shared on the bottom of the plant.
The Colfax Church Family
is invited to Pastor Bill and Valerie’s home
for a Christmas Open House
Sunday, December 8, 3-5 pm
The Colfax Church Family is invited
to Pastor Bill and Valerie’s home
for a Christmas Open House December 8, 3-5 pm
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What a great mission feast we had! Thank you so much for attending and giving. The Lord has blessed Colfax Center Church annually at our mission feast. It is a joy to give to missionairies we support! Every one of them is very grateful! We were blessed to have Ben and Julie Jensen, who serve with the MTW in Japan, share during the Sunday School to have Ben preach at morn-ing worship. Please pray for all missionaries who give of themselves to do the Lord’s work. PRAISE THE LORD!
United Methodist Church Nov. 5 & 10 Ivester Church of the Brethren Nov. 12 & 17 American Lutheran Church Nov. 19 & 24 Pleasant Valley Church Nov 26 & Dec. 1 Bethany Presbyterian Church Dec. 3 & 8 Colfax Center Presbyterian Church Dec. 10 & 15 First Baptist Church Dec. 17 & 22 St. Gabriel Catholic Church Dec. 24 & 29
First Presbyterian Church Dec. 31 & Jan. 5
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November-December COFFEE FELLOWSHIP
Nov 3 Doug & Sandy Wiers Nov 10 Veterans’ Coffee Fellowship (Care Team) Nov 17 Larry and Carolyn Stahl Nov 24 Jesse, Lori and Mardean Willis
Dec 1 Steinmeyer/Samo Dec 8 Wava Hemmen Dec 15 Nathan & Amy Stahl Dec 22 Fran Harms; Carol Krull Dec 29 Pam and Donn Anderson
November-December FLOWER SCHEDULE Nov 3 - Still Available Nov 10 - Still Available Nov 17 - Still Available Nov 24 - Pat Neessen Dec 1 - Poinsettias Dec 8 - Poinsettias Dec 15 - Poinsettias Dec 22 - Poinsettias Dec 29 - Poinsettias
November/December Nursery Attendants Morning Worship Sunday School Nov 3 Pruisner Family Amy Launstein Nov 10 Willis Family Karen Boomgarden Nov 17 Wiers Family Sheryl Johnson Nov 24 Nedra Vaughan/Joyln Stahl Sandy Wier Dec 1 Boomgarden Family Kathy Pruisner Dec 8 Launstein Family Doug Wiers Dec 15 Pruisner Family Amy Launstein Dec 22 Willis Family Karen Boomgarden Dec 29 Wiers Family Lori Willis
November/December Elevator Attendants
Nov 3 Chad Pruisner Nov 10 Chuck Thoren Nov 17 Ken Harken Nov 24 Red Werkman Dec 1 Mike Dieken Dec 8 Paul Smit Dec 15 Chad Pruisner Dec 22 Chuck Thoren Dec 29 Ken Harken Jan 5 Red Werkman
