Friends, I continue to work with your administrative committee regarding our closure. Although we have not set a specific time for reopening, we continue to monitor new developments, regulations, and recommendations for meeting together. I will continue to provide updates via the Touchstone as we move forward with our planning. Please reach out to any member of the administrative committee with concerns or needs you may have. I pray that each of you feel God’s presence near you and that his light will shine from you during this time. Lena Anderson
From the Stewards Even though we are not meeting together yet the maintenance of our building and grounds goes on, as does our worship service through streaming. A special thanks to:
Steve and Myke Wilson for keeping up most of our lawns and to Steve for all of the extra time he has put in on the sprinkler system.
Terry Wilson for keeping the church office functioning in these difficult times.
Chris Tappero for all of the extra time he has put in helping to maintain the yard at the parsonage.
Chuck Taylor and his family for keeping up on the cleaning of the inside of the church building.
Pastor Jesse and Emily Davis for keeping us connected
electronically by streaming the worship service.
The worship team for adding music to the streamed worship services and for all of the time they spend in practice.
And everyone who continues to support the ministries of Medford Friends Church with your prayers, gifts and efforts.
As we think about these days my mind is drawn to Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Right now, one of the best ways to honor and show love to one another is by not inadvertently sharing a virus that could bring harm to someone else. One day we will be meeting in person again, and although we don’t know exactly what that might look like yet, we can uplift our church community in the meantime.
We can do this by reaching out to one another with phone calls, texts, e-mails, notes and prayers, to honor one another, and share the brotherly love we have in Jesus.
Mark Burton
Financial Update Many businesses are struggling financially in these days and we want you to understand how we are doing as a church. Year to date, we have a positive general fund cash flow of approximately $4,000. We thank God for His generous provision to us through the years and we thank everyone who continues to give to the ministry of the church. Your gifts have allowed us to avoid cutting pay or staff, as many other churches and businesses have had to do, and to help some who have struggled due to job loss and other needs. It is good to know that we will be ready to reopen when the time comes!
NEWS FROM OUR CHURCH FAMILY:
Birthdays Being Celebrated in August include:
Evan Hayes, Kitty Collins, Mandie Milam, Rita Bingham, Judy Swingle, Melody Kaufer and Gabriel Cadd.
We are trying something new for our MFC Church Family, if you have news that you would like to be included in the monthly Touchstone newsletter please email terry@medfordfriendschurch.org or call the office with the information you would like to share.
I want to give a big THANK YOU to the worship team that has been providing music for the services each week.
- Cheryl Nicholson, singer & keyboard
- Deanna Mann, singer & guitar
- Richard Mann, bass guitar
- Trisha Mann, singer
- Matthew Mann, sound & trumpet
- Dale Pickering, singer & keyboard
I also want to THANK Emily Davis for helping with streaming each week. It would not happen without her.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! Your time and effort is very much appreciated. Phyllis Krupp
Congratulations to Cody & April Taylor and family on the arrival of Baby Daughter, Willow Taylor, on July 23, 2020. We would like to welcome Willow with a gift card shower from their MFC family. Some gift card ideas would be: Amazon, Walmart, Fred Meyers and Papa Murphy’s. Please mail cards and congratulations to:
Cody & April Taylor, 291 Harrison St., Ashland, OR 97520
From the Anderson Family:
Richard Anderson recently accepted a position at Billings Clinic as a Laboratory Assistant. He moved to Montana and starts July 27th. His new address is: Richard Anderson, 639 Miles Avenue, Billings, MT 95101
George Fox University made the decision to start the academic year one week earlier this year. Classes begin August 24th. Please keep William Anderson as well as all of the other students and faculty in prayer.
From the Wilson Family:
Thank you for your continued prayer for me (Terry) and my brothers and sister as we share responsibilities in caring for our parents, Gordon and Dorothy Just. At the present they are in their home and doing well.
We are excited to have Josh, Audra and grandkids Raeleigh and Gabe in the U.S. They are transitioning to their next assignment with DOOR International and there are a lot of unknowns at the present time, please keep their family in prayer. July 31st we will have survived the quarantine period and will be able to greet them with hugs and be able to be in the same house, we are so thankful.
Raeleigh has been accepted at George Fox University. As this is being written, the University will allow her to live off campus with her Great-Grandmother, Helen Cadd.
Clynton Crisman, former pastor of Medford Friends Church, passed away June 25, 2020. He was 100 years old. Clynton and his wife, Marjorie, ministered here during the 50s, 60s, and 70s leaving Medford to serve in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Ladies! The Answer Is Yes! Pass it on, did you see the flyer or hear the announcement at Yearly Meeting that the annual Friends Women’s Fall Retreat will be VIRTUAL…More details to come. Questions please contact Nadine Brood.
Let’s Work Together to Reach Out!
Start collecting school supplies, small toys, hygiene items, and other fun things for our annual school supply and Operation Christmas Child Shoebox drive! Now, more than ever, the world needs to feel the love of Christ. These projects provide practical ways for us as a church to reach out to those in our community and around the world. Start watching for sales on school supplies (Fred Meyer and Staples tend to have great specials)! Grab one little item for a Shoebox each time you shop. Set aside a dollar a week to use toward shopping costs. Pray for the lives that will be touched. Details on collection will come later, but start gathering items now!
Ideas of things to keep an eye out for: crayons, colored pencils, pencils, pencil sharpeners, markers, pens, spiral notebooks, small note pads, small coloring books, scissors, water colors, glue sticks, erasers, pencil boxes/pouches, combs, brushes, toothbrushes, washcloths, hair accessories, play jewelry, balls, stuffed toys, jump ropes, cars, socks, etc.
Thank you!
