First Church of God

7968 U.S. 23, Risingsun, OH 43457

Website: www.risingsunfcog.org M A R C H 2023
Church email: [email protected] NEWSLETTER
Phone: 419-457-3971
Pastor Paul J Rutledge

Meditation from the Pastor, March 2023

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
 Pastor Paul’s
Meditation I’ve always been a big fan of “The Far Side” by Gary Larson. The Far Side was a single-panel
cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to newspapers for around 15 years. The
 Yacht Club series ended with Larson's retirement on January 1, 1995. His cartoon collection has been
collected in books and put on calendars for years. The humor is a little quirky and different,
 Ladies Appreciation which is the kind of humor I like.
dinner

 Safety Team One of my favorite Far Side cartoons is captioned “Super Man in his later years.” It shows an
elderly Man of Steel perched on a window ledge, ready to leap, and he looks back and says,
 Chili Cook-Off “Now, where was I going?”
 Women’s Breakfast
Club I’d like to think that as I’ve been getting older, that’s when forgetfulness starts, but the reality
is, we’re all forgetful. Forgetfulness can be amusing sometimes, and downright annoying at
 Camp Otyokwah
other times. A lack of memory toward God can be bad for us.
 God’s Storehouse
Deuteronomy talks about a time when Israel was poised to enter the Promised Land. Moses
 VBS
challenged them to “remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in
 Blood Drive
the wilderness,” (Deuteronomy 8:2), and in 8:11, to “beware that you do not forget the Lord
your God by not keeping his commandments.”
 Seagate Food Bank

 Church directory All of us forget God, and we forget him for lots of reasons. One of the main reasons we forget
God is when we go through testing. We lack the necessities of life, we go through some hard
 Lenten Services times, and we think God has forgotten us. God forgets us; hence, we forget him.

 Easter Egg Hunt

Another reason we forget God is satisfaction. When life is going well, when we’re rolling
 Maundy Thursday around in God’s blessings, we have an abundance of things, when life is good, we tend not to
think of God. We only think of God when we need something, and if we don’t have a need, we
 Son Rise service forget God.
 Baseball sign up
A final reason we forget God is pride. When life is good, when we achieve something, it’s easy
 March calendar to forget God, because we’re focused on ourselves. Our mindset is “Look what I did,” and
forget the Father that gave us that ability to achieve what we achieved.

For the month of March, I want to challenge us to remember God all year long. Make time
If you have an item to every day to remember God’s faithful provision and care. Humility, obedience, and praise to
put in the newsletter, God help us to remember all the provision God gives us. Never let the abundance of God’s
please submit it to Susie
Hoffman by the 3rd. gifts cause you to forget the giver of the gifts, the God of heaven who loves us very much.
Sunday of the month.
Susie’s email address is
[email protected]
P ag e 1
 Yacht club:
The next Men's breakfast on Camp Otyokwah
Saturday March 4th 8:30am at More than just Camp!
Tim's house. Camp Otyokwah is a Christian summer camp where
We'll be making final kids, teens, and youth get away from the routine of
preparations for the chili cook daily life and encounter an environment with unique
off. experiences that offer growth and
We'll also be working out the details for the Ladies independence. We focus on building intentional
Appreciation Dinner. and caring relationships between our staff and your
Fellowship, fun and food are always on the menu. kids.
Through these encouraging and motivating
Ladies Appreciation Dinner relationships kids develop a sense of belonging and
Is on Saturday May 13th. create an unforgettable summer memory.
Ladies mark your calendars. The food (as always)
will be fantastic and this year's entertainment is Camp Date:
going to be something we've never had before and Pioneer Camp—June 8-10
is going to be fun. Ages entering 2nd—3rd grade
Jr. High 1— June 11-16
Ages: Entering 7th-9th grade
Safety Team Junior 1— June 18-23
New member training will be on Sunday March 5th. Ages: Entering 4th-6th grade
Right after 2nd service. There is still time to join the Sr. High— June 25-30
team and participate in this training. Just let Tim or Ages: Entering 10th grade— grade
Paul know. Jr High 2 July 2-7
Ages: 7th-9th grade
Junior 2 July 9-14
Ages: Entering 4th-6th grade
Chili Cook off - Saturday March 11th
Chili Cook off, Saturday March 11. Registration
The church will pay for those that want to attend as
4:30-5pm. Dinner starts at 5pm. This year we are
long as they register before April 20th. If you
partnering with Lakota Music Boosters and 50% of
register after April 20th you will have to pay the
the proceeds going to support their upcoming
difference for not registering by the early bird date.
musical. $8 to enter a chili for the contest. Cost to
Pleases let Susie know who is registered and what
eat—Adults $8, Kids under 12 $5, family of 4 $20.
week they are going.
Meal
If you have any questions please contact Susie.
includes: Bowl of your favorite chili, cornbread,
Go to www.otyokwah.org/summer-camp.html to
dessert, and a drink (pop or water)
register.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
The Women’s Breakfast Club cannot thank our
church family, enough, for your more than generous God’s Storehouse
giving at our 2/19 pay-to-eat breakfast! So much God’s Storehouse will be putting together the Easter
delicious food and lots of good fellowship! Your food baskets. The following items are needed:
donations of $485 makes it possible for the Ketchup, Mustard, Tuna, Ramen noodles, canned
women’s group to move forward with future events pasta, spaghetti sauce, cereal, canned fruit, soup,
and/or projects! The next pay-to-eat will be a Hamburger helper, hand soap, bar soap,
Spaghetti Lunch, held on 4/16, following the toothpaste, body wash, toilet paper, dish soap, and
second church service. Those donations will very Kleenex. Please watch the expiration dates. All
possibly be shared with another cause, which will be food or monetary donations are needed by March
determined at the next ladies’ breakfast in March! 26. God’s Storehouse is located at St. James
As always, God is so very good and so are all of you! Lutheran Church, the corner of Caldwell and
March 18, 2023- Women’s Breakfast Club, 9am at Timmons Street, Bradner.
the church. If you would like to donate or help with this ministry
May 6, 2023- Tea with Tricia! Sign-up sheets on the you may call 419-288-2114.
clipboards by the end of March. P ag e 2
 Vacation Bible School
2023!!!
Prepare to “Blast Off” for a
Stella week at VBS from July
16th-20th. Come and share in
Bible adventures, games, music, snacks, high-fives,
and sciency-fun “wows” each evening from 6:00-8:15
pm. Be watching for special meeting dates and sign-up
sheets as we begin to recruit crew leaders, station
leaders, and crew members for this amazing
adventure.

American Red Cross—Blood Drive

April 20, 10am-3pm here at the church.
Please go on line and make your
appointment.

Seagate Food Bank

Seagate Food Bank has a Commodity
supplemental food program (CSFP)
There are income eligibility guidelines. If you
qualify for a food box there are variouse pick
up locations. To learn more about the Senior
Box Program or register to receive one visit—
www.seagatefoodbank.org/senior-box

Church Directory Help is needed filling the eggs and setting up

We need your help as we sometime Friday, March 31st, time TBD. If
create a new updated anyone could help it would be greatly
church directory appreciated: whether filling eggs, helping with
including your pictures. set up, donating candy for the eggs/snacks for
There will be info sheets in the bulletin and we the kids, or helping the day of! If anyone has
ask that you fill them out and put it in the questions, they can text me at (419) 455-5145
offering plate. We need you to email a family Andrea Miller.
picture to Susie @ [email protected]
and please include the names of everyone in Maundy Thursday Service: Thursday April 6.
the picture. Feet washing/Agape Love Feast/Communion.
If you don’t have a picture and would like one 6-8pm
taken please contact Susie and she will take Easter Sonrise: Sunday April 9, 6am. Breakfast
your picture. If you have any questions please following
contact Susie. Thank you.
Risingsun Little League / Pony League
Church Blooper sign up. All ages welcome. Please contact David
Crawford at 419 208 6780 or email me at
“Don’t let worry kill you—let the
[email protected].
church help”
P ag e 3
 First Church of God March 2023

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

3-5 TJ & Chris Jeff & Sandy 1 8:30-9:30 walking 2 9am Bible Study 3 8:30-9:30 walking 4 12-4pm Girl Scout
group group cookie sale
3-12 Brad & Jim D. Justin & Alana
5:30-7pm KFC 8:30am Men’s
3-19 Dean S. & Susan Jessica & Greg breakfast
7pm Bible study
3-26 Tim J. & Scott Randy & Tim W.

5 8:15am Worship 6 8:30-9:30 walking 7 8 8:30-9:30 walking 9 9am Bible Study 10 8:30-9:30 walking 11
9:30am donuts/coffee group group group
9:45am Sunday school
10:45am Worship 6:30pm Congregational 5:30-7pm KFC
12pm Safety training prayer
7pm Bible study

12 8:15am Worship 13 8:30-9:30 walking 14 15 8:30-9:30 walking 16 9am Bible Study 17 8:30-9:30 walking 18 9am Women’s
9:30am donuts/coffee group group group breakfast at the
9:45am Sunday school church
10:45am Worship 6:30pm Council meeting 5:30-7pm KFC
4pm 4-H using basement
6:30-8pm Lenten service 7pm Bible study

19 8:15am Worship 20 8:30-9:30 walking 21 22 8:30-9:30 walking 23 9am Bible Study 24 8:30-9:30 walking 25
9:30am donuts/coffee group group group
9:45am Sunday school
10:45am Worship 6:30pm Congregational 5:30-7pm KFC
prayer
7pm Bible study

26 8:15am Worship 27 8:30-9:30 walking 28 29 8:30-9:30 walking 30 9am Bible Study 31 8:30-9:30 walking
9:30am donuts/coffee group group group
9:45am Sunday school
10:45am Worship 6:30pm Congregational 5:30-7pm KFC Easter Egg setup &
prayer egg filling
7pm Bible study