Last two Sundays in “Time With Our Kids” Pastor Millie Carroll asked kids to choose a small rock. When asked what rocks are used for, one said, “Build houses.” After several replies another mentioned, “Sometimes people throw rocks and hurt people.” Pastor Millie asked, “Then what usually happens?” One quickly answered, “A rock is thrown back.” Another, “Fights start.” Their conclusion: Don’t throw a rock, don’t throw back, don’t start fights. We want peace for everyone.
Last Sunday after guessing number of countries in the world (almost 200), each child pretended they were president/leader of 20 countries and gave up their rocks (pictured above). Pastor Millie summarized, “If every country followed your words from last week and your example today, we’d have peace throughout the world, not battles.”
IUMC dedicated all of September to peace. This included Sunday afternoons 12th and 19th inviting the public to peace games, peace crafts, making peace cranes, peace face painting, peace snacks. On September 21st, International Peace Day, people from many nationalities and faiths gathered at IUMC courtyard for a Candlelight Peace Vigil. This joined millions around the world observing International Peace Day proclaimed by the United Nations since 1981. At each, people added messages to the twenty foot Peace Banner made by Michael Bautista and to “Saipan’s Peace Wall.” Photos of these will be sent to the United Nations to include in their peace records.
For IUMC, September Sunday services focused on peace. Carroll said, “The first Sunday centered on the meaning of the peace we say God gives and we wish to each other every Sunday. The second Sunday, on human rights and needs for peace (adequate food, homes, jobs, feeling safe and IUMC’s responsibility to help in these. Third Sunday, peace without war for the world and small ways IUMC might be useful in this. Fourth Sunday, looking around us and seeing, really seeing ones in need of care and peace.”
Sunday School Teacher, Pam Carhill also focused this month’s Sunday School Bible lessons, crafts and joyous co-operative games on peace and caring for each other and the world. Connected with their Bible lessons, the children made peace cranes, peace candles they could use at the Peace Vigil, and created a peace memory game. Carhill said, “The children’s understanding about world peace was amazingly deep and encouraging. Teacher Sol Corpuz and I will be helping the kids plan for and conduct a multi-cultural Sunday service next month. We’re wondering what part one of the four year olds will choose — perhaps to direct the choir!”
Tomorrow, IUMC and Immanuel Methodist Church Filipino Congregation will join Immanuel Methodist Church (Korean) As Lito Road, Koblerville, 10 a.m. to celebrate World Communion. All are warmly invited to this multi-lingual celebration of World Communion.
Other Sundays, all are warmly invited to IUMC’s Worship Service and Sunday School 9 a.m. in Chalan Kanoa (Chalan Kanoa Drive, east of Town Center and Beach Road, near Mt. Carmel). Although very international, services are in English. For further information, contact Pastor Millie: 322-6158.
Community invited to ‘The Only Choice’ public meetings
CORNERSTONE Christian Church is inviting everyone to “The Only Choice” public meetings, a family oriented event on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2, and 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held at the CORNERSTONE Christian Church in AsPerdido.
The event theme, “Choose Life” will emphasize life as the only reasonable choice. Questions about life after death, the meaning of life, and why choose life will be answered during meetings.
Visitors will also enjoy many performances like hip-hop dancing, interpretational skits, music bands, and video presentations. They will also hear testimonies of people who have been changed from a life of hopelessness to a meaningful and purposeful life. There will also be children’s program to accommodate our young guests.
Refreshments will be served each night and some prizes will be given away during meetings.
For more information, contact Pastor Manuelito Rey at 235-8590 or check the website www.cfemcares.org.
Red flag at 16 Saipan, 2 Rota sites
(DEQ) — The Division of Environmental Quality says water samples collected from Tanapag Meeting Hall, Central Repair Shop, DPW Channel Bridge, S. Puerto Rico Dump, American Memorial Park, Micro Beach, Hafa-Adai Hotel, Hafa-Adai Drainage, Garapan Fishing Dock, Garapan Beach, Garapan Beach Drainage, Sugar Dock, Chalan Piao Beach, San Antonio Beach, PIC Beach and San Antonio Lift Station on Saipan as well as Rota’s Coral Garden and Mobil Storm Drainage contained excessive concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria that exceeded the CNMI’s marine water quality standards.
DEQ has given these locations a red flag and advises the public not to fish or swim within 300 feet of the locations for the next 48 hours or until otherwise notified.
