As human beings we have this capacity for love that is a grand gift from God, yet our humanity quite often acts as an obstacle to the love we are capable of giving and even to the love others want to show us.

We shut down our thinking, refusing new ways or ideas. We make decisions centered around the needs we perceive as most urgent rather than what God knows and has revealed to us as most vital.

As we consider the gifts of family and friends during this Thanksgiving Season, will you ponder the mission critical task in your life: to love others with a thankful heart for who they are, just the way God has made them?

The temptation will always be present to walk through our days with bitter, disinterested or dissatisfied hearts. But,...

Time is short.Life is God's gift to us, with all the ups and downs we encounter in it.Life is not perfect because we are imperfect. Yet we are to get up every morning, with optimistic and thankful hearts, because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and all of humanity.

Continued on next page.

is Him.

Caldwell Brethren Connection November 2013

Church10:30 am

Sunday School 9:30 am

Caldwell Brethren Church401 South Main

Caldwell, TX 77836(979) 567-7203lifeatcbc.org

Minister – Rev. Vanessa MitchellContact Info: Cell (979) 574-0268E-mail - lajoiededieu@gmail.comAddress: 2070 Carter Lake Drive

College Station, TX 77845Office Hours – Wed. 4:30-7:30 PM

Information Deadline for December Newsletter: Nov. 17,

2013

Contact Information or Suggestions for Newsletter:Connie Maresh – Phone Number (979) 567-3138E-mail - cfmaresh49@yahoo.com

What makes us feel loved?

A gift...A hug...A thoughtful gesture, like when someone you love takes on something for youfrom your to-do list...

October 9th Board of Elders Meeting Meeting was called to order by President Matthew Hyvl.

Items of Interest of Meeting – 7 members present and Rev. Vanessa Mitchell Devotion volunteer for November – Rose Autrey Reports were presented and accepted. Building report – Fellowship building men’s restroom partly completed and

painter will be starting soon on both buildings. Pastor gave her report. Game night will continue on 1st & 3rd Wednesdays. Tabled purchase of tables and carpet replacement in Fellowship building. Will get bids to have carpet cleaned in Fellowship building. November Veterans luncheon postponed until later - possibly Memorial Day? Idea - Project Graduation may be one of Church’s Outreach programs. Sister Vanessa and Anna getting candy & bags for “Trunk-A-Treat” for

children to be given out in front of church on Oct. 31st – 5:30-7:30 pm. Fall meeting agenda discussed. Fall Meeting – Sunday, Nov. 24th after church. The nominating committee, consisting of Ben Trcalek, Bettie Poehl, and Rose

Autrey, will be contacting prospective candidates to serve as elders for the new year.

Carolyn Groseclose will conduct Mission Service on the 2nd Sunday of November, 11/10.

Pastor’s new office hours – Sun. 8:30-9:30 am and 12 noon to 2:00 pm, Game Night and whenever she is needed.

Submitted by Secretary, Rose Autrey  

From the Pastor - Continued

The Apostle Paul puts it best in his letter in the Bible to the Philippian Church, Philippians, Chapter 2, Verses 1-5:

1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

During this season of Thanksgiving, will you love yourself and others with the mind of Jesus Christ?What could you do to demonstrate thankfulness for the most important gift you have in your life- Jesus Christ?

In Christ's Joy and Strength,Sister Vanessa

3 – Carl Maresh 10 – Matthew Hyvl 17 – Margaret Haisler 24 – Ben Trcalek

Average Attendance for September - 34

October 6 – 28 October 13 – 22 October 20 – 22

Prayer RequestsOur Church FamilyOur Country

Ruth BaasenVickie BrandonHubert HaislerMargaret HaislerMatthew HuffmanBetty MareshSister Vanessa MitchellFrieda PolasekBrenda SchroederBillie Ann Whatley

Mickey GroceKaren KostohryzAlex (Bobby) MartinezMartha MartinezVickie MasonTony & Giselle MoralesJerry OdstrcilDanny OrtizRosa RenshawRay ShawLivia SolizDon & Marilyn SuttonPatricia TompkinsSitera WarrenDoug WesleyRankin WilliamsKayla Williams

Our MissionariesCarolyn Groseclose – Northern AfricaPastor Pavel & Stanya Kozak- Czech Republic Phil & Eunice Raiford - Eastern Nicaragua Robert & Anne Thiessen- Southern MexicoMichael & Caroline Woo- China

All Military Personnel Serving & Protecting Our CountryLaw Enforcement Police Officers & 1st Responders

Church Statistics

Month of November

November Birthdays

10 – Betty Maresh 14 – Annie Polasek 16 – Leo Maresh 26 – Karli Maresh 30 – Shirley Kostohryz

November Anniversaries 22 – Joel & Vanessa Mitchell

We will observe Holy Communion on the first Sunday of the month, November 3rd.

We are so excited! We have had two little girls (Lillian and Miranda) join us in Sunday School. Anna Wotipka and Matt Hyvl are their teachers. We want to say “Thank You” to the parents of these sweet little girls for sharing them with us. As we sing each Sunday, God loves all the little children and so do we. We invite you to come and join with us to fellowship and study God’s word. We are never too old or too young to learn.

The Caldwell Brethren Christian Sisters will be gathering items in the next couple of weeks to fill shoe boxes for “Operation Christmas Child”. (An information sheet will be included with the Sunday bulletin.) The boxes will be supplied by the Sisters. Supplies can include: school supplies, toys, hygiene items, and other miscellaneous items. Please help us pack these boxes with love, prayers and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with a hurting Child. That’s the power of a simple gift.

The Caldwell Christian Sisters held their meeting on October 13, 2013. 9 members and Sister Vanessa were in attendance.

Sisters presented Sister Vanessa with an edible arrangement and balloon to help celebrate her birthday.

All reports were given and approved. Will provide food for 2 families during Thanksgiving season. Participate in “Operation Christmas Child” for Christmas Season – giving of shoe

boxes full of goodies for children in all parts of the world. Christmas meal on Dec. 8th will be catered turkey & dressing with ladies

bringing side dishes and desserts. Meetings will continue on the second Sunday of the month. Supplied meals for two of our members to let them know how much they mean

to us as a Church family. Donated a gift certificate as a love gift to a member.

Our next meeting will be after the Sunday Noon Church Luncheon on November 10th. We welcome one and all to come and join us.

Caldwell Christian Sisters News

THE ART OF THANKSGIVING By Wilferd A. Peterson

The art of thanksgiving is thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly. It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good. It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you by doing things for others. It is thanking God for opportunities by accepting them as a challenge to achievement. It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy. It is thanking God for beauty by helping to make the world more beautiful. It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others. It is thanking God for health and strength by the care and reverence you show your body. It is thanking God for the creative ideas that enrich life by adding your own creative contributions to human progress.It is thanking God for each new day by living it to the fullest.It is thanking God by giving hands, arms, legs, and voice to your thankful spirit.It is adding to your prayers of thanksgiving, acts of thanksliving.

If you haven’t tried Family Night on the 1st & 3rd (Nov. 6th and Nov. 20th ) Wednesdays of the month from 6-7:30 pm, you are missing some great fellowship, food, fun and games. We have “42” dominoes, Chickenfoot dominoes, Uno, and other games and are open to any ideas for more.Come Check It Out!

Games & Fun

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS

Set clocks back one hour on November 3rd.

November 2013Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

           1  2

 3Holy CommunionDaylight Savings Time Ends

Usher:Carl Maresh

 4  5  6Family Night

6:00 PM

 7  8  9

 10Guest Speaker – Carolyn Groseclose

Noon Fellowship Meal & Christian Sisters Meeting

Betty Maresh

Usher:Matthew Hyvl

 11

Veterans Day

 12  13Board of Elders

Meeting7:00 PM

 14

Annie Polasek

 15  16

Leo Maresh

 17

Usher:Margaret Haisler

 18  19  20Family Night

6:00 PM

 21  22Joel & Vanessa Mitchell

 23

 24Congregational

Meeting after Church

Usher:Ben Trcalek

 25  26

Karli Maresh

 27  28

Thanksgiving

 29  30

Shirley Kostohryz

Caldwell Brethren Church401 South MainCaldwell, TX 77836(979) 567-7203 lifeatcbc.org

Minister – Rev. Vanessa MitchellCell (979) 574-0268E-mail - lajoiededieu@gmail.comOffice Hours – Sun. 8:30–9:30 AM Noon-2:00 PM