The family of God here at Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome. If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer. The uniqueness of the church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century church doing. We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for. We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live. Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God’s will in all things.


POTLUCK TODAY: This is the first Sunday of the month, and we have a long tradition of eating together and having fellowship on each first Sunday of the month. Today is PICNIC! We have hamburgers, hot dogs, and all that goes with them. Please stay and enjoy the day with us. We have plenty--you know how picnics are, and this is a wonderful chance to be together.
 
PLANNING MEETINGS: There is a lot going on. The men have some property problems to discuss, and the ladies are planning a special thing for Father's Day. There is a lot to do, so stay after the picnic and get involved in the work here.

FATHER'S DAY BRUNCH: The ladies are inviting all of the men in the congregation to a brunch here at the building at 10:00 AM on June 20. Hey guys--these gals can cook!! Better be here!!

FAIR EXHIBIT: August 2-8 this congregation will have an exhibit at the Cass County Fair. Larry Fox is building the structure and the banners and signs are in process. We will begin to set up the exhibit here in the auditorium, and we are collecting the free materials we will distribute and getting them ready. What we REALLY need is for you to plan to work the booth during that week. EVERYONE needs to be involved, because one or two people cannot be there the whole time the booth is open. Please mark your calendar and save that week so we have plenty of workers. You do not have to know anything except how to smile and welcome people. We will be serving and giving the community, trying to be what the first century church was.



As most of you know, I am beginning a new chapter in my life. Last Sunday most of you met Cynthia Gift who has accepted my proposal of marriage. First of all, thank you for making her feel so welcome. She has already fallen in love with this congregation and with the brothers and sisters here. She stayed with Bill and Patty, and as you all found out, she is not shy about her convictions or her God. This lady puts me to shame with her active prayer life, her hunger for learning, and her desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone she meets. We met at a lectureship where she asked a question, but that took about three minutes. After that we were never in each other's presence, but through an incredible series of events, we ended up talking through e-mails and on the phone on a daily basis for two months, and both of us feel that the hand of God was involved in bringing us together. She is beautiful physically (in my opinion), but I fell in love with her spirit and her relationship to God before I ever saw her again.

Cynthia has been in Hong Kong for the past 13 years. She is a widow and has two children--Paul and Dane. Paul is a professor of economics at Pepperdine University, a university associated with the Church of Christ in California. Dane is completing a Masters degree in Bankok, Thailand. Cynthia returned to the states last year to care for her mother who has an Alzheimers type of illness and who lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. Cynthia has two sisters and two brothers, one of whom is returning from military service in Iraq and will be taking over care of her mother as Cynthia comes to be my wife and to work with the  Does God Exist? ministry and with the church here.

I want to thank the congregation for your patience with me during this past year. I know I have allowed my grief to spill over, and no one has complained or chastised me as I have struggled with the loss of Phyllis. Thank you for that. Phyllis begged me to find someone else when she was gone--I guess she knew how pathetic I would be on my own. I KNOW she would be more than positive about who God has brought to me to be my wife. Cynthia seems able not to be affected by the depth to which my life was intertwined with Phyl, and wants to help me move on through the last stage of life here on earth. We intend to stay here and work with this congregation and continue the Does God Exist? ministry as long as God gives us life and strength.

We intend to be married June 27 in a small family ceremony.