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NORTH CHRISTIAN CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
December 23, 2014
Volume 14, Issue 20
An Open and Affirming Congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Luke 10 Adaptive Challenge
Go forth to cultivate community from our doorstep to the ends of the earth.
And
Happy New Year!
Year!
ALONG TIPTON LANE
SYMPATHY...
Christian sympathy is extended to Janet Abrams and
family upon the death of her sister, Pam Stoner Burt,
on December 9 in Indianpolis. A celebration of Pam’s
life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2015, at
10:30 a.m. at Geist Christian Church in Indianapolis.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 5:00—
8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 16 at Geist Christian
Church.
CHRISTMAS CARD REMINDER...
Please remember AIC Katisaa as you celebrate
Christmas. You can send them a card at AIC
Katisaa, P.O.Box 886, Machakos, Kenya
Joshua Kiilu
http://www.africainlandchurch.org/https://www.facebo
ok.com/groups/103384419709879/
IN OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES:
Jessica Humpf, Johnson Memorial Hospital CCU
Bertha Maple, Greentree at Westwood, Room # 213
Henrietta Owens, Keepsake Village
Emerson Sutton, Kindred Transitional Care
HEALTH CONCERNS
Nancy Aurand-Humpf; Ruth Davee, Four Seasons;
Chuck Shaw; Debby Shaw
Janet Aurand (Mother of Nancy Aurand-Humpf); Mia
Bauman; Logan Crawford (nephew of Linda
Monroe); Wayne Ford (cousin of Bertha Maple);
Merly Miner (partner of Sharron Overby); Barbara
Taylor (friend of Bertha Maple); Burke Tinsley
(friend of Justin Monroe)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO…
January 1
January 5
January 7
January 8
January 9
January 11
January 18
January 19
January 20
January 27
January 31
Joshua Kiilu
Jerry Hayes
Ruth Davee
Jerry Karr
Kerry Kendall
Rhonda Bell
Joy Lawler
Evan Shaw
Anne O’Neill
Elizabeth Fontaine
Neal Whitson
January 2015: Visitors are Blessings
globalministries.org /bulletin/en/january-2015.html
Written by Joel Cooper
January 1, 2015
January 2014 – Visitors are Blessings
You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners
in the land of Egypt. Exodus 22:21
Huriya is a student at Ainsworth Primary School in Nairobi, Kenya’s volatile Eastleigh neighborhood. She and her family
fled nearby Somalia when extremists gained power and began forcing them to follow their radical sect of Islam. Along with
90% of the girls at Ainsworth, she wears her school uniform accessorized with a flowing white Muslim headscarf.
But the vast majority of Kenyans are Christian and many now associate Muslim Somalis with the recent wave of terror
attacks in Kenya. After explosions killed 6 people in Nairobi last year, police have been reportedly terrorizing the Somali
population. Eastleigh residents accuse police of banging on doors late at night asking for the occupants’ national
identification cards only issued to Kenyan citizens. When the refugees explain they do not have one, the police ask for
bribes. If a sufficient bribe cannot be produced, they are arrested or worse. Within months, Ainsworth went from 1500 to
1000 students.
The situation is very hard on teachers, as well. Classes are taught in Swahili and English, and senior teacher Mary’s
refugee students rarely speak either when they begin school. “We have agreed to struggle with these kids,” Mary pledged.
“I always say when I get annoyed with kids, I always tell my God, ‘Let it be for a minute, and the next minute I should be
happy with these kids.’ This kid left home to come to another mother—and sometimes I tell them that I am their
grandmother—so why should I get annoyed?”
With the devotion of Ainsworth’s teachers, some students are graduating and going to high school and on to college or
technical school. Emotionally traumatized children have been aided by educators and counselors. “We try to tell the
teachers to understand them and advise them that this place is safe, not like Somalia,” Head teacher Abdi noted. “They
have changed: not one or two—many of them.”
“Refugees want peace, and they came for peace,” Abdi shared. “They can’t go back to their country because it is insecure.
The warlords are still there. The extremists are there. The refugees say we are all human beings. Everyone can live
together with their own faiths.”
As I spoke with Adbi, he and his colleagues brought me tea and cookies. He welcomed me with genuine sincerity, looked
into my eyes, smiled, and declared: “A visitor is a blessing.”
Joel Cooper serves as a Global Mission Intern with the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue(FDCD) in Lebanon.
He previously served with Church World Service East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. His appointment is supported by Week of
Compassion, Our Churches Wider Mission, Disciples Mission Fund and your special gifts.”
NORTH CHRISTIAN CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
850 Tipton Lane
Columbus, Indiana 47201
Sunday Schedule
8:00 a.m.
Morning News Class
9:00 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages
10:00 a.m.
Fellowship & Refreshments
10:30 a.m.
Worship Service
11:45 a.m.
Fellowship & Refreshments
(Handicap Accessible ~ Childcare provided)
Church Staff
Dr. Lanny C. Lawler ……...............….... Senior Minister
Elizabeth Clark……………………....….Director of Music
Deana Bode .........................................Office Manager
Ginger Bruce …….………....…….... Weekly Custodian
Clint Imel ...............................……….Sunday Custodian
Jannis Smith …………………………Childcare Provider
Contact Information
Phone: 812.372.1531
www.northchristianchurch.com
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
About the Inspirer
The in-spire-er is published bi-weekly by the North Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ); editor. Send address changes to 850 Tipton Lane, Columbus, IN
47201. Email articles to [email protected]. The editor
reserves the right to edit articles for grammar, spelling, length, and content.

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