Parade of Thanks — This morning In Houghton at 10 - 11!

By jcrowl | Published: May 21, 2011

In a few shorts hours the band float will be joining with the others headed down Houghton’s main street down to Waterfront Park.  We will be participating in the Parade of Thanks to celebrate our active service men and women and all veterans.  We consider it an honor to be part of this event.  We’ll be singing some of our favorites as well as a few that might be new to those along the parade route.

As we participate today I am asking those who read this quick entry to say a prayer for all those who serve and have served our country.  We are blessed to have such men and women who are willing to give their all for our freedom.  We also give thanks because it enables us to worship freely throughout this land.  What a blessing they are to us and to all.

THANKS

Special thanks to Mark Koppana of the AGMK Board for not only loaning us the trailer for the float, but it is all repainted and gussied up.

Thanks to Dennis Korby who has steadfastly each year workes with all his might to ensure that this parade is a very special event and to all who work with Dennis.  You make it easy to say yes to participate and to join with you in honoring our armed forces.

JOIN US

Join us tomorrow at Grace United Methodist Church at 201 Isle Royale St. in Houghton for worship beginning at 9:30 a.m.  The band will provide the music and Mike will be praying and I will be preaching.  We are looking forward to our time with all who will attend.

PRAYERS

For Sal, who is returning from Ohio to the Copper Country after a week at a national conference.  May she have traveling mercies.

For Karl, who will be having additional surgery this week.  Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

For Jim, for the perfect job to fit his unique and special gifts given by God.

For Dan and Geof, for traveling mercies as they attend a caving reunion over Memorial weekend.

For Dana, who will be speaking tonight at an event.

For Gary and Dianne, who will be traveling to attending their grandson’s graduation.

For all who have come to the Copper Country in Mission and for all those who will be coming in Mission Summer 2011.

For our Poynette-Inch Mission Team on mission June 11-17th.

Bandmom

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Upcoming Event: Music To Heat Our Community

By jcrowl | Published: February 15, 2011

We are putting together an event to support our friends of the Saint Vincent DePaul Martha and Mary Conference and those they help with utility costs.  While it has not been a winter of extremes, the cold and increasing cost of utilities has been consistent.  So in the tradition of the Amazing Grace Praise Band, we are coordinating an afternoon of music Sunday, March 27th to raise funds for this worthy group

CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS SOUGHT FOR AN AFTERNOON OF MUSIC

Whether you perform hymns, sing solo, or perform as a choir or a praise team, we are seeking Christian Musicians to join in an afternoon of music. The event is planned for Sunday, March 27th from 2-5 p.m. in the Parish Hall of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Rockland Street in Calumet. Recruiting for participants recently began.

Our group often  joined with other Christian Musicians to fund raise.  In the past we have  successfully raised money for other non-profit ministries and charities, those needing money for medical treatment and more.  To volunteer to participate, serve on the support team, donate, or for more information musicians can contact Julie Crowl, administrator of the Amazing Grace Ministries, at jcrowl[at]mac.com.

HOMEMADE BAKED GOODS SOUGHT

If you don’t sing or place an instrument, but make a great cookie or cake, please volunteer your baking skills to support this afternoon event.  There will be snacks and a bake sale to also raise funds.  We need your help.  Contact Julie to help as well.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Bandmom


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Thoughts on Thursday: Life Verses

By jcrowl | Published: February 10, 2011

I was chatting with a friend last evening about adopting biblical life verses.  I had an opportunity to share mine (Jeremiah 29:11 — For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, not for harm but for a hope and a future) with a mutual friend of ours recently who is having a tough time with medical issues.

My friend, during our phone conversation, talked about how she is adopting Micah 6:8 (He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) She talked about how this was informing her actions as she came alongside our mutual friend and how glad she was for that guidance.

AGMK has a foundational Scripture (Matthew 25:31-46 focusing on 25:40  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”)  Our mission statement talks about “helping those who fall through the cracks — i.e., the least of these.  And we have been blessed and honored to do so since we began our construction ministry in 2001.

Each summer since 2005 we have adopted a scripture that speaks to and informs our work with the mission groups that come alongside us to help those in the Copper Country.  This coming summer  – 2011 — we will claim Mark 8:34 – Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

In future posts I will discuss our 2011 Mission Scripture in more detail, but for now each morning when you awake perhaps you can choose to say “Lord, make me a blessing to someone today.”

SCHEDULE NOTE: Due to Bandmom fighting shingles and now a cold we have canceled Portage Pointe on Sunday.  Mike is in charge of Houghton County which is still on the schedule.

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The Tuesday Times

By jcrowl | Published: February 8, 2011

Much like the New York Times, the The Tuesday Times will bring news about Amazing Grace Ministries of the Keweenaw, our activities and those we consider our family.

We are deep into February and we are currently under a Weather Advisory for Lake Effect Snow.  I am coming to appreciate this time of the year to recharge our physical selves as many animals and flora and fauna hibernate.  We are also recharging our spiritual selves and some of us are studying Romans, and another group the Prayers of Jesus.  Thankfully, most of our projects are tucked away for the season awaiting our mission teams to come to life and work to begin again.  I can hardly wait.

So for the news:

We celebrated Papa’s 94th birthday last evening.  A wonderful dinner with members of our band family and several of Papa’s friends.  Good food, great laughs and more.

We are scheduling a work day on the Hurontown projects Saturday, February 26th.  I will get notes out to all potential workgroups soon to let you know more about what we will be doing.

Things are moving forward on the afternoon of music scheduled for Sunday, March 27th from 2-5 at Sacred Heart Church in Calumet.  We are looking forward to joining with other Christian Musicians to praise the Lord and  – well — have a great time together with our audience.  Our first team has responded and we can expect the Hope Fellowship Team (a just awesome group) to be making music after 4 p.m.  We are looking forward to announcing other teams.  All the money raised will go to the St. Vincent DePaul Martha and Mary Chapter heat fund that helps many people in our area.  Hope to see you there.

Schedule Notes

Saturday, Feb 12th Houghton County sing at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Feb 13th Portage Pointe sing at 3 p.m.

Prayers

For Karl who is undergoing treatment for Cancer

For Pete who will have a bone marrow aspiration this week

For a senior student at MTU as the student undergoes testing to determine treatment for a medical situation

For Bandmom who has come down with the shingles

Thanks for safe return of Gary and Dianne from their recent trip south

For all churches

For the family of the Hurontown Project

Thanks for my friend Lois and her good works with students at MTU

Thanks for those willing to serve in mission in Christ’s name

Bandmom


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Feb. 3: Thoughts on Thursday

By jcrowl | Published: February 3, 2011

Today my Thoughts on Thursday Blog focuses on expectations and fulfillment. Today is the day after Candlemas. It was yesterday. Candle – what? I thought February 2nd was Groundhogs Day. That day has a huge and sad meaning in my family. But, thanks to my friend Amanda, I have been reminded about Candlemas, the day of presentation of the baby Jesus at the temple by his parents, which is celebrated Feb. 2. It is a day about anticipation and expectations – clear ones that were met and fulfilled.

As I understand it on that day the Spirit of God was all over the scene (read Luke 2:22-40). Jesus’ parents were Jews who followed the law and went to the temple, in accordance with purification laws for a mother after birth, to make an offering. They didn’t have to bring the child to the temple but they did. The Holy Spirit moved Simeon, a prophet, to go to the temple. There he met and took the child into his arms, and gave thanks to God. He blessed the child, saying that the babe was fulfillment of prophecy. Anna, a prophetess, who lived at the temple, also joined them, rejoiced and gave thanks to God for the babe.

Here was Jesus, the child, who was the fulfillment of prophecy and expectation. Of course Simeon had a bit more to say about Jesus and how he was to affect the religious and political life in Israel, but that is a topic for another blog.

The Christ Child brought joy and fulfillment.

Having said all this, I want to focus on anticipation that we have as Christians.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are a new creation. As we mature in our faith walk then our focus shifts from what is in it for us to how can we serve in Christ’s name. How can we bring our gifts and talents to bear on His behalf?

Here in the Copper Country and AGMK we anticipate and have expectations. We are expecting spring – really. Following spring those of us involved with the Amazing Grace Ministries are expecting a great summer of mission. In June we will go out in mission to Poynette, WI. We will be joining our great friends from the WI-VIM mission group and we looking forward to having a great team. We will host two, maybe three mission teams this summer to build and be the face of Christ throughout the area. We anticipate working on two projects currently under way. And we are looking forward to singing each month at nursing homes and at the March 27th afternoon of music along with other Christian musicians to support the heat fund for St. Vincent DePaul to help those in need.

Some of the core members of our ministry were recently reflecting how much we feel called to what we do. How it is a vital force in our lives. How blessed we feel to do what we do. Perhaps this is why we have a vision for our walk together to serve in Christ’s name. The Holy Spirit has called, and we are listening, and responding.

Schedules

Singing continues:

Saturday, Feb 5th at 3 p.m. at Cypress Manor in Hancock

Saturday, Feb 12th at 2 p.m. at Houghton County Medical Care Facility in Hancock

Sunday, Feb 13th at 3 p.m. at Portage Pointe in Hancock

Sunday, Feb 27th at 2:30 p.m. at Bayside Village, L’Anse. Meet at Julie’s at 1:30 p.m.

Construction: We need to schedule at day at the Hurontown Project. Please contact me so that we can determine what fits well with everyone’s schedule.

Prayers

– For little Adom, a preemie, and his parent’s Emmanuel and Esther. We give thanks that at a recent check his eyes will be ok! Continue to pray for his growth and health.

– For Karl, who is receiving treatment for cancer. We pray that the chemo eradicates the disease and he returns to full health. For his family.

– For Papa, who will be turning 94 on Feb. 7th. We will celebrate his life as a band family and sing for joy!

– For Our Hurontown project and the family.

– For Chuck, who is receiving treatment for Cancer.

– For Kathy, who is a generous soul.

– For traveling mercies, as Gary and Dianne return to the Copper Country.

– For Ron, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

– For Pete, for remission, health and a match for a Bone Marrow Transplant.

– For our children and for those who do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior, that He may move in their lives.

– For members of the MTU Rotaract members and the MTU E-prise group who work with us in service to members of our community.

– For the supporters of the AGMK music and construction ministries.

– For those considering going on mission to WI the week of June 12th

– For our friends, family and  mission team members that have served or will serve here in the Keweenaw as they deal with snow and ice and low temps.  Be careful out there!

God Bless,

Bandmom

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All I Want For Christmas Is To Say Thank You!

By jcrowl | Published: December 18, 2010

One week from today is December 25th and Christmas.  That day when we receive a wonderful and merciful savior, light of the world and the little lamb that rescued us all.  How amazing it is that this day at one moment seems so far off and then at a glance is just around the corner.  What a gift we have received in Jesus Christ.

But gifts springing out of Christ happened all year long in 2010.  I want to give thanks to the team that went to GCCP on the East End of the Upper Peninsula.   What a gift your work was and a joy our relationships with you.  Most have returned to school or work, but one has moved onto to basic training in the Navy (prayers for Eric W. please).  I smile when I think of you all and the moments we shared on our great adventure in being the arms, legs and heart of Christ.

Thank you to the following mission teams who came to the Keweenaw to join us in our projects and to write on the hearts of people with the Spirit:

- - WiVim team from Poynette Wisconsin.  What a joy it was to work with you again and what we accomplished in our community is truly astounding.  It was fun to witness the neighbors of our Liberty Street Project working on their homes.  Thank you for bringing hope to this neighborhood.

–  The First UMC of Royal Oak team.  You guys rock and you really got our Fifth Street Project off to a serious start.  Thank you!  I look forward to learning about your 2011 team trip on Facebook.  Thanks especially for starting the siding project at Larry’s house.

– Trinity UMC from Pennsylvania.  Whoa — you worked in three sites and got lots done, including the siding of  Larry’s house (Jan is in heaven).  We loved having you in Michigan and in the U.P. to share your spirit and your hearts.

– I wanted to say thanks to our Mission Assistants — Katelyn Kelley and Craig Anderson.  What a gift your efforts were and they really made our weeks go smoothly.  I see Katelyn smiling and I have a vision on Craig playing the Ukulele as he grills the meat for our end of week celebrations!

This fall we have been blessed with volunteers from a number of places, primarily though, Hope Church as we built ada ramps, worked on the Hurontown Project and the ramp in Hancock.  Thank you so much.

Thanks too to all the folks who helped with the Marrow Registry Drive in honor of Pete Nissila as we seek to provide a match for a bone marrow transplant.  How touching and hard working  you were especially the Finlandia Nursing Students and the MTU Rotaract Students.  Thank you for the gift of your energy and optimism which you so generously brought to the day.

So, now that I look at it I see that gifts have been pouring down all around and I thank God for all of you.  God Bless and Merry Christmas.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for our band friend Karl S. who has had a return of cancer.  He will be seeking treatment and  surgery at Mayo Clinic in January.

Please pray for our friends Emmanuel and Esther who gave birth prematurely to their son ADOM who weighed 2 lbs at birth.  Pray for his growth and health.

Please pray for traveling mercies for all who will be traveling to visit families this holiday season, especially for Geof who will visit from Salt City.

Please pray for friends of mine whose marriage is on rocky ground.

Please pray for churches throughout our land and the world, and  that revival will come infect us all.

God Bless you all real good!

Bandmom

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A Bit About The Past & The Future

By jcrowl | Published: November 1, 2010

Lots of past — three wonderful mission groups this past summer that blessed us, continued work through the fall and our recent weekend’s work.

This past Saturday we were at the Caledonia St. Ramp project.  A wonderful day.  I want to give thanks to a great group of workers:  Jon & Tom from Hope Fellowship Church of Houghton, Josh from MTU Enterprise Group, Mike, Dan and Jason from AGMK.  Great work guys.  We are hours away from completing the ramp (in a race with the weather I am afraid — :^().

Here are some pictures from our work day:

Guys discuss the work day.

Guys discuss the work day.

We started the day at 9:00 a.m. and got ready to work.  Snow showed its ugly head!

Tom and Josh load 5x5 platform into p/u for transport to work site.

Tom and Josh load 5x5 platform into p/u for transport to work site.

One 12 x 12 ramp section and two 5 x 5 platforms have been stored in Larry’s yard since this past summer.  This is what Tom and Josh moved to start off the work.

Dan tallies up lumber needs.

Dan tallies up lumber needs.

After Dan got our “shopping list in order, I went with Tom and Josh to 41 Lumber (thanks Ross and Mickey for your help) to get the remainder of the wood for the project.

Then the work began in in earnest.

Guys position the second platform (first built last weekend).

Guys position the second platform (first built last weekend).

Making sure the posts are level.

Making sure the posts are level.

Dan and Jason discuss two ramp sections as they place them.

Dan and Jason discuss two ramp sections as they place them.

Jason, Tom, Mike and Jon adjust placement of ramp section.

Jason, Tom, Mike and Jon adjust placement of ramp section.

While we got close there is two sections to complete on the ramp on next Saturday.  Pray for help — most of the guys who worked on Saturday will be out of town — so if you have a chance to help contact me to learn more about how you can help; Jcrowl [at] mac.com.  One last look at the project at the end of the day:

fall-2010-362

SCHEDULE

This is an interesting month schedule wise.   As follows:

- Saturday, Nov. 6th 9-1:30 Ramp work at the Caledonia St. Project; Cypress Manor for singing 3 p.m

- Saturday, Nov. 13th — Houghton Country Medical Care Facility singing at 2:00

– Sunday, Nov. 14 — Portage Pointe singing at 3 p.m.

We will not sing at Bayside Village this month, but will be with the residents there twice in December.

There have been a number of prayer requests as follows:

For Chuck, Dana, Bob S. and praise for the birth of Charlotte Mae, making Laura and Mike grandparents for the fifth time!  God is Good!

Until the next time,

Bandmom

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Day One with WI-VIMers

By jcrowl | Published: June 28, 2010

Today was the first day with the WI-Vimers at our work sites.

We are working on two work sites at this point in the week.  The first is continued work on the Liberty Street Project.  It was a great day.  Since most of this crew were here last year it was right to work since the dry wall and supplies were already in place.  Great!  So they made it down the stairway, almost finished drywalling the dining room and also painted the master bedroom.  Thanks for hard work to Ron, Ron, Sharon, LaVina and Trevor.  Thanks to Katelyn, our mission assistant, and to Jan and Larry for hosting our meals at their beautiful deck.

The other site was out in Elo.  We had our ramp crew — Andy and Mel — along with Colton, Kevin and Dylan at work with Mike.  It was fun at dinner (thanks for inviting Dan and I to dinner) to listen to Andy describe how the team traveled to Elo — kinda an over the river and through the woods tale!

Planning going on for tomorrow — continued work at Liberty Street, visiting a new site, visiting an organization that has seniors with home repair needs and more.

What a blessing today has been!  Keep us in your prayers as we work together.

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Countdown to Mission to GCCP

By jcrowl | Published: June 9, 2010

Tonight an e-mail was sent to our 2010 GCCP Mission Team members and/or their parents reminding them of things they might want to pack for the mission week to God’s Country Cooperative Parish.  At this time in the evening (8 p.m.) four days from now we will be wrapping up our orientation session at Newberry UMC for the mission week and heading back to our home away from home — Halfway Lake Resort.  There we will spend some time chatting and then turn in for some sleep to fuel our work.

I know that I have learned to prepare for mission weeks and then sit back. (I think of the song “Standback” that we sing.)   I try not to have expectations because in the long run that really limits me and our teams during the weeks.  I do know though that I can expect good experiences, greeting old friends and meeting new friends.

Some of our regular team had the opportunity to visit one of the work sites at GCCP this past January and meet the owner.  What a gift.  Then in April we learned of the possibility of two more sites and are excited to work at all the sites in coordination with Katie, her interns and our worksite coordinators.  At the same time we have been talking with and praying for those who will be served in the Keweenaw this summer.

So I ask our readers to pray for us, for our teams and the people we will serve.   For God to keep us all safe in our travels and safe during all our work and play.  We’ll keep you posted

Thanks,

Bandmom

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GCCP Mission Week & More

By jcrowl | Published: May 18, 2010

Our week of mission to GCCP will be here before we know it!  We will leave after our church service at Grace UMC on June 13th about 11 -11:30 a.m.   We will meet with Katie Peterson, our contact and leader for the week and her interns, at 7 p.m. at the Newberry United Methodist Church.  We will have orientation and then head to our home away from home at Halfway Lake Cabins. On Monday we begin our week of service.

Today Dianne Hansen, our AGMK cook surpreme and Sarah Anderson (nickednamed mini-Julie since she is my legs) met to plan out our menus.  I will tell you Dianne is going to be preparing some great meals for us to enjoy and to sustain us during the week.  There will be an Italian Night, a Mexican Night, an All Birthday Night — wow!  We will share two meals with Katie and various folks at the East End of the U.P.   And ladies from Grace UMC and friends will be preparing cookies, cakes and bars for us to munch for snacks.  We also planned our untensils and needs from a practical standpoint.  Thank you ladies for being so conscientious about this phase of our preparation.

To fund raise we have  a booth at church and we are selling “hammers” for $1 or more, a quilt raffle and individual and team sponsorships. We have had many generous donations.  Last weekend three of the team members worked at a home planting trees and more to earn donations to their funds for mission.  We still have other opportunities for yard work, and car  and dog washing, available for the guys and gals going on mission to earn money for their individual funds.

This week paperwork will go out to all team members.  This is a very important part of our preparation and we do use this material during our week for administrative purposes.   Please remember that a notary will need to endorse these forms.  We are hoping to meet together at my House (Bandmom’s home in Hancock) June 4th to share a meal and to turn in paperwork and answer any questions folks may have about the week.

Schedule

I had the pleasure of talking to Lars this morning and e-mailing with Paul and Maryann about our upcoming worship time at Houghton Baptist Church this coming Sunday, May 23rd.  We are looking forward to joining this community for services at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to share song and the story of our work in the Keweenaw and on the Eastern End of the U.P.  We will be focusing on 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 for our message.

Then in two weeks we will be worshiping at our home church, Grace United Methodist Church in Houghton.  We are excited about sharing our plans for the upcoming mission season all in context of the widow of Zarephath written about in 1 Kings 17.  This service begins with Praise at 9:15 a.m. and the Worship service at 9:30 a.m.

As we come to the end of May we also come to the end of our monthly visits to area nursing homes until this coming September.  We’ll really miss our friends at Houghton County Medical Care, Cypress Manor, Portage Pointe and Bayside Village during our summer work.  But, we can’t do both our mission weeks and sing each weekend at the various sites.  We are — gasp — getting older and there is only so much energy available.  However, we will have one last visit to BAYSIDE VILLAGE on May 30th — so  we’ll get hugs to tide us over the summer months.

Then we will be preparing to be joined by the following groups for the following mission weeks here in the Keweenaw:

WI-VIM June 27-3

Royal Oak UMC July 11-16

Trinity UMC, PA Aug 8 - 13 along with some folks from  WI

More soon — pray for these mission weeks and these times of worship.  Keep our country and our leaders in your prayers and our local churches.

Bandmom

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