Mission Magic
Click below to download the promotional materials and forms for the Mission Magic event.
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Silent Auction Items
- Dinner for four on Little Long Lake at a mutually convenient time
- Dinner for 5 on Bear Island Lake, choice of Moroccoan or Singaporean
- German dinner for 6 on Garden Lake
- Afternoon of mending/ironing/darning socks, buttons, repairs, etc.
- Cocktail cruise(weather permitting) and dinner for four at Burntside Lake cabin, in August
- Handcrafted wooden ipad/tablet holder with cork bottom
- Half Day guided canoe trip w/fishing if desired on Lake One from June 22-27 for 1-4 persons(please specify at bid). Guests must bring own lifejackets.
- Two (2) personal guided tour of Ely-Winton Historic Society by historian David Kess for 1-4 persons approximately 45-60 minutes
- Original glazed pottery platter and large pottery candle
- Original handknitted shawl
- Original watercolor
- One plate of peanut butter/chocolate bars
- One baby quilt
- One hand knit baby sweater and cap
- Octagonal tabletopper, yellow, green, white and daisy print
- Three summer pies (June, July, August) Baker’s Choice or requests
- Two pine knot carvings
- Basket of Best of Summer Reading (unsure now if for adult or child or both)
- Two hours of computer assistance
- Medium size hooped beaver pelt
- 8 X 10 print of the northern lights at Burntside Lake “Wish Upon a Star” by Kris Kidd
- Homemade jams and jellies
- Canoe trip for 2 to Hegman Lake pictographs
- Hanging weaving of church
About the bdecan ministry
Dear Members and Friends,
This year our Mission Committee has chosen to join the efforts of other Presbyterian churches in our state and our country at the Bdecan (Buh-DAY-Chan) Presbyterian Church on the Spirit Lake Reservation in northeastern North Dakota. This is the only Native American Presbyterian Church in the State.
The total population of the Spirit Lake Nation is 6,000 with most residing within four distinct districts. The unemployment rate is near 50% and the average annual income is $3,900. The major geographic feature of the 405 square mile reservation is Devil's Lake, which covers over 1/3 of the reservation. The lake has no outlet and in recent years has been rising. The resultant flooding has caused the loss of many homes and even some small towns. The needs are staggering. One of the biggest challenges on the reservation is an alarmingly high incidence of sexual abuse. Alcohol and drug abuse are prevalent.
You may know about the Spirit Lake Reservation from the PBS Frontline documentary, Kind Hearted Woman, the story of a reservation woman struggling to overcome alcoholism and abuse, to finish her college education, and above all to regain custody of her children. Or maybe you know about Spirit Lake from news coverage of the congressional hearings after the Bureau of Indian Affairs took over the social services system, due to its failure to protect children from generations of abuse.
The church was founded as a mission church in 1879 and formally organized in 1881. A new church built with volunteers and donations was dedicated in 2001. In 2010 the Northern Plains Presbytery asked individuals and congregations to follow their passion to find new ways to engage in mission. Twelve congregations joined together to form the Bdecan Ministry Team. This ministry includes a full-service pantry and clothing distribution center now located in the original wooden church building open one day per month. The food pantry is funded on a monthly basis by the Northern Plains Presbytery.
A major obstacle to creating a sustainable mission to Bdecan in the past was the absence of a fulltime pastor or staff. The pastor from Devil's Lake served the community part-time but there was no one living and working with the people on a daily basis. In 2013 a new seminary graduate, Joe Obermeyer, was hired as the Youth and Outreach Coordinator. There is now a Sunday School program for pre-school and elementary children, a Wednesday evening children's program, and a youth ministry program.
In 2015 and again this year a group of women from the Rochester, MN Presbyterian Church will travel to Spirit Lake to host Vacation Bible School, meet with members of the church, and bring blankets, scarves and hats, new underwear, hot lunches, snacks and food supplies. Each year several church mission groups, from as far as South Carolina and Virginia, host Vacation Bible School for 40-60 children. They are our spark and inspiration. Several of our members have assisted Heide Buettner in making colorful fleece blankets, scarves and hats for infants toddlers the Rochester group will deliver this year.
First Church Ely Mission Committee and Session hope to raise funds to purchase three Easy Reader Series Bible Story Books to be left with each child and to provide toothbrushes/toothpaste, and small backpacks and underwear if funds allow. New underwear and socks (used is not a workable option) are always needed and gently used clothing is most welcome. The Mission Team also sponsors a fall winter clothing drive which makes it possible for the children to ride the school bus, attend school and have a hot lunch during frigid temperatures. Foster homes are needed for many of the youth; their few belongings must then carried be to another house in a plastic bag. We can do better! To avoid any misunderstanding, FPC will pay for the VBS books for the Rochester Team. We are not requesting you purchase books, underwear or backpacks, etc. All funds we raise are sent to the Bdecan Mission Team administered by Presbytery of the Plains. Combined with gifts from other congregations and friends, this enables Bdecan Church to purchase items in quantity and have them delivered at the same time as well as to support the local economy. It also saves us shipping costs. So now you ask, how can we do this?
The Mission Committee has planned a MISSION MAGIC evening for Tuesday, June 21at 7:00P.M. (Doors open at 6:30 P.M.) featuring a Prime Time Pie Party dessert and a silent auction offering items and certificates from our own members. We will share our time and talents and blessings with others. We suggest those with a particular skill/talent/interest such as painting, weaving photography, ceramics, sewing, quilting, oils, watercolors, woodwork, etc. bring an item(s) they crafted to be offered for sale that evening. If you have another skill/talent/interest like fishing, canoeing, hunting, snowshoeing, boating, cooking, baking, etc., please offer to share it and your time. For example: canoe trip for ?# to Hegman Lake pictographs with/without snacks or lunch; a fishing trip for # ? with/without bait; snowmobile outing next winter; serving or delivering a dinner for two or more; baking a pie; making jams, jellies, pickles or potica. ETC. A form is attached to assist you in thinking about or planning what you could share that evening as God works through us to serve others; have fun with it.
How about babysitting, dog-walking, computer help, record keeping, car washing, etc. etc. All you need is imagination and the willingness to help our congregation come together and share fellowship while making lives better for others. Please join us in this unique opportunity to make a difference and encourage others to participate. Simply fill out and return the attached form as soon as possible to the Church office or a Mission Committee member or call or email Muffin Nelson, Mission Committee Chair at 218-235-1912 or muffinely@gmail.com and say "Count Me/Us In!" Other event committee members in our directory, Heide Buettner, Pat Bieber, Claire Taylor, Sandy Brandley, Jeannie King and Val Beale would welcome your calls, ideas or comments. Do call us before we call you! Helpers and/or Pies would be appreciated for the event as well. Information and photos of the Bdecan Church and Spirit Lake Nation are displayed in the Fellowship Area. A Sign-up sheet will be in the Fellowship Area with more information to follow in the bulletins and Minute for Missions during the month of June.
Plan to be at the church on June 21 for a fun, unforgettable evening making Mission Magic; bring your friends and neighbors. If you can't be present or don't currently have goods or a service to offer, be assured your checks or cash would be welcome and greatly appreciated - just mark them for Bdecan.
Thank you. 2016 Mission Committee, Muffin Nelson, Chair
This year our Mission Committee has chosen to join the efforts of other Presbyterian churches in our state and our country at the Bdecan (Buh-DAY-Chan) Presbyterian Church on the Spirit Lake Reservation in northeastern North Dakota. This is the only Native American Presbyterian Church in the State.
The total population of the Spirit Lake Nation is 6,000 with most residing within four distinct districts. The unemployment rate is near 50% and the average annual income is $3,900. The major geographic feature of the 405 square mile reservation is Devil's Lake, which covers over 1/3 of the reservation. The lake has no outlet and in recent years has been rising. The resultant flooding has caused the loss of many homes and even some small towns. The needs are staggering. One of the biggest challenges on the reservation is an alarmingly high incidence of sexual abuse. Alcohol and drug abuse are prevalent.
You may know about the Spirit Lake Reservation from the PBS Frontline documentary, Kind Hearted Woman, the story of a reservation woman struggling to overcome alcoholism and abuse, to finish her college education, and above all to regain custody of her children. Or maybe you know about Spirit Lake from news coverage of the congressional hearings after the Bureau of Indian Affairs took over the social services system, due to its failure to protect children from generations of abuse.
The church was founded as a mission church in 1879 and formally organized in 1881. A new church built with volunteers and donations was dedicated in 2001. In 2010 the Northern Plains Presbytery asked individuals and congregations to follow their passion to find new ways to engage in mission. Twelve congregations joined together to form the Bdecan Ministry Team. This ministry includes a full-service pantry and clothing distribution center now located in the original wooden church building open one day per month. The food pantry is funded on a monthly basis by the Northern Plains Presbytery.
A major obstacle to creating a sustainable mission to Bdecan in the past was the absence of a fulltime pastor or staff. The pastor from Devil's Lake served the community part-time but there was no one living and working with the people on a daily basis. In 2013 a new seminary graduate, Joe Obermeyer, was hired as the Youth and Outreach Coordinator. There is now a Sunday School program for pre-school and elementary children, a Wednesday evening children's program, and a youth ministry program.
In 2015 and again this year a group of women from the Rochester, MN Presbyterian Church will travel to Spirit Lake to host Vacation Bible School, meet with members of the church, and bring blankets, scarves and hats, new underwear, hot lunches, snacks and food supplies. Each year several church mission groups, from as far as South Carolina and Virginia, host Vacation Bible School for 40-60 children. They are our spark and inspiration. Several of our members have assisted Heide Buettner in making colorful fleece blankets, scarves and hats for infants toddlers the Rochester group will deliver this year.
First Church Ely Mission Committee and Session hope to raise funds to purchase three Easy Reader Series Bible Story Books to be left with each child and to provide toothbrushes/toothpaste, and small backpacks and underwear if funds allow. New underwear and socks (used is not a workable option) are always needed and gently used clothing is most welcome. The Mission Team also sponsors a fall winter clothing drive which makes it possible for the children to ride the school bus, attend school and have a hot lunch during frigid temperatures. Foster homes are needed for many of the youth; their few belongings must then carried be to another house in a plastic bag. We can do better! To avoid any misunderstanding, FPC will pay for the VBS books for the Rochester Team. We are not requesting you purchase books, underwear or backpacks, etc. All funds we raise are sent to the Bdecan Mission Team administered by Presbytery of the Plains. Combined with gifts from other congregations and friends, this enables Bdecan Church to purchase items in quantity and have them delivered at the same time as well as to support the local economy. It also saves us shipping costs. So now you ask, how can we do this?
The Mission Committee has planned a MISSION MAGIC evening for Tuesday, June 21at 7:00P.M. (Doors open at 6:30 P.M.) featuring a Prime Time Pie Party dessert and a silent auction offering items and certificates from our own members. We will share our time and talents and blessings with others. We suggest those with a particular skill/talent/interest such as painting, weaving photography, ceramics, sewing, quilting, oils, watercolors, woodwork, etc. bring an item(s) they crafted to be offered for sale that evening. If you have another skill/talent/interest like fishing, canoeing, hunting, snowshoeing, boating, cooking, baking, etc., please offer to share it and your time. For example: canoe trip for ?# to Hegman Lake pictographs with/without snacks or lunch; a fishing trip for # ? with/without bait; snowmobile outing next winter; serving or delivering a dinner for two or more; baking a pie; making jams, jellies, pickles or potica. ETC. A form is attached to assist you in thinking about or planning what you could share that evening as God works through us to serve others; have fun with it.
How about babysitting, dog-walking, computer help, record keeping, car washing, etc. etc. All you need is imagination and the willingness to help our congregation come together and share fellowship while making lives better for others. Please join us in this unique opportunity to make a difference and encourage others to participate. Simply fill out and return the attached form as soon as possible to the Church office or a Mission Committee member or call or email Muffin Nelson, Mission Committee Chair at 218-235-1912 or muffinely@gmail.com and say "Count Me/Us In!" Other event committee members in our directory, Heide Buettner, Pat Bieber, Claire Taylor, Sandy Brandley, Jeannie King and Val Beale would welcome your calls, ideas or comments. Do call us before we call you! Helpers and/or Pies would be appreciated for the event as well. Information and photos of the Bdecan Church and Spirit Lake Nation are displayed in the Fellowship Area. A Sign-up sheet will be in the Fellowship Area with more information to follow in the bulletins and Minute for Missions during the month of June.
Plan to be at the church on June 21 for a fun, unforgettable evening making Mission Magic; bring your friends and neighbors. If you can't be present or don't currently have goods or a service to offer, be assured your checks or cash would be welcome and greatly appreciated - just mark them for Bdecan.
Thank you. 2016 Mission Committee, Muffin Nelson, Chair