Food Collection & Distribution:  We are continuing to collect non-perishable food items.  We have a barrel in the foyer to collect items to help those in our church and community who are "in-need" during this time of hardship and crisis across our county.  This will be a church "Reach Out" to our own and to the community and is separate from the Waupun Food Pantry.  Please bring any non-perishable food items you feel moved to donate.  Consider donating items that can easily be combined to make complete meals (soups, stew, canned meats, microwaveable non-perishables).  Toilet paper and personal items such as shampoo and soap are also welcome.  This is NOT a one time collection.  The barrel will be available for food donations untill the "need" is alleviated in our community.  Distribution will begin as soon as enough food is collected to make bags up.

Christian Fiction Book of the Month Club:  This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m.  New people are welcome to join at any time.  We meet in room 125 in the education wing.  Contact Jean Homan at 324-5007 or 324-3128 or email at jhoman@edgewoodcommunity.org for questions/information.

We are taking a break for July, but will continue our meeting August 20th.  There will be three selections to discuss in August.   The first is  "The Silver Sword" by Angela Hunt.  The auburned-haired O'Connor women share a bond far deeper than their striking physical appearance. These courageous, high-spirited women all push against societal limits in this exciting historical, romantic novel that spans generations and countries from 13th-century Ireland to the excitement and mystery of 15th-century Prague.

It is said that as Cahira, daughter of the great Irish king Rory O'Connor, lay dying of a wound, she beseeched God that others would follow her calling. To Kathleen O'Connor, Cahira's story was nothing more than a fable—until research divulged that the tale was true. As a stunned Kathleen realizes that she herself bears the mark of Cahira, she wonders if she is destined to continue the legacy.

To uncover the answers, Kathleen delves into the past to find the truth about the Heirs of Cahira O'Connor. It is a journey that carries her across generations. It is a past filled with peril, courage, vengeance, love, and sacrifice beyond anything she has ever known. 

The second main selection will be "When Heaven Weeps" from the Martyr's Song Series by Ted Dekker.  "In a small Balkan village near the end of World War II, a band of soldiers play a cruel game of ultimate stakes with a priest and his flock. Jan Jovic relunctantly participates. But he's prepared for neither the incredible demonstration of love nor the terrible events that follow. Now, many years later, that same game will spring to life in Jan's own heart. He will fall madly in love with the wrong woman. Her name is Helen, Now it's Jan's turn to play the game. But there is a price. Dive into a romantic thriller like none you've ever read. Drink deeply of a love that will bring a tremor to your bones. Go ahead, it's your turn to play the game. But remember...there is a price. And no one could possibly prepare you for that price."

The third selection for August 20th will be "The Scarlet Thread" by Francine Rivers.

 This is a modern day romance between Sierra and Alex inter-twined with the story of Sierra's ancestor, Mary Katherine, and her journey in a covered wagon heading first to Oregon and ending up in California. Sierra and Alex's marriage is put to the test when Alex accepts a new job in Los Angeles, forcing Sierra to leave behind her home and family in her beloved small town. She is thrust into a fast paced world where she does not want to belong. She strikes out in anger and disappointment. Her fears and insecurities chip away at her marriage to Alex until it reaches the breaking point. Sierra is left pondering her future, while finding solace in the journal of Mary Katherine, who generations before struggled with many of the same fears and issues.

Mary Katherine's family is destroyed upon the death of her mother, her brother's betrayal and her father's inability to function after his wife's death. Mary Katherine throws caution to the wind and marries James. They struggle and work hard to create a life farming. When it is taken away, James packs up their belongings and children and they head west to Oregon, the promised land. Mary Katherine longs for home but follows her husband. What follows is a tale of hardship, love, and the will to survive.

As Sierra's life reaches a turning point she turns to God, through His love she begins mending her life. Only God knows if it will include Alex. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone. We all struggle with fears when we are pushed outside our comfort zone. With God's help, we will find peace and understanding