Fellowship members at St. Mary’s Food Bank
Larry Gleason
On January 4, nine men from the Men’s Christian Fellowship traveled to Surprise to spend the morning volunteering at the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Following a brief orientation, the Fellowship members were divided into three teams who either worked on the food inspection line checking for damage and expiration dates, distributed the approved food items to different bins or filled cardboard containers with food items for distribution to area food banks. Along with other volunteers, much was accomplished in the morning’s work. St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization and one of the largest food banks in the United States providing food supplies to many Arizona churches, schools and other food banks (including Aqua Fria in Goodyear). St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance welcomes any individuals or volunteers who wish to help at their facility.
The Men’s Christian Fellowship’s first meeting in 2017 will be held on February 1 with a very interesting and enlightening presentation titled Looking Back and Forward. For the past couple of years, the first MCF meeting of the year has been based on coming Biblical Prophecy from a current events perspective. This year’s meeting will be a look backward to prophecy fulfilled in 2016 and a look forward to what could be expected in 2017. The Bible has much to say about the times in which we are living and it is important that we understand how it may apply to our future. Tom Chapman, MCF’s President, will present the prophetic insights to both past and future. Igor Shpudejko, one of MCF’s members, will share his comments on the future of Israel, both from a political and spiritual standpoint. Israel has been called the “Epicenter of End Time Prophecy” and is about to face some very difficult times.
Tom Chapman is a very active Christian both within and outside of PebbleCreek. In addition to being a founder of the Men’s Christian Fellowship and current president, he also leads a Tuesday morning Bible study for men at PebbleCreek. A retired Army Major, he has been active in local and state government affairs including candidacy for the state Senate and also helped establish the Arizona state prayer network. Tom is a Chaplain for The Gideons International and also a Chaplain with BGEA Rapid Response Teams.
Igor Shpudejko has read and studied the Bible extensively since becoming a believer in the seventies while in the Air Force. He has served in various church leadership positions and has taught Sunday School for over 20 years. He has traveled to Israel twice as well as to Russia four times with Josh McDowell on evangelical mission trips. Currently he and his wife, Dawn, lead a Life Group in their home that is associated with Desert Springs Community Church.
The February 1 meeting will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the Tuscany Falls Chianti Room. All men residing in PebbleCreek are invited to attend this informative presentation. Coffee and rolls will be available for purchase at 7:00 a.m. at the Tuscany Falls Coffee Bar.