Visit us at www.accessiblefellowship.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, 9:00 AM. SALT & LIGHT: This Sunday, we will celebrate communion. Our Salt and Light lesson is #09, The Lord Calls Samuel. The Scripture is II Samuel 3:8-20, and the purpose of the lesson is, “To acknowledge that we are called to God’s ministries just as we are – a mish-mash of strengths, Weaknesses, and tramas” (Ramirez, p.50). The week’s Spiritual Preparation is to think about who might have influenced the path you followed, the calling to which you listened. See p. 50-51.
Sunday, 10:15 AM. WORSHIP: Laurie Albright will speak on Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord. We continued to be blessed by the resources that Carmen and Riverside Anabaptist Collective work to provide. These resources greatly enhance the ministry to which we have been called.
Monday, 8:00 AM. KAFFEEKLATSCH: Bring your own coffee!
Wednesday, 7:00 PM. BIBLE STUDY: We continue our study of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi.
Sunday, November 1. Daylight Savings Time (EDT) ends at 2:00 AM. Clocks fall back one hour, which gives you an extra hour on Sunday to Do Something!
Saturday November 7, 8:00 – 10:00 AM. Allegheny Mennonite Conference Fall Assembly
To join any regularly scheduled AF Zoom meeting, click here: JOIN AF MEETING
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PETER’S PONDERINGS
Dear “Sistren and Brethren” (Kettering, 2026),
First I when I realized that I was using the above greeting after reading it in Kettering’s riveting article in August’s Anabaptist World, I decided that it was only honest and fair to properly cite it. Others have used it earlier, but I had not thought about it until I ready Kettering’s essay. I am chagrined for not citing it the first time.
With everything that is going on, our newsletters are getting longer. Thanks for humoring me. I will take all the humor I can get.
Don’t forego the privilege of voting.
BOOK CLUB
After the holidays, when the winter cold is conducive to hunkering down for some recreational reading, we will be starting an Accessible Fellowship Book Club. Guided by Donna, the plan is to meet on a Thursday evening once every 4-6 weeks to discuss a book that has been chosen and announced, and that Book Club members will read ahead of time. Donna would like to start with In Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry, first published in 1974. The book is widely available in print, as an e-book and as an audio book. You might ask for a copy of the book for Christmas!
SAVE SATURDAY, NOV 7, 8-10 AM, FOR AMC
Allegheny Mennonite Conference (AMC) is holding their Fall Assembly on the morning of Saturday, November 7. Carmen and Peter will be presenting AF’s request for association with the conference, as we voted last week. If you are interested, please contact me for links to the agenda and to attendance.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Last week, I asked you to think about how we of Accessible Fellowship might prepare for, and celebrate, Christmas. For example, we could somehow observe Advent (11/29-12/24), have a meal together (online or in person), have a Christmas card campaign or a visitation campaign, or some combination of the above. Over the next week or two, I will be asking for your thoughts.
SAFETY
As prophesied, we are facing challenging, seemingly perilous times. Governments around the world are becoming less concerned with the welfare of their citizens. The rich and powerful are prioritizing their own wealth and power, just as scripture repeatedly warns us (e.g., Proverbs 14:31; 22:7; 22:16; Isaiah 10:1-2; Amos 8;4; and James 2:5-7). The “tools” available to governments and other power brokers are looking more and more like hostile, offensive weapons.
Our foremost defenses against these attacks are to prayerfully trust our Lord and love and pray for those who treat us unkindly. But, while we are to be as innocent as doves, we also are to be as wise as serpents (Matt 10:16). I have three suggestions:
First, consider asking your healthcare and financial institutions how they recommend you protect your account. If they suggest actions such as use of passkeys, two-factor authentification, or password managers, press for specifics and implement the suggestions. Their goals for security are aligned with yours.
Next, Google has announced that they are collecting more data for feeding their AI. Consider opting out. Personally, I am taking steps to minimize the amount of information that Google is saving and investigation other browsers. More on that later.
Finally and most importantly, treat the Internet the same way our ancestors were taught to approach those incredibly dangerous newfangled railroad crossings: “Stop. Look. Listen.” This means, take things slowly and deliberately. Do not react to anything by impulse or instinct. Read everything carefully. As you know, there is lots of fine print and it is more important now than it used to be. Look and listen for imposters. They are much harder to identify now than ever before. If your grandson calls and asks for money, tell him that you are hanging up and calling him back at his number. If he says that his phone is not available, hang up immediately and call his number. Don’t be surprised if he is surprised and doesn’t know what you are talking about. If you call his number and nobody answers, call someone else in his family, especially if he tells you not to.
MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT
Don’t forget to investigate changes that your current Medicare plan may be implementing and compare its 2027 plan to other available plans. The deadline for making changes in December 7. The best place to start your research is www.medicare.gov.
BEST PODCAST
With midterms just around the corner, I am recommending Civility in the Midterms with Cherie Harder // Christanity Today and making another pitch for the series Culture, Faith, and Politics, by Pat Kahnke.
LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
Territory map of 12 tribes of Israel
The Cornell Seven and the High Cost of Fake Fraternity // Russell Moore podcast
Adonai (Psalm 113:3) // @SOLUIsrael (7:02)
What Happened to Peace on Earth // Willie Nelson (2:40)
Open My Eyes // Fountainview (2:17)
Way Maker in Hebrew, Arabic English // One For Israel (6:45)
2(P+L)
Accessible Fellowship is benefiting greatly from the resources provided by Riverside Anabaptist Collective. You can view information on Riverside Anabaptist Collective content at www.riversideanabaptist.com and view select content on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@RiversideAnabaptistCollective
We encourage Christians to worship in community. For most, this means an in-person gathering. For some, however, an in-person gathering is not possible. If you cannot physically attend community worship and a streamed service seems cold and distant, Accessible Fellowship offers an alternative. Yes, we do stream some components of our gatherings, but we also spend plenty of time in personal “Zooming” fellowship. Regardless of the reason you can’t attend church, whether a one-time blizzard or a long term situation, we would love to have you join us. Contact us at accfell843@gmail.com or through our website, www.accessiblefellowship.org
Ramirez, Frank. (Fall 2026). Salt & Light: A Guide for Biblical Studies. The Soul of a Nation. MennoMedia (VA) and Brethren Press (IL). Vol 1, No. 1.
Kettering, Gimbiya. (2026, August 28). I am Sistern. Anabaptist World. Available at https://anabaptistworld.org/i-am-sistern/
