From our Senior Pastor

Transcription

1 FIRST Word SEPTEMBER 2017 KICK OFF YOUR FALL WITH JESUS!! Sunday School Resumes on September 10th at 10:00 am First United Methodist Church 1526 East Wooster Street Bowling Green, Ohio Phone: Fax: Website: JOIN US ON SUNDAYS! 10:00 am - through September 3 CHILDREN & YOUTH CLASSES Preschool - 5th Grade - Various Rooms Middle School (6th & 7th Grade) - Room 205 Confirmation (8th grade) - Room 210 High School (9th-12th) - Youth Room ADULT CLASSES Wired Word - Parlor Bible Study (Book of Matthew) - Library Upper Room Book Study - Prayer Room SonShine Class - SonShine Room New Membership Class coming this fall!! See the display board in the narthex for class information. 1 On Sunday, September 10th, we will resume two worship services at 9:00 am & 11:00 am IN THIS ISSUE From our Senior Pastor 2 From our Associate Pastor 3 Worship Schedule 3 Job Jars 3 FUM Small Groups 4 Serve on a Committee 4 MOPS 4 Chancel Choir 5 TrebleMakers 5 90th Birthday 5 Trustee Report 5 Food Pantry Donations 5 VBS Thank you 6 Reserve Your Rooms 6 Black Swamp Players Show 6 Project Connect 7 UMW Meeting 7 Hearth & Chapel Meeting 7

2 First Word September 2017 From our Senior Pastor Dear Friends, Happy September! I hope you and your family are adjusting well to the back to school season, and for some of you, the returning home from the lake season. We ve had a terrific summer! Our Backyard Vacation Bible School was a success this year! We welcomed several children and families from the community. We also celebrated our last Family Worship service of the year on July 30th. Each week we had a follow up activity for our families. On the last Sunday we talked about the parable of the wedding feast and how God invites everyone! Our kids went out and found whoever they could and invited them to our surprise pancake breakfast that morning. They also then wrote invitations to give to their friends to invite them to our Backyard Bash on Aug.13th. Here s a few things our parents and children had to say about the family service: The girls described the service as fun and educational. They looked forward to going each week and were concerned when we were absent because of vacation. Michael and I liked the service because it gave our family something to work on together each week to help us learn more about who God wants us to be. We also enjoyed hearing bible stories told in ways that were geared toward children, but actually allowed us to deepen our understanding as well. - Michael and Rachel Barnett, Libby age 11, Julia age 9. Our family loved the family service! It was entertaining, interactive, and engaging! The puppets, the music, the interactive games, and the fact that the kids were an active part of the storytelling are all reasons we looked forward to it each week. As a Mom, it was wonderful to see them enjoying church and connecting with the ministry team in a fun yet impactful way. The activities that were provided each week gave us fun ways to connect as a family. I asked my children what they liked most about it, and they said everything! Since the family service started I have seen a new level of excitement about going to church and the people they will see there. - Amy Foust, Reid & Quinn If you missed our Backyard Bash, it was a lot of fun! We had a family worship service together in the fellowship hall. Our kids led us in worship with one of their VBS songs, we sang together with the guitar, mandolin, and drums. One of our youth servants even led our children in motions for the songs! Cooper from VBS made an appearance, and our puppets helped us understand what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. A huge thanks to our staff and volunteers for all their hard work this summer. Given our success during our family worship service we hope to add some of those creative family friendly elements into our 9:00 am worship service on all TrebleMaker Sundays. We hope you ll join us! Thanks for making our church a space where all people are welcomed. I m looking forward to rejoining you in both worship services Sept. 10. In Christ s Service, 2

3 First Word September 2017 From our Associate Pastor 28 Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28 A desire for our student ministry is to create a place where our students may find rest. In the world we live in. we and our students, are faced with daily struggles. Whether it is trying to understand a world of hatred or just trying to find their place in the world, all of this struggle can wear a soul down. For our students we desire to create for them a place of not only learning, but of refuge. On September 10th we will gather once again on Sunday nights in fellowship, discipleship and worship. Each year we pray and listen closely to God on how to approach our Sunday nights with our students. Over the past summer we have looked at how our Sunday evenings were shaped. We looked at the successes and even those nights that were flat. We discovered that there are many parts of Sunday nights that our students truly enjoy. This year we are shaping our Sunday nights around different themes. We will have nights in which the focus may be Worship, Service, Discipleship and or Fellowship. The purpose is to give our students a different experience each week and to keep the ministry fresh and vibrant. Jesus calls us all to come to Him when our burdens are heavy. Our student ministry team desires to create a place for our students so that when their burdens are heavy, they have a place to lay them down. Shalom, JOB JARS WORSHIP SCHEDULE Tuesdays at 9 am starting Sept. 5th We will return to two worship services on Sunday, September 10th at 9:00 am & 11:00 am With summer coming to a close, Job Jars will begin meeting again each Tuesday starting September 5, 9:00-11:00 am, starting in the Meeting Room. (please note time change for early service) If you have a small church job that can be completed by Job Jars, please fill out a FUMC Job Jars Form located on the nursery counter and place it in the fish bowl. You may also send your job request to afrater@bgsu.edu. New members to the group are always welcome. *************** The last Sunday of our summer worship schedule with one service at 10 am is September 3rd. ~ Alita Frater, Coordinator 3

4 First Word September 2017 at FUM Small groups meet together regularly to help one another Love God and Love People. Being in relationship with other Christians helps us become more like Jesus. Join a group that does what you love or stretch yourself and your faith by doing something new. You can sign up for any of the groups below by contacting the individuals listed or by going to the church website and clicking on FUM Small Groups *********************** YOUNG FAMILIES: If interested in joining this group, please contact Dave & Molly Duhamel (molly51471@gmail.com). The first meeting will be: Thursday, September 14th at 6:30 pm Dave & Molly Duhamel s house 600 McKinley Dr. Bowling Green. Membership and Evangelism Team: We are in need of volunteers who love people and are friendly! Can you help with our coffee area on Sundays? Help is needed once a month to set out our coffee and clean up. Maybe you'd be more suited to welcome new visitors to our church and show them around? Is God is calling you to serve in this area? Please contact Sallie Gardner (gardnersallie22@yahoo.com). Finance Committee: Several team members will be transitioning off of the finance team at the end of Time commitment is one meeting a month. Contact Jim Elsasser (jelsass@bgsu.edu). Missions Committee: Passionate about serving our community through local missions? We need your help! Several opportunities to serve with our mission partners. Please contact Peg Maidlow to find out how you can serve. (mmaidlow@woh.rr.com). RUN4GOD: Are you a runner? Interested in joining a couch-to-5k program while praying for the community and growing in your faith? For more information contact Sallie Gardner (gardnersallie22@yahoo.com). Join us on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. Our first meeting: Tuesday, September 12th at 6:30 pm at Wintergarden Park. PUB THEOLOGY: Let s talk about God, life, and wherever the conversation leads. You don t need to be religious, know what theology is, or be a philosopher to attend. You don t even have to drink beer. The group will meet the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month. Location of Pub TBD. The first meeting will be: September 13th at 7:00 pm Steve Colon s house 137 W. Reed St. Bowling Green 4 MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) - At MOPS, we are on a mission to celebrate motherhood. We build circles of women who love each other like family, because raising humans is beautiful and hard, and having each other to lean on is life-giving. That s why we connect moms all over the world to a community of women, in their own cities, who meet together to laugh, cry and embrace the journey of being a mom. This is motherhood, and together we can change the world in all the best ways." from MOPS.org At our inclusive MOPS & MOMSnext group, all moms are welcome. (including those expecting their first) If you're a mom with a baby, toddler, preschooler, and school age children kindergarten thru high school and up, you are welcome! Come join us! The first meeting of the year is September 13th, Meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 9:30-11:15 am. Meetings are September through April.

5 First Word September 2017 Chancel Choir Add your voice to our chancel choir! Practices are Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm and we begin singing during worship the Sunday September 10th.. Director Bill Schwepe has some beautiful music planned, and if there is something you would like to sing please let him know. Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. ~ Psalm 96:1 OFFERTORY MUSIC: If anyone in the congregation is interested in providing music for the offertory time at the 11 am worship service, please contact Bill Schwepe to talk about available dates. JOIN THE TREBLEMAKERS The TrebleMaker choir serves the Lord by singing, dancing, acting, and praising. We are part of the worship celebrations once a month and present two musicals each year, in December and June. Rehearsals are every Wednesday at 5:00 pm in Room 207/208. Please contact Jo Ascunce ( / rascunce@woh.rr.com) for more information. TrebleMakers is open to kids in 1st through 8th grade - we'd love to have you join us! TRUSTEE REPORT The stain from the leak in the sanctuary ceiling has been repaired. Please thank John Dubler and John Konecny for doing the paint job for us! We received an insurance settlement for the damage of approximately $3,300. Cost to repair was $169 for rental of scissor lift, paint and rollers. All labor was donated. Thanks to John D. & John K., we were able to do the repair and put the remaining money into the church s finances. The 911 W Wooster St. home donation to our church is continuing to move forward. It is being donated by Ken & Sue Clifford. Trustee accepted the donation with the provisions that we maintain it and not sell it for at least 7 years. Attorney and church member, Diane Huffman is working with the Clifford s attorney to get the legal work done. We hope to rent the property in October, so if you or someone you know is looking for a very nice home to rent in a good neighborhood, please get in touch with one of the trustees or the church office. Trustees have approved a storage shed for the FUM Daycare to be placed by the playground. Daycare will purchase and erect the shed. The trustees also approved replacement of the Williams St. parsonage roof that is leaking. Bids from several roofers have ranged from $13,000 to $20,000. We hope to have a builder selected and a new roof on the parsonage in the next 60 days. ~ Ken Lohman, Chair Retired Professor Dr. Bill Easterly will be 90 years old on September 9th. The family is asking all friends and acquaintances to please bless him with a card or a note for this occassion. Birthday wishes can be sent to: Bill Easterly Brookdale Senior Living 121 Wintergarden Rd., Apt. #148 Bowling Green, Ohio FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS NEEDED! The Food Pantry is still collecting the following items: PEANUT BUTTER JELLY *********************************** CANS OF TUNA Please drop your donations off in the marked bin found in the narthex or to the church office. Thank You! 5

6 First Word September 2017 VBS THANK YOU Dear Friends, It was truly a blessing to see the plans come to fruition as we completed Vacation Bible School. As we prepared the church, you could literally see the Holy Spirit at work. Once again, our church family stepped up and created an amazing and enriching experience for our children and the many guests who came through our doors for the first time. Forty plus children had a week of learning, fun, and fellowship with volunteers that brought energy and passion to FUM. As always, thank you for your continued support! Blessings, Stacy Kerr BLACK SWAMP PLAYERS RESERVE YOUR ROOMS Baskerville: Sherlock Holmes Mystery It is time to schedule your rooms for all meetings, programs, and events. Regularly scheduled weekly and monthly meetings must have a completed request form on file for the new year to be sure your event is listed on the church calendar. We will not assume your group is meeting again this year if you don't have a reservation form on file! Room Request Forms can be picked up in the church office or found on the website ( click on "Meeting at FUMC"). Please return forms to Carol as soon as possible to reserve your space! BSP is thrilled to be kicking off our 50th season with the Northwest Ohio premiere of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, playwright Ken Ludwig s comedic take on the traditional Conan Doyle masterpiece The Hound of the Baskervilles. Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart companion Doctor Watson travel from the bustling streets of London to the desolate moors of Devon to solve the ultimate whodunit. The remaining three actors will be portraying the rest of the show s characters nearly 40 in all! Has the gigantic hound of legend struck down Sir Charles Baskerville or are there more sinister forces at work? With more red herrings than you can shake a stick at, everyone remains a suspect until the very end. Are you a Sherlock Holmes fan? Have you ever heard of Sherlock Holmes? Should you come and see BSP s hilarious take on the original crime fighting duo? It s elementary! Please do not schedule evening activities during Holy Week (March 25th-April 1st, 2018) ************************************************ CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Show dates are: September 22, 23, 29, and 30 at 8:00 pm September 24 and October 1 at 2:00 pm All shows are here at FUM. General admission tickets are available at the door and online at Adult tickets are $12. Senior and students tickets are $10. Members can reserve their seats in the first few rows at Grounds for Thought or at the door. The church office will resume normal business hours from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm on Tuesday, September 5th. 6

7 First Word September 2017 PROJECT CONNECT of WOOD COUNTY Volunteers Needed Wednesday, October 18th; 9 am - 3 pm St. Mark s Lutheran Church Project Connect is a one-day, one-stop event with free goods and services for Wood County individuals, families, elders and veterans in need. Many volunteers are needed to ensure a successful event! Volunteer roles include: welcoming guests, guiding guests through the event, serving and cooking meals, and distributing hats, coats, and gloves. To sign up, visit: For more information contact: volunteerphcwc@gmail.com UMW MEETING Thursday, September 21 9:30 a.m. - Meeting Room MAKING CARE PACKS: Project Connect is in need of Care Packs for Men, Women and Children. The Missions Committee will have a table set up in the narthex on Sunday, September 10th with information on how you can make the care packs. A postcard will be available with a list of items to include in each of the pack. Look for the Missions Committee Table on Sunday, Sunday, September 10th! Tuesday, September 26 6:00 p.m. Potluck Dinner Hosts: Betty Laukhuf & Sue Moore Program: Trip to Iceland by Roger & Betty Jean Anderson First United Methodist Church Staff Amy Miller - Senior Pastor amy.miller@fumcbg.org Chris Walter - Associate Pastor chris.walter@fumcbg.org Stacy Kerr - Director of Family Ministries stacy.kerr@fumcbg.org Carol Lenox - Church Administrator church.office@fumcbg.org Amy Peel - Administrative Assistant membership@fumcbg.org Steve Goyer Treasurer Mark Munson Organist William Schwepe Chancel Choir Director Jo Ascunce TrebleMakers Children s Choir Director Nate Kester Leader of Contemporary Worship Audie Christy Custodian Ron Springstead Grounds & Maintenance 7

8 First United Methodist Church 1526 E. Wooster Street Bowling Green, OH RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID BOWLING GREEN, OHIO Permit No. 10