METHODIST MESSENGER F IRST UNITED METHODI ST CHURCH FROM OUR PASTOR. Learnings for Life. Blessings to You! Scott

Transcription

1 F IRST UNITED METHODI ST CHURCH METHODIST MESSENGER V O L U M E 4 5, I S S U E 2 F E B R U A R Y I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Pastor s Page 1 Preaching Schedule 2 Church Finances 2 Upcoming Events 2 Bulletin Board 3 UMW Update 4 Linda s Corner 4 Trustee News 5 February Servants 6 February Calendar 7 Back page 8 FROM OUR PASTOR Learnings for Life Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) A professor from seminary often said that spiritual lives fall into three categories, journey, battle, and interior castle. A person living out the journey motif sees life as an adventure that involves new situations and learnings. This person is always open to something new. An individual embracing the battle motif is holding firm to what he or she believes. This person might see the church in a spiritual war with the surrounding culture. The interior castle motif describes a life that is inward and focused on deep contemplation and meditation. All the motifs have biblical basis. Personally, I have always embraced the journey model. I am constantly open to new learnings and lessons about life as I work at becoming the person God created me to be. This motif is further understood in the book, The Pilgrim s Progress, by John Bunyan. The author pictures the spiritual journey as a road full of trials, dangers, and blessings, starting with the cross and ending in the Celestial City. As a person embracing a spiritual journey understanding of life, I realize the person I am today is not necessarily the same person I was twenty-five years ago. Through the ups and downs of life I have learned more about God and more about myself. I am sure many of you would say the same thing about yourself! In February, I will preach a series entitled, Learnings for Life. The aim is to focus on lessons learned over the years. Messages will include a focus on God, Problems, Religion, and Self. My hope is that my words will help you bring voice to your words about your spiritual life. We can learn and grow together! I look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday mornings! Blessings to You! Scott

2 P A G E 2 Preaching Schedule by Pastor Scott Meador God, Learnings for Life, Part 1 Genesis 17:1-8 Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany Problem, Learnings for Life, Part 2 1 Kings 1-:7-13 Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany Religion, Learimgs for Life, Part 3 Micah 6:1-8 Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany Thank you for your faithful giving! Monthly Income (4 weeks) $38, Human Relations $63.00 Church Maintenance $ Champs Closet $5.00 College Student Fund $ Self, Learings for Life, Part 4 Ruth 1:16-18 Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany Prayers and Sympathy The family of Gerald Younker The family of Dorothy Gates The family of Frances Cameron 2016 Apportionments Due were $43, Apportionments Paid in 2016 $32, (75% or 9 months were paid) Upcoming Events: Ash Wednesday Worship Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season. Worship is March 1, 7:00 p.m. Living Last Supper The dramatic presentation of Leonardo da Vinci s painting, The Last Supper, will take place during Holy Week. More information is coming.

3 P A G E 3 Lenten Devotional Pastor Scott is looking for individuals to submit a devotional that would be ed out daily during the 2 weeks prior to Easter. Each person only needs to submit one. The devotionals would be something similar to those in the Upper Room and would need to be done by April 1st. If you are interested in contributing, please let Pastor Scott or Linda Stamper know. Little Mermaid, the Musical...Save the dates! The Independence High School Music Department will present Disney's Little Mermaid on March 16, 17, and 18 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $10 and will be available March 1st in the high school office. The student run fundraiser performance is set for Sunday, March 5th at 3pm, also in the auditorium. The fundraiser has free admission, refreshments, and free will donations are appreciated. Big Brothers Big Sisters In the school-based Mustang Mentoring program, Students K-12 are matched with an adult mentor, who becomes a role model and friend to the student. It helps the student with a positive attitude, improved attendance and social skills. All you need is minutes a week, during the school day and on the school grounds. In the community-based program, mentors (Bigs) and youth (Littles) spend at least 4 hours a month together doing activities in the community such as bowling, taking a walk, sharing a piza a, or just hang out and talk. Bigs show Littles new things to broaden the viewpoint on the world and all that it offers. Sign up to mentor today by contacting Abby Bouska at or Val Maximovich at Pastor Scott s Schedule Scott is teaching a class on World Religions at Kirkwood Community College in Iowa City on Monday nights. The semester runs from late January to early May. Dates are available to sponsor a radio broadcast for The cost is $90 and is such an important ministry and way we can reach our community on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. on 95.3 FM KQMG. Please contact the church office soon if you are interested in sponsoring a radio broadcast before the remaining dates fill up. YOUTH GROUP NEWS Hospital Visits As most of you know, the hospitals will not automatically notify us of any admissions. If you or a loved one are in the hospital and would like the church to know, please give the office a call at Thank you. The youth group will continue to have Bible Study on Wednesday nights. Meetings this month will be on February 1st and 15th, 6:45-7:45 pm. We will study John s Gospel. The Mission Trip to Columbus, Ohio is coming together for June Please see Scott if you are interested in attending. Pastor s Study Group The study on the book, The Call, by Adam Hamilton, continues on Sunday mornings, 10:15 am and 6:30 pm. All are welcome!

4 P A G E 4 UMW Update by Phyllis Davis UMW Info: February 2, the meeting will be in Wesley Room at 12:30 pm. Pledge program. Pricilla Circle hosting. March Meeting is moved to April 6, 9:30 am for communion breakfast. Hannah Circle will host and Pastor Meador will share with us. We will meet in Fellowship Hall. March 3 - World Day of Prayer -Do not have any place of service. March 6 - St Paul s UMC, Cedar Rapids, Race: The Power of Illusion, 8:45 to 3:45 March 11 - District Mission Study, 1st UMC, Cedar Falls April 6-9:30 am, Fellowship Hall, communion breakfast with Pastor Meador April 8 - District Day Apart, Waverly, Trinity UMC, Barn Quilts Each of the days at other churches are great ways to grow your knowledge about important issues while they strengthen your faith. For more information call, Phyllis Davis at or Shirley Rozendaal at And of course, we want to see you at everything here!! Linda s Corner by Linda Stamper Care Ministry Those of you who are part of the Care Ministry and visiting shut-ins, we plan to have a meeting on Sunday February 19th at 4:00 p.m. in room 104. If anyone else is interested in being a part of the Care Ministry, please feel free to attend. Parents of College Students If you have a student in college, we need their address so we can send gift cards. The deadline is February 7. You can them to the church, call the office or let Linda Stamper know. Thank you. Parents of High School Seniors We would like an assortment of pictures of your child - baby, family, senior picture, sunny - any that we can put up on the screen for Graduation Sunday. With 8 seniors, it will take awhile to make the video. Please submit your pictures as soon as possible. You can bring them to the office or them to the office. Thanks, Linda Stamper.

5 P A G E 5 Trustee News by Jerry Earles Trustee News Yep, I am back again. It became easier to push writing the news aside and not do it. But it is a new year with new goals and resolutions. I didn t want to stress myself out, so I only wrote two and I made them easy to do. The first one is that when I come to Church at 6:30 on Sunday mornings to check the air conditioning or heating system to make sure that they are working, I will stop in the Prayer room and say a prayer for the health and prosperity of the church and its members. I will thank the Lord for all the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family. The second one that I have been thinking about for a year is that I will attempt to sit in a different pew each week that I attend. Actually that means that I will have to sit in the same pew twice each year as we don t have enough pews to last the year. I have only done this 3 times and one would be surprised about the reactions. I get the look, What are you doing sitting back here? and then I give them my resolution. How much would the Church change if everyone would find a new place to sit (just for the day) and get to know the people around them? We got the new roof put on the Church. Bill and Ron are busy repairing the water damage in the Women s bathroom, the walls and hallways under the Bell Tower and replacing the last of the florescent lights on the first floor of Charterhouse. The Trustees have discussed the projects that we would like to complete this year. Certainly there are more projects than we have the energy to do or the finances to complete. We welcomed two new members to the Trustee Committee. They are Alan Bowers and Kim Matthias. We wish to thank Jim Jorgeson, Melody Barker and Travis Schwartz for their contributions for the past years. Other current members of our committee are Rick Greiner, Lynn Henkle, Don Smith, Deb Ehlers, Nick Lake and Mark Penne. They are the eyes and ears of the group, the strong backs when we have a project, the contributors of ideas to resolve issues and just good Christians serving their God. Serving to facilitate the mission of the Church-Jerry

6 February Ministry Servants February 5 February 12 February 19 February 26 Lloyd Davis Ed Wiggins Clayton Ohrt Don Butler Phyllis Davis Jeanne Wiggins Doris Ohrt Bette Butler Ladies Month Ladies Month Ladies Month Ladies Month Tate Wood Cora Krueger Jesse Ludwig Tyler Osborne Gabe Wright Grace Krueger Collin Thompson Tanner Wilson Education Lisa Wood Melanie Decker SPR Deb Denton Heather Meador Children s Sermon Communion Heidi Shannon Jim Brown Jason Lang Emily Williams Emily Williams Delaney Martin Delaney Martin Jim Bond Craig Marino Steve Miler Jeff Haight Sally Bond Shirley Marino Virginia Miller Stephanie Haight

7 P A G E 7 Sunday Worship Schedule 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Coffee Fellowship 10:15 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Radio Broadcast 95.3 FM KQMG ******* Wednesday Music Practice (Times may vary during the summer months) Jim Brown, Music Director 6:00-6:50 p.m. Chancel Choir 6:50-7:20 p.m. Good News Singers 7:20-7:40 p.m. Band or Quartet 7:45-8:30 p.m. Hand Bell Choir February 2017 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT See worship schedule See worship schedule See worship schedule 4:00 pm Care Ministry meeting See worship schedule 6:00 pm Committee meetings 9:30 am Staff meeting 9:30 am Staff meeting 7:00 pm Priscilla Circle 9:30 am Staff meeting 9:30 am Staff meeting 3:30 pm After School Kids 6:45 Youth Bible Study See music practice 9:00 am Hannah Circle 1:00 pm Eve Circle 6:45 Youth Bible Study See music 3:30 pm After School Kids 6:45 Youth Bible Study See music Practice See music practice 12:30 pm UMW Fellowship Hall rented 2017 UPCOMING DATES March 1 - Ash Wednesday Service April 16 - Easter Sunday May 7 - Sunday School concludes May 14 - Mother's Day May 21 - Graduation Sunday May 26 - Last day of school June 18 - Father s Day July 2 - Ecumenical Worship in the park M E T H O D I S T M E S S E N G E R

8 First United Methodist Church 313 2nd Street Southeast Independence, Iowa RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Phone: Webpage: Our Mission... Meeting, Maturing, and Moving in Love as we make disciples to grow God s Kingdom. Church Staff Pastor Dr. Scott Meador, , pastor.scott@indytel.com Office Manager Susie Galpin, , fumcoffice@indytel.com Ministries Coordinator Linda Stamper, , blstamper@indytel.com Treasurer Chris Smith, , fumcchris@indytel.com Director of Music Ministries Jim Brown, , jimbo4te@gmail.com Organist Mary Schubich, , schubichme@indytel.com Sound Technician Tim Dryml, , tdryml@indytel.com Church Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. - Noon 1-3 p.m. Custodian Gloria Irvine, , glojirvine@gmail.com