First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave. Ames, Iowa :30 & 11:00 - February 25, 2018

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1 First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave. Ames, Iowa :30 & 11:00 - February 25, 2018 CENTERING WORDS: I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. ---Robert Frost THE GATHERING This week in our prayers for the world let us remember especially the people of France and Germany OPENING VOLUNTARIES Jesu, Who Didst Ever Guide Me J.S. Bach, Elevation Leon Boellmann, Opus 29 Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire Libbly Larsen GREETING & SHARING THE NEWS OF THE CHURCH ALIVE! Welcome, members, friends & visitors please fill in the ritual of friendship pad, pass it to your neighbor, and then return it to its starting place. If you are new and would like more information, please indicate on the friendship pad, stop by Welcome Center or call the office for more information. PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST CALL TO WORSHIP Come, and hear what God has done for us. God has been faithful through all our days; and we will serve and worship God together! God knows and loves all of us. God keeps God s promises! Come, open your hearts to God who will love you throughout your entire life. We come to worship God! HYMN No. 451 Be Thou My Vision OPENING PRAYER Guiding Light, Guardian God, show us the way forward. Give us light for the shadowy trails and grant us protection on rough roads. Guide us by the stars of your creation as we live into promises that extend beyond infinity. Amen.

2 A TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN ANTHEM 8:30 a.m. Lord, Speak to Me arr: Sandra Eithun Chancel Bells: Janet Bakker, Susan Gant, Bev Hawley, Ida Johnson, Al Johnson, Ginny LaVelle, Julie Mallas, Candy Nelsen, Dorothy Pimlott, Arlen Patrick, Carol Patrick, Ron Skrdla 11:00 a.m. My Savior Chancel Choir Acc: Barb Mittman OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Genesis 17:1-7, HYMN No. 123 El-Shaddai (sung twice through) NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Romans 4:13-25 HYMN No O How He Loves You and Me THE GOSPEL Mark 8:31-38 WITNESS TO THE WORD "No Cross No Crown" Rev. Cephas Davis A MOMENT OF QUIET REFLECTION & PERSONAL COMMITMENT PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE God of all generations hear our prayers today. We pray for the earth you have entrusted to us. Help us to find ways to restore and re-create the wonder of nature. We pray for those living in poverty and hunger, in areas of war and famine. Guide us in the ways of peace and show us what we have and how we can use it for others. We pray for all those who are in need of care, from the very youngest to the oldest. Help us to live lives of compassion, care, and hope for others. We pray for our government and all the world s leaders. Keep us in prayer for our leaders that they may follow your ways of peace, justice, mercy, and hope for all people. We pray for our families and our friends, our neighbors and co-workers, our communities we live in and for all who are in need. Help us to be bringers of peace and a balm of healing for all those who are feeling anxious and desperate. We lift these prayers up to you, O God, and offer them to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

3 THE LORD S PRAYER OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS OFFERTORY Pastorale Robert Hebble OFFERTORY RESPONSE No. 95 Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow PRAYER OF DEDICATION Bless these gifts with the abundance of your love--- a love that shines as bright as the stars above. Bless our very lives, that we may be your abundant love and light in your world, and help others find the way forward as we journey with you as our guardian and guide. Keep us faithful --- keep us fruitful for the sake of the gospel. Amen. DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING HYMN No. 297 Beneath the Cross of Jesus CLOSING VOLUNTARY Recessional Robert Cundick Let us be aware this musical offering is a statement of faith to send us from worship into service. Please be respectful of those who choose to remain to listen. LEAVING FOR SERVICE IN CHRIST S FOOTSTEPS. THIS YEAR S LENTEN LUNCHES Lenten lunches will be held on Wednesdays at noon: February 28, March 7, 21 and 28. Each week you are invited to bring a sack lunch to the Multi-Purpose Room. Drinks will be provided. We will have lunch at noon, share in a brief devotional moment at about 12:15 and then hear from people that work in our community and are models of what it means to walk in Christ s footsteps to help others overcome adversity and woes. Come and meet some of our city s unsung heroes. February 28: Heather Withers and Diane Birt who help to coordinate AIRA. March 7: Fredrick Killian will tell us about his interest and work with prison ministry and caring for those who are transitioning from prison back into society. March 21: Jeanne Kresse will speak about all the various programs of the United Way. March 28: We plan to feature Julie Saxton, who serves as the Mental health Advocate for the City of Ames.

4 A FINANCIAL GIFT HAS BEEN MADE TO THE SOUND SYSTEM PROJECT In mid-february we received a very gracious and generous gift of $20,000 to be applied to our new, improved sound system! The estimate is that we still may need $11,000-$15,000 in order to complete the project by June. The bid we have had is 18 months old and so it needs to be updated. Plus, we need some other updated quotes on the cost of wiring from Nelson Electric. If you would like to contribute towards this gift please visit with Reid Cummer, our financial secretary. Chair of the Trustees is Greg Lofstedt, with Alan McCunn and Jon Heimer, seeking to see this project to its conclusion. THE FOUNDATION OF FIRST UMC 2018 UPDATE The new Board of our Ames First UMC Foundation met for the first time in 2018 on February 19. Chairperson Marty Sankey convened the meeting and Kevin Hinders was elected the new vice-chair. As of December 31, 2017 we had $1,126, The Board received word that there is $62, in funds available for their 2018 budget. The plan is that in 2018 there will be $16,000 budgeted for the scholarships which the church gives to graduating senior high students to help towards their four year college expenses. The annual ASP trip will receive $4500. The Board budget $6300 to help defray the costs of youth attending Confirmation Camp. For the community grants that are given by the board to area projects of a mission nature, the Board budgeted $2500. There will be at least $19,373 for special requests, plus there are other amounts that will be given to various Board concerns from year to year. Last year in 2017 the Board had $62,523 available to expend but in the end they only spent $51,737 and so the remaining monies go back into the whole funds of the Foundation. Members of the Foundation Board include: Rich McColley, Marty Sankey, Joe Burris, Kevin Hinders, Angie Strotman, Roy Cakerice, Brian Cassaidy, Karen Kerper, and Mike Gens, with ex-officio members such as Matt Carney, Jackie Hawley, Cami McColley, Greg Lofstedt, Bob Blattert, and Alan McCunn. THANK YOU! The United Methodist Men would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that bought tickets to their Valentine Dinner. Thanks especially to all that participated...cooking, decorating, procuring prizes and everything else that was involved.

5 RELAY FOR LIFE The young adult Connections class will be participating in Relay for Life again this year, which will be held on Saturday, March 3rd. This Relay is back in Ames at the Lied Recreation Center from 2-10pm. As in past years, our group will be set up in fellowship hall selling luminaries and collecting donations. We will also be collecting pictures of loved ones who have fought or are fighting against cancer to add to our large ribbon. If you brought pictures in the past, we still have those. As a class, Relay for Life is one of our favorite parts of the year. This event provides a great opportunity to fight back against a disease that has affected each of us in some way, and we appreciate your support! Thanks, Allye Bodholdt UMCOR SPECIAL OFFERING March 10 & 11 Jesus said, Feed my lambs and we today seek to fulfill Christ s teachings to reach out to those in hunger and pain all around the world. Through the UMCOR Offering (this used to be called: One Great Hour of Sharing offering) to be received March 10-11, we as United Methodists in connection with one another can help. This offering goes to the work of our United Methodist Committee on Relief that responds when disasters strike and people need support. Help to make a world of difference by giving to this special appeal. Upcoming Dates!!! March 4-Camp Sunday March 11 & 18 Spring break Sundays-Children will have whole group lessons in multipurpose room March 14-Meals From the Heartland meal packaging event in Des Moines March 25-Children Sing at 11:00 service followed by Easter Happening event including lunch and egg hunt! March 28-Wednesday Night Holy Week event May 20-Last Day of Sunday School-Children sing at 11:00 service June Vacation Bible School June Confirmation Camp at Wesley Woods (current 7 th graders!)- Also designated Camp Week at Wesley Woods for Ames First UMC

6 UMW LEADERSHIP MEETING TIME CHANGE The UMW Leadership meeting that will be held on February 28 is at 1:00 in the conference room. Change in time is due to the Lenten Lunch that is at noon. UPCOMING UMW EVENT The March Meeting of UMW will meet at noon on Thursday, March 1, 2018 in the Multipurpose Room. Our Call to Prayer and Self- Denial service will feature a simple soup lunch and a special offering will be taken at this service. Featured Guest Speaker is Rev. Fred Lewis on his trip to the Holy Land. All are invited to attend. MARK YOUR CALENDARS. It s almost time for the 59th Annual Ames Kiwanis Clubs Pancake Days! Friday, March 2 from 4-7p.m. and Saturday, March 3 from 7a.m. - 2p.m. All the pancakes you can eat, plus scrambled eggs, sausage, juice, milk or coffee. Ticket prices: Ages 11 and older, $7 Ages 6 thru 10, $3 Children under 6 are free Proceeds from this event benefit the youth and various community projects. UMM Will have regular March meeting on the 6th at 7:00 AM in the conference room. WELCOME VISITORS The Welcoming and Marketing Committee at First United Methodist Church would like to thank you for visiting our church. We take pride in our beautiful church and hope you had a pleasant and welcoming experience. Please stop by the Welcome Center located behind the sanctuary and to the left of the open stairway before or after service on Sunday morning. We hope you will join us again! If you are interested in more information about the church or are interested in joining, please leave your information at the Welcome Center, contact one of the pastors or call the church office at

7 The Week at a Glance February 25 March 3 Sunday, February 25 2nd Sunday of Lent 8:30 & 11:00 Services 9:45 Sunday School 1-4 Violin Recital Sanc/MPR Monday, February 26 7:00 Blue & Gold Banquet/FH Tuesday, February 27 Quilters Farm to Folk 5:30-7:30 ARC Dance Club/E110 5:30 Finance/CR Wednesday, February 28 7:00 Pies 10:30 Wonderful Wednesday Women 12:00 Lenten Lunch/MPR 1:00 UMW Leadership/CR 4:30-6:30 ARC Nutritional Class/kitch 6:00 Meal 6:30 Regular Activities 6:30 Discipleship - Carrie & Cami/Par Bells and Choir Practice Thursday, March 1 Kiwanis Golden K meeting UMW lunch 5:30 Church Council/MPR Friday, March Kiwanis Pancakes/FH GREETERS 8:30 Chad & Carrie Copley 11:00 Diane Pelz Paul Jensen USHERS 8:30 & 11:00 UMM Young Adult Class ACOLYTES 8:30 Paige Wiertzema 11:00 TBA NURSERY Meredith Clove Audio/Video/Streaming Doug Hill Pete Peterson Dean Swyter Fredrick Killian Mike Evans Calvin Evans Marty Sankey Larry Vallery Zachery Smith Bobby Gens Nicole Smith Saturday, March Kiwanis Pancakes/FH 5:30 SAF CR-Conference Room FH-Fellowship Hall LIB - Library MPR-Multipurpose Room EYR-East Youth Room WYR-West Youth Room SCR-Staff Conference Room Par - Parlor Kitch - Kitchen in FH Chancel Choir welcomes youth member Adam Heuer, son of Chancel Choir member Joy Heuer. We welcome ALL youth and adults and invite YOU to join Chancel Choir as we prepare much for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter.

8 WE WELCOME YOU! Our Welcome Center is located in the gathering space near the elevator. Please stop by if you have questions or would like to get more information about the church. Be sure to mention if you are a first time visitor. Nursery care is available in Room E203, in the Christian Education Unit, on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings for children under the age of 5. All of our workers are trained and screened. Items for children s worship bags are available in the gathering area. Restrooms are located in the east hallways and by the elevator. Ushers are available at the entrances of the sanctuary to assist you with hearing devices, large print bulletins or any questions you may have. An emergency phone and defibrillator are located on the wall near the west entry. First United Methodist Church Affirmation of Welcome As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of the world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness, as we are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society. We stand in affirmation with the apostle Paul that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female." Christ has made us one. We acknowledge that this reconciliation encompasses all within the community of faith who exhibit any and all differences in the human condition including, but not limited to: race, gender, ethnicity, age, culture, physical and mental ability, educational level, economic status, personality, marital status, sexual orientation and gender identity in response to the often hostile social climate with respect to diversity within our society and the resulting feelings of alienation from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following: all persons share the sacred worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God; all persons are welcome within the membership of this congregation upon making affirmation of faith; and that as members of this congregation, all persons are invited and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation. CHURCH STAFF Rev. Fred Lewis, Senior Minister/Lead Pastor Rev. Cephas Davis, Associate Pastor Nicole Smith, Director of Christian Education Brooke Kruger, Youth Director Deb Benefield, Director of Office & Communications Reid Cummer, Business Manager Myrna Cakerice, Organist/Director of Choirs Steve Pelz, Facility Director Matt Woodworth, Part-time/Sunday Custodian Go to our website: for the latest church information. Follow us on facebook. Church office hours: Mon-Thurs: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Friday 8:30 to 4:30 To view church services live, go to To view past services and other church events, go to Ames First United Methodist Church's YouTube page at