The Geneseo Voice RESOLUTE!

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1 The Geneseo Voice A publication of Geneseo United Methodist Church Issue #1, January 2010 RESOLUTE! One of my favorite passages regarding Peter is found in Mark chapter 8. Jesus began teaching the disciples about the fact that he would have to go to Jerusalem, suffer, and die and then rise in three days. (Now I agree that this would be a confusing message to try and teach your disciples but ) Peter thinks he knows better than Jesus at this point. Peter doesn t take a moment to think or pray about what he is going to do, instead he just pulls Jesus aside and rebukes Jesus. Don t go to Jerusalem Peter said. But Jesus knew what he must do. He knew it would be painful and difficult. We even find out in his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus didn t want to go to the cross. But Jesus was resolute, he did what he knew had to be done. When Peter rebuked Jesus, Jesus responded with firm conviction. Jesus knew that nothing could get in his way, he could not be turned aside, he had to go to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world. Today our decisions may not be as huge as the one Jesus made to stay the course, but each of our decisions do affect our future and our loved ones. There are times when I know that God has a task for me to do but my stubborn and strong-willed side seem to stand in the way. I find myself wrestling with whether or not it is worth the sacrifice or commitment that it will take. Those are the times that I need to be like Jesus and have the resolve to see the task through. January tends to be a month when we set goals or New Year s resolutions. They don t have to be mountain moving, they can just be small things. Maybe you want to be more active, read the paper every day, play cards with a friend, spend an hour a week sharing a meal with a parent or child, or just getting more exercise. Maybe you want to grow spiritually; commit to prayer, scripture reading, fasting, a small group, or weekly church attendance. If you want to try something new, why not try our Saturday evening worship/study that is scheduled twice this month. Give it a try once and come back if you like it. Whatever you do to grow spiritually make the commitment to stick with it. Do you know that most resolutions last a total of 3-8 weeks because people are not very committed? It is unfortunate because those resolutions represent an individual s desire to make a positive change in their life, or their commitment to do something good. Just like Jesus, after we make a resolution, something often comes up to deter us from fulfilling our commitment. Don t let that happen. When you make your resolutions this year remember to make them like Jesus did; commit and follow through no matter what seems to get in the way. This is the year to be Resolute! Pastor Ferguson

2 CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to Josh & Jessie Smith on the birth of their second child, Charlee Noel. Charlee was born on their third wedding anniversary, December 2. Charlee joins her big sister, Adreanna at home. Congratulations to Renee Mumm & Patrick Messmore on the birth of their first child, Page Emberly. Page was born on December 26 at 2:00 in the morning. NEW YEAR S EVE PUZZLE PARTY Looking for something to do on December 31 st? Geneseo UMC will be hosting a game and puzzle party. Come at 4 PM for a fun evening of family activities. There will be movies and games for the kids. There will be a mixture of cards, board games and a puzzle for the adults. This is the night that we will crack open the World s Largest Puzzle. Stay as long as you wish. Go home early or see the New Year in. Everyone please bring a dish or snack food to share. The Nurture committee has determined we will set aside regular times in January where we can work as a community to complete this puzzle. The time will be Tuesday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The church will also be available during the week for people to stop in or for a small group to work on it. The puzzle has many Biblical and spiritual images that will be developed into weekly devotional readings. INSTALLATION OF NEW OFFICERS On Sunday, January 3, during the worship service we will be installing new officers for the coming year. AUDITIONS TO BE HELD Auditions for the next Wolf Creek Players Community Theatre production of Curious Savage will be held January 10, 11, and 12 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Dysart. Five women and six men are needed. The production will be performed

3 on March 5, 6 and 7. THANK YOU! This year Jody and I have so much to be thankful for. Many of you remember that it was Christmas Eve 2008 when Jody was diagnosed with CML (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia) started out rough with a lot of unknowns. But the one thing we found to be true this year was that God carried us through and strengthened our faith in the process. Often God used you, the Geneseo church family, as the support that we needed. We have received a lot of cards, prayers, and even financial assistance to help when times were challenging. We cannot begin to say thank you enough for your care and support. It truly is a blessing to be a part of such a loving and compassionate family. For those of you who have not heard an update lately, Jody s health is doing well but her response is not as complete as they would like to see it. As a result we have a series of appointments coming up in January / February in Iowa City that will hopefully get her approved for a trial drug. The doctors really feel that this is a much better medication for her. If you would like regular updates they are available to read at: Again, thank you for all your prayers, cards, and gifts this past year. You have each ministered to our souls and touched our hearts. Thank you from all of the Ferguson family. COMMITTEE TRAINING EVENTS Following is a list of committee meetings in January and the guest speakers. Please try to be at the committee meetings which you are on. January 4, 6:30 p.m. SPPRC Trustees Guest Lillian Gallo-Seagren Guest Matt Miller January 11, 6:30 p.m. Nurture Guest Jan Hoover January 12, 6:30 p.m. Outreach/Witness Guest Mike Ellson Finance/Endowment Guest Galen Peckham January 18, 6:30 p.m. Administrative Board Guest Jill Sanders January 19, 6:30 p.m. Joel Council Come & See Event in Dysart January 25, 6:30 p.m. Lay Leadership Guest Kerrin Kirkpatrick

4 WEDDING PHOTOS NEEDED As a part of the upcoming sermon series on marriage we are asking everyone to bring in or send in a wedding photo. They will be used in a collage. Please have photos to the church by January 11. SALVATION ARMY OPPORTUNITY Volunteers are needed to help serve the noon meal at the Salvation Army in Waterloo on Wednesday, January 20 9:00 a.m. If you can help with this worthwhile project please let Marlys Mitchell know. NEWSLETTER DEADLINE The deadline for the February Newsletter is Wednesday, January 21. Please have all articles to the secretary by 9:00 that morning. Thanks. SCRIPTURE FOR JANUARY January 3 Revelation 2:1-6 The State of Christianity January 10 Guest Preacher Jonathan Wright January 17 John 1:45-49 First Date ( Blind Date) January 24 John 8:2-11 Proposal January 31 John 3:1-8 Engagement January Ushers: John Moffitt, Jacque Moffitt January Greeters: 3rd - Duane & Dixie Christian; 10th - Scott & Kris Powell; 17th - David & Diana Sash; 24th - Bob & Pat Hill; 31st - Brian & Deb Weber January Acolytes: 3rd - Nathan Ferguson; 10th - Courtney & Wes Powell; 17th - Chloe Heitmann & Krystal Putz; 24th - Conal Jensen; 31st - Hanna Ferguson & Valerie Ryan January Coffee Servers: TBA Flowers for January: TBA

5 JANUARY BIRTHDAYS JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES Harold Pritchard 1st David Sash 18th Craig & Jeanne Holub 10th Dennis Reding 2nd Jayme Ollendieck 23rd Tegan Benham 3rd Bob Reints 29th Bob Cline 3rd Marlys Mitchell 4th Isabella Olson 4th Becca Jaquith 5th Brad Jaquith 5th Jessie Smith 9th Robert Leipold 12th Claire Mitchell 12th Norma Hager 15th Danielle Leerhoff 15th Isabelle Sash 15th Joel Mitchell 16th Drew Stanek 16th Nora Mitchell 17th (January 16 th and January 30th) Do you have questions about faith or the church? Do you know someone who has been struggling through a difficult time in life? Have you ever wondered if the Bible still has value in the world today? If these or other questions connect with you, Alpha may be just the message of hope that you need. In January Geneseo will host two Saturday evening services. The evenings are built upon the Alpha study, an international study on the basics of the Christian faith. This is a good review for some, and a great introduction for others centered around answering common questions and misconceptions of faith. Everyone is encouraged to attend the first night just to see if it might be something they enjoy. The evening begins with light snacks at 6:30 PM and continues with a time of worship and a video introducing the evening topic. After the video there is time for discussion questions and conversation. This format is a mixture of worship and study that makes God very personal. The first few topics include: Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How can I be sure of my faith? Why and how should I read the Bible?

6 These Saturday evenings are the perfect opportunity to invite a friend or family member who has been asking questions about Christianity. Administrative Council Summary December 21, 2009 Pastor Ferguson and seven members were present. Clay Mitchell presided. Committee Reports/Council Action Pastor s Report Pastor attended the Sessions planning committee in Des Moines as a part of organizing the 2010 June Annual Conference. Worship - Praise Team Pastor led discussion regarding the plan for January. It has been suggested that there be two Saturday evening events monthly which would include the Praise Band and Alpha study. Board of Trustees - There is a plan for snow removal at the church. Audio/visual training of technicians continues. The worship service is being recorded each week; there are technical aspects with the audio that need to be refined before the recorded service can be broadcast on Channel One of FCTC Cable. Endowment Fund The committee met recently to discuss the dispersal of $950. There was committee consensus to ask the UMW to manage the 2009 earnings dedicated to payment of youth camping fees. UMM The combined Advent Bible Study for women/men led by Pastor Ferguson was well attended. UMW To date, 30 people representing our church have participated in preparing/serving a noon meal once monthly at the Salvation Army in Waterloo. Nurturing Ministries The Puzzle Project will be introduced on December 31 at 4:00 at the church. Informal Tuesday morning Puzzle Coffees will be held in January. The Nurturing Committee understands that there are families with very young children who would appreciate a staffed nursery. The 2010 Geneseo UMC Ministry Goals list the need for a supervisor during services and Sunday School. Lay Leadership The schedule for the January Committee Training Sessions was discussed. The Missional Transformation-A Come and See Event will be hosted by the Dysart UMC on January 19 at 6:30. This meeting is open to all interested persons. Administrative Council members and Joel Council members are encouraged to attend. Finance Report YTD General Fund Income $107,477 YTD General Fund Expense $106,087 Endowment Fund $32,783

7 Thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make the Advent Season so wonderful. From the Children s Christmas Program to all the special giving opportunities: The Lord s Food Pantry, women s shelter, used coats, Tama County Food Bank and the ornament tree; from the UMW Christmas dinner to the Christmas Eve Service; we all proclaimed the glory of Christ s birth. Sermon Series January 2010 January 17th- Blind Date January 24th-Proposal January 31st- Engagement February 7th- Wedding February 14th Marathon An honest look at the covenant of marriage in the 21st century. Whether you have been married a week or 50 years, this series will challenge you to view your relationship with God and your spouse in a fresh and vibrant way. Relevant even if you are not married. Make your New Year s resolution to give your marriage a place of priority in 2010! January 17th - February 14th Sunday Mornings at 9:00 AM Geneseo UMC th St. Buckingham, IA November