First United Methodist Church of Wabash, Indiana THE PASTOR S PAGE

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1 F I R S T E D I T I O N August 2012 First United Methodist Church of Wabash, Indiana Mission Statement...To provide a loving fellowship that brings about spiritual transformation through worship, prayer, study and action in order to know Christ and to make Him known. Vision Statement...Our passion for God and for people means we will be a church which offers Christ to all and is open to God s leading. 110 N. Cass Street, Wabash, IN THE PASTOR S PAGE This month I will celebrate one year with you as your pastor. We moved in September, but I began ministry in Wabash as your pastor August 15. The day I arrived, I was stuck in a traffic jam on I-65 in Indianapolis for two hours and then prevented from arriving here at the church because of a train wreck with a semi. Auspicious beginnings, I am sure. We say that first impressions are important; however, I believe there is something more important: enduring legacy. Any person or place can give a bad first impression but it takes persons and places of character to leave enduring legacies. In the last year I have realized that this church is a church of enduring legacy. There are people in our community who are interested in the legacy of Wabash as a city. There are others who are concerned about progress and development. There are still others who are disconnected to both of those realities because they are either just here for the duration of the job they are doing (which could be years or months) or because they are just trying to survive. This is a legacy driven church. In the coming months you will hear me begin using that word and others to help 1st UMC develop a vision around which the whole congregation can stand and passionately pursue some common goals to reach those who share a concern for legacy while not ignoring those who do not share that particular passion. For the time being, though, what legacy are you leaving? The question is often asked of churches, If your church was gone tomorrow, would the community miss it? What would be missing? Knowing that people make up congregations, I ask you, the people of 1st UMC, If you were gone tomorrow, what would be missing that is of long-term value in the lives of the people around you? Would you be missed Just another way of asking, What is your legacy? Shalom, Rev. Kurt Freeman Senior Pastor - Rev. Kurt Freeman Minister of Family Life & Outreach - Rev. Heather Olson-Bunnell office.wabfirstumc@cinergymetro.net Phone: (260) FAX: (260)

2 ASK! Do you have a question about what the United Methodist Church teaches? Ask at Pastors Monday evenings or make an appointment with Pastor Kurt or Pastor Heather. Do you want to see more persons in worship? Ask family, friends, neighbors without a church home to come with you to worship. Do you want to know what s going on in ministry programs and service? Ask the website, church newsletter or Sunday Church bulletin editors i.e. Carol Berg or Debbie Cusack where you can find the most recent information. Do you want God to be more than just a word in your life? Ask what group or study you can join. Donna Highley chairs Intentional Faith Development and can make suggestions to groups meeting this summer. Do you want to know what s happening with our youth or how you can help grow our group? Ask Jessi Bair, our new Youth Leader where you can serve. You will always find the risen Christ among those who are serving others in His name. Let the Children Come, Pastor Heather Singer, Songwriter, Author TOM DITCH Presents a concert in our Sanctuary on Sunday, August 26 at 6 p.m. Tom Ditch will be here with Dolly, the woman he is training to take over his ministry. Tom has toured internationally and sung with some of what I will call the Gaither crowd. He is a gospel singer and is doing what will, most likely, be his final tour. Please come and celebrate God s great love and watch Tom tease Rev. Kurt (somewhere in there I am sure!) Mark the date and plan to be here. Cost is a free will donation. Pastor Kurt ALTERED SUMMER ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE July 29 Rhonda Duhamell, New Beginnings in MAC August 5 Mary Willmert, Teen Moms August 12 Rose Wenrich, 85 Hope August 19 Missie Edwards, Kids First Child Care Summer Sermon Series TOGETHER WE KNOW CHRIST AND MAKE HIM KNOWN: N: TOGETHER: WE KNOW CHRIST: AND MAKE CHRIST KNOWN: July 29 - Why? BEING CHURCH: Aug. 5 - Who Are We Going To Be? Aug How Are We Going to Do This? 85 Hope fund raiser at Wabash Friends Church, July 29 at 12:30-3pm. If you can provide a side dish, please sign up in the church office or with Denise Stouffer. July 29 all church pool party 2-4 p.m. at the Parsonage. THANK YOU Dear Church Family, On behalf of my mother, thank you so much for the prayer shawl. She really loves it. I read the card to her and she put it on right away. Your efforts and kindness mean so much. Sincerely, Susan Beckett HARD COPIES OF NEWSLETTER Please feel free to pick up a hard copy of The First Edition on Sunday or during the week at the Welcome Center. NEWSLETTER DEADLINE The deadline for items to be printed in the First Edition will always be the 15th of the month. Next deadline is August 15 for the September information. Thank You.

3 CAMPERS THANK FUMC I want to thank the church for paying half of my church camp fee. I had a great time. Probably my favorite activity was worship. I hope to go again. I also built a better relationship with God. Sincerely, Alina Reed Thank you for paying for my camp. I love Camp Lakewood so much I might go back next year. My best part was the zip line and the huge swing and the boat and canoeing and I tipped over. Love, Alex Reed A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS The last Sunday in September will be the kick off for a sermon series on A Different Kind of Christmas. It will be easier to change traditions and start new ones if ideas are given before November!!! As a part of the plans, there will be small group studies and a sermon series that flows with that study. To celebrate the kick-off, a pitch-in meal is planned where everyone will be asked to bring a Christmas family favorite to share with the rest of the congregation. If your last name begins with: A E bring side dishes K Q bring main dishes R Z bring desserts Keep looking for information and start recruiting your small group before they get drafted by another!! Pastor Kurt SCHOOL SUPPLIES SALES Once again we are collecting school supplies for children in need. Backpacks are especially requested by several families. A collection box is located near our entrance beside the FISH and Kids First collection box. Watch for sales and help children go back to school with the items needed. All School supplies are needed. There is typically a high demand for the following items: backpacks, school boxes/art boxes, colored pencils, watercolor paints, Kleenex, markers, calculators. REMEMBER F.I.S.H. & Kids First and bring canned and/ or dry items you would like to contribute with you on Sunday, August 5. A collection box is in the foyer. The items will be delivered for you during the week. FROM OUR NEW YOUTH LEADER I would like to start by thanking you for the warm welcome back to Wabash and the beautiful prayer shawl. Both mean so much to me. It is exciting to be back at First Church and to be working with the youth group that I was once a part of! This next semester will be interesting as we discuss other world religions and Godly ways to deal with bullies in school among other topics during Sunday School. Youth Sunday School is now meeting on the third floor in the youth room at 9:00 on Sunday mornings. We will also be having our normal youth group meetings at the church from 6-7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Keep your ears open for our big youth group kick off that will be coming in August! Jessi Bair F. I. S. H. - Friends In Service Here First United Methodist Church, Thank you for your ongoing support of F.I.S.H.!! Thank you also to all the children of Vacation Bible School for your great canned food drive for FISH! Thank you for your help in reaching out to our community! May God Bless You and Keep you. Janet, FISH Director CHILDREN S SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS TRAINING AUG. 26 At 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 26 in the MAC we will meet together for an overview of the new GROW SERVE PROCLAIM curriculum that we will be using at 10:00 a.m. this fall. A light breakfast will be served and child care provided. Please contact Pastor Heather if you cannot be there so we can find an alternative time for your orientation. The format Large Group/Small Group plus content is new this year. Live B.I.G. is now discontinued. We ve used that curriculum for almost six years. Explore together how we can implement this high energy material to reach more children. We ll divide into three age groups 1-babies and toddlers; 2-ages 3-6; 3-ages Let s grow our faith and children s faith, by leaps and bounds!

4 A Note From Kids First The summer program has started off with a blast! Some of the fun activities that the children have participated in are, the free Monday movies at the Eagles Theater, programs at the Honeywell, the library s summer program, picnics at the park, city pool, Splash Park and Science Central. We have been keeping them really busy and we are having a lot of fun this summer. We still have pre-school openings, please spread the word to everyone that there are spots still available in both classes. Preschool classes will start Aug. 14 th, with orientation the week before class starts. REMINDER The first Sunday of each month you can bring in items for Kids First. Here is a list of items that we always need: Paper towel, Kleenex, bath tissue, baby wipes, disinfectant spray and wipes, trash bags, peanut butter, ketchup, snack crackers. That s just to name a few. Thanks everyone for all your support & God Bless, Missie Edwards, Director FUMC PICTORIAL DIRECTORY IS IN THE WORKS! Photography dates are: Tuesday, Oct. 9; Wednesday, Oct. 10; Thursday, Oct. 11; & Friday, Oct. 26; from 2:30 to 9:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Watch for details coming soon. MARK YOUR CALENDAR UMW Peddlers Village Bake Sale Saturday, November 3 Please plan to volunteer with help and/or baked goods. PARISH NURSE NOTES Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 NIV Sending your first child off to school can be scary for everyone. As a parent try to put your fears aside and look for the positives: your child is beginning an adventure that will teach him/her many new things. Before school starts, go to the school and arrange a tour if possible to take the fear out of the new surroundings. Remind him/her that others will be nervous about school and there will be many new friends to meet. Talk about the exciting things he/she will be doing during the school day and make it an adventure for both of you. If you have worries about his/her health, be sure to meet with the school nurse to discuss any health conditions or medications that might impact the day. Make sure you know your school systems policy related to medications, including cough drops. Soon both of you will be looking forward to hearing about each other s day. You can communicate with your older, more mature children in a similar fashion. They may be entering middle school, high school, or leaving home for the first time. Explain how time management, proper sleep, and a healthy diet will help keep stress and anxiety low. Research has shown us that electronic equipment, including cell phones, may be depriving both teens and adults of sleep. It is recommended by researchers that these items be turned off at least an hour before bedtime. Some childhood experts suggest that families set a curfew for electronics by have a docking station in a central location for charging cell phones and other electronics. Linda Gardner

5 NEIGHBORFEST AND FEAST Our neighborhood outreach has a new name, Neighborfest and Feast. August 7 th will be our Back to School Bash with games and activities beginning at 3:30 p.m.. Backpacks and school supplies are still needed for this event along with hot dogs, potato chips, and punch or lemonade for the meal for children and their families at 5:00 pm in the Mac. Mentors for the children and families are also needed. If you would be willing to be a mentor and come spend time with our children, please talk to Pastor Heather or me. Backpacks and school supplies can be dropped off in the box next to the FISH drop box. If you can donate food items for this event, please let either Pastor Heather or me know. Angel Hostetler Update on Community Breakfasts Since the fall of 2007, our breakfasts have usually been held the first Saturday each month from September through April or May. There is a set menu and procedure to follow with different groups within our church sponsoring each breakfast. Last year the groups were for the Courageous movie, Trunk or Treat, Kid s First, United Methodist Women s Missions, and Methodist Youth Fellowship. The average amount earned was over $ The purpose of our breakfasts are fellowship for those working and our guests, feeding some who are hungry, exposure for our church, opportunity for us to invite people, and the earning of money for the sponsoring group. The charge is a free will donation. Many of our members volunteer often and many often attend. For our breakfasts to continue we need more sponsors and volunteers for the coming year and involvement by the entire church. If you have any opinions, suggestions, or want to sponsor a breakfast, please contact Esther Keffaber or Jane Hentgen. SENIOR TRIPS Saturday, July 6:30 p.m. ALPHORN CONCERT In Wabash County Chairs provided Wagon Wheel I Love a Piano Thursday, August 23rd Leave at 12:30 p.m. Dinner at The Boathouse following the 2:00 pm show. Back by 6:30 p.m. Show & transportation cost $22.00, August 12th deadline for payment Pay Ivy Miller or Carolyn Eichenauer Lunch at the Hostess House in Marion. September 21, bus leaves at 11:15 a.m. SIGN UP SHEETS FOR ALL 3 EVENTS ARE AT THE WELCOME CENTER OUR MISSION DOLLARS AT WORK You will be glad to know that three of the students supported by the joint efforts of churches in Indiana graduated in June. They are: Christian Wuo Zigbuo; Kita Mutwale Jean; and Kasongo Ngoy Sebastien, all with degrees from the Faculty of Management and Administration. Also graduating was Olga Virgilia Chambal who has been supported by Trinity UMC of Evansville. In notes received recently, Christian expressed his appreciation for the vision and prayers of Indiana Conference which helped him attain his degree and Kasongo Ngoy Sebastien wrote his thanks for making my goals and dreams come true...with the generous support provided to me.

6 A CHARGE CONFERENCE will be held Sunday July 29th following the 10:00 a.m. service to approve the sale of the Sunset Drive parsonage. The proceeds will be applied, by terms of the mortgage, to the 200 North parsonage FINANCIAL REPORT June 30 Monthly Approved Budget Amount Year-to-Date Percentage $385, $32, $192, % June Year-to-Date Income $20, % $181, % Expenses $23, % $175, % Difference ($2,721.47) $5, GENERAL BUDGET OVERVIEW Beginning Balance Income Expense Ending Balance $39, $181, $175, $45, % 45.40% GENERAL BUDGET INCOME June YTD Income YTD Estimate Annual Est Member Pledges $ 16, $150, $ 152, $305, % Member Contribution $ 2, $ 19, $ 17, $34, % Non-Member Contribution $ $ 6, $ 3, $6, % Loose Offering $ $ 2, $ 2, $4, % Sunday School Offering $ $ $ $ % Checking Interest $ $ $ $ % Upper Room $ 2.00 $ $ $ % Offering Envelopes $ 2.00 $ $ $ % Building Use $ $ 1, $ 1, $2, % 2011 Pledge Payment $ - $ $ $ % Extra Gift Contribution $ $ $ 7, $15, % TOTAL $20, $ 81, $ 184, $368, % GENERAL BUDGET EXPENSES Groups June YTD Expenses Budget Missions $ $ 6, $ 17, % Denomin. Ministries $ 2, $ 19, $ 40, % Personnel $ 13, $ 87, $ 12, % Council of Ministries $ $ 5, $ 15, % Building & Grounds $ 5, $ 53, $ 123, % Office Operations $ $ 1, $ 4, % Finance & Stewardship $ $ $ 2, % TOTAL $ 23, $175, $ 385, % NON-BUDGET June MISSIONS Year-to-Date UMCOR - US Disaster Relief $ $ Kids First Day Care $ Blessings Backpack $ 1, $ 2,600.00

7 August 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday SUNDAY SCHEDULE 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Worship Service 9:00 a.m. Teen & Adult Sunday School Children s Breakfast Club & Activities 10:15 a.m. Sunday School for Pre-school thru 5th Grade following Children s Message (except for first Sunday each month) 1 6pm-Study of 7am-Walk with the James Lord (Paradise (Conference Room Springs) am-5pm-MAC reserved 5 10 Sunday after Pentecost (White) Item collection for FISH & Kids 1st 6-7:30pm-Youth Fellowship (Church) 12 11th Sunday after Pentecost (Green) 6-7:30pm-Youth Fellowship (Church) 19 12th Sunday after Pentecost (Green) 6-7:30pm-Youth Fellowship (Church) 26 13th Sunday after Pentecost (Green) 9am-Children s Teacher Training 6pm-Tom Ditch Concert (Sanctuary) 6 10:30am- Newcomers 6:15 pm-pastor's 7pm-Boy Scouts (Scout Room) 13 10:30am- Newcomers 6pm-Cub Scout Pack Meeting (MAC) 6:15pm-Pastor's 7pm-Boy Scouts (Scout Rm) 20 10:30am- Newcomers 6:15pm-Pastor's 7pm-Boy Scouts (Scout Rm) 27 10:30am- Newcomers 6:15 pm-pastor's 7pm-Boy Scouts 7 7am-Walk with the Lord (Paradise Springs) 3:30-5:30pm- Neighborfest & Feast 6:30pm-Trustees 6:30pm-IFD 6:30pm-Worship (Gathering Room) 7:30pm-Staff Parish (Conf Rm) 14 7am-Walk 6:00 PM-Cub Scout Den Meeting (MAC) 7pm-Parsonage 21 7am-Walk (Paradise Springs) 12pm-Red Cross Blood Drive (MAC) 6:30pm-Care 28 7am-Walk 6pm-Scout Den Meeting 7pm-Parsonage 8 9 7am-Walk (Paradise Springs) 15 Newsletter Deadline 7pm-Pre-School Orientation (Sanctuary) 16 7am-Walk am-Walk (Paradise Springs) 12:30pm-Senior Trip to Wagon Wheel am-Walk 6pm-Cub Scout Pack Meeting 10 Wedding Set Up (MAC) 4pm-Wedding Rehearsal (MAC) :30 pm-webb/ Speicher Wedding (MAC)

8 August 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 B-Chase Fanning B-David George B-Elijah Smith B-William Stone 3 B-Jessi Bair B-Teresa Harris 4 A-Jeremy & Emily Boardman B-Bonnie Height B-Angie Beauchamp A-John & Linda Gilpin B-Julie Harrell B-Shirley Keaffaber B-Bill Kramer B-Violet George B-Sue Gray B-Jim Lefforge B-Anthony Hubartt B-Jeff Fanning A-Mike & Andrea Schuler A-Oren & Ilah Wagner B-Austin Hostetler B-Mike Pernell 16 A-Kurt & Elizabeth Freeman A-Dave & Jane Mann A-Jim & Caroline Stanton B-Emily Meredith B-Kirk Short 17 A-Bob & Dorthea Blackburn 18 B-Bev Dawald B-Robert Blackburn B-Julie Gidley B-Jayne Rice B-Mike Beauchamp A-Chuck & Elaine Leach A-Bill & Lori Rushin B-Michelle Martin B-Katherine McCauley A-Phil & Cheryl Nordman B-Emily Benner B-Isaac Freeman B-Grant Ford B-Chris Keefer B-Tammy Whitenack B-Ed Cochley B-Mike Gray B-Christopher Pernell B-John Gilpin B-Cameron Fanning