PUMC Connections. Meet Your New Pastor as of July 1, Page 1. Parchment United Methodist Church 225 Glendale Blvd. Parchment, MI 49004

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1 Parchment United Methodist Church 225 Glendale Blvd. Parchment, MI Volume 21, Issue 2 PUMC Connections Meet Your New Pastor as of July 1, 2016 Rev. Thomas A. Davenport was born in Detroit Michigan, and was a third generation member at Metropolitan United Methodist Church where he was baptized as a child. He was a member of the UMYF and had many formative experiences at church camp and youth work missions. Following graduation from West Bloomfield High school in 1977 he attended Western Michigan University, majoring in music. During his college years, Thom sensed a calling to fulltime ministry. Following graduation, he spent a few years exploring and discerning this call. Metropolitan UMC provided teaching and preaching opportunities in this discernment process. Thom attended Asbury Theological Seminary in the fall of 1985 and served as a student pastor at Hampton UMC, located in the eastern foothills of Kentucky, Breathitt County. Elyse Connors and Thom were married in Following graduation Thom returned to Michigan to serve at Wellsville and Emmanuel UMS s in Blissfield (1989), St James UMC in Pontiac (1990) and Manchester UMC (1994). In 1999 the family moved to upstate New York, where Thom served as the Protestant Chapel at Syracuse University. In 2002 Thom returned to Michigan and began serving as the Director of the Wesley Foundation of Kalamazoo. Thom has been serving Simpson (Bangor) UMC since Church Office: Fax: Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Monday - Thursday parchmentumc@tds.net OR michaeljamestupper@yahoo.com Deadline for March Issue: Monday, February 15, 2016 Thom is a published author Parent-talk (Abington Press, 1997). He served on the Design Team for Youth 95 (Salt Lake City, GBOD) and was the advisor to the Detroit Conference Council on Youth Ministry ( ). Currently Thom serves on the West Michigan Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and chairs the Kalamazoo District Committee on Ordained Ministry. Previously he has served on the WMAC Board of Higher Ed, the Senate for the Michigan Area School for Pastoral Ministry, and the WMAC Board of Church and Society. Thom and Elyse have 4 grown children. Elyse is a faculty member at WMU (Blindness and Low Vision). Together they enjoy hiking and camping. Thom is an amateur carpenter, fly fisher and avid kayaker. Page 1

2 From the Desk of Pastor Mike Tupper The announcement was recently made about the new pastor assigned to the Parchment Church starting on July 1 st. I m excited for you because Thom is one of my best friends. We kayak together often and have gone together on two Boundary Waters canoe trips. Thom will do a great job and be a wonderful pastor. He has a caring heart. His background with Wesley Foundation means he can relate well to younger people. You will come to love him quickly. But change is always a challenge for us. How can God help us? I often read the following passage of Scripture at funerals and memorial services. It brings hope from God at a time of great change for the family and friends of the deceased. It reminds us of the hope God brings as we face our fears. From the gospel of John we hear these encouraging words: Jesus said to his disciples, Don t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father s house. I wouldn t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together.. And Jesus also said, I give you peace that only I can give. It isn t like the peace that this world can give. So don t be worried or afraid. When you re afraid, I encourage you to find encouragement from the God who says to us, I give you peace. A new hymn we ve been singing puts God s message to us like this: Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name. Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are mine. Red Cross Blood Drive We are hosting at our church an American Red Cross Blood Drive on February 8 th noon to 6:00 p.m. You can sign up online at redcrossblood.org. Looking for a NEW Chili Champ! Chili Cookoff Sunday, March 6th (immediately following worship) YOU be the judge! (If you would like to be one of the ten chili chefs, please contact Joann ) Page 2

3 February, 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat am Sanctuary Prayer in the gym 6PM Family Fun Night 6:30 pm Chimers 7:30 pm Choir Practice 7 9:30am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship (Scout Sunday) 8 9am Sanctuary Prayer Noon-6pm Blood Drive 9 6PM Family Fun Night 10 6:30 pm Chimers 7:00 pm Ash Wednesday Serrvice 7:30 pm Choir Cub Scout Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 6-9: am Lenten Breakfast :00 am Men s Breakfast (Michelle s Restaurant) 9:30am Sunday School 10:30am Worship 11:30 Valentine s Luncheon Newsletter Deadline 6:30 pm Worship Committee in the gym 6PM Family Fun Night 6 p.m. Lenten Soup Supper 6:30 pm Chimers 7:30 pm Choir Practice 7 p.m. Trustees No Scouts 21 9:30am Sunday School 10:30am Worship 22 9am Sanctuary Prayer in the gym 6:30pm Finance Meeting 23 6PM Family Fun Night 7 PM Leadership Council 24 6 p.m. Lenten Soup Supper 6:30 pm Chimers 7:30 pm Choir Practice District Conference 9-3 (Portage Chapel Hill UMC) :30am Sunday School 10:30am Worship 9am Sanctuary Prayer in the gym Head Usher for February: Norm Jones Trustee on Duty: Dave Carr

4 1 Sherry Jones, Flynn McKinney 2 Sharon Ebbitt 4 Dustin Croy 5 Ian McKinney 6 Steve Gillespie 7 Dan Closson Brenda Slocum 8 Barbara Gruizinga 9 Harry Parker 13 Barbara Glennon Lois Stegman Nancy Tayler 15 Joyce Dennison Carol Hilboldt 18 Ella DeGraw Ronda Kuhnert Alexis Moore 19 Kathy Noble 21 Gregory DeWard 22 Julie Rickey 24 Jim Cole Kay Miller 26 Sheryl Roberts 28 Marcus DeGraw February 12: Richard & Margaret Burton (1955) February 17th, Marvin & Virginia Overloop (1979) BRING YOUR VALENTINE to A Valentine Luncheon February 14 (following the worship Service) Hosted by the fellowship committee please bring a dessert to add to the dessert bar. Kudos to Dave Schmitt for making sure we had someone to shovel the walks at the church every time it snows. John Scott the young man who accepted the job. If you happen to see John working, let him know how much you appreciate his hard work. Page 4 WORSHIP and Sunday School ATTENDANCE Jan. 3 82/22 Jan /22 Jan /25 Jan. 24 Jan. 31

5 Mission Update A year ago, you contributed to the Personal Energy Transportation (P.E.T.) Project. Then on December 2, the Global Ministries office reported that they sent money from many United Methodist churches to the New Life Center in Zambia, Africa to enable 130 adult P.E.T. vehicles to be assembled. Our sponsored United Methodist missionaries, Delbert and Sandy Groves, is thanking everyone for contributing to this worthy project. In December, we donated a total of $1,292 to the Papillon Orphanage. The team leaving for Haiti in June will be able to add maybe a roof, doors, or windows to the boy s dorm that is being built. Thank you to everyone for your generous contributions. Missions Committee Coming Up Ash Wednesday Service Join us at 7:00 p.m. on February 10 as we start the season of Lent. The 30 minute service will include prayers, Scripture readings, a hymn and the imposition of ashes. Lenten Soup Suppers This annual tradition begins again on Wednesday, February 17 th at 6:00 p.m.. Soup and more will be served by different groups in the church. The Soup Suppers will be held every Wednesday during the season of Lent thru March 16th. Special speakers from the church will talk after the meal. Allison Gumper and Lori Tupper will be speaking in February Messages on the Gospel of Luke We are reading through and studying one of the favorite Biblical books the Gospel of Luke - in the coming months. We ll be reading one or two chapters a Sunday and will conclude on Easter Sunday. I ll be sharing insights from these verses. I encourage everyone to also read this book at home. Let s return to the foundation of our faith: Jesus Christ. Many claim to speak for Jesus, but we ll learn what Jesus Himself said and did during His lifetime. Page 5

6 BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, Troop/Pack 218 Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser February 12, pm Adults: $9.00/Children (4-12): $5.00 Children 0-3: free Come and support pack 218! Dinner includes: spaghetti and sauce (with or without meat), Caesar salad, Garlic bread, Dessert & Beverage Million Dollar Bequest: Gordon Lunt recently left the church a 1.2 million dollar bequest. The Leadership Council approved a decision-making process regarding the use of this money. They are setting up a Bequest Task Force to get input from church members and decide how to invest the money. If you would be interested in serving on this Task Force, give a letter to the Leadership Council chairperson, John Costello before February 15. FINANCE REPORT DECEMBER YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL INCOME 19, ,748 TOTAL EXPENSES 14, DIFFERENCE 4,640 10,373 Page 6

7 FOR WINTER CLOSING INFORMATION: Go to: (Click on school closings) OR call Pastor From the Music Director: Musicians in the church appreciate the support we receive from congregants. However, we are asking that applause not be used in the worship service. We are uncomfortable with that form of appreciation in the worship service. We want to add to people's worship experience and not attract attention. UMW HAPPENINGS Coming Up February 13: Lenten Breakfast 9am March 3: General Meeting/potluck 6 pm (Bring a dish to pass and your own table service) Ministry YOU can do!!! Are you looking for a way to use your Talents/gifts for the church? Consider these ministries STRINGERS AND SINGERS: are in great need of new members. Two or three more would not be too many! If you can help, please contact Andy at or knightmusik@chartermi.net. OR if you pefer more behind the scenes We are in desperate need of a couple more Sound operators. No experience necessary, training will take about a month. After training, you will be assigned one Sunday per month. Contact Andy at or knightmusik@chartermi.net. March 6: Chili Cookoff (immediately following church) April 22-23: Rummage Sale Fri. (1-6)/Sat. (9-2) May 5: Mother/daughter banquet 6 pm Mark your calendars now Page 7

8 Parchment United Methodist Church 225 Glendale Blvd. Parchment, MI A Purpose Driven Church Serving Christ In the Heart of Parchment Like us on facebook! NEW OFFICE HOURS: Monday Thursday 9:00 a.m. 12:00 noon