November, Vol. 23, No.11 HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

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1 FOR THE JOURNEY November, Vol. 23, No.11 HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH The Unity of True Community By Wisconsin UM Bishop Hee-Soo Jung My brothers and sisters, clergy and laity the beautiful people of Wisconsin I invite you to discern with me now: what is the will of God for the Wisconsin Annual Conference? What does God dream for us? Where are we heading as the body of Christ and the faithful people of God? Allow me to share with you some of my own thoughts and discernment since our wonderful time together at the School for Ministry. When I reflect on God s dream for Wisconsin, I see us living together in harmony with each other, and with the land which bears fruit abundantly. It is an excellent stewardship of relationships and resources. Many differences are present, but what we hold in common is an unwavering commitment to serve one another and God. There is great longing to find God s love and grace in each other, creating a healing space for us, so that we might share our abundance and give life to others. It is a place defined by respect, dignity, civility, and mercy. It is a place of justice, compassion, and peace. Don t we all want that? Aren t we all willing to work together to make such a dream real? M. Scott Peck wrote a book called The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace. In it he described four stages of community making: pseudocommunity, chaos, emptiness, and true community. Briefly, in pseudocommunity, people are pleasant to each other, but avoid conflict at any cost. Individual differences are minimized, unacknowledged or ignored. Intimacy and honesty are buried under platitudes and generalizations. In chaos, differences surface that cannot be ignored. There is a lot of finger-pointing and choosing sides. Leadership futilely cry out can t we all just get along, but no one is willing to budge an inch, and the same fights are fought over and over. The result of this is emptiness or biblically, wilderness. In the emptiness of wilderness we purge ourselves of our preconceptions, our prejudices, our ideologies, and our need to control. We let go of ego and agenda, and finally come to the place where we can say with Jesus, Not my will be done, O Lord, but thine. People get in touch with their own personal brokenness, fears, failures, and selfishness. Once people empty themselves and open to meet and treat others as equals, true community emerges. Individuals find their place in a synergistic whole; together, as body of Christ, we are greater than the sum of our parts. Through the real sacrifice demanded by emptying, we engage in kenosis as Paul writes of Jesus in the second chapter of Philippians. We find unity in Christ. As baptized and beloved children of God, our differences lose the power to divide us, and we become who God intends us to be. No part of the body any longer says to any other part you don t belong. The vision of 1 Corinthians 12 explodes forth birthing a new reality. Christ, my friends, can never be divided. Even when broken, it is like an arm or leg. With proper care and attention, it knits and heals and becomes even stronger than before. This is

2 where I believe we are as we Imagine Wisconsin Anew. The Wisconsin I see is a model and a witness to the whole world of what true community is. Our differences do not have to be liabilities. They are only powerful in negative ways when we approach them this way. During my sojourn on the Santiago de Compostela I spent time dreaming dreams and seeing visions. I felt very much connected to the beautiful people of Wisconsin not just some, but all. I know we argue over things and we see some things very differently, but still we are one in Christ. We must find a way to live the reality of our oneness, not seek ways to break apart. Even if our denomination cannot live into God s dream, I know that great good will come through our sacrifice and suffering. Our God is a God of resurrection and new life. God will restore all things. Even should we die with Christ, we will rise again with Christ. So I am calling us all to discern together God s will for our life to believe Jeremiah s word that God has a future and a hope for us, for our good and not for ill. It is a risk. We have walked a long time in chaos, and if we are ever going to reach true community we must risk the wilderness and give up getting our own way. But it is worth it, and God will guide us every step of the way, if we will only trust God to do so. Day light savings time ends November 6th st fall back. Help us fill the tree for those that are in need. Starting in November the Sunday School Youth will be collecting new socks, mittens, gloves and Hats for those staying at Sojourner and Beacon House. Please hang any donations on the Christmas tree in the main entrance. Thank you

3 MINISTRY VOLUNTEERS FOR NOVEMBER November 6 November 13 November 20 November 27 Lay Readers Corey Fritz Becky Gochanour Sharon Fortune Children s Moment Sharon Fortune Anne Allen Host Team Ruth & Ray Rich Swanson Rich Swenason Chuck & Jan 8:15 Host Team 10:30 Coffee Fellowship Nursery Volunteers Greeters 10:30 Nyland Cindy Peterson Lindi Engedahl Jan Lorentz Alberto Larabee Becky Gochanour Corey & Dee Ann Fritz Joanne Mellema Bernie & Anne Allen Mike & Nancy Troyan Renee Marino Sandra Hysell Kay Lee Joanne Mellema Bernie & Anne Allen Anne Allen Amber Broughton Dan & Carolyn Johnson Lorentz Jeff & Stacey Curtis No Nursery Joey Bohl HOPE CHURCH STAFF Pastor.... SS & VBS Volunteer Coordinator Office Manager... Pianist.. Choir Director Rev. Robb McClintock Renee Marino Betsy Larson Andrea Blaeser Rebecca Wilkinson John Weiland articles should be submitted to the church office by the 20 th of each month. Contributions are welcome. Connecting with Our Pastor Pastor Robb s office hours are generally 11AM to 3PM, M, W, Th, depending upon other meetings and scheduled appointments. You can also reach him promptly by sending an to (robb.k.mcclintock@gmail.com) which he frequently checks or by sending a text to When the situation is less urgent, messages can be left with the church office Due to HIPPA privacy laws, our ability to find out when persons are hospitalized is limited so please notify him whenever pastoral care is desired

4 Preaching the Word Date Text Message 11/6/16* Luke 10:25-37 Rate My Service 11/13/1 Isaiah 65: /20/1 Colossians 1: /27/1 Romans 13: * Communion Sunday The Dream Machine A Christian Christmas Wish List Alarm Clock Christianity HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS ANNUAL COOKIE WALK Saturday December 3 rd FROM 9-11AM The cookie walk an annual fundraiser for Hope UMC. Funds raised over the years have supported many different areas of the church including: Music ministry, Christian Education, UMCOR, apportionments, Youth Mission trips, Roof fund, Building funds etc. We ask that you bake homemade, decorative cookies for the sale. Cookies are then individually selected and sold by the pound. Our cookie walk has been reported as one of the best cookie walks in town. The event allows many to visit our church and connect with the people of Hope. Please consider the types of cookies and/or candies you would like to prepare and bring them to church between 5-7pm on Friday December 2 nd or before 7am on Saturday Dec 3 rd. You can also support the Cookie Walk by helping on Friday with set up or on Saturday with the sale. The senior high youth are all on board to help with the sale as well.

5 Adult Sunday School The Adult Sunday School that meets across the hall from the nursery started a new series in October. We will be watching videos each week with discussion to follow. We will be watching a series from Bill Moyers called "On Faith and Reason". Feel free to join us when you can! No preparation needed. Adult Volunteers Retired folks or others with some time free during the days if they would be interested in volunteering once per month at Feed My People Food Bank or at the Community Table. This would be a good time to socialize together while volunteering. If you are interested or have questions, please or call Joanne Mellema at mellemjr@uwec.edu or

6 Women of Hope Meets on the 3 rd Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the Hope Fellowship Hall. On November 19 th we will be baking and/or frosting cookies for the Cookie Walk. If you have any questions, please contact Lee Ann Richards at Women's Bible Study will be meeting the 4 th Monday of each month. The next meeting is November 28th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. If you have any questions please call Cindy Hanson at Hope Book Club meet the 3 rd Thursday of each Month, Nov. 17th at 6:00 p.m. at Hope we will discuss the book, The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens Questions? Contact Sharon Fortune at or Nancy Troyan at Senior Prime Time Meets the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Hope UMC library followed by lunch at a local restaurant. There will be a winter break in November and December. Please contact Susie Erickson at if you have any questions.

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8 Sunday School News for November Renee Marino-Hope UMC Sunday School Volunteer Coordinator Sunday November 6th: The Children of Hope will be singing during the 10:30 service During November grades 5 and younger will be studying the following: November 6th -Armor Of God November 13th - True Thanksgiving November 20th- Don t Worry- Be Thankful New Mission project: beginning in November we will be collecting new socks, mittens, gloves and hats for all ages for guests of the Sojourner and Beacon houses. Please hang donations on the tree in the main entrance. Hope Christmas Program December 18th Watch for more information so you can be part of this year s program. Dates to remember November 27 th December 4 th December 18 th December 25 th January 1 st No Sunday School (Thanksgiving weekend) Advent Fair -for all ages during the Sunday school hour Christmas Program No Sunday School Classes No Sunday School Classes Youth Sunday school classes meet each week as follows: Middle School Class...will meet downstairs in the Sunday school wing, 3rd room on the left, at 9:15 each week. 4K-5th Grade will meet in the Sanctuary each week for opening time (9:15-9:45) and then head downstairs to the Sunday school wing (9:45-10:15).

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