Pastor s Ponderings " Krino

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1 Pastor s Ponderings " Krino Central United Methodist Church 201 S. 5 th St. Milbank, SD Worship Times: 8:30 am Traditional 9:50 am Blended 11:00 am Contemporary 9:45 am Sunday School Lead Pastor Rev. Thom Bowsher pastorthom@milbankcentral.org Emergencies: Associate Pastor Rev. Dr. DeVern Schwenn pastordevern@milbankcentral.org Emergencies: Youth Director Melissa Gall Melissa.Gall@milbankcentral.org Children s Minister Kristy Liebe kristyliebe@gmail.com Office Manager Jen Aden office@milbankcentral.org Office Assistant Sandy MacMillan slmacmillan@gmail.com Custodians Todd & Peggy Morton I was reading Matthew 7 the other day and just as I began reading something new and fresh flooded my mind. Have you ever experienced that? You ve read a passage of scripture numerous times and all of sudden this new insight comes screaming off the page. Well, it happen to me once again. Matthew 7 is about being judgmental and hypocritical. When it comes to this passage of scripture, it s all I have ever read or heard. Typically it goes something like: A person is a hypocrite if they judge someone else when at the same time they re doing the same thing. This is true. We know this, right? It s very biblical and it s a social truth as well. Now, even though this is the primary point, there s a little gem in verse 5 that s very significant. Have you ever given that verse much attention? The other day I did, and this is where the light came on for me. Jesus says in that verse: You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother s eye. Said another way: Take care of you own issue first, then you will be able take care of the other person s. Interesting isn t it? When a person gets right with an issue they may have, they can then see clearly, so that they can then help someone else dealing with the same issue. WOW! This notion of judging others stretches a person to overcome their own issue first and then extend love and grace by helping others, instead of being critical of their behavior and actions. As disciples of Jesus Christ we re always being stretched. Often times to the point where we re made to feel very uncomfortable. I think Jesus words in Matthew 7 are a great example of that. But stretching us isn t necessarily a bad thing and neither is judging. The Continued on page 2 Where Can You Find Us? Radio: Sundays on KMSD 1510 at 11:00 am, our 8:30 am service is broadcast. Television: On ITC Cable Channel 95 our service airs on Mondays at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm; on Midcontinent Cable channel 3, the previous week s service airs on Sundays at 5:30 pm and the current week s service airs on Mondays at 11:30 am and Tuesdays at 2:30 pm. ITC customers with digital cable may watch the sermons free through their On Demand service. Web: Facebook and and #graceiscentral 1

2 Krino - Continued from page 1 the truth of the matter is that judging can actually have a positive perspective to it. The original Greek for judge is: Krino (kree-no), which can be either negative or positive. So if we look at krino from the positive perspective, we judge someone out of love and grace and try to help the person. This is what Jesus is saying in Matthew 7. A person should seek to pass krino-ment for another s benefit not to hurt others. My guess is that many of you do just that. You may not even realize it, but every time you reach out to help another person thorough something they re struggling with you ve krino-ed out of grace and love. I don t know about you, but I think it s pretty amazing. So keep on krino-ing, from a positive perspective of course Serving Christ, while growing in Christ, Pastor Thom Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother s eye. Matthew 7:1-5 JANUARY RECAP On Wednesday, January 13, our younited program kicked off another semester! Both the middle school and high school aged younited groups participated in a lesson called Build Your Kingdom Here. Youth looked at the lyrics to the popular Christian Song Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective and talked about what it means to build God s kingdom here on earth. Because our Christmas parties scheduled in December were snowed out, we decided to celebrate Christmas in January! Middle Schoolers played games in the Youth Room on Wednesday, January 20. They brought snacks and had a time of fellowship. High schoolers also brought snacks, and played a version of the White Elephant gift exchange game. UPCOMING EVENT REMINDERS Wednesday, February 10, Ash Wednesday. Middle School younited will meet from 6:00 pm 6:45 pm in the Youth Room for Youth Group. We are encouraging middle schoolers to attend the Ash Wednesday service being held in the Sanctuary at 7:00 pm with their families. High School younited will attend the Ash Wednesday service at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary. This is the Youth Group activity for the evening once the service is over, Youth Group is concluded for the evening as well. Wednesday, March 23. No regular Wednesday night activities. Sunday, March 27, Easter Sunday. 2

3 LENTEN OFFERING 2016 Lent begins early this year. Ash Wednesday falls on February 10. The Missions Commission of Central Church has designated this year s Lenten Offering to be divided between the Zimbabwe Farming Project and an Education Fund for the McCarthy Children in Sierra Leone. The Zimbabwe Farming Project funds will be used to expand the acres farmed and to establish a method to perpetuate the program. (see the article below). The Education Fund is new to the Sierra Leone ministry. In August of 2015, a long-time employee at the Gess Eye Clinic, Reginald McCarthy, passed away from diabetic complications. He left a young wife and a preschool aged son and daughter. Reginald was particularly close to all of us who have served in Sierra Leone as he was so helpful with driving and translating for us. He spent many years as the trusted pharmacy dispensing technician at the eye hospital. Life will be extremely difficult for his family without his income; therefore, we would like to receive gifts that we can offer toward the education of his children. The cost is about $ per year per child to go to school in Sierra Leone. If anyone would like to contribute, gifts will be received through this year s Lenten offering. ZIMBABWE MISSIONS TRIP Mutambara Mission in Zimbabwe is excited to welcome three visitors for six days during February! Dr. Lowell Gess and Roger Reiners will focus on the needs of the eye clinic, evaluating and repairing equipment. Arvid Liebe will support their work and assist with administration at the farm. He will also bring needed repair parts for the tractors that are actively in use at the mission. Please pray for safe travel for these men and that their work will be successful and give glory to God! Below is a picture- of the eye clinic at Mutambara Mission in Zimbabwe. THANK YOU FOR THE HATS, MITTENS, AND SCARVES! The Missions Commission would like to thank everyone who helped fill the "Hat & Mitten Tree" this season. Your donations provided 80 warm stocking hats, 30 pair of gloves & mittens, 2 pair of snow pants, and 6 pair of snow boots! Most of the items have been donated to Milbank Koch Elementary School for the school nurse to disperse as necessary. 35 hats remain available for other schools in the area. Thank you for providing warmth in our community! 3

4 REVEREND RANDY CROSS The Reverend Randy Cross our D.S. (District Superintendent) will be here on Sunday, February 21, and will be our guest preacher at all three worship services. Following worship we will have a meal and a continuation of the Charge Conference, where we will share the joys of ministry in The Church Council will then meet with our D.S., who will lead in a discussion on accidental vs. intentional ministry and prayer. This will be a great chance for you to meet our new District Superintendent and share in celebrating Pastor Thom Spread A Little Love VALENTINES CUP O JOY The Fellowship and Service Committee invites you to enjoy a Valentine treat and flavored coffee on Sunday, February 14. How perfect that this day to celebrate love is on a Sunday! We can spread a little love within our church family. Join us after first service or come early for the 9:50 am service and grab a quick treat and some fellowship on your way to church. MEALS ON WHEELS DURING FEBRUARY Central United Methodist Church will be delivering the Meals on Wheels this month. Meals are delivered Monday through Friday each week no Saturday s or Sunday s. We have drivers lined up for the first week, but drivers are needed for the last three full weeks of February. Three drivers are needed each day to pick up meals at Trevett s Café between 10:50 and 11:00 am. Each delivery route should take about 30 minutes to complete and Trevetts provides delivery instructions. You may volunteer for one day or for a week. If you are interested in helping deliver meals, please sign up at the Welcome Center. If you have any questions you may contact Sue Stengel at or

5 2016 Lenten Calendar The Missions Commission of Central Church invites you to count your blessings during the season of Lent and share with one or both of the selected projects for this year s offering. You may designate a specific project listed below or your offering may be divided to support each of the two projects equally. Your donation will Benefit: Seed & Fertilizer for the Zimbabwe Farming Project And/Or Donations Benefit: Seed & Fertilizer-Zimbabwe Farming Project Education Fund for the McCarthy children - Sierra Leone Education Fund for the McCarthy Children Sierra Leone (Reginald McCarthy was an employee at the Kissy Eye Clinic, who passed away.) Thank you for sharing! 5

6 Count Your Blessings Share Them Make a special offering during Holy Week and worship at church on Easter Sunday 2016 Lenten Calendar Designate a small box or mug to hold your offering OR just pencil in your amount each day and total your offering at the end of Lent. 6

7 Ash Wednesday 7:00 pm, February 10 "Dust to Dust" - Matthew 6:1-6, LENTEN SERVICES SCHEDULE Lenten Series 6:15 pm at Central Church - "Renegade Gospel" by Mike Slaughter February 17 - "The Rebel Jesus" - John 14:1-7 February 24 - "Renegade Life" - Acts 17:1-9 March 2 - "A Very Important Question" - Luke 9:18-20 March 9 - "Seeing Jesus Today" - John 12:20-21 March 16 - "The Way of the Cross" - Luke 9:21-26 Palm Sunday - March 20 "Expectations" - Mark 11:1-11 Maunday Thursday 7:00 pm, March 24 "Got Humility?" - John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Good Friday 7:00 pm March 25 Central/Parkview Combined Service Easter - March 27 "Resurrection Hope" John 20:1-18 We encourage you to make plans to participate in these preparations for Easter. LENTEN MEALS Supper will be served prior to the Lenten service each Wednesday evening during Lent. The meal is prepared and served by a church group seeking to raise funds for their project. Donations cover the cost of the meal and provide for the fundraising. Supper is at 5:30 pm. If your group would like to provide one of these Lenten meals, call the office at to schedule. At this time all weeks are open except February 24. FYI: It is recommended that committees or groups who serve a Lenten meal provide the makings of the meal. If you decide to turn the food bills into the office, this will reduce the funds available for your fundraiser by that amount. CHRISTIAN BOOK CLUB Central Church is beginning a Christian Book Club. Anyone is welcome and there is no cost to you. Snacks will be served and everyone will be given a chance to pick a book. An informational meeting will be held in the Youth Room on Tuesday, February 16, at 6:30 pm. The first book will be handed out at the time. If you are interested, please sign up at the Welcome Center so that we have enough books available for everyone. 7

8 PASTOR DEVERN S CELEBRATION OF MINISTRY Sunday, February 28, serving starts at 9:00 am with a short program at 10:00 am. Menu: Egg Bake, Casey's donuts, fruit, flavored coffee (gluten free options also) There will be a place provided to leave cards for Pastor DeVern. Please note: There will be No Sunday School or 9:50 am Worship NEW YEAR S EVE COMMUNION This year, the Worship Commission offered a personal time for reflection and communion in the sanctuary on New Year s Eve between 4:00 and 7:00 pm. Each person could read a short meditation and follow the communion liturgy independently. Being a new event, a handful of people participated but, those who did participate found it to be a meaningful time of reflection and renewal as the New Year began. Worship Commission AUTOMATIC CLEARING HOUSE (ACH) No longer will you need to remember to bring your checkbook or that seemingly nonexistent thing called CASH to church. ACH (automatic debit) giving is now available at Central as an alternative to writing a check to the church each week or month. You can elect to have a withdrawal done on the 1 st or the 15 th of each month. The sign-up forms can be found in the Church Office and periodically in the bulletins. For more information please contact Adam Koplin or Jason Kettwig. Central Rays Articles for March are due, Thursday, February, 18. 8

9 TAKING A JOURNEY OFF THE MAP IS JAM S ADVENTURE FOR 2016 We have started our Journey Off the Map for Wednesday night JAM. We are learning about Jesus, how He is our Guide through life, and that we need to know, trust, and follow Him. The music is very engaging and the actions that go with the music keep us moving. Crafts are made each week to emphasize the point the kids are learning. Games also reinforce the lesson. An object lesson brings the whole point together. This last week the kids learned through an object lesson in which we used a clear glass of water to represent us, then added a drop of food coloring to represent sin in our lives, and when we ask Jesus into our lives and for the forgiveness of our sins that He can take away. We added bleach to the water mixture, which turned the water clear again. We are looking forward to going on mini- mission trips to Journey Off the Map together. It s never too late to join us on this adventure! Hope to see you there! My walk with Christ has taught me that my plans always need to be adjusted to fit with His plans for me. One of the ways God has shaped my life is through the unexpected opportunities that He has given me. I m thrilled sometimes and embrace these opportunities; other times I really need to be dragged to where I should go. That has been the case with the opportunity for me to be the new Visitation Pastor for Central. I really wasn t sure I wanted to take on this job. I had lots of things holding me back, but at the heart of the issue, I really desired to be obedient to God s will in my life. I really feel that it has been God s will that I take this job and serve Him in this way. After making the decision to take the job, I have been so excited! I love the idea of getting to know the people of our congregation better. I look forward to visiting with people. The thought of bringing various ages groups together for activities really sounds amazing. I have so many ideas and thoughts going through my head. I can t wait to see what the Lord has planned for this opportunity! Kristy Liebe WINTER WEATHER CANCELLATION POLICY If Milbank Schools are cancelled because of inclement weather, then the church will be closed and all church activities for that evening are also cancelled. 9

10 Our People in Military Service: Marty Nygren Our People in Overseas Mission: Staff at Gess (Kissy) Eye Clinic Agape School for Boys, Kenya Solar Oven Partners, Rick Jost Dr. Emmanuel Mefor, Mutambara, Zimbabwe Mission Our People in Care Facilities: Park Place: Nadeane Buri Dorothy Bishop Dorothy Bracht Deloris Richards St. William s: Marie Buri Wava Butler Del Cardwell Shirley Hanson Kathy Trapp Golden Living Center: Mavis Knaus Emmet Stengel Long Term Prayer Requests: Deb Pauli Cheryl Pauli Ralph Schmidt Tim Lenards Jesse Bergerud Ken & Anna Mae Frost Ione Brehmer (mother of Renae Fox) Paula Berry Matthew Smith Mary Warrey (If you have any updates or know of a name that should be removed, please call the church office.) Committee of the Month: Missions Commission Church of the Month: Peace Evangelical Lutheran Jenkins Living Center: Betty Dammer Rita s Elderly Home Care: Wilbert & Arlys Helmbrecht CHIRSTMAS EVE OFFERING The Christmas Eve offering was a big success again this year! We raised $4,404 for our Milbank schools. Community Bible Study will hold a visitor s night on Monday, February 15, when a 12 week study will begin on I and II Timothy and Titus. All are welcome to learn more about CBS when the class meets from 7:00 to 8:30 pm here at Central Church. Worship music, small group discussion, and a teaching time are included as the class meets each Monday. For more information, or to enroll in Community Bible Study, call Pam Nelson at or Norma Kruger at

11 Dear Central, John and I want to thank you for your generous financial and prayer support and for the very helpful box of office supplies. We are encouraged by your letters, gifts, and willingness to work with us as we invite people to participate in the gospel message through relationship with Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:16-18 Grace & Peace to you in Christ, John & Alyssa Quade We would like to thank the pastors of Central Church for allowing us to have our father s funeral there and letting Dad's Pastor officiate. Everyone who took time out of their day to serve us, from the ushers to the kitchen staff, truly went above and beyond what they needed to. For all the support given to us by your presence, cards, and prayers. Thank you for being such a blessing to us during this difficult time. God bless you, The Family of Victor Mews Dear Pastor Thom and the People of Central Church: I want to express my appreciation on behalf of the Milbank School District and staff for your generous Christmas offering to the Milbank School District. This support is greatly appreciated. This is the third year that we have received a gift from Central Church. The original gift allowed the District to set up a fund for therapeutic counseling for students and families and to also help fund assemblies and speakers that we would not otherwise be able to fund. Although many students helped by counseling services did not need to access the fund, we would have never been able to offer this needed service without the gift from Central. This has allowed us to leverage the gift and help even more students and families. This gift has been a huge blessing to many people and our intention for this year s gift would be to continue to use the gift in a similar way in the coming year. I continue to be honored and blessed to be in this position and witness the difference this gift has made in the lives of students and staff. I also feel fortunate to be a part of a church that ministers to our community! With Greatest Appreciation, Tim Graf Superintendent Total Budget Offering $28,072 Total Budget Goal $44,468 Back Pack $663 Gess UMC $65 Sunday School $87 UM Special Offering $93 UMCOR $73 11

12 Feb. 1 Tayla Ninneman Feb. 3 Arlene Knaus Charles Trapp Tanner Bock Feb. 4 Noah Falk Paige Korstjens Feb. 5 Bill Rise Brenda Nomeland Feb. 6 Boyd VanVooren Oliver Folk Feb. 9 Cheri Mielitz Agnes Grabow Feb. 12 Doug Stengel Melissa Gall Hannah Pauli Feb. 13 Adam Folk Breanna Schmitt Feb. 14 John Winquist Feb. 15 Alexander Biel Feb. 16 Barb Schultz Shawna Carlin Feb. 17 Rev. DeVern Schwenn Stacy DeBoer Feb. 18 Brandon Trapp Feb. 19 Clarice Buhler Tim Brown Feb. 20 Mildred Treis Feb. 22 Jessica Graham Isaac Graham Feb. 23 Justin DeVaal Amy Yamaura Feb. 24 Jeny Koplin Jean Graf Mark Bierschbach Feb. 25 Gregory Grabow Feb. 27 Cadi Soward Feb. 28 Conner VanVooren Feb. 29 Peggy Ahles Feb. 1 Feb. 2 Feb. 4 Steve & Peggy Ahles James & Sherri Veen Brandon & Kelsey Peery Feb. 17 Feb. 21 Feb. 25 Tom & Marlee Hunt Arvid & Alvina Boerger Jim & Teresa Grorud Schulte, Anne Arredondo, Susana *Bohn, Marge Brown, Tim & Jennifer Cross, Delwyn & Deloris Fields, Jerry & Marylynne Grabow, Elli Hofman, Don & Nancy Hupke, Dave & Darcy Krahn, Sue Ann Lindeman, Gary & Cheryl Nomeland, Steve & Brenda Seehafer, Jeff & Holli Smith, Darrel & Florrie Steege, Duane & Jerelynn Vander Wal, Paul & Dawn Wendland, Jim & Sheri Winquist, John We are continuously trying to update our lists. Please notify the church office with any additions or corrections at office@milbankcentral.org or

13 SUNDAY SCHOOL This year our Sunday School offerings have been designed to show the kids how working together we can support several projects both in our town and beyond. Our December offering went to purchase 2 gifts for the Angel Tree (one for a boy and one for a girl.) In January & February we are collecting money to support the Backpack program. It costs about $6.00 per filled backpack and our goal is to fill 25 backpacks ($125 total.) We are well on our way with $87 at this time. Thanks for helping the kids learn the importance of giving at a very young age. Sunday, February 28, we will celebrate the ministry of Pastor DeVern Schwenn and his wife Joan. They have been a huge part of the life of Central for several years and we will be honoring them with a brunch and program in the Fellowship Hall on that morning. The kids have been asked to sing as a part of that service. We will not be holding regular Sunday School classes on that day to allow families to enjoy this time of celebration together and bless DeVern & Joan by our presence and gift of singing. Thanks for your help in allowing this to be a special day for the Schwenn s. One last note, please continue to help your son/daughter remember to bring their Bibles and Sunday School bags each week and ask them about their monthly memory verses. They are earning points by doing each of these things when they attend Sunday School. The points are then redeemed at our store for things like (Bible covers, books, movie passes, playdough, pencils, and the ever popular.candy.) NO SUNDAY SCHOOL There will be NO Sunday School on February 28. During that time Pastor Devern s Celebration of Ministry will take place. We hope you and your family will come celebrate with us. 90 DAY TITHING CHALLENGE Throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it (Malachi 3:10). Just a reminder to prayerfully consider signing up for the 90 Day Tithing Challenge. The tithe is a very practical and tangible way to put God first. If you are not tithing already, a great way to start is with the 90 Day Tithing Challenge. If God doesn t hold true to His promises of blessings when you take the 90 Day Challenge, Central UMC will refund 100% of your tithe. No questions asked. The sign-up sheets are located in the pew offering envelope slots and in the Church Office. For more information, contact Adam Koplin or Jason Kettwig. 13

14 READING THROUGH THE BIBLE In my storage shelves is a box with a red ribbon around it. It holds the letters Kenne and I exchanged during the years we were apart at tech school and college. During February - the Valentine month - I sometimes get them out and re-read them, remembering how our ideas of love developed and how they have grown. God reveals himself progressively from the beginning of Genesis until we see the glorious revelation of the King of kings and Lord of lords in Revelation. Any time is a good time to begin reading with us. Comments are made on FaceBook and printed weekly. These can be ed or a hard copy is available at the Welcome Center. Join together as we read God s love letter to us! (Bibles available at the church office for $10.50.) Sheila Dailie PRAYER IS URGENT AND IMPORTANT Most of us can pray the Lord s Prayer from memory. This model from Jesus focuses on God, but includes our needs. Praying for each other and our struggles is a vital part of fellowship. For several years, I ve been using Scripture prayers to guide my thoughts and intentions. One of my favorite passages is Ephesians 1: This morning my Bible reading app centered on Colossians 1:9-13, Paul s prayer for the believers in Colossae. Some of the things Paul prayed included 1) complete knowledge of His will, 2) spiritual wisdom and understanding, 3) lives that honor and please the Lord, 4) produce good fruit, 5) grow to know the Lord better, 6) be strengthened in his power, and 7) filled with joy. Somehow, God connected Paul s prayer with an idea from Steven Covey about how we often deal only with the urgent items - surgeries, illness, and loss - while neglecting the important things, like spiritual growth and wisdom. This leads to burn out and dissatisfaction, for the weekly prayer list is consistently long. In Covey s First Things First book, some of the important, but not urgent items include preparation, prevention, planning, relationship building, and empowerment. When was the last time you made a list of important but not urgent matters to pray over your loved ones and the people in your church family? Try praying a few verses of Scripture for people in your life. Here is one to get you started. Lord, I pray that will trust in You with all her heart, leaning not on her own understanding but acknowledging You in all her ways. As she does this, Lord, lead and guide her steps and make her path straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 based on NIV84) ( You might discover that God opens up showers of blessing Ezekiel 34:26 as you pray His Word and His blessing into the lives of those around you. Sheila Dailie 14

15 SUNDAYS 8:00 am Choir Practice 8:30 am Traditional Worship 9:45 am Sunday School 9:50 am Blended Worship 10:00 am Prayer Group 11:00 am Contemporary Worship MONDAYS 5:30 pm CBS Leader s Meeting 7:00 pm CBS Classes TUESDAYS 6:30 am Men s Study 9:30 am Staff Meeting 2:30 pm Life Quest WEDNESDAYS 5:30 pm Lenten Meal 6:00 pm JAM Activities 6:00 pm MS younited 6:15 pm Lenten Services 7:20 pm HS younited 15