The Bradley Beacon. (Matthew 28:18-20) Our Mission: To make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Pastor Dave Scifres

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1 B R A D L E Y U N I T E D M ET H O D I S T C H U R C H The Bradley Beacon Our Mission: To make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. (Matthew 28:18-20) 2019 Serving Congregation and Community Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. (Adapted from John Wesley) March marks the beginning of the church season of Lent that leads us into Easter. It is in this season each year that I am reminded of the many blessings of being a pastor. People s expectations of their pastor, in general, are sometimes fairly limited. If there is a prayer to be prayed, they should pray it; if there is a sermon to be preached, they should preach it; if there is a Bible Study to be taught, they should teach it; if there are people to be cared for, they should care for them. All of these are fair expectations, but they are just a portion of the blessings of being your pastor. Please be assured I want to be involved in all parts of your life, and though I am the Lead Pastor of Bradley, I continue to desire to be a community pastor to the Greater Greenfield Area. If I m honest, I want to be more than a pastor for our community; I want to be seen as a resource to people both inside and outside our congregation as they seek fulfillment in their lives. The adaption above from John Wesley is widely known and I believe rightfully represents what Wesley desired for the faith of the people called Methodists. Wesley s theology was a practical theology that transcended any narrow definitions of ministry that confined it to a set of religious practices. In doing good for the greater community and world, Wesley hoped Methodists would use all ways and means in all places and times to do what might benefit all people, not just the members of the Methodist Societies. It is this practical theology that invites us to use our gifts and graces in missional ministry to both our congregation and community. The Indiana Conference has offered conference clergy and laity the opportunity to do exactly this kind of ministry, which transcends normal religious practices by offering coaching training that leads to qualification and certification as an Executive Coach through the International Coaching Federation. I have completed that training and am qualified to serve our congregation and community as an Executive Coach as I finish the requirements for certification with the ICF. This is not a religious certification though our conference believes every pastor should have a coach and that coaching is another helpful way for us to do good within our communities. As an Executive Coach I can help people with virtually any part in their lives where they struggle or feel stuck. So, if you know people, or if you yourself might benefit from the services of a trained coach please let me know. I am actively seeking to do all I can for as many as I can in this new ministry! May your heart be always at peace, Pastor Dave Scifres 1

2 Rev. Linda s Corner Last Summer on a trip to New Harmony, IN, I walked an outdoor rose colored granite Labyrinth. This Labyrinth circle was an inspiring and calming experience of spiritual renewal during a hectic day of touring the historical town of New Harmony. I gathered all the information I could find in the book and gift shop to discover why the Labyrinth was so important to the people who lived there. I found that the Labyrinth is a symbol of our faith journey, which was designed for us to connect with God. Rooted in 13th century European Christianity, the Labyrinth is a winding path walked in silent prayer and meditation. The Labyrinth can be created anywhere on a flat surface, some are inside and some are found outside in a circle formation. Unlike a maze, it has one entrance, one exit, and no dead ends. A person entering the Labyrinth walks slowly toward the flower-like center which can calm the mind and offer peaceful rest. When arriving at the center, a walker can stop and pray and listen for God for any length of time. Heading back along the winding path out of the circle, the walker may experience gratitude, a new sense of direction, or a sense of God's healing presence. Labyrinths of various kinds are gaining popularity. Churches, parks, schools, hospitals and even prisons are designing and building Labyrinths as part of their spiritual life opportunities. All over Indiana, retreat centers and churches are using the Labyrinth for spiritual growth and renewal. Some Labyrinths are built of stone, while others are made of shrubbery or mowed grass to create a path within the circle. There are also portable Labyrinths made of canvas or vinyl. Indiana has Labyrinths in Brown Co. at the Waycross retreat center, in Indianapolis at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, and the one in New Harmony. To my surprise, I just discovered that our own Hancock Regional Hospital has a portable Labyrinth for the families of patients and hospital staff. Prayer walking the Labyrinth is a sacred practice, just as our Chapel Prayer is a scared practice here at our Church. I have a dream and a prayer that one day, we can have our own portable Labyrinth to enhance our prayer life here at Bradley, and at the same time open it up to share with others in our Greenfield community. 2 HOPE In my work I spend much time with folks who struggle. Some are young with addiction issues, no job and child issues. Sometimes family can help, sometimes they are unable or they have been burned so bad by dishonesty and theft they refuse to help. I look around at those who function with their addiction to food, alcohol, golf, cards whatever. They still have a home and a job despite the addiction. But those who become hooked on pills or then meth or heroin are without hope. They can t maintain work or a home or children. Why do humans pursue addiction? It satisfies something in the brain and brings us pleasure of some kind. Intoxication keeps us from noticing our living conditions, our lack of love between humans. But if we can resist and look for hope elsewhere God is there for us. He was always there but we didn t look for Him. If we reach out to God in our pain, grief, addiction His arms are open. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God. Psalm 42:11. When you feel like taking a pill or a drink or some other unhelpful behavior consider talking to God. You don t have to use fancy words like pastor does when he prays, God will hear a simple God help me prayer. In Psalm 50:15 it says Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor me. And then when he helps you through that crisis say Thank you Jesus. Repeat praying and thanking and you will be a new person. God loves you and so do I. Lyn O Neal Thank you for all the calls, cards, flowers, messages and visits during my three weeks of recovery. I am totally impressed and appreciative of my church family and may you all receive God's greatest blessings. -Dennis & Evie Chapman Join Us to Pray The prayer group will meet on Tuesday March 5th at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday March 21st at 1:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to join us to prayer with and for one another. We are a group that welcomes all and would love your company. Mark your calendar! Life is fragile, handle with prayer.

3 FAMILY LIFE Don Gilpin 03/03 Barry Trumbo 03/04 Helene Andrews 03/05 Joe Lancello 03/07 Beverly Gard 03/08 David Hoover 03/08 Kathy Book 03/11 Jacque Elsbury 03/11 Christy John 03/11 Judy Laird 03/12 Reed Tarwater 03/12 Marilyn Derrickson 03/13 Judith Thompson 03/16 Marilyn Chappell 03/17 Bob Crawford 03/21 Charlotte Griner 03/22 Molly Locke 03/22 Lee Wrchota 03/22 Chad Bridges 03/23 Laura Dolence 03/24 Andrew Mulligan 03/24 Suzanne Walker 03/26 Candace Hyde 03/27 Melissa Clark 03/28 Paula Cosand 03/31 Wanda Murphy 03/31 Meals on Wheels March 3/07 Bill Smith 3/14 Deborah Smith & Kathy Medved 3/21 Barry & Shirley Trumbo 3/28 Bill & Lee Wrchota Walking Greenfield Walking opportunities Tuesdays-9:00 am Thursdays-9:00 am Church Family, The Greenfield Walkers have been walking now for about 6 months. We have logged over 175 miles (that s just over 3 miles each day). We would like to remind you, your family and/or friends it is never too late to join us! You will be amazed at the difference you will see both mentally and physically. Walking is for one hour and starts promptly at 9:00 beginning and ending at Bradley. There are a variety of speeds in which we walk and have not lost anyone yet, lol. But really, no matter how physically fit you are or if you are afraid you won t be able to keep up, don t worry, we accommodate everyone. Simply wear walking shoes, bring your water and come walk with us!! You won t regret it! Questions: call or text Julie It is that time of year again! Our Easter Egg Hunt is on April 20th this year and preparations are under way. During the month of March we will start collecting candy and non-candy items! We already have collected enough plastic eggs for this year. More than 14,000! There will be boxes for your donations by the doors in the sanctuary and by the church office. Please start bringing in your donations on March 3rd. We will also be collecting monetary donations. Please place them in the offering plate or in the blue box outside the church office and make sure it is marked for the Easter egg hunt. Also, be on the lookout in our bulletin for a volunteer sign up later this month! This event takes lots of people to make it successful and each year you amaze me with your support! There will be opportunities to fill eggs, count eggs, hide eggs, monitor the areas, hand out prizes, cook the hot dogs, hand out food and much more! We will continue to plan the hunt at our monthly family life meetings. Please fill free to join us, Monday, March 18th at 7pm in room 202. Your donations, volunteering and prayers are greatly appreciated! Family Life is also looking for volunteers in our Sunday school, Children s church and Nursery Ministries. Our kids are not just our future, they are our present and building relationships with them are so important. When you develop a relationship with children and youth, they are experiencing the love of God. Please consider volunteering. You could choose to volunteer once a month, twice a month, or even as a substitute. Our curriculum makes it easy and our kids make it fun! Please see Heather Cress for more information. Blessings, Heather hcress@braldeyumc.org Bradley Preschool Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to make registration week a success. 3

4 Sunday School Themes for March Nursery (0-3 yrs old) and Preschool (3 yrs -K) Elementary (1 st 5 th grade) Life App Life Application - Individuality: Discovering who you are meant to be Bradley Youth Memory Verse How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well. Psalm 139:14, NIrV We will start the month finishing our series on Mine. We have been learning how to grow our faith and claim it as our own even during hard times. On March 10 th and 17 th we re jumping into two one-week messages, which is part of our series of messages called I Have Questions. On March 10 th, we re tackling a pretty big topic for your students: phones! Specifically, we re asking the question Is my phone good or bad? This week we ll see that it s not so much about our phones, but about the wisdom we have to use them in the right way that makes all the difference. Then on March 17th we re asking the question, Will following Jesus make me unhappy? This is a question so many students are asking themselves in their own way, which makes this week GREAT for your student to attend. We will explore why following Jesus can actually make their life better! Last but not least we will start a 5 weeks series that will lead us up to Easter. It is called Famous Last Words. In this series, as we look at some of Jesus famous last words, we ll discover what Jesus really wanted His followers both then and now to know. 4

5 Mission Trip to Henderson Settlement We will be taking a work team to Henderson Settlement Oct 6-9. Our plans are leave Sunday afternoon, work for two full days on Monday and Tuesday and return Wednesday morning. Anyone can be a part of this team! We will find a job for you and you will be blessed by the experience! Contact the church office to sign up. Contact Gerry Smith for more information or follow Henderson Settlement on Facebook Happenings at Love, INC Love INC of Greater Hancock County is part of a national movement of other Love INC affiliates across the United States and beyond. Since 2004, our phone clearinghouse has been helping churches reach out into the community to share hope and effect change. Bradley UMC is a charter member of Love INC. In 2018, here is what Love INC accomplished within Hancock County: Number of Calls received and processed: 1,087 Numbers of Needs expressed by callers: 1,530 Numbers of Church Referrals: 874 Needs satisfied through Acts of Service: 198 Needs satisfied through Product Ministries: 1,400 Needs satisfied with Financial Assistance: $37,054 Number of Volunteers: Over 1,700 Volunteer Hours (estimated): Over 6,600 Gap Ministries within Love INC - The purpose of a Gap Ministry is to provide a resource or service to meet ongoing needs that are not currently being met by agencies, government, or churches. Love INC helps churches fill in the gap. Gap Ministries are a powerful way for Love INC to fulfill its mission to mobilize local churches to transform lives and communities in the Name of Christ. Two of the Gap Ministries need our help: The Ramp Ministry (through SAWS & Park Chapel) that Love INC partners with has an available opportunity to serve. The current draftsman is losing the sight in one eye, making the drawing of ramps difficult. He as asked for someone to help with the process. You don't need to be a CAD person. There are alternatives for doing the drawings. Two or three drawings a week is a good estimate and if they get more than one person to help, the number of drawings would be less. There are also approved requests for ramps that need pictures taken and measurements. If you can operate a tape measure and have a phone that takes pictures, you can do site evaluations. There is a tutorial on their website ( under "Stories & Videos. Call Love INC or Rik Hagarty at rhagarty@sawsramps.org. The Furniture Ministry - The St. Michael's Furniture Ministry has been in existence for 16 years and is a partner with Love INC providing furniture to those in need. Last year, around 9 families per week received furniture from the Furniture Ministry. They need to vacate their current location of around 2,500 SF by April 1st. While this is an ideal size, they could also manage to store the furniture in a smaller space. A large outbuilding at a business, church, or even on someone's property with a garage door for easy access is desirable. If you know of a space or a person or business that could possibly help the Furniture Ministry with a new space, contact Love INC. CLEARINGHOUSE PHONE LINES: Monday Friday: 9:30am 12:30pm Phone: (317) Men s Book Club Men's book club will take a break in March but meet again on April 1 to discuss "Only Time Will Tell" by Jeffrey Archer. Hilltoppers will meet Thursday, March 14 at 11:30 at Greenfield Family Restaurant. Contact Alice Duncan at for information. UPDATE from Serving on 2/9/19 - Serving at KBMSK Even though it was only 11 degrees outside on the Saturday that we served at the Soup Kitchen, 37 people were served and $487 was given. That's terrific!! Thank you to all who served on both shifts and to those that participated by showing up to eat breakfast. The Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen relies on donations to cover their expenses. Thank you for your generosity and filling a need within the community. You're Making a Difference! We'll be serving on another Saturday in the near future. Watch for updates and be a part of Serving in Love. 40 Cans for Lent The beginning of Lent also marks the beginning of another opportunity for us to serve during our 40 Cans For Lent food drive. Each time you go to the grocery, pick up some canned goods, or other grocery staples to help feed the hungry of Hancock County. There will be shelves at both entrances to the sanctuary for the donations. Canned fruits and children's cereals are especially needed. Other items include canned meats, canned vegetables, and canned juice. Please make sure all the items are not expired SAVE THE DATE Upcoming Opportunities to Serve in Love The Landing Suppers - The second Wednesday monthly 40 Cans for 40 Days - Lent - 3/6-4/21 Community Blood Drive - Monday, 4/8 - Community Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, 4/20 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Clean Up - Saturday, 5/18 Community Service Day / Card Brigade - Saturday, 6/1 Chocolate Walk - Friday, 8/9 5

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8 Bradley United Methodist Church 210 W. Main Street Greenfield, IN RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Phone: Fax: Website: Sunday Worship Schedule The Beacon Café is open from 8:00 11:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship Service 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Fellowship in Cafe 11:00 a.m. Blended Worship Service Ministry Leaders Administrative Community Leader Ashley Bridges Worship Community Leader Heather Pechin-Myers Hospitality Community Leader Carmen Scifres Spiritual Life Community Leader John Vahle Member Care Minister Rev. Linda Brackney Family Life Community Leader Heather Cress Community Life Community Leader Sue True Administrative Leaders Rev. Dave Scifres (Senior Pastor) or John Groves (Admin. Board Chair) Lyn O Neal (Trustees Chair) Todd Page (Finance Chair) Penny Smith (Staff Parish Relations Chair) Mark Vail (Lay Leader) The Bradley Beacon is a monthly publication of the Bradley United Methodist Church; 210 W. Main Street; Greenfield, IN