Dunes Digest. Pastor s Thoughts. United Methodist Church of the Dunes May May 2018

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1 United Methodist Church of the Dunes May 2018 Dunes Digest Pastor s Thoughts We have had glimpses of Spring over the last month. Certainly, today is not one of them. I stare over the white-covered dune in mid-april. It s been a month since I put out my deck chairs on a warm Saturday afternoon in expectation of Spring s inception. What happened? New life requires many conditions to successfully launch. Seeds need to lay dormant beneath the soil. Adequate sunlight needs to be provided regularly. Spring rains need to soften the seed and warm the soil providing food for growth. The farmer, gardener, or keen observer patiently tends the emerging seedling; and waits. Over the past few months, Dunes church leaders have been planting seeds of renewal in worship, children s ministry, youth ministry, and adult education. Clear evidence of renewal and growth doesn t happen in a moment, but develops over time as seeds are nurtured, take root, and begin to grow. We will have successes and struggles. By God s grace we will begin to grow and experience the new life that is promised to us in resurrection and in the rhythm of the season. In worship you will see the 10:30 service begin to change as we become less predictable with unexpected serendipities including new elements and participants in that service. Our 8:30 service will draw on the best of our church traditions as we seek to provide a great worship experience for people with an appreciation for the liturgy and a desire for a more conventional approach to worship. I invite you to attend the service that best fits you instead of just the best time. We want Church of the Dunes to be a place where all God s children experience worship that is meaningful and transformational. We are committed to being an intergenerational ministry. However, we must remember that inviting more of God s children into our family of faith requires meeting a more diverse set of needs regarding worship and ministry. We want children, youth, parents and grandparents to worship under one roof. This requires each group to sacrifice a little of what is most comfortable for them in order for others to also be comfortable. The sun just came out. The snow is melting off the deck chairs. I know Spring is near. I patiently wait to see what comes next. Hopefully, Pastor Lou May 2018 Sunday worship services are at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Pastor Lou Grettenberger will be preaching. May 6, Sixth Sunday of Easter Scriptures: Acts 10:44-48; John 15:9-17 Sermon: God Chose You May 13, Seventh Sunday of Easter Scriptures: Psalm 47; John 17:6-19 Sermon: A Prayer for You from Jesus May 20, Pentecost Children s Musical May 27, Trinity Sunday and Pentecost Celebration Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 Sermon: Soul Salsa So Hot! June 3, Graduation Sunday Pastor Eldon Eldred will be preaching

2 United Methodist Church of the Dunes A Birth Landyn Douglas McCracken was born on March 31, He is the son of Kevin & Michele McCracken, the grandson of Tom & Judy Hanson, and the great grandson of Joyce Martyn. Please join us in prayers of gratitude to God for this new little one among us. In Remembrance Kip Brunson died on April 16, 2018 in Grand Rapids. Please remember Kip s family and friends in your prayers. Church of the Dunes Fun Facts: Architecture This is Alden B. Dow ( ), the architect who designed the Church of the Dunes building. Initially, he studied engineering at the University of Michigan, planning to work for his father s business, the Dow Chemical Company. After a few years, he transferred to Columbia University to study architecture. As a young architect, Alden apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright, and soon after, he was winning prestigious architecture awards on the world-wide stage. Shortly before his death, he was named Architect Laureate for the State of Michigan. Today, the location of his home and studio in Midland, Michigan serve as a center for education for all ages, a place for tourists to visit and enjoy, and an archive of Dow s work throughout his career. Source: Church of the Dunes Meetings are Open Meetings Special Sundays Ahead Sunday May 20 Children s Musical Sunday June 3 Graduation Sunday and LEGO Faith Builders Begins for Kids Sunday June 10 Summer Sunday School Kick-off for Youth At Church of the Dunes, we welcome all members to attend committee meetings* held at the church. This is a great way to become more familiar with the discussions and decisions that affect the life and future of our congregation. Meetings are noted on the calendar in the Sunday worship bulletin, and on the calendar on the bulletin board next to the church office. * Exception: SPRC (Staff Parish Relations Committee) meetings are open only to those who serve on the committee and the Senior Pastor. This is necessary to comply with privacy requirements for employers and employees. If you have questions about the work of this committee, please contact Pastor Lou or Neal Miller, Chairperson of the SPRC. Mission Trip Prayer Partners Wanted The Dunes Digest is published monthly. Articles are due by the 15th of the month prior. Please send information and articles to Thank you! He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 This scripture is the focus for the week of Church of the Dunes upcoming mission trip. Seventeen youth and adults are headed to the Adirondack Mountains, NY, from June Would you considering being a prayer partner for one of our 17 participants? Prayer partners pray daily for the person assigned and the mission team, write a note or of encouragement to their prayer partner for each of the 8 days of the trip, and provide a small token or gift for your prayer partner that can be added to your note or given separately for some or all of the days of the trip (snack food, candy, small gifts with a faith theme, dollar store silly items, etc.). Please contact Ashley Boersma to sign up to be a mission trip prayer partner at aboersma@umcdunes.org.

3 May 2018 Music Ministry: Notes from the Loft By Megan Horist, Director of Music What a wonderful celebration of Holy Week and Easter. Christ is Risen! Thank you to all who helped to make our worship services special. Thanks to the choir, who provided beautiful music for Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday; the bell choir, who played wonderful music for the Maundy Thursday and Easter services; the special instrumentalists heard throughout Holy Week, the Tech Team who volunteered to support all the services, and the Worship Committee and Visual Arts Team who beautifully decorated and provided elements for each service. Thanks again to each and every one of you who prepared, planned, and shared your time to help make our worship services so memorable! Set Painters Wanted for the Children s Musical: The children are currently working on this year s musical which will be presented in worship on May 20, and we need your help. I am currently looking for artistic people to help build our set. If you are a creative and crafty sort of a person and wouldn t mind spending a few hours painting and creating our set, please contact me at mhorist@umcdunes.org. See you in church, Megan Music Rehearsal Schedule Worship Schedule for May Mondays 7:00PM Bells of Glory (Adult Bells) May 6 Chancel Choir Wednesdays 6:00PM Musical Rehearsal (2 nd 6 th Grade) May 13 Bells of Glory Wednesdays 6:00PM - 6:20PM PreK-1st Grade join Musical May 20 Children s Musical Wednesdays 7:30PM Chancel Choir (Adult Choir) Sundays 12:15PM Youth Choir (7 th 12 th Grade) (Directed by Cynthia Hicks) Let s Celebrate the Class of 2018 Graduation Sunday, June 3 Are you going to be a 2018 graduate? We invite you to join us in a celebration of your accomplishments on Sunday, June 3, We will recognize you at both services and have a celebration (complete with cake) between services. If you (or a member of your family) are interested in participating, please pick up a packet from of the youth bulletin board located in the hallway by the main office. The packet includes an information form for you to complete and return, and details about participating in Graduation Sunday. Card Shower for Graduates Please help us celebrate our Class of 2018 graduates by showering them with encouraging cards. There will be a gift bag for each graduate on the brick ledge, located in the church entrance next to the office. You re invited to leave a card or note of encouragement on this new chapter of their lives, or a note with some advice or scriptures that really touched you or helped you along your journey. Some people may choose to leave small tokens also, and that s okay to do; please make sure your card is attached so they know who it is from. For more information, please contact Ashley Boersma, Director of Youth Ministry, at aboersma@umcdunes.org.

4 United Methodist Church of the Dunes Electronic Giving is Now Available Church of the Dunes is pleased to announce the introduction of an electronic option for making regular electronic offering payments to the church. Contributions can now be debited automatically from your checking or savings account. You may also choose to make contributions on a pre-determined schedule using a credit or debit card. Our new electronic giving program offers convenience for you and provides donation consistency for our congregation. You will no longer need to write checks or prepare offering envelopes for your regular contributions. And, when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis. An authorization form is available from the church office. You may also manage your giving online by visiting the church website at clicking on the "Giving" tab near the top of the page and following the onscreen instructions to create an online profile and to schedule your recurring contributions. Please contact Jan Blanchard in the church office with any questions you may have. Mission Gifts Made in January, February, and March 2018 By the UMC Dunes Mission Committee At Church of the Dunes, the annual budget and monthly special offerings provide much-needed funds for mission work throughout our local and global community. The information below is a snapshot of the gifts Church of the Dunes shared during the first three months of The Mission Committee looks forward to continuing to share this information with you, so that we can all celebrate how much of a difference we are making for many important mission organizations. Given to Amount 2017 Advent Offering UMCOR (Amount listed is Advent offerings received in 2018) Faith In Action International - Contribution Faith In Action International - Tom Braak (Missionary to Haiti) Medical Expenses Gracious Grounds - February Mission Moment 1, International Aid - Contribution Love in Action - Contribution Love in Action - February Hunger Offering Supper House - In Memory of Lola Yocum The Salvation Army - January Hunger Offering 1, WMC Treasurer - Haiti Hot Lunch - March Hunger Offering 1, WMC Treasurer - Dornon, Missionary WMC Treasurer - UMCOR Contributions WMC Treasurer - UMCOR Sunday West Michigan Teen Challenge - January Mission Moment 1, TOTAL $ 9, Note: WMC is the West Michigan Conference, United Methodist Church

5 May 2018 Lent and Easter 2018 Pictured: banners in the Sanctuary, the Lenten Breakfast, Lenten pretzels made by the kids and youth, Maundy Thursday worship, bells ready for the beautiful bell choir music of Easter morning, and the Resurrection Garden of flowers around the altar on Easter morning. Photos: D. and K. Dahlstrom, C. Kocher

6 United Methodist Church of the Dunes Children s Ministry News By Laura Burns, Director of Children s Ministries Vacation Bible School June 17-21: Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus Schedule: 6-8:15 p.m., dinner at 5:15 p.m. Have you signed up for Shipwrecked VBS? It s not too late. Reserve your spot today. Registration information is provided at the bottom of this page. Each day of this fun VBS experience, kids travel through interactive stations that reinforce relevant Bible points and immerse them in new adventures. Here s a sneak peek: Day 1: Bible Point: When you re lonely Jesus rescues! Bible Story: Jesus tells parables about lost things. (Luke 15) Key Verse: The Lord will hold me close. (Psalm 27:10) Day 2: Bible Point: When you worry Jesus rescues! Bible Story: Martha worries and complains. (Luke 10:38-42) Key Verse: The Lord comes to the rescue each time. (Psalm 34:19) Day 3: Bible Point: When you struggle Jesus rescues! Bible Story: Jesus friends try to rescue him in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-54; Matthew 26:36-56) Key Verse: Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10) Day 4: Bible Point: When you do wrong Jesus rescues! Bible Story: Jesus welcomes a criminal before dying and coming back to life. (Luke 23:26 24:12) Key Verse: Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Day 5: Bible Point: When you re powerless Jesus rescues! Bible Story: Peter and John heal a lame man in Jesus name. (Acts 3:1-26) Key Verse: This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead. (Ephesians 1:19-20) VBS is June and open to all kids 4 years -6 th grade. Reserve your spot today. Register with this QR code or on-line at: If you have questions or would like a helping hand with registration, please contact Laura Burns at (616) Ext. 24 or lburns@umcdunes.org. VBS Hands-on Mission Project: At VBS, kids not only experience and learn about God s love, they have the opportunity to share God s love in real and meaningful ways. This year we will be collecting food items for the Meet Up to Eat Up program. This is the summer version of Backpack Blessings, ensuring all kids have enough food. We love to partner with Love In Action, a local organization that works with the Meet Up to Eat Up Program. It s especially meaningful to have kids help kids. Love in Action has identified 3 food items they need the most for this: individual applesauce cups (6 packs), tomato soup, and canned tuna. We ll be collecting these items each night to donate to Love in Action, and be working toward a mission s celebration on the last night.

7 May 2018 Youth Ministry News By Ashley Boersma, Director of Youth Ministry FOOD TRUCK VOLUNTEERS: In March, Church of the Dunes youth pitchedin to help when the Feeding America Food Truck distributed food and more at The Gateway Church in Norton Shores. We helped unload food items from the truck and package red peppers into grocery bags to hand out to each guest. When it was time, each guest would come inside where we would pair up with a guest to walk with them through the line and help them gather and carry their items. As we went through the line, guests received a laundry basket with household and personal items, and then received a variety of food items. We had a chance to talk with the guests while we were walking through the line. All of our youth thought the guests were very friendly, and they really enjoyed their time serving. PRETZEL MAKING : The youth joined with Church of the Dunes children during their monthly fellowship time called Kids Connection. The activity: make Lenten Pretzels. The youth were being supercreative with the pretzel designs. We had a great time and really enjoyed the yummy treats after they were baked. GAMES AND ROOTBEER FLOATS: We had lots of laughs at our root beer float and game night at youth group in April. We played: Speak Out, Spoons, and Mancala. BELIEVE JUNIOR HIGH MINISTRY EVENT: We went to the Believe junior high ministry event in Holland, Michigan, April 20 and 21. This year s theme was based on Matthew 28:20 which says I am with you always. The music and speakers were amazing and inspiring, and we had so much fun.

8 United Methodist Church of the Dunes Adult Education Studies By Jan Stuart, Adult Education Coordinator A variety of adult Christian education opportunities are available at Church of the Dunes. Please see the calendar in the weekly worship service bulletin for the most up-to-date list of classes and schedules. You are invited to take part in any of these ongoing studies. Please stop by any time. MESSY SPIRITUALITY: GOD'S ANNOYING LOVE FOR IMPERFECT PEOPLE A book by Mike Yaconelli Sundays, Ryder Lounge May 13, 20, June 2, 10, 17, 9:35-10:25 a.m. Facilitator: Ruth Woodward This book was written for the silent majority of us who are convinced that we just don t do Christianity right. Maybe you don t think you are a very good Christian... Do you ever feel like: I don t pray enough I don t read my Bible enough, I don t share my faith enough, I don t love God enough, I am not committed enough, I am not spiritual enough? We spend most of our lives worried about what we don t do instead of what we have done, focused on our imperfections instead of God s fondness for the imperfect. Michael Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, infiniteness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided... and gloriously liberating. What if genuine faith begins with admitting we will never have our act completely together? Maybe messy disciples are exactly the kind of imperfect people Jesus came to earth for, and whose company he actually enjoyed--and still enjoys. Messy Spirituality is a classic that offers timeless wisdom and antidotes for the spiritual perfectionism in us all. Here you will find truths that can cut you loose from the tyranny of ought-tos and open your eyes to the deep spirituality of being loved by the God who meets you and transforms you in the midst of a messy and unpredictable life." Please sign up to help us know how many books to order. The sign-up sheet is located on the Adult Ministries bulletin board, near the church office. MONDAY EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP MEETS MAY 21 6:30 p.m., Ryder Lounge Facilitator: Gayle Cox May s book is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells taken without her knowledge in 1951 became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew. (Summary source: Amazon.com) They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ~ Acts 2:42 ~

9 May 2018 Equal Exchange Fair Trade Products Available Feature: Palestinian Olive Oil Equal Exchange s mission is to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and consumers and to demonstrate, through our success, the contribution of worker co-operatives and Fair Trade* to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable world. Many of Equal Exchange s most popular fair trade products are available for sale in Church of the Dunes Wiltse Center during Sunday morning fellowship time. The Palestinian Olive Oil is a favorite Equal Exchange product for many. This high-quality olive oil has a rich history, and undergoes an extensive process to get to market. Many thousands of olive trees have been passed down through generations of Palestinian families. Farmer cooperatives cold press the olives with the pits, which are then strained out. Heating fuel and soap are some of the byproducts of this process. The olive oil processing is managed by the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (PARC). PARC is Equal Exchange s partner that supports the farmer co-ops, and handles testing and bottling the oil near Ramallah. Each spring, PARC sends oil from the new harvest to Equal Exchange. It goes through a difficult and costly process of clearing checkpoints in Israel before being shipped to the U.S. The PARC oil is made from Nabali olives, which are full of anti-oxidants with a rich, peppery flavor. Please visit Church of the Dunes Equal Exchange cabinet in the Wiltse Center and consider purchasing olive oil or other products. The sale of these products provide living wages for farmers, many of whom are women, and who would otherwise live on meager means. *trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries What s for Supper Wednesday Suppers in the Social Hall Wednesday Suppers are served from 5:15-6:00 p.m. in the Social Hall, on the lower level of the church. May 2 May 9 May 16 Potato Bar Spaghetti Beef Walking Tacos Wednesday suppers end for the summer after May 16 and begin again in the fall. Save the Date: Homecoming Sunday is October 21, 2018 Adult Council is sponsoring Homecoming Sunday. We plan to invite all current and former members, young and old, those that have moved away, or moved to a new church to return to Church of the Dunes for an afternoon of renewing old friendships, reminiscing, and enjoying a catered lunch together. Invitations will be sent to those that are not currently on the church mailing list, so if you know of someone who would like to receive an invitation, please let us know. If you would like more details, would like to share names of those you think would like to be invited, or would like to be a part of the planning committee, please contact Susan Thorpe, Chairperson of Adult Council, at holbox04@gmail.com or (248)

10 United Methodist Church of the Dunes West Michigan Whitecaps Baseball: Sunday June 10 Bring your family, invite neighbors, and invite friends to the West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game. Game time is 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10. Cost is $12.50 per ticket. Parking is $7.00 per car. If there is interest, carpooling may be arranged. Please make reservations and payments before Sunday May 13. Dale Zurakowski will be in the Wiltse Center between services on May 6 and May 13 to answer questions, and take reservations and payments. On June 10, gates at the ballpark open at 1:00 p.m. Plan to get there early for autograph signing and playing catch on the field. These two events take place between 1:15 and 1:30 p.m. (Bring your gloves and a pad of paper or something to have signed.) Running the bases after the game should be fun too! For more information, contact Dale Zurakowski or the church office. Unity Christian Music Festival Special Ticket Pricing Available Now Unity Christian Music Festival is happening August 8-11, The event takes place on the lake at Heritage Landing in Muskegon. It s a four-day, family-friendly music festival with a wide variety of music, kids activities, extreme games, a youth lounge, many different ministry booths and activities. Food prices are family-friendly too. Alive on The Lakeshore, the organization that puts on Unity Festival, creates an opportunity for people to purchase tickets at special discounted pricing through churches. To purchase tickets at this great rate, please sign up on the youth bulletin board, and make checks payable to Alive on the Lakeshore, and give your checks to Ashley Boersma, Youth Director at Church of the Dunes. 1-day passes are $30, 3-day passes are $50, and family passes good for all days of the event are $200. Family passes are only available through church sales, and they are beneficial for families of five or more. Children under 5 are free. You may have noticed that there are 3-day passes, but the festival is four days. Day Zero (Wednesday August 8) is absolutely free! No tickets are needed for Wednesday. Tickets through Church of the Dunes will be on sale until Sunday, May 27. If you have any questions please see Ashley or her at aboersma@umcdunes.org Top-notch Christian music festival ~ Mlive.com ~ This is my 5th year [attending Unity] and every year is amazing and uplifting. ~ Facebook reviewer ~ Men s Church League Softball Join us Monday evenings for fun and fellowship--and softball. We welcome interested softball players for UMC Dunes team. We are currently practicing at local fields in Grand Haven on Monday evenings. The 10-game schedule starts May 7. The player fee is $40. Please contact Mark Walling at scoutmaster_mark@yahoo.com or (616) Fans are always welcome.

11 May 2018 Everybody Wants My Money By Bron Kram, UMC Dunes Lay Leader Is that how you feel? Well, you have lots of company. Appeals for money come to all of us on a daily basis, overwhelming in their desperation and sheer numbers. It s frustrating and leaves us feeling helpless or guilty for not giving. Admittedly the church s appeals can also make us feel that way. The giving of our regular tithes and offerings is critical for programming, staffing and maintaining our facilities, but what about all those other requests for funds? Are we supposed to give to all of them? Seriously? The answer is no. The hope and expectation is that the variety of causes for which funding is requested gives each of us the opportunity to choose our own priorities for donating. Information is provided about needs in our community, nation and world so that we can be aware of them. Beyond that it is up to each us to decide which, if any, of those speak to our hearts and move us to contribute. Ours is a loving and generous congregation. Your staff and leaders pray that you will continue your commitment to our church through your tithes and offerings, while supporting, as you are able, outside causes to which you feel drawn. SAFETY TIP If you are in church during the announcement of severe weather or a tornado, you will be directed to the lower level, away from windows. Safety First: Severe Weather by Don Woodward, Safety and Security Team We have entered into the time where severe weather is possible. Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms are the most likely issues that we may have to deal with in West Michigan. A tornado watch, if issued, means that conditions are right to anticipate a possible tornado. Keep weather information available to you. If a tornado warning is issued, that means a funnel cloud has been spotted. It is time to seek shelter. If you are home, go to your basement or a hallway on the lowest floor. Avoid windows or glass doors. If you are not at home, seek appropriate shelter. Ottawa County, along with most other counties, has a warning signal that will sound in case of a weather emergency. Be aware of that and take the appropriate action. A weather alert radio is also a good idea to keep up with current conditions too. Weather alert radios can be purchased relatively inexpensively at many big-box stores. More information can be found at a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) website. Be safe!

12 United Methodist Church of the Dunes 717 Sheldon Road Grand Haven, MI Phone: (616) Website: Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Grand Haven, MI Permit 117 June Dunes Digest Deadline The deadline for the June issue of the Dunes Digest is May 15. Address Service Requested Welcome Church of the Dunes Core Purpose We are a family of faith who seeks to grow in God s grace and love, challenges and equips all members to be faithful disciples, to share the Good News and demonstrate and reflect the love of God. Dunes Digest Available Via Would you like to begin receiving your Dunes Digest by instead of having a copy mailed to you? If so, please contact Jan in the church office at jblanchard@umddunes.org. Church Staff Ministers All Members of the Congregation Senior Pastor.Rev. Louis Grettenberger ( , pastorlou@umcdunes.org) Assistant Pastor Rev. Eldon Eldred ( , eldon616@gmail.com) Director of Music Megan Horist (mhorist@umcdunes.org) Organist/Accompanist.Marna Jeffery (mjeffery@umcdunes.org) Director of Jubilation Choir..Carol Kirchner (kirchcocarol@yahoo.com) Director of Youth Choir Cynthia Hicks (cdhicks@umcdunes.org) Director of Children s Ministries.. Laura Burns (lburns@umcdunes.org) Director of Youth Ministry..Ashley Boersma (aboersma@umcdunes.org) Director of Communications...Carla Kocher (ckocher@umcdunes.org) Kitchen Coordinator...Sherry Baker (sbaker@umcdunes.org) Wednesday Night Suppers Tracee Cole and Kelly Grilley Office Administrator Jan Blanchard (jblanchard@umcdunes.org) Assistant Office Administrator..Shirley Chappell Custodian..Jeff Thomasma (jthomasma@umcdunes.org) Covenant Missionaries..Dr. Lester & Debbie Dornon