A comprehensive report on the ministry of Lebanon First UMC. Philippians 4:1-9 (NIV)

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1 The Circuit Rider A comprehensive report on the ministry of Lebanon First UMC Philippians 4:1-9 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Volume 33, Number 9 NOVEMBER 2018

2 Pastor s Well, I have returned from vacation where I kept thinking, I need to do an article for the Circuit Rider but it never happened. I could enthrall you with tales of all that I did, places I went, things I saw, but that would be rather boring as I didn t really do much of anything that was outstanding! However, I did spend time with family and friends and THAT was of value! I got to attend worship at the church of my youth and adulthood. There I visited with folk that knew me when I was ahem much younger and also who had supported my call in ministry. I also connected with the people from the church where I had done my internship who started me out in ministry. Finally, I was able to visit with the church I was at just prior to coming to Lebanon. They wanted to know if I was being taken care of, and if I weren t, I could come back to them! I assured them that you were taking very good care of me and that all three of the congregations to which I have been appointed have been wonderful. As I thought about my time with my friends, I began to reflect on the fact that friends are so important. These verses from John s Gospel came to mind: My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one s life for one s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:12-19 (NIV) 2 Ponderings continued on page 3

3 ...Ponderings continued from page 2 Friends are people who stick by you no matter what happens. They care about you. They love you. They understand you. They rejoice with you. They suffer with you. Everyone needs friends. You need friends who inspire you to be true to God and to your ideals. You need friends who will not overlook your faults and your mistakes, who will correct and encourage you in a positive way. Friendship implies a close, intimate, open, ongoing relationship. Scripture even tells us, The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. (Ex. 33:11) Abraham was known as the friend of God. He believed God and talked with Him. He walked with God and obeyed Him. Abraham entrusted his life into the hands of the all-powerful God and received the reward of God s friendship. Great men and women of the Bible surrounded themselves with close friends. One of the best Bible stories of true friendship is the account of the friendship of David and Jonathan This friendship lasted to the next generation. After Jonathan died, David cared for Jonathan s son as if he were own. Jesus Christ, while on earth, surrounded Himself with an inner circle of close friends. Three of them, Peter, James, and John, accompanied Him on missions that witnessed the intense love, power, and struggle of the Son of God. Though these friends sometimes failed Christ, He never failed them. I can never thank God enough for my friends. They have made a positive impact on my life. They have taught and shown me by example, that truth is strong, that love is more powerful than hate, and that self-sacrifice is more honorable than selfinterest. They demonstrated the proverb that says, A friend loves at all times (Prov. 17:17) Where can we go to find good friends? It seems that the world is full of falsehood and treachery. We can be sure of finding good friends when you accept and follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God who loves us all and gave His life for us. Even if we have few other friends, we can rest in the assurance that Jesus offers a friendship that brings us peace and happiness we could never experience otherwise. When we follow Jesus Christ, Ponderings continued on page

4 ...Ponderings continued from page 3 we become part of a group of people who also follow Him. We become part of the family of God the Bible calls the household of faith. We need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and seek friendship and encouragement from His people. We need to seek a household of faith, church, and Christian friends who obey the Bible, live by its principles, and encourage and stand by each other through life s struggles. At the same time, we must be worthy of our friends. The Book of Proverbs offers us sage advice on being friends. One point that is important to realize is that true friendship is reciprocal. You cannot expect more than you can give. Take time each day to be a faithful friend and pray for your friends. Write a letter of sympathy and encouragement to the friend who is hurting. Make the phone call to distant friends who need to know that someone cares. Provide a meal for a sick neighbor. True friendship crosses over racial and cultural barriers. It knows no age limit. Befriend the elderly and the feeble. Take your children with you when you visit them. I am amazed at the expression of pleasure in the face of an elderly person when they meet an infant or child. It helps them forget their pain and focus on others. Being a true friend is a good example for those you influence. It helps them know how to be good friends and also what kind of friends to choose. Eternity will reveal the impact of true friendship. May we be good friends and find good friends to encourage us through life. Most importantly, may we find the greatest friend of all, Jesus Christ, who is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) Thank you for being my friend! Pastor Kim 4

5 CHARGE CONFERENCE The 2018 Charge Conference is Thursday, November 1, at Christ UMC in Fairview Heights at 6:00 p.m. All members are strongly encouraged to attend! Thursday, Nov. 8, Noon Fellowship Hall Winter is approaching and the birds who stay behind need our attention. November 8 th, our speaker will be Mardi Mauch, who owns Wild Birds Unlimited, in Swansea. Please come at 12 noon for age-appropriate exercise, lunch, and information about birds and their favorite seeds. All are welcome! Invite your friends and neighbors! See you there!! Psalm 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 5

6 King s Closet Sale Day Friday, Nov AM - 2 PM 507 W. St. Louis Drive-Thru Prayer Event Saturday, Nov. 10, 10 am Church Parking Lot Drive-Thru Prayer Ministry Reach out in prayer to our community by listening and praying with others. People are invited to drive into the church parking lot, be greeted by a prayer team of 2 who will share scripture and pray for each need. The event will be lead by Jeff Thornton, Bob Homan and Pastor Kim. The first Drive-Thru event is Saturday, November 10 th. Nov./Dec edition of the Upper Room now available! 6

7 YOUNG AT HEART In everything, give thanks; for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Daily gratitude is an ongoing heartfelt appreciation of the world around us. Giving thanks in our daily lives leads to greater happiness, better health, and better sleep, as well as makes us less susceptible to anger, resentment, and depression. (Robert Emmons, psychologist) The surest way to happiness is to live by the rule of thanking God for everything. Young-at-Hearters, can you name the title of this hymn from which this line is taken? Lord of all to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise. What better way to express our thanks to God than to sing Thanksgiving hymns! And can you sing the first verse of America, the Beautiful? Give thanks to God for the music in your life. (Answer to first question: For the Beauty of the Earth page 92, UMH) Wednesday morning, November 14 th, we will sing some Thanksgiving hymns at our regular, monthly meeting. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 10 a.m. Bring your singing voice. Shirley Malone will share Thoughts of Thanksgiving. Joyce Clem and Dee Hermanson will be our hostesses. Please come, give thanks, and enjoy. Psalm 98:4 tells us to Break forth into joyous sound, and sing praises. 7

8 LFUMC Community Thanksgiving Dinner The 20 th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner (Nov 22 nd ) is quickly coming upon us! Can you believe it! Already Thanksgiving time and this year LFUMC celebrates 20 years of providing Thanksgiving dinner to the community. Our congregation has generously provided the time, money and talent to provide the dinner. This year is no different. We will need people to serve, prepare, cook, clean and donate. Look for sign-up sheets in the Fellowship Hall. For more information, please call the church office ( ), Carol ( ) or see me (Mike) at church. Thanksgiving Donations and Meal Preparation Sign-up sheets are in the Fellowship Hall! Please join us for a turkey dinner, served family-style. No Charge! 20 th Annual Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner November 22, :00 PM First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall 8 RSVP requested Please call: Transportation available

9 November Food Pantry Collection Nov. 4 Cereal/Instant Oatmeal Nov. 11 Hearty Soups Nov. 18 Canned Vegetables Nov. 25 Pasta and Spaghetti Sauce With your donations, the Food Pantry served 46 households and 106 individuals in the month of September! The Community Care Coalition used $2,726 total during the months of July, August and September, giving financial assistance to those in need. When you give to the Lebanon Matthew 25:40 Ministries you are helping our community. Psalm 104:14-15 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate- bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. 9

10 UMW Unit Meeting Monday, November 26, 1:00 PM World Thank Offering Presented by Jane Novey Hostesses: Mary Metzger-Harris Casey Andrew Holy Folders Thursday, Nov. 29 th 9:30 am Fellowship Hall Advent Decorating Advent begins Sunday, December 2. The Fellowship Hall will be filled with children celebrating Jesus' birthday on Saturday, the 1 st, so the Hanging of the Greens will take place on Friday, November 30, at 9 a.m. Please consider being a part of a team, which will make the Sanctuary, Parlor, Mezzanine and Fellowship Hall places of beauty. Joe Zimmerlee and Kay Korte God s Super Saturday Happy Birthday, Jesus! Party December 1 11 AM - 12 PM 10

11 Angel Tree Last year Angel Tree provided gifts for 50 local families and 150 children. Angel Tree is an important ministry. Be looking for sign up sheets to purchase gifts. Thank you for your past support and your future support. Mitten Tree The Mitten Tree will go up in the entry way to the Fellowship Hall, November 30 th. Please bring new children s hats and gloves to place on the tree. The hats and gloves will be taken to Lessie Bates Neighborhood House in East St. Louis. You will be providing a great gift of warmth to children who would very likely go without this winter. The Lebanon First UMC CONNECTION LINE Stay connected to church activities & prayer requests! Three ways to connect; voice mail, or text. Sign up today! For more information, call office@lebanonmethodist.org Philippians 3:13-14 New International Version (NIV) Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 11

12 Save the Date: Charge Conference, November 1 st 6 Christ UMC (Fairview Heights) Time Change, November 4 th Fall back. Senior Stretch, November 8 Noon Drive-Thru Prayer Event, November 10 th 10 a.m. Community Thanksgiving Dinner, November 22 nd 2 p.m. Hanging of the Greens, November 30 9 a.m. God s Super Saturday Happy Birthday, Jesus! Party December 1 st,11 a.m. - noon. Advent begins: December 2 nd Sunday School For all ages! Every Sunday morning, 11 am Mustard Seed Toddler-Kindergarten (Room 207, Upstairs) Bible Adventure Club 1 st - 6 th Grade (Room 201, Upstairs) Sojourners Adult (Room 101, Downstairs) Disciples Adult (Parlor) In a Nutshell Adult (Room #102) 12

13 *The heating boilers have been checked out and are ready for winter. * A large tree in the front yard is dying and will be removed. * Several bushes and plants on the property have either been trimmed or removed. September Summary Attendance & Offering Average Worship Attendance: 77 Sunday Offerings: General: $12,470 Ministries: $ 605 On-Line Giving: General: $ 2,800 Ministries: $ 250 September Totals: General: $15,270 Ministries: $ Monthly Budget: General: $17,609 Average Sunday School Attendance Adults: 21 Children: 3 13

14 TODAY Today, I will live today. Yesterday has passed. Tomorrow is not yet. I m left with today. So, today, I will live today. Relive yesterday? No. I will learn from it. I will see mercy for it. I will take joy in it. But I won t live in it. The sun has set on yesterday. The sun has yet to rise on tomorrow. Worry bout the future? To what gain? It deserves a glance, nothing more. I can t change tomorrow until tomorrow. Today, I will live today. I will face today s challenges with today s strength. I will dance today s waltz with today s music. I will celebrate today s opportunities with today s hope. Today. By Max Lucado From his book: Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World. Thank you to everyone who gave candy, help plan or worked the trunk or treat event. We provided candy to hundreds of sugar-deprived children in the local area. 14

15 Many Thanks To all who helped make the Bread of Life Bread Booth for Fall Festival 2018 a great success, I extend my sincere thanks. Whether you were a baker, a booth worker, a taste tester, a $$ donator, or one of the strong gents who set up or took down the canopy, or hauled table/chairs, it was truly a team effort. Proceeds of $1389 have been forwarded to Our Conference Our Kids, which assists five child welfare agencies spiritual life programs within our conference. In addition, it was a joy to highlight our church s Children s Ministry outreach this season by having a table adjacent to the Bread Booth which offered free face painting and tattoo stickers. Thanks to Kim Vunesky, Nedra Godwin, and Peg Gerdes for putting smiles on little faces. Jane Novey A Special Thank-you to My Church Family, Every kindness has a part In bringing joy to someone s heart. It s sometimes easy to forget That there are nice people out there doing nice things for others. Thanks for being such a special reminder. Lawana Feltrop To the People & Friends of UM Church: Many thanks for your love, prayers and concerns. All my muscles were filled with water. It was 30 pounds or about 4 gallons! It has taken 2 years to correct this and other related problems. Again, I say, Thanks! I would never have made it without you. Hermie Hermanson 15

16 To All the Folks in Lebanon, I received the Circuit Rider, October 6, 2018, forwarded from Spanaway. (Washington State) I m in an assisted living home- Patriots Landing. I ve been here two months. It was getting too hard for me to take care of the house, yard, etc. If you don t remember- Faye passed away three years ago. This place is nice but I m still trying to get settled and haven t gotten my new address out- even some of our family doesn t know I ve moved! If anyone is interested, please write, I would like to hear from you. I may not remember all your names. I will reply, however, if I hear from you and get a return address. Your Methodist family (me) in Washington, Jerry Reed 1600 Marshall Circle Apt. 246 Dupont, WA Dear Chapter One Project Supporter, 2018 has been a great year so far and it has been in large part because of you and your support! Not only were we able to get our Non-For-Profit Status finalized with the state, but we were able to put together an incredible Back to School Fair where we helped over 100 students with their school supplies for the upcoming school year! A lot of our left-over supplies were taken by the teachers and will be used throughout the school year. This is something we plan to do for our Lebanon students every year and hope we will continue to have your support. Thank you again for your support this year, we could not do all this without you! Chapter One Project Note: Lebanon First donated $750 to the Back to School Fair. 16

17 Note: The November issue of the Circuit Rider is dedicated to Kay Korte s Disciple Sunday school class. Thank you to Kay for her dedication to this class and all she does in the church. The current study is Max Lucado s book, Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World. It is an excellent book and this editor highly recommends all read it! The Disciple class meets in the Parlor. December/January Circuit Rider Articles Due: Wed. Nov. 21 st To: Kim Vunesky (kimvunesky@gmail.com) The Circuit Rider is a monthly publication of Lebanon First UMC, Lebanon, IL Reverend Kim Hagedorn Content: The people of the Lebanon First United Methodist Church Production & Information Manager: Allyn Wiechert Content and Story Coordinator: Kim Vunesky Assembly: Holy Folders Proofs and Consultation: Kay Korte For more information, call office@lebanonmethodist.org

18 See you Sunday! 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM Fellowship 11:00 AM Sunday School First United Methodist Church 603 West St. Louis St. Lebanon, IL (618) ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Label Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Permit #19 Lebanon, IL