Don't get so busy keeping up with Joneses that

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1 Wesley s Journal Wesley United Methodist Church 85 Stanford Ave. office (719) Pueblo, CO fax (719) office@wesleyumcpueblo.org Rev. Emilie Forward cell: Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. Sunday School classes for all ages 11:15 a.m. Wesley United Methodist Church is called by God to invite people of all ages into an exciting journey of faith in Jesus Christ. From the Pastor's Pen: In the last few weeks I have heard people talking about their instincts and how to trust them and how to rely on one's gut feelings. I consider myself almost fearless, however, there are times when I heed my instincts and gut feelings (well almost) and I have not regretted it so far. Jesus knew whom to trust and whom not to trust. When he met Nathaniel he said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile." John 1:47 When he told Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church," Matthew16:18, He was signaling trust in someone who ultimately came through for him. In Nehemiah, a number of opponents tried various means to get him to stop rebuilding the wall. One man sent him a letter, telling him to halt the work immediately and meet him in the sanctuary. But as Nehemiah explains, "I realized that God had not sent him, so I refused to stop working." Nehemiah 6:12. In the Old Testament when Abner trusted Joab, a man he knew had ill will against him, he ended up being tricked by Joab and killed. At his funeral King David lamented, "Should Abner have died as a fool dies?" 2 Samuel 3:33. Abner died a fool's death because he had ignored his instinct. Like these figures in Scripture, we must be wise to the ways and dangers of the world. How many times have you had a gut reaction to a person or situation and let "logic" (yours or someone else's) overrule you, to your subsequent regret. In the very beginning of my ministry, I was asked to visit someone who had not been in church for some time. My gut feeling told me not to go alone, to invite someone else from the congregation to come along. Even though, against my better judgment, I went to visit, the experience taught me to trust my instincts at all times. I learned a valuable lesson that day. This visit could have gone horribly wrong had I not been in good physical shape. I recently learned that our intestine is lined with the identical tissue that encases our brain, which may explain why our gut also seems to think and talk to us. Scientists are not sure how our instinct functions, in either the animal brain, or in ours. It is a combination of appearances, past history and experiences, scent, genetics, magic? Instinct does not follow a rational highway. It just is. Perhaps it is the voice of the Holy Spirit, whispering to us truths we have no other way of knowing, or perhaps it is guardian angels, showing us where the dangers lie. Someone told me after my encounter with this parishioner, "If you sense danger, it is probably there. Don't discount your feelings." God easily and often speaks to us through our intuition, ideas, feelings, and emotions. We will hear his voice behind us, saying "The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life." Proverbs 16:17 In the Gospel of Mark 2:8 when Jesus healed the paralytic, we read that Jesus was inwardly aware what the teachers of the law were thinking to themselves. Jesus trusted his instincts, trust yours and be safe. Happy Trails, Rev. Emilie Don't get so busy keeping up with the Joneses that you forget to keep up with Jesus. 1

2 To family and friends of Floyd Bollacker, Randy Hilliard, Walter Bedlien, Leonard Rice ON OCTOBER 4 The Cooperative Care Center is getting stocked up for the holidays. So they are asking us to bring instant mashed potatoes and instant stuffing mixes for our October donations. Canned vegetables are welcome too. Wesley collects food for the Cooperative Care Center on the first Sunday of every month. Place your items in or beside the red wagon in the lobby (south entry to the sanctuary). If you'd like to give a cash donation for the purchase of turkeys, make your check payable to WUMC and write "Coop Turkeys" on notation line. Church Office will be closed Oct 24-Nov 1, Christina will be on vacation. BAZAAR NOV. 6th & 7th The United Methodist Women will be holding their Bazaar and lunch November 6th & 7th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Tables will rent for $25 dollars for vendors. There will be vintage jewelry, bake sale, gently used Christmas decorations, book sales and free trade products. Breakfast burritos in the morning and soup for lunch will be sold as well. Informational displays highlighting the different mission and outreach areas will be displayed. Everyone is invited to rent a table, or contribute to the bake sale, craft or white elephant sales, and of course buyers are needed also! For more information call Nancy Shultz PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE WILL BE COLLECTING BABY JESUS BLANKETS ON NOV.29. Return of Game Night!!!!!!!!!!! On Friday, Oct 7:00 pm, Wesley UMC will once again unpack the games. Bring the kids, wear costumes (if you wish) have a fun game night. With board games, card games, X-box, fellowship, etc and plenty of snacks and finger food, enjoy a wonderful night of games and food with your whole family. LEARN HISTORY AND SUPPORT MISSIONS If you enjoy learning about Pueblo's colorful history and you would like to help prevent domestic violence, then--by all means--you should take note of the 2015 Special Sneak Peak October 1-5:30 pm and 7:30 pm--$5/person Ghost Walk. On October 2,3,9 & 10, between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m., walking tours will leave every 15 minutes from the El Pueblo History Museum. There will be a pre paid line to make those who have presale tickets move through the line faster cash or check only - NO CREDIT CARDS! $9.00 per adult children 5 and under accompanied by an adult - FREE presale tickets are on sale at the YWCAthe, El Pueblo History Museum & Southern Colorado Heritage Center. The cost of tickets will go to support the work of the Pueblo Domestic Violence Task Force and the YWCA shelter. This year's planned stories include Charles & Molly Goodnight, Queen Silver & Mineral Palace park, Muldoon Hoax, Millie the Apache wife, Ladies of the night, Marty Servo-Walter Weight Champion, Buddy Johnson Show, Chipeta Queen of the Utes/ElPueblo Massacre, Hose House #3 Pueblo fires, Jessie Haver Butler. In case of bad weather the event will move indoors. Wars, Charlie Autobee, Eden Train Wreck, La Llorona, Italian Prisoner of war Love Story. In case of bad weather the event will move indoors. Next Newsletter Deadline October 16 Something you can give and still keep: your word. COMMUNION SUNDAY IS OCTOBER 4 On October 4, when we celebrate World Communion Sunday with other Christians around the world, we will also take a special United Methodist offering. Your gifts to the World Communion Sunday offering equip racial- and ethnic-minority students in the United States and international 2

3 students to transform the church and communities. Your gift helps scholars become leaders. HAPPY OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS! 2 - Dut Whetzel, Theresa Bower* Bob Woolley 5 - Dawn Taylor 6 - Linda Diamond 8 - Joe Martinez* 9 - Danielle Amidon 11 - Gary Hartman 13 - Treva Bright 15 - Sherry Buffalo 18 - Alvin Buffalo, Beverly Jones* 19 - Jean Allen* 20 - Skip Ladd Tom Scheulen, 22 - Jay Harder 23 - Orabelle Easton*, Nancy Shultz, Eustice Zacher 24 - Eunice Carpenter*, Ruth Davison*, Robert R. Frantz 25 - Bob Teel*, 28 - Sharon Scheulen *Proudly celebrating 80 years or more. If we missed your birthday, please let the office know. A Bible in the hand is worth two in the bookcase. UMW NEWS WE WELCOME ALL WESLEY WOMEN Regular meeting of the UMW will be October 7, 1:00 pm, in the church fellowship hall. A bazaar planning meeting will be September 23 at 10:00 a.m. Anyone wanting to help us invited to attend. Attractions included will be vintage jewelry, bake sale, gently used Christmas decorations, book sales and free trade products. Donations of time and items always welcome. REMEMBER, the bazaar is November 6 & 7. HAPPY OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES! 12 - Deane & Ella Mae Beach* 27 - Corby & Cindy Huggett *Proudly celebrating 50 years or more. If we missed your birthday, please let the office know. ALL MEN ARE INVITED TO MEN'S BREAKFAST FELLOWSHIP All Wesley men and friends are invited to the United Methodist Men's breakfast on Saturday, October 10, at 8:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Men of Wesley, please consider joining us, we are having great spiritual and social fellowship at every meeting! Questions, contact Skip Ladd at HAVE FUN WITH A HALOWEEN PARADE Wesley kids (and those young at heart) are invited to wear your Halloween costumes to Sunday School and worship on Sunday, October 25. Bring your Halloween buckets and bags, or use a plastic bag from the church kitchen. Invite your friends to come too. Adults are encouraged to bring goodies, which can distributed on the church fellowship hall tables. The children will show off their costumes while parading through the fellowship hall from 11:45-12:00 a.m. (This is at the end of the Sunday School-Fellowship Hour.) This way we can all see their creative costumes and cheer them on. It will also keep them safe from being harmed in the parking lot. YOU CAN GIV THE GIFT OF SIGHT Each of us can help give the gift of sight by simply donating our old glasses. 3

4 There is a basket in the Lobby for your donations. Definition... Baby Jesus Tree...Wesley UMC For many years Wesley UMC has had a Baby Jesus tree at Christmas time as a way of gathering baby items needed by several of the charities we support: Catholic Charities, Cooperative Care, El Central de los Pobres Items needed are new or gently use baby clothes (basically 3 years and younger). These organizations always are short of disposable diapers (all sizes), formula, baby bottles, baby blankets, pacifiers, drinking cups, baby safe toys, any usable Items for babies are appreciated... We deliver them in early January and the organizations are always so grateful. This is just not stuff that is normally donated. Please bring your donations in late November and early December; help as you can. What a neat way to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus by helping the babies of today. Reminders coming..thanks from missions, Art Benfield MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is geared towards moms who have preschool aged kids (meaning 0-5yrs old), but I think you can cont. with Fellowship MOMS even if your kids are older. There are actually three different locations that host MOPS groups in Pueblo. 1- First UMC MOPS is 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 9:00-11:00AM 2- Aberdeen Baptist Church MOPS is 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9:30-11:30AM 3- Fellowship of the Rockies; has two groups, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at either 9:30-11:00AM or 6:30-8:00PM. All MOPS meetings start in September. First two meetings of each group are FREE. Childcare is provided at each location. There are membership fees, but each group has different prices and payment options. NEW READINGGROUP FORMING "We are all addicted in some way"... Begins Richard Rohr in Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps. We live in a culture of warp speed problem solving and instant gratification, drowning in an overload of stimuli. Where is our salvation... or in twelve step Language, our recovery? How do we find our way to our soul's true home? A Tuesday morning reading group begins October 6 at 7:30 am at The Gathering,1234S. Prairie (Old Don Carlos) restaurant! For more information or to register or order a book, call Chris , or Cindy at By September 28th. Thank you for all the prayers and cards and phone calls. A very special thank you to Rev. Emilie who went to visit me when I was in the hospital. Marlene McCarthy Los Probes Center. Dear Rev. Emilie Forward and Congregation, The wonderful check from your mission arrived this morning: We are so grateful for the gift: Thank you so much! Please come and see us some time. Blessing: Sister Nancy I want to express our sincere thanks to your generous donation. It was so kind to remember our soup kitchen and the needy people we serve, and it will certainly help us in our continued work. Sincerely, Eva L. Matola "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Matthew 25:35). On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff at Catholic Charities, please accept our thanks for your gift to support the programs of Catholic Charities. Sincerely, Joe Mahoney, Executive Director We are very appreciative of your donation. It helps to carry out the mission of Teresa's Place. Thank you so much. Lorri Gaffey On behalf of the staff & children of Pueblo Child Advocacy center please convey our sincere thanks to all the members of Wesley UMC for the recent donation. Your continuous support is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Dena Rodriquez Thank you all that filled bags with groceries and who made donations to Co-operative Care. Special thanks to the (orange t-shirts) team that they gave their time in front of the store collecting bags of groceries and donations. God Bless, Art Benfield 2016 FINANCIAL PLEDGE It is time again for each of us to renew our financial commitment to Wesley UM Church for The letters with pledge cards have been mailed out and should arrive at your mailbox momentarily. The pledge cards are due in the office by October 25. They may be mailed or placed in the offering plate on that Sunday. 4

5 As you prepare to make your pledge, do so in the spirit of thanksgiving--with a grateful heart. 5