Somerset UMC Newsletter - The Messenger

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1 Somerset UMC Newsletter - The Messenger Pastor Somerset UMC POB East Main Street, Somerset, Ohio / church SomersetUnitedMethodistChurch@gmail.com We re on facebook September 2018 Rev Karen K Walters Do You Really Want to Grow Up? We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chance wind of teaching... Instead we are meant to hold firmly to the truth in love, and TO GROW UP IN EVERY WAY INTO CHRIST... Ephesians 4:14 God calls us to grow up in the faith. We come to know Jesus, realize heaven is our destination and sometimes, if we're honest, sometimes we're satisfied with that. We can't be satisfied! We need to grow up in the faith. Become mature Christians. So if we agree to that, the next question is: How do I do that? There are 6 laws of spiritual growth. SIX LAWS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH 1. We grow when we read the Bible Jesus: People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every Word of God. Matthew 4:4 (NLT) Paul:... the Word of grace is able to build you up and give you all the blessings God has for his people. Acts 20:32 Hear... Read... Study... Memorize... Meditate... Apply 2. We grow when we learn in different ways In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. Luke 3:18 (CEV) By Listening (Auditory) By Watching/Reading (Visual) By Talking (Verbal/Oral) By Doing it (Physical/Kinesthetic) God speaks in different ways, and we don t always recognize his voice. Job 33:14 (CEV) 3. We grow when we develop spiritual habits

2 Now that you know these things, you ll be blessed if you practice them! John 13:17 Solid food is for mature people, whose minds have been TRAINED BY PRACTICE to know the difference between good and evil. Hebrews 5:14 All good athletes train hard and practice to get better. They do it to win a prize that won t last. But we practice to win a prize that will last forever! 1 Corinthians 9:25 Habit of weekly worship Habit of small group fellowship Habit of a daily time alone with God (Bible & Prayer) Habit of memorizing God s Word 4. We grow when we help others grow. I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you. Romans 1:12 (NCV) Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Let us not give up the HABIT of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more... Hebrews 10:24-25 (TEV) 5. We grow when we expect to grow Jesus: According to your faith will it be done to you. Matt 9:29 6. We grow when we commit to grow God: You ll find me when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else... Jeremiah 29:13 (Message) Nehemiah: In view of all this, we are MAKING A COVENANT TOGETHER in writing, and all of us are signing our names to it... See Nehemiah 9:38 Our greatest wish and prayer is that you will become mature Christians. 2 Corinthians 13:9 (TLB) Starry Night This Christmas, invite the whole family to experience the night Jesus was born. One Starry Night is a fun outreach event for the whole family. You'll amaze kids and grown-ups alike as, together, they experience the sights and sounds of Bethlehem. During this festive event, families encounter and strike up conversations with townspeople who are hoping for a Savior. Along the way, they'll enjoy hands-on experiences as they enter through the Bethlehem city gate, record their names for the census, gaze at constellations in the night sky, seek lodging at an inn, enjoy treats from the marketplace, and follow the shepherds to find baby Jesus. We play to offer this event during Small Towne Christmas. Please hold the Date now December 1 and plan to help us share the good news of the Savior's birth! 40 Days of Prayer 40 Days of Prayer is an event which will unite our congregation in prayer. We will learn how to pray with more confidence and greater faith than ever before. Are you struggling with a difficult situation or circumstance? Need a breakthrough in your life? Maybe in your marriage, health, finances, job or relationships? Breakthroughs always begin with prayer. Throughout this campaign, you will: Learn to pray for breakthroughs, Develop a daily habit of prayer, Experience God's blessings. We will feature this during the 10am worship service as well as meet on Sunday evenings at 6:00pm to continue the conversation. The study begins Sept

3 Topics are: A Beginner's Guide to Prayer Who Do You Think You are Talking To? Praying in Five Dimensions How to Pray Throughout Your Day How to Pray for Healing and Restoration When God Says "No" Join us as we deepen our faith, refresh our prayer life and come together in prayer. Preparedness Month Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How. September is National Preparedness Month Preparedness is important. Everyone can take actions now to plan and prepare for disasters. Being prepared now allows individuals the knowledge to be sustainable until first responders can arrive. There is no better time than now to be prepared, said Sima Merick, Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. Emergencies and disasters can happen at any time, often without any warning. Knowing what hazards or severe weather events could impact your area; practicing your emergency plans; updating your disaster supply kits these are just some things everyone can do to be self-sufficient and to enhance community resilience. Some things to do to be prepared: Organize disaster supply kits for your home and vehicles. A supply kit is a collection of basic items your household may need, in the event of an emergency. Most items in a basic kit are inexpensive and easy to find. And you might already have a lot of the items in your home. After a disaster happens, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Your disaster kits should have enough food, water, and other essential items to sustain everyone in your home (including pets) for at least three days. Take time to learn life-saving skills actions you can take to prepare for and protect against disasters and severe weather events. Install smoke, carbon monoxide and natural gas detectors and test them monthly. Know how to turn off utilities, like water and gas. Map out an evacuation route. Know two ways out of your home in case of a fire and practice evacuation plans. Check your insurance policies and coverage for the hazards that might impact your home or community, such as flooding, tornadoes or home fires. Consider the costs associated with disasters. Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. Have small bills on hand because ATMs and credit cards may not work after a disaster when you may need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food. To break up the project into manageable pieces: Week 1: Sept 1-8 Make and Practice Your Plan Week 2: Sept 9-15 Learn Life-Saving Skills Week 3: Sept Week 4: Sept Check Your Insurance Coverage Save for an Emergency September Flowers Sept 2 -given by Wayne Williams in memory of Naomi. 9 - none 16 - none 23 - Stephanie Smith 30 - none You can still volunteer to supply flowers to make our sanctuary beautiful

4 Raise the Roof Dinner Mark Monday, September 24 on your calendar! We're having a dinner to raise funds to replace our sanctuary roof. Dinner will be served from 5pm-7pm. The menu includes chicken and noddles, beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, drinks, gingerbread, brownies and whipped cream. Help will be needed setting up and making food in the afternoon plus serving and cleanup in the evening. Watch for a sign-up sheet and volunteer to serve. Please share the news of the dinner with friends and family - since there are no restaurants open in Somerset on Mondays, we're hoping to welcome the town. Concert Seventh Day Slumber is coming to Rolling Plains UMC. That's just a half hour east on 22! The concert is Sunday, September 16, 6:30-9:30pm. The cost is $2. We are especially hoping teens and tweens go but adults are welcome too! See Jennifer Ward if you want to carpool. Festival of Sharing 2018 This year's Festival of Sharing is Saturday, September 15, 2018, 9 am to noon at STEAM Innovation Center, Otterbein University, 60 Collegeview Road, Westerville, OH Somerset UMC is planning to pack School Kits for the Festival of Sharing. Details of items needed will be shared in worship. I Believe in the Church Join Bishop Gregory V. Palmer for an evening of inspiration, worship, testimony and sharing. -7- All West Ohio United Methodists are encouraged to attend. The event is FREE; however, PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for dinner and to receive printed materials. Registration is now open! To register, go to The event is Wednesday, October 3, Coburn UMC, 3618 Maple Ave., Zanesville, OH Dinner (by reservation only) is 6:00-6:45pm with the program 7. The program features Bishop Gregory Palmer Are Visitors Really Welcome at Your Church? I will never forget the Sunday morning a couple of years ago when I arrived unannounced to worship at one of our Foothills District churches. The pastor did not see me enter the sanctuary and the greeters and ushers were unprepared for visitors. I was finally greeted with the words, Who are you and what are you doing here this morning? I guess they were not expecting visitors that morning! Now if surveyed, they may have said they were a friendly church. But in reality, they were cold, internally focused and only friendly to one another. I was the youngest person in the church that day. Local young adults and families with children were attending elsewhere or not at all. If I wasn t the DS, but a lost soul seeking acceptance, direction, fellowship, grace and salvation, I probably would not have -8-

5 returned. Can you imagine a visitor hearing the words, Who are you and what are you doing here? As guests arrive at our doorsteps, will we be ready for them? Studies have shown that visitors decide in the first 10 minutes whether they will return. That 10 minutes includes the way our guests are welcomed. Do members simply greet their friends or do they welcome the stranger? Contrast that experience in the Foothills with an experience I had while on vacation in Florida several years ago. Upon arrival into the parking lot of First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach, Rachel and I were greeted by a friendly parking lot attendant who was wearing shorts and a T-shirt that read, "Can I Help You?" After a warm smile and greeting, he directed us into a special parking spot near the front door that was marked, "Special Guest Parking Only." As we entered the bright new sanctuary, several members (all wearing nametags) warmly greeted us. The people were tremendous hosts. They did not attack us like vultures but possessed a caring approach toward their guests. The bulletin stated if we desired further information regarding the church, it was available at the welcome center near the front entrance. After our wonderful welcome, the worship service began. It was Mother's Day and a large number of children participated in the service. The songs were upbeat. The service contained drama, laughter, and positive inspiring preaching. The place was alive and growing. The atmosphere was simply exciting, Christ-centered, Biblically-based, and very inspirational! I told Rachel if we were looking for a church, we would visit here again. This experience many years ago has helped shape my understanding of "Radical Hospitality." Since our churches possess a message the world so desperately needs, we must develop a lifestyle of welcoming and hospitality that enables that message to be heard. Congregations must be intentional about creating a warm loving environment where people may experience the love of God. Allow me to make a few suggestions where I believe we can be more welcoming. Greeters & Ushers - Those who belong in this ministry must have warm personalities and the gift of hospitality. They need to be positive and enthusiastic. Having ushers of all ages and both genders is essential. One responsibility of the greeter/usher is to introduce the guest(s) to another couple or single in their age range. Every guest in God's house must feel welcome and appreciated. All Members of the Congregation - Be intentional about greeting each other and especially aware of newcomers. This should be simple in most of our churches. These are just a few suggestions. Certainly, there are dozens of other things we could do to become more hospitable. Dr. Thom Rainer in The Unchurched Next Door says "82% of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited, yet only 2% of Christians ever invite someone to worship with them! So here is your assignment for the next few months: Pray, be creative, get involved, make a difference, be an ambassador of Jesus Christ! God is counting on you! I am looking forward to hearing the progress reports. Please know I am proud to be part of the future friendliest United Methodist district in America! Dennis Miller, District Supintendent Kroger Plus Card The Kroger Plus Card you have probably had for years will not only give you discounts on food and gasoline purchases but can also give a cash reward to Somerset UMC of up to 5% of your purchases and it costs you nothing

6 All you have to do is register your Kroger Plus card with Somerset UMC. It's simple and takes just a few minutes. Go to Kroger.com and follow directions under Community then Community Rewards. Enter our number: RF232. This is a change. You should still be registered with SUMC without making changes but it doesn't hurt to check. Evangelism Goal Everyone at SUMC is challenged to pray for at least one unchurched person for at least one minute every day at 1:00 pm. If you cannot possibly pray for one minute at 1:00 pm, you may want to choose another time. The important thing is to pray! Worship Services Worship Services are offered each Sunday. A traditional service is offered at 8:00am. At 10:00 there s a blended service for families a mix of traditional and more contemporary elements. Jr Church is available for those age 3 through Grade 3 at this service. School Has Started Please pray for our teachers, staff and students at Somerset Elementary. It is difficult to manage all the families, requirements, social issues, behavior issues in a day along with the occasional surprise that pops up unexpectedly. Please hold them in your daily prayer. Sunday School Sunday School classes are offered for people of all ages. Our children are beginning a new curriculum called Dig In Life of Jesus. Kids will learn the stories of Jesus through this year. Our tween class (Grades 5 through 8) is taught by Dawn Conrad. They are using a curriculum called Submerge. Tweens love to test boundaries and ask questions, so Submerge empowers students to read more of the Bible, ask tough questions, and enter into the stories through improvisational drama, deep discussion, and creative activities. Tweens are starting to ask the question, Who am I as an individual?, so Submerge creates plenty of room for individualized exploration. Our High School Class is using: Bible Lessons for Youth. This is a comprehensive 6-year Bible-to-life curriculum that helps teens apply the Bible to their real-life. The format is built around a step-by-step sequence with thought-provoking activities designed to help youth understand Scripture and apply it to their individual experiences. For adults we have a class meeting in the fellowship hall. They generally use video/book curriculum. There's a men's class meeting in the kitchen (to be close to coffee!). They go through books of the Bible. There's also an adult class meeting on the mezzanine taught by Rod Spohn. They use a curriculum which goes through the Bible every three years. Missions News In our area, there is a need to provide food to children on the weekend. Families eligible for

7 the free lunch program at school are given the opportunity to receive food through this new ministry as well. We are collecting food items throughout the school year that require minimal preparation as they will be sent home with elementary-aged children and means of cooking may be limited. Please do not include any items with nuts or nut butters. We plan to include items that cover each meal of the day. Examples include: Cereal Shelf stable milk Oatmeal packets Juice pouches Chef Boyardee Whole fruit Fruit cups Applesauce Tuna Mac and cheese cups Cheese crackers Fruit snacks, etc. A package will be prepared weekly and sent home on Fridays to help provide sustenance over the weekend. Money for the project may also be given to the Somerset Area Food Pantry and noted for the backpack ministry. Items may be placed in the Narthex bin where noted. Invite Someone to Worship Some folks hesitate to invite people back to church. You may be surprised to learn: * The de-churched are not mad at the Church. Many see a departure from the Church as a sign someone s angry, that s generally not the case. Over 60% say their life changed and they stopped coming. 1/3 say they re too busy for church * Young adults return to church out of obedience to God. Half those aged cited obedience as the reason for their return. Many view today s young adults are avoiding God but most come for religious reasons. * 80% say they d come to worship if someone would simply invite them Be sure to invite someone so more and more can come to grow in Christ! Worship Volunteers for September 10 am Greeters & Ushers ~ Liturgist ~ Randy Painter Acolytes ~ Katie Lawson, Zach Riffle Labor Day September 3, 2018 Labor Day is the first Monday of September. Please enjoy but be safe - especially if traveling. National Grandparents Day September 9, 2018 is Grandparents Day. This is a great day to worship together grandkids and grandparents. Bring your grandkids (or grandparents) to church with you. Give them a hug. If you have grandkids, you are blessed. If you have grandparents, you are blessed. First day of Autumn September 23, 2018 is the first day of autumn. Hard to believe summer is almost over! We may miss summer but we can welcome fall sports, school starting and cooler days. August Numbers Date Attendance Giving 5 th 89 $ th 78 $ th 97 $ th 80 $

8 World Communion World Communion Sunday is October 7. Communion will be celebrated at both services with breads from around the world. Missions The Missions Committee is collecting new and gently used kitchen items. Many folks in our community simply do not have enough dish towels, utensils, pans, dishes, etc. If you have some you can share, please bring them in to be distributed to some of those needing some extra items. Thank you for your generosity. Direction The Leadership Team has been praying and reading scripture to discern where God is leading. The process has led to a new Mission and Vision Statement. The vision is to prepare a caring family of disciples who always share God's love with others. The mission is simple but life-changing when implemented: Love Always, Worship Always, Serve Always, Share Always. Members of the Leadership Team will be sharing how we can live that out during worship in September. Please be praying about how you can daily Love, Worship, Serve and Share. Ready to Vote? Are you ready to vote in the mid-term election? There's all kinds of hype. Forget the hype and if you're not registered, get registered. It doesn't matter which side of the aisle you're on, there's a lot at stake so be sure you're ready to go. Begin praying now about who you should vote for. Do your research which candidates are Christians? If neither is a Christian, check their values and be sure they align with God's values. Somerset UMC POB East Main Street, Somerset, Ohio September 2018 Messenger

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