The connector DECEMBER 2016

Transcription

1 Hillview United Methodist To live the teachings of Jesus as we share God s unconditional love The connector DECEMBER 2016 Advent Schedule Sunday Mornings at 9:30 a.m.: Advent Study Not a Silent Night, led by Pastor Brenda December 4: Night of Music at 7 p.m. December 7: Wednesdays@Hillview Getting Ready for Christmas Making the set for the Christmas Pageant (building Bethlehem) December 14: Wednesdays@Hillview Getting Ready for Christmas Making ornaments December 18: Blue Christmas We will recognize our losses and our grief during this season that is mixed with both great joy and great sadness. We will join together at the regular service times, 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. December 21: Wednesdays@Hillview Getting Ready for Christmas Making Merry (Christmas caroling) December 24: Christmas Eve Services 7 p.m. Come join the Christmas Pageant! There are parts for people of all ages. 9 p.m. Traditional Candlelight Service December 25: Christmas Morning Service (10 a.m.) We will celebrate with a Love Feast. Giving Tree The Giving Tree is an opportunity to provide a few gifts for children who are connected to Hillview in some way. They are children of families that do not meet the criteria for the other community organizations that provide toys and other gifts for children. Please take an ornament from the tree, purchase the gift, and then return the unwrapped gift with the tag attached to the church office no later than Sunday, December 18. The gifts will then be given to the parents to wrap for their children. Wrapping paper and the necessary tape/ ribbon can also be donated for families to use. Come share a meal with our neighbors and church family on December 28 at the next Community Meal at 6 p.m. The entrée will be baked chicken. Your help is needed for providing salads, side dishes, and desserts, and your helping hands at setting up and cleaning up. Please see the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Area. Questions? Contact Marilesta Nelson at or nelsonm111@aol.com. December Stewardship Challenges Choose to do one or all! *Give a special Christmas gift to the church. *Give a gift to the church in someone s honor. *Share your musical talents in the church choir, bell choir, or praise band. *Adopt a member of the community to brighten their Christmas..

2 THE CONNECTOR VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Page 2 Offerings ~ I contacted two of my cousins and asked them to write about their reaction to the elections. Dizy is one of my very few cousins on my dad s side. Allen is one of my many, many cousins on my mother s side. When you read these two letters, it is almost as if they are writing about completely different elections! Our country is divided, and for many, the next four years look frightening and bleak. For others, this is the sign of hope they have been waiting for. As we enter into Advent, I remind you that the world was divided and bleak for those who awaited the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was born and the light entered the world, yet 2,000 years later there is still much darkness. The light doesn t take away the darkness, but it does push it back into the corners, and it allows us to see what the darkness tries to hide. We at Hillview UMC will continue to speak out when there is hatred and oppression. We will continue to allow the light of Christ to shine through us in our community. We are not Democrats or Republicans. We are Christians. The mission of Hillview UMC is to follow the teachings of Jesus as we share God s unconditional love. Grace and Peace, Brenda From Diane Dizy Walton: On election night I woke at 3 a.m. full of nervous energy and checked the election results on my phone. My initial reaction was one of fear for my family s personal safety. My wife of 16 years lay next to me sleeping peacefully. I knew Trump s election would be deeply unsettling to her and I wished for her a peaceful night s rest. We have three boys ages 6, 8, and 12, and our youngest two sons are African- American. Our 12-year-old son Otis bounded out of bed full of excitement and asked who won the election. When we told him Trump would be our next president, he stared at us for a time without saying a word and then he said, Oh, no! Now they will make laws against my family again! Later he asked us how someone who said such mean things about so many different kinds of people could get so many votes. We do not, as the media says, live in a bubble. We are lesbians in a red Southern state raising an interracial family. We have tried to be as honest with our children as we possibly can so they can recognize and protect themselves from danger, but we also don t want to destroy their innocence. In our world, danger can come not just in the form of a hoodlum but also in the form of a racist law enforcement officer or a homophobic classmate. Currently, I m not focused on who heads up this or that federal agency or whether we sign on to this or that treaty. One week after the election, my main concern is the safety of my wife and children due to the drastic increase in hate crimes in our community, our state, and in our nation. There are white people in my community who feel emboldened to insult, degrade, intimidate, and threaten members of my town all in the name of Trump. This is happening right now. I am a family law attorney. The Wednesday following the election I fielded many phone calls from panicky clients, some of whom were crying. The two questions asked the most were Can Trump invalidate my marriage via an executive order? Can you please help me adopt the children I m raising before laws are changed making it harder for me to adopt them? I m also an attorney with the Campaign for Southern Equality, an organization that works across the South promoting full LGBTQ equality. The way I am coping with this election is by coming up with a plan to assist LGBTQ parents raising children in the South. In January we hope to assist dozens of families adopt the children they are currently raising but have no legal connection to (a common problem for LGBTQ families). Working to protect my community from Trump s followers is what gives me purpose. I have a close personal friend who is an African-American man. He is one of nine brothers and every one of his brothers is a preacher. Over the fifteen years of our friendship we have had deep conversations about race, LGBTQ issues, and politics. He s taught me how to be a better parent to our African- American sons, advising me how to speak with them about law

3 Page 3 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 enforcement, and how to advocate for them in school. Before the election I told him that I could feel the anger and backlash towards minorities rising, and that if anyone came after my family I would meet violence with violence. He told me that his brothers were telling their parishioners to get ready to defend themselves by any means necessary. The time for nonviolence has passed and the LGBTQ community and the Black Community are prepared to defend themselves. Where does that leave our society? In a violent mess. The morning after the election, my friend and I texted each other at the same time, the very same message, I ve got your back From Allen Mullin: Excited. Relieved. Had no hope that it would happen. I REALLY truly felt our country was in a tailspin in so many ways. I believe that the Christian community has been under attack for quite awhile. I feared for what was to come for my children and grandchildren. How much longer would they be able to express their beliefs aloud. The party that claims to be the tolerant ones have become violently intolerant. When it comes to religion, we are supposed to be able to believe what our religion teaches us. Lately, I feel the government has been trying to make us conform to its beliefs or be punished. We now have a chance to put Supreme Court justices in place who aren't going to question or try to change our Constitution. In other words, interpret the Constitution the way it was written. Our Second Amendment will be protected. We now have a chance to reverse Roe vs. Wade. We will now begin to rebuild our military. I think we will rebuild our economy, bring back and create jobs. We need to get people off the system and back to work. Idle hands are the hands of the devil. We wonder why our crime rate has gotten so high; this is part of the problem. When people don't work, they get bored and they get in trouble. People who want to work but can't find a job get depressed, commit suicide, or start to consume drugs and/or alcohol to numb the pain. Our police will have the support they need from the top. The courts will start enforcing the immigration laws that are already on the books. Border patrol agents will have the power to enforce the current laws. Just the fact that Trump was elected has probably deterred some people from coming to the U.S. illegally. I think our country will be safer. I think the majority of U.S. citizens feel less safe and less free in so many ways now than they did eight years ago. I suppose part of that could be because I live in New York State. Last, but not least, these riots protesting Trump s election are beyond the pale. It's absolutely ridiculous. Protest all you want but riot? Notice that the riots are in the cities that voted Democratic. So the property they are destroying most likely belongs to Democrats. The people they are most likely hurting are probably Democrats. The elections are the elections. We are a democracy. We have elections for president every four years. So take your efforts and put them into getting a Democrat president elected instead of rioting and destroying people s property. I did not vote for Barack Obama either time, but I did not cry and yell about it. I, along with all the rest of those who lost, just accepted it and put our efforts into the next election cycle. The first time that President Obama was elected president I had tears in my eyes and a feeling of pride and it wasn't because a Democrat was voted in as president. It was because I was proud of our country for electing a black man as our president. Wow, how far we had come in such a short time. I didn't vote against the man. I voted against his policies. The same goes for Donald Trump. I did not vote for Donald Trump I voted for what I think he will do for our country.

4 The Purpose of UMW United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. THE CONNECTOR VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 UMW Happenings UMW Christmas Luncheon, December 3 All women, their daughters and granddaughters, are invited to attend our Annual UMW, Christmas Potluck Luncheon on Saturday, December 3, at a.m. The Angel Tree, with tags for gifts to buy for children of incarcerated parents will be featured. We will also enjoy a visit with Martha Washington and learn about Christmas at Mount Vernon. Martha is asking that all children attending participate in her presentation. Please let us know if your daughter or granddaughter will be there. Page 4 Hillview United Methodist Women s Circles (Subunits) Hillview United Methodist Women offers five circles to provide fellowship, spiritual growth, and expanding our understanding of mission. Ladies are invited to visit and participate in these groups. Lydia Circle: Meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Hillview library from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Judy Halverson at Lydia Circle goes to Lunch Dec. 20 Morning Book Club: Meets the 2nd Monday at 9:30 a.m. at Barnes & Noble. A book to read and discuss is chosen each month. Contact Kristen Guyon at Evening Book Club: Meets the 2nd Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the kitchen. A book to read and discuss is chosen each month. Contact Darlene Smith at or Michelle Ward at Fellowship Circle: Meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in members homes. There are a variety of programs. Contact Betsy Baughman at Friends of Phoebe: Study group meets in the library on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 12:30 p.m. Contact Sue Cook at Reading Suggestion New Book in library: Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience, by Monique Gray Smith Tilly has always known she's part Lakota on her dad's side. But it isn't until an angry man shouts something on the street that Tilly realizes her mom is also Aboriginal, a Cree woman taken from her parents as a baby. Loosely based on author Monique Gray Smith's own life, this revealing, important work of creative nonfiction tells the story of a young indigenous woman coming of age in the 1980s. In a spirit of hope, this unique story captures the irrepressible resilience of Tilly and of indigenous people everywhere.

5 Page 5 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Hillview Youth Group News (by Claire Chambers) Team Goats beat Team Gorillas 3 to 2 in the first annual Hillview Thanksgiving Minute to Win It challenge! December Schedule 4: Noon to 2 p.m. Movie: Elf Get in the Christmas spirit with Buddy. 11: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Youth House. Veterans foot locker inventory 15: (THURSDAY). Veterans Footlocker Delivery! Meet at the Youth House at 3:45 or the State Veterans Home at 4:15. We will return to the Youth House by 6. 18: Noon to 2 p.m. Christmas Party at the Youth House. 25: No Youth Group. Merry Christmas! Caregivers Group Is Moving to third Thursday at 10:30 a.m. To avoid a time conflict for those attending the Lunch Brunch, the Caregivers Group has changed its meeting time to the third Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the library. In December we will meet on Thursday, December 15. At this time our members are Pete Nealis, Loretta Alloway, and Fred Dunlap. We welcome new members and also welcome those who have been caretakers in the past who wish to share their experiences and insights. One does not have to be a member of Hillview to join this group. Please call or Jeannie Swenson with any questions: or The 2017 Hillview UMC Men s Retreat will be at the Swenson cabin in Donnelly the weekend of January Call Will at ( ) or him at (dogtownswenson@gmail.com) if you have any questions. More information and directions will be forthcoming. The Lunch Bunch will meet on December 8 at 11:30 a.m. at Olive Garden (Boise Town Square Mall). Sign up in the Gathering Area. Come and join us for conversation and good food. Thank You Thank you to all of you who made the celebration of my 20 years as Administrative Assistant so very special! I have been enjoying the gift cards and other gifts. I also enjoyed sitting and reading all the cards. You made me feel very loved. Claudia Flora

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7 Page 7 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Inside Story Headline Fun Fact : What do the candles in our Advent wreath mean? The Advent wreath, four candles on a wreath of evergreen, is shaped in a perfect circle to symbolize the eternity of God. In some churches, four purple candles, one for each week in Advent, are used with one larger white candle in the middle as the Christ candle. Other churches prefer three purple or blue candles with one candle being rose or pink, to represent joy. While the Advent wreath with its four candles did bring light to churches, it was not to illuminate the interior as much as to symbolize the coming of Christ. The Advent wreath began in the time of the Protestant reformer Martin Luther. During each Sunday of the Advent season, we focus on one of the four virtues Jesus brings us: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Others consider the lighting of the first candle to symbolize expectation, while the second symbolizes hope, the third joy and the fourth purity. The Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day reminding Christians that Jesus is the light of the world. The order and exact wording vary among churches, but the wreath continually reminds us of whom we are called to be as followers of Jesus. (Resource:

8 Page 8 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Christian Education What a great year we have had! So many blessings, so many good memories. As we can enjoy our family and friends this holiday season, we also have so many things to look forward to. After the wrapping paper has been recycled and the lights are back in their boxes (more or less), we have some great classes to inspire you and to help you look at things in a whole new way. Upcoming Classes December 7th, December 14th, and December 21st Getting Ready for Christmas: All of the groups will come together to prepare ourselves for an oldfashioned Christmas celebration. We will make crafts, go caroling, and make preparations for the Christmas pageant. As young and old alike will gather together to enjoy this season, it will truly be a family event. Please join us on these Wednesdays during Advent so as not to miss out on the fun! January 4 to March 22 Free to Parent: Beginning on January 4 we will begin our parenting class Free to Parent unleashing your unique parenting strengths. This twelve-week course will begin on January 4 and conclude on March 22. Anyone who has ever been a parent can tell you that there is no cookie cutter way to lead your children as they are all individual and very different. Amber Dawn McCall will be facilitating these discussions, and she will offer a glimpse into seeing parenting a little bit differently through the stories the Bible has to tell us. So many times we have read or heard some of these same stories, but when you look at them from the perspective of how they can guide your parenting skills, a whole new meaning is revealed. Join us in Room 11. Starting January4 Back to Basics: Genesis Pastor Brenda will lead a Bible Study on Genesis from 6:00 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings. This class is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about human nature and our relationship to God. March 5 through April 9 Prayer: This is a six-week class on Prayer during Lent. Do you want a closer relationship with God? Do you want to be more comfortable in your prayer life? Come join us for this class to help you do just that! The class facilitator will be Janine Watkins in Room 10. Trustees Report The Trustees would like to thank all of the church members who participated in our Fall Work Day on October 29. A special thank-you to the Boy Scout Troop 40 and their leader John Lopez for all of their work erecting two Pet Waste Stations, clearing weeds in the Refugee Garden area, and moving Refugee Garden waste to the Dumpsters. We also had significant help from the African Congregation. We also had to replace a heating and air conditioning unit on the roof that failed on November 3. It heats and cools the church offices. That unit replacement was completed on November 16 with replacement of the insulated ductwork and some electrical work. We also cleaned the sanctuary pew cushions and backs on November 15 and 16 and cleaned the heating and air conditioning ducts in the sanctuary on November 22.

9 THE CONNECTOR VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Page 9 Christmas Giving with a Difference Alternative Christmas Gifts. This Christmas, give an "alternative" way of giving a Christmas gift to someone by supporting a mission project that will make a world of difference to a child in Honduras or by giving a helping hand to someone in Boise who needs shelter this cold winter. The cards will be available November 27 through December 4. Alternative giving is easy to do: Choose your project. Select the matching Alternative Gift Card and envelope found under the Alternative Gift Tree in the Gathering Area. Place your check (with the project name on the memo line) or cash in the small envelope and place it in the gift box on the table. Keep the Gift Card and matching envelope to give to the recipient you are honoring with this gift. We have selected the following two mission projects this year one global, the Honduras Scholarship Fund, and one local, Interfaith Sanctuary. For more detailed information on these missions, check out the Faith In Action bulletin board in the Ballantyne hallway. Honduran School Scholarship Fund Public schools in Honduras are "free," but many children are unable to attend because of enrollment fees plus the uniforms and school supplies they are required to buy about $120 per year. Contributions from Faith In Action students to school elementary and high school since By helping these students attend school, you will make a difference in their lives. Interfaith Sanctuary Interfaith Sanctuary Shelter & Supportive Services provides a safe overnight emergency shelter. The Emergency Shelter Program provides overnight shelter each night of the year for up to 160 men, women and children who are experiencing homelessness. The Supportive Services Program was designed to create a very focused assessment from shelter entry to shelter exit. The caseworkers assess the needs of our guests through the STEP program then connect them with the appropriate community partners serving the homeless population. Hillview has provided support for Interfaith Sanctuary since it opened in If you want to give more tangible gifts, you can make a commitment to purchasing Fair Trade items, buying gifts from Dunia Marketplace in Hyde Park, or buying locally produced gifts whenever possible. Make a difference with your giving this Christmas season! Milk and Cereal for Corpus Christi The homeless people at Corpus Christi, a day shelter, very much appreciate the 10 gallons of milk and 4 family-size bags of cereal that we deliver each Monday. In fact, one morning when Will Swenson arrived, people were eating dry cereal; he was the hero (the milkman). If you can help, please put your name on the sign-up sheet in the Gathering Area; there is a separate sheet for each Sunday. Signups are important so we know if we have enough each week. Milk should be placed in the large commercial refrigerator in the kitchen and be labeled Corpus Christi. Cereal can be placed in the labeled bin behind the First Fruits cart. Volunteers are needed to transport the milk and cereal to Corpus Christi on Monday mornings around 8 a.m. We need a volunteer(s) for the month of December. If you can volunteer or have other questions, contact Debbie Mallis ( or debbiemallis@gmail.com) CROP Hunger Walk Results Hillview provide assistance to students from Fuerzas Unidas, one of the poorest areas in Honduras. Hillview established a special relationship with the Fuerzas Unidas Methodist in 2004 and 2006 when our Volunteer In Mission teams were hosted there. We have been able to send We would like to thank all of the people who participated in the Ada County CROP Hunger Walk in October by walking, helping at the event, or donating money. Our walk raised $25,000, a great step toward ending hunger! Hillview CROP walkers raised $3,598.95, the highest amount raised by any team! If you did not have the opportunity to donate or would like to make another donation, you may do it online until December 31 at

10 Page 10 Page 10 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 Finance Christmas Time Consecration Sunday on November 13 was a wonderful celebration for the family of Hillview as we responded to God s presence in our lives. Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find a report outlining that response. I want to thank the team that worked to make this happen. John Lodal led this with the able assistance of Steve Tollefson as our guest leader. Others on the team were Claudia Flora, Nancy Severance, Marilesta Nelson, Pete Nelson, and Karen Gowland. Several others lent their support to this effort. As we enter the Christmas season, there will be opportunities at Hillview for each of us to provide financial assistance for worthwhile several causes. Thank you for your support in the areas you choose, be it none, one, two or more. Wishing you blessed holiday times, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Curtis Kron Chair, Finance

11 Page 11 VOLUME 2, DECEMBER 2016 December 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 27:30 p.m. of God 36:00 a.m. Zion Korean Methodist 8:00-4:00 African 11:30 UMW Christmas Luncheon 48:30 Worship 9:30 Sunday School 10:30 Worship 11:00 Zion Noon Youth Group 1:00 African 4:00 of God 7:00 Night of Music 510:00 Art Group 7:00 of God 7:00 Boy Scouts/ Troop 40 6:30 Praise Band 69:30 Lydia Circle 11:00 Sermon Study 7:00 Living the Questions Small Group 7 Wednesdays@Hillview 5:30 Dinner 6:00 Bell Choir 7:15 Chancel Choir 8 11:30 Lunch Bunch at Olive Garden 7:00 Fellowship Circle 97:30 p.m. of God 106:00 a.m. Korean 8:00-2:00 African 8:00 Men s b-fast, Moon s Café 118:30 Worship 9:30 Sunday School 10:30 Worship 11:00 Zion Noon Youth Group 1:00 African 4:00 of God 129:30 Morning Book Group, 10:00 Art Group 6:30 p.m. Evening Book Group 6:30 Praise Band 1310:30 Lady Veterans Luncheon 11:00 Sermon Study 7:00 Young Adults 7:00 Finance 14 Wednesdays@Hillview 5:30 Dinner 6:00 Bell Choir 7:15 Chancel Choir 15 10:30 Caregivers Support Group 167:30 p.m. of God 176:00 a.m. Korean 8:00-2:00 African 10:30 Whitney Sack Lunch Program 188:30 Worship 9:30 Sunday School 10:30 Worship 11:00 Zion Noon Youth Group 1:00 African 4:00 of God 1910:00 Art Group 10:00 Art Group 6:30 Praise Band 7:00 of God 7:00 Boy Scouts/ Troop :00 Sermon Study Lydia Circle goes to Lunch 7:00 Young Adults 7:00 Living the Questions Small 21 Wednesdays@Hillview 5:30 Dinner 6:00 Caroling 6:00 Bell Choir 7:15 Chancel Choir :30 p.m. of God 246:00 a.m. Korean 8:00-2:00 African 7 & 9 Christmas Eve Services 25 10:00 Worship 11:00 Zion Noon Youth Group 1:00 African 4:00 of God 26 Office Closed 2711:00 Sermon Study 7:00 Living the Questions Small Group 28 6:00 Community Meal 6:00 Bell Choir 7:15 Chancel Choir :30 p.m. of God 316:00 a.m. Zion Korean Methodist 8:00-4:00 African Please remember to call the church office with any scheduling requests or changes. Just because a day may look available on the calendar, it does not mean that it is! This is our church calendar. We have not included Boy Scout activities, preschool, outside groups, Fit and Fallproof, and other activities. Please be considerate and flexible with room use.

12 Office Hours: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-noon, Friday We are a Reconciling Congregation, welcoming all persons into full participation in the life of the congregation regardless of age, sexual orientation, gender identity, family configuration, racial or ethnic background, economic status, or mental or physical abilities. As we journey to the reconciliation of all persons as children of God, we celebrate our human family s diversity. Hillview United Methodist Staff Pastor Brenda Sene bsene@msn.com Family Ministry Director Alison Lehrman Administrative Assistant Claudia Flora claudia.flora@hillviewmethodist.org Choir Director Duane Conitz Praise Band Director Lani Nelson Youth Director Claire Chambers cilongpre@yahoo.com Custodian Mariya Gavrilutsa Nursery Director Peggy Sheldon Hillview United Methodist 8525 W. Ustick Road Boise, Idaho Support Hillview through a Tax-Free Gift from Your IRA! The IRA Charitable Rollover provision, for individuals over the age of 70 1/2, has now been made permanent. That means that you can contribute to Hillview through your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) without first having to declare the donation as income. By donating to Hillview through your IRA, your income will not increase, permitting you to remain in a lower tax bracket for income taxes and for possible Medicare premium surcharges. Depending on your personal tax situation, donating directly from your IRA to Hillview could have more tax advantages for you than a direct donation. Here's how it works: You must be 70 1/2 or older at the time of your gift. Contact the custodian of your IRA plan, such as the bank, brokerage, mutual fund company, or insurance carrier that holds and manages your IRA, and instruct the custodian to make a donation from your IRA directly to Hillview. Most custodians need a week or two to complete the transaction, so please contact your custodian by December 9. It is important that the check from the custodian is made payable to Hillview! Provide your custodian with Hillview's complete information federal tax ID number: and legal name and address: Hillview United Methodist, 8525 W. Ustick Rd, Boise, ID It's that simple! After the year end, your custodian will send you a Form 1099 for your taxes, to show that you did not receive the income from your IRA for your personal use. Most custodians will have you complete a direct donation form, and will either mail a check directly to Hillview or send an electronic transfer. Please consult with their attorney, tax/financial advisor, or accountant to determine if such a gift is appropriate for you.