Tidings from Tibbetts

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1 Tidings from Tibbetts R e v e r e n d D o c t o r J o a n n e C a r l s o n B r o w n F e b r u a r y Founded 1909 I n f o r m a t i o n a n d I n s p i r a t i o n f r o m T i b b e t t s U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h Joanne s Jottings Rev. Dr. Joanne Brown We are pilgrims on a journey; we re together on this road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. From The Servant Song #2222 in The Faith We Sing February 22 is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. The great and abiding metaphor of Lent is Journey. As followers of Jesus, we travel with him on his last journey to Jerusalem and along the way, we explore what discipleship really means. If you have been a Jesus follower for a number of years then this journey will be familiar. But it will also be unfamiliar. Each year we explore similar Scripture passages but each year we are slightly different people, we have experienced more and, one hopes, learned more than we had this time last year. Sometimes we feel that we are in the same place we were last year, as if our lives were one simple circle. But it is not so. If we pay attention, what appears to be a simple circle turns out to be a complex spiral Continued on page 7 Inside this issue: Pilgrims on a Journey Joanne s Jottings Unleashing God s Dreams Challenge Report 1, T h e Gi ft of Musi c b y J o h n V an L i e r o p, J r. Since the passing of my mother a week and a half before Christmas my mind has been on one of the gifts that both my parents gave me the gift of music. I ve been aware of how important that early influence that parents have on any child. As a toddler I remember my parents having on the classical radio station and hearing the Bach Air on a G String being the theme song of one of the programs. My mother would often, especially when we were living in the church manse in Portland, Oregon, play many of the classical piano pieces that Continued on next page Reconciling Ministries Network Annual Gathering at Tibbetts Tibbetts Book (and Dinner) Club, Love Wins, potluck and discussion February 27th Spring Rummage Sale in the works 3 6 6

2 Page 2 Ti di ngs from Ti b b etts Saturday, February PM Where: Adams Hall Romance & Chocolate Are you ready for a little fun & romance? Then you need to be at Tibbetts on February 11 th. We will be making and decorating heart-shaped cookies. We will have a table setup for making Valentine s Day cards. And we will be sampling chocolates. And if all this is not enough, we will have a spaghetti dinner. 5:00 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) (100 minutes) (with Gene Wilder & Jack Albertson) Charlie tries to win a golden ticket and get a tour of the chocolate factory. 6:30 Dinner Spaghetti and Caesar Salad will be served along red punch. Remember it is our Valentine s Day celebration and we have to see how many red items we can have at the dinner table. For dessert we will have heart-shaped cookies. 7:00 Chocolat (2000) (2 hours) (with Johnny Depp) Vianne Rocher and her young daughter are drifters who are met with skepticism and resistance when they move to a conservative town in rural France and open a chocolate shop during Lent. The Mayor is determined to shut her down. Full movie summaries can be found at IMDB.com Unleashing God s Dr e a m s C h a llenge Re p o r t Oh my, we did it! In a month we more than matched the challenge amount of $10,000! It enabled us to end the year not only even but in the black and has provided us with a reserve to start the year. Thanks so much to the Tibbetts couple who thought of and issued the challenge and especially to all of you who responded so generously. We still need folks to continue to contribute to the church regularly through your pledge (pledges which are up for this year by the way another big thanks!). It amazing what this church can do together this year we will unleash God s Dream for Tibbetts, no doubt about it. T he Gift of Music ( c o n tinued from p ag e 1 ) John Van Lierop, Jr. Music Coordinator and Keyboardist she learned in high school. Of course I wanted to learn them too as I got older. My parents were very supportive of my early efforts and struggles at the piano that most students go through. They both let my music teacher do the correcting of my mistakes while they found ways to be encouraging. Luckily there were many opportunities to share my music at church accompanying the children s choir in addition to substituting for our organist. This brings me to the point that all parents should make every effort to support their children in whatever their interests are in, whether it be in sports, theater, art, or as in my case, music. Past photo of John and his mother, Mary Frances Van Lierop, in a frame on the communion table during her January 15 memorial service

3 Page 3 Rever end Doc to r Jo a nne C ar ls o n B rown Reconciling Ministries Network Annual Gathering Reaching in, Reaching Out: Reconciling Congregations Bearing Witness is the theme for this year s RMN Gathering. It will be held here at Tibbetts on February 12 from 2 7 pm with dinner included. There will be time for worship, for hearing from other reconciling congregations, and finding ways we can bear witness to our commitment to inclusiveness of all to the general church and to the community at large. This is a great time to meet others who have a similar commitment as we do to working for change within the UMC, to learn, to laugh, to worship, to share a meal together, to sing, to celebrate, to pray. Everyone is invited to attend and since it is here it couldn t be closer! Registration is $30 and covers the meal. Early registration (mailed before Feb 4) gives a $5 discount. If we have 6 or more from Tibbetts going the cost is $20 a person. Please let Joanne know if you are interested in coming so we can see if we can get a group rate. Registration forms available in the church office. For more info and schedule see the flyers and sign up sheets hanging in the Narthex. Thank You from Joanne and Thistle I can t thank the people of this congregation enough for all the care and Walking Thistle in the snow in snowy January love Thistle and I have experienced this past month and some after my surgery. The meals, people taking time out of their busy schedule to walk Thistle, people doing laundry, giving me rides, and countless other small and not so small expressions of help and support mean the world to me. Special thanks to Betsy Wharton who went above and beyond in so many ways. I am on the mend despite the set back of an infection in my heel. I could never have made it through without all of you. I am so truly blessed to be part of this church family. Joanne and Thistle God On The Go (Christians In Action) Are you ready for some football?! On Sunday, February 5, the CIA will once again host their SOUPER BOWL lunch for all diehard fans, so-so fans and those who just like soup and conversation. Adams Hall is the place after morning worship. All are welcome. Please join us in a time of fellowship, see the football display of items from Joanne s collection, and have a chance to contribute to mission. See you there! Date to remember: Sunday, February 12 The PNW Reconciling Ministries Annual Meeting at Tibbetts We continue to collect grocery receipts from Metropolitan Market and West Seattle Thriftway for the WS Food Bank (no receipts over 6 months old please). Also bring your newspapers and aluminum cans to be recycled.

4 Page 4 Ti di ngs from Ti b b etts Trustees Update 3 Steps Forward, 2 Steps Back The Trustees met Wednesday January 11, with an enthusiasm that only the new year can bring. We are presently in the second year of our five year program to repair and improve Tibbetts. This year's priority and potential time for finishing are: 1. New drinking fountains in the education wing by June. 2. Buy and install a new dishwasher in the parlor kitchen by April. 3. Repair or replace the roofing over the parsonage carport and the entry to Adams Hall. So we are on record and it is a little unnerving. The fountains have been an on going struggle, but I am confident this will be the year of the drinking fountain. What can you do? Well of course many hands make light work. However I would like your input regarding improvements or repairs you would like to see. Also I want to build a list of repair people who do good work and don't charge an arm and a leg. Do you have any names and phone numbers? Of course if you enjoy standing on ladders...feel free to direct your comments to Rick Green, rick.green7@comcast.net I n C a s e O f A n E m e r g e n c y Bulletin and Newsletter Deadline Reminder If there is an emergency on a Fri/Sat/Sun, please call Joanne at home or cell Messages left at the church after 2 PM on Thursdays are not checked until Monday mornings. Thank you very much! In an effort to keep as much of our time together focused on worship and provide as many details as possible for your event, we encourage you to submit your announcements of meetings, activities and gatherings in time to be included in our weekly bulletin and monthly newsletters. Newsletter submissions are due on or before the 15 th of each month (before if the 15th is Fri-Sun) and bulletin submissions are due on Wednesdays. Send to churchoffice@ tibbetsumchurch.org or drop them off in the office. We love the fantastic work (and play!) that our Tibbetts family generates each week! Let s read about it! Bulletin and Newsletter Deadline Reminder

5 Page 5 Rever end Doc to r Jo a nne C ar ls o n B rown UMW is a part of the General Board of... U n ited Methodist Women United Methodist Women will meet on Wednesday, February 1 at the church at 10 am. The program is our Annual Prayers and Self- Denial. Floy Carter will give the program A Time for Change. Ladies Circle Meetings Norma Ruth Hugg Circle meets February 8 at 10 am in the Parlor. Jeanne Galletly is the hostess. Bee North Circle February 8 at 10 am at Marie Sundberg s F i n ancial Summary (De cember 2011) Operating Budget Performance Dec 2011 Year-to-Date 2011 Income $40,672 $225,986 Expenses $(17,473) $(211,979) Income vs. Expenses $23,199 $14,007 Reserves $33,579 Please Support the West Seattle Food Bank The first Sunday of every month is Food Bank Sunday (just think Communion Sunday!) Christians In Action will be collecting nonperishable food items for the West Seattle Food Bank, which is experiencing an unprecedented rise in use. A collection box is in the Narthex. (You can drop off your donation any Sunday.) - Protein foods, as peanut butter, tuna, chili, ravioli and other similar foods - Canned fruits and vegetables - Cereals - Baby formula (both soy and milk based) - Large size 5-6 diapers. And money donations are always welcome. Please make checks out to Tibbetts UMC with a notation that it is for the West Seattle Food Bank. THANK YOU. house. Kolze Circle meets on Friday, February 17 at 7 pm at Betsy Wharton s home. Sewing Circle meets in the Sewing Room February 15 from 10 am to 2 pm. Bring a sack lunch. Coffee and tea are provided. ~~~ Thank you Tibbetts The results of the December Challenge are in. Congratulations and thank you for your faithfulness! By beginning the year with a positive balance, Tibbetts is well positioned to Unleash God's Dreams in 2012!! Friends for your thoughtfulness since my recent accident. My recovery has gone exceedingly well and your care and concern are much appreciated! ~ Jeanne Galletly

6 Page 6 Ti di ngs from Ti b b etts Joanne s J ottings P i l grims on a Jour ney c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1 and we are never in the same place on the spiral as we were last year or any other year. I invite you to experience this Lenten season in a new way open to the possibilities of new ideas and, indeed, even mysteries in the world and in ourselves. One way to do that is by being in worship each Sunday and hearing the scriptures of the journey and then actively reflecting on their meaning for you even as I try and share my thoughts on them with you. There will be weekly thoughts for reflection on our Facebook page. You do not need to be a member of Facebook to access our page it is public. All you need do is go to Facebook.com/ TibbettsUMChurch I urge you to do this if you have not done so before. Check out the Tibbetts web site each week. The opening page changes every week with a new prayer or poem for thought that you can use for your own personal meditation. And engage with the church community at whatever level you can. As it says in the hymn I quote above: we re together on this road. And as a way of helping us all travel this Lenten journey, let Inter Generational Book (& Dinner) Club Love Wins by Rob Bell Monday, February 27, 6 8 pm, Carter house. Love Wins, by Rob Bell: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived Rob Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith the afterlife arguing, would a loving God send people to eternal torment forever? With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly hopeful eternal life doesn t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins. Bring something for a potluck supper and be ready to discuss this easy to read and thought provoking book. Some books available in the church office. The Adult Sunday School class is also reading this book. Spring Rummage Sale Information March 9 and 10 Once again its RUMMAGE SALE TIME. Tibbetts United Methodist Women s Spring Rummage Sale is March 9 and 10, so now is the time to CLEAN HOUSE and BRING THE RESULTS TO THE GAME ROOM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Work will begin February 13th and continue each Monday and Tuesday from 9 am to 2 pm, or whatever length of time you can come and help. Come and work for an hour or a day. Coffee and tea will be available at noon so bring your lunch. Come for Fun, Focus and Fellowship. In order to work there has to be RUMMAGE SO PLEASE BRING LOTS OF IT. BUT REMEMBER IF IT DOESN T WORK FOR YOU...IT WON T WORK FOR US. So please DON T bring TVs, computers, broken electrical equipment, chandeliers, ceiling fans, tires, venetian blinds, drapery rods, worn out sofas or chairs, bed springs or mattresses. For questions about furniture or pickups please call Jim Roberts. For general information please call Mary Margaret Kolze.

7 Page 7 Rever end Doc to r Jo a nne C ar ls o n B rown J o a n n e s Jotti n g s P i l g rims on a Journey c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 6 me offer 6 practices and urge you to take these on not just during Lent but all year but Lent would be a good start. As you know by now, I am not big on giving things up for Lent but in taking on meaningful spiritual and communal disciplines. I am borrowing these practices from Nightcliff Uniting Church in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. 1. The Practice of sustainability this is the practice of care for the earth, care for people, and enough for all. Find ways of putting this into practice by such things as committing to totally recycle all you can, calling on a person in church who can t get out well, contributing to the Food Bank or whatever you can think that contributes to sustainability. 2. The practice of discernment this is the practice of listening and reflection for example, listening for what God has to say through your personal prayer/meditation and Bible reading, through worship on Sundays, by carefully listening to folks in your Koinonia Group and then reflecting that back to them in a helpful way. 3. The practice of hospitality this is the practice of being open to and serving others, something this church is really good at. Find ways you can be of service to folks in the community, the church, greeting someone who is a visitor to church and personally inviting them and going with the to Fellowship time and introducing them to others, etc. 4. The practice of connectivity this is the practice of maintaining our connections to self, God and others. Be aware of what is going on in yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually. Try to be attuned to others around you who might need a hug or a word of encouragement or a shoulder to cry on. Be in worship each Sunday open to what God has to say specifically to you in the prayers, hymns, scripture and, I hope, the sermon, and in the silence. Find times in your busy day to just be open to whatever the universe is saying to you at the moment and listen for the still, small whisper of God. 5. The practice of spaciousness this is the practice of making space for people to be themselves. At Tibbetts we don t tell people what to believe we invite them on their own spiritual pilgrimage and we welcome and provide a safe space for all folks with their questions, their doubts and their beliefs. Find ways of being supportive of not only others as they find their way but also yourself. 6. The practice of journey this is the practice of moving through life intentionally and reflectively. This is a key practice for Lent and all year. Don t just let things and life happen to you. As you encounter each joy and obstacle be intentional in looking at it and finding what meaning or direction it has for you or is pointing you toward. If we as individuals and as a church can honestly engage in these practices it will make all the difference in the world to ourselves and our church. We will be more alive, aware, and engaged at all levels of our individual and collective existence. I hope you will let me and others know how you are doing on these practices. They are the heart and essence of discerning God s promises for us and what it means to inhabit and live out of these world-changing promises. If we can do this we will unleash God s dream for ourselves and Tibbetts. ~~~ Ash Wednesday Service February 22nd, 7 pm We will have an Ash Wednesday service in the sanctuary at 7 pm. It will be a time of reflection and renewal and we hope everyone who is available will attend to begin our Lenten journey together.

8 Tibbetts United Methodist Church st Ave. SW / Seattle, WA Phone: churchoffice@tibbettsumchurch.org The Communications Committee has ensured addresses and phone numbers of church members who host events in their home are not published on the internet, and also protects the privacy of its Youth. Facebook.com/TibbettsUMChurch We welcome all people to celebrate and share God's love. Tibbetts Goes to the Oscars February 26, 3 pm You are cordially invited to watch the Academy Awards with your friends from Tibbetts. Graham McGinnis and Liz Weldin are hosting a fun-filled evening at their home on Sunday, February 26 th starting at 3 pm. There will be several games with fabulous prizes! The High Priestess of Mixology, Joanne Carlson Brown, will be on hand to put us in a festive but responsible mood. Please bring an entrée or side dish to share. (RAISINETS do not count!) We will provide drinks, appetizers, dessert, and of course popcorn. Please dress casually. Refer to your church mailing list for address and phone number for more information, or contact the church office.