July 2018 THE POPLAR GROVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WELCOME TO PGUMC! ON THE INSIDE

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1 July 2018 THE POPLAR GROVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Our Mission is to be: Rooted in Christ, Growing in Faith, Reaching Out to All WELCOME TO PGUMC! ON THE INSIDE Confirmation Class VBS photos Men s Softball Schedule Weds. Adult Bible Study Community Meals Food on the Fourth GriefShare at PGUMC Rummage Sale Dates Notes of Thanks Summer Hiatus: UMW & Glowing Embers updates Emmaus Info Sessions: July 22nd after 8am, 10am Greetings Poplar Grove UMC, It is July! It seems like it was just January and yet we are halfway through 2018 already. This reminds me of the verse in 2 Peter 3:8-9 where it says, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. The immediate context of this verse speaks to the frailty of mere mortal man in comparison to God. It reminds us that no matter how long a time interval is from man s time-bound perspective, it s like a twinkling of an eye from God s eternal perspective. For many of us, time seems to move either too slow (like when waiting for something we are looking forward to) or too fast (like when the birthdays seem to come around sooner than we would like). For a lot of adults, it seems like life can begin to move by us too fast and we don t have enough time to get all the things we need to do done or we don t have enough time to enjoy some of things we would simply like to enjoy doing. Time. God gives each one of us a certain amount of time to enjoy the life He gives to us. Time is a precious commodity that is of great value and yet it cannot be bought or traded. So, whether I look back to January or over this last year (yes, I ve been with you here at Poplar Grove UMC one year now), I realize that once again TIME has flown. As a church, we experienced a few challenges, a few changes, and God s faithfulness. Regardless of how slow or fast time moves, we know that God is always working. Let us continue to seek and follow God s leading in the months to come. And by the way, know too, that Cheryl and I have enjoyed our first year here and look forward to sharing life with you in the years to come. Thank you for your support and prayers. Continued on page 2

2 Page 2 July 2018 Pastor s Letter continued from page 1 Looking ahead to July, we will finish up our sermon series I Can Only Imagine based on Bart Millard s life. This series looks at how God takes Bart s childhood life of abandonment by his mother and abuse from his father and turns it into a testimony of healing, forgiveness, redemption, and transformation. God takes all of the abuse in Bart s life and uses it to inspire him to write the song I Can Only Imagine. God truly is amazing in the way he transforms our lives! And no I cannot end my letter without encouraging you to stay committed to our 8:10 Breakthrough Prayer. As you now know, each month we are focusing on one of the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5: The theme for July is PEACE. Dear God, we pray for you to break through with new possibilities (in the area of PEACE), beyond what we can imagine, in us individually, in our church, and in our community. In Jesus name, Amen. There are several dimensions to peace that I want to point out. First, when we pray for God to work in the area of peace, it can be a prayer asking God to bring our unsaved loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers into an awareness and readiness to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Anyone who is trying to do life apart from God is not with God but lost and in need of God s saving grace. So, pray that God would work in the area of saving PEACE in their lives. Secondly, once we are at peace with God, we can now experience God s peace that fills our inner being with a sense that all is well, in spite of life s circumstances. This fruit of the Spirit is something that God does in us. We don t have to strive and work for it, the Holy Spirit imparts it to us and makes us aware that God s peace is our peace. God s grace and peace be with you all, Pastor Doug Carroll PGUMC Confirmation Class Starts September 9, 2018 at 9:00am Open to 8th and 9th grade students Please let the office know by August 16th if your son or daughter will participate. There will be a parent/student meeting prior to the first day of class (meeting date to be determined). Contact Pastor Doug with any questions,

3 July 2018 Page 3 The Youth Mission Team will be leaving EARLY (before the sun comes up) Sunday, July 8th. We will be traveling to the far west side of Tennessee to serve in Ripley. We are excited to see what work we will do and how God will work in us and through us during this week long trip. Please be praying for our safety, health, and positive impact. What are you doing on The church family celebrates the baptism of Sirena Raelynn Older who was baptized on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at the 10:00am service. Sirena is the daughter of Sabrina Older. Thursday nights this summer? Take a short drive to Beloit s Telfer Park to cheer on our PGUMC Men s Softball Team! Two scheduled games remain this season (no game on July 12th) Thurs, July 5th, Telfer Park Thurs, July 19th, Telfer Park Wednesdays 6:30pm No Bible Study on July 4th in the Activity Area off Fellowship Hall Led by Harry Boyd All are welcome TELFER PARK address: 2101 Cranston Rd. Beloit WI 53511

4 Page 4 July 2018 Donation Rummage Sale Thursday, August 30 and Friday, August 31 from 9am 4pm Much help is needed to make this event a success! Sign up sheets will be in place in July. Mark your calendars! Your donated items in good condition will be accepted from Sunday, August 26th to Wednesday, August 29th from 6:30pm 8:00pm, and also during church office hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm. When gathering your items at home, please box or bag similar items together. As you drop off please place near the display of the same category household, linens, books, clothing, shoes, toys, baby items, etc. This will help save much time for those sorting. PLEASE...NO TV s, MONITORS, VCR s, COMPUTERS, PRINTERS, LARGE ELECTRONICS or APPLIANCES. Recycle these electronic items by dropping them off at the BOONE COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPT., 9759 IL RT. 76 Belvidere, IL on Tues/Thur/Sat 9am to 2pm excluding holidays. Thank you. GriefShare is coming to PGUMC Thursdays at 6:30pm August 22 November 15 F O O D O N T H E F O U R T H S U N D A Y Thank you for your continued donations of non-perishable foods for the North Boone Christian Food Pantry (NBCFP) on the fourth Sunday of each month. Cash donations are also accepted, please make check payable to: North Boone Christian Food Pantry Study guide books are $15. No other fees to attend. Scholarships are available. Contact: Evelyn Brefeld, Kay Parris or the church office for more information. For people grieving the loss of someone close. North Boone Christian Food Pantry Located at Capron UMC 250 W. North Street, Capron IL Questions? Contact Jill Gray, NBCFP representative,

5 July 2018 Page 5 Thank you to the Betty Edwards memorial fund for the donation of a portable lectern with microphone. This lectern will be very useful for groups meeting in the fellowship hall. It has already been used during the week of VBS and for saying grace at the community meals. Thanks again, Memorials, Gifts and Endowment Committee Church Camp Scholarships Many thanks to the church for providing scholarships to summer church camp for three of our youth. Money was raised during the Hometown Christmas Baked Potato sales. Cora Voska and Ethan Hartwig will attend Phantom Ranch over the summer, and Payton Keithley will attend Camp Reynoldswood. The youth and their families greatly appreciate the financial support to make this experience possible. Mark your calendar for Hometown Christmas on Friday, December 7th, 2018, Belvidere. Come out for a baked potato in support of Church Camp Scholarships! Thank you to all who helped with the Hospitality Ministry by greeting, helping with fellowship hour, baking, and serving communion at our worship services. Marcia & Don Robson Beverly Iverson Marissa Pappas Bonnie Layman Bonnie Johnson Janet & Pat Moore Kay & Terry Ellingson Kay Parris Kathe Keithley Theresa & Alexa Stallings Tim & Rachel Butts Karen & Bob Loft Joann Nicholson Community Meals Thursdays July 12 & 26 5:30pm at PGUMC All are invited for a meal and fellowship with others from the church and community. To help prepare the meal or serve, please sign up at the table in the narthex. Contact Karen Drager for more info, (815) United Methodist Women (UMW) Will take a 2 month summer hiatus, resuming our program year on Wednesday, September 5 at 12:00 p.m. with a potluck lunch. Join us for food, fellowship, devotions and program, a book report by Karen Neibarger. Remember, all are welcome, women and men alike! In the meantime, have a great, restful summer! Glowing Embers will take the summer off. Watch for announcements in bulletins and newsletter as to when our next meeting will be.

6 Page 6 July 2018 VBS - Summer Blast Babylon - Daniel's courage in captivity We had an exciting week at VBS learning that God is with us no matter what! We learned that Daniel and his friends faced many struggles in this foreign land, but always prayed to the one true God. Over 120 kids, youth, and adults participated in stories, playing Babylonian inspired games, creating keepsakes, and singing praises to the one true God. Visit our website pgumc.us to see more photos from VBS Summer Blast!

7 July 2018 Page 7 Worship Times: Sunday 8am & 10am ~ Nursery Care: Sunday 8:45am 11:30am

8 Page 8 July 2018 Join our list to receive: Prayer Concerns Around the Corner mid-week announcements monthly MESSENGER newsletter link Visit our website, pgumc.us Click on the SUBSCRIBE tab to be added to our list. Select the communications you wish to receive. Need assistance signing up? Contact Linda in the church office for help. PGUMC SCRIP GIFT CARD FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR: Rachel Butts, , rachld2005@hotmail.com SCRIP cards are sold at face value and the church earns a percentage on every card sold! SCRIP ORDER DATES SUNDAY JULY 8 SUNDAY AUGUST 5 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9 SUNDAY OCTOBER 7 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4 SUNDAY DECEMBER 2 In a WEATHER EMERGENCY - You will be directed further but the safest places in our building are the women s restroom near fellowship hall, preschool restrooms, and the education wing hallway low to the floor and as far away from exterior doors and windows as possible. In a MEDICAL EMERGENCY - Our church is equipped with an AED device and a First Aid kit, located across the hall from the chapel/ library, left of the office windows. Having a Hospital Experience? We care and want to know about it. The hospitals do not call the pastor or church to let us know when someone is hospitalized. We want to be there when people need us. Please call the church office, 815/ Contact Us: Poplar Grove United Methodist Church 105 E. Grove St., Poplar Grove, IL (1-1/4 mile east of the intersection of Hwy 173 and 76) Mailing address: P.O. Box 217, Poplar Grove, IL Office phone: General Office: office.pgumc@gmail.com Rev. Doug Carroll, Pastor: doug.pgumc@gmail.com, (815) Kathe Keithley, Director of Children & Youth Ministries: kathek70@gmail.com Linda Geishert, Church Administrator: linda.pgumc@gmail.com Poplar Grove UMC website: pgumc.us Mon-Thurs 8:30am 4:00pm Closed Friday Northern Illinois Conference website: umcnic.org Messenger articles are needed by the 20th of the prior month for publication. Thank you.