June 2016 Newsletter VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL June 20 24

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1 Points of Interest In This Issue Vacation Bible School 1-2 Genesis Musical 3 June 2016 Newsletter VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL June Celebrate Camps 3 Book Club 3 Did You Know 4 Little Lambs 4 Personal Planner 5 Why Church 5 John Wesley 6-7 Mail Bag 7 Church News 8 Around the Community 9 Monthly Calendar 10 Do you remember the story of Joseph? How many of today s children and adults do you think know this story? Can you imagine our whole church filled with kids and their parents all coming together to learn about God s awesome love for each one of them? We can because that s the goal for this year s Vacation Bible School. In addition to teaching the children, there will also be a Bible study (led by Pastor Ernie) for the parents. This goal can only be accomplished with everyone s help at this year s VBS, being held June 20-24, from 4 to 7:30 pm. Meals will be served and parents are invited to their own study during this time. Here s what s needed: Donations or the loan of items listed below Volunteers for one of the pre-vbs prep areas: Tent Procurer (borrowing canopies form Cancer Support including setup and return) or Interior Decorator (prepping SS classroom with materials, signs, blankets, etc.) Volunteers for one of these areas during VBS (one or more days): Census Taker (registration duties); Tribe Leaders and Assistant Leaders (to guide up to 10 children throughout VBS, assisted by youth helpers); Prison Guard (be a guard during the week); Captain Fun and Sidekick (game time during VBS). Prayers for VBS for the families God will send and for the people who will participate through all of these aspects, that God will richly bless them and draw them all closer to Him. Target dates: now through the end of VBS. Children and their parents to attend; if you don t have kids in this age group, please invite others to come. Personal invitations always work the best! The biggest need is YOUR PRESENCE. Think of the impact that will be made on families when they come and find practically our whole church there to welcome them! To volunteer or if you have questions, please Jennifer Delaney at jennifer_esq@hotmail.com. Donated or borrowed items may be brought to the church office. Continued on.. Page 2

2 P a ge 2 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h DONATED ITEMS NEEDED Vacation Bible School continued. 1. Items to BORROW: Please attach a piece of tape with your name on it so we can return it to you Completion Date: Sunday, June 12, 2016 large blankets or quilts and throw pillows for the children to sit on during VBS loud bells to ring when it is time for the children to change activities wild animals/zoo animals stuffed animals tug of war rope 2. Items we need to locate: Carpet Squares: We need a volunteer to see if Armstrong s, Home Depot, Lowe s etc. would be willing to donate carpet squares to VBS. We could use up to 120 of them but will take any amount we can get. If we cannot get them donated by a company, we are asking for you all to donate them to VBS for use this year and in each future year. Completion Date: Sunday, June 12, Items we need donated: If you can buy even one item, it makes a big difference in our VBS budget! In order to prevent multiple people all buying the same items, if you could let Claire know what you are buying before you buy it so she can keep track of what we need, that would be most helpful. However, if you are at the store and just see something and want to pick it up that will work too! Thank you all so much for your love and support of VBS. (FYI all of these supplies are in addition to what the church already has.) Completion Date: Sunday, June 12, beach balls 10 disposable ziplock/tupperware style containers with lids (square or round is fine) Lots and lots of sharpies all colors 10 posterboards any colors, but not all the same Lots of lots of writing pens (registration and for tribes) 10 packs of Crayons (24 packs are best but anything is fine) 5 pkgs of construction paper 5 large scissors (for adults) 30 small scissors (for children) 5 pkgs of Men s Medium tshirts 5 pkgs of Men s Large white tshirts 5 pkgs of Men s XL white tshirts 5 pkgs of Men s XXL white tshirts 40 rolls of toilet paper 8 hula hoops (in addition to what we already have at the church) 1 pkg gallon size ziplock baggies 6 pkgs nylon rope 8 lg car wash sponges 4 mop-like buckets (or any kind of 5 gallon bucket would work) 10 bands for 3 legged races Kiddie size plastic pool Large tarp

3 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h P a ge 3 GENESIS THE MUSICAL The play which will be learned and performed for next month s Performing Arts Camp. This is an original play by Algerstophanes, directed by Algernon D Ammassa, with music and choreography by Sarah Williams. So just what is Performing Arts Camp (PAC)? It is a two week session (weekdays only) wherein youth who have completed grades 2 through 12 can come to learn and perform a play. PAC will be held July (remember weekdays only) from 9 am to 1 pm. Parents will need to provide a sack lunch. Rehearsals will be held here at the church either later this month or early next month. If your child (or someone you know) is interested, please have them call the office ( ) and we ll put them on a contact list for rehearsals. Celebrate Summer Camps We have 20 youth signed up for Ritmo which is the summer camp for junior and high school students (completed grades 7 on up), being held June Or you may be considering King s Kids on June (entering grades 2-5). It s not too late to register although a late fee may apply. To register children, youth or yourself as an adult volunteer (your way is paid), please pick up registration forms in the wall box outside the church office or visit To help with camp fees ($300 per child for the junior/ senior high camp), our youth are having a Car Wash and Bake Sale on Saturday, June 4 th, in the south (paved) parking lot from 9 am to noon. Your dirty cars and donations will gladly be accepted! Hello to my chair angel! This is Karen Gault and I want you to know how very much I appreciate letting Love INC (now called TLC) know how much I need a recliner lift chair to make my life easier. I cannot begin to thank you enough; there are no words. You and God have begun to restore my faith in humanity. You do not realize what a gift you have given to me. I wish I had the words to tell you how much it is appreciated and has helped. If there is anything I can ever do to help you or the church, please let me know. Karen Gault. Editor s Note: Karen also expressed thanks for your concern and prayers during her recent hospitalization. Love to read Christian books? Why not consider joining the Summer Christian Book Club! This group will meet every 2 or 3 weeks over the summer on Monday evenings at 6 pm, beginning on June 13 th, here at the church. There will be a short informational meeting on Sunday, June 5 th, in the Fellowship Hall, following the first (8 am) service, to discuss the selection of a book. Everyone is welcome! Please contact Cindy Turner at or cvturnerrn@gmail.com for details or additional information.

4 P a ge 4. F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h Did You Know This month we ll learn about the stained glass window in the Fellowship Hall (by the piano). The theme is The Good Samaritan and reflects the practice of the Christian Faith throughout the centuries, but especially the emphasis of the contemporary church in its concern for human needs. The message of the window theme includes our present-day concern for hunger; aid for victims of flood, fire, earthquake, criminal assault; for those who are unemployed; for those with inadequate house; and for all who are distress in body, mind or estate. The window may be viewed as Christ Serving Human Needs, thus challenged our stewardship of life, time and talents. Little Lambs Preschool School is out for the summer. We had a wonderful year. The month of May was busy in both classes. We reviewed, had special days of fun, water days and graduation in the classroom for 4 s. We had thirty-five attend. The class sang, recited, and entertained all their families. We had snacks in the gym and then showed their families their skills at basketball. It s hard to say goodbye to the 4 s but we prepared them for kindergarten with their skills and planted the seeds of faith in each one of them. We sent them off with a prayer that God will watch over them forever and walk with them in all things. The Lord is Good! We have filled the 3 s and the 4 s classes for the school year. We have been a mission of the church in the community for thirty-five years. We have second generation students. Thank you to the church for all that they provide for us, and all the prayers that keep us going. Is a gift of love to work with all the students and their families and see them become part of our families and memories. Have a great summer and see you in September! 2016 General Conference Wrap-Up The 2016 General Conference concluded its business in Portland, Oregon after 10 days of celebration, discussion and business. During this time, delegates passed an increased budget (from $603.1 million to $604 million), celebrated a number of church milestones and voted to create a new version of the hymnal. They also enjoyed festive and moving worship, including a cacophony of Alleluias in many languages during the opening service. Some milestones includes the 60 th anniversary of granting full clergy rights to women, the 200 th anniversary of Francis Asbury s death and whole day dedicated to United Methodist Women which will soon turn 150. The United Methodist Church also sent new missionaries from 11 countries to serve in 16 lands. The liturgy of commissioning was believed to be the first at a United Methodist General Conference. The office has a wrap up article that you can read. Just or call Claire and ask for the General Conference wrap-up information.

5 P a ge 5 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h Personal Planner for Life Decisions The United Methodist Development Center has some planning tips and resources that may help you, or other family members, when looking at important life decisions. Even as situations change, having a plan or at least knowing what to consider can help make things easier. Please visit pageid=34 for more information Why Attending Church Is So Important Don t let excuses stand in the way of what you know God is calling you to do. A few weeks ago an online post from a major ministry struck a nerve when it stated the necessity of church attendance for your growth as a believer in Christ. It s surprising to me how many Christians struggle with the idea of church attendance. We are at a crossroads in our nation on the importance of going to church. According to research, church attendance has remained virtually the same percent of our national population for the past 70 years, however, this still means there are a huge number of American Christians who are not active in a local church in the tens of millions. Of course, this isn t a new problem. Since the beginning of Christianity, the early leaders had to challenge this mindset, saying, Do not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). A popular Christian social media catch-phrase is, You don t go to church, you are the church. While I get the sentiment in some ways, this is an unhealthy view, pitting being the church and going to church against each other. If we are truly the church, then we will surely get together with other believers regularly. We cannot be the church, if we don t go to church. Not fully anyways. The church never connotes a single, individual, lone ranger Christian just going about his Christian duties and never gathering together to worship with other believers. The church by its very nature means multiple believers: Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them (Matthew 18:20). This is both the biblical and historical pattern set forth for us by the first followers of Jesus. They would get together weekly to worship God together, and at times even daily. They would also share community together in each other s homes. Paul and the other Apostle s letters were actually sent to these church communities that gathered in various cities to be read aloud together. Church means getting together with other believers to worship Jesus Christ, and hear the Scriptures together, and encourage one another in the faith. Craig Groeschel shared recently, There is something better. To worship God together and be committed to worship Him together, to hear His Word together. Do not reduce church to listening to a podcast. It s so much more than that. It s community. It s worshiping with other, praying for others, hurting with others, serving others, being involved in the lives of others.

6 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h P a ge 6 Seven of John Wesley s Practices Can Change Hearts Today by Roger Ross As a priest in the Church of England, John Wesley was distraught by the powerlessness of the church to reach the vast majority of British people. God s spirit created such a holy discontent in Wesley s heart that he abandoned conventional modes of ministry and experimented with several innovative approaches. To everyone s surprise, spiritual revival broke out in England and beyond. If you re like me, you may wonder, If God could do that then, why not now? Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement. 1. Be Devoted to Prayer Wesley rediscovered what the church of his day had forgotten: prayer releases the power of God. He called prayer the grand means of drawing near to God and found believing, persistent prayer to be the necessary first step to see God move. He modeled this conviction by devoting at least two hours a day to personal prayer and made fervent prayer a hallmark of the movement. 2. Go Where the People Are When the love of Jesus Christ gripped Wesley s heart, he knew he couldn t keep it to himself. There had to be some way to reach the vast masses of people who would never darken a church door. Initially, Wesley was convinced the gospel could only be preached in the stained-glass setting of a church building. But with so few people attending church services, he was forced to consider other options. Reluctantly, Wesley began preaching in the open air. He would find a high spot on the edge of a city and speak to whoever would listen. Crowds of three, five, even ten thousand people would gather. Many of them were touched by the spirit of God and awakened to their spiritual state. A revival in England was born largely because Wesley was willing to take the gospel where the people were. 3. Speak Plain Truth In Wesley s day, the Church of England didn t connect with the real lives of everyday people. Ironically, the ministry of Jesus was just the opposite. When Jesus spoke, the common people heard him gladly. Wesley longed to bridge the gap between real faith and real people. Although he was a highly educated Oxford fellow And deeply steeped in the Christian tradition, he refused to parade his scholarship. He chose to speak plain People. He intentionally shaped his language so common people could gladly hear the gospel and respond. Continued next page.

7 4. Use the Music of the Culture Gregorian chants in Latin and heavy German music were standard fare in church services in Wesley s day. Although the words were meaningful, the music was a complete disconnect with the common people. It didn t speak their heart language. In his travels, Wesley found that pre-christian people connected most easily with the gospel when it came through their native culture. He encouraged his brother Charles to put gospel words to the popular tunes of the day, and it caught people s hearts. Speaking in terms people could understand was part one of cracking the cultural code; music that touched the modern day soul was part two. 5. Place Everyone in a Small Group for Spiritual Growth As Wesley began outdoor preaching in various sites around England, he soon noticed a troubling pattern. Without intentional support and encouragement, people who had moving, even ecstatic experiences of God while he was preaching would soon fall away from their newly awakened state. To provide responsible spiritual care, Wesley would only preach in venues where spiritually awakened people could be placed in small groups or classes. His goal was not to see people have a single encounter with God but to have them experience real, lasting life change through faith in Christ. Such transformation of heart and life happens best when people do life together with a handful of others who become a spiritual family. 6. Give the Ministry to the Laity A team member who rides the bench and a Christian who sits in a pew share an eerie similarity they both watch other people play. Christianity was never designed to be a spectator sport. As the early Methodist movement grew rapidly, Wesley soon took his mother s advice and allowed laypersons, both men and women, to oversee classes (small groups) and preach in the society meetings (large groups). When he released the energies of the laity, the ministry multiplied even faster. 7. Use Mass Communication to Get the Word Out In Wesley s day, the mass communication tool was the printing press. Wesley wrote numerous sermons, treatises, tracts, and books that were distributed to a wide audience to fuel the movement. Thousands of people who never heard him speak came to know Christ and grow in Christ through his writings. Of course, today the Internet and social media enable anyone with web access to have a personal platform previously unimaginable. Why Not Now? The genius of the Wesleyan revival is found in the ways he engaged coldly indifferent people and turned them into warm-hearted disciples who changed the world. We can do that, too. We can recover the seven methods of the early Methodist movement that reached the unchurched masses of that day. If we will reshape these practices for a twenty-first century context and retool receptive individuals, groups, and churches to use them, a new wave of the spirit will be released. From The Mailbag P a ge 7 Hello to my chair angel! This is Karen Gault and I want you to know how very much I appreciate letting Love INC (now called TLC) know how much I need a recliner lift chair to make my life easier. I cannot begin to thank you enough; there are no words. You and God have begun to restore my faith in humanity. You do not realize what a gift you have given to me. I wish I had the words to tell you how much it is appreciated and has helped. If there is anything I can ever do to help you or the church, please let me know. Karen Gault. Editor s Note: Karen also expressed thanks for your concern and prayers during her recent hospitalization.

8 P a ge 8 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h In Worship, Ministry and Fun An Angel Tree Coordinator is needed this year! We ve been blessed to have two coordinators in years past (thanks Barbara and Cheryl Kae!) but find ourselves in need of one for this fall. As you many know, Angel Tree, upon the recommendation of prison chaplains, partners with area churches to provide specific Christmas presents for the children of incarcerated parents, given in the name of the parent through your generosity in purchasing that gift. The coordinator works with Angel Tree to verify the ages of the children, gifts needed, preparation of the tags, publicity within the church, and delivery of the presents. If you (more than one coordinators are OK) are interested, please call Angel Tree at Angel. June 1 through 4 Annual Conference in Roswell, NM. Please be in prayer for all delegates (including ours; Pastor Ernie, Mary Lou Cameron, Tamara Hurt) for their safety and for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them and on the proceedings. June 4 Car Wash and Bake Sale to help our youth attend Ritmo at Sacramento Camp June (the cost is $300 per youth). They will wash cars from 9 am to noon in the paved (south) parking lot off of Buckeye Street. Your dirty cars and donations are gladly accepted! June 5 Communion Sunday; we ll be collecting canned goods for the local food bank, as well as donations for the Pastor s Mission Fund. A recent use of this fund put us in touch with a young man who had attended Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, and is now living here in Deming. LPI is a Methodist related high school which provides quality education to impoverished children, particularly those living in Mexico. Most of them go on to get a college education and return to their community to help improve conditions. What a small world! June 12 The Trustees Committee meets at 11:45 am in the Fellowship Hall. June 13 The Finance Committee meets at 5:30 pm in the Memorial Classroom. June 14 The Missions Committee meets at 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please note: This is a week early due to VBS. June 18 Decoration day for Vacation Bible School June 19 The United Methodist Men meet for breakfast at 7 am in the Memorial Classroom. All men are invited to attend for fun, fellowship and chow. June 19 Bread Basket Sunday; the special collection to help provide scholarships for children living in Mexico. Unlike the U.S., education costs money in Mexico. Many parents are unable to afford the cost. Your generosity allows these children to attend school far beyond the 6 th grade (when most are forced to drop out), thus giving them hope for a future. June Vacation Bible School!! All children, ages 3 (and potty trained) through 12 years old are invited to attend. VBS will run from 4 to 7:30 pm with a family picnic on Friday the 24 th. Meals will be served. Parents are invited to attend an adult Bible Study while their kids are in VBS. This is open to everyone so spread the word.

9 F i r s t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h P a g e 9 In the Community Something for Everyone June at the Deming Art Center is the Luna County Fine Arts and Fine Arts Crafts Show. This is the annual showcase for Luna County artists. There is no age limit so the show is open to artists of all ages. The show will run from June 1-29, with an artist reception on Friday, June 3, from 5 to 7 pm. For more information please check their website at their Facebook page, or call Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm with extended hours on Thursdays until 6:30 pm. The Deming Art Center is located at 100 S. Gold St (corner of Gold and Pine), in Deming. Thursday nights in June feature western artists at Luna Rossa Winery at 6 pm. You ll enjoy good music, snacks and more. June 7 Local, state and national elections; please be in prayer for the candidates and make plans to vote. June 18 is the monthly summer concert at Rockhound State Park featuring the Ramblin Rangers. South Dakota s Bonnie Jo and Brad Exton were genuine rangers until they retired and hit the road with their Cowboy, County & Collectible Tunes. The concert runs from 6 to 8 pm. Bring a comfy chair and, if you wish, a picnic supper. Please call for more information. Luna Star Summer Dance Camp begins this month. 3 and 4 year olds will meet June from noon to 12:45 pm ($20 each); 5-7 year olds will meet June from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm ($20 each); 8 to 18 year olds meet June (Monday through Thursday) from 1 to 2:30 pm ($50 each); and those 18 and older will meet June 25 from 10 am to noon ($10 each). All camps will be held at Gabe s Fitness, 705 E. Pine. Registrations are due no later than June 11 th. You can register by ing the student s name and age to lunastardance@gmail.com. NOTE: If there is not enough interest, Luna Star Dance will cancel the dance camps so be sure to pass this on to others and register early.

10 The First United Methodist Church in Deming, NM welcomes YOU... to its on-line web presence. Please stay on-line with us for a while and visit the multiple program and worship opportunities available at First United Methodist Church; the feature The Pastor Speaks allows us to share audibly the recent messages/sermons prepared by our pastor. plan to visit and worship with us. Primary Business Address Your Address Line 2 main@fumcdeming.com Facebook: FUMCdeming June Line Dance Lecture Car Wash Bake Sale Communion Sunday Line Dance Lecture Hand Bell Last Day of School Trustee Women s Emmaus Finance Missions Line Dance Food Connections Decorate VBS Lecture Bread Basket VBS Line Dance UMM Lecture VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Women s Emmaus UMW Meal Church Council Line Dance Lecture