Pastor s Point of View By Mark Hollinger

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1 Pastor s Point of View By Mark Hollinger This will be my eighteenth Easter serving a United Methodist Church. In my time serving as a pastor, I have only missed one Sunday due to illness; and it happened to be my very first Easter serving in Lima. You can imagine my angst in not being present for my very first Easter as a newly appointed student pastor. I was very ill and got a quick substitute to celebrate our regular worship service while Kathy conducted the early sunrise service. She s the best. The resurrection of Christ is the awesome lynchpin event of our faith. The cross and Christ s sacrifice for our sins are very important but without the resurrection there is no evidence that the love in that sacrifice is of such power and mystery that even the shadow of death is conquered. The resurrection proclaims a love of such might and mystery that it not only conquers sin but death itself. It has been the focus of my preaching every Easter Sunday that Easter, more than anything else, declares Divine Victory and Power. If it were not for the resurrection, Christianity is finished at the cross and the disciples go home saddened, fearful and frustrated. So the recording of the resurrection is very important, and all four gospels give us details and nuances that although may confuse us in their inconsistencies each should fire our imagination and reveal to us some further element of God s wonder, grandeur and consummate plan. Over the years, I have come to appreciate all of the gospels; but John s depiction of the resurrection is the one that I have come to appreciate a little bit more than the others. It starts with John 20:1-10 with Peter and John coming to the tomb because of the report from Mary of Magdalene that the stone had been rolled away. The three return and indeed discover the tomb empty, but it is only Mary who remains trying to make sense of the empty tomb in the midst of her grief. As in the garden experience when Jesus prays to the Father for the cup to be taken from him, so it is that John reminds us that we are in a garden once again. We remember that Genesis has us in a garden and who the master gardener is in that Genesis account. In that first garden, Adam and Eve become lost and separated from the master gardener because of their disobedience. They die a spiritual death of sorts just as God had predicted they would if they disobeyed Him by taking from the fruit of the tree of knowledge. In their knowledge of separation and in anticipation of punishment, they hide in shame fretting over what may happen with their next divine encounter. In that Genesis account, it is God who comes looking for them in the cool of the afternoon calling out their names. When we enter into the garden of Easter, we have the master gardener back again (remember that Mary at first confuses Jesus to be the gardener); but the tables are turned a bit from that Genesis event. There is the pale of death in both of these accounts, Adam and Eve with the threat of death from the Genesis account and Jesus apparent death because of the crucifixion from John s account. However, instead of God looking for Adam and Eve, who represent us in the Genesis Continued

2 Pastor s Point of View account, it is now Mary who represents us as the first witness to the power of resurrection, who is looking for Jesus falsely presuming him to be dead. John gets us into a cosmological setting in which the plan of redemption, due to the first sin and consequent separation, will now be reversed. Only now instead of God seeking us in the midst of a death sentence to institute punishment (Genesis account), Mary is seeking God in the midst of death only to find life and reward (John s resurrection account). Unlike Adam and Eve, who are exiled from the garden and told not to return, Mary is given the wondrous task of proclaiming to the disciples the victory of the resurrection. She has no wish nor does she want to return to a place of death having discovered the God of life. John gives us a cosmological setting tying in the first garden experience of disobedience and defeat into the second garden experience of obedience (Jesus) and our seeking (Mary) to be delivered out of punishment and into life. This is the Easter story it s all about victory because of God s unrelenting, wondrous and powerful love. They Were Greatly Pleased... By Kelly Sterling For Good Friday, I was assigned to give a short meditation on Luke 22: 1-6. This scripture describes the betrayal of Judas Iscariot and how he went to the chief priests and led them to Jesus. In verse 5, there are four words that for some reason jumped off the page for me. It says, They were greatly pleased This line is talking about the high priests being enthusiastic about this horrific deed Judas just did. His action was about to change the world forever. Judas unfaithfulness, disloyalty and treachery was being celebrated. It got me thinking. How often do we celebrate the sin of someone else? How often do we benefit from the transgressions of someone else? Have you ever been happy when a co-worker did not get the promotion expected? Have you ever benefited from a business deal that was not on the up and up? Have you ever taken advantage of a relationship? Judas fell into a not unusual human way of thinking. He chose the pats on the back from the wrong people over doing what was right. He chose money and a brief brush with authority over friendship, trust and love. How often do we do this? God knows us and knows the temptation we face. The Ten Commandments address disloyalty and our need for greed and self-centeredness. Judas was breaking a majority of the commandments the night he turned Jesus in. It seems money and greed became his god over the true God. He covets what others have and wants the fame and money that comes with his disloyalty. He commits murder in the sense he kills all trust with Jesus and the disciples and probably knows he is leading Jesus to his death. They were greatly pleased Resist the temptation to be pleased with the sins of others. As Christians, we need to resist the desire to seek out money and prominence. Be greatly pleased with good works, with serving and loving each other.

3 Explanation of Our Request for Facility Improvements St. Marks United Methodist Church Question: What needs to be done now ~ isn t our church fine the way it is? Answer: Well, no, not exactly. We DO have a beautifully inspiring Sanctuary, but how accessible is it for those among us with any sort of disability? Our current elevator has outlasted its usefulness. It is in need of critical and costly upgrades to its hydraulic system to make it codecompliant for future use. It is too small for modern motorized wheelchairs. Those who need to use it currently have had to modify their mobile chairs to fit within its cramped interior space. The outdated, residential-style elevator is unwelcoming to any new visitors or any of our long-time members. We believe a new, larger, modern elevator would make access so much more convenient for those who need help getting to all three floor levels of our church. It would also relieve the anxieties of our church families during funerals as caskets of their loved ones are more graciously transported in & out of our Sanctuary. Our Facilities Team has studied every possible location for a new larger elevator and has concluded that the best place for it is on the south exterior side of the south stair tower. No changes need to be made to those stairs for this elevator to be added on the outside. We DO have a handsome looking church from the outside, but which door is the right one to use to find the main central office during the week, or to attend an evening meeting in the basement or upstairs, or to visit one of our staff members? We have many exterior doors that are not clearly marked, and some of which are locked. We need to give people, especially visitors, the best directions possible to help them find their way to where they need to go inside our church. We believe a new main front door with a ground-level vestibule and direct elevator access once inside the building will make the clearest impression. All other doors can remain locked but still very usable for exits. Our Facilities Team has planned a way to enclose the south exterior stairs within this new front entrance vestibule to protect those stairs from further deterioration from future bad weather. Once inside this new front entrance vestibule at ground level, direct access to the basement would also be possible without going up steps before going back down steps to get there. We DO have a big church building with lots of rooms, but why was part of it so uncomfortably hot late last summer? Part of our aging central air conditioning system died last summer. Over time all mechanical parts wear out and need to be periodically replaced. 1

4 We believe replacing the broken components is an urgent priority for this year prior to the onset of hotter summer months. Our Facilities Team is looking to fast-track this component of these requested facility improvements. We DO have a wonderful staff, but why are their offices scattered all over the church? Currently, our main office is tucked back in the northwest corner of the main floor level behind the north stairs. Pastor Mark s, Pastor Kelly s, Dave s, and Michelle s offices are scattered along the west side of the top floor. We believe by moving the main office close to the new front door on the south side of the building and bringing Pastor Mark s & Pastor Kelly s offices to the north end main floor next to the library/ parlor would make each office more effective and accessible. Our Facilities Team found that the extra added benefit to making these office switches is that it brings the Pre-School Sunday School classroom upstairs to be with the rest of the Children s Ministry Classrooms. In addition, keeping Michelle s and Dave s offices on the upper floor allows them direct access to their groups activities on that floor. We DO seem to have more groups of all ages in our church actively taking more trips lately, but do they need better transportation provided by our church? The simple answer is YES! With more and more youth and adult groups going on short & long-term mission trips and other trips to regional meetings, we need more church transportation. Our current transportation is limited on luggage/supply space. We can no longer depend on church members to provide their vehicles for church use. As of September 2015, The Boy Scouts of America have issued an order that the use of 15- passenger vans manufactured before 2005 will no longer be allowed in connection with Scouting programs and activities and this includes St. Marks 15-passenger van. We believe we can expand our Outreach Ministries with three new 15-passenger buses and with one of these possibly fitted to be a handicapped-accessible minibus. We DO have a large Fellowship Hall in the church basement that has been used so many different ways by so many groups over the years, but do we need to update it? The obvious answer is YES! The room dividers are not effective sound barriers. The tile floor adds to overall acoustic problems with the room. The stage area is one of the most under-used spaces in our church. We believe by adding modern folding wall partitions, carpeting the floor, re-covering the exterior walls, and re-dressing the windows, we can provide a more pleasant and meaningful meeting room experience to each group that uses our Fellowship Hall. Our Facilities Team sees great potential in this area of our church. 2

5 New Members Class Want to become a member of St. Marks United Methodist Church? Classes will start up on April 12 and will run through May 24. There are seven sessions. The class will not meet on Easter morning. Be sure to talk with Pastor Mark. Worship Gatherings April 5 Easter A Victory, A Promise and A Change John 20:11-18 Sermon Series Life Apps April 12 Introduction James 1:23-24 April 19 Forgiveness Romans 12:17-22 April 26 Confession James 5:13-16 The Findlay Y s Men s Club will be sponsoring the annual Good Friday Breakfast on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 a.m. at St. Marks in the Fellowship Hall. The speaker will be one of our own, The Honorable Cliff Hite. Tickets may be purchased at the YMCA, from any club member, which includes our own Richard Wohlgamuth, or at the door. The price is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children.

6 St. Marks Collects the Following for Charity UMW [Yvonne Miller] Campbell Soup labels, including the UPC symbol. Box Tops for Education. Chopin Hall [Carlton Rule] Food [no glass], bath soap, toilet tissue, paper towels, cleaning supplies, etc. Used clothing can be dropped off at Chopin Hall. WTGN Radio-97.7 Lima [Garth Beatty] Blanchard Valley Hospital Recent magazines and paper back books for waiting rooms April 5 Upper Room Church of God April 12 College First Church of God April 19 Cross Point Church of God April 26 The Catalyst Church SAVE THE DATE...Backyard Mission Trip is Saturday, April 25, Start making plans with your small group, Sunday school classes, family and friends. Anyone interested can sign up, and you will be added to a team. The sign up lists will be posted at the Connection Centers. The Backyard Mission Trip is a community wide event supported by churches and some of our civic organizations here in our community. It is a day set aside to do things right here in "our own backyard." The projects are "light" in nature such as yard work, painting and easy home repairs. As well as helping people in need, we will also be cleaning up our community such as the parks, schools and cemeteries. We are hoping to employ 2,000 volunteers with 215 projects. There will be a Gathering Meeting the Friday evening prior to the Backyard Mission Trip on Friday, April 24, at Winebrenner. More details will be coming soon. Looking for the Rummage Sale? This year s sale will be June More information available after Easter!

7 April 11 First Presbyterian Church 2330 S. Main St. Mobile Food Pantry April 25 Blanchard Valley Hospital s Ambassador s Group Held at the Family Center April Sunday School Offerings Builders Jim Robertson, Charles Bishop & Yvonne Miller April - The Community of the Beloved Disciple May - One in the Bond of Love Covenant Barbara Hochstettler Study of Colossians Founders Rob Obenour, John Richter & Mike Noggle April - The Community of the Beloved Disciple May - One in the Bond of Love Philos Linda Barclay & Kelly Sterling April - Follow by Andy Stanley Searchers John Carson Methodist History - Our Doctrine Soul Seekers Tim Bechtol April - What s the Deal with Christianity? (Online study from American University United Methodist Community) United Methodist Women Wednesday, April 1, 2015 Combined Meeting Fellowship Hall 7:00 p.m. Hostess Naomi Circle Program Lydia Circle Speakers Jen Obenour Rob Obenour Topic Japan: Then and Now ST. MARKS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SCHOLARSHIP FUND We are pleased to announce that St. Marks United Methodist Church has started a Scholarship for High School Seniors entering a higher level of education. The first scholarship will be awarded in the spring of We are asking the congregation to pray for this new project. More information to come late summer with details and requirements for the scholarship. If you would like to donate to the scholarship fund, please earmark your giving to the Stewardship Scholarship Fund. If you have any questions, please contact Jamie or Jodi Bollenbacher at

8 Mark Your Calendars: Promise Keepers Men s Conference June 19 20, 2015 Pittsburgh, PA Promise Keepers, a national men s Christian ministry, is returning to a venue within driving distance of Findlay! It has been a number of years since St. Marks has sent a group to a PK conference and this is an opportunity for men in this church to have a time of great music, great messages and great comradery. The conference tour this year will be stopping in Pittsburgh on Friday, June 19 (6 PM 10 PM) and Saturday, June 20 (9 AM 4 PM). More details will be coming soon regarding cost, lodging, transportation, etc. but get those dates on your calendar now and plan to join a group of your brothers from St. Marks in attending. Some of those scheduled to appear at the conference are PK President Dr. Raleigh Washington, PK Founder and former, University of Colorado Football Coach Bill McCartney, Bishop Joseph Garlington, former major league baseball player Daryl Strawberry, comedian Ben Stine, emcee Reggie Dabbs and an appearance by contemporary Christian band Unspoken. We will be leaving Findlay in the early afternoon on Friday, June 19 and returning Saturday night, in time to be home for Father s Day on Sunday, June 21. If you would like more information about Promise Keepers, call Mike Noggle at (419) or go to their website SPRING RETREAT FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Our Spring Retreat is April 25, 2015 from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. It is open to all middle and high school students from St. Marks, E-Free, College First and Bethel Church. The cost is FREE! Youth will meet at The Cube at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast. We will participate in the Backyard Mission Trip. The fun continues with lunch at St. Marks Findlay, a goose chase downtown and then Peter's gauntlet of games at E-Free Church. Pick up is at 5:00 p.m. at E-Free. Our registration deadline is April 19. Sign Up Here:

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10 St. Marks Leadership Board Meeting 02/24/2015 Mark Hollinger Jamie Bollenbacher Jeff Hauenstein Jeff Joseph Garth Beatty Bill Stalets Kathleen Crates Brian Patterson Keith Kuchera Sherri Frantz Marv Miller Jane Hassan Members Present Discussion Items General Topics 1. Topic: Agape gifts It was decided to reach beyond our church doors. The South Main Street Fire Department and Sixth Street Hanco was suggested and accepted. Jeff Hauenstein will contact We Serve and obtain a price for meals. He will bring the information to the next Leadership meeting. 2. Pastor Mark stated that we have an opportunity to receive an intern this summer. This person would not cost the church anything, however he/she would need housing. So, someone from our church would need to volunteer and open their home. Everyone agreed we should accept this if our church is chosen. Financial Topics 3. The community conflict concerning the Recovery Program purchase of a home was discussed in depth. This situation triggered a need for a process for conflict resolution within the community. It was decided that we would support the Findlay Ministerial Association with a conflict resolution program that includes training. St. Marks supported this endeavor with $1, Upcoming Capital campaign March 20, 21, and 22 there will be listening sessions concerning this campaign. Our effort is to glean any questions, concerns or questions. 5. Discussion took place concerning the cost and payments to Larry Armentrout. It was decided to take $3,000 out of the Building and Maintenance Account. 6. Additional financial issues were discussed. There were three estimates for a new air conditioner that ranged from $60,000 to $98, The purchase of a van became the next financial topic. Bill Stalets is in the process of doing a cost study. Prices discussed ranged from $40,000 - $60, 000. It was also mentioned that we should research a quality used van. We Love Findlay Topic 8. Several ideas were discussed. There will be more to come from that committee. Submitted by Kathleen Crates

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12 April 2015