Continuing the Conversation

Transcription

1 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection 1 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection A bimonthly newsletter for members and friends / 2012 Issue #3 Pastor Loretta Waughtal Office: 115 Center Avenue Phillips, WI Church: Parsonage: Cell: lewaughtal@msn.com Upcoming Events Pastor s Sabbath Every Friday Collection for Food Pantry First Sunday of month Church School (P) thru Wednesdays, 3: Chaplaincy training, Park Falls, 11:30-3:30 7 Pastor provisional residency seminar, Pine Lake 9 Phillips Area Clergy Assoc., 10 a.m. 10 Worship at Pleasant View, 10:15 a.m. and Regency, 11 a.m. (P) 12 Lay speaking classes 13 Mother s Day 18 Ad Council, 6 p.m. (H) 19 Lay speaking classes 23 PPRC, 6 p.m. (H) 31-3 Annual Conference, Chula Vista 5 UMW picnic, Barb DeVault s home 14 Worship at Pleasant View, 10:15 a.m. and Regency, 11 a.m. (P) 17 Father s Day 19 Chaplaincy training, Park Falls, 9 a.m. Continuing the Conversation Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all they do they prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3) I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. (Proverbs 8:17-19) We are at that time of year when the seed catalogs have piled up, many of us likely have plans made for gardens, we may have the soil turned and ready, we may have seeds purchased or ordered and plants started inside. We are just waiting for it to warm up enough for seeds to sprout and for young plants to avoid freezing. We understand and we hope for fruitfulness when it comes to our gardens. As the congregations update or develop ministry plans I have invited you to join me in conversation about fruitfulness in the church as we worship and I preach on five practices of fruitful congregations. The practices I will be focusing on through are Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risktaking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity. I would like to begin this conversation about fruitfulness as the goal of our ministry with the question of God s will for the church s ministry. A way to begin recognizing God s will is found in considering the nature of God fruitfulness is a part of God s character. The Bible begins with an image of fruitfulness and Scripture throughout leads us to conclude that churches, as the body of Christ on earth, are intended by God to be fruitful. The Bible consistently states God s desires and expectations in terms of fruitfulness. Look up the word fruit in a concordance. The word appears more than 150 times. Fruitful appears nearly 30 times. And it is not just talking about people eating fruit of having children. When you examine the texts you discover so much more. For example, in Genesis we quickly discover that God is creative and productive (fruitful). As the stars and planets are spun into existence out of the void, God populates the earth with beings of every kind. When humans are created, they are invited to reflect the nature of their Creator with the command to be fruitful and multiply (1:22). The Bible shows God to be a being of movement and resourcefulness. continued on page 3

2 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection 2 Hawkins UMC Update We had a 7 a.m. sunrise service on Easter Sunday. An Easter breakfast of ham and eggs followed. We had a good crowd with wonderful support from the community. The UMW purchased two Easter lilies for the church. After Easter these plants were given to Della Radwanski and Ethel Rybarcyk. The Hawkins church has met their goal plus, for purchasing Heifer Project gifts. Animals to be purchased are a sheep, a goat, and three rabbits. We will be having confirmation Sunday in. Cassidy Pocius is going to be confirmed. She has been attending confirmation classes with regular church attendance for the past two years. We will continue collecting items for the Hawkins Community Food Pantry. Our feature item for will be shampoo and hand soap. We will again collect dish soap and laundry soap in. We welcome other non-perishable items as well. The UMW will be collecting items infant through 6X for United Methodist Children Services. These items will be packed at the August UMW meeting. Pat Filipiak, secretary Phillips UMW Update There will be no meeting in. We will celebrate Mother s Day on 13 at the church service with carnations for the ladies and special cake at fellowship time following the service. We will celebrate high school graduation on 20 with a special cake for the graduates following the service. Our 5 meeting will be a potluck picnic at the home of Barb DeVault with Pastor Loretta leading the program. Husbands are welcome to attend and enjoy the picnic lunch. UMW has funds available to help pay for expenses for children to go to camp. Pastor Loretta has information on the United Methodist camps. We are still making quilts for victims of fires. If you would like to help us with expenses for backs and bats you can give your money to Barb Nyberg or put it in the offering and mark it for quilt making. Thank you, Barb Nyberg, UMW president Happy Birthday! 1 William Johnson (P) 2 Pete Filipiak (H) 3 Linda Zorn (P) 8 Lance Johnson (H) 10 Peter Dahlie (P) 13 Amber Heidenreich (P) 15 Susan Mergan (P) 17 Wilma Balsis (H) 28 Larry Zorn (P) Ashlee Podmolik (P) Brianna Kosmer (P) 29 Tina Lemke (H) Peggy Mabie (H) 31 Kyle Kosmer (P) 2 Frances Palmer (P) 3 Annette Gernaey (P) 5 Josh & Jacob Lemke (P) 6 Marian Kenney (P) Ethan Podmolik (P) 14 Carla Lind (P) 17 David Lind (P) 20 Amber Mealman (P) 23 Grace Upson (P) 24 Luke Heidenreich (P) 25 Todd Lemke (H) 26 Mela Heidenreich (P) 27 Nathan Johnson (H) Happy Anniversary! 8 Jim & Jean Richards (H) 14 William & Betty Johnson (P) 1 Jodie & Troy Kadlecek (P) 14 Stew & Doris Lemke (H) 20 Jody & JJ Podmolik (P) 26 Wayne & Peggy Mabie (H) 27 Keith & Connie Trewyn (P)

3 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection 3 Worship at Hawkins Scripture Readers 6 Pat Filipiak, Todd Lemke 13 Dinah Hahn, Woodene Stevens 20 Jim Richards, Shirley Severson 27 Suzi Neilson, Cassidy Pocius 3 Pete Filipiak, Wilma Balsis 10 Jean Richards, Barb DeVault 17 Pat Filipiak, Gene Notz 24 Dinah Hahn, Todd Lemke Lights, Camera, Action Last summer it was shared in Phillips that an anonymous donor would like to purchase a video recording camera for the church so shut-ins and nursing home residents would be able to view weekly sermons. I am not familiar with videography so I have been researching the topic and becoming more overwhelmed as time has gone on. Recently a gentleman who is very experienced with videotaping sporting events in Phillips has provided information about a package of video equipment that would allow for easy recording of sermons and production of DVDs. That is a huge step, but I still need to know there are people in the church who are willing to learn how to use the equipment and will commit to recording sermons. Please let Pastor Loretta know if this is a ministry you are interested in. Conversation continued As we further examine fruit and fruitfulness in Scripture we understand the point that good trees bear good fruit and bad trees cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:18; Luke 6:43). Comparing the expectation that disciples will bear fruit to the experience of good seed sown in good soil producing a good harvest fits our understanding (Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15). The images of pruning and destroying unproductive trees are not lost on us (Matthew 7:19 Luke 3:9 John 15:2). And we certainly understand the difference between the vine and the branches and the reminder that the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine. It is safe to say we have some understanding of fruitfulness. Along with preaching on the practices of fruitful congregations to help us consider what it means to be a fruitful church I will also have some small booklets by Robert Schnase in both churches that can be checked out and read to help keep the conversation going. According to Schnase, the Five Practices of vital, fruitful congregations that we will be focusing on the next few weeks aren t secret or new, but they are the practices that can lead to excellence and growth in the life of our church. As we consider the sermons, pray, read, and discuss what it means for us to be fruitful congregations imagine what can happen as we use this time and effort to discern where God is already at work in our community and inviting us to join him in ministry. This is a challenging and exciting time for our congregations to make plans and dream about the best we can be as God s church in Hawkins and Phillips. God bless you as you seek to know and love God fully! Pastor Loretta Ingathering 2012 Remember to bring in your items for the 2012 Annual Conference Ingathering. I am asking the churches to collect health kits, school bags, and for those who knit you may consider knitting or crocheting baby sweaters. Health kits include: All new items in wrapper. 1 hand towel, 1 wash cloth, 1 comb (regular size), 1 fingernail clipper, 1 bar of soap (3 oz. or larger), 1 toothbrush, oz. or larger toothpaste (with expiration date at least one year away), 6 plain plastic adhesive bandage strips. Put items inside a 1 gallon plastic zipper bag. Include $1 for shipping. School bags include: 3 pads paper (8 x 10 ½ spiral are best), 6 pencils (unsharpened, no advertising), 1 pair of blunt school scissors, 1 ruler (12 with metric), 1 2 ½ eraser, 1 box of 24 Crayola Crayons, 1 pencil sharpener, 2 handled tote bag. Please place items in 2 handled tote bag. Directions for sewing a bag are available at or at the website. Shipping donation per bag is $1. Items need to be at the churches for Pastor L to pick up by Sunday, 27 because Annual Conference begins on Thursday, 31.

4 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection 4 Lenten Services and Seder Dinner A successful ecumenical Wednesday evening Lenten series was hosted by the Phillips UMC. Those who participated found the worship and discussion around the passion portions of the Jesus of Nazareth movie meaningful and thought provoking. On Maundy Thursday a symbolic Seder dinner was also held at the UMC with Pastor Arneson of the Presbyterian Church leading the service. It was an educational and fun evening that could not have happened without the ladies who volunteered to cook the wonderful meal. Throughout the Lenten season and Holy week the offerings taken were designated to go to the Time Out Family Abuse Shelter. We collected $450 for Time Out. Worship at Phillips Scripture Readers 6 Amanda Kadlecek, Carolyn Mealman 13 Brent Edwards, Donna Lind 20 Steve Willett, Peter Dahlie 27 Brianna Kosmer, Kyle Kosmer 3 Sheryl Barnet, Shirley Cress 10 Luke Heidenreich, Amber Heidenreich 17 Ryan Trewyn, Connie Trewyn 24 Duane Barnet, Carolyn Mealman Ushers/Greeters Myron & Kathy Hrad, Duane & Sherry Barnet Greg & Joyce Potter, Julie & Dave Olson Phillips Trustees Update The Phillips UMC trustees committee has been busy the last several months. Most of this winter was spent planning for the upcoming spring and summer. We fine-tuned the facility repair needs for the church and the parsonage and will present this to the Ad Council. Last fall we replaced a large window in the parsonage and built new wooden steps to the front door of the parsonage. This year we plan on staining the steps and hope to replace the concrete sidewalk. A new humidifier for the parsonage basement was also purchased to replace an old failed unit. We have contractors looking at the bell tower repair and will update the congregation when we finalize the needs for repair. We are planning on a church/parsonage work day in late spring so please volunteer to help. Our committee has decided that we will offer odd jobs that need to be done to the congregation as a whole first. If nobody volunteers to complete the projects the committee will decide if they can do it or if a contractor is needed. The reasoning behind this is to offer opportunities for members to use their gifts and talents to care for the church. There are constantly things that need to be done in an old church and parsonage. We hope you will step forward and offer your talents. Altar Committee Kathry Hrad, Frances Palmer Julie Olson Newsletter Deadline Our next newsletter will come out the first part of July. Please submit your committee reports and other news to Pastor Loretta by 24. You can leave your news items in the church office newsletter mail slot, mail it to 141 Center Ave., Phillips, WI 54555, or lewaughtal@msn.com. Your participation is needed for the newsletter to be really useful.

5 Phillips & Hawkins UMC Connection 5 News from Mujila Falls and Paul Webster Phillips UMC helps sponsor the work of Paul Webster in Africa. Last summer he was able to visit our church and give us an update on his work. Following is information from his latest newsletter. An avocado tree that we planted way back in about 2002 has been growing very tall, but it has not produced fruit. A few years ago I came almost to the point of saying Cut it down! but instead we dug around it and added manure and fertilizer. This year it has come up with a bumper harvest of large tasty avocados. I am very glad I was patient and did a little extra work. We have fifty plantain trees and many more banana trees. Those also require constant additions of manure and fertilizer to produce good plantains and bananas. I am thankful for all of our goats, rabbits, sheep, cattle and chickens as they are a source of good manure. I wish we had enough for all of our fields. This year we bought a used tractor and four-row corn planter so that we could get our crops in quicker and better. Through this we learned that when we were planting by hand we were putting the fertilizer too close to the corn seeds. With the planter we had a uniform distance of about three or four inches between seed and fertilizer. The results are the best corn we have ever grown. So it isn t just the fertilizer, but the way it is applied. Malnutrition Still Seen In the Area When Roxanne and I came to Mujila Falls back in 2000, we commonly saw children with the tell-tale signs of extreme protein deficiency. With our efforts, we have nearly wiped out this problem in our area today. I was shocked when a mother and son came to our site last week after spending a couple of months at a Christian hospital in the area getting nutritional care. While better than they must have been two months ago, you can see the lost and discolored hair that is the result of severe protein deficiency. The Mother s upper arm was so small that I could put my thumb and forefinger completely around it. The husband was in perfect health, sporting new shoes and had a pair of sunglasses around his neck. It was clear that the problem wasn t a general lack of food, but ignorance on the types of food that the wife and son should have been eating and the father s failure to ensure that family resources were spent firstly on good nutrition. I invited them to my house for breakfast of eggs, milk and oat meal with brown sugar and a glass of milk on the side. I discussed the fact that to be healthy they needed to eat proteins, minerals and vitamins, along with the starches that they were eating. It told them that man cannot live by bread alone and people cannot live by corn meal mush alone. Unfortunately, many people in the bush are totally uneducated in what foods constitute a balanced diet. We still have work to do. If you would like to read more about Paul s ministry you can access his newsletters on the Wisconsin Conference Web site at: then look under the Missions tab. Lenten Mission Focus The youth at Phillips and Hawkins challenged both congregations to help them meet goals for purchasing Heifer Project gifts during the Lenten season. The goal for Phillips was $330 to purchase a pig, llama, and trio of rabbits. The goal was exceeded by over $90 so the children were also able to purchase a flock of hope (geese, ducks, and chickens) and honey bees. The goal for Hawkins was $300 to purchase a sheep, a goat, and a trio of rabbits. They also exceeded their goal by just over $300.

6 Phillips & Hawkins United Methodist Churches Phillips 115 & Hawkins Center Avenue UMC Connection 6 Phillips, WI that can mean the difference between a poor harvest and a bumper harvest. Stewardship Corner Giving means thinking positively. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times. (Ephesians 5:16 The Message) As we begin the month of in our church, we re making the transition from spring to summer. We re moving from a busy, busy time to a little bit slower schedule over the summer with generally lower attendance (unless you live in a vacation area!). The snowbirds return from the south and others are missing due to vacations and other activities. What is God calling you to give this summer of your time, your talents and your treasures? Do you have time to help clean and paint or rake and hammer? Do you have a talent to offer during Vacation Bible School even if your own children are grown? Perhaps you can try giving your regular tithes and offerings electronically through your bank over the next three months, especially if you have lots of weekends when you re out-of-town. Here are some thoughts to share as you move through this summer: 1. Be positive when inviting members and friends of the church to give. Your church does good work and you are inviting others to invest in that ministry. 2. Giving to God is not a transaction. Anytime you give anyone a gift it is a reflection of your relationship. Your commitment to the church should be a reflection of your relationship with God in Christ and the Church. 3. People give to change lives. 4. Money is never an end in itself in the church. Money is a tool for ministry. A bank account that is bursting at the seams but not used for ministry is like having a sanctuary no one is ever allowed to enter. 5. Churches that have regular stewardship campaigns receive more money from their members than those that do not. You get what you ask for, not what you wish for. Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation, P.O. Box 620, Sun Prairie, WI