week deep in the caverns of Cave Quest. We had over 80 children and nearly 50 volunteers

Transcription

1 Amazing GRACE Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World through Christian Growth, Community Outreach and Life Skill Development JULY 2017 VBS It was an amazing week deep in the caverns of Cave Quest. We had over 80 children and nearly 50 volunteers roaming the tunnels of Grace learning that Jesus gives us HOPE, COURAGE, DIRECTION, LOVE and POWER! A Huge THANK YOU for everyone who donated items or time to make this week truly awesome. A special thank you goes out to Lakeville United Methodist Church who gave us the incredible sets for the Great Hall! Our spelunker friend Clark (Bob Suter) showed up daily to help us start our morning. On Friday, July 21st at 6:30 we will be having a hot dog and s more family night. Meet out by the playground, and we ll have a bonfire going. Bring your chairs and blankets and bikes. We ll have a course set up in the parking lot and maybe take a spin around the Grace Island!

2 GRACE UMC STAFF Senior Pastor: Dr. David Schrader Associate Pastor: Kerry Clear Counselor: Pam Schrader Choir Director: Victoria Garrett Wedding Coordinator: Chris Rowe Organist: David Eicher Director of Children s Ministries: Melodie Ringer Assistant Director of Children s Ministries: Amy Hendrickson Youth Leader: Maddie Hauersperger Visitation Coordinator: Melodie Ringer Church Secretary: Jennifer Robinett MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: JUDY CLADY Custodians: David Neibar Tim Piech Angel Soto Preschool Teachers: Amy Hendrickson, Director Nancy Creech Melodie Ringer Nursery: Amy Seese Connie Harmon Business Administrator: Bob Suter A NOTE from our Pastor DEAR FRIENDS, We are heading toward "the dog days of summer." Ever wonder where the term comes from? It has to do with the fact that the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, follows the most prominent constellation in the sky, Orion, much like a dog follows its master. For this reason the ancient Romans named Sirius the Dog Star. It appears in the northern hemisphere sky in mid-july, rising with the sun. The Romans blamed the double whammy of the sun and the brightest star rising together for the heat of July and August, and all the discomfort and weariness a hot, humid Roman summer can bring. Sirius is also known as the Rainbow Star. Its brightness causes it to flash in a multitude of colors as the light enters our atmosphere. Thus the "dog days of summer star" is also the brightest, most beautiful star. It is almost a parable for how we could look at so many things. What thrills one person, frightens another. One man can be fascinated by the same thing that bores his neighbor to death. We are so different from each other, which is why part of the life of the church is not just about studying the gospel, having faith and living a just life. It is also about Christian fellowship, that we might learn to see through each other's eyes, gain a better understanding about our neighbor, and thus ultimately ourselves. In the process we find greater depth in our understanding of what life is about and the many different ways God calls people. As First Corinthians 12 proclaims, "some of us are hands and some of us feet, some eyes and other ears, but we are all one body in Christ." As the truth of this sinks in through our spending time together, we learn that for every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it, for every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it, and for every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it. Among our fellowship events in July we will have a pot luck ice cream social after worship on Sunday the 2nd. The church will provide hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, ice cream and the standard chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Bring a salad or vegetable dish to share, or your favorite ice cream topping. It might be hot and humid, but let's turn the dog days of summer into a time of bright stars and rainbows by getting to know each other better through a shared meal and some fun. On July 9 I will be leaving with 22 church members for the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. We will be painting part of the Red Bird School, and doing repairs and painting a needy person's home. Keep us in your prayers. BLESSINGS! PASTOR DAVID 2

3 What Does It Mean To Raise My Ebenezer? We sing the phrase, Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I ve come, in the second verse of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Ebenezer is Eben ha ezer which means stone of help. The hymnist is, like Samuel, raising his stone of help as a tribute to God s salvation and grace. The word Ebenezer comes from 1 Samuel 7:12. Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mixpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, Till now the Lord has helped us, referring to Israel s deliverance from the Philistines. The raised stone was a reminder to the Israelites of what the Lord had done for them, of God s help to them in their time of trouble. As we plan to extend the Grace Church Labyrinth Walkway, I ask you to reflect on those saints who have loved and aided you on your walk of faith by radiating God s love. Please consider raising an Ebenezer, stone of remembrance, in memorial to the love of God and those saints, past and living, that have impacted your faith journey. This labyrinth is an integral part of telling the faith story of Grace United Methodist Church. Please use the form below to purchase your Ebenezer to tell the story to future generations. If you have any questions, please contact myself or Ruth Pavich. IN CHRIST, PAMELA SCHRADER I want to order a Memorial Brick: Purchaser s name Street City State Zip Telephone Size and number of Memorial Bricks: $50 4x4 3 lines Payment: $150 8x8 6 lines Enclose check made out to Grace United Methodist Church. Inscription: Please print your message in the spaces below exactly as you wish it to appear on the Memorial Brick. 4x4 brick ~ 3 lines (15 characters each) 8x8 brick ~ 6 lines (15 characters each) 3

4 2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE The 2017 Indiana miracles to display the prior day. We had reach out to the least, Annual Conference his power, He always interacted with him last and lost, and partner was held June 8-10, at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. I was honored to be the lay member from Grace Church for the third year. Pastor David, Pastor Kerry, and I attended Conference, which included worship, celebrations, memorials, and business. It is inspiring to be a part of the world-wide connection of the United Methodist Church. used his power to aid, relieve, heal the most needy and oppressed. Bishop Trimble also reminded us that we shouldn t worry about the future of The United Methodist Church because our God is able and in fact, it s not your church anyway! Bishop Trimble celebrated Bishop Mande Muyombo as the first graduate of Africa University to be elected as a bishop of The United while we were at Mission Guatemala. with those who may share different ideals than us. Because, as he states, Do you believe in ritual or relationship? Methodist Church. The 2017 Annual Conference opened with vibrant worship along with a welcome and call to session from Bishop Julius C. Trimble. Bishop Trimble and First Lady Grandberry-Trimble, who are experiencing their first Annual Conference in Indiana, were met with a warm welcome and standing ovation. Bishop Trimble preached Believe in Miracles, sharing from the Gospel of Matthew on the miracles of Jesus, particularly the feeding of the multitude. Jesus Christ never performed Kerry and I were especially excited to attend the Mission Guatemala dinner on Thursday since we had just been there a few days before. It was inspiring to see the dozens and dozens of Indiana United Methodist who so enthusiastically support such an important mission of the church. We got to hear Caleb speak very emotionally about his experience working over the past year at Mission Guatemala. He had just returned to Indiana 4 Dr. Joseph Daniels gave a keynote sermon Thursday evening on how to engage, revitalize, and transform your congregation. His message was crafted for anyone, whether in the church or outside, lay or clergy, an experienced church member or novice, to feel inspired to promote change in their church and community. People are struggling to see the relevance of the Church. The world is saying, if your Christianity is real, then let s see it. And the Church is saying if your Christianity is real, then let s live it because together we are more. Dr. Daniels emphasized the importance of focusing less on the aesthetics and legalities of running a church and making our discipleship ministries a priority. He calls United Methodists to set programs in place that push us to enthusiastically engage with our communities, Friday, Rev. Dr. Kim Reisman taught on our Annual Conference theme scripture passage, Ephesians 4:4-6. While also referencing Genesis, Reisman talked about the difference between approaching scripture with a wide lens versus a zoom lens. We excel in an individualistic interpretation of just about everything we re all about understanding Scripture in terms of ourselves but it s dangerous to only use a zoom lens it s dangerous to use our own circumstances as the single interpretive lens Reisman reminded us that reading Scripture with a wide-angle lens provides a different, broader view. It reminds us that we aren t the only one s reading. Reisman said that wide-angle lens view allows us to remember that we are a global church, not an (continued on page 5.)

5 (continued from page 4.) individual one. A global, connected church, scattered across Indiana and the world as God has placed each of us, strategically, right where we are. The source of our oneness is the God of the whole world, whose power and love both transcend culture and redeem it, said Reisman. Following the morning Bible study, Bishop Trimble addressed the audience and provided encouragement and vision. In his episcopal address, Bishop Julius C. Trimble preached on the power of our connection and how our togetherness can change the world for Christ. The church at its best is an instrument of God s grace! Trimble said that we are to be missional in bringing that grace to the world. We will not be measured by our seating capacity but our sending capacity. ~Russ Abarr, lay member of Annual Conference During business sessions, conference members also: Received the Africa University report that stated that Indiana has raised over $1.6 million for Africa University with 441 churches having participated in raising money for the campaign. The funds raised allowed Africa University to secure a full endowment of a faculty chair and four individual full scholarships. Learned about the Operation Classroom pilot project known as the Taiama Enterprise Academy in Sierra Leone with the hope of launching 12 additional pilot programs across Sierra Leone and Liberia over the coming year. Heard the Council on Finance and Administration report that total income for 2016 was $12,987,000. Total expenditures were $12,942,000. That created a surplus of $45,000. The Indiana Conference, along with 26 other annual conferences, fully paid our general church apportionments of $5,313,000. In 2016, the Conference experienced a 4% increase of tithing. Voted on five Constitutional Amendments to the Book of Discipline that had been approved by the General Conference held in Portland, Oregon in May Approved a resolution on Expanding Our Ministries in Creation Care, which will be referred to the conference staff and the Mission and Justice Committee to review and recommend what to do in districts. Collected more than 900 backpacks to be given to those experiencing homelessness around Indiana. Came together to bring an offering for the Indiana Miracle Offering for Global Health. $391, was raised to impact thousands of lives around our world this year affected by HIV/AIDS and malaria. Passed an amended resolution titled Help end suicide and homelessness among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. After much discussion for both for and against, an amendment was offered from the floor which was followed by an amendment to that amendment. The first amendment stated a change to the wording to include all youth and the amendment to that amendment offered the opportunity to recognize that LGBTQ persons do face separate challenges. Approved the 2018 budget of $35.16 million. This includes income and expenses from the camping ministry and the benefit program, which in the past had been handled outside of the General Church Apportionments and program budget 5

6 UPCOMING EVENTS...Men s Breakfast - July 1...All Church Potluck / Ice Cream Social- July 2..Office Closed - July 4...Paper Pantry - July 8...Red Bird Mission Trip - July Board of Trustees Meeting - July 17...Church Council Meeting - July 18...Family S More Night - July 21...Youth to Deep River Water Park - July 24 CONGRATULATIONS... SYMPATHY......to all of our high school and college graduates: Heidi Clear Jewel Eyestone Anthony Haugel Chelsea Kummeth Coahle Merryfield Mathew Peterson Dr. Julia (Abarr) Rector...to Tom and Kara Strang on the birth of Evelyn Christine, born on June to the Dunham family as they mourn the loss of Julie s mother....to Jack Loutzenhiser and family as they mourn the loss of Jack s sister....to the Foster family as they mourn the loss of Randy s sister. THANK YOU......To my friends, My greatest delight at my Birthday Party was having an opportunity for my family to meet so many of you, my South Bend friends. I deeply appreciate your having joined us to celebrate my ninetieth. I also enjoyed reading the many cards received. The day will remain a cherished memory. Thank you so much! Robert Fenstermacher Many heartfelt thanks to our congregation for all the wonderful Agape letters we all received. Bob Messersmith passed them out to us at our devotional time Sunday night. We all were encouraged by them as we all were anticipating our first day of work. Your kind words and devotion were an added inspiration for the week. Sincerely, Kathy Bucher & Grace Mission Guatemala Team In Loving Memory of our Friend and Coworker Jim Pickley 6

7 7 AMAZING GRACE NEWSLETTER

8 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID 3012 South Twyckenham Drive South Bend, Indiana RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED South Bend, Indiana PERMIT No. 109 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. JOHN 10:10 (NIV) Have life to the full. Other translations use the word abundantly. According to the study notes in the ESV Study Bible Abundant Life: not a dour, lifeless, miserable existence, but a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with His people. Wow. Are we living our lives abundantly? I certainly hope so. It doesn t say that we will never have moments of sadness or sorrow or that we will have riches. This verse tells us that God wants us to accept His gift of an abundant spiritual life. A life that defies our surroundings and circumstances and that gives us that peace that passes understanding. God wants those who haven t discovered His gifts yet to see us and want what we have abundant life. Trust me, it is a gift and not something that we can achieve. No, it is something we need to accept or maybe a better word is receive. Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of abundant life and ask that You remind us as we listen to the birds singing or watch a beautiful sunset that You have offered this abundance to us and all we need do is accept it. In Jesus name, Amen. SPIRIT SONG Jesus oh Jesus Come and fill Your lambs Jesus oh Jesus Come and fill Your lambs Oh let the Son of God enfold you With His Spirit and His love Let Him fill your heart And satisfy your soul Oh let Him have those things That hold you And His Spirit like a dove Will descend upon your life And make you whole Oh come and sing this song With gladness as your hearts Are filled with joy Lift your hands in sweet surrender To His name Oh give Him all your tears and sadness Give Him all your years of pain And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name CCLI Song # John Wimber (2/25/ /17/1997) 1979 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)