THE SPIRE RENNICK S REFLECTIONS MAY/JUNE Share the Journey ipraise iconnect iserve. Where s the Bread? Volume 46, Issue 4

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1 Volume 46, Issue 4 MAY/JUNE 2015 Special points of interest: Our Vision Publication THE SPIRE Spire Deadline Altar flowers Church hours Electronic giving Church calendar Inside this issue: Announcements 2 Church Council 3 Birthday & Anniversary Corner 4-5 RENNICK S REFLECTIONS Where s the Bread? In our last edition of the Spire I said I d share further information about the coffee house. It is my understanding that First Mesa is now able to purchase permits and begin building out the Annex. There has been a bump in the road with a particular permit that pertains to the amount of power coming into the building. The best way I can explain this is it s like having an automobile with a small engine versus a larger one. The larger engine can move through the mountains at a quicker pace than the smaller one that uses more energy to get to a location. In the case of the building, more power is better and more in-line to commercial use. I ll stop there before this gets any more complicated. Downtown Mesa Association is a development group that maintains much of the public parking in downtown Mesa. They also coordinate efforts for businesses that would like to locate to the area. A part of this networking has helped us to view the annex as an asset that can be used to attract a renter into the space. Businesses that the annex could attract include a café or something with a nostalgic presence. We are fortunate that the Annex will accommodate for two businesses. This allows us to continue to focus on a vision for a ministry to reach out to the community through a coffee house; while imagining what possibilities are open to us for the second half of the building. I appreciate your patience and know that we have been working on a vision for the annex for a very long time. I too am anxious to put the annex to good use and we will. So now let me tell you a story Each week we include Communion as a part of the second service. One week there was no bread and we didn t serve communion. A young boy about three-years-old asked his mother where is the bread. After worship the mother brought her son to me so he could ask, Where s the bread? At that moment, I realized how important coming to worship is to this little boy, it s all about the bread! His enthusiasm is a reminder that worship is about expectation. When you attend worship what do you come to expect? Good music? Challenging sermon? Escape the world for an hour? Let me ask a question. How about coming to worship is about expecting to be fed? Most the time there is something we like and are used to partaking. Other times we get to try something new and by the grace of God we like it! This is why we come to worship, to have an expectation that something is going to feed us and we d miss it if it were not there and because of it we are made new! Good things are in our midst and good things are in the making. God s spirit guides us into those moments for us to capture and be captured by the known and unknown. This is what I come to expect when I come to church; that something will happen that we hadn t planned in the first place. Something that isn t about us, but comes to us because of all things that will feed us, fill us, and call us to carry it out before the world. See you in church! David firstchurchofmesa.com Share the Journey ipraise iconnect iserve

2 Page 2 OUR VISION We strive to reach out to the community through: A ministry of continuous spiritual growth; A ministry with children, youth, and families in all their diversity, and; A ministry of music and the arts. LIKED THE SERMON? You can now download the sermons onto your Ipod or listen via your computer. Visit firstchurchofmesa.com and start reaching out electronically to friends, family, and those who are looking for God! ANNOUNCEMENTS Join us at First Church this summer as we live out our faith and love life in Christ. May 17th Graduate Recognition May 24th Penecost Sunday June 21st Father s Day Special Music thoughout the summer months! VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL June 15-19th 6 p.m. Contact Joan Wilder-Siersma in the office for more information or to volunteer to help! Faith in Action Thank You A message of thanks from "Operation Gratitude", the recipient of the letters and notes written to our military troops as part of Faith in Action. "Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and wonderful patriotic spirit. Every single donation we receive furthers our mission of saying "Thank You" to those who serve. The recipients of your generosity will remember your kindness forever." To read responses from our troops, visit OperationGratitude. Summer Camp Summer camp at Mingus is a great experience for the kids! To register or get more information go to: Please note: The next Spire will be a combined issue for July/ August.

3 Page 3 CHURCH COUNCIL The following reports reflect the goal of FUMC s Church Council - connecting our vision with our ministry: Publication Deadlines WELCOMING TEAM Happy Birthday to All Potluck Thanks to the Welcoming Team and to everyone who helped make our party a success: those who brought a dish, the volunteers who helped cut the cake, and the volunteers who helped before, during and after the event! We had ten of our 90 and older members attend: Dorothy Beyers, Betty Black, Hugh Elson, Clair Gobble, Mary Heath, Bill Kerr, Irene Risser, Lola Switzer (102 years old!), Esther Valenzuela, and our newest member La Verda Wenzel. Thank you for coming. We hope you had a good time! To those who were unable to make it, please know that we missed you are thinking about you. MISSIONS COMMITTEE WANTED- Committed individuals with a heart for children to volunteer their time working in the Wesley Jr. Closet. We need 6-8 people. Volunteers will work short shifts and in pairs. The WJC will be open on Wednesday mornings (9:00AM-11:00 Noon) and late afternoons (3:00-5:00PM). If you are interested, please e- mail Joan Wilder-Siersma cmc@firstchurchofmesa.com or you may also call the church office. PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to previous communications, the Wesley Jr. Closet is going to focus on kid s clothing, shoes, backpacks, books and puzzles ONLY. We will no longer accept donations of toys, baby equipment, etc. due to limited space. Thank you all for your generous donations! WORSHIP COMMITTEE Registering your Fry s reward card is an easy way for our church to earn money. It DOES NOT affect your reward points! Please see or contact Peggy Tenney for more information Church Account Number for Fry s Albertson s key tags are available from Peggy also. By showing it, our church receives a reward check from their Community Partners program. On Father s Day, June 21st, we will place red and white carnations on the Lord s Table in honor or memory of dads. Look for order forms in the bulletin a few weeks prior to that date. Sunday Bulletins / Announcements Wednesday Noon Spire Deadline All articles to be submitted to the church office no later than June 10th (Holidays and vacations may advance or delay these deadlines by a day or two.) Flowers To place flowers on the Lord s Table in honor or memory of someone special contact the Church Office at

4 Page 4 MAY BIRTHDAYS CHURCH OFFICE HOURS M-TH: 9 4:30 pm PH: Electronic Giving Electronic giving is a direct debit program where your contribution is debited automatically from your checking or savings account, either weekly or monthly. This is an easy way to fulfill your stewardship commitment, even when you are unable to attend church. You can pick up an authorization form in the church office, and talk to Lynn Adams for further details. CHECK OUT our new option to give with a debit/credit card on our website at firstchurchofmesa.com Hakaumotu, Puii 05/01 Tapaatoutai, Samiuela 05/02 Baum, Keith 05/03 Carroll, Helen 05/03 Kuck, Valerie 05/03 Smith, Matthew 05/03 Swan, Phyllis 05/03 Manley, Jeanette 05/04 Gorin, Myles 05/06 Patton, Brenda 05/06 Fritz, William 05/07 Tinsley, Bruce 05/07 Grace, Sandy 05/09 Kuck, Isabelle 05/09 Ulate, Alicia 05/09 Loney, Bonnie 05/10 Miller, Sari 05/10 Elson, Hugh 05/11 Mayberry, Matthew 05/11 Thayer, Gary 05/11 Brake, Michael 05/13 Smith, Wilma 05/13 Robinson, Debbie 05/14 Langan, Edward 05/15 Dingle, Cinnamon 05/16 Robinson, Brooklyn 05/16 Siersma, Joan Wilder- 05/16 Staples, Rachel 05/16 Baum, Jennifer 05/17 Haines, Dustin 05/17 Fritz, MaryJo 05/20 Portis, Angeletia 05/20 Rutkowski, Pam 05/21 Miller, John 05/22 Larson, Hazel 05/23 Gobble, Clair 05/25 Kennedy, Steven 05/25 Thuenen, Christopher 05/25 Fedt, Brian 05/28 Rittenhouse, Lisa 05/28 Curry, Dean 05/31 MAY ANNIVERSARIES Evelyn Rountree 05/02 Rebekah Vossler 05/03 Eva & Wayne Hill 05/15 Ann & Keith Baum 05/26 Debbie & Stuart Leathers 05/29

5 Page 5 JUNE BIRTHDAYS Dingle, Sr., Ed 06/01 Phillips, Katie 06/02 Mason, Tom 06/03 Phillips, Joshua 06/03 Day, Stephanie 06/05 Smith, Andrew 06/05 Elliott, Bill 06/06 Tripoli, Todd 06/06 Ahland, Walt 06/07 Fransen, Rocky 06/08 Mehrer, Nathan 06/08 Neathery, Dorothy 06/08 Curran, Richard 06/09 Wagner, Jan 06/10 Walkosz, Addison 06/11 Walkosz, Alyssa 06/11 Thompson, Alan 06/12 Jennings, Marilyn 06/13 Sublett, James 06/13 Knappenberger, Mark 06/14 Tripoli, Sally 06/14 Hakaumotu, Alexandria 06/16 Harris, Julie 06/16 Yoes, Dustin 06/16 Patterson, Roy 06/19 Fedt, Melissa 06/21 Young, Donna 06/22 Chapman, Christi 06/23 Thompson, Vicki 06/24 Harris, Jean 06/25 Yoes, Milas 06/25 Gaetjens, Ava Lynn 06/27 Siersma, Andy 06/27 Dingle, Jr., Ed 06/28 Hayden, James 06/28 Ingram, Grace 06/30 Stevenson, Dan 06/30 JUNE ANNIVERSARIES Julia & Lynn Adams 06/02 Alicia & Austin Gifford 06/02 Kasey & Nathan Opel 06/04 Loretta & Don Smith 06/04 Debbie & Jerry Ferguson 06/06 Christopher & Mary Cartwright-Standage 06/10 Charlotte & John Brune 06/14 Suzan & David Price 06/14 JoAnn & Kermit Davis 06/15 Judy & Brian Fedt 06/19 JoAnna & William Rickey 06/21 Amy & Shegun Cummings-John 06/23 Lisa & Gavin Rittenhouse 06/28 Jill & Rick Smith 06/29 Congrats to all our birthdays & anniversaries! If your name is not on our list (or if you know of someone who should be), please call the church office so we may update our information. We truly do not mean to leave anyone out.

6 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE SPIRE, 15 E. 1st Ave., Mesa AZ DATED MATERIAL DO NOT DELAY Pastors: Rev. David C. Rennick Rev. Dr. Bob Mitchell Rev. Cecil Lackore - Pastor Emeritus THE SPIRE (USMC ) is published monthly, by the First United Methodist Church, 15 East First Avenue, Mesa AZ 85210, a nonprofit organization. Periodical postage paid at Mesa AZ THE SPIRE First United Methodist Church 15 E. First Ave. Mesa, AZ fax Spire Submissions: secretary@firstchurchofmesa.com Office Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Thursday Editorial Policies: The mission of The Spire is to be one communication source for the First United Methodist Church of Mesa. Other communication sources include s, the Sunday church bulletins and verbal announcements made at services or other official meetings. Chairpersons of Boards and Committees, coordinators, members and friends of First UMC may submit announcements, information or items of interest that relate to the mission of the church. The Editor shall reserve the right to either accept or reject articles, to edit for space, grammar and accuracy. Currently, the Spire is being published monthly. Deadline for submission of articles are published both in this newsletter and weekly bulletins. The deadline for submission of articles for the next issue is June 10, 2015 The Spire Newsletter Team Editors: Katie Mozurkewich and Linda Phillips Publisher: Linda Phillips Printers: Jo Ann Ramirez Davis, Kermit Davis Assemblers: Pam Rutkowski, Irene Risser, Carla Zwald, Linda Miller, & Margaret Desenberg