Lord, teach us to pray..

Transcription

1 bñxç {xtüàá bñxç Å Çwá bñxç wééüá Faith United Methodist Church 8640 North 19th Avenue Phoenix, AZ The People of the United Methodist Church Lord, teach us to pray.. Luke 11 The Koinonia is a monthly publication from Faith United Methodist Church. Its purpose is to provide items of interest and information about events and people related to the ministry of the church locally, district-wide and in the conference. Robert T. Hoshibata Resident Bishop Neil Leftwich District Superintendent Jody Topping Pastor Michael German Secretary Francine Martyn Organist David Topping Choir Director Virginia FitzPatrick Treasurer Jane Kriege Financial Secretary Michael German Media Tech David Topping Webmaster Esther Frank, Shane Taber Newsletter Editors KOINONIA Monthly Newsletter from Faith United Methodist Church 8640 North 19th Avenue Phoenix, AZ Office Hours Tuesday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Phone (602) FAX (602) office@umcfaithphx.org pastor@umcfaithphx.org Web faithumcphoenix.org Members of Faith UMC: Volunteers of Time, Talent, Prayers, Gifts, Service and Witness. JUNE 2016

2 Faith United Methodist Church 8640 North 19th Avenue Phoenix, AZ Phone: (602) Fax: (602) June 2016 My goodness, how quickly the year is flying by!! By the time you read this, most of our neighborhood schools will be out of session for the summer, our winter visitors will have returned to their summer homes, and we will be bracing ourselves for the hot summer temperatures of 100 degrees and more! And yet, it seems like only yesterday that we were starting off the New Year, preparing for Lent and Easter, and looking forward to enjoying some beautiful days. My, how time flies. But as we look forward for the next couple of months, this summer will also be an eventful time for us. David and I recently moved to a new, larger home that is still quite close to the church but is closer to the Desert Southwest Conference office where David is employed. So as I write these articles I am surrounded by boxes filled with our belongings and yes, we do have way too much stuff! But in the coming weeks we will be unpacking all of those boxes and hopefully getting rid of some of the stuff we no longer need or want. I m also looking forward to spending the first week in June on Mingus Mountain at our United Methodist Camp, where I will be serving as the Dean for our Conference-wide Senior High Camp. We are also looking forward to Annual Conference the week after that (June 16-19), during which, if all goes according to plan, I will become a Full Clergy Member of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference and Ordained as an Elder in Full Connection with the United Methodist Church. Then I will be taking a week of vacation in order to spend some time with my two sisters who are traveling from Tennessee and Texas to attend the Ordination Service. Needless to say, the month of June will be very busy, but also very joyful. I am also looking forward to another year as your pastor, having received confirmation from our District Superintendent that I will be appointed to serve you for at least another year. We have made wonderful strides over the last two years, and although we still have much to do, I am pleased to declare Faith UMC is a vital congregation, full of wonderful, loving people who are dedicated to serving God by serving others something I take very seriously and I know that you do as well. So as we look forward to the upcoming summer months, and looking even further into the future, I pray that as your pastor I am able to serve you to the best of my ability, and as people of faith we are able to serve our community and the world as followers of Christ dedicated to the transformation of the world. God Bless, Pastor Jody New Editor for Koinonia Shane Taber to edit next issue Shane and Esther are now sharing responsibility for editing the Koinonia. Please note that the July issue will be edited by Shane! Deadline for the July issue of the Koinonia will be Thursday, June 23 rd. Please submit all articles, information, and photos to Shane Taber (sctaber@gmail.com). June Page 1

3 Thinking theologically with Pastor Jody: So then let s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God s throne. Hebrews 12:1 2 If I ever have to move again, it will be way too soon!! As I mentioned in my front page article, David and I moved at the end of May to a larger home that is still quite close to the church but closer to the office where David works for the Desert Southwest Annual Conference. We love the house but we hate moving, mainly because we have way too much stuff!! Which is why I was drawn to the bible verse above: Let s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus Boy, could I have used that advice several months ago when we were starting to look at different homes! Actually, we could have used that advice two years ago when we moved to west Phoenix! We ve accumulated so much stuff, and so much of it moved with us when I was appointed to be your pastor, and now we are moving it again including a whole lot of boxes that never got unpacked the last time we moved! Now I know FAITH S ZIPPERS SEW THEM UP AND SEND THEM OUT what some of you are thinking:. Ah, if only it were that simple! So much of what we have accumulated has sentimental value attached to it. But right before I began writing this article, we made the commitment to evaluate stuff as we unpack it and hopefully the next time we have to move (if there is a next time!) we ll be prepared. So getting rid of the extra baggage that s simple enough. But what about getting rid of the sin that trips us up? We all know that the definition of sin is something that causes us to miss the mark, with the mark being defined as our relationship with God. When we miss the mark, it s usually because we ve said or done something that has resulted in our being further away from God. It doesn t have to be something really, really bad, like stealing, or lying, or killing another person. It can be something as simple as hoarding, because when we hoard things, we are declaring that the things are more important than anything else in our lives. We ve lost our sense of priority in our lives. We haven t put God ahead of everything else in our lives. Instead, the stuff we have and the stuff we think we need gets in the way of living fully according to God s will. So, in a way, decluttering our lives is biblical because it helps us focus on what s really important: our relationship with God through Christ our Lord. That really makes me want to declutter my life how about you? Let s do it together! God bless, Pastor Jody May 31st marked the final day of the season for Faith s Zippers sewing group as they packed up lap robes and slippers for distribution to Hospice and the Indian Center. The Zippers season extends from the first Tuesday after Labor Day to the last Tuesday in May. This year they created over 40 lap robes and 25 pair of slippers. If you are interested in joining the group, you may contact Olie Ball, Eunice Archer, or Carol Getting. They will begin the season on September 13th. A wonderful service by some wonderful sewers! June Page 2

4 ORDINATION SERVICE FOR PASTOR JODY JUNE 18 TH This year is a very Pray special year for our Called by God to. pastor, Rev. Jody Topping! During the Clergy Session at Annual Conference in June, she will be recommended by the Board of Ordained Ministry for Ordination as an Elder in Full Connection. The clergy session will vote on this recommendation on Thursday morning, June 16, and assuming they agree with the Worship Board of Ordained Ministry s recommendation, Pastor Jody will be Ordained on Saturday, June 18. The Ordination Service will Participate be held that night at 7:00 pm and all are invited to attend. If you would like to attend Pastor Jody s Ordination Service, you do not need to make any special reservations or obtain any tickets. We do, however, recommend that you plan to arrive at the Renaissance Hotel (located at 9495 W Coyotes Blvd. in Glendale, AZ) by 6:30pm in order to get a good seat. If you would like to carpool with others from our church, please contact the church office to express your interest in carpooling. We will do Seek peace, justice, our best to make arrangements for and freedom rides for all who wish to attend. FAITH LUNCH BUNCH Do you like to go out to eat? Do you like to have a time of fellowship? You might be the one to join in the fun of our once monthly out-to-lunch group. We meet at 11:30am on the third Thursday of each month at a pre-selected spot to enjoy the fun of eating out. In April we had nine ladies enjoying a variety of treats at the Spaghetti Factory in downtown Phoenix. We then selected the spot for May 19th as Applebees. That May date found twelve ladies enjoying a variety of soup, salad and sandwiches as well as a good visit. Thursday, June 16th, we will meet at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store located at 9312 W Glendale Ave. for food, fun and fellowship. All are welcome to join us for a no cooking/no dishes lunchtime. IN THE MAILBOX The Mercer family would like to extend a BIG thank you to everyone who gave gifts, prayers, and advice at the baby shower. Baby Elizabeth is enjoying your blessings. We look forward to watching our daughters grow in your church and being part of this lovely congregation. Love, Mercer Family MISSION STATEMENT Faith United Methodist Church Faith United Methodist Church is an inclusive* Christian congregation dedicated to the care of its constituents in order to serve the local community; and in co-operation with other faith-based organizations, to reach out to all persons* who seek personal acceptance, require sustaining assistance, or yearn for a meaningful life purpose beyond self. June Page 3 *Regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, or sexual orientation.

5 Upcoming Sermons During the month of June we will finish our sermon series on The Power of Prayer, followed by several guest speakers, Rev. Howard J. Moses, Joshua Warner, and Pastor Jody s dear friend and colleague, Suzanne Cherry. In July, Pastor Jody will begin a new sermon series called The Biggest Loser, which will take us into August with a new Olympic sermon series called Faster, Higher, Stronger. We know you won t want to miss any of these sermons so we ll continue to post them online during the summer so you can catch the ones you miss while on summer vacation! The Power of Prayer June 5... The Language of Prayer June The Practice of Prayer - Joshua Warner preaching June Rev. Howard J. Moses preaching June Suzanne Cherry preaching The Biggest Loser In this sermon series we will look at various individuals from the Bible and how they turned being a loser into being a winner! July 3... Esther July Peter July Thomas July Samson Finding Your Fire In this sermon series, which parallels the Summer Olympic Games, we will look at how our spiritual lives parallel those of the athletes participating in the modern Olympic Games. July Straining Forward - Suzanne Cherry preaching August 7... Training for the Games - Suzanne Cherry preaching August 14.. The Power of the Team August 21.. Endurance and Perseverance - Joshua Warner preaching August 28.. The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of Defeat We Can Help! 2016 DSC Mission Project According to our Desert Southwest Conference approximately one out of every nine youth in foster care is aging out of the system. This represents hundreds of young adults throughout the communities in Arizona, Nevada, and California. These youth have very few resources and few support systems. While there are organizations that are helping, one area where there is no support is move-in costs like filling the pantry with groceries for the first time. Because of this, the Conference has chosen as this year s Annual Conference mission project to try to fill those empty pantries with food along with recipes that can be easily followed. Faith UMC has always responded generously to requests for these worthy projects, and we are confident this year will be no exception. The conference would like to supply the youth with $25 gift cards to local grocery stores along with the recipes. If you can, you may purchase the gift card yourself and bring it to church along with any recipes you think would be helpful. If you prefer, you may make a donation to the church - stipulating that it is to go for the Annual Mission Project and we will purchase the cards. Please do respond generously. An inexperienced youth suddenly put on his/her own is not an inviting prospect; let s do what we can to ease that transition. Cash, card, and recipe contributions should be in to the church by Sunday, June 12 th. That s almost here! For links to more information on this, go to mission-project June Page 4

6 Joshua s Journey Friends, I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ who has called all of us to, as Micah proclaims, "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God." Recently, the United Methodist Church held its General Conference, our denomination's meeting held every 4 years to do the business of this our great church. I was excited to hear of the many great things that our denomination does, a testament to what I witness each day as I serve our community with you. I truly believe that we as a faith community are the hands and feet of God to a world which needs to feel and touch the mercy and love that we share with our world. Prior to the General Conference, I was contacted and asked to participate in an open letter to our church regarding my sexuality. I WEDNESDAY MORNING STUDY GROUP TO RESUME SEPTEMBER 7 TH Our Wednesday morning study group finished its study of the book called The Story and will be taking the rest of the summer off to enjoy a little bit of personal time, rest and relaxation. We will resume our Wednesday morning studies on September 7 th with an original study to be written by our own Rev. Jody Topping as we learn about the foundation of our Christian faith: Judaism. All are invited to join this study group, which meets at 10:00am on Wednesday mornings (but not until September 7 th!). prayerfully thought about what was being asked of me, and decided in the end that it would be best that I not participate in that action. The reasons for this are multi-fold. First, I passionately know that God has called me to the United Methodist Church to serve in the capacity that I am. Nothing can sway me from my calling to serve those who suffer from mental illness and those in poverty & homelessness in our community. Secondly, I serve a great local church which has supported me through the phases of growth you have seen in me since I became your intern in I am proud to be part of such a great, diverse community of believers. Third, I completely understand and agree that I serve in a field in which my theology and that of many in our denomination differ. When I was being certified as a candidate for ministry in 2014, I had conversations of this nature with those who do not agree with my stance on issues related to sexuality. My ask was simple - can we not agree to do the great ministry of our church in spite of our differences? I am reminded of John Wesley's sermon titled "Catholic Spirit" in which Wesley declares: Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike. May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion. Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences. These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works. That, my sisters and brothers, is the heart of what I see at Faith. We do great ministry together regardless of our differences. This is what I hope for our great church - that we may all have a place at the table of God's grace, of one mind as it relates to our goals to transform our world for the sake of Jesus Christ. May it be so. - - Joshua Faith UMC Website: faithumcphoenix.org Videos of Sunday sermons faithumcphoenix.org/sermon-videos/ Faith UMC Facebook Page: facebook.com/faithumcphoenix Faith UMC Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/faithumcphxgroup June Page 5

7 April - May In Review EASTERTIDE aving celebrated Easter the last Sunday of March, April and May were marked by the Easter season leading into Pentecost in mid-may. On Sundays we remembered the Three Simple Rules given by Wesley, then Found our Fire at Pentecost, and finally started to study the Power of Prayer as May wound down. MAY 8 - MOTHERS DAY ll mothers were honored on Mothers day with a few of Faith s special ones highlighted during the church service. Flowers for all of the ladies were distributed during the special Coffee Chat held after the service. MAY 14 - SIDEWALK SUNDAY SCHOOL idewalk Sunday School wrapped up the school year with another wet and wild water day in the courtyard. Regular services are scheduled to begin again in October, with hopefully some special summer activities interjected in the meantime! MAY 15 - PENTECOST he coming of the Holy Spirit and birthday of the church meant red was the color of the day on Pentecost! MAY 22 - WELCOMING ELIZABETH! offee Chat was converted into a special baby shower on May 22 to prepare dad Cory, mom Jeneferr, and sister Emily for baby Elizabeth s arrival. Once again, our caring congregation outdid themselves with beautiful decorations, and loving gifts - several of which were handmade. And, once again, we barely made it in time as Elizabeth decided to arrive on May 28 th, just 6 days after the shower and one day before sister Emily s second birthday! June Page 6

8 DATE FOR FAITH S 2016 ANNUAL CHURCH/CHARGE CONFERENCE SET Faith UMC has been notified that the 2016 Church/Charge Conference will be held Tuesday evening, October 11, Mark your calendars! LOOKING ONLINE The United Methodist quadrennial conference adjourned on May 10th. They debated and decided on a wide range of matters, however skirted the issue of sexuality. At one point the Council of Bishops was asked to debate whether the church should split in two. For a wrap-up look at For one person s thoughts about the Council of Bishop s decision check this blog: (2016_5_24_DSC_Weekly_Digest) &mc_cid=a47f843fec&mc_eid=92c1cf94bd HEALTH SCREENING RETURNS TO FAITH UMC JULY 9 TH Faith UMC is pleased to offer a preventive health event. Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, is pleased to offer a preventive health event at Faith United Methodist Church on July 9 th. Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis. Register for a Wellness Package which includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take minutes to complete. In order to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129, please call or visit community-partners. June Page 7 GETTING TO KNOW OUR CHOIR By Janet Darby It is a pleasure to talk with our new choir members. Our singers have varied backgrounds. Shane Taber is from a northern California farming area. A thank you goes out to her for letting me interview her on the telephone. Shane began to experience music in the children s choir of her church in Dixon, CA, as a little girl. The choir was fortunate to have as its director a fine music teacher who taught not only at elementary level, but also in junior high and high school. The children were well-grounded in music from this teacher. Dixon is a small town. Like most kids during those years, Shane took piano lessons at a young age. She took up the saxophone later and played it in band in high school. She also tried the bassoon for a couple of years. It was in high school where she was involved with musicals. The drama coach and English teacher, Richard Farshler, was wellliked by the students, and assembled casts and musicians to perform outstanding musicals. Shane not only participated in the pit orchestra, sometimes she did acting and singing as well. Mr. Farshler encouraged the sports jocks to participate in the productions too. At a 25-year celebration in honor of Mr. Farshler, many graduates returned to school to sing the old songs, and perform a Busby Berkeley play recreation they had done. Shane was nervous, but sang her part with the cast. Shane later sang in the choirs of other churches through the years. At one time, living in Japan, it was a wonderful experience to sing with other Christians from many different countries who also attended the church there. It featured praise choir music. Shane prefers contemporary praise songs, especially those written by Steven Curtis Chapman, a top Christian performer and writer. She also likes pop music by Adele, and is a diehard Beatles fan. Our choir is very happy to welcome Shane in the alto section. You can watch and listen to her melodious contribution. She is an asset to our church.

9 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Birthdays: 6/03 Janet Darby 6/07 Cheri Bittinger 6/09 Becky Magata 6/14 Howard Moses 6/20 Connie Hegeman 6/28 Vern Goekler :30 pm Roadrunners - K 2:00 pm Recovery-Rm :30 am Choir-Sanctuary 9:30 am Worship-Sanctuary 10:45 am Coffee Chat - K 1:00 pm Samoan Worship 6 Office Closed 6:00 pm Quilters - Rm 4 6:00 pm TOPS - Rm :00 am Quilters - Rm :00 pm Recovery-Rm 1-2 6:00 pm Bird Club - K :30 am Choir-Sanctuary 9:30 am Worship-Sanctuary 10:45 am Coffee Chat - K 1:00 pm Samoan Worship 13 Office Closed 6:00 pm Quilters - Rm 4 6:00 pm TOPS - Rm Flag Day 10:00 am Quilters - Rm 4 6:30 pm Church Council - Rm :30 am Lunch Bunch - Cracker Barrel :00 am UMM Breakfast-K 2:00 pm Recovery-Rm 1-2 7:00 pm Pastor Jody s ordination - Renaissance Hotel June Annual Conference - Renaissance Hotel Fathers Day 19 8:30 am Choir-Sanctuary 9:30 am Worship-Sanctuary 10:45 am Coffee Chat - K 11:30 am Women s Bible Study 1:00 pm Samoan Worship 20 Office Closed 6:00 pm Quilters - Rm 4 6:00 pm TOPS - Rm :00 am Quilters - Rm :00 pm Movie Night- S 25 2:00 pm Recovery-Rm :30 am Choir-Sanctuary 9:30 am Worship-Sanctuary 10:45 am Ordination Celebration - K 1:00 pm Samoan Worship 27 Office Closed 6:00 pm Quilters - Rm 4 6:00 pm TOPS - Rm :00 am Quilters - Rm Anniversaries: 6/02 Bette Jo & Ed Hays 6/03 LaVonna & Paul Goudie 6/12 Jane & Gary Kriege 6/24 Virginia & Mike FitzPatrick Koinonia - Page 8