The Methodist. Vacation Bible School June :30 a.m. Registration form inside

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1 The Methodist A Publication of The Seward United Methodist Church 1400 North 5 th Street Seward, NE June 2011 Vol. 7, Issue 6 Vacation Bible School June :30 a.m. Registration form inside

2 Radical Hospitality JUST4THEFUNOFIT! Join our adult fellowship group and mark your summer weekend calendars NOW! SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 4th James Arthur for Tuna Fish Jones Concert JULY (date TBA) Outdoor cookout with Marc and Marty Guthrie! Come and Enjoy! SUNDAY EVENING, AUGUST 28th The Poor House Wine Tasting Room in Friend, NE. Thank you to Jean Algya and Phyllis Hronik for making the Easter banner for our celebration during this Easter Season! Thank you to the following for attending the presentations of our Confirmation students. Evelyn Hastings, Bruce and Sue Dickinson, Don and LaQuita McKibbin, T.J. and Virginia Fraser, Bruce and Elaine Heidbrink, Jeannie Jeary and Cindy Mavis. Thank you for allowing our girl scouts troop to meet on Tuesdays at the church this year, and the use of the room to hold our meetings. We truly appreciated your generosity and support of our Girl Scout Troop! Girl Scout Troop # Thank you for the cross. It is really cool. I thank the whole congregation for supporting me. Thanks again, Caleb Griger The Methodist Mailbox

3 Heartwarming Worship Worship Schedule Sundays at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Fellowship following the 10:30 service Sunday School following the children s message at the 10:30 service. CAN T BE IN WORSHIP? Watch us on Cable 13 at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday and 10:00 a.m. on Thursday mornings. SUMC will not be changing hours for the Summer Church Schedule. Worship Services will remain at 8:15 and 10:30. Worship Committee The next Praise Worship Service is June 19, 2011 at the 10:30 service. Risk-Taking Mission UMW MISSIONS WORKDAYS June 18, July 23, August 20 8:30-12:30 We need people with portable sewing machines, we are making and tying twin and baby quilts, pillow cases and school bags for Haiti. Questions? Call Phyllis at JUSTICE WITH PEACE SUNDAY June 19,2011 A Churchwide Special Sunday of The United Methodist Church Your generous gift on Peace with Justice Sunday support: *Peace with justice ministries in the conference board of church and society; and *Peace with justice work in the United States and around the world, related to the General Board of Church Society. BLUE VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PANTRY Collection items for June 5 is PEANUT BUTTER We cannot keep quiet if there is something wrong. Giving to Peace with Justice Sunday helps to remove unjust systems and equip the victimized to live more fulfilled lives. The Methodist Mailbox

4 Miscellaneous There is a family looking for housing for a mom and three older children sometime this summer. For more information, call the church office For information on how to donate to the relief fund for victims of spring storms and flooding, visit our church website ( and/or our facebook page. Both locations have a link that will take you to the appropriate website. Seward Wig Bank Scarf and Hat Fundraiser Our Local wig bank is in need of gently used scarves and hats to be given to patients undergoing chemo or radiation. Scarves and hats can be dropped off a Awe Salon in Seward.. Thank you!! Help Needed Please let the church office know if you are interested in volunteering in the nursery on Sunday mornings. We are need of 3 or 4 individuals to help share the responsibility. HELP NEEDED The United Methodist Women need good Christian gentlemen willing to help set up and take down tables & chairs for funerals etc Please sign up at the Welcome Center or contact Jeannie Jeary at Thank you! CROSSES SUMC is looking for people to donate crosses no larger than 8 X 10 for our display of crosses. This will be located in the North hallway leading to the fellowship hall. Please bring your cross to the church office. Thank you!

5 It seems that with June 1st many breathe a sigh of relief...the mad dash of May is complete, and now the lazy hazy days of summer are stretched out before us like a long winding path that leads somewhere, but we re not sure where. Perhaps that is how our summer will unfold. We do know a few of things that will happen between now and Labor Day week-end, but we don t yet know exactly everything that we will do, how we will have changed, or who we will have become by then for our experiences will change how we perceive the world, and how we are perceived. It is comforting to know that God is fully aware of who we are and who we will become at all times and in all places. I don t believe that God created us as a clock maker makes a clock. The clock maker finishes their work, winds the clock and sits back and lets it do its thing. God did not create us to be stagnant beings. We were created to grow and evolve...each day becoming closer and closer to God. Our spiritual growth is a 365 day endeavor. There isn t a day on the calendar that we cannot grow closer to God. Don t give in to the misguided belief that it s ok to take the summer off; God certainly won t...why should we? JOYS AND CONCERNS Please remember those with on-going health concerns through the month of May: Erik Anderson, Ruth Wehrs, Dale Borcher, Pete Yost, Connie Atkinson, Wanda Miers, Jim Henry, Samuel Lee DeBoer, Logan Craig, Linda Marshall. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Barbara Brazelle who passed away May 20, A memorial Service will be held at the Seward United Methodist Church on June 25, 10:30 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. We keep Grace Halder in our prayers for safety, knowledge and fun while attending a Church Leadership camp for two weeks in June. Thank you for the Baptism of Ayla Rayne Chess on May 22, Bless the young men and women who have now finished their High School years as 2011 graduates. Walk with these graduates as they move forward. May they know and believe that Jesus is the way, the Truth and the Life. Be with them as they open a new chapter in their lives and pray that they listen for your guidance. We gathered together to worship our creator through the service of confirmation on May 1, Our family has grown! We congratulate our Confirmands and may we all seek to fulfill the vows made and renewed on that day. Our prayers are with the family and friends of Jerry Lee Taylor, son of Jean Algya, who passed away on April 25, 2100.

6 Phone: ; Fax: Website: Doug Griger, Pastor; Every Member, Minister REMEMBER Call the Church ( ) or Pastor Doug if you are going to be hospitalized and wish to have the Pastor visit. Due to privacy laws, hospitals cannot disclose information. MAY MAILBOX DEADLINE IS Monday, June 28 Submit your news by Monday, June 28. You can articles to the church at or call Cindy, office administrator, at Local Church Activities Chair persons for June are: Sue Imig Janni Hanson

7 Vital Faith Formation NEEDS FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Ribbon no wider than 1/2 inch BRIGHT BEGINNINGS We are now enrolling children for Preschool for the Fall session, beginning in August. We also have room for more friends in our Bright Beginnings Childcare. For more information contact Monica at SUMMER PRESCHOOL CAMP If you know someone Who needs a ride to church or are willing To be a driver please call the church office. know. ( ) SUMC will not be changing hours for the Summer Church Schedule. Worship Services will remain at 8:15 and 10:30. Worship Committee Ages 3 through 5 July Let s All Be Mad Scientists July Shake, Rattle and Roll July Who s On Noah s Ark For registration call NEWS FLASH FROM BRIGHT BEGINNINGS It has been a cool spring! The children have really enjoyed riding in the stroller and playing outside whenever it is not raining! Shannon has kept our friends in the childcare very busy. Seeds and flowers were planted for Mothers Day; pictures have been painted and a lot of stories have been read! Monica and the preschoolers did a lot of learning as well! The preschoolers created artwork for our bulletin board, learned about the calendar, and sang a lot of new songs! We have had our last day of preschool, and are looking forward to another great year in August! Bright Beginnings will have a float in the 4th of July Parade this year. We would like to hand out seed packets with information about our programs. Can you help us by donating inexpensive packets of flower seeds?

8 Gracious Generosity A little seed drops, a shoot starts up, and a tree will grow. Its roots will soon reach far down in the soil and will flourish in years to come. The tree will stand strong and firm and will brace itself against the storms and from the earth will draw its life. Like the tree, the Seward United Methodist Foundation wants to grow its seed endowments and provide for the life of our local church and beyond. As the widow with her mite in the Book of Mark, God really likes it when we give gifts for his glory from our hearts as well as our wallet. Be your gift large or small, be proud of your part in growing the May - BY THE NUMBERS Offering Received in March General Funds: $28, Trustees Funds: $ Average Worship Attendance for May: 249 Mission Share/Apportionments remaining in 2011: $37, FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DID YOU KNOW? You can have your church contributions electronically transferred to the church? Included in this newsletter is the form for this process. A voided check and this authorization is all that is needed to make this process painless! DID YOU KNOW? Our church has a Pastor s Discretionary Fund? Contributions designated for this allow the pastor funds to assist people who come to the church in some kind of financial or personal difficulties. To contribute to this, all you need to do is indicate that the funds go to this account. This is just another way our generous members reach out to those in need.

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11 We need your input! The Seward United Methodist Church has formed a Vision Team with the purpose of creating a strategic plan for our church and church family over the course of the next years. Please take a few moments to share your answers to the following questions. We really appreciate your willingness to provide us your feedback as we look forward to the future of our church. What do you feel are our church families greatest assets? What do you feel are our church's greatest challenges? What would you like to see the Seward United Methodist Church doing in the next 15 years? What do you want our church to be known for?