FAIRFAX MESSENGER. Corner The Genealogy of a Christian. Pastor s MARCH Fairfax United Methodist Church. - Rev. Roger Cary

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1 FAIRFAX MESSENGER MARCH 2012 Fairfax United Methodist Church 305 N. Broadway P.O. Box 318 Fairfax, MO Office Hours: 8:00 am 12:00 pm Mon Thurs Office: Fax: Website: Sunday Worship: Sunday School - 9:30 am Worship - 10:30 am Channel 61 Broadcast - Tues. 4:00 pm Wednesdays: Promise Keepers - 6:00 am Pastor Roger Cary Pastor s Hours: 8:00 am 12:00 pm Tues Thurs Fri & Sat: by appt Study: Cell: fairfaxumc@fairfaxmo.net Pastor s Corner The Genealogy of a Christian Turn on the television at almost any time of the day and there is an advertisement for one of the various internet genealogy sites that promote the finding out about our past as a reminder of who we are and where we have come from-our heritage. There is nothing wrong with this idea as often we have lost some of our personal identity over the ages as our ancestors melded into this fabric of people we call America. I often wonder though, what would happen if we were to spend time focusing not on our blood lineage, but on our spiritual lineage, the genealogy of a Christian. We have entered the period in our spiritual life that is known as Lent. It is a time to step back from the fast pace of our world and spend time in reflection about our spiritual life as it has been up to this point and to listen for the voice of God as we prepare to move forward. I would offer the idea of researching and reflecting on our spiritual genealogy as one way in which to embrace this time. How do we do that, one might ask? I would suggest relooking at the words Jeremiah received as a young boy called to a prophetic ministry; 4 The LORD s word came to me: 5 Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations. (Jer. 1:4-5; CEB) - Rev. Roger Cary First, we recognize that like Jeremiah, God knew us before we were even created in the womb. This means that God had a specific plan and purpose for us long before our conception. But this is not the finality of our genealogy; it is in fact, just the beginning. After we are birthed we quickly begin to connect with those we are in constant contact with, our mothers and fathers especially. Unlike our family relations by blood we become related to our Christian family through our faith in Jesus Christ; faith in the blood shed for us on the cross. Oh my, suddenly we recognize a new blood relative, but this relation came to us in the form of the one who let himself be placed upon the cross as an atonement for us to be adopted into the family of God. Continued on page 2

2 Continued from page 1 This adoption carries us all the way back to Abraham. The Apostle Paul speaks to us about this adoption in many of his letters to the churches he inspired such as is found in Romans 4:13-18; 13 The promise to Abraham and to his descendants, that he would inherit the world, didn t come through the Law but through the righteousness that comes from faith. 14 If they inherit because of the Law, then faith has no effect and the promise has been canceled. 15 The Law brings about wrath. But when there isn t any law, there isn t any violation of the law. 16 That s why the inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of God s grace. In that way, the promise is secure for all of Abraham s descendants, not just for those who are related by Law but also for those who are related by the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us. 17 As it is written: I have appointed you to be the father of many nations. So Abraham is our father in the eyes of God in whom he had faith, the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that don t exist into existence. 18 When it was beyond hope, he had faith in the hope that he would become the father of many nations, in keeping with the promise God spoke to him: That s how many descendants you will have. Paul continues this as he speaks to the church in Galatia (Gal. 3:6-9); 6 Understand that in the same way that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, 7 those who believe are the children of Abraham. 8 But, when it saw ahead of time that God would make the Gentiles righteous on the basis of faith, scripture preached the gospel in advance to Abraham: All the Gentiles will be blessed in you. 9 Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham who believed. I have provided a beginning to search out your true genealogy as a Christian. It is a prayer of my own that during the days of Lent you take some time to search and find your identity as it relates to the family of God. Instead of giving up something (as we are often tasked with during this season of the Christian year), as a pastor I recommend taking up the search for your Christian Genealogy. Amen. First Day of Spring: March 20th Foods Resource Bank News: This year's projects included corn, soybeans, pumpkins, a feeder calf, and donations. As a result of these projects, $22,373 was sent to FRB for the year This amount of money will allow 3000 people in third world countries to grow their own food. The new project chosen by the United Methodist Men for the coming year is Choco Colombia for small scale agriculture. Atchison County Fair Board Fish Fry & Silent Auction Sunday, March 4 th 11:00 am 2:00 pm at the Velma Houts Fair Building in Rock Port. Adults - $8/Kids (5-12) - $4/under 5 free. Volunteers Needed We will be sending a group of volunteers down to Second Harvest on Thursday, March 15th. We will leave the church at 11:30 am. Please call Bob Sefrit ( ) if you can help

3 God Squad a Community After School Faith-Based Program for all Children K-6th Grade! This spring, God Squad will meet on Wednesdays after school, here at Fairfax United Methodist Church. Remaining Dates: March 7th 3:10-5:00 pm; March 14th 12:15-2:00 pm; March 21st 3:10-5:00 pm; March 28th 2:18-4:00 pm; and April 4th 3:10-5:00 pm Children will be escorted from the school to the church. God Squad is sponsored by the following Fairfax churches: Baptist, Christian, Presbyterian and United Methodist. God Squad Advisory Council: Sarah Osburn, Marissa Hedlund, Beth Graves, Lisa Mitchell, Deanna Beck, Ann Martin, Marilyn Reed, Stephanie Smith and Mary Ellen Oswald. Congratulations to: Ashley Gomel and Kaleb Oelze who were United in Holy Matrimony here at Fairfax UMC on February 11th. We wish Mr. & Mrs. Oelze the very best!

4 Please join Alice McCartney as she celebrates 99 years! Stop by the Daybreak Café on Friday, March 2nd between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to wish her a Happy Birthday. Cards may be sent to: Alice McCartney, Tiffany Heights, 1531 Nebraska, Mound City, MO One Great Hour of Sharing "Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind." --Psalm 107:8, NRSV Children and adults from various communities had already assembled and were eagerly waiting, when the UMCOR delegation finally reached remote Mutumbami, Zimbabwe. Today was the day the children would take home school supplies from UMCOR s Sager Brown depot. As the contents of the kits were announced, the eager crowd reacted: notebooks (smiles, clapping), scissors (smiles, clapping), an eraser, a ruler, crayons (more smiles and clapping), pencils (LOUD CHEERS!!!). Never have I seen such excitement about six pencils! said UMCOR s Melissa Crutchfield, moved to find something so commonplace in her homeland was so prized in this struggling community. This year marks UMCOR Sager Brown s twentieth anniversary of bringing joy and hope in the form of relief kits to communities around the world whether school supplies to children in Africa eager to study, or cleaning buckets to families in the United States mucking out their homes after a hurricane, flood or tornado. God s Steadfast Love So much of what UMCOR does is about revealing God s steadfast love for humankind. For more than 70 years, UMCOR has brought hope and solidarity to communities both at home and abroad in the wake of disaster, and support and expertise to those on a path to development. UMCOR s relief-supply ministry is part of those efforts, gathering the goodwill of selfless volunteers to assemble much-needed relief kits and cleaning buckets to ship to those seeking to become selfsufficient or to rebuild lives and communities following an emergency. ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING Join United Methodists everywhere by participating in the special offering that supports UMCOR s vital work. Your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing lay the foundation for UMCOR to manifest God s steadfast love throughout the world. Please give generously on Sunday, March 18th when we will be celebrating this Special Sunday. We have included an envelope with this Newsletter for you to use for your donation. Please either bring the envelope with you on March 18th or mail into the church office at Fairfax UMC, PO Box 318, Fairfax, MO Your Generous Gifts benefit The United Methodist Committee on Relief located at the General Board of Global Ministries. With this offering, The United Methodist Church rebuilds lives and communities around the world by helping the United Methodist Committee on Relief keep its promise that 100% of your designated gift goes to specific causes.

5 Stewardship: Receipts for February 1-27, 2012: Offerings: First 1, Attendance: 57 Second 1, Third 1, Fourth 2, Fifth Total Offerings: 6, Received Received This Month To Date Altar Flowers Building Use Bulletins Donations for Events Festival of Sharing Food Pantry Human Relations Misc. Income One Great Hour of Sharing Peace with Justice Special Offerings-Other Sunday School UMCOR Web Site World Communion TOTAL 1, BUDGETED General Account: Received to Date Total Income: 16, Needed to Date Total Income: 9wks of budget for , Serving our church in March will be: Ushers: Danny Kemerling and Ralph Ball Acolyte: McKenzie Frohn Communion Steward: Roger & Suzanne Southard Flowers: Harry & Mary Combs Lay Reader: Bulletins: Mar 4 - K.R. & Mary Anne Pennel in memory of loved ones Mar 11 - K.R. & Mary Anne Pennel in memory of loved ones Mar 18 - Roger & Suzanne Southard in memory of Oral Davis Mar 25 - Roger & Suzanne Southard in memory of Doyle Southard Web Site Sponsor: Danny & Alice Kemerling Daylight Saving Time begins March 11th Spring Forward!! Helping Hands of Friendship Have a project that you cannot, or should not, do yourself? The Fairfax United Methodist Church would like to extend a hand of friendship by helping members of the Fairfax Community who might need some help with a small project! Please call the Methodist church office ( ) and give a brief description of the job/jobs you need completed, your name and address, and phone number and someone will call you back to discuss details and let you know if it s a project that our team can successfully handle.

6 Thank You We want to thank the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and their leaders, for attending our Worship Service on February 5th.. Fairfax UMC A big thank you to those who volunteered their time to work at the Food Pantry during the month of February. Those helping were Pastor Cary, Jeremy Pfaff, Karen & Mel Rogers, Charla Graves, Roger Southard, Gary & Jan Taylor, Deb Wyatt, Norma Bradfield, Alice Kemerling, Jim Brown, Esther Southard, and Bob Sefrit. March Birthdays Tammy Sly 03/01 Jim Holtz 03/02 Alice McCartney 03/04 Jason Frohn 03/06 Thomas Shepard 03/09 Mary Gilbert 03/10 Brice Ball 03/12 Scott Ray 03/13 Frank Gardner 03/13 Mary Wasserfallen 03/14 David Bungenstock 03/17 Jim Schooler 03/17 Eric Davis 03/19 Tony Mitchell 03/20 Rebecca Jones 03/22 Sara Taylor 03/24 Harrison Bennett 03/27 Esther Southard 03/31 March Anniversaries John & Cheryl Brown 03/13 Randall & Tammy Sly 03/25 Jim & Bobbie Schooler 03/29 Josh & Tracy Oswald 03/31 If you or your loved ones are not on the list, contact the church office: umc@fairfaxmo.net or with your info and we will get our records updated. Thanks to the Helping Hands of Friendship for taking the treadmill and chair away for us. We appreciated it so much! Thank you again and God bless you as you continue to help others HOTLINES: --Gene and Norma Thank You for the beautiful Birthday flower arrangement. It s wonderful to be remembered by my church friends. Also thanks for the birthday cards. God Bless You, Mildred Stouffer Thomson Child Abuse and Neglect Elderly Abuse and Neglect Gambling Addiction BETSOFF ( ) Mental Health Crisis Line Missouri School Violence Poison Control Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Suicide Prevention Lifeline TALK ( )

7 Food Resource Bank works to relieve hunger UMNS REPORT By Carrie Madren When Bob Sefrit of Fairfax, Mo., decided to plant 10 acres of corn as part of a Foods Resource Bank growing project with his church s United Methodist Men, he insisted on a dedication service. As soon as we did that, God immediately took over, Sefrit recalled. That was evident four years ago when a strong wind blew down thousands of acres of corn in the area. As fields surrounding the Foods Resource Bank acres were flattened, those 10 acres were standing there wasn t a stalk down, Sefrit said, and in one spot, my FRB corn was actually holding my downed corn up. This is a project that God is in. The Fairfax United Methodist Church growing project is one of more than 200 nationwide that collaborate with Foods Resource Bank, a Christian non-profit agency that helps farmers dedicate a share of their harvest to funding sustainable agriculture programs around the world. Growing projects typically offer aid in this way: Farmers supported by their churches commit a small portion of their crop or livestock to Foods Resource Bank. The non-profit channels funds from the harvest sale to some 62 overseas programs run by partner agencies such as the United Methodist Committee on Relief that teach farmers better farming techniques to gain food security. In East Africa, for instance, programs help people save water during the rainy season for vegetable gardens that produce food and income to pay for school fees, better housing and other necessities. For a church or community to make a difference, said Kelsey Day, communications coordinator at Foods Resource Bank, it only takes one person to stand up and say, I can spare five acres or I can donate $100. A seed of hope Often, that one person who volunteers seed or acres inspires the community. While most growing projects raise corn, wheat or soybeans, others use whatever resources are available. Youth at an Iowa church maintain a vegetable garden and sell the produce to the congregation. A growing project can even forgo agriculture altogether. An Iowa nursing home held a rock-a-thon, where seniors raised funds for hours of rocking. Growing projects are different sizes, and they kind of build themselves, said Marv Baldwin, president and CEO of Foods Resource Bank. The project in Fairfax, Mo., grows mainly corn and soybeans. However, a few years ago, a 6-year-old boy began raising pumpkins, which have added $6,000 to the growing project s five-year total of $80,000 for sustainable agriculture programs in developing countries. Two Indiana churches rural Oxford United Methodist Church and the more urban First Christian Church in Lafayette have sustained a 20-acre growing project for eight years. In addition to building a missions project that raises some $20,000 annually in recent years, the growing project has built a relationship between two denominations, reported Larry Winger of Oxford, who raises the project s corn on his family farm. Part of our getting into this was a real desire to do something that would really have an impact, said Tim Ritchey Martin, pastor of Grossnickle Church of the Brethren in Myersville, Md. His congregation collaborates with six other churches of various denominations in a growing project that includes a Blessing of the Seed service and a harvest festival. Donnie Grossnickle farms the project s 55 donated acres typically a harvest of corn, wheat or soybeans. I feel like I m really doing something, said Grossnickle, who runs a dairy farm. Families sponsor an acre for $250, the estimated growing input; a half-dozen community business sponsors support at the $500 level. Over the past six years, the growing project has raised some $125,000. Each spring, Ritchey Martin announces the overseas program; this year, it is a cattle project in Mozambique. Children play in a corn box at the Harvest Celebration of Oxford United Methodist Church and First Christian Church of Lafayette, Ind. A web-only photo courtesy of Don Johnson. Go and grow If you are thinking of starting your own growing project, just get started, advised Baldwin. People think you have to do something big, but if you start with something small gathering a leadership team it can lead to big things, he said. Then, see who can spare acres, time, resources and talents. Growing projects use many talents beyond farming. Those with a gift for organization, for instance, can plan the harvest celebration or bakers can bake pies to auction. As the project moves forward, share the story of how the effort will offer food security to others around the globe. You will attract people who want to fight global hunger. I would encourage people not to be bashful about asking others for support, advised Ritchey Martin. Anyone interested but not ready to start a growing project could join an overseas trip to learn about sustainable agriculture projects in developing countries or do advocacy work with Foods Resource Bank in Washington. There are other ways you can dip your toe in, Day said. Finally, keep God at the center of your project. When you dedicate something to the Lord, Sefrit said, he takes care of it. *Madren is a Washington-based freelance writer who specializes in environmental and sustainability issues. News media contact: Maggie Hillery, Nashville, Tenn. (615) or newsdesk@umcom.org. From: THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE REVIEW Volume 158 Number 42 February 17, 2012 Go to: enewsletterarchives/detail/1538 to view The Missouri Conference Review online or to download a pdf.

8 UMM s Spring Roast Beef Dinner Sunday, March 25 th We will start serving at 11:30 am and delivery will be available. We will be serving: roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, rolls and terrific desserts (with help from the wives of UMM) The donation will be freewill and it is open to all denominations, tell all your friends. Money will go towards our UMM projects. Please join us and don t forget to invite your friends & neighbors! United Methodist Women Our UMW group is planning to visit the Tiffany Heights Nursing Home in Mound City on Thursday, March 8th. We will leave the church at 1:30pm. Communion offered Each Sunday We will be having Holy Communion each Sunday throughout Lent. The Seasons Are His Every season brings with it Some things we don t like a bit Too much sold, perhaps or hear, Winds that lash or rains that beat; Burt every year is made Of its Heaven-planned sun and shade, So it is with much of life Joy and trouble, ease and strife, Each must play its given role, Blending in to make the whole. Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall, God is working in them all. Cleo King

9 March 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Pastor s Hours 8:00 am 12:00 pm Tues Thurs Fri-Sat by appointment (cell) fairfaxumc@fairfaxmo.net 4 2nd Sunday in Lent rd Sunday in Lent Daylight Saving Time begins 18 4th Sunday in Lent One Great Hour of Sharing (offering) 25 5th Sunday in Lent UMM s Spring Roast Beef Dinner: 11:30am following worship Office Hours 8:00 am 12:00 pm Mon Thurs umc@fairfaxmo.net Fax: Basement reserved afternoon: Sorosis Worship Schedule Sunday School: 9:30am Worship: 10:30am Channel 61: 4:00pm Tues Basement reserved afternoon: Sorosis st Day of Spring 21 Deadline for April Newsletter Promise Keepers: 6:00am God Squad: 3:10-5:00pm Promise Keepers: 6:00am God Squad: 12:15-2:00pm UMW E.E.: 7:00pm Promise Keepers:6:00am God Squad: 3:10-5:00pm 28 Promise Keepers: 6:00am God Squad: 2:18-4:00pm UMM: 6:00pm Office Angels will be needed in the afternoon 1 2 World Day of Prayer 8 Fairfax United Methodist Church PO Box 318, 305 N. Broadway, Fairfax, MO Pastor Roger Cary PO Box 308, Fairfax, MO UMW to visit Tiffany Heights Nursing Home in Mound City: leave church at 1:30pm 99th Birthday celebration for Alice McCartney: between 11:00-1:00 at the Daybreak Café

10 FAIRFAX MESSENGER MARCH 2012 Fairfax United Methodist Church 305 N. Broadway P.O. Box 318 Fairfax, MO Address Service Requested Fairfax, MO U.S. Postage Paid Non-Profit Org. Permit #10 Spring Forward Bake Sale The children will be having a Bake Sale on Sunday, March 11th to raise money for Church Camp this summer. Please come and help us raise money towards our $3000 estimated cost for church camp this summer!