FIRST UNITED ME THODI ST CHURCH METHODIST MESSENGER V O L U M E 4 6, I S S U E 4 A P R I L 2 0 1 8 I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Pastor s Page 1 FROM OUR PASTOR Being Humbled I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Preaching Schedule 2 (Galatians 2:20a, NIV) Church Finances 2 New Pastor 2 I recently asked my wife, Heather, how many good United Methodist preachers are in the state of Iowa. Her response was simple, Whatever number you come up, it is one less. Memorials 3 Bulletin Board 3 Confirmation 4 Bulletin Board 5 April Servants April Calendar 6 7 Back page 8 Ouch! Ask for a simple reply and a humbling response comes back. We are easily humbled. When we think we are high and mighty, we are quickly put in our place. Humility is a quality many of us experience over and over... and this is good. We need to be humbled. Regarding this trait, Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, once said, Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real. As Christians we need to humble ourselves before God. As the apostle, Paul, reminds us in the scripture reading above, we should allow the Lord to live through each of us. As we commit our lives to Christ, we realize our life is not our own. A proper Christian attitude might involve coming to God in prayer and song and asking the Lord to use us as necessary. I continually find meaning in the hymn, Spirit of the Living God. In the hymn we sing, Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. The words we sing are powerful. As we come to the Lord, we allow the Spirit to break us down. From here, we call on God to shape us as needed so we can engage in mission and ministry. Beyond this, we ask the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit, or Resurrection Power, so we can be used to make a difference in God s Kingdom. We are to share the Good News with our words and engage in acts of justice with our feet. Humility is good! It s not always easy and it s not the natural way to go, but is the essential path this Easter season and beyond! Blessings to each of you! Scott
P A G E 2 Preaching Schedule by Pastor Scott Meador 4-1-18 He Lives, John 20:1-18 Easter Sunday 4-8-18 Onward and Upward, James 1:22-25 Confirmation Sunday Thank you for your faithful giving! Monthly Income (4 weeks) $12,073.00 Easter Offering $918.00 Music Department $100.00 UMCOR $195.00 2018 Apportionments Due are: $39,211.00 Paid to date: $3,565.00 4-15-18 Hands and Feet, Luke 24:36b-48 3rd Sunday of Easter 4-22-18 A Wonderful Life, John 10:11-18 4th Sunday of Easter 4-29-18 God is Love, John 4:7-21 5th Sunday of Easter Pastoral Transition It was announced in worship on March 4th that Pastor Scott has been appointed to serve as Lead Pastor at Lovely Lane UMC in Cedar Rapids, starting July 1. Scott has served FUMC for the last eight years. We want to wish him well, as well as his wife, Heather and daughters Emma and Sophia. During worship on March 25 it was announced by the Staff Parish Relations Committee that Rev. Sarah Rohret will become our new pastor on July 1. Sarah comes to Independence from the Arnolds Park UMC in the Okoboji area. Sarah has three children and is engaged to be married this summer. We want to welcome Sarah, her children, and fiancé, Stuart, to Independence!
P A G E 3 To the families of: Deb Platt and Millie Freeman Thank you The family of Virginia Sleeper would like to thank all of their church family and friends who supported them with their thoughts and prayers. All the families who recently lost a loved one, we extend our deepest sympathy to you. May God grant you peace in 2018 Memorials Date Fund In Memoriam Given By February 24 Radio Verna Nielsen United Methodist Women Undesignated Verna Nielsen M/M Ron Wegner February 27 Music Dept. Mildred Potts Sandra Brown family Music Dept Judd & Pat Toale Sandra Brown family Undesignated Virginia Sleeper Marlene Steinbeck March 1 Undesignated Virginia Sleeper M/M Everett Jensen Undesignated Virginia Sleeper Marlene Steinbeck Undesignated Leland Sprague M/M Elmer Hettinger Undesignated Virginia Sleeper M/M Elmer Hettinger Undesignated Virginia Sleeper M/M Richard Booth Undesignated Verna Nielsen M/M Richard Booth Radio Leonard McClenathon M/M Lloyd Davis Radio Marlene Clough M/M Lloyd Davis Radio Leland Sprague M/M Lloyd Davis Radio Virginia Sleeper M/M Lloyd Davis Radio Verna Nielsen M/M Lloyd Davis Radio Deb Platt United Methodist Women Radio Mildred Freeman United Methodist Women M E T H O D I S T M E S S E N G E R
P A G E 4 Sunday, April 1 7 am and 9 am worship Easter breakfast between services beginning at 8 am in Fellowship Hall. Freewill donation. Confirmation Class 2018 Zach Arnold Sophie Brown Drew Crump Alek Gruber Sydney Schwartz Collin Wilson Sunday, April 8 M E T H O D I S T M E S S E N G E R
P A G E 5 New Book Study Sunday Morning Security Pastor s new study group begins on April 8 at 10:15 am and 6:30 pm Focus is on the book, When Christians Get it Wrong, By: Adam Hamilton All are welcome! For the safety of the congregation, all doors in the church will be locked during the worship service from 9:05 am to 10:00 am. The sanctuary doors (east side) will remain open. You will still be able to exit the building through all doors. Ed and Jeanne Wiggins would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers in recent weeks. You are all one in a million. UMW Update We are invited to the NE District Day Apart on April 21st at the Waverly UMC. The speaker will share personal experience as a refugee of WW II. Start time is 9:00 am and concludes with a salad lunch. Call Phyllis at 334-2843 if you wish to carpool. Sunday, April 15th UMCOR Special Offering Reminders: Priscilla Circle greet in May and Eve Circle greet in June. Please check your yearbook for circle activities. M E T H O D I S T M E S S E N G E R
April Ministry Servants April 1 April 8 April 15 April 22 April 29 Lloyd Davis Bob Peterson Miriam Smith Keith Melick Bev Sprague Phyllis Davis Jessie Peterson Linda Gosse Ruth Melick Shirley Rozendaal Easter Breakfast Confirmation Carolyn Bird Millie Cameron Priscilla Circle Hannah Circle Children s Sermon Communion TBA Carole Franz Merry Christensen Jessica Lake Drew Crump Talan Decker Drew Crump Talan Decker Campbell Schwartz Collin Wilson Campbell Schwartz Collin Wilson Bella Farley Jena Lake Molly Rothman Molly Rothman Sydney Schwartz Sydney Schwartz Sophie Bertelli Jim Bond Craig Marino Steve Miller Don Butler Lynn Henkle Sally Bond Shirley Marino Virginia Miller Bette Butler Carol Henkle
P A G E 7 Sunday Worship Schedule April 2018 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Coffee Fellowship 10:15 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Pastor Scott s Book Study 11:00 a.m. Radio Broadcast 95.3 FM KQMG 6:30 p.m. Pastor Scott s Book Study Wednesday Music Practice (Times may vary during the summer months) Jim Brown, Music Director 6:00-6:50 p.m. Chancel Choir 6:50-7:20 p.m. Good News Singers 7:20-7:40 p.m. Band or Quartet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 EASTER 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 See worship schedule Confirmation Sunday 4:30 pm Liberty Lasso s (4H) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 See worship schedule Native American Sunday (special offering) 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 See worship schedule 29 30 See worship schedule 6:30 pm Cub Scouts 6:00 pm Girl Scouts 6:00 pm Committee meetings 7:30 pm Ad Council 9:30 am Staff meeting 6:00 pm Girl Scouts 9:30 am Staff meeting 6:15 pm Girl Scouts 7:00 pm Priscilla Circle 9:30 am Staff meeting 9:30 am Staff meeting 6:00 pm Girl Scouts 3:30 pm After School Kids See Music Practice 6:45 pm Youth Bible Study 9:00 am Hannah Circle 1:00 pm Eve Circle See Music Practice See Music Practice 6:45 pm Youth Bible Study See Music Practice 9 Bolson/Vietor Wedding Rehearsal Bolson/Vietor Wedding 7:45-8:30 p.m. Hand Bell Choir M E T H O D I S T M E S S E N G E R
First United Methodist Church 313 2nd Street Southeast Independence, Iowa 50644-2816 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Phone: 319-334-3689 Email: Pastor.scott@indytel.com Webpage: www.firstumcindee.com Our Mission... Meeting, Maturing, and Moving in Love as we make disciples to grow God s Kingdom. Church Staff Pastor Dr. Scott Meador, 319-334-3689, pastor.scott@indytel.com Office Manager Susie Galpin, 319-334-3689, fumcoffice@indytel.com Ministries Coordinator Linda Stamper, 319-334-4261, blstamper@indytel.com Treasurer Chris Smith, 319-334-3689, fumcchris@indytel.com Director of Music Ministries Jim Brown, 319-334-4845, jimbo4te@gmail.com Organist Mary Schubich, 319-334-3188, schubichme@indytel.com Sound Technician Tim Dryml, 319-334-3689, tdryml@indytel.com Church Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. - Noon 1-3 p.m. Custodian Angie Slife, 319-334-3689