Somerset UMC Newsletter - The Messenger January 2018 Pastor.......................... Rev Karen K Walters Somerset UMC POB 237 137-141 East Main Street, Somerset, Ohio 43783 740/743-1029 - church SomersetUnitedMethodistChurch@gmail.com www.somersetumc.org We re on facebook Sunday School @ 9am Worship @ 8 & 10am Call to Radical Commitment This is offered for your consideration. Prayerfully consider making this commitment for 2018 and forever: Today I am stepping across the line. I'm tired of waffling, and I'm finished with wavering. I've made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable. I'm going God's way. There's no turning back now! I will live the rest of my life serving God's purposes with God's people on God's planet for God's glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word. Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying. Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family. Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, we over me, character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I'll give it all I've got. I'll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today. I won't be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I'll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. -1- -2-
When times get tough, and I get tired, I won't back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I'll just keep moving forward by God's grace. I'm Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race. I'm a trophy of God's amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me. To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I say: However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I'm ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. Whatever it takes Lord; whatever it takes! I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I'll hear you say, "Well done, thou good and faithful one. Come on in, and let the eternal party begin!" What does this mean? Today, I affirm this commitment to God and submit to his plans and purposes for my life, no matter what it takes. Signature Kroger Plus Card The Kroger Plus Card you have probably had for years will not only give you discounts on food and gasoline purchases but can also give a cash reward to Somerset UMC of up to 5% of your purchases and it costs you nothing. All you have to do is register your Kroger Plus card with Somerset UMC. It's simple and takes just a few minutes. Please note: this must be renewed each year. There are only a few folks currently registered. Enter 72634 for Somerset UMC Now each time you swipe your card, Somerset UMC will receive a donation. Some churches have raised as much as $10,000/year through this program so thank you for supporting your church in this way! Tomorrow is not promised us so let us take today and make the very most of it the once we pass this way. Just speak aloud the kindly thought and do the kindly deed and try to see and understand some fellow creature's need. Tomorrow is not promised us nor any other day, so let us make the most of it the once we pass this way. Evangelism Goal Everyone at SUMC is challenged to pray for at least one unchurched person for at least one minute every day at 1:00 pm. If you cannot possibly pray for one minute at 1:00 pm, you may want to choose another time. The important thing is to pray! Kids Sunday School Sunday School is at 9:00 am for all ages. The children use a curriculum called Deep Blue. The Tween Class uses Submerge and our teens are learning how to apply the Bible to every day life. We also have several adult classes. Come learn how to be a disciple in Sunday School! -3- -4-
God grant me: the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. Bible Study You are invited to join the Thru the Bible class. We use a Chronological Bible (scripture is in order it happened). This Bible study will focus on how to apply the Bible to our every day life. The class meets Thursdays at 6:30pm. Sisterhood meets each week on Wednesdays @ 1 at Gloria Gill's home. All are welcome to join a study! Tell me how much you know of the sufferings of your fellow men and I will tell you how much you have loved them. - Helmet Thielicke Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be, in working or in waiting, another year with Thee. Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast. Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest. Missions Thank you to everyone who helped make the Christmas Angel Program such a success. It was a Merry Christmas for many! Thank you for your generosity. Worship Volunteers January Liturgist is Katherine Reichley November Greeters/Ushers are Wayne Williams and Duane Conway Prayer Request Please pray... * for holy zeal in our church * thank God for the faithfulness of our church and the wonderful ways God has worked and moved in our midst in the years we ve been on the corner of Main and High * for renewed commitment to lift up Jesus in all we do * for every believer in our congregation to move to new places of maturity and to a deeper commitment to personal spiritual growth * that we will be a mission outpost for all the folks in our community who do not know Jesus. * that each member of our church will have a renewed passion for sharing Jesus Christ with those who do not know him, remembering that anyone who does not have Jesus as Lord will not enjoy heaven at the end of their life. May we be passionate about bringing people out of the jaws of hell and into the loving arms of God. Help the Pastor As you probably know, the Ohio Legislature passed a bill a few years ago, prohibiting hospitals from -5- -6-
providing lists of patients to anyone (including pastors). They no longer call a pastor when you are admitted to the hospital. If you re admitted to the hospital, please have a family member call the pastor (in most cases, a chaplain will call for you too). There is no other way for the pastor to know you are in the hospital, unless you call. It is helpful as well to let the pastor know when you re released - a trip to a hospital following your release takes time away from helping someone else. If you go to a rehab center, the pastor will not know unless you call Rev Walters and let her know. If you d like the pastor to make a call (to your home), please mark the attendance pad or call the office to schedule. Missions News In our area, there is a need to provide food to children on the weekend. Families eligible for the free lunch program at school are given the opportunity to receive food through this new ministry as well. We are collecting food items throughout the school year that require minimal preparation as they will be sent home with elementary-aged children and means of cooking may be limited. Please do not include any items with nuts or nut butters. We plan to include items that cover each meal of the day. Examples include: Cereal Shelf stable milk Oatmeal packets Juice pouches Chef Boyardee Whole fruit Fruit cups Applesauce Tuna Mac and cheese cups Cheese crackers Fruit snacks, etc. A package will be prepared weekly and sent home on Fridays to help provide sustenance over the weekend. Money for the project may also be given to the Somerset Area Food Pantry and noted for the backpack ministry. Items may be placed in the Narthex bin. Saturday, January 13 a group is sewing 9am to noon. All welcome. No experience necessary. If Jesus died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him Newsletter We are trying to ensure all information is in the newsletter and a one line reminder will appear in the bulletin for church events. This is a cost-saving measure. Please make sure you submit an article about any event to the newsletter with all the information you have so we will all know what s coming up! Please turn in your newsletter articles to Kim Danison by January 26 th. Thanks for helping to make The Messenger more informative and helpful! Faith-Based Health So here s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life and place it before God as an offering. Romans 12:1 (The Message) To reach optimum health, you must pay attention to the spiritual dimensions of your life. You have a body, but you are far more than just a body. Every area of your life affects every other area. For instance, it s hard to be spiritually strong and mentally alert when you are emotionally stressed or physically fatigued. If you are spiritually and emotionally weak or ill, your body cannot perform at its peak. So your health starts with your relationship to God the Creator who designed you, knows -7- -8-
best how your body was made to operate, and has the power to help you make the changes that you want to see. Foothills Offers Creative Worship Seminar Rolling Plains UMC, Zanesville Saturday, January 20, 2018 9:30am 4:00pm To register: https://www.foothillsdistrict.org/district/foothills/event/creati ve-worship-5 The Foothills District is pleased to offer The Creative Worship Conference to be led by award-winning facilitator, Jason Moore! We live in a culture obsessed with image and screens. From the smartphones and tablet devices we carry everywhere we go, to the large screens in our living rooms; the world around us has shifted to a communication form that the church is still struggling to fully understand. Regardless of worship style, it s imperative that the church learn to embrace and master the use of image and creativity in the way we communicate the gospel in worship. Spend the day with creative worship specialist, author and worship coach Jason Moore in an event designed for churches of all sizes, budgets and means. The Creative Worship Conference is filled with ideas any church (large and small) can implement. Learn time-tested methodologies that transcend the traditional vs. contemporary wars and that will result in a more connected worship experience. Laugh, be inspired and walk away with clearly defined next steps for more engaging and action oriented worship. About the Presenter Known for his pioneering work in worship media, award winning digital artist, Jason Moore, has devoted nearly two decades to developing professional, highly emotive graphics, animation and video that are being emulated in churches throughout the country. Jason loves designing worship, production, acting and teaching. He leads seminars across North America on creating vibrant worship, with an emphasis on demystifying the process. Believing in the power of the story, he likes to pepper his projects and teaching with humor. The author of 9 books, Jason has designed worship alongside such leaders as Adam Hamilton, Michael Slaughter, Tony Campolo, Brian McClaren and Leonard Sweet. In addition, Jason has been featured in several articles for publications including The Ooze, Homiletics, Next Wave, Rev., Technologies for Worship, Wired, Worship Matters, Your Church, Church and Worship Technology, Worship Leader Magazine and various newspapers around North America. Thank You Someone Cares was blessed with sending 681 cards in 2017. Thank you to everyone who has supported us with cards, stamps, money and prayers. Also, thanks to those who have given us military names and addresses. We send cards to them every two weeks. If you know someone in the military that would enjoy a card from home, please let one of us know. If you would like to join us, we meet at RoseMary Founds' home the 1 st Monday of each month. Imelda Scurlock, HelenNelson, Julia Geary, Gloria Gill, Betty Swackhammer and Dorothy Turner -9- -10-
Home Bound Consider sending a card to one (or more) of our folks... Betty Starkey, 277 N Columbus Street, Somerset Bill Maxwell, 250 Columbus Street #16, Somerset Edith Moore, 101 Max Emmert Drive #C-22, Somerset Stuart & Ruth Runkel, 130 E Main, Somerset Rosemary Long, 400 North Drive, Somerset Gloria Masterson, 250 North Drive, Somerset Vi Klingler, 409 North Drive, Somerset Hazel Crane, 10020 TR 44 NE, Somerset Joyce Horn, 7785 TR 51 NE, Somerset Nancy Stickdorn, SunBridge, 920 Main Street, New Lexington Frances Johnson, Adams Lane, 1856 Adams Lane, Zanesville Jack McIntyre, 3755 Colony Hill Drive, Zanesville Thelma Love, Homestead, 1900 E Main Street, Lancaster Poinsettias Thank you to all who ordered poinsettias to make our sanctuary beautiful: 10" Red Alyssa Love Rod and Phyllis given in honor of family Sue Hale given in memory of Vernon and Bonnie Hale Sue Hale given in memory of Doyle and Jennie Hale 10" White Grace Miller given in memory of Owen Miller Karen Walters given in memory of Kay Walters Karen Walters given in memory of John and Katherine Walters 10" Marble Sue Hale given in honor of Bill, Mindy, Wes, Zach and Jackson Hale Bill & Mindy Hale given in memory of parents and grandparents 8" Red Jenny Clark given in honor of the season Bob Foley given in memory of Patricia Foley June Fostergiven in honor of my family Bev Skeens 8" White Jenny Clark given in honor of the season 8" marble Pete VanSickle in memory of Jim and MaryLou VanSickle Pete VanSickle in memory of Angela Casto 6 1/2" Red Jenny Clark given in honor of the season 6 1/2" White Jenny Clark given in honor of the season Karen Walters given in memory of Raymond and Helen Hill Karen Walters to the glory of Christ December Numbers Date Attendance Offering Dec. 3 83 $7541.61 Dec. 10 99 $3263.00 Dec. 17 105 $3209.00 Dec. 24 97 $3673.75 Christmas Eve 136 Dec. 31 92 $7574.00 Prayer I find myself consistently praying two specific prayers for the people of our church: Lord, help us fall more in love with you. More than just living a certain way, my prayer is that the church (myself included) would come to know God in a deep and intimate way. It s the greatest commandment: to love God. So I pray our passion and love for Jesus would grow daily, we would hunger for God s Word, and we would learn to trust God in places where we ve never trusted him before. Lord, please use us to tell others about you. -11- -12-
God entrusted us with the greatest news that s ever been told. I pray we will have a reaction similar to that of the woman at the well who, after meeting Jesus, told her whole town about the man she had met. So many people are hurting, and we get to tell them about the hope, joy, and purpose found in Jesus. That is the best news we could give them. Prayer for the United Methodist Church The Bishop has asked all pray for the United Methodist Church. The church is going through a tough period - possibly a split. You will find the prayers he's written as suggestions in the newsletter. Organization We will organize for ministry on Sunday, January 21 st. The Worship and Small Groups Teams will meet from 2:00-3:00pm will choose leadership, set goals for 2018 and organize. 3:00-3:30 they will meet together as the Discipleship Team to stratgegize the best way to make disciples in 2018. Missions and Outreach will meet at 4:00 pm to elect leadership and set goals then come together as a team at 5:30 to strategize the best way to reach out to our community in 2018. The United Methodist teams will meet at 6:00 to elect leadership, set goals and plan for 2018. Each work team will elect a representative to the Leadership Team which will meet at 7:30. 2018 Leadership Team for Somerset UMC To increase creativity, increase number of people making any decision, the Somerset UMC Council reorganized its structure. We will have four major work teams which determine ministry for their area, meeting with teams with similar goals. The four teams describe who we are: SUMC. Somerset United Methodist Church is made up of Spirit-filled Discipleship, UM, Missional Outreach and Care. Spirit-filled Discipleship is the work team where our discipleship is nurtured and encouraged. Discipleship is made up of Worship, Prayer and Bible Study. The Discipleship Work Group will work together to create an environment where discipleship will flourish and grow. Included are components we currently have within the church though the Work Group may create others. United Methodist teams are made up of the positions that make us United Methodist and are mandated within any UM church: Staff-Parish Relations (negotiate relationship between the staff and the congregation, including hiring and evaluation of staff), Trustees (facility management), Finance (Made up of Chair, Treasurer, Financial Secretaries and oversees financial resources, funding the ministry of the church), Historian, Lay Ministries and Membership Secretary. Missional Outreach is the way the church family connects to the community. Jesus modeled we are to share the gospel and resources with those who have neither. It s famously been said, a hungry belly cannot hear a sermon. Missions oversees the traditional areas of outreach currently most typified by the food pantry. Outreach seeks ways to connect with the community. Care is a new category to our Work Groups. This Work Group will look for ways to serve the current SUMC family. Again, new ways are encouraged but the current ones include Someone Cares, Funeral Dinners, Hospitality. As mentioned above, each Work Group elects a member to represent them on the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team is where resources (facility, staffing, fiances, calendar) are ensured to carry out ministry planned in the Work Groups. The Leadership Team is made up of the representatives from the Work Groups as well as Pastor (voice no vote), Recording Secretary, Lay Member to Conference who ensures the goals and initiatives of the -13- -14-
District and Conference are addressed, the Lay Leader who represents the congregation and its spiritual development. Lay Leader Randy Painter Lay Member to Conference Jeanette Snider Recording Secretary - Mary Smith Spirit-Filled Discipleship Work Group Worship Prayer Small Groups Prayer Coordinator Pam Fullmer Worship Grace Miller, Phyllis Spohn, Pam Snider, Sharon Wise, Dory Smathers, Carol Poorman Small Groups Jeanette Snider, Travis Shaeffer, Paige Kimberlain, Angel Emmert, Jennifer Ward, Rod & Phyllis Spohn, Dawn Conrad United Methodist Team Finance Rod Spohn, Treasurer Jenny Clark, Financial Sec - Ann Johnson & Kathy Householder Historian Ann Johnson Membership Secretary Kim Danison (Historian and Membership Secretary do not need to come to mtg) Staff-Parish Relations 2018 2019 2020 Bobbie Burnworth Mindy Snider Clyde Boring Jane Bope Rod Spohn Dave Love Randy Painter Mike VanSickle (Jenny Clark) Trustees Ben Burnworth John Bope Kevin Snider Jason Conrad Jeff Emmert Susie Turner Lay Ministries Judi Shaeffer Suzanne Barnhart Shirley Boring Kay Neff Pete VanSickle Paige Kimberlain Mark Walser Missional Outreach Outreach Travis Shaeffer, Randy Painter, Dave Love, Greg & Deb Strohl, Big Brothers/Sisters, Katherine Reichley, Bill VanSickle Missions Bobbie Burnworth, Phyllis Spohn, Jeannette Snider, Teri Painter, Ann Johnson, Kay Neff, Bev Skeens, Jennie VanSickle Somerset United Methodist Church 137-171 East Main Street Somerset, Ohio 43783 Phone: 740/743-1029 Sunday School 9:00; Worship 8 & 10 The Messenger January 2018 Return Service Requested -15- -16-
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