The Joint Journal February 2019 T h e C o l l a b o r a t i v e J o i n t C h u r c h e s o f Gordon United Methodist St. Matthew Lutheran Grace United Methodist 311 East Street, Gordon 6825 State Route 772, Ithaca 750 Otterbein-Ithaca Road, Ithaca www.gordonumc.com www.smlc-ithaca.com grace.um.ithaca@outlook.com 884-5129 884-7006 678-9062 Worship Worship Worship Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Sunday 8:45 a.m. Sunday 9:30 a.m. 5:30 Meal 7:00 bible study Sunday School 10:45 am Lead Pastor Travis F. Qualls travis@gordonumc.com 937-621-7897 Associate Pastor: Rev. Marla Elifritz Brown revmarlaebrown@gmail.com (937) 776-9348 St. Matthew Gordon Grace Living Between Two Gardens (Marla) Hebrews 2:14-18 Feb. 3 Jan. 30 Jan. 27 The Birthplace of Disappointment (Travis) Genesis 3:1-7 Jan. 27 Jan. 23 Feb. 3 The Four Steps of Restoration (Marla) Psalm 51:1-13 Feb. 17 Feb. 13 Feb. 10 Problems Placed on Us and Within (Travis) Exodus 12:12-13, 21-23 Feb. 10 Feb. 6 Feb. 17 Kingdom Minded, Eternally Focused (Marla) James 1:2-4 March 3 Feb. 27 Feb. 24 When the Enemy Comes Against Us (Travis) Matthew 4:1-11 Feb. 24 Feb. 20 March 3 NEW THIS MONTH THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH AT GRACE WILL BE YOUTH-LED SUNDAY
P a g e 2 From the Pastor Greetings Friends, Recently I attended a United Methodist Church history class at United Theological Seminary in Trotwood. Now hold on Lutherans, don t check out yet, this applies just as much to you as it does the Methodists because the concerns of the Church effect everyone. While I am not going to go into details about the particulars of Church history, what I would like to raise up are the common attributes that were associated with the movements of revival that led to the formation of both the Lutheran and Methodist Denominations. Whether it was Martin Luther s posting of the 95 theses in 1517 or John Wesley s formation of the Holy Club in 1729, the call to holiness, full surrender to the authority of Jesus Christ, the embrace of the work of the Holy Spirit, and concern for others above self have been at the foundation of every major move of God since the Day of Pentecost. As I have reflected on these attributes and the current state of the church today, I believe I understand why the cries for revival in the American Church are largely going unanswered and it is because many of these foundations are either missing or have been subdued by noise in the place of action. Looking around at the church today, we see an institution that has become more like the world around it and less like the church that Jesus intended. We find ourselves offering worldly programming, ever-growing creature comforts, and the promotion of getting to Heaven as our only goal. We have formulized our faith and allowed religion to usher out the wildly passionate movements of God that inspired the Church s inception in the first place. It is no secret that the church in America is declining rather than growing, and the time to refocus is long past. We have lost our way. So, the question is what is the first step? Isaiah 58 was written to an Israelite people who had lost their way and suffered their own decline and disruption. When reading this passage there are some undeniable similarities playing out in the American Church today. I encourage you to go and read this passage in its entirety this week, but in summary this prophetic word found in Isaiah is a call to authenticate our position as not only a Church that acts, but the Church that understands we are here for a purpose that extends outside of our own existence and pleasure. Within this call is a personal invitation to each one of us to rid our lives of the temporary things of the world and to take up the cause of Christ within our own homes and lives. Now is the time. So, let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Blessings, Travis
P a g e 3 FEBRUARY CALENDAR 3 8:15 a.m. St. Matthew Choir Practice 8:45 a.m. St. Matthew worship with Holy Communion 9:30 a.m. Grace worship 4 6:30 p.m. Boy Scouts at Grace UMC 6 5:30 p.m. EIEIO worship at Gordon 7 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts at Grace 9 8:30 a.m. Joint Council Meeting at Gordon 10 8:15 a.m. St. Matthew Choir Practice 8:45 a.m. St. Matthew worship 9:30 a.m. Grace worship 5:00 p.m. Oyster Supper at St. Matthew 11 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting at Grace 6:30 p.m. Boy Scouts at Grace UMC 12 6:30 p.m. Joyful Jets at Grace UMC 13 5:30 p.m. EIEIO worship at Gordon 14 9:00 a.m. Partnership Thirsty Thursday Prayer Meeting at Grace UMC 6:30 p.m. Round Table at Grace UMC 16 9:00 a.m. Joint Men s Brotherhood at Huston s 17 8:15 a.m. St. Matthew Choir Practice 8:45 a.m. St. Matthew worship 9:30 a.m. Grace worship (Youth Led Service) 18 6:30 p.m. Boy Scouts at Grace UMC 20 5:30 p.m. EIEIO Worship at Gordon 21 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts at Grace March Newsletter articles due 24 8:15 a.m. St. Matthew Choir Practice 8:45 a.m. St. Matthew worship 9:30 a.m. Grace worship 25 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting at Grace 6:30 p.m. Boy Scouts at Grace UMC 27 5:30 p.m. EIEIO worship at Gordon 28 9:00 a.m. Partnership Thirsty Thursday Prayer Meeting at Grace UMC
P a g e 4 GORDON UMC NEWS One Ministry Castine Food Bank ONE person can make all the difference in the world for ONE other person. The idea is simple: ONE person. ONE item. ONE life made better. This ministry invites every person to get involved. Here's how it works. We designate one shopping item for every month of the year to help fill the shelves of the Castine Food Bank. Please prayerfully consider giving to this ministry each month. Our February item Chili Ingredients 2019 Administrative Council Council Chair Emily Harrison SPPRC Chair Peggy Foureman Trustee Chair Aaron Whittaker Recording Secretary Emily Harrison Membership Secretary Peggy Foureman Treasurer Julie Neitzelt Finance Chair Vicki Gilbert Financial Secretary Shannon McCullough Children s Ministry Co-Chairs: Kathy Brown & Jessica Qualls FEBRUARY EIEIO MEAL SCHEDULE Below is a list of who will be providing our Wednesday night meals. If you have questions or comments, or would like to be included in a team for the next rotation, please see Peggy Foureman 884-7470 or dpfour@aol.com February 6 February 13 February 20 February 27 Gordon Team #3 Grace Team #3 St. Matthew Team #3 Gordon Team #1 Gordon Administrative Assistant: Shannon McCullough e-mail: gordonumc@gordonumc.com Church Phone: 937-884-5129 Home Phone: 937-884-7006
P a g e 5 ST. MATTHEW NEWS February Worship Assistants Greeters: Mickie Ary & Pam Yeomans Bread Baker: Donna Miller Lectors Acolyte Children s Sermon 3 Anita Schneider Alysson Pahl Chris Stump 10 Sherry Marten Josie McCullough Kathy Brown 17 Mickie Ary Karr Stump Pastor Marla 24 Julia McCullough Hailey Pahl Pastor Travis It began with a simple prayer Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are with- TWO TEAMS TWO SIDES TWO SOUP POTS..TWO CHARITIES!! Who are you rooting for to win the Super Bowl this year? The Los Angeles Rams OR The New England Patriots EIEIO Meals GRCC On February 3th, wear your team s colors to church and donate to the charity designated for that team. Which team will win? *One collection will go to help the GRCC FOOD BANK, the other will help with our Partnership EIEIO Meals. These special offerings are part of an annual national effort among church youth. Please consider giving generously to the charity of your choice.
P a g e 6 ST. MATTHEW NEWS Please consider a donation to one or more of the following projects. Spaghetti Sauce for our Castine Food Bank One item Soup-er Bowl Donation February 3 to EIEIO or GRCC Personal Care kits for Lutheran World Relief (see list below) Partnership E-I-E-I-O Service Restroom Project As long as our handicapped restroom is still a possibility, we would like to continue to allow this fund to grow. Personal Care Kits for Lutheran World Relief. Each kit is to contain: One light-weight bath-sized towel (between 20 X 40 & 52 x 27, dark color recommended bath-size bar (4 to 5 oz.) of soap, any brand, in its original wrapping (2 per kit) One adult-size toothbrush in its original packaging One sturdy comb, remove packaging Metal nail clippers (file optional) We are especially in need of wide tooth combs!! St. Matthew Administrative Assistant: Shannon McCullough e-mail: skmcullough@earthlink.net Cell: 937-884-7006
P a g e 7 GRACE NEWS GRCC NEWS Grace served 21 families. 5 packets of mashed potatoes were given. SERVICE PERSONNEL Altar Flowers 03-Ken & Nancy Baker 10-17- 24- Front Door Greeters 03-Marilyn & John Hosbrook 10-17-Linda Feitshans 24- Greeters 03-Wayne & Vickie Edmonds 10-17- 24- Kitchen Contacts January, Mach, May, July, September, November: Kate Longenecker: 947-1786 or 621-0182 THANK YOU Thank you so much for the prayers, cards and visits. This is such a caring church. I hope to be back soon, Love, Charlotte Mitchell February, April, June, August, October, December: Bonnie Feitshans: 947-1948 or 417-1050 Readers: 03-Ron Hoover 10-Pat Baker 17-Charlotte Mitchell 24-Jim Longenecker Sunday Refreshments 03-Heather Medve, Charlotte Laughman 10-Ron & Pam Hoover, Wendy & Doug Thompson 17Anita Myers, Angie Baker 24-Linda Feitshans, Kim Worship Center PH: 937-678-9062 grace.um.ithaca@ outlook.com Administrative Assistant: Nancy L. Baker Kimmel, Kelly Fourman Sunday School Teachers 03.Kelly Foureman 10-17-Kathy Brown 24- PRODUCT OF THE MONTH- GRCC USHERS USHERS ARE NEEDED FOR 2019.SIGN-UP SHEETS ARE IN THE NARTHEX Worship Center PH: 937-678-9062 grace.um.ithaca@ outlook.com Administrative Assistant: Nancy L. Baker
Page 8 The Joint Journal PARTNERSHIP / COMMUNITY NEWS Make plans now, to bring your friends and family (and a covered dish, or two) for our awesome annual oyster Supper at St. Matthew on Sunday evening, February 10, serving from 5-8 p.m.. Join us for an evening of great food and shell oship! We will have a free-will offering basket available to help offset the cost of the oysters. And remember, there are plenty of other dishes, too...so, there s plenty to eat, even if you don t like oysters. (All oyster fryers are to be at the church by 2 p.m.) Men s Brotherhood meetings continue to be the 3rd Saturday of the month. We meet at Huston s Restaurant in Arcanum at 9 a.m. All men are welcome to join us. Are you thirsty? Are you thirsty for the living God? Are you thirsty to meet with God? Partnership-wide Thirsty Thursday hour of prayer continues. This month s meetings are Thursday, January 10 and Thursday, January 24 both at 9:00 a.m. at Grace UMC.
P a g e 9 PARTNERSHIP / COMMUNITY NEWS Mission Trip Donations Needed Carla Detling, from Gordon UMC will be headed to Israel in October 2-13 for a mission trip with EUM church. The ministry group they are helping serves meals to 20,000 people per month. Monetary donations are needed to make this trip possible. Carla is in need of $3,000 for her flight, room and meals. Donations can be sent to: EUM Church, 111 Devor Street, Greenville, OH 45331 (Please add Carla s name to your check) All donations are tax deductible. Carla thanks you for your consideration! And would like to share the following bible verses that came to mind as she contemplated this trip.. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. Gordon 13-Ray Rayburg 14-Katlyn Rayburg 15-Helen Neitzelt 16-Peggy Matheny 20-Marilyn Dearth 22-Edson Wiest 26-Peggy Foureman Grace 02- Ken & Nancy Baker 04-Sue Frame 05-Roger Niswonger 06-Nancy Niswonger 07-John Hosbrook 07-Karen Hosler 11-Ken Baker 11-Logan Medve 20-Anita Myers 25-Bonnie Millard 25-Jason Rhodehamel St. Matthew 07 Sharon Rismiller 17 Megan Daggett 19 Kevin McCullough 25 Deb Taylor Mary Hofacker 27 Mickie Ary
P a g e 10 St. Matthew Bill Mahaffy Zane Rhodehamel David Pike Eldean & Phyllis Lambert Jessica Qualls Chris Michael Virginia Phillips Neil Stump Ralph Whittaker Jessica Pahl Denny Cool Gail McGuire and family The Wolf family Don Schneider Ted Scheiding Jim Bruner Becky Fitzpatrick Randy Brown Karen Kain and Wisconsin Synod Jackson Merrill Wright State teachers, staff & students Jerry Schaffner Yvonne Kirk Frank & Mary Flint Mary Ann & Lawson Nichol Madison Family of Mark Baker Family of Myrna Lou Warner Family of Trevor Huber For St. Matthew Prayer Chain, please contact Rhonda Kress at 417-7412 or email rhonda.j.kress@gmail.com Grace Alissa Archer Mark Baker family Marsha Branham Mike Branham Landon Brehm Jane Brown Bruce Cain Denny Cool famiy Chris Cross Jason Daughtery Jack Davis family Glenn Eley Tom Feitshans Garry Fourman Jim Gilbert Bettie Hendl Carolyn Henry Dean & Phyllis Lambert Kirby Linder Don Magee Larry Maxwell Tammy McAlpin Charlotte Mitchell Navee Eileen Morris Dakota Nelson Shelia Netzley Margie Nolte Becky Oliver Jessica Qualls Zane Rhodehamel Louise & Robert Riffell Tyler Roberts Shari Rottman Colbert Shellenberger Colton Shellenberger Annette Sheppard John Sipe Kier Smith Zac Smith Aiden Snyder Doris Tielbur Carrol Thompson IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TRAVEL MERCIES FOR ALL FAMILIES & FRIENDS Tim Ullery Unspoken Prayer Requests Talon Whetstone OUR CHURCH, OUR CHILDREN, OUR COUNTRY, OUR PRESIDENT KNOWLEDGE & GUIDANCE
24 I Corinthians 25 II Chronicles 12 Revelation 21:7 6 II Corinthians 21 Deuteronomy 15 II Corinthians 22 Revelation 2:26 February 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 3 I Samuel 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive; 10 John 1:9 That was the true Light, which 17 Judges 6:23 And the LORD said unto him, 6:17 He that is joined unto the LORD 4 I Timothy 6:18 That they do good, that they 11 Romans 13:11 And that, knowing, the time, 18 Proverbs 2:10-11 When wisdom entereth into 6:14 O LORD God of Israel, there is 5 Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God He that overcometh shall 19 Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of 26 Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you 3:18 But we all, with open face 13 Isaiah 38:3 Remember now, O LORD, I 20 Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, 27 Isaiah 60:21 Thy people also shall be all 7 Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it 14 Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, 7:12 Wherefore it shall come to 28 Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh,... 1 II Timothy 1:14 That good thing which was 8 I Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in And he that overcometh, and 2 Hebrews 7:7 And without all contradiction 9 Psalm 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the 16 Luke 4:32 And they were astonished at 23 I Timothy 4:13 Till I come give attendance to
St. Matthew Lutheran Church Ithaca 7820 State Route 722 Arcanum, OH 45304 Dated Material Church Address 6825 St. Route 722 Ithaca, OH 45304 Office Address: 7820 State Route 722, Arcanum Office Phone/Fax: 937-884-7006 W h e e l c h a i r a c c e s s i b l e + E l e v a t o r o n p r e m i s e s + H o l y C o m m u n i o n c e l e b r a t e d - 1 s t S u n d a y o f e v e r y m o n t h a n d m a j o r c h u r c h f e s t i v a l s Sunday Worship services: 9 am Traditional worship 10 am Coffee Break (food & fellowship)