MARCH / APRIL / MAY 2018 Union Park Baptist Church Love God Love People Serve Others 821 Arthur Ave., Des Moines, IA 50316 (515)265-5258 office@upbcdesmoines.com upbcdesmoines.com S T AF F : Wes Foster Team Pastor PastorWes@upbcdesmoines.com Ryan McDonald Team Pastor PastorRyan@upbcdesmoines.com Wendy Highsmith Youth Pastor WendyHighsmith@gmail.com Ashley Zinnel Director of Wee Care WeeCare@upbcdesmoines.com Callie Hayworth Administrative Assistant office@upbdesmoines.com WORDS FROM WES [Wes] As I get older, it s becoming harder and harder to change. Unless I like the change. I think most people are in the same boat. If it ain t broke, don t mess with it unless you can make it better without making me uncomfortable while the changes are made. We have been preaching a series on being Sent. It s based on the assumption that our churches have been made to cater to consumers rather than set up to disciple Christians to make other disciples. We have leaders and staff whose purpose is to keep the people of our congregations happy and satisfied rather than teaching, preaching and equipping our congregations to go and make disciples. This is a big change in the way church has been done for many years. When I initially heard this idea, I went into feet-dragging mode. My first argument was, what s wrong with the church meeting the needs of people? What s wrong with music that makes me feel, sermons that move me to tears, laughter and aren t boring? What s wrong with focusing on church growth and financial stability? Why do we need to change the way we do church? That was my initial reaction. Why do we (I) need to change? I m sure that many people have felt this same way. But I stuck with it and explored the scriptures to seek the truth of what was being said. And as much as I dislike change, I ve come to realize that if we are going to be the church God has sent us to be we HAVE to change. Over the next three months, I challenge you to look at yourself and ask yourself, do I attend church to get my needs met? Do I ask the church to meet needs for my family? Or, do I attend to grow so God can use me more and more? Do I focus on how many people I can keep happy, or do I focus on helping them grow so God can use them more? Do you want to change to be all that Jesus saved you to be or are you comfortable where you are? UPBC Annual Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, March 31, starting at 11 AM For ages infant through 5 th grade. Please bring a basket or a bag for your children to collect their eggs in.
Calendar Highlights ***Please see the full calendar at www.upbcdesmoines.com for more dates and information. MARCH 1 st - Board of Overseers Meeting Conference Room, 6:30 PM 4 th - Mayaguana Mission Trip Meeting, Grace Church, 6:00 PM 16-17 th - Craft Weekend Fellowship Hall, Friday 6-10 PM Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM 17 th - Women of Courage Room 201, 10-11:30 AM 24 th - Church Work Day 8:00 AM 31 st - Easter Egg Hunt 11:00 AM APRIL 1 st - Happy Easter! No Sunday School. 5 th - Board of Overseers Meeting Conference Room, 6:30 PM 8 th - Budget and Election Meeting 12:00 PM 14 th - Women of Courage Room 201, 10-11:30 AM 20-21 st - Craft Weekend Fellowship Hall, Friday 6-10 PM Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM MAY 3 rd - Board of Overseers Meeting Conference Room, 6:30 PM 6 th - Budget and Election Meeting Fellowship Hall, 12:00 PM 12 th - Women of Courage Room 201, 10-11:30 AM STEPPING STONES [Cheri] Just 8 weeks left for this year of Stepping Stones! We have a couple of special fun nights planned. Movie/Pajama Night and Skate Night are coming up soon and then we will end another great year with Celebration Night on April 25 th. Adults: If you would like to volunteer for the Celebration Night, please contact me at 515-729-1222 or by email at cheri.bloyer@gmail.com. Date Lesson Craft/Game 3/7/18 Movie Night! Wear your pajamas! 3/14/18 Spring Break No Stepping Stones 3/21/18 Praying for Others Game Night 3/28/18 Easter (Luke 24:1-12) Craft Night 4/4/18 Skate Night at Skate North 4/11/18 Heaven and Hell (Luke 16:19-31) Game Night 4/18/18 The Return of Jesus (Matthew 25:1-13) Craft Night 4/25/18 Celebration Night
SOLID ROCK [Wendy] WEDNESDAY NIGHTS - BRING YOUR FRIENDS! For students in 6 th -12 th grade. 5 th graders can start coming to Solid Rock beginning May 2! 6-6:30 & 8-8:30 Hang-out (Solid Rock Cafe & Game rooms open) 6:30-8:00 Meeting time March 14: NO SOLID ROCK Upcoming topics: Evil, Identity, John 3:30 Movement: He Must Increase, I Must Decrease CUTTING EDGE (Grades 8-12) Continues to meet on selected Sunday nights, 4:15-7:15. Stay tuned for dates. 30 HOUR FAMINE. Our 30 Hour Famine will be April 6-7. We are partnering with World Vision to raise money for the hungry around the world. We will be serving with local ministries during the event and participating in hunger awareness activities. If you would like to support this mission, please see Wendy. Students, sign up in the Youth Room. GRADUATE RECOGNITION SUNDAY is MAY 20! If you are graduating from high school, college, earning a degree, certificate, military achievement, etc. (in the past year or will by this May), let Wendy or the church office know by April 15. SERVE 2018 Our SERVE 2018 mission team is once again teaming up with LeaderTreks and will be going to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana and partnering with local ministries to aid in their effort to serve the local community. The team: Yory McGowan, Cassie Corley, Bethany Ramsey, Mackenzie Moses, Jaclyn Foster, Ryleigh Hayworth, Skyler Dirksen, Ronnie Lea, Magda McGowan, Christian Ramsey, Quincy Foster, Brayden Hayworth. Staff: Dave & Wendy Highsmith Fundraisers: Thanks for supporting the students that opted to sell popcorn to help offset their individual cost. (See picture) Join us at HuHot Mongolian Grill on Monday, April 9 between 5-8. The students will be working shifts and our team will receive all tips from the evening and 10% of your order. The Serve team will be hosting the meal on Sunday, May 6th before the church s annual meeting. Your contributions will support our fund-raising efforts. If you would like to be a prayer partner for a student or staff, let Wendy know. Prayer partners commit to praying and contributing $50. If you have some jobs for the students to do and are willing to pay them so they can earn money for their individual balances, let Wendy know. Team: Clean-up at Wells Fargo, Saturday, April 14th
Dear Union Park Baptist Church Congregation, Tonight, 57 children will go to sleep knowing they are safe under YESS roof thanks to you. Your thoughtful gift of $1,990 directly impacts the infants, children and teens who find a safe haven at YESS every day, filling their lives with improved health, hope and happiness. Childhood trauma in our community is frequent, and intensifying, but your gift helps kids when they need it most. We are grateful you see the importance of YESS mission and continue to help continue to help us provide safety, comfort and care to thousands of kids in our community. If anyone in your congregation would like to see your gift in action, send a note to mckendreem@yessiowa.org or call 515-282-9377 to schedule a tour of our one-of-a-kind organization. On behalf of every child whose life was changed because of your community spirit, we thank you for thinking of us for your holiday giving and allowing us to share how we keep kids safe all day, every day. With thanks, Macy McKendree Development Coordinator All Church Work Day Saturday, March 24, starting at 8:00 AM Come help us get the property cleaned up and a few other projects done around the church. Let the office know if you can be here to help! Giving God the Glory! It was truly a special blessing for the Mission Team to be able to host the Hope for Life Children s Village Fundraising Dinner. The Holy Spirit guided our plans throughout the process and I am very proud of how our Team came together and the effort that was put forth. Our special guest was Scott Borg who shared a presentation regarding the work being done with the Children s Village. Donations and pledges received from this event totaled $5,174.70. Truly Amazing! Thank You, Union Park, for your generosity, and for your love and concern for the children in Swaziland. Easter Special Offering The Board of Overseers voted to designate the Easter Special Offering to Habitat for Humanity. They are doing great things in the Union Park neighborhood with their home building program and with Rock the Block, a home improvement program. Craft Weekends March 16-17, April 20-21 Friday from 6-11 & Saturday from 9-4. Please bring a dish to share for lunch on Saturday. Snacks are also welcome. All crafts are welcome. This is a great time to fellowship while working on unfinished projects. Please let us know if you plan to participate so that we set up enough tables for everyone. There will be a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board, or you can email the office. Note: We will not be meeting in May, due to graduation/grad party season!
Pine Lake Camp PLC continues to be a very effective ministry providing kids, young adults, adults and families an opportunity to grow in their faith while having a blast! In the last few months, we have had 5 different retreats: The Solid Rock Growth Retreat in Dec; SH Winter Retreat & Juniors Winter Retreat in Jan; JH Winter Retreat & the Youth Staff retreat in Feb. Below are some pictures! Consider supporting this ministry by: Praying! Sending your son/daughter to retreats and camps. Contributing financially to the Camp Scholarship fund to make it affordable for kids to attend. SH Winter Retreat Staff: Wendy Highsmith THEME FOR WINTER RETREATS: I Am Wanted! Luke 15:11-32 Youth Staff Retreat Juniors Retreat Staff: Michelle Brown Junior High Retreat Staff: Melanie Behrendsen
CAMP CORNER SUMMER YOUTH CAMPS 2017 PINE LAKE CAMP, ELDORA, IA GENERAL INFORMATION Sign up by May 1st with a $50 deposit. ALL CAMP FEES DUE 2 WEEKS BEFORE RESPECTIVE CAMPS There is a $150 subsidy/scholarship for all REGULAR attendees of Stepping Stones, Solid Rock or Sunday School and an additional camp discount of $30 if registered by May 1st. Additional discount for Primary Camp because of Camp Share program. If a deposit is not made by May 1, there will be no scholarship/discounts granted. If you are not able to pay the subsidized fee of $103 for Primary Camp and $155 for all other camps and need additional scholarships, contact Jan Houser or Wendy Highsmith. Do not send your fees to camp. Union Park Baptist Church participates in the Time Share program. Please make checks payable to Union Park Baptist Church and leave in the camp box in the office, or give to Jan or Wendy. NOTE: Store funds and cabin photo fees should be paid to camp, not UPBC. REGISTRATION Two options: 1. Complete a registration form & return it to Jan Houser or Wendy Highsmith along with your payment. You can find the brochure in the church office, the youth room, on the table outside the sanctuary or online @ www.pinelakecamps.org 2. Register online @ www.pinelakecamps.org. See attached for online registration instructions or go here: http://pinelakecamps.org/_uploads/_file_uploads/_source/2018_online_registration_instructions. pdf We are a time share church and our code is PARK18. Date Camp Grade Completed Price before May 1* After May 1 June 10-15 Juniors 1 Grades 3, 4, 5 $335-$150-$30=$155 $335 June 17-22 Teens Grades 6, 7, 8 $335-$150-$30=$155 $335 June 24-29 High Teens Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 $335-$150-$30=$155 $335 July 1-6 Juniors 2 Grades 3, 4, 5 $335-$150-$30=$155 $335 July 8-13 Young Teens Grades 5, 6, 7 $335-$150-$30=$155 $335 July 15-18 Primary Grades 1, 2 $235-$80-$52=$103 $235 *$75 church subsidy, $75 camp scholarship, $30 camp discount available for all REGULAR attendees of Stepping Stones, Solid Rock or Sunday School and if paid by May 1. DURING CAMP You can see what your campers are doing, view pictures and send them a message! On the website click on Summer Camp & What's My Child Doing? Questions? Contact Jan Houser, 515-490-9678; Wendy Highsmith, 515-975-6971