What s In It For Me?

LOVE GOD LEARN LIVE! JULY 2014 Redlands United Methodist Worship Every Sunday at 9:00 am & 11:00 am What s In It For Me? July 6 Seeds, Weeds & Yeast July 27 Treasure & Pearls July 13 Grace in the Kingdom Aug. 3 You re Invited July 20 Where s that Boy? Aug. 10 Sheep and Goats

2 Redlands United Methodist Church Ministers All of Us Pastor Rev. Kerry A. McCormick E-mail: kerry@rumcgj.com Administrative Assistant Cheryl Holbeck E-mail: secretary@rumcgj.com Bookkeeper Karen Houlihan E-mail: accounting@rumcgj.com Sunday School Contact Person Nanette Graham Praise Team Leader Margaret Bestle Service Musician Laine Cross Redlands Ringers Director Tim Graus Sound Board Technicians Jodie & Deb Grein Isabel Klement Monument Preschool Director Kathan Hartle E-mail: preschool@rumcgj.com REDLANDS REPORTER Published each month, with the next deadline by Sunday, July 20, 2014. (UMW assembly date = Tuesday, July 29, 10:00 a.m. in Room 116.) Please submit your brief articles in these ways: *By e-mail if possible to: secretary@rumcgj.com(preferably as a Word document attachment) *By bringing article (typed if you can!) to the church office. Cheryl Holbeck Editor Color version of newsletter: go to www.rumcgj.com Our Church Family Our Prayers.When you can t be there, you can help through prayer. We pray for quick and complete recovery and a sense of God s comfort and presence. CONCERNS CHURCH FAMILY Nancy Emert; Lee Kisler; Shirley Pate; Billy Crawford; Kay Rolland; Josh Bestle (traveling mercies) FAMILY & FRIENDS Bill Crawford s mother, Joyce; Donna Gardner s mother, Shirley; Dave Armour s brother, Jeff; the William s son, Greg; the Booker s son-in-law, Don; cousins of Margaret Koestel, Laurence Hastings and Carol Strole; family members and friends of Jeris Young Jim Johnson, Mike Johnson, Claudia Alfred, Sharon Davis, Carter Johnson; Kathy Hillman s friend, Ken; Amy s request for Rev. Deanne Sharp; Pastor Kerry & Mike McCormick s neighbor, Pam; Alan Workman s request for Norma Hughes & family; Kathy Hillman s request for the folks in Colbran; father and family of Linda Cagle, Ann Carter s friend; UMW District Officer, Lynn Weaver (Montrose); friend of Ron & Barb Mack, Ed Nikstad; Scott s mother, friend of Michael King; Rick Howe s request for all who have lost loved ones in the past year; our country, veterans, the military, as we recognize our Independence Day. PRAYER TREE Do you have a Prayer Request? Email or call: Pat Henson, 858-4555, phenson @bresnan.net or the church office at 245-1478. DEATHS May 29 Peggy Cavin (prayers for husband, Tom); recently Ctormy Taylor, friend of Sean Hillman (Kathy s son); prayers for family and friends of: May 30 Bobbie, Kay Rolland s niece; Ed, June 13 Kathy Hillman s great-uncle; June 14 Connie, Doris Anderson s friend; client of Doris Anderson, Wes Hawkins, & Clancy and Danny (son) Nichols (Colbran mudslide); week of June 15 Catherine Welty s uncle CELEBRATIONS Nancy & Bill Emert 55 years of marriage; Steve & Karla Kitzman 20th anniversary; RUMC for timely discovery, diagnosis, repair, cleanup of the leaking sanctuary swamp cooler by Kathy Hillman, Chuck Simcox, Mike McCormick, Pastor Kerry, and Boy Scout Troop 353 before any major damage could take place; successful RUMC events-- 2014 VBS program, the 1st Annual RUMC Community Garden, and the 2 nd Annual Community Block Party in conjunction with the 40 th Anniversary of RUMC and the 21 st Anniversary of Monument Preschool huge thanks to all of the wonderful church volunteers who made these fun and spiritually enriching experiences for all! THANK YOU What a blessing RUMC has been during the rough waters these past weeks following Carl s passing. Many thanks to so many for the cards, calls, visits, food, flowers, donations, and prayers of loving support. You are a beloved church family and I pray God s abundant blessings be with you. Eileen Lepisto To all of you who helped us with packing, boxes, loading and hauling many, many thanks. You have blessed us with your generosity and kindness at a time when we were overwhelmed by the situation. Again, our heartfelt gratitude for all you have done. Laurie & Caitlin Reiser

News & Views From Our Pastor ALONG THE JOURNEY I follow a couple of ministry blogs. I wanted to share with the congregation this article by Matt Rosine on Ministry Matters, originally posted on August 13, 2012: During the worship service, can someone with a monotone voice speak (at length) about all the insider church happenings and people's private health matters? I find this so inspiring. 9 Questions Church Visitors Aren't Asking (...but churches are still trying to answer) So how soon can I get involved with your committees? Can I get a longer bulletin maybe something with more detail? Will you please single me out as a visitor in front of all the people during the greeting part of worship this morning? And will you please make me hold hands with people I don t know so I have an artificial sense of community at the end of worship? Will you please send some "callers" by my house later and interrupt me while I fix dinner? Can you please seat us in those uncomfortable pews with our fidgety kids and aging parents? A special shout out to the new folks down front Great to have you! We love you! (You re in my family s seat!) Hope you keep coming! How quickly can I fill out a pledge card? Does this church have weekly meetings, rehearsals and other activities that will consume most of our family's free time? As our future unfolds (What will our next 40 years look like?), perhaps you are noticing some changes: some new things have begun, some familiar things don t happen anymore. The Prayer Concerns Board has gotten a face -lift and folks are interacting with it in different ways. You can share your celebrations and prayer concerns yourself! Use magnets for news clippings or just write (dry erase pens only, please) on the white board. I ve had some questions about worship lately I d like to address here. Worship is designed to reflect the theme of the sermon series, which changes every 4-8 weeks depending on the length of the series. If it s not obvious, I am not a lectionary preacher that is, I don t stick to the Scripture assigned to each Sunday from the Revised Common Lectionary. I don t precisely follow the seasons of the church year. Advent to Christmas and Lent to Easter are significant exceptions, when I do follow the lectionary texts, mostly to help newcomers know the scripture stories we are trying to tell. Otherwise, I preach from current books (usually I look for works published in the last 4 years) with significant ties to Scripture that might help us to address our spiritual needs, to move forward as a faith community. Sometimes that means worship has familiar elements. Sometimes worship is deliberately designed to shake us up and take us away from our comfort zones. Worship is for God, first and foremost. It is designed to bring us into God s presence and help us acknowledge and learn from God for our daily lives (what I call Active Daily Discipleship). So, it is for us, second. Worship needs to be invitational for those 3 (continued on page 4)

4 In & About Our Church (continued from page 3) who have not established a relationship with God. Our worship needs to appeal to folks who are (frankly) not here yet, as much as it needs to touch the hearts and minds of those who are connected to God (first) and then to one another. It should go without saying that worship must feel welcoming and appropriate for new,younger, unchurched people, and especially their children, if we want the church to grow. We shouldn t have to say it, but we do need to say it. Imagine walking into Redlands UMC for worship for the very first time. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has never stepped foot inside a church before, but a crisis in your life has brought you here. If you were an outsider, completely unfamiliar with any kind of church, how would it feel and sound to you? If you knew no one, how welcome or comfortable would you feel before, during, and after worship? Could you find restrooms without asking? Would you feel comfortable putting your child(ren) in the nursery? How would your children or grandchildren respond to these same questions? Try to really think of this scenario from beyond your familiarity with Redlands UMC. Think about the worship hour you attend regularly. As we recollect throughout July and August some of Jesus familiar parables, consider the theme, What s In It for Me? Is this the question you ask when it comes to worship? Or faith? Or giving? Or discipleship? You ll have to decide for yourself if it s the right question. It s up to you to work out the answers, too. As you look through the list of 9 questions churches are still trying answer, but new people are not asking, how many of these resonate with what you currently experience during worship? How many ring true when you put yourself in the shoes of a stranger or an outsider? Maybe it s time for some rethinking of what worship can be if we want to see growth at either hour. Reshaping worship, creating change, rethinking church can be uncomfortable, but I would ask you to think about the goal are we sharing God s love with neighbors and friends who have not yet developed a relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Can we do this while we feed our own souls? Is there room for both? Whatever your summer plans include, don t forget Redlands UMC needs the consistent support of your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. We cannot be the body of Christ without you! I hope you ll find meaningful ways to connect and grow with your church family in the weeks ahead. Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Kerry Lord ~ You Complete Me by Deborah Ann Belka Lord ~ You complete me, You make my life whole You protect and keep me and preserve my very soul. You fill me with Your love, and equip me each new day You give me the power to stay on the narrow way. Lord ~ You complete me, You make my life anew You give me Your peace and my mind You renew. You fill me with Your mercy, and cover me in Your grace You are the future hope that my faith can embrace. Lord ~ You complete me, You make my heart sing You provide me comfort in the shadow of Your wing. You fill me up with joy, You make my life complete and every day I turn to You for You're my soul's retreat!

We Worship Together Worship Every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. WHAT S IN IT FOR ME? July 6 Seeds, Weeds & Yeast Matthew 13:24-34 (Holy Communion/ Joining Day) July 13 Grace in the Kingdom Luke 7:36-50 July 20 Where s that Boy? Luke 15:11-32 July 29 Treasure and Pearls Matthew 13:44-46 Aug. 3 You re Invited Matthew 22:1-14 Aug. 10 Sheep and Goats Matthew 25:31-46 JULY WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS 9:00 a.m. COMMUNION STEWARDS July 6: Jan & Jerry Cortez Doris Anderson Margaret Koestel 11:00 a.m. July 6: Candy & Tim Graus Jeris Young Mike McCormick 9:00 a.m. GREETERS July 6: Jan & Jerry Cortez July 13: Dave & Sharon Gartner July 20: Betty & Laverne Etter July 27: Steve Kitzman Patty Halligan 11:00 a.m. GREETERS July 6: Marj Richardson July 13: Mary Jo Humphrey July 20: Charlotte Reicks July 27: Jeris Young 9:00 a.m. WELCOME BOOTH July 6: Karla Kitzman July 13: Dave Armour July 20: Doris Anderson July 27: Karla Kitzman 11:00 a.m. WELCOME BOOTH July 6: Ruth Trowbridge July 13: Dave Mattson July 20: Kay Pietro July 27: Mary Jo Humphrey 9:00 a.m. USHERS July 6: Patty Halligan Vera Wagner July 13: Dave & Sharon Gartner July 20: Doris Anderson Margaret Koestel July 27: Steve & Karla Kitzman 11:00 a.m. USHERS July 6: Kay Pietro July 13: Bob Spencer July 20: Bernita Dove July 27: Charlotte Reicks 11:00 a.m. LITURGISTS July 6: Marj Richardson July 13: Tim Graus July 20: Lois Bogart July 27: Mike McCormick 10:00-11:00 a.m.-hospitality July 6: Jeris Young Mary Jo Humphrey July 13: Ruth Trowbridge Marion Bestle July 20: Phyllis Dickerson Bernita Dove July 27: Doris Anderson Karen Hutchison Please volunteer; at least 2 adults are needed per service. 9:00 a.m. NURSERY July 6: Randy Bestle, 1 Adult Volunteer Needed July 13: Randy Bestle, 1 Adult Volunteer Needed July 20: Mike McCormick, Randy Bestle July 27: Mike McCormick, Randy Bestle 11:00 a.m. NURSERY July 6: Doris Anderson, Dave Mattson July 13: 2 Adult Volunteers Needed July 20: Karla Kitzman, 1 Adult Volunteer Needed July 27: Julianne Yake; 1 Adult Volunteer Needed (helper) Teagan Yake AUGUST/SEPTEMBER SUNDAY SERMON SERIES CONE ZONE: BUILDING OUR FAITH August 24 Red Flags Romans 3:1-24 August 31 U-Turns Allowed Joel 2:12-13 Sept. 7 Construction Ahead James 4:8-10 (Holy Communion/ Joining Day) Sept. 14 Paving a New Way Matthew 5:23-24 Sept. 21 Caution: Wet Paint Romans 12:1-3 Sept. 28 Stay Alert, Stay Alive Galatians 6:1-2 5

Love God Learn Live! Redlands United Methodist Church 527 Village Way Grand Junction, CO 81507 Phone: 970-245-1478 Fax: 970-254-9848 www.rumcgj.com SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:00 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Traditional Service * 9:30 am Adult Bible Study *10:10-10:55 am Coffee/ Fellowship *10:10-10:55 am Sunday School on summ *12:15 pm Adult Bible Study SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDN 1 10:00-11:30am UMW Newsletter Assembly 4:00 pm Sun. Bulletin deadline (early due to 4th of July) 4:45-6:00pm Music Therapy 2 10:00-11:00am A 6:00-7:00pm SP 6:00-8:00pm GV 6:00-10:00pm Sweet Adeline s 6 SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION & JOINING DAY (See Sun. Worship schedule at the top of the page) 7 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 1:30-3:00pm UMW Bible Study 6:15-8:45pm Boy Scouts #353 8 4:45-6:00pm Music Therapy 6:00-10:00pm Sweet Adeline s 9 10:00-11:00am A 1:00-3:00pm GV 4:00pm Sunday 6:00-7:00pm Tru 13 Mission Moment (See Sun. Worship schedule at the top of the page) 12:15-1:15pm Worship Ministry Team Meeting 14 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 1:30-3:00pm UMW Bible Study 6:15-8:45pm Boy Scouts #353 15 4:45-6:00pm Music Therapy 5:00pm RUMC Supper Club Project 6:00-10:00pm Sweet Adeline s 16 10:00-11:00am A 4:00pm Sunday 6:00-7:00pm Fin 6:30-9:30pm UMW Luau 6:00-8:00pm GV 20 Witness Moment (See Sun. Worship schedule at the top of the page) DEADLINE FOR NEXT MONTH S NEWSLETTER 21 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 6:15-8:45pm Boy Scouts #353 22 4:45-6:00pm Music Therapy 6:00-10:00pm Sweet Adeline s 23.10:00-11:00am 1:00-3:00pm GV 4:00pm Sunday 7:00-8:00pm Ch 27 (See Sun. Worship schedule at the top of the page) Noon-2:00pm Lunch Bunch 28 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 6:15-8:45pm Boy Scouts #353 29 10:00-11:30am UMW Newsletter Assembly 30.10:00-11:00am 4:00pm Sunday 4:45-6:00pm Music Therapy 6:00-10:00pm Sweet Adeline s 6

er hiatus JULY 2014 To schedule other events/meetings, please call the church office Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. For room assignments for scheduled events/meetings, please consult the calendar posted at the front door entryway of the church. ESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY gape Bugs R Ministry Mtg. WC 3 9:00am-11:00am TLC 10:55-11:55am Prayer Group 11:55am-12:55pm Adult Study Group 1:00pm Sunday Bulletin Assembly Volunteers (early due to 4th of July) 4 CHURCH CLOSED 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY 5 10 11 12 gape Bugs WC Bulletin deadline 10:55-11:55am Prayer Group 11:55am-12:55pm Adult Study Group 1:00pm Sunday Bulletin Assembly Volunteers stee Ministry Mtg. gape Bugs 17 10:55-11:55am Prayer Group 18 19 9:00am-Noon In Stitches Group Bulletin deadline ance Ministry Mtg 11:55am-12:55pm Adult Study Group 5:30-10:00pm Sweet Adeline Team Mg 1:00pm Sunday Bulletin Assembly Volunteers WC Agape Bugs 24 10:55-11:55am Prayer Group 25 26 WC Bulletin deadline 11:55am-12:55pm Adult Study Group 1:00pm Sunday Bulletin Assembly Volunteers urch Council Mtg. 31 Agape Bugs 10:55-11:55am Prayer Group Bulletin deadline 11:55am-12:55pm Adult Study Group 7

In & About Our Church RUMC S JUNE 2014 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL THE SHIP HAS SAILED Thanks to all for a successful voyage! 8 As you know, Vacation Bible School is a popular summer activity for Christians and non-christians alike. Each program has its own theme (medieval castles, water parks, the Old West, etc.) that children explore with games, snacks, crafts, skits, and, of course, Bible lessons. This year s theme was SonTreasure Island. There is always a connection between God and the VBS theme, allowing kids to discover God in a creative way. Over the years, churches, including RUMC, have used Vacation Bible School as a fun, low -pressure tool to teach children about God and Jesus. Many adults today can attest to the fact that VBS was where they first learned about Jesus Christ, resulting in their salvation. Vacation Bible School is a good way to reaffirm the commitment of God s people through the centuries: We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. (Psalm 78:4) A Huge Thank You to all who helped RUMC s 2014 Vacation Bible School happen by... Choosing curriculum, ordering supplies, and making decisions Donating supplies Decorating Donating preparing and serving food Herding children Leading games, crafts, stories, opening and closing times We had a wonderful time with 21 children and about that many adults and youth each day!

We Give Together HOMEWARD BOUND RUMC SUPPER CLUB July 15 2014 Music Ministry August 19- Trustees September 16- Staff Parish Relations October 21- Congregation November 18- Sunday School Teachers December 16- Congregation January 20 2015 TLC February 17- Missions March 17- Worship April 21- Youth Group May 19- Finance June 16- Church Council Info or help: Kathy Hillman at 210-3062, c.khillman@icloud.com Thanks to all food providers, cooks and servers! who tirelessly help to make Supper Club a month- after-month success! We couldn t do it without your many efforts! JULY & AUGUST COMMUNITY DONATION SUGGESTIONS Canned Goods Please place your donated items in the plastic bins in the wood bookshelf in the church Narthex entryway (at the front door). Thanks for your support UNDIE SUNDAYS IN JULY We think Sundays are for serving others. We are gathering supplies on the following Sundays in July to give away to those in need. You can help! Bring your donations on the following Sundays or drop them off anytime during our office hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm. July 6 new men s, women s or children s wool/warm socks or undies July 13 new or gently used twin sized sheet sets July 20 new school supplies July 27 new or gently used men s, women s or children s coats 9

In & About Our Church PROMISED LAND Part 2: Wandering in the Wilderness You ve heard the rumor: we are working on a vitality project. But what on earth does that mean? What are the signs of life that you would look for in a church? Take a pulse on your experience with Redlands UMC as of this moment. Go ahead and jot down a list. In this church or some other faith community you ve been part of or heard about, what have you most appreciated or admired? What has happened that has allowed you to feel connected here? As you make your Favorite Things list, be sure to think about where Redlands is located. What do you know about our neighbors, and what are the needs in our immediate area that we might address? By immediate area I mean the 10 square blocks surrounding the church property. Your Favorite Things list might contain some ideas that could lead to new ministries here maybe not exactly the same as they ve been done in other places because our context is unique for our situation. Additionally, I would invite you to make a list of occasions when you felt a church (Redlands or another) missed an opportunity to be in relationship with its members, friends, neighbors or its community. What would you (personally) have done differently? Please refrain from thinking, They should have Rather, I would encourage you to think instead, Next time, I will. myself. Finally, I would ask you to think about our current ministries. Are we being as effective as we can be? Are we taking risks or are we playing it safe? Are we creatively pushing ourselves for the sake of the gospel, or are we repeating past habits because they are familiar? Are we aligning with our mission statement to Love God, Learn and Live! and, as we move into a new chapter of our life together with God, is this the best description of who we are and what we re up to? 10 Between Egypt and the Promised Land, the Israelites were known to lift up their dissatisfaction to Moses and Aaron and cry out against them for their hunger and thirst. They wanted better organization, more stability, some new people, but the same songs. They wanted to go back to the predictability of Egypt even if it meant returning to slavery. During those 40 years, God faithfully provided for their every need: quail, manna, water, law, and structure for worship (the Tabernacle), and still the Israelites grumbled. We are not comfortable in the places inbetween. We prefer certainty to mystery. But let s shift our murmuring, our complaining toward energy to re-imagine ourselves as the people of God in new ways. Perhaps you ve heard me say, We are not where we re going to be. Between where we have been and where we are going, God knows our intentions, our hopes and aspirations to be vital and effective in our ministry efforts. A project that helps us revitalize our ministries acknowledges that in our past, we have gotten some things right, and we have missed some opportunities. It might also help us to assess our readiness to move into our future with intentions to not repeat the past, but build on it and then move forward in new, creative and effective ways with a greater clarity of our identity and purpose. Let s let our voices come together to speak praises and thanksgiving to our faithful God who will help us be fruitful in our ministries in the future. In the months ahead we will be asking for your input. The lists you create as you think about the questions above will be helpful as we imagine together the people of God known as Redlands UMC. You will have an opportunity to share your thoughts during our one-day Leadership Summit on Saturday, October 11 th from 8:30am 4:00pm. We hope you ll save the date. More details soon... Pastor Kerry

In & About Our Church NEWS FROM UNITED METHODIST WOMEN UMW s Schedule of Events for Remainder of 2014 Sunday, July 7 a school bus is located in the Missions area of the Fellowship Hall. This is a reminder to all of us, and our community visitors, that school supplies are being collected for Broadway and Scenic Elementary Schools. Since District 51 Schools begin on August 4, the collection time frame will be Sunday, July 7 through Sunday, July 27. The school bus will receive your donated materials. Sunday, July 13, 5:00 p.m. Don and Bernita Dove will be hosting a Luau at their home. Read more about the party in this issue of the Reporter. Sunday, August 3 through Sunday, August 31 The once-a-year fund-raising campaign for UMCOR. UMW will be asking everyone to monetarily support Health Kits that are desperately needed all over the world. This is a huge project of United Methodist Women International. Kids: start saving your pennies! One gift at a time is like grains of sand before you know it, you have a mountain. Saturday, September 13, 10:30 a.m. Regular meeting of UMW. All women are invited. More will be written about this as time approaches. Sunday, November 9 through December 14 The traditional Mitten Tree will be ready to receive mittens and other warm items for deserving children. Tuesday, November 11, 10:30 a.m. World Thank Offering which is observed by UMW everywhere. All women are encouraged to take part. Details will come later. THE FUTURE OF UMW Redlands United Methodist Women s Group has struggled for several years to maintain its level of mission involvement that is so dear to the hearts of its members. No one in UMW nor the church wants to see it happen, but Redlands UMW Group will become inactive at the end of the year. The Membership Charter with the International Organization will remain intact and when Redlands Church is bustling again, UMW will once again become a viable Group. A big Thank You is extended to RUMC members and constituents for support through the years. Without it, UMW could not have offered its measure of service to so many women, children, and youth. You are loved and appreciated! Many blessings, Pat Henson President, Redlands United Methodist Women SCHOOL BEGINS AGAIN ON MONDAY, AUGUST 4. Monument Preschool still has openings in our afternoon pre-kindergarten class. Please call Kathan Hartle at 245-1478 if you are interested. Monument Preschool Meet & Greet Ice Cream Social will be on Thursday, August 7 from 6:30-8:00pm. All are welcome! 11

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Grand Junction, CO Permit No. 10 SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:00 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Traditional Service * 9:30 am Adult Bible Study *10:10-10:55 am Sunday School on summer hiatus *10:10-10:55 am Coffee/ Fellowship *12:15 pm Adult Bible Study Independence Day Thanks be to God, our founders, our military, our veterans and their families. Happy 4th of July! Address Service Requested NOTE: The church office is closed on Mondays. Messages: 245-1478. Office hours: Tues. Fri., 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. RUMW LUAU SOCIAL JULY 13 It s time for Redlands United Methodist Women s social meeting of the year a funtime Hawaiian Luau Sunday, July 13, 5 p. m. at the home of Don and Bernita Dove, 508 23 Rd., Grand Junction. No business, just a fun time for members, spouses and guests, says Pat Henson, president. All women of the church are welcome to attend. Bernita will contact members about Hawaiian-themed dinner dishes to bring and she asks others interested in coming to contact her at 245-7135.