The Messenger A Publication of Mt. Blanchard United Methodist Church Mt. Blanchard, Ohio November 2009 Fall and harvest has traditionally been the time when people of faith are asked to discern and respond in faithful stewardship. Since the time of Cain and Abel, God followers have been summoned to bring their first fruits as an offering to God. Healthy stewardship is richly diverse; it is an act of worship, a living devotion, and a tangible partnership with a faithful and loving God. Faithful stewardship is the act and mark of an authentic trust in God. First fruits imply one s offering is given off the top, and of the best. First fruits stewardship is giving to God first, rather then at the end of our weekly or monthly expenditures. Faithful stewardship begins with an awareness that everything really does belong to God. God has simply entrusted us to faithfully manage the resources placed in our guardianship. We care for our needs and supply God s purposes. Faithful stewardship is the normal response of a grateful heart. As we nurture a personal closeness with God, one is blessed and thankfully responds in generosity. Through our good stewardship we are partners with God. Participating and supporting God s work in the church fosters a deeper sense of peace and personal rootedness. Our church leaders and Finance Committee are currently working on a ministry plan that reflects the projected costs for the coming year. It account s for many items like salaries & benefits, utilities, conference & district apportionments, equipment, supplies, materials and much, much more. But what is not visible in the numbers is our plan of reaching and enabling people to experience the grace and invitation of Christ for their lives. We are a great faith community who is ministering to children, youth and adults in vital ways. I believe our church budget reflects a God hope for our community and beyond. I look forward to fall and winter, and to 2010 as we progress and grow; we have birthed new children and youth ministries with Jessica s leadership. Worship Team and Broken Ground have introduced a monthly contemporary worship. The Out of Control Sunday school class is launching a new study this week. Holly is choosing material for a Children s-plus early Christmas Eve Service. The holy wok goes on; Karen and Christian Education are also beginning plans around a breakfast and short term adult group for Sunday mornings in advent. Social Concerns is gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, and diverse small group gatherings are providing fellowship and formational encouragement across the spectrum of the church. I am proud to serve and be your pastor. I strongly feel that the Mount Blanchard United Methodist church is God s fertile soil, a rich and diverse church. We have a faith tradition that is forged with a deep sense of Biblical and family values. Yet we are a progressive, asking and trying new things in sharing the Gospel. I am confident that we will overcome our financial challenges and move ahead in faithful ways. Join with me and our church family as we together support the good work that God is doing through our shared ministries. One in hope, and ministry, Pastor Joe. Harvest, Stewardship and Great Anticipation
Bradley Deeter has finished his Eagle Projects at Island Park in Mt. Blanchard. They cleaned up the area at the Entrance of the park; at the old school bell. They power washed and painted the restrooms by the ball diamonds and they also painted the wood around the dugouts at the baseball diamond. Bradley finished one of his last couple of merit badges, personal management, and this month and received his badge. He will be getting his paperwork ready in the next couple of months for the Eagle Board of Review held by the District Advancement Committee. Reminder, the Scout Troop is put together a ham and bean dinner at the church in the Fellowship Hall on November 21, 2009 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.. The scout troop will be collecting praying mantis cocoons on November 14, 2009 if the weather cooperates. I was also informed that they are not really cocoons since a praying mantis does not have a 4-stage lifecycle and they are really called egg cases. People buy praying mantis cases/cocoons in order to kill off the insect population in and around houses and yards. Some of the cocoons that we are collecting are already spoken for before we had set a date. November 6, 7, & 8, 2009: Fall Camporee The Boy Scouts are having a Ham and Bean Dinner on November 21 st from 5-7pm. In addition, there is a box in the Solarium where the Scouts are collecting U.S. Flags that are not longer serviceable. The boys will be working with the American Legion to retire these flags during the American Elm District Camporee in November. Finally, if you have any spare Boy Scout or Cub Scout shirts that can be used, we have some boys in our Scouting family that can use them. You can use the Flag Retirement box here at the church to drop them off. Yours In Scouting... Dan. On November 18, 2009, Ellen Musgrave will celebrate her 90th birthday. Please join us for a Happy Birthday Open House on Sunday, November 15, 2009, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at The Sterling House, 725 Fox Run Rd., Findlay, Ohio, with Ellen, family and friends. Cards may be sent to Ellen at The Sterling House address, with the addition of Apt. 136. Thanks, Don & Carol November 10, 2009: Troop elections November 14, 2009: Praying mantis cocoon collecting November 21, 2009: Ham and Bean Supper at the Church, 5 p.m. to & 7 p.m. December 8, 2009: Troop Christmas Party December 22 & 29, 2009: No Scout meetings January 15 or 16, 2010: Ski trip
Come, Cruise with us! Joe & Bo Companions in Christ Class Is selling wreaths to help decorate your homes, offices, Businesses, etc., for Christmas. All proceeds will go to the furnace fund. Join us in this once in a lifetime journey To the Lands of the Bible Cruise 2010 Educational Opportunities Tours Flying into Athens and visiting places like The Parthenon, climb up Mars Hill & see The Olympic Stadium. Going to the museum In Corinth and to the Market Place. Then, cruising on to Eqypt to the museum that houses King Tut treasures and visit the Great Pyramids of Giza. Then off to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee, to experience the Upper Room, the Pool of Bethesda, Garden Of Gethsemane, and walk The Via Dolorosa and much more. From Galilee we travel to Capernaum, then to Rhodes and Ephesus. Orders and money need to be to Bo Chrisman by November 10 th. Orders will arrive the week of November 30 th. There is also an opportunity for you to help us sell. Bo has extra flyers and orders forms. All you need to do, is take it to work and lay it on the break table. You don t have to be a salesperson, just offer it as an opportunity. Companions in Christ Class: Bo Chrisman, Jennifer & Lester Mosier, Charlotte Dodge, Sharon Myers, Tammy Dunbar, Sherri Neubauer, Julie Barnett, Bettie & Gary Pfeiffer Joe & I are willing to talk to you about any questions you may have. Brochures are available, see Bo.
Worship through November There are some wonderful worship opportunities to celebrate during the month of November. While faithful stewardship will be a foundational theme across the month; we will honor and celebrate our victorious (those of our church family and friends who have died in this past year), consider facets of stewardship, and celebrate some Thanksgiving traditions. Additionally we will commemorate Christ as King before entering into the season of Advent. These are all rich opportunities to remember and celebrate God s life in ours; and can also become invitations to discover new ways of living into God s hope for our lives and church. As we prayerfully consider and bring the biblical narratives to these Sunday themes, may we ponder a new how they engage and inform our living today. May our worship services be fun and rich. In earnest ways let us explore how the scriptures can be formational in this post-modern world. How might the biblical stories align with our lives today in fresh ways that enhance and make full our lives? How do they challenge and invite us to live forward with faith? Join me and church family as we open ourselves to God s loving grace through the activity of worship. Sunday, November 1 st - All Saints Sunday- Celebration of Holy Communion Topic: The Invitation of Stewardship: passing on the faith. Theme: We are part of a progression, pledged to carry our faith heritage. Text: Hebrews 12:1-2 Sunday, November 8 th Twenty-third third Sunday after Pentecost Veterans Honored Topic: The Invitation of Stewardship: caring for family. Theme: We are committed to sacrifice and safeguarding faith and family. Text: Ruth 1:15-22 Sunday, November 15 th Twenty-fourth Sunday Topic: The Invitation of Stewardship: hearing the kingdom s call. Theme: We carry the vision and mission of the church. Text: Matthew 28:16-20 Sunday, November r 22 nd Thanksgiving Sunday Christ the King Sunday Topic: The Invitation of Stewardship: praising and honoring God. Theme: A heart of thankfulness & praise of God is beginning wisdom. Text: Philippians 4:4-9 Sunday, November 29 th The First Sunday of Advent Topic: Hope help to break old paradigms Theme: God is the giver of good hope for our lives. Text: Luke 21 selected SUNDAY SCHEDULE Sunday School 9am Worship 10:30am 4 th Sunday Contemporary Service 9:00 am Pastor Joe Chrisman Special Ministries Children & Youth Director, Jessica Cavinee Office Manager, Tammy Dunbar Financial Secretary, Tammy Dunbar Treasurer, Julie Miller Office Hours Mon Fri, 9am 2pm Phone: 419-694-3245 E-mail: mbumcoffice@wcoil.com Website: www.mtbumc.org Darnell Kirschner Lois Roth Betty Cross Anne Morehart Pastor Joe & family Art McDaniel Lois Romick Pastor Karen and Tom Roy Kimmel Dan Myers Our Service Personnel Lawrence Porcello Lori Myers Our nation and world Brent Sampson Jim McDaniel Youth Ministries Doug Dyer Dave Beckwith Madge Iams Orville Beckwith Donna Federspell Sharon Lamb Tim Beckwith Mary Eaton Jim VandenBosch Jean Ann Lautzenheiser Kimberly Pever Pat Ellis Candy Wibbing Alex Wibbing Tiffany Borkosky Dortha Motter Kenna Rodabaugh Brown and all others silently lifted up in private prayers of our hearts.
Safe Sanctuary Training Nov.3 11:00 am 1 st Tuesday Fellowship 5-7 pm..... Election Night Soup Supper Nov. 4 3:15 pm.. Tweeners (GR. 4-7) Nov. 7 9-2 pm....... Bazaar Nov. 8.......Veterans Sunday 2:30 pm.. SOLD (Gr. 7-12) Nov. 11 3:15 pm.. Frog Legs (Gr. 1-6) Nov. 15 2:30 pm.... SOLD (Gr.7-12) Nov. 18 3:15 pm...... Tweeners Nov. 21 Boy Scouts Ham & Bean Supper 5-7 PM. in the Fellowship Hall Nov. 22 9:00 am. Contemporary Service 10:30 am.. Traditional Service 2:30 pm........ SOLD Nov. 24 6:30 pm. Decorate for Christmas Nov. 29.11:45 am..kfc (Pre-K & Kind.) 2:30 pm........... SOLD Dec. 1.11:00 am 1 st Tuesday Fellowship 7:00 pm.. Church Conference Dec. 2 3:15 pm...... Frog Legs Dec. 3 10:30 am..... UMW Brunch Dec. 6 2:30 pm........ SOLD Dec. 9 3:15 pm...... Tweeners Dec. 13 2:30 pm........ SOLD Pastor Joe at Good Samaritans Dec. 16 3:15 pm..... Frog Legs Dec. 20...... Christmas Sunday Dec. 24 7:00 pm. Early Christmas Eve For the Children & their Families 11:00 pm....christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service Dec. 27 9:00 am. Contemporary Service 10:30 am.. Broken Ground Christmas The United Methodist Church takes safety in all forms very seriously. We want every person who comes into our church to feel and be safe. Out of this desire to honor God and one another we have formed a Safe Sanctuary Policy. Many of you have taken the time to give an hour and become familiar with the policy our church holds. We thank you for your time and commitment to the forward momentum of the church. If you have not taken the training, we ask that you consider showing up to one of the two upcoming training sessions. The training lasts only one hour and it is a relaxing environment. You are not asked to repeat the training once you have completed it. The dates are Wednesday November 11 at 6:30pm in the MPR and Saturday November 14 at 9:30 am in the MPR. Please RSVP to Jessica ahead of time, especially if you need childcare. You can call her at 419-694-3245 or send e-mail to ydumcjess@wcoil.com.
Month at a glance Nov. 1 SOLD at 2:30 Nov. 4 Tweens Nov. 8 SOLD Nov. 11 FROG LEGS & Safe Sanctuary Training Nov. 14 Safe Sanctuary Training Nov. 15 SOLD Nov. 18 Tweens Nov. 22 SOLD Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Nov. 29 KFC & SOLD Tweens and FROG LEGS are after school programs that end at 4:30. FROG LEGS is for children in 1-6 grade and Tweens are for children in grades 4-7. SOLD is from 2:30 to 4:30 every Sunday and is for grades 7-12. If you have any questions about the programs we are currently offering please contact the church and speak with Jessica for more information. To the church family, Imagine walking into a room hearing the laughter and busy chatter of eager children. They are excited to be together and ready to participate in whatever activities are offered. The room smells of the outdoors being brought in on their clothes, crisp fall air and dry leaves. For a few moments they can leave their worries behind schoolwork, an argument with a friend, a problem at home. It is time for fun. They don t even realize they are learning. This is the chance. This is the time to bring the love of Christ to the children of our church and community. Children today are busier than ever and they are facing more obstacles than those before them. Peer pressure, parental pressure, drugs, violence the list goes on and all of these things are happening in our community. As we reach out to them we need to understand how much they need Jesus in their lives. We need to take His love to them so that when they leave the safety and comfort of the building they are still equipped to be the church to others and in whatever situation they are in. Our children and youth ministries are so vital. Thank you for investing in them. Please feel free to stop by and see what we are doing. Encourage kids to get involved. Pray for these ministries and for the ones touched by them. Help to grow up our children so that they will turn to Jesus and not anything or anyone else. Thank you, Jessica