Houlton United Methodist Church

The Flaming Times April 2018 Houlton United Methodist Church By the power of God s Holy Spirit, we are bridging the gap between young, old, the broken, the lost and Jesus Christ so that Christ s love is experienced, Christ s teaching is understood and Christ s healing is a reality. Where Did You See God? - Pastor Victor Han - That is one of my favorite questions to ask as we as a church get together in large and small settings alike. We find a fascinating story in Genesis 28 how Jacob meets the living God in the most unexpected place somewhere in the middle of nowhere! In his dream Jacob sees a stairway and God s angels are ascending and descending on it. And he hears God say, Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. Then Jacob confesses, Surely the Lord is in this place and I wasn t even aware of it! What an eye-opening, a life-changing experience! Have you found God in unexpected places as Jacob did? Recently, I met God in an unexpected place, in the middle of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where I was attending the conference. The theme of the conference was evangelism mostly in an urban context. All of the sessions were excellent, but there was a question in my mind: How about the rural church? Around that time, I felt stuck and didn t know exactly why and where to turn. And while I was there, God revealed to me the root cause of the problems that had to do with my Make an impact on many and change the world mentality. When I was appointed in 2014, my initial goal was to shake everything up and change the church, the culture, the community for Jesus sake. But apparently, it didn t work. As a result, after three years, I felt stuck, and it led to diminishing my sense of significance and self-worth. I knew I was going to have to try a different approach. While I was in St. Simons Island, God did speak to me through worship, fellowship, prayer and devotion. The word given to me was abide. I thought I did abide, but in fact, what I did was tolerating and enduring, but not abiding. I did not make my home among the people and the community. Then, I realized that Jesus actually made his home among us (cf. John 1:14). He chose to abide with us. He brought God s kingdom

to earth. God gave me assurance that I am called to abide, not to change. Though change may be necessary down the road, I learned that my first commitment should be present to people where they are and love them as they are. Then, transformation would follow. That revelation changed everything. That changed me. With tears of joy, I shouted, Surely the Lord is in this place and I didn t know it! Now my pastoral vision is to abide where I am planted. It is to stay put, to be present, and to love people and the community. And now I see my Bethel is Houlton and Hodgdon, and I begin to see God s kingdom here and now. Praise God! - Your Travel Companion, Pastor Vic. 2 From My Library to Yours: - Book Review by Pastor Victor Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc. (Skye Jethani) Can the Rural Church Grow? From day 1 here in Houlton, that was my big question as the community as a whole was declining number-wise. I have to admit that I have been shaped by a culture that equates effectiveness with significance. Without knowing it, I saw everything my value, my identity, my ministry through the lens of effectiveness. As I was trying to prove my significance through effectiveness in ministry, it brought only frustration. I felt like I had hit the wall. Around that time, this book really helped me to rethink how we measure effectiveness in the church and to redefine the meaning of it. The question we must ask is not How many attend in Sunday service? or How many were baptized last year? Instead, the more important question we must ask is, Are we becoming more Christlike than a year ago? Are we more kind, loving, patient, faithful, gentle than three years ago? Do we love God and our neighbor more than five years ago? If the answer is Yes, our church is growing! Let s get back to the very first question: Can the rural church grow? The answer is YES. Growth is possible whether we are urban or rural congregations. The church grows as we authentically grow in Christ. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the church. Pastor Vic.

HUMC Missions for April 3 Our mission project for April is Backpack for Kids. Each Wednesday our church fills backpacks with non-perishable food items for a number of children who depend on the school lunch program. The backpack items help them with meals over the weekend. Thank you to each one who has given food and monetary gifts for this outreach project of HUMC. The gifts this month will help to fill the backpacks for the rest of the school year. There had been a shortfall in the budget this year of about $1,000. A Job or a Ministry? Some people have a job in the church; Others involve themselves in a ministry. What s the difference? If you are doing it because no one else will, it s a job. If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it s a ministry. If you quit your job because someone criticized you, it was a job. If you keep on serving, it s a ministry. If you ll do it only so long as it does not interfere With your other activities, it s a job. If you are committed to staying with it, even if it means Letting go of other things, it s a ministry. If you quit because no one thanked you or praised you, it was a job. If you say with it, even though nobody recognized your efforts, It s a ministry. If our concern is success, it s a job. If our concern is faithfulness, it s a ministry. An average church is filled with good people doing good jobs. A great and growing church is filled with God s people involved in ministry. If God is calling you to a ministry, don t treat it like a job. If you have a job, give it up and find a ministry. God does not want you feeling stuck with a job, But rather excited and faithful to the Lord in a ministry.

Senior Ministry to begin at HUMC Each month we will honor one of our seniors with cards, telephone calls, and visits. In April, we recognize: Julia Craigs, 1 North Court, #2, Houlton, ME 04730 We hope to form a team to provide rides to church events, appointments, errands, and answer to any need and also to encourage fellowship through outings, social day out, and weekly gatherings for coffee. If you would like to be involved, please contact the church office or Jeannie or Dale Thibodeau. The Gathering, a weekly meeting for coffee will begin Wednesday, April 11 at 11:00 a.m. in the church library of HUMC. 4 Ministry Update from Malawi Hello pastor and HUMC Family! Happy Easter! We had a great Easter weekend. Robson and I went to a village 7 hours from where we live. We went with our pastor here in Malawi and some of the people from church. Here are some pictures of us ministering over the weekend. Robson preached twice. He spoke with the men on Saturday and on Easter for the main service. On Easter many people gave their hearts to the Lord. I spoke with the women on Saturday and young girls Sunday morning before the main service. I spoke about doing ministry in the church and also encouraged them to send their children to school. Throughout the weekend everyone that spoke encouraged parents to send their kids to school. We told them how important education is. The other ladies spoke about school and how to start a business. During the meeting with the women, one of them asked how are we supposed to help our kids or check their school work if we don t know how to read. There is a great need for education in this village. A lot of the women are illiterate and most of the children don t go to school. Robson & Mary Mulumbe

News from the Pews Member of the month: Teri-Ann Miller 5 Born September 30, 1954, to Charles and Aileen Smith at Aroostook Hospital in Houlton, Teri-Ann has lived all her life in Houlton. Her father was a successful potato farmer and also worked for the B&A railroad. He is deceased (2 ½ years). Her dear mother presently resides at Madigan Estates. She attends HUMC faithfully, health permitting. She will celebrate a blessed 90 years the 17 th of this month! Teri-Ann has one sister, Charlene, who lives in Bangor and four brothers: Greg and Kevin live in Houlton, John in Bangor, and Steve in Arizona. She and her four brothers and sister grew up on their family potato farm in Houlton. She recalls childhood memories of the rigors and fun of farm life. She and her sister were close. They worked, played and shared much as sisters growing up. The farm was a family affair; everyone did their share. She and her sister worked at various chores while her brothers did the heavy work. In addition to potato farming, they also had two pigs, chickens, cows, and a sizable vegetable garden. All of which contributed to the development of good character and strong work ethic Teri-Ann demonstrates today. She also helped at their Black Bear Farm Stand. You may recall seeing the Black Bear at the farm stand far up the North Rd just before Littleton. In addition to picking potatoes, she also did babysitting to earn money to buy school clothes. She tells of the fun she had driving a truck through the fields on the farm when she was barely big enough to see over the steering wheel. It was a standard shift no less! In winter they would clear paths on the pond, and all would enjoy skating. They had one of the first snowmobiles on the market. What good times they had bombing around on that! Her family enjoyed a tradition of summer vacations. She especially recalls one summer camping trip to Prince Edward Isle. Another loosely held tradition was Easter pictures in all their Easter finery. They would set up the wooden black bears her father had made and the children would stand between them for the picture. She remembers the pretty new dresses and the Easter bonnets with all the frills upon it! Teri-Ann attended Bowden St. Elementary School, Lambert Middle School, and Houlton High School; graduating in the class of 1973. While a senior at HHS she participated in the Career Exploration Program where she was introduced to various opportunities in the medical field. As a result she entered the LPN course at NMVTI graduating in 1974. She worked various hospital positions for a number of years. Then she took advantage of a class being offered for the first time to LPNs to earn an RN degree. After graduating in 1983, she continued her nursing career as an RN. Again she applied herself toward advancement in her education and obtained her BSN in 1992. She presently has been with the Veterans Administration for 8 ½ years. I personally know some of her clients, and they sing her praises! She definitely exhibits good character and strong work ethic. [continued on page 6]

6 She has attended HUMC all of her life except for a short hiatus of searching in the 80 s. She enjoyed Sunday school and remembers George Brown as one of her teachers. She was baptized in the 5 th grade. The song Jesus Loves Me has been special to her from her Sunday school days. Also she always enjoyed the Adam and Eve story. This past Easter Sunday she partook in the New Member Celebration. She met Dana Miller through his friendship with her brothers. He was 3 years ahead of her at Houlton High School. She lived at home during their 2 year courtship after which they were married at HUMC June 14, 1975. Then 6 short years after their marriage Dana sustained a serious work related injury which proved their strength of commitment to for better or for worse, in sickness and in health by the Grace of God. This was another formative experience of her silent strength. They will soon celebrate 43 years of marriage. She and Dana are very devoted to her mother, Aileen. She visits her frequently at Madigan, Tuesday and Thursday for sure. She brings in lunch on Saturday, and on Sunday she is there early to help her prepare for church. They are ready to meet her every need /desire. In her younger days, her mother was always ready to go but her husband not so much, so she frequently traveled with Teri-Ann and Dana on vacation. Caring for extended family is not a new concept for her. She remembers her Grandfather living with them when she was growing up. He and many other family members were always part of family holiday celebrations. Travel is something she and Dana enjoy. They have been to Italy and France and numerous places in the states. They have a favorite travel agency who handles the reservations and all the other itinerary details. They relax and enjoy the trip. Soon they will be flying off to Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. Way to go! Ongoing Meetings for April Backpack for Kids Wednesday mornings we prepare backpacks for the week. Some food items that are always needed such as peanut butter, soup, tuna, boxed macaroni and cheese, pudding cups, crackers, raisins, instant hot cereal. Disciple Groups: W.O.W. (Women of Witness) Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. (NOT meeting April 17) Wednesday Disciple Group - at 6:30 p.m. Gardiner Nursing Home Bible Study every Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Prayer Fellowship Fridays at 10:00 a.m. The goal of our prayer ministry is to support our pastor and help to equip and keep our church members praying faithfully and effectively on an ongoing basis. If you feel called into prayer ministry, please come pray with us.

Dates to remember on the April calendar Service at Gardiner Nursing Home Sunday, April 1 at 2:00 p.m. Outreach Committee Meeting Thursday, April 5 at 6:00 p.m. Coffee Break Sunday April 8 after service, to meet and discuss Bible reading. Service at Madigan Nursing Home Sunday, April 8 at 2:00 p.m. Family Vacation Pastor Victor and family will be on vacation from April 9 22. The Gathering beginning Wednesday, April 11 at 11:00 a.m., weekly time of coffee and fellowship for seniors in HUMC church library. Social Saturday April 14 from 1 3 p.m. for children and youth. Everyone is welcome! Indoor snowball fight planned. Parents are invited to join the fun! Worship Committee Meeting Tuesday, April 26 at 9:00 a.m. Mike Swallow Memorial Free Soup Kitchen Friday, April 27, HUMC outreach to our community. Thank you to those who helped with our previous lunches. If you would like to volunteer, please talk to Chuck Taylor. Ad Council Meeting Saturday, April 28 at 9:00 a.m. Family Worship Love Feast Sunday April 29 in the fellowship hall following the service. Hope Circle is organizing an Egg-Fest for our Love Feast. Please plan to prepare a dish made with eggs as one of the ingredients and stay to enjoy the meal and time of fellowship together. Members, visitors, all are invited! 7 Upcoming events this spring for UMW and Hope Circle: April 29 (Sunday) Egg-Fest Love Feast Everyone bring something that includes egg in the recipe. (Hope Circle organizing lunch.) May 9 Mother s Day Tea / Luncheon 12:00 noon 1:30 p.m. (UMW) June 10 (Sunday) Hot Dog Feast for the children (but everyone is welcome at the lunch). The children will make their own ice cream sundaes. (Hope Circle planning event.) June 30 Yard Sale, 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. (UMW and Hope Circle) Karl Woods continues to recover at Ross Manor. Please pray for him. Perhaps you would also like to send him a card or note of encouragement. Karl Woods Ross Manor, Room 728 758 Broadway Bangor, ME 04401

8 April 2 April 7 April 10 April 14 April 17 April 22 April 23 April 27 April 28 Happy Birthday! Fred Hagan Kathy Hutchinson Marie Hutchinson Don Woods Sarah Cowperthwaite Aileen Smith Galen Wilde Mitchell Hardy Jerry Wilson Irene Greenlaw Zachary Cowperthwaite James Cumming Liz Taylor Happy Anniversary! April 8 Dale & Jeannie Thibodeau April 18 Barb & Larry Tonzi April 29 Moose & Leitha Karnes Listen to Sunday sermon online, following the link on our homepage, www.houltonumc.org, or by following Houlton United Methodist Church on Facebook. Like / Follow Houlton United Methodist Church on Facebook to receive updated announcements and reports about church events taking place during the week. *** Through sermoncloud.com, HUMC is able to store a year s worth of sermon audio online at no charge. You may stream the audio or download the audio file to listen to on your MP3 player while not connected to the Internet. This is also a ministry outreach, and we don t know who may be listening to the Word of God through these recorded sermons or how God may use the message.

APRIL 2018 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Houlton United Methodist Church 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 EASTER SUNDAY Gardiner Service - 2 pm W.O.W. - 10 a.m. Wednesday Disciple Group 6:30 p.m. Gardiner Bible Study 2:00 pm Outreach Committee Meeting 6:30 p.m. Prayer Fellowship - 10:00 am 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Coffee Break after service in church library Madigan Service 2 pm W.O.W. - 10 a.m. Gathering 11 am Wednesday Disciple Group 6:30 p.m. Gardiner Bible Study 2:00 pm Prayer Fellowship - 10:00 am Pastor Victor & Family away Family Vacation April 9 April 22 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 W.O.W. will NOT meet today. Gathering 11 am Wednesday Disciple Group 6:30 p.m. Gardiner Bible Study 2:00 pm Prayer Fellowship - 10:00 am Social Saturday 1 3 p.m.. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Family Worship & Love Feast (Egg-Fest) W.O.W. - 10 a.m. Gathering 11 am Wednesday Disciple Group 6:30 p.m. Gardiner Bible Study 2:00 pm Worship Committee Meeting 6 p.m. Prayer Fellowship - 10:00 am Soup Kitchen 11:30 am 1 pm Ad Council Meeting 9 a.m.

The Flaming Times April 2018 Houlton United Methodist Church 57 Military Street (corner of Military and School Streets) Houlton, ME 04730 (207) 532-3332 SECRETARY: Kathy Miskelly PASTOR: Rev. Victor Han secretary@houltonumc.org pastorvictor@houltonumc.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9-noon HOULTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 57 MILITARY STREET HOULTON, ME 04730