July 2016 NL for Web - Wesley United Methodist Church

The Wesley Word
July 2016
Inside this edition ...
• Free Addiction & Recovery Sessions Offered
• York Elementary Outreach
• Youth Summer Events Schedule
Community Garden Update: Planting Seeds, Growing Love
As far as gardens go, the Greater Parkcrest-Wesley Community Garden is one of a kind. Located behind Wesley Church,
this plot of under-utilized ground has been transformed into a place of true symbiosis. The community garden contains
28 raised beds in two sections, a traditional space where fertilizers and minimal chemicals are used, and an organic section
where no chemicals are allowed.
On just about any day of week you’ll find church members working along-side residents from the Parkcrest Neighborhood
carefully pruning, picking, weeding and watering their garden plots. More than 60 Wesley members and Parkcrest neighbors
have been a part of the building and management of the garden since its inception in Sept. 2015. In addition to the raised
beds, an orchard of 10 fruit trees and an 80x10 foot bramble patch have been added. Produce is harvested from the garden
every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. A team of volunteers harvests the food, weighs it, and then delivers it to Well of Life
food pantry. To date, nearly 1,000 pounds of fresh produce has been donated! And the total grows each week.
As for the future of the garden, Wesley member Carl Redmon has some ideas. I think the future of the garden is going to
be great, he says with an enthusiastic smile. “We’re going to turn it into a teaching garden for both traditional and organic
gardening. We currently have classes every third Thursday, but we’ll be doing even more of that next year,” he said. “Just to
look at the garden renews the spirit.”
Pastor’s Pen
T
hank you so much for your wonderful hospitality. My family and I
not only feel very welcomed but we are excited to be a part of this
community of faith. There has never been a time in my life when I
was not a part of a church. That isn’t to say that my faithfulness to the
church hasn’t waned at times, particularly in my young adult years. However,
through one circumstance or another, the people who made up church, always
seemed to call me back into deeper connection.
As an elementary-aged kid, it was a young adult name Rhonda. Every Sunday
after Sunday School Rhonda would sit with my sister and me on the couch in
the women’s restroom. She would ask us about what we learned that day. We loved those Sunday chats with Rhonda;
little did she realize how instrumental she would be to our life of faith.
Years later it was my Sunday School teacher Don who allowed me to ask really hard questions about my faith. He
never told me I was wrong. He never told me what I should believe. Don kept encouraging me to ask the questions
and be comfortable with the fact that sometimes the answers don’t come easily.
As a college student it was my mentor, Kitty, who helped keep me grounded in my faith and connected to the faith
community when so many of my peers found their lives falling away from the pursuit of organized religion.
As I look back at my life and I realize that before the age of 25 I had encountered the majority of the influential
people in my walk of faith. Oh, there have been a number of people since, but certainly not the volume of my earlier
years. (Seriously, it took a lot of people to keep me on track.)
Think about your life of faith, who were the most influential people in your life of faith? Our encounters as a church
with children, youth, young adults and those new to faith, is critical. Those formative years are important. It is the
reason I live a life of full time ministry.
I love the Lord and I have found the church (the people) to be the best way for me to experience not only the Grace
of Jesus Christ but to keep me growing in faith. It has been in those darkest moments of my journey where the people
called the church have sung to me the melody of Christ’s presence when I forgot the tune or thought the world had a
fuller symphony to offer. Never doubt your story of faith or the way you can impact another, simply by being present
and walking along side them on their journey, singing that melody of faith.
You never know, one day a Pastor, writing a newsletter article in their new church appointment, might write about
you and how you impacted their life of faith because you were genuinely interested in building a relationship and
sharing Christ’s love with them. It really is quite easy. It simply requires intentionality and a heart to love as Christ
loves us. So go and be blessed to be a blessing!
JOYFULLY,
Stacie
Our Vision ...
To reach our uncommitted neighbors
by building transformative relationships,
connecting them with Christ.
Our Mission ...
To make new disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world.
O
Pastor’s Pen - The Downtown Church
n July 17, at The Downtown Church we will be finishing our
journey using The Story. Since September we have traveled
from Genesis through scripture on our way to Revelation.
The Story is an abridged, chronological version of the Bible.
Even though there will have been 31 weeks of sermons and stories and we
have just scratched the surface of the Holy Word of God.
The Bible is a living word. It reads us as well as we read it. It teaches and
strengthens. It gives voice to generations of people who are able to speak
into us and this world today. It contains the story of God and God’s
relationship with humanity. It holds the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will spend the rest of our lives learning from this
gift.
Our intent in taking The Downtown Church on this journey was to create from the beginning of our time together
as a church, an understanding that this is Our Book. Yours and mine. It belongs to all people. It was given by God,
inspired by the Holy Spirit, to all. We all have the privilege, the opportunity, the challenge of knowing what is in it.
There will always be so much more for you to know and learn than you could ever experience in one hour on Sunday.
My prayer is that you hunger and thirst to know more.
Starting July 25, we will be looking at The Five Practices of Healthy Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase. As our life
moves forward as a church, this resource will help us be proactive in our ministry. The Holy Spirit is our guide but I
am grateful for the many who have gone before us and can teach us lessons as we seek to “be a place where Christ and
the community intersect.”
The journey continues… one step at a time. Come walk with us Downtown.
Blessings,
Pastor Lori
Our Vision ...
The Downtown Church meets in the middle of
rich & poor, young & old, believers & nonbelievers.
A place where Christ and the community intersect.
Upcoming Events
Children’s Ministry
Here’s what we’re talking about on Sunday mornings in July & August!
Youth Ministry
2016
Office :: 417.883.1021
Julie MacLachlan
Director of Youth Ministries
[email protected]
John Miller :: Intern
[email protected]
Julia Buchholz :: Intern
[email protected]
Daniel Meade :: Intern & Worship Leader
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/thesourceatwumc
www.instagram.com/thesourceatwumc
www.twitter.com/thesourceatwumc
www.twitter.com/thesourceparent
What’s Going On This Summer???
We hope all middle and high school students will join us
this summer for our Youth Night Out’s (Y’NO)
June 26: Patriotic Musical, 3:30 pm, Wesley Church
June 30: Go Karts 7-8:30 pm @ 160 Grand Prix // Bring $10
for 3 tickets to use for go karts and mini golf!
(Meet at 521 Guin Rd, Nixa, MO 65714)
July 7: Middle School Luau 7-9 pm @ the Macs
Students grades 6-8 are welcome to join us for an evening of
swimming and fun! Bring a swimsuit, towel & a snack to
share! (4731 S. Turnberry Ave)
July 12: WHITE WATER!!! The high school and middle
school students are heading to White Water for the day. We
will meet at church at 11:30 am and return around 7 pm. Bring
a sack lunch to eat on the bus.
Cost: $30 (includes dinner) We need 25 people to sign up
to get this price break. Sign up in the Youth Office by
Sunday, July 10!
July 18-22: Church Camp @ Camp Table Rock
(See below for more information)
August 3: Bowling Night 6:30-8:30pm @ Lighthouse
Lanes // Bring $10 for 2 games, shoes and snacks!
August 13 & 14: Youth Float Trip
www.thesourceatwumc.com
SOURCE T-SHIRTS
If you like t-shirts and you like soft t-shirts, we
have the perfect shirt for you! We have short
sleeve SOURCE t-shirts for $10 and long sleeve
ones for $15. All shirts are available in white,
gray and black. These are available to purchase
in the youth office, just as a youth staff-er!
We hope to see you in one!
«««∙∞∙»»»
Join us for Sunday morning Worship:
9:30am Sunday School
10:40am Contemporary Worship Service
11:00am Traditional Worship Service
«««∙∞∙»»»
August 24: Youth Kick Off
Worship Workshop
Join us this summer as we dive into the meaning of worship,
work on musical skills and learn the in’s and out’s of the
technical side of worship. If you are interested in the youth
worship team or just to learn more about worship, join us for
the following dates:
June 30: 12:30-3pm // Youth Room
July 7: 12:30-3pm // Youth Room
July 14: 12:30-3pm // Youth Room
August 4: 12:30-3pm // Youth Room
Church Camp @ Camp Table Rock
If you are a student that just completed grades 6-12,
join us this summer at Camp TRL July 18-22.
Deadline to sign up is July 11.
Cost: $345 ($245 for members)
Register online @ wesleymethodist.com/churchcamp. There
is a discount code sent out in the parent email that can help
with $100 of the cost of camp. If you need further financial
assistance or to set up payments, contact Julie.
RESERVATIONS FOR THE BUS TO CAMP ARE NOW OPEN:
If you would like to reserve a seat on the bus to camp, the cost
is $20 to and from camp. This will fill on a first come first serve
basis. Mail check and name of student to: WUMC, Youth Dept.
922 W. Republic Road, Springfield, MO 65810 or drop check
with name in the memo line in the black box outside the youth
room office door.
Mission & News Briefs
Outreach Leadership Opportunity at York School
Wesley adopted York Elementary School several years ago with the goal of helping enrich the learning experience of
students at this school located in a high poverty neighborhood. Over the last eight years Wesley has supplied volunteers and financial support for school functions/special events and the Cents of Pride store.
The volunteer leadership for Wesley at York Elementary is divided into two areas; the Cents of Pride store and school
functions/special events. There is already a leader in place to coordinate the store, where kids go, usually twice per
month, to “buy” items using vouchers they have earned for positive performance in such areas as good attendance.
Wesley is currently looking for a person that feels called to coordinate our efforts in the area of school functions/special events. This person would work with the principal to decide how Wesley can best help throughout the school year
and would coordinate Wesley volunteers. If you would like to learn more about this opportunity and what is involved,
please contact Pastor Stacie Williams at 883-1021 or Ted Madden at 839-2689. You can truly make a difference in the
lives of children through this role.
Safe to Sleep Women’s Shelter
June’s communion offering was designated to support Safe to Sleep women’s shelter. Safe to
Sleep, which is part of the Council of Churches, operates every night at Pathways United Methodist Church from 7:30 pm to 7:30 am. The shelter gives women 18 and older a safe and comfortable place to spend the night.
A big thanks to Wesley for the $1,814.12 that was collected in June to help house our neighbors in
a safe environment. In addition to financial help, the shelter needs volunteers to keep the shelter
open. There is a need for people to stay with the women at night and for van drivers to pick them
up and return them in the morning. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more, contact Kelly Harris at
[email protected] or by calling 862-3586 ext. 235.
A Biblical/Clinical View of Addiction and Recovery Workshop
Wesley is offering a 2-week educational program on addictions and recovery led by Michael Cotter, a Certified
Substance Use Disorder Counselor from Burrell Behavioral Health–Murney Clinic. Addiction has no respect for
age, race, gender, geography or socioeconomic status. It is a growing concern in our community and our country. No
RSVP required and childcare is available.
Session 1 - Thursday, July 21, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Room 32/33
Addiction: What it is biblically and clinically. The origins of addiction and how it operates in the brain, and why it is
so difficult for those who struggle with addiction to recover.
Session 2 - Thursday, July 28, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, Room 32/33
Recovery and how the disorder affects the family as a whole. Recovery models (AA, NA, professional treatment, faith
based) and treatment options. The role that the church has in dealing with addictions and the tools that the Lord has
given the church to address addiction.
Upcoming Events & Announcements
Prayer Corner
Recent Prayer Requests: Sue Armstrong, Eli Cornelius, Barbara Brockschmidt, Marian Roper, John Essman, Al
Smith, Marty Anderson, Judy Bell, Dick Covey, Barbara Carter, Leroy Ochs, Mike Swan, Rosemary Prest, George
and Helen Clinkenbeard, Norma Cox, Verna Nordstrom, Myrtle and Warren Darrah, Bette Gilbert, Frank Lankford
(brother of Harold Lankford), Austin Perry (friend of Sarah Baier), Jace Allen (friend of Jay Harper), Zachary Roggensees (nephew of David Roggensees), Linda Brown (friend of Sue King), Bill Puckett (brother of Fred Puckett), Bette
Hopkins (sister-in-law of Jean Stone), Dan DiSylvester (brother of Bryan DiSylvester), Carol Fitzinger (friend of Jacquie
Faenger), Betty Hershal (friend of Jacquie Faenger), Jeanette Norton (sister of Mary Davis), Pam Poe (daughter-in-law
of Danny and Shirley Kiser), Jeff Snowden (brother of Jarrett Snowden), Bob Massengale (friend of Jarrett Snowden),
Joan Keppler and family (sister of Shirley Casey), Peggy Sandlin (sister-in-law of Barb Baier), Tina True (daughter of
Rita Scherler). Thoughts & Prayers of Sympathy to: Joyce Rollins and family, on the death of her daughter, Christina
Pomanto.
Colossians 1:9-14
Sometimes we want to pray for another person but aren’t sure what to say. If you’ve ever been confused about how
to intercede for someone, Paul’s prayer in Colossians is appropriate for every person and every situation. Because it
aligns perfectly with God’s will, you can ask these requests with confidence—both for yourself and for others:
• To be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Not only do we need
to know God’s plan for our lives; we also require discernment to distinguish His guiding voice from our own
self-directed notions.
• To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all ways. Our lives should be patterned after the One
we follow, with a goal of glorifying Him.
• To bear fruit in every good work. Instead of being wrapped up in our own jobs, possessions, pleasures, and
plans, we should be contributing to others’ lives.
• To increase in the knowledge of God. By reading His Word and applying it to our lives, we will gain a deeper
understanding of the Lord.
• To be strengthened with His power so we remain steadfast. The Christian life can be lived only with the Holy
Spirit’s power.
• To joyously give thanks for all God has done for us. Believers should be characterized by joy and gratitude.
Too often we focus our requests on temporal needs and miss the deeper spiritual work God wants to do. Imagine
how effective your prayers will be if you’ll shift the emphasis of your petitions to the Lord’s desires. He will transform you and the people for whom you intercede.
From: In Touch Ministries
Thank Yous
Linda Jump and Family – Thanks to our Wesley family for the lovely plant, prayer shawl, beautiful service and all of
the concerns during Lonnie’s illness.
R.C. Hopper – To my Wesley family, thank you for the lovely plant, your expressions of love and sympathy, the many
hugs, cards and prayers after my mother’s death.
Inez Bowman – Thank you for the beautiful flowers and for thinking of me.
Upcoming Event
LEO Meeting
LEO (Life Enrichment Opportunities group) will meet Monday, July 18, 10 am in rooms 32/33. Janice Piper, from
Senior Age Missouri, will be the guest speaker. The program will be followed by a brief business meeting and a sack
lunch. Drinks and dessert provided. For more information, contact Dayna Stone at 417-882-7008.
Wesley Church
922 W. Republic Road
Springfield, MO 65807
The Downtown Church
413 E. Walnut St.
Springfield, MO 65806
Thank you to these sponsors ...
The Gardens Retirement Community - A Nonprofit Corporation
Independent Living - 2730 S. Nettleton, Springfield, MO 65807 (417-881-1330)
Assisted Living - 1302 W. Sunset, Springfield, MO 65807 (417-889-7760)
Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home - Paul & Lynn Wunderlich, owners
500 E. Walnut St., Springfield, MO 65806 (417-862-4433) hhlohmeyer.com
Gary S. Venable, CPA - A Professional Corporation
1200 E. Woodhurst, Ste B200, Springfield, MO 65804 (417-882-1100)