March 2014 Lantern - southlyonfirstumc.org
Transcription
March 2014 Lantern - southlyonfirstumc.org
First United Methodist Church 640 South Lafayette South Lyon MI 48178-1438 248-437-0760 Non-Profit Org. Us. Postage South Lyon, MI Permit No. 7 March 2014 Lantern Address Service Requested South Lyon First United Methodist Church DATED MATERIAL - PLEASE RUSH Reverend Sondra Willobee Dear Friends, Inside this issue 13 Birthdays 19 Calendar 12 Capernaum Health Clinic 16 Chili Cookoff 7 EEC.4 18 Financial Report 8 Liberia Mission Trip evening 7 Love Languages 10 Mission of the month 9 Music Ministry 14 New Members 4 Prayer Ministry 16 Prayer Requests 6 Sewing Project 15 Stephen Ministry 12 Walking Club 3 Women's Retreat 2 Worship themes 17 Youth & Christian Education Every week during our worship services, I remind us of our purpose as a congregation: We strive to be a “Christ-focused, Spirit-filled, mission-driven center for our community.” According to the rest of our mission statement, there are some specific behaviors that help us accomplish our purpose. Together we... Worship joyfully Welcome openly Pray faithfully Teach Biblically Give generously Serve actively Love boldly We want our words and actions to proclaim the grace of Jesus Christ in tangible ways. Church Staff E-mail address General church use [email protected] Rev. Sondra Willobee, Pastor [email protected] Michelle Walkup, Administrative Assistant for Communications [email protected] Becky Lund, Accountant/Office Coord. [email protected] David Bassin, Director of Music [email protected] Lori Carey, Nursery Director [email protected] Janis Norton, Custodian [email protected] Mike Tooman, Praise Band Leader [email protected] During the season of Lent, we will reflect on the first portion of our church’s mission statement. We say that we want to stay focused on Christ as we worship, welcome, pray and teach. What, then, can we learn from Jesus about worship? How do we welcome openly? What does Jesus show us about prayer? How did Jesus handle the scriptures? Heath Whitehead, Director of Education & Youth Ministries whiteheadheath@ sbcglobal.net Join me for a series of messages on practical piety as we explore different strategies for living out our faith. May Jesus be the focus in all that we do. Tom Hart, Pastoral Care Associate [email protected] Yours in Christ, But how, exactly, we do this? Pastor Sondra March 2014 Worship Themes March 2, 2013 – Last Sunday after the Epiphany Three of our members went to Liberia in January to help start a new project to reduce infant and maternal deaths in rural Liberia. They got to meet Rev. Dahngbah and other members of Bethlehem Temple, our sister church. During their visit, they were overwhelmed by the love, joy and hospitality of the Liberian people. Where did they see God at work? How can we help? Come and hear Heather Fazio, Jill Woodward, and Patti Yerke tell about this lifechanging trip. Read Romans 12:9-14 and 1 John 4:7-8 (NIV) to prepare for their message at all three services. We will celebrate Holy Communion during the worship services today. March 5, 2014 Ash Wednesday The Gospel of Matthew tells us that when Jesus started his ministry, he had compassion on the crowds “because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” By what are you harassed? What makes you feel helpless? Jesus still comes to help those in need. Read Matthew 9:35-36 (NIV) to prepare for Pastor Sondra’s message, “Like a Shepherd.” We will receive Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes at this service. March 9, 2014 – Christ-focused: Worship Joyfully “Sing to the Lord a new song,” the writer of the Psalms said. “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Yet we do not always feel happy when we come to worship. Personal struggles, leadership issues, or disagreements about worship style may inhibit our praise. What can we learn from Jesus about worship? How can we “worship joyfully” even in a season of sadness? Read Luke 22:7-16 (NIV) for Pastor Sondra’s message at all three services. March 16, 2014 – Christ-focused: Welcome Openly What does it take to be a welcoming church? Do we do a good job here at South Lyon? Could we do better? These are some of the questions explored in this Sunday's message entitled “God Doesn't Have Any Favorites.” Read James 2:1-3 and Luke 14:12-14 (NRSV) to prepare for the day's message. Ken Kneisel will give the message at all three services. March 23, 2014 – Christ-focused: Pray Faithfully Many of us have mastered complex skills: we send and receive messages on smart phones; we program remote controls for our appliances; we drive automobiles. But we feel uncomfortable when we’re asked to pray. What does Jesus show us about praying? How do we develop a life of prayer? Read Matthew 6:7-18 (NRSV) for Pastor Sondra’s message at all three services. 2 19 Financial Report 2014 Apportionment Commitment Apportionments are the share that each United Methodist church pays to support the UMC internationally, nationally, and regionally. So far in 2014 we have not paid any of our $46,096 commitment. March 2014 Worship Themes, continued March 30, 2014 – Fourth Sunday in Lent / Choir Cantata Members of the Chancel Choir will present “Covenant of Grace” by Joseph Martin at the morning services. This powerful musical presentation celebrates God's faithfulness and his everlasting promises to his people through Abraham, David, and Jesus Christ. Incorporating new anthems as well as familiar hymns, the cantata is a testimony to God's redeeming work. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Matthew 26:26-29 (NRSV) to prepare for the service. George Currier will give the message at the NitePraise service. Women’s Retreat March 14 – 15 “What’s in Your Heart” presented by Rev. Cathee Miles and Karen Bossieux, BCCC. This year’s retreat will be led by two wonderful women who will help us to examine our hearts in order to move into a closer relationship with God. We will begin with a catered dinner on Friday night and some activities. The retreat resumes on Saturday morning with breakfast and will conclude at 5:00 pm (lunch is also included). Registration forms are due Wednesday, March 5!! Return your registration form to the offering plate, the church office, or any of the retreat leaders. Questions? Contact Julie Lyons, Lynn Kneisel, Kelly Hibbert, Laura Hatch, or Heather Fazio. 18 3 Pray! We strive to be a Christ-focused, Spirit-filled, mission-driven center for the community. We want our words and actions to demonstrate the love of God in tangible ways. We know the mission of our church. It’s posted around our building. We recite it each Sunday. It’s part of our webpage and regular communications. Collectively, the South Lyon First United Methodist Church lives this mission each day, each week, each month, and each year. We are an active congregation that supports missions in our community and around the world. Our efforts to support Christian growth and discipleship continue to impact our walks of faith. It truly is a blessing to be part of this mission! The Prayer Project Team has tried to raise awareness for prayer opportunities over the last two years. Perhaps you still have the Lenten prayer book which was published last year to share prayers from our own members. Hopefully you notice the special prayer requests posted in each Sunday’s bulletin, or maybe you are part of the prayer chain. (Contact our church office for more information about the prayer chain email.) While it is important to actively serve Christ by being involved in Sunday services, leadership teams, or other, traditional “hands-on” activities at church, prayer is clearly a more personal but equally important component of how each of us can become more “Christfocused” and “Spirit-filled.” Prayer is another way to demonstrate the “love of God in tangible ways.” Yes, prayer is a tangible action. Several members of our church recently read Praying for Strangers by River Jordan (Yes, this is her real name.) The summary from the back cover of the book says it best: As 2009 approached, both of River Jordan’s sons were about to go off to war -one to Iraq and the other to Afghanistan -- and she was planning a family reunion to see them off. All River could do was pray for her sons’ safety and hope to maintain her strength, until she unexpectedly came upon the perfect New Year’s resolution -- one that focused on others instead of herself. She would pray for a complete stranger every single day of the year. 4 In Praying for Strangers, Jordan tells of how the discovery she made along the journey was not simply that her prayers touched the lives of these strangers (in often astounding ways), but that the unexpected connections she made with other people would be a profound experience that would change her life forever. An Open Invitation I returned home from my second weekend trip to SpringHill recently. After hugging and kissing my wife and family, I then made my way to the bedroom to unpack my luggage. After 2 nights on a wafer thin mattress in a room full of teenage boys and old guys like me who snore, I thought to myself, “My bed looks so inviting right now.” Invitations are such a wonderful thing. We all enjoy receiving an invitation to a party or special event. So why am I spending time writing about invitations? I am so glad you asked. This month, I took 46 youth and 9 other adults on our annual trip to SpringHill camp. The Saturday night worship time at both camps ended with an invitation to accept Christ for the first time or to renew your relationship with Him. 14 of our youth accepted the invitation to begin a Christian walk with Christ. 15 of our youth accepted the invitation to renew their relationship with Him. Praise God! Aren’t invitations wonderful? But wait…there’s more! Of the 46 youth on the trip, 13 of those were guests. 4 of those guests made first time decisions to accept Christ and 3 renewed their decision. How about that? The lives of those youth have been changed because they accepted an invitation to go to camp. What’s the most important point of this?? Someone invited them. Another cool thing is that our youth group has more than doubled in attendance because our youth are inviting their friends. So now it’s your turn. I’m sending you an invitation. It’s an invitation to be inviting! Find someone this week and invite them to join you at worship, Sunday school, youth group or a Bible study. Invite them to come over and hang out with you and friends from church. And if you want to hear a really amazing story about invitations, find a Sr. High youth who went to SpringHill and ask them to tell you the story of Chris the Pimp. (No RSVP required) Heath Whitehead 17 Chili Cooks Warm Up a Winter Evening Saturday, Feb 8 over 100 members of our congregation gathered for our annual Chili Cook-Off. The Trustees hosted the event, hoping to make $3000 for the parsonage garage door and shed roof replace ment.. The final tally was $3332. Winning cooks, pictured above, were (l-r) Trevor Hatch, Hannah Kindree, Meredith Stieneker, Ed Willobee . Many delicious varieties of chili were enjoyed by all! Prayer Requests Revs. Ut & Karen To – our Vietnam missionaries Bethlehem Temple UMC – our sister church in Liberia Jim Trouteaud – son of Carl & Mitzie Trouteaud Family of Sandy Yarger – mother of Vikki Rohrer Family of Hub Johnson – stepdad of Darlene Balko Caleb Post—friend of Jill Hamann Kathy Andison, sister of Cheryl Jakubiak JoAnn Leiding— friend of Mitzie Trouteaud Sister Genevieve—friend of Mitzie Trouteaud Dorothy Lucas—mother of George Lucas Our service people Ron Trahan Nancy Schmidt, friend of Judy Misslitz Gert Burnstrum Barb Burns Joy Choiniere Lucas—friend of Sue Leu Vicky Quiambao—mother of Hyacinth Moore Thank you Dear Friends, Thank you so much for the thoughts, prayers, and cards concerning mom's (Ethel Ruggles) passing. It was so comforting to know you were praying and thinking of us. God's Blessings to you all, Bob and Joyce Brenner 16 On her webpage (http://www.riverjordan.info/), River Jordan offers twelve keys to pray for strangers. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t let the effort to pray each day cloud the fact that God brings us in contact with many people each day who need our prayers. Listening in our wor ld is har der and har der as we ar e bombar ded by media. Take time to listen not with just your ears but also with your heart. This will help you connect with others at a deeper level. Take time to see others. See others as partners with you—partners with us—in our walk with Christ. Respect. As simple as this sounds, r emember to r espect the time, cultur e, and even differences of others. Recognize similarities. It’s entir ely too easy to see how differ ent you may be from a homeless person or from someone who is struggling. Look for similarities. Remember, we are all created in God’s image. Believe. Believe God has a plan for you. Believe God has a plan for other s. Believe the people you encounter each day are gifts from God. When you compliment someone or say something cheerful, you are connecting with another child of God. Find new and inspiring ways to connect. Show compassion. When we are compassionate, we are caring. Caring for others helps our hearts grow which in turn opens opportunities to grow closer to Christ. It’s a beautiful circle. Be free to pray as you want. There really are no rules, and you can’t do it wrong. Find ways to let your freedom shine for others. Recognize that when you pray, you change the world. As stated earlier, prayer is a tangible action. Tell your story. Lear n to be comfor table to shar e your stor y of pr ayer with others. Start with your friends and families, but remember your story will impact others. Share it! Simply put…pray. It’s how we communicate with God. He listens. When we listen to Him through prayer, we are conversing with our heavenly father. Prayer is a gift. Find ways to enjoy the gift. You can’t do it wrong! You can read more about River Jordan’s keys to pray for strangers at: http:// www.riverjordan.us/praying-for-strangers-12-keys-in-12-weeks/ In the meantime, we encourage you to pick up and read her book, start a book study, share with your friends and family, join a Sunday School class or another educational opportunity. Our church is filled with ways to make a difference and to grow. Most of all, pray! David Ascher, For the Prayer Project Team 5 New Sewing Project Gathers Interest If you love to sew, we’re looking at some projects to make you happy and help out others in our area. We’ve started making pillowcases to donate to the CS Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, and St Joseph Hospital in Ypsilanti. We’ve also been invited to make quilts for both hospitals’ neo natal intensive care units. And we’re wondering if there is something we could do for Providence Hospital. There is a quilt shop in Saline — Quilting Season — that makes fabric available free to people who would like to make the pillowcases.. We picked up some of that fabric and made a few of the pillowcases already. See our display in the parlor during coffee hour some Sunday soon. We hope to pick up some more fabric very soon. But we understand their supply isn’t great. Do you have a “stash “of 100% cotton fabric that would make colorful, cheerful pillowcases? We could use that! As you can see, we have various possibilities for items to make. We’re still working through details. But we enjoy getting together at the church to sew and chat with each other. We’d like it if you could join us! If you’re interested in joining us, contact Kathy Smith ([email protected]) or Debbie Devereaux (248.486.8848). There is a Stephen Ministry Workshop on Saturday, March 22nd at Dexter United Methodist Church. Pastoral Care Associate, Pastor Tom, is attending and extending an invitation to members of the congregation to join him and explore this ministry. Stephen Ministry is a laity ministry of persons trained to offer Christian support to people struggling through difficult times. It is named after St. Stephen, the first lay person commissioned by the Apostles to minister to those in need. It was started by a pastor and clinical psychologist in St. Louis in 1975 and today more than 11,000 congregations and over 150 denominations are involved. If you’re interested, Pastor Tom has more information… and is available on Sundays to answer questions. There is a small charge for each congregation to attend and this is covered – your commitment is the trip there and back and 4 hours (9 am – 1 pm) at the workshop. Attention: Salad Makers! We are planning to have a recipe booklet available this year of the salads that are prepared for our Salad Luncheon, being held May 3, 2014. You can drop your recipe off in the Joanna Circle mail slot at church and mark it “Recipe for Salad Luncheon,” or you could email it to Bobbie Bushey ([email protected]) or Chris Dordevski ([email protected]). 6 Joanna Circle 15 New Members who joined the church February 9, 2014 Meg & Bob Holycross ar e the pr oud par ents of Nick (12) and Hannah (9). Meg and Bob both enjoy golf and traveling. Bob is a Spartan fan! Meg also enjoys yoga and reading. Bob works as an engineer and Meg is a homemaker. Bob & Meg’s fellowship friends are Dean & Kristin Phillips. You can reach the Holycross Family at 1353 Coach House Lane South Lyon, MI 48178 (248)486-1581. Brian Radtke wor ks in infor mation technology. Brian enjoys spending time with his daughter, Marissa. He also enjoys outdoor activities including boating, fishing, water skiing and snowmobiling. Brian’s fellowship friend is Randy Field. You can reach Brian at 11064 Sandy Creek Dr. South Lyon, MI 48178 (248)573-5377. Michael Richards wor ks as an Account Manager for Online Tech in Ann Arbor and is the proud father of Madilyn Rose (6 months). He and Amy (Vibber) love going camping and being active. Michael played college golf and hockey. He also enjoys Mountain Biking. Michael’s fellowship friend is Justin Collins. You can reach Michael at 816 Oakwood Dr. Howell, MI 48843 (248)845-7082. 14 Five Love Languages – March 2014 Pastor Sondra and the Young Families Class will be studying The Five Love Languages during the month of March. Marriage & family counselor Dr. Gary Chapman says that there are five ways that people speak and understand love: 1) words of affirmation 2) quality time 3) gifts 4) acts of service 5) physical touch. But we don’t always speak the same love language as our spouse or other loved ones. What is your love language? What is your spouse’s? How do we learn a new love language? The class will include video presentations, discussion, and an opportunity to take the Love Languages profile. The class will meet from 9:40 to 10:40 a.m. on Sunday mornings in Room 203. Explore, Engage, Commit (EEC.4) Are you ready to go the next step in your faith? Join Pastor Sondra on Saturday, March 29 for a small group session for seekers, returnees, and those curious about joining the church. (This is the class to attend if you want to become a member.) We’ll meet from 9 a.m. to noon in the Friendship Room. We’ll get acquainted, explore questions about God & Jesus, talk about how to connect with others, and commit to going deeper in our faith. Refreshments will be provided. Sign up on the kiosk or call the church office by Tuesday, March 25. Let us know if you need child care. 7 Liberia Mission Trip Talk We have been asked so many questions, and have so many stories and photos to share, that we want to provide an evening program devoted to our Liberia Mission Trip. Pictured above: (l-r) Heather Fazio, Patti Yerke, Rev. Dahngbah (Bethlehem Temple), Rev. Goah (District Superintendent), Jill Woodward, Moses Kpeannah, Comfort, Rev. Thomas We will talk about our Liberia experiences in more detail, and show you lots of photos of God’s love in action in Liberia. Please join us March 18th from 7:30-9:00 PM in the Chapel for a Liber ia love filled evening. The Lantern 8 Is the monthly newsletter of South Lyon First United Methodist Church 640 S Lafayette South Lyon MI 48178 Newsletter editor is Kathy Smith, [email protected] Visit our webpage at southlyonfirstumc.org You are always welcome at worship, Sunday mornings at 8:15 and 11:00 And NitePraise Sunday evenings at 6:30. Linda Evan Deanna Erin Adam Leah Marge Alison Kara Bob Jack Cindy Jennifer Kim Jack Mackenzie Jennifer Lisa Christy Jim Johnna Joanna Brian Scovel Chappell Coppoc Dobson Gardner Sain Thomas McKenna Price Prohaska Schumacher Swain Crowe Ascher Harvey Klapper Newmark Merryman Stevens Carey Scheffer Firestone Altenberger 3/2 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/4 3/4 3/4 3/4 3/4 3/5 3/6 3/6 3/6 3/6 3/7 3/7 3/8 3/8 3/9 3/10 Patti David Bobbi Kathy Mike Scott Nora Trent Rex Michael Molly Randy Cierra Harry Kevin Kelley Nolan Mark Sharon Greg Mikayla Rosemary Mike Slaven Bowen MacPherson Smith Job Ries Baker Gedda Balko Domine Maguire Pryor Wolfe Harris Parzuchowski Panoff Karfonta Foster Sower Waid Monk Landstrom Slomkowski 3/15 3/16 3/16 3/16 3/17 3/17 3/18 3/18 3/19 3/19 3/19 3/19 3/19 3/20 3/20 3/21 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/28 3/28 Linda Austin Lorraine Charlie Carole Suzie Drew Lauren Darren Monica Dowsett Hinkle Christenson Maguire Vibber Beck Zischerk Borgman Klemens McLaughlin 3/10 3/10 3/11 3/11 3/12 3/13 3/13 3/14 3/14 3/14 Evan Sophie Erika Paul Ian Jo Ralph Kenny Noah Poiner Yeung Auner Cogger Gesler Gibson Reid Walkup Grimes 3/29 3/29 3/30 3/30 3/30 3/30 3/30 3/30 3/31 13 Capernaum Health Clinic coming here in April The second of four Capernaum Health Clinics will be held April 21-25 at First United Methodist Church. Dental visits are available every day by appointment only. Doctor appointments are on a walk-in basis Thursday 9-7 & Friday 9-3. To schedule a time & appointment, or for more information, please call 248-225-4581. Jesus lived in Capernaum. He performed miracles and healing, delivered people from oppression and forgave their sins in Capernaum. He enjoyed dinners and entered into discussion with people in this place. We want to demonstrate our love by providing care and compassionate medical and dental services for people in our community. If you, or someone you know needs these services, please call today for an appointment. This health initiative is brought to our community by six area churches: FUMC, Fellowship Evangelical, First Presbyterian, Cross Roads and Oak Pointe; with the assistance of Covenant Community Care. Our third clinic will be held in July and the fourth in October. For more information, call 248-224-4581 Wellness Walking Club Keeps Going Still waiting for spring? Need to keep moving? The Wellness Walking Club that started in January and February as part of our Wellness series will continue in March. Kathy Smith and Debby Devereaux will serve as coordinators. Join this group who walk the hallways of the church building from 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Some walk fast, some walk slowly – everyone is welcome. One lap around the building is between 1/10 and 2/10 of a mile. Bring walking shoes to change into to help keep the carpets clean. 12 This Lenten season, the Chancel Choir will be presenting Covenant of Grace, a cantata celebrating the promises and covenants of God. This will be presented on Sunday, March 30 during the 8:15 & 11:00 services. Here are some of the musical selections that the ensembles of the church are preparing to share during worship this March. On March 2, the Handbell Choir will play Arnold Sherman’s setting of Lord, I Lift Your Name on High. On Ash Wednesday, March 5, the Handbell Choir will play Fairest Lord Jesus, arranged by Linda Lamb. On March 16, the Chancel Choir will sing Joseph Martin’s setting of God So Loved the World. This is a selection from the Cantata that the Choir will be presenting later in the month. On March 23, the Handbell Choir will play Cathy Moklebust’s original composition, Kyrie, and will play Fairest Lord Jesus. This service will also feature a youth handbell ensemble playing God is So Good by Anna Laura Page. If you have interest in joining either the Chancel Choir or the Handbell Choir this Spring, feel free to contact me. The Handbell Choir rehearses on Mondays from 7:00 – 8:30 in the Sanctuary. All are welcome to participate regularly or on an occasional basis. Please let me know at any time if you are interested in participating with the handbell choir. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 7:00 – 8:30 in the Sanctuary. All are welcome. There are no age restrictions! If you would like to sing with us, all you need to do is show up. If you are interested in joining the Praise Band, please contact Mike Tooman. If you have any questions or concerns about the music ministry programs, please feel free to contact me. David Bassin Director of Music Ministry 9 March Mission of the Month—The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering around the world. UMCOR’s work reaches people in more than 80 countries, including the United States. They provide humanitarian relief when war, conflict, or natural disaster disrupts life to the point where communities cannot recover on their own. UMCOR is a ministry of The United Methodist Church, and its goal is to assist the most vulnerable persons affected by crisis or chronic need without regard to their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. The organization believes all people have God-given worth and dignity. Emergency Preparedness and Crisis UMCOR offers disaster preparedness training programs as well as provides essential supplies and care—both physical and psychological- in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Although UMCOR is not considered a first-response organization, they help communities in need over the long haul until they are on their way to establishing a “new normal” after a crisis. Global Development UMCOR is also involved in global development. They work in partnership with communities to “put love into action and share hope for all people.” Its areas of focus are sustainable agriculture and food security; economic and social development; and the cross-cutting issues of water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition. UMCOR seeks to empower local hospitals, schools, churches, and other stakeholders by enhancing their capacity to address these issues. Nutrition More than a billion people today are undernourished. Under-nutrition is one of the world’s most serious health problems, especially for poor women and children. Better nutrition during early childhood “helps kids live longer, grow stronger, think faster, stay healthier, and be more productive.” Through its Sustainable Agriculture and Development Program, UMCOR provides fieldbased education to help farmers choose the most nutritious foods to plant as well as to get the most yield out of their crops. When you provide financial support to UMCOR, you join them as the hands and feet of our Lord Christ Jesus. Please prayerfully consider supporting this organization with your prayers and donations this month. Yours in God’s Service, The Mission Team Stu Baker, Lori Carey, Jackie Dobson, Heather Fazio, Jessica Mytty, Kristen Parzuchowski, Mary Parzuchowski, Ann Randolph, Scott Ries, Linda Scovel, Tobi Sicklesteel, Marie Volkert, Ed Willobee, Rev. Sondra Willobee, Patti Yerke 10 11