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August 2015

First United Methodist Church “Love, Live, Give As You Have Received”

4th & D Streets (P.O. Box 945)

Salida, CO 81201 (719) 539-2755

Ministers: Everyone; Pastor: Calob Rundell 719-539-2755 (O), 720-879-2267(C); Office Administrator: Licia Iverson; Organist: Rod Schleicher; Organist Emeritus: Virginia Imig;

Lay Leader: Van Ricketts 395-6329; Church Council Chair: Ken Leisher Pastor’s e-mail: pastor@salidaumc.org Church website: www.salidaumc.org Church e-mail: office@salidaumc.org

Pastor’s Ponderings Here we go! From Rev. Calob Rundell

My friends, it seems like forever ago that the announcement was made way back on March 8

th that I

would be coming to join you in ministry as your pastor. March 8

th! It was still winter! There was still plenty of

snow yet to blanket the earth.

But now it is the middle of summer, and I am absolutely ecstatic that I am here with you in wondrously gorgeous Chaffee County! How one place got to be so blessed with an abundance of scenery, culture, art, music, hiking, biking, rafting, skiing (and snowboarding), food, drink, and intriguing people is beyond me, but I am excited to be a part of it.

Now, the task that lies before us in this wonderful place is the same mission that has been at the heart of the church for the past 2000 years, and will continue to be the mission of the church for the remainder of time: to be living witnesses to the power of following Jesus. In the midst of these mountains and in the scenic setting of Salida, we are called to proclaim the Gospel and to live out the Gospel.

Even though the mission of the church has remained the same for 2000 years, how we go about moving into the mission is always in a state of flux and change. The church is always to be in the business of doing new things to reach new people. The raft guide dinners and the relationships that you have built over the past years are an example of doing a new thing to reach new people.

In the year 2015, the Church (meaning the global Church universal) is in a very entrepreneurial season. There are A LOT of exciting things happening in the Church that are taking the Gospel to places it needs to be and proclaiming it in new ways. Some of these things are without precedent, and followers of Jesus are inventing completely new models of how to do church and how to be church. Some of these things actually go back into the history and tradition of the church that have become lapsed, such as small groups that are based upon the structure that John Wesley set up centuries ago.

As we begin our time of ministry together as church and pastor, I am greatly looking forward to how The Holy Spirit is going to move in us and through us. What are the new things The Spirit will lead us to? Who are the new people we are going to interact with? Where are we going to meet them? How are we going to authentically point to the source of abundant life, Jesus?

Right now, I have absolutely no answers to those questions. But, we are on this journey of following Jesus together. I invite you to dream and vision of how we can continue to be the church we are called to be.

I am excited to be in ministry with you. God is at work, our job is to keep up. Here we go!

“The former things I declared long ago, they went out from My mouth and I made them known.” Isaiah 48:3 “From this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have now known.” Isaiah 48:6

Calob pastor@salidaumc.org

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September Monitor Articles

are due on or before

Thursday, July 20th

Thank You!!! Licia

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

August Ushers - Coordinator: Ginny Cunningham August 2 Jerry & Ginny Cunningham August 9 David & Cynthia Hearn August 16 Judy Eyler & Julie Moss August 23 Norris Miller & Norma Smith August 30 Jack & Sandy Gordon August Liturgists - Coordinator: Karen Yerkey August 2 David Hearn August 9 Sherry Welton August 16 Ed Kinzie August 23 Leon Stanton August 30 Van Ricketts

August Fellowship Hosts - Everyone

August 2 Rich & Susan Little August 9 Available August 16 Available August 23 Available August 30 Elaine & Al Adams

Sign-up sheet for “Fellowship Host” is on the bulletin board in Century Hall.

“Heaven at 11:00”

Join us each Wednesday at 11:00am in the Parlor for 20 minutes of

Contemplative Prayer (Silence)

Tuesday, August 11th

at 10:00AM in Century Hall.

Everyone is invited.

Our August Celebrations!

Birthdays

August 2 Effie Crider

August 8 Barbara Williams

August 9 Dick Knostman

August 15 Bill Tulley

August 22 Lois Walrath

August 28 Pat Miller

August 29 Raeann Shively

August 31 Hal Brown

Anniversaries

August 3 Fran & Bill Tulley

August 16 Sharry & Jeriel Reid

August 19 Dixie & Leon Stanton

August 20 Sue & Karl Tucker

August 29 Karen & Tom Yerkey

Thank you to everyone who hosted the various Meet & Greet events so that we could spend time with Calob (and each other) in a small group setting. We have one more scheduled opportunity if you have not attended yet.

Thursday Aug. 6 3:30pm Home of Virginia Imig

We know that God will use these small group experiences in a blessed way for us to start our journey together. Thank you to Ken Leisher for coordinating these Meet & Greet events!

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Prayer Requests, Celebrations & News

֎ Thank you God! We are thoroughly enjoying getting to know Calob Rundell as our new pastor! God has lots of exciting things in store for us! Please be sure to meet Calob sometime if you haven’t already. You are always invited to attend Sunday morning worship services. There are also many ways to get involved in a manner that works for you or invites you to stretch a little, in the love and safety of this faith community. Come grow with us!

֎ We ask for your continued prayers for John Hogue and his family.

֎ Continued prayers are requested for Pat Leisher as she recovers from a broken ankle which required surgery on June 22nd.

֎ Mary Lou McCausey is doing very well as she recovers from a knee replacement. If you’d like to send a card, her address is: 10402 W. Cherokee Drive, Salida, CO 81201

֎ Continued prayers are requested for Annette Smith, Norma Smith’s Daughter-in-law, as she continues to recover from a series of difficult health challenges. Annette was well on her way to recovering from a recent brain surgery that was required to repair complications from a previous surgery. Then shortly thereafter, she fell in the shower and broke both bones in her lower right leg, her tibia and fibula. And as a result, was back in the hospital for another surgery. Please continue to pray for Annette’s health and well-being. Please pray for her family and for all those who are caring for her. Annette's address to send a card is: 1625 Donovan St.

Strasburg, C0. 80136

֎ Rob Coe’s surgery went well, although it took over 5 hours! The surgeon was very happy with the outcome and good pulse in his right ankle/foot! He also said it was, (obviously) more complex than they had anticipated- but we know he likes challenges! Apparently he REALLY LIKED Rob's surgical procedure! Please continue to pray for Rob’s restored

health and know how much Jeannie and Rob appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers.

֎ Prayers are asked for Virginia Imig and family as her cousin passed away last week in Virginia after an extended illness. The funeral was held this week in Virginia. Please pray for everyone who came together to remember her and celebrate her life. While this is often a difficult time for loved ones who remain, may they be comforted in their memories and love for each other.

֎ Our next Church Council meeting date is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22nd at 10:00am in Century Hall. Mark your calendar!

֎ The Outreach Committee will not meet in August. Their next scheduled meeting will be on Wednesday, September 9th.

֎ Looks like we WILL be able to order peaches this month! More information to come about that!

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We’re Wrapping Up the

2015 Raft Guide Dinners Season!

Our last Raft Guide Dinner for the 2015 season will be on Wednesday, August 5th. The theme for this dinner will be…

“A Good Old-Fashioned Methodist Potluck”

Thank you for signing up on the sign-up sheet in Century Hall.

These dinners are such a huge success because of you, the volunteers and supporters of this ministerial outreach. We are grateful to all those who have shared their time, talents and treasures by helping with set-up, preparing and serving food, eating and conversing with the guides, helping with clean-up, contributing financially to the Raft Guide Fund, and most of all being of service to others.

Next month, there will be a more detailed report of all the variables that make up the Raft Guide Dinners along with the feedback from the guides! A season follow-up meeting will be scheduled in September. If you here for the summer only, we welcome your feedback, questions and suggestions before you leave. We will then share them at the follow-up meeting.

Here are a few comments from the guides:

“Thank you so much for this act of kindness! You can really feel the love in this place, which is not true for so many churches and I really appreciate that ya’ll think it’s important to spread the message of love! I hope we can continue to do this next year, it will be in my prayers! Thank you so much and many blessings!

“This is a great thing you all do here. It means so much to the rafting community. It is a wholesome night we all look forward to. Thanks.” “Thank you so much for hosting the raft guide dinners. This is my second year coming and something I always look forward to. My parents

were quite shocked when I told them I was going to a “church” dinner. Everyone is so nice and supportive and non-judgmental. My favorite dinner was definitely the Thanksgiving in July! It was delicious. Especially since I haven’t been able to go home for Thanksgiving in three years! Love all the volunteers! “This is my fourth time to church dinner. This time more than any other, I am especially thankful for the people who fund and put on the dinners. I am flat broke today and almost out of food, so a nice warm meal warms my soul. Thanks, Shannon

(Mark your calendars NOW!)

Ongoing Weekly Scheduled Items Include:

Wednesdays: Bible Study, 9:30-10:30am, Century Hall Heaven at Eleven! 11:00am – 20 min. Contemplative Prayer Gp. (Silence), Parlor…

Thursdays: Church is closed for cleaning, 12:00-2:00pm Fridays: Church Office is Closed

Wed, Aug. 5 Emmaus Reunion Gp, 10:30am, Bsmt. Wed, Aug. 5 Last Raft Guide Dinner for 2015, 7pm Thurs, Aug. 6 Meet & Greet at Virginia Imig’s Home,

3:30pm; Sign-up in Century Hall Tues, Aug. 11 Faith Book Club, 10:00am, Century Hall Wed, Aug. 12 GARNA Photography Club, 5:00pm,

Basement Mon, Aug. 17 Care Team, 10:00am, Century Hall Tues, Aug. 18 Monitor Articles Due! Wed, Aug. 19 Historic Salida, Noon, Parlor Thurs, Aug. 20 Pig Roast Dinner Preparations Thurs, Aug. 20 Decorating Century Hall for Pig Roast Fri, Aug. 22 13th Annual Pig Roast 4:30-7:00, Eat In

or Drive-Thru Take Out Sun, Aug. 23 Salida Troop Donations Due Tues, Aug. 25 Pack Troop Boxes, 9:00am at Lutheran

Church Basement