A place for beginning, becoming, and belonging!

Sugar Creek United Methodist Church

Do you make a mean pot of chili (white or red)? Then make sure to enter the Sugar Creek Chili Cook-Off. Don’t make chili? Come be a taster, and vote for your favorite chili. We just ask that you bring a dessert to share. Contact the Church Office if you plan on entering the Chili Cook-Off (office@sugarcreek.org or 483.2270 #3).

Sunday, October 1 12:30 p.m.

Weiner Roast & Hayrack Ride Wednesday, November 8

5:30pm—8:00pm

Don’t miss out on the fun! There will be hot

dogs & marshmallows to roast, hot chocolate

and caramel apples too! Don’t forget to bring

your lawn chairs, and to wear something warm

for the hayride. Hope to see you there!

Wonderful Wednesday

Spooktacular Dinner Join us October 25 at 5:30 p.m. for a spook-a-rific, fun-filled meal prepared by the Wonderful Wednesday Kitchen Crew. Look for more details in the October church bulletins.

October 1 2 p.m.—4 p.m.

Open to all 6th—12th grade students and their parents!

GAMES|FOOD|ACTIVITIES|FUN!

Questions? Contact James Furlong

970-294-6567/jfurlong@sugarcreek.org

The greatest gift you can give someone is your time, your attention, your love, your concern...love never fails.

October is Pastor Appreciation month. This

is the perfect opportunity to let Pastor Paul

know how much we appreciate him. OCTOBER 9

UNITED METHODIST MEN Monday, October 9

6:00 p.m.

The men of Sugar Creek will meet at the Chatham Café in Chatham (414 N. Main Plaza) at 6:00 p.m. We have a guest speaker, Steven Schmidt, Founder and Director of Love Packages in Butler, IL. Schmidt will share the story of how his ministry ships hundreds of tons of Christian literature, Bibles, other books and magazines to mission stations around the world. All men are welcome!

Looking for a small group opportunity?

Join us on Tuesday mornings at 7:00 a.m.

at Chatham Cafe in Chatham (414 N. Main

Plaza). Everyone is welcome!

connect encourage grow

Chair Yoga Mondays at 10:00 a.m.

Chair Yoga emphasizes on

breathing, mild stretching

and relaxation. The cost is

$10 a session, and you pay

when you come. Open to

everyone!

Sunday, October 4 Mike & Pat Lucas in honor of their 47th wedding anniversary (10/3).

Sunday, October 8 Tom & Paulette Hale in honor of their 47th wedding anniversary (10/3).

Sunday, October 15 Gene & Wanda Meurer in honor of their 55th wedding anniversary (10/7), and Gene’s 80th birthday (10/12).

Sunday, October 22 Chuck & Jessica Sharp in honor of their 38th wedding anniversary (10/20).

Sunday, October 29 Chuck & Lois Frazee in honor of Helen Frazee’s (10/30), Charles Frazee’s (11/8), and Laura Pickrell’s (10/27) birthdays.

November 9 @ 7:00 PM This is a FREE concert at Sugar Creek (A love offering for the group will be taken). Look for more info coming soon! To listen to their music, and learn more about This Hope, check out their website at www.thishope.org.

Christmas at Sugar Creek

VENDOR FAIR

Saturday, November 25 10 AM—3 PM

Come start your Christmas shopping with us!

BOOK & CD SALE

The Sugar Creek Youth are collecting gently used books, and CDs for the Vendor Fair. If you have books/CDs you would like

to donate please drop them off at the Church by November 19.

Get Rid of Your Stuff for a Good Cause!

The Rummage Sale is set for Saturday, October 14 from 8 AM—Noon. Do you have items you would like to donate for the sale? Feel free to drop donations off in the Fellowship Hall. Please note—we will not be able to pick up large items. Proceeds from the sale benefit missions.

JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST!

The Missions Team will be serving biscuits & sausage gravy breakfast during the 9:15 Fellowship Time on Sunday, October 15.

All proceeds benefit Missions. Plan to come to church hungry on that Sunday!

KINDNESS is never wasted!

Helen Frazee is Turning 102!

Let’s help Helen celebrate her 102nd birthday on October 30 by sending her birthday wishes. Cards can be sent to:

1st Jim Lund

4th Cheri Hoots

6th Rosalie Mottar

7th Don Jones

9th Forrest Sexton

10th John Kessler

10th Mary Kane

12th Gene Meurer

13th Adrian Chism

15th Christine Lindsey

18th Ed Gregory

18th Jennifer Kessler

18th Tyler Burge

19th Charse Kessler

25th Susan Burke

26th Zara Lund

27th Laura Pickrell

30th Tom Dozier

30th Helen Frazee

30th Jennie Ayers

31st Jane Pond

Helen Frazee C/O River Birch Senior Living

4012 Cockrell Lane Springfield, IL. 62711

OCTOBER

MEETINGS

Caregiving Team

Monday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m.

Nominations Team

Tuesday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m.

Education Team

Monday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m.

Trustees

Tuesday, October 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Leadership Team

Tuesday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Missions Team

Tuesday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Make It Your Goal To Love And Encourage One Another!

1st Dave & Lois Dickey

3rd Tom & Paulette Hale

3rd Mike & Pat Lucas

3rd Todd & Heather Lowary

5th Kevin & Shantel High

7th Gene & Wanda Meurer

16th Richard & Donna Cleeton

19th Brian & Suzanne Daugherty

20th Chuck & Jessica Sharp

22nd Tom & Linda Stelte

28th Ray & Pat Nichols

29th Bob & Pat Gruen

29th Thad & Angel Lael

General Fund

Contributions

Expense

Missions & Benevolence

Conference Obligations

Program Expense

Salaries (Pastor & Staff)

Utilities, Cleaning, Moving

Total Expense

Net Income (-loss)

Building Fund

Contributions

August 2017

$22,330

$1,379

$2,136

$1,928

$12,795

$3,183

$21,421

$909

$4,959

Year to Date

164,766

$12,125

$17,088

$11,420

$89,561

$27,692

$157,886

$6,880

$18,189

YOUR MONEY

FUNDING GOD’S MINISTRY “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...but store up for yourselves

treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”

October’s Stewardship Scripture: It’s our way of encouraging everyone to become a better steward. Giving is an act of faith.

Sharing our joy in Christ Jesus by Reaching out to show God’s Love.

Gold Star Mission 500 Cairo to St Charles, IL

SGT Brian M Romines was just twenty years old when he was

killed in action on June 6, 2005. He was from Simpson, Illinois.

On September 20, Jim Lund began his 514.5

mile bike trek in memory of SGT. Brian M.

Romines (IL. National Guard). Jim along

with a team of Illinois military members, from

Cairo to Chicago rode in memory of thirty-

four fallen Illinois Air and Army National Guard heroes who lost

their lives since September 11, 2001. This endurance ride was to

raise funds and awareness for the families who lost loved ones

while in service to our country.

Thank you to everyone that helped Jim reach his goal of $1,000,

and for all the prayers! To learn more and see pictures/videos of

the four day endurance ride, please visit www.goldstarmission.org.

Sunday, November 5

All Services

All Saints Sunday is a time for remembering loved ones we’ve lost in the past year.

Sugar Creek is preparing for Confirmation

Classes. Do you have a son, daughter, or

grandchild (6th—8th grade) that is ready for

the Confirmation experience?

On Sunday, October 29, we will have an

important orientation meeting for both parents

and confirmands at 5 p.m. at the church. Please

contact the Church Office if you have any

questions (office@sugarcreek.org/217.697.4643).

The United Methodist Men have chosen Asbury Children’s Supper Hour as their quarterly project. They are collecting the following items: Canned Goods:

Peaches, pears, mandarin oranges,

Pineapples, carrots, green beans,

peas

chicken broth, honey, spaghetti

sauce, thin spaghetti noodles, and

canned chicken

QUARTERLY PROJECT

Let all that you do be done with Love. 1 Corinthians 16:16

[Christ] is the head of the body, the church: he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

so that he might come to have first place in everything. – Colossians 1:18, NRSV

From his devotional book titled, Wonder of the Cross, Chris Tiegreen writes the following for September 23,

2011, which prompted me at the time to reflect on both Christians and churches risking all for Christ.

“Groups of Chinese students regularly leave their homeland on a march to Jerusalem. Why? Because the route

goes through strongholds of every major religion in the world and the students’ passion for telling the story of Jesus is

strong. They know that many of them will die from persecution along the way. They know that they aren’t allowed to

turn back, even if their family members need them. Regardless of health and hardship, they will continue until they

reach Jerusalem or die. In their lives, Christ is supreme.”

Chinese students journey through the strongholds of all the major religions in the world to Jerusalem because of

their burning desire to tell the story of Jesus. They go, knowing they will have to leave their homes and families behind,

they will be persecuted along the way, and many of them will die for their faith. What determination . . . what motiva-

tion . . . what inspiration these Chinese students demonstrate! They “will continue until they reach Jerusalem or die.”

Why? Because Christ is supreme in their lives. They put Christ first in everything! Oh, if only we would display such

passion . . . such desire . . . such motivation that we are willing to risk everything – even our lives – for the supremacy

of Christ.

As the fall season begins and new church ministries start, Charge Conferences are held, stewardship campaigns

are conducted, and church leaders are sought, it’s a good time for us to reflect on the risks we are willing to take to

follow Christ. As Christians and as Christ’s church, we are called to put Christ first in everything, which means taking

risks. However, I believe many Christians and churches today no longer take risks because they no longer put Christ

first. Some may disagree, saying, “Of course, we put Christ first.” In response, my question is this: “Do our actions

show it?”

It’s not enough that we say, think and believe we put Christ first. We also must show it with our risk-taking

actions. Read carefully the following additional thoughts from Tiegreen. He writes: “Is [Christ] first only in our think-

ing and our beliefs? Or is He first in our lifestyles? There’s a difference. Intellectual faith in the deity of Jesus requires

little risk. Lifestyle faith in the deity of Jesus requires everything. Our spiritual opposition knows that too. Satan and his

forces will do whatever they can to keep our faith in our minds and out of our lives.”

Indeed, there is a difference in proclaiming Christ’s supremacy with our words and demonstrating Christ’s

supremacy with our actions. This is true for the lives of both Christians and churches. The longer I reflect on this differ-

ence, the more I’m convinced that many Christians (myself included) and churches (SCUMC included) are putting

Christ first more in our thoughts and words, and less in our actions and lives.

Truly putting Christ first in our lives means taking risks. If we’re not sure we’re putting Christ as “Lord over

all,” we only need to consider when we last took a great risk for the sake of sharing the Good News. Even more,

consider when we last risked everything (family, home, work, etc.) to follow our passion for Christ and embark on a

life-changing journey of faith. If our answer is “never” or “it’s been a long time,” then we need to start taking risks for

Christ today!

If SCUMC is serious about putting Christ first in everything and having Christ Lord over all, then it needs to

take risks – great risks! It needs to start doing real risk-taking ministries and missions. It needs to be willing to risk

everything, including the familiar and comfortable way it has conducted church ministries and missions in the past. It

needs to risk all for Christ to fulfill the “Great Commission” of going and making disciples of Jesus Christ, and to

accomplish “Our Mission” of bringing people to Jesus Christ through worship, connection and service.

For this to happen, SCUMC needs church leaders willing to risk all for Christ in their personal and church lives,

and to embark on a life-changing spiritual journey of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. In short, our church needs

bold risk-takers to advance God’s Kingdom here “on earth as it is in heaven.” Are you one of these risk-takers? If so,

SCUMC needs you! Just a thought.

Pastor Paul

Risking All for Christ

Remember to always put GOD FIRST in your relationships, marriage, and your home. Because where there is Christ your foundation will always remain solid.

Stress. Anxiety. Fear. These words capture well the state of mind of many of us in America today. We

have witnessed dramatic market losses, the collapse of the world’s largest insurance company, and many bank-

ruptcies and mergers. Every day seems to bring another piece of economic uncertainty.

A recent survey found that over three in four Americans are stressed about the economy and their personal

finances. Half were worried about providing for their family’s basic needs. Over half of respondents reported

feeling angry and irritable, and reported lying awake at night worried about this. The report concludes that, “The

declining state of the nation’s economy is taking a physical and emotional toll on people nationwide.”1

Increasing consumer debt, declines in savings, lower income growth, and a volatile stock market are all a

part of our economic insecurity. We have lived in a society that tells us “you deserve it now,” whether or not we

can afford it or really even need it.

All of us have struggled with these issues at one time or another. They are important issues that we cannot

ignore. This is why, over the next four weeks, we will be having a churchwide study and worship emphasis,

including a four-week sermon series, called Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. During

this time, we will explore what the Bible teaches us about financial management through corporate worship and

small group study (visit www.sugarcreek.org for details). We’ll hear expert advice and stories about what others

have learned by working through financial challenges. Each week we will provide you with some practical tools

you can use to assess your financial situation and develop a financial plan with a biblical foundation.

At the conclusion of the emphasis, we will have the opportunity to make personal commitments of our

offerings to God through our church in the coming year. We will consecrate these commitments on Sunday,

November 12, and celebrate them on Sunday, November 26, in the worship services.

I hope you will join us in the coming weeks as we look at how we can manage our financial resources and

truly experience simplicity, generosity, and joy.

Schedule of Events:

Wed. Oct. 11 Faith in the Midst of Financial Crisis

Small-Group Study Begins

Week of Oct. 15 When Dreams Become Nightmares

Week of Oct. 22 Wisdom and Finance

Week of Oct. 29 Cultivating Contentment

Week of Nov. 5 Defined by Generosity

Small-Group Study Ends

Sunday Nov. 12 *Consecration Sunday

Sunday Nov. 26 *Celebration Sunday

*Consecration and Celebration of Next Year’s Ministry Commitment

1 “Eight Out of Ten Americans Stressed Because of Economy,” by Madison Park, from CNN.com, October 7,

2008; http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/10/07/economic.stress/index.html.