The Methodist A Publication of The Seward United Methodist Church 1400 North 5th Street Seward, NE 68434 November 2013 Vol. 9, Issue 11

We will be accepting donations of Coats and Mittens for

Blue Valley Community Action.

Place them in the Grocery Cart prior to December 9th.

UMW Thank Offering Services

Sunday, November 24 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

You are invited to bring canned goods

Catch Phrase

SUMC

Sunday November 24th @ 5:00

Sunday November 3

Dear friends, It doesn’t feel like I’ve been in Seward four months already. We

came in to Seward in early summer, and the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Time is flying by! In some ways, though, it does feel as though I’ve been here that long. Many of you have gotten to know me, and I’ve gotten to know you. Even though I have a lot of learning to do yet, I am beginning to see a rhythm in my work here. Seward is rapidly becoming home for me. The time has now come for our annual Charge Conference. Technically it is a Church Conference, because in a Church Conference all members who are present can vote. In a Charge Conference only officers can vote. I always set up Conferences so that all members who wish to be present can vote. This year our Church Conference is on Sunday, Nov. 3. It will be a little different format than what you are accustomed to. We will begin with a soup luncheon at 11:30. Several people have signed up to provide the food, so unless you have agreed to bring food you can just come and enjoy it, no charge. My hope is that those who come to the 8:30 service will come back for lunch and the meeting, and those who attend the 10:30 service will stay. I hope the Fellowship Hall will be full of people. Our District Superintendent, Galen Wray, is allowing me to have the largest part of the meeting. We will still do the necessary business, as outlined in our Book of Discipline. We will vote on the budget, and on our slate of officers and committees for next year. My message will be based on my observations at “meet and greet” sessions last summer, committee and board meetings, my personal conversations with many of you, and my observations about the workings of the church. After four months I think I am beginning to get a pretty good picture of the church. I have seen some very good things here, and I see some things that we need to work out. In sharing those observations with you, my hope is that we can set the stage for a good path for the church. I said good path, not right path, because there are probably several good paths we could take. The task is discerning which path is the best possible choice to lead us into the future. I thank you for your patience with me as we work through this new beginning. Together we are working out how to be a church together in the best possible way. My hope is that in sharing what insights I have gained from you, we can begin to figure out our work together. Then, through the next few years our work of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world will produce much fruit for the kingdom of God. In Christ’s service, Pastor Dale Lambert

The Methodist Mailbox

The Methodist Mailbox

The leaves are turning brilliant colors of red, gold and yellow. Frost has tipped our rooftops white. Autumn smells of burning leaves and hot apple cider are in the air. Harvest

is in full swing. Albert Schweitzer once stated that “it is not always granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in faith.” And Orison Swett Marden wrote “We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest.” As the Fall season swiftly gives way to the holiday season, please remember to include the SUMC Foundation in your giving. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. ~Galatians 6: 9-10

Committee Updates During the month of November Mission and Outreach Committee will be soliciting

donations for Imagine NO Malaria. There will be presentations weekly, highlighting how your Prayers and Donations do make a difference.

To Learn More, go to www.malarianomore.org

The Methodist Mailbox

UMYF Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. for Grades 5-8

Held in the Church Basement!

Godparents

Wednesday Evenings

Freshman: Aaron and Julie Christensen 402-643-4879

Sophomore: Doug and Mary Barker 402-643-3383

Junior: Darrin and Laura Goracke 402-874-0109

Senior: Rich and Kelly Wergin 402-643-4410

YOUTH NEWS

UMYF Cinnamon Roll Sunday November 17th

Enjoy Cinnamon Rolls at both Fellowships after Church Service. Help support our Middle School Youth!

WORSHIP OPPORUNITIES

November 3, 2013 12:00 NOON

11:30 SOUP LUNCH

The Methodist Mailbox

UMW Thank Offering Sunday

November 24, 2013

We have a wonderful opportunity to have guest musicians for our UMW Thank Offering Sunday! Alex Sommerfeld, accomplished pianist and his cousin Collin Warren, accomplished organist and wait ‘till you hear them together!!! The music will be offered at both the 8:30 and the 10:30. I can’t think of a more beautiful way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with awesome music and church full of friends and family!

Worship Schedule

8:30 a.m. Blended Worship 9:30 a.m. Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Praise Worship

Watch us on Cable 13 at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday and

10:00 a.m. Thursday mornings.

JOYS AND CONCERNS

Please remember those who were lifted up in prayer for on-going health concerns through the month of October: Jennifer Robbins.

Our thoughts and prayers have been with the families at the loss of a loved one: James Sommerer passed with services held October 11, 2013 Please keep the family and friends of Connie Atkinson in your thoughts and prayers as she passed away Thursday October 24 of Leukemia at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. / Prayers for all the farmers during the harvest season

Special Sundays to mark on your calendar

December 15 - Children’s Program 8:30 & 10:30

December 22 - All Music Sunday 8:30 & 10:30

December 24 - Christmas Eve Services (new times)

5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

The Methodist Mailbox

15We now have sign up sheets at the welcome center to assist with scheduling ushers,

Please stop by the Welcome Center and sign up for upcoming Ushers, Greeters and other opportunities to volunteer for Worship

Services.

Please sign up for the duties and dates/times that work best for you.

Thank you! Worship Committee

FINANCIAL SECRETARY

Seward United Methodist Church will be hiring a Financial Secretary beginning January 1, 2014.

This is a salaried/per diem position, paying $1,200 per year. Duties include depositing and recording of weekly offering, preparing reports,

communicating with the Finance Committee, sending out giving statements, and accumulating pledge cards.

If interested or for more information, call

Pastor Dale at 643-4156,

or Martie Guthrie at 643-9499.

JOIN US FOR GAME NIGHT!

Sunday, November 24th 5:00 to 7:00 Bring finger food and your own Beverage!

We’ll be playing

“Catch Phrase”

The Methodist Mailbox

The ROMA PEOPLE of Europe – Part II

Join the United Methodist Women for their next Unit meeting.

All are WELCOME !!!

The United Methodist Women invites you to join them for their annual Christmas luncheon on Wednesday, December 4, 2013, at 12:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. The Seward High School Swing Choir will entertain. Tickets are $5.00

RSVP to Jeanne Gee

402.641.1072

The Methodist Mailbox

Tidbits

November 3, Ad Council (after Church Service’s) November 4, Nurture, 7 p.m. (Par lor ) November 6, UMW Unit Meeting, 1:30 p.m. November 11, Mission/Outreach Meeting 7:00 p.m. November 11, Staff Parish Relations 7:00 p.m. November 12, Finance, 7:00 p.m. (Par lor) November 14, Trustees, 7:00 p.m. November 21, Evening Circle, 7:00 p.m. November 21, Worship CommStaff Parish Relations

The Methodist Mailbox

Book Review - Reviving Ophelia Lincoln based psychologist and UNL professor Mary Pipher addresses the challenges facing adolescent girls as they strive to survive great personal and cultural changes in their lives. She cites how girls try to find their own way while dealing with the complexities they encounter in society—family and friends, or the lack of them, sexuality portrayed in the media and advertising, peer approval vs. parental guidance and concerns, promiscuity and rape, complex situations and self-esteem. Many case studies of troubled girls and survivors she has counseled enliven the didactic information that provides guidance for other girls and their families.

Thank you to all who have so generously supported Food Net with many donations: garden produce, canned and packaged foods, meats and leftover food. All donations are greatly appreciated and help Food Net serve the people needing food help. The purpose of Food Net is to help people with their food needs. Another purpose of Food Net is to cut down on food waste that may be thrown away but it still edible. Please consider Food Net, also when cleaning out a pantry when someone moves or is moved from a residence or for other reasons. Many times food is still usable. Thank You for all considerations in remembering Food Net The Food Net Crew

Honey Sunday November 3rd

On Honey Sunday , volunteers will

canvas communities throughout Seward County requesting donations

for a 12-ounce container of honey.

Help support The Arc of Seward. The Arc is an organization Advocating for

the Rights of Citizens with developmental disabilities and their

families.

“Help Build the Arc”

Risk-Taking Mission

Wednesday Quilters The ladies of the Wednesday morning Quilting Group purchased new Blinds for the windows in the Fellowship Hall. They were purchased with the money they raised from the Quilting work done.

A Big to Jim Eitel for patching the holes where the old curtains were.

The Methodist Mailbox

Next Meeting

Wednesday

November 20

At 11:30

To the United Methodist Church:

Blue Valley wants to say a very special thank you to the congregation for pulling together and supplying donations for the diapers. This will help many families in the community.

Sincerely Blue Valley Staff

and Volunteers

BLUE VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PANTRY

Collection item for November Boxed Meals

Seward United Methodist Church 1400 North 5th Street Seward, Nebraska 68434

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage Paid

Seward, NE

Permit No. 62

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NOVEMBER MAILBOX DEADLINE IS

Monday November 18, 2013

Submit your news by Monday, Nov.18. You can e-mail articles to the church at umcseward@gmail.com or call Krystel, office administrator, at 643-4156.

Phone: 402-643-4156; Fax: 402-643-4159 Email: umcseward@gmail.com Website: www.sewardumc.org Dale Lambert, Pastor; Every Member, Minister

REMEMBER…Call the

Church (643-4156) or Pastor Dale

(402-646-9077) if you are going to

be hospitalized and wish to have

the Pastor visit. Due to privacy

laws, hospitals cannot disclose

information.

Seward United Methodist Church

and

Bright Beginnings

Local Church Activities

Chair persons for November are:

Carole Briggs

643-2304

Janet Matzke

643-3020