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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Messenger the Our Mission is to Worship God and Love One Another by Taking Christ to the Community and the Community to Christ. March 12 Begins March 1 FUMC Family 2 Prayer & Care 3 Fellowship 3 Note from Steve 4 Worship Themes 5 Extend the Table 6 Praying Our Way Forward 7 Study’s & Groups 8 Mission Branches 9-10 Thank Yous 11 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Page 1: the MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF Messengerfumcgj.org/hp_wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/March-2017.p… · Bell Director: Carmen Devereux (carmina2696@gmail.com) Organists: Karen Ray,

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Messenger

the

Our Mission is to Worship God and Love One

Another by Taking Christ to the Community

and the Community to Christ.

March 12

Begins March 1

FUMC Family 2

Prayer & Care 3

Fellowship 3

Note from Steve 4

Worship Themes 5

Extend the Table 6

Praying Our Way Forward 7

Study’s & Groups 8

Mission Branches 9-10

Thank Yous 11

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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P A G E 2

FUMC Family

Staff

Church Office “OPEN” hours are 9am to 4pm

Monday through Friday.

Lunch Hour/Office Closed 12-1pm

Church staff can be reached at the office

number - 242-4850.

Senior Pastor: Steve Easterday-McPadden

([email protected])

Assoc. Pastor: Laura Cartwright

([email protected])

Secretary: Carolyn Campbell

([email protected])

Family & Children’s Dir: Megan Weaver

([email protected])

Interim GV Youth Dir: Jessica Roehm

([email protected])

Parish Visitor: Kirsten Liwanag

([email protected]

Financial Sec.: Roxie Denning

([email protected])

Treasurer: Phyllis Neff

([email protected])

Choir Director: James Werner

([email protected])

Bell Director: Carmen Devereux

([email protected])

Organists: Karen Ray, Merle Ashley

Media Ministry: Yancey Brennan

Sound Tech: Mike Legate

Maintenance/Custodial: Tim Spagna

Nursery Coordinator: Pam Fults

Custodian: Sylvia Lehmann

Death Notices

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the

following families:

Madonna Lynn Harris & her family on the

death of OD Harris, her Husband. He

passed away on January 31, 2017.

Leo Thiessen on the death of his wife, Pat

Thiessen, on February 1, 2017.

Family of Marie Kay who passed away on

February 16, 2017.

Cliff Moore on the death of his wife,

Velma Moore, on February 17, 2017.

Our church newsletter is pub-

lished each month with the next

deadline being Weds. March 15,

for April newsletter.

Please submit articles by email

whenever possible, otherwise

drop them off typed (if possi-

ble) to the church office.

A full color version can be found

at www.fumcgj.org

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Care Ministry

The guaranteed way to receive support and

visits from your pastors and church family

while you are unable to come to worship

temporarily, is to call the Church Office at

242-4850. Please know that your specific

situation is confidential. You may even request

that your name is neither mentioned aloud in

worship service nor listed in the bulletin, but

you can still be put on the church’s prayer

chain and receive visits.

Note:

We can send you a DVD of worship,

bulletin, and sermon upon request.

You can also listen to Sunday’s sermon

located on our website. Click on the media

tab, click on sermon date.

P A G E 3

If you or someone you know would like to be put on the

phone prayer chain, you may call Peggy Price at 242-4206

or the Church Office at 242-4850.

*********************************************************************

If you would like to participate or put someone on the

email prayer chain please email Kirsten Liwanag at:

[email protected].

Prayer & Care Opportunities

PRAYER ROOM AVAILABLE - You are invited to enjoy

our prayer room at the top of the main stairs on the 2nd

floor. There are bibles, writing paper, and various other

prayer resources for your convenience. Also, there is

consecrated communion elements available for you as

well.

Fellowship & Fun

A LITTLE NOON MUSIC

March 8

Free Concert on 2nd Wednesdays

All performances begin at 12:15pm and

last 30 to 40 minutes.

Performers:

William Aikens—Oboe

Arthur Houle—Piano

FUMC Book Club will meet

March 27, at 1:30pm, in the

Parlor.

The book for review is The

Aviator’s Wife by Melanie

Benjamin.

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P A G E 4

Greetings, Friends!

My greatest joys in ministry have to do with rela-tionships – sharing life with you and journeying with you through its blessings and heartaches, joys and sorrows, and seeking and finding God in it all – and discovering new things in and about Scripture and sharing those discoveries with you.

You can imagine, then, the excitement I felt when I discovered that the Gospels tell a different story when it comes to the timing of the events in Holy Week. To be more accurate, the synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – tell the story of the timing and meaning of the events in Holy Week different from the Gospel of John. The chronology only differs by a day, but the theology is worlds apart! Put simply, in the synoptics (from the Greek meaning “with one view” because of the strong similarities in Matthew, Mark, and Luke) Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples. In John, Jesus doesn’t take part in the sacrifice and observance of Passover; Jesus is the Passover sacrifice!

This means the church has been observing Holy Week all wrong for millennia, which changes EVERYTHING! Well, not quite everything….

We can still celebrate the Last Supper; it’s just not the Passover meal. It’s the meal in the “Upper Room” where Jesus also washes His disciples’ feet to model love through service and humility. It’s also not on (Maundy) Thursday; it’s on Wednesday.

We can still mourn the crucifixion and death of Je-sus; it’s just not on (Good) Friday. It’s on Thurs-day, which also happens to be the “Day of Prepa-ration” for the Passover.

And we can still celebrate Jesus’ resurrection after three nights and days in the tomb. Happily, that happens to coincide with Easter Sunday, not Sat-urday. In fact, observing John’s chronology is the only way we get “the sign of Jonah”: three nights and days in the tomb as prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 12:39-40. (We don’t get that in the syn-optics’ chronology, despite Matthew’s recording of Jesus’ prophecy!)

If at this point, that cute baby’s look of puzzlement reflects your own mental state, don’t despair! Take a deep breath and commit to spending the Lenten season reading and discussing the Gospel of John and partaking of Holy Week worship. If you commit to reading 3 chapters a day in John beginning Monday, March 6th, you’ll read the Gos-pel 5 times by the time we get through Palm Sun-day. Five times! You could read just one chapter a day every day in Lent but Sundays beginning Ash Wednesday, March 1st, and end up reading John twice by the Tuesday of Holy Week. Make it a Lenten discipline, something you take on for Lent rather than giving something up.

You can also read through the study guide I’ve

developed for you because believe me, this brief article only scratches the surface!

Gotta love the Lenten journey…

– Pastor Steve

This Changes

EVERYTHING!

Well, not quite

everything...

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P A G E 5

(The preacher is Pastor Steve unless otherwise indicated.)

Making Sense of the Signs of the Times:

A Focus on Key Themes in the Gospel of John

Ash Wednesday, March 1st

Special Evening Worship Service, 7 PM

This was deeply appreciated last year. Please plan to attend and get Lent off to a meaningful start.

March 5th – Lent 1

Communion will be served this Sunday.

Scripture: John 1:19-37

Jesus, the Lamb of God

March 12th – Lent 2 and the Jewish Festival of Purim

SWITCH TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!

Scripture: Selected passages from the book of Esther

Purim and Good Friday, An Unexpected Providence

March 19th – Lent 3. Rev. Laura preaching.

Scripture: John 2:1-12

The Wedding at Cana

March 26th – Lent 4

Scripture: John 4:1-42

A Samaritan Woman – and So Much More

April 2nd

– Lent 5

Communion will be served this Sunday.

Scripture: John 11:1-53

The Raising of Lazarus

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P A G E 6

REMINDER: Extend the Table Communion

Ministry

We have begun a new ministry of bringing com-munion to members and friends of the congre-gation who aren’t able to get to worship on com-munion Sundays, the first Sunday of the month. We are calling this “Extend the Table” because other church members with a love for Christ and a heart for caring for the congregation bring communion elements consecrated at worship that Sunday by Pastor Steve and Rev. Laura to those who can’t make it to worship.

This ministry is for anyone who can’t make it to worship that communion Sunday, not just for our long-term “at-home worshippers.” That can change from one month to the next, so please let us know if you’d like communion brought to you whether its on an on-going basis or just for one month.

If you desire to receive Extend the Table com-munion, please contact the Church office, and Kirsten Liwanag, our Congregational Care Coor-dinator will make the needed arrangements for you. Kirsten, Rev. Laura, or I will be happy to Extend the FUMC Table to you!

Pastor Steve

HEADS UP – Change of Plans Concerning

the Will-Power Workshop

The workshop on wills and planned giving ad-vertised in the last issue of “The Messenger” for March 5th has been postponed until sometime in the summer. Those developing the workshop at the Rocky Mountain UM Foundation in Den-ver are working on a revised and enhanced ver-sion of this that we thought would be worth the wait.

We’ll let you know when a new date has been selected. Thanks for your patient understand-ing.

Just some quotes!

“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can

transform almost unbearable tears into

something bearable, even hopeful.” ~ Bob

Hope

“Like a victorious locker room, church is a

place to exult, to give thanks, to celebrate the

great news that all is forgiven, that God is

love, that victory is certain.”--Philip Yancey

“What we should bear in mind is that every

type of work on earth and in all the universe

is God’s work and as such it should be per-

formed from the heart, without reserva-

tion." ~Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

“Grace is given not that we might find some

exterior source of strength, but that we might

be established again in the deep inner secu-

rity of our being and in learning to lose our-

selves in love for one another to truly find

ourselves.” ~ John Philip Newell

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P A G E 7

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P A G E 8

Women’s

Ministries at FUMC

It’s a 101 Green Theme! Come join Virdie Sav-age in celebrating her 101

st birthday at

noon, on March 2, in Gaines Hall. Bring a dish of something green (and edible) – green Jello, green salad, green chili, green bread. Holy gua-camole! Cake and [green?] ice cream will be provided. Pat Backes will present a short program about the World Day of Prayer, another connection of global ministries. [Hosted by United Methodist Women] For more information, call 970-245-8157. See you on March 2nd!!

Study’s & Groups

Men’s Ministries at FUMC

1. Friday Morning Men’s Study

Join us at 7am, on Friday mornings, at Four

Winds Coffee & Tea at “The Christ Center”, 1235

Bookcliff Ave. (on the SE corner of Bookcliff and

12th). We enjoy coffee, a great breakfast, enrich-

ing fellowship, and bible study or a book study.

2. United Methodist Men’s Gathering –

Monthly, 3rd

Tuesdays, 7:00pm

Join us for an hour or so of faith and fellowship-

building in Gaines Hall or in the Parlor room.

This is also a ministry of exploring ways we can

reach out to the men of the church and involve

them in enriching their faith and building our

Body of Christ here at FUMC.

Did you know that anyone in the church can attend these meetings which are typically held the 2nd Wed.’s of each month at 5:30pm. Next meeting is Wed., March 8th.

The meetings will begin with a focus on Finance and then move to the other areas of administrative significance, i.e., Trustees, SPR, and Leadership Development, followed by other areas of significance, e.g., vision, special projects, pro-gram, etc. The CF&A meeting will be where current and anticipated operational issues are discussed along with “bigger picture” issues related to mission, vision, growth, direction, and “next steps”.

Specific Role

Members

Specific Role

Members

Specific Role

Members

Specific Role

Members Other Program Min.

Council Reps.

Lead Pastor

Steve Easter-day-McPadden

Finance Chair

Jeff Carpenter

Lay Member

to AC

Roger

Graham

Church Coun.

Chair

Buzz

Schoenbeck

Youth Adult

Rep.

Ascher Rice

Glenna Brayton

Assoc. Pastor

Laura

Cartwright

SPR Chair or

Rep

Vicki Stites

Treasurer

(Staff)

Phyllis Neff

Generosity

Team Chair

Brad

Cartwright

UMW Pres. or

Rep.

Liz Thomas

GV Youth Rep.

Michelle Huff

Lay Leader/

Lay Mbr AC

Buzz

Trustee Chair

or Rep.

Elected at 1st

Mtg. of year.

Financial Sec.

(Staff)

Roxie Denning

UMM Pres. or

Rep.

Family & Chil-

dren’s Min Rep.

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P A G E 9

Mission Branches (ongoing)

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much

fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

Email Prayer Chain Ministry—to participate contact Kirsten Liwanag, by email at [email protected].

Collection basket in the court yard breezeway for Community Food Bank.

Diaper Depot: Can you volunteer some time to help run the depot? Contact Anna Aleksa at [email protected] or 970-946-3179. Accepting donations of dia-pers (Luvs, Pampers, or Huggies), baby wipes, or money. Collection basket is in the court yard breezeway.

Donations of food, money, or volunteering your time for Breakfast in the Park - for more info contact Buzz Schoenbeck at [email protected] or 644-2082, or Darrah Barnes at 250-4409 [email protected].

Campbell Soup Labels—drop them off in the Library (white tub under UMW boxes)

Aluminum Cans—drop off in receptacle by alley door.

R5 Lunch Ministry: To give your time and/or resources, contact Joanne Graham at 242-1969 or [email protected].

Sidewalk Ministry: To give your time to greet people outside before each worship ser-vice contact Pat & Larry Backes at 778-0300 or [email protected].

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P A G E 1 0

On the second Sunday of the month all coin & cash (unless otherwise designated) is given to one of the Grand Valley’s non-profit organizations. FUMCGJ recognizes these organizations as agents of Christ’s work to meet the needs of many people in ways that are consistent with the teachings of Christ. Please plan ahead to support the wonderful work of these great organizations.

MAKE A CHANGE for March 12 is Girls on the Run

What We Do-At Girls on the Run we inspire girls to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Trained coaches lead small teams through our research-based curricula which includes dynamic discussions, activities, and running games. Over the course of the ten-week program, girls in 3rd-8th grade develop essential skills to help them navigate their worlds and estab-lish a lifetime appreciation for health and fitness. The program culminates with girls positively impact-ing their communities through a service project and being physically and emotionally prepared to com-plete a celebratory 5K event. Why It Matters-Girls face social pressures and conflicting messages about how they should act and who they should be. Studies show that by adolescence, girls’ confidence drops about twice as much as boys’. Friendships become more complicated and challenging, girls’ perception of their academic ability declines, the likelihood of anxiety and depression increases and participation in physical activity plummets. It doesn’t have to be this way. Thanks to YOU, last year we provided every participant in need a proper pair of running shoes. 100% of your funds stayed right here in Mesa County. Your generosity quite literally SUP-PORTED our girls!

The Diaper Depot is looking for volun-teers to help run the depot on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 10am-1pm. We are looking for people who can help bag up diapers and wipes for the diaper closet and hand out the diapers to the families who come in. If this is a ministry that you would like to help with, please con-tact Anna Aleksa at [email protected] or there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board by the office.

Have a Blast as a Camp Director This Summer at Grand Mesa Church Camp! Two directors, one female and one male, are needed for each of the follow-ing camping events this summer: Mid-High Camp July 16-21, Elementary Camp July 24-28, and Family Camp July 28-30. It is rewarding work that changes lives! Please contact Jessica Roehm ([email protected]) or Pas-tor Steve for more information.

more...Mission Branches

GRAND MESA CHURCH CAMP NEEDS A CAMP CARETAKER

The Trustees of Grand Mesa Church Camp are in the process of looking for someone to be camp

caretaker for this next summer. The period of employment will basically begin the mid part of June,

all of July through mid –August, and several weekends the latter part of August and in September. If

interested or know someone who might be interested, please contact Max Stites at 970-256-7797 or

[email protected] for a detailed job description, duties, an application, and salary information.

We would like to get this important position filled sooner rather than later and look forward to visiting

with those interested. Max Stites

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P A G E 1 1

T

H

A

N

K

Y

O

U

S

Dear Church Members,

On behalf of Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County

staff and board, we wish to thank you for your gift

certificate of $100 for our newest homeowner, LaKei-

sha Quintana, to use at our ReStore. She was pre-

sented with your gift at the home celebration on Sat-

urday, January 28th as part of the ceremony.

Your donation will help a hard-working family move

into the pride and responsibility of home ownership.

This home will be a life-changing experience and you

have helped to make it a reality with your support.

For all that you do for the many non-profit organiza-

tions in the Grand Valley—thank you! We especially

thank you for the support you’ve given Habitat this

year through your organization. Every contribution

touches a deserving life!

With gratitude and admiration,

Miffie Blozvich, Dev. Dir.

Thank you for all the cards, prayers, food,

and visits. It sure meant a lot to us.

Ray & Wilma Camren.

Dear Rev Laura & Congregation,

Please accept our sincere thanks for your generosity and thoughtfulness. Thanks to you,

children who never thought they would be able to ski or snowboard, because of disability

or finances, are having incredible experiences out at Powderhorn. Soon they will enjoy

adaptive cycling, rafting, and camps. You and your congregation are bringing smiles to

those with disabilities, and creating lasting memories. May God bless you all.

Your fiends at Colorado Discover Ability.

Dear FUMC,

The individuals receiving services, staff, and Board

members for Counseling & Education Center (CEC)

thank you for your wonderful contribution of $329.84.

CEC continues to have increased demand for ser-

vices for adults, adolescents, and children. As the

agency is seeing more people, what they can afford

has decreased over the last three years.

Donations such as yours help CEC help others and to

make sure that anyone has someone to talk to. The

agency and staff are committed to excelling with our

services. Starting this year we are beginning

“Feedback Informed Treatment,” which is an evi-

dence-based data tracking system that provides infor-

mation both on how people are progressing in coun-

seling and as well on how responsive counselors are

to what individuals need with therapy approach.

I sincerely appreciate and value the opportunity you

provide to CEC to meet with your church and to also

receive the caring contributions from your church

members.

Highest Regard,

Christian Mueller, Exec. Dir.

Dear FUMC,

Please know how grateful we are for your recent gift of

$160.00. It is generous donors like you who make it possi-

ble for us to be here when our neighbors need food. We

stretch your dollars through food drives, wise purchases,

and help from other food agencies.

Thank you,

Darcy Johnson, Dir.

Dear Laura & FUMCGJ, Thank you so much for covenanting with us through Global Ministries. It was great to spend time with your church family. Love you! Jamie & Lisa Williams, Belize

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HOW TO REACH PASTORS & CHURCH STAFF - PAGE 2

Come Worship With US

8:30am Contemporary Service

9:45am Christian Education Groups

for all ages along with fellowship

time.

11:00am Traditional Service

Hearing devices are offered at both

services.

A fully staffed nursery is available

beginning at 8:15am.

find us on facebook

at fumcgj.

Our Website: fumcgj.org

First United Methodist Church

522 White Avenue

Grand Junction, CO 81501

=======================

Phone: 970-242-4850

[email protected]