the monthly newsletter of...
TRANSCRIPT
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
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
Assoc. Pastor: Laura Cartwright
Secretary: Carolyn Campbell
Family & Children’s Dir: Megan Weaver
Interim GV Youth Dir: Jessica Roehm
Parish Visitor: Kirsten Liwanag
Financial Sec.: Roxie Denning
Treasurer: Phyllis Neff
Choir Director: James Werner
Bell Director: Carmen Devereux
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
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:
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.
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...
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
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
P A G E 7
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.
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].
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
P A G E 1 1
T
H
A
N
K
Y
O
U
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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
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
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Phone: 970-242-4850