FEBRUARY 2018
EDITION
Worship Times & FUMC News 2
Prayer & Care 3
Note from Steve 4
Worship Themes 5
Study’s & Groups 6
Fellowship & Outreach 7
Stewardship 8
Missions & Outreach 9
Thank Yous 10
What’s A Brewin’ 11
Reaching staff 12
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Our Mission is to Worship God and Love One Another by Taking Christ to the Community
and the Community to Christ.
Messenger
First United Methodist Church
P A G E 2 P A G E 2
Our church newsletter is published each month with the next deadline being Monday, January 15, for February newsletter. Please submit articles by email whenever possi-ble, otherwise drop them off typed (if possi-ble) to the church office. A full color version can be found at www.fumcgj.org
FUMC In-House Recycling Program- Please re-member that this program is for the recycled items at the church only. Please do not bring your recyclable items from home. If you have ques-tions contact Roxie Denning at [email protected].
Come Worship With US
Regular Sunday Worship
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 ser-vices.
A fully staffed nursery is available be-ginning at 8:15am.
Being Kind to Yourself, and to Others
Some people believe that this time of year is ripe for a case of “the blues”. Perhaps it’s because of the cold weather and the shorter doses of sunlight each day. Perhaps it’s a buildup of stress and/or loneliness from the holidays. Illness – yours or someone else’s -- is another common factor. Whatever the reason, Stephen Ministers are available to hear your concerns. They provide crisis care, follow-up care, chronic care, preventive care, and supportive care.
Stephen Ministers are trained listeners who work with a person to provide one-on-one confidential Christian care-giving. While Stephen Ministers do not provide cures (that’s God’s job!), they support the care receivers with supplemental information, encouragement, and their pres-ence so that care receivers can make good decisions for themselves.
If you would like to learn more about receiving a Stephen Minister, contact the church office (242-4850 or [email protected]) or Sue Yeager (245-5839 or [email protected].) If you know someone who is struggling, and perhaps would benefit from having a Ste-phen Minister, mention this article to that person. If he or she would like to learn more, please contact us at the above addresses/numbers.
New Member Workshop: Sunday, February 11, 2018
Anyone interested in finding out more about what member-ship means at FUMC, please plan to attend a New Mem-bers’ Workshop, Sunday afternoon, February 11
th. We’ll
begin with a light lunch (provided) at 12:15 and plan to be done by 4:30 PM.
Subject matter will include:
United Methodist theology, beliefs, and practices
An interesting presentation on “how we got to where
we are”, i.e., select history of the UMC
What it means to be a part of First UMC, Grand Junc-
tion specifically
How you can be involved!
While this is intended for persons interested in membership at FUMCGJ, and we will be planning a Sunday at the work-shop when you may join, you may also attend if you’re just interested in learning more about the UMC and First UMC, Grand Junction and our values and ministries, even if you’ve been around the Church a long time.
Please contact Jeannie Lewis, Welcoming Ministries Director, at [email protected] for more infor-mation or to express interest in participating.
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Care Ministry
The guaranteed way to receive support and visits from your pastor 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.
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Prayer Chain - If you or someone you know would like to be put on the phone prayer chain, you may call Paggy Price at 242-4206 or the Church Office at 242-4850.
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 are consecrated communion elements available for you as well.
Extend the Table Communion Ministry - We bring com-munion to members and friends of the congregation who aren’t able to get to worship on communion Sundays, the first Sunday of the month. 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 it’s on an on-going basis or just for one month.
Those desiring to receive and those desiring to deliver communion should contact Kirsten Liwanag at 778-0723.
P A G E 4
Words from Pastor Steve
Dear Friends in Christ –
RE: Our Travels to the Holy Land
Kim and I want to thank the many of you who followed our pilgrimage to the Holy Land with thoughts and prayers, through the Facebook posts I made, and with your questions upon our return. I especially want to thank Rev. Sharyl Peterson, Larry Beckner, our Praise Team and Worship Assistants at both services for the excellent worship services I heard about on my return. It is such a blessing to have committed and gifted folks that enable pastors to get away for important work or renewal. It was a very powerful trip that we will look to share through pictures and stories in a few different set-tings coming up. Watch for invitations to attend. As those of you who have been there, the Holy Land is a place of great beauty and diversity in landscape, culture, language, politics, religion, etc. It is also a place of great complexity and strife. It is important to let you know that Kim and I didn’t experience any form of unrest, danger, protest, or anything else negative in our time in the Holy Land, even while staying in a hotel in the West Bank city of Bethle-hem during our 4 nights in the southern part of the country.
One of the exciting things for us is to be planning to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for interested folks next year. We’ll look forward to sharing that with you, too, in the next few months.
Again, thank you for your interest in our travels and your celebrating our safe return.
RE: The Bishops “Commission on The Way For-ward” Over the course of the past year, I have chosen to refrain from speaking or writing much on the subject of the Bishops “Commission on The Way Forward” because, after sharing the results of the Judicial Council’s deliberations last April in worship on April 30th, there really hasn’t been much in the way of substance to share.
For those of you unaware of the Bishops “Commission on The Way Forward”, I would refer you to the UMC’s website at this URL for further info and the latest on their process: www.umc.org/who-we-are/commission-on-a-way-forward
That being said, our District Superintendent, Rev. Marv Vose, recently shared with a us clergy “circuit leaders” the following time table for bringing the is-sues to a special, called session of the General Con-ference in Feb. of 2019:
• This month, February 2018: The Council of Bishops meets to discuss current report from the Commission on the Way Forward
• Next month, March 2018: The Commission meets and finalizes its report to the Council of Bishops
• May 2018: The Council of Bishops finalizes its report and recommendation to the Secretary of the General Conference
• May 2018: The Commission meets for last time after recommendation from the Council of Bishops
• June 2018: Secretary of the General Conference releases report to the whole church
• Feb. 23-26, 2019: The Special Session of General Conference meets in St. Louis, MO to respond to the Bishops’ recommendation con-cerning the UMC’s positions on human sexuality and our Book of Discipline.
Please be holding this issue/struggle, our churches, and all immersed in these deliberations which are sure to have far-reaching impact on the United Meth-odist Church in your prayers.
I am presently considering what might be most help-ful to us as a congregation in processing the weighty matters that will be before us in the coming year. You are all dear to me and to the Church, and I hope to be able to facilitate our conversations on this in Christlike ways.
Yours in Christ always – Pastor Steve
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Worship Themes for February 2018
(The preacher is Pastor Steve unless otherwise indicated.)
Sunday, February 4th
• Communion Sunday
• Scripture: Genesis 19:15-17
• Sermon Title: “Looking Back That You Might Go For-ward”
Sunday, February 11th
• Scripture: Genesis 21:8-14
• Sermon Focus: Healing from the pain of rejection
• Make-A-Change-Sunday. Recipient: Hope of The Grand Valley
Ash Weds., February 14th
• Worship at 7 PM, distribution of ashes
Sunday, February 18th – First Sunday in Lent
• Scripture: Genesis 25:19-28
• Sermon Focus: We may have favorites, but God’s blessing is for everyone.
Sunday, February 25th – Second Sunday in Lent
• Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32
• Sermon Focus: What we learn from wrestling with God
On the second Sunday of the month all coin & cash (unless otherwise designated) is given to one of the Grand Valley’s non-profit organiza-tions. FUMCGJ recognizes these organiza-tions as agents of Christ’s work to meet the needs of many people in ways that are con-sistent with the teachings of Christ. Please plan ahead to support the wonderful work of these great organizations.
MAKE A CHANGE for February 11 is Hope of the Grand Valley Hope of the Grand Valley provides a hand up not a hand out, by fostering and encouraging independ-ence for hardworking, low income families. “Independence” includes not receiving public assis-tance. Receiving healthcare insurance/coverage, childcare assistance is allowed.
Hope of the Grand Valley is a local nonprofit that was founded in 2009. Our mission is to provide support and a hand up to hard-working parents that still find it hard to make ends meet at times. “This is a group that tends to fall through the cracks,” states Founder and Director, Vicki McGee. “That’s why we provide a hand up, not a hand out to these local families.”
We are currently actively giving a hand up to over 150 families.
The funds raised will go directly to our programs:
Food assistance
Budget Coaching
Life Skills coaching
Marriage and relationship coaching
Parenting skills coaching
Job and interview preparation
Resume building
Moms’ Support Groups
Dads’ Support Groups
Family Support Groups
Christmas
P A G E 6
Study’s & Groups
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY RETREATS 2018 WHITEWATER BENEDICTINE COMMUNITY
February 10 THE MANY NAMES OF GOD The Divine Mystery is described in many different ways in the history of humankind. Learn about the contemplative dimension of Islam and how it might expand your experience of the Divine. PRESENTER is Michelle Akcar. She is a certified Yoga instructor was raised in the Muslim tradition. She is a recent graduate of the Benedictine Spiritual Formation Program and a pharmacist at St. Mary’s hospital.
February 24 FORGIVENESS RETREAT Forgiving oneself and others is not easy. This retreat day explores our attitudes about forgiveness and offers a method of prayer that facilitates our trust in God and our ability to forgive. PRESENTER is Sister Ana Cloughy, OSB, from Benet Hill Monastery.
All the retreats are on Saturdays at the Whitewater Benedictine Community, 8250 Kannah Creek Rd. Whitewater, CO 81527. All are from 9am to 2pm and include lunch. Suggested donation is $25.00 Register by calling 970-241-3847 or emailing [email protected]
Men’s Ministries at FUMC
Join us at 7am, on Friday morn-ings, at Four Winds Coffee & Tea at “The Christ Center”, 1235 Bookcliff Ave. (on the SE corner of Bookcliff and 12
th). We enjoy cof-
fee, a great breakfast, enriching fellowship, and bible study or a book study.
Conflict Transformation Skills Workshop (hosted by First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27 1/2 Road, www.firstpresgj.org) When: February 24, 9:00am to 4:30pm Cost: $20 (includes lunch) This workshop is for anyone interested in improving their ability to handle conflict effectively, whether in the church, home, workplace, or the community. The workshop leader is Bill Blank who is Associate Dir. Of Lombard Mennonite Peace Center in Lombard, IL. He is an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church. The registration fee is $20 which includes training manual, Personal Style Profile Assessment, lunch, & refreshment breaks. If interested, please contact First Pres Church at 970-242-1923 by Feb. 19.
Ladies, the February general meeting of UMW will be on Thursday, February 1 with our usual luncheon at noon, followed by a wonderful pro-gram. Since February is “Black History Month,” we have asked Janelle Westermeyer to be our guest speaker. Janelle is the daughter of Harry Butler, who was well known in the community prior to his death a few years ago, as he served on the GJ City Council and the District 51 School Board. Janelle works for the sheriff’s department and plans to enlighten us about the history of her family who have lived here in the valley since the late 1800’s. Priscilla Circle will be the Hostesses.
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Fellowship & Outreach
A LITTLE NOON MUSIC
Free Concert on 2nd Wednesdays
February 14 Martha Sandford-Heyns—Organ
All performances begin at 12:15pm
and last 30 to 40 minutes.
FUMC Book Club will meet Feb. 26, at 1:30pm, in the Parlor. The book for review is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.
Are you looking for the perfect place to spend an evening of dining and musical entertainment to celebrate St. Valentine's Day? Look no more; just make plans to attend the annual Valen-tines Banquet and Concert sponsored by the First United Methodist Men. This year’s dinner and concert has been opened up to all five United Methodist Churches in the Grand Valley and will include an all-Methodist Churches choir, an all-churches praise band, and an all-churches bell choir. Individual performers from the various churches will also participate. The dinner will be held Friday, February 16, at 6:00 P.M., with the concert to follow at 7:00 P.M. This is a popular church event, and since space is limited and attendance has been opened to all five churches, we urge those who plan to attend to make your reservations EARLY. Reservations will be limited to the first 140 ticket-buyers, but will be available no lat-er than Sunday, February 11th. The concert is open to ALL; not just those attending the ban-quet. Ticket price for dinner is $10.00 per person in advance, with a goodwill offering taken during the concert. Come and enjoy good food (pork loin roast with all the trimmings!) and entertainment. Proceeds will benefit the Grand Valley Youth Group. Childcare and transporta-tion, if needed, are available. These services must be requested when purchasing your ticket. Further information may be obtained by calling Buzz Schoenbeck at 644-2082. Tickets will be on sale each Sunday, starting January 28, between services, in the parlor. All church members are encouraged to attend and enjoy the fellowship! Couples, singles, and families are all welcome.
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State of the Church from the Finance Committee We started 2017 with a budget of $587,929. Operating expenses incurred for the year were $560,671. Operating revenues for the same period are $597,824 creating a surplus of $37,154. This amount has significantly helped us reduce shortfalls in monthly cash requirements from previous months that were funded by our savings account. However, from this surplus, we will need $10,269 to cover our Tithe Plus commitment at 100% when the final 2017 payment is made this January. Our accounts payable balance (bills owed) added to the Designated Funds Payable is greater than our bank balance by $2,132. As you can see we have made up significant ground from our previous report’s shortfall. The CF&A Council reviews variances between expenses and revenues at each meeting. We will continue to let the Congregation know of our financial condition. We have faith and trust that our prayers will be answered. We will continue to work closely with all committees to insure a path to their visions and wishes. The Council on Finance and Administration (CF&A) will engage Audrey Hamon, P.C. a local Certified Public Accountant to report to the CF&A on the financial statements and condition of the Church in accordance with the Book of Discipline. The procedures engagement will be conducted in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Her report for the current year identified no exceptions as a result of these procedures.
Respectively Submitted,
Jeff Carpenter, CF&A Co-Chair for Finance
Average
Worship
Attend
Giving to the
General
Operating Fund
General
Operating
Expenses
Difference
Nov ’17 234 $37,685 $43,508 - $5,823
Dec ’17 221 $79,093 $60,661 $18,432
Year-to-Date (12/31)
233
$597,824
$560,671
$37,153
Tithe Plus(“Apportion-
ment”)
Owed
Bills
Owed
Greater Than Bank Balance
Total
Owed
$10,269
$2,132
$12,401
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Breakfast in the Park (Ministering to our homeless)
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].
Diaper Depot
We are in continual need of Huggies, Pampers, or Luvs Brand diapers, sizes newborn, 4, 5, & 6 and wipes. Monetary donations can be made by specifying “Diaper Depot” in the memo.
Note: There is always a drop off basket available for you to bring in dia-pers.
It is located in the court yard breezeway.
Community Food Bank Basket
Dry or shelf stable milk
Foods high in protein such as canned meats - tuna, chicken, salmon - & canned or dried
beans
Canned fruits & vegetables (preferably with reduced sodium & sugar)
Whole-grain foods such as brown rice, whole grain cereal & whole-wheat pasta
Soups, chilies and stews (preferably with reduced sodium & reduced fat)
100% fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed)
Other nutritious, “healthy-choice” foods (preferably with reduced fat, sodium & sugar)
Note: There is always a drop off basket available for you to bring in nonperishable items. It is located in the court yard breezeway
Aluminum Cans Support Missions! Please remember to save your empty aluminum cans, as our collection of them raises funds for our covenant missionaries. Ask your friends, family & neighbors to do the same & we can do the work of Christ’s mission in remarkable ways. Receptacle is located by alley-way church entrance.
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Box Tops for Education & Tyson’s A+ labels can be dropped off in the Library (white tub under UMW boxes)
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Dear FUMC Family, All of us at HOPE of the Grand Valley (HOGV) are so very thankful for your support! Thanks to people like you who truly care about the plight of hard working, low income families. In 2017, HOGV initiated ongoing support for families with budget and life skills coach-ing as well as informative men’s and women’s support groups. It was an incredible 2017, with over 70 fami-lies graduating from our programs and now are self-sufficient!!! We consider this a huge success. In this light, we are excited to continue to serve this neglect-ed population with practical services throughout 2018. Sincerely, Vicki McGee
Thank you to all at FUMC who allow
Hight Desert Opera to rehearse.
Some of you hear all that music many
times.
Jim & Marnie Werner
Dear Friends of FUMC,
Please accept our greatly belated thanks for the beautiful Christmas greetings. They brightened our holidays, re-minding us of the fellowship we are blessed to have through the years. We send our New Year’s wishes to all of you. May 2018 be a year of good fellowship and bless-ing as your worship together.
Sincerely, Don & Jean Tyler
The Diaper Depot would like to express our deepest grati-tude for the continued support and giving to this minis-try. Your giving has helped us to serve 950 families in 2017. The Diaper Depot ministry is growing and reaching so many families in need, and we appreciate your faithful support.
It’s incredible to have so many people helping, and praying for me. It makes me "still" and very grateful and I hope that you all (uh well not all at the same day/time) come by and visit me. I love my home. Again, thank you all for your help, it's highly appreciated. Love and Blessings from Anouk and Amster-dam.
Pastor Steve,
Thank you again for supporting our new home-owner with a gift certificate. She was very touched by the gesture as she needs furniture for her new home. The church’s generosity is a huge reason we are successful in Mesa County.
Habitat for Humanity
To our church family,
Thank you so much for the surprise Christmas gift of well wishes and Merry Christmas cards sent to us here in Green Valley, AZ. It was really fun to hear from those we’ve met at FUMC through our committee work and study groups. We are attend-ing a nice Methodist Church here but look forward to seeing you all again in the Spring.
Gods’ blessing to you all. Tim and Bonnie Wollin.
ps, Bonnie’s doing great!
Dear FUMC,
I want to thank you for all the won-derful Christmas cards I received. They have meant a lot over the years.
Bless you,
Clayton Carr
My Dear Church Family,
Thank you for all the cards and prayers you have sent my way. I sure have appreciated them. Going forward, I know God will guide me in what is to come next.
Blessings,
Mary Leah Chavies
Thank you and God bless you. We love and appreciate everything you have done for Ray & I—cards, food, pray-ers, calls, and visits. Who could ask the Lord for more. We are hanging in there.
Love You All, Ray & Wilma Camren
What’s A Brewin’ at FUMC
3/11 Daylight Savings Time begins 3/12-16 Spring Break for kiddos 3/14 A Little Noon Music 3/20 Spring has Sprung 3/25 All Church Palm Sunday Dinner 3/29 Holy Thursday Worship 3/30 Good Friday Worship 4/1 Easter Worship 4/5-8 Men’s Walk to Emmaus 4/11 A Little Noon Music 4/12-15 Women’s Walk to Emmaus 4/28 ShareFest Weekend
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Sunday Services
8:30 & 11:00am
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
Ministers: All who cal l FUMC their church home!
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.
Pastor: Steve Easterday-McPadden ([email protected])
Office Manager: Carolyn Campbell ([email protected])
Family & Children’s Dir: Megan Weaver ([email protected])
Grand Valley Youth Dir: Jessica Roehm ([email protected])
Financial Sec.: Roxie Denning ([email protected]) Treasurer: Phyllis Neff
Choir Director: James Werner (call or text 970-644-2724)
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
