This newsletter is about events March 2020 Submissions Deadline for the next “Express”: Sunday March 15th (*Email submissions are encouraged: [email protected]) “The Express” Staff Editor: Linda Gehres Asst. to the editor: Brenda Doyle Reporters: FUMC Members First United Methodist Church Casper, Wyoming Bishop Bishop Karen Oliveto 1-800-536-3736 District Superintendent Reverend Jeff Rainwater 307-274-2105 Senior Pastor Reverend Nancy Boswell Associate Pastor Reverend Mary Schmidt First United Methodist Church 332 East Second Street Casper, Wyoming 82601-2506 Phone: 307-234-9385 Email: [email protected]Website: www.fumccasper.com March 2020 WEEKDAY OFFICE HOURS M—TH 8:30am - 4:00pm (Closed for lunch 12:00—1:00) F 8:30am—Noon Worship Services - 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. The Third Contemporary Worship Service - 5:00 p.m. Vol. 32, Number 03
First United Methodist Church 332 East Second Street Casper, Wyoming 82601-2506 Phone: 307-234-9385 Email: [email protected] Website: www.fumccasper.com
March 2020
WEEKDAY OFFICE HOURS M—TH 8:30am - 4:00pm
(Closed for lunch 12:00—1:00) F 8:30am—Noon
Worship Services - 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. The Third Contemporary Worship Service - 5:00 p.m.
Vol. 32, Number 03
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS
February 2020
DATE 8:30 AM 11:00 AM 5:00 PM TOTALS
2/2/2020 86 63 No service 149
2/9/2020 85 68 28 181
2/16/2020 89 78 43 210
2/23/2020 108 82 39 229
The 2020 Altar Flower Chart is located on the bulletin board by the elevator in the Koinonia Room. If a particular date is special for you or your family, please consider signing your name on an open date to provide altar flowers on that day. If you have no special date in mind, you can still provide flowers simply for the beautification of the sanctuary. You may also contact Martha Rakestraw at 262-6056 if you would like to participate in this ministry.
Your flower donations are
TRULY appreciated!
A note from
Reverend Nancy Boswell
Lent 2020—Living Our Baptism
Why in the world would we be looking at baptism during Lent?
Isn’t Lent about Jesus suffering and death leading to new life through
the resurrection of Jesus? Yes that is what Lent is about. And, the primary purpose of Lent from the earliest church was to prepare
candidates for baptism at Easter. Lent was designed by church leaders
centuries ago to help those new to the faith as well as those well
acquainted with it to examine our sinful ways and live more fully into the way of Christ. By examining our the vows we took at our baptism in
light of selected scriptures from Matthew, John and Philippians, we can
remember and deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ. As Pastor Mary has written in her newsletter article, we are in
trying times as a church and a denomination, thus we need to continue
to trust and rely on God through Jesus Christ. During the time we are waiting for General Conference to take place in May, there are not
answers to our questions and our anxiety may be high. Please stay
informed by visiting the Mountain Sky Conference website (http://www.mtnskyumc.org), the General United Methodist Church website
(http://www.umc.org), and attending the Wyoming District meetings as
scheduled via Zoom.
Please do not hesitate to call me to talk on the phone, make an appointment to come into the office or have me come to your home. I
want to listen to what is in your hearts and on your minds be it
negative, positive, or somewhere in between. I rely and am guided by God through Jesus Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that we can
find our way through the changes and trying times we now face. Will it
be easy or painless? No. And, God is good, all the time. Our call is to be obedient to where God leads us.
See you in worship. Rev. Nancy
The following dates are still available for the gift of altar flowers in March: March 1 March 8 March 15 March 22 March 29 Steve & Vicki Cathey
A note from the Pastor
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes have trouble trusting.
God. Does that surprise you? I think if we are honest with ourselves
and maybe each other, we will admit that it is sometimes hard to
let go of our control and to trust God to bring something good
from a difficult situation.
Right now, I feel there is a sense of anxiety regarding what will happen at General Conference in May. No
one knows what will happen. Its possible that the Holy Spirit will help us come to some new understanding
and we can achieve unity. Or perhaps, there will be a decision to split. However, if that is the case, all the
details will still need to be worked out, which can take many months, if not years, to settle.
So, what does that mean for you and me? I think God may be calling each of us to TRUST Him! That is not
something that is easily done because we may have to put this entire situation into God’s Hands. But when
we trust God in difficult times it forces us to seek His guidance. Trusting God through these days of
waiting for General Conference requires us to have faith and courage. We cannot do it by relying on our
own strength and power.
However, there is Good News. It is available when we turn to God as our Source and Strength. The
Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:13, when we place our trust in God, He will fill us with peace, joy and
assurance.
Let us never stop praying. Even in the darkest moments we can pray for more faith and help and to trust
Him more. Together we can experience peace and joy in the midst of this denominational conflict because
of one thing—the Grace of our Lord! I believe that God’s light shines the brightest from the darkness of
despair.
I am reminded of the old hymn, “Trust and Obey”. May these words bring comfort and strength.
“When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.” “Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil he doth richly relay; not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey.” “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”
You are Loved,
Mary
Easter Choir!
Steven Trinkle directed our choir for Advent and Christmas Eve, which added so much to our worship. He’ll be back
again to lead a choir on Palm Sunday and on Easter. Rehearsals will start on March 22nd , 2 weeks before Palm Sunday, with between services rehearsals from 9:45 am to
10:45 am in the choir room.
Call Genie Burkett at 702-513-0868 or the church office at 234-9385 to sign up.
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family of Mike Johnson who passed on February 7th. Our condolences to the family of Marilyn Lyle who passed February 8th. We mourn the passing of Pat Johnson, who died on February 15th.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew5:4
January 5 Stephen Ministries Rosemary Bartle: 307-267-0535
12 Thrift Shop Anne Carlsen: 307-265-7927
19 SOS Class Bruce Johnson: 307-377-6659
26 Endowment Committee Gary Becker: 307-277-8816
April
5 Board of Trustees John Scherlin: 307-237-8626
12 Hannah Circle Brenda Doyle: 307-277-1096
19 Finance Committee Lester Lebsock: 307-337-6172
26 Stephen Ministries Rosemary Bartle: 307-267-0535
July
5 Youth Group Cody Horkan: 307-333-3105 Rachelle Horkan: 307-277-5541
12 SPR Committee Hal Hutchinson: 307-441-0183
19 Sister’s Bible Study Rose-Mary King: 307-262-4861
26 Board of Trustees John Scherlin: 307-237-8626
February
2 Faith Finders Dave Allhusen: 307-259-0350
9 Mary Martha Circle Bonny Sutter: 307-265-5745
16 Koinonia Ringers Dana Deuel: 307-234-3168
23 Naomi Circle Jane Sizemore: 307-237-7707
May
3 Thrift Shop Anne Carlsen: 307-265-7927
10 SOS Class Bruce Johnson: 307-377-6659
17 Endowment Committee Ronna Boril: 307-259-3131
24 Faith Finders Dave Allhusen: 307-259-0350
31 OPEN FOR SIGN-UP
August
2 Hannah Circle Brenda Doyle: 307-277-1096
9 Finance Committee Lester Lebsock: 307-337-6172
16 Stephen Ministries Rosemary Bartle: 307-267-0535
23 Thrift Shop Anne Carlsen: 307-265-7927
29 Marsha Nichols: 307-235-0351/307-267-1154
March
1 Board of Stewards Marvin Nolte: 307-577-1238
8 Youth Group Cody Horkan: 307-333-3105 Rachelle Horkan: 307-277-5541
15 SPR Committee Hal Hutchinson: 307-441-0183
22 Sister’s Bible Study Rose-Mary King: 307-262-4861
29 K-5th Sunday School
June
7 Mary Martha Circle Bonny Sutter: 307-265-5745
14 Koinonia Ringers Dana Deuel: 307-234-3168
21 Naomi Circle Jane Sizemore: 307-237-7707
28 Board of Stewards Marvin Nolte: 307-577-1238
2020 Coffee Hour Schedule
1
Brenda Berry
Jim Maddy
2
Tiffine Canepa
Brian Nichols
Jennifer Robinson
Merebeth Yankey
3 Marc Benson
David Eastes
William Knight
Eric Sheppard
Norma Youel
4
Adam Longo Cindy Olson
Tatum Ortiz
5
Beau Griffith
Lori Johnson
Hannah Larsen
Thomas Lineweber Madison McBeath
Nancy Scott
6
Jake Johnson
Jessica Weiss
7 JaLee Bowers
Bonnie Culver
Lisa Smith
8 Daylight Savings
Malinda Bulgrin
Emily Cummings
Jessica Dalton
9
Linda Babb Lannis Haldeman
Karen Hinchey
Jack Laird
Gayle Lord
10
Emily Applegate
Jo Cover Jacob Daniels
Camryn Drake
Norma Loe
Bill Schilling
Jack Scott
11 Ronald Salveson
12
Luke Couldridge
Taylor Meyer
Tyler Purvis
Tito Quinones
Yvonne Wasserburger
13 Elizabeth Horsch
Dave Wheeler
14
Judy Catchpole
Sara Loranc Alfred Raver
15
Jesse Arnold
Brooklyn Calkin
Kiera Gacke
John Griffith
Samantha Leckie Johnna Morgan
16
Deborah Bovie
Edward Morgan Jr
Peggy Jo Miller
17 St Patrick's Day
Ainsley Finn
Julie Horsch Bruce Johnson
Elizabeth Kerr
18
Pat Johnson
Ameryka Voight
19 Mark Harshman
Carol Johnson
Nick Johnson
20
Opal Mclnroy
Kinley Nye
21
Matthew Alldredge
Sybellah Shugart
Olivia Threlkeld
22
Kathryn Cihak Diane Cox
Ken Day
Diann Fondren
John Myles
Elizabeth Rhoads
Sharmon Scott
23 Alan Cummings
Alexis Gacke
Sidney Luers
Keli Tatum
Jeremy Yeager
24
Thomas Boatman Karen True
25
Gerald Gentry
Finn Korenke
Orval Schwinler
26
Rainey Auen
Whitney Brood Jared Daniels
Marsha Nichols
27
Jill York
28
Sydney Cannon Matt Kaiser
Darion Ramsey
Seth Wheeler
29
Brenda Hartnett
Nancy Korenke
Andrea Miller Bonnie Rohrbeck
Sondra Somerville
30
Linda Brubaker
Rob Ford
Brian Green
Michael Harshman Brandi Reinhart
31
Heather Malody
Nadine Schwinler
John Scott
WORSHIP IN MARCH Lenten Series: Living Our Baptism
Ash Wednesday February 26, 2020 6 pm “Remember You are Dust” Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 During this solemn service we seek God’s mercy and guidance for the season of Lent so we may grow closer in our relationship with Christ. Sunday March 1, 2020 “Living Our Baptism: Renounce” Matthew 4:1-11 Exploring the story of Jesus temptation, we learn about what it means to renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, evil, and repent of our sins. Sunday March 8, 2020 “Living Our Baptism: Accept” John 3:1-17 Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus guides us to know what it takes for us to accept the freedom and power God gives us. Sunday March 15, 2020 “Living Our Baptism: Confess” John 4:5-42 Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well where she confesses he is the Messiah and she leads others to the living water. Sunday March 26, 2020 “Living Our Baptism: Nurture” John 9:1-41 Jesus heals a man who is blind. The response of those present says much about how we nurture one another or fail to do so. Sunday March 29, 2020 “Living Our Baptism: Believe” John 11:1-45 Though the story of the raising of Lazarus, we see the faith that can transform lives.
SUNDAYS at FUMC 8:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary 5:00 p.m. in King’s Corner
Sundays: 8:30 am Worship (Sanctuary) 9:40 am Sunday School Classes 11:00 am Worship (Sanctuary) 5:00 pm The Third Community Dinner (King’s Corner) 5:30 pm The Third Worship Service (King’s Corner) Mondays 6:00 pm Stephen Ministry (1st & 3rd Mondays) 7:00 pm Koinonia Ringers Practice 7:00 pm NA Meeting Group 2 (Room 10) Tuesdays: 9:30—11:00 am Staff Meeting—Staff is unavailable during this time. 5:00 pm Bulletin Deadline (for the following Sunday) Submit your info to: [email protected]. 5:00 pm Girl Scout Meeting (Fellowship Hall/3rd Floor) 5:30 pm Community Mission Dinner (King’s Corner) 6:00 pm Upgrade Bible Study (King’s Corner) Wednesdays: 6:00 pm Youth Group (King’s Corner) 6:30 pm Sister’s Bible Study (Parlor) 7:00 pm Al-Anon Meeting (Room 12) 8:00 pm NA Meeting Group 3 (Room 10) Thursdays 5:00 pm Media Submissions Deadline (for the following Sunday) Submit info to the Media Team at: [email protected] Fridays: 8:30 pm NA Meeting (Room 10) Saturdays: 8:30 am Mindful Warriors (Parlor) 1st & 3rd Saturdays 10:00 am Drum Circle (King’s Corner) 2nd & 4th Saturdays
*Book Club: 3rd Saturday of the month, 9 am, SonRise Room March “The Stolen Marriage” Author: Diane Chamberlain *Mary Martha Group: 2nd Tuesday of the month, 1:00 pm in the SonRise Room *Naomi & Hannah Circles: 3rd Thursday of the month, 9:30 am (Hannah meets in the SonRise Room. Naomi meets in members’ homes.) *Creative Worship Team: Every Tuesday, 1:00 pm, Room 207 *United Methodist Women Executive Board: 1st Thursday of the month, 9:30 am *Board of Stewards: 3rd Thursday of the month, 7:00 pm *Board of Trustees: 3rd Thursday of the month, 5:30 pm *Finance Committee: 3rd Thursday of the month, 5:30 pm *SPR Committee: 1st Thursday of the month, 5:30 pm *Staff In-Service Work Day: Last Thursday of the month. Office is closed.
“Express” Newsletter Submissions Deadline: Sunday, March 15h
(Newsletter processing: Tuesday, March 31st )
CALENDAR OF EVENTS—MARCH COFFEE HOUR
Here is the schedule for Coffee Hour. If you need to change your assigned Sunday, please call the person whose name and number are listed as contact(s) for your group.
President: Lori Johnson Secretary: Linda Brubaker Treasurer: Diane Payne Communications & Publicity: Lori Johnson Education & Interpretation: Rita Livingston Membership Nurture & Outreach: Ann Hines Nominations: Executive Board Program Resources: Wanda Bennett Social Action: Genene Quick Spiritual Growth: Brenda Doyle Youth Coordinator: Ruth Hartung
Mary Martha Group meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month 1:00 pm in the SonRise Room.
Hannah Group meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the SonRise Room. Naomi Group meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in a member’s home. We encourage you to contact one of our group leaders to learn more about UMW or to attend one of the meetings.
MESSAGE FROM THE UNITED METHODIST THRIFT SHOP! First Methodist Thrift Shop is located in the Beverly Plaza Shopping Center, 2111 East Beverly, just South of the Dollar Store. Our hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10-4, and Saturday 10-2. We carry new and gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, bedding and linens, crafts, books, CDs, DVDs, and decorative items. Come shop the generous donations...all proceeds go to the local missions of Interfaith and Holy Cross. We welcome new volunteers! For information, contact Anne Carlsen (262-7935) or Gail Bowman (277-9033). ***March 30-April 4 is our semi-annual turnaround. The store will be closed to sales while we are busily welcoming Spring. We would love your help hanging up the Spring and Summer selections. We open again on April 6 with all new inventory. Please consider helping for a few hours (we'll bribe you with cookies!)
2020 Census
Casper Area Census office is now open and taking job applications —307-441-6500. The pay rates are $17.50 to $19.50 and represents both office and census takers. Census takers also receive reimbursement for work-related mileage and expenses, where applicable. Those interested can go to: https://2020census.gov/jobs to find out more information and apply.
As we begin a new year and a new decade, it’s time to reflect on what we did last year and our plans, hopes and dreams for this year. It’s time to say thank you for the gifts, prayers and service you have given that has kept King’s Corner mission outreach active. The dinners on Sunday and Tuesday nights are the only free hot evening meals served in the downtown area.
Do you like to cook? There is a need for cooks to help keep this outreach program active. Not only are we helping to feed people but we are demonstrating God’s love to those that come for dinner. If you want to cook and be a part of this downtown mission project, please let the church office know. The blessings and benefits created through this ministry are wonderful!
Our youth mission team is gearing up for our silent auction fundraiser and are
looking for donation items. If you have an item to donate, please let us know. We hope that everyone will attend our silent
auction on March 22 before, after or between services.
Youth group is continuously looking for people to make meals for our Wednesday
night meetings! If you are interested in providing a meal for about 20 people,
please contact Rachelle at 307-277-5541.
There will be no youth group on April 1st . Have a great Spring Break!
A MESSAGE FROM SPR:
My name is Hal Hutchinson, and I am the current chairman of the church Staff Parish Pastor Relations Committee (SPPRC). For those of you who may not be aware of what the SPPRC’s function is here at the church, we effectively are the Human Resources Department. Rev. Rainwater gave us a handout when describes the process for appointing pastors to United Methodist Churches. This handout is available in the office. “The United Methodist Church (UMC) has much in common with other churches. In at least one area, though, the UMC is quite different from other denominations-how pastors are assigned (appointed) to our churches. The UMC does not us a call process or an interview process by church members. Nor does the conference provide a pool of possibilities from which a church can choose. Instead, every year, the Bishop presiding over our Annual Conference appoints pastors to churches. This itinerant, appointive, process has been a part of our denomination since the beginning…The United Methodist Book of Discipline requires the Bishop, through the District Superintendents, to consult with congregations before the appointment of a new pastor.” The SPPRC is the committee the DS works with to introduce the new pastor to the congregation. Many of you are aware that Associate Pastor, Mary Schmidt, announced her retirement late last year. That spurred a response from the SPPRC to contact the Mountain Sky Conference and District Superintendent, Rev. Jeff Rainwater, that a replacement Associate Pastor is desired for our church. The SPPRC is currently working with Rev. Rainwater to appoint a Associate Pastor to First UMC, Casper. The proceedings of the SPPRC meetings during the appointment process are confidential. We are not hiding any information from the congregation we are using a confidential process. As soon as we have confirmation of the appointment of the Associate Pastor, it will be announced in the worship services.
FUMC Groceries for All
Thank you to everyone that supported this program for the last 13 years - those who purchased as well as the volunteers that gave of their valuable time to make it a success. With the purchase of grocery cards this program was able to make an impact on a number of church programs.
Since the start of the program, in 2006, a total of $10,416.26 has been provided by this program to FUMC programs:
$6,883.60 to Youth Group Activities and Missions $2,425.10 to Sunday School $808.58 to the Celebrate, Connect, and Serve Camp $298.98 for Mother's Day flowers
A total of $10,370.00 in cards were also purchased and donated directly to other non-profit programs:
$9,595.00 to Holy Cross $725.00 to Natrona County School program for homeless children $50.00 Mission Dinners
Sadly, with technology and hackers that were compromising the grocery cards that were purchased, the decision was made to discontinue this program. The Grocery for All account is still open and has a remaining balance of $6,507.81 to be used for non-budget items within the church. The Community Rewards Card from Smith's, if linked to FUMC, will continue to add to this account.
If you shop at Smith's, please consider linking your Community Rewards Card to the First United Methodist Church. Linking your card does not impact your rewards or usage but will additionally benefit the church.
DIRECTIONS TO LINK YOUR SMITHS COMMUNITY REWARDS CARD
STEP 1: Get a Rewards Card at the Smith's store
Go to website: www.smithscommunityrewards.com
STEP 2: Register, if not already registered with the program 1) Select the "Register" button in the top right corner of the screen 2) Enter requested information to complete your registration
STEP 3: Connect your Rewards Card with the church 1) Sign-in, user and password, to the www.smithscommunityrewards.com website 2) "Edit" your Rewards Card Number - if not already listed when you sign-in 3) "Edit" the Community Rewards section a) In the "Search Box" enter the church's number, 59717 b) Select the "Search" button c) Select the First United Methodist Church (should be only option in search list) d) Select the "Enroll" button and you should be done
Thank you again for the many years of purchasing cards from the FUMC Grocery Program. Teresa Lebsock
CASPER CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY
The Casper Chamber Music Society is pleased to announce a performance on Sunday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m. by Feste
Fantini at the First United Methodist Church in Casper. From the time of Girolamo Fantini (1600-1675), the author of
Modo per imparare a sonare di tromba (Method for learning to play the trumpet), ensembles of multiple trumpets,
timpani and organ have heralded special events: coronations, weddings, funerals and treaties. This
performance will present music by Henry Purcell, Georg Frederic Handel, Giuseppi Torelli, Jean Françaix, William Billings and the Symphony with 8 Obligato Timpani by
Johann Fischer.
Feste Fantini members Dr. Bruce Barrie (trumpet), Dr. Genie Burkett (timpani/organ), Dr. Gary Malvern (trumpet)
and Steven Trinkle (trumpet) are delighted to be joined by Wyomingites Dr. Kelly Dehnert (trumpet from Riverton) and Eric Unruh (organ from Casper). The players of Feste Fantini
have worked together since 1975 in brass quintets, symphony orchestras and many oratorio orchestras, most
recently the B Minor Mass of J. S. Bach in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The group has performed for Festwoche Klassiche
Musik in Oppenau and Offenburg Germany, and for the American Guild of Organists in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
General Admission tickets are $10 at the door, $8 for seniors 60+ and students are free. Season Tickets are also
available. Please visit the Casper Chamber Music Society Facebook page for more information: (https://
www.facebook.com/CasperChamberMusicSociety/
This concert is funded in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts,
the Wyoming Community Foundation and the many individual and corporate donors who make the CCMS
