Steve's Corner This Week in Worship... We are on the second Sunday of our Right Now Sermon Series. Please remember to bring your Right Now Journals (if you do not have one you can find the pdf HERE HERE or you can pick up a hard copy at church). This week we are talking about examining hope and what it means to be a church that provides hope to our community. What does hope look like for you? For me it is a steadfast faith and belief that God will bring about the result God wants to see - and that result will be what is best for God and what is best for me. Hope is rooted in God, what God is doing in the present time, and what God will do in the future. Hope in God’s activity then gives us the ability to navigate our turburlant now even when the turbulence is severe. Paul tells us in Romans that dealing with the hardships of this life with faith in Christ will increase our ability to hope, “....suffering produces endurance and endurance produces ....suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 4:3b-5 (Romans 4:3b-5 NRSV) NRSV). Also, thank you for the prayers as I navigate the flu and the doctor imposed quarantine through Friday. I should be completely well and non-contagious on Sunday - but just to be safe I will avoid hugs and handshakes. Stay well and see you on Sunday. This year our Maundy Thursday service will be combined with a special service of Tenebrae. If you grew up in a more liturgical tradition - be that Episcopal, Lutheran, Catholic, or even high church United Methodist - you may be expecting this service to take place on Good Friday. While Good Friday has been the traditional home for Tenebrae, it is also acceptable to hold Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday as an aspect of the overall Maundy Thursday worship service. For our purposes at DUMC, we will
Transcript
Steve's Corner
This Week in Worship...
We are on the second Sunday of our Right Now Sermon Series. Please rememberto bring your Right Now Journals (if you do not have one you can find the pdf HEREHEREor you can pick up a hard copy at church). This week we are talking about examininghope and what it means to be a church that provides hope to our community. Whatdoes hope look like for you? For me it is a steadfast faith and belief that God willbring about the result God wants to see - and that result will be what is best for Godand what is best for me. Hope is rooted in God, what God is doing in the presenttime, and what God will do in the future. Hope in God’s activity then gives us theability to navigate our turburlant now even when the turbulence is severe. Paul tellsus in Romans that dealing with the hardships of this life with faith in Christ willincrease our ability to hope, “....suffering produces endurance and endurance produces....suffering produces endurance and endurance producescharacter, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love hascharacter, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love hasbeen poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 4:3b-5(Romans 4:3b-5NRSV)NRSV).
Also, thank you for the prayers as I navigate the flu and the doctor imposedquarantine through Friday. I should be completely well and non-contagious onSunday - but just to be safe I will avoid hugs and handshakes. Stay well and see youon Sunday.
This year our Maundy Thursday service will be combined with a special service ofTenebrae. If you grew up in a more liturgical tradition - be that Episcopal, Lutheran,Catholic, or even high church United Methodist - you may be expecting this serviceto take place on Good Friday. While Good Friday has been the traditional home forTenebrae, it is also acceptable to hold Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday as an aspectof the overall Maundy Thursday worship service. For our purposes at DUMC, we will
gather and essentially hold a Maundy Thursday service that will conclude withTenebrae. Meaning we will remember Jesus’ gathering with his disciples in theUpper Room and celebrate communion together along with a brief meditation onthat event as a part of the overall story. We will then continue the journey with whathappens afterwards when Jesus is arrested, tried, crucified, and dies. This is not aneasy act of remembrance, but it is a necessary act that helps us deal with the pain ofthe world that Jesus accepted for the sake of the world.
Susan O’Keefe, our Director of Choral Music at DUMC, is bringing us a specialSusan O’Keefe, our Director of Choral Music at DUMC, is bringing us a specialservice of music written by Joseph Martin who provides this explanation of what toservice of music written by Joseph Martin who provides this explanation of what to
expect:expect:Tenebrae is the latin word for darkness. It is defined as a church service observed
during the final part of Holy Week commemorating the sufferings and death ofChrist. The earthly life of Christ began in shadows. By the flickering of a candle
flame in a rugged stable, the Light of the World delivered himself into our darkness.In the shadows of ancient temples, we see him preaching “let there be light,” and
hope began to live where once only despair and night had ruled. In the shadows ofan upper room, we see Him experiencing betrayal, but teaching the world about
forgiveness and servanthood. In the midnight of Gethsemane, we see Christ himselfsuffering as we do with the lengthening shadows of life, and still he teaches us
about obedience and sacrifice. Past Pilate’s court we see Jesus walk through thevalley of the shadow of death as he embraces the cross. Yet it is the silhouette of
that same cross which, cast onto the sands of time, offers rest and shelter for thosewho are weary from the journey. In that sacred shadow, we discover our faith. It is
there we develop our night vision, trusting God to be our guide.
Everyone is invited to walk together on April 9th at 7:00 p.m. as the congregation,singers, and musicians come together before the shadow of the cross. It will not bean easy sojourn, but we will not walk alone. As we confront the “dark night of thesoul,” we can always find comfort in this: That wherever there are shadows, there isalso light.
This is the time to experience Maundy Thursday/Good Friday in song and scripture,so we may return on Easter Sunday morning in a great celebration of all Christ didfor us and His glorious resurrection.
Blessings,Pastor Steve
Upcoming sermon: "HOPE" - Psalm 46.How do you see our church being a beacon for people to orient their life to Jesus?
Mission MomentClick the picture to see a small glimpse of the
needs in our community!
Did You Know?The CDC recommends following these five steps EVERY time you washyour hands. (and yes, wash them often)
1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and applysoap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of yourhands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday”song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
**As a precaution, and with concern for your health, we will be suspendingour "Meet and Greet" times during the services for a short time. Also, Pastor
Steve will refrain from shaking hands. If you would like to speak to himfollowing the service he will be available at the front of the Altar for the
8:15 & 11:00 services and stage for the 9:30 service.**
Let's keep these season change viruses at bay!
News & Updates!
THISTHISSUNDAYSUNDAY
Turn yourTurn yourclocks forwardclocks forward
an hour!an hour!
Please be aware and cautious around thetemporary corrugated drain lines running
across the pathway in the courtyard.
The Missional NetworkDay of Service was a
success!
On Saturday, February 29th, A group fromDUMC joined in the Missional Network andhelped a local community member bydelivering and spreading rock.
A Special Thank You to:Jeff Hyberger- for delivering all the rock,
J Berley-for using his tractor to spread rock,Helping Hands -for paying for the rock,
and,Terry Depp, Artis Boyd, Dan Jones, Dennis Lee, RogerWelke, Deann Welke, David Turner, Justin Turner, WillAnderson, & Tim Strickland for splitting and carrying
firewood!
“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praisehim in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his
mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellentgreatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise
him with lute and harp! Praise him withtambourine and dance; praise him with strings andpipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him
with loud clashing cymbals!” Psalm 150:1-6
Contact Susan:
MUSIC NOTES ~Musicians needed!
Do you enjoy singing? Would you beinterested in singing solos or in largergroups? Do you play an instrument? Doyou read music? DUMC’s musicdepartment would love to talk withyou. God has given so many people atDUMC musical gifts and talents.. Theyare not to be wasted but used for Hisglory. Music is pleasing to God ~ let’suse everything He has given us!! I’dlove to talk with you no matter whatage!
New Library Books!New Library Books!We have new library books! Come andcheck them out. Library hours are 10:30a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Sunday morningsand the first Wednesday of each monthfrom 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Self checkout is available at all times.
Harbor Kids will be collecting book donations for the "Little Free Library" atthe Arbor. If you have any books you would like to donate, drop them by the
children's area!
Denver United Methodist Family,
What a gift it was to spend a Sunday preaching at DenverUMC way back in December. Thank you all for warmlyreceiving your former youth leader. Though I was able tospeak to a few of you about Duke Divinity, I want toprovide deeper insight into life as a seminary student tomy home church.
Fall SemesterIn August, it was difficult to transition from full-timeyouth ministry into full-time student mode. To be honest, Ifelt guilty shifting from a leadership role, where I worked
with staff and adult leaders in direct service of a church, to a student role, where Iwould listen to experts, write papers only my teacher would read, and then read,read, and read some more. My guilt, though, did not come from the place you mayexpect. The real road-block for my transition was learning to be humble enough toaccept that I am not what I can produce. Rather, I am in alignment with the will ofGod even when being a student is the lot, or portion, I have been given. As aprofessor of mine shared, gratitude is the seedbed for joy. This season is one where Iam being trained and molded to serve the church as a pastor for my time on thisearth. It is a gift!
ClassUp to this point, I have completed course work in Old Testament, Church History,Pastoral Care, and Ordained Leadership. This semester, I am enrolled in OldTestament (part two), New Testament, American Christianity, and an entire courseon the book of Ecclesiastes. Thus far, I’ve learned that the study of God andScripture is both valuable and paradoxical. I spend hours reading about a God whotranscends human mental capacity. I write papers about a God using language thatwill always fall short of His glory. What I am learning at Duke Divinity is notnecessarily how to follow Jesus. As we know, this happens when we actively followJesus alongside one another by partaking in his ultimate design for community...thechurch. What I am learning is how to be faithful to his church by learning about thesuccesses, as well as the tragic decisions and consequences, of the historic church. Iam being taught the revelation of God as is found in the Old and New Testament sothat God’s truth may be more clearly communicated via preaching and embodied inthe church I serve in the future. I am being trained in Pastoral Care so that thepresence of God can manifest via listening, compassion, and holy conversation.These years of divinity school are in and of themselves a communal endeavor. All
that I will gain from this space and time is to be used for building up God’s church.
UpdateIn January, I was accepted into a fellows program at Duke known as the ThrivingRural Communities initiative. In addition to a substantial scholarship, I will be sentto pastor a small town or rural church for five years upon graduation. The specificlocation will be determined closer to graduation by the Cabinet of our conference inmy third year.
As always, I miss my Denver UMC family and view my time with you all fondly!Peace and Blessings as you all move forward towards Christ.
-Mike Sciascia
Upcoming Events!M3 Meeting - March 9 th
Parenting in a social media world is a scarythought, isn’t it? We want to protect ourchildren from all that is out there in thecyberworld, but is that realistic? How do wehelp our kids be safe online while embracinga “connected” world? Come join us March
9th, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the CORC for a special guest speaker from the SBIto learn more about parenting in a social media world and resources that areavailable to help. Join other moms for an evening of fun, togetherness and food.ALL Moms welcome. Childcare provided. For more information, contact Gina Hefnerat 704-674-1665 or [email protected].
HarborKids Mural Painting - March 10th
The walls are primed and we are ready to getstarted! If you're available, please stop by
Tuesday - any time from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00p.m. to paint or get on the painting schedule.
"Brick Funds Raiser"This fundraiser is to support Henderson SettlementProjects and Capital equipment needs.We will use artificial brick replicas to be put on a largeposter with donor names. Our fundraiser will be run onMarch 1st, March 8 th and March 15 th. A poster displayon the Henderson Settlement will be in the SanctuaryNarthex and FLC foyer from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on allthree Sundays.
JOY group Meeting - March 12th
You are invited to join the Just Older Youth group for"Coffee With Steve", Thursday, March 12th at 11:00 a.m.in the CORC. Spend some focused time with Pastor Steveas he chats about the present and future of DUMC inlight of changes in our campus and the denomination.Light refreshments will be provided.
New Covenant UMC - Sportsman'sNew Covenant UMC - Sportsman'sBanquetBanquet
Doors open at 5:00 p.m.Dinner Served at 6:00 p.m.Information: 704-827-4468
Door Prizes - Silent Auction - Vendors
Tenebrae ServiceThe Chancel Choir would like to invite anyonethat enjoys singing to join us for the beautifulMaundy Thursday cantata. Anyone from the
community is invited. We are doing aTenebrae musical titled “Song of the
Shadows.” Tenebrae is the Latin word fordarkness. This service is a solemn time to
Service: April 9th - 7:00 p.m.
Rehearsal schedule:* Every Thursday 6:45 - 7:15 p.m.* Saturday, March 7 9:30 - 12:00 p.m.* Saturday, March 28 9:30 - 12:00 p.m.* Dress rehearsal: (required) April 8Chamber Orchestra 6:00 - 7:00Choir 7:00 - 8:30
reflect on the crucifixion of Christ. With theextinguishing of candles, dimming of lights,beautiful music from singers and chamberorchestra, we will all leave the sanctuary in
silence and reflection, only to return inglorious celebration on Easter Sunday
morning!
See Susan O’Keefe to get books and CDs forrehearsing. [email protected]
Join the DUMC Children's Choir!Ages: Ages: K-5th grades
Click the image above for moreinformation about the Scouting program,
camps, and more details!
Scout BBQ FundraiserOne of the largest fundraisers Troop 84hosts, is the BBQ Fundraiser. This yearTroop 84 would like to invite all church
members, friends and family to come outand support our Scouts on April 5April 5 thth,, 2020
from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The Scouts willbe holding this fundraiser at the Roden
Scout Center. The menu consists of BBQ,beans, slaw and bread. Each plate costs$10. You can pick up a plate or stay andenjoy fellowship with these Scouts. If youchoose to stay at the RSC and eat, the
Scouts will also be serving tea andwater. This is such an amazing opportunity
for all our Scouts. We would trulyappreciate your support and help by
attending this fundraiser.
The Khaleda Run - Butterfly Release 5K, 10K + Fun Run
Saturday, May 9th
Register at www.thekhaledarun.comLocation: Waterside Crossing Medical Part/AdvancedFamily Eye CareOpportunities: Runners, Sponsorship, HydrationStations
In memory of Khaleda, race proceeds will be used toaddress vision and literacy challenges in our community and abroad. Khaleda understood
the raw reality that literacy is power. The ability to read allows an individual to makeeducated decisions, achieve most any goal, unleash the imagination, get lost on an
adventure, and understand truth. No one should be denied this gift.
