T HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE MESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER ESSENGER JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 JULY 2015 Visit us at gcumc3.org or Find us on Facebook: “Gibson City UMC” Pastors—John Tennyson Church Phone 217-784-5452 Church Email [email protected]Saturday • 5:30pm—Casual Worship Sunday • 8:45am—Traditional Worship Sunday • 11:00am—Contemporary Worship Sunday School—10:00am Watery Wednesdays Watery Wednesdays Watery Wednesdays Watery Wednesdays Our first Watery Wednesday was June 19th at the Gibson City Pool. A great time was had by all. Please join us for the next four Watery Wednesdays from 5:30-7 on July 1, 15, 29 and August 5th. We will meet at the church for a light meal (hot dogs, chips), prayer, lesson time, and WATERY PLAY TIME! This program is open to all kids ages 3-5th grade. Middle School and High School Students are encouraged to come and help lead. Our co-leaders this summer will be Meaghan Sharp and Caity Heap. Be sure to thank them for leading this program if you see them!! Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You on Summer on Summer on Summer on Summer Vacation Vacation Vacation Vacation During the summer months, families may travel away from home. We want to know how/what you are doing and be sure to take Jesus with you—”Flat Jesus” photos are still available if you did not get your copy at worship! To participate, take pictures of yourselves, with Flat Jesus wherever it is you go this summer—even if you don’t leave town. Email pictures to [email protected]or text 217-249-4387. Pictures will be posted on a bulletin boards as we celebrate the church spread out during the summer months. “You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.” Acts22:15 Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip Our youth will be going on a mission trip July 05-11 to Ripley, Tennessee. The economy of Ripley is….simple. Many struggle to keep up with the basic, bare- bones maintenance on their aging homes. Seniors have no one to come to their rescue. While there, our group will demonstrate Jesus’ love and compassion in a tangible way, serving real people in need while working on projects like… • Building wheelchair ramps and handrails • Fixing leaky roofs • Weatherizing homes and trailers • Reconstructing sagging porches • Interior and Exterior Carpentry Please be in prayer for this group as they go out and spread God’s love. July Sermon Series July Sermon Series July Sermon Series July Sermon Series Congregation’s Choice! will be the theme for July’s sermon series. John has asked for our inputs and we have freely given them. The four sermons in July will be lessons from the lives of: • Esther • Noah • Elijah • Jesus WATERY WEDNESDAYS
Watery WednesdaysWatery WednesdaysWatery WednesdaysWatery Wednesdays Our first Watery Wednesday was June 19th at the Gibson City Pool. A great time was had by all.
Please join us for the next four Watery Wednesdays from 5:30-7 on July 1, 15, 29 and August 5th. We will meet at the church for a light meal (hot dogs, chips), prayer, lesson time, and WATERY PLAY TIME! This program is open to all kids ages 3-5th grade. Middle School and High School Students are encouraged to come and help lead. Our co-leaders this summer will be Meaghan Sharp and Caity Heap. Be sure to thank them for leading this program if you see them!!
Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You Take Jesus With You on Summer on Summer on Summer on Summer VacationVacationVacationVacation During the summer months, families may travel away from home. We want to know how/what you are doing and be sure to take
Jesus with you—”Flat Jesus” photos are still available if you did not get your copy at worship! To participate, take pictures of yourselves, with Flat Jesus wherever it is you go this summer—even if you don’t leave town. Email pictures to [email protected] or text 217-249-4387. Pictures will be posted on a bulletin boards as we celebrate the church spread out during the summer months.
“You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.” Acts22:15
Youth Mission TripYouth Mission TripYouth Mission TripYouth Mission Trip Our youth will be going on a mission trip July 05-11 to Ripley, Tennessee. The economy of Ripley is….simple. Many struggle to keep up with the basic, bare-bones maintenance on their aging homes. Seniors have no one to come to their rescue. While there, our group will demonstrate Jesus’ love and compassion in a tangible way, serving real people in need while working on projects like…
• Building wheelchair ramps and handrails
• Fixing leaky roofs
• Weatherizing homes and trailers
• Reconstructing sagging porches
• Interior and Exterior Carpentry Please be in prayer for this group as they go out and spread God’s love. July Sermon SeriesJuly Sermon SeriesJuly Sermon SeriesJuly Sermon Series Congregation’s Choice! will be the theme for July’s sermon series. John has asked for our inputs and we have freely given them. The four sermons in July will be lessons from the lives of: • Esther • Noah • Elijah • Jesus
WATERY WEDNESDAYS
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Welcome to our newWelcome to our newWelcome to our newWelcome to our new DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND MISSIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND MISSIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND MISSIONDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND MISSION
July’s Church Council This last month through the direction, hard work and prayers of our Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC), who consulted directly with our Children’s Ministry Team, our Church Council unanimously voted to modify and expand Barb Horsch’s staff role. Barb is now the Director of Education and Ministry. Her new title is worded very specifically.
As Director of Education Briefly, Barb’s chief responsibilities are: • to help lead in the recruitment and development
of educational leaders for all age groups; and • research curriculum for our educational classes.
As Director of Mission Barb will be helping our church to be aware of our broader community and conference needs. By being aware we then can intentionally network and connect the church’s resources to community, county, and conference resources. Together we can help touch and heal the pain and suffering of people’s lives.
Invite, Connect, Train, and Send In the past recent newsletters and from the pulpit, I have asked you to memorize four words: Those four words provide for us a vision for our future; they define the purpose of the church of Jesus Christ.
An Island or Pond Each individual church can either be an island or a pond. It can be an “island” in the sense that it has become isolated from the responsibility of sharing the gospel to the broader community, and isolated in knowing the needs of the community it serves.
Or an individual church can be a “pond” and act as a living spring of life in sharing the gospel, and being aware and serving the specific needs of the broader community. To be a life-giving pond, an individual church and its members must intentionally embrace the ministries of invitation, connecting, training, and sending on many levels.
As the Directing Pastor of GCUMC I am the one person who is ultimately responsible to all of you for the total ministry of our church. I accept that responsibility and privilege. But no one person can be responsible for the health and growth of our church.
All Christians are Ministers All of us are responsible for inviting people to know Jesus Christ, helping connect people to the life and ministry of the family of Jesus Christ, training people to the essentials of what it means to be a Christian, which includes being sent out to serve the world in need.
Staffing Our Church The Covenant Council has embraced the vision set forth in the words “Invite, Connect, Train, and Send”. As a pastor, my primary focus will be on the ministry of “Invite and Connect”. Barb’s primary focus, as reflected in her title, will be on the ministry of “Train and Send”.
Church Ministry Teams Beyond the ministry of all believers and effectively staffing a church, we must also be intentional in organizing our committees and ministry teams in our church. All the committees and ministry teams within a church can measure their goals and effectiveness with the four worlds of “invite, connect, train, and send”.
More specifically, several of our ministry teams directly relate to these four areas of primary focus. The Worship Team and the new Connectional Team are essential to the ministries of Invite and Connect. The ministry teams of Children’s Ministry, our adult Sunday School classes, our short-term and long-term small groups and Bible classes, and our Missions Team are all essential to the ministries of Train and Send.
Family Church We can no longer rely on family church to grow the Kingdom of God, or our individual church. For decades, the church grew because it was filled with multiple generations of its families. But families no longer stay in one community.
Yet before us lies the adventure, excitement, satisfaction, and fulfillment of not only knowing that we belong to God as daughters and sons of the Creator of All Life; but embracing the ministry which belongs to each of us.
~ Pastor John~ Pastor John~ Pastor John~ Pastor John
CONNECT, GROW, GO! . . . take hold of the life that really is life (I Timothy 6:18-19)
Poured Out Church!Poured Out Church!Poured Out Church!Poured Out Church! Our 3rd annual Poured Out Church is scheduled for the 5th weekend in August, the 29th and 30th. We will especially seek to live out God’s love in practical ways during this weekend as we pour out to our community. And so we all need to be thinking and praying about to whom can we be church?
Lots of ideas and help are needed to figure out how we can make a difference this year. All interested are invited to attend:
Poured Out Planning Meeting Wednesday, July 8 @6:30pm Our Fellowship Hall
We are excited this year to have other area churches planning to pour out in ministry with us! It will be wonderful to join in unity as Christ’s hands, feet and heart together! Building FoundationsBuilding FoundationsBuilding FoundationsBuilding Foundations In our education ministries at GCUMC, we seek to provide space for learners and leaders to meet God in history, in life, in others, and in themselves. We want to help equip our families with the foundations they need to claim and live Christ’s promise of abundant life (John 10:10).
Please save the date of Wednesday, August 12. More details will be coming but we plan to have that evening (in conjunction with Watery Wednesday fun for the kids) a gathering to help connect and equip children & youth ministry leaders/parents in preparation for our 2015/2016 ministry year. Stay tuned!
Supporting Children in a Violent WorldSupporting Children in a Violent WorldSupporting Children in a Violent WorldSupporting Children in a Violent World It’s a rough world out there, and there are sad facts to illustrate this. According to The Children’s Defense Fund, there are more gun dealers in our nation than there are houses of worship. Every day in the USA, five children are killed by abuse or neglect. Our children’s exposure to violence via technology and our children’s potential victimization by violence stand at the forefront of concern. As people of faith, we are called to build towards a different reality. So let’s consider…. Ways to support children in a violent world: • Engage children in works of mercy which show
them ways to become active participants as a force for good
• Encourage children to befriend a child, or adult, who seems sad of left out of activities. Be an instrument of God’s peace.
• Model healthy media habits and encourage media fasting.
• Help children connect to nature. Love for God’s creation nurtures respect for life.
• Get face-to-face with children and listen. Encourage conversational prayer, especially at bedtime, to help young hearts connect to the God who knows and loves them.
Community Resources RoundtableCommunity Resources RoundtableCommunity Resources RoundtableCommunity Resources Roundtable The Community Resources Roundtable will not meet in July. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, August 19, at 1:00pm in the Moyer Library Community Room. All interested are welcome. The roundtable facilitates awareness and connection of social service resources with community needs.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
By Barb Horsch, Connection Coordinator
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Meg Fairchild 1 Michael Morano 1 Irelynn Morris 2 Spencer Moore 2 Jacob Chase 2 Dan Jones 3 Carrie Young 4 Howard Nettleton 4 Jane Hastings 4 Karen Kummerow 4 Ryan Snyder 6 Megan McCoy 6 Jennifer Quinley 7 Amy Hood 8 Barbara Wittemann 9 Joan Pool 9 Morgan Hazen 10 Hailey Rutledge 10 Abygail Strebeck 10 Emily Sawyer 11 Jordan Moore 11 Greg Pool 12 Lauren Anderson 12
Elizabeth Fairchild 13 Merle McCallister 13 Phillip Noellsch 13 Bill Hunter 16 Katie Steidinger 16 Lucas Niewold 16 Jean Noellsch 17 Torrie Cox 17 Jason Murphy 19 Mildred Davis 20 Austin Borton 20 Allison Davis 20 Tara Copher 21 Kathy Littlefield 22 Paige Cowell 22 Jacob Rutledge 23 Maci Lindelof 23 Maddox Lindelof 23 Connie Reum 24 Mary Hinthorn 24 Edith Christenson 25 Dean Farmer 25 David Hazen 25
Staci Ward 27 Phil VanSwol 28 Faye Rosendale 28 Susie Tongate 28 George Frashier 28 Sam Arsenault 28 Mitchell McNutt 29 Casey Duke 30 Karen Wright 30 Dave Freehill 30 Bill Pool 31 Mary Jo Kingsley 31 Justin Hunter 31 Jessica Hunter 31
Day Years James & Carol Steinman 1 54 Matt & Staci Lindelof 1 9 Lynn & Gail Anliker 3 55 Phil & Malinda Lutz 4 50 Tom & Kris Barnes 8 20 Doug & Ellen Maxey 9 10 Josh & Christina Moody 10 5 Kent & Jean Bielfeldt 11 23 Denny & Susie Tongate 13 13 Bill & Joyce Dewey 14 42 Mick & Mary Jo Kingsley 17 50 Glenn & Marsha Riddle 17 49 Jason & Kate Main 19 12 Rick & Jean Ertel 20 30 John & Connie Tennyson 25 34 Doug & Sheila Bennett 26
Nursing Home Residents Manor Marian Boog Ruth Fisher Judy Peters Shirley Butler Dolly Samet Nancy Aden Annex Mary Rosebraugh
Health Concerns Nancy Aden Marian Boog Mildred Davis Bill Dueringer Ruth Fisher Ruth Harris Jane Hastings Barb Murrell Norma Patterson
Servicemen and women PFC Colton Young AB Cody McCoy
Weekend Sat 5:30
Sun 8:45
Sun 11:00
May 30th & May 31st 9 111 36
June 6th & 7th 16 121 24
June 14th & 15th 13 124 22
June 20th & 21st 19 150 32
PPPPRAYERSRAYERSRAYERSRAYERS, B, B, B, BIRTHDAYSIRTHDAYSIRTHDAYSIRTHDAYS, A, A, A, ANNIVERSARIESNNIVERSARIESNNIVERSARIESNNIVERSARIES
Jan—May 2015 Offering for Budget $120,135.15
Jan—May 2015 Budget $121,087.87
Mission SocksMission SocksMission SocksMission Socks The missions socks collection in July will be on the 18th/19th and will benefit CAPs (GCMS after school program).
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7th Annual Hymn Sing Festival7th Annual Hymn Sing Festival7th Annual Hymn Sing Festival7th Annual Hymn Sing Festival August 16, 3:00 PMAugust 16, 3:00 PMAugust 16, 3:00 PMAugust 16, 3:00 PM The popular Hymn Festival sponsored by Gibson Area Music Foundation will be held this year at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 16 at the United Methodist Church of Gibson City. As always, attendees at the eighth annual event will enjoy singing selected hymns with background information given about each. This year’s theme will make connections between worship music and popular culture.
Janet McCumber of Villa Grove is directing this year’s festival, with Angela Yang as organist. Both are earning degrees at the University of Illinois. McCumber is currently a doctoral student in Choral Conducting and Literature at the University of Illinois. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Choral and Orchestral Conducting from Eastern Illinois University. Her master’s thesis was the 2010 winner of the Thesis Award of Excellence for EIU’s College of Arts and Humanities. Her background includes serving as a director and instructor at EIU, 14 years as high school music teacher at Villa Grove High School, and various positions with the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) and Illinois American Choral Directors Association. She has directed choral festivals throughout the state including the 2012 ILMEA District V Senior Chorus.
There is no admission charge for the event, but a free-will offering will be taken in support of the music foundation’s mission to bring quality musical events to area residents and summer music camp scholarships to high school students. Directory/Membership InformationDirectory/Membership InformationDirectory/Membership InformationDirectory/Membership Information Don’t Forget the Church! When moving or changing a phone number or email address, it can seem like you need to notify so many people and places! Please add the church to your list! You can call (217)784-5452 during office hours or email the information to [email protected]. This will help us keep your information up to date, so we can keep you informed about what is going on here at the church.
Chuck Knows Church, The CommitteeChuck Knows Church, The CommitteeChuck Knows Church, The CommitteeChuck Knows Church, The Committee Gather, learn and laugh this summer as we begin a new group discussion on “Chuck Knows Church… The Committee Series. “
“The Committee” is a humorous and poignant series that examines struggles congregations face as they look toward the future.” Comments describe The Committee as “thought provoking,” “inspiring” and a “great series.” Sessions will continue on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and end no later than 11:45 a.m.
Please contact Connection Team members: Judy Eckhoff (217-249-4387 /[email protected] ) or Janet Utterback (217-369-5257) with questions and if you are interested in meeting in the evening or during the Sunday School hour.
“For where 2 or 3 come together in my name, there I am with them.” - Matthew 18:20 Food Pantry NewsFood Pantry NewsFood Pantry NewsFood Pantry News There are some exciting things happening with our local food pantry at the hospital. Starting in July, commodities (milk, meat, and produce) will be available for those receiving aide in addition to the staples normally distributed. God is good as this mission increases its reach to help us love our neighbors. (Thank you, Rick Ertel for this information.)
August 1st will be our next Saturday to help with the Gibson City Food Pantry at the Hospital. Volunteers will be needed starting at 7:30am. Please contact the office if you are interested in helping on this date. A Big Thank You!A Big Thank You!A Big Thank You!A Big Thank You! I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, cards, and flowers sent to me since my illness. I am slowly recovering my strength. With my love, Norma (Patterson)
NNNNEWSEWSEWSEWS
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Join Team Emily & Help Cure FA!
We would like to invite you to participate in a bike event that will be held in Channahon on Sunday, July 19th. The ride is sponsored by a not-for- profit organization called FARA. All proceeds will go to funding research for a neuromuscular disease called Friedreich’s Ataxia. Friedreich’s Ataxia is a genetic, debilitating, life-shortening disease. Our youngest daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia about 7 years ago. Since then our family has been actively involved in fundraising efforts for research. This is our 4th year for the ride. The ride offers a 4, 12, 32, and 50 mile route choice. All routes start and end in Central Park in Channahon. Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill feed all participants post ride. Come on out and be a part of a great event!
For registration information please go to: rideataxia.org/Chicago
~ Rick & Becky Young & family Please call 217-781-4746 with any questions.
Reaching New PeopleReaching New PeopleReaching New PeopleReaching New People The Illinois Great Rivers Conference will be hosting a Reaching New People workshop in East Peoria, IL on August 22, 2015. This one-day workshop invites a team to take the next steps in reaching new people. If you are interested in attending this workshop with other members of our congregation, please contact Judy Eckhoff (217-249-4387 / [email protected]) or Janet Utterback (217-369-5257).
2016 Leadership2016 Leadership2016 Leadership2016 Leadership Lay Leadership and Nominations are beginning the process to nominate the leadership for committees and teams for 2016. If you are presently serving and do not want to continue in 2016, please let Pastor John know. Learning in CommunityLearning in CommunityLearning in CommunityLearning in Community Pastor John, GC UMC Lay Delegates Virgil & Faye Rosendale, and Iroquois River District Lay Delegate Susan Schultz attended the 2015 Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference in early June, held in Peoria. In addition to the work of the Conference, attendees learned of the United States’ history with Native Americans, as a nation and in our own denomination. Personal stories were shared by Native American United Methodist clergy that were compelling and at times, disturbing. “Healing the Circle”, the theme for the Conference, begins with awareness, acknowledgment, and repentance. From this foundation we can begin to work towards reconciliation, justice, and peace. A complete report on the conference will be shared at a later date. McKids DayMcKids DayMcKids DayMcKids Day We will again be participating in McKid’s Day at the local Gibson City McDonalds. This event is located in the parking lot near McDonald’s behind Casey’s gas station and will be on July 16th from 3-7pm.
McKid’s Day is an outdoor charity event in which McDonald’s and other local businesses and organizations (that’s us!) provide free games and entertainment for children and their parents to help support a local non-profit organization.
This year we will have a pick the duck game with prizes for kids, a classic truck for kids to explore and information to hand out about our youth programming which includes invitations to Watery Wednesdays!
If you are interested in volunteering to help, please contact the office. Incoming 4th graders—High School youth are encouraged to come and help out!
