From the Pastor’s Heart         

 From the Heart

  February 2008

 How can a young [person] keep [their] way pure? By guarding it according to thy word.  With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments! I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.                                                                                                                                                                          - Psalm 119.9-11 

When I was nine years old, my family lived on the crest of a hill overlooking Plum Creek to the south and west of Walnut Grove.  You would think that my favorite childhood author would have been Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Not so!  My favorite yarn-spinner was Mark Twain, especially his stories about life on the Mississippi River with Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.  So, in my mind, Plum Creek became as wide and deep as Ol’ Miss and the limited adventures of exploring and rafting and fishing as real as any with which Mr. Twain regaled his readers.  My friends and I used the adventure stories of Tom and Huck to fashion our own summer adventures.

            In my adult years, I still admire Mark Twain, not simply for his fiction, but also for his often acerbic commentary on human nature and life in general.  His remarks often hit too close to home and we find ourselves wearing a nervous-looking smile and emitting an uncomfortable chuckle.  Like when he observed, “People say when they get to heaven, they’ll fly around from cloud to cloud playing a harp; but I don’t see too many people trying to learn how to fly or too many taking harp lessons to get ready for the event.”  Ouch…perhaps too close the home!

            While Twain’s observations are more often commentary on religion than on God, in the aforementioned quote, he raises an interesting question, “Many believers say they want to serve God and obey his word, but how many are reading the Bible in order to learn how?” 

            Pastor Bill Hybels, of Willow Creek Community Church (WCCC) fame, is the head of a ministry that has experienced exponential numeric growth in worship attendance and membership since its beginning in the early 1970’s.  Responding to a multi-year study of the programming and ministry philosophy of WCCC in Illinois, he called the findings “earth-shaking,” “ground-breaking,” and “mind-blowing.”  What was so astounding in the report?  WCCC was great at getting people in the door, but was woefully lacking in its ability to nurture mature disciples.   Hybels vows that will change!

Pastor Rick Warren, in an interview last year, admitted that in the tremendous growth of Saddleback Church in California had allowed a void to exist in its members understanding of what it means to lead a holistic faith life.  Rick Warren and the staff at Saddleback had almost entirely omitted from the church’s ministry palette any connection to social justice issues and ministry to the least, the lost and the left-out.  Warren vows that will change!

Hmmm, on the surface, mega-churches seem to have it all together, but when the cover is pulled back, every ministry has areas in which it could improve.  We – here at Stewartville United Methodist Church – are no different from our much larger sister congregations.  There are ministry areas in which we too can, and must, improve if our in-reach and out-reach is going to yield results worthy of presenting before the throne of God. 

In 2008 we are beginning a new Family Life Program that will change the way we interact with each other and with the community around us.  We will be encouraged to engage ourselves in worship, prayer, and service to others in- and out-side the church in ways we perhaps have never considered doing before.  We are embarking on a great new adventure and it is important that we stay connected and informed by God’s Word by daily reading and interaction with the Bible.

The Family Life Program will work only if its leadership is supported and, when asked, we are more willing to say “yes” than inclined to say “no.”  God is ready to make great changes in our lives.  Are we ready?  To quote a favorite character of our toddler crowd when asked, “Can you do it? Bob the Builder always responds, “Yes we can!”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”                                                                                                  - Proverbs 3.5-6

          Stephen Levine, a poet and teacher of meditation, is known for the following quote: “If you knew you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call, and what would you say?  And why are you waiting?”  Levine is expressing the basic human need for connection in our lives, and encouraging us to move forward in creating those connections.

As a part of Care Callers, we get to make more than one phone call, and what we say is less important than making the call.  Our purpose is to forge connections between individuals within our congregation and create a greater sense of community.  The Care Callers ministry provides an opportunity for people to express their needs and their concerns.  The goal of the Care Callers ministry is that each individual in the church receives a call from another member of the congregation.  Additionally, the care callers meet throughout the year to talk about the process, encourage each other in this ministry, and provide feedback to the Health and Wellness Ministry team on the program.   Such connections may be one of the most vital ministries we can provide, giving each member of the congregation the opportunity to forge a relationship with an individual they may not have previously known.

The Cradle Roll is another opportunity for us to connect with families from our congregation.  Currently we have pictures taken each time a child is baptized.  The pictures are then displayed on the board outside the nursery to remind us to pray for these little ones we’ve promised to support.  The Health and Wellness Ministry Team is currently looking for a liaison for this ministry to help expand this connection.  Our goal is to send out follow up cards after a child is baptized to help maintain that connection, and remind the family we as a church family are here to support them.

The Prayer Shawl ministry is a physical representation of the positive energy we are sending to an individual within our church family during a time of need.  The Prayer Shawls have been knit or crocheted by individuals in our congregation who spend time praying and instilling their positive energy into the shawl they are creating.  Currently we are in need of people who knit or crochet to make additional Prayer Shawls. 

If you are interested in participating in any of these ministry opportunities, please contact any member of the Health and Wellness Ministry Team.  While you are welcome to join our ministry team meetings, all of these opportunities are available without any obligation to attend monthly meetings.  Instead, we hope you will see this as an opportunity to strengthen your connection to our congregation and other individuals within the congregation while joining us in purposeful ministry. 

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CALLING ALL CARE CALLERS!

Please reserve the August 9, 2006 of Sunday, February 24 at 11:00 a.m. for the next meeting of the Care Callers Group.  We will meet in the library for our quarterly meeting to discuss our progress as care callers and catch up with each other as we begin the new year!  See you then!

                            NEED A RIDE?

Would you like to attend Sunday morning worship, but do not have transportation? If so, please call the church office (533-4625) and someone will return your call to make arrangements to provide transportation to church.

Children's Time ~

                            February

If you are unable to serve as scheduled, please find a substitute and call the

church office by Wednesday at 533-4625 or call Barb Warren at (507) 867-3006.

Lay Readers ~

                                         February

If you are unable to serve as scheduled, please find a substitute and call the church

office by Wednesday at 533-4625 or call Wilma Menshik at 533-9591.  

PRAYER PAGE

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

     On January 27, 2008 SUMC will be celebrating United Methodist Women’s Sunday.  This will be a worship service of music and mission. 

ANNOUNCEMENT:

                             Midwest Mission Distribution Center Mission Trip:  Open to youth through adults.  Departing March 30 and returning April 5^th of 2008.  All skills and abilities can be used.  Lodging will be in the campus dorms.  Costs are:  project fees ($50); dorm ($15/night) and share of food and gas.  If you have questions please contact Tanya Oberg at 288-7152. Please sign up at the Missions Table in the narthex.

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

     Just a friendly reminder that in an attempt to conserve energy etc we need to be conscientious about turning off lights, electric heaters and so on before leaving the church after meetings, Sunday School classes, parties, events, and practices.  Thanks in advance for helping to keep our energy costs at a minimum.

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

     MN VOAD 2008 Training Seminar on February 16^th in New Brighton, MN.  Learn more about coordinating and responding to disasters locally and nationally and the roles of various response groups and how you can be involved.  Registration information is posted on the bulletin boards in the narthex.

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

     Thank you to all faithful members and friends of SUMC for stepping up and making sure all financial commitments for 2007 were met.  Cindy Bushman, Jan Durbahn, and the rest of the Finance Team do an excellent ministry on behalf of our congregation, but without our faithful giving, they would not be able to meet our financial obligations. Thank you

 Happy Birthday to the following church members and friends who celebrate February birthdays!  Do YOU have a February birthday?  Is YOUR name on the list?  If not, please call or drop a note to the church office to let us know. We don't want to miss the opportunity to wish you a very Happy Birthday!

      As we settle into what can be the remaining long days of winter, please consider using your talents in the creation of Prayer Shawls.  During the past year the SUMC prayer shawls have brought tangible, visual reminders to many of our church family and friends of the prayers and well wishes of our congregation.  Thank you for all your time and efforts to keep this ministry alive in our church.  Health & Wellness Ministry Team.

     Don’t miss it!!  Saturday, January 26^th will be our first family fun night for all members of our church family from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Sloppy Joes and a beverage will be provided.  A serving table will be set up if you want to bring a little something to share.  It is not required.  There is a sign up sheet on the back table.  Let us know if you are coming, if you have a game you would like to bring or will be in need of nursery care.  Come for an hour…..stay the whole time.  Invite friends and family.  It should be an evening of good fun and fellowship.  If you have any questions, suggestions or would like to be a part of the planning, please contact Laura Renken, Becky or Russ Kidd or Ronda Miner.

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Mary Jo and I truly appreciate the connection we have with the members and friends of SUMC.  Of course, we are thankful for you thoughtfulness during seasons such as Christmas in which you remember us and bless us, but please know that our hearts are full of thanks year-around for the way you embrace us and include us in your family events as if we were long-lost relatives.  We count ourselves doubly blessed when we think about other churches and other pastors/spouses/families that are unable to bless each other as they ought.  As your pastor, I look forward to 2008 with ever greater expectations that our ministry together will continue to grow and bear wonderful results as we serve our Savior and Lord hand-in-hand.            Blessings, Pastor Jef.