From the Pastor’s Heart                       From the Heart

July 2008

WHAT TO LEAVE & WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU

          If you felt a slight tremor shake Stewartville last week, it wasn’t an earthquake.  It was the weight of my many belongings being hoisted off the Mayflower truck.   Fortunately, no one was injured.   However, it did cause me to think some more about all the things I own.   Even after working diligently (feverishly?) to sort, give and throw things before moving … whew,  I still have a lot of stuff.    Those of you who helped me to get settled can attest to that fact.  (By the way,  THANK YOU so much!) 

          The whole process reminded me that all we have is a gift from God, but it is only for temporary use.    A lot of things “didn’t make it” with me from La Crescent to Stewartville.   One day I will transfer residences and will make a journey on which NOTHING will go with me.  

          So stuff is just that … stuff.  What really matters are people.  Friendships.  Love.  And as the Apostle Paul said, our “most precious faith” in Jesus Christ.    These are the things I carry in my heart from the places I’ve been but more importantly, these are the things I look forward to sharing with all of you. 

          I know how much you miss Pastor Jef and Mary Jo and that your hearts are still breaking.   Even though in the UM church pastor changes take place fast, I am hoping that we will have the time to let our souls catch up with all that has happened.   In the months to come, I hope to sit around tables with you and reminisce with you about the great moments you’ve shared with Pastor Jef and his family over the past ten years.   And I look forward to making a few memories with you myself as we serve Christ together.

          I am going to need a lot of grace from you when I make mistakes or don’t do things as expected.   Just know I’m teachable!   I look forward to getting to know each of you and getting to know your wonderful community of Stewartville.

Pastor Linda

Midwest Disasters and UMCOR

The disasters that have been occurring in the Midwest recently are almost without precedent and the toll in human suffering almost defies the imagination.  Mason City, Iowa without water for days!  Cedar Rapids, Iowa mostly under water with many homes destroyed and hundreds more severely damaged.  Iowa City, Iowa and the suburbs under water and homes, even the University of Iowa severely damaged.  Dikes on the Mississippi failing and towns in Iowa and Illinois inundated with additional flooding of thousands of acres of prime farmland.  The floods and the suffering continue as the high waters roll further south.  The people suffering from these natural disasters are God’s children, our fellow Christians right here in the United States, and their suffering is going to get worse as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives.  Seeing the pictures of the devastation and hearing the stories of the individual victims should make us want to do something significant to help them.  Federal aid will be forthcoming as soon as the government can wade through the red tape, but these people need compassionate Christian support now, and through UMCOR that is what they are getting even as you read this.  UMCOR disaster relief teams are on their way to the scenes of disaster while the waters are still rising, and they are there when the people finally realize how much they have lost.  We can really be proud of the work that UMCOR does, but that relief does not come without price.  The UMCOR emergency funds are rapidly being depleted and if their work is to continue, those funds must be replenished now, and that replenishment must come from you and I and all the other United Methodist Churches.  Our Mission Moment for July will go to support the UMCOR Domestic Disaster Relief project which is supplying these needed funds.  On July 27^th, when the black bags go by for the second offering, please think about our fellow Christians here in the Midwest and please be generous.  These are God’s children right in our own back yard who are suffering and each one of us has the opportunity to do something about it.  The Eternal Faith Fund will match our gifts up to $300.00 so our gifts will go twice as far and do twice as much good.  These neighbors of ours really need two things right now.  They need our prayers and they need the help that UMCOR and the other relief agencies can give.  Lets do our part here in Stewartville with both our prayers and our treasures.

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THANK YOU:

     I just wanted to express my thanks and appreciation to Jerry & Ferrolyn Hildebrandt, Jerry & Sherry Lecy, Pastor Jef and Isaac Olson, Russ, Becky, Isaac, Chloe & Logan Kidd for helping with the spring ditch pick up along County Road 8 on Saturday morning, May 24^th.  Thanks also to Jeff Billman, Astrid Hoberg and Mikaela Koalska for the wonderful brunch and time of fellowship at your home following.  It was a great beginning to my weekend. Ronda Miner.

                            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 ~

                            July

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 ~

July

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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Happy Birthday to the following church members and friends who celebrate July birthdays! Do YOU have a July 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! 

WE NEED EVERYONE’S HELP!!!

If you haven’t yet filled out a “New” Membership Form or need a new one, extra copies are on the table in the narthex.  We continue to work diligently on updating our records so Pastor Linda can more easily become familiar with our congregation; however, we are finding that there are a few errors, and a lot of missing information.  This information is vital not only so that Pastor Linda and/or the Family Life Director can use it, much of it is also used in our annual reporting to the church conference and may ultimately be used by some adventurous genealogists.  Therefore, we are asking that each family member that attends Stewartville United Methodist Church please complete and return the form to the church office as soon as possible.  This could save a phone call to you in the near future. Thank you to those of you that have already filled out the new forms and turned them into the office for updating. Thank you all for your help in this effort.

 Vacation Bible School 2008

Saturday, August 23^rd

9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sessions

Backyard Bash / Family Picnic 5:30 pm

Calling all little adventurers from ages 3 – 6^th grade!

Come and join us for a fun filled Saturday where we learn all about God’s Big Backyard and how to serve Jesus, Our Families, Our Community, Our Friends and Our Neighbors.  This wonderful day will end with a Backyard Bash/Family Picnic where we can share our experience with our families and friends. 

Be sure to invite your friends!

Registration Options:

·       Registration form is attached

·       On-line at: http://www.stewartvilleumc.com/VBS.htm

·       Stop at the registration table in the narthex

Grades 7 – Age 107 – we need your help! 

We have many opportunities for all those willing volunteers to help make this wonderful experience possible.  We need Adventure Guides (group leaders), Tree House Leaders (session leaders), help with set up, clean up, snacks etc.  Please see Gretchen Thomason, Ronda Miner or Laura Renken if you would like to learn more about how you can help. 

Stewartville United Methodist Church

Vacation Bible School 2008

Saturday, August 23^rd

9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sessions

Backyard Bash / Family Picnic 5:30 pm