The Circuit Rider United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon 304 1st Street SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Telephone: 319.895.6286 www.mountvernonumc.org email: [email protected] Pastor Bill’s Bytes… We began our Lenten journey last Sunday. This is the season of the church year that focuses on Jesus’ purposeful journey to Jerusalem, where he would lay down his life to free us from bondage to sin. Some see this season as a season of giving up something – which we fully intend to indulge in after the season has passed – to symbolize our willingness to follow Jesus in taking up the cross to embrace our own death. I fail to see any sacrifice in this that is anywhere close to embrace our own call to die to self so that we might live in Christ. Our journey this Lent will take a little different path. March 2015 WORSHIP SCHEDULE 8:30 am Praise Service 9:45 am Sunday School 10:30 am Fellowship Time, Common Ground 11:00 am Traditional Worship We will be exploring Jesus’ “sermon on the mount,” recorded for us in the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5 through 7. I believe Jesus shows us here the little deaths to self that free us from old patterns that lead to destruction and death for ourselves and all creation. Jesus does not ask us to die the death that he suffered on the cross. Only he could accomplish this. Because of his sacrifice, the path is open to us to have a growing relationship with God, if we are willing to receive his sacrifice for us. Still, we live in a world broken by sin. God calls us to participate in redeeming the world, and due to the influence of sin, there are many “little deaths” we are called upon to embrace. Our willingness to embrace these will help us Daylight Savings Time Begins Sunday March 8th become the people God created us to be to bring out the Godcolors and flavors in this world. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount will equip us for this. We hope you will join us in this journey. Your servant for the sake of Jesus, Pastor Bill Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead Saturday night before you go to bed!! SPRC Makes New Senior Pastor Announcement With Pastor Bill Daylong announcing his retirement last fall, the Staff Parish committee has been working with the District Superintendent over the past several months on the appointment for our new Senior Pastor. We have good news that we can announce that an appointment has been made. Our new senior pastor will be Rev. Dr. HeeCheon Jeon and he is currently serving as the associate pastor at the First United Methodist Church of Iowa City where he focuses on helping organize small group ministries. Before Iowa City, he served as the head pastor in Corning, Iowa. He received his Masters of Divinity and PhD in Philosophy of Religion and Theology from UC Berkley. His wife’s name is Ann and they have one daughter, Soyoun, who is currently a junior in High School. HeeCheon will join our congregation on July 1, 2015. We are excited to welcome HeeCheon and his family to our congregation and community. Please let anyone on Staff Parish know if you have any questions. Happy 100th Birthday to the Parsonage!! (gifts encouraged) We are planning to kick off the 100th year of the Parsonage with a celebration on Sunday, March 8th. Cake will be served in the Common Ground between services. There will be a special offering taken on March 8th to help cover the costs of the parsonage restoration. Please consider making a special gift for this effort (make your check out to United Methodist Church of MV with the word “parsonage” written on the memo line). You can also make a pledge to be fulfilled over six months if that better suits your financial situation. A pledge card was recently mailed to you, we would appreciate you returning it by mail or in person on March 8th. The current parsonage was built in 1915 when the congregation purchased the Ogleby property just west of the church. The total cost of the parsonage was $8,087.81! In preparation for the next pastor, the Trustees have identified a list of improvements to be made starting this spring. The total expense is estimated to be $50,000 and we are asking for your monetary gift to help fund this project. The list includes: Basement Waterproofing ($20,000) New Furnace/AC ($10,000) Window Replacement ($9,500) Painting ($3,500) Roof Patching ($5,000) Radon Abatement ($1,000) Security/Fire Doors ($1,000) There will be a line drawing of the Parsonage in the narthex showing what projects are planned to take place as well as their approximate cost. Maybe you would like to pay for a new window or some paint? Please prayerfully consider what your contribution will be. We are currently nearing the 50% pledge mark in advance of this celebration fundraising events thanks to some early donors, and the support of our Endowment and Trustees Committees. Questions? Feel free to contact a member of the Parsonage Review Team – Steve Miller, Ray Reasland, Kraig Hunter, Jean Schroeder, and Jackie Morrical. 2 General Fund Summary Please join us for Bible Study Opportunities at... Men’s Bible Study Donated Jan. $29,597 Expenses $31,787 Budget $32,135 Other January donations Building Fund $1,745 Renovation Fund $1,475 AC/Boiler Fund $220 Organ Fund $100 Human Relations $130 UMCOR/Disaster $358 SELCC Bulk Food $1,459 Reach Turkey $100 Total for all funds in January $33,933 Leader: Ed Timm—Monday mornings at 6:00 am at the Skillet Café. Women’s Bible Study Leader: Cathy Stoner Wednesday Morning 9:30 am in the Balcony Classroom *Deadline for the April 2015 Circuit Rider will be March 24, 2015. Contact Alison Dix at the Church office with any questions or email her at [email protected] Scrip Update Thanks to all those who have participated in the Scrip Program! So far in 2015 we have raised over $408 for the general operating expenses of the church! Put the order form/check in the collection plate or drop them off in the church office. Blanket Ministry Update "Lent Over Lunch" Noon to 12:30 pm Wednesdays Open sanctuary featuring reflective music to help observe the season. Offered by Dr. Lynda Hakken on the Organ People are welcome to bring a lunch or just drop in to listen. Nine Fleece blankets were delivered to Mission of Hope on Saturday February 21. They were very appreciative and said “Keep them coming”! Do you have a few minutes waiting for a child to finish choir, youth group or are you early for a meeting and maybe between church services? We invite you to stop by the tables set up near the elevator (levels 3 & 4) and tie a few knots. It’s really simple and you’ll come away with the warm fuzzy feeling knowing you’ve helped someone in need. Please help us reach our goal to complete 100 blankets this year. Blankets may also be taken home and done as a family project. Another way to help is to make a contribution to the blanket ministry. Each blanket costs $12 to $15. If you have questions please contact Jackie Wallace at 895-6686 or Barb Shepley at 895-6566. 3 4 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS DATE CHANGE – PLEASE READ Spring Break Observed for Children/Youth Sunday School This year we will be celebrating and showing appreciation for our Sunday school teachers and shepherds on Sunday, May 3rd. Be watching for more details regarding this special day, but for now mark your calendars and be sure to join us during the Sunday school hour as we give thanks for our wonderful servants in the Sunday school program. All are invited to attend and enjoy the fellowship that this event always provides. Sunday school for our children and youth will be on Spring break Sunday, March 15th and Sunday, March 22nd. These Sundays bookmark the Mount Vernon/Lisbon public school spring break and will enable our teachers and shepherds to spend time with family and travel during this school break. Sunday school will resume th on Sunday, March 29 (Palm Sunday). When the children return to Sunday school we will begin our Easter unit. Dear Sunday school students (and parents), The season of Lent started on Wednesday, February 18th. Have you ever heard your Pastor or Sunday school teacher mention the word Lent and wonder what it is really all about? Lent is the for ty-day period before Easter when we prepare ourselves. During that time we remember Christ and the change that he made in the world, and we try to better ourselves as followers of Christ. Many people follow the custom of “giving up” something during Lent to remind them of Christ’s suffering. Some people decide to make some sort of change in their lives during this time in order to be a better follower of Christ. Please remember to use your Lenten calendar that was handed out at Sunday school. It gives you ideas of things you can do in an effort to be more like Christ. Be sure to share the ideas with your family and do some of them together. I look forward to hearing from you about some of the actions you took during this Lenten season. Blessings, Julie Dowd Baty Christian Education Director 5 Understanding the Immigration Process: Gabi’s Journey MAY 31 – “NO SERVICE, ALL SERVANTS” Letters for Gabi's Journey--Letters in support of Gabi Guardado for his seeking U.S. legal permanent residency are welcome in the church office throughout March. If you wish to write one, please contact Alison in the Church Office for a copy of the U.S. Citizenship guidelines for Letters of Support. Amy and Gabi do not wish anyone to feel pressure to write a letter and they realize that numerous persons in the congregation may not know them very well, particularly those who attend the traditional service. If you do wish to write a letter but have questions about what to say, contact Kay Graber at 364-1185 or [email protected]. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! On May 31 there will be no worship services. Instead we are all invited to come to the church that day, have breakfast together, pray together and then spread out in our church, our community and perhaps even among our congregants’ homes to serve according to our abilities. Does this have you curious? Good!! Stay tuned for more information! UMCMV Conversations Living the Gospel Life thru Lent 2015 Lenten devotionals are still available in the Narthex. It is never to late to join the Conversation! "Conversations" is a convenient way of sharing the thoughts you have during an important time of devotion. Sometimes you are in the mood to just read or listen. Sometimes the Holy Spirit puts something in your heart that is just to important to not let out and you have to share it. This is where Conversations happens. All you need to do is email your interest to [email protected]. We will put you on the list and daily you will receive a copy of the devotion for that day and an initial thought, story or reflection. After that, sharing begins and as replies are sent back to that same email, they are shared in turn with the participants and thus the conversation ensues. We promise that during a time of such faithfulness, the blessings of this devotional conversation will be most rewarding. 6 LETTER FROM FINANCE TEAM Dear Congregation members: I have some incredible news about our General Fund! The Finance Committee was expecting a year end deficit of at least $30,000. However, thanks primarily to the very generous year end donations of a few of our members, we ended the year with an annual deficit of approximately $2,500.00. As you may recall, this is the fund that pays the operating expenses of our church such as payroll, utilities, office expenses, etc. The Finance Committee had projected a deficit of $30,000 - 40,000 for 2014, due to an increase in expenses and a decrease in pledged contributions. As of November 30, 2014, our General Fund balance was almost $46,000 in the red. In an astounding rebound, we had total contributions of almost $67,000 to this fund in December, 2014 so that we ended the year very close to a balanced budget. Yeah! A very special thanks to the handful of members (our deficit angels) who made extremely generous donations to our deficit in December to make this result possible. Our 2015 budget was passed by the Church Council at its meeting in January. This budget projects about $360,000 in income and $385,600 in expenses for the year. We are actually expecting $15,600 less in expenses than were projected in 2014, due primarily to expected cost savings from the new boilers and some payroll/benefit reductions. However, we are still projecting a deficit of approximately $25,000 based on pledged contributions for 2015. It would be fantastic if everyone in the congregation could step up their General Fund contributions by about 6% this year so that we could meet our budget without having to rely on our deficit angels! Thanks to everyone for all of the ways you support our church! Sincerely, Jean Schroeder, Chair - Finance Committee 7 During winter months it's fun to start to dream and plan summer vacations! As you do, be sure to SAVE THE DATE for VBS!! This year's VBS will run Sunday, July 12th - Thursday, July 16th. Our theme will be Everest - Conquering challenges with God's mighty power. Kids will enjoy an icy expedition where they'll learn to overcome obstacles with God's awesome power. Questions about VBS? Contact Lori Cranston @ [email protected]. JOIN IN THE METHOLARK FUN! Our Metholarks (3rd -6th plus 2nd with approval) will be starting our musical for the spring. This is a great time for your student to join us and try out our choir fellowship. We meet Wednesdays after school until 4:30. Contact Kristi Keast or the office for more information. Use Scrip for Spring Break Plans! Whether you are driving or flying to your spring break destination please consider using Scrip to pay for some of your travel expenses! Orders placed on March 1st will be delivered by March 5th – in plenty of time for Spring Break. Here is a partial list of travel-related retailers: BP Casey’s Shell Sinclair Oil Texaco Clarion Hotels Comfort Suites Marriott Hotels Sleep Inn Check out our NEW online calendar! Go to mountvernonumc.org Click on CHURCH CALENDAR on the left hand Column Thanks!! Lenten Opportunities for Worship Communion Sundays March 1st Other weeks of lent: March 8, March 15, March 22 Palm Sunday March 29 8:30 am Praise Service 11:00 am Traditional Service United Methodist Women March Event! Maundy Thursday Worship April 2, 2015 @ 6:30 pm Good Friday Worship April 3, 2015 @ 6:30 pm Come join us on Thur. March 26 at 11:30am in Fellowship Hall for a "Lunch with Love." We'll enjoy a baked potato bar lunch and then assemble spring gift bags for some of those in our church family in need of a bit of cheer. Feel free to bring small items for the gift bags like food snacks, tissues, stamps and etc. We often do 15 to 20 of these gift bags. Please call Barb Shepley with questions at (319)895-6566. See you there on the 26th. Holy Easter Sunday April 5 7:00 am SONrise Service 8:30 am Praise Service 11:00 am Traditional Service 8 Celebrating March birthdays! Happy Birthday to… Lonny Merlak Liz Vedepo Brian Bothell Anita Simpkins Abe Tubbs Melissa Kahl Madison Bowling Andrew Light Samantha White Jase Jaspers Patrick Lamier Bev Behrens Tristyn Holets Andrew Smith Klayton Kahl Suzette Kragenbrink Daniel Rekemeyer Bennett Metcalf Nolan Jackson Harry Cole Kamryn Kahl Jan White Ryley Hoffman 03/01 03/02 03/03 03/05 03/06 03/07 03/08 03/09 03/10 03/11 03/12 03/13 03/15 Josh Hanson Melody Lineburg Carrie Rutledge Mick Snodgress Dan Stoner Alex Briesemeister Mary Jane Mcwilliams Amy Russell Janet Ault Brittany Ferguson Owen Rushford Holden Steine Lillian Hotz Jaylee Jaspers Michael Briesemeister Anna Hoffman Josie Bothell Ellen Holland John Gee Chad Niec Michael Woods Brett Cooper Samantha Zehms Amy Jackson 03/19 03/20 03/21 03/22 03/23 03/24 03/25 March 2015 Anniversaries Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Terry & Susan Pisarik Joyce & Bob Locke Darrell & Donna Jordan Jim & Carol Wozniak-Rebhuhn 03/06 03/11 03/16 03/17 03/27 03/30 03/31 To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer. Martin Luther Prayers: Please keep Bill Croghan and family in prayer, as they mourn the recent passing of his sister, Laura. Prayers and words of encouragement for Amy and Gabi Guardado, and their sons Ethan and Keaton, as Gabi seeks U.S. legal permanent residency, a necessary step toward full citizenship. Please pray for strength and comfort for Sarah Steineke, friend of Pastor Becky and Phil High, and her family, as Sarah was recently diagnosed with MS. Please pray also for wisdom for her doctors. Prayers for our new Pastor, a positive transition, and continued spiritual growth for our church. Please pray that our community can come together, and agree on a plan for our children and the school. Continued prayers that those in positions of leadership use their power for the good of many, rather than for personal gain or power over others. Continued prayers for healing and recovery for Cot Graber, who underwent back surgery on the 13th. Continued prayers for Bonnie Wikstrom’s husband, Brad, who is recovering from a recent stroke. Continued prayers for Jeff Walter’s mother, whose Mayo doctors were able to diagnose vertebra and nerve issues that were causing some of her health issues. Continued prayers for Amanda Meeker, her family, and the Lisbon school district. Amanda is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment, while her doctors consider possible additional modalities. Continued prayers of peace and comfort for Stella Mae Easker. Continued prayers for Mike, a business friend of Jim Baty’s, who is battling stage 4 Hodgkins lymphoma. Continued prayers for the Mission of Hope in Cedar Rapids; its volunteers and attendees. Continued prayers for our partner church; Women at the Well United Methodist Church, their leader, Pastor Lee Schott, and the women of Iowa Correctional Institute for Women. Joys: Joy for our new Pastor and new opportunities! Prayers of gratitude for our church and all other churches that work together to end hunger by giving regularly to the SE Linn Food Bank and to meals for Mission of Hope. May our witness to the Gospel of love and compassion shine ever more brightly this Lenten season! Heartfelt thanks from Clive & Mavis Cook, for all of your recent prayers and well wishes. Both are doing much better! Joy and thanks that David Easker has arrived home safely, and is feeling blessed by his recent experience with “Miles of Smiles” in Guatemala! Praise, joy and thanks for all of our amazing volunteers.9 We truly appreciate all of your hard work! Adult Education Opportunities Dick Peters’ Chapel Class: The Acts of the Apostles For a history teacher, the book of Acts is the most exciting book in the Bible! Now is your chance to study this wonderful history and testimony written by Saint Luke. Saint Luke was the only gentile to author a New Testament book. Of course, I would like to have you come each Sunday, but each class will stand on its own; so please come when your schedule allows. We’ll study the conversion, travels, and preaching of Saul (Paul) and certainly Peter and the Holy Spirit. This will be the history of the early church – we’ll see why we should be so thankful for these pioneer teachers and leaders. Now is the time to read the book of Acts and make plans for you and family to come to Sunday School. We will also read from Mr. Wesley’s translation of Acts and from several of his sermons. Naturally, we will make time for an examination of Christmas and Easter. The class will meet in the Chapel, just beyond the little kitchen and east of the Common Ground. Bless your hearts; see you Sunday school - Dick Peters Danforth Class: Applying teachings of Jesus The Danforth group meets in the balcony Danforth Room during the Sunday school hour. The group focuses on applying the teachings of Jesus to the transformation of our lives and removing barriers to justice and peace. Leadership of the class rotates among members. The first book to be read will be selected by the group when they convene this fall. If you enjoy common readings and lively discussions and yearn to know how to leap from Biblical time and space to 2014, this is the study group for you! “The Story” The Story, NIV (Amazon.com) group will meet each Sunday during the traditional Sunday School hour in the Library directly off Fellowship Hall. Our group will use this version of God's story, written to demonstrate the continuity of God's relationship with His people. We will be centering our discussion on New Testament Scripture and the range of interpretation that exists as we come together in conclusions for its impact on our lives. Best described as God's love sent for us all, the New Testament doesn't throw away the Old but rather redefines it and refocuses God's plan for humanity through His lens rather than ours. If you want to know more, be more and love more, this is the study group built for you and we'll be waiting for you to join. All our welcome no matter the amount of your experience, confidence and knowledge. This is a discussion and a time to grow together in His Word. “The Story” group will meet each Sunday during the traditional Sunday School hour in the Old Library, Classroom off of Fellowship Hall. Stephen Ministry DID YOU KNOW… • Stephen Ministers are not counselors. They are trained Christian caregivers. Their role is to listen and care—not counsel or advise. Please do not refer to them as counselors. • Stephen Ministry is a supervised ministry. Stephen Ministers engage in twice-monthly supervision to ensure that they are providing the best-quality Christian care. • Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. What a care receiver tells a Stephen Minister remains confidential. Even in supervision, the names of care receivers and specific details are never discussed. • Stephen Ministers do not make cold calls. They are assigned only to people who agree to receive the care of a Stephen Minister. 10 March 2015 Worship Assistants March 1st at 8:30am (Praise Service) March 1st at 11:00am (Traditional Service) East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Coffee Host: Nursery: Communion: Slide Presenter: East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Lector: Nursery: Slide Presenter: Communion: Kamaus Family Todd & Kathy Norton Booths & Hans Steine and children Sherryl Osborn Kim Schwiebert Natalie Ott & Payton Schwiebert Diane Legore Marge Gaines & Dodie Rilett Kay & Cot Graber Hunter Family Kristi Keast Brittany Booth Dick Jacob Alina Merlak & Lara Cooper March 8th at 8:30am (Praise Service) March 8th at 11:00am (Traditional Service) East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Jo Harman Nancy Reasland Pisarik & Kamaus Families Nursery: Marissa Cranston Slide Presenter: Diane Legore East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Lector: Nursery: Slide Presenter: Coffee Host: Engelbrecht Family Jan White & Bonnie Keith Merlak Family Janet Ault Brittany Booth Jackie Wallace Janet Griffith March 15th at 8:30am (Praise Service) March 15th at 11:00am (Traditional Service) East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Todd & Lisa White Todd & Kathy Norton Brand Family Nursery: Marissa Cranston Slide Presenter: Bonnie Wikstrom East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Lector: Nursery: Slide Presenter: Coffee Host: Vern & Arlene Sand Marge Gaines & Dodie Rilett Engelbrecht Family Ruth Miller Jean Schroeder Jackie Morrical Tim & Diane Legore March 22nd at 8:30am (Praise Service) March 22nd at 11:00am (Traditional Service) East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Matt & Teresa Stewart Brian & Teresa Bothell Hoffman & Stoner Families Nursery: Amy Jackson Slide Presenter: Diane Legore East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Lector: Nursery: Slide Presenter: Coffee Host: March 29th at 8:30am (Praise Service) East Door Greeters: West Door Greeters: Worship Assistants: Nursery: Slide Presenter: John & MJ McWilliams Jan White & Bonnie Keith Shepley & Morf Family Cot Graber Cindy Strong Trude Elliott Cot & Kay Graber March 29th at 11:00am (Traditional Service) Stella Pata East Door Greeters: Kamaus Family West Door Greeters: Hans Steine/children and Dix/Steen Worship Assistants: Lector: Kim Schwiebert Nursery: Slide Presenter: Engelbrecht Family Kay & Cot Graber LaFollette & Pisarik Families Dan Hakken Brittany Booth Cot Graber Diane Legore Ruth Reckling/Sherryl Osborn Coffee Host: Missions Corner : Special Offerings this Month March 1, 2015 March 8, 2015 March 15, 2015 March 22, 2015 March 29, 2015 SE Linn Bulk Food Offering Parsonage Fund One Great Hour of Sharing UMCOR special offering Native American UMCOR special offering Blanket Ministry Special Offering 11 United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon 304 First Street W Mount Vernon, IA 52314 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED UMCMV Fish Fry Dinner United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon Staff Senior Pastor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bill Daylong Associate Pastor/Youth Director . . Becky High Office Manager/Newsletter . . . . . .Alison Dix Admin. Asst/ Membership……… Jo Harman Christian Education Director & Sunday School Superintendent . . . Julie Baty Nursery Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Oxley Praise Team Director . . . . ……….. Ben Klaus Director, Children's Vocal Choirs & Director, Adult Handbell Choir & Director, Youth Handbell Choirs ...Kristi Keast Organist/Pianist……………………Dr. Lynda Hakken Chancel Choir Director Joleen Woods Custodian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rosa Moss Maintenance & Repair Director . . . Trustees Web Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Hakken Wedding Coordinator……………..Barb Shepley Financial Secretaries . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Jacob, Jackie Morrical Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . Mike Kragenbrink/ Alison Dix Friday March 27 5:00 to 7:30 pm Fellowship Hall $10 Adults $5 4 to 12 year olds 3 and under Free Fried or baked fish, Baked potato, coleslaw/veggies, rolls, dessert and beverage Dine in or Take out Available Kids Menu also! 12
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