SANDPOINT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
SUM Tidings
AUGUST 2010
“Being Church, Part 2”
Dear Friends,
Last month we spoke of transitioning from “doing” church to “being” church. We spoke of our vision and mission for the next ten years, and our annual goals. We spoke of the radical changes that would be required of us to “rebirth” our 113 year-old church.
In Genesis, chapter 12, we read about Abram’s call to leave behind all that he knew and loved, and follow God’s leading to an unknown destination, along a new and unexplored path. The only map Abram had was his faith in God. That’s sort of where we stand today. Allow me to paraphrase The Call of Abram:
The Call of Sandpoint United Methodist Church
Now the LORD said to the people of Sandpoint United Methodist Church, “Go from the way you have done things for years, and your comfort zone, to a new way of being my church that I will show you. I will make of you a great church, and I will bless you, and make your ministries great, so that you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who walk with you on this journey, and those that refuse to go along, I will forgive and continue to work on, and in you all the people of Sandpoint, Bonner County, and beyond, shall be blessed.”
So the people of Sandpoint United Methodist Church went, as the LORD had told them…
Thanks to the many faithful servants that have preceded us, and the grace of God, we have additional maps and tools in our suitcases. We have Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience to help us evaluate new ideas and directions. We also have a direct line to God called prayer. We know that when we don’t even know what questions to ask, or we are hesitant to ask at all, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always there to help us get our prayers right.
Before he started his whirlwind tour of Annual Conferences (seven this summer); teaching others to grow effective, outwardly-focused United Methodist churches, Adam Hamilton researched the names of the pastors of all the churches in the annual conferences he was visiting. Then he asked members of his congregation at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, to pray for those pastors and churches. It was quite an unexpected blessing at our annual conference to learn that someone in Kansas has been praying for our church since May! Below is a copy of our prayer partner’s note, received early in July.
We are looking at a number of changes that we hope will remove obstacles from our path and propel us forward on this marvelous journey of discovery:
· Embracing new ministries that feed and lead our community. Taking some risks and trying new things.
· Expanding effective ministries, and dropping ministries that no longer support our mission.
· Reducing meeting time, so that we have more time to spend with those outside our church family.
· Managing church business more effectively so that leaders can focus on leading.
· Evaluating all of our activities through the lens of a Christ-centered church.
· Introducing new styles and types of worship.
· Reorganizing around a “Leadership Team” model that is less of a business model and more of spiritual formation model.
· Tying each and every budget item to mission and ministries.
What an exciting time to be Christian! What an exciting time to be United Methodist! What an exciting time to be in Sandpoint! See you in church!
Grace and Peace,
Pastors Stan and Gerri
June 2010
Greetings Pastor Stanley,
I am writing at the request of my pastor, Adam Hamilton, of Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas. Pastor Adam has been speaking at several conferences this summer to share his insights and new passion with leaders in the Methodist Church on how to bring about change and give encouragement to help grow the mainline church today. Pastor Adam asked his church to pray for and to write a pastor in one of those conferences, and I selected your name.
I have held you in my daily prayer since the end of May. I raise you up to God, asking for the Holy Spirit’s presence to give you perseverance, encouragement, and openness to trying to bring about change through new ideas to your church that it will reach outward into your community. I ask God to bless you and your church, and for his Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts and minds of people within and outside the church. So that there is a strong desire of people to have a close personal relationship with God and that people are drawn to your church.
God assures us that He is always with us, and He gives us strength to persevere. Philippians 4:13 says: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” I can only imagine the challenging work that you do, and then to be asked to put new ideas into place to grow the church would be a daunting request. While this is so needed today, the early church went through its own challenges as the 12 apostles went out into the world. Acts 19:20 says: “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”
You will continue to be in my prayers the rest of June. And all of the conference churches as a group to be raised up in prayer at our church services. Draw strength, guidance, and encouragement through the Holy Spirit as you bring new energy to transform your church.
Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Janet Mathis
Member, Church of the Resurrection
From the FOOD BANK SHELF
Thank you to everyone who filled our July 4 Food Bank boxes with 90 items weighing 93 pounds. We will have the opportunity to serve our neighbors in need on the next Food Bank Sunday, August 1. Please shop from the Food Bank Market List for the specific items desired for the emergency food boxes. Copies of the market list are posted on the Mission bulletin board. If you have excess garden produce consider sharing it with the Food Bank, located at 921 N Fifth Ave.
“Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’ ”
Deuteronomy 15:11
MISSION TRIP TO UMCOR DEPOT
Our team of five will be leaving soon for the UMCOR Depot West in Salt Lake City to serve September 13-17 where we will assemble and send out Layette and Birthing Kits for the Haiti earthquake victims.
To help support the kit ministries of UMCOR we are asking each of you to become a Mission Team Partner through your prayers and/or donations. Our goal is to take with us a donation from this congregation of $250 which will purchase supplies for 5-10 kits depending on the type of kit. Please make checks payable to Sandpoint UMC, with UMCOR Depot trip on the memo line.
For further information or questions, contact Paul and Sue Graves – 265-5540.
WANTED: HOSTS FOR FELLOWSHIP
WHEN: EACH SUNDAY
WHERE: SUMC, of course!
WHY: BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR THE SOUL (and because I've seen Stan & Sue Norman behind that counter too many times)
So, please take a turn in the kitchen. Even though we always enjoy a good batch of homemade treats, a cup of joe would suffice. Thanks for your help!
Jennifer Brown, Lay Leader
2010 Budget = $132,862.00
Needed Monthly to Meet Commitments = $11,072.00
Received thru June = $62,068.00
Received in July = $14,800.00
Received thru July = $76,868.00
Budget thru July = $77,504.00
Thanks to your very generous giving in July we have almost caught up with our budget. Well done!
Save the Date!!
Annual Inland District Picnic
Sunday, August 29, 3 pm
at Moran UMC
3601 E 65th Ave, Spokane, 509-448-7102
The Annual Inland District (potluck) Picnic is scheduled for 3:00 pm Sunday, August 29, at Moran UMC. As we did last year, this is the event that provides an opportunity for laity and clergy to welcome clergy new to Inland District pulpits. Please plan to come and bring a picnic dish to share. Provided will be drinks and table service. The clergy new to district pulpits are Hank Heschle to Cavendish and Orofino Peck, Megan Herdrich to Pomeroy, David Lura
to Rockford, Flora Bowers to Manito, Mike Graef to Spokane Valley, Kathy Makus to
St. Paul’s, and Betty Smith to Wild Rose.
August Birthdays and Anniversaries
10 Jerri Stevens 10 Glen and Joann Chronic
11 Kaleb Keaton (re-birth)
12 Bill Read 12 Doug and Jennifer Brown
18 Bernie Pederson
Marc Vroman
20 Helen Brown
Bill Stevens
21 Irene Henderson
Loris Michael
22 Tom and Gerri Harvill
24 Jennifer Shrestha
Lauren Hon
26 Rose Greene (re-birth)
28 Harold and Linda Oens
29 Amy Childress
30 Wally Potts
Wayne Wade
31 Andrew Hoss (re-birth)
Re-birth = Baptism
August Lectionary Readings
August 1 August 8 August 15
Hosea 11:1-11 Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 107:1-9, 43 Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23 Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19
Colossians 3:1-11 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2
Luke 12:13-21 Luke 12:32-40 Luke 12:49-56
August 22 August 29
Jeremiah 1:4-10 Jeremiah 2:4-13
Psalm 71:1-6 Psalm 81:1, 10-16
Hebrews 12:18-29 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 13:10-17 Luke 14:1, 7-14
