Stevensville United Methodist Church

February 17 Weekly Update

1.        Lent is 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday (not counting the six  Sundays). It is a time of preparation for Easter and historically was used by converts as the final preparation time for coming into the fellowship of the church. The word, “Lent” comes from the English word “lengthen” which we joyfully know living in the northern hemisphere how the days are getting longer now. What a joy it is to have it be lighter closer to 7pm and later, instead of going and coming from work in darkness.

          During the first and second centuries of the church there was fasting 40 hours before the Easter celebration to remember the time during Jesus was in the tomb. Later, around the year 600, the fasting was extended to 40 days before Easter corresponding to Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness preparing for this public ministry.

          This “preparation” attitude carried over into the church as believers used these 40 days for their final preparations in joining the church on Easter.

          We continue this “40 Day” discipline and also use this time to think about our own faith journey and what it means to be a part of God’s holy church. This is where we are going this year in our “Revival and Renovation” thinking with the expectation that we will all take the time and make the time to take a critical look at where we are in relation to where God calls us to be. Have a blessed and holy Lent.

2.        Tuesday is the Pancake Supper - 4:30 - 7pm.

We need help in preparing, serving and cleaning up the meal. If you want to help, please give Gordie or the office (429-5911) a call.

3.        There is a Revival Coming!!!!!

          Our theme for the coming Sundays in Lent (February 26— March 25) is “Membership Revival and Renovation.” This is a personal faith revival and renovation. We will read the book, “Renovate or Die”.

The books are on tables in the hallway.

Please sign the paper as you take your book.

Please read two chapters before each Sunday.

          Feb. 26         chapters 1&2           Theme is “Everyone is in Ministry”

          March 4         chapters 3&4            Theme is “Getting the Basics Right”

          March 11       chapters 5&6           Theme is “Relevant Worship to All”

          March 18       chapters 7&8           Theme is “Discipleship vs Member”

          March 25       chapters 9&10                   Theme is “Our Mission Mentality”

We hope everyone will participate in a small group discussion during each week.

Our plan is to have twelve small groups meeting at the church or in a home: Sunday morning, Sunday Evening, Wednesday evening, and another weekday during the day.

 We need twelve people willing to guide the discussion.

(Questions for the discussions will be provided.)  

            Please call the office if you wish to be one of the discussion leaders.

We will celebrate our personal revival and renovation after Easter on April 15th at one awesome celebration service at 10:00 am!

4.        The “World” counter in Faith Hall will be the place where we offer goods for the congregation to buy and help support various mission projects.

5.        The “Opportunities” counter across from the bulletin boards will remain for you to sign up for classes and areas of service (Hospitality) in the church.

Have a great weekend, pause for some silent time remembering how much you are loved,    Gordie

February 10 Weekly Update

1.        A God Moment shared by one of you!

          I want to share how God is calling our own members. This week one of our members came into the office to talk and keep me up on what was happening in their life. We talk about a variety of things. As they were leaving they looked at me, and said they needed to make some changes in their giving. Because of some recent changes in their lives, they needed to move from giving 15% to 10% to the church! In these days of economic instability, they could have very easily made some drastic changes to moved to the more normal giving to a church (2-4%), but there was no doubt in their voice nor faith conviction to continue their witness! I am inspired by you and your ongoing witness of God’s awesome grace and abundant love!  

2.        There is a Revival Coming!!!!!

          Our theme for the coming Sundays in Lent (February 26— March 25) is “Membership Revival and Renovation.” This is a personal faith revival and renovation. We will read the book, “Renovate or Die”.

The books are on three tables in the hallway. We have books for every household. Please sign the paper as you take your book.

We will read two chapters before that Sunday.

          Feb. 26          chapters 1&2            Theme is “Everyone is in Ministry”

          March 4         chapters 3&4            Theme is “Getting the Basics Right”

          March 11        chapters 5&6            Theme is “Relevant Worship to All”

          March 18        chapters 7&8            Theme is “Discipleship vs Member”

          March 25        chapters 9&10           Theme is “Our Mission Mentality”

We hope everyone will participate in a small group discussion during each week.

Our plan is to have twelve small groups meeting at the church or in a home: Sunday morning, Sunday Evening, Wednesday evening, and another weekday during the day.

 We need twelve people willing to guide the discussion.

(Questions for the discussions will be provided.)     

            Please call the office if you wish to be one of the discussion leaders.

We will celebrate our personal revival and renovation after Easter on April 15th at one awesome celebration service at 10:00 am!

3.        We have another awesome addition to our worship services this Sunday.

This Sunday is Scout Sunday, and we will have the “Scout” band offering a special place in our worship services. We welcome each scout in this wonderful new experience!

4.        Work Day at Peace Temple building tomorrow.

          Another work day is planned for Saturday, Feb.11. We will meet here at the church and leave at 9am and work until about 1pm. If you can come to any of this please let me know.

5.        The “World” counter in Faith Hall will be the place where we offer goods for the congregation to buy and help support various mission projects.

6.        The “Opportunities” counter across from the bulletin boards will remain for you to sign up for classes and areas of service in the church.

Have a great weekend, pause for some silent time remembering how much you are loved,    Gordie

February 3 Weekly Update

1.        A devotion from last week:

            Thomas Merton told me to quit trying so hard in prayer. He said, “How does an apple ripen? It just sits in the sun.” A small green apple cannot ripen in one night by tightening all its muscles, squinting its eyes and tightening its jaws in order to find itself the next morning miraculously large, red, ripe, and juicy besides it small green counterparts. Like the birth of a baby or the opening of a rose, the birth of the true self takes place in God’s time. We must wait for God, we must be awake; we must trust in his hidden action within us.”                             Merton’s Palace of Nowhere by James Finley

          Rereading this devotion in terms of our theme for this Sunday and Paul’s call to preach the gospel, it is good to remind ourselves that we too “wait” on God and God’s call for our own lives as well. Some time we too are just not ready, but it is in God’s time and when God calls us, we will be given what we need to carry out that call.

2.        There is a Revival Coming!!!!!

            Our theme for the coming Sundays in Lent (February 26— March 25) is “Membership Revival and Renovation.” This is a personal faith revival and renovation. We will read the book, “Renovate or Die,” which is a book people are reading all over our denomination. Each Sunday will focus on two chapters of the book and everyone is encouraged to come to a small group discussion during each week.

            Feb. 26             chapters 1&2                “Everyone is in Ministry”

            March 4            chapters 3&4                “Getting the Basics Right”

            March 11          chapters 5&6                “Relevant Worship to All”

            March 18          chapters 7&8                “Discipleship vs Member”

            March 25          chapters 9&10              “Our Mission Mentality”

Our plan is to have twelve small groups meeting at the church: Sunday morning, Sunday Evening, Wednesday evening, and another weekday during the day. Some of these could also be in the homes of members. We need twelve people willing to guide the discussion.

(Questions for discussion will be provided.)      

We will celebrate our personal revival and renovation after Easter on April 15th at one

awesome celebration service at 10:00 am!

3.        Work Day at Peace Temple building.

          Another work day is planned for Saturday, Feb.11. We will meet here at the church and leave at 9am and work until about 1pm. If you can come to any of this please let me know.

4.        The “World” counter in Faith Hall will be the place where we offer goods for the congregation to buy and help support various mission projects.

5.        The “Opportunities” counter across from the bulletin boards will remain for you to sign up for classes and areas of service in the church.

Have a good weekend, pause for some silent time remembering how much you are loved,    Gordie

January 20 Weekly Update

1.        More wisdom from Mother Teresa,

            “Love has no other message but its own. Every day we try to live our Christ’s love in a very tangible way, in every one of our deeds. If we do any preaching, it is done with deeds, not with words. That is our witness to the gospel…

          True love causes pain. Jesus, in order to give us the proof of his love, died on the cross. A mother, in order to give birth to her baby, has to suffer. If you really love one another, you will not be able to avoid making sacrifices….

          And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other, naturally we want to do something.”

             We had a very busy weekend last week and may you all enjoy this weekend with less things scheduled. Stay warm and keep your heads and hearts open to the still small voice of God in your life.

2.        The “Opportunities” counter across from the bulletin boards will remain for you to sign up for classes and areas of service in the church.

            The “World” counter in Faith Hall will be the place where we offer goods for the congregation to buy and help support various mission projects.

3.        The annual men, father and sons retreat at Pentwater is coming!!!

Calling all men and sons to sign up to go to Pentwater for another wonderful winter weekend on January 27-29! The cost is $12.50/person/night. We will play in the snow, enjoy lots of food and rest all at the same time!! It is a great time. Sign up at the “Opportunities” counter or let me know.

4.        Just a reminder for our SUMC leadership.

            We will have our Ad. Council meeting this Tuesday at 7pm.

Have a good weekend, pause for some silent time remembering how much you are loved,    Gordie

January 13 Weekly Update

          “If someone feels that God wants from him a transformation of social structures, that’s an issue between him and his God. We all have a duty to serve God where we feel called. I feel called to help individuals, to love each human being. I never think in terms of crowds in general but in terms of persons. Were I to think about crowds, I would never begin anything. It is the person that matters. I believe in person-to-person encounters.”

2.        Tomorrow we will be hosting the Kalamazoo District Annual Conference. from 9-3. The conference will begin with an opening gathering in the sanctuary where our own BASIC Praise Band will be leading music. I will welcome everyone to our church on your behalf and our District Superintendent, Neil Davis, will also share some words. Rev. Benton Heisler will give a keynote address and then everyone will go to one of nine workshops. Lunch will be served followed by the District annual meeting (like our annual fall church conferences) and another workshop. We will conclude the day with a brief closing and end the conference at 3pm.

3.        The bulletin boards are up.

We were able to get them up to be ready for this weekend. You will notice paper borders that will soon be replaced by oak trim to match the sanctuary. Every one of our teams has a space to share their good news on how we are “Being Instruments of God’s Love.”

 The “Opportunities” counter across from the bulletin boards will remain for you to sign up for classes and areas of service in the church.

             The “World” counter in Faith Hall will be the place where we offer goods for the congregation to buy and help support various mission projects.

4.        The annual men, father and sons retreat at Pentwater is coming!!!

Calling all men and sons to sign up to go to Pentwater for another wonderful winter weekend on January 27-29! The cost is $12.50/person/night. We will play in the snow, enjoy lots of food and rest all at the same time!! It is a great time. Sign up at the “Opportunities” counter or let me know.

5.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see how you can be involved.

We still need help with the hospitality and snow shoveling areas.

Have a good weekend, pause for some silent time remembering how much you are loved,    Gordie

January 6 Weekly Update

 1.        Happy Epiphany!

          January 6th is the day the church calls Epiphany. Centuries ago, this part of the Advent-Christmas cycle was the most important celebration, even more than Christmas Eve. People looked at this day as a day of “theophany” or of “manifestation of God’s light and power in Christ.” (Handbook of the Christian Year) We read the story of the visit of the Wise Men or Magi as they traveled for almost two years to come and see Jesus. We always think of their example: they made it a priority to come and find Jesus; they bowed down and worshipped him; and they left by another road.

          All three are good examples for us.

          #1  Make it a priority to find Jesus.

          #2  Take time to bow down and worship him.

            #3  After we have found and worshipped him, we too are different people

                   and in a way, leave (or live) by a different road.

          On Sunday I will be reading the Visit of the Magi passage (Matthew 2:1-12) and

include the passage of Jesus’ Baptism (Mark 1:4-11) as well. We will take time to consider the meaning of these passages in our lives as we begin 2012.

 2.        This coming Saturday, we will be hosting the Kalamazoo District

Annual Conference. Our District Superintendent, Neil Davis, talked with me after our church conference about how wonderful the renovation turned out as well as the entire church facility is, and how we should let the entire district see our church by hosting this district meeting. In making the plans we have some needs that can use your help:

          Need #1 - We need about 6 people to act as greeters to help people find their way in the morning starting around 9am.

            Need #2 - We need some people to help in the kitchen during the breakfast until the luncheon is over. This could be done in shifts with some taking breakfast and others taking care of the lunch time.

3.        Kalamazoo District Conference Information

            Please take time to visit the conference website to register for a session at   http://www.kazoodistumc.org/

 4.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see how you can be involved. We still need help with the hospitality and snow shoveling areas.

 Have a good week, pause for some silent waiting and always remember how much you are loved,    Gordie

December 23 Weekly Update

1.        What is happening in the North Pole these days?

            In getting everything ready for next Sunday, January 1st, I have been emailing Julie Elmore. The latest update from Nome, Alaska, which I hear isn’t too far from the North Pole, is that they are enjoying 3 hours and 57 minutes of daylight and gaining more light each day! Also, they have received 41 inches of snow so far this winter.

          Our celebrations are almost here! Coming together on Christmas Eve always makes me think of all those past Christmas Eve services and people who gather together.

Every December 24th brings hope, expectation, awe and wonder. I love all the people, the carols, and sometimes can’t make it through singing “Silent Night” by candlelight.

          It doesn’t get any better!

          Whether you are here or traveling over these days, I pray you have a most blessed and holy Christmas and that you unwrap the present of the love of God that is there for you.

2.        Christmas Gift-giving possibilities

Your mission team offers some alternative ideas for you:

          a. Blankets of Church World Service - that are sent around the state, country and world for all kinds of disasters. ($5.00 each)

          b. Who wants to buy a Cow? The Heifer Project helps families around the world become self-reliant. See the Missions table for the list of animals.

          c. Caleb’s Kids at Ganta United Methodist School in Liberia -

Yearly tuition for a child to attend elementary school is $75 and high school is $100.

          d. Grocery Grams - $15 supplies a bag of groceries for a need family in southwest Michigan.

          e. GED Degree - An education is one of the most important gifts anyone can receive. The Benton Harbor Street Ministries provides this opportunity for area students.

It costs $200 for each student to take the four tests of this degree.

3.        December Highlights:

Dec. 24       6:00, 8:30 & 11pm        Christmas Eve Candlelight

Worship Services

Dec. 25         10:00am                 Christmas Day Worship Service

                                                w/ Rev. Julie Yoder Elmore preaching

4.        This year’s Christmas Offering will be divided between:

          a. 50% for our summer Christian camp scholarships

          b. 50% for Mission trip scholarships and special projects

5.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see how  you can be involved. We still need help with the hospitality and snow shoveling areas.

Have a good week, pause for some silent waiting and always remember how much you are loved,    Gordie

December 16 Weekly Update

1.        I have enjoyed the reflections in our Advent devotional booklet. Even though there is only one week until Christmas, if you don’t have one, please feel free to take one and use it for this final week before we celebrate the wonderful gift of God’s coming in the Christ child.

            We can always take time, to get ourselves, body, mind and spirit, ready for this wonderful action of God.

            It’s never too late! Enjoy these final days of preparation, in Jesus’ name.

2.        Christmas Gift-giving possibilities

Your mission team offers some alternative ideas for you:

          a. Blankets of Church World Service - that are sent around the state, country and world for all kinds of disasters. ($5.00 each)

          b. Who wants to buy a Cow? The Heifer Project helps families around the world become self-reliant. See the Missions table for the list of animals.

          c. Caleb’s Kids at Ganta United Methodist School in Liberia -

Yearly tuition for a child to attend elementary school is $75 and high school is $100.

          d. Grocery Grams - $15 supplies a bag of groceries for a need family in southwest Michigan.

          e. GED Degree - An education is one of the most important gifts anyone can receive. The Benton Harbor Street Ministries provides this opportunity for area students.

It costs $200 for each student to take the four tests of this degree.

3.        December Highlights:

Dec. 16         7:00pm                   Middle School Christmas Dance in Faith Hall

Dec. 17         5:30pm                   Christmas Caroling

Dec. 18         8:30 and 11:00am     Fourth Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                                                          with the Christmas Choir Cantata

Dec. 24       6:00, 8:30 & 11pm        Christmas Eve Candlelight

Worship Services

Dec. 25         10:00am                 Christmas Day Worship Service

4.        This year’s Christmas Offering will be divided between:

          a. 50% for our summer Christian camp scholarships

          b. 50% for Mission trip scholarships and special projects

5.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see how  you can be involved. We still need help with the hospitality and snow shoveling areas.

Have a good week, pause for some silent waiting and always remember how much you are loved,    Gordie

December 9 Weekly Update

1.        “God presents himself to us little by little. The whole story of salvation is the story of the God who comes. It is always he who comes, even if God has not yet come in his fullness. But there is indeed one unique moment in his coming, the others were only preparations and announcement…. The incarnation brings the world his presence. It is a presence so complete that it overshadows every presence before it….

          God is made human in Christ. God makes himself present to us with such a special presence, such an obvious presence, as to overthrow all the complicated calculations made about him in the past. The invisible, intangible God has made himself visible and tangible in Christ.” (Carlo Carretto, “The God Who Comes”)

          This is what we are preparing our hearts and souls for once again.

May we be ready for God who comes again.

2.        Christmas Gift-giving possibilities

Your mission team offers some alternative ideas for you:

          a. Blankets of Church World Service - that are sent around the state, country and world for all kinds of disasters. ($5.00 each)

          b. Who wants to buy a Cow? The Heifer Project helps families around the world become self-reliant. See the Missions table for the list of animals.

          c. Caleb’s Kids at Ganta United Methodist School in Liberia -

Yearly tuition for a child to attend elementary school is $75 and high school is $100.

          d. Grocery Grams - $15 supplies a bag of groceries for a need family in southwest Michigan.

          e. GED Degree - An education is one of the most important gifts anyone can receive. The Benton Harbor Street Ministries provides this opportunity for area students.

It costs $200 for each student to take the four tests of this degree.

3.        December Highlights:

Dec. 10         1:00pm                   Scouts and others cleaning at Peace Temple

Dec. 10         2:00pm                   Youth Wrapping your presents in Faith Hall

Dec. 11         8:30 and 11:00am     Third Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                   2:00-5:00pm            Parsonage Open House (5846 Ponderosa Dr.)

Dec. 12         6:00pm                   Sisters in Faith Christmas Tea in Faith Hall

Dec. 16         7:00pm                   Middle School Christmas Dance in Faith Hall

Dec. 17         5:30pm                   Christmas Caroling

Dec. 18         8:30 and 11:00am     Fourth Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                                                          with the Christmas Choir Cantata

Dec. 24         6:00, 8:30 & 11pm    Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Services

Dec. 25         10:00am                 Christmas Day Worship Service

4.        This year’s Christmas Offering will be divided between:

          a. 50% for our summer Christian camp scholarships

          b. 50% for Mission trip scholarships and special projects

5.        We will share in the Celebration Service for Barb Geary tomorrow, Saturday, December 10th: visitation beginning at 10am and service at 11am.

6.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see where your help is needed. We have the hospitality and snow shoveling sign ups, as well as sign ups to help with the chancel flowers and the UMW Committee of the month.

Have a good week and be sure to take a copy of the daily devotional, Thy Kingdom Come. As always take some time to remember how much you are loved,    Gordie

December 2 Weekly Update

1.        We began our Advent study this week using Mike Slaughter’s book,

“Christmas Is Not Your Birthday: Experience the Joy of Living and Giving Like

Jesus”. In the first chapter he talked about how we think of Christmas as the time of

miracles as we remember the miracle of God coming in Jesus. God worked a miracle in

and through two ordinary people named Mary and Joseph. He goes on the pose the

question for all of us as we think of God’s continued work today. “Are we ready for God to

birth a Christmas miracle through us?” The joy, excitement and awesomeness of the

answer to this question reminds me once again, why we all need these weeks of Advent

to get ready.

2.        Christmas Gift-giving possibilities

Before we get caught up in all the consumerism of the season, here are some alternative  ideas for you through our Mission Team:

          a. Blankets of Church World Service - that are sent around the state, country and world for all kinds of disasters. ($5.00 each)

          b. Who wants to buy a Cow? The Heifer Project helps families around the world become self-reliant. See the Missions table for the list of animals.

          c. Caleb’s Kids at Ganta United Methodist School in Liberia -

Yearly tuition for a child to attend elementary school is $75 and high school is $100.

          d. Grocery Grams - $15 supplies a bag of groceries for a need family in southwest Michigan.

          e. GED Degree - An education is one of the most important gifts anyone can receive. The Benton Harbor Street Ministries provides this opportunity for area students.

It costs $200 for each student to take the four tests of this degree.

3.        December Highlights:

Dec. 3           10:00am                 Hanging of the Greens and lunch    

Dec. 4           8:30 and 11:00am     Second Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                   4:30-6:00pm            Spaghetti Supper

                   7:00pm                   Southwestern Michigan College Brass Band Concert

                                                          and our own Harmony Ringers

Dec. 10         2:00pm                   Youth Wrapping your presents in Faith Hall

Dec. 11         8:30 and 11:00am     Third Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                   2:00-5:00pm            Parsonage Open House (58346 Ponderosa Dr.)

Dec. 12         6:00pm                   Sisters in Faith Christmas Tea in Faith Hall

Dec. 16         7:00pm                   Middle School Christmas Dance in Faith Hall

Dec. 17         5:30pm                   Christmas Caroling

Dec. 18         8:30 and 11:00am     Fourth Sunday of Advent Worship Services

                                                          with the Christmas Choir Cantata

Dec. 24         6:00, 8:30 & 11pm    Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Services

Dec. 25         10:00am                 Christmas Day Worship Service

4.        This year’s Christmas Offering will be divided between:

          a. 50% for our summer Christian camp scholarships

          b. 50% for Mission trip scholarships and special projects

5.        Go to Peace Temple to see the building changes on Dec. 6 at 6pm.

6.        As always, take time to check out the opportunities desk to see where your help is needed. We have the hospitality and snow shoveling sign ups, as well as sign ups to help with the chancel flowers and the UMW Committee of the month.

Have a good week and be sure to take a copy of the daily devotional, Thy Kingdom Come. As always take some time to remember how much you are loved,    Gordie