February 2010

 FROM THE PASTOR

We all are saddened by the many lives lost in the earthquake in Haiti. In a release from the Detroit Conference they wrote: The Rev. Sam Dixon came to Haiti to make life better for the poor and afflicted. As the leader of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Dixon traveled the world assisting Indonesians whose home were washed away by the tsunami, Africans whose crops had withered under the unrelenting drought and Americans needing shelter after tornadoes destroyed their neighborhood. So it came as a shock January 16 when, after four days when hope dimmed and were raised again with reports of his survival, church workers learned that Dixon died of injuries received after being buried in the rubble of a collapsed hotel following the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. "He lived his life following the commandments of Jesus to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and love the least of these—all over the world," said United Methodist Bishop Janice Riggle Hule of Houston, UMCOR's president. Rev. Dixon was a native of North Carolina where he served for 24 years as a pastor. Our missionaries from the UP were in Haiti but not in the immediate area of the quake. Jack and Virginia Bell from God's Country parish notified the district that they were safe and sound. 

 On Sunday the 17th we had a special offering for Haiti and this generous congregation gave $611 which has been sent to the conference. We will have a basket at the back of the church for additional Haiti donations. Continue to pray for not only the victims, but for the missionaries and other workers who will be there for many months.

 Wow, the remodeled women's bathroom is beautiful, and now they are working on the men's. Thanks Vic and Sharon Vanderville. They have worked from dawn to dusk in order to get the restrooms completed, we thank you so very much. 

 We have a new website for those who have computers, www.manistiquemethodist.net. Just type it up and check it out, click on Newsletter and click on the date and the newsletter will appear. Thanks Sandy and to all who have worked on getting it up and running. It is so simple to add articles even I can do it…

 I like to complain about the snow, but since all of the news on the earthquake, I feel so blessed to be living with the snow.

 In His Service,

Pastor Don

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BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

            FEBRUARY

4 - Kendra McDowell

5  - Norman John

7   - Marcia Tevelde

7   - Greg/Patti Aho

8   - Matt/Tanya Bromley

9 - William Turek

14 - Gabriel Lawrence

15 - Ryan Reno

18 – Heather Duyck

18 - Van/Mike Mueller

21 - Robert Weber

23 - Olivia Holmberg

24 - Ginger Stark

24 - Chole Bromley

24 - Linnea Way

28 - Jude Way

28 - Ellen Derber

29 - John/Gloria Norrington

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  THANK YOU NOTES

A big thank you to Sharon and Vic Vanderville for remodeling the bathrooms.   The time and effort put into this project has produced a phenomenal result. Check them out.

Dear Christmas Carolers,

I just want to say thank you for coming to my home for the past 4 years to sing the beautiful carols of the Christmas season. I look forward to your visit next year.                                                                                 —Marjorie Seavoy

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 MEMORIAL GIFTS 

In Memory of Janice Carlson, given by:

Mary Livingston/Morrow & Family

Mr. & Mrs. Henry Weinert

Jason & Suzanne Moody

William & Sharon Stratton

In Memory of Ronald C. Lindberg, given by:

Mr. & Mrs. Joe Kolder

Gene Hastings

In Memory of Viola Haindl given by:

Mr. & Mrs. Ted Burson

Gene Hastings

Darlene Pruess

Mr. & Mrs. Louis Salter

Mr. & Mrs. Henry Weinert

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  WOMEN'S NEWS

                                                     —Carol Weinert

The first General Meeting of the United Methodist Women will be Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 1:30 PM, at the church. The program will be our annual Service of Prayer and Self-Denial and will be led by Janet Helmbold. The meeting is open to all interested church women. Why not start the New Year out right and check us out. You are sure to find our meetings very informative and may even lift the spirits if you have Cabin Fever! Since our January Naomi Circle meeting was canceled due to the exceptionally cold and snowy weather, this will be the first UMW gathering of the year for many of us.

Plans for our annual Lenten Reflection Breakfast will be finalized at this meeting. The annual breakfast will be held on Saturday, March 27, from 9 until 11 AM. The short medication on the program is entitled "Following the GPS." Be sure to reserve this date and inform your friends. This event is open to the entire community and is usually attended by many women of other area churches.

Another advance notice of which you should be aware, the District UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat will be held Friday and Saturday, April 16-17, at the Comfort Inn right here in Manistique. The presenter will be Diane Griffin, Christian Education Director of Howell UMC. She and her husband, Kevin, had been missionaries to Costa Rica and Peru. This should be an interesting program. I have registration forms, which must be turned in to Darlene Pruess by March 20. See me for more information.

 One of the newer books which I’m sure you will enjoy is entitled William Henry Is a Fine Name, by Cathy Gohke. This novel, which is in the "Nurturing for Community" category, depicts the civil rights struggle in the United States just before the Civil War and centers on the relationship between a white southern boy and his friend, a black, freed slave, William Henry. This fast-moving tale will surely keep you riveted from beginning to end.

And since our Youth Reading Program was such a success in 2009, I encourage you to introduce your children (or grandchildren) to the many children’s and youth books we also have available. This program is also open to the boys of our congregation. For more information on the Reading Programs, see Mary Prater.

By the way, the 2010 UMW booklets are now ready. Be sure to get yours. The theme for the year is "Let’s Get Together!"

The Michigan Christian Advocate January 2010 issue features a very nice article on the UMW reading program. You will find the article on page 15.

If you are receiving the Advocate and wish not to, or you want to receive it, please contact the church office so we can add or delete your name. Thank you.

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Lay Leader Lines

              Q. I’m confused! In the past you said that there need to be two people to count money, but then you also said that the money counters need to work under the supervision of the financial secretary. Does that mean that we need three people to be present to count money?

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For Our Prayerful Consideration

January 31-February 6

JoNell Rubick

Robert, Shirley, Ryan Reno

Bill & Char Rohring

Louie & Rita Salter

Charlotte Schwartz

Marjorie Seavoy

February 7-13

Jim & Ginger Stark

Rick, Pam, Lynnelle, Brett Tallman

Tom & Marcia Tevelde

Emma Tufnell

William & Gayle Tufnell

February 14-20

John & Gloria VanKlompenberg Norrington

Cory, Holly, Jude, Linnea, Dyane, Micah Way

Robert & Eleanore Weber

Martha Weeks

February 21-28

Henry & Carol Weinert

Kathy, Michaela Weinert

Bill & Shirley Westphal

Jack & Connie Whitsitt

Sally Winn

Connie Zellar

Also:

    Mae Gilroy

    Greg Aho

    Family of Jessica Creighton

   David Mills     

    Family of Wallace Hokenson

    Greg Mulligan

    William Hoar

              Also remember in your prayers our service men and women, especially those in harm’s way; the leaders of our country; District Superintendent Grant Lobb and our Bishop, Jonathan Keaton.

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  SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS

                                              – Norma Johnson

                                         Missions Coordinator

THESE WERE THE CONDITIONS OF THE HAITIAN PEOPLE BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE..

Gene Hill, a volunteer in mission, helps improve the lives of marginalized Haitians by helping to build solar ovens. With solar ovens, poor families can pasteurize drinking water and cook healthy meals in a safe environment. The story originally appeared in the Solar Oven Project’s May 2009 Newsletter, Patne Fou Soley.

I live with the thought that although I have seen poverty before, I have never seen anything like the poverty of Haiti.

I remember the painstaking way in which sinew and fat were removed from goat parts and laid out in the solar ovens in preparation for cooking. 

I smile recollecting Raymonde’s patient, specific cake-batter-mixing instructions.

I visualize Martin meticulously cutting  peppers while his hands were covered with grated coconut.

I recall 23-year old Phillipe, an able-bodied and-minded 23 –year-old, unable to get a job.

I feel shame as I remember the woman in the green dress who stepped into the road asking for food because she was hungry. My companions and I bypassed her as we hurried to see if there was a “safe” soft drink at the roadside stand.

Then, I see the smiling faces of children, women, and men we met while making solar ovens. I wonder how they could not be in the deepest depression and feeling that God has abandoned them. Yet, they have hope! I wonder if I could maintain hope if I were in their place.

There remains an extreme shortage of increasingly expensive wood and charcoal for cooking fuel. People cannot afford it and neither can the environment. Through Haitian-directed solar cooking seminars, the Haiti Solar Oven Project has provided more than 3,000 solar ovens and training for their use.

HEALTH KITS FOR HAITI

We are currently putting together health kits that will be sent to Haiti. If you would like to participate or donate to the Haiti Fund, please contact the church office for more information.

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If you would like an item on the Ad Council Agenda, please call the office the Monday before the meeting.

A pictorial directory is being planned by Shirley Reno and Sandy Houghton. The pictures will be taken at the church and then they will compile the pictures along with updated information into the new directory.

A church-wide rummage sale is also being planned for the spring. The proceeds will benefit the Camp Michigamme scholarship as well as the Vacation Bible school program. Watch for details in the future.