August Newsletter

FROM THE PASTOR

School is almost out; as of 3:00pm on the 7^th of August I will be finished with the required Course of Study. It has been a long journey.   I will have driven over 25 thousand miles going from the U.P. to Delaware, Ohio to attend the Methodist Theological School of Ohio. Thanks for all your patience, thanks for all my editors of the required homework, Polly, Carol Weinert and Janet Helmbold. It is FINISHED…

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, memorials and cards sent in memorial to my brother Kim. I will truly miss him, his weekly calls just to check on Polly & me and always asking about our kids. It would be a short call but one I looked forward to. Kim had a very strong faith and was until his illness, very active in his church. Kim lived in a neighborhood where he was kept busy doing odd jobs. He would hear about the need for a ramp to a house and he would make a couple of calls and then off to get the supplies and build the ramp, or porch steps or railing needing repair and of course he would not accept any monetary funds. He also installed “lifeline” equipment on a volunteer basis. Kim truly knew who his “neighbor” was. Well, the parking lot has been coated and new parking lanes painted, cracks filled in. Thanks to the trustees who saw the need and authorized the repair. Thanks Sandy Houghton for the new formatted printed newsletter. Yes, I have been able to get in some golf and thanks to those of you who remind me to take some personal time. Now if you could just correct my swing.   I close with this saying that I have on my desk, author unknown. “The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you".                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Grace Grace and Peace,  Pastor Don

 Birthdays:

AUGUST

1  Donald Mathews

2  Sarah Duyck

8  Cory Way

9  Ruth Annelin

13  Genevieve Hastings

14  Vic Vanderville

15  Pete Derber

16  Ryan Peterson (21)

16  Megan Weber

17  Norma Johnson

17  Jack Whitsitt

19  Polly Bedwell

21  Rudy Lawrence

22  Logan Kraatz

22 Al Duyck

25  Luke Rochon

27  Woody Berkompas

31  Louise Burson

 Anniversaries:

2   Vic & Sharon Vanderville

4   Ted & Louise Burson

5   David & Belinda Gardapee

15   Cory & Holly Way

30   Fred & Mary Prater

Memorial Gifts:

Memorial gifts have been given in the names of:

Dorothy Mortensen

*by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Weinert

Kim Bedwell

*by Bette Jahn

*by Bill & Donna Morden

*by Mr. & Mrs. Bill Tufnell

*by Mr. & Mrs. Vic Vanderville

*by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Weinert

*by Sally Winn

*by Eleanore Weber

*by Mr. & Mrs. Ron Annelin

*by Gene Hastings

*by Janet Helmbold

*by Mr. & Mrs. Bill Rohring

*by Connie Meade

*by Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Renton

Greg Aho

*by Nancy Barbat & Doug Aho

Phil McKay

*by Rev & Mrs. Don Bedwell

*by Mr. & Mrs. Ted Burson

*by Gene Hastings

*by Mr. & Mrs. Bill Morden

*by Martha Weeks

*by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Weinert

*by Linda Ritchie

*by Pat & Lani McConnell

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the layettes that the church gives to the health department once a month. The homemade afghans, receiving blankets, sweaters, booties, and the purchased items that go into the layette are much appreciated. The purchased items include onesies, hats, sleepers, blankets or afghans and receiving blankets.  So many of our church ladies have made beautiful homemade items. The workers at the health department have smiles when they see what you have contributed to the layettes. We are in need of a size 12 month winter sleeper, 2 boy blankets, girl blankets for spring and summer and all hat sizes. White onesies are preferable because they are easier to match up with girl or boy. Any item I can put into the layette store is appreciated. A big thank you to Rita Salter for donating one of her special stuffed animals for each layette.

                             —Thank you, Lynn LaRose

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             Many thanks to everyone for helping on the 4th of July parade. A special thanks to Ed & Eileen Renton for riding on the float. Also for those who purchased candy. Thank you to all for the help before, during and after Folkfest. It was a mighty undertaking, but the success is due to the many helping hands.                                                                             

                           —Sharon and Vic Vanderville

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             Thank you to everyone for another successful Vacation Bible School. A special thank you to those who assisted in the daily activities as well as those who donated food, craft items and to the noisy offering that funded the public transit.

                            —Shirley Reno

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  Thank you Vic & Sharon Vanderville, and Sally Winn for coordinating another successful year with our Folkfest pasty booth.

 Women's News - Carol Weinert

Here we are into August already and thoughts are turning to the beginning of the school year and other fall activities. Don’t write off the entire summer, however, for we are still looking forward to our annual UMW summer luncheon meeting. This will be held Wednesday, August 4, in Fellowship Hall of the church.

We will begin the day’s program with a "Planned Picnic" lunch at noon. A World Renowned (almost) grill chef will prepare the entree and there will be plenty of fixings to round out the meal. We have again invited the women from other area UMW units to be our guests and we encourage all you church women to be in attendance as well. This would be a good time for those of you who are not currently active in our UMW to come and check us out. You will be heartily welcomed!

The program will be presented by Kelly Beaudry of Voices for Youth. This "mission" has recently been launched in Manistique and has been helping troubled and "displaced" youth in our community for about a year. Plan now to come and learn about this important program right here in our area. We encourage you to bring cleaning items, paper products, hygiene items (for both male and female) and food staples to this meeting to help meet some of the needs of this organization. Items brought to the meeting will be credited toward our Unit’s In-gathering Project for 2010.

Time is getting short for those of you participating in the UMW Reading Program to reach your goal. Your "Reading Record" needs to be completed and turned into Mary Prater early in September so that it can be sent to the District Officer by Sept. 15. Those completing the program will receive certificates for their accomplishments at the Oct. 2 District Meeting. If you cannot connect with Mary, you may put your completed reading slip into the envelope on the UMW bulletin board in the Conference Room.

I hope several of you are planning on attending the UMW District Conference. This will take place Saturday, Oct. 2, in Menominee. Registration forms will be available soon.

Another opportunity to attend a UMW function is the School of the North. This annual event will be held Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 18-19 in Gaylord, MI. This is a great mission learning experience. See Darlene Pruess or me for more information if you are interested. Our unit may be able to provide a partial "scholarship" to cover the cost for first-time attendees from our church.

As to our regular UMW activities, there will be no program at Medicare in September, due to the Labor Day holiday. However, our circle meetings will resume soon. Dates will be included in the church Sunday Bulletin.

SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS - Norma Johnson, Missions Coordinator 

Jamkhed: A South-to-South Health-Care Model of Transformational Mission by Glory Dharmaraj, PhD, Women’s Division, Director of Spiritual Formation and Mission Theology. This excerpt was taken from Joy to the World! By Dana L. Robert, A Mission Study for 2010 and 2011, Appendix 2.

In a village called Jamkhed, in one of the poorest parts of India, two medical doctors, Mabelle Arole and Rajanikant (Raj) Arole, dedicated their lives to disenfranchised populations living in absolute poverty. They came up with an integrated approach to health care, bringing together preventive and curative services. They invented a radical model of empowering communities in the development of sustainable and comprehensive community-based primary health care initiatives. Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP) began in 1970 and aims for health for everyone, including the “least of these.” Raj and Mabelle Arole were able to show a remarkable drop in infant and maternal mortality rates in the villages around Jamkhed with the implementation of CRHP.

The Aroles chose to live in Jamkhed in an impoverished area of Maharashtra, India, with the people they hoped to serve. They equipped a small hospital and began to train village health workers. Since 1970, the “Jamkhed Model” has been adapted by Methodist churches in Bolivia, Brazil, Philippines, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.

Jamkhed has championed the use of the Jaipur Foot for those who have lost their lower limbs. The low-cost prosthesis made out of rubber and aluminum has proved to be very durable and effective. Dr. Mabelle Arole helped to establish the Jaipur Foot prosthesis in Angola and Sierra Leone.

A thank you letter was received from UMCOR Global Ministries for the church’s generous contribution to the Haiti Hot Lunch Program. This gift was made possible through the children’s noisy offering.

FOR OUR PRAYERFUL CONSIDERATION

Let us continue to lift one another in daily prayer. Here is a prayer guide to help you.

August 1-7

Marilyn Fritz

James Gaffney

David, Belinda, Ryan, Cory Gardapee

Bill, Lynn, Monica Giles

Duane & Darlene Gilroy

August 8-14

Mae Gilroy

Margo Gleason

Jim Hagman

Gene Hastings

Janet Helmbold

August 15-21

Dorothy Hendricks

David & Jill Henschel

David Hokenson

Scott, Lisa, Taylor, Tanner, Olivia Holmberg

August 22-28

Mike, Tanya, Robert, Taylor, Danika Hoar

Sandra Houghton, Bill & Gray Turek

Doris Hubble

Ashley Jahn

Bette Jahn

August 29-September 4

David, Judy, Dennis Jahn

Heidi Jahn

Kurt Jahn

Norman, Marla, Jennifer, Julianne Jahn

Eugene & Norma Johnson

Gary & Cindi Kaiser, Steve Kaiser,

   Theresa, Megan Weber

Sharla Kimmel

THE INFORMATION BOARD

The sacrament of baptism was administered on Sunday July 11, 2010 to MARCUS ALAN DIBBLE son of Jennifer and David Dibble.

Please keep the following people in your prayers: Steven Lindberg, Jim Troyer, Jim Hagman, Wayne Weaver, David Mills, Doug Finch, Marcus Coldsnow, Kathy Weber, Gayle Tufnell, Emma Tufnell, David Hokenson, Gene Johnson, Mae Gilroy, Clara Mersnick and Dorothy Hendricks.

Please remember those serving our country: Keegan Feichtenbiner in Iraq and Greg Mulligan.

We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Kim Bedwell. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Phil McKay.

Sharla Kimmel was recently honored for her quick action following an automobile accident in lower Michigan. Congratulations on this recognition.

Congratulations to graduate Dr. Rachel (James) VanDenBrink.

Congratulations to our church for winning second place in the 4th of July parade. A special thank you to Sharon and Vic Vanderville for all your hard work on the float. “Picture this” was a dream come true!!

11 Campers are going to Camp Michigamme this year.

Hi! My name is Bennie, and I’m your church bat! I live in the belfry. Well, I WOULD live in the belfry if this church had one, but since it   doesn’t, I live elsewhere. I don’t really care to say where, because I like my privacy. Let’s just say that I’m your bat in the belfry and leave it at that! Anyway, from my vantage point, I have a good view of what goes on in the church, and I thought you might like to know about it. For instance, you’d be surprised how many people stop by here during the week. Did you think that the only time this building is used is on Sunday morning? WRONG! If you drive by on the second Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of almost any month, you’ll see that the parking lot is full of cars, and not because people are using it for overflow parking for the credit union down the street! Those cars belong to the pasty makers and bakers! They come on a regular basis to work, and to enjoy themselves! If you think there can’t be much enjoyment in working as hard as they do, you’d be wrong again! You should hear the laughter they generate! They also chat a lot, share both good news and bad, and are a great source of support when that’s needed. One of them has also been known to sing and whistle on occasion. Thanks for the music, Gene Hastings! I’ll be keeping my ears and eyes open around here, and in the future I’ll give you regular reports on what REALLY goes on around this place when most people aren’t here to notice!

Lectionary for August 2010

August 1

Hosea 11:1-11      Psalm 107               Colossians 3:1-11               Luke12:13-21

August 8

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20       Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23           Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16             Luke 12:32-40

August 15

Isaiah 5:1-7          Psalm 80:1-2,         8-19 Hebrews 11:29-12:2                   Luke 12:49-56

August 22

Jeremiah 1:4-10             Psalm 71:1-6           Hebrews 12:18-29                Luke 13:10-17

August 29

Jeremiah 2:4-13               Psalm 81:1, 10-16      Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16          Luke 14:1, 7-14

 Lay Leader Lines 

Q: Several months ago you wrote about the Board of Trustees, but I still have a question about them. What kind of decisions do they make, and how do they go about making them?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A: The Board of Trustees makes decisions about the maintenance, repair, and improvements to the church building, grounds, and parsonage. For example, all the work which was done on remodeling the bathrooms in the church was approved by the Board of Trustees. In the past, this board has also approved installing a means of getting heat to the women’s bathroom, repairing a leak in a water pipe at the parsonage, and very recently, putting a seal coat on the church parking lot to help preserve it. The Trustees decide what is needed, how best to go about completing the job, and how much the church can afford to spend. Sometimes, as in the case of the leaky pipe, the decision is a no-brainer; it MUST be fixed. At other times, as in refurbishing the bathrooms, the need is there, and the decision becomes how to best go about meeting the need in a manner which takes care of the problem but at the same time is within the church’s ability to afford. We’ll have more about the financial aspect in next month’s newsletter.