THE CHRISTIAN CALLER

First United Methodist Church, Manistique, Michigan

Well it is 6:00pm and I am in my office at the church waiting for Weight Watcher’s to show up and set up in the basement. So, as this is the article for JANUARY 2010, and Weight Watchers are moving in it is a good time to make a resolution about my weight. NOT – what good does it do to make a New Years resolution that you know you can’t keep? I am not going to be able to count points on the different items of food that I eat. So, just get more exercise and cut back on the snacks and that will work.

It is really amusing to listen to the many types of resolutions that so many people make. For instance, quit smoking, losing pounds, no desserts, etc. and then the next thing you know, they are smoking and eating cake and ice cream.

So, it is the beginning of a new year and we continue on as we have in the past. But, wait a moment, is there one resolution that we can make and perhaps keep? How about thinking about this: 1) I will begin reading the Bible each day, beginning with Genesis, 2) I will read a devotion each day, 3) I will set aside a time each day for meditation, 4) I will share my faith with someone every chance I get.

Wow, I don’t know about the last one, I can read the Bible, read my devotional and set aside a time for meditation but share my faith? Let’s look at Mark 16 in the 14^th verse. Jesus appears to the eleven and he rebukes them because of their lack of faith. In verse 15 he tells them "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

Well, perhaps we don’t have to go off into the whole world, but a good place to start is right here in Manistique, with your family, your neighbor. Let your light shine for all to see that you are a child of God and you are not ashamed to let the world know. That is a resolution that we need to keep. Polly and I pray that you will have a New Year filled with love, joy, hope and peace.

Peace,

Pastor Don

An additional note from the Pastor:

We see evidence of God's love each and every day of our lives, but the recent thoughtful card and generous gift of this congregation to your Pastor and his wife were extraordinary examples of faith and support of the ministry of this church.
Polly and I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all the members of the Manistique First United Methodist Church for their love and acceptance over the past few years. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve the Lord here.

In his service,
Pastor Don & Polly

 

We welcome Marjorie Seavoy as she transferred her membership from L’Anse Methodist to First United Methodist Church

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

January 2010

3  - Barb Foor

6  - Louis Salter

6  - Julianne Jahn

8  - Arlene Bonner

9  - Joe Kolder

14 - Sharon Feichtenbiner

14 - Charlotte Schwartz

14 - Marla Jahn

16 - Mary Prater

16 - Jim/Ginger Stark

17 - Steven Kaiser

18 - Paul Ackley

27 - Devin/Janet Lawrence

28 - Nancy Means

28 - Tanner Holmberg

28 - Taylor Holmberg

30 - Louis/Rita Salter 50th Anniversary- AWESOME!!!

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Thanks

TO:

Vic and Sharon Vanderville for again putting together the Nativity float for the Christmas parade. Our church won 1^st Place for Christmas spirit. The Nativity scene was placed in front of the church with a piece of plexiglass

donated by Bill Westphal protecting it from the wind and snow.

Bette Jahn and ALL who donated to the Adopt-a-Family program.

Sharon Feichtenbiner for providing the cookies for our children’s Cookie Tree

Rita and Louis Salter for decorating the church building with the Christmas tree and all the trimmings!

Thanks also to all who contributed live poinsettia plants to enhance the church sanctuary during Advent season: Vic and Sharon Vanderville, Norm and Sharon Feichtenbiner, Mary and Fred Prater, Debbie Males and the United Methodist Women.

Many also purchased "Paper Poinsettias" to help with finances. The thoughtful contributors: Bill and Shirley Westphal, David Hokenson, Arlene Bonner, Sally Winn, Char and Bill Rohring, George Montgomery, Tom and Phyllis Burge, Emma Tufnell, Carol and Henry Weinert, Ron and Ruth Annelin, Ted and Louise Burson, Gene Hastings, Shirley Reno, Linda Ritchie, Louis and Rita Salter, Rev Don & Polly Bedwell, Ed and Eileen Renton, Audrey Newborn, Rev Woody and Rev Donna Berkompas
 

Memorial Gifts:

In Memory of Janice Carlson, a gift has been given by:

Mr.& Mrs. Ron Annelin

Rev. & Mrs. Don Bedwell

Phyllis Burge, Cindi Kaiser, Lisa Holmberg

Gene Hastings

Doris Hubble

Bette Jahn

Rev Donna Lindberg & Rev Woody Berkompas

Mr. & Mrs. Louis Salter

Mr. & Mrs. Vic Vanderville

Mary Prater

Mr. & Mrs. Pete Derber

Michael & Kim Burnis

Dorothy McNamara

John Villemure

Mary Ann Hubble

Tim Zellner

Cynthia LaCroix

Brenda Rath

Linda Curran

David Bloom

John & Amy Parish

Britt Gray

Mr. & Mrs. Ted Burson

Sally Winn

James & Shirley McDonough

Linda Benedetto

Bill & Donna Morden

Donna Harris

Maureen Leach

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MISSION NEWS

– Norma Johnson

Missions Coordinator

 Faith Fowler is pastor of the Cass Memorial Church - a church in downtown Detroit whose congregation moved to the suburbs and left this big church with its stained glass windows by Tiffany to a deteriorating neighborhood. What began as a food pantry is now a conglomerate of buildings including clinics and two buildings of apartments for women and children - Now hear the rest of the story:

Leo remained mute but his huge smile betrayed his inner elation.

 

 

How did that day come to be? While in Moscow, I was having dinner with a man from India. He had been to the Cass web site and discovered that we operated small "businesses" and micro enterprises. He was moved by the homeless men who make mud mats, the adults with developmental disabilities who shred paper and x-rays and those who sell buttons. Could Cass produce garments, he asked. Sure, I replied (knowing I haven’t sewn anything since making an apron in Junior High Home Economics).

Back in the States, we used the summer interns to develop a plan. They helped us secure fabric from Ghana. The designs and colors were perfect and, what’s more, the fabric originated from a micro enterprise made up of women living with AIDS. Thus, while our newest employees were ecstatic, they were helping a small business in Africa.

Now, for the "rest of the story." The micro enterprise in Ghana was started with money from Michigan. Some children from a suburban church had the notion to collect pennies – 23 million of them to represent everyone with AIDS in Africa. They did it and their coins – retrieved from sofas and pockets, jars and junk drawers – established the business from which we now purchase material.

You, of course, are the rest of the story. Even small gifts can make tremendous changes. I am persuaded that they change the world. Together we can bring down the walls of unemployment and poor education, poverty and disease, hunger and homelessness.

Faith

 

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In 1989 people just couldn’t believe that the Berlin Wall had toppled in Germany. It stunned everyone. Today most have come to recognize that it wasn’t an isolated incident. "The rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say is compelling.

The Wall’s demise is linked to the Gdansk Shipyard in Poland. Lech Walesa served as the catalyst for the Solidarity Movement there and Solidarity inspired the revolt in other Eastern Bloc countries that ended the Iron Curtain. Where did Lech Walesa get his inspiration? He said it came from Martin Luther King. But the story doesn’t stop there. Dr. King was motivated by Mahatma Ghandi-years and a world away in India. Influence ping-ponged between people separated by time and space, politics and religion until the Wall was history.

The same thing happens at Cass. Events that appear miraculous and to have happened independently are really the culmination of people influencing one another like cascading dominoes.

Earlier this year, a group of middle-age and senior adults stood in line at the Scott building. They weren’t waiting for food. They joined the employee queue for paychecks. None of the new hires had ever had an adult job. This was their first check. Their eyes were like quarters. Their palms were sweaty. Wanda was talking a mile a minute about all the things she was going to buy.

Lay Leader Lines

Q. Last month you mentioned some safeguards established to prevent embezzlement in handling church finances, including not allowing the same person to hold both the office of financial secretary and church treasurer, not letting members of the same family hold both these offices, having all persons who handle money bonded, and having two people work together under the supervision of the financial secretary when money is counted. Are there any other safeguards in place to prevent problems?

 

A. Yes, there are a limited number of persons who can write checks on the church’s checking account. In our church, we have a treasurer and an assistant treasurer who can do so. Also, an audit is conducted annually by an independent auditor. As long as the church follows these guidelines (and we do), there should be no problems.

Q. What is involved in an annual audit?

A. An independent auditor examines the financial records to assure that they are accurate and are kept according to established procedures. An auditor can also recommend changes in record-keeping procedures when necessary, and can assist those responsible for the records in improving the system used, to best meet the needs of the church.

Q. How long do we keep financial records?

A. Financial records must be kept for at least five years. We meet this criterion very, very well.

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For Our Prayerful Consideration

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

December 27-

 

Devin, Janet, Rylie, Tegan, Gabriel Lawrence

Debbie Males, Michael Derrico

Phil McKay

Connie Meade

Clara Mersnick

January 3-9

James & Nancy Means

Peter & Bessie Moore

Bill & Donna Morden

Doug, Stacey, Shayna, Maggie Morrison

Mary Livingston, Robert, Lynn Morrow

January 10-16

Dorothy Mortenson

Van and Mildred (Mike) Mueller

Jon, Steve, Michael Nagy

Audrey Newborn

Trisia Noble

January 17-23

Randy, Janet, Ryan, DJ Peterson

Fred & Mary Prater

Darlene Pruess

Edwin & Eileen Renton

Michael, Shannon, Samuel, Emma, Luke Rochon

Also:

Mae Gilroy

Greg Aho

Family of Janice Carlson

Sandy Houghton

David Mills

Jessica Creighton

Carol Weinert

Family of Ron Lindberg

 

January 2

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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 WOMEN'S NEWS

– Carol Weinert

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Heifer Project

Pigs don’t need a lot of land– a necessity for many of the very poor families Heifer serves. And they can thrive on a family’s extra food scraps and garden by-products.

In turn, pigs provide families with up to 16 piglets a year and a steady supply of organic manure to fertilize their crops in a sustainable way. And as each family passes on the gift of piglets to another family in need, your generosity will continue to multiply year after year.

Thank you for your donations to our children’s "noisy offering". We hope to have enough to purchase a pig for $120.

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WORSHIP IN MOTION

A worship service in the Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Fitness Center combining holistic health promotion and Christian Spirituality. Light to moderate, self paced aerobic exercise on treadmills, steppers, exercise bikes and other equipment alternated with flexibility exercise. Starting January 3 @ 4 PM Sundays. Please call the church office for reservations as space is limited. Free will offering.

Before we close the books on 2009, let me recap the events of the United Methodist Women’s group for the past month.

Lisa Holmberg and Cindi Kaiser were acknowledged for their work with our Sunday school children by naming them the recipients of our Mission of the Year awards for 2009. They were recognized and given UMW pins for their efforts during recent Sunday worship services.

The annual Christmas Tea was once again a success. In addition to an informative program outlining the history of Santa Claus, our mini bazaar realized more than $500 in profits, which will be distributed evenly among the local Salvation Army, Good Neighbor Services, and the Manistique Ministerial Association.

Attendance was unusually low at our annual UMW Christmas party (probably due to the cold, winter weather), but a good time was had by all. The evening began with a delicious potluck dinner and was followed by a Santa Claus program organized by Janet Helmbold. The program included readings, special music, quizzes and prizes. The freewill offering will benefit our church’s Deacon’s Fund, which is used to aid persons in financial crisis situations.

Thanks to all who participated or contributed to these events in any way. You are appreciated!

As we approach a new year, the UMW continues to be active. The women will hold their monthly devotion service Monday, January 4, at 10 AM at Medicare. This is always a meaningful event for both the residents of the facility as well as our church members. If you haven’t attended before, I urge you to do so. You don’t have to be a member of UMW to attend and men are also welcome.

Please, come join us.

The Naomi Circle will meet Wednesday, January 6, at 1:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Circle chairperson Louise Burson will be in charge. Let me remind you that all meetings and events of the UMW are open to all interested women.

The first General Meeting of the UMW for 2010 will be a Service of Prayer and Self-Denial. This meeting will be held Wednesday, February 3, at 1:30 PM at the church. Plans for our annual Lenten Reflection Breakfast will be made at that time. Please plan to attend and bring your suggestions for this special event of the new year.

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!"

If you are into making New Year’s Resolutions, I suggest that you add the UMW Reading Program to your list. There are some really interesting books on the shelves in the UMW section of the library. We have also developed a reading program for the youth of our church. Six of our young people participated in 2009 and received certificates as well as memento gifts for their efforts. Encourage your young people to get involved this year. We have several books in the program geared especially for them. Read and be informed! Check with Mary Prater for more information.