November 6, 2013
the Visitor a publication of Flushing United Methodist Church
Our Vision Statement Preparing servants who make a difference in their community and the world by knowing Christ, sharing Christ and emulating Christ.
Church Staff
PIE AUCTION Sunday, November 17 10:00 am
Jeff Jaggers Lore Dearing Jeanne Wisenbaugh Marty Cheely Pat Helmer
Sunday Worship 8:45 am Traditional 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am Contemporary
Christie Dover Matt Packer
Published the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays (810)659-5172 Editor: Marty Cheely
Joy Lewis Sara Bledsoe
413 E Main St, Flushing MI 48433 www.flushingumc.org e-mail: flumc@sbcglobal.net
Pastor and author Frederick Buechner wrote that, “The Gospel is bad news before it is Good News.” I have come to believe that more and more. Before we can embrace the Good News of The Gospel we have to come face to face with the bad news. We don’t have to look very far, or scratch too deep to find the bad news. The bad news is that we live in a very confused, very broken, and very wounded world. Wherever we look, at the global, national or local arenas, we see injustice and evil in its many forms: greed, violence, idolatry and disease just to name a few. It is both systemic and personal. Many systems and institutions are infected with a poverty of ethics and justice, and they create or perpetuate injustice locally and globally. But, systems and institutions are not the root of the problem. We are. By commission or omission we also choose into greed, violence and injustice. We all stand before the forbidden and wrestle, sometimes hard and sometimes not so hard, with temptation. We have all crossed the boundary, and have failed to be the people God created us to be. We have to come face to face with the bad news before we can embrace the Good News. The challenge is that we live in a culture that tends to ignore bad news, or capitulates to it before it gives the Good News a chance. The Good News is that God knows the bad news and has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The Good News is that God loves us with a love that is too good to be true (especially when you consider the bad news), but too good to be dismissed. God has come to us in Jesus Christ and through Christ’s life, death and resurrection, God has offered us a new reality – a reality that is not defined, shaped or dependent on the bad news. Through God we have hope for today and for the future. Through God we have the grace and strength to endure the hardships, difficulties and adversities of life. Through God the bad news can be redeemed and re-purposed into something good. In these difficult and challenging times when the bad news keeps rolling over us, may we all embrace the Good News of God’s goodness, grace and power. May we be the bearers of the Good News at home, at work, at school and wherever we are because the bad news can be so overwhelming. And, as always, I am proud to be with you on the journey
Fun for the family! Nov 15 6:00—8:00 pm Spaghetti Dinner FREE! Bring your favorite game and come play!
Everyone is welcome! Questions? Call Beth Ward.
Family Game Night
New Members Please welcome to our new members: Sara Bledsoe, Carol Grant, Carrie Guynn, Daren & Nikki Hawley. We are glad to be walking with them on the journey. PET Pies Personal Energy Transportation team is making pies for Tues., Nov 26 (to be picked up at church between 2-4 pm). The pies are unbaked and 10 inches. $14 for raspberry, regular or sugar free, $12 for blueberry $10 for apple $14 for cherry Call Carl Pierce, 659-474 to place your order by Fri, Nov 22. Pick up 2-4 pm Nov 26 at the church. A great big THANK YOU to all who bought raspberry jam. I sent a check to PET, East MI for $495 and have seven jars of jam left. We will be making jam again in March. Flushing Christian Outreach Center The special need this month is toothpaste. Thank you for keeping in your prayers and supporting the needs. Inactive Members Church membership resolution states active members attend at least twice a year or give at least $5. The following names have not met this criteria and have not responded to our communications. Per Church Conference action Oct 28, they are no longer members: Greg Beckley, Lisa Hendricks, Cindy Hill, Eileen Moloney, Wai & Jeanie Yue.
Genesee County Free Medical Clinic thanks you most sincerely for your donation of $740 that will be used to help 3,000 people in need get access to affordable medical services. “No one is more cherished in this world than one who lightens the burden of another.�
United Methodist Men UM Men will breakfast at Kathy’s on Nov 9, 8:30 am. Speaker will be Denise Diller of Downtown Outreach Ministry.
Mission Luncheon You are invited to a luncheon Nov. 20, 12:00 noon to hear speaker Jan Bentley, a missionary to Thailand. Tickets are $4 from the UMW. Everyone is invited! Warm Collection UMW is collecting blankets, hat, gloves and scarves for the warming center in Flint. Donations may be left in the Mission Station box. Community UMC November Events West Vienna UMC is showing “August Rush” on Nov 22, 7:00 pm. This homeless orphan uses music to find his long-lost parents on his remarkable journey. Popcorn and drink are free! Free Family Fun is on Sat, Nov 23, 2:00 pm. Everyone is welcome!
The Grand Blanc Arts Council’s 26th Community MESSIAH Performance will be presented at Grand Blanc’s Faith Lutheran Church on Sun, Nov 24, 4:00 pm. Free-will donation. Come enjoy an afternoon that will help prepare you for the holiday season.
CHRISTMAS AUCTION COMING!! Who: Everyone is Welcome!! What: Food, Fun, Fellowship & a little Christmas shopping to boot! Where: Fellowship Hall When: Wed, Dec 4, 6:30 pm Proceeds to benefit local families at Christmas-time Mark your calendar!! Watch for more details later! Sponsored by Lena Eschtruth Circle, United Methodist Women
Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan's Purse reaches children in over 100 countries at Christmas time. It all starts with an empty shoe box from church. Determine whether your gift is for a boy or girl 2-4 years old, 5-9 years old, or 10-14 years old. Fill the box with a variety of gifts (suggestion list available) including a $7 donation to cover shipping and other project costs. Place a rubber band around the shoe box. Bring your shoe boxes to the church by Nov 24.
Shoe Drive Hannah Nettleton is collecting old shoes, of any kind, size, and condition — tennis shoes, old dress shoes, ballet shoes, golf shoes, boots, sandals, flip flops, etc. The drive will support microenterprises that reuse shoe material to make new shoes and distribute them to developing countries such as Haiti. It also keeps old shoes out of local landfills. Did you know that there are approx. 630 million pairs of shoes in the U.S. alone that are thrown away each year? The shoe drive will also help Young Peoples Ballet Theatre raise money for their March ballet, Sleeping Beauty, at U of M Flint Theatre. Their goal is to collect 7,500 pairs. 3,676 pairs so far! Please bring your old shoes to church through Nov 30. Place them in the box in the lobby. Questions, contact Hannah: hannahmnettleton@gmail.com or 230-7821. Thanks!
Pie Auction Sunday, Nov 17 10-11 am Donations of pies are needed! Sign up in the lobby
Come buy a Pie - support Mission in the City! See Joy Lewis with questions.
Stuffing! Stuffing! We need 386 more boxes of stuffing! We are participating in preparing Thanksgiving baskets for 300 families in the Flushing area. This is a shared project with 8 other churches. Our share is to provide the 600 boxes of stuffing by Nov 24. That evening at 6 pm, servants will come together at the Flushing Nazarene Church to box the meals. Everyone is welcome to participate. But first we need to collect 386 more boxes of stuffing! Buy 5-10 each week & bring to the church lobby - watch the number go down. Here's a math problem for you: If a stuffing box is 8 inches long, and 600 boxes were placed end to end, how far would 600 boxes extend? From the altar to the front door? Around Fellowship Hall? Share your answers with Kay Romoslawski.
FAMILY PROMISE UPDATE Progress is being made in preparing to host families in Genesee County and at FUMC. GENESEE COUNTY Family Promise of Genesee County (FPGC) continues to raise funds to have enough on hand to hire a director and be able to open the doors and begin hosting families. The Day Center has been secured and an 8 passenger van has been obtained. FUMC The Wish List has been updated. Be sure to check the literature rack of the FP bulletin board for a new one. We ask that ALL donated items be placed in the basket in Fellowship Hall marked Family Promise. If items are too large for basket, please contact Carolyn or Sheila. Especially needed are twin blankets and mattress pads. Servants are still needed for the 4 major tasks which are: Evening hosts 5:30 – 8:30 pm to spend time with families and assist where needed Dinner hosts 5:30 – 7:30 pm to serve dinner and cleanup (Dinner will be prepared and brought in to be served) Overnight hosts 8:30 pm – 7:00 am to spend night and assist where needed Breakfast hosts 6:00 - 7:30 am to assist with breakfast & clean-up Servant Opportunities Surveys are available in the literature rack inside the front door of the church. You can turn them in at the Church office, the Family Promise mailbox or to Carolyn or Sheila. We recently learned that St. Roberts will be our support church. We plan to meet with them soon about how they can help us. We appreciate the donations of money and items off the Wish List from our congregation. We look forward to being a host church and your participation is the only way we can get there. It is so good to know that we can make a difference in the lives of families in need. ON THE HORIZON Be watching for 2 FPGC fundraising events coming up that will be joyful and fun. You will surely want to attend at least 1 of them. Information will be included in the bulletin and Visitor and posters will be posted on the Church bulletin board and on the Power Point in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for details.
We’re almost ready to make a trip to the Ronald McDonald House in Lansing with another donation of pop tabs. If you have a stash at home that you have been saving, bring them to the mission station in Fellowship Hall.
Endowment Fund Do you know about the Flushing United Methodist Church Endowment Fund? A gift to the fund makes a perfect memorial or honorarium or can be included in wills and estate planning. Find more information in the Endowment Fund brochure, listed as a separate file on the newsletter home page.
Hanging of the Greens Sunday, Nov 24 thru Sat, Nov 30 The Worship Committee invites you to help decorate our church for Jesus’ birthday. Sign up in the lobby.
Our Church Family Aware of a concern or joy in our family? Please notify the church, so we can share them with you. Only first names will be published in prayer concerns.
Please remember in your hearts and prayers:
✝ John & Linda severely injured in ✝ an auto accident, on life support ✝ ✝ A junior struggling in school ✝ Kim, a young mother who is ✝ hospitalized, is seriously ill ✝ Ziggy recovering from surgery ✝ ✝ ✝ Nancy having knee surgery ✝ For men to join the men’s chorus ✝
Val hospitalized, undergoing tests for multiple health issues Jonah, 4, hospitalized with kidney problems Friend Ken who had a seizure Deborah suddenly a widow Verna having heart surgery Carolyn whose cancer has spread
Sympathy
on the recent death of Lee’s father, Marvin. on the death of Dean’s mother, Gertrude. of Bertha Hayes who died Nov 2. May these families be uplifted by our prayers.
Thank You Thank you to everyone who brought in bags of groceries or money for Dort Oak Park Neighborhood House. We were able to deliver 80 bags of groceries, 4 boxes of apples and $75. Special thanks to Sue Martin, Sid Roman, Leonard Pickleman for helping deliver the groceries.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! A special note of appreciation to the 60 people who gave of their time & talent to make Harvest dinner so successful this year, 170 people. Thanks to Pat Helmer for blending the ingredients, Marshall Knight, auctioneer wannabe, all the pie bakers, all the auction donators, and all the other people who served, peeled potatoes, set up tables, washed dishes, or did 10 other jobs to make the evening a success. Faith In Action Team. Everything begins with HOPE and a Dream. Thank you for your generous $650 donation to Family Promise of Genesee County. Prayer is a powerful gift - thank you prayer chain, for that gift along with the support it renders in sad times. Fran Moore
Church Calendar Sunday, November 10 Sunday, November 17 10:00 am Men’s Choir Practice 10:00 am Pie Auction 12:30 pm Staff Meeting 12:15 pm Kids for Christ Band 6:00 pm Youth 6:00 pm Youth & Tweens Monday, November 11 Monday, November 18 9:30 am Ugli Quilts 7:00 pm Staff Parish Relations Tuesday, November 12 Tuesday, November 19 1:30 pm Soup Kitchen Carpool 9:30 am Ugli Qulits 7:00 pm Lay Leadership 7:00 pm Stephen Ministers 7:30 pm Praise Chorus Wednesday, November 20 Wednesday, November 13 Newsletter Published UM Women Circles 12:00 pm UMW Luncheon 7:00 pm Sunday School Leaders 7:00 pm Praise Band 7:00 pm Praise Band Thursday, November 21 Thursday, November 14 6:00 pm Handbells 6:00 pm Handbells 7:30 pm Centrum Choir 7:30 pm Sanctuary Choir Friday, November 15 6:00 pm Family Fun Night Saturday, November 16 9:15 am NC Men’s Ministry Worship Helpers Sunday, November 17 Sunday, November 10 Scripture Glenda Swirtz Scripture Reader Laurel Allyn Greeters Greeters 8:45 am Duane & Dawn Hiller 8:45 am Mel & Donnie Weeden 11:15 am Laurie Pitkin, 11:15 am Gunther & Kay Romoslawski Barb Ackerman Coffee Hosts Coffee Hosts 8:45 am Rusty Eavy, Judy Martz 8:45 am Tom & Nancy Elsner 11:15 am John & Diane Robers 11:15 am Mike & Amy Ford Ushers Ushers 8:45 am Jim Graham, Jerry Todd, 8:45 am Harry & Ellen Hulet, Jim & Laragene Triplett Bob Hurst, Cathy Metz 11:15 am Kim Noe 11:15 am Leonard Pickelmann Kids’ Church Lorie Goodale, Kids’ Church Natalie Napier, Lydia Goodale Sarah Covert Acolytes Acolytes 8:45 am Bonnie Wisenbaugh 8:45 am Bonnie Wisenbaugh 11:15 am Chloe Covert 11:15 am Taylor Fleury Play Place Sarah Covert Play Place Arlie Wisenbaugh Newsletter Helpers Wednesday, Nov 20 Bill & Germaine Knox, Jean Read
Worship Attendance Oct 27 — 211 Nov 3 — 275 8:45 am— 111 8:45 am— 136 11:15 am— 100 11:15 am— 140
FLUSHING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 413 E MAIN ST FLUSHING MI 48433-2029
NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID FLUSHING MI PERMIT #38
the Visitor November 6, 2013 – Issue #18
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