F irst Pulse
First United Methodist Church Grand Rapids | grfumc.org
April 2018
! a i u l e l l A Enclosed are stories from First Church and the impact on the lives of our community.
F irst Pulse
April 2018
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Kindness Collection
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Mission Trip to Puerto Rico
Join us at the MLK Tutoring Center on April 12 for an Open House! C
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On the Cover: Celebrate Easter Sunday!
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OUR MISSION
INCLUSIVITY
To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community, and the world; therefore, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination.
OUR PURPOSE To fulfill the call of Christ to be spiritually alive in the city while embracing the world. 2
First Pulse | April ‘18
Dear friends, You are reading this a few days before Easter!
experience. And you are also invited to a soup and salad supper from 5:30 - 6:45 pm in Wesley Hall prior to the service.
That means I have one last opportunity to invite and encourage you to participate in Holy Week worship opportunities.
Good Friday is another tradition that has lost steam over the years. This year, as a downtown community of churches, we are worshiping together at Central Reformed Church (at the corner of College and Fulton) as an inter-denominational gathering. We have been successful in moving the service to one hour, from 12:00 - 1:00 pm. A guest preacher has been invited and several of the pastors of downtown churches will lead in the prayers and liturgy.
I’m not sure of the reason Protestants have diminished their participation in the Holy Week drama. For me, Holy Week is THE most substantive spiritual experience of the entire year. I love the journey from Palm Sunday to Easter. My favorite services, other than Easter, are Maundy (Holy) Thursday and Good Friday. I wish I understood the reason why United Methodist Christians do not long for and yearn to celebrate communion! This congregation is better than most, but every other church where I have served as pastor, when communion is announced, people choose to stay away. I don’t understand that. The theology and practice of the Christian community celebrating a holy meal at the table of our Lord gives purpose, meaning, and life to the community of faith. It is not only a re-enactment of the last supper, it is what binds us together as Christians, united in mission to serve. Holy Thursday is the perfect opportunity to reenact the last supper on the night that we remember that holy meal. So please consider joining us in the sanctuary at 7 pm on March 29 for a deeply spiritual
Then there will be a Good Friday service at 3:00 pm in the Chapel at the Clark Retirement Community, Franklin campus. All these services lead up to the great Easter celebration on Sunday at 9:15 and 10:45 am. AFTER EASTER is also important at First Church! Pigeon and I are making our final preparations for our 4-month renewal leave that begins on April 15. There is so much to do between now and then, not the least of which is preparation for worship on the 8th and 15th, but also preparing for the Pastor’s Forum on April 8, the Building Committee’s presentation on the 15th, and all of the administrative details that must be finalized during my absence. Pastor Tim, the professional staff, the lay administrative and ministry teams have been preparing for weeks now. The congregation is in good hands. Soon there will be a schedule of guest preachers that will go throughout the summer. It is a marvelous schedule of excellent presenters who will challenge, inform, and enrich our congregation. You will not only be impressed with the folks who will be sharing Sunday after Sunday, but you won’t want to miss it. I will return to the pulpit on August the 19th. There you have it. So much to think about! So much to do! Come and join the journey for the prelude to Easter, Easter, and beyond Easter! Grace and peace to you. Pastor Bob
First Pulse | April ‘18
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Radical Hospitality
Collecting Kindness Every day we have the opportunity to share kindness and to receive the kindness of others. During our Lenten journey, First Church has been taking a Kindness Collection, to remind us of the father’s kindness in the story of the Prodigal Son. Here is a taste of the stories collected… Over 60 years ago, newly-married Anne Zimmerman (below) traveled alone by boat from New York to Germany. Anne didn’t speak German, yet, she needed to claim her luggage, exchange her money, and purchase train tickets to reach her husband, Chuck, who was stationed in Frankfurt. The woman behind Anne in line tapped her shoulder, and in English said, “May I help you?” This angel took Anne under her wing and helped her accomplish her tasks, even teaching Anne some German while they rode the train together. Anne is still thankful for her acts of kindness so long ago.
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First Pulse | April ‘18
During one of our recording Collection and share more stories. sessions, Amorena’s young Please invite your friends and daughters patiently listened while family to join us for the feast she shared stories of fast food – especially the ones who have employees showing kindness shown you kindness! to her and her kids while they traveled. When Amorena It’s not too late to be a part of was done sharing her the Kindness Collection stories, Cecelia & Kindness Feast! and Julia (above) If you would like Cecelia eagerly jumped the opportunity and Julia in to tell about to help with the their stories of meal or would eagerly jumped in kindness, like like to share your to tell about their how friends kindness story, cheer them up email samim@ stories of kindness... when they are grfumc.org. Kindness is sad. Kindness is contagious! Sami Marasigan contagious! Director Hospitality On April 22, after and Invitation the 10:45am worship service, all are invited to a Kindness Feast in Wesley Hall. The Fellowship Committee will be making spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, and a dessert for the feast (donations accepted, but not required). During the meal, we will hear many of the kindness stories gathered through our Kindness
PASSIONATE WORSHIP Music and Arts Ministry
Our Own Chancel Drama! A couple of weeks ago, I attended a presentation by two organist-composers, James and Marilyn Biery for the local chapter of The American Guild of Organists. The presentation focused on their compositions for organ, choir, and a newer interest of the two in composing “Chancel Operas.” These “operas” are intended for performance within the context of a church service. So far, they have published three of these “dramas:” The Better Part (a story of Martha and Mary), Journey to Jerusalem (for Maundy Thursday), and From Doubt to Faith (about Thomas the Twin and his turning to belief following the resurrection of Jesus).
Angel: Whom do you seek in the sepulcher, O Christians? Women: The crucified Jesus of Nazareth, O heavenly one. Angel: Why, Christians, do you seek for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen, as he foretold to his disciples. Remember what he told you recently in Galilee, that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and on the third day to rise again with glory. After some continued consternation about whether Jesus might have been secretly taken away, two angels, addressing Mary Magdalene ask: Woman, why do yo weep? Mary Magdalene: Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him down. Angel: Do not weep, Mary, the Lord has risen, alleluia!
It occurs to me that we have our own “Chancel Opera” that lights up at the rear of our chancel every Sunday: the Tiffany window depicting the Easter morning scene at the tomb. This depiction is actually the subject of perhaps the oldest “liturgical drama” that we have on record. The Visitatio Sepulcri dates from around 1200, found in what is known as the Fleury Playbook. This play is possibly the most well known of all liturgical dramas, and includes beautiful scenes filled with dialogue and song. The play opens with the lament of the “Three Marys,” Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Salome. They walk in on their way to visit the tomb on the morning of Easter. Wailing and singing various lines such as “Alas, the true shepherd has passed away, who brought life to the dead.” As they approach the tomb in order to anoint the body with spices and nard, they worry about who might roll the stone away. They are greeted by an angel, and what then follows is a dialogue between the women and the angel that is at the heart of the Easter message, and the heart of what is depicted in our window.
What an amazing dialogue this is, and what an amazing and dramatic scene that we can see at every worship service in our sanctuary. In the liturgical drama, the play continues with Jesus appearing to Mary as a gardener. Later, as he says her name, she recognizes Jesus at once, addressing him as “teacher.” This window is a testament to the faith and understanding of those who planned and commissioned the sacred space in which we worship week to week. And, especially in this season of Easter, we have a visual reminder of the central aspects of our faith: Death is swallowed up in victory! Alleluia! If you are curious about seeing a production of this liturgical drama, the ensemble Early Music Michigan, which I have directed for 17 years, will present it on Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 pm at First Baptist Church in Kalamazoo. Eric Strand Director of Music and the Arts
First Pulse | April ‘18
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April 2018 Sunday, April 1 Easter Sunday 9:00 am – Nursery 9:15 am – Sunday Worship 9:15 am – Children’s Chapel 10:45 am – Nursery 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 3:00 pm – Clark Easter Service Monday, April 2 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 5:00 pm – Stephen Leaders 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Training Tuesday, April 3 7:00 am – Work Program Wednesday, April 4 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service Thursday, April 5 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Saturday, April 7 9:30 am – Moms’ Group Pre-Earth Day Clean-Up
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Sunday, April 8 Communion Sunday 8:15 am – Nursery 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nursery 9:15 am – Pastor’s Forum 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Children’s & Youth Choir 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nursery 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group Monday, April 9 9:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Pastors 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 5:00 pm – Trustees 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Training Tuesday, April 10 7:00 am – Work Program 5:30 pm – Finance Wednesday, April 11 10:00 am – Gallery Art Hanging 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 6:00 pm – Young Adults Group: Bowling at Wenger’s
Thursday, April 12 9:00 am – Moms and Muffins Date 5:00 pm – MLK Tutoring Center Open House 5:30 pm – SPRC Meeting 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Saturday, April 14 9:30 am – Feeding America Sunday, April 15 8:15 am – Nursery 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nursery 9:15 am – Forum: Building Renovation Discussion 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Children’s & Youth Choir 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nursery 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 12:00 pm – Unplugged: Roses and Ice Cream at Clark 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group Monday, April 16 9:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 12:00 pm – 60+ Luncheon 1:00 pm – Staff meeting 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Training
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First Pulse | April ‘18
Tuesday, April 17 7:00 am – Work Program
Monday, April 23 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 12:00 pm – MLK Spring Outing 5:30 pm – Building Committee 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Training
Wednesday, April 18 9:00 am – Caring Connection 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 5:30 pm – Mom and Me Yoga 6:00 pm – Young Adults Group
Tuesday, April 24 7:00 am – Work Program 10:15 am – MLK Spring Outing 6:00 pm – Calvin Alumni Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, April 19 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir
Wednesday, April 25 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 6:00 pm – Young Adults Group
Saturday, April 21 10:00 am – Kindness Feast Set-Up Sunday, April 22 8:15 am – Nursery 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nursery 9:15 am – Five Love Languages of Children, Introduction to St Paul, Methodist Connection Sunday School Exchange 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Children’s & Youth Choir 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nursery 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 11:45 am – Kindness Feast 4:00 pm – MLK Outing Set-Up 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group
Thursday, April 26 6:00 pm – Calvin Alumni Choir rehearsal 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Friday, April 27 5:45 pm – Moms’ Night Out
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Sunday, April 29 Family Promise/IHN 8:15 am – Nursery 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nursery 9:15 am – Five Love Languages of Children, Introduction to St Paul, Methodist Connection Sunday School Exchange 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Children’s & Youth Choir 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nursery 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 3:00 pm – Calvin Alumni Choir Concert 5:00 pm – Sr High Youth Group Monday, April 30 Family Promise/IHN 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Training
Confirmation students and leaders helped lead worship and serve communion. Youth Choir Moments with the Children
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First Pulse | April ‘18
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Intentional Faith Development Couples in Faith Three years ago, a committed group of young couples decided to dedicate one hour every Sunday morning to learning and growing together in their faith journeys. Since that time, we have studied series and books on topics like strengthening marital relationships, parenting, current events, and spiritual growth. Our class format is casual, and although couples often attend together, it is not a requirement. We began attending social gatherings twice a month to share meals and fellowship. These gatherings deepened our friendships and created additional opportunities for our kids to play and bond outside of church. We believe these connections will be lasting and provide support and structure as our families grow. Over the three years since Couples in Faith was established, we have seen many changes. Some couples have become parents for the first time, others for the second or third time. A few couples have moved away and more couples have joined the circle. We have become a growing community of faith, support, and friendship. We have learned that faith formation involves much more than cracking open a book once a week or watching a video and discussing it. We are created for connection – connection with God and with each other. We are Couples in Faith. Sherah Eavey, Couples in Faith Coordinator Audrey Kawel, Director of Faith Development 8
First Pulse | April ‘18
How are you living out your connection? Are you part of a small group at church? Or perhaps a class? Are you looking for a way to plug in? See the list below of some of the ways you can connect to others in the church and to God, then contact Audrey Kawel at 451.2879 x110 or at audreyk@grfumc.org to get connected! First Church Groups • Adult Bible Study • Moms’ Group • Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship • 60+ Luncheon • Co-ed Softball • FUMC Book Club • Couples in Faith (30-/40-something couples) • Young Adult Group (ages 18-30) • Youth Groups (grades 7-12) • Unplugged (grades 3-6) Sunday 9:15 am classes beginning April 22: • The Five Love Languages of Children • Faith Link • Introduction to St. Paul
Risk-Taking Outreach and Mission Puerto Rico Mission Trip, March 2018
We had a very rewarding trip, both for the accomplishments we gave and the spiritual gifts and love we received from the people in Puerto Rico. We had a very fun group of talented and spirited folks. We established connections to the host Nidtza, translator Jose, the ladies who cooked, our job coordinator Anthony (retired Corps of Engineers), the experienced builders whom we were helping, (Poppo, Jose, and Edwin) and each of the families. Each day was full: wake up, start generator, enjoy the sunrise, eat breakfast, load the tools in the van, go to work site till about 5, shower, eat, review plan and organize for next day’s work, team meeting, play a few games, then go to bed. We were on the ocean, we enjoyed the sound of waves and wind. Heat and humidity was tolerable. Site #1 - Put a permanent steel roof and siding on a kitchen room - Hurricane Maria blew away the kitchen somewhere up the mountain. And lots of debris cleanup. Site #2 - Prepare home for a concrete roof. (Maria’s 220 mph winds blew away the prior roof.) The builder Jose was building this for his sister, Petra, and Petra’s family. Jose was a builder his whole life in this neighborhood. He was a very patient mentor to our folks who had never been part of a concrete roof job. For example, not pleased with my
Site #1
Standing l-r: Barb Moser, Rick Buist, builder Jose, Gene Hamilton, Bob Masselink, Nitdza Padilla (camp host). Middle: Tom Faase, Julie Darnell. Kneeling l-r Myron Donajkowski, Betty Devinney, Linda Masselink, Steve Walker. work, I pointed out a gap to Jose We established strong and suggested we fill the gap, relationships with the people in seeking Jose’s concurrence. Jose Puerto Rico and I expect that started shaking his finger slowly. I this adventure is not over. Many thought I was going to be yelled at hands and high spirits make big for my work. Then he said while things possible! All in all, it was searching for the words in English, a fantastic trip, good start to “You, you, you, you are the hands a connection with the people of God.” in Patillas, and a lot of great memories. Amen. Site #3 - Put up a new steal roof, debris clean up, and removal of Myron Donajkowski four layers of vinyl tile flooring.
Site #4 - Support homeowner and family in concrete home rebuild. At the end of Friday, we successfully finished this and there were many tears of joy from the family. We all felt God in the amount of love shared. At the church, we were greeted warmly multiple times and I expect that every person on our team was hugged by the members of the congregation. I even got up and spoke to the congregation (after receipt of an elbow in the ribs). At each home, the families were very caring, lots of hugs and many tears of joy over the accomplishments, and sadness that we were departing.
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First Pulse | April ‘18
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EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY Resource Development
Charitable Giving Strategies after Tax Reform Tax season has arrived. If you are like me, you are digging through receipts and forms to file your 2017 tax returns. And 2018 taxes may be the farthest thing from your mind, however, it is not too early to think ahead. Planning now can help you side-step some pitfalls caused by the sweeping changes in the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) law with regard to charitable gifts. Tax Law Doubles the Standard Deduction The new tax law makes good on the promise of simplifying the tax code by nearly doubling the standard deduction for individuals and families rising to $12,000 (filing single) $24,000 (filing joint). With this major change, fewer tax payers will be able to itemize deductions due to the higher threshold. For donors, this could create a problem. If you do not itemize your deductions, you can make thousands of charitable donations, but they will not be tax deductible. Here is how it works: Every year you have the option to claim a standard deduction for your filing status OR list your deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040. When your total of allowable deductions exceeds the standard deduction, you will come out ahead by itemizing. However, if your total deductions do not add up to the standard deduction, your charitable donations will not bring you any tax benefit. While it is true
that giving has always been driven by a desire to support our church’s mission, and not simply to get a tax break, by utilizing simply strategies both can be accomplished. One strategy would be to bundle several years of contributions into one year. This would enable you to beat the standard deduction and cut your tax bill through itemization. You will simply need to communicate your intent to Sharon Sorensen. Qualified Charitable Distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts For those individuals who are age 70-½ and taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) you can still donate distributions directly to our church and not have to itemize. NOTE: Please discuss this with your tax advisor before making any decision because every person’s circumstances are different. Dan Miller Co-chair Legacy Ministries
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First Pulse | April ‘18
Congregational Care Collaboration is a word that often comes up when experience the role spirituality and art dreaming up new ideas or developing a new product: therapy have when working together key companies coming together to work on an idea meeting unaddressed human or a social service agency working with another needs. What is art therapy? It agency that is addressing a similar issue or concern. is not arts and crafts, that’s Collaboration is nothing new. It has been around for for sure. Art therapy is an years. Just look at Grand Rapids FUMC. Members integrative mental health and recognized a human need for tutoring at Henry human services profession School (now Martin Luther King Leadership that enriches the lives of Academy), and the tutoring programming in individuals, families, and collaboration with the schools, church, communities through and community have worked together active art-making, creative process, for close to three decades. Last applied psychological theory, summer, we started a collaboration and human experience within a with Clark Retirement Community psychotherapeutic relationship. Collaboration is essential providing pastoral care services. Leara has worked as a private These are key examples practitioner in individual or to partner people and of distinct ways FUMC is group settings held at the human need in the ever connecting strengths with person’s home or the appropriate changing local and world opportunities. Collaboration is place based on the needs of essential to partner people and the clientele. She has facilitated landscape. human need in the ever-changing workshops by using a creative local and world landscape. I can process and leads presentations see this and believe in collaboration: on a local and national level. Leara working together to address problems comes to FUMC with experience to help people by providing a way for the developing art therapy programs and church to continue to meet needs without her interests in the field lie in advocacy, shouldering all the financial and human resource education and research. Leara has also published responsibility. her research in the past two years in a peer-reviewed journal. Just recently, First United Methodist Church A special thanks to the Trustees for working to help entered a collaborative establish a studio and support group space in First partnership with I Place. Soon you will have information about an open Light owned by Leara house along with posted studio time with a sliding Glinzak. Leara is an art scale fee schedule. Collaboration is at work here in the therapist who brings her church as we find ways to reach out meeting human experience working with needs through how we care for one another as well as clients from individuals newcomers looking for a safe place to call home. living in the Heartside Neighborhood to our Rev. Tim Tuthill neighbors to the north living at Sanford House. Director of Pastoral Care She has experience working with older adults living with memory loss, grief, and anxiety. We are a oneof-a-kind church that has a resident art therapist to collaborate with, and learn from, as we find ways to First Pulse | April ‘18
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Children's Spring Musical
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 AT 12:00 PM You're invited to a Kindness Feast! This will be a time to hear the stories of kindness, gathered through our Lenten Kindness Collection. The menu includes spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, and a dessert. (Donations accepted, but not required.)
Sunday, May 13 at 10:00 am