First Pulse August 2015

August 2015 Edition

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There is something about July 4th that changes one’s mind-set.

The other day, my wife and I were in a store briefly and it was mind boggling to see Halloween decorations, fall decorations, and even Christmas trees, lights, and wreaths on display. Some of the email advertising that I am receiving is for fall and winter clothing – including snow boots!

Marketers - P-L-E-A-S-E! Fall, Christmas, cold and snow will be here in due time. For now, let’s enjoy summer. We don’t need to prepare for winter in July!

www.grandrapidsfumc.org

HOMECOMING

Put September 13th on your calendar as “Homecoming Sunday at First United Methodist Church!” It is the day we ‘kick-off’ a new schedule.

SUNDAY

Yet I must confess I am painfully aware that Labor Day is just around the corner. I am living with just a tinge of panic because the fall church schedule begins September 13! That is a short six weeks away. So preparations have ramped up a notch or two.

The biggest adjustment that will take place on September 13 is regarding the Sunday morning schedule.

• 8:15 am We are going to have an early morning worship experience located in what is currently called the parlor! We have a lovely grand piano already in the room.

Some relatively minor lighting and furnishing adjustments will make the space worshipful and inviting.

Our 45-minute service will include communion. Our singing, prayers, liturgy, meditation, and reflection time will be engaging and meaningful.

inside

Intentional Faith Development

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So – like a good marketer, I am getting you prepared (and hopefully excited) for the fall. Put September 13th on your calendar as Homecoming Sunday • 9:15 am We will have an hour at First United Methodist Church! It is the designated for Intentional Faith day we kickoff a new schedule. I invite Development with classes and you to plan to be with us. discussion groups offered for all ages and stages. To me, this is the In this edition of the “First Pulse,” most exciting dimension of our sched- you will read about the ways in which uling change. Christian Education we are preparing for fall in all of our opportunities are being developed different ministries. Preparations are for people to study, explore, learn, occurring in Intentional Faith Develand grow in their faith. Participat- opment, Passionate Worship, Risking in classes also connects us with Taking Mission and Service, Radical other people in meaningful ways. Hospitality, Extravagant Generosity, Over the next few weeks, you will and Compassionate Care. Please read know the subjects as well as the each article to be informed, encouraged, or invited to participate in ministeachers for our fall classes. try. There is something in this edition • 10:45 am Worship in the sanc- for everyone. tuary. We will continue our commitment to a more traditional (or Enjoy the rest of your summer and classical) style of worship, yet with don’t even think about Christmas trees freedom to explore and experi- and lights – at least not yet! ment with the use of technology, Grace and Peace to you! musical variety, and a move to be Pastor Bob Hundley intentionally inclusive with our children and youth participation.

Pastor’s Message

Radical Hospitaliy 1

Risk-taking Mission and Service

Passionate Worship 5

Extravagant Generosity 4

3 Compassionate Care

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Intentional Faith Development Children Experience and Dwell in God’s Presence

worship. Whereas a typical church education class explains One exciting piece to our worship re- and interprets the structuring this fall is the expansion mysteries of God, of our Children and Worship program. Children and Worship Since this program has been in exis- allows children to extence at First Church for over twenty perience and dwell in years, there are a lot of Children and God’s presence.

Worship alumni in our congregation!

Our two new worship Children and Worship was designed by centers (one for preSonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman in schoolers and another the late 1980s and quickly became and for kindergarten - 2nd continues to be a vibrant nation-wide graders) will be located movement.

The inspiration and philosophy of Children and Worship stem from Dr. Maria Montessori’s (1870-1952) ideas of educating young children.

Montessori’s now 100-year old philosophy is the foundation for many early childhood programs in the United States as well as programs on all five of the other inhabited continents. on the 3rd floor. They will be filled with the artifacts that have always given our Following are pillars of both the Children and Worship center beauty and Montessori and Children and Wor- awe: banners and underlays appropriship philosophies: ate to the season of the church calen1) Children thrive in an environment dar, God’s stories set out one by one where beauty and orderliness are as each is introduced to the children emphasized and appreciated.

Sunday by Sunday, the prayer corner, 2) The minds of children between the the Christ Candle, God’s book of stoages of 2 - 7 are “absorbent;” they ries with picture-labeled bookmarks assimilate without much conscious marking all of the stories the children effort. have experienced so far, books and 3) Effective education respects the puzzles of these same stories, simple unique ability levels, innate tenden- craft supplies for self-expression, rugs cies, and natural intelligences of which the children use during their each child and allows him/her ap- time alone with God. propriate freedom and choice.

4) The most effective classroom leader for this age group and for assimilation is a leader who guides experience rather than a teacher who instructs. (montessoritraining.net) In Children and Worship, children learn about God while experiencing God. This is all done in the context of

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Our Children and Worship program guides and inspires the young members of our church family as they learn to walk with God, each in his/her own special way.

Like the sanctuary in “big church,” our Children and Worship centers are meant to soothe and inspire. They are orderly, with a place and purpose for each thing. The children quickly learn that when we are in our “sanctuary,” we take our time; we speak softly and are careful not to interrupt others because they may be speaking or listening to God in their own special way; we are careful and respectful of the things in the worship center: we handle the story pieces with care and reverence, and we put things away in their proper places when we are finished with them.

Our Children and Worship program guides and inspires the young members of our church family as they learn to walk with God, each in his/her own special way.

Please join us in church on Sunday, August 9 when we will share even more about this special program.

Tammy Taylor DeWitt Children and Worship Leader

Passionate Worship When does worship begin?

I’m not talking about hours and minutes or even worship service times.

I’m talking about moments. Worship can begin the moment we walk into the church building. What should that moment look like? An unattended door with only a self-serve pile of bulletins to chose from as I find my way to a seat? I hope not.

I feel most invited into worship when there I feel most invited into worship when is a friendly welcom- there is a friendly face welcoming. It’s ing face as I enter. It’s amazing how a kind greeter or usher can amazing how a kind set the tone for our worship experience greeter or usher can set - especially if I woke up late, skipped the tone for our wor- breakfast, and listened to the kids argue ship experience - especially if I woke up late, in the car on our way to church. skipped breakfast, and listened to the kids argue in the car we have now! But we need even more on our way to church. That’s why our welcoming people to join our teams. worship support teams are so impor- As we create complete teams, we will tant: they can help me reset as be able to expand to additional areas where visitors may feel unwelcome I walk into worship. or lost. For example, imagine how Our greeters and ushers are welcomed people would feel if there also the “Face of First” to were parking lot or coffee hour greetpeople who are visiting us ers. for the first time. Not only do they set the tone, they also The worship support teams truly are a point visitors in the right di- vital part of worship leadership – no rection. Do you remember microphone required! If you feel that the first time you got lost at God can use you in this area of minisFirst Church? I do! Not long try, please email samim@grandrapidsafter I began attending First fumc.org or call 616.451.2879.

Church, I wanted to show my Sami Marasigan parents the really cool chilExecutive Director of Evangelism dren’s area on the third floor. and Hospitality I took my parents up the stairs to show them around.

However, I didn’t realize the stairs leading to the balcony didn’t connect to the part of the building where the children’s area is. Oops! (Feel free to laugh, my parents did.)

I really appreciate all of the current ushers and greeters

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Risk-Taking Mission and Service Circles Grand Rapids: A Community Effort To Reduce Poverty What It Is... Circles USA is an innovative national initiative whose mission is to “inspire and equip families and communities to resolve poverty and thrive.”

Circles engages the entire community to own the solution to poverty by (1) empowering Circles USA is an innovative national low-income participants to initiative whose mission is to “inspire permanently move out of and equip families and communities poverty and (2) increasing the poverty IQ of leaders to resolve poverty and thrive.” in business, education, the faith community, and other sectors of help, the essential modeling required the larger community to motivate stra- to secure and retain good jobs, as well tegic action to resolve systemic barri- as access to their own networks, which are often wider, stronger, and more diers to self-sufficiency. verse than those of the Circle Leader.

United Methodist Metro Ministry of GR, along with launch partners Inner The Circles initiative is lived out City Christian Federation, 5/3 Bank, through weekly meetings – which inUnited Way, Access of West Michigan, clude a free meal and free child care – and others, has established the Grand to provide peer support and accountability, discuss strategies for attaining Rapids Chapter of Circles USA. self-sufficiency, and build healthy relaHow It Works... Motivated low- tionships. income participants attend 12 weeks of Circles Leadership Training to be- Weekly meetings and long-term relagin building financial, emotional, and tionships help Circle Leaders to learn social resources, and to create a per- and use the unwritten rules of educasonal Economic Stability Plan that sets tion and the workplace to complete goals unique to their own needs and school and advance in careers. Allies dreams. (Research shows that mini- learn what life is like for those experimum economic stability is achieved encing poverty, and how to help withwhen income reaches 200% of the out hurting, rescuing, or enabling. federal poverty guidelines.) Graduates are called Circle Leaders - persons who Whole Community Involvement: proactively lead their own lives out of Big View... The larger community completes the Circle. One meeting per poverty. month is open to the public, and is foEach Circle Leader is matched with cused on raising the poverty IQ of the two Allies, community volunteers typi- community. Typically, specific commucally from middle class. Allies have a nity leaders and decision makers are personal passion to help alleviate pov- invited to Big View to collaborate with erty, and are trained and supported by Circle Leaders in developing strategies Circles to provide weekly long-term together to relieve and remove specific support (18 months) as the Circle systemic barriers so that both families Leader works to achieve stability goals. and community thrive.

Allies offer coaching, problem-solving

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Join the Circles Movement... Circles Grand Rapids will be launching late this fall and you can play a role, large or small. We need persons with passion to alleviate poverty, and gifts and time to share: Allies; meeting facilitators; meal organization, prep, donation, and service; funding (Metro Ministry is a Six Lane Advance Special – designate gifts to Circles); fund raising; child care and programming; administrative assistance; Big View research and advocacy; advisory/visioning/resource team, and more.

For more information, please contact Rev. Julie Liske, Circles Chapter Director, at jliske@grmetroministry.org; 616-719-4510. Visit www.circlesusa. org, and watch for upcoming gathering dates at First Church to learn in detail where you might fit, and how you might serve!

Radical Hospitality “What About Names”

Do you know that the fear of not remembering a name is the biggest obstacle to being hospitable for any church?

Maybe you met someone last week and they have returned and you can’t pull their name out of your memory bank.

Maybe it’s a long-time member who sits on the other side of the sanctuary that you have met a couple of times but their name doesn’t come to you. Maybe it’s someone you worked with on a church project during the week but come Sunday their name is lost to you. Maybe you sat next to someone on a Sunday morning and then ran into them at the grocery store and their name is completely gone.

It’s the whole thing about names: we just can’t remember them! This shouldn’t surprise anyone because it happens to all of us. There’s nothing wrong with not remembering; it’s just a reality. The good news is that it is a reality for almost everybody. So we can’t let it prevent us from greeting and engaging people in conversation.

A number of tips: 1. Wear your name tag!

2. “Hello, my name is _______.” People will usually respond with theirs.

3. “Help me with your name.” Then immediately give your name in case the person can’t remember yours.

4. You’ve just met someone and go to introduce them to a friend and can’t

Did you know that the fear of not remembering a name is the biggest obstacle to being hospitable for any church?

Extravagant Generosity Legacy Ministry

By definition a “legacy” is a gift of property, personal property or money, given through a will or bequest. With any gift comes the responsibility to manage, invest, or use the gift wisely… and if guidelines are established by the giver, to honor the donor’s wishes. The Legacy Ministry at First Church oversees gifts given through bequests, second-mile giving, and/or planned giving.

Over the years, the Legacy Ministry Funds are invested through the United Methodist Foundation with a current value of just over $4 million dollars.

Are you aware of the wonderful ministries supported by our Legacy Ministry Funds?

Did you know we have an Ardath Wiltse Music Scholarship Fund? Each year, around the first of May, I put a notice in the Weekly Pulse that music scholarship applications will be taken through mid-June. This year’s scholarship recipients are: Emma and Abby Schuiling – attending Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp; Katie Wezeman – private violin lessons; Kelsie, Kamryn, and Kylie Wezeman – attending St Cecilia Music Society’s

summer orchestra program. We are eager to hear these gifted individuals share their talents with us during worship some Sunday.

Did you know that the Legacy Ministry is supporting our summer intern, Kaylee Harmening? Kaylee is a student at Grand Valley State University.

She went on the Cass Community Mission trip and had a wonderful experience in Detroit working with 13 others from our church. Kaylee has also worked alongside Richard Johnson to learn about our work program. I have also seen her work with Audrey Kawel and our Children’s Ministry. Kaylee is a most welcome addition this summer!

Did you know the Donna Keller Hunger Fund supports Casey’s breakfast each Christmas Eve? The food bill is approximately $1,500 each year. This hunger fund also supports the Feeding America food distributions sponsored

by Social Concerns. Most recently, the hunger fund has been reimbursing folks for groceries purchased for the food preparation for our Family Promise week. The fund has helped those who want to provide a meal to Family Promise, but simply could not afford the cost

remember her name. Introduce the friend by saying “Have you met Brian?” Chances are Brian will offer his hand for a hand shake and the new person will say “Hi, my name is Stephanie.” Then conversation goes from there.

5. You’ve just met someone new and want to introduce them to a friend and as you walk toward your friend, you lose both of their names. Now don’t laugh…..it has happened to us all at one time or another. Just say, “Have you two met?”

When we begin to obsess about forgetting names, it gets in the way of being hospitable, and we can’t let that happen.

We all have learned social cues over our lifetimes to help us when we get in a pinch or another person has and we act automatically. So don’t fret! We are all in this together.

Patsy McGillivray Director of Invitational Ministry

The hunger fund supports the Feeding America food distributions sponsored by Social Concerns and most recently, has been reimbursing folks for groceries purchased for the food preparation for our Family Promise week. of the groceries. What a great way to combine gifts and talents!

Did you know that we have seminary scholarship funds available for those who feel a call to ministry?

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. The Legacy Ministry evolved because of generous saints who have gone before us. I invite you to contact me if you want to talk about how you might leave a Legacy for your church, either through planned giving, second-mile giving, or a specific bequest to our church. What a wonderful way to continue to do the work of Christ in our world!

Sharon Sorensen Legacy Administrator

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Compassionate Care Changes In Congregational Care Change is dynamic, a constant in life just as it is in ministry. Very few things are the same as they were ten years ago, just as ten years from now things will not be the same as they are today.

As our congregation works through our three-year strategic plan, most of us are excited about the opportunities and possibilities that are creating some change. Adjustments and expansion are occurring which are positive. But at the same time that there is enthusiasm and excitement, there is also some anxiety about change. Change can be frightening, foreboding, and unsettling because you don’t know what to expect. For some, change can even be painful - but it is also essential if we are going to grow. Studies have shown that people are twice as unhappy about losing something as they are happy about gaining something else. Even positive change means a loss in some way. To lower some of the anxiety and help you know what to expect, I would like to answer some of the questions I have been asked regarding changes in congregational care.

to meet the spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental needs of our congregation. We will be enlarging our team to include other professional staff and Congregational Care Assistants.

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Do we still call the pastoral care phone number if we have a need? Yes, for now we ask that you do that. Unless I am on vacation, that number will ring directly to me.

What will the new Congregational Care Assistants do? The CCAs will be recruited and trained in areas such as confidentiality, boundaries, resources, prayer and reporting so they may make routine hospital calls and homebound visits.

Emergency calls and end-of-life visits will continue to be made by Pastor Bob and me.

When will we know who these Congregational Care Assistants are? As soon as they are trained, I will write an article about them which will include their names, photos, backgrounds, and what types of visits they will be doing.

Will your title change? Yes, it has They will also be introduced during a been changed from Parish Nurse to future worship service.

Executive Director of Congregational What will change with our Stephen Care.

Ministry program? Nothing! We will Will we hire a new Parish Nurse? continue to be a Stephen Ministry No. Pastor Bob and I will continue to congregation and provide one-on-one lead Congregational Care but I will Christian care to those in our congrehave an increased focus on attempting gation and beyond our walls.

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Will Caring Connection continue?

Yes! We will continue to meet once a month for fellowship, breakfast, and to pray for and send cards to people experiencing a health concern, loss, surgery, or a new baby.

What support groups are you considering beginning? I would like to begin a Cancer Survivors’ Group, Grief Support Group, Divorce Support Group, and an Anxiety/Depression Support Group. I have information on most of these and am looking for dynamic, passionate people to lead each of them. Let’s talk!

Will you still be available to meet with us individually to talk about health concerns, end of life decisions, and mental health needs? Yes! You can see how some things are changing in congregational care, yet some will remain the same. So let the changes come! Remember, every new thing you learn, every new thing you experience, and every new piece of information you receive changes you in some way. May we each keep an open mind and a teachable spirit so that the things we learn and experience will change us…for the better!

Grace and peace, Marj Timmerman RN, Executive Director of Congregational Care

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Sunday Worship: “Who Cares?”

Infant Nursery and Toddler Room Hometown Nazareth: 4-yr old - 6th grade Blood Pressure Clinic Congregational Care Forum Retiree Bible Study Staff meeting Work Program All-Day Staff meeting Moms’ Group at Wedgewood Park Sunday Worship: “A Commitment to Life-Long Learning” 10:00 am Infant Nursery and Toddler Room 10:15 am Hometown Nazareth: 4-yr old - 6th grade 11:00 am Community Summer Picnic 12:15 pm Second Sunday Lunch Bunch August 10 - 13, 9:00 am Arts Alive Camp 11:00 am Retiree Bible Study August 11, 7:00 am Work Program 12:00 pm JFON Advisory Board 5:30 pm Finance 6:30 pm A Bead and a Prayer 6:30 pm Historical Committee August 13, 9:00 am Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 5:00 pm Trustees August 14 - 16 All-Church Camping August 16, 10:00 am Sunday Worship: “Wesley and Socrates Have Something in Common” 10:00 am Infant Nursery and Toddler Room 10:15 am Hometown Nazareth: 4-yr old - 6th grade 11:00 am Faith Development Forum August 17, 11:00 am Retiree Bible Study 1:00 pm Staff meeting 6:30 pm Stephen Ministry August 18, 7:00 am Work Program 6:00 pm Teacher Development Day August 19, 9:00 am Caring Connection

August 2, 10:00 am 10:00 am 10:15 am 11:00 am 11:00 am August 3, 11:00 am 1:00 pm August 4, 7:00 am August 5, 10:00 am August 6, 10:00 am August 9, 10:00 am

Mark your calendars August 23, 9:00 am Worship Support Appreciation & Training Session 10:00 am Sunday Worship: “Ministry To… OR With?”

10:00 am Infant Nursery and Toddler Room 10:15 am Hometown Nazareth: 4-yr old - 6th grade 11:00 am 5th-6th Grade Open House in The Vine Game Room 11:00 am Sparkhouse for Elementary Teachers August 24, 11:00 am Retiree Bible Study 1:00 pm Staff meeting August 25, 7:00 am Work Program August 27, 9:00 am Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship August 30 - September 5 Family Promise/IHN August 30,10:00 am Sunday Worship: Outreach & Mission 10:00 am Infant Nursery and Toddler Room 10:15 am Hometown Nazareth: 4-yr old - 6th grade 10:00 am Blessing of the Backpacks 11:00 am Outreach/Mission Forum August 31, 11:00 am Retiree Bible Study 1:00 pm Staff meeting

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​Blessing of the Backpacks!

Sunday, August 30 at 10:00 am Bring your backpack to worship this day!

I’ve participated in Dinner for Eight for too many years to count! What I love about it is getting to know some people better I’ve rarely seen, as well as those I run into weekly. Dinner for Eight expands the opportunity to feel a sense of community within the church while having a wonderful time. It’s great for long-time members and newcomers alike! Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did! — Mary Molhoek

Dinner e for e Eight

Are you looking to connect with others at First Church? firstchurch@grandrapidsfumc.org

Three times a year, each participant enjoys a potluck-style dinner with seven other individuals. Sign up in the Sunday bulletin or online at www.grand rapidsfumc.org/sign-up-sheet. Last day to sign up is Sunday, September 20.

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