F irst Pulse
First United Methodist Church Grand Rapids | grfumc.org
November 2017
Enclosed are stories from First Church and the impact on the lives of our community.
F irst Pulse November 2017
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Blessing of the Animals
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As we leave worship, we bring the light of Christ with us. B
On the Cover The Five Pillars of the Church — Celebrating consecration Sunday, November 19. C
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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 | November ‘17
The “rhythm” of life in our congregation includes fall activities like the ArtPrize Block Party! Every congregation has a “rhythm!” In the personality of a congregation, a pattern or motif is established that is often connected to a particular time of year. In music, poetry, or theater, rhythm provides the pulse, cadence, or flow of a composition or performance. In every church I have ever served, there are “harvest” celebrations that have been part of the rhythm that gives historic meaning and purpose to the people of faith. At Lansing First Church, the fall season included a late October “Sauerkraut Supper.” Many years before I arrived, Lansing First Church merged with a German United Methodist congregation. In the merger, several of the traditions of the former German congregation were embraced and continued. While we would run 175 to 225 in worship attendance on Sunday morning, the congregation always served between 500 and 600 people at The Sauerkraut Supper. My first year, I simply watched and listened. At the time that I arrived, the tradition of serving the supper was about the food to honor the heritage of an important segment of that congregation. But they did not think about the supper as a way to communicate with their guests about the life and ministry of their church. The second year I was there, we began to give literature, overtly welcome the guests, and had the organist play the beautiful pipe organ in the sanctuary while the guests sat waiting for a seat to open in the dining hall. We began transforming a meal into a ministry when we understood our purpose as a church. At the Mason First Church, there were two fall community events: “Down Home Days”’ in September and a huge holiday festival on the second weekend of November. The congregation participated in a multitude of ways with both festivals, but like Lansing First, they believed that their only gift to the community was the preparation and serving
of food. For years, they thought that simply opening the doors and serving a meal that would make money was the purpose, and it wasn’t. We began re-imagining how we welcome the guest. We started giving each of the guest’s information with an invitation to join us for worship, classes, support groups, and so forth. Both events ended up being a way for our congregation to tell our story to folks who entered the door for food that may never come to worship. The “rhythm” of life in our congregation includes fall activities and ministries that are connected to ArtPrize, The Work Program, Justice for Our Neighbors, our ministry at Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Academy, Family Promise, Sunday worship, educational opportunities, excellent concerts, and getting ready for the Celebration of the Arts. As we are winding down October and planning for a wonderful November, I assure you that ministry is happening at First United Methodist Church. And yet, we still want to encourage more and more of our people to get involved in variety of ministries. I encourage you to invite a friend, neighbor, or family member to activities, concerts, worship, fellowship events, or educational opportunities. Together, let’s tell the good news of First Church’s commitment to people, programs, outreach and mission, artistic excellence, and spiritual enrichment. As we look ahead to November, you will hear compelling stories of ministries that matter as we prepare for the annual stewardship focus and our Annual Church Conference. Our stewardship emphasis is on the covenant that we make when we join the church as we promise to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. There is no question about it; great things are happening at First Church. Why not come and be part of the story! Grace and peace to you. Pastor Bob First Pulse | November ‘17
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Radical Hospitality
When you hear the word “invitation,” what comes to mind? For me, I imagine opening my Hi! My name is Sami. That’s how mailbox to a lovely calligraphed I introduce myself and that’s what wedding invitation or friend most people call me (though, calling to meet for coffee. some of my family call me Sam). Invitations bring us into new Even though my full name is adventures, deeper relationships, Samantha, that’s not how people and meaningful faith. So it address me. If someone calls me makes sense that we would grow Samantha, I’m in trouble. Names from evangelism to invitation. have the power to create emotion However, with growth comes and the power to change. additional responsibility. We also voted to add a At our October 6th Objective: First Leadership Council Church members Welcome meeting, we voted regularly invite all people in to transition from friends, family, an active manner “Evangelism and coworkers, Hospitality” to and inviting them classmates, and “Hospitality and to discover God neighbors to Invitation” as and to connect in attend First Church our second critical for worship, events, life-changing success factor. While classes, and groups. ways. the name has changed, our goal to “Welcome all While this 6th Objective people in an active manner comes naturally for some, many and inviting them to discover God of us need to practice becoming and to connect in life-changing more invitational. Did you know ways,” has not changed. that: statistics say that 47% of churchless people are open Why the name change? to being invited to church by a friend and 20% are strongly When you hear the word “evangelism,” what comes to mind? For many, the word evangelism carries negative connotations and baggage. Images of judgmental people carrying hurtful signs, rather than beautiful stories of lives changed through grace and love, are what many imagine.
What’s in a name?
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First Pulse | November ‘17
interested in being invited to church by a friend. (Barna research) What?!?! That means that 1 in 5 of your friends or family (without a church home) are just waiting for the invite! That also means that almost half are open to the invitation. Over the next two months there are great things going on at First Church. I hope that you will take the opportunity to extend an invitation to your friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and neighbors. Sami Marasigan Director of Hospitality & Invitation Read our strategic plan at grfumc. org/vision.
PASSIONATE WORSHIP Music and Arts Ministry
Of Poets, Dancing Saints, Time, and Worship “Some celestial event. No - no words. No words to describe it. Poetry! They should have sent a poet. So beautiful. So beautiful... I had no idea.” – Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster’s character in the 1988 movie, Contact ) “Therefore, we are searching for poets everywhere!” – Martin Luther “When man’s natural musical ability is whetted and polished to the extent that it becomes an art, then do we note with great surprise the great and perfect wisdom of God in music, which is, after all, his product and his gift; we marvel when we hear music in which one voice sings a simple melody, while three, four, or five other voices play and trip lustily around the voice that sings its simple melody and adorn this simple melody wonderfully with artistic musical effects, thus reminding us of a heavenly dance, where all meet in a spirit of friendliness, caress and embrace.” – Martin Luther, 1538 “The churches’ worship provides opportunities for us to enjoy God’s presence in corporate ways that take us out of time and into the eternal purposes of God’s kingdom. To understand worship as a royal waste of time is good for us because that frees us to enter into the poverty of Christ. We worship a triune God who chose to rescue the world he created by means of the way of humility. God sent his Son into the world to empty himself in the obedience of a slave, humbling himself to suffer throughout his entire life and to die the worst of deaths on our behalf. He did not come to be ‘solving the world’s problems in any sense that the world could understand.’ Worship of such a God immerses us in such a way of life, empowered by a Spirit who does not equip us with means of power or control, accomplishment or success, but with the ability and humility to waste time in love of the neighbor.” – Marva Dawn, A Royal “Waste” of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” – Lilla Watson (is an Indigenous Australian or Murri visual artist, activist and academic working in the field of women’s issues and Aboriginal epistemology.)
A detail from the “Dancing Saints” frieze at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, San Francisco, CA.
“Exodus is now!” – Rev. Dr. Robert Hundley, 2017 I hope you find the interplay among these quotes to be thought-provoking and provide you fodder for further exploration. For me, the ideas here relate to the idea that, in worship, our normal sense of “time” is transcended. In worship, “time” is not linear in the sense that we often understand past, present, and future. Rather, as God is timeless, so, in worship, we access in the present, all that has gone before us. Ancient and modern mix in ways that are very mysterious. November brings with it the celebration of that “great cloud of witnesses” at All Saints. This is truly a cosmic dance, as depicted in the iconographical paintings that surround St. Gregory of Nyssa Church in San Francisco. In our data-driven society, worship is decidedly counter-cultural. We cannot provide “data” on how worship changes the world. Data cannot quantify “transformation” of God. For all the “data” that was transferred back to earth as we have explored outer space, it is the picture of the moonrise over the earth that transformed and inspired. In worship, it is the revelation of God that transforms our lives, and thus leads to the transformation of the world. All of this mystery cannot be put into words or data. The only way to begin to even access such mystery is through poetry, music, and silence. Worship is not utilitarian. It is so much more than we can ask or imagine. Eric Strand Director of Music and the Arts First Pulse | November ‘17
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November 2017 Wednesday, November 1 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Franklin Campus 5:30 pm – Moms’ Group: Makeand-Take 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:00 pm – Young Adults: Adulting 101 Thursday, November 2 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Keller Lake 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal Saturday, November 4 9:00 am – 2nd Best Sale 7:00 pm – Sr High Youth Overnight Sunday, November 5 Daylight Saving Time Ends Communion Sunday Blood Pressure Sunday 8:15 am – Nurseries 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nurseries 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 9:15 am – Medicare Class 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship A
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10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 4:00 pm – Couples in Faith Gathering 5:00 pm – Methodist Connection Worship/Pie Social 5:00 pm – Jr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II Monday, November 6 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry 6:30 pm – Methodist Connection monthly meeting Tuesday, November 7 7:00 am – Work Program 5:30 pm – Staff/Parish Relations Committee Wednesday, November 8 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Franklin Campus 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:00 pm – Young Adults Group Thursday, November 9 9:00 am – Moms and Muffins Date 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Keller Lake 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Saturday, November 11 4:00 pm – Vow Renewal
Sunday, November 12 Third Grade Bible Sunday 8:15 am – Nurseries 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nurseries 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II Monday, November 13 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 5:00 pm – Trustees Tuesday, November 14 7:00 am – Work Program 12:00 pm – JFON Advisory Board 5:00 pm – Stephen Leader Meeting 5:30 pm – Finance Meeting Wednesday, November 15 9:00 am – Caring Connection 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Franklin Campus 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:00 pm – Young Adults Adulting 101: Cheap & Healthy Meals 7:00 pm – Missionaries Sandy and Delbert Groves Presentation
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First Pulse | November ‘17
Monday, November 20 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 12:00 pm – 60+ Luncheon 5:30 pm – Building Committee 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry 7:00 pm – Leadership Council
Thursday, November 16 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Keller Lake 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Tuesday, November 21 7:00 am – Work Program 6:30 pm – Missions Commission
Friday, November 17 7:00 pm – Jr High Casey’s Socks Overnight
Wednesday, November 22 Church Offices and Building Closing at 2:00 pm
Saturday, November 18 8:30 am – Feeding America 8:30 am – Moms’ Group: Santa Parade 9:00 am – Consecration Sunday Brunch prep
Thursday, November 23 Thanksgiving Day Church Offices and Building Closed
Sunday, November 19 8:15 am – Nurseries 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nurseries 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 12:00 pm – Consecration Sunday Celebration Brunch 4:00 pm – Couples in Faith Gathering 5:00 pm – Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II
Friday, November 24 Church Offices and Building Closed Sunday, November 26 8:15 am – Nurseries 8:15 am – Sunday Worship 8:30 am – Children’s Chapel 9:00 am – Nurseries 9:15 am – Church School for All Ages 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship and Shine: Sensory Room 5:30 pm – Disciple II
Monday, November 27 MLK Gift of Giving 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 2:30 pm – Blood Drive 7:00 pm – Church Conference Tuesday, November 28 MLK Gift of Giving 7:00 am – Work Program Wednesday, November 29 MLK Gift of Giving 9:00 am – MLK Accepting Donations 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Franklin Campus 5:30 pm – Hanging of the Greens 6:00 pm – Disciple I Thursday, November 30 MLK Gift of Giving 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 2:00 pm – Being Mortal: Clark Keller Lake 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir A
Blessing of the Animals Service on October 4.
ArtPrize 2017 Block Party free capoeira demonstration. B
A gathering of our dedicated Hotline Crew volunteers. C
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First Pulse | November ‘17
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Intentional Faith Development Survive or Thrive Youth Event On September 24, the Grand Rapids District of the UMC hosted a youth event called “Survive or Thrive.” Our junior and senior high youth, along with fourteen other youth groups from the Grand Rapids District, traveled to the 3 Mile Project for a night of faith, fun, and fellowship. The 3 Mile Project was a space for our youth to make new friends while playing Gaga Ball, Reball, video games, air hockey, and pick-up games of basketball and volleyball. After dinner, a praise band kicked off a time of worship that also included a short talk about how being in a Our youth were group can help us have a stronger faith. Students were split into small moved by the groups to continue this discussion worship service, and and share their thoughts on being recognized that time a follower of Jesus. Our youth were moved by the worship spent worshiping God service, and recognized that time is just as important spent worshiping God is just as as having fun. important as having fun. As leaders, it was exciting to watch our youth become active participants in worship and encourage their peers to do the same. They even coordinated a conga line during one of the more upbeat worship songs. Our group fosters inclusiveness and that light shines when we go to events like this. Emily Uebbing Director of Junior High Youth Heather Yzenbaard Director of Senior High Youth 8
First Pulse | November ‘17
Risk-Taking Outreach and Mission A Different Kind of Christmas
As we approach the Advent season, part of our preparation is naturally thinking about gift-giving, list-making, and shopping. Too often this can be a stressful and difficult task. Can Christmas giving bring joy from start to finish? Our Alternative Christmas Giving Fair can help you bring joy to your family and friends while also benefiting our community and world. Without long lines or crowded malls you can browse gifts that directly give to people in need while learning about our church’s involvement in social action and mission here in Grand Rapids and around the world. Across the United States, United Methodist congregations are encouraging people to spend less on forgettable, consumerdriven gifts and more on thoughtful gifts that benefit others. Hosting alternativegiving fairs, we
hope to help create new holiday memories and traditions.
At our event you can visit the various booths deciding on which agencies to support and learning about their mission. You can pay by check, cash or credit/debit card. “In Honor” cards are available so shoppers can share the news of their gift with others. Some booths will also have items for purchase such as artisan crafts from Haiti or Nicaragua. “You can find something that speaks to a person’s interests,” one participant shared, “It’s one of those places where you enjoy shopping - the person who you are shopping for gets joy, and the families who are in need also benefit. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” Throughout the Advent Season there are opportunities to celebrate a Different Kind of Christmas:
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A Different Kind
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Christmas Fair
• Explore alternative gifts
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through A Different Kind of Christmas Fair on Sunday, November 26 in Wesley Hall Volunteer to help with the MLK Gift of Giving Program or provide gifts for MLK moms Attend worship services every Sunday during Advent Use the Advent Devotional to spend time in prayer and contemplation daily Give the gift of time and music by Christmas Caroling to our church homebound members on Sunday, December, 10 at 12:00 pm and with the Methodist Connection on Saturday, December 9 at 3:00 pm. Provide Christmas socks and fellowship with our Heartside neighbors for our annual Casey’s Christmas Eve Breakfast Give generously to our Christmas Eve Mission Offering
Watch for additional information in our Weekly Pulse newsletter, the church bulletin, and website or contact the church office. Join us in celebrating a Different Kind of Christmas again this year! Iain Charnley Missions Chair
First Pulse | November ‘17
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EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY Resource Development
The Five Pillars of First Church With autumn upon us, planning for 2018 has begun in earnest! I am always amazed at the exciting ideas and plans for ministry that continue to bubble up here at First Church. We do not simply talk about the poverty in our midst, we act through the many ministries that serve the underserved both here in Grand Rapids and across the world! We do not simply feel bad for those who are lonely or sick, we touch their lives with our love and support. We don’t simply watch natural disasters unfold before our eyes on television, we act through generous financial support that will help so many recover from tragic events.
ive F e Th P R A Y E R S
P R E S E N C E
We are launching our 2018 Giving First Campaign by reminding everyone of the five important pillars of support for the ministries of First Church. All of us are called to be in ministry through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. You are going to be hearing a lot about these five pillars in the coming weeks. As part of this emphasis, the stewardship team will be working to inspire our commitments of financial support in 2018, the gifts pillar. Our goal, just as with all ministry, is to engage the hearts of everyone so that generous giving is simply a natural response to God being the center of our lives. We are blessed this year by the fact that our overall giving will exceed what was pledged a year ago. This means that folks have been so moved by the impactful ministries of our church, that many have given even more than pledged. Indeed, stewardship is a spiritual topic! Most of us have been inspired to involve ourselves in active outreach, educational opportunities, or forms of service that simply help the church run smoothly. We pray that everyone is engaged, because when that happens, the topic of giving truly becomes a joyful celebration of God at work in our lives and in our church! It is true that our gifts follow our hearts! In the coming weeks, there will be much communication about our campaign, culminating on November 19,, Consecration Sunday, when we joyfully will receive our giving commitments for 2018. I hope that everyone can use this time to reflect on how 10
First Pulse | November ‘17
G I F T S
truly blessed we all are, and gratefully pledge to give back a generous portion to God in 2018. Our church depends on all five pillars standing strong, supporting all we do in the name of Jesus Christ. May our 2018 campaign truly reflect the extravagant generosity of a faithful and grateful First Church Pi ll ar family.
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S E R V I C E
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of your giving in 2018 as we move ever closer to becoming a tithing congregation!
W I T N Chris Hawkins E Finance Committee S S
Church
Congregational Care Our hearts continue to go out to individuals and families whose lives have changed in the wake of hurricanes, violent acts against humanity, and other crises. Taking time for self-care is vital. On Tuesday, October 3, the sanctuary was open for prayer for anyone interested in a quiet space. One visitor commented that it was the best part of ArtPrize that day for her. Please use these prayers and scriptures for supporting yourself in times of challenge and difficulty. Rev. Tim Tuthill, Director of Congregational Care Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah ‘Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.’ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Prayer of Saint Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
The Serenity Prayer – Reinhold Niebuhr God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that You will make all things right, if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Grant Us Peace Grant us peace that will BREAK our silence in the midst of violence then prophetic voices shall resonate. Grant us peace that will PULL US DOWN from the steeple of our pride then we’ll learn to wash each other’s feet. Grant us peace that will EMPTY us of hate and intolerance then we’ll turn guns into guitars and sing. Grant us peace that will SHUT our mouths up when we speak too much then we’ll learn to listen and understand what others are saying. Grant us peace that will DISTURB us in our apathy then we’ll dance together under the sun. Grant us peace that will BURN our lethargic hearts then we’ll endure burning and let love and justice glow. (Philippines) Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) – Christ Has No Body Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours, yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world, yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours, yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. First Pulse | November ‘17
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