First Pulse October 2017

F irst Pulse

First United Methodist Church Grand Rapids | grfumc.org

October 2017

500th Anniversary of the Protestant

Reformation

Enclosed are stories from First Church and the impact on the lives of our community.

F irst Pulse October 2017

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Children’s Ministry on Homecoming Sunday.

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Adult education class that burst out of its assigned

room.

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On the Cover Reformation Sunday — Celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation!

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OUR MISSION

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To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

OUR PURPOSE

To fulfill the call of Christ to be spiritually alive in the city while embracing the world.

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First Pulse | October ‘17

INCLUSIVITY Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance, and support that enable all persons to participate in the life of the Church, the community, and the world; therefore, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination.

500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation Anniversaries are very important! An anniversary is the celebration or commemoration of a special event; most often a transformative event.

We celebrate wedding anniversaries, the birth of our nation, personal or family birthdays, the founding of educational institutions, businesses, denominations, local churches, and on and on. We also commemorate events like 9/11, D-Day, the end of a war, or the death of a loved one. It is a way for us to mark a notable occasion that we need to remember.

October of 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation! Those of you who are history buffs understand that the Reformation is bigger than what occurred within the community of faith in Wittenberg, Germany. It was an international convergence of theologians, church fathers and mothers, as well as politicians and statesmen who believed that humanity had fallen into a rut that needed a new sense of freedom to think, dream, explore, and discover. There was a synergy that was occurring in art, music, literature, theatre, and education, as well as the church. The unforeseen partner for this explosion of the human spirit was the printing press. A completely new era was dawning in the human journey.

The names that are associated with the Reformation within the church are Luther, Calvin and Zwingli.

Their influence has shaped theological thinking and experience for centuries, setting a pattern of reform for us all. As United Methodists, we are certainly connected to reformers named John and Charles Wesley who worked tirelessly to re-form the Church of England.

As a congregation, we are going to spend the month of October looking back as a way to look forward.

Indeed we will remember the extraordinary and courageous act of Martin Luther in 1517 who nailed his list of 95 concerns and disagreements with the Roman Church to the church door. According to Luther, Catholicism, (of which he was a priest) needed re-forming! While his decision was costly to him personally, it also opened a new way to think about God, the church and the people of God. The most salient of all Luther’s gift to us was introducing the priesthood of ALL believers in our understanding of ‘church.’

So the five Sundays of October, beginning with World Communion on October 1, will focus on the topics: * Reformation is STILL Needed! * Our Culture is Challenging the Status-Quo of Christianity * Orthodoxy has Gotten a Bum Rap * Revolution - Rebellion - or Reformation? * Finding Our Way AGAIN! And all of the Sundays will be building up to the 500th anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 29!

Come and join in the journey. Reformation may be transformational again!

Pastor Bob Senior Pastor

First Pulse | October ‘17

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Radical Hospitality Together Again!

Homecoming Sunday was a great start to the new program year!

I loved the energy I felt at both worship services (yes, even the 8:15 am folks had a spark)! As I journeyed through our campus, I found children and youth excited to be together again for classes, a packed room of adults at Pastor Bob’s forum, musicians preparing to help lead worship, Worship Support Team members ready to welcome guests, and our Fellowship Committee and volunteers preparing a celebration feast. I am SO thankful for the amazing people who helped to bring us together again!

This month’s challenge: Keep the excitement going!

Keep the excitement going!

Step One: Scheduling Did you plan your schedule so you wouldn’t miss out on Homecoming Sunday? Keep the plan in practice! I intentionally do my weekly chores on Saturday, so it leaves my Sundays open for church and family. If it looks like your Sunday isn’t going to be much of a Sabbath, consider carving out time to join us for the 8:15 am Worship Service.

As always, we’ll have coffee and communion.

Step Two: Attitude Don’t just show up at church out of routine. Intentionally enter the doors of First because this is a place where all are invited into community with God and each other. Consider this short prayer as you arrive: “Lord, help me to see and shine your light today.

Amen.”

First Pulse |October ‘17

I look forward to the continued excitement of the fall! If you would like to share your gift of hospitality or have feedback, I’d love to hear from you!

Sami Marasigan Director of Hospitality and Invitation samim@grandrapidsfumc.org

S’mores Ice Cream Pie Recipe For those of you who asked about the dessert from the homecoming meal.

Ingredients vanilla ice cream (1/2 gallon) Hershey bars (3 bars, smashed) Marshmallow Fluff (about 7oz) graham cracker pie crust optional: chocolate syrup & graham crackers Mix ice cream, Marshmallow Fluff, and chocolate pieces together. Pour ice cream mix into crust. Garnish with graham crackers. Drizzle chocolate syrup. http://pin.it/ DN1yCF3

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Step Three: Mission Make it your mission to welcome people (especially people you don’t know) into conversation and to a class or group you are a part of. Your spirit of hospitality is contagious!

PASSIONATE WORSHIP

500th

Music and Arts Ministry

Anniversary of “The Reformation”

October 31, 2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of “The Reformation,” 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his “95 theses” to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The young Augustinian monk put forth a set of ideas in that document that argued against the widespread practice in the church involving the selling of “indulgences” and challenged the authority of the Pope to be able to grant those pardons. Luther’s ideas spread quickly, helped in large part by the recent invention of the printing press, sparking a European-wide rebellion against the church in Rome throughout the 16th century.

You will be hearing quite a bit about all of this in the month of October, culminating on Sunday morning, October 29th, when we will observe a service of readings and music to celebrate and mark this moment.

“Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our hearts, minds and spirits. A person who does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs!” - Martin Luther One of the profound effects of the Reformation is upon the role and use of music in worship. Luther was musically educated as a singer, instrumentalist (flute, lute), and composer and had a great appreciation for the power of music, and, in particular, music’s power to bring people closer to God. Luther wanted the worshipper to feel more of a direct relationship with God, and emphasized the use of vernacular (the native tongue of the people) language, as opposed to the primary use of Latin, in the various services, especially for the mass, the service in which Holy Communion is celebrated. Luther wanted music that was more accessible and encouraged the singing of unison chorales. Other reformers to come, such as

Calvin and Zwingli, placed considerable restrictions on music, whereas, Luther seemed to embrace and unleash the full potential of music in worship.

The hymnal published in 1529, Spiritual Hymns New and Improved, lays out Luther’s approach to music for the church. The hymnal is divided into five sections with the first including twenty-eight hymns of Luther. Luther’s hymns were of various types: German translations of Latin hymns, hymns revised and enlarged from previous versions, metrical versions of psalms and hymns paraphrasing other scriptural passages, and original texts.

Of Luther’s hymns, perhaps none is more well-known than Ein’ feste Burg, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, based on Psalm 46. This hymn has been called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation” as it became a rallying song of support and was sung at critical moments in the advance of the Reformation causes.

Luther and his companions sang this as they were brought before the assembly of the Holy Roman Empire at Worms in 1521. It was at this assembly that the Emperor Charles V declared Luther a heretic.

The church music scholar, Paul Westermeyer, has identified four important aspects of Luther’s relationship with music.

1. Music is a gift of God’s good creation.

2. Music bears the Word of God. 3. Music joins praise to proclamation.

4. Music awakens by the Gospel.

There is much to celebrate and re-affirm as we celebrate and mark this milestone. It affords us an opportunity to continue to ask important questions about the key role of music in our worship, and how music connects us to God and to one another.

Eric Strand Director of Music and The Arts First Pulse | October ‘17

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October 2017 Sunday, October 1 World 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 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship, Third Grade Bible Study, and Shine: Sensory Room 4:00 pm – Couples in Faith Gathering 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II Monday, October 2 9:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 11:00 am – Pastors Meeting 1:00 pm – Staff Meeting 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Tuesday, October 3 7:00 am – Work Program 5:30 pm – Staff/Parish Relations Committee Wednesday, October 4 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:30 pm – Blessing of the Animals A

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Thursday, October 5 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers Rehearsal 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal Sunday, October 8 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, Third Grade Bible Study, and Shine: Sensory Room 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II Monday, October 9 10:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 1:00 pm – Lead Team 5:00 pm – Trustees Tuesday, October 10 7:00 am – Work Program

Wednesday, October 11 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 1:00 pm – Pastoral Care 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:00 pm – Young Adult Bible Study at J Gardella’s Thursday, October 12 9:00 am – Moms and Muffins Date 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers Rehearsal 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal Friday, October 13 6:00 pm – Mom’s Night Out Sunday, October 15 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 10:00 am – Fire Drill 10:15 am – Coffee & Connections 10:45 am – Nurseries 10:45 am – Sunday Worship 10:45 am – Children & Worship, Third Grade Bible Study, and Shine: Sensory Room 12:00 pm – Unplugged 4:00 pm – Couples in Faith Social Gathering 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II

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First Pulse | October ‘17

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, Third Grade Bible Study, and Shine: Sensory Room 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II

Monday, October 16 9:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 11:00 am – Pastors Meeting 12:00 pm – 60+ Luncheon 1:00 pm – Staff Meeting 5:30 pm – Building Committee and Trustees 6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry Tuesday, October 17 7:00 am – Work Program

Monday, October 23 10:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 1:00 pm – Lead Team

Wednesday, October 18 9:00 am – Caring Connection 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 6:00 pm – Disciple I 6:30 pm – Barclay Street Brass and Church Ensemble Rehearsal

Tuesday, October 24 7:00 am – Work Program 5:30 pm – Finance Meeting

Thursday, October 19 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers Rehearsal 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday, October 25 12:30 pm – Staff Prayer Service 1:00 pm – Pastoral Care 6:00 pm – Disciple I

Friday, October 20 10:00 am – Moms’ Group: HolloWee Ones Parade at Meijer Gardens

Thursday, October 26 6:00 pm – Jubilation Ringers Rehearsal 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Saturday, October 21 8:30 am – Feeding America

Friday, October 27 10:00 am – 2nd Best Sale Set-up 5:30 pm – Trunk or Treat

Sunday, October 22 IHN/Family Promise through October 29 8:15 am – Nurseries 8:15 am – Sunday Worship

Sunday, October 29 2nd Best Sale Intake 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, Third Grade Bible Study, and Shine: Sensory Room 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High Youth Group 5:30 pm – Disciple II Monday, October 30 9:30 am – Worship Design 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study 11:00 am – Pastors Meeting 1:00 pm – Staff Meeting Tuesday, October 31 7:00 am – Work Program

Fellowship Committee preparing for the homecoming meal.

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The Young Adults Group welcomed ArtPrizers to downtown and invited all to our ArtPrize Block Party.

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Sunday morning acolytes

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First Pulse | October ‘17

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Intentional Faith Development was happening to our neighbors in Texas. It was clear that our children were fascinated by nature’s power and felt like they needed to do something for the people impacted. Emma, my 4-year-old daughter, came up with some impressive suggestions on what she thought the kids could do to help. “People can stay in my room,” and “we can give them our toys.” That Soon after Hurricane Harvey hit, the United evening, I checked in with the UMCOR website and found Methodist Committee on Relief sent out the call for the best way for our kids to lend a helping hand: health relief emergency kits to be sent to the Houston area. First kits! Sarah, my assistant, and I shared our health relief kit Church member and Toddler Nursery Lead Teacher idea with the children, who were on board immediately, and Emily Mol heeded that call. with our children’s families via Facebook. A few weeks later, after receiving $70 in cash and numerous On Sunday mornings, Emily welcomes supply donations, the kids were able to create some of our youngest church members 29 health relief kits!!! Sarah and I were into the Toddler Nursery and shares humbled by the gleaming eyes and beaming Our children God’s love and stories with them. faces of all our kids as they helped prepare are very observant During the week, Emily runs a the bags. This activity reminded us that and wanted to know daycare from her home where she no matter how young, there is something gets to lead her small group of everyone can do to help others in need and what was going on children in learning and fun while sometimes all it takes is a kid to get the in Texas. “Why is it showing them what God’s love is ball rolling. all wet?” “Why are like.

UMCOR continues to need people crying?”

Emily, her assistant Sarah, and Emily’s donations of emergency kits and daycare families organized and began money as the cleanup efforts continue. collecting health relief kit supplies on Visit umcor.org to donate and to learn August 30. The children at Emily’s daycare more about what’s needed. have helped to count and sort the supplies that come in and have relished in the opportunity to help Audrey Kawel people they’ve never met. Emily’s daycare children Director of Faith Development are learning first hand what it means to be part of Christ’s community: happily helping our neighbors and nurturing a heart of kindness.

This year’s tumultuous hurricane season, set off by Hurricane Harvey in August, rocked much of the southeastern U.S. and Carribean Islands. The storm damage is extensive and recovery from the storms will be a long, uphill battle.

Our children are very observant and wanted to know what was going on in Texas. “Why is it all wet?” “Why are people crying?” We selected some videos of the hurricane damage to help illustrate what 8

First Pulse | October ‘17

Risk-Taking Outreach and Mission Your World Communion Sunday Offering At Work: Justice For Our Neighbors

Julio was brought to the United States in 2005 when he was just thirteen years old. He suffered abuse at the hands of his uncle, who forced Julio to work instead of attending school. He and his older brother escaped, and Julio was finally able to attend school when he was sixteen. He came to Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) in 2014, seeking protection from deportation and the right to work legally in the U.S. through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

When Julio came to JFON in 2014, he had suffered an accident which had caused him paraplegia. He was forced to sue his employer for worker’s compensation to cover his medical expenses, however he could not collect any money without a social security number. Julio’s case was complicated because he lacked the evidence of physical presence in the U.S. before he started school in 2008.

JFON worked to assist Julio in achieving his DACA approval, a process that took over a year. When his DACA application was finally official, he was so overjoyed that he and a friend brought 2 dozen donuts to the JFON office, donuts Julio had proudly paid for himself.

Julio is just one of the hundreds of individuals and families who come to JFON every year for assistance

on a variety of immigration-related issues. JFON offers the hospitality Jesus calls for in Matthew 25:35, “For…I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Providing specialized legal services and advocating for immigrant rights, the United Methodist ministry JFON offers radical hospitality to those in greatest need.

As Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on September 5th, President Trump has ended the DACA program, putting nearly 800,000 immigrants who came to the U.S. as children or teenagers at risk of deportation. While Congress still has time to act to reauthorize DACA, many immigrants’ lives and livelihoods hang in the balance.

The work of JFON, and of all Christians dedicated to loving neighbor as oneself, has never been more critical.

Scripture makes it clear that God accepts all people, regardless of their national origin. The Lord reminded Israel of this in Leviticus 19:33-34: When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. JFON works to make this directive a reality in our community. A portion of your World Wide Communion Sunday offering allows JFON to continue their grassroots efforts on behalf of our immigrant neighbors. For more information on how you can get directly involved with JFON’s ministry, visit jfonwestmichigan.org.

The DREAM Act

Bipartisan legislation considered

by Congress since 2001, the DREAM Act was reintroduced this year by Senators Dick Durbin (DIL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Since 2012, The United Methodist Church has supported the adoption of the DREAM Act as legislation to protect DACA recipients (Book of Resolutions, 3164). The Church supported the steps taken

by President Obama, including establishing DACA, as a necessary, temporary step that allowed certain groups of immigrants to apply for temporary legal status (Book of Resolutions, 3281). Now the DREAM Act is the necessary recourse to protect DACA recipients and provide a pathway to citizenship. The only hope for DACA recipients is a legislative solution before March 2018.

Governor Rick Snyder, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and U.S. Representative Justin Amash have all made public statements in support of DACA. You can contact your U.S. Representative at 1-888496-3502 or U.S. Senators at 1-888410-0619 to make your voice heard.

Rev. Amee Paparella Associate Pastor

First Pulse | October ‘17

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EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY Resource Development

A Joyful and Natural Response to God’s Grace I’m always amazed at the many examples of generous giving here at First Church. On the Finance Team, we know that simply talking about giving doesn’t make it happen. People need to be moved, to be inspired by something that touches their hearts in ways that makes giving a joyful and natural response to God’s grace. Such inspiration impacts many of our ministries.

There is a couple in our church who, for many years, would winter in Florida. On the day after Christmas, in Florida, they would go shopping for hundreds of dollars of deeply discounted Christmas wrapping materials. They would load those materials into their motor home and bring them back to Grand Rapids in the spring and donate them to the MLK ministry to be used for the Christmas Gift of Giving program.

And this was in addition to any regular giving.

A few years ago, we received a large gift from a donor for the youth program. This person felt called to support the youth ministry, again in addition to their regular giving. This gift was used over a period of time for our youth activities, allowing our general funds to be channeled into other ministries.

We have a donor who has given a large cash gift to the Work Program to help pay the weekly stipend to the program participants. Again, this is addition to their regular giving.

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First Pulse | October ‘17

There are, of course, many other similar stories.

The point is that all of the many ministries of First Church not only serve the recipients of our love, but these ministries also serve as a way for individual givers to find a heartfelt inspiration from God. Different people are inspired in different ways, and those who listen for God’s leading find joy not only in giving regularly, but are often inspired to go “above and beyond.”

I pray that everyone is seeking that special spot for ministry that has been carved out just for them so that they can joyfully connect with God in a very personal way. That is what causes Extravagant Generosity to happen!

Chris Hawkins Finance Committee

Congregational Care One Tuesday in Pastoral Care As I write this, it has been almost 3 months since I began my new position on the Pastoral Care Team at Clark Retirement Community as well as continuing on in the Parish Nurse position at First Church. It has been quite a journey so far! I thought it might be interesting to share what a day of Pastoral Care can look like.

Tuesday, September 12th began with making a visit to Blodgett to pray with a Clark resident who was having surgery that day as well as visiting a First Church member who was recovering from surgery. I then met up with Pastor Tim and we went to Grandville Cemetery. One of the Keller Lake residents whom we had already grown very fond of had died and we both wanted her to have a committal service before burial. We were the only ones there beside the funeral director and cemetery crew.

From Grandville Cemetery, we dashed over to Keller Lake for the 10:30 am prayer and praise service at Oxford. Normally just one of us leads that service, but today it was going to be both of us, that is, until one of the residents needed some special pastoral care. Tim led the service and I met with the man needing a little extra prayer and care.

Tim visiting the First Church member and his wife, and me the Clark resident and her son. We ate our lunches quickly before attending a Transitions meeting at the Franklin Campus of Clark. After that meeting, we answered phone calls and messages and planned who was going to be where the next day. At 3pm, Tim and I attended one of the Area Meetings at Clark. We have been invited to several of these meetings which help us get to know the residents and their concerns, and they get to know us better!

After that meeting, I visited two of the fourteen Clark residents who are in hospice care. We regularly visit those in hospice care, checking in with their families, and praying with them. I then headed over to St Mary’s Hospital to visit one of our First Church members while Tim worked on finishing his message for the memorial service for a Keller Lake resident which was being held the next day.

Every single day is a new adventure as we care for one another!

We then received a call that a First Church member was in Butterworth Hospital and an email that a Clark resident had also been admitted to Butterworth so we headed there.

We went in different directions,

After dinner, I checked in by phone with two of our expectant moms and one of our First Church members who had recently returned home from the hospital. I also spoke with one of our Stephen Ministers who had some questions. I then updated the whole Pastoral Care Team on any concerns they needed to be aware of.

Every single day is a new adventure as we care for one another! May God give us the strength to bear one another’s burdens and to share God’s peace that passes all understanding.

Peace and joy, Marj Timmerman RN Pastoral Care First Pulse | October ‘17

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Blessing of the Animals Wednesday, October 4 at 6:30 pm in The Vine

This is a short service during which living pets are blessed and the deceased are remembered. People are encouraged to bring their friendly, non-aggressive pets in either cages or on a leash.

An altar will be provided for photos of pets.

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TRUNK OR TREAT OCTOBER 27 BO

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Join us for our Halloween Trunk or Treat community event. Wear a costume and bring a smile!

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O O ! (207 Fulton St E) Lower Parking Lot of FirstBPlace To host a trunk, email audreyk@grandrapidsfumc.org.

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