Fumc october spice newsletter

October 2013

Go Girls!

Tuning in to Nature: God’s Broadcasting Station “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”

The author of this quote, George Washington Carver, is probably best known for devising hundreds of innovative uses for the peanut. (Yes, hundreds!)

Born into slavery in the 1800’s, he went on to become a celebrated scientist and teacher…and man of faith. He believed that every created thing spoke of the proof of God’s existence, if only people would listen.

Long before broadcasts from radio, TV, Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging monopolized our time and attention, Carver knew people needed to stay tuned in to nature. Nature—where God speaks and teaches through the beauty, wonder, and mystery of his creation on the real Nature and Discovery channel. Nature—where tweets come from birds and no devices, apps, or Wi-Fi connections are necessary to hear from God. When we tune in to this unlimited broadcasting station, we find it’s well worth the time and effort. If we listen closely as we walk through a field or forest, up a mountain or along a shore (cell phone off, of course), can we hear the mountains singing and the trees clapping their hands as they testify to the power, glory, and love of our God? See the colorful flowers that remind us of God’s love and the promise that sown tears are the seeds of future joy?

Behold in awe the mighty oak trees that demonstrate to us the importance and value of establishing deep roots of faith to endure the storms of life?

Nature—God’s unlimited broadcasting system.

Why not change your remote control settings this autumn, take a walk with God, and experience the beauty of this home he gave you— complete with his discovery channel!

A ministry of: FUMC Berkeley Springs 49 South Green St. Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 304.258.2766 | gofirst.org Pastor Andrew Cooney

THE WORD “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.”

— Psalm 19:1-2

Prayer for Today “I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.”

— E. E. Cummings

October 2013 | Page 2 allergies, noisy children, bossy bosses, hormones, poopy diapers, , laundry, ingratitude, deadlines, needy friends, cranky husbands, backto-school germs, hormones, dirty dishes, pent-up resentments, hurt feelings, boredom, dust, furloughs,

, the blues,

switching closets,

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aging parents, hormones, regret, dog hair, back-talk, 20 pounds, fear

Re-treat yourself to a break.

Join sisters in a time of refreshment and reflection as we study “One Thousand Gifts.” Laugh, craft, rest, maybe cry and grow together.

October 25-27 |2pm Friday departure to 2pm Sunday Just $115 for 2 nights with meals!! $60 for one night.

At beautiful Skycroft, near Frederick, MD (skycroft.org) Fall nature, coffee shop, fitness center and more! Lots of free time.

Two slots remain for facial ($59) or pedicure ($29). Call now!

RSVP to Linda Romano at mnpt12@frontier.com or 304.258.6889.

Questions? Ask any Women’s Ministry leader (page 4)

Stitches ‘n’ Hooks NEWS Stitches ‘n’ Hooks will be meeting the second Friday of each month starting in November. Each month will feature a different project.

This month Lin Vance will have a couple of easy quilt pattern blocks to see, with the goal being to make quilts for our graduating Seniors of 2014.

Lin is teaching beginning quilting during Stiches ‘n’ Hooks for those interested.

Questions? Contact Bonnie Weber @ 304258-5989.

A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Tweets Worth Listening To? Tweets are being broadcast all around us, but it’s not the birds we’re listening to anymore. According to recent statistics, there are about 177 million tweets broadcast through Twitter each day. Seventy-one percent of those get no reaction—none at all—from Twitter users. That’s more than 125 million tweets a day deemed by listeners as not worth listening to!

Thankfully, there are a few tweeters broadcasting that we should consider listening to. A recent study by the Barna Group revealed that over the last two years, pastors and churches have taken a big leap from the traditional communication nest and are increasingly using social media outlets to broadcast their messages of faith. In fact, from 2011 to 2013, the use of Twitter by pastors has increased 77 percent!

What tweets will you listen to today? The birds or a short string of words? ☺

October 2013 | Page 3 Case Studies in Faithfulness: Joseph By Isabella Yosuico Part 4 – Still Standing Genesis 40 Last month closed with Joseph in prison, wrongly accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife. Still, God continued to favor Joseph even in jail, promoting him to overseer, another position of power and influence.

As Chapter 40 opens, things take a turn. Joseph is seemingly demoted by Potiphar to be personal servant for Pharaoh’s baker and cupbearer, both imprisoned. The two were having troubling dreams and Joseph kindly offers to interpret them, giving glory to God for his insights (v.8).

Self-Pity Joseph’s interpretation revealed the cupbearer’s restoration by Pharaoh to his former post. Joseph asks the grateful cupbearer to put in a good word with Pharaoh for Joseph’s release. His request sounds a little pitiful, “…For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit” (v15). He goes on to foretell the baker’s execution, inciting the man’s anger. Joseph’s predictions soon came to pass, but the cupbearer forgets his vow, and Joseph remains in prison for another two years.

The Roller Coaster of Life Let me slip into Joseph’s blood-stained rainbow robe for a minute because the self-pity feels so familiar to me!

Joseph, who had been the family rock star well into his teens, is on a downslope of his seemingly endless rollercoaster ride. Favored son sold into slavery by his brothers, promoted at Potiphar’s house, sexually harassed by his boss’ wife, wrongfully imprisoned, promoted at the jail, demoted to servant, given hope of release, hopes dashed once again. Updown-up-down. Life ever feel that way to you?

I’ve been on this ride! Mountaintop times and unexpected favor...Then seemingly random or cunningly unfair events jerked me here and there, leaving me wondering what I’d done to deserve such injustice. From our view, Joseph has mostly been even-keeled. Moses doesn’t hint at Joseph being anything but steady and faithful until his mild plea to the cupbearer. It’s not overwhelmingly sad, but clearly, he’s hoping for a way out. After all, isn’t he a victim, he says?

Stand Firm, No Matter What In my case, I often start complaining, fretting and wondering at the first sign of trouble, looking for the ‘good word’ that will get me out, the miracle solution. Did Joseph hang onto his dream? Did he have a deep sense of eventual deliverance? Did Moses fail to mention an angel had reassured Joseph it would all work out in the end? Or was he simply quietly faithful in the uncertainty of his fate, believing God was working for the good? I suspect the latter.

God kept Joseph in jail a full two more years before freeing him to fulfill his ultimate purpose, in suddenly spectacular and virtually ‘effortless’ fashion. Maybe those final two years in prison were designed to purge that last little bit of self-pity and self-will from Joseph, preparing him for the job God had in mind all along.

Maybe the miracle solution for all of us as we face trials of many kinds (James 1:2) is donning our own blood-stained robes, embracing the ups and downs of life, with our eyes fixed on our Father, just as Jesus did, whole-heartedly surrendered to whatever’s happening, no matter what. Whether you’re on an exhilarating, power-filled upswing or scary, confusing downturn, the answer remains Jesus.

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But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits[a] to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 (ESV) He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

Revelation 3:5 (NIV) Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for the eternal hope I have in you. Help me enjoy that confident rest no matter what’s happening here and now, good or bad. I ask it in Christ’s name. Amen.

October A Taste of What’s Happening for Women Sun

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Women’s Ministry Leadership Team Sarah Fisher, Women’s Ministry Coordinator: sfisher@gofirst.org | 304.258.2766 Cindi Close: csclose@hotmail.com Gretchen Close: gclose2@gmail.com Linda Romano: mnpt12@frontier.com Bonnie Weber: bwweber@frontier.com Isabella Yosuico: isabellayosuico@gmail.com

Design and base content © 2013 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO, group.com/women. Permission to photocopy granted for local church use only.