400 S. Main Street • Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 Phone: (989) 773-6934 • Fax: (989) 773-1855 • Web: www.mtpfumc.org February 2019 NEWSLETTER Our Mission Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our Vision First United Methodist Church is a welcoming, vital church, filled with people of all ages, from all walks of life and stages of faith, growing together to become deeply committed Christians who follow and serve Jesus Christ. Throughout the last month the leaders of the church have been engaged in reading books on church leadership; including Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod Bolsinger. Bolsinger uses the Lewis and Clark exploration of the American West as a metaphor for leadership in the church today. When Lewis and Clark climbed the Lemhi Pass, having canoed up the Missouri, they expected to find a river that would allow them to paddle easily to the Pacific Ocean. What they found instead was the Rocky Mountains. Lewis and Clark could either give up or adapt to this new reality. They decided to exchange their canoes for horses and continue their journey. Like Lewis and Clark, the church must adapt to the new realities of today. Bolsinger contends that many churches try to canoe the mountains believing that if they just paddle harder, they will be able to move forward. The landscape has changed. After 1700 years, Christianity is no longer the dominant world view of the Western World. Bolsinger says, paddling harder isn’t going to do any good. We cannot simply preach more, sing louder or try harder. The landscape has changed. We can either mourn the changing times or we can choose to learn a new way of being Christ’s church. Like Lewis and Clark, the church needs to make an adaptation. The church has entered uncharted territory and just doing what we have always done will no longer work. We have run into the Rocky Mountains and we are trying to transverse them carrying canoes on our backs. Instead, we need to listen, learn, and experiment; finding new creative ways to move forward. Churches face the choice of the adventure of traversing the uncharted territory or death. Lewis and Clark would have never made it to the Pacific Ocean if it weren’t for the help of Sacagawea. As a Native American teenage nursing mother, who had been kidnapped as a child, Sacagawea had no voice, no privilege, no power and yet she was the key to Lewis and Clark’s success. The terrain wasn’t unfamiliar to her and her expertise made it possible for Lewis and Clark to reach the Pacific Ocean. Bolsinger maintains that if the Church doesn’t make space for those who didn’t grow up being formed by the practices of the church, we will not be able to move forward and be successful in our mission. Like Sacagawea, they are the experts on how to navigate what is for many of us uncharted territory. This doesn’t mean that we have to give up our beliefs or values, it just means the way we live it out must dramatically change. We need to put down our canoes and learn mountaineering. If we are going to fulfill the mission of the church of “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” in this rapidly changing world, we are going to have to open ourselves up to change. I pray that we are ready for an adventure; not afraid to go into uncharted territory. Further, I hope that when things don’t go the way we expect, when we realize we have failed at our mission [there is no water route to the Pacific Ocean] that we wouldn’t stop. Pastor Julie
8
Embed
Our Vision · leadership; including Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod Bolsinger. Bolsinger uses the Lewis and Clark exploration of the American
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
400 S. Main Street • Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 Phone: (989) 773-6934 • Fax: (989) 773-1855 • Web: www.mtpfumc.org
February 2019 NEWSLETTER
Our Mission
Making disciples
of Jesus Christ
for the
transformation
of the world.
Our Vision
First United
Methodist Church is
a
welcoming,
vital church,
filled with people of
all ages, from all
walks of life and
stages of faith,
growing together
to become
deeply
committed
Christians
who follow and
serve Jesus Christ.
Throughout the last month the leaders of the church have been engaged in reading books on church
leadership; including Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod
Bolsinger. Bolsinger uses the Lewis and Clark exploration of the American West as a metaphor for
leadership in the church today. When Lewis and Clark climbed the Lemhi Pass, having canoed up
the Missouri, they expected to find a river that would allow them to paddle easily to the Pacific Ocean.
What they found instead was the Rocky Mountains. Lewis and Clark could either give up or adapt to
this new reality. They decided to exchange their canoes for horses and continue their journey.
Like Lewis and Clark, the church must adapt to the new realities of today. Bolsinger contends that
many churches try to canoe the mountains believing that if they just paddle harder, they will be able to
move forward. The landscape has changed. After 1700 years, Christianity is no longer the dominant
world view of the Western World. Bolsinger says, paddling harder isn’t going to do any good. We
cannot simply preach more, sing louder or try harder. The landscape has changed. We can either
mourn the changing times or we can choose to learn a new way of being Christ’s church.
Like Lewis and Clark, the church needs to make an adaptation. The church has entered uncharted
territory and just doing what we have always done will no longer work. We have run into the Rocky
Mountains and we are trying to transverse them carrying canoes on our backs. Instead, we need to
listen, learn, and experiment; finding new creative ways to move forward. Churches face the choice
of the adventure of traversing the uncharted territory or death.
Lewis and Clark would have never made it to the Pacific Ocean if
it weren’t for the help of Sacagawea. As a Native American
teenage nursing mother, who had been kidnapped as a child,
Sacagawea had no voice, no privilege, no power and yet she
was the key to Lewis and Clark’s success. The terrain wasn’t
unfamiliar to her and her expertise made it possible for Lewis
and Clark to reach the Pacific Ocean.
Bolsinger maintains that if the Church doesn’t make space for
those who didn’t grow up being formed by the practices of the
church, we will not be able to move forward and be successful in our mission. Like Sacagawea, they
are the experts on how to navigate what is for many of us uncharted territory.
This doesn’t mean that we have to give up our beliefs or values, it just means the way we live it out
must dramatically change. We need to put down our canoes and learn mountaineering. If we are
going to fulfill the mission of the church of “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of
the world” in this rapidly changing world, we are going to have to open ourselves up to change.
I pray that we are ready for an adventure; not afraid to go into uncharted territory. Further, I hope that
when things don’t go the way we expect, when we realize we have failed at our mission [there is no
water route to the Pacific Ocean] that we wouldn’t stop.
Pastor Julie
Stewardship Testimonial
Our thoughts on stewardship:
Bart began attending FUMC when he was a small boy and has
many happy memories growing up here. We were married in
this church and are very happy to be spending our retirement in
Mount Pleasant.
To us, stewardship means the use of time talents, and gifts that
we share individually and as a couple in our community and in
our Methodist church family. With that in mind, particularly as
"new" members of the community, we believe in the following:
• spending time and resources on those less fortunate
• expression of care for others....including family and friends
• praying for others
• using time and money in support of organizations that
protect the environment, honoring our creator
• supporting our church, with time, money, and talents
• making moral decisions
Bart and Patty Kjolhede
The February Loose Coin
The Association for Interfaith
Ministries/AIM
The Association for Interfaith Ministries is an organization
dedicated to valuing the spiritual gifts of persons with cognitive
impairments and enabling spiritual growth in cooperation with
our community.
Walk to Emmaus for Men
March 28-31 at Lansing First UMC
Are you looking for a way to connect with God in a new way
and grow as a disciple? Then prayerfully consider participation
in the upcoming Walk to Emmaus. This 72-hour experience is
filled with laughter, singing, learning, worship, prayer and
reflection. Members of our church are available to sponsor
interested men, and the discounted application deadline is
February 28. For more information contact the Church Office
at 989-773-6934.
UMW News
VALENTINE DAY CELEBRATION - Sunday, February 10,
2:00-4:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to enjoy
delightful treats and beautiful decorations and hear an extra
special musical performance!
SPIRITUAL GROWTH RETREAT for all the women in our
congregation, with Ruth Jones on Fri., March 15 from 7:00-9:00
p.m. and Sat., March 16 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in Fellowship
Hall. Includes light refreshments and lunch, a take-home craft
and a time to be renewed spiritually with Christian sisters. Call
Janet Rice at 772-1285 to make your reservation.
2018 GENERAL FUND BUDGET SUMMARY
The Finance Committee is pleased to report that our First UMC General Fund finished the 2018 year with a surplus
balance. The primary reason for the surplus was pledged and unpledged giving which exceeded our budgeted ex-
pectations. Thank you all for your generous gifts that made it possible to not only erase the budgeted deficit for
2018, but to have a bit of a cushion as we enter the 2019 year. Your generosity makes all that we do at First UMC
possible.
Below is a summary comparing our budgeted figures to our actuals for the year:
INCOME
Budget Actual Difference
Pledged Income $259,897 $289,909 + $30,012
Unpledged Giving 61,000 69,227 + 8,227
Other/Special Giving 18,400 27,468 + 9,068
Total Income $339,297 $386,604 + $47,307
EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits $245,295 $ 239,607 - $ 5,688
Ministry Shares 48,689 48,689 - 0 -
Bldg. Maint. & Utilities 42,100 44,166 + 2,066
Equip. & Supplies 20,647 22,681 + 2,034
Programs & Ministries 13,950 14,996 + 1,046
Insurance 9,730 8,591 - 1,139
Total Expenses $380,411 $378,730 - $ 1,681
As reflected in these figures, a $41,114 deficit was budgeted for 2018. By the end of 2018, our income had exceed-
ed budgeted expectations sufficiently to totally eliminate this anticipated shortfall. With this 2018 surplus, in addition
to surpluses carried forward from prior years, we are beginning the 2019 year with a positive balance. Praise the
LORD!!!
S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T
1 5:00 Preschool Pancake Supper & Silent Auction
2 8:30 Men’s Group Bible Study
3 9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Hang Out 4:00 Youth Ministry 5:00 Youth Group
4 6:30 Gam-Anon 3:15 Prayer Group 6:00 SPRC 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Toastmasters 7:00 Boy Scouts
5 9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 5:30 Worship Ministry 6:30 Praise Band
7 7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast 6:30 Narcotics Anonymous
8 5:00 Parent's Night Out
9 8:00 Isabella County Founders Day & Quilt Show 8:00 Boy Scout Lock In
10 Boy Scout Sunday 9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 2:00 Valentine Tea 3:00 Confirmation Class 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Hang Out 5:00 Youth Group
11 2:00 Staff Meeting 3:15 Prayer Group 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 6:30 Stephen Ministry 7:00 Boy Scouts
12 9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 5:30 Church & Society 6:30 Property 6:30 Praise Band
14 7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast 6:30 Narcotics Anonymous 7:00 Wesley Circle
15 March Newsletter
Deadline
16 8:30 Men’s Group Bible Study
17 9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Group
18 3:15 Prayer Group 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Boy Scouts 7:00 Toastmasters
19 9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 12:30 Mackenzie Circle 6:00 Finance 6:30 Praise Band 7:00 Bd of Trustees
21 7:30 Men’s No Agenda Breakfast 2:30 Fab 5 6:30 Narcotics Anonymous
22
23 9:00 Central Bay Children’s Ministry Leader Day
24 9:00 Traditional Worship 9:00 Story Time 10:05 Bible Study 10:05 Adult SS 11:00 Contemporary Worship 11:00 Children’s SS 11:00 4th Day 3:00 Confirmation Class 4:00 Living Faithfully 4:00 Youth Hang Out 5:00 Youth Group
25 1:00 Mary Martha Circle 2:00 Staff Meeting 3:15 Prayer Group 6:30 Gamblers Anonymous 6:30 Gam-Anon 7:00 Boy Scouts
26 9:00 Women’s No Agenda Coffee 6:00 Church Council 6:30 Praise Band