Newsletter - First United Methodist Church

Newsletter
February / March 2016
MY JOURNEY THUS FAR
- by Christine Sullivan
I've been thinking about my life‘s journey and what I have discovered
along the way.
First of all, I found Jesus, praises! He saved me and gave me the hope of
heaven and a promise that He will never leave me, AND not only that
which is so wonderful, I also have the power and presence of the Holy
Spirt who is my comforter, counselor and constant companion.
I know now that God’s tender mercies are new every morning and that
the Lord is my strength, my shield and my song.
I discovered how much God loves me. He has wrapped his arms around me by putting amazing
people in my life. Parents who have nurtured and encouraged me always, a loving husband who has
been there for me no matter what, three children who are such gifts from God as well as an awesome
son-in-law and “almost daughter-in-law” (hoping…), and my darling grandson who has brought such
joy, smiles and laughter - truly the best medicine ever!
I am blessed with steadfast prayer warrior friends who intercede on my behalf with fervency.
I have had the privilege to work with a caring team who have continually supported me, prayed for me
and offered me so much grace over the years. Truly Yvette was sent “special delivery” from heaven just
for me… and for First UMC too, I suppose!
And then there is my incredible First UMC family of faith - you have encouraged me, prayed for me,
and even paid me! Because of you, I have become a better servant leader and disciple of Jesus Christ.
I am overwhelmed by God’s grace, mercy, healing, provision and faithfulness. I have a thousand
reasons to be thankful and to praise Him.
Paul said to Timothy "…follow what is right and good. Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love,
perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for what you believe. Hold tightly to the eternal
life that God has given you..." 1Timothy 6:11-12
I could not say it better. This is my prayer for each one of us as the journey continues.
In humble gratitude,
Christine
Students eighth grade and up are invited to
participate in Confirmation, our ten-week Christian
formation class for young people that concludes
with an opportunity to join the church.
We will have at least fifteen confirmation youth this
year. We are looking to build a prayer team for
each student. If you would be willing to pray for a
confirmation youth daily for the next ten weeks,
please contact Terry Haars at
t.haars@peopleneedjesus.org
Confirmation sessions will be February 3 through
April 6, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. weekly at His Place with
supper included. A mission trip to St. Louis is
tentatively planned for the weekend of Feb. 20-22.
All inquiries may be directed to Terry Haars.
This one-day course will help you discover your unique
design for ministry as well as how to develop and use your
God-given gifts and abilities to serve God and others. This
course is for anyone wanting to learn more about what God
has designed them for. New members are encouraged to
take S.H.A.P.E. within one year of joining the church.
What:
When:
Time:
Where:
SHAPE Seminar
Saturday, February 27, 2016
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
His Place, South Campus
* Complimentary lunch provided.
* Registration for this course is now open. Sign up at the
Information Center or church office.
PrimeTime Potluck Luncheon
Always the last Wednesday of each month
at noon in Fellowship Hall for the “over 50”
crowd. Bring a dish to share if able, table
service and invite a friend along.
February 25
March 30
Alpha Course Participants – Mark your calendar for the Alpha Holy Spirit
Retreat on Saturday, February 20. We’ll enjoy a day of learning and
sharing with three talks titled, “Who is the Holy Spirit?”, “What does the
Holy Spirit Do?” and “How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?” RSVP will
be available at Alpha. Please plan to attend this very special day!
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First United Methodist Church
CELEBRATE THE SAVIOR CHOIR REHEARSALS begin
Wednesday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. for anyone who would
like to participate in our Easter program to be performed on
March 27 at the 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. Easter services. Please
see Erik Wilson if you have any questions.
DEEP WATERS PRAYER & PRAISE SERVICE
This is a new prayer opportunity for all who would like to come
together in worship and praise to our Lord Jesus. There will
be both worship and prayer leaders during this focused
corporate prayer time and we plan to hold this service on a
monthly basis. Our first Deep Waters will be held on
Monday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. Please note: The
nursery will not be open during Deep Waters.
MONDAY MORNING
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
An opportunity for anyone to come to the
sanctuary and spend some quite time in
individual, intercessory prayer. The
sanctuary opens at 10:00 a.m. each Monday
and soft worship music plays and anyone is
free to come in and just be in the Lord’s
presence to pray individually as you please.
February 14th
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
for the American Red
Cross will be held on
Thursday, March 3 from
noon to 5:00 p.m. at
our South Campus
Main Room. You may
be eligible if you last
donated on or before
January 7.
February/March 2016
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UNITED METHODIST WOMEN & SEWING FELLOWSHIP
February: UMW will meet Tuesday, February 23 at 1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Our program will be
“Katsch Boutique” by Amy Katschnige DeFauw. Sewing Fellowship will be Monday, February 15 from
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pillowcase Dress Sewing Day will be Monday, February 22 from 9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Bring a sack lunch on sewing days.
March: UMW will meet Tuesday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Our program will be “Youth Ministry” by
Tammie Konvicka. Sewing Fellowship will be Monday, March 21 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. All women of the church
are invited to join us at either UMW or our sewing days. We would love to have you!
Men’s Lenten Breakfasts
The Geneseo Ministerial Association of Geneseo
invites the men of Geneseo and surrounding areas to
participate in a series of six Men’s Lenten Breakfasts
from 7:00 – 8:00 a.m. on the following dates and
locations (all Saturdays):
February 13:
February 20:
February 27:
March 5:
March 12:
March 19:
St. Malachy
Grace UMC
First Lutheran
First Presbyterian
First Methodist
Geneseo Evangelical Free
First Methodist
Men’s Fellowship Dinner
at
Cambridge UMC
The second Sunday of
every month
7:00 a.m.
Free will offering
Bring a friend
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The second Tuesday of each month for all
men of First UMC, Cambridge UMC
& Roots QC. Bring a friend or relative!
Tuesday, February 9
6:00 p.m.
South Campus
We may not have a March dinner
due to the Lenten breakfast the same week.
First United Methodist Church
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY TRAINING EVENTS to be held in February by our Children’s Ministry Leadership
Team are as follows: (Please register for these at the Children’s Check-In Table)

CLASSROOM AIDE TRAINING will be held on Saturday, February 6 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. in Fellowship Hall for
anyone who currently serves as an aide or who would like to know more about the opportunity to be an aide.
We will cover topics such as responsibilities, KidCheck, co-teaching opportunities, and much more.

CLASSROOM TEACHER TRAINING will be held on Saturday, February 13 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. in Fellowship
Hall for anyone who currently serves as a teacher or who would like to know more about teaching
opportunities. We will cover topics such as teaching the Bible effectively to kids, teaching doctrine to
children, leading a child to Christ, and much more.
GENESEO YOUTH
GATHERING (GYG)
will be held on
February 28 from
5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at
Geneseo E - Free
Church. We will
have pizza, games,
worship by
Evangelical Free
Church youth band
and a youth
focused message.
This is a free event
and all local
Geneseo youth are
invited to attend.
February/March 2016
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Director of Discipleship Sought
First United Methodist Church of Geneseo, Illinois seeks
a Director of Discipleship. A gifted, spiritually mature
Christian leader is sought to work on a half-time to full-time
basis as the Director of Discipleship at First Methodist
Church in Geneseo. We are a growing, evangelical
congregation with an average worship attendance of 450
located east of the Illinois/Iowa
Quad Cities. We exist to draw
people to Jesus, develop
people in Jesus, and deploy
people for Jesus. The
successful candidate will be a
spiritually mature disciple of Jesus Christ with exceptional
leadership gifts and a passion to grow our small group
ministry and other adult discipleship opportunities.
Undergraduate to graduate level education in ministry or a
related field is highly desirable as is experience on a
professional ministry staff. Applicants are invited to submit
a resume, cover letter, and three ministry references to our
Search Team at search@peopleneedjesus.org on or before
February 5, 2016.
Page 6
Volunteer Bulk Mail
Coordinator Needed
We are looking for a volunteer BULK
MAIL COORDINATOR that can help
lead the effort when we send out
newsletters and other large church
mailings. The Bulk Mail Coordinator
leads a team that folds, sorts, and
preps items for bulk mailing. They
also fill out the post office forms on
the computer that are necessary for
the lower postage rate associated
with bulk mail. Availability during the
day is important. This usually happens in the afternoon. Contact our
church secretary, Jan Dallas, for
more information.
First United Methodist Church
2/1
2/2
2/3
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/7
2/8
2/9
2/11
2/12
2/13
2/14
2/15
2/16
2/18
Karen Lyman
June Swint
Reese Winkel
Jane Kiser
Mark Bunce
Heidi Rastetter
Olivia Egert
Sam Dalin
Eden Rahm
Roger Winchester
Kim Chamberlain
Jeff DeMay
Kyle Retzlaff
Sam Rodriguez
Kippy Breeden
Jane Swanson
Sam Urbaniak
Clayton Baum
Evie Knudtson
Linda May
Bill Buzard
Ophelia Flatt
Pam Hoogerwerf
Malakai Schaad
Heather Calloway
Adam Hoogerwerf
Justin Lyman
Alex Moore
Amanda Emerick
Ryan VanDeWoestyne
Andy Ward
February/March 2016
2/19 Oliver Anderson
2/21 Dan Baum
Denise Clementz
Brenda Holman
Mason Joseph
Michelle Moe
Drew Retzlaff
MacKenzie Roselieb
2/22 Bryson Boxell
Abby Bunce
Charles Rubin
Erik Wilson
2/23 Deb Deener
Brandi Gatter
2/24 Clara Ashdown
2/25 Karen Buhler
Ali Johnson
Mike Johnson
Lorrie Walwer
2/26 Kim Farb
Gwen Grymonprez
Merriam Jolly
Regan LaPay
Erin White
2/27 Abigail Holman
Blade Peterson
Jeron Neal
Alyssa Simpson
2/28 Katie Helg
Kolby Haars
Brad Snider
Tina Snider
Rebecca Swanson
2/29 Mike A. Smith
2/2
2/8
Rob and Pam
Hoogerwerf
Corey & Corina Horn
2/14 Jamie and Sharon Bruce
2/15 Tom and Evelyn Hopkins
2/24 Jim and Mil Weisser
Love the Lord your
God with all your
heart and with all
your soul and with
all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5
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3/13
3/15
3/16
3/18
3/1
Lynn Cole
Jason Robinson
3/2 Robbie Tesmond
3/3 Tylor Milroy
Pat Mitchell
3/4 Greyson Claerhout
Kim Gehling
Casey Harris
Katelyn Konvicka
3/5 Cheryl Hursman
Joyce Rogers
Chris Stahl
Adelyn Ward
3/6 Bethany Urbaniak
3/7 Chuck Gernant
3/8 Scott Colter
Jerry Downing
Renee Moore
3/9 Connie Driessens
3/10 Jaime Clark
Marissa Ford
Sydney McDaniel
3/11 Daniel Fiedler
Paige Gramling
Adam Rahm
3/12 Nathan Minnaert
Jim Washburn
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3/19
3/20
3/21
3/22
3/23
3/24
3/25
3/26
3/27
3/28
3/29
3/30
3/31
Justin Snodgrass
Brooklyn Powell
Linda Washburn
Mark Clementz
Jeremy Sides
Martha Hatch
Dan Diehl
Doug Kuriger
Kent Urbaniak
Tyler Chamberlain
Aaron Lewis
Becky Farb
Vera Hursman
Dave Pemble
Martha Taube
Kiah VanWynsberghe
Mallorie Ward
Beau Johnson
Jerilyn Powell
Audrey Neal
Deb Ward
Gwen Schaad
Dave Allen
Will Hamerlinck
Chelsea Schwarzkopf
Lauren Powell
Addison Snodgrass
Tammy Clark
Barb Nelson
Al Petsche
Angela Rahm
Carolina Romero Horn
3/3
Jack & Karen Buhler
3/9
Craig & Marsha Kuriger
3/10 Randy & Terry Haars
3/11 Dave & Cheri Jirele
3/16 Rob & Amanda
Tesmond
3/22 Mark & Debbie Burton
3/27
Glenn Kluge & Jackie
Patterson
3/29 Mark & Christine
Clementz
First United Methodist Church
Food Pantry News
At the Geneseo Food Pantry, we focus on encouraging clients to make wise choices to stretch their
food dollars. A representative from the University
of Illinois Extension Outreach Program is periodically available when clients come
to pick up food. She provides
low cost recipe ideas using
ingredients that the Food Pantry has available. She also
takes a minute to speak personally with each client, helping them find low cost nutritional foods that all
members of the family enjoy, and her help is appreciated.
Food Pantry clients can shop for clothing and
household items once per week. On the second
floor there are clothes, accessories, sheets, blankets, towels, kitchen items, small appliances, decorations, toys, books, CDs, videos, games, and puzzles. Our clients would appreciate any of these
items you can donate. What we often run low on
are baby clothes, smaller size men’s clothes, and
towels.
Thank you to everyone who donated coats and
other warm clothing this winter. We have received
plenty of winter clothing from coat drives around
the community, so our clients will stay warm this
winter!
Our volunteer of the month, Tom, has been volunteering for the Geneseo Food Pantry for ten years.
He helps load trunks with food, helps with food
drives, run errands, and sings and whistles songs!
Tom has a wife and two children. Tom said the
best thing about volunteering at the Food Pantry is
spreading good cheer, singing songs, talking and
cheering up people. He enjoys helping others
through their difficult time.
If you have joined Facebook, please look up
Geneseo Food Pantry and “like” our Facebook
page. You will see updates on what is going on at
the Food Pantry, and what our current needs are.
If the Geneseo schools are closed due to inclement
weather, the Food Pantry is also. Our business
hours are Mon., Tue., and Thu., 9-12 and 1-4, and
Fri., 9-12.
Food needs for February are: Pancake mix, syrup,
rice, soda crackers, and mustard.
Non-food needs are: Laundry detergent, Q-tips,
feminine products, bar soap, and all-purpose
cleaner.
The next two Food Pantry Sundays at First
Methodist will be on February 14 &
March 13. You may bring your donations
that day and place them in the bins by the
Information Center.
February/March 2016
Dear First Methodist,
We would like to thank you for your very generous and kind donations to the
mission. Your kindness and thoughtfulness are very much appreciated. May
God continue to bless you.
Christian Care Center Residents & Staff
Rock Island IL
Thank you for your prayers for me. I do believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
He does answer prayers ever before we pray!
Heidi Allen
From The Angel Tree Families:
Thank you for all of the wonderful Christmas gifts! May the Lord bless you!
~Family #1
As a young mom of two, I have had my struggles but hard work never goes
unnoticed. I recently moved here from Chicago with no plans, just hope to
make a better life for myself and my girls. This community has been a great
place and support. I want to deeply thank you for everything. God will continue to bless the angels. Everything is very much appreciated and I have
tears of joy.
~Family #2
I would like to thank you for your wonderful generosity so our kids could have
a Christmas. May you be blessed in the coming year.
~Family #3
Thank you very much for thinking of us during the holidays. I am blown away
by your kindness. I will never forget your loving hearts. God bless you!
~Family #4
Thank you so very much for your generosity this holiday season. I am so
thankful that my family was adopted as it was a very difficult time for us both
financially and emotionally. I had feared this was to be the very worst Christmas we have ever had. At one week before Christmas, with no money and not
one present under our tree, things looked very hopeless. But then our Christmas miracle happened with one phone call from the Food Pantry that we had
gifts to pick up from the church that adopted us. Because of the kindness and
generosity of this community of people, our Christmas was a huge blessing
rather than a disappointment. As a matter of fact, the kids said it was their
best Christmas ever! Thank you so very much and may God bless you and
your loved ones. Amen!
~Family #5
I want to take this time to sincerely say thank you! Thank you for the smiles,
the laughter and the joy. Thank you for simply making me and my family the
happiest ever, as well as lighting up our Christmas holiday. I will be forever
grateful and I will always appreciate your kindness! I hope your holidays
were amazing and you have a wonderful new year. Thank you once again and
God bless you all!
~Family #6
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302 North State Street
Geneseo IL 61254
Phone 309/944-2793
Email: info@PeopleNeedJesus.org
Web: www.PeopleNeedJesus.org
March 13th
March 4th