Shepherd`s Crook - Good Shepherd United Methodist Church

Shepherd’s Crook
JULY 2015
FROM
THE
P A STO R ……………………..
Greetings in the name of Christ!
These are exciting and challenging days for all of us as we begin the process of getting to know each
other. I am looking forward to continuing the good work for which Pastor Eric has so faithfully laid a
foundation. I hope you are too. That said, I am always reminded it is not my work, not my experience,
and not my gifts that truly succeed in ministry. God starts and finishes this process by His hand.
Scripture always keeps me focused, words like Paul’s, in Ephesians, God saved you by his grace when you
believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have
done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do
the good things he planned for us long ago. Eph. 2:8-10
That is where we all find our centering friend, Jesus Christ. From time to time, it is good to set the
record straight. We are saved by God’s grace, not by anything we have done on our own; only God can
save. And only God can reveal this grace to us through the use of the Bible. However, the Bible has also
been misconstrued over the ages. The Bible is not the revelation of God; it is the record of the
revelation. You see, God reveals God’s self to us in Jesus Christ and the Bible has recorded this for us.
Eternal life is presented to us in the Bible, but the Bible is not eternal life, Christ is! The Word is not
made up of ink and paper, the Word became flesh and walked among us, the ink and pages have
preserved the story for us.
In today’s cultural explosion, we are often led astray into thinking that there are many explanations for
the natural world around us. Science seeks to give reasons for every natural occurrence often ending in
consensus equaling proof. But I do not think we should give in and believe in theory based faith until the
day comes when rocks rush together to build a Great Wall of China. Or a Taj Mahal, or better yet, until a
bottle of ink and blank pages fall into one another and create the Bible. Does this sound far-fetched?
Well, believe it or not, if you were able to get enough people to believe this is how the Bible came about
it would soon become the normal belief!
True Christian faith requires trusting in God, and the best way we can trust in God is through an
intimate relationship with God. We must be quick to realize that prayer is the way we become intimate
with God. “Prayer is the very sword of the Saints…” (Francis Thompson) Prayer is the “key to the city”,
the way we focus on our present unrest and give our burdens to God. Prayer is the heart of our faith, the
“sword of the Saints” by which we are connected to God. Prayer is by no means an escape; prayer is a
refuge and the protected state of existence for the Christian.
Our first sermon series together is titled, “THIS IS GREAT!” a series in which we will focus on the
GREAT things Jesus Christ has shared with us. These GREAT things are shared with us for a reason.
The reason is this, so we will share them with others. So, what do you say, are you ready for something
GREAT?
SEE YA IN CHURCH!
Jim
John McKay
bigmacpastor@aol.com
821-0155
Cell (810)874-1933
Through the eyes of Y.D.J
Greetings in Christ,
Summer is in full swing, And I thought things would slow down...WRONG ANSWER. But one
thing I do know is any time you have a young family and are active, your just plain busy. There are
two things I want to discuss in my monthly newsletter.
First, is bible verse Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left
the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” I think of this verse often because I
am a morning person and I am up very early (with coffee of course), but I think this is when God
speaks to me the most. Lets just say this is a great way to start the day.
Second, is my family and I were blessed when we went to the Big Ticket Festival in the end of June
most of ya”ll saw the pictures and videos I shared. We had no intentions on really going. We were
just dropping our oldest daughter off, well l surprise surprise a close friend we ran into said “we
have three extra tickets for the whole weekend and it costs you nothing.” This I feel was one of
those God moments where God wants you He puts you. Believe that!! May God place you in
those spots that you least expect to be blessed and overwhelmed.
God bless,
John
Page 2
M&M Fundraiser
in July
CONNECT
STUDENT
MINISTRIES
Senior High
Fall Retreat
Oct 30 –Nov 1 @
Camp Lake Louise
RESUMES IN
SEPTEMBER
Jr High 5:00-6:30 pm
Sr High 5:30-7:30 pm
Resumes in
SEPTEMBER held
at both the Middle
& High School
S H E P HE R D ’ S CR O O K
Applying Biblical Principals
One of the most striking accusations the Lord
Jesus made when He was on earth was to label
someone a hypocrite. Time and time again, He
criticized the Pharisees and others for their
hypocrisy. They said one thing but did
something entirely different. They fit a
description by Zig Ziglar who said, “A hypocrite
is one who is not himself on Sunday.”
That’s perhaps what the Apostle Paul had in
mind when he wrote to Timothy: “If anyone
does not provide for his relatives, and especially
for his immediate family, he has denied the faith
and is worse than an unbeliever.” In other
words, to give credence to Christianity, to give
lip service to following Christ and to trusting in
Him as Savior and Lord, and then to fail to
provide for our own family, is hypocrisy. To do
so, in reality, is to deny our faith and to be
considered as someone who has no faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ and no interest in spiritual
matters.
exhorting Timothy to do. Provide for your own
household, your own relatives. Take care of
those under your care. Minister to those closest
to you as a demonstration of your Christian
faith.
Yes, we are to give to His ministry here at Good
Shepherd United Methodist Church of the North.
Yes, we are to be involved in ministering to
others “on our own” and as part of the outreach
of this church. But we are also to provide for our
own families. We are also to minister to them
and to care for them, for by doing so, we
demonstrate the practical reality of our Christian
faith. We thereby avoid the label of “hypocrite”
since what we say is what we do.
How’s the balance in your life? Are you
providing for the needs of this ministry and
those of your household? As a result, do others
(especially your family) see Jesus in you?
It seems like such a small thing — relatively
speaking (pun intended) — that Paul is
GIVING IN SUPPORT OF OUR BUDGET & MORTGAGE
Thank you to our Financial Secretary, Marlyn Byrd, for these updates
Weekly average amount
required for our
Operating Budget $4,423
Amount given
Amount given
Amount given
Amount given
Page 3
05/31 $4,558
06/07 $5,795
06/14 $4,267
06/21 $2,391
Weekly average amount
required for our
Mortgage loan $1,375
Amount given 05/31 $1,202
Amount given 06/07 $1,366
Amount given 06/14 $1,326
Amount given 06/21 $ 456
Endowment Fund
$29,063.00
(May 31, 2015)
Could you add to
this amount?
Call Sharon Boushelle
989-275-6131
S H E P HE R D ’ S CR O O K
FAITH FORMATION and FELLOWSHIP
THE POWER AND PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER
“Pray for one another” - James 5:16
As the family of God at Good Shepherd, we have the privilege and high calling of caring for one another.
Prayer is a special gift the Lord gives us to help us connect with Him and others on our faith journey. The
privilege of prayer is one of the most powerful and wonderful ways we can live Jesus' command to
“love God and love others.”
Your faithful prayers, either privately or corporately can help bring healing, hope, encouragement, peace,
and new beginnings to those needing the Lord's love and care. The following ministries enable us to
participate in making a difference in the lives of others every day and we always welcome more “pray-ers”
to join us!
The Living Stones – This ministry involves praying from a short list of Good Shepherd members and
friends during your daily private prayer time. Contact calls or notes to those on your list are optional. The
prayer lists are changed once a year, and the next lists are coming in early August. If you are interested in
receiving a prayer list, contact Gay Dimock at 989-821-6854.
Prayer Chain – When there is an urgent need and request for prayer, the prayer chain promptly forwards
the requests by email. Requests are prayed for privately as soon as they are received. To join the prayer
chain, contact Laurice Tanner at 989-821-9014.
Weekly Prayer Lists – Requests received by the church office are available at the welcome center each
week, and are also displayed on the overhead during our church service. Picking up a list at the Welcome
Center will help you remember to pray for these requests every day. Contact Tracy at the church office
989-275-5577.
The Upper Room Prayer N' Share – This group meets each week from 10 –11 a.m.in our prayer room
(next to the library). We have a devotional reading and sharing time, followed by prayer. We pray for
requests received during the week, as well as prayers for our church and ministries, community, and global
concerns. Sometimes we take a “prayer walk” outside to enjoy our beautiful gardens and trails! We are an
informal group, enjoying fellowship as well as exploring different ways to pray. Please join us whenever
you can!
Sunday Pre-Service Prayer in the Prayer Room - This involves 15 minutes of praying for the worship
service and upcoming events taking place during the week. Contact Margaret Mowers at 989-366-9730 to
be placed on the rotation schedule for this ministry.
Our prayer times are precious moments when we connect to the Lord and one another. Your requests are
received in love and are kept confidential unless you tell us otherwise. We especially rejoice in sharing answered prayers and appreciate any updates we receive. Please join us in this wonderful and powerful
privilege of prayer.
Gay Dimock
Faith Formation & Fellowship
Page 4
S H E P HE R D ’ S CR O O K
Prayers
Our Church Family
Our Church
Bob Mowers
Alva & Roy Delleree
Harold & Martha
VanVoorhis
Doug Demuth
Ott Knizner
United Methodist
Men
Our Pastor
Robert Box
Sunday School
Child Development
Center
Bev Weed
Free Community
Dinners
Small Groups
All ministry teams
Worship Services
United Methodist
Women
Anne MacInally
Connect Student
Ministries
Bible Studies
College Students
Military Members &
Families
Our Shut-Ins
Our Family & Friends
Michael Bair
Tammy Miller
Craig Gibson
Norma Nelson
Rick Gibson
Larry Picket, Sr.
Ella Jackson
Madeline Rice
Pat Anderson
The Brook, Room B-1
195 State Street
Roscommon, MI 48653
June Goss
Medilodge of Howell
1333 W. Grand River, Rm #209
Howell, MI 48843
Pam & Austin Martus
Birthdays & Anniversaries
07/01
07/03
07/03
07/03
07/04
07/04
07/04
07/06
07/08
07/08
07/08
07/10
07/10
07/10
07/12
Anne MacInally
Paul Baker
Evan Brewer
Ron Uphoff
David Brodersen
Ed Harper
Chris Young
Lyle Mead
Jerry Markle
Bob Mowers
Shari Patchin
Judy English
Cameron Gamber
Karly Patchin
Jeff House
Happy
ry
Anniversa
Page 5
07/13
07/14
07/15
07/16
07/17
07/17
07/18
07/20
07/20
07/20
07/20
07/21
07/23
07/23
07/25
Cheri Hutek
Sharon Kavanaugh
Sarah Dibbet
Bob Wood
Leonard Weismiller
Margaret Zimmerman
Jenni Patchin
Baylee Baker
Earlene Eichorn
Calvin Kieb
Jim Salmon
Bill Gulledge
Virginia Krauss
Suzanne Toaz
Joel Ewald
Scott & Kathleen Patchin
Bill & Nancy Root
Matt & Earlene
Jerry & Mary Markle
Mike & Pam Martus
Jim & Sharon Kavanaugh
Cliff & Cheryl Gamber
07/07
07/07
07/12
07/16
07/16
07/25
07/27
42
18
49
38
45
30
07/25
07/25
07/25
07/26
07/26
07/27
07/27
07/27
07/28
07/28
07/28
07/29
07/29
07/31
years
years
years
years
years
years
Maryda Mead
Jack Patchin
Lea Stites
Jim Dibbet
Todd McConnell
Elaine Scheibner
Elaine Stoner
Lenore Uphoff
Austin Brewer
Linda Miller
Paul Scheibner
Jim Kavanaugh
Jessica Morton
Jean Bradley
May God continue to bless
and strengthen these marriages
S H E P HE R D ’ S CR O O K
O p e n Fo r u m
UMW FIELD TRIP TO
LAVENDER FARM
Monday, July 13th at 9:00 am
(meet at the church to carpool)
$5.00 Lavender Craft Sachet
The Annual UMW
Rummage Sale!
August 20th - 22nd
“Remember your junk is
someone’s treasure”
Audrey Hunter
WE WILL STOP FOR LUNCH
*contact Audrey Hunter to sign up 275-4856
BABY PANTRY
Open the 2nd
Thursday of each
month & during the
Free Community
Dinner
SCRIP CARDS
It's that time of year for weddings, graduation, baby and wedding showers, etc. Please
consider purchasing gift cards from Compassionate Care Ministries (CCM). Your purchase
will help others in our church family. CCM receives a percentage back from the retailers
for each card purchased. Orders are taken most Sunday's following worship by the
fellowship hall and placed the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month. Cards are available for
pick up the Sunday following the order being placed. Thank you for your support
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Christian child care for infants to school age children
Monday - Friday (7 am - 6 pm)
989-275-6971
Donations
With school being out for summer, we would
greatly appreciate any donations for the older
children. A few of thing they would like are
beads, embroidery thread, and yarn.
Thank you in advance!
Pre-school classes
3-5 years of age
After school care
during the school year
We are collecting
empty bottles/cans and
loose change to purchase
more paint. We use paint for
all ages in the center!!
THANK YOU MARTHA CLAPP FOR
TAKING OVER VBS ~ YOU DID A
GREAT JOB!!!
See bulletin board for more information
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT
MADE VBS POSSIBLE! YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING
PEOPLE!!!
THE PERSONAL CARE PANTRY
Open the 2nd Thursday of each month &
during the Free Community Dinner
Please HELP by donating
Toilet paper, dish soap, deodorant,
laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner
Page 6
Women of Grace Retreat
September 19th
Mark you calendar
More information to follow…….
S H E P HE R D ’ S CR O O K
GOOD SHEPHERD
United Methodist
Church of the North
Sunday Church Service
10:00 am Blended Service
“We seek to bring all people to Jesus
by being a friendly Christ-centered community
offering God’s healing, help and hope.”
149 W Robinson Lake Rd
Roscommon, MI 48653
(989) 275-5577
(989) 275-4413 facsimile
email: office@gsumc-roscommon.com
website: www.gsumc-roscommon.com
OFFICE HOURS
Mon—Thurs 9 am to 5 pm
Friday 9 am to 3 pm
(closed for lunch from 12—1 pm)