insideIntentional FaithDevelopment

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Risk-taking Missionand Service

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Pastor’s Message

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Extravagant Generosity

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Radical Hospitality

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Compassionate Care

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Passionate Worship

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January 2016 Edition www.grandrapidsfumc.org

2016! Just writing the year sends a chill up my spine. It’s been a full 15 years since the change of the millennium. It seems like only yes-

terday.

We are only four years away from 2020! We are now closer to 2030 than we are to 2000. A lot will happen be-tween now and 2020. A lot will change over the next 12 months. How will you and I invest ourselves this coming year? What are we going to do to grow in our faith … or serve in ways that will make a difference? What is it that we have always wanted to accomplish but never got around to it?

I don’t know anyone who sets the goal to simply exist. Breathing in … and breathing out … is not the ulti-mate goal that any of us imagine for ourselves. Nobody sets out to be me-diocre! Yet – mediocrity has basically become the new normal in the society in which we live. Excellence is not de-manded – either for ourselves or those around us. Why don’t we have higher expectations? Why don’t we have an inner drive to be more and do more with the gifts and graces that God has invested in us?

The first few days of January have al-ways been ‘evaluation time’ for me. Looking back is a way to look for-ward. Were the goals that I set last year achieved? If so, how were they achieved … and what can I learn from the past that may instruct the future? Conversely, if the goals that I set for myself were not achieved … why not? What needs to be done differently to alter the outcomes that are less desir-able than I had hoped for?

There is a Sioux Proverb that I love to quote: If you don’t know where you are going … any path will take you there. What a marvelous quote to be-gin a new year.

Think about this; in an automobile, we look through the front windshield so that we can see clearly what is ahead of us. Looking through the front win-dow helps us to navigate where we are and where we are going. But looking back is done through a small mirror. Maybe that is an image of the way life is supposed to be. Maybe we ought to be paying more attention to where we are going than looking in the mirror at where we have been!

Sometimes, we get so consumed with the past that we have difficulty being fully alive to the present, let alone, anticipating and preparing for what is ahead. The only way the mirror is helpful in navigating is when we are going backward. Otherwise, we need to spend our time and attention look-ing forward.

So as we enter a new year, consider carefully a familiar passage of scripture from Philippians 3: 13 – 14; One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and

reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I encourage you to look through the front windshield and make a plan to follow where God is leading. Forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead. Press on … toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God!

Happy New Year and may God bless and keep you in every endeavor that lies ahead.

Pastor Bob Hundley

If you don’t know where you are going… any path will take you there.

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Intentional Faith DevelopmentSpecial Needs Ministry at FUMC“People were bringing babies to Jesus so that he would bless them. When the dis-ciples saw this, they scolded them. Then Jesus called them to him and said, “Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children.” Luke 18:15 -16

It’s Sunday morning. The fictional Johnston family’s weekend has been a rush of hockey games, a choir per-formance, a birthday party, and every-one is on edge. The older two children are spent and want to sleep in. The youngest, who has autism spectrum disorder, had a melt-down Saturday night and needs to get back into the weekend rou-tine, which includes church on Sunday morning, but Mom is worried that his behav-ior will be less than perfect in church.

So, what to do? Will the Johnstons be wel-comed, in whatever state they arrive, at First Church?

In the summer of 2015, it became clear that the coming change in the Sunday morning schedule would necessitate an additional class for the children of our congregation who cannot sit through an entire hour of worship in “big church”. The preschool 2nd graders have Children and Worship, but kids in third grade and older worship with the adults on Sunday morning. Thisleaves a few families in the lurch: do they come to church and pray that child “A” with special needs will make it through or stay home and avoid the conflict all together?

The “Shine” Sensory Room was started in September and has evolved since Jes-

sica Kase, a new member of First Church and a Special Educa-tion teacher with GRPS, joined the team in November.

“Our special needs minis-try doesn’t have any different purpose for our children and families than our traditional children’s ministry. We are sim-

ply responding to the needs of our children and families with love and the understanding that sometimes you just need to know there is a vil-lage ready and willing to help you help your child. We are striving to meet the needs of all families drawn to us and we are working together to create an atmosphere that fosters comfort and security, while engag-ing and teaching our children.”

For the vitality of our church and the health of our community, welcom-ing families with children with special needs is not optional. Parents who feel ostracised because of the way their

child is received will never return to First Church. Then Jesus called them to him and said, “Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children.” The fictional Johnstons decided to come to church and now the youngest is talking during the opening prayer. You are in the pew next to the fam-ily and see Mom trying to quiet him. How can you respond?a. You turn and glare at them.b. You whisper, “Can you please be quiet?”c. You smile understandingly.d. You offer to walk around the Nar-thex with the youngest child while he calms down or sit with the others while Mom helps the youngest to get back on track.

Audrey KawelDirector of Children’s Ministry

“I struggle mightily when I hear Jesus say to the rich young ruler, “There’s one more thing. Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” Luke 18:22

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The Iona Community is a dispersed Christian ecumenical community, working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the re-newal of worship.

The Isle of Iona is a small island off of the western coast of Scotland and has long been an important pilgrimage lo-cation since Columba built a monas-tery there in 563. The Isle is known as a “thin” place, a Celtic Christian term for “those rare locales where the dis-tance between heaven and earth col-lapses.” Thin places are places where it’s nearly impossible not to glimpse the divine. The worship resources and music from the Iona Community em-phasize this closeness with the divine: God is as close to us as our breath, and once recognized, we are forever changed, transformed, and called to right actions which bring peace, spirit, and integrity to our world.

The Iona Community, founded in 1938 by Rev. George MacLeod, a parish minister in Glasgow, Scotland, rebuilt the ancient monastery and be-gan a ministry and mission to Scot-land and beyond. Today, there are 250 members, 1500 associate members, and 1400 friends around the world. An ecumenical community of men

and women, members follow a rule which includes daily prayer and read-ing the Bible, mutual accountability for their use of time and money, regu-larly meeting together, and action and reflection ·for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.

The worldwide community is dedi-cated to helping the poor and home-less, advocating for and making peace within individuals and communities. This dedication to peace and justice is reflected in their extensive worship resources, both liturgical and musical. We are making increased use of these resources at both the Refresh service and at the 8:15 am service in the Up-per Room.

One of the songs that we have used recently, particularly in the Refresh service that focused on prayers for the victims of terror throughout the world, is “Don’t be afraid,”

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger than your fear. Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger and I have promised to be always near.

This song was written by John Bell, one of the primary and prolific writ-ers associated with Iona, and the clear, directive words are typical of his writ-ing. Bell’s primary focus is the renewal of congregational worship and singing throughout the world. Bell’s goal is “to compose music within the identifiable traditions of hymnody and Christian theology, yet find some new way of speaking about God to the people or about the experience of the people to God.” He has expanded congrega-tional song to include the plight of the poor, and those suffering abuse and persecution. Bell’s music empha-sizes participation rather than perfor-mance.

The work of John Bell and the Iona Community is spreading far and wide and their work is being intentionally incorporated into our worship servic-es. The message is relevant to our mis-sion, ministry, and witness in Grand Rapids. Pay attention, sing, pray, and listen. These things will go a long way toward the renewal of worship.

Eric StrandExecutive Director of

Worship, Music, and the Arts

Passionate Worship

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

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Can You Help Change A Life?What does $15 buy?

Three cups of coffee at Starbucks.

A large pepperoni pizza.

A few days of cable TV.

A week of cell phone service.

A two-hour job that could change someone’s life.

Through the First Church Work Pro-gram, people in need work for 2 hours at an area agency in the Heartside neighborhood and earn $15. Simple, right?

Richard Johnson, Work Program Di-rector, shares the following story:

Following three years of incarcera-tion, John was making his return to society and newfound personal

freedom, but was suddenly faced with new responsibilities. He now had to find his own food, shelter, and other necessities that had been provided by the prison. Making connections with the many social service agencies in the Heartside neighborhood was his first step, and he soon learned of the First United Methodist Church Work Program, which provides the opportunity to work and earn money at several non-profit businesses within walk-ing distance of our church.

His first work assignment, washing dishes at God’s Kitchen, earned him the money to exchange his prison ID for a Michigan Identification Card. This made it possible for him to work at any of the job sites served by our program, and continue his pursuit of personal rehabilitation.

Just $15 assisted John in beginning a new life.

Our church budget provides funds for 19 jobs a week. We have the capacity of assigning 50 jobs per week. Addi-tional jobs are funded through gifts given by private donors. The current work program fund cannot sustain 31 additional jobs per week. The need is there. The jobs are there. We just need a bit more money.

So how can you help? Can you give up that Starbucks coffee or pepperoni pizza? Can you give $15 a week to the work program as a second mile gift? Can you help change a life?

Contact Richard Johnson, Sharon So-rensen, or Laure Mieskowski in the church office to donate or for more information.

Laure MieskowskiExecutive Director of

Faith Development and Mission

In this season of giving, we often hear inspiring stories of generosity. Social media is filled with quick blurbs de-scribing holiday acts of kindness. These stories are often gripping and draw our attention, but yet at the same time are a bit distant - in that they relate a story involving someone else in some other distant place.

Often lost are the acts of kindness and generosity that happen every day right here at First Church.

Most of us will have no shortage of food, warmth, and gifts this holiday season. But did you know that as part of our MLK Leadership Acad-emy ministry, the children at the school are visited regularly by the YMCA “Veggie Van?” This program,

Extravagant Generosity

Risk-Taking Mission and ServiceHow can you help? Can you give up that Starbucks coffee or pepperoni pizza? Can you give $15 a week to the work program as a second mile gift? Can you help change a life?

5

Extravagant Generosityenabled by generous donations to our MLK ministry, provides a simple piece of fresh fruit to the kids at the school. The kids love this, and look forward to the Veggie Van visit.

Can you imagine getting so excited about a free apple? Many of the kids in the MLK neighborhood never see fresh fruit or produce at home so this is a real treat! In fact, most families in the MLK neighborhood, only a short mile or so from our church doors, struggle with the basic necessities of life every single day.

This example is just one of the many ways that the ministries of First Church bring the love of Christ to many people right here in Grand Rapids every day. The fact is, most

of us are blessed with an abundance that these kids could not even begin to comprehend.

So, as you contemplate your personalbudget, not only just during the holidays, but all year long remem-ber our commitment as followers of Jesus Christ to love and care for our neighbors. Are we as extravagant in our generosity to others as we are to ourselves? Does our giving and our service to First Church make a bold statement about our faith?

We are blessed to have so many won-derful people at First Church who, through their giving, enable wonder-ful ministry - even something as sim-ple as providing a fresh piece of fruit to a hungry child. May this season bring a sense of Extravagant Gener-osity to all of us!Chris Hawkins, Finance Committee

Acts of kindness and gener-osity happen every day right here at First Church.

“The world is a dangerous place. Thousands of innocent people are at-tempting to flee violence, hatred, and extremism. Even “pausing” our refu-gee resettlement, I believe, will make the world a more dangerous place. Re-cent United Nations statistics tell us that three-quarters of the Syrian refu-gees who are waiting to enter the U.S. are women and young children. As Christians, we are called to welcome the stranger and to pay special atten-tion and care to the widow, orphan, and foreigner – the most vulnerable members of our human family.”

A quote from Bishop Deb Kiesey’s Message on Refugee Resettlement

The world IS a dangerous place right now. But one of the main elements of the Christmas Story is to “not be afraid”. The angels spoke that to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds in the fields. All were empowered by hearing those words.

I’m writing this article around Thanks-giving and there is a lot of fear in our society, in our politics and our news

media. In a discussion with a friend who was absorbing these fears I said, “My faith will not let me live in fear.” “I am no more special than any one of the refugees that are looking for a place that will wel-come them in. I choose not to fear and to welcome all.

We are also told in scripture to wel-come the widows and orphans around us. How can we turn our backs on those when we see where they are coming from and how they are so afraid for their lives? We must be wel-coming to all! I would hope that First Church would sponsor a refugee fam-ily from Syria with open arms.

Then, let’s bring it closer to home….some of our visitors are coming with fears that we know nothing about. Can we be witnesses to them of what our faith has said to us, “Be not afraid.” Can you understand how brave some-

one would need be to walk into the “fortress” of our church that we love so very much? We need to make sure that we open our arms, hearts, minds, and doors to ALL so they can hear and experience the good news of hope, love, joy, peace, patience, and kind-ness.

Patsy McGillivrayDirector of Invitational Ministries

We need to make sure that we open our arms, hearts, minds and doors to ALL so they can hear and experience the good news of hope, love, joy, peace, patience and kindness.

Radical Hospitality

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New Birth, New Year!One of my favorite things about head-ing into a new year at First Church is our Baby Celebration Sunday! We celebrate each adoption and birth that has happened the previous year by in-viting the babies or toddlers and their parents to worship with us the second Sunday in January. During worship, we invite the families forward, show baby photos on the screen, and give each a gift from the congregation. In spite of what is sometimes noisy chaos at this point, I love watching the con-gregation’s faces as the parents carry their children across the chancel. Lots of smiles and oohs and aahs!

Did you know that part of our Con-gregational Care is our Newborn Min-istry? When we are aware someone is adopting or pregnant, we pray for them in our staff meetings, and check in with them at least monthly, usually after OB appointments or when the next step occurs in the adoption pro-cess. We visit in the hospital when baby arrives and celebrate with a cradle cross during worship and a photo of the child on our Newborn Board. A meal schedule is set up if the family would like one. A home visit is made about 2 weeks after the birth or adoption at which time we give them the cradle

cross, a prayer blanket made by Ann Donajkowski, a bibdanna made by Jen Foley, and booties or socks knitted by Marilyn Moore, Suzy Wood, or Joyce Holwerda. Several letters from the pas-toral care team are sent throughout that first year. And then comes January and we get to celebrate all of them in worship!

This is a good time to remember how difficult it is for parents to go any-where with an infant or toddler. It al-ways takes way longer than planned to get them fed, clean, dressed, all their things together and get out the door. So when you see that family dashing into the sanctuary during the first hymn, smile! Make room for them. Pick up the wayward pacifier or toy. Don’t turn and frown at them if baby starts to cry or babble loudly. And introduce yourself to the family and learn the children’s names. That will go a long way in making sure the family feels welcomed, wanted, and cared for.

One of the verses in the hymn Child of Blessing, Child of Promise says, “Love’s creation, loved indeed! Fresh from God, refresh our spirits, into joy and laughter lead.” So come to wor-ship on January 10 and at the 10:45 service you may meet Joshua, Everly, Olivia, Emma, Lena, Jedidiah, Jamie, Noah, Allison, Kaylee, Caleb, Corbin, Augie, Odin, and the additional baby boy who should arrive before the end of December. Let these precious little ones refresh our spirits and lead us with joy and laughter into 2016!

Blessings,Marj Timmerman, RN

Executive Director of Congregational Care

Compassionate Care

And a little child will lead them! Isaiah 11:6

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Adult Education Classes for the New Year!

Wednesday, January 137:00 pm Upper Room

A time for contemplation, prayer, and music.

firstchurch@grandrapidsfumc.org facebook.com/grandrapidsfumc twitter.com/FUMC_GR

First United Methodist Church227 Fulton St EGrand Rapids, MI 49503-3236

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WORSHIP

Sunday, January 10 – February 7, 9:15 – 10:15 amCouples in Faith Class (Chapel): A place for study, prayer, fellowship and community for 30s/40s-something couples. January study is Serving from the Heart. Class members will assess their spiritual gifts, talents and abilities, resources, individual style, dreams and experiences… all adding up to an enhanced capacity to serve God and neighbor. Exploring Church Membership (Library): On Jan-uary 10 join Patsy McGillivray for a church tour. Explore the buildings, learn where First Church ministry happens, and discover the rich history of First Church’s presence in downtown Grand Rapids. Beginning January 17, take a four-week journey discovering what it means to be a members at First Church. Topics include understanding United Meth-odism, church history, First Church ministry op-portunities, and understanding membership vows.

The Jesus Fatwah — Love Your (Muslim) Neigh-bor as Yourself (First Place 3019): From the pro-ducers of Living the Questions. In this 5-week DVD study series seventeen Islamic and Christian schol-ars offer reliable information about what Muslims believe, how they live out their faith, and how we all can be about building relationships across the lines of faith. A Tour of the Bible (First Place 3107): On a trip to a foreign country, a guidebook can rescue a trav-eler from confusion and enrich the experience. A Tour of the Bible provides that help and enrich-ment for those new to the Bible and those want-ing to learn more. A Tour of the Bible provides an overview of and orientation to the Bible, including outlines and summaries of each section and book of the Bible, with basic story lines and their signif-icance. Along the way, we will sample the Bible's highlights by reading "The Bible's Greatest Hits."