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Staff
Pastor Lee Miller - 763-913-4756 (cell) E-mail: [email protected]
Administrative Assistant Sandy Kitts - 507-525-0414 (cell) E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Office: 507.526.2144
Office hours at Hope UMC are 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Tuesday & Thursday
Bulletin items are due 12:00 PM on Wednesday. Newsletter items are due the 17th of the month.
Please send announcements for the bulletin and the newsletter to the above email address or call the church office.
Please notify the church office of any changes in names, addresses, incorrect birthdays or anniversaries, or if you’d like
to receive this newsletter via email.
Sunday Services: 9 AM Worship 10 AM Fellowship Time
Sunday 9 AM Service is broadcast on KBEW 1560 AM Wednesday Services: 6:30 PM Worship
Visit behopeumc.com to stay updated with current events, bulletins & newsletters.
Non Profit Organization
US Postage
Blue Earth, MN
Permit No. 50
Hope United Methodist Church
12080 380th Ave.
PO Box 125
Blue Earth, MN 56013
Address Service Requested
Hope UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
August 2020
Dear Hope Community,
I was hoping you could use your imagination a little bit with me, and imagine yourself on the banks
of the Red Sea. You still can't believe that you walked straight across the sea on dry ground with walls of
water on each side. You are watching the Egyptians and their chariots gaining on you when Moses stretches
out his hand and the walls of water coming crashing down, and the once dry path is gone. The Egyptians are
gone. And there you stand. Can you see it? Are you there? Don't lose that feeling. Don't drop that image be-
cause I think that is where we are as a Church. We are standing on the shores of the Red Sea, looking back
towards Egypt. Later in Exodus, the people actually wish to be back in Egypt. But right now, we are stand-
ing on the shores.
This is the image I have been running with lately. COVID has made the walls of water come down
right behind us, and we are sitting on the shores looking back at where our path once was. I like this image
because I think so often we are willing to follow God into the wilderness, but only because we know, we
can always go back. We can risk a little bit, and if we don't like it, the path is right there to our comfort
zone. Despite the Israelites complaints later, I think they knew at the moment the water came down there
was no going back. There was no return to normal. There was no retreat to the known. We, as the church
are on the banks looking back. We can try to go back, but the water has come down, and the path has
washed away, and so if we are going back, it's not by the same route. And I would dare to say its an impos-
sible route to take.
So what does this mean for us as a Church? It means we have to press on into the wilderness. As
much as we may want to, I don't think we are going back to "normal." And I think that's a good thing be-
cause do you remember what happens when God closes the path to the Israelites comfort zone? He sends
quail and manna from the heavens. He sends the ten commandments. He sends pillars of fire and wind. He
produces water out of the side of the rocks. And then he provides the land of milk and honey. He provides
everything they need. Holy cow, why would we ever want to go back to Egypt? We have been given the
gift of only have one choice. And that one choice is to trust in God and wander into the wilderness. A wil-
derness where we get to experience the incredible, abundant love of our God. We have to trust that God is
in charge. We have to trust God past our comfort zone because the path back to "normal" has been washed
away. So let us trust, and I know God will provide in this wilderness for us all.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Lee
V o l u m e 1 2 ; I s s u e 8
Page 2 Hope United Methodist News Page 2
Our Ushers and Greeters jobs look a little different right now. Ushers will be guiding people to their seats in order to maintain social distance guidelines. Unfortunately we won’t be having Fellowship time with snacks during the month of August.
Worship Assignments
Liturgist August 2 & 9: Jenny Lewis
August 16 & 23: Maggie Johnson
August 30: Bonnie Miller
Greeters August 2& 9: Jan Oberg, Thelma Smith
August 16 & 23: Jean Nelson, Mavis Scheid
August 30: Shirley Ensrud, Lois Ankeny
Ushers August 2 & 9: Kory & Carolyn Kaiser; Jake Huber & Sylvia
August 16 & 23: Daryl & Judy Murray; Tim & Jodie Murray
August 30: Gordy Miller, Danny Fryman, Greg Holland, Larry Everett
Children’s Message: Pastor Lee will lead the Children’s Message in August.
Accompanist: August 2: David Murray August 23; Staci Thompson
August 9: Staci Thompson August 30: Gail Keck
August 16: Gail Keck
Sign
As it turns out, the Wifi controller for the sign has worn out. Currently we are looking at replacing it. Thanks, as always, for your patience!
Music Notes
There is so far nothing new on the choir front. In fact, we aren’t even singing in church at all! We have song leaders that are doing the singing for us. We will stay updated on “singing with the pandemic!”
Page 7
August Birthdays
Online Giving If you would like to set up online giving, here are the directions!
Visit the church website at: www.behopeumc.com * Locate the Giving button with a heart farthest to the right, * Click on the Giving button and you will be redirected to our giving website, * Click on the Create Profile button, then follow the onscreen instructions to create an online profile and to schedule your contribution.
If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact Sandy in the office at 507-526-2144. She will be glad to help you set up your online giving.
1- Tim Grathwohl
2 - Ben Roper
3- Brent Murphy
4- Cindy Steinke
Jarett Stauffer
Jordan Weir
5- Rolin Sinn
8- Pastor Lois Abel
Judy Murray
Skip Meyers
9- Cole Steinke
10- Riley Helmstetter
11- Melissa Bruellman
12- Karen Davids
Walton Ankeny
13- Jodie Murray
14- Gavin Bussinger
Bill Farnham
15- Mary Fenske
Sue Perrizo
16- Pam Hanson
Sue Mensing
17- Cheyenne Erichsrud
John Karels
Chris Dickey
19- Kenneth Breen
Robert Grapevine
21- Avery Teubner
22- Bailee Burns
Doug Roseberry
23- Seth Becker
Laura Borris
Jade Roper
24- Melanie Farnham
Parker Meyers
Lue Nimz
Evelyn Burch (Rubatt)
Dylon Steele
20- David Nagel
21- Lee Kramer
22- Buzz Hanson
Jeanette Matheson
Tom Taylor
Travis Fenske
Sandy’s Scoop! Happy August! We got back to in-person church on July 12, and there have been very good turnouts since! People are glad to be back! Also, I made a blunder with the email, and I some-how lost my contacts. I’m putting the email addresses back in from the Directory, but there will be some errors in the next several weeks. Please email if: * I have, for example a wife’s email where the husband’s should be, etc. * You want the Newsletter e-mailed rather than mailed *If you want “Prayer Chain” email notifications.
The office hours remain Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9-1. If you have something pressing, please text or call my cell phone 507-525-0414, or Pastor Lee’s phone number is 763-913-4756.
25- Jalen Ihle
Rachel Miller
27- Elaine Elmore
Charles Olson
28- Ryan Sinn
29- Taylor Millmann
Josh Frommie
30- Tonia Weir
Nakita Lind
Jayden Dusing
Sarah Hammel
31- Colton Erichsrud
Zander O’Brien
Anniversaries
2- Bill & Karrie Eckles
Lloyd & Deanne Wallace
3- Doug & Pat Richards
10- Daniel & Jenny Lundquist
11- Brandon & Megan Asmus
12- Roger & LaDonna Dutton
19- John & Brenna McGregor
22- Joey & Rachel Wilson
23- TJ & Jenny Lewis
Jordan & Rebecca Moen
24- JR & Barb Hanson
Timothy & Becky Dann
25- Kurt & Sherry Abel
26- David & Sandra Murray
27- Mike & Sue Mensing
29- David & Jade Roper
Page 6
Please lift up in prayer….
Members and Friends in Health Care Centers and those at their homes including: Mary Fenske, Mae Hove, Merre Kivlin, Lonny Schmidtke, Newt Toland, Caroline Whitney, the family of Mary Ochs.
Armed Services personnel and their families, including: Tucker Bottin, Aron Goshorn, Bryce Han-son, David Miller, Cole Steinke, Terry Keithahn, Kenneth Torgerson, Michael Wohlrabe, and Brett Sandum.
August Mission Report
* The family of June Sheid donated money toward lights at the alter. It is a lovely gift to remember June by, as the alter will look so inviting with the lights glowing on it.
2020 Love Offering
Rev Lyndy Zabel, Conference Director of Community Development, tells about visiting the lay leader of the Liberian Annual Conference. He noticed that there was a constant stream of villagers coming and going from her private well in her back yard. He remarked that it was very kind of her to share her resources when she really didn't have to. She sat up straight and said, "I have to share with them. It keeps the water in the well fresh. Otherwise, it becomes stagnant and is no good to anybody."
Sharing our resources with those in need is especially important in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and social upheaval. We are again invited to contribute to the annual Love Offering. This year the Minnesota Annual Conference will distribute funds received to four worthy causes.
(1) Simpson Housing Services houses, supports, and advocates for people experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities metro area. Love Offering funds will support the construction of a new shelter on the proper-ty of the old Simpson UMC building.
(2) Emma Norton Services provides transitional housing for women and families in St Paul and Maplewood on their journey of recovery. Love Offering funds will also help them serve children through home visits, after-school programming, social emotional learning, and tutoring.
(3) Last year Joyce Uptown Foodshelf served over 12,000 individuals and distributed 239,556 pounds of food in South Minneapolis. Love Offering funds will go toward the physical improvement of thier facility.
(4) The Minnesota Annual Conference Committee on Native American Ministry (CONAM) is sponsoring a dia-per drive for families on the eleven reservations in our state. Funds from the Love Offering will help CONAM purchase/distribute diapers to each reservation.
In sharing our resources we can feel good about what God continues to do in and through United Methodists in Minnesota and globally. Don't become "stagnant". Bring or send your contribution for the 2020 Love Offer-ing to Hope United Methodist Church. Your gift is a miraculous expression of the abundant life we have in Jesus Christ, even in the midst of these difficult times.
Be blessed, Be safe.
Judy Clark, Mission Team Chair
Hope United Methodist News Page 3
Thank You!
We have received several thank-you cards from our graduates and our confirmands. Thanks to our wonderful congregation. During such a strange year, we still did our best to make their special days memorable, and they appreciated it very much. Thank you, Hope!
Minnesota Annual Conference
The Minnesota Annual Conference will have a one-day virtual session, with Clergy Session the day before:
Annual Conference: Saturday, Aug. 29, 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. CT
Clergy Session: Friday, Aug. 28, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT
The theme of our 166th Annual Conference is "Be the Light: Live Hope!" and centers around our gospel imperative to heal a broken world. We are already living out this theme through our COVID-19 Compassion Campaign.
Community
Meals on Wheels is currently being handled by Prairie Lakes Transit, delivering meals for the re-mainder of the year. Thanks to all who have vol-unteered for this needed program! ________________________________________
Lawnmowers Still Needed! There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, or
Call Kory Kaiser at 763-567-9003 or Brian Millmann at 507-340-8109
Radio Sponsors needed:
In August we still need a sponsor for the 30th, then the first 3 weeks of Sep-tember are also still open. A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex, or call the church at 526-2144 and leave a message. Or email [email protected].
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Come to church and pick up the updated Directory!
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
2 9th Sunday
After Pentecost
9AM Worship service
Friendship Day
3
4 5
4:00 pm Membership & History Committee – Hope UMC, Library
9 10th Sunday
After Pentecost
9AM Worship service
10
4:00 P.M. UMW Officers/Nomination Committee Meeting
11
12
16 11th Sunday
After Pentecost
9AM Worship service
17
18
19
23 12th Sunday
After Pentecost
9AM Worship service
24
25 26
Hope UMC ~ August 2020
"Be strong. Be brave. Be fearless. You are never alone." Joshua 1:9
30 13th Sunday
After Pentecost
9AM Worship service
31
7:00 PM: Ad Council meets at the church
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
Membership & History Hope UMC, Library
6
7
8
No UMW Activities this
month
13
14
15
20
21
22
27 28 29
Hope UMC ~ August 2020
"Be strong. Be brave. Be fearless. You are never alone." - Joshua 1:9
