On my way home from a meeting last night, I was thinking about many of the issues

that plague our world, our country, and our community right now. I hear people talking

about how on edge they are, and I see how much they are struggling to get through day to

day. Between the virus/pandemic, politics, justice, violence… it really is too much to take in.

People I know to be calm, kind, and never say a bad thing to others, I’ve heard swearing out

loud for the first time ever in their frustrations. People on all sides are saying mean and, hurtful things to

one another.

The saying, “Hurt people, hurt people” comes to mind. We are all of us hurting in some way or

another. And it is through that hurt that we lash out at one another, causing harm and pain to multiply.

It was with all of this on my mind, when the song on the radio broke through my thoughts,

“Put a little love in your heart,

And the world will be a better place…”

I realized just how true those song lyrics really are. This is what Jesus told us to do when he said,

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your

mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as

yourself.’

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Jesus tells us to “put a little love in our heart.” Love God, love your neighbor.

We don’t all have to agree on everything to put some love into our hearts when talking with one

another. When we put a little love in our heart it helps us to see the humanity in our neighbor. When we

put a little love in our heart it helps us to see the God in our neighbor. When we put a little love in our

heart it’s a lot harder to yell at your neighbor.

Let’s work together on putting some love in our hearts, and spreading that love around. God knows

our world needs more love for each other right now, and as Christians, it is our call to do as Jesus said, and

put a little love in our hearts.

Pastor Andrea

Our Vision

Worship, Witness, Serve

The Enlightener OcTOBER 2020

Our Mission

Worship God who loves us.

Share our faith by building relationships.

Bring hope to the world we serve.

October 2020 1Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

3:30p Power Pack

2 3

4 5 6

9-11a Mom2Mom

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30 Adv.

6:45p Trustees

7

10a WBS

5:00p Scramble

6p WBS

6p MS Youth Group

6p Memorials–Rm#2

6:30p Finance– FEL

8

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Power Pack

9

9:30a

Home Spun

10

11 12 13

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Adv

14

6:45a Men’s Morning

10a WBS

5:30p Scramble.

6p WBS

6p Youth Group Fall

15

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Power Pack

7p CCCOM

16 17

18 19 20

9-11a Mom2Mom

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Adv.

6:30p SPRC

21

10a WBS

5:30p Scramble

5:30p COOL WHIP

6p WBS

6p HS Youth Group

22

9a & 5:30p FFF

23 24

25 26 27

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Adv.

28

6:45a Men’s Morning

10a WBS

5:30p Scramble

5p UMW Exec. FEL

6p WBS

29

9a & 5:30p FFF

3:30p Power Pack

30 31

8:45 The Way Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Sanctuary Worship

8:45 The Way Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Sanctuary Worship

UMW Sunday

8:45 The Way Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Sanctuary Worship

Confirmation Sunday

Pastor Appreciation Day

8:45 The Way Service

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Sanctuary Worship

FLC– Family Life Center FEL– Fellowship Hall ( basement) Cong. Care– Congregation Care Team FFF– Faithfully Fit Forever - FLC UMW– United Methodist Woman Home Spun– UMW cluster - FLC C.O.O.L. W.H.I.P.– UMW cluster– RM 2 WBS– Women’s Bible Study– Parlor Adv. – Adventures 1st-3rd grades Pwr Pk– Power Pack 4th-5th grades

Youth Group–

HS—High School

MS—Middle School

CCUMC Neighbors, Thank you for the gift cards (Spring)! Your prayers and treats are so kind.

We are blessed to have you. Thank you for all the treats and prayers. Sincerely, Tracy Wohler (Garfield School Staff)

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Sometimes it can be hard to know how to express your thanks, but rest

assured that small efforts make big impacts. We are all encouraged to take a moment in the next few weeks and

show our appreciation to Pastor Andrea and her family. Listed below are some ideas to ignite your creativity.

1. Pray for your Pastor & your church. 6. Invite someone to church

2. Send a card. 7. Speak highly of your church and your pastor.

3. Offer to help. 8. Invite your pastor to lunch.

4. Send a gift card. 9. Send an encouraging e-mail.

5. Attend worship. 10. Take interest in the Pastor’s family.

Acts of kindness serve as fuel for the soul and we all need to have our tanks filled. Thank you for showing your

appreciation for Pastor Andrea. Blessings to our church family – Staff Parish Relations Committee.

Over the years, I have written a monthly article for the Enlightener. If my calculations are correct, I have written

somewhere in the neighborhood of 165 of them. I have never considered myself to be a great writer, nor do I feel that I

am mature enough in my faith to be able to teach the deep meaning of all of the scriptures, but I do know with 100%

assurance that I love Jesus and Jesus loves me! Even though that seems simple it is something that I can write about as

I go through the routine of my daily life. So, from the very beginning, I decided that this would be my space to be an

“open book” and to share my thoughts and feelings with my family - my Church Family. I would be free to share my

smiles, my questions and my ugly tears. In some cases, sitting down and writing to you would be almost therapeutic for

me.

Through the years you have been my village. You have heard me speak of the challenges and triumphs of raising of my

daughters, experiencing the empty nest syndrome, the joys of a wedding and the hollow feeling of my daughter moving

far away, to changes at church, my brother’s heart transplant, the loss of many loved ones including precious members

of our church, my parents moving from the homestead and my in-laws moving to nursing home care. And most

recently, the medical journey of my daughter, the cancer diagnosis of my sister, and other family concerns. You have

seen me through a lot!

This year, 2020 has been the most challenging. It has been a tough year for everyone and yet, somehow you took the

time to reach out to us by way of virtual hugs, cards, meals, prayer quilts, texts, emails, visits and most importantly,

your prayers. To be on the receiving side of these gifts was quite humbling and overwhelming but so very much

appreciated. You, the CCUMC congregation, have shown my family what it truly means to be the hands and feet of

Christ and it has made a lasting impression on us and especially on my daughter. At one point, last month she said to

me, “What do people do without a church family?” to which I responded, “I have no idea, my dear. I have no idea.”

Thank you for allowing me to share my life journey with you one month at a time. I pray that somewhere along the way

I can be as much of an inspiration to you as you have been to me and my family.

Please know that you are special and you are loved.

Marabeth Conner

“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Financial Report from

Finance Committee:

General Budget

August

Tithes & Offerings:

$19,015.21

Expenses: $20,565.62

Year To Date

Jan. 1– Aug 31

Tithes & Offerings:

$159,929.37

Expenses: $180,489.43

Happy Birthday

85 years and UP

Kenneth Blackwood

10/02

Betty Spellman

10/05

Lois Eggerman

10/08

Dick Parker

10/16

Dorothy Friesen-Bauer

10/17

Is a campus ministry of the United Methodist Church

on the K-State campus open to young adults in the

Manhattan area, not just KSU students. Their purpose is to reach out to young

people through friendship and hospitality and become a community based on

Jesus Christ. Funds will go towards supporting this ministry.

Please join us as we start back on

October 6th to exercise.

Contact: Ruth Ann @ 632-1926

Morning Class

Tuesdays & Thursdays

9 a.m.—10 a.m.

Evening Class

Tuesdays & Thursdays

5:30 p.m.— 6:30 p.m.

Our Blessing

Box

This ministry is a big

hit and we are serving

so many neighbors in

need. Please continue

to stock it with your donations. It is

located at the north door of the Family

Life Center. Thank you for contributing

to this ministry.

United Methodist Women

Be sure you don’t miss UMW

Sunday, October 4, 2020. We will

have a guest speaker, Jana Cott.

Jana grew up in this church and is

the daughter of Jim & Peggy

Schulze. Just recently Jana was

honored by her church for her 30+

years of service as Youth Pastor,

ministering to the middle school &

high school youth. Jana will be

speaking to us about our Prayer

lives. Jana says, “I am just a

layperson who loves the Lord.”

Don’t miss this inspiring message

on Sunday, Oct.4th!

Volunteers

are needed

to deliver Meals on

Wheels in February and August of next

year (2021). Please consider signing up

to help as you mark your ministry team

interests for next year.

A volunteer is also needed to do the

scheduling of the drivers. If you are

interested in this please contact Doris

Ferguson @ 785-632-7058.

Thank you so much to those that helped

deliver the meals in April and October

of this year. You are greatly

appreciated.

50 +

Herb & L’Jeane

Mugler

10/10

OCTOBER Mission

We did it! We met our goal and packaged

over 17,000 meals on Sunday, Sept. 20th.

We had awesome volunteers who had a

great time and some even got to hit the

gong when a box got filled. This Numana

event was a lively,

community-building

experience that allowed

us to work side-by-side

with friends & family to

package meals for Haiti.

Mark the Date!!

Sunday, November 22, 2020 @ 4 pm

Church Conference

Both the Salina District and Hutchinson District

will share in ONE Webinar to celebrate the work

of the church and affirm the votes and work of the

Executive Session of the local church.

Looking for donations of

wrapped candy or Halloween

trinkets for the Halloween

Howl event in Clay Center.

Please drop your candy off in

the church office by Thurs.,

October 22nd @ 4pm.

Kid’s Bake Sale for Numana

The Green Shirt Team Leaders

Writing messages of hope

Based in El Dorado, KS,

Numana, Inc. is a

non-profit 501©(3)

public charity formed in

August 2008, as an

international hunger

relief organization.

They have packaged

more than 43 million

meals that have served

the hungry around the

world.

WILDER AUTO BODY Owner Kyle Wilder

138 Crawford 632-3484

Complete Auto Body Repair,

Insurance Claims, 24 Hour

Towing, Free Estimates

United Bank & Trust

Main Bank– 5th & Lincoln Ave.

Motor Bank– 726 W. Crawford

FDIC Insured 632-3171

Thank you to our

Enlightener sponsors

Wall’s True Value

Hardware - Television

Major Appliances - Lumber

632-2851

423 Lincoln Clay Center

www.wallsscratchndent.com

The Enlightener Clay Center United Methodist Church - Pastor Andrea Beyer

921 5th Street - P.O. Box 118 - Clay Center, Kansas 67432-2509

Phone 785-632-3106 - Email: churchoffice@claycenterumc.org - Web site: www.claycenterumc.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Nonprofit Org.

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

Permit No. 108

SCRAMBLE SCHEDULE

Wednesday Evening Meal, free-will offering (5:30 pm - 6:30 pm)

October 7 PIOTIQUE Quilt Guild– Sloppy Joe (5 pm—7 pm)

October 14 Presbyterian Youth Group– Baked Spaghetti

October 21 Fundraiser for Merlin Wendland– Pulled Pork Dinner

October 28 Pack 55– To Be Determined

IN OUR PRAYERS: Marilyn Martin, Raymond Bull, Elizabeth Carlson,

Marla Forsyth, Kynlee Chaffee, Sheila McGrew, Marsha Argo, Jillian

Browne, Gary Beck, Dewey Adams, Jamie Klein, Phoenix Wildermuth, Steve

Appleton, Martha Rundle and for those whose names are unmentioned.

Serving in the Military: Brenden Kolsky, Drew Sumner, Cooper Coffman,

Zachary Bloom

We extend our deep heartfelt sympathy and prayers to Sean &

Rhys Baker and Family on the death of Sean’s father Don Baker.