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~~Summer ~ Doing~~
VBS Almost Here!
Volunteers have stepped forward and have been making plans for a terrific week, August 16-20, for Renew: the Green VBS. We need more children, ages 3-12, to take advantage of this great and green opportunity.
Now that we are just a month away from these fun, faith-filled mornings, 9:00am to noon, let us know your children or grandchildren can participate. Registration brochures are in the Parlor. Return one soon, or call the Office.
Youth, 13 and older, can be assistants in the Nursery, with games and snacks, and as shepherds. But let us know now that you want to help.
Youth Group Update
We had to change venues of our lockin service projects, June 11-12. We cleaned a youth room, organized Sunday School supplies, set up the new pantry for personal supplies, and helped a neighbor paint her porch.
Michael and Molly Lattimer lending a hand.
Training for the August 2-6 Mission Trip (not too late to sign-up!) is July 14 and 28, 6:30pm. Date for painting the youth room is July 28, 1:30pm until WNL meal at 5:30pm. Youth are also exploring an idea for a Praise Band and planning an overnight in August. Next planning meeting is August 1, 11:15am.
La Prima Report
The youth and young adults continue to meet Sunday mornings at 9:00, at La Prima Deli for coffee and questions. We’ve had some thoughtful discussions on difficult questions and look forward to more. We will not meet on July 25 or August 29.
Confirmation Meeting
Youth going into 8th grade this Fall and their parents, guardians and Godparents are invited to a conversation about a year of spiritual growth in preparation of Confirmation in the Fall of 2011. We would like to hear your ideas and expectations as we complete curriculum and scheduling plans. Persons considering the role of mentoring a Confirmation candidate are also invited to this exploratory meeting in Room 101, August 1, 9:00am
The team met June 20 and July 11 to work on recommendations for the Welcoming and Communication Committee they hope to present in August. Their original outline focused on 1) vision of internet use by church leadership; 2) use of social media by members; 3) use of internet in formation programs; 4) new pages for church website; and 5) hardware and software recommendations.
Being considered for each aspect are: a) vision, goals and objectives; b) timeline for development; c) budget; d) potential use by members, seekers, leaders & youth; e) policies; f) training; g) examples of similar use by other churches; h) accommodation for church members who do not use the internet.
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Dancing in the Universe
Have you star gazed this summer and been amazed by the immensity of God’s creation? Astronomers tell us our Milky Way home is a spiral-shaped galaxy, one among 125 billion clusters of stars and planets.
Our singular planet has been home for 100 billion human beings. 6.5 billion of us currently depend on its supply of water, air, nutrition and culture.
Each person is an image of God. We follow Jesus—the paragon of human and divine. The course of a human life, valued more than galaxies, has also been described as a spiral.
We amplify universal themes, such as love, from new perspectives in each season of life. Experiences as a child can have lifelong influence. How we negotiate life tasks of adolescence can show up again in mid-life. In old age we might know a second childhood.
Intergenerational relationships of a family or faith congregation reveal in real time this spiraling life energy… children, parents, grandparents, great grandparents interact. Each generation contributes its particular needs and gifts to the dance of life. We respond to one another to realize love of our Creator. God is constantly forming us, calling us to loving relationships in the name of Jesus.
We participate in the cosmic dance as relatives in family systems, as friends in small groups and family clusters, as active members of a faith congregation and civic community.
Begin by listening in the stillness of prayer and worship. How are you called to love by formation, care, and outreach activity? Then let us prepare together and spiral forth in the splendid doing.
Springtime Blessings
If it takes a village to raise a child, our congregation needs all four of its generations working together to provide a rich culture of intentional faith development for all ages.
Our congregation has about 100 families with children college age or younger. During recent WNL nights, we focused on the needs and gifts of:
A) Our youngest (infant to grade 1)
B) Faith Quest children (grades 2-5)
C) Junior High youth (grades 6-8)
D) High School youth (grades 9-12)
E) Young adults (college age)
More than half of these 100 families have one or two children in one age group; other families have children in two or more age groups, including 10% of families with three or four children.
Parents are supported by relatives and older members of the congregation with lots of lived experience and wisdom to share. Learn more about ways to assist children or youth by meeting in the Parlor at 9:00am on the dates below: (or talk with Leo about these and other behind-the scenes helpers we need.)
August 1: CONFIRMATION info meeting for parents, incoming 8th graders and potential mentors to help shape plans for the upcoming year of spiritual growth. Meet in Room 101.
August 8: TEACHERS (and Guest Speakers) share professional skills and knowledge of human development or a special interest to present a lesson on occasion or on a regular basis.
August 15: SHEPHERDS take turns during the school year to accompany young learners and enhance communication with families.
August 29: YOUTH LEADERS provide safety and adult support at lock ins, mission trips, service projects, retreats, socializing. Have fun, stay young
September 5: WESLEY CLUB —
explore ways the congregation can stay connected with young adults in college or out. Collegians, grads, parents and other adults welcomed to share ideas.
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Summer: Growing Season
When do we start our second quarter of life? At a certain age? When we leave home? When our personality blooms and we find our self? When we make a commitment to a partner, a child, or a cause? Many variables make developmental stages of adulthood as diverse as each person is unique.
Accepting new responsibilities that shape our adulthood does not mean we give up on continuing our personal growth. We give good example to our children when we model ongoing faith formation for ourselves.
Consider these possibilities that could be offered in the upcoming year during the Sunday School hour or another time. For each idea staff will initiate planning with the first four persons who express interest to help develop:
1. Single Adults Network
2. Enriching our marriage as couples
3. New Parents Forum.
4. Dads Forum; 5. Moms Forum
6. Support Systems for Single Parents
7. An idea you would like to see developed at FUMC.
Autumn Appreciation
One of the congregation’s richest assets are grandparents who bestow their love and experience on their own grandchildren and also make themselves available to children and parents in the community. They are smart enough to know how they want to offer their time and talent, and wise enough to ask for congregational support to address their own needs and interests. We treasure you!
Winter Wonders
Sometimes referred to as the “greatest generation,” and also “village elders,” our senior members are invited to all church functions anytime, just so we can be close to your wisdom and your knowledge of who we are as a faith community. We hold you in high esteem. Let us know what the church can do for you, and thank you for your faithful service and lifetime witness!
Faith Formation Council
Our quarterly meeting with brunch, after worship on August 8, will focus on goals and plans for 2010-2011. Any disciple (that’s all of us!) may come to the meeting at 11:15am in Fellowship Hall, or share your ideas and requests with staff or council members before the meeting.
Picnic Report
The weather spooked us into moving the picnic to the church. Our apologies to persons who traveled to Eau Claire Dells Park to find an empty pavilion.
Thanks to Joe Riehle and Brian Wertz for grilling and to all who brought food.
Green Thumbs and Worms
The second half of summer at FUMC will have a theme of "DOING" with an emphasis on environmentally friendly activity. We would like to set up some demonstration type learning activities on Wednesdays, plus local field trips.
Can you share your knowledge about growing, jamming, canning, vermiculture composting, hiking, birding, shopping green, energy saving, consuming less, pie making, living simply so others can simply live? Let us know about interests and talents you might share!
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Sunday School is held each Sunday morning from 8:45 – 9:45am and classes are available for 3 year olds through adults. Preschool through seventh grade meet upstairs; eighth grade (Confirmation) and the senior high classes meet downstairs.
PLEASE JOIN US!
Preschool (3 & 4 year olds) – First grade children meet together for some singing time to praise God with their voices before they separate into their classes.
Second – Fifth graders make up the FAITH QUEST group of students. FAITH QUEST follows a rotation format where the children study one main story or topic in different ways over a five-week period.
Sixth and Seventh graders meet together to move BEYOND FAITH QUEST. This class is an extension of FAITH QUEST where students revisit old Bible stories, learn new Bible stories and explore how to apply what they’ve learned to their everyday lives in order to build a solid foundation for Confirmation and the years beyond.
Eighth graders (Confirmation) meet in Room 13 downstairs at 8:45am on the second and fourth Sundays, to focus on the core elements of the Christian faith. On alternate Sundays, the confirmands will meet with the Senior High youth. Senior High youth will meet downstairs in the youth area and Game Room. The first unit this year will be: “Faith and Science,” a study of these two different ways of thinking, how they work together and against each other.
Adults can join the Bible study class which meets in the Library. This class studies a variety of Bible based topics throughout the year and would love to have you join them.
If you have questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, please contact Jerry Morris
Give your small balance bookstore gift cards to the church library The Church Library Committee thanks all of you who donated your used book store gift cards (and cash) to the box in the parlor. Because of your generosity we were able to add four new books to the collection.
The beloved works of C.S. Lewis: Surprised by Joy, Reflections on the Psalms, The Four Loves, The Business of Heaven.
Entering the Castle, an Inner Path to God and Your Soul by Caroline Myss. As the main template for this modern spiritual journey, Myss uses the writings of The Inner Castle by Teresa of Avila showing how to serve God in the world.
Battles of the Bible Military History of Ancient Israel, by Chaim Herzog and Mordechai Gichon. A revised edition that takes into account current historical archaeological research, this shows how battles are a key to understanding the events of the time when survival overshadowed most aspects of daily life.
Mark’s Story: the Gospel according to Peter, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The second title in The Jesus Chronicles, Mark is a young boy at the end of Jesus’ life and follows Peter, his friend and mentor – encouraging Peter to tell him about Jesus compiling the Gospel of Mark.
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