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Messenger Weekly News
September 22, 2022
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Pastor's Letter
By Troy Bowers
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Like a Good Neighbor, UMCOR is There!
Too often in the wake of a natural disaster, like hurricane Ian in the Caribbean and Florida shoreline, negative news can take center stage. The disaster and damage by the hurricane’s force. The death toll. Price gouging. Looting. Petty crimes. Frayed nerves. And anxious, worried faces looking forlorn into the camera.
While these conditions exist, and need news coverage, let us also remember and celebrate the goodness of people, and the outpouring of humanitarian response to help the hurting. Often it is neighbor helping neighbor. The ‘Good Neighbor’ who quickly responds while waiting for government aid. Total strangers offering to lend a helping hand to others in desperate straits. The stories are numerous.
Reis Thebault, a Washington Post reporter tells about Joe Fernandez, who owns a motor sport business on San Carlos Island, turning his shop into a place of shelter. He fired up his grill and neighbors are coming to eat, swap stories of survival, and “find strength and fellowship,” as they process the enormity of their loss.
Longtime Fox correspondent, Steve Harrigan was reporting live in North Port and left his post to carry an elderly man to safety. When asked about it later, Harrigan said many of the people are senior citizens, struggling to walk and find dry land. “My mom is old,” he added. “I would hope someone would help her.”
An anonymous teenager used his jet ski to rescue people from the rising water. He was credited with rescuing 20 people. Civilian volunteers from Louisiana, known as the Cajun Navy, have also arrived on the scene rescuing stranded citizens and saving lives.
These stories and more of people distributing bottles of water, rescuing the stranded and sharing food, fuel, shelter, medicine, and even generators, remind us of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan which contains the teaching, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
However, many of us simply do not have the time, opportunity, or physical ability to travel into disaster areas and help, but we can support those who do with financial donations through UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
UMCOR is a highly respected arm of relief which government, business, and other nonprofit relief agencies work with in times of disaster. Frequently, UMCOR volunteers along with Mennonite Relief are the first boots on the ground, and often the last boots to leave. I can personally recommend contributions to UMCOR without reservation.
Finally, as I reflect on the efforts to help those in Southwest Florida, I am also reminded of the many daily stories of goodness, kindness, and neighbors helping neighbors that occur in the ordinary circumstances of life here at MUMC. Often these good deeds are not deemed newsworthy. They go unreported. They are unknown. Except in the eyes of the Lord.
Indeed, “Like a Good Neighbor MUMC is There!”
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10).
Fondly and Neighborly,
Pastor Troy
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No other set of words is repeated more often in the world than the Lord’s Prayer. Henri Nouwen postulated that every single second of every single day someone from around the world was praying the Lord’s Prayer. “A continual chorus of prayer rising to heaven.”
But how long has it been since you really reflected on the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer? How long has it been since you honestly thought about how this prayer has shaped your life and can guide you in the future?
During Sundays in October, we will focus on one segment of the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday and ask the question, “How do these words glorify God, and inspire me to live a life pleasing to God?” Our worship series will be enhanced through sacred dance, drama, special music, singing, and visual arts.
Here is our Schedule:
October 9: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
October 16: “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,”
October 23: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
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Blood Pressure Checks | This Sunday
Stop by the table in the Connector on Sunday, October 9th, to have your blood pressure checked any time between 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
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Pecan sales have returned!
Searcy-Feely Circle will again be selling pecans as a fundraiser for national and international missions.
As in the past, you can choose from pecan halves, small pieces, and/or candied and glazed pecans! You must pre-order and pre-pay, either online through MUMC’s website, or pick up an order form at our table in the Connector, available every Sunday from September 18th through October 9th. Orders can then be turned into the church office with your check. The deadline for ordering is October 9th! Orders will be available for pickup at the church, hopefully early in November.
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Netflix & Chat – Midnight Mass
Netflix & Chat is a visual “book” club of sorts for members of our community to gather and have conversations about popular TV, comedy specials, documentaries, and movies. We will not be watching the shows together, for an optimal experience, watch the episodes before each meeting.
In theme with Halloween, our first series will be Midnight Mass, a limited horror/fantasy series created by Mike Flanagan. It is available for streaming through Netflix. This event is for those 18+, due to the content rating (TV-MA) this event will not be suitable for children. Childcare for 0-5th grade will be unavailable for the first week, but we hope to have a childcare option available by mid-Oct. If you would like to attend this event, but are unable to because of childcare concerns, please contact Cristina Baldwin, [email protected]. Join us on Sundays from 5-7 p.m. starting on Oct. 2 in the Neighborhood Suite, which is the hallway off the Coffee shop. Below is an episode schedule for our first series. Register today!
Midnight Mass Episode Schedule
Oct. 2 - Book I: Genesis (ep. 1), Book II: Psalms (ep. 2)
Oct. 9 - Book III: Proverbs (ep. 3), Book IV: Lamentations (ep. 4)
Oct. 16 - Book V: Gospel (ep. 5)
Oct. 23 - Book VI: Acts of the Apostles (ep. 6)
Oct. 30 - Book VII: Revelation (ep. 7)
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October 16 is New Member Sunday.
If you have been attending our church for some time and would like to officially join us, we would welcome you with open arms!
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Heifer Project Special Offering October 16
Heifer Project Ark collection is Sunday, October 16! MUMC has an impressive tradition of funding an Ark every other year. Next Sunday, our children will help distribute envelopes they have prepared for our special collection on the 16th. The total cost for an HPI Ark is $5,000. Please see the display in the connector for more information.
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UWF Candleburning | October 16
United Women in Faith Candleburning will take place in worship on Sunday, October 16th, in support of women’s missions. The cost to underwrite this mission work in 2022 is $18.52/minute.
To give, and to honor or memorialize a loved one, make checks payable to United Women in Faith and mail or bring your check to the church. Contributions must be received by noon on Wednesday, October 12.
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GriefShare® at MUMC: Wednesdays beginning October 19, through January 18, 2022. 6:00 pm - 8:00 p.m. We are open for registrations by calling the Church Office – at 573-443-3111, or clicking the button below to register online.
GriefShare® is for anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one because all losses matter, and each loss needs to be grieved. Grief is real, complex, calls its own shots at times, and so much easier to handle when there is a safe place to talk and listen and heal. The best way to begin to move forward is to be in a faith based, supportive group with others who are experiencing loss, who can relate to what you are feeling; and who want to heal and grow through the loss.
This is what GriefShare® offers. Please join us. Call now to be part of MUMCs GriefShare® support group or sign up below.
Facilitators: Amy Bowers, Tim Carson, Fay Vessell, Kate Weir
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Come see the cutest little Spidermen, Princesses, Pirates, Animals, Cartoon Characters and much more!
Help us welcome the community to our church Friday evening! This annual downtown event brings hundreds of families with young children through our doors. It is Columbia's largest, safest trick-or-treat environment. From past year's comments, we know they love the friendliness of our volunteers, the fun games, the yummy treats and the high-energy atmosphere! Invite your friends and neighbors!
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Thanks to everyone who helped organize the MUMC Team, worked or walked the event, and donated to the MUMC effort for CROP Walk 2022.
We had a great event on Sunday, September 18th and even had a little rain
shower at the end of the event. As of Walk Day, the Columbia CROP
Hunger Walk had raised just over $15,200, which is nearly 3/4 of the way to the 2022 goal of $21,000. Walkers also posted 375.25 miles on Walk Day, which surpassed the goal of 300 miles, and truly made a "marathon effort against hunger"!
There is STILL TIME TO DONATE, as the Fundraiser Trophy will not be awarded until the NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE for all team donations.
MUMC is currently in 3rd place, so please donate to the MUMC Team by
going to the Columbia CROP Walk webpage at www.crophungerwalk.org/columbiamo and join the MUMC team on the webpage and then donate. If there are any questions, you may call Greg Thackery at 573-819-8456.
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ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL OF SHARING OPPORTUNITIES
This coming Saturday, Oct. 8 will be the day we deliver the remainder of our Festival of Sharing items to the Tipton ShareFest. We have 98 boxes to load in the church trailer that morning. We will begin loading the trailer at 8:30 a.m. Any assistance in loading the trailer would be appreciated.
We have another great opportunity to support FOS with the final preparations of the Backpacks of Love. The Backpacks of Love will be distributed later to various agencies to give to children who have to be suddenly removed from their home for various reasons. Our help is needed in checking the backpacks to make sure everything is included and labeling the backpack with the sizes of the underpants and t-shirts so the appropriate backpack can be given to the children.
Missouri Blankets of Love have also been collected at the ShareFests. One of these blankets will be added to each backpack. The time set for MUMC to help with the checking and labeling of the backpacks and adding the blanket is Thursday, Oct. 13 from 9:00 to noon. This will be at the FOS warehouse located at the Missouri Annual Conference Office, 3601 Amron Court, Columbia, MO. Please join us anytime during this timeframe to help prepare the backpacks for distribution.
Upcoming opportunities to assist FOS
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Thursday, Oct. 13 - assemble Backpacks of Love at FOS warehouse, 9:00 to noon
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Sunday, Nov. 6 - assemble Women’s Prison Packs at MUMC, between church services and after the 11:00 service
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Sunday, Nov. 6 to Saturday, Nov. 12 - FOS Online Quilt Auction
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MUMC BOOK CLUB – AN INVITATION
On November 9th, we have a special session planned. Instead of our usual Zoom meeting, we will meet in person at MUMC at our regular time of 10:00 a.m. We will meet in room 103, and will also have a Zoom option. Our book for November is Sparrows of Senegambia, A Memoir by MUMC’s own Dr. Charles Sampson. Dr. Sampson will be with us to lead the discussion of his fascinating memoir and field questions about his travels and experiences. His book is available through Amazon, in hard copy, paperback and Kindle; Barnes & Nobel, in hard copy, paperback, and eBook; and on Dr. Sampson’s website: www.charlessampsonbooks.com. The library has also obtained a copy which is available for check-out upon reservation.
This meeting is not limited to book club members - all are invited to attend this special gathering. No registration is needed to attend in person; but if you choose to attend via Zoom, contact Diana Revelle for the Zoom link: [email protected]; 573-489-2228.
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Thursday morning
Koinonia Group
Want to learn more about what God has to say. Join the Thursday morning Koinonia Group to spend more time studying and discussing the Bible more in-depth. We are just beginning a new series in Psalms. The only material needed is a Bible. We use the first Thursday of the month to volunteer at the Food Pantry. Anyone is welcome. We meet at 8:30 on Thursday mornings in Room 103 in the Connector. For more information contact Kim Ratcliffe at [email protected] or Cynthia Arendt at [email protected].
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MEN'S GROUP HAS CHANGED THEIR MEETING TIME.
Effective immediately
Our men's group is changing our regular meeting night to Tuesday at 7pm in CLC 102.
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Email your entries for the Messenger to [email protected] by Monday at 5:00 p.m. to be considered for Thursday's newsletter.
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As a Reminder: Church leaders will not email individuals requesting emergency favors or gift cards for charity. You can read about tactics used by email scammers here.
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Sunday Worship Services
Three worship opportunities offered on Sundays:
- 8 a.m. | THE CHAPEL worship in McMurry Chapel
- 9:30 a.m. | THE CITY worship in the Christian Life Center
- 11 a.m. | THE CATHEDRAL worship in the Sanctuary
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Contact the Staff: Troy Bowers, Lead Pastor; S. Jewell S. McGhee, Associate Pastor; Cristina Baldwin, Director of Children and Families Ministry; Rebes Bennett, The Neighborhood College Ministry Director; Amy Bowers, Director of Older Adult Ministries; Craig Datz, Organist; Christina Fletcher, NextGen Coordinator; Adriene Floyd, Office Manager; Robert Floyd, Creative Director/Facility Manager; Courtney Gaunt, Director, Discovery Days; Becca Griffin, Director of Engagement; Katie Hays, Events Coordinator; Jacqui Jamieson, Assistant Director, Discovery Days; Nathan Lange, Director of Music Ministries; Liz Rettke, Administrative Assistant, and Connections Coordinator; Bess Siebuhr, Church Accountant
Additional Staff: Evan Abernathy, Facility Steward; Kaye Miller, Director of Wesleyan Ringers; Rochelle Parker, Associate Organist; Marilyn Rowe, Serendipity Choir.
Interns: Tess Howicz, Christabel John
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Church Office at (573) 443-3111 |
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