This weeks schedule:

• The Race to Reach Out group meets today at 1:00 p.m.  If you haven’t been part of the group before and would like to know what it’s all about, come on down and find out!

Wednesday 

• Choir practice begins this Wednesday at 6:30!!  The choir won’t perform for a couple more weeks, but we will begin rehearsal this week.  As Robert said yesterday, this is a great time to join the choir.  If you love to sing, come join us.  Please don’t thin that you need to have a wonderful trained voice.  If you love music and like to sing you are encouraged to come. 

Sunday

•    Remember that next Sunday is the last Sunday of the month and that means potluck after worship service!  

During the potluck next Sunday there will be a discussion about the next Mission trip for our congregation.  Those interested in the topic will sit together to discuss when and where the next trip might be.  This is a good opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the planning process!  Look for Don & Jacq Christensen at the potluck.

I will be preparing the newsletter later this week.  If anyone reading this email has something they would like to include in the newsletter, please submit it by Wednesday.  The preferred method of getting it to the office is by email, but I can work with whatever works best for you.

Our sympathy is with Barbara Vining and all of her extended family as they mourn the loss of Barbara’s mother.  While her death was not unexpected, it is still a great loss.  Please continue to include Barbara and the family in your prayers.

Emphasizing Jerry’s message at the beginning of yesterday’s worship service, if anyone reading this email is interested in teaching Sunday school for children K-2^nd grade – your church needs you!  This can be a shared job, either team teaching or taking turns.  A long term commitment can is not necessary.

This weeks schedule:

 Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet in the church library at 10:00 am.

 Wednesday

• Choir practice is at 6:30 pm. in the sanctuary

A reminder of an event coming up next month:

UMW Spring Fling is scheduled for June 26^th and all the congregations is invited!  We will be going to Hoffstadt Bluff, which is on the way to Mt. St. Helen’s.  We will meet at the restaurant for lunch at noon and after lunch people are welcome to go to the visitor centers, see sights on their own.  A menu choice will be available soon so that you can pre-order your lunch.

Following is a message from Bob Martinson concerning the formation of a permanent fundraising committee.  Please consider joining this very necessary group.

 “Church Council at its last meeting approved establishing a permanent fundraising committee. Members will include Barbara Vining, Bob Martinson and Margaret Vockrodt, who were on the committee set up to oversee the silent auction and check out selling ice cream and brownies at the Go 4^th and Hilander Festivals. (Margaret, in fact, has already volunteered to chair next year’s auction!)The committee needs more members – please take a moment and consider helping out with this important church mission. We really need your help. If you’re interested, please reply to this email or talk to Jerry, Barbara, Bob or Margaret. We need people who will share their ideas and enthusiasm!”

“For Dom* and Ace, A Birthday Celebration Long Overdue

*Dominic Ciancibelli is a old (we won’t say how old) friend from before the volcano.

Friday, May 28 (only one day after the birthdays)

6 p.m. or so

Greater Lexington Home of the Martinsons, 203 Aaron Dr., 1 mile north of Exit 42, off West Side HIghway; 360-578-7991

MENU FOR MUNCHING

Maui Barbecued Pork Ribs, Boneless (for toothless grannies and paps) 

Grilled Salmon

Michigan Baked Beans (to keep the price up for navy beans)

Elsie’s Mother’s Potato Rolls from “The Fallingwater Cookbook” 

Birthday Cake

Homemade Ice Cream (Pending approval from the birthday boys)

And anything else you’d like to bring, but no gifts please

Let’s begin at the beginning:

Many years ago, in the Time of the Volcano, amid the flush days of our youth, before Lexington had its own I-5 exit (Exit 42, Sparks Road), at a outdoor party at the home of Denison Midwood and husband Jim, chatted a group of seven or so people who had barely met. (Challenging sentence structure, that.)

As an ice breaker, Suzanne (today’s narrator) brought up a little fact she’d read in some august publication, perhaps Readers Digest.

She: “I read somewhere that in any group of 21 people, two will have the same birthday.”

Husband Ace looked from face to face. He: “That’s crazy! Think about it: It doesn’t work out statistically. (He was an economics major.) There are 365 days in a year, and  …”

She:  “That’s what I read.” (Always the journalist’s attribution.)

He, raising his voice: “May 27?”

Dominic Ciancibelli, standing next to him: “That’s my birthday!”

Suzanne, with fervor: “I rest my case.” (She wins so few arguments that involve numbers.)

That day she and Molly vowed to have a party to celebrate the husbands’ common birthday. It took a while, but THIS IS IT.  Please let us know how much salmon to grill. 

acesmartinson@comcast.net or mciancibelli@hotmail.com 

Not long ago, the “21 strangers” story was replayed in England. Dominic and Molly, in a car with one other couple, discovered on the road from Fowey to Portsmouth, that Dom and the other woman also shared the May 27 birthday. Math whizzes, eat your heart out — and please join us for ribs without ribs and salmon and birthday cake.”

John has been mowing the “back forty” this morning.  I know Jerry sent an email inviting people to show up with their rakes around noon.  I just want to add the message here.

Tonight

• Worship Team meets a 6:00 pm in the library
• PFLAG meets in the fellowship hall at 7:00 pm.  The following is a summary of the special program planned for the PFLAG meeting:  “Holding” addresses the social problems that result when parents reject their LGBT sons and daughters. These include depression, suicide, homelessness, drug use, prostitution, and crime.

  View personal moments of young people and their parents in this video, note guidance from experts, and become aware of concrete solutions to the problems of families in crisis.

• SCA group meets in the library and room 1 at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday:

•  Active Listeners meet in the library at 10:00 am.

Wednesday:

• Choir practice in the sanctuary at 6:30 pm.

Thursday

• United Methodist Men meet in the Scout room at 7:00 pm.  All men associated with this church are welcome and encouraged to attend.
• Women’s book group meets at Klump’s home at 7:00 p.m.  We are reviewing the same book for May and June so this discussion will be part one.

Friday

•  This is auction day!!  Be sure to invite friends and family to come! Dinner will be at 5:30 pm and the auction will get going at 6:30 pm.

Next Sunday

• Seventh anniversary of being a reconciling congregation!  Special plans for the worship service and a special presentation at 3:00 p.m. by Ron Rassmusen.  All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Friday of this week is the silent and live auction!  You really won’t want to miss this one!  Invite everyone you know to come Friday evening.  It all begins at 5:30 p.m. with a baked potato bar dinner.  There is no set charge for the dinner but free will donations will be accepted by the Missions Team, which is providing the dinner.  Silent auction items will be available during dinner.  The “live auction” is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.  There is definitely something for everyone at this auction.  I’ll list some of the items that I know have been donated

•  One week at Black Butte Resort near Sisters, Oregon
• Salmon fishing trip for 2 on the Columbia River
• A “van pack” for storage in your SUV
• Catered dinner for 8 in your home with a specific menu
• A bottle of wine from Australia
• “Pamper Yourself” basket
• Gift certificate from Mirror Image
• A 3 night stay at Ocean Park beach house
• Hand crafted garden art “mini bird houses”
• Catered dinner for 6 from “The Fallingwater Cookbook”  (prepared by the author in your home or hers)
• Two seed covered vases
• A wool blanket

There are other items in addition to those listed above and I’m sure more donations will be brought in this week.  Items are being brought to the church office where forms are available to list your donation and the approximate value.  **Donations are tax deductable!!

I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about the auction as the day gets closer.  I just wanted to give you a hint of what is to come.

The other “big event” this week is the Reconciling anniversary next Sunday.  There will be some special things during the service and an afternoon program the you will all want to attend.  The following information was provided by Niis Bue.

THIS SUNDAY (16th)

Hear a gay military veteran, Ron Rassmusen, discuss “Don’t ask, don’t tell”, here, 3 p.m. An occasion marking the 7th anniversary of the church’s decision to join the Reconciling Ministries Network, which advocates for full inclusion of LGBTs within the life of the church.  He served honorably in the Air Force and since leaving the service has come out as a gay man.  He is involved in the “Veterans for Human Rights” organization.  He has done many presentations on this topic.  He is a member of the “Log Cabin Republicans” (Come Sunday afternoon to find out more about this.)

This weeks schedule: 

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet at 10:00 am.
• Quilt and sew group meets at 1:00 pm.

Wednesday:

• Choir practice is at 6:30 pm.

Thursday

• United Methodist Women meet at 10:30 am for their regular monthly meeting.  In case you didn’t hear yesterday, the Spring Tea has had to be postponed. 
• Trustees monthly meeting is at 7:00 pm.

Remember that the Auction will be held Friday May 14^th!  Several people have indicated that they will donate items to be auctioned.  Keep them coming!  Be sure to mark your calendars to come at 5:30 p.m. for dinner and silent auction, followed by a live auction.  Bring your friends, neighbors, anyone you can think of.  This is a great chance for people to get some wonderful deals.  We should be sending out a list of items as soon as it is available.

This weeks schedule:

Monday meetings

• Worship team meets at 6:00 p.m. in the church library
• PFLAG meets at 7:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall
• SCA meets at 7:00 p.m. in the library and meeting room 1

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet at 10:00 a.m. in the church library.  As Dan Smith shared in worship yesterday, they can use more people with a heart for listening, welcoming and sharing and who are willing to write notes of encouragement, welcome, etc. as needed.  If this describes you, come by tomorrow or any Tuesday at 10:00 and check it out.

Wednesday

• Choir practice is from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the sanctuary.   

Friday

• Our United Methodist Women have been invited to a salad luncheon at Rainier UMC.  This is an annual event hosted by their UMW and it always fun, worth while and delicious!  If you would like to attend, please contact Ann Ford right away so that she can RSVP with how many will attend from our church.   We’ll meet at our church at 10:00 a.m. to carpool to Rainier.

Have you purchased your tickets for the Medieval Feast?  If you haven’t already done so, you should do it soon.  There is a limit to how many our fellowship hall will hold!  If you attended last year you know it will be a feast like no other!  If you didn’t attend last year, you definitely don’t want to miss it this year!  Tickets will be available after worship next Sunday or you can contact Pastor Jerry to reserve yours.

We are offering a new Bible study opportunity that I think will interest a lot of you.  This is a brand new study that just became available from the Regional Media Center at our Conference office.  The series is  “Uppity Women of the Bible”.  It is the latest in the “Living the Questions” series with which many of us are familiar.  This study differs from the others we have done in that there is just one presenter.  The title alone caught my attention.  Here is the description of the series and a biography of the presenter.

This series by Dr. Lisa M. Wolfe explores the stories of strong, confident, amazing Biblical women who stepped out of the conventional roles for women of their days and earned respect and a lasting place in Biblical History. The series includes DVDs on Ruth, Esther, Judith (apocrypha/Roman Catholic Canon) and the book titled Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon).

Dr. Wolfe earned her PH.D. in Hebrew Bible from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and Northwestern University’s joint program in Religion and Theological Studies. Dr. Wolfe is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and currently works as an Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Oklahoma City University.

We will offer the study at our home on Sunday evenings beginning April 25^th.  The first study will be on Judith, which is a book in the Apocrypha but not in our standard Bibles.  There are 6 sessions so we can conclude the last Sunday of May.  Here is the description of the “Judith” study.

This fascinating video examines the story of a woman who took things into her own hands–including the head of a brutal warrior chief. Dr. Lisa Wolfe takes you on a tour of the Book of Judith, posing provocative questions along the way. Judith, from the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Old testament, reads like a historical novel rife with warfare, lust, espionage, and intrigue. Told in six sessions which take you from a mythological battlefield and a besieged city into the studio and psyche of the Baroque painter Artemesia Gentileschi, Dr. Wolfes’ style is a refreshing balance of careful scholarship and a genuine love for the story of this amazing woman.

If the series proves as interesting as it looks, we can begin one of the other three studies next fall.  The other studies are Ruth, Song of Songs (Solomon) and Esther.  Please let me know by email or by phone if you would like to attend.  The class will be at our home:  2673 42^nd Ave., will begin at 6:00 p.m. and last until about 8:00.  I hope you will want to join us!

Monday

• Social Justice team meets in the church library at 6:00 pm.
• Boy Scouts meet in the scout room at 6:30pm.

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet in the church library at 10:00 am.
• “Jesus of Nazareth” the study concludes this week.  They will meet at Christensen’s at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday

• Choir practice in the sanctuary at 6:30 pm.

Thursday

• United Methodist Women meet in the at 10:30 am.  ***Guest speaker will be David Freece from the Cowlitz County Museum.  All women of the church are welcome and encouraged to attend. 
• Seder meal begins at 6:30 p.m.  All are welcome – please come
• Trustees will meet briefly following the Seder meal.

Friday

• Good Friday service begins at 7:00 p.m.  There will be special music by the choir.

Sunday

• Easter brunch provided as a fundraiser by the Worship committee:  free will donation.  It will be a lovely Easter breakfast.   What a great way to start the Easter celebration!
• Easter worship will be beautiful and meaningful!  The choir will sing and the celebration will be joyous! 

In case you missed the announcement yesterday, Easter lilies will be provided by the Worship Committee next Sunday.  If you would like to purchase a lily and have it in honor or in memory of someone special, contact Pastor Jerry of chair of the worship committee, Margaret Vockrodt.  The cost is $10.00 each and you may take them home after the service.

We had a beautiful Palm Sunday worship service yesterday, making the beginning of Holy Week.  This is one of the busiest and most meaningful times of the Christian year.  We have special services this week:  Maundy Thursday when we will participate in a Seder meal, similar to the meal Jesus shared with the disciples, Good Friday, commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion and finally Easter Sunday, celebrating Jesus’ triumphant resurrection!   

Many joys and concerns were raised during yesterday’s worship service.  I’ll attempt to recount them for those of you who weren’t there or who could use a reminder.

Prayer concerns

• Thelma and her family
• Eileen’s Dad who will begin radiation treatment for cancer
• Roger Pedersen, hospitalized for a couple of days last week and now recovering at home
• Strength and clarity for all people who suffer from addiction
• Peggy, recovering from cataract surgery and preparing for surgery on the other eye

Thanks and praise

•  Paul and Ann in worship after Paul’s hip replacement
•  For all the gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender people connected to this congregation
• The parsonage is rented!

Monday            

• The Boy Scouts are having a “Blue & Gold Dinner” and will occupy the Scout room, kitchen & fellowship hall all evening.  This Scout troop has met at our church for at least the last 25 years!
• Worship team meets  in the church library at 6:00 PM.  More team members are welcome – come join in!
• PFLAG meets in the Pastor’s office at 7:00 PM.
• SCA group meets in the library and meeting room at 7:00 PM. 

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet at 10:00 a.m. in the church library
• “Language of God” adult study is in the meeting room at 6:30 PM.

Wednesday

• Choir practice is in the sanctuary at 6:30 p.m

Thursday

• United Methodist Men have their monthly meeting in the Scout room at 7:00 p.m.
• The women’s book group will meet in the sanctuary at 7:00p.m.  We will be watching the movie “Exodus” this month instead of reviewing a book.  This is a great time to join in – no reading to do ahead of time!

Saturday

• The second annual Valentine’s dinner is in the fellowship hall at 5:30 p.m.  You should have received an email from Jerry letting you know there are still 19 tickets available.  Contact Don or Jacq right away so you don’t miss out on this fun event!

 Next Sunday at 3:00 p.m. our church is partnering with PFLAG and showing the movie “Inlaws and Outlaws” at the church.  This a wonderful documentary about the real lives of homosexuals and follows several people’s lives over many years.

 Several joys and concerns were brought forward during worship yesterday. 

 Joy praise and thanks for:

All who step up to do the many Trustee-related projects around the church and parsonage.

Having the Martinsons back in worship with us.

The Gregory’s granddaughter Savannah is one of five finalists for Rose Festival princess for her Portland high school.

Please hold in your prayers:

Corene Price, a friend of the Hemrich family who has some health problems and will be receiving a pacemaker.

Marilyn Ford, recovering from breast cancer surgery.  She and Ernie are leaving for Palm Springs today where she will receive radiation treatments for seven weeks.

Thelma Meyers, still in pain from a recent fall.

Joy Westervelt, recovering from recent surgery.

A special event is fast approaching with the Pacific Northwest Reconciling Ministries Network, of which our congregation is a member.  There is a poster on the large bulletin board in the narthex with registration details and forms. 

“Our 2010 PNW-RMN Gathering, Don’t Box Me In: Diversity in Gender & Sexuality, will be focusing on the issues of intersexuality and bisexuality with a focus to provided education and an opportunity for exchange of stories. We have two feature speakers, Tom Odegard (Intersexuality speaker) and Margaret Robinson (bisexuality speaker).”

 Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010  1:15pm – 8:00pm

Puyallup United Methodist Church    1919 West Pioneer Avenue, Puyallup WA

Registration fee is $30.00 per person ($15.00 for students) if postmarked by February 13^th

Tuesday

• Active Listeners meet in the church library at 10:00 am
• Quilt & Sew group meets in the large meeting room at 1:00 pm
• “Language of God” study group meets at the church at 6:30 pm

Wednesday

• Choir practice in the sanctuary at 6:30 p.m.  Robert was in the office earlier this morning and told me he has chosen some special Easter music.  He attended a workshop last weekend where he got some good inspiration and ideas!  I’m excited to see the music.  This would be a great time to join the choir!  New voices are always welcome!

Thursday

• United Methodist Women meet at 10:30 a.m. (Officers meet at 10:00 – membership at 10:30).  The UMW will be presenting the worship service next Sunday and will finalize plans at this meeting.   Bring your own lunch & stay & visit after the meeting!
• Trustees meet at the church at 7:00 pm

Some of the prayer concerns that were shared in worship yesterday:

• Cynda Webb’s sister Sharon is in the hospital and may be undergoing surgery soon.
• Joy Westervelt had surgery last week.  She was expected to be released from the hospital yesterday.
• Thelma Meyers is still having a lot of pain and in unable to attend worship service. 
• Bob Martinson experienced a lot of unexplained bruising while they are in Hawaii.  He spend a couple of days in the hospital there being treated for extremely low blood platelet count.  His counts are up after receiving medication and he is relaxing the last few days of their time in Hawaii.  They are returning later this week, when he will be seeing his doctor.

Please keep these people in your prayers during the week.

One more reminder about the church directory:  I am preparing a revision and would like your input on what information you would like published.  If I have not already checked with you, please let me know if your current listing is correct and the way you want it to read. 

Next Sunday the United Methodist Women will be leading the worship service.  It is Blankets + Sunday and that will be the focus for the service.  You won’t want to miss it!

Monday

• Social Justice team meets in the church library at 6:00 pm
• Boy Scouts meets in the scout room at 6:30 pm

Tuesday

• Active Listeners will in the church library at 10:00 am
• “The Language of God” book study begins in the large meeting room at 6:30 pm.   As Jerry’s email stated, if you missed the first session you can still begin this week without actually missing anything. 

Wednesday

• This week only:  No choir practice.

Tickets are available for the annual Valentine dinner sponsored by the Mission team.  See Don or Jacq Christensen for tickets.  The price for the dinner is $12.50 per person.  We will have again the “Not-so-Newlywed Game”.  This has become a new tradition and is worth the price of admission!   I don’t who the couples will be, but I know who did it last year and therefore won’t be called upon this year!

 Remember in your prayers this week:

 The Hemrich family as they mourn the death of Helen’s only sister.

 Marilyn Ford who had surgery last Friday for breast cancer.

 The Longview First Christian Church as it is reorganizing and reviving.  It is one of the first churches in Longview and the church where our accompanist Phil grew up.

If you have prayer concerns you would to have shared you may reply to this email and/or write your concern or joy on one of the blue cards in the sanctuary.

The February newsletter will be put together this week.  If you would like to submit an article you may email it to the church office before Thursday January 28^th!

I will be printing a new church directory in February and I’ll have a copy you can check next Sunday to make sure your information is correct and listed the way you would like it to be.  You may also email me at the church office letting me know how and if you want like to be listed.

This weeks schedule -

Monday

• Missions Team will meet in the church library at 6 pm
• Church Council will meet  in the new meeting room at 7:00 pm

Tuesday

• Active Listeners will meet in the church library at 10:00 am.
• Edith Allen Circle meets for lunch at“The Brits” at 11:30 am. 
• Quilt and sew group will meet in the new meeting room. at 1:00 pm.  Bring your own project to work on.
• “The Language of God” will hold the first class in the meeting room and the sanctuary at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday

• Choir practice at in the sanctuary at 6:30 pm.

Thursday

• All-church potluck at in the fellowship hall at 5:30 pm.  Special guest is Mary Kelly, missionary to Tonga.  She will share some of her experiences.  I think you’ll be hearing more about that later in the week.
• Leadership Team meets at 7:00p.m. in the Pastor’s office.

There is a need for people who are willing to serve as greeters before & after the worship service and usher during the service.  If you are willing to serve your church in this way, please contact Margaret Vockrodt.  Contact information is in your directory.  Sign up lists will be circulated soon, but in the meantime, please contact Margaret who is our Worship Committee chairperson.

First, some sad news to pass along.  Brad Euren reported this morning that all the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) personnel were had come the Haitian earthquake unharmed.  Sadly, that is not the case.  I’ll copy here the information he passed along from email he received.

Friends – I have a disturbing message to share with you. Rev. Clint
 Rabb - the leader of Mission Volunteers and the Primetimers program
 has died from injuries sustained during the earthquake in Haiti. He
 was trapped in the Montana Hotel for 55 hours – rescued and airlifted
 to a Florida hospital – he died there early this morning. Prior to
 this, Sam Dixon, the leader of UMCOR had also died before being
 rescued from the same hotel. Such sadness, but the outpouring of love
 and support for both these special men is incredible – as is the
 sharing of resources for the people of Haiti – still dying, hurting
 and hungry. Please remember Clint, Sam and their friends they have
 loved and served all over the world.
  Nancy Eubanks

 Consultant – Primetimers
 Global Ministries

In case you were not in worship this morning to hear this, you may donate to UMCOR through this church and, as always, 100% of your donation will go to relief in Haiti.

There is happier news to report on the “home front”.  The sewer has been replaced to the east half of our building and the rest rooms and kitchen are again fully operational!  Thanks to many who worked long, hard, cold and wet to make this happen.  We were able to do almost all of the work with our volunteers and the part that had to be hired was done at a greatly reduced rate.  Thanks again to all who made this happen!  We would be in such trouble if we didn’t have our willing volunteers, headed by the Board of Trustees.