February 2008
Transformation Enacted
Many Sunday
evenings you will find me (and often Jeff) camped in front of the TV watching
ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, hosted by Ty Pennington. In case
you haven’t seen one of these shows, the formula is simple: find a family in
desperate need of a new home, with no resources to make it happen. Often the
families have survived terrible tragedies–fire, hurricanes, the death of the
breadwinner. Others live with ongoing challenges–serious health issues, chronic
poverty, a darkening future. Once the family is selected, Ty and his team of
designers do a little background work, including recruiting LOTS of local
volunteers and businesses, in preparation for the major renovation.
When all the pieces are in place, the family is surprised with a week-long
vacation, during which time their new home is created. They get tiny glimpses of
the demolition and progress during the week, but basically have no idea what to
expect when they return. The last 10-15 minutes of the show is the tour of their
new abode, when they marvel at all the changes and the ways the design team has
shaped this home to meet their specific needs. Needless to say, every show
includes lots of excitement, tears and gratitude, as another family enters a new
future.
I’m not really into other “reality” shows, but this one always pulls me in. I
often learn something new, since many of the medical conditions or limitations
are quite unusual. Such knowledge creates within me a new-found compassion for
the families and individuals who have to cope with such challenges. I am
frequently touched by the dire circumstances in which some parents are trying to
raise their children. Their love for their young ones is no less than my deep
attachment to Amanda, but their resources are so limited. Witnessing their
conditions stirs up so many emotions in me—gratitude, embarrassment at my own
wealth, anger at the systems that have failed, and inspiration as these parents
courageously do their best. I’m also inspired by the cooperative efforts of the
family’s neighbors, many of whom have never met these people but who now know
the need and have come to help. You’d think that mass chaos could ensue at any
moment, given the number of volunteers, but somehow it all works. Clearly, this
is meaningful work for each and every person who is involved. They all have
chosen to be there and to give of themselves, with no thought of remuneration.
It is a powerful picture of humanity at our best. The brief interviews with the
family members, the designers and volunteers often include moments of choking
up. Try as I might, I virtually always end up with tears in my eyes too. I am
amazed and grateful that ABC and their sponsors choose to invest this kind of
money in changing people’s lives (and making compelling TV drama.) I am hopeful
that the show will inspire other individuals, groups and communities to engage
in similar cooperative efforts, which will help us get beyond our shells. And I
am heartened by power of love, determination, and generosity to change our world
for the better.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered James Harnish’s new Lenten study featured
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as a key metaphor for what God wants
to do in our lives! He writes, “God intends nothing less than the total
reconstruction of our lives, so that we can become the kind of people in whom
the living Christ can take up residence and through whom the Kingdom—the
redemptive reign, loving purpose, and saving will of God revealed in Jesus
Christ—can become a tangible reality in this world.” Harnish maintains that it
takes radical renovation to live a “cross-shaped life.” I’ll be using his study
book as a springboard for my Lenten sermon series. At least one of our adult
Sunday School classes will be using it as well. (You can pick up a copy of
Radical Renovation: Living the Cross-Shaped Life at Cokesbury on May, if
you’re interested.) I’m not sure if I’m up for an extreme makeover in my own
life, but I do know that the dynamics of radical change, determination, courage,
love, commitment and transformation are the very “stuff” of Lent. Are you ready
and willing for God to design a new you? Will you consent to the renovations
that need to take place? These will be our questions on this year’s Lenten
journey. I hope you’ll join us.
Blessings, Dianne
Music
Ministries
Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday Dress Rehearsal
Chancel Choir, please mark your calendars for our Dress Rehearsal for both Palm and Easter Sundays. It will be Saturday, March 15th from 10:00 a.m. until noon. On Palm and Easter Sundays, we will meet in the Sanctuary at 10:15 a.m. for our Warm-Up, then proceed to robing. We will present an Orchestral Ensemble of 10 for both Sundays, and present three extended Anthems on each of the Sundays.
UMW
News
UMW to gather on March 1
United Methodist Women, all circles, will gather for a general unit meeting and lunch at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 1, at Iron Starr, Northwest. 36th and Shartel. If you are a member of any circle or would like to find out more about UMW membership, please join us for this fun gathering. We will have a brief program and will present special membership pins to our 50-year members. Child care will be provided at the church. Hope to see you there on March 1!
UMW Executive Committee
The UMW Executive Committee will meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday, February 13, in the Parlor. Child care will be provided. Officer and circle chairpersons please attend, or send another representative from your circle.
2008 Administrative Council Off to a Great Start!
We had an
excellent turn-out for our first Administrative Council meeting of the new
year. The group agreed to read together over the coming months Bishop Robert
Schnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. The next
meeting will be on Sunday afternoon, February 17th, at 2:00, when we will be
discussing chapter 1, “Radical Hospitality.”
Please thank and keep these leaders in your prayers: Paige Selby,
Chairperson; Laura Whitaker, Secretary; Janet Kingsolver, Care
Team; Shelly Giese, Children’s Ministry Council; Beverly Endicott,
Communications; Evelyn Phyffer, Discipleship Team; John Funk,
Endowment Committee; Brigette Gean, Fellowship Team; Mike Brown,
Finance Committee; Cindy Krone, Invitation Team; Marsha Funk,
Lay Leader; Christy Harris, Leadership Development Committee; Bob
Anthony, Lay Member of Annual Conference; Phyllis Henry, Alternative
Lay Member; Stacy Gilbert Coombe, Membership Secretary; Bruce Pitts,
Missions Team; Carole Higgins, Prayer Team; Lee Endicott,
Staff-Parish Relations Committee; Mike Giese, Trustees; Susie Wallace
and Betty Langer, UMW Co-Presidents; Julie Benedict, Welcoming
Team; Stacey Harris, Worship Team; Jeff Peters, Youth Ministry
Council; George Massey, Music Ministries; Myka Plunkett,
Children’s Ministries; and Tyler Kirk, Youth Ministries; Dianne Peters,
Pastor.
Thank You for Volunteering!
So far we have received responses from 30 people to our requests to help us know how you’d like to serve in 2008. If you haven’t had a chance to fill yours out, please do so and drop it by the church office. We still need lots of people to staff our various ministry teams and to do very specific tasks like ushering, answering the phone in the church office or serving as a liturgist on Sunday mornings. If you’ve lost your form, just give us a ring and we’ll send you another. Together we can become a fruitful congregation!
Valentine’s Day –February 14
Remember to send a valentine to those who may be alone this Valentine’s Day. Or bring a smile to someone’s face by letting them know you remembered them.
CHUM Café
Wednesday, February 27th at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
This is a great way to get better acquainted with your church family and enjoy some delicious food! The cost is $4 for adults, $2 for children 3 -11 and children under 3 are free.
Souper
Bowl Sunday
This Sunday at noon
Join us this Sunday for Souper Bowl of Caring. We will have a delicious pot luck of soups with all the “fixins”. We will also be collecting money and canned food items for our food Closet and for Skyline Urban Ministries. Help us continue this tradition by joining us and bringing something to share as a church family and something to give to those that are hungry.
Mission Prayer Partners Needed!
Our own Evelyn Phyffer will be leading a “Volunteers in Mission” team to Liberia this coming week, February 4-21st. Please keep Eveyln, Terrill, Pat Parvin, and Matt Carr in your prayers for safe travel and effective work on this educational and construction mission. Funds for education in Liberia are still needed, so if you have not done so already, please give your gift to Evelyn this Sunday