Huddle up with the UMW

On Feb. 1, 2015, many Americans will watch Super Bowl XLIX, the largest sporting event in the United States. The Super Bowl will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Although big sporting and entertainment events are not proven to cause human trafficking, such events intensify the space in which such crimes can occur.

Read more at this link.

Scripture lesson for February 1st

Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee

Mark 1:21-28 (New Revised Standard Version)

²¹ They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. ²² They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴ and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”  

²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.  

²⁷ They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

This week at Stevi UMC

Tuesday
7 pm - Choir practice

Wednesday
8 am - 3 pm - W.I.C.
10 am - Wired Word
7 pm - Jesus in the Gospels study
7 pm - HS youth @ First Baptist Church

Friday
10 am - Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T.'s

Saturday 
10 am - UMW District Officer's meeting @ FUMC - Missoula

Sunday 
9 am - Church school for all ages
10:15 am - Praise singing
10:30 am - Worship
11:30 am - Fellowship time
11:45 am - Hand chimes practice

Next month:
February 14 - Valentine's Day dinner 
February 24 - "Cowgirl/boy up for mission" brunch

Prayers

JOYS:  Thanks be to God for …
Our country.
Those who serve our country.
Great church family.
Great to be in church today.
The health we enjoy.
First-time visitor Carol with us today.
Those with us in worship today, after a recent absence:  Ed S. and Dennis.
Birthday blessings for Helen L., Charline S., Cale F., Andrea (Cy and Kalie’s mother), and Sharon W.’s daughter.
Wedding anniversary blessings for Gail and Lynn M.
Great family visits.
Olivia Sherry’s sister having a healthy baby girl, so Olivia will be home in two weeks.
Homecomings.
Answered prayers.
Wonderful Bible studies throughout the week.      
All serving in various capacities for the betterment of the church. 
Safe travels.
The rain we are enjoying today.  (And it’s not snowing today.)
The drama of the weather.
The gift of living in the Bitterroot Valley, where we can enjoy so many outdoor activities.
Folks who come to our rescue when we need help.
Celebrations.

CONCERNS:  Oh, Lord, we humbly pray for … 

Peace.
Those in fear this day.
All our military Veterans and their families, especially those who are dealing with “the loss of body, mind and/or spirit.”
Healing mercies for Georgianna T., Ed S., Dusty S., Bill L., Bill G., Carol G., Ed S., Gail F., John S., Charline S., Bev L., Rosanna, John, Irene S., Ben L.’s brother Bill and Bill’s family, and Sharon W.’s daughter.
Healing mercies for all suffering with the flu right now.
Denise McF.
Travelling mercies and for those not with us today.
Those facing difficult decisions.
All needing God’s mercies.
All needing God’s healing.
Family and friends mourning the death of Pat Rhodes.
All those who mourn.
Unspoken prayers.

Today at Stevi UMC

Revelation class

Wired Word class

For the first time this month we began a Sunday morning without snow or rain!  We were blessed with several guests and a warm fellowship with which to welcome everyone.  

A special blessing this morning was the choir's offering of "He Lifted Me."  This will be available on our YouTube channel later today.

Today's worship servants:
Acolytes: Kalie A. & Rollie F.
Camera: Tom Bishop
Children's message: Carol Gragg
Liturgist: Clay Freeman
Music: Brenda Bolton (choir); Julie Ludington (piano); Paul Ludington (praise singing); Marilyn Murphy (chimes)
Power point: Dean Diers

Today's church servants: 
Church school: Belinda Alkula, Clay Freeman, Carol Gragg, Debbie Guthrie
Fellowship: Mary Costello, Angela Huago, Lisa Menery, & Marcia Prather
Recycling: Dean & joey Diers

High School Retreat, February 13-16, 2015!

CONVO 2015

CONVO is a high school (9th - 12th grade) retreat full of fun, faith, food and fellowship with your friends from around the conference.

 CONVO 2015 will explore our theme “Where in the World is God?” in large group sessions, small group discussions and through activities. We will have time for mission outreach, raising money for scholarships and youth-led mission projects, playing wacky games and singing crazy songs as well as just spending time together! All are welcome - invite your friends!!

 When:  February 13th – 16th  
Where: Billings First UMC

          Cost for the event is $60 if registered by February 1st and $100 if registered after the early deadline.

 REGISTER & PAY ONLINE!

*Churches can also register and pay for their entire group online.

 PLEASE REGISTER ON TIME!

  (Late registrations make it very difficult to plan for enough volunteers, sleeping space and food).  Registrations must be paid in full prior to the event

If you need to pay by check, please mail a copy of the registration with your payment. Checks must be made out to "Yellowstone Conference" noting CONVO and the registrant's name in the memo...OR give your online registration confirmation to your church to send in with a scholarship check.

 Our mailing address: YELLOWSTONE CONFERENCE - PO BOX 20335 BILLINGS, MT 59104 

Still have questions? Email or call our Youth Coordinator, Abbie Thompson (406) 465-5640. 

 Youth Events, Retreats & Activities

• Amplify (Formerly WAMY)
• Annual Conference
• CHRYSALIS (Youth Walk to Emmaus):
• Convo
• Jr. High Retreat
• Mission
• Youth 2015
• YSF

Wesley Teapot Prayers

At this month's United Methodist Women (UMW) unit meeting, Pastor Charles and Belinda showed the ladies present -- their Wesley teapot, which Pastor Charles bought for Belinda while they were in England, visiting the museum shop at Wesley Chapel in London.  It is a reproduction of a teapot that Josiah Wedgwood fashioned for John Wesley.

In March of 1760, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, preached at Burslem, England, to the pottery workers.  While there, Wesley spoke with Josiah Wedgwood who was working in his home garden next to the factory.  A year later, Wedgwood made a special teapot that would hold a gallon of tea!  (Wesley drank copious amounts of tea to keep up his energy levels in his ministry labors.)

To read more about the Wesley Teapot blessings (one on each side of the teapot), click on this sentence.

Day 8: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Christ and the Samaritan Woman, by Josef von Hempel

Many believed because of the woman’s testimony (John 4:39)

We pray:
God, spring of living water,
Make of us witnesses of unity through both our words and our lives.
Help us to understand that we are not the owners of the well,
And give us the wisdom to welcome the same grace in one another.
Transform our hearts and our lives
So that we might be genuine bearers of the Good News.
And lead us always to the encounter with the other,
As an encounter with you.
We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Find out more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and access the brochure with Biblical reflections and prayers for the eight days at www.oikoumene.org/week-of-prayer

Day 7: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

“Give me to drink” (John 4:7)

We pray:
God of life, who cares for all creation, and calls us to justice and peace,
may our security not come from arms, but from respect.
May our force not be of violence, but of love.
May our wealth not be in money, but in sharing.
May our path not be of ambition, but of justice.
May our victory not be from vengeance, but in forgiveness.
May our unity not be in the quest of power,
but in vulnerable witness to do your will.
Open and confident, may we defend the dignity of all creation,
sharing, today and forever, the bread of solidarity, justice and peace.
This we ask in the name of Jesus, your holy Son, our brother,
who, as victim of our violence, even from the heights of the cross,
gave forgiveness to us all.
Amen.

For more information on the Week of Prayer for ‪#‎ChristianUnity‬, please visit: www.oikoumene.org/week-of-prayer

Day 6: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Here is a prayer from Gaye Ruff Slak:

Loving God who created and is creating, we praise you and thank you for many ways we have been captured by your grace.

Open our eyes that we may see you in those whose worship may be different, whose service unites with ours but in different ways, whose hymns of praise may be more old than new or more new than old as we sing to praise your Holy Name.

Grant us your grace and your mercy as we listen with new ears to each other. Whisper understanding into our brains, love into our hearts, unity into our spirits. Amen.

What is your prayer for Christian Unity? #WCC #WPCU2015 World Council of Churches

Day 5: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

"Woman at the well" - Chinese painting on rice paper (1988)

Day 5: "You have no bucket and the well is deep." (John 4:11)

 

We pray:
God, spring of the Living water,
help us to understand that the more we join together the pieces of our ropes,...
the more deeply our buckets reach into your divine waters!
Awaken us to the truth that the gifts of the other,
are an expression of your unfathomable mystery.
And make us sit at the well together
to drink from your water
which gathers us in unity and peace.
We ask this in the name of your son Jesus Christ,
who asked the Samaritan woman to give him water for his thirst.
Amen.

 

Find out more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and access the brochure with Biblical reflections and prayers for the eight days at www.oikoumene.org/week-of-prayer

Be Still and Know God

Grace and peace to you!

Girls and women of the church:  YOU are invited to participate in this wonderful retreat!

Information about it and the registration form can be found here.

The registration fee of $105/person includes the retreat fee, meals and snacks, Saturday through Sunday breakfast.

Hotel reservations for those two nights are to be made directly with the Fairmont resort.  Be sure to say that you are with the UMW group, so you get the great discount rate! 

LODGING: The block of rooms held are all non-smoking rooms with 2 Queen Beds in each room. Room booking must be received by the hotel by noon February 6, 2015 to receive the special rates here. 

The room costs including Montana lodging tax and pool time are:
$123.00 per room per night for 1 or 2 persons. ($246.00 for Fri and Sat nights.)
$134.00 for 3 persons per room per night ($268.00 for Fri and Sat nights.)
$145.00 for 4 persons per room per night ($290.00 for Fri and Sat night.) 

To book your room online: 
go to www.fairmontmontana.com 
Click BOOK NOW, click Groups tab and enter Group ID: 13781 and Password: 345 

To book your room by phone call 800-332-3272 – tell them you are with the United Methodist Women’s Event.

There are Yellowstone Annual Conference UMW scholarship opportunities for girls/women, ages 14 and older.  For more information, click here.

To date, the following people are planning to attend:  Marcia, Trudy, Becky, Nilda, Kalie, and myself.  Others are prayerfully considering joining in the fun, as well.  Why not you, too?

Hope to see you there!

Every blessing,

Belinda 

Day 4: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Day 3: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

6th century mosaic from Basilica di San Apollinare Nuovo

 

 

 

 

 

Psalms 139:1-12: “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me”
John 4:16-19: “I have no husband”

We pray:
O you who are beyond all things,
how could we call you by any other name?
What song could be sung for you?
No word can express you.
What Spirit can perceive you?
No intelligence can comprehend you.
You alone are inexpressible;
all that is said has come from you.
You alone are unknowable;
all that is thought has come from you.
All creatures proclaim you,
those who speak and those who are dumb.
Every one desires you, everyone sighs and aspires after you.
All that exists prays to you,
and every being that can contemplate your universe raises to you a silent hymn.
Have pity on us, you who are beyond all things.
How could we call you by any other name?
Amen.

                       (Attributed to Gregory of Nazianzus)

Happy birthday, Susanna!

"Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." 

-- Susanna Wesley (Letter, June 8, 1725)

Day 2: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Tired of the journey, Jesus sat down facing the well (John 4:6)

We pray:
Gracious God,
Often our churches are led to choose the logic of competition.
Forgive our sin of presumption.
We are weary from this need to be first. Allow us to rest at the well.
Refresh us with the water of unity drawn from our common prayer.
May your Spirit who hovered over the waters of chaos
bring unity from our diversity.
Amen.

Find out more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and access the brochure with Biblical reflections and prayers for the eight days at www.oikoumene.org/week-of-prayer

Scripture lesson for January 25th

Jonah at Nineveh by William Wailes

Jonah 3:1-5 (New International Version (NIV)

¹Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

¹⁰ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

(We'll also be reading Mark 1:14-20)

Martin Luther King, Jr. remembrance

"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week at Stevi UMC

Monday 
2 pm - UMW district planning 
6 pm - Trustees (library)
6:30 pm - Cub Scouts (in the fellowship hall)

Tuesday
7 pm - Choir practice

Wednesday
8 am - 3 pm - W.I.C.
10 am - Wired Word
7 pm - Jesus in the Gospels study

Friday
10 am - Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T.'s

Sunday 
9 am - Church school for all ages
10:15 am - Praise singing
10:30 am - Worship
11:30 am - Fellowship time
11:45 am - Hand chimes practice

Next month:
February 14 - Valentine's Day dinner 
February 24 - "Cowgirl/boy up for mission" brunch

On fire in the Valley!

Belinda and Sonia are excited about an upcoming UMW event

Dean chats with Mary during fellowship time

Clay entices Charlene with Valentine's Day dinner information

Kalie and Danielle show off the doll clothes they made

As a light rain fell on the Bitterroot Valley this morning we gathered for our morning of study, worship, and fellowship.

Both of the adult classes are growing, both in numbers and in discipleship.  There is plenty of room for anyone who is interested in growing in faith.  Talk to Clay (Revelations), Belinda (Wired Word), or the pastor (if you want to start a new class/group).

Thanks to everyone who shares in the life and ministries of the church!  A special thanks to the brass ensemble (Clay, Bob, Mitch, and David) for sharing their musical gifts during the offering.  

Week of Christian Prayer for Christian Unity

Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman by Sano di Pietro

Christians in many parts of the world began today a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for the week of prayer in 2015 comes from the gospel of John: "Jesus said to her: 'Give me to drink.'" It was proposed by a group of Brazilian Christians called together by the Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs (CONIC). 

As in previous years, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the WCC, through the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order, have jointly published a brochure to help groups and congregations prepare ecumenical celebrations. It also contains Biblical reflections and prayers for the eight days.

The theme for the first day of this week of prayer is: PROCLAMATION - It is necessary to go through Samaria (John 4:4)

 We pray:

God of all peoples,
teach us to go through Samaria
to meet our brothers and sisters from other churches.
Allow us to go there with an open heart
so we may learn from every church and culture.
We confess that you are the source of unity.
Grant us the unity that Christ wills for us.
Amen

Read more: www.oikoumene.org/week-of-prayer

‪
Image: Painting of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman by Sano di Pietro (Detail from Polittico dell'Assunta, Pinacoteca, Siena)

Congregation's Prayers

JOYS:  Thanks be to God for …
Our country.
Those who serve our country.
A great church family.
How great it is to be in church today.
Seeing 6 million people standing in the rain to be with the Pope in the Philippines.
The joyful, safe arrival of Jeremy and Kendra R.’s baby boy Cameron last Wednesday.
Dave and Amber M.S.'s news that they are expecting their first baby to arrive July 29^th.
The health we enjoy.
All enjoying better health, including Julie L and Carol G.
Gretchen M.’s daughter is home now.
With us in worship today, after a recent absence:  Julie L., Becky B., Norma P., and Bridgett.
Kathy S. is singing in the choir today.
Birthday blessings to Anne H. and Charline S.
Great family visits.
Homecomings.
Answered prayers.
Wonderful Bible studies throughout the week. 
All serving in various capacities for the betterment of the church. 
Safe travels.
New employment.
The congregation’s blessing of prayer shawl for Georgianna T. today.
Great Games Night at the church last Friday.
The rain we are enjoying today.  (And it’s not snowing today.)
Folks who come to our rescue when we need help.
Church family member who helped fix the worrisome plumbing problem of another church member.
Celebrations.
A sense of humor in times of adversity.
Belinda A.’s attendance at the annual meeting of The Federated United Methodist and American Baptist Church in Hamilton.  (She represented the Yellowstone Annual Conference of the UMC at this meeting.  Thanks be to God for their many ministries.)

CONCERNS:  Oh, Lord, we humbly pray for … 

Unspoken prayers.
Peace.
Those in fear this day.
The peoples of France, Belgium, Europe, Niger, etc., who are dealing with consequences of radicals’ violent actions in response to a cartoon that was run in a French newspaper.
All our military Veterans and their families, especially those who are dealing with “the loss of body, mind and/or spirit.”
Healing mercies for Georgianna T., Ed S., Dusty S., Lynne M., Bill G., Ed S., Gail F., John S., Janice B., friend Debbie, and Ben L.’s brother Bill and Bill’s family.
Travelling mercies and for those not with us today.
Those facing difficult decisions.
All needing God’s mercies.
Family and friends mourning the deaths of Lee, Mike Jennings, and Pat Rhodes.
All those who mourn.
The Federated United Methodist and American Baptist Church in Hamilton – its search committee members’ prayerful discernment about selecting their new pastor.  (The church has had interim pastors since July 1, 2014.)
The congregation’s prayers to be transformed. Pastor Charles challenged everyone to consider how we will NOT be a “Wimpy Church.”  (To understand what this means, please click on this prayer entry.) 
Pastor’s Prayer Challenges:
-       Everyone in the balcony to go into the empty classrooms upstairs in the church and pray to God for His will to be done, i.e., to pray that He will reveal to us, as His church, what we should be doing to prepare the way for the rooms to be filled with children learning about Him.  God’s will be done.
-       Everyone in the congregation to focus on a space in the church and pray for God’s will to be done in that space and in the entire church facility, as well.

Join us for worship tomorrow

Calling of Nathaniel: Canterbury Cathedral

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 

48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 

Join us tomorrow @ Stevi UMC for study, worship, and fellowship!

Human Relations Sunday

Turn on the news or drive around the outskirts of your town and you will find what Jesus called “the least of these.” Those living in the margins of society, struggling to survive. People like:

• An immigrant teenager in Texas’ poorest county, being recruited by a local gang
• A father struggling for sobriety in Little Rock, Arkansas
• An Oklahoma woman recently released from incarceration looking for work.

Over and over Jesus served people like this, embracing them. And that’s what we want to model as the people of The United Methodist Church. To continue the ministry of Jesus we established Human Relations Day as a Special Sunday that calls all of our churches to participate in helping all God’s children to realize their potential.

Equipping The United Methodist Church to Be the Church

As a member of The United Methodist Church, your gift, on this day, allows the work of folks like Bruce and Becky Ballou to build relationships with those teens in Texas. Your gift allows Montey Payne to lead recovering addicts towards healing. And your gift helps Rev. Steve Burr find work for ex-offenders. 

This work, and hundreds of other ministries, are possible because you give.

Will You Support the Ministry of Christ Among Those on the Margins?

Will you continue to support Human Relations Day? Will you continue nurturing at-risk youth, strengthening communities’ self-improvement efforts and advocating for the oppressed?

Rev. I Maliik Safir, whose church works with those gripped by addiction in Little Rock, sums up the work of Human Relations Day by recalling Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan: “to meet the poor, the disadvantaged and the underserved at the places where others have robbed them and help them to recover from the wounds of social inequality.”

Read a story about the impact you are making with your gifts.

Give Now!

To give by mail:

Send checks to: GCFA
P.O. Box 340029
Nashville, TN 37203
Please put name of Sunday in note section.

Games night is a hit!

Starting off with a couple rounds of "Timeline"

The game is afoot!

The game is on!

The fellowship hall was filled with laughter tonight as our monthly games night took place!

Come to Games Night!

What: Games Night!

Who: You (and anyone else you can bring along)

When: Friday (Jan. 16), 7 pm

Where: Stevi UMC

Why: Do you really need a reason to have fun?

 

Looking for a "forever home"

One of our church members is changing living situations and cannot take dog along to new digs.  It would ease her transition if she knew her pet was going to be OK.

“Katy” is a 5-year-old spayed female Heeler.  She’s a nice girl, a medium-sized dog that would not need regular haircuts.

She knows basic obedience (come, stay, sit); loves to chase balls; has good teeth; does not chase deer.  

This dog was abandoned once, and needs someone who can offer her a permanent home. Her owner may be willing to provide money for first-year’s food.