Lectionary readings for March 6

Return of the prodigal son - Karel Gomes, The Netherlands

The readings for this week come to us from:

• Joshua 5:9-12  • 
• Psalm 32  • 
• 2 Corinthians 5:16-21  • 
• Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Leap Day!

Thirty days has September April, June, and November  
All the rest have thirty-one  
Once February’s time is done  
February won’t stay straight  
With days that number twenty-eight  
Except in leap year, that’s the time  
When February’s days are twenty-nine

This week @ SUMC

Monday:  LEAP DAY

6:00 pm, Lectionary study 
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:

7:00 pm, Choir practice 

Wednesday: 

8:00 am, WIC 
10:00 am, Wired Word 
2:30 pm, Girl Scouts 
6:00 pm, Worship on Wednesday

6:30 pm, Youth Group

Friday:   
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible study @ Doris T.'s (lesson #1)
3:00 pm, Daisy & Brownie Troop 

Sunday:  

9:00 am, Lenten study 

9:45 am, Fellowship
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship service
11:30 am, Chime practice

Last Sunday in February

Lenten study participants focus on the text

The brass ensemble touched everyone with its hymn medley

Jimmy knows a good thing about our church

Hannah presents a card made for Belinda

Linda Kauffman shares the invitation to the offering

The last Sunday in February was a wonderful opportunity to learn, share, and worship!

The Lenten study has reached the mid-way point with today's discussion of the wedding at Cana of Galilee. There are four weeks left in this study and everyone is invited to join the group next week at 9:00 am.

What a blessing it is to be able to have such willing participants in our worship each week. Thanks to Linda K. Kauffman for her month's stint as our lay reader and to Julie Ludington for her gift of music on the piano. 

Today was also the first time Ava S. participated in the worship service as acolyte, she was joined by Hannah S. and they both did splendid service.
 
The brass ensemble (Bob Edgar, Mitch Edgar, Clay Freeman, and David Paul) shared a moving hymn medley as the morning anthem. We are blessed to have this group with us whenever we can have them. Pastor Charles' sermon, from Luke 13:1-9, considered the parable of the fig tree.

Lenten study prayer

Participants in the Lenten study, Ponderings from the Heart: A Mother's Reflections, are using prayer beads, an ancient prayer practice, as part of their Lenten discipline. 

Touch the first bead, offer that line of the prayer, pause for contemplation, move to the next bead and repeat.

The Prayer for the third week:
Bead 1: Abundant Lord,
Bead 2: Your gifts are extravagant.
Bead 3: Look upon my places of greatest need.
Bead 4: Turn my water into wine.
Bead 5: Remind me that more is always coming.
Bead 6: Help me to not give up or give in.
Bead 7: May I claim and share Your abundance.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

"To-gether or To-part?"

Did you miss Bishop Elaine's latest blog 'To-Gether or To-Part?' in your inbox? Read the first part of her 'Mission-Shaped Futures' blog on the collaborative work of the Mountain Sky Area.

Another H4H home in Stevi

Habitat for Humanity of Ravalli County invites you to join us Sunday the 28th at 1 pm at 103 Mission Street, for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cords’ family home.

Meet the family, and after the ceremony enjoy refreshments at the Stevensville Senior Center brought to you by local churches, business, and Habitat for Humanity. 

We hope to see you there.
Donna L Shulund

Ready - set - crochet!

We're ready!

Linda K. Kauffman (R) joins the fun!

Julie (in the orange), shares a technique with Sheila

There was a lot of excitement this afternoon in the fellowship hall as eight ladies came to learn from Julie Ludington about the techniques for crocheting tea towel holders.

The ladies are going to be working on this project in anticipation of the annual UMW Fall Bazaar (October 29th).

Learning, sharing, and creating this afternoon were: Trudy Freeman, Sheila Hammitt, Lois Hansen, Linda K. Kauffman, Julie Ludington, Sara Malo, Bev Schneider, Dusty Scrock, and Roberta Zielinski.

Pray. Breath. Repeat.

Each of the participants will receive a set of prayer beads

When the 864 delegates arrive for the 2016 United Methodist General Conference, each one of them comes blanketed in prayer.

From every corner of the world, people are speaking their names and praying for The United Methodist Church as the denomination’s top policy-making body prepares to meet at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on May 10-20.

In addition to stirring music, inspiring sermons and those once-every-four-years opportunities to spend time with brothers and sisters living in distant places, delegates will spend long hours in debates that could dramatically change the laws of the church.
Often, the proceedings stop for a word of prayer when things get too heated.

Before all that begins, the Rev. Tom Albin, dean of The Upper Room Chapel, invites all United Methodists to prepare and blanket the entire proceeding with intentional prayer.

All are welcome to join the prayer community created for General Conference at www.60daysofprayer.org.

Read more at this link.

Tonight's WOW

Let's eat!

Bev shares with the group

An attentive gathering

Fifteen were in attendance tonight at WOW and what a wonderful gathering it was!  

Thanks to Bev Schneider and Mary Costello for providing the amazing soups, home-made breads, and desserts!

Bev did double-duty tonight by providing the learning opportunity for the gathering. Using readings from the Epistle of James, Bev led a discussion that wove personal witness and communal response into a most moving experience.

Three Simple Rules for Social Media

In his book Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living, retired United Methodist Bishop Rueben P. Job uses John Wesley's three general rules to give Christians a guide for living a faithful life. The book is published by the United Methodist Publishing House.

The rules from Wesley, the founder of Methodism, are simple: "Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God."

These rules also apply to how we live our online lives in social media. The Rev. Dan Gangler, director of communications in the Indiana Conference, expanded on Job’s ideas in his article “3 Simple Rules for Social Media.” Michael Rich, communications coordinator in Western North Carolina Conference, did the same in his article “Social Media – 3 Simple Rules.” Both advise ways to follow the rules when using social media.

Read more at this link.

This week @ SUMC

Monday:

6:00 pm, Lectionary study 
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:

7:00 pm, Choir practice

    
Wednesday: 
8:00 am, WIC 
10:00 am, Missoula Circuit clergy meeting
2:30 pm, Girl Scouts 
6:00 pm, Worship on Wednesday

Friday:   
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible study @ Doris T.'s (lesson #13)
1:00 pm, Crochet class with Julie Ludington

Sunday:  
9:00 am, Lenten study 

9:45 am, Fellowship (NEW TIME) 
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship service
11:30 am, Chime practice

Lectionary readings for February 28

A fig tree

The Lectionary readings for February 28 are:

• Isaiah 55:1-9  • 
• Psalm 63:1-8  • 
• 1 Corinthians 10:1-13  • 
• Luke 13:1-9

Sunny Sunday in Stevi

Lenten study, week 2

Dave Lockman gets us started

Hannah lights the way

The children love being with Carol Gragg

With sunny skies and no snow in sight (except on the mountains), the faithful gathered for study and worship this morning.

What a blessing it was to hear the chimes offering, "Hymn of Promise." It is the promise of God that we always need to hear!  Pastor Charles' sermon, "Where will you die?" was based on Luke 13:31-35 and decision we are called to make to follow where Christ leads, even to Calvary.

Pilgrimage presentation

Dr. Chacón is Pastor Charles' art history professor

Lenten Study Prayer

Participants in the Lenten study, Ponderings from the Heart: A Mother's Reflections, are using prayer beads, an ancient prayer practice, as part of their Lenten discipline. 

Touch the first bead, offer that line of the prayer, pause for contemplation, move to the next bead and repeat.

The Prayer for the second week:

Bead 1: God of the Passover,
Bead 2: Deliver me from my anxiety,
Bead 3: When I loose sight of Your presence and movement.
Bead 4: Help me when life is unclear
Bead 5: And when I don't understand Jesus.
Bead 6: Stop me from rushing to find quick answers.
Bead 7: Give me grace as I ponder like Mary.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let's get together!

Lenten study, this way!

Children of all ages welcomed!

Fellowship time is at 9:45 - 10:15 am

Faith formation is a life-long activity and at Stevi UMC we have all the bases covered! 

Join us at 9 am for our Lenten study, "Ponderings from the Heart: A Mother's Reflections." Younger children are invited to attend church school (with a light breakfast) upstairs.

Fellowship time during Lent will be 9:45 - 10:15...come into the kitchen and help yourself!

Help for those displaced

Nigerians recovering from the conflict

A United Methodist congregation in Nigeria is providing refuge for some of the thousands escaping the Boko Haram war in northern Nigeria.

That assistance is happening despite the scarce resources of the Don Peter Dabale Memorial United Methodist Church in Abuja, which has been trying to complete a church building project since 2009.

Read more at this link.

Harper Lee: United Methodist

Harper Lee receiving the Medal of Freedom from President Bush

Harper Lee used the words “Methodist” and “John Wesley” in the first pages of her classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Methodism figured in her life as well as her fiction.

Lee’s death on Feb. 19, at 89, in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, brought expressions of sadness from fellow United Methodists.

There was also deep gratitude for her work, particularly “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a Depression-era tale of race relations in the Deep South, published in 1960.

“It’s not only a great piece of art, but it really is a grappling with America’s greatest problem,” said retired United Methodist Bishop Will Willimon, who led the North Alabama Conference.

Read  more at this link.

Circuit Meeting Invitation

Please plan to attend our spring all-circuit meeting April 9th, 10 am to 2 pm, at the Mission Valley UMC in St. Ignatius.  Both clergy and laity in our circuit are invited/encouraged to attend.

Our special guest will be the Rev. Andre Cassule, a pastor who serves a rural, village church in Angola.  He is one of the recipients of the Angola Pastor Support Program that our conference supports.  

Please email R.S.V.P.'s directly to Pastor Derf Bergman at revderf@gmail.com, so that the Mission Valley UMC has an idea of how many people to expect on the day.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Every blessing,

Belinda Alkula

New Lay Leader for SUMC

At last night's Ad Council meeting, the council, acting upon the recommendation of the Lay Leadership Committee, selected Clay Freeman to be the Stevensville UMC Lay Leader for the remainder of 2016.

The Ad Council filled another vacancy last night by voting to have John Fisher serve as the Alternate Lay Member to Annual Conference.

Ancient/Future Prayer

Just because the practice of prayer is ancient doesn't mean the application has to be. How can churches encourage and enhance the experience of prayer?

Read more at this link.

Prayers and Proposals for General Conference from the UMW

United Methodist Women has a unique and important place at General Conference and in the church and world.

"O God, it is because you gave us hearts for honoring life that we pause at this time of challenge and promise before and during the days of General Conference in Portland, Oregon, to be still and listen: to one another's stories of fear, hurt and hope; to your call to justice and love; to your Spirit of Compassion within. 

May we hold each other in compassion, gentleness and courage as we discern your creative, life-giving ways toward understanding and union so that all people, all beings can thrive and share in the wonder and beauty of our communal life on this exquisite blue marble of a planet. Amen." 
 
— Prayer for General Conference, Pat Hoerth, deaconess and member of United Methodist Women

 Read more here.

Worship on Wednesday is WONDERFUL!

Belinda, joey, and Mary C. are happy to be here!

Lois H. leading tonight's discussion

Weekly communion is part of WOW

Bella basks in the Word!

This week's Worship on Wednesday (WOW) was a blessing for everyone present. Thanks to Dean and joey Diers for preparing the soups and breads that we enjoyed for the meal.

Lois Hansen led a discussion of the second part of Bishop Rueben Job's book, Three Simple Rules, "Do good."

Wesley on Wednesday

CONVO was AWESOME!

Mitch is in the lime-green shirt, standing up, in the left side of the picture

Mitch Edgar was among the nearly 100 youth from across the YAC at last weekend's CONVO at Bozeman UMC.

Many U.S. presidents have Methodist ties

They escorted Abraham Lincoln's body to his burial in Illinois. They served lemonade to guests at the White House in an age of temperance. They had roles in inaugurations and extended spiritual advice to presidents on justice issues, ranging from slavery to war.

United Methodists have a long history of ties to U.S. presidencies. In fact, Methodism began its relationship with the presidency through the general who would become the nation's first elected leader.

Read more at this link.

Lectionary readings for February 21

Dominus Flivit Church - Jerusalem

The scripture lessons for the Second Sunday in Lent.

• Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18  • 
• Psalm 27  • 
• Philippians 3:17-4:1  • 
• Luke 13:31-35  

This week @ SUMC

Monday: President's Day

6:00 pm, Lectionary study - NEW -
6:00 pm, Trustees  
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:

7:00 pm, Choir practice

    
Wednesday: 
8:00 am, WIC 
10:00 am, Wired Word 
2:30 pm, Girl Scouts 
6:00 pm, Worship on Wednesday

Thursday:
7:00 pm, Ad Council

Friday:   
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible study @ Doris T.'s (lesson #12)
3:00 pm, Daisy & Brownie Troop

Sunday:  
9:00 am, Lenten study 

9:45 am, Fellowship (NEW TIME) 
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship service
11:30 am, Chime practice

6:00 pm, Book Group ("The Lemon Tree")

Valentine's Day @ SUMC

Valentine's Day flowers on the table

Pastor Charles leading the Lenten study

Rollie and Hannah bringing in the Light

"Jesus, Lover of My Soul"

Carol and the children

Blessings abounded this morning as the faithful gathered at Stevi UMC!

Our Lenten study, "Ponderings of the Heart: A Mother's Reflection" had seventeen present. As part of the Lenten observance, participants were given "Protestant prayer beads" to assist them in praying in a focused, unhurried manner.

During worship, the choir offered a moving hymn by Charles Wesley, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul."

Lenten study prayer

Participants in the Lenten study, Ponderings from the Heart: A Mother's Reflections, are using prayer beads, an ancient prayer practice, as part of their Lenten discipline. 

Prayer beads have been used for centuries to foster a deeper connection with God through deliberate, focused prayer.  Pastor Charles has beads available for anyone who might want to avail themselves of this meditation practice. 

Touch the first bead, offer that line of the prayer, pause for contemplation, move to the next bead and repeat.

The Prayer for the first week:
Bead 1: Sovereign Lord,
Bead 2: My eyes have seen Your salvation.
Bead 3: Help me to treasure what You treasure.
Bead 4: Break my heart for what breaks Yours.
Bead 5: Pierce my heart and my soul
Bead 6: With the truth of Christ's suffering
Bead 7: For me and for the world.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer for Valentine's Day

God of wonder and of joy:
grace comes from You,
and you alone are the source of life and love.
Without You, we cannot please You;
without Your love, our deeds are worth nothing.
Send Your Holy Spirit,
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
that we may worship You now
with thankful hearts
and serve You always with willing minds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Church of England

Need love advice? Don’t ask John Wesley

As United Methodists, we often turn to the founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, as an authority in many aspects of life. Romantic love, however, should not be one of them.

Wesley preached helpful sermons about everyday issues such as, “The Use of Money,” “On Obedience to Parents,” and “On Patience.”

He offered medical advice to those in need of healing. His Primitive Physick: or An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Disease, was a best-seller during his lifetime. It included diet and dental advice.

All of this, of course, was in addition to his incredible work in building a movement for Christian discipleship development that grew in England and in what would become the United States.

A master of theology, 18^th century medicine, the Biblical languages, and church organization, Wesley was and is respected in many areas of life. His love life, however, was a bit of disaster.

Read more at this link.

Lenten Study Reminder

Join us for tomorrow for the beginning of our Lenten Bible study series: "Ponderings of the Heart: A Mother's Reflections."

The study aims to help disciples grow through the study of the Word; it's focus is on the model of discipleship exhibited by Mary, the mother of Jesus.. It is a seven-week study, designed to begin after Ash Wednesday and conclude on Easter Day.

Each week we'll begin promptly @ 9:00 am and conclude in time for fellowship @ 9:45.

(Feb. 14)  Simeon's blessing - Luke 2:22-35
(Feb. 21)  The Boy Jesus in the Temple - Luke 2:41-52
(Feb. 28)  A Wedding Feast at Cana - John 2:1-12 

(Mar. 6)   Jesus' True Family - Matthew 12:46-50
(Mar. 13) The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth - Mark 6:1-6
(Mar. 20) Mary at the foot of the Cross - John 19:25-27
(Mar. 27) They Returned to Jerusalem - Acts 1:12-14, 15b

-Thanks to the good people at Hopewell UMC - Downingtown, PA, for this material.