"Through the power of Christ, we are learning to live in simplicity, thankfulness, contentment and
generosity in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana."

(IF YOU CLICK ON A PICTURE, IT WILL GET BIGGER... AND EASIER TO VIEW.)

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Our United Methodist Vows

When we become professing members of a United Methodist congregation, we profess our faith in God, our desire to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, and our commitment to join with our church community to keep the vows of our Baptismal Covenant.

One of those vows is to faithfully participate in the life and ministries of our local congregation through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. But, how can we go beyond the words we profess to actually living into these vows?

In this special five-part series, we’ll look at each aspect of this membership vow and how United Methodists can answer the call to serve Christ through the local church.

You can also download a copy of your United Methodist vows to display in your home and remind you of your faith journey.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Human Trafficking Awareness

Immigrants are frequent targets of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking—modern-day slavery.
Over the years, the National Justice for Our Neighbors Network has helped many human trafficking survivors find safety and security under U.S. law.
Learn more about human trafficking and to recognize signs of its perpetrators and victims.

Read more at this link.

Monday, January 29, 2018

Scripture lessons for February 4



St. Mary the Virgin, Fen Ditton, Cambridgeshire


The scripture lessons for February 4 are Isaiah 40:21, 25-31 and Mark 1:29-39.

This week @ SUMC

Monday:

9:30 am, Bible study @ The Living Center
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:
7:00 pm, Choir

Wednesday:
8:00 am, WIC
10:00 am, Invitation to Genesis
 
Friday/Saturday:
Winter Mission u @ Laurel UMC

Friday:
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T.
10:00 am, Red Cross Blood Drive
Sunday:
9:00 am, Invitation to Genesis
9:15 am, Whirl Children's Ministry
9:15 am, Collaborate Youth Ministry
10:15 am, Praise music
10:30 am, Worship
11:30 am, Fellowship
11:45 am, Chimes

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Last Sunday of January


With the hint of more winter weather in the air, the faithful gathered for study, worship, and fellowship.
 
During our worship, Donna Lewis & Chuck Petty, Jr. shared "Be Thou My Vision," and "A Living Prayer." Pastor Charles' sermon, "Just another Sabbath," was taken from Mark 1:21-28.

Thanks this morning to: Pastor Charles & Sherry Paddie (Faith formation), Ava (Acolytes), Cammie Edgar  (Power point), Sharon Brown & Mary Costello (Greeter/usher), Julie Ludington (Piano), Paul Ludington (Praise music), Donna Lewis & Chuck Petty, Jr. (anthem), Tom Bishop (Video), Marcia Prather (Liturgist), Sherry Paddie (Children's message), Cathy Woods & Bonita Ziegler (Offering counters), and Carol Goffe, Carol Gragg, & Vickie Vernon (Fellowship).

Friday, January 26, 2018

Making plans for Lent

“When people risk joining together with others in a common desire to know and love God and neighbor more fully the Holy Spirit will be present in recognizable ways.” – Kevin Watson

Are you looking for community and a chance for deep conversation with your siblings in Christ during Lent? The Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain conferences of the Mountain Sky Area invite you to join Wesleyan Small Groups. Individuals can participate in area-sponsored digital small groups via Zoom video conferencing. Resources also will be available online if people want to create their own in-person group with others in their communities.

Through these groups, you will be invited to grow in your relationship with God and one another while fostering relationships across the Mountain Sky Area. The six-week digital small groups will be comprised of six to 10 individuals, including a facilitator, who will meet in the same groups throughout Lent. 

Groups will meet for 60 minutes each week with morning, midday, evening and late-night meeting times offered to accommodate a variety of schedules. Small groups will begin the week of Sunday, Feb. 18

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Commission on a Way Forward Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2018
DALLAS - The Commission on a Way Forward is nearing the completion of its task of making recommendations of possible ways forward for The United Methodist Church regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ persons in this global denomination.
The 32-member Commission concluded its three-day meeting in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday after reworking sketches of possible models of the future of the denomination that will be part of the final report to the Council of Bishops in May.

Good news from the Yellowstone Conference

The generosity of the people of the Yellowstone Conference of The United Methodist Church and its partners has enabled it to commit to paying 100 percent of the 2017 General Church apportionments, without having to dig into conference reserves.

This means the financial safety net Yellowstone has worked to establish over the last few years is still intact. Thank you for giving! We are in this together. The Mountain Sky Area is fully connected to the whole church and to the individual conferences that comprise this area.

When the Yellowstone Conference announced back in June an anticipated financial shortfall for 2017, a special Harvest Time Legacy Campaign was launched with the goal of raising $100,000 by the end of 2017. Praise God that the year-end total for the Harvest Time Campaign was $103,000.  Additionally, many of our churches worked hard to pay more on their Mission Shares. As a result, we finished 2017 in much better shape because of the generosity of so many people.

Not only did numerous individuals make major offerings to the campaign, but various groups, churches and organizations – big and small – contributed to the Harvest Time Fund. Two of Yellowstone's smallest congregations – Hyattville UMC in Wyoming and Troy UMC in Montana – both gave incredibly significant gifts.

What is especially encouraging is the fact that gifts came from beyond the Yellowstone Conference from those who support our mission and our leadership. Across the denomination we received support: The Rocky Mountain Conference Council on Finance and Administration, the Rocky Mountain United Methodist Foundation, the Northwest Wyoming Clergy Circuit and the Association of Retired Clergy all made considerable gifts.

Yellowstone Conference will be continuing its efforts with the Harvest Time Legacy Campaign into 2018. The desire is to enter a new relationship with the Rocky Mountain Conference in a very strong position.

From Mountain Sky Area Bishop Karen P. Oliveto: "A big 'thank you' to the people of the Yellowstone Conference for being faithful stewards of God's resources! By paying 100 percent of our general church apportionments, we affirm our connection to the world-wide ministries of The United Methodist Church through which we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!"


Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Be Just. Be Green.

United Methodist Book of Discipline

All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it.  Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings.  God has granted us stewardship of creation.  We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. (Social Principles, ¶ 160)

United Methodist Women calls for sound stewardship of the earth and environmentally friendly lifestyles that preserve creation for the benefit of present and future generations.

Get involved in our environmental work:

"They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.”

Recycle your aluminum cans and white office paper at the church. Plastic (no clam shells or lids) may be recycled at the parsonage.

Monday, January 22, 2018

This week @ The Living Center

Our Bible study at The Living Center this morning was a look at Daniel 10:10-19.

Join us each Monday at 9:30 am in the third floor common room for an engaging study.

Next week we will look at James 2:14-26.

Scripture lessons for January 28

El Greco
The scripture lessons for Sunday, January 28, are

This week @ SUMC

Monday:

9:30 am, Bible study @ The Living Center
3:30 pm, Girl Scouts
7:00 pm, Living Clean

Tuesday:
7:00 pm, Choir

Wednesday:
8:00 am, WIC
10:00 am, Invitation to Genesis

Friday:
10:00 am, Drop-in Bible Study @ Doris T.

Sunday:
9:00 am, Invitation to Genesis
9:15 am, Whirl Children's Ministry
9:15 am, Collaborate Youth Ministry
10:15 am, Praise music
10:30 am, Worship
11:30 am, Fellowship
11:45 am, Chimes

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Good coffee, nice people, and a great God!

The snow is rapidly melting and the days are growing longer. That could only mean one thing: It's time to come together as a church family to share in the worship and blessings of our faith community.

The adult study, "Invitation to Genesis," continued this morning with a look at The Flood. At the same time, the children are continuing to learn through the Whirl lectionary materials. Our youth began an exciting new chapter with the introduction of "Collaborate!"

During our worship, the choir offered "On Eagle's Wings" Pastor Charles' sermon, "Zebedee & Sons, Inc.," was taken from Mark 1:15-21.

Thanks this morning to: Pastor Charles & Sherry Paddie (Faith formation), Hazen and Katie Rose (Acolytes), Cammie Edgar  (Power point), Sharon Brown & Anna Storkson (Greeter/usher), Julie Ludington (Piano), Paul Ludington (Praise music), Tom Bishop (Video), Bev Schneider (Liturgist), Sherry Paddie (Children's message), Dean Diers & Cathy Woods (Offering counters), and Julie & Dave McGarvey (Fellowship).

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Saturday UMW Circle at work!

Seven were on hand this morning for the UMW's Saturday Circle.

The Saturday Circle is engaged in the UMW's Four Areas of Focus: Criminalization of Communities of Color, Economic Inequality, Climate Justice, and Maternal and Child Health.

*Criminalization of Communities of Color: What can we be doing to address those on the margins of the justice system?
*Climate Justice: Recycling efforts are going well but can involve more people. We continue to gather plastic at the parsonage and then taken to Missoula.
*Economic Inequality: Pantry Partners Sundays are well-received. The March collection (third Sunday) will be soup, pasta, and cake mixes.
*Maternal and Child Health: We'll be taking a lot of school supplies to Lone Rock school next week. We're also sending money to WIC for supplies not covered by that program. 

Our next meeting is February 17 @ 9:30 am.

The basics of our faith

As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time.

Read more at this link.

Friday, January 19, 2018

UMW Saturday Circle is ready for YOU!

Come and be part of the excitement of the UMW's Saturday Circle, tomorrow, 9 am.

The Saturday Circle is engaged in the UMW's Four Areas of Focus: Criminalization of Communities of Color, Economic Inequality, Climate Justice, and Maternal and Child Health