Mother/Daughter Banquet

Join us on May 9 to celebrate Mother’s Day. This year’s theme will be “Treasure Your Mother.” Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for children 5 & under. The festivities will begin at 6:30 pm at Humeston Christian United Methodist Church. Tickets will be available at Snyder’s, Great Western Bank, HCUMC office, or contact Belva Snow.

The guest speaker for the Mother/Daughter banquet will be Marilyn Kay Long. Marilyn is the wife of Marion Long, the mother of three sons, mother-in-law to three daughters, and the grandmother of nine children.

She is a graduate nurse who retired at the time of her first son’s birth. During that time her children were in public school, she began teaching a city-wide Bible study in Des Moines. Soon she was speaking at conferences, clubs, and conventions in the Midwest. As a result of her teaching she has had a Biblical counseling ministry in the area for 40 years.

Marilyn is a free-lance interior decorator and artist, but finds family and Biblical ministry her first love.

TUF Team - April 22

TUF Team met on April 22 for the last meeting. Since this was Earth Day, they picked up trash around town, had a pizza party, and reviewed Easter using the Easter eggs and symbols. Everyone had a good time this year. Several have showed interest in attending camp this year, so far 2 forms have been turned in, but there are still more to come. We will list those attending camp with addresses for everyone to send them mail in the June newsletter.

Parish Council Notes

Completed the Ministry Appraisal form to be turned in to the District Superintendent providing an evaluation of parish goals and staff performance relative to those goals.

Administrative Council Notes

1. Approved $300 conference expense for Diane to attend IAC
2. Acknowledged that several members increased their giving for 2009 and approved a 3-part Fundraising Plan to address the expected 2009 budget deficit remaining. These will be explained during the Sunday services in May.
a. Special Fifth Sunday Offerings
Each 5th Sunday a special offering to help with a designated budget expense
such as propane, electricity, insurance, etc.
b. Memorial Christmas Ornaments
Beautiful ornaments given in memory/honor of loved ones for display in church
during Advent and then given to donors for their use in subsequent years.
c. GoodSearch.com
An online source of income with 1 penny being donated to our church for every
Yahoo search anyone makes on our behalf. Also generates income for the
church when people shop online.
3. Received the reports of Helping Hands, Worship Committee, Youth Group plans for their mission trip during spring break, and Mission Committee which was celebrating the success of the Wayne County (SILO) mission effort to prepare pre-packaged meals for Africa.

Session Notes

Session met Monday, April 13, and discussed a variety of issues. They approved the purchase of a new vacuum, replacement of plug-in, and installation of a gas valve shut-off.
Pastor Dale updated them on Jonna Reader and other missionaries.
He also announced the upcoming VBS dates. Session also approved the usage of Camp E.D.G.E. for LeRoy VBS. LeRoy VBS will be Aug. 3-7 with the program on Aug. 9 during worship time.
There was much discussion on whether or not to start an endowment. Session was asked to think and pray about it and more discussion would come at the next meeting.

News from the Denominations

**DOC (Upper Midwest Region of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ)
1. The Upper Midwest Region has recently hired a new Administrative Coordinator for Ministries. Her name is Connie Derby Dicks. She will start May 12, 2009.

2. As a cost saving measure the Regional Church Center has been closed and the offices moved to a temporary administrative center at the Christian Conference Center in Newton.

3. Don Hiscox and Bill Spangler-Dunning remain as Regional staff. To reach them by phone use their cell numbers. (Don 515-577-9020) (Bill 515-577-9050)

4. Do you have questions? See FAQ link.

**IAC (Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church)
1. The theme for the 2009 Iowa Annual Conference is “Radical Hospitality, Receiving God’s Grace.” Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble will preside. Read his bio. The dates are June 4-7.

2. The South Central District Annual Conference was held in Chariton on Sunday April 26th with Rev. Bill Poland, District Superintendent, presiding.

**PDM (Presbytery of Des Moines of the Presbyterian Church USA)
1. Rev. Linda O’Connell has been elected as Moderator of Presbyterian Women for the Presbytery. Her term began Saturday April 25th and as Moderator, she will be a voting delegate at Presbyterian Women’s Triennial Gathering in Louisville KY in July.

2. The next Stated meeting of the Presbytery will be Tuesday, May 19th at Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, Des Moines.

Remembering Easter

I only ever attended one pro-football game that I remember. It was a playoff game in Pittsburgh between the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders. The remarkable thing about the game is how it ended. On the last play of the game Terry Bradshaw threw a desperation pass. The receiver missed it, the ball was batted in the air, and before the ball had time to hit the ground Franko Harris scooped it up and ran it into the end zone, scoring the winning touchdown.

My Dad was there at the game with me, but he didn’t see the play. He was gathering up the blankets we had been bundled in. “What happened? What happened?” he asked when the crowd suddenly went absolutely nuts, “did we win? We won? How? What happened?”

We were both there. I saw it. He didn’t. But we both knew it happened. It was an absolutely unbelievable experience. Over the years we both enjoyed remembering that day, going back over the game, recalling that wonderland feelings. How fortunate we were to have been there, at the beginning of the rise of the Steelers to football dominance.
What an experience!

Friends, I tell this story to make a point, a very serious point, and the point is this. Our experience of that day had nothing to do with the Steelers winning the game. Neither did our experience that day have anything to do with the Steelers rise to football dominance. What Franko Harris, Terry Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers did, they did on their own. What Dad and I experienced has nothing to do with their accomplishments. What they did is one thing. What we experienced is another.

I tell this story as a parable about Easter. Easter is about that moment in time, that last play of the game, when Jesus miraculously rose from the dead. Game over. Eternity won.

Easter is about Jesus, what he did, and whether we believe he did it. Easter is a fact, a done deal. Easter does not depend on anyone’s experience of it. It happened, thank God, and it changed the world forever.

I saw Franko catch the ball. My Dad did not. But we both know it happened, and in happening it changed the franchise of the Steelers forever. Steelers fans still experience that day with great relish. Raider fans still experience that day, but much differently.

Back to Easter for a moment. When all is said and done, Easter is a fact. Our feelings about it, whether affirming or denying, don’t change a thing. Jesus is Risen. That’s all that matters. Believe it or Not.

Youth Mission Trip

We will leave on April 9 and arrive back on the 14. On Thursday, we will fly into Washington DC and drive to outside NYC. Friday we will spend in NYC at the 911 Memorial and other sights. Saturday we will drive back through Philadelphia and see Freedom Hall and the Liberty Bell. Saturday afternoon through Tuesday morning we will be in Washington DC.We have tickets to tour the Holocaust Museum on Monday morning and that is the only thing set at this time. We are planning on feeding the homeless for our mission project but we’re not sure what day that will occur.

April's Coming - Or - Whaz Up?

Easter, and Holy Week leading up to it, is the main in-parish focus this month.

On Palm Sunday look for a Palm Parade at both worship services. At LeRoy the children and Pastor Dale will have time to rehearse between breakfast and church. Also on Palm Sunday in Humeston, we will enjoy special song from one of our youth. And another will be baptized and join the church. Later in the month we will have one of our families joining with the children being baptized.

Holy Week services will include the Communion Service on Maundy (Mandate) Thursday at 7pm in LeRoy and the Good Friday Service at 7pm in Humeston.

Easter Sunrise Service won’t really be at sunrise, but at 7am in Humeston, followed by pancake and sausage breakfast provided by the Helping Hands. Easter Services of Celebration will be at the normal worship hours – 9:00 in LeRoy, 10:30 in Humeston. Special offerings to help meet the needs of regions and countries effected by natural disasters will be received at both services.

Potluck News: We are combining the April and May potluck after-church dinners and having only one. It will be on April 26th in Humeston at noon.

Items
Youth Mission Trip to 9/11 Memorial (NYC) and Holocaust Museum (DC) is April 9-14

SILO hunger mission in Wayne Co packaging meals for Africa and gathering canned goods and staples for local food pantry will be held at Centennial Building 10am – 2pm in Allerton April 4

Spring Gathering of Presbytery Women of the Presbytery of Des Moines will be at Cottage Grove Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Saturday April 25. Rev Linda O’Connell will be installed as Moderator.

Humeston Chamber of Commerce and Front Street Market are working together on many Tuesdays serving the meals at the Humeston Sale Barn. By eating there you support our local business as well as the community betterment activities of the Chamber. Help keep Humeston strong.

March News - Or - Watcha Been Doin?

This month has been heavy into ministry with families and youth.

In LeRoy, we decided to have a potluck breakfast before church. After breakfast Pastor Dale met with the children and prepared them for a short children’s program during worship. It sure made Sunday morning more fun. The program was about the season of Lent. We will do this again in April and May. Thanks Mandy for the great idea.

The parish new member class has one family and one junior high student. Yeah! They will be joining the church in April.

The youth have been really busy with fundraisers and with each one getting enough volunteer points to qualify for a mission trip scholarship. Their fundraisers included 1) a bake sale, 2) a trash & treasure sale, and 3) a sit-down oriental dinner which the youth both prepared and served. We are proud of them – Emma Clemon, Midori Reed, Kelsey Gehlhaar, Kylie DeVore, Cassie Moore, Emily Secrest, Mikayla Reed, and Hailee Kelso. And so thankful for the youth leaders – Jan Lundahl, Mary Jackson, and Michiko Fogel, and for Andrew Reed’s help too. In the midst of all this the Youth Group found time to spend a few hours in mission service at the homeless shelter in Des Moines.

Speaking of youth, they are absolutely excellent leading in worship. They have been taking turns, 2 x 2, adding their youthful voices to the readings and prayers. Emma Clemon and Samantha Watsabaugh each played flute one Sunday. Watch for more youth in the music program.

The younger youth program is the TUF Team. We met twice in March on early-out days with about a dozen youth in attendance. Main themes were Baptism and Communion. Lots of crafts, indoor and outdoor activities, a video or two. Good times!

On the 22nd we welcomed Rev Russ Melby as preacher for the day. He talked about his work with Church World Service and CROP, as he is the regional director for these in Iowa. There is more about him on our blog. Just scroll back and you’ll find it. We also recorded his message which you can watch on our church video site. Then after church the Helping Hands grilled burgers and dogs. What a feast, kinda like Spring’s first Fling.

UMW (United Methodist Women) took their turn at hosting World Day of Prayer in Humeston. Women from several churches were present. And the UMW women did a really fine job presenting the worship material prepared half a world away.

And led by the mission committee, the whole church is getting involved in the Wayne County mission effort to help Kids Against Hunger. Our local effort is organized by SILO (Southern Iowa Loves Others) and focuses on packaging 60,000 meals for Africa and gathering canned goods and staples for the local food pantry. Virginia Watson and Diane Olsen Schroeder have been representing our parish.

Leaning On Jesus

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

Grief is the ever-present companion of Loss.

Most anything can bring on a sense of loss. Loss of mobility or hearing or sight.
Loss of privilege, job or home. The loss of someone moving away or dying. The loss of dignity and self-respect generated by oppression and abuse.

The anger we feel when threatened by or actually encountering limitations is also a form of grief. The limits of time, money, energy, personal freedoms. The sense of losing control, of powerlessness or helplessness, can also be a form of loss.

In God’s magnificent design for creation there is a time for everything, including loss. Read Ecclesiastes 3 again, A Time for Everything. That’s reality, harsh temporal reality!

Also in God’s magnificent design is a place for God’s unending love, amazing grace and all-sufficient mercy. That’s also reality, saving spiritual reality!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

Here’s the lesson. Though we will surely experience loss, a lot of it, throughout our lives the one loss we will never experience is loss of fellowship with God and separation from God’s eternal care. While we may feel distant from God, the fact is that God is never distant from us. God is ever near. Turn again toward Jesus, take his hand, and be whole.

SILO - 60,000 Meals

It’s absolutely thrilling to see the response to the Wayne County SILO project, in support of the Kids Against Hunger mission. Over $15,000 has been raised locally. Therefore on April 4 we will package more than 60,000 meals for Africa. Sign up now to help on the 4th for an hour or more. Everyone is welcome.

Thank You

The youth would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of their Trash & Treasure Sale and/or their Oriental Dinner. We had a long day but cleared over $1000 for our trip. Again, thank you.
Besides helping us, your donations to the sale were shared with some families who are struggling financially and a child who lost clothes in a fire. A small part of what was left was packed up for next year, and some left for Goodwill, but most was sent to Janice Downen to be used at the HIS store. Thanks again.

Child Avocate Program

Child Advocate Program Needs Volunteers in Wayne County

The State of Iowa Child Advocacy Board is recruiting volunteers to work on child abuse or neglect cases in the court system in Wayne County. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are assigned one case at a time in their own county in order to give attention needed to make knowledgeable recommendations in the child’s best interest. Volunteers will visit the child on their case at least monthly, as well as gather additional information from other sources.

Special education and expertise is not required; what is needed is an ability to be objective and to work with people and communicate effectively. Training is provided. We welcome volunteers from all educational and ethnic backgrounds. Contact Carrie Phelps at 866-451-3214 or carrie.phelps@dia.iowa.gov for more information about becoming a child advocate in your community.