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.