Get Smart; - St. James United Methodist Church



ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH2945 Main Street, East Troy, WI 53120 262-642-7642Rev. Bill Busch Following the Cross April 2020 PASTOR’S PONDERINGSRarely do we experience an event in life that changes life so quickly day by day. But God is God and is never taken by surprise! The Bible explains in Psalm 147:5, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power, His understanding is beyond measure,” this means God has unlimited power or is all-powerful (Omnipotent); and God has wisdom and intelligence that is unimaginable or is all-knowing (Omniscient)! Most especially, as explained in 1 John 4:8, God is all-loving (Omnibenevolent).The omnipotence of God, the Omniscience of God and the Omnibenevolence of God all describe the amazing nature of God. When reflecting on Joshua 5:14, author and pastor Max Lucado explained it this way in light of Joshua 5:14, “’Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped.’” He was a five-star general with forty-thousand soldiers who saluted as he passed and two-million people looked up to him. Yet in the presence of God, he fell on his face, and worshiped. We’re never so strong or mighty that we don’t need to worship. Worship-less people have no power greater than themselves to call on. The worship-less heart faces Jericho all alone. Don’t go to your Jericho without first going to your Commander. Let him remind you of his all-encompassing power. In Hebrews 13:5 he has given you this promise, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ Look to Jesus for comfort and turn your gaze away from Jericho. You’ve looked at it long enough. Your Jericho may be strong, but your Jesus is stronger, let him be your strength.”In a couple of weeks, we will be celebrating Easter Sunday in a very unusual and unexpected way, we will be we will be “Self-quarantining at home.” But aren’t you glad God is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving and is not limited by anything that happens in the world? In God’s divine wisdom and sovereignty, God provided a salvation that is real, touchable, and full of love! That is why Jesus came into the world, lived and died on the cross, then was resurrected! So that through faith, He becomes a personal, living Savior to all who trust Him? That’s the beauty of Easter - that Jesus Christ conquered sin and death and lives today as our Savior. Jesus is stronger than anything we experience in the world and wants to be our strength! We don’t have to do anything to earn God’s approval or acceptance, God’s forgiveness or grace! Jesus did all the work! We serve a risen Savior who lives in and through us.Because of the loving relationship and the gift of life and grace God offers, everything a Christ believer does is to give thanks to and express faith for Jesus’s victory! That means, when our worship services have been suspended due to the COVID-19, our church is not empty, it’s been deployed! Here are some ways you can participate:(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)(PASTOR’S PONDERINGS – CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE)Special N95 Facemasks are in severe shortage and medical professionals need to extend their use when appropriate. The St. James Church has obtained a pattern to make washable cloth mask covers for the N95 during patient care, making extended usage possible. If you are a crafter with a sewing machine and willing to help, contact the Church office and we will send you instructions. Bring completed items to the St. James Church and they will be primarily used locally by our clinics and EMTs. Check on the elderly and others who are high risk and susceptible to COVID-19. Check on them, shop for them, pray with them as you practice social distancing (6 feet) to protect them and yourselves.Remind people of our prayer ministry which by contacting the church by phone or email. Worship with us, Sundays on Facebook, especially on Easter morning. Contact the church office for instructions if you are not on Facebook, but wish to see the on-line services. Because our church has been deployed, ministry continues, but only through the gracious giving of our congregation. That’s why each week as we introduce the Offering we explain, “Your giving is an expression of your faith and trust in all that the Lord has done for you.” You can by mail with the postage paid envelope you recently received by mail or by automatic withdrawal, this has been arranged for you to make giving easier while we are “Safer-at-Home. As you think about all Jesus has done for you through His resurrection power this Easter, please give as generously as possible. As always, we love you and care about you! That is why our Preaching Associate Mary Crane has been contacting you. Also the Community Church Visitation Ministers and Pastor Bill are available to you as well. If you have questions, please email Pastor Bill at pbbusch@ or contact the church office at 262-642-7642. Remember, live with hope – not fear, for with God’s grace, this too shall pass! Pray Psalm 91 over yourself, your family, our church, our community and country. Ministering together, Pastor Bill Busch*********************************************************************************************PLEASE ALWAYS WATCH FOR FAST BREAKING NEWS AND UPDATES ********************************************************************************************Worship in April April 5th “40 Days of Community – Living a Generous Life”Philippians 2:1-5 Live streaming on FBApril 12th WATCH FOR OUR EASTER SERVICE ON FACEBOOK PAGE Live streaming on FBApril 19th How to “Get Smart” Ephesians 5:15-17Live streaming on FBApril 26th The Other Side of “Smart” Proverbs 1:20-22Live streaming on FB 1613535261620002020 Spring Big Day Sermon Series Get Smart; Through the “One Thing” of LifeThese next 6 weeks will look at the one thing that can become the focal point for all your decision making in the future. The 1 thing that can bring clarity to the hard questions of life and can save you a lot of time, money and a lot of heartache. If you go back to that season of your life where you wrestled with your greatest regret, and applied this one thing to it, you could have avoided that regret. That is how crucial this one thing is. What is the 1 thing? Answer “What is the wise thing to do?” 4-19 How to “Get Smart”Ephesians 5:15-174-26 The Other Side of “Smart” Proverbs 1:20-225-3 The “Timing of Smart”Job 14:55-10 The Wrong Side of “Smart” 1 Corinthians 6:185-17 The “But” of Wisdom1 Kings 3:7-12 5-24 Got SmartProverbs 9:10 EAST TROY MANORWORSHIP SCHEDULE IN APRIL April 2nd no one April 9th no one April 16th no one April 23rd Brad Balgord (possibly)************************************************************* SECOND HELPINGSDue to the Coronavirus, Second Helpings was not able to be held in March. We will keep everyone informed when we will be able to resume our Second Helpings meals. Until then, please take care of yourselves and we will pray everyone stays healthy. We miss you all and hope to see you soon!Second Helpings************************************HELP ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SUPPORT THE EAST TROY FOOD PANTRY Don’t forget to bring your items for the food pantry each Sunday! These items are “always” needed no matter what month or season, they are: Laundry soap, dish soap, sugar, flour, and cookies. The theme for April is “Spring Cleaning.” Items needed are Kitchen Cleaners, Bathroom Cleaners, Furniture Polish, Glass Cleaner and Disinfecting Wipes. WORSHIP DURING TIMES OF CORONAVIRUS381000154305St. James United Methodist Church encourages friends, regular attenders and members to stay home and stay safe. St. James UMC will attempt to contact regular attendees by Facebook or e-mail to notify when worship is able to start being held again. We also encourage you to watch channels, 4, 6, or 12 for announcements regarding worship or event cancellations.Also, please regularly support God’s ministry at the St. James Church no matter the situation. Thank You!00St. James United Methodist Church encourages friends, regular attenders and members to stay home and stay safe. St. James UMC will attempt to contact regular attendees by Facebook or e-mail to notify when worship is able to start being held again. We also encourage you to watch channels, 4, 6, or 12 for announcements regarding worship or event cancellations.Also, please regularly support God’s ministry at the St. James Church no matter the situation. Thank You!*******************************************HOPE BOOK CLUBHOPE Book Club will be reading and discussing the following books when we are all able to be out again. Hope you can join us. If you want Maureen to order you a book, please call the church office. We did not meet in March so we will try to discuss “Never Give Up” in April (possibly) and we will then be reading, “The Nest,” date to be determined for discussion. “Never Give Up” – Discussion led by Kathy Anderson on April 21st at 7:00 p.m.****************************************FEBRUARY 2020GIVING TOWARDSCHURCH BUDGETTOTAL: $7,577.00*******************************************FRANK’S PIGGLY WIGGLY SHOPPERSThis is a reminder to everyone that Frank's Piggly Wiggly receipts are due no later than April 5th. ? As usual, no late receipts can be accepted.? The church will be open for now and you can drop receipts off or if you don't want to go out, you can mail your receipts right to church here and I will put them in the drawer in the kitchen for Dolores.*******************************************18 MONTH CALENDAR REMINDERREMINDER – If you haven’t already gotten your dates on the 18 month calendar, please stop in the office and do so. This is designed to plan out ministry and service opportunities in an effective and strategic way. Every leader of a service and ministry opportunity should get your ministry or opportunities on the calendar 3 months ahead. That’s following the strategic planning program that we follow. THANK YOU’STo St. James United Methodist Church,On behalf of the Board of Directors and the many volunteers who are working to create intergenerational opportunities for all the residents in the greater East Troy Area, I wish to thank you for your generous donation of $110.00 to the East Troy Community Center. Your contribution will help in our goal to provide our programs with little or no cost to those who will benefit from them. If at any time you believe that we can assist you in some way, please do not hesitate to call on us. Sincerely,Martha Bresler, Director East Troy Community Center *******************************************PLEASE GET ALL DATES INTO THE OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR NEWSLETTERS AND MONTHLY CALENDARS In an effort to be sure ALL dates and events get on the monthly calendar, effective right away we have PINK forms available to you to fill out each month so each meeting or event gets on the calendar. This is all in an effort to communicate with everyone the best we can. The forms will be on the counter in the Welcome Center by the other clip boards. PLEASE fill it out and put it in the Office Folder IN box outside the church office. ALL events or meetings must be in writing or will not be put in the calendar. ********************IMPORTANT NEWSLETTER REMINDERAs of this month, we will go to quarterly newsletters, so it will be very important to get dates in ahead of time. Our next newsletter will be in July. NO late articles can be accepted at all for newsletters. We will still continue to get you a monthly calendar, so you are kept informed of meetings and events. Take a Moment . . . To Grow Closer to God!God has made each of us a unique individual shaped to serve and to glorify Him!Last month we discussed, “Discovering God’s Will for Your Life” by Sheila Walsh. We learned that God expects us to live our lives according to His will. He has chosen us, and through His will we are secure in a loving relationship with Him. God wants us to read the Bible, and to recognize that decisions that close one door and open another are from God. Additionally, God doesn’t want us to walk alone. He wants us to seek wise counsel; someone who can give us good advice. And finally God wants us to pray for ways to deepen our relationship with Him.It is true that individuals find so many things to do that they forget that God must come first. We have time-consuming hobbies, friends that like to shop, long phone calls and many other creative interests. Without realizing it, we are chasing our own interests rather than doing the will of God. (1 Peter, 4:2) Ephesians 6:6 instructs us to work hard even when we are alone. Do the will of God with all our heart.Paul warns us that if we do wrong we will be paid back for the wrong we have done. God has no favorites who can get away with evil. Paul also states that if we serve the Lord, we are rewarded with an inheritance. (Colossians 3:23-24) Does this perspective change your perspective?Have you ever done a thorough house cleaning or even repainted walls when you knew you were going to have family or friends come for a visit? Naturally, you wanted your visitors to feel welcome, but you also wanted them to admire your beautiful home in its perfection. Have you ever awakened one morning and thought, “Maybe today Jesus will come back?” We don’t know His travel plans—He could drop in at any time. Are there things you have been living with that you would hate for Him to come in and see? Have you been putting off something you know you should be doing on a daily basis—like talking to God and learning about His plans? The plans God has for us are plans for good and not disaster, plans to give us a future and hope. In those days that you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me. (Jeremiah 29:11, Acts 21:14, Romans 1:10, James 4:13-17, Psalm 33:11, Pro. 16:9, 19:21, Isaiah 30:1) These verses speak about God’s plans for us.Prayer is a part of God’s will for our lives. Even Jesus prays for us “according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:27) Please read John 17:9-16. Jesus is praying to God, and we learn that living in intimate contact with Christ is the source of all joy. When we do, we will experience God’s special care and protection. John 17:20 tells us that Jesus prayed for all who would follow him. Even as Jesus died on the cross, He gave us a counselor, the Holy Spirit, a powerful person on our side working for and with us. (John 14:16) Read Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25 to learn what Christ is doing for us right now. Colossians 4:12 encourages us to pray for others. Romans 8:26-30 gives us the strength to pray out loud, for the Spirit knows our heart and God’s will for us.We enjoy our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. They are new to this world and to the miracles around us. They are living proof of the scripture that says “Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done!” (Col. 2:7) Drawing nourishment from Him makes us grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth that we have been taught. God encourages us to always be joyful; to keep on praying (1 Thess:18) In Psalm 95:1-6 the Psalmist shows us how to thank God for all He has given us. In Philippines 4:6-8, Paul tells us, “Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace which guards our minds and hearts as we live in Christ Jesus.” This month, fill your prayers with thanksgiving. Fill the air with them, and remember how numerous God’s blessings are. Judy McFarlaneSTRAIGHT FROM THE ARK!A Mission of St. James United Methodist ChurchOur mission at Noah’s Ark Christian Day Care is to provide a safe, fun and spiritual environment for children. We are a state licensed not-for-profit religious organization. Every day the children choose structured activities and also participate in prayer time. Our role is to present a well-rounded curriculum that focuses on the child and includes social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development under professional and personal care. Our duty is to treat each child with respect, dignity, and self-worth which will help a child develop a positive self-image, and constructive interactions with peers and caregivers. At Noah’s Ark we strive to communicate openly and encourage you to be involved, and your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions are always welcome. All the children receive the highest quality Care in a healthy, safe, spiritually filled environment.Report from the DirectorWe have made the decision at this time to temporarily close the Day Care due to the Coronavirus. This is for the safety of our teachers and staff. I will be in the center the next few weeks, doing an extensive deep cleaning. This will include all classrooms, bathrooms, toys, large motor skills room, lobby and washing any and all bedding and blankets, etc. I will also try to get some much needed painting done as time permits. I also would like to clean the carpets. We will reopen the daycare as soon as we can, following the advice of the governor and also the DCF (Department of Children & Families). Hopefully we can have a late Easter Egg Hunt when the children can return. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Jenny Enrollment Infant/Tods: 6Preschool: 14School-age: 10Total Enrolled: 30Curriculum / Themes for the WeekApril 13-17Theme: Plants and growing thingsApril 20-24Theme: Celebrate our EarthApril 27-1Theme: April showers bring May…CALLING ALL KNITTERS AND CROCHETERSDebbie Stiglitz is looking for anyone to join her in meeting at church to make prayer shawls. She is willing to teach those that want to learn. This is a wonderful ministry to help others and also a way to connect with each other.She is also looking for anyone who has yarn to donate or monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase yarn. Due to the current situation, we don’t have a date to meet yet and discuss what time works for everyone. We will keep you posted on that. For now any donations can be mailed to the church or donations of yarn can be dropped off during church office hours, Monday thru Thursdays.************************************************************************************************* 3695065693420April 6Don & Mary StobberApril 13Lisa & Jim GitzApril 17Hurvey & June Haskins 00April 6Don & Mary StobberApril 13Lisa & Jim GitzApril 17Hurvey & June Haskins -114300693420April 8 Terry KegleyApril 8 Tom SondereggerApril 10Kathy Anderson April 10Hurvey HaskinsApril 11Shawn KlumbApril 14Terry CollamoreApril 20Pat HoughApril 21Harley KurtzApril 21Greg HahnApril 26Debbie StiglitzApril 27Carolyn WerthApril 30Kenneth Kyburz00April 8 Terry KegleyApril 8 Tom SondereggerApril 10Kathy Anderson April 10Hurvey HaskinsApril 11Shawn KlumbApril 14Terry CollamoreApril 20Pat HoughApril 21Harley KurtzApril 21Greg HahnApril 26Debbie StiglitzApril 27Carolyn WerthApril 30Kenneth KyburzHAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISHES IN APRIL TO: IN APRIL TO: ~ April 2020~ SunMonTueWedThuFriSat1AA meets in Fellowship Hall7:30 p.m.240 Days of Community Series1:00 p.m.ON ZOOM 345Worship 9:30 a.m.Live streaming on Waterford FB page 678AA meets in Fellowship Hall7:30 p.m.940 Days of Community Series1:00 p.m. ON ZOOM 101112Worship 9:30 a.m.Live streaming on Waterford FB page Have a Happy and Blessed Sunday13Shift 2.0 Discussion Group 6 – 7 p.m. ON ZOOM14 15AA meets in Fellowship Hall 7:30 p.m.16“ASK IT”Series1:00 p.m. ON ZOOM 17 1819Worship 9:30 a.m. Live streaming on Waterford FB page 2021 22AA meets in Fellowship Hall7:30 p.m.23“ASK IT”Series1:00 p.m.ON ZOOM 242526 Worship 9:30 a.m. Live streaming on Waterford FB page 27Shift 2.0 Discussion Group 6 – 7 p.m. (Fellowship Hall or ON ZOOM)28BUNCH for LUNCH meets29AA meets in Fellowship Hall7:30 p.m.30“ASK IT”Series1:00 p.m.ON ZOOMSt. James United Methodist Church2945 Main StreetEast Troy, WI 53120-23241007009765July 15-19, 201300July 15-19, 2013 ******************************************************************************AprilFollowing the Cross Published monthly by St. James United Methodist Church, Editorial CommitteeRev. Bill Busch and Maureen Loehe, Administrative AssistantDeadline for July 2020 Issue: Monday, June 15, 2020 (Submit to church office) Phone # (262) 642-7642 Pastor Bill Busch (608) 475-0824 Church Office Hours: Monday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Wednesday & Thursday, 9:30 – 4:30 p.m., Friday 11 – 4 p.m. Worship HoursWorship – Sunday morning @9:00 a.m.Sunday School – 9:00 a.m. during worship, children are dismissed to class after Children’s Time (September – May)Our Website: Our email address is: church@ Pastor Bill’s email: pbbusch@ 40259066675Our Mission Statement “…Love God, Love One Another, and Serve the World.”00Our Mission Statement “…Love God, Love One Another, and Serve the World.” ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download