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Pleasant Grove UnitedMethodist Church400 Pleasant Grove RoadZanesville, Ohio 43701?Phone: 740-453-2627Church: pgumceoc@Website: ?Sunday School 9:45amWorship: 10:45 am Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am-12:00 pm?Jesus is calling us to love God, loveothers, serve in the world, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ!? Church Staff: Rev. Gordon Ferguson, Pastor Jill Jones, Secretary Ernie Boggs, Interim Custodian ??SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR PLEASANT VIEWS IS 15th OF EACH MONTH ~ You can submit items via mail, drop off at the church office OR by email. January 2018 As I pen this letter, we are in the middle of Advent. We are celebrating the birth of the Christ Child. Soon Christmas will have passed and then comes the daunting task of storing all of the decorations away for another year only to ready ourselves for a new year.That's right, a new year. What an interesting concept. For some it means a chance to start over. However, for others it means that it is just an extension of the previous year.There is a little village in Europe that has an unusual way of celebrating the New Year. On New Year's Eve, there are all kinds of celebrating happening. Then at a quarter to midnight all the celebrating comes to a halt. All that one can hear is the running of feet and the slamming of doors. At this point all is quiet. No one is on the streets. The police are not even on the streets for they know what is coming next.At the stroke of midnight and the chimes ring in the new year this little village comes back to life in a very unusual way.When the chimes begin to ring, doors fly open and windows are raised and people begin to toss anything they don't want out into the streets. Appliances, furniture, clothes, pictures and whatever they don't want to take into the new year with them. Let's look at this concept through a different lens. As we draw closer to a new year, what unwanted clutter are you holding onto that will follow you into the new year?In Ezekiel 36:26, God said, "I give you a new heart and put in a new spirit." Are you about to enter a new year with the same old spiritual and emotional baggage? If so, I hope you will consider God's promise in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that "he is a new creation and the old is gone". My prayer for you is that you start the New Year without the baggage from 2017.Happy New Year and God Bless,Pastor Gordon HANDBOOK for 2018Health:1. Drink plenty of water.2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.3. Eat more foods that grow on trees & plants & eat less food that is manufactured in plants.4. Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.5. Make time to pray.6. Play more games.7. Read more books than you did in 2017.8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day and just listen.9. Sleep for at least 7 hours.10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile. Personality:11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea about their journey.12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your positive energy in the present moment. 13. Don't overdo it. Stay within your limits.14. Don't take yourself to seriously. No one else does.15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.16. Dream more while you are awake.17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all the "stuff" you need.18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will only ruin your present happiness.19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 20. Make peace with the past so it won't spoil the present.21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. 23. Smile and laugh more.24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree......Society:25. Call your family often.26. Each day give something good to someone else.27. Forgive everyone for everything.28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 5.29. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.30. What other people think of you is none of your business.31. Your job won't take care of you if you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.Life:32. Do the right thing!33. Get rid of everything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.34. GOD heals everything.35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.37. The best is still yet to come.38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD.39. Do No Harm, Do Good, Stay in Love with God40. And finally: Smile, Jesus Loves You!3651250165100 Bonnie Bush1-1Ernest Boggs, Jr.1-5Randy Bishop1-5Valerie Akens1-6Robert Akens1-6Larry Mercer1-6 Greg Ford1-9Chad Buchanan1-11Maggie & David BuchananMartha Shepler1-15Kay HedgesAshley Sykes 1-17Marie Watts1-19Courtney Paul1-22Vicki Staffey 1-22Everett Leedom1-23Bradley Sheppard1-24Janice McFerren1-26Given Penn Williams1-28Brenda Wolfe1-29AnniversariesErnest & Sharon Boggs1-30-76Special dates? New Year’s Day, January 1, 2018 ? Epiphany, January 6, 2018 ? Baptism of the Lord, January 7, 2018 ? Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance, January 15, 2018 ? Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25, 2018 First Place 4 Health?First Place 4 Health small group will kick off the new year with a new study! Join us on Thursday evening January 4th from 6:30 - 8:00pm at the church to begin the study??"Between a Rock and A Grace Place".? When going through hard times, it is sometimes hard to find God.Between a Rock and a Grace Place reveals that when seemingly insurmountable challenges crash into our lives, we can be transformed as we discover God at work in ways we never imagined. With vulnerable openness, irrepressible hope, restored joy, and a sense of humor, Carol Kent helps readers to find God's grace places in the middle of their worst moments.?Carol Kent and her husband, Gene, are living what some would call a heartbreaking life--their son, Jason, a young man who initially had so much promise, is now living out a life sentence for murder in a maximum security prison. All their appeals have been exhausted. But despite their hopeless situation, the Kent's live a life full of grace. Where do?you stand when you are caught between a rock and a hard place? Will you place yourself in a posture of humility and complete dependence on God, or will you just "try harder" and stumble over what could be a transforming encounter with grace?Sessions include: Grace in the Hardest of Places - Surprised by FaithAngels in Disguise - Surprised by MercyLonging for a Better Me - Surprised by ContentmentThe Secret Power of Gratitude - Surprised by ThanksgivingWhy Do You Weep? - Surprised by JoyDwelling in the Great Place - Surprised by FreedomIf you?would like to participate or need more information?please contact Kim Smith at 740-452-0665.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Recipe for a Happy New YearCLEAN thoroughly 12 whole monthsDIVIDE into 365 parts; set aside, preparing one part only at a time as follows:MIX WELL into each day: 1 part Patience 1 part Work 1 part Courage ADD to each day: 1 part ea. of Hope, Faithfulness, Generosity, and Kindness BLEND with: 1 part Prayer 1 part Meditation & 1 Good DeedSEASON the mixture with a dash of Good Spirit, a sprinkle of Fun, a pinch of Play, & a cup of Good Humor. POUR mixture into vessel with Love. Cook over Radiant Joy, garnish with a Smile.SERVE with Quietness, Unselfishness, & Cheer.Serving: 1 Happy New Year~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~We have received letters, emails, Facebook messages and even a call from finders of the balloons released at the end of our 175th Anniversary Year. The 2 of the most recent have also been the furthest away, one an Amish family! The Mast Family owns a greenhouse in Mercer, PA, and invites any of us to stop in sometime. The other family, the Kurtz's sent the lovely note below:Dear Unknown Friends,First some friendly greetings. Want to get this ready for the mail today as is a little over a week now that my husband had gone deer hunting with the bow in our pasture and came home with 4 of your cards, the balloon strings were all tankled(sic) up. We decided to send 3 and see if it is ok if we keep one for a keepsake if not please let us know and we will send the last one too. We were quite amased to discover that these cards came all the way from Ohio and we live in Randolph NY. He found these Nov. 7, 17. I should of send it sooner by I'm kinda busy at times with 12 children the oldest will be 16 in Dec (if the Lord's Will ) and the youngest is 2 since Sept. But it fun to be busy and able to work. We are very curious how many miles there is between younce & us and how many balloons you send out and did they come come back.Well hope younce are all well and I better make an end if I want to get this in the mail today. Will send our address as we don't have a phone. Wonder if we will hear from younce. Take care, Eli and Katie Kurtz, 4360 Swamp Rd, Randolph, NY 14772~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pleasant Grove Women In MissionWe met at the church on December 4 to go shopping for four children and shop we did! We went to Walmart and purchased everything from a bicycle to warm winter coats, toys, cowgirl boots, and many other items. What fun we had-even ran into several fellow church members doing their shopping, too. Then on to lunch and back to church to wrap all the goodies. And what a blessing to know these children will have a good Christmas!Also, our final count for the shoeboxes was 46!! Thanks again to everyone who supported this project, all who helped in any way with the bazaar which raises the funds for our shopping, and to all who support our projects throughout the year. May God Bless each of you during this Christmas Season and in the New Year. Merry Christmas!! Pleasant Grove Women In Mission~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thanks to your generosity we were able to buy Christmas gifts for 19 children. We also received cash donations of $100.00 and several stuffed animals. The toys were picked up on Dec. 10 and will be delivered along with 250 food baskets. We also contributed some miscellaneous items from our food stocks.Thanks to all who helped shop, wrap, load and in any other way. Again our thanks to Barb Rector who headed this project so many years.May you all be blessed in the New Year as you have blessed so many others.Carol WilleyJanuary 2018 Recent Prayer RequestsThe family of Delmas JonesThe family of Dick HeskettMargaret and Weldon KreisPastor Gordon FergusonThe KirkwoodsGina LecocqSharon HendersonCathy KanschatKelsey ShirerTerry ClarkBev HarkinsJon SheppardGreg FordNancy BrackenEverett LeedomAndy RollinsVic MyersPeggy RileyFor the Church and Community For those who are homebound or in nursing homesLoved Ones who are unsaved Mary Batteiger Ann Burkhart Martha VogelHeartbeats Pregnancy Center Terry Clark Glenna Heskett Calvin Lay Dr. Sharon Graves ECMI in SpainJean Myers Louise Lisenby Violet McConnell Transition of PG Pastoral LeadershipRobert & Dolly McClelland Pastor Gordon & Ann FergusonPrayer for a new beginningDear Lord, touch me with your Spirit of truth so I may be honest about my sins and failures. Forgive me for treating your covenant lightly and at times ignoring it completely. Help me truly seek and know forgiveness for all the hurts I’ve caused, for harboring ill will and for any hardness of heart I may have. Please renew a right spirit within me that I may become more Christ-like and that my life may daily reveal your love and light. In your name. Amen.Our Church - Our History Here I sit once again in December trying to write something meaningful about the history of Pleasant Grove U.M.Church. Brr! it's cold outside for mid-December. Bundle up is the password, and we have been doing just that. My-does it get dark early these days! I had hot cider earlier and am reminded of the old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Now I am munching almonds and toast made with French bread.At times we are saddened by the increasing pressure on public people not to display nativity scenes, play real Christmas music, etc., but encouraged that churches, schools, etc. are filling the gaps. We challenge you to read the history of "Jingle Bells" and then say that it is not "steeped" in religion. This is true with a lot of things associated with Christmas. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" seems on the surface like a "silly" song, but the real truth about it will really make you stop and think. About a month ago, we talked with Sara Clapper Russell about her mother, Bonnie Clapper. She attended P.G. and sat up front on the left side. Bonnie, in her old age, was such a joy to so many of us because during joys and concerns time, she always said what was on her mind. How so many of us looked forward to hearing what Bonnie had to say! She was always so open and honest about everything. We wish we could turn back the clock and hear Bonnie one more time. She lived near Blanche Willey, Myron's mother, and the two of them went places together especially in Blanche's neat, little car. We believe that the church benefitted a lot by their presence. When Blanche died, Paul Tompkins bought her neat, little car and drove it a long time.Sincerely,Betty and Ken HolmesPS. Bonnie passed away in 1996 at the age of 95. She almost made it to 96. By profession, she was a nurse.Pleasant GroveUMCWinter gift“God … does great things beyond our knowing. He says to the snow, ‘Fall to the earth’; likewise to his heavy, drenching rain. He shuts up all humankind indoors, so that all people may know his work” (Job 37:5-7, NABRE). Snow, ice and cold can make winter a hassle. “Snow days” due to a blizzard may thrill students but usually inconvenience parents. But now and then, winter blankets the earth so heavily that it seems to quiet everything. We’re granted permission to hunker down at home, snuggle close with family or pets, enjoy a book or movie, make cocoa or cookies, and rest. It’s like a surprise sabbath — the gift of grace-time — when no one’s expected to get out the door or the driveway. Perhaps indeed, as Job declared, God sees fit on such days to put our busyness on hold and shut us all indoors so we pause and remember his work — his place — in our lives. Praise God for snow days! —Heidi Mann ................
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