The Newsletter of The United Methodist Church of Anaconda, Montana

Kent H. Elliott, Pastor

 

SUMMER 2007

 

The Anaconda Ministerial Association will be sponsoring a Worship Concert by the African Children’s Choir on Sunday, July 22, the weekend of “Art in the Park”. This group of 26 children, ages 7-12 from Uganda, will be performing sacred music in English and in their African language at the Vo-Ed Building (the old Jr. High Auditorium) at 10:00 am Sunday, July 22.

An offering will be received at the service to support education of the children when they return home to Uganda. The concert will be our worship service that day, so bring your local church offerings on the 15th and/or the 29th, ok?

            Early in the 1980’s Ray Barnett traveled to Uganda after hearing a report saying “over 150,000 orphans are dying of starvation in Uganda”. Ray, raised as an orphan himself, desperately wanted to help. He knew if Christians back home could only see these beautiful children in person they would help. That’s when the idea of a children’s choir came to mind. After much prayer and the financial assistance of several churches, a team was sent to Uganda to select and bring the first African Children’s Choir.

            The African Children’s Choir will delight your heart. Each year a new group is selected while former members go back home to receive a good education and Christian guidance. As a testament to the program, many earlier choir members are now taking leadership positions and making an impact in their homeland.

            Host homes are being arranged for Saturday, July 21, and offers to host, or be available on standby, are still being accepted. Contact Kent if you'd like to help, and he'll check with Pastor Martin-Dent. Our church is asked to provide some salads for a pot luck meal for the choir and their host families after the concert. Again, talk to Kent (563-5390).

 

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Vacation Bible School

Meditation and Pastor's Comments

Calendar & Worship Themes

   Quarterly Meeting

   Picnic Plans for August

   UMW Odds and Ends Sale

Birthdays

 

Meditation

“Who is this Christ,

who interferes in everything?”

-- Rainer Maria Rilke

Spend a few minutes with Rilke’s question. Ponder the words. “interferes” “everything” “who is this Christ?”

Dear Friends,

Have we talked here lately about Jesus? We probably should, from time to time, make our witness known: The Good-News-telling mission of the church -- meaning that the folks of Anaconda who call themselves the United Methodists, first and foremost are sharing their faith in some way, large or small, every day.

 

So, I thought, I need to be direct in writing here about the Christ. What to say? Well, a dozen years ago I had to answer this question for the Board of Ordained Ministry: "How do you interpret the statement 'Jesus Christ is Lord'?"

 

Here's what I said:

 

The words flow from the tongue. Jesus Christ is Lord. With the familiarity of "How's it going?" or "What's for lunch?", the words drop from the Christian's mouth. Jesus Christ is Lord. It can almost become like the old highway Jeopardy game -- for the billboard "Christ is the Answer" our question becomes, 'What is a six letter swear word?" Apart from the rest of the statement, in our day we have little understanding of "lord" or even "Christ". Christ means Jesus. Lord means Jesus Christ. We do not deal with the lord of the manor, or examine very deeply what a Christ is apart from saying simply that Jesus is the Christ. So, what is it that I can interpret, that gives the statement "Jesus Christ is Lord" its gut knotting, head pounding power to define what I am about in this life?

 

The statement sends shock waves through me when I really own it. Its utterance makes me take up the question again and again, ''For whom am I living now?" Can I say, "Jesus, the Christ, is Lord?" or must I admit to slipping back to living for myself and my desires? Do I ignore the connectedness beyond, that I will again recognize when I own up to what God has revealed: that God has sent the Promised One, and in this promise that I know in Jesus, is life in its abundant reality?

 

When I take courage and submit that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life, this day too, I face myself with stern reminders to live by his way of giving life away. Then, by grace, I am able to own up to the statement in confession -- in both nuances of that word. I confess my brokenness and alienation from God, which leads to repentance and renewal, turning back toward the Creator God. And this turning becomes my confession of faith with Christians in all times and places: "...at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11, NRSV)" The words fall from the tongue with too much ease, but the confession in those words brings me to face the truth in Paul's statement, "…no one can say 'Jesus Christ is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3b)"

 

And that's what I said then. How do you say, "Jesus Christ is Lord"?

Spread the Gospel.

 

                                                                        Kent

Summer Camp Opportunities in Yellowstone Conference

With four camp locations, youth programs for elementary, middle school and senior high, family and adult camps around themes that invite us into silence, or shout hallelujah, there’s too much to tell in this space. So, pick up the colorful, yet detailed, brochure at church. Or, find it on the world wide web at www.yacumc.org/camping (campfire photo from Luccock Park Camp)

Calendar of Events

 

Every Week – Summer Schedule

Sunday –

10:20 AM, prayer for our pastor

10:30 AM, Choir Practice

11:00 Worship (Communion on 1st & 3rd Sundays)

Noon, fellowship and refreshments.

 

Tuesday – 10:00 AM, Quilters. All are welcome to gather for fellowship while doing some mission work. After the work we share lunch. Join us to quilt, and/or for lunch.

 

Wednesday –

10:00 AM, Bible study at Donivan’s (look for us in a back booth)

 

Friday – Pastor Kent’s reading day. If you need to reach him, leave a message. He will try to get back to you later in the day.

 

Saturday – pastor’s day off.

 

To Be Scheduled – (we’d like to hear what you need and want in these areas)

·         The return of mid-week Communion and some type of meditative Bible study.

·         A regular time to be together in prayer, and prayer alone, for our church, community, and all God’s creation.

 

Coming Up

 

July 8 – after worship, quarterly meeting of the congregation as council.

   2:00 PM, worship with friends at Community Nursing Home

 

July 22 – 10 AM, African Children's Choir. We worship by the concert at Annex Auditorium.

 

July 23-27 – 6:00-8:30, Vacation Bible School at Hope Lutheran Church

            July 23 – 4:45-5:45, VBS Registration and Pre-Games

 

July 29 – August 10, Pastor Kent will be on vacation.

 

Worship Plans (scripture for preaching is in bold)

July 1 – Proper 8, 4th Sunday after Pentecost

 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 (UMH 798) Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Luke 9:51-62

Sermon theme: Oh, Freedom!

 

July 08 – Proper 9, 5th Sunday after Pentecost

 2 Kings 5:1-14 Psalm 30 (UMH 762) Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

 

July 15 – Proper 10, 6th Sunday after Pentecost

 Amos 7:7-17 Ps 82 (UMH 804) Col 1:1-14 Lk 10:25-37

 

July 22 – Proper 11, 7th Sunday after Pentecost

Worship at 10 AM, at Vo-Ed Auditorium (Old Jr Hi), with African Children's Choir Concert

July 29 – Proper 12, 8th Sunday after Pentecost

 Hos 1:2-10 Ps 85 (UMH 806) Col 2:6-15 (16-19) Lk 11:1-13

 

August 5 – Proper 13, 9th Sunday after Pentecost

 Hos 11:1-11 Ps 107:1-9, 43 (UMH 830) Col 3:1-11 Lk 12:13-21

 

August 12 – Proper 14, 10th Sunday after Pentecost

 Isa 1:1, 10-20 Ps 50:1-8, 22-23 (UMH 783) Heb 11:1-3, 8-16 Lk 12:32-40

 

August 19 – Proper 15, 11th Sunday after Pentecost

 Isa 5:1-7 Ps 80:1-2, 8-19 (UMH 801) Heb 11:29-12:2 Lk 12:49-56

 

August 26  – Proper 16, 12th Sunday after Pentecost

 Jer 1:4-10 Ps 71:1-6 (UMH 794) Heb 12:18-29 Lk 13:10-17

 

Anaconda Community

Vacation Bible School

 

July 23-27, at Hope Lutheran Church

Kindergarten and up -- 5:45-8:30 PM

Pre-school – 5:45-8:15 PM

Registration and pre-games on Monday, 4:45-5:45

 

 

Birthdays

JUNE:                                                     2 – John Eveland                                  4 – Florence Ingwerson     

5 – Linda Nicholes                               6 – Linda Wilson                                  8 – Janet Grogman                              

10 – Ruby Walter                                 23 – Dominic Chiddix                           29 – Ryan LaForge

JULY:                                                     4 – Sarah Elliott                                    6 – Mary Alice McKinney                 

9 – Hannah Elliott                                11 – Angelo LaForge                           14 – Harvey Kreiman

29 – Marcia Softich, Ellen Lappin

AUGUST:                                              1 – Clyde Nichols                 7 – Ed Dulaney

10 – Mamie Staton                               13 – Betty Steele                                  18 – Jerry Beasley, Seth Faber

19 – Kathy Brown                                23 – Emmy Keenan

               

From Death to Life Eternal.    The life of Jack Griswold (Oct. 11, 1922 – May 10, 2007) was celebrated with a funeral service and luncheon on May 16.

 

Yellowstone Conference News. Read all about the work of our Annual Conference session, and more: go to http://yacumc.org/The_Connection/2007-07.pdf or look for The Connection on a bulletin board at church.