ARMA/GRACE/MULBERRY
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
OCTOBER 2008 NEWSLETTER
8:00 am Worship Service -- Mulberry
9:30 am Worship Service -- Grace
11:00 am Worship Service – Arma
Church School – following Children’s Moment -- Arma
COME WORSHIP WITH US!!!
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Pastor Don Foster’s Contact Information: 620-347-8336 (office)
P. O. Box 489 620-249-4313 (cell)
Arma, KS 66712 620-347-8540 (home)
Email: def@ckt.net
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STEWARDSHIP IS . . .
If we were to sue some other name to describe what we do in the church other than ministry or mission, I would choose the word “stewardship.” I believe that all of life, not simply life in the church, is a matter of stewardship because I believe that life is a gift.
Let me explain. The word “steward” comes from two Anglo Saxon words “sty” and “warden.” A sty is a place where people keep animals like pigs. A warden is someone who is entrusted by the owner to take care of the animals and to bring a reasonable return to the owner on his investment. So the two words were joined: “Stywarded” to “steward” to represent someone who is entrusted by an owner with something which is important to him and in the hope of a return.
In biblical and theological literature the word “steward” is used as an acknowledgment of what the psalmist had said, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.” We, as human beings, were created to be caretakers, wardens, to fulfill the responsibility in the world that God had created of bringing it to its fullness. In the story of creation in Genesis we read where God, having created all of the animals and birds, said to Adam “Have dominion,” take authority, responsibility for helping to bring these things to their fullness.
When we use the word “stewardship” to describe the work of the church, what we are saying is that we accept the responsibility which God has entrusted to us for life and for the world but also for the faith which God has entrusted to us in Jesus Christ for salvation. Our purpose then is to claim that responsibility, to take it seriously and to claim that God has blessed and is blessing us in it and to encourage others to join with us in our efforts to be faithful.
If you have heard the love of God and you have felt it; if you have heard the hope of eternal life and you believe you have already entered into it; if you believe you have been blessed and you can be a blessing; I encourage you as a good steward to give, and give, and give that you may know the inexpressible job of being accountable to the Master who has trusted you. Then when He returns He can say “Well done! You have been a good and faithful servant.”
Pastor Don Foster
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GRACE NEWS
PRAYERS: Please keep George & Vivian Tretbar, Betty and Les Eurit, Charlie Engelhardt and Irene Jones in your prayers.
DATES TO REMEMBER!!!!!
Thurs, Oct 2 Chili/Soup Dinner
Chili or Soup, Pie and Drink
Adults $6.00 and Children Under 12 $3.00
Sun, Oct 5 Holy Communion
Mon, Oct 13 Grace Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
Nov 22 Grace Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at 12:30 pm
Arma and Mulberry UMChurches will be our Guests
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
Oct 10 Staci Kramer
Oct 14 Teri VanBecelaere
Oct 20 Joe Grisolano
Oct 21 Vivian Tretbar
OCTOBER GREETERS
Oct 5 Mike Seely
Oct 12 Debbie Grisolano
Oct 19 Eva Gartner
Oct 26 Barbara Tustin & Norma Brooks
Friendship-Fellowship Brunch will be held on October 12 immediately following Church service. Everyone bring a snack to share. This is a fun time so plan on attending.
Choir member numbers are down due to illness. If you can make a joyful noise and enjoy singing, please join us. Practice is directly after church service on Sundays. PLEASE join us.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation ……”
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ARMA NEWS
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Sept 30 Cantata planning meeting
Oct 8 Administrative Board, 7:00 pm
Oct 15 U.M.W.
Oct 29 Charge Conference – 6:45 pm at Arma UMC
Nov 1 Church Cleanup Day
Nov 2 All Saints Day Service
Nov 24 Hanging of the Greens at 6:00 pm
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
Oct 1 Linda Manion Oct 12 Gage Cowan
Oct 2 Dianne Reiken Oct 13 Casandra Jones
Oct 3 Phyllis Hay Oct 20 Mary Cleland
Oct 5 Judy Smerchek Oct 21 Ken Culbertson
Oct 6 Harry Brunk Oct 26 Dan Boley
Oct 7 Amanda Cameron Oct 26 Martin Golob
Oct 11 Lilly Sue Graham
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES
Oct 10 Hank & Sandy Christman Oct 27 Shawn & Dori Pipkin
OCTOBER GREETERS
Oct 5 Carol Kessler Oct 19 Youth
Oct 12 Harry & Betty Brunk Oct 26 KC and Diane Cameron
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Good news – we collected $201 in coins during August to go toward benevolences. September coins go to the “Bridges to the Future Project” while the October coins will go toward the Christmas food baskets for need families. Thank you for your support of these worthy causes.
NOODLE – MAKING NIGHT
We’ll be making noodles on Thursday, Oct 23 at 6:00 pm. Sign-up sheets for donations of eggs and for making noodles are on the table in the Narthex.
U.M.W.
The U.M.W. will meet October 15. We will meet at the church at 11:00 am to go eat. Linda Manion has the lesson, Norma Lockwood the devotions and June Harris is Hostess. Wesley House donations for October are canned ravioli, spaghetti-O’s, etc.
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 28 – “Bring A Friend Sunday” – is an UMC Open House event scheduled by the Worship/Music Committee for September 28th. Coffee and cookies will be served before the worship service from 10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Please take part by either extending an invitation or by attending that day. We hope to see you there!!!
Christmas Cantata Planning Meeting – A planning meeting for the 2008 Christmas Cantata is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, and we would like to have a good representation from the Arma U.M.C.
All Saints Day – Please join us on November 2, 2008, when we will present a special service to honor church members who have died during the past year. We will also be dedicating memorials that have been given to the church during the same time period. A carry-in dinner will be held afterwards, and everyone is welcome.
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CHICKEN NOODLE CARRYOUT – Sunday, October 26, 2008
Noodles available at 1:00 pm Quarts are $5.00 each
Signup sheets for orders are at the table in the Narthex OR to order call 347-8658 or 347-4696
FOCUS ON CHURCH FAMILY
This month we’d like to pay tribute to the Trustees. Many tasks have been accomplished over the summer at the parsonage, at the church, and in the church parking lot.
■ You’ll notice soon that a new furnace/air conditioner will be installed. Many remember the hot Sundays during the summer when the air wasn’t working right.
■ The automatic door opener is an awesome and welcome addition to our church.
■ A new refrigerator has been purchased and installed at the parsonage while the old
refrigerator is being used in the basement.
■ The large dead tree in the parking lot has been cut down.
This list is not all-inclusive of the many projects that have been completed this summer. Please take a moment to thank the trustees for doing such a wonderful job of maintaining, our church and parsonage.
United Methodist Church U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Arma/Grace/Mulberry ARMA, KS 66712
P. O. Box 489 PERMIT 6
Arma, KS 66712-0489 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
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