EDUCATION

Denise Fabbri, Education Director

Anonymous Donors Send Harvest House Kids to Camp

Three Central members donated the funds needed to send five children to Wesley Woods for the Lansing Elementary Music Camp in mid July this year. The Conference will only cover 75% of the cost so additional funds were needed. Thanks to these generous people five children will have a week of fun, Christian fellowship, and guidance.

New Summer Children's Program to Begin June 7

During worship this summer the children will be invited to attend a new summer program called Summer Seekers. After the Children's Sermon children between 3 and 6 years old will go downstairs as in the past and children between 7 and 10 will go to the Learning Center. The children will hear a Bible story and work on a related craft project. Parents can pick up their children after the service from these areas.

New Library Books

Several new books were bought for the library this month. They include: Peach & Blue, Owl Moon, Mood Pocket, Mud Bucket, Market, LonPoPo, Liplap=s Wish, The Great White Owl of Sissinghurst, Giving Thanks, The Enormous Snore, Alexander, Who's Not Going to Move for the children. Adult books purchased recently include Corrie Ten Bloom, an autobiography; Philip Yancey's What's So Amazing About Grace? Billy Graham's Just As I Am; Gary Smalley=s Making Love Last Forever, and Max Lucado=s In the Grip of Grace and When God Whipers Your Name. Please watch for these new books as they make their way into our library.

Sunday School Clean-up

End of the year clean up will be on June 3 from 9-12 with lunch served afterwards. Everyone welcome to help. We will need to put away items, sort, and wash the Fellowship Hall windows. So, come help spruce up the place and enjoy lunch with the Education Commission. Call Denise for lunch reservations and childcare needs. Childcare will be provided.

Vacation Bible School

VBS,with its theme "SonLight Island" is June 22-26. Help is still needed in the following areas:

Leaders: kindergarten 2nd, 3rd, gym

Helpers: pre-school, 1st, 2nd, gym

child care (Friday only)

Craft Supplies: baby food jars, twist top bottles with caps, marbles, 1" house sponges, spring type cloths, pins, and small juice cans. Please drop off any of these items at the church office.

Family Night Beach Party!

Hold Friday evening, June 26th (last day of VBS) for a planned special event. Beginning at 5:30 in the church parking lot we will have a Family Night Beach Party! Everyone is invited to the festivities. More information will follow on this event.

Update on Quality Living Program

As you may recall, I have started to work on a new program here at Central. The Quality Living Program provides help for families struggling with financial problems.

So far I have 3 volunteers to be counselors and one person to work with the children. I still need people to be a prayer partner and to provide nutritious snacks for the meetings.

Mary Ann Harima has begun the training. We have a projected starting date of June 18th.

If you would like to help out or want more information please call.

Lakeview Family Camp Opportunity

There is still time to register for family camp July 10-12 at Lakeview UMC Camp. If interested, please let me know. Also, we have a family of four who want to attend but don't have camping equipment.If you have a tent or anything else they could use, please let me know.

Karen Holoweiko, Children's Coordinator 517 626-6798

Donations and items needed for Haiti

As in years past, at our Annual Conference Session, to be held this year at Calvin College from June 8-11, there will be a collection of items to be sent to Haiti.This is sponsored by the Michigan Area Haiti Task Force.

If you wish to donate any items toward this, please bring them to the church and John Boley, Frank Anderson, and Justin Sleight will ensure that they are taken to Annual Conference.

Also, anyone wishing to make a cash donation, the money will go to the Haiti Hot Lunch program.

Items to be collected are:

Personal hygiene items;

toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, deodorant, nail clippers, Band-Aids, aspirin, Tylenol,

women's hygiene items, etc.

Student supplies;

pencils, pens, lined paper, etc.

Used musical instruments.

Children's clothing.

United Methodist Women

Pat Mort, President

As indicated in her May Report, President Pat Mort is not reporting this month due to her busy schedule, and the trip to Orlando, Florida to attend the Quadrennial UMW Assembly. Following are several UMW related activities as reported by UMW members.

Bake Sale

A successful Bake Sale took place Friday, May 15th at the Lansing City Hall.Thank you for all the baked goods, monetary donations, and good help. We opened at 7:45 a.m. Dorothy Forgrave, Margaret Woolcocks (with her beautiful baby afghan) and Agnes Gamble were there to help. Helping in the afternoon were Anne Mort and Lucille Chase. We took in $367 which is great. All our earnings go to support missions.

Arline Roe, Chairperson

P.S. One beautiful afghan left. See me!

Church Women United

June 5, 1998 Note: this is the first Friday of the month

10:00 a.m. Board Meeting with sack lunch.

1:00 p.m. Program: Think Globally, Act Locally

A speech by Lillian Kumata

Lillian was the Assistant Director of Asian Studies at MSU.

She remains very active working with international students.

Meeting place: Holt United Methodist Church

2321 North Aurelius Road

Summer Softball League Underway -- Additional Players or Spectators Welcome

By Bill Tennant Jr.

Central's participation in the Lansing Area United Methodist Church Softball League is already underway, but we always welcome new players at 6:30 p.m. and are usually finished by 8:30 p.m. Men or women interested in playing should bring their glove, wear a blue shirt if they have one, and find their way to the parks listed below by 6:00 p.m. Come whenever you can - you don't need to make every game to be welcome.

The remaining games are:

May 28 Lake Lansing North

June 2 Delta Mills Park

4 Lake Lansing North Park

9 Delta Mills Park

11 Lake Lansing North Park

16 Burchfield Park

18 Delta Mills Park

23 Bye (no game)

25 Delta Mills Park

30 Lake Lansing North Park

July 9 Delta Mills Park

Spectators Also Welcome!

We also would like to fulfill our big-league fantasies by playing in front of a large boisterous crowd. So even if you don't want to play, grab the lawn chairs (and mosquito repellant for Lake Lansing) and come and cheer us on. It's even cheaper entertainment than the Lugnuts!

If you have questions or need directions, please call Manager Bill Tennant Jr. at 267-9726

Central recognizes its Disciple graduates

Seventeen individuals were recognized during worship service May 16, as having completed a DISCIPLE class this year.

Saying that BIBLE literacy is not a pre-requisite to take DISCIPLE, Pastor Boley, a graduate himself this year, encouraged others to enroll in DISCIPLE as well.

A willingness, an open mind, and a desire to grow in your personal faith, can start you on a new adventure in your Christian walk. If you are interested in the new classes starting this fall or would like additional information, talk to Joi Tennant (517 224-8159), Jim Mort (675-7565) or Dave DeVinney (372-6761).

DISCIPLE II

John Boley

Julie Cooper

Mike Cooper

Betty Corbishley

Ruthann Jaquette

Dorothy Rice

Ed Spence

Dottie Stark

Kayla Tipton

DISCIPLE I

Sue Abent

Diane Boley

Anne Forgrave

Karen Holoweiko

Pam Jennett

Margo Parker

Leora Stutes

Jill Whiteman

Central's Prayer Chain

A confidential, prayer chain ministry is available 24 hrs., 7 days a week. To initiate a prayer request please call one of the following prayer chain leaders:

Daytime 8:00am - 5pm

Beverly Dodge 485-9477

Janet Mort 321-2330

Karen Holoweiko 626-798

Evening 500pm - 8:00am

Elizabeth Gibbs 882-2635

Kayla Tipton 669-3259

This Prayer Chain is an ongoing ministry of Central United Methodist Church and is is open to anyone who would like to become a participant.

New Members at Central

Bruce Worthington has returned to his home church. As a son of Vivian Johnson, he is well acquainted with Central. Bruce enjoys sports, reading, and photography. He is a real estate investor and will be getting married this fall to one of our other new members, Sara Martin. We welcome Bruce back to Central.

Sara Martin is a Title Examiner for First National Acceptance Company. She enjoys shopping, collecting lighthouses, and crafts. She and Bruce Worthington will be married here at Central on October 10th.

Karen Stefl works for Such Video, Inc., a video production firm in Okemos as their production Coordinator. She enjoys camping, writing, reading, water sports, and outdoor winter sports. Karen has been a lifetime United Methodist

Kevin Sosnowski works for Brown Construction Corporation as a Quality Supervisor. He enjoys golf, basketball, model aviation, water sports, and snow sports. He and Karen stated that they church shopped for many months and that "after our first visit to Central we felt we had a home and that everyone was very friendly."

Peter moved to Lansing after 3 years in the Peace Corp to pursue a graduate degree in agriculture. Since then he has acquired a house, two sons, and his masters degree. Peter said he's striving to better understand his roll as a husband, father and Christian. Welcome Peter.

Estela Hudy is from Guatemala. She married Peter in 1992 and came with him to Lansing. She is currently busy and enjoying her 2 beautiful sons.

Helen Groh was a former member of Central. She retired from MSU after 25 years as a secretary. Her last assignment was in the Ombudsman Office. Her six grandchildren have all graduated and she has three great grandchildren. She is a volunteer at Ingham Medical and has been there for the past 18 years. She enjoys playing bridge. Great back Helen.

Dennis Kelley was married at Central in 1994 to the former Denise Towsley, a lifetime member of Central. He and Denise most recently lived in Plymouth, MI but are returning to Lansing where he is employed by the Michigan Department of Transportation. His hobbies are computers, golf, and bowling.

Louise Arthur comes to Central on Confession of Faith. She lives with husband, William and daughter, Melissa. She enjoys crafts, reading, and using a computer. Louise stated that Central's caring, warm and friendly members helped attract her to Central and decided to join. Welcome Louise

United Methodist Night Lansing Lugnuts

Friday, August 7th is United Methodist Night at the Lugnuts. We have 40 tickets reserved at $5.50 each. Let's join the other United Methodists in the district and support this third annual event. Ruth Holmes and Denise Fabbri are handling the details. Call Ruth 347-4335 (daytime) or 394-0841 (evenings) for your tickets.

Deadline for ticket purchase is June 21st.

See you all there!!!!!!!!!

Gift clothing on hold

Due to the current elevator construction, it is not convenient to put clothing out for the people who come to the Fellowship Lunch as I have been doing. Please do not bring any clothing to the church for this purpose until further notice.

Thanks, Jeanne Fowler

Volunteer to water church garden?

The Garden Committee is looking for a volunteer who could visit the church on a specified day once a week this summer to water all of our new plants. If this fits your schedule, call Dottie Stark at 482-7834.

To dear friends and family of Marie Wright

This will come as "News" to some and as an "Update" to others.

Mother's Christmas letter was very misleading as her health prior to the holidays hampered her mental processes. By mid February her memory loss was rapidly hindering her ability to perform independent living functions. She had numerous falls resulting in bad bruises but no broken bones.

On Sunday, April 4th, she fell twice which resulted in a trip to the emergency room with admission to the hospital for tests. Test results were negative for broken bones; however, her overall health was such that she was unable to return to independent living.

Friday, April 10th, she transferred to Sayre Christian Village Nursing Home. She seems content there and is making the adjustment in the routine there.

Most of the time she recognizes her visitors although, not always. Her recall of anything is very poor, if at all. She does not respond to mail and forgets to open and read it. If you feel the urge to send a card and a BRIEF Message, mail it to me and I will see that she receives it.

Probably your greatest gift will be to keep her in your prayers. Thank you for your wonderful friendship and love.

Judy (Wright) DePriester

3355 Snaffle Road

Lexington, Kentucky 40513

The Building Buzz

By Ruthann Jaquette

We are well underway with the Temple House elevator construction. Aside from the dust and noise we are adjusting. However, some Temple House rooms may not be available during construction. If your group meets in the church we may need to move the group to a temporary location.

Look for signs posted at the Capitol Avenue entrance and if you have any questions please call Beverly or me at the office. The entire staff appreciates your patience during this project.

Along the same line, due to construction, parking this summer will be at a premium during the work week. The construction crews need to have easy access in and out so that they can carry out their tasks as efficiently as possible.

Stop by and see the newly restored Christian Education office off the vestibule between Temple House and the Library (Judy Grove's old office). The plaster has been repaired, and there is new paint and carpet. And best of all (in my opinion) the woodwork has been restored to its original grander.

Glimpses From Central's first 150 Years!

In 2000, Central UMC will mark its first 150 years of existence, having been formed in 1850 as a new congregation in "central" ("middle town") Lansing.

In celebration of this 150th milestone, look for members from our church Historical Committee and others who share an interest in history, to present "historic glimpses" in a new Journal column beginning this fall.

If you have an interest in history and would like to contribute to this proposed ongoing column, please call Chairperson Dick Roush at 321-1350.

Did you know that our beautiful "brownstone sanctuary" building, constructed in 1889 at the corner of Ottawa and Capitol is actually our second worship facility? The first, an 1863 built wooden structure of modest proportion, was located at the northwest corner of North Washington and Ottawa.

Food Bank Recognition

At the annual dinner for all Food Bank volunteers on May 12, Central received a plaque in recognition of its many years of outstanding service as a part of the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Congratulations and thanks to all who are a part of our Food Bank Ministry. Dave Schuurmans.

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