Central Journal

June, 1998

Keeping membership and friends informed

Promoting fellowship

Contributing to spiritual growth

Summer Worship Service begins Sunday, June 14, 8 a.m. Mary Sabina Chapel

Congratulations to Central's Graduates

Graduating from High School

Jamie Tipton - Dewitt High School

Meg Ebersole - Holt High School

Benjamin Oakes - Sexton High School

Emily Mather - Sexton High School

Jack Lansing, II - Eastern High School

Judith Gillet - Grand Ledge High School

Our College Graduates

Harvard

Ryan Brown; B.A. Liberal Arts and Applied Mathematics

Albion

Molly McCracken; B.A. Spanish and Economics and Management

Indiana University

David W. C. Prout; B.S. Kinesiology, Sport Marketing, and Management

Western Michigan University

Codee Kirkby; Masters in Public Administration

Michigan State University

Peter Hudy; M.S. in Plant Breeding and Genetics - Crop and Soil Science

United States Military Academy

Scott R. Wangen; B.S. in Electrical Engineering and 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army

Scholarships Awarded

Central is fortunate to be able to annually help some of our members through endowment funds that have been designated as college scholarship funds. This year the Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that the following people have been awarded scholarships for the 98-99 school year.

Ann Ezop - Lansing Community College

Kathy Kursch - Methesco

Michael McCracken - University of Michigan

Jill Lansing - Central Michigan University

Nathan Mather - University of Michigan

Edward Bobrowski - Mott

Jack Lansing, II - Central or Albion

Meg Ebersole - Michigan State University

Emily Mather - University of Michigan

Jamie Tipton - Lansing Community College

Steve Ezop - Methesco

PASTOR'S PEN

Some of you were quite intrigued by the message a couple of weeks ago which suggested that there is a river of change, or several rivers of change, going on in Christ's church right now. This is just to follow up and reiterate.

Many commentators of Christ's Church are convinced that we are entering the third phase of Christian faith. The first phase was the "Early Church" where people came to Christian faith mostly through conversion, society was hostile to the faith, disciples were willing to be martyred and people very much lived out the joy of their salvation. People worshipped in homes and small groups.

The second phase of Christian faith started with the conversion of Emperor Constantine, and it was marked by the existence of the institutional church sharing the power of society with the structures of government. People came to the faith as much by birth as by conversion. Christian ethics permeated society and the majority set of norms. Through the Protestant Reformation, the European Enlightenment, and even through America's official separation of Church and State, the Constantinian form of Christian faith has remained dominant.

The third phase of Christian faith, started by the Holy Spirit in reaction to the events of the 50's, 60's and early 70's is sometimes called the "post-modern church." It is marked by a return to many forms of the early church, but adapted to 21st century culture. In broad strokes, here are only a few of the changes going on:

The breakdown of the institutional forms of church, including the denominational structures that we are so familiar with. (For instance, we are seeing this in the diminished loyalty of younger people to the denomination they were born in.)

The breakdown of the power franchise between organized religion and government, with increasing hostility to the Church. (For instance, we are seeing this in such things as the proliferation of gambling.) The breakdown of homogeneous congregations. Even though segregation seems to be increasing, the Holy Spirit is responding to push congregation toward racial and theological diversity.

The revolution in worship, to include the affective with the cerebral.

The Holy Spirit is heavily at work in the church, tearing down and building up. Let us each be about discerning these changes and how they affect our lives and the life of our congregation. Whatever the Holy Spirit comes up with, It will be Good.

Grace and Peace, John

Directory

Our Worship Service each Sunday is at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School for all ages at 11:00 a.m. Beginning June 14th, for the summer, there will be a second Worship Service at 8 a.m. in the Chapel.The 9:30 a.m. service is broadcast live over WJIM-AM (1240). It is also cablecast and appears Sunday night from 9-10 p.m. on Channel 16 or 37 of Media One Cablevision.

The Central Journal is a monthly publication of Central United Methodist Church, Lansing, MI. Deadline for submittal of material is the third Monday of the month preceding the month of publication. Journals are scheduled to arrive at destinations by the first of the month.

Journal Editor is Jim Hane (517) 669-3306

Office: (517) 485-9477

FAX: (517) 485-9772

Web-site: www.gbgm-umc.org/centumc

E-mail: centralumc@voyager.net

COMMON "CENTS"

By Ruthann Jaquette,

Business Manger

Pledge Reminder

As our church program starts to wind down and we begin the race towards a much anticipated summer, please remember that the church doesn't stop operating during the summer months. Please remember to make sure your pledge is up to date before you leave town for those well earned vacations. Maybe you might consider making out your pledge checks before you leave as a reminder to yourself.

Budget Review

The Finance Committee has finished its quarterly review of the general budget. Some minor adjustments have been made, both on income and expense. At this time the committee has a balanced budget and is anticipating a strong financial second quarter. The budget will be reviewd in July.

Quarterly Statements

Statements for the quarter have been mailed. If you travel between addresses you may have to wait a few weeks for your statement to catch up with you because I have had several returned as "temporally away."

I have had a few questions as to: "why not everyone who gave received a statement?". Good question.

For the first quarter we mail out statements to those parishioners who gave in excess of $250. At the end of June we send out statements to all parishioners who have given any amount. At the end of the third quarter we will send out statements to parishioners who have given in excess of $500, and at the end of the year all parishioners who have given will receive a statement.

If at any time you have a question regarding your individual giving record, I would be happy to look it up on the computer and give you the assistance I can.

Red Roses to ...

Candace O'Connell, Audrey Holly, Ruth and Herb Norton, Charlie and Pam Jennett, and Codee Kirkby for being hosts for directory photography sessions.

Jan Keen for providing rose petals to the Preschool Sunday School class. The petals were eventually used to make potpourri. Also, to all who responded by sending cards, letters and photos. The class enjoyed them immensely, including carrots from Mrs. Keen's garden!

Beth and Dick Murley, David DeVinney, Nancy O'Shea, Dace and Rebecca Mason, and Jayne Roby for setting up and cleaning up for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.

Ruth Holmes and Frank Anderson for driving people to the photo session.

Birdsill Holly, Dick Murley, David Bass, David DeVinney, Jim Hane, Steve Lyon, and Jeff MaLarney for helping Denise to move into her new office.

All those who brought desserts for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.

Rob Forgrave and Charlie Jennett for helping Denise with parts of the new directory.

With Sympathy

John E. Hewitt

Died: May 14, 1998

John joined Central in 1941

Lorene Lavengood

Died: May 21, 1998

Lorene joined Central in 1994

Ted Hartz

Died April 30, 1998

Ted joined Central in 1992

Memorial & Gifts Committee

Offer of Assistance

The church Memorial Gifts Committee helps family members select a tangible item to remember a deceased loved one. They also suggest gifts to the church to honor graduations, births, wedding anniversaries, birthdays or any special event in the life of our families. Members of the Memorial and Gifts Committee would be happy to talk with you about potential gifts. Mary Jessup, Chairperson, Ruth Norton, Ann Snyder, Morris and Ruth Graham, and Rev. John Boley.

Associate Minister Plaque

A plaque honoring associate ministers who have served Central was hung recently in the west stairway landing at the back of the sanctuary. The Memorial Gifts Committee used undesignated funds, with appreciation to all who contributed in the memory of loved ones.Listed on the plaque are:

Kearney Kirkby, William Beckett, James W. Whitehurst, Robert Blasedell, William Desautels, David S. Yoh, A.H. Wallschlaeger, V. Marie Weatherhed, Francis F. Anderson, Peter H. Kunnen, Robert Betts, Charles Grauer, Paul Hartman, Samuel H. Evans, Lloyd Vanlente, Robert H. Roth Jr., James M. Gysel and Pegg Ainslie.

Fourth Vision Meeting

Reporting by Jim Stark

Creating a Vision for Central that will truly empower our members is a process that involves an open and honest sharing of where we are and where we want to be in the future.

Twenty one members continued this process on April 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. It was set in motion on March 4th by our Pastor and Rev. Joe Bistayi. It will take time and patience to work through our varied viewpoints to come to a clear understanding of the power of a meaningful Vision.

Bob Wangen outlined the process as building a Mission statement, identifying the values that drive that statement, and then constructing a concise Vision from those values. Then, we can list the specific goals and objectives that CUMC will set out to accomplish. Those goals would periodically change as we create new programs, but the Vision would remain to give us a clear direction for what we do and say. The values would be used to guide our daily decisions and actions. We would reexamine and revise all four parts every two years.

Jim Stark led a discussion on our current Vision Statement. A conclusion appeared to be that while that Vision read very well, it lacked a clear focus and was too long. It was not a true Vision Statement.

Pat Mort led a review on comparisons of the builders, boomers, and busters generations for general characteristics, religious factors, worship, and programs. It showed how we really differ in our preferences. All three generations participated in the discussion. Our new vision needs to reach out to all three generations.

Denise Fabbri reviewed the benefits of small groups for specific Church activities.

Ruthann Jaquette reviewed what a few growing Churches were doing. Each Church had its own shared vision.

The current vision statement will be posted in the Temple House hallway for you to examine and see if you agree with our conclusion. A copy of the generational differences is posted next to that vision statement.

Let us know your reactions either orally or in writing.The next Visioning Session will be held June 3rd, 7:00 p.m. at the church.

NEWS NOTES

By B. Caryn Welter, Music Director

This month ...

Featuring Bill Tennant Jr.

Bill was born in Lansing in July of 1967 and moved with his parents' to the frontier of St. Johns in the early seventies. As a child he took piano lessons and played the violin in his dad's school orchestra. In high school he played on the tennis team, competed in the Math League, fought with his little sister, did very little studying, and played his violin in the pit orchestras, Alma Symphony, and an accomplished string quartet. He spent summers traveling and camping with his family, working at his parents toy and game store, and pretty much staying out of trouble.

Graduation found him uncertain about his direction, so he went to MSU with an undeclared major and took up a variety of classes, later settling into his long-favorite subject, geography, as a major. His musical interests continued; he played in Central's bell choir and operettas, the MSU Symphony Orchestra, continued his work in string quartets, played keyboards in the rock band Ad Hoc Troubador, played violin in the bands Apollo 9 and the Clutters, joined the Swedish folk group, Rumpetroll, and created and managed Wherehouse Classical, an East Lansing music store specializing in classical and jazz music. He also spent his winters playing hockey and his summers playing with and managing Central's softball team. He is now the very proud uncle of Quillin Johanna Bakker, born on January 31 of this year.

His life in East Lansing has been full and rich, but recently Bill has become restless for change. Future years may find him pursuing one of his widely varied interests in a grad school yet to be determined. His vast storehouse of experience allows him many choices.

Central is fortunate, indeed, to have Bill on its music staff. This is his third year as Bell Choir Director, and he indicates that it has been a fulfilling and enriching experience for him. We are certainly richer for his contributions and are fortunate to call him Professional, Colleague, or Friend. He is a multi-talented and articulate star who shines brightly in our midst.

How to know you're getting older ...

Everything hurts and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.

The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.

You feel like the morning after and you haven't been anywhere.

Your little black book contains only names ending in M.D.

Your children begin to look middle aged.

Your mind makes contracts your body can't meet.

You sit in a rocking chair and can't get it going.

Your knees buckle and your belt won't.

Your back goes out more than you do.

A fortune teller offers to read your face.

The little old gray haired lady you helped across the street is your wife.

You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there.


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