“The
Cooperative Courier”
GBGM Advance #3020435
Ministry Jubilee #MJ 1110
110 W. Harrie Street
Newberry, MI 49868
Tel. & Fax (906) 293-5711
Contents:
Mallory's Musings
Letter from Katie Peterson
Mission To and From the GCCP
Fellowship and Events
How to Assist GCCP Finances
Youth News
Community Church News
Mallory's Musings
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“So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,
believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
(Mark 11:24 NRSV)
I was handed a clipping from a magazine (I do not have the
exact name of the magazine) that was written by Eva Yarman
from Mount Vernon, Ohio. It is a letter to the editor type
clipping. Ms. Yarman has exposed an interesting thing about
prayer and our belief in the power of prayer. The article
states:
“When construction began on a bar in a small town,
the local church started a campaign of prayers and petitions
to stop it. One week before the bar was to open, lightening
struck the building and burned it to the ground.
The bar owner sued the church, saying that its prayers were
responsible for the loss of his building. The church, through
its lawyer, denied any responsibility.
When the case got to its first court hearing, the judge
looked over the paperwork and said, ‘I don’t know
how I’m going to decide this. We have a bar owner who
believes in the power of prayer and a church that doesn’t!’”
Now don’t get the idea that my musings are about turning
to prayer to go after the things in life we don’t like
or with which we don’t agree. That would only turn into
mass destruction since we humans have a hard time seeing anything
alike. What I am musing about is the surety of our prayer
and our response to the outcomes of our prayers. Do we pray
as if we are merely hoping? Do we pray in the belief that
we have received that for which we pray? Are we willing to
live with and accept the responsibility for the answers to
our prayers? An interesting dilemma for the judge in the above
article and an interesting dilemma for us as we life out our
faith.
Pax, Paul
Letter from Katie Peterson
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God is good all the time! All the time God is good! That
is truly a summary of how the summer has gone for us in God’s
Country Cooperative Parish with mission work. We have just
completed six awesome weeks of hosting mission teams all over
the parish. We also had a God filled youth mission trip in
the middle of the summer.
We started off the summer with a team from Iron Mountain
Trinity replacing a roof on a steep roof in Engadine. We were
all able to witness to not only the family, but also to the
community. The team helped us prepare a banner for VBS and
also assist in other small projects.
During the second week of the summer, Amazing Grace Ministries
of the Keweenaw from Houghton Grace UMC and Calumet area were
able to share God’s love with a senior citizen couple
in the Hulbert area. With the team of many different skills
and ages, we were able to not only repaint their home, but
also remove their chimney, and complete many other small projects.
In the midst of extreme heat conditions, the team was able
to get out of the heat and paint banners for Vacation Bible
School. We were so happy to share missions with the team that
hosted our youth last year.
Our youth then went to Sault Ste. Marie, MI, on their mission
trip to build raised flowerbeds for a low-income retirement
home. We had four great youth and two adults sharing together
God’s love with our hands. Wednesday, we were happy
to have the younger youth from Newberry come join us to plant
the flowers. Thank you to everyone who helped to make our
trip a great success! We shared in meals and devotion together
each day with a variety of people.
Our third week of hosting mission teams brought twenty-three
youth and adults from Carleton and South Lyon UMCs to the
McMillan area. They were able to rebuild a second floor of
a home, paint the inside of a home, finish a roof, prepare
a home for siding, and assist in many other God projects all
around the areas. Thank you bringing your witness of Christ
to our areas.
Our mission teams moved us to Grand Marais in the fourth
week of the summer VIM program with a team from Good Shepherd
of the North in Roscommon. They shared in missions in many
ways from building a wheelchair ramp to washing windows, doing
yard work, and painting a home.
In the fifth week we were blessed by the servants of Christ
from Three Rivers UMC who assisted us in siding a home in
the Newberry area. During the week we were sharing God’s
love and prayer with a family of three young children and
their parents, who grew to know Christ more through our actions
during the week. Prayer worked to help the father be able
to return to work while we were helping his family.
We migrated to Paradise in our sixth week of the summer with
a team of youth, college students, and their leaders from
Marlton, NJ. They were able to witness to over ten families
in the area – through re-roofing a home, painting, mowing,
building steps, doing yard work, and preparing homes for future
work. They discovered ways they can give up material things
as they share with others about God’s love.
Thank you to all of our mission teams, project directors,
UMCs, UMWs, volunteers, prayer warriors, and my father for
helping us to share God’s love to over thirty families
this summer! God is truly amazing in all that He does for
us! Live simply, so that others may simply live.
Shalom to you, my friends,
Katie Peterson, Deaconess, Church and Community Worker
A Word from the GCCP Summer interns
Megan Fair – Intern
Sensitivity, safety, and stewardship: these are the three
words that I have lived by this summer. Every Sunday night
when meeting a new mission team for the first time, my fellow
intern and I were given the duty of introducing what we call
“the 3 S’s.” Our summer was filled with
these S’s and we could not have designed it any other
way. Working in areas of poverty and low economic status,
sensitivity was so important to remember. It was difficult
and surprising for some teams to realize how impoverished
this area is compared to what they are used to. Their eyes
were opened to these struggles and how our services helped
put a big smile on so many faces. Whether we were mowing a
lawn or replacing an entire roof the gratitude was felt and
seen every week. God blessed us this summer with fun, fellowship,
and safety. We prayed every morning before beginning our work
that we would have a safe, accident free day; and God definitely
provided. We cannot thank Him enough for the blessings of
good weather and the right circumstances to keep everyone
safe. Keeping God in the center of everything was a little
difficult at times, because sometimes everyone would be concentrated
on just getting the job done. While this is very important,
God would always remind us that He was watching us and how
He would make sure everything would work out when we put our
eyes back on Him. The stewardship that we brought to these
families and each other is irreplaceable. We enjoyed fellowship
together and brought our witness to the people we were serving.
I think this could be argued as the most magical thing we
witnessed all summer. Some of these people have just begun
to explore this faith, and others may be just starting to
consider it; but I believe that our witness to them has brought
a new light, God’s light, into their lives. They really
could see His love through us, and spreading this amazing
love is really what this is all about. Taking time to talk
to God when we were tired or to stop worrying about everything
and let God lead our way is a lesson we all learned and practiced.
This summer would have been impossible without the continued
support from our blessed communities and the guidance, grace,
and love of our awesome God.
Chelsea Blankinship - Intern
This summer has been a very different experience for me. While
I had gone on three mission trips as a youth, I have never
done it for six weeks continually. I have also never held
the responsibility for making everything run smoothly and
directing, leading, and teaching others how to use tools.
This summer has helped me grow spiritually and as a leader.
I witnessed six teams give week of their lives to be the hands
and feet of God for those who couldn’t help themselves.
I watched ten homes receive repairs that were desperately
needed. I witnessed individuals as they got a better understanding
of Christians doing what they were meant to do, serve. One
home we worked on this summer was for a family with three
children. The oldest boy in the home was around age sixteen.
While most outside observers wouldn’t have seen much,
I saw a great change in the attitude of this young man in
just the few days we were present. He was very cautious in
demeanor with all of these new people invading his home, and
more importantly to him, his room. We were repairing very
damaged drywall in rooms and then repainting. He was informed
that he would need to work on his room alongside us. Toward
the end of the week, he was starting to open up to me and
started asking questions about GCCP. He was also asking about
a young man in his early twenties who was on the team that
week. I vividly remember his asking, “Hey, Lonnie, seems
kind of cool, does he go to church?” His view of Christians
was changing, from those he deemed "uncool," and
those who often equally shunned him; to someone he might have
something in common. For me, that was what this summer was
about: loving unconditionally. God has given me so much love,
light, and joy in my life. This summer I wanted to help share
even the smallest fraction of God’s love for us to others.
This was my summer of agape.
Thank you, ladies, for sharing your
time and talents with us here in the GCCP! You lightened our
load.
Mission To and From
the GCCP top
“Mission is our Mission"
For participation in any way to the NIM and/or VIM Program
contact:
Katie Peterson ktpete@gmail.com
P.O. Box 67 GBG#982942 - CCW
Paradise, MI 49768 MJ1110 – GCCP Advance#
Tel. (906) 492-3680
A THANK YOU!
GCCP thanks everyone for your generous donations. Our closets
are overflowing with donations - and boxes are prepared for
next school year, with the items that they have requested!
Thank you for helping us to make that possible. We are NOT
in need of adult clothing or socks of any sort. We are seeking
children's new or used sweatpants and shirts size 3T-L children's
size - boy and girl.
Christian Education materials donated to God’s
Country Cooperative Parish
We have been blessed to receive an eclectic variety of Bible
Studies, Youth group material, Children’s resources,
Easter and Christmas plays, teaching helps. A list of what
is available to borrow is our web page. If you would like
to browse our shelves or borrow any material – please
contact Katie Peterson.
SUMMER 2009 VIM/NIM
Pictures on display in the PDF
version of this newsletter.
Continuing Programs
Assist with the GCCP Finances
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GBGM Advance #3020435
GCCP funds are very low at this time. The following section
has ways in which you and your organization can help to enhance
the local mission of the GCCP.
A GCCP COOKBOOK!!!
A donation of $10.00 is being asked for each book. (There
will be an additional $2.50 per book if being mailed.)
The GCCP cookbook has been a great success! You might want
to consider this a UMW, or whole church, mission project.
We do have books still available. This is a great opportunity
for you to provide a gift for any occasion for friends, neighbors
and relatives near and far. We will be happy to mail far and
wide!
To order or with questions, contact: Jan Barrett 906-586-3901
or jan_barrett47@hotmail.com
GCCP TEE SHIRTS FOR SALE
You may purchase a GCCP tee shirt for yourself or as a gift
for a family member of friend.
They are $15.00 for short sleeve or $27.00 for long sleeve.
Contact Katie Peterson (906-492-3680 or ktpete@gmail.com)
USING GOODSEARCH.COM TO SURF THE INTERNET HELPS US
OUT FOR FREE
You can now SHOP through this site as well as search, and
the parish receives a % of the sale. It’s easy!
God’s Country Cooperative Parish is earning a penny
every time you surfed the Internet! GoodSearch.com is a search
engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search,
to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you
would any search engine, and Yahoo powers it! So you get great
results. Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter
God’s Country Cooperative Parish as the charity you
want to support. Just 500 of us searching four times a day
will raise about $7300 in a year without anyone spending a
dime! Please, be sure to spread the word! Saving the address
as a favorite makes this an easy way to participate and give
to the parish. Planning a big event, like a wedding? Every
time you check out a site, GCCP can earn valuable money for
their work in ministry. Since inception, we have earned $115.65.
CROSS AND FLAME UMC MAGNETS
We are currently asking for donations of $5 for UMC magnets
in order to support the mission projects of the GCCP. You
may want to purchase a large number of these and sell them
at conferences or large meetings. They may be acquired from
any pastor or from the CCW, Katie Peterson (906-492-3680 or
ktpete@gmail.com). Thanks for your prayers and support!
TURN GARBAGE INTO GOLD (And be kind to the environment)
In an effort to help cut GCCP office expenses, you can donate
your used HP, Lexmark, or Brother ink cartridges from your
printers. These may be redeemed for paper for the GCCP office
or other office supplies. If you are not near and would like
to participate, you may turn them into most office supply
stores and they will give you a “Gift card” or
coupon.
These may then be sent to the GCCP office at Newberry UMC
for redemption. (906-293-5711)
THANKS to everyone who donated used
ink cartridges to God’s Country Cooperative Parish.
The ink cartridges have been redeemed for colored paper, card
stock and labels. Turning garbage into Gold! What a savings
and blessing! We couldn’t do it with out YOU.
GORDON FOOD SERVICE "FUN FUNDS CARDS"
Last, but certainly not least, Gordon Food Service is continuing
to partner with us to help raise money for missions. Every
time you show your “Fun Funds Card” when shopping
at Gordon’s, we get up to 10% back. If you do not have
a “Fun Funds Card,” you can apply at any Gordon’s
store. Be sure to include on the form that God’s Country
Cooperative Parish is the agency you wish to support. Anyone
can participate in giving to the GCCP from any community,
whether you are connected to the church or not. This would
be a great way for people who live far and wide to share with
the GCCP ministry.
YARN REALLY NEEDED FOR LOVE MISSION
We are continually creating baby blankets, caps, and prayer
shawls for mission giving. Those who are knitting and crocheting
would love to receive yarn as a donation for their projects.
If you are cleaning out your closets or would like to have
a yarn drive at your next women’s meeting or would like
to purchase some yarn, any kind, you may deliver it or mail
it to Joan Lynn. The address is P.O. Box 95, Naubinway, MI,
49762 – or call her at (906) 477-6299. These items go
to the local hospitals for new babies, and the prayer shawls
are gifted to shut-ins, cancer patients, those who are grieving,
or anyone who might need a “prayer hug.” Thanks
for your continued support to our mission.
Fellowship and Events
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OLD-FASHIONED SUMMER PICNIC
The GCCP picnic is being held this year on Sunday, Aug 30,
at the Newberry KOA on Rte. 28. We will begin eating around
1:30 with singing and activities to follow. (Bring games along
if you wish.) This is again a “faith potluck”
in which picnickers bring whatever they like, and the menu
will fall together. Please bring your own table service, as
we are respecting the “going green” movement.
Each church needs to provide a large thermos of lemonade,
juice, or iced tea to share. Coffee will be provided. Swimming
is available at a cost of $4 for adults and $3 for children.
Join us for a great afternoon and good food!
PASTORAL PARTNERING PROGRAM AND THANK YOU
Earlier this year the Parish Council approved the development
of and the purchase of training materials for a “Pastoral
Partner Program.” This program offers a care giving
network that extends to every member through small-group contacts.
Laypersons who participate in this program are asked to maintain
informal contact with a small group of people, pray for them
regularly, refer needs or concerns to the pastoral team, and
attend training and support meetings. This is an opportunity
to strengthen our local churches, our parish and ourselves
as we participate in ministry with and to each other. If you
are interested in this type of ministry please contact your
pastor. If your pastor has seen these care giving gifts in
you and asks you to participate, please give it strong consideration
as an opportunity for discipleship. Training will be beginning
in the fall.
The purchase of training materials has been provided anonymously
in the honor of Rev. Audrey Dunlap and in memory of Mr. Ivan
Dunlap for the organization, direction and service they have
given to God’s Country Cooperative Parish. The council
wishes to thank this anonymous donor for their generosity
and remembrance of our sister Audrey and brother Ivan.
MUSIC, ART & DRAMA (MAD) CAMP 2009
With the apparent lack of interest this summer for the participation
in the MAD Camp program, I had to make a decision to cancel
the camp for the summer of 2009.
Many in the GCCP leadership are disappointed and don’t
really understand the lack of interest this year. We felt
that the program was meeting an important need here in the
eastern UP, and had seen an enthusiasm from those who had
been involved as leaders and campers.
There is currently a balance in the GCCP MAD Camp budget
line item. I am requesting that this should be left intact.
My hope is that the program will be offered again in the summer
of 2010. If, after that, there is no interest, I would recommend
that the money for that program be renamed for “Children’s
Ministries” and used for some SPECIAL program for the
children in the GCCP Area.
Jan Barrett Camp Director and Dean
Youth News
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GCCP youth, their mothers, and the chaperones went on a mission
trip this summer. They went to build raised flower beds at
Hearthside Retirement Home in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, from June
28-July 1. Thanks for the prayers for our 4 youth and 2 adults
as they traveled to share God’s love in missions.
Community Church News
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MCMILLAN
NEWS
ENGADINE
NEWS
NEWBERRY
NEWS
GERMFASK
NEWS
PARADISE
NEWS
GRAND
MARAIS NEWS
HULBERT/TAHQUAMENON
NEWS
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