“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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“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O
children of Jacob, have not perished.” (Malachi 3:6)
I was watching some program on TV the other night and one
of the characters said, “Life changes and we change
with it.” We are in one of those periods of change right
now, the change from fall to winter. I have heard all sorts
of folk saying lately, “At least the rain isn’t
snow.” I suppose I will hear next May as the change
to summer occurs, “It’s so hot.” It seems
that even though ‘life changes and we change with it.’
we don’t change to easily. Maybe it comes from our very
birth. The first change we experience is moving from the warm,
safe, and secure womb to the cold, bright, and unknown world
outside the womb. I would bet that if we could talk at that
moment we might say, “Well, I have never done it that
way before!”
Kathy, my wife, told me about one of her grandmothers who
was quite a seamstress, quilter, knitter and crocheter. In
her later years she was afflicted with severe arthritis and
the fingers of her hands were all gnarled up. In this condition
she still could and would knit and crochet. It looked so painful
and one day Kathy asked her, “How do you do it Grandma,
doesn’t it hurt?” Her grandmother replied, “It
only hurts when they move, once they get to where they’re
going it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
In the coming year, I would imagine that there are going
to be some pretty significant changes in our society. Some
changes for the better, some changes for the worse, all of
them depending on your point of view and all may “hurt
while we move through them.”
The thing is, we will get all caught up and worked up in these
changes that do not last.
I remember a quote by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
“I decided early to give my life to something eternal
and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today
and gone tomorrow, but to God who is the same yesterday, today,
and forever.”
There is an anchor to hang on to in the midst of the changes
of our lives.
Pax, Paul
Letter from Katie Peterson
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I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water
in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not
lose his reward. Mark 9:41
Grace and Peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
How have you helped your neighbor lately? Have you visited
a friend or chatted with them really to find out how they
are doing? Have you shared God’s living water or physical
water with someone lately? Pray about how and where God wants
you to be His hands and feet this winter – to both those
you know and those you don’t.
I have recently returned from attending a few networking conferences
with the great connectional United Methodist church. It is
always a joy to see how and where we are mission as a denomination
all around the United States and the world. With the state
of the economic conditions of our country, we are all made
more aware of whom the poor are among us. God is amazing though,
how many ways we can and are able to reach out to assist our
neighbors in need in large and small ways.
On behalf of God’s Country Cooperative Parish, I would
like to thank the Marquette and Saginaw Bay District UMWs
for your generous donations of socks, underwear, hats, gloves,
sweatpants, peanut butter, jelly, Macaroni and cheese, blankets,
monetary donations and other items. All of these donations
filled ¼ to ½ of my double car garage! They
will help us reach out to our families and agencies in need,
not only this Christmas but throughout the whole year! Thank
you to Forester UMW and the Port Huron UMW for your generous
donations of gift cards, paper products, and hygiene items.
They will and are being shared with many families!
Thank you to the following churches for inviting me to share
the joy of missions with your church – in both large
and small groups – over the past four months: Gwinn,
Royal Oak, Plymouth FUMC, Churchill, Three Rivers FUMC, Farmington
Orchard, Friendship, Maples Memorial, Paris FUMC, Paris District,
Murray FUMW, Gibsonwells, Trenton, Selmer, Soulutions, St.
John’s, St. Luke’s, St. Paul’s, Collierville,
Shiloh, Braden, Capleville, Forester, School of the North,
Livonia-Newburg, and Paint Creek. These churches range from
Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico – encompassing 5
states!
As winter is quickly approaching on us, we remember our neighbors
who may need water to drink, but also fuel to heat with this
cold long winter. Tourism seasons have not been as good lately
– causing several people to have less hours to work
as a waitress, hotel worker, or clerk in a store. Please pray
that we as a church can spread God’s love to all His
children with what assistance that they might need.
Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support
for me as your deaconess and church community. If you would
like to support me as your missionary – my covenant
number is 982942. Please let me know when you would like me
to share the joy of missions with your church.
Look for ways this winter to share God’s love each day.
Shalom,
Katie Peterson, Deaconess, Church and Community Worker
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
THANK YOU UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
A big thank you goes out to United Methodist
Women from Saginaw Bay, Marquette District, and Port Huron
Districts for your generous donations of a wide variety of
items that were gathered for our families in God’s Country
Cooperative Parish. Your donations make it possible for us
to share God’s love with many more families
VIM PROJECTS ARE SOUGHT
VIM projects for the 2010 summer are being sought in Engadine,
Germfask, Grand Marais and Paradise. Be thinking about hosting
teams in these communities if needed. Katie will be talking
with churches about this.
CHRISTMAS IN GOD'S COUNTRY
Once again, all seven churches will reach to assist their
communities with Christmas baskets, clothes, gifts, and prayers.
Close to five hundred children, youth, and adults received
God’s love last year. Please stay tuned to your bulletin
or UMW group to see how you can share Christmas with people
in your community.
Continuing Programs
Assist with the GCCP Finances
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GBGM Advance #3020435
GCCP COOKBOOKS ARE STILL AVAILABLE:
A GREAT CHRISTMAS IDEA!
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 continued to be a great success! We
are hoping to place a second printing order. This is a great
opportunity for you to provide a treasure 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)
A WAY TO GIVE AS YOU SHOP ONLINE! USING GOODSEARCH.COM
TO SURF THE INTERNET HELPS US OUT FOR FREE
What if God’s Country Cooperative Parish earned a penny
every time you surfed the Internet? Well, now we can! GoodSearch.com
is a new 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.
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)
GORDON FOOD SERVICE "FUN FUNDS CARDS"
ordon 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.
Fellowship and Events
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OLD FASHIONED SUMMER PICNIC
The GCCP picnic was held this year on Sunday,
Aug 30, at the Newberry KOA on Rte. 28. This was again a “faith
potluck” in which picnickers brought whatever they liked,
and the menu was awesome. Although our numbers were fewer
than hoped for, we had a great afternoon and good food!
CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING OFFERED
Katie announced that she would offer Child Protection Training
again if anyone is interested. Please let her know if your
church would like to take this opportunity. Paradise has a
renewal of the program scheduled for this January. Katie will
also be conducting the training at the Learning Fair in Pickford,
MI, on 1/24/09. The Learning Fair will also be held in L’Anse,
MI, on 1/23/09.
Youth News
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The youth of God’s Country Cooperative Parish are currently
selling sub sandwiches – to raise funds for their summer
mission trip in 2010. The sandwiches will be delivered to
your GCCP church for Sunday morning, November 15. Please turn
in your orders to your church by Nov. 8. The subs are $4 each.
All proceeds go to the youth program for their summer mission
trip. There are 13 youth signed up to attend and 2-4 adults.
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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