Methodist Messenger:  November-December, 2009

Grangeville/Nezperce/White Bird UMC

THANK YOUS:  Thank you to all of you who have helped with our coffee hour during the month of October.  Coffee Hour Sign-up is available on the round table by the front door for those of you who are called to serve in that capacity. And a thank you to all that brought goodies to our monthly potluck. Also, there are sign-up sheets for Readers and Greeters.  Please do sign up (even after you have completed the need!)

Special Thanks:  This is an open thank you to all the women of United Methodist Women who are allowing my class to participate in the annual Christmas Bizarre.  My students make a number of products as part of their life skills training and take great joy and pride in selling them.  The Grangeville Methodist Church has opened their doors to my class, allowing us to use a room that is large and roomy enough for my students.  We so greatly appreciate being able to participate in an environment that helps them learn while they sell their goods.  We have been working and preparing for this day since last year, and can't wait to display our new products.  Sally Payne

Adele's Garden (in memory of Adele and Raymond Holman) was planted in late summer with colorful blooming plants and bushes in the shaded area between the building and the ramp to the front door.  Adele's family has placed a little bench and various other additions to the garden.   Now we are waiting for the stone with the dedication in memory of Adele and Raymond Holman to arrive to complete this area.  Funds donated by Adele’s friends and family to the Memorial Fund were used to provide this beautiful area.

Our Annual Salmon Dinner is a Success:  The 21st annual Salmon Feed on Friday, November 6th was a grand success. We sold around 120 dinners, which is slightly down from our average. Considering the economy, swine flu, and other events taking place that weekend, it was a strong showing.

We were able to use left-over supplies from last year to cut costs, and Asker’s generously took back unused groceries. With these measures, along with many donations, the dinner raised around 700 dollars. Of greater importance was the opportunity to invite the townspeople for an evening of fellowship and good food.

Volunteer help was overwhelming; at times we didn’t have enough jobs for all the workers. Every member present was willing to lend a hand in any way possible. Special thanks go to the Poncins, for starting and donating so much time through the years to this much-loved event.

Stewardship Committee Report:  United Methodist Friends~The Annual Charge Conference recently adopted our budget for the coming year.  To assist the Administrative Council in planning our program of ministry, we request that you consider your stewardship commitment for 2010.  Grace is a wonderful life giving and life sustaining concept.  One way to return thanks for the grace we have received is to support the congregation and the three-church charge in our fellowship ministry and community service offerings meant to address the needs that exist amongst and around us.  The Stewardship Committee will soon send out a formal letter of request with a form on which you can indicate your level of financial support for the church.  Please take a few moments to carefully and prayerfully consider what you can do to help.  We ask that you return the form to the church, either by mail or you can simply place it in the offering tray on a Sunday.  Thank you for the commitment. Yours in Christ, Jerry Zumalt

 TRUSTEES:  Dave and Ron cleaned the chimney and fireplace at the parsonage.  They also repaired the handle on the fireplace insert.  We are enjoying the lights on the front and east side of the church.  We are looking for a Christmas tree to be displayed in December on the east side.  The lawn tractor will be changed over to the snowplow soon.  Thanks to Mike Griffin and others for removing the snow from our sidewalks.

MISSIONS:  November and December are very busy months at the Food Bank.
Besides regular food boxes that are given out, there are Holiday Boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year the Food Bank has been very short of food.  While there are several food drives this month, which are greatly appreciated, it is almost certain that the Food Bank will still be very close to not having enough food to fill people's needs. This is partly due to the continuing increases in the number of people that are using the Food Bank.
For the Holiday Boxes, the Food Bank has quite a few turkeys on hand, but is low on the other foodstuffs.  A Holiday Box contains food for the holiday meal pumpkin, cranberries, stuffing mix, evaporated milk and other items to round out the meal.  While doing Holiday Boxes, the need for regular food boxes continues.  All types of foodstuffs, peanut butter, soup, chili, boxes hamburger meals, crackers, fruit, etc. are needed.  The regular boxes usually contain between 35 and 60 pounds of food, depending on the sizes of the family, so the shelves become empty with amazing speed. Please support the Food Bank with your prayers and donations.  Marietta, Mission Chair

EVANGELISM COMMITTEE: We continue to meet the needs of families in the community through UMCOM.  Items needed at this time are pots and pans, cooking utensils, towels, sheets and blankets.  Also items of furniture, small kitchen appliances are needed.  Call Linda or Lenora if you have any of these items. 

We are thankful to the Nezperce congregation for their recent donations of many useful items such as dishes, glasses, and silverware.  Also a thank you goes to the Syringa Thrift Shop for their help with many items needed for our outreach program.

            We encourage you to invite friends and neighbors to church.  As Advent approaches this might be a good time to extend an invitation.

UMW (United Methodist Women):  At our October meeting, we had ten ladies with two of them coming from UMW in Asotin.  UMW District Secretary, Janice Walker installed our officers for 2010. 

We finalized our plans of our annual Christmas Bazaar and Pie Fellowship (which will take place on Saturday, December 5).  We will be making our annual Mincemeat on Monday, November 23, 8:30 am. We need people to peel our apples that morning. We are taking orders for the mincemeat ahead of time again this year.  Your jams, jellies, herbs, etc. and crafting your items for our sale can be brought to the church on or before Friday, December 4, between 9 am and 1 pm.    Also, we will be calling for pies for our Fellowship which seems to be a great success each year.  We would love any and all home-made baked goodies, candies, etc. for our Bazaar.  We have a new supply of pecans and the usual peas, lentils, etc.

The Sharing Circle’s next meeting will be Wednesday December 2, 10 am, at Shirley Smith’s.  We will again have this the first and third Wednesday each month.  Drop-ins are encouraged!  We are studying the Book of Psalms, so each meeting will be a separate study. The purpose of the gathering is to educate and provide fellowship with other Christian Sisters. All are welcome even if you do not come to the other UMW meetings.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 9, 10 am, at the church. Again, after the meeting there will be a no host lunch at Oscar’s.

NO MONTHLY POTLUCKS for November & December:  We have decided to NOT have our monthly potlucks on the last Sunday for November and December in Grangeville.  We do encourage you to still bring items for the Idaho County Food Bank on that Sunday or any time.  We will have our next Potluck on, Sunday, January 31^st.

CHURCH FINANCES:

Breakdown of Income:                            August                   September                   October           Pledges received                                    $4,290.00                    $2,775.00                    $4,870.00                   

Plate (cash received)                                  52.00                           55.50                           29.00

Total disbursed:                                  $5,709.55                    $4,598.07                    $7,339.29

As the above figures reflect, your Ad Council has had to do some creative fund transfers in order to meet our churches finance obligations.  For more detailed information, see the bulletin board by the church office and/or talk to one of the members on the church board.  As we near the end of this year, please prayerfully consider giving back to our Lord a portion of His blessings.  Thank you.

NEWS FROM WHITE BIRD CHURCH:

What a great day we had on Oct. 25th--We baptized three people (Emily Kernutt, Rachel & Willis Claar).  We also welcomed four new members (Emily Kernutt, Rachel & Willis Claar, and Denis Long).  We then had a wonderful potluck.  What good cooks we all are!!  We had 19 people in attendance for this uplifting service and potluck.

We will be decorating the church on Saturday, November 28 at 10 AM.  We need volunteers to help get our church ready for Advent and Christmas.

Next Ad Council Meeting is Sunday, December 13 at 2:00PM.

Our Christmas Candlelight Service will be Sunday, December 20 at 3:00PM.  We will have refreshments afterwards.  All are invited to participate in this celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Upcoming Lectionary Readings

Nov 22nd

2 Samuel 23:-17

Psalm 132:1-12

Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

Dec. 20th

Micah 5:2-5a

Luke 1:46b-55

Hebrews 10:5-10

Luke 1:39-45

Nov.  29th

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Psalm 25:1-10

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Luke 21:25-36

Dec 24/25^th

Isaiah 9:2-7

Psalm 96

Titus 2:11-14

Luke 2:1-20

Dec. 6th

Malachi 3:1-4

Luke 1: 68-69

Philippians1:3-11

Luke 3:1-6

Dec 27^th

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

Psalm 148

Colossians 3:12-17

Luke 2:41-52

Dec. 13th

Zephaniah3:14-20

Isaiah 12:2-6

Philippians 4:4-7

Luke 3:7-18

(Minutes of) ANNUAL CHARGE CONFERENCE

Grangeville, Whitebird, Nezperce Churches - November 2, 2009

The Annual Charge Conference of the Grangeville/Whitebird/Nezperce churches was held November 2, 2009.  The PPRC met with Inland District Superintendent Rev. Dale Cockrum at 5 pm followed with a potluck and business meeting.

The following people were in attendance:  Cindy Roberts, Lenora Gregg, Denis Long, Jim & Allyson Kitchen, Elaine Lothrop, Clyde & Marieta Hanson, Sally Payne, Mildred Asker, Jane Spencer, Jerry Zumalt, Rose Mangini, Dave & Emily Poncin, Ron & Linda Johns, Shirley Smith, Sonny Robison,  Bev Harding,and Supt. Cockrum. 

Pastor Cindy opened the meeting with a Call to Worship: “Living Into God’s Grace: followed by the hymn “Many Gifts, One Spirit”.  Jerry Zumalt led the congregation in prayer.  Matthew 22:37-39 was read after which the attendees recited the church’s Mission Statement.

      Pastor Cindy led the Ministry Meditation which included a report from the Nezperce church on maintenance done by volunteers from the Whitebird church and the appreciation of that church for the joint auction held in their honor to fund repairs for water damage from a sump pump failure.  Nezperce is also sharing their facility with another congregation in town.                           Whitebird has increased their attendance by 80% this year.  They have retired a loan from 100 years ago and cleared a lien on their properties.  A second loan is to be paid off within the next 2 years.  Supt. Cockrum was presented a name tag and made an honorary member of the Whitebird Church.

      Relating acts of ministry in the Grangeville church began with puppet Sparky telling about VBS last summer.  Aluminum cans are collected and taken to Lewiston in support of “Dogs for the Deaf”.  A Community Outreach ministry began in February with a goal of helping families through collecting and donating household items needed for setting up new households.  The church stores these items and works through the Human Needs Council in distributing them.  The church supports 3 girls at the African orphanage in Jamaa Letu.  Fellowship events included a Bunco Night, monthly potlucks, 3 church auction, and Salmon Feed dinner.   UMW is active in the “Mission Today” program, reading books off the UMW reading list and beginning a Fellowship Circle that meets twice a month in attendees’ homes.  Mincemeat is made the end of November each year for the annual Christmas Bazaar.  Jerry Zumalt, Ron Sigler, and Denis Long were thanked for preaching for Pastor Cindy in her absence.  Denis Long was congratulated for completing a course to become a Certified Lay Speaker.

      Supt. Cockrum took a few moments to share his feelings about what was happening in the 3 Point Charge churches.  He then opened the business meeting inquiring whether or not the books of the churches have been audited.  Grangeville’s books have been audited; Whitebird and Nezperce’s books have not.  Asked if the monies collected Sunday morning are counted by more than one person – Grangeville and Whitebird yes, Nezperce no.  Does the church have a Safe Child Policy – yes.  Sonny Robison is the designated Safety Officer.

      Nominating Committee:  Pastor Cindy nominated Clyde Hanson GR, and Jim Kitchen WB to be on the nominating committee Class of 2012.  They were elected by unanimous vote.    Jerry Zumalt moved we accept the Pastoral Support Worksheet, 2^nd by Dave Poncin.  Motion carried.

      After a closing prayer and joining hands in the center aisle to sing “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” the meeting adjourned.

Emily Poncin

Secretary Board/Council         

BIRTHDAYS:

November       4   Peter Lane

                         6   Shirley Smith

                         7   Donald Eldred

                           8   Heather Cullin

                          8   Tiffany Mattson

                        11   Melissa Lane

                          16   Laura Vawter

                        17   Mary Lu Crea

                         19   Lydia Deiss

                          25   Tyrel Cullin

                        25   Rose Mangini

                        25   Dede Eldred

                        26   Rob Mattson

                        27   Tim Mattson

ANNIVERSARIES

November         7 Clyde & Marietta Hanson

BIRTHDAYS:

December                    2          Bailey Cullin   

                        5          Don Warden

                        10        Cynthia Mattson

                        21        Vivian Suddreth

                          26           Sara Dalgliesh

                        29        Booker Bush

ANNIVERSARIES

December          15     Shirley & Darrell Smith

 28     Don & Carol Warden

This month’s birthdays and anniversaries are on the monthly calendar.  If you have a birthday this month, we wish you a Happy Birthday.  If you have an anniversary this month, best wishes go to you, too.   If your birthday or anniversary has not been included in this newsletter, please call Rose (983-0489) or email the church (address below).

IDAHO COUNTY RECYCLING:  Reduce…Reuse…Recycle. 

The first month of this new program was very well used and felt to be very successful.  As of now, it is planned to have pickup once a month on the last Saturday of the month in Fenn.  You are welcome to take your own recycles directly to the sites, or everyone is welcome to bring your cans and paper to our churches to be recycled. 

Below is a list of all the will take AND not take:

Newspaper:

Anything that is delivered in your paper including TV guides/catalogues

AS well as:  telephone books, paperback books, magazines, white or colored office paper, envelopes, discarded mail.

SEPARATE non-newsprint into a paper bag, and keep newspaper loose!! Please do NOT bundle.

Assorted Metals:

Metal food and beverage containers such as soda cans aluminum and tin food cans up to 1 gallon size (remove tin lids)

NO paint, fuel, aerosol, propane, pesticides or herbicide containers

Cardboard:

This category includes empty boxes (remove plastic liners from cereal, food and beverage boxes.)

Paper sacks liner board, paper towel and tissue cores, corrugated cardboard, shoe boxes

NO waxed cardboard or Styrofoam peanuts.

Assorted plastic bottles:

This includes empty plastic bottles and jugs coded #1- #7 of any color except black. (opening must be smaller than the bottom of container.

November’s Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing:   This will be held at the Grangeville Christian Church, 402 West South First Street, Grangeville, at 6 pm.  Please contact that church as soon as possible if you would like to bring special music as there will be a limited number of these.  Call Harold Gott at 983-2549 or 983-0411.  January’s Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing will be held here at our church on Sunday, January 31, 6 pm.  Let’s mark our calendars now.

FROM PASTOR CINDY’S DESK: