WHERE AM I GOING?
By Rev. Robin Roderick

Thank you for the well wishes and questions about my time away which begins after services on August 1st.

For the vacation time I will see family--and spend some deep time in rest and relaxation--as well as reflection on what it means to begin perhaps another five years at FUMC. The reflection is needed because I don't want to simply repeat years, but improve and remain connected to these ministries.

I will also volunteer a week of time with a new church start in Kansas City Ks--teaching on best practices and leadership. My best friend, Mic McGuire is the start pastor and I look forward to seeing his family as well.

As a novice fan of Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture I will tour some of his open structures near the places I will be traveling for study leave as well.

During the Study time I will be attending the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit in Barrington, IL. This is full of the best and brightest on Leadership for the Church.

Next I will travel to Dubuque, IA for an Alban institute Learning time on Proclamation.

A week of silence at a monastery or a retreat center for prayer and renewal is part of the study time. If at a monastery or convent I will keep the hours--praying in the chapel with the residents. If at a retreat center I keep my own praying of the hours as well as immersing in other devotional and bible study. You may laugh, but I find it so nourishing I can't do without this kind of time and am looking forward to an entire week.

While I'm doing all of this, you all will be experiencing 8 weeks of revival like preaching on being the church in this day and age and for tomorrow--we want to serve Christ with Passion and Excellence and this will help us.

Then in October myself and many of your church leaders will tie much together by spending a Thurs/Friday at Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute. We want you to go with us. Go to cor.org and find the 2010 Leadership Institute. Register and let Pastor Debby know so she can get hotel rooms etc. and arrange rides. If you need a scholarship money is available.

Don't you want to come too? Let's Go!

Children’s Bibles
by Rev. Debby Bartley

All Kindergarten and 3rd grade students will receive a Bible on Sunday, August 29, during the 9:30 worship service. Since we would like to personalize each child’s Bible, please complete the sheet in the Preschool or K-3rd grade classrooms before August 22. If your child will not be able to attend the 9:30 service on August 29, the Bible will be given to your child the next time s/he attends Sunday School. Questions? Please see Rev. Debby.

If your grade-school age child is new to FUMC and does not have a Bible, please let Rev. Debby know so she can give your child a Bible.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE
by Billy Collier

On Saturday morning, the annual conference attendees had the pleasure of hearing Rev. Mike Slaughter share the story of the Ginghamsburg United Methodist congregation and how they have “transformed” from a small country church in an economically challenged area of the country to one that has had significant impact on children halfway around the world in Darfur.

As Rev. Slaughter told the story of his church, a display of a clock with an hour, minute and second hand was projected onto a large screen, with a count of the number of children who were dying from either hunger (one child every four seconds) or dying from malaria (one every 30 seconds) in third world countries during his talk. He had used this same information in sermons at his church. After his congregation heard about this tragedy, they began to talk about how they should respond. They realigned their mission to “Live simply so others can simply live”. As a congregation, they prioritized their faith from being “all about me” to the reality of their faith being “all about God”.

Rev. Slaughter mesmerized us all with the stories of how first a few and then many and now all of the congregation have learned to “walk the talk” over the years through deliberate study of scripture lessons found throughout the Bible, but particularly in Isaiah 58:12 (invest time in places of vulnerability then the light of God will show through) and Isaiah 61:1-8 (if it’s not good news for the poor – it’s not God’s plan) and 1 Peter 4:10 (God has given us all of the gifts needed to accomplish the mission of our church). He pointed out that Jesus commanded the disciples to go build more disciples – not a church!

Rev. Slaughter shared that early in the “transformation” of Ginghamsburg church, members decided that Christmas was not about how many gifts they received, but about using their gifts for others. They made the commitment to gift the same amount of money to the church at Christmas as they spent on themselves and their family and friends. Each year their Christmas fund has grown larger along with their congregation. These Christians decided to put funds to work outside the walls of their church. They decided to travel to Darfur to bring food, hope and the message of Jesus to the people of the Sudan.

Rev. Slaughter shared a video of members who have made several trips to Darfur. Each member had a story to tell about the difference being actively engaged in the mission of the church has made in their lives, their faith and that of those they have been privileged to help. It was exhilarating to hear the success of their part in “changing the world” as they brought food to support the physical needs and shared the blessings of God’s love for everyone. They learned that their faith grew as they looked for the true meaning in being a Christian.

How are we as a congregation growing in our faith and helping to “change the world”? More to come…………………..

HELP US GATHER,GROW,and GO!!!
by Nancy Gongaware

The FUMC L.O.V.E. Club (Leave Our Vehicles Elsewhere)

We would like to free up 60 parking spaces by inviting interested members to park off-campus, but yet within easy walking distance of the church. Four of our neighbors have graciously opened up their parking lots to us on Sunday mornings: Enterprise Bank, National City, Conway Insurance Group and Alexander Insurance.