A Wonderful Week in Sidney!

What an amazing week it has been! We had a very stimulating Bible Study last Sunday night with "The Wired Word" group, the group that meets weekly to discuss a current event of the week and relate it to Scripture readings and individuals' life experiences! Tuesday night's "Bad Girls of the Bible" study was a LOT of fun (as always)! Wednesday night's Simpson's Bible Study led to some very insightful and deep discussions about faith. Thursday night's study on The Book of Revelation was awesome; we are really learning a lot as we journey through that part of the Bible!

The church folks have been SO busy with preparing for and running the 4-day Rummage Sale Extravaganza, which concludes Monday, October 1st.

Julie Rowan gave us such a wonderful gift of fall vegetables from her harvest. Belinda arranged them in one of the baskets she bought at the rummage sale. It sits proudly on our breakfast nook table. It makes us smile everytime we see them! It reminds us of this great season/time of the year!

We got the October church newsletter out on Wednesday, and most folks received theirs the next day. Wow! Compliments to the local Post Office staff who do such a great job for all of us!

Belinda stopped by Tom and Vicki Millman's home, where she took a picture of their gorgeous multi-colored rose bush. It is absolutely breath-taking to see!

Charles orchestrated a wedding rehearsal Friday afternoon, and the wedding took place at 5:00 p.m. today in the church sanctuary. The bride was stunning! And, of course, the wedding couple seemed so in love and so perfect for one another.

Belinda mowed the lawn today (Saturday). Whew! It is a two-hour job to get that done!

Tomorrow will be a day of celebration, indeed! Two babies are to be baptized, and five folks are joining the church: Praise be to God!!!

The week that was in Sidney

Looking back at our diary for this past week it might look as though this was a quiet week. And still we find ourselves here on a cool Sunday morning tired, but excited at the activity happening here in Sidney.

We did a lot of work, Charles edged the sidewalks at the church and Belinda worked hard at getting the house ready for visitors on Sunday. This sounds easy, but we're trying hard to model hospitality both at church and home and it takes effort!

Thursday was a very special day, the first Thursday evening Bible study. This is held at the home of Jim and Evie Jones' and there were fourteen of us there to begin a study of the book of Revelation. Charles is leading this class and from the early reactions it is going to be a super group.

Friday morninig saw Charles conduct another funeral, this for a local resident who was without a church home. It was a challenge of course, offering comfort in a chuch setting to a family who is not religious and for someone not known to the congregation. Still, it was a good service and the family appreciated the time and the message.

Saturday was given over to the UMW and their meeting as the new district. We drove over to Chappell, about 1//2 hour east of Sidney, and had a wonderful time. There were woman (and a few men!) from all over the Great West District which covers nearly 1/3 of Nebraska. We enjoyed the fellowship and the fabulous casserole the ladies of that church served at lunch!!! When we arrived back in Sidney, we were tired but happy to have been around such wonderful people.

So much is about to happen here today, check back tonight to see how we fared!!!

Elva Lostroh's 94th Birthday Party!

The highlight of the day was our opportunity to attend the 94th birthday of a wonderful member of FUMC, Elva Lostroh. Her children and husband had invited the church family to attend the party at the care facility in which she resides. It was wonderful being there!

The Prayer Shawl ministry team presented her with a shawl, which turned out to include her favorite color, coral pink. A good time was had by all, and it made for a special day for all who attended.

Camp Comeca Retreat

Pastor Charles took a needed break this week and attended the 24-hour "Covenant Group West" retreat at Camp Comeca, near Cozad. This retreat is open to those who have attended a Five-day Academy for Spiritual Formation event. The purpose for this event is to provide its members with an on-going faith formation accountability group.

The attendees really enjoyed the special setting that is Camp Comeca, and Pastor Charles really found the time to set aside to "just be" especially rewarding.

On his way home, Pastor Charles took the chance to visit the Robert Henri museum in nearby Cozad. Henri was a painter whose father founded the town!

Belinda in the meantime enjoyed the much-needed quiet and enjoyed a personal retreat of her own! The pace is going to be really picking up here in Sidney and at First UMC. Keep looking for the latest news!

Church Youth Get-together!

Pastor Charles had a great time at the church youth get-together at Beau's farm this afternoon. About 30 fun-loving folks gathered for good food and fellowship!

Thanks, Beau, for inviting folks to your home and making everyone feel welcome!

A Visitor to the Parsonage!

Last week, Belinda looked out into the back yard and saw a critter enjoying the bird seed tower. Why, yes, it is a squirrel! That picture of the bird waiting its turn is SO cute!

More News About Our Church's Kitchen Renovation Project

See more info about the church renovation project at this web address:

www.sidneyfirstumc.blogspot.com/ !!!

Church Kitchen Renovation is Underway Now!

For more info... go to ...

http://www.sidneyfirstumc.blogspot.com/

Saturday at the Parsonage

After power-washing to deck yesterday, Pastor Charles is all about getting it stained today. It is hard work, but God has sent a lovely breeze to cool things down a bit.

And Belinda's home-brewed iced tea really helps him stay cool.

Pastor Charles Working at the Parsonage

Pastor Charles has been very busy lately. Last week, he painted the numbers to the parsonage a nice black color, to match the color on the wrought ironwork entrance to the house. Now it is much easier to see what is the address. The after and before pictures attest to that!

Today he power-washed the deck. It is looking SO MUCH better! Getting the dust, dirt and grime off it really does make a world of difference!

Praise be to God for the ability to make old things look new again!

A Special Evening in Sidney, Nebraska!

Tonight we attended the town's "Newcomers Picnic" down at the town park. It was a lovely night; we had a beautiful breeze. We enjoyed good food and fellowship. They had some wonderful entertainment. Two fellows with amazing singing voices blessed us with their musical offerings. We met some great folks who, like us, had arrived sometime within the last 18 months.

Afterwards, we walked down to the gazebo in the park, where we participated in the "Night of Hope" observance. Pastor Charles gave the opening and closing prayers. We lit two luminaries (bags with a light in each one): One light honored those surviving with cancer, and the other light honored the memory of those who have fought the disease. Some folks gave their testimonies about what it means to be involved in this wonderful support group. There was a woman who sang so beautifully, and her musician friend played the keyboard really well. Their music added a real festive flair to the evening.

Each year, the group facilitates the walk to raise awareness and to raise funds for the research to find a cure. (Each year except this one, that is, since the Cattlemen's Ball at the beginning of the summer raised a huge amount of money for cancer research within the state of Nebraska.)

It is a really worthwhile effort! It was such a joy to spend time with folks who genuinely care about the health and well being of their neighbors and friends.

Praise be to God for people who volunteer their time, energy and passionate commitment to being in service to others!

----------------------------------------
Pastor Charles' Opening Prayer...

Holy God,

You are the source of our life.

We thank you that we have this day to remember the joy that comes from sharing the gift of life.

We thank you also for those who care for us when we are ill, for those who love us when we feel unlovable and for each new day we are given to share the love we have been given.

We ask for Your blessing on this night and on this fellowship.

Surrounded by Your love, we pray.

Amen.

--------------------------------------

Pastor Charles' Closing Prayer...

Loving God,

Grant that we never forget what we have shared this night. In our journey through this life, we are blessed with people such as those with whom we have shared this celebration. We leave here, having been touched by others.

It is our hope that our lives would reflect the spirit of community that we have experienced tonight and that, in the days to come, others may know that there is hope in abundance.

In Your hopeful name,

Amen.

------------------------------

Worship, Aug 5, 2007: Praise God for...

At both worship services this morning, we prayed prayers; we sang hymns; we read Scripture; we heard the Word of God proclaimed... and we celebrated the blessed events in the life of the congregation of the Sidney First United Methodist Church.

At the 10:00 service, we heard some beautiful special music from Martha Gibbs. Thank you, Martha, for sharing your talent with us; your music was just lovely.

In all the pictures above, we can see the beautiful flowers that were placed on the communion table by the children of Dr. Jim and Kathleen Edwards, who are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Praise be to God for the gift of Spirit-led marriages which flourish for years and years and years, blessing all with whom they come into contact!

At both services, some of the newly created prayer shawls were prayed over and blessed. During the children's time at the 10:00 a.m. service, our very own Samantha Brown volunteered to model some of them for the congregation.

And thanks go to Everett, a visitor who was willing to be today's "honorary adult"/child at the children's service. Everett is visiting Sidney to do business with Cabela's. His wife is a United Methodist pastor in Michigan.

Praise be to God for children of all ages who love and celebrate God's Love for us all!

Sunday Morning Fellowship in the Prayer Shawl Ministry Room!

There is an amazing ministry going on at the Sidney First United Methodist Church. It is called the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Throughout the week and on Sunday morning, faithful folks crochet and/or knit special "prayer shawls," which are blessed and then presented to folks, so that the Love of Christ can be wrapped around these people, no matter what joys and/or concerns they may have at any particular time.

This morning, like most Sunday mornings in the summertime (when there are no formal Sunday School classes going on), the people creating these prayer shawls and their family and friends congregate to visit, to laugh, to pray. When I walked into the room this morning, I could feel such a positive energy; I could feel the presence of the Lord in that place!

Praise God for faithful followers of Jesus Christ, who love and nurture and support one another... who are willing to use their hands to create visible reminders to people that the Love of God is wrapped around them, come what may!

Work Day at the Parsonage!

Today was another busy day!

Belinda mowed the parsonage lawn. After the rain we had this week, the grass was needing a haircut. Pastor Charles weed-whacked and then...

Well he was a real handy-man today!

He stained the post, on which sits our mailbox. I really like the stain! It looks so much better than the dull brown bare wood that was in place before.

Then he painted the wrought iron work by the front door black, to freshen the look of the black wrought iron that had dulled and rusted in places. His fun surprise was that he painted the crosses in it red... just like the red in the United Methodist Church's official logo, the cross and flame. I think it looks worlds better!

The last picture shows what the front entrance was like before the improvements of today.

Praise be to God for husbands who are willing to work, to improve the family home!

"I'm a Methodist," she proudly proclaimed!

Yesterday, Pastor Charles and I had the priviledge of meeting one of the members of Sidney's First United Methodist Church: Ms. Helen Hiner, who claims she is 98, but I find that very difficult to believe!

Here is the picture she allowed me to take. She is sitting in her living room, amidst all her family treasures. She is a beautiful lady, inside and out. God's light really does shine in her.

Behind her, you can see one of her many paintings that she, herself, painted. What an amazing artist she is! The detail in her paintings... and her choice of colors... all I can say is "wow!"

It was so easy to talk with her. She is very knowledgeable about a host of topics. In particular, I was facinated with her recounting the days when her family just moved to the Sidney area. Her husband was responsible for helping to get the Sioux Ordinance Depot up and running, in preparation of the arrival of the rest of the folks assigned to it.

"With the outbreak of World War II, a military presence once again took a stronghold in the community with the construction and operation of the Sioux Ordinance Depot being established 10 miles northwest of Sidney. This resulted in great influx of people to Sidney and Cheyenne County and the local economy once again was busting at the seams." (This if from a great website that talks about some of Sidney's history:
http://www.cityofsidney.org/index_files/Page306.html .)

Several times throughout our visit, she proudly proclaimed "I'm a Methodist!" Each time she said this, she has such a lovely smile on her face. She really had a glow about her!

Ms. Helen is one interesting lady! We have so much to learn from our living historians and faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

I feel that we were really blessed by the time we spent with her. Praise God for such inspirational people who treasure life and who are willing to testify about the many ways God's love, mercy and grace touches their lives, each and every day!

Thank God for Faithful Servants!

I know this is going to sound like Garrison Keillor doing one of his week-in-review tales about The News from Lake Wobegon, but this is Belinda, the pastor's wife... just having to write a few words about her observations about the "The News of the Good Life in Sidney, Nebraska..." in particular, about the dear folks involved with the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Sidney, Nebraska!

So I guess this is "The News of the FUMC Good Life" from Sidney, Nebraska!

------------------------

There have been so many blessings showering down on us! The number one blessing of all that I have noticed this last week:

Faithful servants who give of themselves for the betterment of the church community.

Today I saw Bill Walter outside most of the day... tending to the church lawn. He has been SO faithful this summer, watering the grass, mowing the lawn, weed-whacking those weeds, etc. All who come into contact with his enthusiastic and upbeat spirit are the richer for it, to be sure!

This week, I saw our secretaries, Jan and Karen, doing all the countless secretarial things they do for us each and every week. In particular, this week, they were getting the newsletter out and paying end-of-month bills, etc. There was a flurry of activity in the church office!

Julie Armbruster stopped by the office this week with ANOTHER one of her prayer shawls that she just completed. I think she has made at least 20 of them in the last year: Wow!

Marilee Rowan: Your visits to the hospital and the nursing homes and to folks' homes: You are one amazing Lay Care Giver, extraordinaire!

On Sunday, we honored two of the three youth leaders who led the successful Youth Mission Trip 2007, to Denver, last week. Their willingness to take a week off from work to lead our youth missionaries... well, it is awesome and inspiring, to be sure! Thank you SO much, Janet Rosenbaum, Beau Mathewson and Sarah!! (Sarah, we missed you at the potluck, but I hope you felt our love and appreciation, all the same!)

It was last Saturday, when the Hopwood Family volunteered their time to work at the church. Jennifer and Cassie put up posters and decorated the new "Christian Education Office" (the end office in the office suite of the church). Paul and sons were downstairs, setting up tables, getting ready for the church potluck luncheon on Sunday.

Also on Saturday, Janet Rosenbaum and Whitney Armbruster were practicing their special music selections for Sunday's 10:00 worship service. (They sounded awesome... both at practice and at the worship service!)

Also on Saturday, the Care Share team was busy in the kitchen, preparing some wonderful food and then setting forth to deliver it to folks around town.

I know I haven't mentioned everyone, but God knows. God knows all the many things that his good and faithful servants do... to make a church building... a church home.

I thank God every day that He brought me "home" to this church, this town, this county. My heart is full!

Yea, God: It is a good life, indeed!!!

A Thursday with a Lovely Surprise!

It was a great day today!

We had the lovely surprise of being visited by a former pastor of Sidney First United Methodist Church: Rev. Dr. Julian Miguel.

He is currently serving a pastor to a Filipino-American worship community at a United Methodist Church in Las Vegas, NV. Their website is http://www.universityumc.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=32001&PID=338100 .

Pastor Charles and Belinda met him and his wife and five folks from their congregation. They stopped by for a vist, en route to Omaha, where they will attend the wedding of the pastor's son.

Some of the church members who live on Alvarado Road, to the side of the church, were able to meet and greet them. It was a wonderful reunion!

Praise be to God when we are able to be reunited with our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Greg, the Church Bunny

In the past couple of weeks, we have seen two bunnies hopping around the parsonage and church grounds.

The other day, we saw a really little bunny. S/he was SO little! Pastor Charles and I named this bunny: "Greg, the Church Bunny."

He is pictured above.

So next time you are at the church or parsonage, do be on the lookout for the bunny family hopping around.

Praise be to God for all the critters in this word and the joy they bring to us human beings!

Results of Yesterday's Church Visioning Exercise!

The picture above is from the chapel of the First United Methodist Church in Sidney, Nebraska.

We ask for prayers. The members of our church are beginning a series of visioning exercises. We are listening for God's Spirit to give us direction. What should we be doing as a church -- to be in effective ministry and mission to the world now and in the days and years ahead?

www.sidney-firstumc.org/Vision.html

If you go to the this website, you will see the results of yesterday's visioning exercise that was held during our potluck luncheon after Sunday services.

Indeed, it is an exciting time in the life of the First United Methodist Church in Sidney, Nebraska.

Praise be to God!!!

Today was a very special Sunday. It was "Celebration Sunday!" After our second service, at 11:00 a.m., we a church-wide potluck. Yum-yum-yum! Yes, it was a wonderful time of food, fun and fellowship!

Pastor Charles presented something special to two of the three leaders of the Youth Mission trip 2007. He demonstrated the church's appreciation for ALL their efforts in getting the youth team to and from their mission field in Denver, Colorado. It was a very safe and successful trip, indeed! We thank God that there are folks who willing to give of their time and their spirit.. to help shape the future of the church.

We spent some of the time "visioning." That is, we talked about dreams and visions... of what our church could be... of what types of ministries we could begin and/or expand. Some very interesting ideas/concepts have surfaced! Stay tuned!!!