The United Methodist Tower News

THE TOWER - March 2008

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

302 W. Broadway St., Decorah, IA 52101, 563-382-3835 decumeth@fbx.com - www.decorahmethodist.org

Rev. Carol Kress	Pastor
Gretchen Massenburg	Church Secretary
Sara Troy	Children & Adult - Education Coordinator
Joan Lubke	Outreach, Volunteer & -Small Group Coordinator
Kari & Erica Ruen	Youth Chaplains
Amanda Weber	Ministry of Music

Newsletter Submission Deadline: February 21st
Need a Ride to Church?

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UMYF & Missions Committee FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION!!!!!

The Missions Committee and the UMYF have combined forces for the next Food Pantry Project. They have created meal menus and collected grocery bags. The bags with menu’s will be distributed on March 2. Volunteers are asked to take a bag home, to complete the menu and to bring donations back to worship by March 30th. The youth will carry all donations to the Community Food Pantry at First Lutheran. The response to this project was positive last year and we hope it will be even greater in 2008. So the youth group is asking for your help:
There will be a “Grocery List” attached to each bag.
Go shopping!!!
Purchase the items on your grocery list and return the groceries to the church by MARCH 30TH!!! Thanks for your help!!!

ALL SCHOOL AGE KIDS Let’s Go Camping!
Let’s go camping! Is the theme for the 2008 camping season at our United Methodist campgrounds in Iowa. Three hundred camping events will be held at the four camp grounds around the state. This year there will be something for everyone. Rev. Carol will take 6th grade students to Confirmation Camp at Pictured Rocks on June 15 – 21st Three other camps will occur that week and she happily encourages other campers to join us. Take a look at these camps…
The week of June 15-21 at Pictured Rocks:
Confirmation Camp: for campers 6th grade and older
With the seasons of the Christian year as our backdrop, campers will learn what it means to support the church with your prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Enjoy camp activities such as swimming, canoeing, or hiking, and make new friends.

Life on the Wild Side: for campers K to Grade 3
Come see what life is like on the wild side. Stay in tebins (a tent/cabin combo). Explore nature and the wild side of God’s creation. Enjoy the normal camp activities too.

Girl Power: for girls campers, grades 4 to 6
Girls and only girls. Learn about great women in the Bible. Help decide your schedule because you have the power! Lots of fun camp activities.

Rock n’ Ropes: for all campers, grades 4 to 6
Learn the basics of rock climbing, trips, holds and safety. Start with bouldering, move to our 40 foot climbing tower, and then on to one of the premier climbing areas in Iowa. Sleep in our yerts, enjoy games, swimming, camp fires and bible studies.

Of course there are other weeks and types of camping experiences to choose from.
Some of the camp experiences offered include:
Awesome Anglers (fishing)
Extreme Sports
Music, Dance & Drama
Survivor Wild
Water Park Adventure
Video Games & More Camp
Climbing/Caving/Canoeing
& much more!
You can log on to www.iaumc.org/camps to check out the many different camp weekly experiences to enjoy.
We have also placed a couple of catalogs on the table outside the church office for you to look at.
Please do not remove them from church so that others may have the opportunity to look also.

A Letter from our Bishop

Dear friends,
Sometimes in the church (and I suspect it is true elsewhere) bad news travels faster than good news, the negative so often fills the proverbial grapevine that the positive seems choked.
I remember an esteemed church consultant, Ken Callahan once speaking to a group of pastors where the subject of the "grapevine" in churches came up.He offered some advice that I never shall forget and that has served me well.
You can't get rid of the grapevine.
There will always be negative stuff on the grapevine.
What you can do is to keep putting positive stuff on the grapevine, every chance you get.
So in the interest of putting positive stuff on the grapevine and shouting good news, I want to talk about the Iowa Annual Conference and our 2007 Apportionment performance.
Collectively, we paid 88.31% of our apportionments - across all funds (including prior year payments).
We improved our performance in all funds exceeding what we did in 2006 and surpassing the four year average.
We paid113.72% of one fund - Africa University.
567 of our congregations paid 100% or more of their apportionments by January 8 when the books closed.
31 churches have paid 100% for 2007 since January 8.
39 churches paid more than 80% of their apportionments.
Beyond all this, you gave generously and sacrificially to the Advance, UMCOR, Special Offerings and so much more.
All of this is great, great news. Your faithfulness and generosity ensures the presence of The United Methodist Church where it otherwise might not be.Your keeping of the covenant continues to provide for the making of disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Thank you!Thank you! Thank you!

As always, I am,
servant in Christ Jesus,
Gregory V. Palmer

Special Services: Easter and Holy Week

Palm Sunday worship 9 AM
Sunday, March 16
Children’s palm parade
Heather Armstrong, oboe

Holy Thursday worship
Thursday, March 20
Soup supper, 6:00PM
Communion service, 6:45PM

Good Friday 7:30 AM—6:00 PM
Come and Go Communion
Friday, March 21

Easter Sunday worship 9 AM
Sunday, March 23
Michael Smith, low brass
(after worship coffee hour is self-service)

Easter Offerings
For the 2008 Easter Offering, FUMC members are asked to support our LOCAL SISTER PARISH. We hope to invite a delegation from El Salvador to travel here in 2009. Funds will be used to reserve a spot on the 2009 calendar with the organization, and to help with travel expenses of the delegation. The Sister Parish project has blessed the church many times over. We will also support the NOTHING BUT NETS project. This is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, leading killer of children in Africa. Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly challenged his readers to donate $10 for the purchase of an anti-malaria bed net and thousands of people have joined the campaign. The people of the United Methodist Church has now been joined in this campaign by Sports Illustrated, the NBA, the United Nations Foundation and other groups. We will join all of them in an effort to end malaria through your Easter Offering.

The Changing Face of God — Lenten Bible Study
Our Lenten Bible Study will continue with two more sessions. At 12:30 PM on March 6, we will meet to discuss the video lecture by Jack Miles entitled, “A complicated God,” March 13 we will watch “The God who needs our salvation,” which is a video lecture by Andrew Sung Park. These lectures are part of a series from the National Cathedral in Washington DC which reflect various models for envisioning God and our faith. Nancy Weatherwax, who is a visiting professor in Religion and Ethics at Luther College has been facilitating the discussions. It’s an intriguing lecture series and we have all been challenged to see God through new lenses. Each lecture stands alone, so please attend as you can.

dr Asset Mapping Workshop Follow Up
Monday, March 10, 7:00—8:30 PM
A good number attended the Asset Mapping workshop on Sunday, Feb 3rd. We reviewed the many assets contained within the FUMC Community and considered how they might be built upon to grow ministries here. Jayme Glenn-Burns, the Northeast District Field-Staff will return on Monday, March 10th to help us into deeper planning and implementing some of the group recommendations. Here is a list of the possible new ministries the group wants to explore. All church members who share an interest in any, some or all of these ideas are encouraged to attend the March 10th meeting to help our dreams transform into reality for the church of Christ here.

Ministry surrounding interests of young adults

Family centered groups and activities

A community based pre-school housed here

An informal, Saturday evening, Blue-Jean service

Continue to address accessibility

Ministry focused upon the interests of single moms and other women

Organize a United Methodist Men’s group

Ministries that reach out to the nursing homes

Mentoring programs for youth

More opportunities for all of us to share great fellowship and food as a church family

YOUR CHURCH DOLLARS IN MINISTRY
84.3 cents stays in your local church for ministries and expenses
3.3 cents goes to United Methodist church-wide missions, salaries and administrative costs
12.4 cents goes for regional ministries in your annual conference and jurisdiction

Church Dollars in Ministry: Apportionments
Have you heard the word “apportionment”? It’s a term that often pops up in United Methodist circles. When it is said, the speaker is referring to a system which helps United Methodists connect into our denominational projects, ministry and mission through funding. Apportionments are based upon the long-standing, strong tradition of sharing beyond the local church which was established by the forerunners of our denomination. John Wesley and his followers defined the mission of Methodists with a phrase translated as; “To do all the good you can, in all the places you can, for all the people you can.”

As contemporary United Methodists one way we act upon this mission is through general church and conference apportionments. It takes volumes to tell of all ministries and projects funded through apportionments. But here are a few examples:

Apportionments cover the expenses of 66 active Bishops around the globe, their District Superintendents and denominational staff.
Apportionments sustain thirteen United Methodist seminaries in the USA, where clergy, educators and missioners are educated and trained to serve local churches.
They also support the development of new churches in places that need the presence of the church.
Other vital ministries occur on United Methodist college campuses (including 5 in Iowa), campgrounds, in prisons, and in the halls of congress.
Apportioned funds enable churches to accomplish what no local, district or annual conference could ever hope to do alone.

The Iowa Conference receives an apportionment from the general conference which meets every four years. At the Iowa Annual Conference delegates determine the Conference budget And the fairest possible way to allocate apportionments to the local churches. The current formula is based upon the income of local churches for their general operations. In this way each individual, family and congregation give a fair share for the churches ministry. We combine our prayers, presence, gifts and service to make a significant difference in the lives of God’s people...in every place we can...as often as we can.

THE THIRD ANNUAL FUMC SPRING AUCTION or AUCTION FUN(D) NIGHT
SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Dinner: 5:00 PM—5:30 PM , Auction: 5:45 PM—8:00 PM
Auctioneer—Mac Greentree

Auction proceeds will support the Iowa Annual Conference Apportionments designated for Benevolent and mission projects.

What’s Happening?
Enjoy an indoor picnic. It will be held from 5:00 PM—5:30 PM
With sloppy joes, relishes, chips, drinks, and bars. Free-will offering
The auction will be held from 5:45 PM—8:00 PM with great fellowship and a fantastic variety of auction items. Along with the actual auction, a silent auction will occur for select items. Nursery care will be available from 5 PM until the conclusion

Where do the auction items come from?
You! What can be donated or purchased? As those who have attended testify, almost anything goes! We emphasize baked goods, home-cooked dinners, personal services (ie. lawn work) and especially nice items for ones home or garage

Not into auctions?
Finance committee members are willing to place proxy bids. During the week of March 23, Silent auction bids upon select items will be will be accepted.

Why is the United Methodist Finance Committee sponsoring an Auction FUN(D) Night?
• Raise $$$$$$ toward apportionments for Iowa Missions.
• To have FUN and enjoy great FELLOWSHIP!

What else do I need to know?
• Please complete and print out this form and bring it to the church office or place it in the offering plate.
• Tuesday Noon, March 27, is the deadline for submitting items/services for the auction.
• Items may be dropped off at the church on either Friday or Saturday, March 28 or 29.
• If “help” is needed, contact Bill Bergstrom 563-382-5903.

A special bidding service
If unable to attend the Auction FUN(D) Night in person —we will bid on your behalf! Provide your name, item(s) and a maximum bid and then place this information in an envelope marked: "Auction FUN(D) Night Bid” and bring it to the church office.

FUMC has a Prayer Chain
These people are willing to hear and pray on a daily basis for you, loved ones, and/or special concerns. Contact either Rev. Carol or Joan Lubke in the church office (563-382-3835) or email Joan: decorahcares@msn.com.

Northeast District Newsletter
Available Online
Interested in information on various events and activities around the district? The Northeast District has a monthly newsletter which is available online. Look for it at www.iaumc.org.

Watch Broadcast of UMC Services on TV!
FUMC is on television each
Sunday, at 4 PM on Channel 15.
Videos of selected services are available for purchase in the church office with advance notice.
Note: Videos are usually held for about a month before they are reused.

Low Self-Esteem Support Group
will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Please use the back door.

Adult Fellowship
Sunday, February 10th at 5:30 PM in the F.H.

Was Jesus Really a Muslim?
What Christians Must Learn from Islam in a World of Global Injustice While most people would answer the question Was Jesus Really a Muslim? with a resounding No!, I firmly believe that there is a sense in which we might be able to say Yes. In this class we will do some in depth thinking about the concepts religion, politics, and economics, to see if there is a way in which Jesus could be understood as a point of common ground around which Christians and Muslims could develop a movement of solidarity against global injustice. Could Jesus become the bridge healing the tensions so evident in Christian-Muslim relations in the post-9/11 world?
Plan on joining in on this presentation and discussion with Prof. Robert Shedinger
Sundays March 2nd, 9th, and 23rd at 10:30 AM in our Fellowship hall.

Mission Committee News
Are you aware of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund? United Methodists are stepping up to provide a tangible response to the HIV/AIDS crisis through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. The fund was established at the 2004 General Conference and has a goal of raising $8 million by 2008. The $8 million represents a $1 commitment of every United Methodist in the United States. It supports education, prevention, care, and treatment programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. The United Methodist Global AIDS Fund does not overlook the crisis in the US. About one million people are infected in the US and more are added to that number each day. The plan specifies that 25 percent of what each annual conference raises should be used in that conference for AIDS work, either locally or in global projects. If you are interested in supporting the Global HIV/AIDS program, please mark your donation as *Advance Special #982345*. Thanksgiving/Christmas Offerings: The Mission Committee thanks everyone who contributed to our Thanksgiving and Christmas campaign. We were able to raise $1023 for the Solar Refrigerators at the Veterinarian Clinic in Jalingo, Nigeria and $905 for the Elder’s mentoring project that ministers with youth in the judicial system and is sponsored by the Alaskan UMC Missionary Conference. Thank you for your tremendous support of missions.