First PulseFirst United Methodist Church - October 2019 - Stories from First Church and the impact on the lives of our community - Amazon S3
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F irst Pulse
First United Methodist Church
Grand Rapids | grfumc.org
October 2019
Stories from First Church and the impact on the lives of our community
F irst Pulse
October 2019
B
On the cover
Fall sermon seriers “If
A
Christians Were... Really
Christian?”
Moments with the
B
Children with Leara
Glinzak, art therapist and
the owner of I Light LLC
A variety of Ministries C
C
were representated at
the Ministry Fair on
September 15.
A
OUR MISSION INCLUSIVITY
To make disciples of Inclusiveness means
Jesus Christ for the openness, acceptance,
transformation of the and support that
world. enable all persons to
participate in the life
OUR PURPOSE of the Church, the
To fulfill the call of community, and
Christ to be spiritually the world; therefore,
alive in the city while inclusiveness denies
embracing the world. every semblance of
discrimination.
2 First Pulse | October ‘19
Pastor’s Message
Dear friends, of the general church and the Michigan Conference
of the United Methodist Church, participate fully in
We are off to a great start to the dialogue, and then, make recommendations to the
the “New Year” for church Leadership Council of First Church about the future
programming. The energy direction our congregation. The committee has done
and enthusiasm that shone all their work incredibly well. By both conviction and
around the church throughout commitment, the majority of First Church lay leaders
September is both inviting and members disagreed with the decisions made at
and contagious. Vitality seems to produce vitality. General Conference. Consequently, in May, a decision
Members of First Church have been invitational and was made to “hold” our Ministry Shares to the Annual
welcoming to our guests. Folks who are looking for Conference until we had greater clarity on the direction
a faith community are finding First Church attractive of other United Methodist Churches in Michigan.
enough to return again and again. All of us play a Based upon the experiences and observations of the
role in hospitality through our words of welcome, committee members, the study they have done, the
a handshake, a smile, giving helpful direction when conversations they have had, and the listening that
someone appears lost or confused, and paying they continue to do, they recommended that our
attention to names and faces of our guests so that congregation resume full financial participation with
when they return, somebody notices and greets them the Annual Conference. The recommendation was
by name. While I believe that it is a spiritual searching adopted unanimously.
and yearning that draws a person to make a courageous
decision to attend worship in a new place for the first Compelling facts that helped the Leadership Council
time, what brings them back is the excellence of the make their decision include:
experience combined with the genuine welcome they • By a survey done, approximately 70% of the
feel from people. So ... membership in the United Methodist Church
within the United States favor a more fully
• IF you happen to be a member of First Church or inclusive church.
a regular attender and consider First Church your • At Annual Conference, a “straw poll” was taken
church home, please know that you are important to advise our Michigan Conference leadership
in your ministry of inviting and welcoming all where Michigan United Methodists fall on
people who enter our doors. OR … the continuum. 68% of Michigan Conference
• IF you happen to be a guest who is looking for delegates favored a more open and inclusive stance
a community of faith that values you and your for our congregations.
spiritual journey, I trust you feel welcome enough • Our Bishop (David Bard) gave clear and
to make First Church a vital part of your life. compelling personal alignment with a more
Please know that you are welcome here. inclusive commitment in leading the church
forward.
On September 9, our Expanded Leadership Council • The delegates elected from the Michigan
met and reversed a decision they made in May. (The Conference to the General Conference all are
Expanded Leadership Council includes the official theologically and practically committed to full
members of the Leadership Council who were elected inclusion.
to serve plus the members of the Board of Trustees, • And across the denomination, persons were
the Building Committee, the Staff-Parish Relations commissioned or fully ordained who identify
Committee, the Way Forward Committee, and the themselves as LGBTQ+.
Finance Committee. The Expanded Leadership
Council has met four times since February to give a This is the information that is important for the entire
broader representation of our congregation in the congregation to know, affirm, and celebrate. First
decision making process.) Church is a vital congregation that is making a positive
difference in the world.
If you will recall, The Way Forward Committee of our
congregation was named after the St. Louis Special Grace and peace to ALL.
General Conference that upheld the current language
of the Book of Discipline that does not fully include Pastor Bob
LGBTQ+ persons. The committee was given the
responsibility to study, monitor the actions and trends
First Pulse | October ‘19 3
Radical H ospitality
with? In a time when people
Listening are constantly connected, many
struggle with loneliness. Rather
The other day a friend said, “The reason I don’t talk
than sliding in late or leaving
very much is because I feel like no one is listening.”
as soon as the last note is sung,
As someone who struggles to stop talking, that made
let’s linger. Let’s intentionally continue to build a
me pause. I wonder how many times I’ve missed
community that listens and shares.
hearing someone’s story because I just wasn’t listening
for it. Each of our stories is important, and hearing
If you’re looking to find a place to connect at First
other’s stories helps us to connect in meaningful ways.
Church, but aren’t sure where you might best connect,
I’d love to hear from you.
As we move into the fast pace of the fall, I encourage
you to pause to hear each other’s stories. Come to
Sami Marasigan
worship early and start a conversation with someone
Hospitality & Invitation
new. Has this person been a part of First Church since she
SamiM@grfumc.org
was born? Or did she just move to Grand Rapids to start a
new career? Don’t rush to leave your Sunday school
class. Instead, stay and build community. How was
their week? What brought them joy? What are they struggling
Homecoming 2019
Thanks to all who joined us for our fall
kick-off! From a packed Pastor’s Forum, to
an energizing worship, to fantastic meal –
Homecoming Sunday was a great day! A big
thank you to the volunteers who helped make
the Homecoming meal! The healthy meal was
a great way to continue our wellness focus into
this new year! If you have meal suggestions or
would like to join the Fellowship Committee,
please email SamiM@grfumc.org.
4 First Pulse | October ‘19
PASSIONATE WORSHIP
Music and Arts Ministry
World Communion Sunday
The first Sunday in October is known as World On Sunday, October 20 at 3:00 pm, our
Communion Sunday. This observance choir will join with several other choirs
began in 1936 as an act to recognize in Grand Rapids to sing a concert at
our ecumenical oneness in Christ and Fountain Street Church. The concert is
to bring Christians across the world being organized by The Chamber Choir
together in a spirit of unity and peace. of Grand Rapids and will feature the
It is a time to emphasize the unity of Grand Rapids Women’s Choir, Mandala
all Christians through the celebration (the select youth ensemble of the Grand
of the Lord’s Supper, instituted by Jesus, Rapids Symphony), and the choirs of
saying “do this, in remembrance of me.” Park Congregational and Fountain Street
Church. Our Youth Choir will participate in
The Christian community in Taizé, France, singing two of the selections.
is an ecumenical monastic fraternity,
with over a hundred brothers from One of the significant pieces
both Protestant and Catholic on the program is a work by
traditions. This community Sean Ivory titled “Hope for
was founded to foster peace Reconciliation: A Song for
and mutual understanding Mandela and de Klerk.” This
and has become a significant piece was written in 1994 to
destination for pilgrims commemorate the end of
throughout the world. The Apartheid in South Africa,
community hosts 100,000+ in hopes of reconciliation
pilgrims each year for study, and healing. The score is
prayer, and communal activities dedicated “To the memory
of service. The Church of of Nelson Mandela, who
Reconciliation serves as the struggled long and hard against
location for a unique style of inequality and strove for meaningful
meditative prayer that has become a dialogue between the races. Rest in
form of prayer for Christians around the peace.” A familiar European chant, Of
world. At present, there is a group of brothers the Father’s Love Begotten is first sung, followed
from Taizé traveling around the United States, with by a South African anti-apartheid liberation song,
daily prayer and communion celebrated at the various Thula sizwe, sung in Zulu. The two melodies then are
stops. sung simultaneously, musically depicting a hope for
reconciliation.
The central element of worship at Taizé is the
songbook: a collection of short, meditative chants Other music to be sung includes settings of the
that echo both Gregorian chant, and harmonized hymns, O God Beyond All Praising and Holy God, We
chorales. These short chants create a meditative Praise Your Name, the final movement of Requiem by
texture at Taizé, with the words often sung in Gabriel Fauré, and an uplifting arrangement of Will
many different languages simultaneously. The Taizé the Circle Be Unbroken by J. David Moore. The concert
songbook describes this music: “Using just a few is free of charge on Sunday, October 20 at 3:00
words, the chants express a basic reality of faith, pm at Fountain Street Church. All are encouraged to
quickly grasped by the mind.” The repertoire of attend.
music is constantly being expanded, including the
number of languages represented. Recent such Eric Strand
language additions are Portuguese, Lithuanian, Director of Music and the Arts
Swedish, and Russian.
First Pulse | October ‘19 5
Tuesday, October 8 Monday, October 14
October 2019 7:00 am – Work Program 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study
5:30 pm – SPRC Committee 5:00 pm – Board of Trustees
Tuesday, October 1 6:00 pm – Mat Yoga 6:30 pm – Admin Team Leader
7:00 am – Work Program
6:00 pm – Mat Yoga Wednesday, October 9 Tuesday, October 15
5:30 pm – Moms’ Group: Ask a 7:00 am – Work Program
Wednesday, October 2 Speech Pathologist Night 5:30 pm – Finance Committee
5:00 pm – Young Adult Bible 6:00 pm – FAN of I Light:
Study Thursday, October 10 Specialized Grief Group
6:00 pm – Bell Choir Rehearsal 6:00 pm – Mat Yoga
Thursday, October 3 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal 6:00 pm – Social Justice Team
9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship
6:00 pm – Bell Choir Rehearsal October 11-13 Wednesday, October 16
7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal Jr/Sr High Youth Retreat 9:00 am – Caring Connection
6:30 pm – Steering Committee for
Saturday, October 5 Friday, October 11 the Way Forward Meeting
6:00 pm – Diane Penning and 9:30 am – Mom’s Group: Friday
Paul Langford in Concert Morning Playdate Thursday, October 17
9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship
Sunday, October 6 Saturday, October 12 6:00 pm – Bell Choir Rehearsal
World Communion Sunday 9:30 am – Feeding America 7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal
8:45 am – Nursery Care
8:45 am – Walk and Worship Sunday, October 13 Friday, October 18
9:15 am – Church School Coffee Can Offering 4:30 pm – Wedding Rehearsal
Classes for all ages 8:45 am – Nursery Care 5:45 pm – Confirmation Field Trip
10:15 am – Choir Rehearsals 8:45 am – Walk and Worship
10:45 am – Sunday Worship 9:15 am – Church School Saturday, October 19
11:00 am – Children & Worship, Classes for all ages 3:00 pm – Wedding
Third Grade Bible Study, and 10:15 am – Choir Rehearsals
Shine: Sensory Room 10:45 am – Sunday Worship Sunday, October 20
12:15 pm – World Communion Lunch 11:00 am – Children & Worship, 8:45 am – Nursery Care
and Celebration at La Nueva Third Grade Bible Study, and 8:45 am – Walk and Worship
5:30 pm – Screenagers Movie Shine: Sensory Room 9:15 am – Church School
Showing 5:30 pm – Adult Book Club Classes for all ages
5:30 pm – Adult Book Club 5:30 pm – Gentle Yoga
5:30 pm – Gentle Yoga
Monday, October 7 Hispanic Community
A
11:00 am – Adult Bible Study welcomes Eric Payne as
6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry the new Grand Rapids
B Police Chief.
A B
6 First Pulse | October ‘19
9:15 am – New Adult Classes Friday, October 25 Monday, October 28
October 20 - November 24: MLK Gift of Giving: Donation 11:00 am – Adult Bible Study
• Aging Gracefully Sign-Up Deadline 5:30 pm – Building Committee
• Justice Theology 5:00 pm – Wedding Rehearsal
• Bible Study Tuesday, October 29
10:15 am – Choir Rehearsals Saturday, October 26 7:00 am – Work Program
10:45 am – Sunday Worship 3:00 pm – Wedding 6:00 pm – Mat Yoga
11:00 am – Children & Worship,
Third Grade Bible Study, and Sunday, October 27 Thursday, October 31
Shine: Sensory Room 8:45 am – Nursery Care 9:00 am – Fixin’ ‘n’ Fellowship
12:00 pm – Families in Faith: 8:45 am – Walk and Worship
Monthly Brunch 9:15 am – Church School
12:00 pm – Unplugged Classes for all ages
12:00 pm – FUMC Family Program 10:15 am – Choir Rehearsals
Visioning 10:45 am – Sunday Worship
3:00 pm – Community Choir 11:00 am – Children & Worship,
Concert at Fountain Street and Shine: Sensory Room
5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High 1:30 pm – Trunk-or-Treat
Youth Group 5:00 pm – Jr High and Sr High
5:30 pm – Gentle Yoga Youth Group
5:30 pm – New Adult Class Oct 5:30 pm – Adult Book Club
20 - Nov 24: How to Talk 5:30 pm – Gentle Yoga
About the Bible and LGBTQ
Inclusion
Monday, October 21
11:00 am – Adult Bible Study C
12:00 pm – 60+ Luncheon
6:30 pm – Stephen Ministry
Tuesday, October 22
7:00 am – Work Program
6:00 pm – Mat Yoga
Thursday, October 24
6:00 pm – Bell Choir Rehearsal
7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal
A Pastor’s Forum was
C
held on September 9.
Senior High Mission Trip
D
D
First Pulse | October ‘19 7
Intentional Faith Development
Junior and Senior
High Youth Mission
Experiences
During the week of June 23-29,
both the junior and senior high
youth spent a week giving up part
of their summer vacation to help
others. The junior high youth had
their own “Week of Mission” that
coincided with Arts Alive Camp.
The students got to experience
mission work while staying at home
and learning more about our city.
They helped trim trees with Friends New Era to learn about dairy cows home to explore
of Grand Rapids Parks, planted and to eat ice cream. The junior the trails that
native flowers at Calvin University’s high youth had a great time giving ran through forests
Ecosystem Preserve, cleaned up back to their community. and alongside rivers and
a parking structure and park at waterfalls.
Dwelling Place, cleaned up the On June 23rd, the senior high youth
courtyard and played bingo with hit the road for a week of service Thank you to everyone who
residents at Clark at Keller Lake, in North Lawrence, Ohio, with prayed for and supported the
checked all the markers and bought Reach Mission Trips. Each of our junior high Week of Mission and
new ones for First UMC, cut out youth split up into different work the senior high mission trip to
various shapes and assembled crews to work with youth from North Lawrence, Ohio. We had
packets for Gift of Giving for other churches from across the incredible weeks that allowed us to
MLK Leadership Academy. Friday United States. Each work crew was serve others and grow in our faith.
was a fun day where the junior high sent to a different worksite in the If you are interested in learning
youth went to Country Dairy in community to assist with home more about how you can volunteer
repair projects. with the junior high youth, please
Our senior high contact Emily Uebbing at emilyu@
youth spent the grfumc.org. If working with the
week building senior high youth is more your
porches and speed, please contact Heather
wheelchair Yzenbaard at heathery@grfumc.
ramps, painting, org.
drywalling,
and laying tile. Emily Uebbing and Heather
After a week Yzenbaard
of service, Directors of Junior and Senior
we stopped High Youth
at Cuyahoga
Valley National
Park on the way
8 First Pulse | October ‘19
Risk-Taking Outreach and Mission
that fall under the Social Justice umbrella, to
New Things Are thoughtfully examine and consider the relevancy
Springing Up All of all the entities we support to make sure that
Around Us they align with our First Church outreach and
ministry, and to seek new partners to work with in
our community that are highly relevant to today’s
Isaiah 43:19 ― See, I am doing issues – such as gun control, affordable housing,
a new thing! Now it springs up; and climate change.
do you not perceive it? I am making 3. The Missions Commission and Social Justice
a way in the wilderness and streams in Team will be spending more time together.
the wasteland. Prior to this year, our missions and social justice
teams have met separately to address ministry
Although summer has recently ended, this time of issues and events relevant to each team. While
year always reminds me of new beginnings. Many it’s important for us to continue doing the work
of us have started a new school year. When you specific to each of our teams, this year we’ll also
head to the store you’ll see summer items replaced be collaborating together every other month.
with new fall decor. At First Church we kicked off The goal of our collaboration will be to address
our new programming year on September 8 with a issues that intersect the interests of both groups.
Homecoming “New Year’s Eve” celebration. New We will be discussing a broad range of topics that
things are springing up all around us – and there are affect both global and local communities, as well
three exciting new things I want to make you aware as thinking together about ways that we might
of that are happening in First Church’s Outreach and more effectively involve and communicate with
Mission ministries. our congregation in the important missions and
outreach ministries of First Church.
1. The Social Concerns Committee has a new
name. I look forward to each new opportunity placed before
We will be called the Social Justice Team us as we continue to engage in ministry with one
(Equipo de Justicia Social). The team feels that another and with our neighbors.
this name more accurately describes the work
we’ve been commissioned to do – where our Rev. Dr. Joan VanDessel
faith becomes action in the communities around Associate Pastor and Dir. of Outreach and Mission
us. We will continue to support and coordinate
local mission opportunities, while also becoming
more fully informed and intentional in living
into our calling to be a prophetic voice and
active participant for justice, peace, diversity, and
inclusion in our neighborhoods and in our world.
2. The Social Justice Team has a new chair.
Dave Rowe has agreed to serve as chair of the
Social Justice Team (Equipo de Justicia Social).
We’re thrilled to welcome Dave and all of the
wisdom, experience, and heart he brings to
this role. Dave has a passion for social justice,
and specifies that First Church’s social justice
programs are what attracted him and his wife,
Sue, to First Church. During his time at First
Church, Dave has been involved with Family
Promise, the Bridges out of Poverty mentoring
program, Circles GR, and the Committee for
Full inclusion, and he and Sue have taught a class
about understanding poverty. Dave is also active
as an ESL tutor for the Literary Center. As chair
of the Social Justice Team, Dave’s main objectives
are to support and enhance the current ministries
First Pulse | October ‘19 9
EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY
Resource Development
Finding Their Church H ome H ere!
The Leadership Council at First Church meets Is your excitement with being a part of all that First
regularly during the year to oversee the activities of Church has to offer leading you to a greater level
the church. The group consists of all the committee of giving? Will 2020 be the year that you become a
leaders in addition to several “at large” members tithing Christian? Will your giving set the stage for the
of the congregation. Along with conducting our next generation of bold ministry at First Church?
prescribed duties, time is always set aside during our
meetings to gather input about the “sense of the Seeing all those children up in front of the church
congregation.” This is where all are asked to offer each Sunday and seeing the growth in our Sunday
comments about what we are hearing or sensing School and young family participation is indeed a
regarding what’s happening in the church. cause for great celebration! But it is also a challenge
for all of us. Someday all those children will be in our
At our September 9th meeting, we spent considerable shoes as the generous supporters of First Church,
time with this “sensing” discussion. One of the providing for yet another generation. The strength
common points of feedback was how impressive of past generations has gotten us where we are today.
it has been over the last few years to see the ever- Will our “strength” in giving allow us to continue
increasing active participation by so many young God’s great work for the generations to come?
families. This is overwhelmingly viewed as a sign that
our vision for ministry is spot-on. The fact that so Chris Hawkins
many of the “next generation” of families with young Finance Committee
children are choosing First Church means we are
doing the right things to remain vital and relevant.
You will soon be hearing
about our annual fall
giving campaign to
gather pledges of
financial support
for 2020. Our
campaign
theme this year
is From Strength
to Strength. We will
be celebrating the fact
that we have been blessed with
generations of extravagantly generous givers to First
Church. Each generation of faithful givers has been
exceeded by yet another!
Our challenge today is to once again inspire the
next generation of strong giving ― From Strength
to Strength! As some of our current most generous
givers begin to age out, who will replace them? Our
hope is that this campaign will inspire all of us to
consider how we will become that next generation of
generous financial support as First Church continues
its ministry into the future. We have an incredible
base of young and energetic faithful families. I
am confident that out of this base will emerge yet
another generation of amazing financial support. First Church welcomed Aquinas students back to
school with free ice cream!
10 First Pulse | October ‘19Congregational Care
I remember countless Sunday dinners
at my grandparents’ home where
I would sit sandwiched between
my grandmother and mom. We
would eat on white plates with a silver
ring around them, and I would look
forward to the best mashed potatoes
in the world. I cannot replicate my
grandmothers mashed potatoes to this day.
As I grew older, the dining room did not get any
bigger, and there were added chairs to accommodate
new people. Some how we all fit around the table
because there always seemed to be enough room.
Families have a way of making more space as they
grow and expand. That is true for the church family
as well. We have space to expand and make room for around the table of grace. Maybe call and reach out to
all people to come around the table of grace. someone you have not seen at church lately. There is
always room and always enough. This is a wonderful
World Communion Sunday makes room for all to time of the year to connect with others and help
connect around the table as together we listen for people feel a part of the community as together we
Jesus’ voice, “Do this in remembrance of me.” gather around the table.
Countless times Jesus made room for the other: the
individuals that were not invited to come in and sit. Rev. Tim Tuthill
Jesus made room for all as he would gather by the Associate Pastor
seashore and hillside. As we take time this year, let and Director of Congregational Care
us remember to invite a friend or neighbor to come
First Pulse | October ‘19 11You can also read
