Walk ‘n Talk
We meet at Gate 1 on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8:30am for a half hour walk and chat. Come join us, we’d love to have more folks come out.
Our Next Taize service will be Wednesday
March 6th at 6:30 p.m.
Gifts and Graces and Mission
A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Kris sent a letter to let us know that she will be retiring beginning July 1, 2019. Before July 1st arrives, however, the Bishop of our California-Nevada Annual Conference will be appointing a new pastor to serve our church. As you may or may not know, the pastors in the United Methodist Church are itinerant and serve one year assignments at any particular church (and can be re-assigned to a particular church each Annual Conference for several years). This practice was begun by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. He believed that it was more effective to have itinerant preachers than those who settled in one place for a long period of time. This practice continues to this day.
When choosing a new pastor for a church, the gifts and graces of the pastor are matched with the ministry needs of a congregation. According to an article on the United Methodist Church website titled “Why Do United Methodist Pastors Change Churches”, Rev. Belton Joyner states that, “The changing of pastors brings different and often-needed gifts to the local church (1 Cor. 12:4 ) [and] the changing of settings can keep a pastor refreshed.” To read the entire article, please go to www.umc.org, select “What We Believe”, FAQS, “Ask the UMC”, and then “Why Do United Methodist Pastors Change Churches”.
In our annual church planning meeting on January 26th, we will be getting together to continue working on our church’s goals so that we can convey to our Annual Conference what is most important to us and thus aid our Conference as it chooses our next pastor. When you receive this edition of the Tidings, however, our meeting will not yet have taken place. You are encouraged to attend the meeting. If you are unable to be there, information will be shared from that meeting in the March Tidings.
I was in North Auburn earlier in the week and stopped to refill the gas tank before heading back to Nevada City. When I started the car again, a red light with a B in a circle and an exclamation point came up on the dash. Oh good grief, I thought. What fresh hell is this? I looked in the manual to decipher the message and was told my brake system was not working right and it wasn’t recommended that I drive without getting it looked at.
Now for years I have had this thing with my cars that they really know me and try to send me messages. “You’re out of gas!” “More water!” “Flat tire!” “I need a spa treatment at the car wash!” It always seems that the car is reflecting something about me as much as something about its own inanimate object. Yes, I need fuel and water too! Yes, I can’t go any further on this flat tire – how about a nap? And the best, isn’t it time for a massage?
Well, what does it mean that my braking system isn’t working? I thought about that as I drove all the way back home against the manufacturer’s advice. It didn’t take long to connect with the idea that I’ve cast my fate, as it were, into the retirement circle. I’ve worked since I was 18, except for my first year in seminary. I have those little voices that question my choice – like, “are you out of your mind???” But I do know that the “brakes are off” now. I’ve been working towards this transition for a couple of years and now it has officially begun, with a capital “T” for transition!
I’ve been re-reading the book Managing Transitions by William Bridges, which I’ve always found helpful. I am remembering that with change, we focus on the outcome. But the starting point for transition isn’t the outcome but the ending that we’ll have to make in order to leave the old situation behind. And Bridges contends that it isn’t the changes that do us in, it’s the transitions.
The good news is that the mechanic who checked my car said the brakes are fine, but probably the computer was getting old and giving false messages. Hmmm. I think the message may have been false for the car, but was right on for me! While I am managing my own Transition, I will also be doing my best to help you, the congregation, manage your transition. Something is ending, which all of you have been through before. But much more will be continuing, shifting, reframing as you welcome new pastoral leadership and work on the goals we will be setting at this Saturday’s meeting.
—Pastor Kris
Family Fun Night
It’s a new year and Family Fun Night returns! We’ll meet in Fellowship Hall at 5:00 pm Sunday, February 24th. The menu consists of turkey tacos with all the fixins’ and a yummy dessert for a mere $1.00 per person. After dinner, board games for all ages and experience levels are played. Come and join the fun!
Gratefulness.org
A website dedicated to grateful living.
Crosswalk.com
Christian news in the 21st century.
“The intersection of faith and life.”
Devozine.upperroom.org
We encourage youth to check out The Upper Room’s Devo Zine, where you can find articles about spiritually active teens all around the world, connect with their social media outlets, post and respond to a live prayer wall, and even contribute articles and devotionals of your own.
General Board of Church and Society
www.umc-gbcs.org
General Board of Global Ministries www.umcmission.org
Methodist Federation for Social Action www.mfsaweb.org
cnumc.org
California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Many folks in our church community are unable to attend church on Sunday for one reason or another. We video our services each Sunday. These Services can be viewed on this Website at nevadacitymethodist.com and also are televised on Comcast Channel 11 and Suddenlink Channel 16 on Sunday at 8am the following week, and again that Sunday afternoon at 2pm (please note the new times). About 2 months of recent NCUMC church services can always be viewed on our web site by clicking Watch Videos on the sidebar at left. If you are unable to get to church, or simply want to view previous Services, they are readily available for you to absorb and enjoy at any time you wish. DVD’s are available for checkout each week, and we have generally been able to distribute them as needed to shut-in’s who cannot easily get to church to pick them up.
All this began with a phone call from the local Cable Company, NCTV, to Pastor Charles Smith in early 2007. Lew Sitzer of NCTV asked if we would be interested in providing videos of our Church Services to NCTV for them to broadcast each week. Pastor Charles, Bill Smith and myself met with Lew and thought this to be a great opportunity for NCUMC to further our outreach and visibility in the community. As both Bill and I had Broadcast Television experience, together we set about determining what equipment we would need and how it all might be handled. NCTV was in process of converting from analog TV to digital and offered us two used analog cameras and tripods for a nominal fee, and we moved on from there, adding audio and video control equipment to the mix. Arrangements were made to not only provide NCTV with the programs, but to also show them on our website as well.
A number of volunteers joined in equipment operation and program production, and the recording and showing of the NCUMC Sunday Services commenced in November 2007 and has continued uninterrupted ever since. Thanks to some generous donations we were able to move into the 21st Century with new digital cameras, computers and software a few years ago. The HD cameras provide a much sharper picture with the snow and noise of the older analog devices now eliminated. Telestream, a local Nevada City company with worldwide reach, generously donated a copy of their Wirecast software (valued at $1000) which we use each week to capture and produce the video programs. The High Definition system was put into operation in June of 2015 and has proven a great asset to the quality and viewability of the NCUMC Church Services.
Our great volunteer crew is what makes all this possible! Two persons are needed to operate a camera and control the video and audio, though often a third unscheduled person is there to operate the 2nd camera, rather than having to leave it pointed on a fixed shot. Our volunteer Video Ministry crew consists of:
Garry, Dan, Ken, Charles, Tom, Marsten, Garret, Bob Z, Cindy Z (when available)Two of these persons are on the schedule each week, which means they are needed just once a month in most cases. Also, after recording the Service, one of us takes care of editing each week, as it is necessary for the NCTV video to be a precise length so as to fit into the slot scheduled for us.
AND: we seriously need more help on our Video Ministries Team. We need a minimum of eight persons but would like to have one more so as to be able to handle schedule conflicts when a person cannot be here.
As previously noted, each member of the Team is needed about once a month to operate a video camera or handle video/audio control. No experience is necessary - we will teach you - it is not difficult - and it is fun! This is an Equal Opportunity operation! Many ladies are involved in these tasks at Television Broadcast Stations.
If you have interest in this Ministry please see or contact me - call the church office at 265-2797 or just look at the end of the Church Directory for contact info.
Bob Z
PS: If you want to learn Video, this is a Great Opportunity!
Annual Mardi Gras Hymnal with the
Fulton Street Jazz Band!!
Easter comes late this year and that means that the Lenten season will begin a little later, too. Our annual Mardi Gras Hymnal featuring the Fulton Street Jazz Band will be held on Tuesday, March 5th at 2:00pm The event will be followed by a reception featuring decadent desserts, tea and coffee in Fellowship Hall. So mark your calendars and plan to join us for this fun and ever popular event! It is a great way to celebrate with old hymns and special music in Dixieland Jazz style before we begin the Lenten Season. Make sure to bring your favorite yummy decadent dessert to share. See you there!
Box Tops and Labels
Box Tops and Labels are still being collected to support our local schools. Information on what to collect is located in an envelope posted on the bulletin board in fellowship hall. You can give your box tops and labels to Colleen or Dorothy or just put them in the envelope on the bulletin board. This is a free and great help to our schools to help them buy supplies not furnished by the board of education. The teachers always appreciate this help to educate our future generation.During times of sickness, loss of a family member or friend, or other tragedies, we call on loved ones and our church for support. One way of showing that support is by our prayers. NCUMC prayer chain is a way of showing that support. We have a list of members who will be notified by email of the particular request and they will reach out by praying for whoever requested a prayer. So, if you are in need of a prayer or would like to join the list of church folks on the Prayer Chain contact list, please let us know and we will add you to that list.
LIFE AFTER THURSDAY
Our March 1st gathering has been cancelled due to the conflict from the Shawl Ministry Retreat. Do mark your calendar for April 5th when we will be at the home of Gail and Charles. See you then.CRAFT COMMITTEE
Inviting all crafters to join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, March 5th at 10am in Fellowship Hall. We’re always looking for new members and more ideas. And we don’t plan to have this meeting cancelled by snow! See you the 5th.
Solar Panels
The congregation of the Nevada City United Methodist Church contributed over $21,000 to have solar panels installed on the roof of the church in July 2018. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in the church’s PG&E bill. The balance of the cost for the solar panels of $19,000 was borrowed from mPOWER over twenty years. The total interest on $19,000 is over $17,000. Our hope is that we can reduce the principal balance due to reduce the interest due. Any contributions to help reduce the principle balance would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a contribution, please make your check out to NCUMC and put “solar panels” in the memo line.
12th Annual Prayer Shawl Retreat
The 12th Annual Prayer Shawl Retreat is scheduled for March 1-3, 2019 at Camp Del Oro. The cost is $155. There is plenty of room and newcomers are invited. Registration forms are available in Fellowship Hall. The deadline to register is Sunday, February 17th. Please contact Donna at 265 -8551 if you have any questions.