This month I want to draw your attention to two items. First, we have compiled the list of Teams that were created at our March Council meeting. One of the Teams, the Worship Team, has met once. The other Teams are in process of being called together. If you were not at the meeting but would like to sign up for a Team in an area of interest to you, please let me know and I will include you.
The Teams were identified by pulling suggestions out of the worship survey results. Each Team represents a focus area for how we think we can improve the vitality of our congregation and increase attendance. The scope of the Team’s work will be decided by the Team itself (with suggestions from the survey results) as well as how the Team will work together. I will either call each Team together or ask one of the members to do so.
The other item is that we will be offering a discussion time after worship on the Second Sundays, beginning June 10. The topic will be the United Methodist Social Principles, our document that helps shape how we think and act about the real, often complex, issues of our day. The document covers such areas as creation, family, culture and identity, basic rights and freedoms, and economic fairness. Each chapter isn’t terribly long, about 4-5 pages, and we think that we can cover 2 chapters per meeting.
The denomination is in the process of revising the Principles and has produced a draft copy for everyone to read. They have asked for feedback, wanting to know our responses both positive and negative. You can find the draft Social Principles at www.umcjustice.org/sp2020. The current Social Principles are at http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/social-principles-social-creed.
Our Book of Resolutions talks about the Social Principles in this way:
The United Methodist Church believes God's love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot just be observers. So we care enough about people's lives to risk interpreting God's love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex. The church helps us think and act out a faith perspective, not just responding to all the other 'mind-makers-up' that exist in our society."
I hope you will join us for a stimulating conversation! Watch for more information as the time grows nearer.
We walk at the Fairgrounds Tuesday and Friday mornings at 8:00a.m. Come on out and join us. It’s a great way to start the day!
HOSPITALITY HOUSE: Help is needed with our dinner every first Saturday...we need shoppers (you are reimbursed), cooks (recipes, and experienced chefs are there), and servers (5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, with others who know the ropes). Sign up in Fellowship Hall. You will be called with the pertinent details. Please contact Barbara Dean with any questions.
HABITAT LUNCH FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS: We serve lunch (for the folks who are building Habitat houses) every third Saturday. We need cookies and sandwiches. You can choose what and how much you will contribute. Sign up on the “sign up board” in Fellowship Hall. Please contact Barbara Dean with any questions.
Taize Service
First Wednesdays at 6:30pm
A Taize service is a contemplative type service which includes prayer and short repetitive refrains. It comes from Taizé which is an ecumenical community in the eastern part of France. Begun in 1940 as shelter for refugees fleeing WWII, it is now made up of over a hundred brothers, both Catholics and Protestants from various backgrounds, coming from around thirty nations. The community is a representation of reconciliation between divided Christians and between separated peoples. The Taizé community has developed a tradition of prayer including the short repetitive refrains and silent meditation that are part of the service. All are invited to attend.
CLEANING ANGELS NEED YOU
Our church has a group of spritely folk who donate part of their Wednesday mornings to keeping our church building sparkling for Sunday worshipers, midweek activities, and guests. It is an amiable bunch of folk, but mostly all are retired and many in the upper end of that age group! Younger muscles and energy would boost their powers of sustainability! Granted, younger members of our congregation tend to be working full time and do not have Wednesday morning cleaning time, but an hour here and there — whenever available — could make the difference. If you have such an hour and would be willing to donate it to a task of cleaning, please contact Carl Godfrey. You will sprout wings and a halo immediately.Life After Thursday
Something a little different for July. The Art Walk in Nevada City begins at 5pm on the 6th and we invite you to stroll around town and check things out, maybe stop for a glass of wine. Then about 6:45pm we will gather at church in Fellowship Hall for our potluck dinner which will start at 7pm. There will be someone at church to greet you starting at 5pm so you can leave your potluck dish and table service here before checking out the Art Walk. We look forward to a fun evening on Friday, July 6th. Any questions? Give Kay a call.
Youth Ministry at NCUMC
This is a report back about Youth Group activities in late April and early May, and an announcement about plans for June and later this summer.
On April 22, we had a nature walk on Hershman’s Trail.
On Saturday, April 28, several youth helped at the finish line for the Spring Run.
On Sunday, April 29, some youth (and families) joined Family Fun Night, played games, and had fun.
On Sunday, May 6, we had a Youth Group hike on Buttermilk Trail.
On Sunday, May 20, after lunch we had a scavenger hunt downtown, then ice cream at Treats.
Sunday, May 27, another Family Fun Night.
The Youth Ministry Team will meet after worship on May 27 in the Joseph Room to make further plans. For June the schedule is as follows:
Sunday, June 4, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Meet at the church, then drive together to Grass Valley United Methodist Church to join their street fair in connection with other nearby faith communities. Bring money to purchase lunch from the food truck. Treasure hunt in each church. Pick up youth in the Grass Valley UMC parking lot.
Sunday, June 10, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Youth Group lunch and program.
Sunday, June 17, Father’s Day: No Youth Group
Sunday, June 24, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Youth Group lunch and program.
The NCUMC Youth Group will also get together for special events during the summer. We are still firming up plans for a Yosemite trip in July.
To find out more call Sharon Delgado at 265-5976.
The website for the United Methodist Church has a section called “Daily Devotional”? To access it, go to www.umc.org. In the lower lefthand corner of the page you will see “Today’s Prayers and Resources.” Click on it and you will be taken to a page where you can either select that day’s devotional or past daily devotionals.
Our California-Nevada Conference will be holding its annual conference Weds., June 20th through Saturday, June 23rd. You can follow the events at annual conference and watch several of the sessions on live stream by going to the conference website (www.cnumc.org) and clicking on "Annual Conference Session 2018".
NCUMC will not have the lights on the church tower shining at night until November. The main reason for this is to conserve our bulbs. We do not have access to a cherry picker or someone to go up in the cherry picker to change bulbs as needed so we need to make our current set of lights last as long as possible.
Registration forms available at the back of the church, in the Fellowship Hall, and through the Sunday School.
Want to come play with the kids?
It'll be a great adventure! We need YOU!
There are vacancies in Recreation and Teaching Staff (5/6th grade) and we can always use
helpers in every area.
Contact Eleanor Kenitzer, if you'd like to volunteer.
Dates: July 16 – 19, 9 A.M. Till Noon
Ages: 4yr olds thru 6th grade
Cost: $20 per child ($5 each additional child in family) Hand Bells class for grades 2nd - 6th, 12:00 – 12:30
Click Here
for
Registration Form
