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PASTOR'S PENCIL

 

THE SERMON GUIDE

The sermons for February 2012 will be:

“CHURCH COST = DYING”

     Considering the plight of our world today, we are all rather hesitant to predict what is going to happen.  We also are rather puzzled as to what can be done.  With our present economic crunch, we all tend to tighten our belts a little more.  But, where does the church fit into this picture and squeeze?  I came across two rather interesting stories in this regard from Greg Harper and Woodrow Gleeson. 

     Mr. Harper said, "Last Sunday another golfer sank the last putt on the 18th green and received a check for $50,000 for four rounds of golf, plus an automobile for himself and one for his wife.  This week the papers reported that a certain popular singer will receive $100,000 per week for her current singing engagement.  Americans spend annually more on dog food than on church contributions.  It is not unusual for the individual to pay more for his country club membership than he gives to the church.  Is church costing too much?

     Let me share an experience with you.  On June 2, 1940, a little girl was born to us.  She cost us money from the moment she was born.  As she grew from babyhood to girlhood, she cost us even more. . .her dresses and shoes were more expensive and we had to have the doctor through all those childhood diseases.  She was even more expensive during her school and teen years.  She needed long dresses to go to parties.  When she went to college, we discovered, along with other parents, that all college expenses are not listed in the catalogue.  Then after graduation she fell in love and married.  She was married in a church wedding and that, too, cost a lot of money.

     Then, five months after her marriage, she suddenly sickened and within a week she was dead.  She has not cost us a penny since that day we walked away from her grave.

     As long as the church is alive she will cost money, and the more alive a church is, the more money she will cost.  Only a dead church, like a dead child, is no longer expensive!"

     His comments are, of course, right on the mark!  But what is it that we should give?

     Mr. Gleeson said, “There is a story about two young brothers and their dad.  The family had a traffic accident in which the younger brother Mike needed a blood transfusion.  Mike's big brother who was only eight years old had the same blood type as his younger brother.

     The dad sat down and carefully tried to explain to the brother how this blood transfusion was needed and how wonderful it would be for his little brother.  After some silence he responded by saying, "Yes, Daddy, I'll give my blood to Mike so he will get well."

     After giving a pint of blood and much to the shock of his father, the boy said with tears in his eyes, "When did I die Daddy?"

     In amazement, the father realized that in his feeble attempt to explain the giving of blood his son had misunderstood.  The older brother thought he would die as soon as the transfusion was over.  He thought he had given all of his blood!  What brotherly love.  This young man was willing to lay down his life for his younger brother.

     The Apostle John said it this way, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.  And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"(1 John 3:16).  The Apostle Peter said, "Finally, all of you, be of one mind having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous (1 Peter 3:8).  What a great lesson for all of us."  Do we now realize that the cost of any church as Jesus experienced it is dying for it, giving our all?

     What are we at Calvary willing to give?  Our children, our grandchildren and our neighbors may not be dying or in need of a blood transfusion, but where are they?  What are we willing to DO or to GIVE to make sure that they come to or return to our church?  Are we just going to be satisfied with our comfortable worship that satisfies our personal needs or are we going to realize the needs of those whom God has placed in our families and at our doorstep?  Either we pay the cost or we pay the consequences for we each will answer to God for our choice.

“DAKOTAS CONFERENCE 2011 REPORT” 

Over 500 people attended the opening banquet and award ceremony of the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist.  Ernie Edwards of Watertown, SD served as the master of ceremonies for the evening.  Guests were greeted at the door and from the podium by Tim Oviatt of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce.  The Archives and History committee celebrated 150 years of Methodism throughout the Dakotas.  Rev. Ingram Graham ventured throughout the Dakotas beginning in 1861. 

L. Donald Veghlan was honored for fifty years of service as a clergy member of the Dakotas Annual Conference.

Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey officially opened the 2011 Annual Conference Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference at the end of the Awards Banquet on Wednesday, June 8, 2011.  Mark Ellingson, Dakotas Conference Secretary reviewed the rules and procedures for balloting.  Clergy and laity met in separate sessions to begin electing delegates to the 2012 General Conference and North Central Jurisdictional Conference.

The opening worship of the Dakotas Conference Annual Session generated enthusiasm to REKINDLE THE FLAME.  The worship praise band inspired attendees. Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey's message challenged all to reflect on where the Holy Spirit is leading each of us. "We will not grow meaningfully until we follow the Holy Spirit with passion." 

Statistics demonstrate the decline in membership and attendance for churches throughout the Dakotas, throughout the Methodist denomination, as well as other denominations in the United States.  Dr. Lovett Weems of the Lewis Center for Leadership provided a refreshing look at how churches may REKINDLE on Thursday, June 10:

HIS Five questions for congregations to ask

Dr. Weems challenged Annual Conference attendees to examine their churches through the lenses of these five questions:

1) Who are we?

2) What is our mission? 

3) Who are the people?

4) Who are our neighbors and what are their needs?

5) Given our identity and context, what is God's vision for the near future?

THEN HE SAID

Only babies like to be changed

Once a vision has been identified, what are the steps to move forward?  Lovett Weems challenged the audience to be change agents, "We cannot become what we need to be by remaining where we are."  Lovett suggested four steps to activating change.  First, help define reality.  Step two, reframe specific interests in light of the whole.  Step three, seek continuity and change.  Step four, advance the plot of your congregation's story.

Thursday, June 9, 2011 closed with a memorial service and ice cream social held at Watertown First UMC.  Thirteen Dakotas Conference clergy or clergy spouses who passed were remembered.  Bishop Kiesey read the scripture message.  The Watertown First Bell Choir performed.  The sermon was delivered by  Rev. Dave Knecht . 

Dakotas Conference Vision is Adopted

Ray Baker, Chair of the Common Table presented the work of the Dakotas Conference Table to the members of the Annual Conference Session.  The session members approved the Vision Statement proposed by the Common Table: 

Vision of the Dakotas Conference

We will increase average worship attendance by 1.  Our top priority is to undergird the local church to:

«            Equip lay people to make disciples and transform the world,

«            Reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people,

«            Develop strong children and youth ministries,

«            Support and strengthen families,

«           Make a difference in our communities, locally and globally, through acts of mission and mercy.

Delegates to General Conference 2012 were elected on Friday, June 10, 2011.  The lay delegate to General Conference 2012 will be Janelle Jones, Dakotas Conference Lay Leader, Spearfish UMC.  The alternate lay delegate will be Jodi Cataldo, Dakotas Conference Director of Leadership Development.  The clergy delegate will be Rev. Rebecca Trefz, Celebration UMC, Brandon, S.D.  The alternate clergy delegate will be Rev. Greg Kroger, Dakotas Conference Bishop's Assistant and Director of Connectional Ministries.  They will also serve as delegates to the North Central Jurisdictional (NCJ) Conference in July 2012.  Mathew Bader, Valley City UMC, and Angelica Laudermith, Vermillion UMC were elected as alternate lay delegates to the North Central Jurisdiction Conference.  Rev. Rich Zech, Fargo First UMC, Rev. Jenny Hallenbeck, Evergreen UMC, Wahpeton, N.D. and Rev. Doug Diehl, Rapid City First UMC will serve as alternate delegates to NCJ Conference.

Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey presided over the 2011 Dakotas Conference Ordination Service. Bob Duemig, Cheryl Fadley and Chang Hyuck Yi were ordained as full elders.  Rev. Neil Blair and Rev. Elmo Herman orders were recognized and welcomed into full member of the Dakotas Conference.  Rev. Herman is also a former North American Baptist Pastor. 

Ten retiring clergy were recognized as part of the morning session at Annual Conference on June 10, 2011 in Watertown, SD.  The retirees honored were Rev. Darrell Aleson, Rev. Gail Arnold, Re. Dar Berkenpas, Rev. Chet Cataldo, Rev. Jim Cissell, Rev. John Jarman, Rev. Deb Mack, Rev. Morris Nelson, Rev. Gary Rae, and Rev. Donald Watt.

The approved budget for 2012 is $6,035,970 in Apportionments and $1,260,000 in HealthFlex Direct Bills for a total of $7,295,970. This is a decrease of $97,426 from 2011 or 1.3%.  The 2012 budget designates a 62% Increase in Budget for Equipping the Local Church Link. Thirty percent of the increase is a budget transfer of church revitalization funds from the Connectional Ministries Link. Much of the rest of the increase is the Equipping Link attempting to address key areas that affect church health.  Jeff Pospisil, Dakotas Conference Treasurer notes, "If the ministry and health of our churches is the top priority, we must have a budget that is affordable for the churches and aligned with the mission and vision of the Dakotas Conference."

A total of $23,648.67 was collected at the 2011 Dakotas Annual Conference.  The Japan Emergency will receive $2,285.43.  Dakotas Disaster Relief will be the recipient of $10,529.82.  UMCOR Domestic Relief funds will be replenished $8,587.42 thanks to the Dakotas Conference.   In addition, the offering at the Ordination Service of $2,246 will be equally divided between the Pensions of the Central Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Dakotas Seminary Debt Reduction.

The following churches have now closed: Bethany UMC, Rural; Forbes, ND; Seneca, SD; Tripp, SD.  The following churches have officially suspended services: Gulph, Brothersfield & Wishek.

                                                                                                                                                                 - parts taken from daily updates

“A Clean Family In A Dirty World”

Christian parents are trying to raise their children right.  They have certain beliefs about what they think is important and they try to share time, but sometimes it seems they are fighting a losing battle.  How does one teach honesty to children who live in a world where even the government is deceitful?

How does a parent raise a clean family in a dirty world like this?  It is not easy.  But perhaps the best advice comes from the Apostle Paul in Romans twelve where it says,: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds…”  or as another translation puts it: “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mould.”

That is what the world does and some of us may even be praying, “Oh, Lord, I am grateful I am just like others.”  But, if that is our attitude we will have a difficult time raising Christian children.

So what do we do?  Do we build walls high enough to keep the evil out?  NO!  Walls are a negative approach that only emphasize what we are against and does not teach a youngster to stand alone with God.  We can not escape everything like the Monastic Movement.  We can not use a scissors on every magazine or newspaper that comes into the home.  The main trouble with that approach is that eventually they are going to be off to college or work and they will not be prepared to cope.  To get clear out of the world even the Apostle Paul admitted is unrealistic.

A much better approach is to build on what we are for and thus help our young people to stand alone for God like the young people in the scriptures.  We must lift up the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in our OWN lives.  We raise a clean family today by being CLEAN OURSELVES and by letting them see clearly by our actions where our values are and how Jesus Christ is the molder of our lives.

That means, of course, that we have to do our part.  But what exactly is it that we must do?  Let me just give a few pointers:

First, really love your children.  It means talking to them, touching and caring for them and giving regular praise.

Second, parents need to allow children to fail.  At times the only thing that can help them to learn – is failing.  Don’t be afraid to let them fail. Take the wise counsel of someone who said, “It’s those who never lose who will struggle with the ups and downs of life later on.”

Third, share your adult relationships with your children.  Admittedly, it is easier to hire a babysitter and reserve the “adult” relationships for ourselves.  But, children learn most when they watch adults.

Fourth, we need to set standards of good and evil – principles based on scriptural advice for discerning evil from good that will prepare them to make their own choices.  Provide them with the standards and allow them to put them into practice.

Finally, we need to learn to release our children.  Someone once said, “The best provision we can make for our children is to give them a nest and wings to leave it.”  Yes, we covet a Godly stand for our children but it won’t happen unless we work at it.  The best that we can do for our children is get them off on a good start and then trust in the kindly Providence of God to give them a safe landing.  Even if they do fall momentarily, we can claim the promise of Psalm 37:24, “When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”

"ONLY PRETENDING"

In "Our Daily Bread" is this great devotional by Martin R. DeHann II:  Have you heard the story about a driver who put a note under the windshield wiper of a parked car?  The note read: "I have just smashed into your car.  The people who saw the accident are watching me.  They think I'm writing down my name and address. I'm not." 

This story reminds me of another bit of devious pretense.  In Jeremiah chapter three, the people of Judah were described as willing to call God their Father and friend while still doing all the evil they could.     

"Have you not just now called to Me, 'My Father, Thou art the friend of my youth?  'Will He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?' Behold, you have spoken And have done evil things, And you have had your way."  Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, "Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.  And I thought, 'After she has done all these things, she will return to Me'; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.  And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.  And it came about because of the lightness of her harlotry, that she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.  "And yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception," declares the LORD. (Jer 3:4-10 NASB)

The same thing was true in the New Testament as well.  There the scribes and Pharisees were pretending to be so holy and righteous, while at the same time stealing houses.  The passage says,  

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, even while for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation." (Mat 23:14 NASB)

Putting on a false front is a very old practice, and naturally it hasn't gone out of fashion.  We see it all around us every day.  What it amounts to in the Christian realm is a problem of our failure to respond from the heart to the Lord, who has made Himself so real and so knowable in Jesus Christ.  It seems so easy to say,  

"Yes, yes, He is our Lord and Savior.  He has died for our sins and deserves our worship and service."

But do we remember our commitment to Him when no one is around to observe how we live?

We may say the right things about God when it's in our best interest to do so.  But what about our heart relationship with the Lord?  Can we come before Him without shame?  Looking good in the eyes of others is not enough.  We must look good in the eyes of God, who sees far more than ordinary man is able to see.  We may fool a lot of people but, God knows when we are only pretending. 

"EASTER DECISIONS"

Easter confronts us all with decisions that we alone can and must make. Easter Sunday is coming, but perhaps you still have not made a decision concerning Jesus. As writer Albert Simpson wrote: "What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be...."  

"CHILDLIKE"

       “Let the children come to me.  Don’t stop them!  For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.  I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:14-15)  Oh, that all of us would be childlike in our faith so that we might receive the Kingdom of God.

       But what does that kind of childlike faith look like?  As an unnamed source once said, “It is different than being childish.  Childish is associated with simple, selfish, immature, demanding, whining, tantrums and such.”  Unfortunately we all know adults whose faith looks like that.

       However, as the unnamed source continued, “Childlike faith is a faith that believes easily, is open to mystery, fascinated by the unknown, receptive to differences, joyous and sometimes even playful!  Childlike faith sees the good in others, embraces new thoughts, entertains new ideas easily.”  Oh, that this was the kind of faith that we all possess.

       It is a faith that we at Calvary need to cultivate wherever we see it.  In my visitation, I have found that many of those in middle age with children who have left the church have left because there is very little here for their children.  We have at times failed in nurturing the childlike faith that embraces new thoughts, new ideas and fun activities that go along with the technology of our age in which these children live.  We have to do better or more will continue to leave.

       Since the hiring of a ministry coordinator seems a ways down the road, we need to proceed in the near future with ministries that speak to the obvious needs, but to do so we will have to proceed with volunteers.  I presently envision three programs happening this fall, one for children and two for Junior High and High school.

       One ministry to Junior High beginning with the school year this fall will be Confirmation Class to be held mostly during Sunday school which I will of course teach.  A volunteer has come forward to lead another ministry to High school and possibly Junior High students on Wednesday evenings, you will find out more about this program in the future.  But, at the moment, I wish to concentrate on our children and a program I would like to start for them on Wednesdays for which I will need a number of volunteers.  The program is AWANA.  Awana is a worldwide children’s ministry serving more than 100 Denominations.

       Awana helps churches and parents work together to develop spiritually strong children who faithfully follow Jesus Christ.  The program offers a proven approach for evangelizing and discipling kids in the church and community.  Among alumni who participated in the programs for at least six years, 92.7 percent still attend church at least weekly as adults!  Each of the children’s clubs has a unique meeting format tailored to the needs of the age group.  In general Awana meetings are 90 minutes long ministering to Cubbies: preschool , Sparks: kindergarten through second grade  and Truth & Training: third through sixth grade.  Meetings generally feature segments for games or other fun activities, small-group Bible learning and large-group Bible teaching, worship, announcements and awards.

       This year’s church budget already includes the money needed to begin this program.  We just need volunteers to lead various parts of the program as well as listeners who will help children with their scripture memory.  All volunteers will need some training and so therefore we need to get started with recruitment and eventual training so that we are ready to being when the fall school term begins.  Please speak to me (Pastor) if you are at all interested and find out what kind of positions and opportunities for ministry there will be.  Thank you for considering your part and praying for the children of our church.

"PROJECTION"

     The subject of video projection in the sanctuary of Calvary United Methodist Church is something that goes back about 3 years.  When I came to Calvary in July, along with many other ‘in progress’ items on my desk, was a bid for purchasing and installing this equipment to enhance the worship experience of worshippers.  I assumed it was a work well in progress.  We discussed it at our fall administrative council meeting and I was told to go ahead and get an updated bid from a local company that we could count on for installation etc.  It was, therefore, also an item that was discussed at the annual Charge Conference in early December, thus letting the congregation know further that this was in the works.  I therefore went ahead and got a bid on equipment and installation; the bid was presented to the trustees for review.  With the trustees approval, the bid was then presented to the administrative council in January for final approval.  It was at this last juncture that objections were raised that the congregation did not know about this and needed to have input. 

     At this recent administrative council meeting, I was asked to put together an article for this newsletter explaining the project and asking for a response which the administrative council would be able to review at their next meeting.  That is the purpose of this article.  However, since that meeting, I figured that an article like this was not really adequate in presenting the project so I decided to do what I have done previously and that was to show the congregation what we had in mind and how doing so could enhance our worship experience.  That is what I have been doing the last few Sundays but of course only projecting on one wall with equipment that we already possess as a church (which has been used many times in the past) along with my own personal laptop computer.

     As a congregation needing to appeal to a younger technology-oriented generation so that we do not die on the vine, this is but one means of showing that we are concerned about the youth of our community and including them in our worship experience.  When I first started this in another church, I thought that it would be the younger generation that would be most pleased with the addition, but I was most gratified to learn that it was the senior citizens of the congregation that truly enjoyed it the most.  Those who had difficulty seeing the words of the songs in the hymnal or on the song sheets were now able to see and participate in worship.  Those who could no longer follow along in the Bible were able to see the scriptures and follow as they were read.  The color and pictures related to the words on the screen also added a visual addition to the worship experience.  Those who had difficulty reading or following along with the message notes now could see them and fill in the answers for further study and meditation during the week.  That of course meant better comprehension of the message being given from God’s Word because as Edgar Dale says, “We remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see and 50% of what we see and hear.”  We do absorb information better by using multiple senses as we are learning.  Therefore, we have to make our presentations visual, verbal and auditory.  Obviously, that is going to eventually mean greater spiritual growth as we remember more and put more into practice.

     Projection also meant better singing was happening in the congregation as they praised the Lord, because as any choir director knows, you get a much better sound when you get people looking up instead of singing into the songbook or piece of paper.  We could now present video and DVD clips from the conference or other organizations to the whole congregation to keep everyone informed.  We even used it in a previous church for Bible studies in which a DVD was a part of the lesson and with a complete system in place the sound of these DVD’s etc is much clearer because you have a direct connection to the sound system.  It cut down on the time needed for announcements during the service as these were all being projected prior to the service beginning while the prelude music was being played.  Plus, these rolling announcements, as you have noticed, usually include items that we have normally never put in the bulletin.

     As you can see from the last few Sundays, the format and essence of the worship service has not changed at all.  The semi-traditional service that you had in place before I arrived has not changed one bit.  The projection just enhances the experience.  I said at the beginning of the first service of showing this projection that I was sorry that there were not going to be more traditional hymns during this time.  In sharing the sermon series at present there are only so many hymns in one hymnal and all of the songs through April have been selected since before Christmas.

     Who will run the system once it is in place?  As you can see, my wife, Cynthia, is fully capable of doing it and did it a majority of the time in our previous church.  But, as in that church, we will also teach junior high and high school young people to run it as they will catch on in no time at all.  It will provide an opportunity for them to share their technological gifts with the congregation and with the Lord and help to make them feel a part of the experience at Calvary.  I don’t think anyone ever said “no” to running the system in our previous church. 

     I have already after just two week, heard some great comments, like:

Ø      Are you going to keep putting your sermons on the wall?  I hope so.  I have a hard time hearing the messages and that was just great on Sunday because I could see the message and write in the answers on the sheet and take it home and read it through and really get something out of it.”

Ø      “I really didn’t think I would like the projection but that was O.K.

Ø      “If we continue to do the projection we can cut down on some paper and save a few trees.”

Ø      “When I hold the baby or other children I can not hold a hymnal or sheet as well, but now I can sing because it is right there for me.”

Ø      “The pictures are just wonderful.” 

     What is the negative?  Some might say the money, but we are not going to ask for any money.  We already have all the money.  Some might say, distraction, but we live in a world of distraction that all of us have to overcome every Sunday because distractions are all around us.  The only true negative that I have known in my years of doing it, is that it takes some time to prepare each week, but once most of the hymnal is in the computer the time needed gets less. 

     So the administrative council wants you, the congregation, to respond in writing to the church office with your thoughts.  I have real reservations about doing that because in my experience, people with positive comments usually do not take the time to express them and, therefore, all we may receive are the negative comments which will not give the true story, so please, we are asking everyone to respond.