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MISSIONSCALVARY MISSION OUTREACH
THE BANQUET
The Nurture/Outreach/Witness Committee has secured the date of Thursday, October 10, 2013, as the next time Calvary Church will serve this weekly meal. For those of you who have volunteered for past Banquets, Tudy Fennern, The Banquet Director since the inception of the project, retired this past summer.
Greater Grand Forks CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) TODD & KAMAYA SINGER April 30, 2013 School Ends, Summer Begins For many students the end of the school year is marked by a variety of different factors: finishing papers, studying for & taking finals, packing up their dorm room, and saying goodbye to friends for the summer. In campus ministry the end of the school year is extremely busy as we begin to plan for the fall semester and begin to chal-lenge students to join with us to lead in some way during the next school year. Over the past few weeks we’ve had conversation after conversation with students to find out where their passions lie so that we can effectively help them reach an area of campus with the gospel. For some students this is in the dorm they will live in next year, for some it’s international students, or their classmates in a specific field; it’s really fun to see how students want to impact the eternity of their campus with the gospel. Please pray for these students as they seek the Lord in where they would like to multiply their faith next year. Although the school year is coming to an end, for many students this time of year is really the beginning. The beginning of a summer, which for some students is a great time for them to have community and draw closer to the Lord as they go home, other students struggle to walk with the Lord because they may not know anyone else who is a believer where they live. In order to help stu-dents in either of these places grow in their walk with the Lord and learn to share their faith, Cru has many summer options available. Summer projects are held all over the US and the world and range from 1-12 weeks in length and this summer 25 UND students have decided to give their summer up to the Lord to be transformed and used by the King of Kings! A Changed LifeA Life Meet Jeremy Zaradka, a junior here at UND studying psychology who Todd has been meeting with over the past semester and has really gotten to know quite well. Within this past year God has completely flipped his life around. Here is some of his story: "At one point last fall, I looked at myself in the mirror, and realized I hated the person I had become. My body was writhing with guilt, shame, and loneliness. A fiery explosion of self hatred burst from within, and I started to furiously punch the person in the mirror. After I had cov-ered the floor with shattered glass, I sat down on my couch, buried my face in my bloody hands, and sobbed myself to sleep. My alcohol and drug addiction had taken over my life to the point where I had no control anymore. I was knowingly hurting so many people with my actions, those people especially being my family. I was in an end-less circle of guilt and shame. I knew how my drug use was hurting others, which would bring on guilt and shame. In order to cope I would drink and use drugs, which would lead to even more guilt and shame." After trying to get sober and searching for some-thing more, Jeremy gave His life to Christ and has since become one of the student leaders here with Cru at UND. Todd has been discipling him and has seen him grow into the man that God created him to be. Jeremy not only came to Christ but shortly after realized the need to share Christ’s love with those around him and has lead one of his friends to Christ who is also involved in Cru. If you want to read more of Jeremy’s story or other stories of students you can check them out on this website: http://undmystory.blogspot.com/ Prayer & Praise: Pray for the 25 UND students attending Summer Pro-jects all over the US and the world this summer. Pray that the Lord would provide all the finances they need in order to do His work. Pray for students who have been challenged to be lead-ers next year on campus. Pray for students hearts to be open and willing to lead next year! Pray for us & our co-directors (Desi & Kevin) & our team of 16 students as we prepare to leave for Paris Summer Project (May 19-July 1.) Pray for our hearts to be broken for French people and for the hearts of French people to be open to the gospel.
Thank you for partnering with us in ministry to reach students at UND with the gospel! TODD & KAMAYA SINGER DAKOTAS CONFERENCE NEWS
Bishop Bruce R. Ough announces the following clergy appointments for the Dakotas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church:
All appointments begin July 1, 2013 unless otherwise noted.
- Elmo Herman (PE) from Streeter / Tappen / Medina UMC, to Jamestown First UMC.
- Steve Behrens (FE) from Hazen / Beulah UMC, to Steele / Tuttle / Robinson UMC.
- Hazel Behrens (FE) from Elgin UMC/Ebenezer UCC, to Streeter / Tappen / Medina UMC.
- Mark Gronseth (FD) from Wakonda/Irene/Viborg, to Breckenridge, MN / Fairmount, ND.
- Steve Johnson (FE) from Arlington UMC / Lake Preston UCC / UMC to Retirement.
- Jerry Stolp (FE) from Salem United/Montrose UMC, Glacial Lakes District to Retirement.
- Karl Kroger (PE) from Southeast Pierre, to Grace United Methodist Church, Piedmont.
- Dean Trapp (FE) from Sioux Falls Sunnycrest, to Huron Riverview-Virgil.
- Lou Whitmer (FL) from Mitchell First United Methodist Church, to Aberdeen North Highland.
- Barry Whipkey (FL) from Huron Riverview-Virgil, to Madison.
- Robert Duemig (FE) from Eureka/Ashley to Belle Fourche United Methodist Church. - Albartus "Bert" VanEssen (FE) from sabbatical, Glacial Lakes District to retirement. - Fern Bailey (PL) from Fairmount to retirement. - Gary L. Ball-Kilbourne (FE) from Minot Vincent to retirement. - Gerald Bass (FE) from Grand Forks Wesley to retirement. - Susan O'Connell (FE) from Flandreau-Egan to retirement. - Sunand Kumar Samuel (FE) from Beresford Zion to retirement. - Thomas Lavery (FE) from extension ministry (serving in Greater New Jersey Conference) to retirement. - Howard Baird (FE) from Piedmont Grace to Grand Forks Wesley, Eastern Sunrise District. - Kris Mutzenberger (FE) from Madison to Sioux Falls Sunnycrest, Glacial Lakes District. - Ryan Mutzenberger (FE) from Madison to Sioux Falls Sunnycrest, Glacial Lakes District. - Mark Ehrmantraut (FL) from Aberdeen North Highland, to Beresford Zion - Raymond L Baker (FE) from Bismarck McCabe, Associate Pastor, to Minot Vincent, Senior Pastor. - Robert Salmonson (PL) from seminary/Mount Vernon to Flandreau-Egan. Dakotas Annual Conference 2013 will be held in Bismarck
The Dakotas Annual Conference will be in session June 5-8, 2013 at the Ramkota Inn in Bismarck, ND
BISHOP’S APPEAL
We will soon be gathering in Bismarck, North Dakota for the 20th session of the Dakotas Conference. Our theme for this conference session is Unleashed: Bold, Spirit Leaders. Together, we will discuss, learn, practice and pray for what it means to be unleashed so that God can boldly use us, without limits, delays or excuses, to reach and make new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
In keeping with our theme of bold, spiritual leadership, I am calling for a Miracle Offering at the 2013 Annual Conference session to jump-start our Oil Rush Mission in the western region of the Dakotas. I invite each of our nearly 250 congregations to begin preparing, even now, to participate in this miraculous expression of God's love in action.
This is a transformative time in the Dakotas. The Dakotas will never be the same again. We have a remarkable, limitless mission field in our own backyard. God created and called The United Methodist Church in the Dakotas for a time such as this; the kind of time that beckons the Church to be "an accounting of the hope that is in us." (I Peter 3:15)
Our Oil Rush Miracle Offering goal is $100,000. This is a God-sized vision for an offering received at the site of the annual conference. But, it is possible if we work together and allow God to use us in miraculous ways! If each of our 250 congregations brings $400 to Bismarck in June, we will experience this miraculous outpouring. Obviously, most of our congregations have capacity beyond this amount and will want to do much more for this opportunity to expand our response to the Oil Rush.
Our Oil Rush Miracle Offering will be used to launch a multi-year and multi-pronged missional thrust in the western Dakotas. We are currently developing a strategic plan for our missional impact in the region that has three major components:
· connecting and responding to the exploding human, social and environmental needs of the region created by the "black gold" rush,
· starting new faith communities and congregations with the growing population of the area, and
· collaborating with existing congregations to strengthen their missional preparedness and outreach.
We have already begun to respond to this unprecedented opportunity to be in mission.
· A lay missionary couple are being deployed to Watford City to launch an outreach ministry to individuals and families caught in the upheaval of the Oil Rush.
· Faith United Methodist Church in Williston is seeking to employ a Church and Community Worker to spearhead its outreach.
· Sidewalk Sunday Schools will be conducted in several communities in the region to introduce the children to Jesus' love.
· Camp scholarships are being made available to children and youth moving into the area with their families.
· Church Planting Zones are being created across the region in partnership with the General Board of Discipleship's Path One program.
Your Oil Rush Miracle Offering will help fund these early initiatives.
The offering will be received on Thursday evening, June 6, during our all-conference Celebration Banquet. Additional opportunities to give will be provided on the floor of the 2013 Annual Conference Session.
I believe in the miraculous power that is released when we put our love for God and neighbor into action. As the author of I John writes, "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another...; if we love one another, God lives in us, and God's love is perfected in us." (I John 4:11-12) I believe our Oil Rush Miracle Offering will be a channel through which we can love our neighbors and through which God's love can be perfected in us.
I pray that we will bring glory to God as we "run with perseverance the race that is before us."
Yours in Christ's love, Bishop Bruce R. OughTake the Change the World Challenge
Change the World is a denomination-wide event that focuses on the ministries of the church beyond the sanctuary during one particular weekend, so that change is palpable and noticeable. Just imagine, if every United Methodist church in your surrounding area were outside the walls of their buildings, helping one another and enacting social change. People would take notice.
When you let us know about your outbound missions, we place your ministries on a map where online visitors to rethinkchurch.org (the seeker site of the UMC) can find volunteer opportunities in their areas and join in. You may have done this during Advent and may still be getting email notifications that your profile is being viewed by others. We will also help you connect the ministries of your local church to secular volunteer sites where young people are searching to make a difference. And, we will supply you with resources to highlight your ministries during Change the World weekend, May 18-19, 2013. So…are you ready to take the Change the World Challenge? 1. Identify the outreach missions you’d like to highlight in your church and its surrounding community during May 18-19, 2013. Set an achievable goal for expanding the number of people serving and being served through the mission.
2. Begin planning an event to highlight your mission opportunities on the weekend of May 18-19, 2013.
3. If you are planning something and are ready to show it to the world,
OPEN DOOR
Many thanks to Ken Hogue who volunteered to serve on the Open Door Community Center Board of Directors. Your willingness to serve in this way is much appreciated, Ken.
The Open Door Witness, is now available on-line at http://www.mccabeumc.com/opendoor/news.html. Please click on that address, or copy and paste it into the address line of your browser. The Open Door Community Center in Bismarck is a special mission project of the Dakotas Conference and is supported by UMC churches in North and South Dakota. Our mission is "Through the Open Door Community Center, children and families receive Christian-based education and support services, enriching them to become responsible members of their families and community." We welcome your comments and questions about the newsletter, programs and services. Contact me at 701-222-3004 or opendoor@btinet.net. Jolene Stading Puhalla, Director of Open Door Community Center.
CALVARY CHURCH MISSION CONTRIBUTIONS
The DWU group that participated in worship services on February 3 thanks the Calvary Church family for making them welcome and for the opportunity to spread the word about their upcoming trip to Peru. The mission group also extends a heartfelt ‘thank you’ for the exit door offering totaling $602.00. Thanks very much to those of you who donated a ‘shoebox Christmas gift’ to this Dakotas Conference mission project. Thank you to Bill Wilson and the Nurture/Outreach/Witness Committee for heading up the project and delivering the 25 gifts to the Bismarck pick-up point.
Blessings to everyone who contributed toward the Nurture, Outreach, and Worship Committee’s appeal for the purchase of health and school kits. Funds were donated for 16 health kits and 10 school kits. Please know that your generosity will make the world friendlier for at least 26 people who otherwise may not have had these basic necessities.
SPECIAL OFFERING FOR MINOT FAITH UMC Many thanks to all who contributed to this worthy cause. The total received to help Faith toward their goal was $1,765 as of August 15.
FATHER'S DAY DONATION The United Methodist Women’s group made a $100 donation to the North Dakota Veterans’ Cemetery in honor and memory of all fathers and in respect of all men who aspire to live a godly life.
The Gideons International exit offering here at Calvary on March 11 amounted to $350.00. Thank you to everyone who made a contribution.
(The DWU representatives who worshipped with us on February 5, 2012, reported receiving contributions in the amount of $495. Thanks to all who so generously supported this mission project.)
· The offering received for Dakota Wesleyan University 2011 Peru Mission trip amounted to $509.00 (see related article in Dakotas Conference News section of this newsletter).
· A note received from Don Asheim, who spoke on behalf of the Gideons International on March 20, 2011 stated “…Your church gave $421.00. That’s about 325 scriptures put into the hands of the lost. Thank you…may this all be to God’s Glory.”
SHOE BOX CHRISTMAS 2011
Thanks to everyone who participated in this project. We had 18 gift boxes to deliver to the collection site.
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