“Time to Talk”

“Pastor, did you hear …?”

“I heard they are going to make us …”

“Is it true that the Church is …?”

“On the news they said the United Methodist Church is …”

There’ve been a lot of rumors going on  lately about the current state of the United Methodist Church.  I’d like to take a few minutes to dispel a few of the rumors out there.  Also, I’d like to announce a couple of “town hall” type meetings coming up and invite you to attend.  We will hold these “town halls” Wednesday, May 11 at 7:00 pm in our Sanctuary and Sunday, May 15 at 12:00 pm in our Fellowship Hall (this conversation will follow the United Methodist Men’s breakfast/brunch fundraiser being held on May 15). 

As you may know, the United Methodist Church has been wrestling for nearly 50 years with the question of the proper way to be in ministry to and with the LGBTQ+ community.  There was a planned meeting of the denomination for the spring of 2020 where a vote would likely have taken place to recognize a new denomination and approve a pathway of separation for those churches that wished to join the new denomination.  As with nearly everything in 2020, this meeting did not happen and, due to the logistics of holding a global gathering with lingering effects of COVID making the process of obtaining visas very difficult in some parts of the world, this meeting will not take place until 2024. 

When the postponement of this meeting was announced, those working to launch a new denomination came to the decision that they no longer desired to wait to leave the United Methodist Church. Therefore, they officially launched the Global Methodist Church (GMC) on May 1, 2022.  Congregations desiring to be part of this new denomination are required to go through a process called disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church before formally affiliating with the GMC (or any other denomination, or no denomination). 

The launch of this new denomination does not mean anything has changed for the UMC.  The General Conference (the meeting that has been delayed) is the only time official actions can be taken on behalf of the denomination.  This is the only place decisions can be made and approved.  This means that the earliest any changes could come to United Methodist rules or procedures is in the spring of 2024.  We are currently operating under all the rules approved by the 2016 General Conference (and those added at the special session in 2019).  No church is being forced to do anything different.  No logos or symbols are being stripped from buildings, no votes are (or have been) taking place, no rules have changed.  The only thing that happened as of May 1 is that a new denomination formed, and some United Methodist congregations have made the decision (or begun the process of deciding) to leave the UMC for this new denomination. 

At the conversations we will hold on May 11 and 15, I will do my best to share some of the history of how we have arrived where we are, what is and isn’t currently going on, what might happen in the future, and what all this means for the people called United Methodists at Nelson Memorial.  There will also be a time for questions and I will do my best to provide answers. 

Given all that has and has not happened in recent days, weeks, and years, one thing has not changed – our mission.  There are still people in Boonville and throughout Cooper and Howard Counties in need of God’s grace and love and a congregation that represents that God to them.  No matter what happens in some meeting room somewhere, we will continue to do the work of building God’s kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. 

It is an honor to be your pastor and to be in ministry alongside you as seek and serve an Amazing God!

Blessings, Chris

Mission

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Vision

Nelson Memorial UMC seeks to be a place where all God’s broken, hurting, and imperfect children discover wholeness and community while experiencing the warm and welcoming love of Jesus Christ.  We seek to connect with one another to grow in our knowledge and love of God, to encourage each person to live out their unique calling to serve God, and to make a difference in the Boonville community and throughout the world.

Priorities

Developing and Nurturing Faith in Children and Youth

Fostering Growth and Community in Worship and Small Groups

Provide Opportunities to Serve God in Boonville and Beyond

Worship This Week

This Sunday we will continue our “Courageous Faith” message series.  Each week we will take a look at some of the forerunners in our faith and the courageous faith they displayed.  Our message this week will look at Moses’ story and the courage displayed to make his story possible.  Our scripture reading is from the book of Exodus, Chapter 2, verses 1-10.

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it.  She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

Our services will begin with the song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redmon. The Praise Band will lead the singing at our 10:20 service.  Our songs for the morning include In Christ Alone, The Gift of Love, and Take My Life, and Let It Be. 

Virtual Worship Information

In addition to in-person worship, each Sunday we will live-stream our 10:20 worship service. The service can be viewed on our Facebook Page.  The service will start at approximately 10:20 with the Praise Band leading our gathering song.  Additionally, we post a recording of our message each week to our website by early Sunday afternoon.  We are excited to be able to extend our worship services in these ways.

Announcements

Service Opportunity – Camp Sagrada has reached out to us requesting our help with transportation of campers.  This is a ministry we did in the past. The camp’s mission is to reach children with the gospel, whose parents are incarcerated. Campers experience the love of Jesus, and that of camp staff/counselors, in a fun filled natural environment, perhaps rendering them more receptive to the gospel. The camp experience is so important for these children who are burdened by the absence or stigma of an incarcerated parent.  We are looking for help on the following dates: June 6 and 10, June 13 and 17, and June 20 and 25.

Each day we will need a team of 2 adults, one of which can drive the Sagrada van, the other to assist. You can volunteer for one day, or one week. Any adult, 18+, is eligible to help with this project.  Each volunteer will need to plan on several hours of travel.  The Camp Sagrada Van as well as fuel will be provided.  Please take a look at your schedule and see if you are willing to make a trip, and if so, which date?  There will be a sign-up sheet in the east narthex.  More information will be provided to volunteers as the dates near.  If you have any question, please contact Tim Von Engeln at (660) 882-3348.

Breakfast Fundraiser – The United Methodist Men will hold a fundraiser breakfast the morning of Sunday, May 15th from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. There is no cost for the meal, but freewill donations will be accepted and benefit various mission projects of the United Methodist Men. Thank you.

Recognizing Our Graduates High School or College – Please contact the church office if you have a High School or College Graduate in your family this spring.  We would like to be able to congratulate them during an upcoming worship service.  Thank you.

May/June Upper Rooms – If you use the Upper Room devotional guide, don’t forget to pick up the May & June edition.  They are available in the back of the Sanctuary and on the table in the East Wing.  If you’ve never used the Upper Room, consider picking one up and starting your day with this daily devotion.  (The United Methodist Men generously provide for these devotional guides, so don’t forget to thank a Methodist Man if these are part of your devotional practice.)

Events this week:

Wednesday, May 4: Women’s Bible Study, 10:15 am, Church Lounge

Al Anon, Noon, Church Lounge

Thursday, May 5: Praise Band Rehearsal, 6:00 pm, Sanctuary

Friday, May 6: Al-Anon, 7:00 pm, Lounge

Youth Group, 7:00 pm, Jackson’s home

Sunday, May 8: Mother’s Day

Monday, May 9: TOPS, 9:30 am, Foundations Classroom

Al-Anon, 8:00 pm, Church Lounge

Tuesday, May 10: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 6:30 pm, Foundations Classroom

Choir Rehearsal, 7:00 pm, Sanctuary

Wednesday, May 11: Women’s Bible Study, 10:15 am, Church Lounge

Al Anon, Noon, Church Lounge

Town-Hall Meeting, 7:00 pm, Sanctuary

Thursday, May 12: Baby Grace Size and Sort, 1:00 pm, Church Annex

Friday, May 13: Al-Anon, 7:00 pm, Church Lounge

Saturday, May 14: Methodist Men, 8:30 am, Church Lounge

Sunday, May 15: Methodist Men Breakfast Fundraiser, 9-noon, Fellowship Hall

Town-Hall Meeting, 12:00 pm, Fellowship Hall

Closing Words of Wisdom:

Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may.”― John Wesley