“Lessons From the Past”
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-6
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the cemetery walk at Walnut Grove Cemetery. This was a wonderful event organized by the cemetery board to help raise funds to replace some of the cemetery’s trees. The event consisted of 10 notable “residents” of the cemetery telling stories about their lives, accomplishments, and their connection to Cooper County. Many of the stories highlighted had a connection to Nelson Memorial UMC, which shouldn’t have been a surprise, given our role in the community for more than 200 years.
One of the stories told was from the perspective of the mother of Jefferson B McCutheon – a young man who was wounded in the 1st Battle of Boonville and never recovered from his injuries. As she began her story, she shared about how deep the divisions were throughout Missouri in the mid-1800s. She stated that the Boonville Methodist Church (the church didn’t take the name Nelson Memorial until the Nelson family funded most of the current Sanctuary building in the early 1900s) was so divided that families entered through different doors based on their allegiances. The Southern sympathizers came in through one door, the Northern sympathizers came in through a different one. There was a division down the middle of the Sanctuary, as people wouldn’t associate with, or even speak to, those with whom they disagreed. She told about how the work of the church, the mission of Christ, was suffering as a result of this division.
This got me thinking about the division our denomination has been and is facing in many parts of the state and world. Many churches, in considering where they stand on the issue of human sexuality, have allowed those opinions to define who they will associate with and who they will shun. Some churches have chosen to leave the denomination, while others have split or closed altogether.
As I listened to the stories in the cemetery last Sunday, it felt to me like a warning – learn from this history, or be doomed to repeat it. I am so proud of Nelson Memorial UMC and the work we have done over the past 200 years, and specifically that I have had the privilege to be a part of it for the last several years. I love the work we do at David Barton Elementary, I love the interest we have taken in our schools, and the work so many of you do throughout our community. There are so many examples of ways the church serves and makes a difference in Boonville, Cooper County, and the world. I pray that, no matter what issues come before us, we focus on the things that we hold in common and recognize that it is God who unites us and seeks to use us as a united body for the transformation of the world into the kingdom of 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 continue our new message series titled “Awakenings.” This series focuses on experiencing a spiritual awakening. This week we will consider what it looks like to experience an awakening in our families. Our Scripture focus will be from the Book of Ephesians, Chapter 5, verses 21 through 28, and Chapter 6, verses 1 through 4.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise – “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth.”
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Our services will begin with the Gathering Song As For Me by Rend Collective. Our Opening Hymn is Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. Our other songs for the morning are Lord, Be Glorified, and Take Time to Be Holy. The choir will sing The Heavens Are Telling as our prelude at the 10:20 service.
Virtual Worship Information
In addition to in-person worship, our service will be live-streamed. The service can be viewed on our Facebook Page. The service will start at approximately 10:25 am following our Gathering Song. Additionally, we post a recording of our messages to our website by early Sunday afternoon.
Announcements
Bake Sale! – This Sunday, October 8, one of the Nelson Memorial Sunday School classes will be hosting a bake sale! The treats will be homemade! You can buy them before and after the second service. The proceeds will be going to the food pantry here in Boonville as a donation! Please come and buy some delicious treats! Nola Parker and the Tween-ish Sunday School class
New Studies:
Be Still: A Simple Guide to Quiet Times – This book by Brian Heasley is a practical approach to establishing the rhythms of prayer and devotion in our lives. It includes discussions on practicing imaginative prayer, finding wonder, and cultivating contentment. Heasley’s message is that we don’t need to be static for our hearts to be still. Interested in participating? – Order the book Be Still: A Simple Guide to Quiet Times by Brian Heasley at any book outlet. Meet in the church lounge Monday, October 9 at 6 PM.
Jesus and Justice Small Group: – As Jesus people, we are called to engage in seeking justice. But what does God’s justice look like? In this new small group, we will take a look at Biblical justice and explore ways we can be a people of justice in our families, workspaces, local community, and the world by following in the footsteps of Jesus. Interested in participating? – Order the book God of Justice by Abraham George and Nikki A. Toyama-Szeto at any book outlet. Meet in the church lounge on Saturday, October 14 at 9:30 AM. Pastries and coffee provided!!
Calling All Night Owls/Early Birds – The youth will hold their annual fall lock-in Friday, Oct 20, beginning at 8:00 pm. All youth are welcome and encouraged to bring a friend. Brian and Chelsea Jackson (our fearless youth leaders) are looking for some extra help during the overnight hours (between midnight at 6 am). Click here for opportunities to donate or here to volunteer. Please talk with Brian or Chelsea for more information.
Rend Collective Concert – The Rend Collective Concert is this Sunday, October 8 at the Missouri Theater. If you ordered tickets, please see Pastor Chris to pick them up.
Fall Feast & Fest – Please join us for a day full of fall fun on October 29, 2023
Worship: 8:00 am and 10:20 am
Potluck Luncheon & Pumpkin Painting: 11:20 am
Spooks & Spokes 2 Mile Costume Bike Ride (Katy Trailhead Depot): 2:00 pm
Mission Trip Opportunity – We are tentatively planning an adult mission work team to again travel to Fulton First United Methodist Church (Fulton, Tennessee) beginning the first weekend in November into the following week to complete home repairs in N/W Tennessee and S/W Kentucky. You may remember that a year ago this area was hit by a very large tornado which destroyed or damaged many homes and buildings. Recently, this area was hit again by one of the largest rainfalls in recorded history, flooding many of the homes, some that were repaired just a year ago. If you would like information to join us on this mission, please see Bill Salyer, Tim VonEngeln or Larry Long for details.
Save the Date – On Saturday, November 4, the Outreach Team will host a church-wide MISSION EXTRAVAGANZA!! We will have a variety of mission projects for people of all ages and abilities. These include: leaf raking, cooking baking, and even some crafting! There will also be projects you can do from the comfort of your own home. So mark November 4 on the calendar and share it with a friend. Together, we will work to build God’s kingdom here!! More details to follow…
Events this week:
Sunday, October 8: Tween Sunday School Class Bake Sale, 9-10:20, Following 10:20 Worship
Youth Group, Following Worship, Fellowship Hall
Monday, October 9: TOPS, 9:30 am, Lounge
Be Still Small Group, 6:00 pm, Lounge
Al-Anon, 8:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, October 10: PEO, 4:30 pm, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, October 11: Women’s Bible Study, 10:15 am, Lounge
Al-Anon, Noon, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, October 12: Baby Grace Size and Sort, 1:00 pm, Annex
Praise Band Rehearsal, 6:00 pm, Sanctuary
Choir Rehearsal, 7:00 pm, Sanctuary
Saturday, October 14: Methodist Men, 8:30 am, Lounge
Jesus and Justice Small Group, 9:30 am, Lounge
Closing Words of Wisdom:
In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”― St. Augustine