A newsletter for the Amlin United Methodist Church community
C OUNTRY T ALK AmlinUMC.org
February 2013
The Word “Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” –Psalm 51: 10
MARK YOUR
Calendar
You won’t want to miss these exciting church events!
Feb.15-18 Mar. 2 Mar. 10 Mar. 24 April 6 July 21-25 Oct. 11-13
Hammer & Nails Mission Trip Church Bowling Event Consecration Sunday Lunch Easter Celebration Spring Clean Up Vacation Bible School Fall Family Retreat
Join us for a seven-week Lenten Bible study with Pastor Steve. The class will meet on Wednesday evenings, 7:00-8:00 in Fellowship Hall, beginning on February 20 and ending on March 27. To register, please contact the church office at 771-1904, or by email at AmlinUMC@aol.com.
Despite the sweet smells, the youth group refrained from eating any while baking.
Youth participate in 30-hour famine The youth of Amlin United Methodist Church raised over $1000 to help feed hungry people. Their ministry, known as 30-Hour Famine, was a focused time of fasting from food to raise awareness and money to impact local and world hunger. Our youth fasted from 6:00 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, until after the 11:00 a.m. service on Jan. 13.
They broke their fast with communion, followed quickly by Subway and baked goods. In fact, baked goods were an important part of the experience. While fasting, Amlin youth Scott Walker encouraged our other youth to consider baking cookies, brownies and cake to raise just a bit more to help hungry people.
The youth boldly decided to endure the delicious smells of baking cookies and brownies to hold an impromptu bake sale the following morning. The congregation responded generously! When considering prior pledges, their extra sacrifice pushed them over the $1,000 mark. God is doing amazing things through Amlin’s youth, and all who supported them!
The story of how Amlin United Methodist Church changed one person’s life amazing array of topics, and there was one unique member that was sick and recovering, and he had a thread devoted to his well wishers. I typed often throughout my mem-
bership, and briefly put aside my sarcastic and witty posting to write from the heart and connect with this person: Cancer to cancer. I typed it and submitted it, then deleted it. I wiped
tears from my eyes and remembered Amlin in 2003, and all the times I censored my feelings about cancer, didn’t ask for prayer, but cried quietly as my wife pointed to my name on the prayer
list. God asks that we surround each other in need and celebration. Just as my Amlin family did for me. There were no thoughts to erase. Amlin already knew them.
In My Own Words
Not long ago I posted my thoughts on a th or Danf Brent technical forum that dealt with computers and laptops. They had an
Would you help with a service ministry on Sundays?
Please take attendance at church meetings, events
We are looking for new people willing to commit to serving as Lay Reader, Usher, Greeter, or Nursery Volunteer. Our hope is to get enough people not already serving so the rotation will be one time every two or three months. This is a very easy but very important way to help! Please contact Eugene Pauley at sepauley@aol.com or 614-570-8706 and he will get you signed up! Thank you for your consideration!
We are recording attendance at all Amlin UMC meetings/events for reporting to the UMC. We will be using attendance sheets at all church functions. If you are in charge of the meeting or, even just attending, please be sure these sheets are completed. The sheets will be available on the Welcome Desk in the New Life Center and on the table in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for your cooperation!
Don't be a stranger! Please be sure to sign in on Sunday!
Amlin Unite
Would you help clean God’s house? Our church is seeking God’s servants willing to rotate weekly cleaning/custodial duties in the NLC. You will share a turn no more than once a month. This will be light to moderate cleaning, restocking of bathroom supplies, and other miscellaneous duties that can be performed at your convenience. Checklist provided. For interest in helping with the NLC cleaning, please contact Bev Hart at bhart@worly.com or 614519-3971.
d Methodist
Church
We are starting to take advantage of more functionality in our church management system. Part of this involves more robust attendance tracking than Amlin has done in the past. In order to ensure accuracy, please sign the friendship pad as it passes by on Sunday morning. If you have recently moved or are unsure whether the church has your current address/phone/email, please include those as well. Thank you!
Planning a church activity? Get it in the newsletter! Email your article and a graphic or picture to Jennifer Sayre at JenniferSayre7@gmail.com by 20th of the month to be included in the next month’s issue of Country Talk!
PRAYER CORNER Please keep the following persons and situations in your prayers. If you have a prayer request, you are invited to share it during worship, write it in the Friendship Pad, or contact Pastor Steve or the church office. We will list prayer requests in the bulletin and newsletter, unless you prefer not to have them printed. Names will remain on the list for one month, unless otherwise directed. Reid Lee-Ann Arnold Sharry Justice Larry Elkins Barb Frazer & Family DeAnne Blaine Colin Gary Ellis Lewis &Marjorie Stultz
John Stultz Ada Jordon Family of Britney Zarlino Amy Hissong’s recovery Shirley’s surgery recovery Frank Melick Joyce and pneumonia Jill Johnson Bridgette Spires
Ellis Family Gary Lightner Lee’s surgery Jackie Carla and de-cluttering Mary Kay Withrow Julie McAllister Cherryholmes Family Newtown, Connecticut
Country Talk is a monthly publication of Amlin United Methodist Church, issued at the beginning of each month. The deadline for articles is the 20th of each month for the next month’s issue. Articles and photos should be put in the church’s DropBox account, in the “Newsletter” folder. If you need access to the DropBox account, please contact the office at AmlinUMC@aol.com. If you have other questions or suggestions about the newsletter, please email Jennifer Sayre at JenniferSayre7@gmail.com.
Regular Sunday Morning Schedule 9:30–10:30 Traditional Worship* & Sunday School in the Chapel 10:30–11:00 Fellowship Time for Both Services in the New Life Center 11:00–12:00 Contemporary Worship* & Sunday School in the New Life Center 12:00 p.m. – Fellowship Time in the New Life Center *Nursery care (birth through 2 years) is provided in the New Life Center throughout the morning. Sunday School is for ages 3 through grade 6 is held during both services. Children start in the worship service and are dismissed following “Children’s Moments.” They move to the Fellowship Hall, where they participate in lessons including songs, prayer, bible study, etc.
International Evangelism Those searching for jobs The people and ministries of our church Our world, our leaders and those serving our nation, especially our troops.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Phone: (614) 771-1904 Email: AmlinUMC@aol.com Website: www.amlinumc.org Pastor Steve Putka Email: sputka@me.com Pastor of Administration Jennifer Gedeon Church Office Hours: Tuesday & Thurs. 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Treasurer Pam Ellis By appointment, call (614) 761-1371 Financial Secretary Becky Kent By appointment, call (614) 446-2359
But oddly, as I spiritually prepare for Rev. Cherryholmes’ s memorial service, I am not looking back, or thinking about the future. I am thinking From Pastor Steve Putka about now. It’s About Now. In his years of faithful service, his ministry mattered. It mattered to those he encouraged and I received a phone call this past taught. It mattered to those who were strengthweek, and learned that Rev. Ed Cherened in their leadership. It mattered as he prayed ryholmes had died. He served at Amlin for and with people in tough times. Just like your from 1997-2000. ministry matters! As I shared the news with others at The Christian life isn’t just about looking back. It Amlin, I began to reflect on the amazing journey that isn’t just about looking forward to better times in we’ve been taking together as a church. heaven, or dreaming about a better And when I say “we,” I also mean all earth. I believe it’s mostly about now. Each of us has so those who have come before us, and How do we use the time we have many opportunities many who have yet to arrive here at Amnow? How do respond right now to to love and to lin. God’s love for us? Each of us has so serve. We have opLooking back, I realize that there have many opportunities to love and to portunities to enjoy been many people who have called Amlin serve. We have opportunities to enjoy relationships, to their spiritual home. Hundreds have worrelationships, to grow spiritually, to grow spiritually, to shipped with us and hundreds have been matter to others. matter to others. baptized. We’ve celebrated many wedOur days are all numbered. We are dings, along with many funerals. Some of ultimately dust and ashes. This rethese were with Rev. Cherryholmes. minder, at the gateway to Lent, reminds us of our If we are wise, we look back, reflecting on all that own mortality. It may even remind us of those has come before. We remember that many who have who have died. But may this also remind us that come before us have been open to God’s desire to time is fleeting, and what we do now matters create the church we experience right now. deeply. It matters to us as individuals, and as the God calls us to look forward. We reflect on and church. Now matters. dream about all that God has in mind for our church What will you do with it? down the road, as we continue to faithfully invite, See you Sunday! teach, and send one another out into God’s world.
The Pastor’s Message
New choir meets between services The joy of music continues to spread throughout Amlin! Christian Mateos, who attends the second service, has started a children’s choir at Amlin. The choir is for children in
the 6th grade and younger. Practices are every Sunday in the Chapel, immediately following the first service (approximately 10:30) until 10:50. The first performance will be on Feb. 10. If you have any questions, contact Christian at mateos0412@yahoo.com or 614572-4589.
Fair Trade Coffee/Tea A reminder that our group continues to have coffee and tea for sale through the Fair Trade Coffee Project. These are available in the NLC each Sunday.
Next Meeting
Trustees look for 12 volunteers to help with monthly water softener responsibility Looking for an easy way to help out? The trustees are looking for twelve people or families to help with our water softener. Each month the softener needs a 40 lb. bag of salt pellets. Bags of salt are usually around $5 and can be found at grocery stores and home improvement stores. We are looking for one person or family to sign up for a month of the year to bring in a bag to help maintain this part of the church. Can you help? Talk to a trustee or e-mail the church: amlinumc@aol.com.
Our next meeting will be on Feb. 7 at 7pm in the Fellowship Hall. Our meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month. All women of the church are invited to attend the meetings. Rev. Cherryholmes’s Memorial Service We were able to provide cookies and refreshments for Rev. Cherryholmes’s Memorial Service on Saturday, Jan. 26. Thank you to those who donated cookies, beverages, and/ or time after the service.
Marybeth Walters, direct
or AmlinCommunityPresc hool@gmail.com AmlinUMC.org (614) 771-1904 Dearest Amlin Family, January has been a wonderful month. We are learning about plan ets. We are also learning sign lang the alphabet and we are signing uage for daily. We are doing "office work " eve ryday, We are improving the prin names and tracing lower case ting of our and upper case letters. We are really hitting the alphabet hard, friends ready for kindergarten getting all of our . We enjoyed the snow. In fact, we had the sensory table full of it! All the children had to share with cold it was. That statement mad us how e us laugh because....yes, it’s cold. ..it’s snow! I guess they never play indoors and without gloves. It was ed with it a fun learning experience. We have painted with red, pink and white paint. We have begun decorating our room for Valentine’ have also been painting with wate s Day. We r colors. Wow! The children hav e created some beautiful art wor completed our snowmen and hun k. We also g them in God's House for you all to see. I hope you enjoy them! I hope you all got to see our ice marbles before they melted awa y. We filled balloons with water coloring. We then gently carried and food them outside to freeze. They wer e not freezing! We soon learned Steve that the snow was acting from Pastor as an insulator and they needed to be moved to the kitchen free that, and we ended up with beau zer. We did just tiful ice marbles. We are so than kful for Pastor Steve and all his science! knowledge of We are now enrolling for the fall. If you know of a little one who needs a preschool spot for the pass on our information. Spots fall, please will fill quickly! Thank you to my Amlin Family. I am so thankful to be a part of this program. Stay warm!! Your Preschool Gal, Marybeth
New member recaps Forum Meeting for those who couldn’t attend By Sallie Johnson As a new member of Amlin UMC I really want to know what's going on, be involved, and understand who we are as a congregation. So you can imagine how pleased I was to get the information on the Forum Meeting on January 10, 2013. My first thought when pulling in to park was "oh good, quite a few cars.” But as 7 o'clock came I was really disappointed in the attendance; there were probably around 22 people, excluding the 4 Team Leaders and Pastor Steve. I sort of shrugged it off, thinking since I'm new to the church that others must already know what I came to learn. However, as the questions and comments flowed, it appeared that being new, perhaps, had nothing to do with lack of knowledge! There was so much good and valuable information disseminated that no way can it be put into a brief article for our newsletter. But I am attempting to share the most pertinent points… at least from my perspective. Amlin United Methodist Church is in the initial stages of a transition from "Pastor Centered" to "Congregation Centered" philosophy and practices. That means our church largely operated with the Pastor as decision maker. (Apparently this is a common model for small churches.) Entering into the Congregation Centered model, we will be led not only by Pastor Steve, but also with four distinct teams and their leaders. They are: Kim Wisecup: International Faith Development Todd Hanes: Risk Taking Mission & Service Alana Meyer: Radical Hospitality Keith Justus: Finance Each of the Team Leaders gave a brief explanation of their team's role as we move forward. Many attendees offered comments and asked questions. The Team Leaders were candid and readily answered questions. Seemingly most questions centered around finances. Many (if not most) of the attendees were unaware that we were trending in the last quarter of 2012 toward a financial down-
turn. It was noted that people estimated a certain amount and then don't follow through, thus putting our finances in jeopardy. Several people spoke about the desire to do more things than just "pay the bills,” but unfortunately our income doesn't allow that right now. It seems that communication may be the culprit, in many instances, regarding finances. Do people know, for instance, that from apportionments we receive equitable compensation (often referred to as "church welfare") monies to supplement Pastor Steve's income? That means other United Methodist churches are subsidizing Amlin UMC! Also, comments were made about sealing the back parking lot and the appearance that "things must be good.” Few knew that a decision was made to use some of the memorial monies to prevent damage, and that's how the paving was accomplished. The dialogue between Team Leaders, Pastor Steve and the attendees was impressive and insightful. Every question was addressed and answered; in a few cases there simply were no answers...at least not yet. As the meeting came to a conclusion, our treasurer Pam Ellis announced that for the first time in a long while, Amlin United Methodist Church paid our full apportionment share. This announcement was obviously emotional for Pastor Steve. With teary eyes and choking voice, he said he'd been praying ardently that we could finally accomplish paying our share, especially since we've been blessed to be recipients for so many years. Everyone applauded! Attending this meeting gave me much insight into our church and our congregation. It seems to me that Amlin UMC has "come a long way" and while that is very positive, the growing pains often felt with a growth curve, are very apparent. However, the terrifically good news is that our congregation, with God's guidance and blessings, is eager to be involved and motivated to help Amlin UMC realize its future!
Service Ministries Schedule
What does Extravagant Generosity mean to me and my church? First, if you didn’t make the recent Town Forum, you should make every effort to make the next one. This was a great opportunity to converse with church leadership on vision, mission opportunities, and the state of our finances. Remember folks, this is OUR church and we need to be proud of what we stand for and our mission as disciples of Christ in our world. Each one of us has a purpose for being at Amlin UMC. The love and passion within our congregation can help anyone on their journey. 2013 must be a year of commitment to our communities; people are counting on us! Feedback from the forum was very positive regarding the need for better communications about our “financial picture”. We found that communicating financial information on the bulletin was too often and most people didn’t read it, or understand it anyway. So, we decided to communicate when people asked for the information. Frankly, that didn’t work either. We need to be somewhere in the middle, with at least monthly content in the newsletter. This is very important, because the current state of our finances could be much much better. Let me first explain a few concepts you may have heard, but maybe wonder what they really mean. Apportionments are shared funds that all churches contribute to the greater good of the districts and the conference. Think of it as our commitment to “Tithe” as a church. Our conference divides these funds among local churches and makes monetary gifts to designated funds. By combining several smaller gifts from churches into a larger amount, we can effect change across the world. Doing our part of apportionments is very important to the success of our United Methodist Church as a whole. Amlin receives Equitable Compensation (EC). EC is basically salary support for Pastor Steve. We received EC monthly all last year. This was essentially “church welfare” paid through the apportionments from other churches. Even though we have been approved again this year for EC (with a 30% reduction), we must take pride in our church and become less dependent on others. Our goal should be to end this financial support as soon as possible. When discussing finances of the church, I am going to exclude the Preschool, because this incredible program we offer our community is self-sustained. Blessed are the leaders and teachers who make this a great service for children in our communities. I’ll bet you are wondering… “When is he going to talk about Extravagant Generosity”? I will shortly and bring all this together in a meaningful and passionate message for us all. I need to first show you our financial picture. Here is a snapshot without Pre-school:
Notice, if we remove EC received for Pastor Steve, we are consistently losing money. Also, I only presented this fiscal year (July 1st). If I go back to when the Stewardship Campaign began (April 1st), we are below as well. Keep in mind… this is just a comparison between giving and expenses. The next picture is what we estimated as a congregation in order to carry out missions and growth in giving to our communities.
We are in the midst of a negative growth trend and we need to be passionate about our capabilities.
Based on campaign cards and conservative estimates, we planned on $4,200/week. Budgeting was set based on months with 4 or 5 Sundays. This chart simply shows the comparison of Actual Giving versus our Estimates. In preparing for my message for the Town Forum, I wanted to instill in everyone the vision of what we really could accomplish and the impact we can certainly make. I spent a few hours looking at web sites of other churches, even some with other denominations. I took a deep hard look at some of their programs, discipleship, missions, and education they provide to their communities. It was truly astounding to see so many passionate and committed churches out there making a difference. This is when I truly understood what Extravagant Generosity really means. The great news is; we are no different than any of them! We need your time, your talent, your commitment, and yes, your money. Read on, and then close your eyes and imagine some of these ideas for OUR church… throw in a few of your own ideas too. Mexico Mission Trip – my boss at work goes twice a year to build cinder-block homes for their poor Overseas Missionary Sponsorship – our neighbors were sponsored to share Jesus Christ in Malaysia Disciple Education Programs – weekly education beyond traditional bible studies Walk to Emmaus – 3 day movement to empower a deep spiritual journey Upward Sports Program – the world's largest Christian sports league for kids Boy Scouts of America – how cool it would be, to have our own Troop Alcoholics Anonymous – opening our church up as a location to adults in need of support Adopt-a-house – local faith-based sponsorship of a rehab with Habitat for Humanity of Mid-Ohio Adult Special Needs – providing support and programs Devotional Materials – providing additional resources to our members and abroad Children’s Ministries – the list is endless to develop our children for the mission of Jesus Christ Be creative and imagine what God could do through our church! Folks, I am VERY proud to be a member of this church. It is so exciting to see our growth and new faces entering our community. I’m enthusiastic about our leadership and Pastor Steve. Our potential has reached the next level. Now, is the time to get fired-up about our vision! Pretty soon, we will be beginning our next Stewardship Campaign and I hope we all look deep within our hearts to give our talents, time, and money for the betterment of a Christian life for everyone. God bless you and your families and let’s rally behind our missions to share the great experience of being a blessed Christian with Amlin United Methodist Church. With God, we have unlimited capability. Yours in Christ, Keith Justus, Chair, Extravagant Generosity Team
CURRENT RESIDENT OR
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE AMLIN UMC AMLIN OH 43002 PERMIT NO. 2
Amlin United Methodist Church 5441 Cosgray Rd. Dublin, OH 43016
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February 2013 3 Youth Group 6:30 - 8:00
4 Disciple Bible Study 7:00-9:00
5 Weight Watchers 6:30 Making Love Last a Lifetime 7:30
6 Disciple Bible Study 1:00-3:00 Praise Team 7:00
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8 UMW 7:00
9 UMW Retreat
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11 Disciple Bible Study 7:00-9:00
12 Weight Watchers 6:30 Making Love Last a Lifetime 7:30
13 Disciple Bible Study 1:00-3:00 Praise Team 7:00
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15 Hammer & Nails Mission Trip 6:00 pm
16 Hammer & Nails Mission Trip
17 Hammer & Nails Mission Trip
18 Hammer & Nails Mission Trip Disciple Bible Study 7:00-9:00
19 Weight Watchers 6:30 Making Love Last a Lifetime 7:30
20 Disciple Bible Study1:00-3:00 Praise Team 7:00 Lenten Bible Study 7:00 - 8:00
21 Committee Mtgs. 7-8 Ad Board Mtg. 8:15-9:15
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24 Youth Group 6:30 - 8:00
25 Disciple Bible Study 7:00-9:00
26 Weight Watchers 6:30 Making Love Last a Lifetime 7:30
27 28 Disciple Bible Study1:00-3:00 Praise Team 7:00 Lenten Bible Study 7:00 - 8:00