A LETTER FROM PASTOR CHARLIE Praying for Our Future On March 11, PUMC held a Special Called Church Conference to consider approving a capital campaign to fund needed building maintenance, upgrades, and renovations. We call the initiative for this group of projects “Transforming for Tomorrow�. The motion was passed. Additional information on the meeting is found elsewhere in this edition of the Circuit Rider. During the Church Conference, we prayed this prayer. I invite you to use it daily as a guide in praying for our future. Gracious and loving God, we are grateful for your extravagant blessings and benefits in our lives. Thank you for the life, ministry, and witness of this congregation, Plainfield United Methodist Church. Because of the faithfulness of past generations, we have experienced the nurturing embrace of the love and grace of your Son, Jesus. Thank you for the opportunities we have to surrender our time, talents, and treasures to your service so that life among us may be as you intend. For the higher purpose of truly demonstrating your love to all whom we influence, reach, and encounter, we sacrifice our personal preferences. As you have been with your pilgrim people from the beginning, we stand in your promise to be with us through our journey. Continue to inspire us with the unconditional acceptance of your Grace, dear God. Guard us in all of our work and witness with the transcendent Peace of Christ. Guide us as we step forward with the Hope of your Holy Spirit into the fruitful future which you have promised and prepared for us. Grow in each of us the ability and willingness to give generously so that the future you envision for this congregation comes to be fully realized. We pray together in the name of the One whose selfless, unconditional love we hope to clearly reveal in all of these things, your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Go in peace. God with God. And be well. Shalom,
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APRIL CLASSIC WORSHIP
PUMC celebrates Easter on Sunday, April 1, in all worship experiences. Classic Worship in the sanctuary that morning at 8:45 and 10:00 a.m. will feature choir, an uplifting message, a living floral cross, and the singing of the Easter classic, Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” 600 Simmons Street Plainfield, Indiana 46168-2264 pumc.org • 317.839.2319 Sundays
Transforming for Tomorrow On Sunday, March 11, 2 p.m. in the PUMC Sanctuary, PUMC held a Special Called Church Conference to consider approving a capital campaign to fund needed building maintenance, upgrades, and renovations. The motion was passed by PUMC church members by a vote of 69 to 15. Please find minutes from this meeting, the full motion and supporting documents, and a prayer guiding PUMC forward at pumc.org. Hard copies are available in the church office. Please use the prayer daily as PUMC launches this improvement initiative, Transforming for Tomorrow. And be in touch with pastors through the church office with questions.
Serving the Children of Plainfield
Classic Worship: 8:45 & 10:00 a.m. Preaching Chapel: 11:15 a.m. NewDay Praise Worship: 8:45 & 10:00 a.m. Youth Worship (grades 6-12): 10:00 a.m. Bible Explorers (grades K-5): 10:00 a.m. Office Hours: 8:30a.m. – 3:30p.m. (M–F)
The Plainfield UMC App Available in the App Stores Download today at
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Table of Contents Senior Pastor’s Letter Classic Worship Transforming for Tomorrow NewDay Pastor’s Letter Staff News & Updates The Raindrop & the Resurrection United Methodist Women Children’s Worship Mission News Church Council Report Notes to the Congregation
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A LETTER FROM PASTOR ELIZABETH When was the last time you were “new” somewhere? New to a job or a company, new to town, new to the other parents at the kids’ play group….? Can you recall some of your feelings at that time? What were some of the concerns you had about navigating the new space, the new experience, the new relationships? And how did you finally learn to feel at home in your new environment? Did it just take time? Or can you name someone who befriended you, who came along side you to “show you the ropes” and introduce you to people? Can you remember the first time you came to Plainfield United Methodist Church? What questions and concerns did you have? How did you finally learn your way around? Was there someone who was especially helpful to you until you felt at home? Every Sunday at PUMC we receive guests who find themselves here at PUMC for the first time. In fact, it may be the first time they are in any church. In a large and diverse ministry such as PUMC, it is impossible to know everyone. But it is not impossible to warmly welcome and care for the people you encounter on any given Sunday here at church. Consider 4
adopting the following welcoming habits as you seek to welcome and include the people who come to PUMC seeking acceptance and welcome…. • If you don’t know someone nearby – which happens often in a large church – simply approach them with a warm smile, an enthusiastic “Good morning!” and introduce yourself. You’ll be surprised at how often the other person responds in kind and you have the start of a friendly conversation. • Minimize your participation in “holy huddles.” Holy huddles are those gatherings of church members who know each other well and find themselves deep in conversation – in a small huddle – on Sunday mornings. This not only makes it difficult for you to notice and greet others, it gives the impression that there is no place here for newcomers. • Take responsibility for the ten people closest to you prior to, and following, the start and close of worship. Guests often say this is the loneliest, most awkward time of their experience. Be sure to speak to and welcome the ten people closest to you prior to worship, and engage them in pumc.org
conversation following. If they are new to church or new to town, they might be especially receptive to an invitation to your small group – or even lunch! Our ability to welcome and include newcomers in the life of this church is not just something nice to do. It has gospel implications. It may be that a guest might come to meet and know Jesus here at PUMC if they are warmly welcomed, return, and have engage in opportunities to hear and experience the love of Jesus. Thank you for doing all you can to make PUMC a place of welcome. In NewDay Praise Worship, like all of PUMC’s worship experiences, we seek to create a space and an experience where people who don’t know Jesus can meet him, those who do know Jesus can grow in that relationship, and everyone can find a warm welcome and a safe place to ask questions and talk about faith. I hope you’ll join us sometime soon! Blessings,
Serving the Children of Plainfield
Staff News and Updates
Congratulations Pastor Elizabeth PUMC is pleased to congratulate Pastor Elizabeth Gilbert on her completion of the United Methodist Course of Study. This training for local, licensed pastors in The United Methodist Church includes 20 seminary level classes, practical assignments, and active participation and leadership in the local church. We celebrate Elizabeth’s graduation and ongoing ministry at PUMC!
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Easter Sunday Celebration Easter Sunday Celebration at PUMC includes special music and worship in both Classic Worship in the Sanctuary and in NewDay Praise Worship in the Worship Annex. Invite your family and friends to join you on April 1! The celebration will also include special refreshments and an Easterthemed photo booth in Clayton Hall. Plan to be a part of the fun on this special day! 6
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The Raindrop and the Resurrection Marge Welker
Easter is the time to celebrate the Resurrection. He is Risen!! That’s why we worship on Sundays. We celebrate his Resurrection every Sunday. United Methodist Women The Legend of the Raindrop The legend of the raindrop holds a lesson for us all As it trembles in the heavens wondering should it fall. The glistening little raindrop argued with the sky-I am beautiful and lovely as I sparkle here on high. But the heavens asked the raindrop, Why do you hesitate to go? For you’ll be far more beautiful if you fall to earth below. For you will sink in the soil, and be lost awhile from sight. But when you reappear on earth you’ll be greeted with delight. And in your resurrection you’ll appear in queenly clothes, In the beauty of the sky and the fragrance of the rose. For nothing’s ever lost, nothing’s ever gone for good, But renews itself upon the earth as God thought that it should. So trust God’s might wisdom, let yourself drop from the sky And you will fall and rise again, for nothing ever dies
Serving the Children of Plainfield
News
Rachel Circle (small group) will meet at PUMC on Tuesday, April 10, and depart from there by 6:30 p.m. in personal cars for Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Center in Avon for a tour and program there at 7:00 pm. The address of the center is 7519 Beechwood Centre Road, Suite 500, Avon, Indiana, 46123. Questions? Contact Kathy List at klist@ sprintmail.com or Roberta Rhodes at bert38@sbcglobal.net.
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Children’s Worship
Amanda Norton, Director, anorton@pumc.org
Bible Explorers’ Adventure Continues! PUMC Bible Explorers (Grades PreK, and K-5) continue each Sunday morning to explore the world, sailing with new friends Asia, Edgar, Kat, and Caleb of the Deep Blue Crew. Each week in Bible Explorers (Sundays, 10:00-11:00 a.m. at PUMC) students are experiencing a new adventure to learn more about God and grow in their relationship with Jesus! Students learn about God and what it means to be a follower of Jesus through Bible stories and opportunities to serve as disciples in the classroom, the local community,
(room 107) and pick-up in the south hall. If you can help make Sunday Deep Blue adventures extra special and meaningful for students, please contact Jeanne Milligan, Children’s Council Chair, at jeanne.milliga55@ gmail.com to volunteer. Thank you!
Tree of Kindness
and the world! Kids will explore Guatemala, Kenya, Alaska, and Armenia throughout the year as they dive deep into God’s Word together. Students will discover what it means to be a follower of Jesus in this around-the-world adventure. Parents, please note: Students must be signed-in by an adult. Please be with your K-5 student at drop-off 8
PUMC Bible Explorers (students grade K-5) are proud to present their Kindness Tree in the Main Lobby at PUMC. It has their 38 foot-long “Acts of Kindness Chain” which they have been working on since January. Every Sunday students have written down kind things they have done during the week. They have been excited to see their Kindness grow! Please take a moment to read the individual Acts of Kindness and be encouraged! Thank you to all of the Sunday morning Bible Explorer teachers who have committed their time to this most important ministry! pumc.org
MAY 19, 2018
4-Person Scramble with Shotgun Start @ 1PM Deer Creek Golf Club 7143 South State Highway 39, Clayton, IN 46118 LUNCH
BBQ DINNER
SILENT AUCTION
BE A THRIVE 365 TEAM FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES $365 per foursome = 1 day of shelter & support services for homeless families
Family Promise operates on $365 per day! We are in need of 365 donors to give $365 to fund our work with homeless families in 2018. By playing in our Invitational, your foursome will provide one day of the support and care our families need to find sustainable stability. We will recognize your foursome by naming the day in your honor in publications and our website. This will be Your Day at Family Promise! (You choose the name and 2018 date.)
Thank you for helping our families THRIVE! New in 2018 BATTLE OF THE FOURSOMES for a Championship Cup in divisions: churches, schools , chambers, civic groups & more.
REGISTER:
FamilyPromiseHendricksCounty.org/Golf
Serving the Children of Plainfield
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Mission News
Ruth Ellen Stone, Committee Chair, missions@pumc.org
Mission and Justice Summit April 21, 2018 Missions Projects Sunday at PUMC April 8 This annual special event gives everyone at PUMC an opportunity to see displays and posters about the many ways one can be in service or ministry locally or reaching around the world through Plainfield United Methodist Church. The updated Mission Booklet will be available that day. Thirty or more missions projects will be featured in the main lobby with persons available to answer questions and give more information. This is a good time to learn about the several work teams which go annually (or more often) from PUMC to Henderson Settlement in Kentucky, UMC Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Illinois, and Strong Ministry in Costa Rica, as well as the many, many opportunities for mission and service right here in the area. 10
The Mission and Justice Summit is an exciting opportunity for United Methodists from across Indiana to learn and share about mission and service opportunities. Participants will discover new ways to become more missional and share what their churches are doing to service in their communities. Rev. Jeff Newton, Executive Director of Kokomo Urban Ministry, will be the keynote speaker. Workshops will be available about ministries with children; ministry with the poor, disability awareness; prison and jail ministry; Fair Trade as ministry, disaster response, and racial discussion circles. Cost is only fifteen dollars which includes lunch. Event is being held at Grace UMC in Franklin, Indiana. Register at JAzz1969! See Pastor Ken Loudenback for more information.
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those families. Students studying agriculture at the university will have an opportunity for more research and use of their leadership and teaching skills. Learn more at africau.edu about the project and how the Indiana Conference of the Spring Food Drive UMC supports and participates in the It will soon be time for the Spring ongoing work at Africa University. Food Drive at PUMC! As always, non-perishable food items as well as household supplies will be needed. Be watching the Sunday worship folder for more information in May.
Call for Coffee Cans for Angel Tree
New Project at Africa University On the campus of Africa University (United Methodist sponsored) in Zimbabwe, a new project is developing, as the Small Farm Resource Center. It will have an area adjoining the campus and will be an aid to small farmers in that area of the country who may request advice on raising more and better crops, thereby making more food available for their own families and others. It will also be a source of income for Serving the Children of Plainfield
One valuable resource that is needed for PUMC’s Angel Tree Ministry every year is coffee cans. We decorate these cans for use in delivering home-baked Christmas Cookies to the Angel Tree children. Ideally, we would like to have metal coffee cans, but we realize that they are hard to come by. A viable alternative are round 240 and 270 cup plastic coffee cans. (We cannot use square cans or 210 cup plastic coffee cans. Please drop off clean, empty coffee cans at the Donation Depot near the church office to help with this important part of the Christmas Angel Tree Ministry. 11
Family Promise
Mary Raver & Rick Jones, mraver@pumc.org & rjones@pumc.org
Dear Plainfield UMC Family, The director of Family Promise of Hendricks County, Julie Randall, sent PUMC a profound thank you for your generous support. The Mission Work Area committee had listed Family Promise (as well as Sheltering Wings, Last Saturday Lunch, Summer Lunch Bunch and Family Assistance) as intended recipients of portions of 2017’s Christmas Offering. Your generous support allowed PUMC to send Family Promise of Hendricks County enough funds to support over a week of their operations for 2018, providing needed shelter, case management, childcare, food, job training/placement and transportation for the families. They have determined it takes $365 a day to operate and they now not only work with families staying in the program, but also offer support services and resource guidance to those who are on the verge of homelessness, aiming at prevention, breaking down barriers and finding sustainable stability on the other side. September 18, 2018 through September 25, 2018 have been named Plainfield United Methodist Church Days at Family Promise. Julie and the Family Promise Board as well as all the families that are served thank you for your support in our shared mission! PUMC Family Promise Coordinators Mary Raver Rick Jones
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Church Council Report
Nikki Shoultz, Committee Chair, churchcouncil@pumc.org
The Church Council met for its regular monthly meeting on March 14, 2018. In addition to hearing devotions and praying, receiving regular reports from committee chairs and lay leaders, the Council celebrated Glory Sightings, evidences of God’s work for good around us. Additionally, the Council received the following reports and made the following actions: Mary Raver, Lay Leader for Missions, reported that the special Easter offering will support local children and families in need. Missions Projects Sunday is April 8. Missions displays will be in a ‘museum’ format to engage worshipers in this congregation’s missions projects stories. Kathy Perry, Lay Leader for Discipleship, reported that the next all church study will be “Gratitude” by Kent Millard, timed to precede Consecration Sunday. Rev. Millard will be PUMC’s guest preacher for Consecration Sunday. Jenn Finesilver, Lay Leader for Worship, reported that Michael Pettry’s last Sunday as PUMC’s Music
Serving the Children of Plainfield
Director was a special day of worship. We send him to his next opportunity with love and thanksgiving. Transforming for Tomorrow At the Special Called Church Conference on March 11, PUMC membership voted 69-15 to proceed with this capital campaign (for facility maintenance, upgrades and renovations) and necessary fund-raising. Church Council is finalizing the leadership structure and committees. A priority project is getting the existing parking lot resurfaced and add more parking spaces. Bob Milligan, Staff Parish Relations Committee Chair, reported that Jaime Carini (Organ Scholar) will serve as interim Music Director while the search commences for a replacement for Music Director Michael Pettry. The search continues for a Children’s Ministry Director. Thank you for your ongoing prayerful support of the ministry and mission of the Church Council and PUMC.
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Notes to the Congregation In the Hospital this Past Month In thanksgiving for Michael Pettry’s ministry as PUMC Director of Music, gifts may be made to the “PUMC Music Guild” to support music ministry expenses incurred beyond the Basic Ministry Budget.
• Bob Preusch • Alex Dunn • Orville Stenger • Jim Ward • Ilse Hawkins • Steve Best
I would like to thank everyone for the beautiful cards and well wishes; Pastor Charlie for the calls, prayers and the visit and prayer at Hendricks Regional before my surgery. Thank you Tuesday Morning Prayer Group, the Mary Martha Circle, and the Golden Girls for your prayers. Thanks to the “Ordinary People” Class for the beautiful prayer blanket, the vist, and the care package. I am blessed to belong to PUMC. I love you all!
Prayer Blankets
• Charles Hopper • Melanie Campbell • Tom Hilligoss • Lois Underwood • Carolyn Merchant • Jim Covalt
Love & Sympathy
• Brenda Pierce from Ordinary People Sunday School Class with prayers for comfort and healing. • Ilsa Hawkins from Ordinary People Sunday School Class with prayers for comfort and healing. • Ray Yeager from Mike and Elizabeth Gilbert with prayers for strength and healing. • Lori Childress from Plainfield United Methodist Church with prayers for health and healing. • Tina Collins from Lori Sargent with prayers for strength and healing. • Lori Childress from Plainfield United Methodist Church with prayers for health and healing.
• Our love & sympathy are shared with: • Jeff & Pam Rogers on the death of their son, Telly Rogers. • Neal & Crystal Fossmeyer and family on the death of Neal’s father. • the family of Edith Welsh on her death. • the family of Tom Highsmith on his death.
Do you want to order a prayer blanket or bandanna? Prayer blankets and bandannas are tangible ways to express God’s love and give those in need comfort and support from the PUMC congregation. If you would like to order a blanket or bandanna, please contact Carol Foxworthy at cfoxworthy@att.net or 317.838.7588. Blanket: $20; Bandanna: $10. Make your check payable to PUMC and mark it Prayer Blanket Ministry.
Ilse Hawkins
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Ways to Connect eNews from PUMC Visit www.pumc.org to sign-up for free weekly eNews and digital delivery of the monthly newsletter, “The Circuit Rider.” Follow PUMC on /PlainfieldUMC /NewDayPraise /PUMCBibleExplorers PUMC weekly sermons available in the Plainfield UMC App.
PUMC Vital Signs
2018 YTD Basic Ministry Budget thru January Giving: $227,561 Expenses: $179,274 Giving-Expense Balance: $48,288 2 month’s “budget”: $174,245
Bible Reading Plan available in the Plainfield UMC App.
Ways to Give Give in person in worship on ACH Sunday morning. IN-PERSON
CASH/CHECK
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Online at pumc.org or via ACH SecureGive on your mobile device. SECURE
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Phone Brenda Barnett in the Church Office to set up, 317.839.2319.
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Give through the Plainfield UMC App. Get the app on your mobile device at pumc.link/getapp
Serving the Children of Plainfield
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Serving the Children of Plainfield
April 2018 Plainfield United Methodist Church 600 Simmons Street Plainfield, IN 46168 Time Sensitive Material Return Service Requested