Ramona United Methodist Church
The Valley Spirit
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
June 2012
Notes From Your Lay Leader
Inside this issue: Lay Leader Notes
2
Friendship Circle Church Luncheon Fundraiser
3
LPLC Faith Weavers Birthdays
4
Anniversaries NAMI New Clergy Calendar
5
Volunteers Ministry
6
Sunday School Summer Picnic UMW Scrip Hunger Walk Open Door Dinner
OUR VISION: An inclusive community of faith, learning and serving for the glory of Christ
7
Shortly before Easter I got an email inquiry from someone looking for a church to visit. The first thing that struck was they lived nearby but not in Ramona, so this must have been more than a cursory search. The second thing that occurred to me was that our web site is working because that's how they found us. The third thing that I realized was that because of the questions that were asked, this was not going to be a challenging response. The first question was in regard to our preaching - " I am trying to find a church that is sincere in their sermons; not one just looking to gain numbers and is in it for show." As I read that I considered that we really would like to increase our numbers but I know that is not my primary motivation when preaching. I explained that we were in a period of transition and offered a link to my sermon from Jan. 29 t h http:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=vnFOclUemag (in case you don't remember that one). I was sincere in preparing and presenting it, and I hope everyone hears it that way. Of course there are plenty of others to choose from now. The second question was, "Are you community oriented?" I had to think
about this for a few minutes, and my response was that we try to be community oriented. Some of our activities include:
Sponsoring a Cub Scout Pack
Providing space for the Ramona Community Theater
Serving as the Ramona distribution site for the Golden Share food program
Sponsoring and supporting the Ramona Food and Clothes Closet (a ministry of the United Methodist Women)
A Wednesday afternoon/evening children’s program
Providing a meeting place for the National Association of Mental Illness Family to Family Education program (our newest effort)
Our largest ministry is our pre-school which provides faith-based care and education at what we believe are the lowest possible costs. The more I looked at this list, the clearer it became that I was pretty much defining community involvement with respect to our building and our members, except for
Con’t on Page 2
Page 2
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
June 2012
Lay Leader ’s Article Continued From Page 1... the work of the UMW. I missed Turkey Dinner, which is only an annual outreach, and the Open Door Dinners, but that only involves a couple people. Where is our ministry into the community, going where the need is rather than asking those in need to come to us? If Habitat for Humanity and Extreme Make-over Home Edition can draw thousands of people and inspire them to herculean effort, why can't we draw tens of people and inspire them to modest and continuing effort?
fit within the boundaries of the Methodist doctrine. If you have some ideas about that, I would love to hear them. In some situations our services are not traditional. For example, our Good Friday service will be one of song and dramatic reading that was written by our Music Director. Our Easter tradition includes a potluck supper and the lighting of a vigil fire on Saturday evening. We will tend that fire throughout the night, until the Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m.
The next question was easier, "Is there a family like feel to your church?" I responded that our church is relatively small – we average about 60 people in worship on any given Sunday. I think we are a good church family, open to anyone who chooses to join us. You would not be the first Marine to attend, nor I hope the last. While we are not just looking to gain members we are always looking for ways to grow our attendance and our giving. The more we have the more we can do.
So, what do you think of my answers? What would you have added? What would you have left out? My challenge to you is to consider these questions and then tell me what you think.
The final question was, "Would you be able to tell me about how your services are conducted? Are they contemporary or traditional?" I responded that our services are primarily traditional. Recently I have begun to explore the idea of adding a contemporary service. So far I am a committee of one, trying to figure out exactly what the term “contemporary service” means and how that might
Friendship Circle The Friendship Circle will meet this month at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 6th at the home of Hallie McCray, 17118 Arena Way, in Ramona. Devotions will be led by Joanne Bowden. All women are invited to come together for a m o r n i n g o f i n s p i r a t i o n , fellowship, and refreshments.
J.D. Baker Certified Lay Speaker and Lay Leader
Church Luncheon RUMC is having a special luncheon served after service on Sunday, June 10th. Mary Lou Gray and Ellen Sargent will be cooking the food. Everyone is welcome and please stay to enjoy a wonderful lunch. P.S. The Fergusons will be in Church that day too!
June 2012
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
Fundraiser June is the month for taking control of your health and wellness. Did you know that doTERRA essential oils can aid with headaches, arthritis and digestive issues. United Methodist church is offering free informational classes as our June Fundraiser. These classes are for anyone who is interested in learning about using safer, cheaper more effective healthcare methods in the home. The classes are 45 minutes long and open to the public. This is an amazing opportunity for education as well as raise money for the church. This is a class for all ages we will be holding three classes in June. Help increase our fund raising efforts by bringing 5 friends to the class and you will receive a free gift and your name will be entered in the drawing to win a free oil at the end of the month. June 14th at 6:30, June 20th 6:30 and June 26th at 6:30. Childcare will be provided. If you need childcare please RSVP to Nicole Styx at (224) 515-6090.
Faith Weavers Thank you to all who have participated in Faith Weaver Friends every Wednesday evening during the school year. We will wind down on June 6 and go to summer picnics. Over thirty children have attended Faith Weavers during the school year. Volunteers making this possible are: Jill Bacorn, J.D. Baker, Rex McCray, Karen Harris, Justin & April McIver, Tonya Pena, Tiffany Aanenson, Deb Stokes and Nicole Styx.
Page 3
LPLC Promotion June 15 For the month of June, we are ending our traditional school year with a promotion program to send off our soon-to-be kindergarteners on June 15 at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary. Everyone is welcome to celebrate this event with the preschool families and congratulate the children for a job well done. Meanwhile, we will review the alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes and report an assessment of each child’s development, and learn about travel and vacations. The summer session begins on June 18 with school-age children having class in the sanctuary for ten weeks. Once again our summer focus of study will be different cultures and geography. June will take us to Jamaica – learning about their culture and islands. Can’t wait! Thanks once again for all your support, Blessings, Jill Bacorn, LPLC Director
LPLC Thank you, thank you, thank you!! We had a really fun carnival and raised $7,000 in funds for scholarships and a shade structure! Many people helped us with this including Jill Bacorn, Mary Williams, Deborah Stokes, Ellen Sargeant, Rex & Hallie McCray, Doris Nixon, Louise Boyle, Nikki Styx, Jim Bowden, Ed Bacorn, Mark & Paula Miller, Barbara Green and many LPLC parents; especially Nicole Styx who chaired the carnival, with help from Brooke Adams and her mom, Kristine Petersen and Veronica. I also want to thank those who donated to the silent auction, gift card boutiques and dinner. All the volunteers and donors are what make the carnival a success, thus a quality preschool right here at RUMC!
Page 4
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
June Birthdays:
June 2012
New Clergy Appointment During this time of pastoral transition your prayers and support have been much appreciated. We are pleased to announce that the next step in that transition has been taken. Bishop Swenson has appointed the Reverend Valerie (call her Val) Weise to Ramona UMC. Pastor Val comes to us from High Grove UMC in the Riverside District.
Birthdays in June: 12 Carter Braxtan 15 Rex McCray 20 Matt James 21 Carol Spencer 29 Lilly Dreyer
Anniversaries in June: 9 Bernard & Adelaide Young 12 John & Arvie Degenfelder 16 J.D. & Sharon Baker 19 Marty & Karen Harris 29 Mark & Paula Miller
Pastor Val is a 2011 graduate of Claremont School of Theology and will be commissioned this June at Annual Conference. Before her appointment at High Grove UMC, Val served as Youth Director at First UMC Riverside. In addition to her work with youth, she has served in a number of positions in the church including lay leader, teacher, worship committee leader, and Vacation Bible School leader. In addition to worship activities, she has been active in creating fellowship activities. Prior to ministry Val taught elementary school for 20 years in the Riverside area. Val and her husband David will soon be moving to our area, along with their children Sarah, Jessica and Ben. Sarah will be a high school freshman this fall, Jessica is a student at Northern Arizona University and Ben is a student at UC Berkeley. Pastor Val and her family are very excited about the appointment and the possibilities for ministry at Ramona UMC. Pastor Val’s first Sunday with us will be July 8th. Please plan to warmly welcome her and her family to our church family.
NAMI (NAMI), a nonprofit organization, provides free education, support services and advocacy to improve the quality of life of everyone To generate it, point your iPhone at affected by mental illnesses. This is the final month for the the symbol, and it takes you to our workshop concluding on Friday, June 29. Join us to find complete church web site. information about mental illnesses and understanding and supporting the relative living with the illness as well as a wide array of coping skills. Learn how families unite together against this disability. UMC QR Code:
Attend with other family members just like you, free of charge, in a confidential setting held at RUMC, Friday evenings, in the LPLC preschool building 6:00—8:30 pm.
June 2012
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
June 2012 Sunday
Monday
Page 5
RAMONA UMC Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Women’s Breakfast @ McDonald’s 6:30 AM Every Tuesday
Faith Weavers 4:30 pm June 6 & 13
Men’s Breakfast @ Ramona Caf’e 6:00 AM Every Thursday
1 National Alliance Mental Illness Pre-School Bldg. 6:00-8:30 pm
2
3 Communion Sunday
4 LPLC Board Meeting 6:00 pm
5 Election Day RUMC Poll Site
6 Friendship Circle 10:00 am Home of Hallie McCray
7
8 (NAMI) Pre-School Bldg. 6:00-8:30 pm
9
10 Luncheon after Worship
11 Trustees Meeting 6:30 pm
12
13 Bible Study 6:30-8:00 pm
14 Flag Day do Terra Health Class Fundraiser 6:30 pm
15 (NAMI) Pre-School Bldg. 6:00-8:30 pm LPLC Promotion 6:30-8:30pm
16
17 Father’s Day
18 LPLC Summer Session Begins Finance 6:00 pm Ad Council 7:00 pm
19 Last Day To Register For UMC District Summer Camp
20 Summer Begins Bible Study 6:30-8:00 pm do Terra Health Class 6:30 pm
21
22 (NAMI) Pre-School Bldg. 6:00-8:30 pm
23 Golden Share Foods Dist. 10:00-11:00 am
24
25
26 do Terra Health Class Fundraiser 6:30 pm
27 LPLC Summer Picnic 5:00 pm
28 Worship Comm. Mtg. 5:30 pm do Terra Health Class 6:30 pm
29 (NAMI) Pre-School Bldg. 6:00-8:30 pm
30
Office Hours: Tues-Thurs 9 am—1 pm
This Month’s Volunteers Liturgist: June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24
J.D. Baker Tom Ferguson Mary Lou Gray Karen Harris
Coffee Fellowship: SPRC
Greeters: June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24
Rose Howland/LaVina Stromberg Jim & Joanne Bowden Dennis & Ellen Sargent Open
Flowers: June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24
Bernie & Adelaide Young Rex & Hallie McCray Dennis & Ellen Sargent Karen Harris
Page 6
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
RUMC Ministry A few weeks ago J.D. invited all interested in the formation of a hospital/home visitation group to meet and discuss ideas. As we have been tasked in John 15:16 “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name”, so this group has already born fruit. This ministry will help with calls and visitation to those associated with the RUMC family who are in need of our support and prayers. If you know of persons in need, you may communicate that need by: 1. Sending an email to prayer@ramonaumc.org 2. Calling Mary Williams 3. Calling Joanne Bowden or Elizabeth Dreyer 4. Calling or e-mailing Barbara at the church office. Please consider joining in this vital Visitation Ministry Group by contacting Elizabeth (760) 9752932 or Joanne (760) 788-1514. There are many different ways that you can participate, so please call to find out how you can get involved.
June 2012
Sunday School I just wanted to take a quick moment to say Thank You to all my Sunday School Teachers and Helpers. When I passed around the Sunday School sign-up sheet in January, the sheet was full by the time it reached me sitting in the middle of the sanctuary and the back rows didn’t even have an opportunity to sign up. I have been struggling for the right words to properly express the gratitude and joy I felt to receive that kind of outpouring of support for our Sunday School program. So a very heartfelt Thank you to Holly Adams, Eddie Bacorn, Jill Bacorn, Joanne Bowden, Sue Carlson, Tom Ferguson, Rose Howland, Diane Islander, Karen Johnson, Robin Lebrun, Justin McIver, Diane Norman, Jennifer Stager, and Karen Wochaski. This summer our Sunday School program is called Spiritual Gift Cards. The program goes over 14 gifts that God gives us and how we can use those gifts every day. Each Sunday we are going to talk about a different gift. They include Faith, Wisdom, Mercy, Teaching and Forgiveness. Sign-up sheet for this summer’s will be posted in the Narthex. Nicole Styx
RUMC & LPLC Plan Summer Picnics Starting June Come hang out with your friends and make new friends this summer at the combined church and LPLC mid-week picnics! Picnics are being planned for this summer beginning June 27, from 5:00—7:00 pm. We will all take turns providing the food by signing up ahead of time. The first picnic on June 27 will be an Italian theme. Gathering will begin at 5:00 pm and we will eat around 5:30 pm. After dinner, Nikki has volunteered to be with the elementary kids on the ball field for a game of bocce ball and younger children will be supervised on the playground. There will be Frisbee & other games for older youth.
We plan to have paid childcare services for elementary and preschool age children from 6:30 until 8:00 pm so that parents who wish to attend the Bible study from 6:30—8:00 pm may do so. A donation will be requested from all who attend to help pay for childcare and any other programming expenses that may be incurred. Mark your calendars now for June 27, July 11, July 25 and August 8. Watch for sign-ups to provide food and fun.
June 2012
T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
UMW Dinner
Page 7
Scrip
Mark Your Calendars For Saturday, July 21
Some Scrip “Biggies”
The UMW is sponsoring a church wide Progressive Dinner. There will be stops at three different homes. The first home will provide an appetizer/salad, the second home will provide the entree and the final home will provide desert. This is an event for adults. We will have child care at the church for young children. They will have adult supervision, pizza and play time or possibly a movie. Child care will start at 5:00 pm and the progressive dinner will start at 6:00 pm. We should be done by 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm. A clip board will be passed around church for sign ups. We need to get an idea on how many people want to participate. We also need an idea of how many kids to prepare for. Next month we will let everyone know the addresses and where to start the fun! If you have any questions c ontac t Hallie Mc Cray at 788 - 4957 or h-rmccray@cox.net. If you would like to host the appetizer/salad or desert stops also contact Hallie.
You’ve heard that when we purchase scrip out at the gazebo after church, RUMC benefits with a percent of each card coming to us. Here are some noteworthy examples of especially beneficial percentages:
Crop Hunger Walk The Ramona CROP walk was organized by the 1st Congregational Church. We had a total of 11 people from RUMC who walked and we raised over $300. It’s not too late if you want to still donate online. Just follow the link on the front page of http:// www.ramonaumc.org. Thanks to all of those who participated and for your generous donations. 25% of the funds raised in this year’s walk in Ramona will be donated to the Food & Clothes Closet.
Boston Market: 12%, KFC: 8%, Quizno’s: 10% & Sizzler: 10% Anybody hungry yet? Come check out our list; we have many scrip providers other than places to eat. A big thank you to all who purchased scrip from January through April-to those who have ordered the scrip, sold it, and processed the ordersRamona UMC received over $1,000 because of your efforts. And to those of you who don’t use scrip, it really is simple to do: just stop by the gazebo and we’ll explain how it works. Remember, buying scrip means you’ll pay no more for the purchases you normally make and our church will be better able to meet our commitments financially.
Open Door Dinner A special thank you to Louise Boyle, In His Steps, Mary Lou Gray, Sherri Edwards, Shirlee Muffly and her grandchildren Haley and Zoe Lorenz and Logan Dreyer for helping us with our Open Door Dinner on May 21st. Remember, you can always visit “The Grange Hall” on Monday evenings for a delicious dinner or to help out. Our next RUMC sponsored dinner will be at Collier park on August 20th.
NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 148 RAMONA, CA
Ramona United Methodist Church 3394 Chapel Lane Ramona, CA 92065-3640
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
We’re on the WEB! Ramonaumc.org & umc.org Rev. Myron Wingfield, District Superintendent J.D. Baker, Lay Speaker Barbara Green, Admin. Asst. Jason Purtle, Music Director Kevin Cavanaugh, Accompanist Ministers: The People of the Church Little People’s Learning Center 760-789-3435 Jill Bacorn, Director
Opportunities to Participate in the Life of RUMC Sign up on the
UMW
bulletin board in
Progressive
the Church
Dinner
narthex to serve
Saturday
and participate!
July 21
(greeters/coffee
Sign Up
LPLC Summer
hosts/providing
Now!
Picnics Begin
flowers on
June 27!
Sunday) Articles for next month’s Valley Spirit are due by July 17th