Ramona United Methodist Church
The Valley Spirit
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
September 2012
Pastor Val Inside this issue: Rummage Sale
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Sunday School Pastor’s Article LPLC
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Cub Pack 692 Volunteers
4
Rally Sunday Birthdays & Anniv. Calendar
5
Liturgist Training Budget Dinner Theater
6
Wednesday Nights UMW Friendship Circle Lay Leader Notes
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Opportunities
8
OUR VISION: An inclusive community of faith, learning and serving for the glory of Christ
Fall is right around the corner and although it’s one of my favorite seasons, I’m just not ready to give up summer. It’s been a great summer of making new friends and exploring Ramona and the surrounding areas. We’ve been to the beach, the mountains, the desert, friends have visited and we’ve even managed to escape on a few short trips. This past week after dropping my daughter off in Flagstaff for college, I had lots of time (and miles) to reflect on the gifts of this past summer and the hopes for this fall. Summer at Ramona UMC was fantastic! Since our first Sunday together in July I’ve been thankful for the gift of hospitality you have shown not only to me, but also to my family, each other and the visitors from our community. That same gift of hospitality has been offered in your homes, after worship and on Wednesday night when we’ve shared meals together. Each day when I get to my office, through my window I witness the gift this church offers to the children and families at
Little People Learning Center. Jill and the wonderful teachers provide a safe, loving environment which is reflected in the squeals and laughter heard from the playground. I already miss the sound of the summer elementary children dancing in the morning, singing during chapel and praying in the afternoon. The gift of music that Kevin, Jason and the choir offered each Sunday morning this summer has filled my soul and I hope yours too. The gift of leadership is especially strong in our church and I appreciate the ideas, support and team work that I witness in meetings, conversations and emails. These gifts and other gifts are freely shared for the glory of God. The gifts God has given this church and its people also bring great hope for this fall and the seasons ahead. The opportunities for sharing a meal and welcoming both old and new friends are plentiful. On September 16 we’ll celebrate Homecoming Sunday Continued on Page 2
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Rummage Sale
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Sunday School
The church rummage sale is just around the corner. We hope you will box up items that you just don’t seem to use anymore or are just collecting dust to bring to the church on October 12th & 13th to donate to our rummage sale. Donations will be received starting Sunday, October 7th, through Wednesday, October 10th. Thursday will be our final day of sorting and organizing and the doors will be open from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm on Friday, October 12th and 8:00 am until noon on Saturday, October 13th. Anyone who has time to help with sorting and organizing anytime Monday through Thursday is encouraged to come down and lend a hand. We also still need some muscle to help with set-up on Friday at 6:00 am and on Saturday at 7:00 am. Please contact the church office at (760) 789-7106 or Jill Bacorn at (760) 789-3435 to volunteer.
September 2nd will be the first day of our fall Sunday School program. This summer we were talking about the 14 gifts that God gives to us and that we give to each other. We are now starting our regular Sunday School Schedule. We will leave the service after the Children’s message and meet to sing songs and share announcements before going to our classes. This year we have a Pre-School – Kindergarten class, Elementary class, and Junior/Senior High class. The High School class will only be meeting on the second and fourth Sunday’s of the month. If you would like to sign up to teach any of these classes, there are sign-up sheets located in the narthex. Thank you to everyone who has signed up, we appreciate your time! Thank you, Nicole Styx (224) 515-6090, & (866) 580-3874
Pastor ’s Article Continued from Page 1... with worship, a luncheon and fellowship activities.
special
Starting on Wednesday, September 5, FaithWeavers is back along with the opportunity for faith development of all ages. Each Wednesday offers a program for children, a shared meal, adult bible study and youth group. On Sunday, September 30, we will celebrate Little People’s Learning Center during worship and after worship there will be an Open House at the Preschool. And if that’s not enough, the youth will be leading us in worship that day. Each Sunday the choir offers their gift of spiritfilled music that enhances the worship experience and for that I offer thanks. On
September 21 and 22 we’ll get an extra treat with the Mamma Mia Dinner Theater. These opportunities to come together as a faith community along with regular committee meetings, liturgist training, the Friendship Circle, UMW and the Open Door Dinner bring hope. My hope is that you will participate in these events and celebrate our life together. My hope is in our invitation to and welcoming of our community to fellowship. The gifts of this congregation bring hope for mission and service, continued faith development, and passionate worship. Let us celebrate the coming of fall with these seeds of hope. Pastor Val
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LPLC Little People’s Learning Center has up to 52 children attending each day. Much love and patience goes into teaching and caring for each of these children. We are very blessed to have a dedicated staff; please thank them for the long hard work they do. In the toddler class are Michelle Edwards and Sarai Varela (while Nancy Martinez is on leave). In the 3 year old class are Yolanda Lopez and Shelly Jordan. In the 4 years old class are Keri Ann Roney and Jeanine Hess. In the 5 year old class is Lura Poggi, and Brittney Johnson is our floating teacher. September lessons include I am Special, Apples are Awesome, introduction to shapes, colors, letters and numbers. Special days are: chapel each Wednesday with Pastor Val, Story Time with Nana Rose, Fun & Fitness with Ms. Jill, Blue Day and Picture Day. We are always eager
to share our accomplishments with you, so please feel welcome to visit our school, especially on September 30 — Preschool and Youth Sunday. The children will sing in worship, followed by Sunday School, and open classrooms, plus an ice cream social. Please plan to attend! Thank you, thank you! to Dennis Sargeant, Ed Bacorn and Jim Bowden for preparing education building for a new school year with painting, repairing and cleaning. Finally, we say good bye, good luck and God Bless to our young friends who are off to kindergarten and elementary school. We’ve had a fun summer and hope to see them during school breaks and summer 2013. God Bless, Ms. Jill
Welcome to Cub Scout Pack 692 Thank you for taking an interest in Cub Scouting for your son in the grades of 1st through 5th in Ramona California! The Pack is chartered by and meets here at RUMC! They typically meet once a month as a Pack and then 2-4 times as individual Dens, depending on the Scout’s rank. The third Thursday of each month the pack meets in the Sanctuary from 6:30—8:00 pm. As a Pack, they try to do multiple community service projects, charter organization projects, go camping locally, take hikes and learn how to be better Cub Scouts, all while having as much fun as they can and doing their best. The Pack is always looking for any 1st-5th grade boys who want to join them in their Cub Scout experience here at Pack 692! Feel free to contact them or follow them on Facebook to see what new and exciting adventures the pack is currently on. Call (760) 613-6622 or facebook pack692ramonacubmaster
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This Month’s Volunteers
September Birthdays: 1st
Princess Norman
3rd
Arvie Degenfelder
6th
Joanne Bowden
13th
Kathy Riego
14th
James Styx
23rd
Nichole Styx
September Anniversaries
Liturgist: Sep. 2 Sep. 9 Sep. 16 Sep. 23 Sep. 30
Karen Harris Ed Bacorn Hallie McCray Rex McCray Sara Weise
Greeters: Sep. 2 Sep. 9 Sep. 16 Sep. 23 Sep. 30
Donna Shepler-Bakarich Kathy Luckie Ed & Jill Bacorn Bob & Phyllis Elsner/Adrienne Horlacher Rex & Hallie McCray
Flowers: Sep. 2 Sep. 9 Sep. 16 Sep. 23 Sep. 30
Jim & Carol Spencer Mark & Paula Miller Rex & Hallie McCray Karen Harris Pastor Val Weise
Coffee Fellowship: Education
Homecoming Sunday Join us as we celebrate another new year with our whole church family!
Sunday, September 16 1st
Jim & Carol Spencer
7th
Jack & Dorothy Allen
13th
Bill & LaVina Stromberg
Faith Weaver Friends Sunday School Pre-School Watch for sign-ups for the potluck and mark your calendar for this spirit-filled Sunday! You won’t want to miss it!
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T h e V a l l ey S p i r i t
September 2012 Sunday
Monday
2
3
4
5 Leadership Meeting 6:30 pm
10 Trustee Meeting 6:30 pm
16 Homecoming Sunday
Wednesday
Women’s Breakfast @ McDonald’s 6:30 am Tuesday’s
Communion Sunday Sunday School Program Begins
9
RAMONA UMC
Tuesday
Worship Service 9:45 am Sunday’s
17 Finance 6 pm
Friendship Circle 10 am Faith Weaver Resumes
Thursday
Friday
Men’s Breakfast @ Ramona Café 6:00 am Thursday’s
Office Hours: Tuesday Thursday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
1
6 Choir 6:30-8 pm
7
8
Liturgist Meeting
24 UMW 5 pm Dinner 6 pm
Saturday
Cub Pack 6:30-8:00 pm
11 LPLC Meeting 9:00 am
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13 Choir 6:30-8 pm
14 Golden Share Food Order Due
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18
19 Disciple Bible Study Begins
20 Choir 6:30-8 pm
21 Mama Mia Dinner 6 pm Theater 7 pm
22 Mamma Mia Lunch 1 pm Theater 2 pm Golden Share Food P/U
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27 Choir 6:30-8 pm Worship Committee 5:30 pm
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29
Ad Council 7 pm
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RUMC will have a Liturgist meeting on Sunday, September 23rd with training for new Liturgists. If you are interested, please contact the church office or call J.D. Baker, at (760) 789-8449.
Liturgist Training
Youth Group 6:00-8:00 Wednesday’s
Faith Weavers 4:30-6:00 Wednesday’s
Annual Budget Requirement: $190,192 Monthly Budget Requirement: $14,354 Last Month’s Gifts: $12,614
Note From Treasurer
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Dinner Theater Mamma Mia Dinner Theater tickets are now on sale and can be purchased either on Sunday after church or anytime during church office hours. Tickets are $20.00 per person which covers the dinner and all proceeds of ticket sales go towards the purchase of our new sound system. Make sure to grab your tickets now! Dinner is followed by a rousing performance of highlights from the hit Broadway musical “Mamma Mia” based on music by the Swedish group ABBA. So invite your friends and family out to eat some great food and see a spectacular show!
Performances: Show 1: Friday, September 21st 6:00 Dinner & 7:00 pm Theater Show 2: Saturday, September 22nd 1:00 Lunch & 2:00 pm Theater
UMW Meeting Calling all women to an evening with fellow church women for fun, friendship, food and most importantly, spiritual growth. The Ramona United Methodists Women will meet on Monday, September 24th at 6 p.m. at Joanne Bowden's home, 16150 Oak Springs Dr. (SDCE). Board members will meet at 5:00. Watch the church Sunday Bulletin for program information. If you have questions about UMW, please contact Paula Miller at (760) 789-9725.
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Wednesday Nights RUMC is the place to be on Wednesday Nights! Faith Weaver Friends starts September 5th from 4:30 pm—Dinner at 6:00 pm. This is a great mid-week program that encourages kids as they grow in their faith and service to others. I appreciate all the volunteers who have already signed up to help and if anyone else is interested, please contact Nikki Styx at 760-440-0276 Youth Group Youth Group is meeting Wednesday Nights. They are meeting at 6:00 pm for dinner until 8:00 pm. All Junior High and High School teens are welcome. The youth are planning an exciting year mixed with fun activities, exciting service projects, and spiritual growth. We are always looking for adult volunteers to chaperone field trips or be a guest speaker at one of our meetings. If you are interested, please contact Nicole Styx at 760-440-0276.
Friendship Circle The Friendship Circle will meet at 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 5th at the home of Maddie Volper, 16479 Open View Road. Mary Williams will lead the devotions.
All women are invited for a morning of inspiration, fellowship and refreshments.
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Notes From Your Lay Leader What is our responsibility in growing our faith? What is the relationship between our personal growth and the growth of our friends and church family members? These are questions that I have considered many times, but more often and more deeply in the past three years. As you may have guessed by now, I want to share those thoughts with you and offer an invitation to an opportunity for you to engage in a meaningful Bible study. There was a time in my life when showing up on most Sunday mornings and staying awake through the sermon was my idea of growing my faith. Things have changed, and I now know at least some of what I don't know. My teachers and mentors have been many and varied. There was the second grade Sunday School student in the first class I ever taught. There was the Navy Chaplain who taught the Religion 360 class at Chapman University. There was Kristin Stabb, the first woman pastor I ever encountered. There were all of the pastors I experienced here at RUMC - Jan, J.T., Barbara and Steve, and I'm sure Val as soon as she's been here long enough to pound an idea into my head. There were the students and leaders of the Lay Ministry Academy. But more than any of these have been my fellow participants in the Disciple Bible studies in which I have participated. These were unique groups of people seeking to learn and understand. None of us came with the academic backgrounds that the Academy instructors had, or the seminary education of all of the pastors. What we did come with was a desire to learn and share our thoughts,
questions, and experiences. Beginning September 19th you have the opportunity to join me in growing our faith by attending our Disciple 1 Bible Study. Jennifer Sager and I will facilitate the sessions on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Wednesdays promise to be a very eventful day at RUMC this fall. We begin at 4:00 PM with Faith Weaver Friends for pre-school and elementary children. We will have dinner that everyone is invited to at 6:00, followed by Bible Study. Jennifer and I are looking for opportunities to meet jointly with the youth who will be meeting at the same time as we are for Disciple. There will be child care available during the Bible study. Disciple 1 is an exploration of both the Old and New Testaments. Unless you've read the Bible from cover to cover, you will probably read passages that you have never read before. This is not a Methodist study, it is a Christian study and we invite anyone who wants to learn more about the Bible to attend, no matter where they worship or even if they don't worship. If you decide to join us, and I urge you to do so, then I can guarantee that you will be puzzled, educated, comforted, and enlightened at some point during this study, and occasionally all of those at the same time. Along the way you will find yourself growing and helping others to grow in faith.
J.D. Baker Certified Lay Speaker and Lay Leader
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
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
We’re on the WEB! Ramonaumc.org & umc.org Rev.
Val Weise, Pastor
OFFICE: 760-789-7106 HOME: 858-248-9828 EMAIL: pastorval @ramonaumc.org Barbara Green, Admin. Asst. office@ramonaumc.org Jason Purtle, Music Director Kevin Cavanaugh, Accompanist Rev. Myron Wingfield, District Superintendent Ministers: The People of the Church Little People’s Learning Center Jill Bacorn, Director 760-789-3435
Opportunities to Participate in the Life of RUMC Rummage Sale
Home Coming
Join us on
October 12/13
Sunday
Wednesday
September 16
evenings for
“Mama Mia”
Faith Weaver
Dinner Theater
Bible Study
September
Youth Group
21/22
Potluck Invite a friend All are welcome!
Articles for next month’s Valley Spirit are due by October 17th