Wesley United Methodist Church February 2021 Newsletter What’s inside: A note from Pastor Zeke 1 Council News Cub Scout Pack 19 News
From Pastor Zeke Page 1 From the Desk of Pastor Zeke Hankering for a Hunk O’ Cheese “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul long for you, O God… Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God… Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me… Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.” - Psalm 42:1,5,7,11b In the 1970’s there was a series of commercials called Time for Timer. I still remember these commercials because of the phrase “I hanker for a hunk O’ cheese”. I remember it in part because of me and my brothers own “hankering” for cheese. I grew up on grilled cheeses. On the regular my brother and I would eat a loaf of bread’s worth of grilled cheeses at one sittingGod bless my parents and their grocery bill! Have you “hankered” lately? When I think about hankering it brings me to Psalm 42. There is a deep longing for all those in relationship with God through Christ. For me, I yearn for God. I guess that is my hope for all of us. That we might yearn for God and seek God in our days and lives. I know there are a lot of people in our world and in our church that have experienced or are experiencing souls that are downcast. There is a weary restlessness within so many of us. I feel, in my own life, waves of weariness and waves of hope washing over me. These are not waves to battle against, for in doing so you will be tossed about. In contrast, we must let those waves wash over and through us. Trust the sure foundation that your feet are planted on. When the storms of life rage and the waves crash, the foundation of Christ will hold. I pray that each of you might experience that profound truth and the strong hope that can only come through a life of faith. Likewise, I pray that each of us might always have a hankering for God- a deep yearning that seeks God daily. - Keep the Faith Strong, Zeke Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
Music Ministry Page 2 Greetings!!! Greetings Wesley UMC Family!!! You have undoubtedly noticed that we have begun including more praise & worship music in our services. This comes from several requests that we have received from members. However, sometimes the phrase "praise and worship" music brings up certain images: being at a rock concert with flashing lights and singers running around on stage, etc. Some people (including me) have had the disappointing experience of loving some praise & worship songs, yet not being able to sing them because praise leaders often sing these songs in such a high key that they are not comfortable for the voice. I am a child of two worlds. Having grown up learning the Heavenly Highway Hymns and my family singing four-part quartets, I love classical church music. Part of what first drew me to serving in the Methodist Church was what one professor of mine referred to as "high church music," the cathedral feel with pipe organ, piano, choir, handbells, and even an orchestra. As a person with an advanced degree in choral music, I will never let go of my love for this music. However, I also went to college at a time when popular Christian music became "a thing." I have been to more Christian concerts than I have rock concerts. I have sung in several praise groups, and I am drawn from deep within my being to the tight, three-part harmonies that are present in much praise music today. As a singer and harmonizer, I am never going to lose my love for praise & worship music either. As an English teacher and writer, I am drawn to the significance and deeper meaning of a text. I always like to see how the words of hymns in the Methodist hymnal are different from those of, say, the Baptist Hymnal, and how these reflect the Methodist faith. That faith is important to me, and is, in fact, why I am now a member of the Methodist Church rather than just 'serving' in one. In the same way, praise choruses express deep spiritual meaning, and many of them are directly scriptural. So, what's the point of all this rambling, then? As your music director, I want to assure you that I am never going to trend toward a complete shift to praise music. There will always be a place for hymns and those classic great songs of the faith. - Cont. on Page 3 Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
Music Ministry Cont. However, I also love the deep scriptural meanings and prayerful intent of most praise & worship music. I believe that it is possible to love and use both hand-inhand to create meaningful worship. Also, I want you to know that Zeke, Carrie, Deborah, and I are taking great care to make sure that any praise music we sing in church will be prayerfully considered and tastefully done, whether it is simply as special music or as a praise song that we want everyone to know and learn. Yours in Christ, Shane Sanderson Arkansas Conference News The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas will host Arkansas author John Grisham as its February guest speaker for its ongoing speaker series, “In Conversation Together.” For more information contact: Haley Walker Klein 501-664-8632 hklein@methodistfoundationAR.org “In Conversation Together” gathers online on the third Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST. The Foundation hosts the calls from our facility in Little Rock. Visit: www.methodistfoundationar.org Wesley UMC Newsletter The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song will premiere on February 16 & 23 at 8 p.m. on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings). This moving four-hour, two-part series from executive producer, host and writer Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, traces the 400-year-old story of the Black church in America, all the way down to its bedrock role as the site of African American survival and grace, organizing and resilience, thriving and testifying, autonomy and freedom, solidarity and speaking truth to power. February 2021 Northwest District News Rev. Stephen Coburn, the current NW DS will be retiring this year. Bishop Mueller has appointed Rev. Dr. Blake Bradford, who currently serves as the Central DS to become the NW DS, starting July 1. Bradford said his focus as DS will be to continue building on the work that Coburn and the churches of the Northwest District have already put into motion, while also figuring out what the post-COVID church will look like going forward.
1 Council News Page 4 1 Council NEWS 13 members of the 2021 1 Council met on January 7 via Zoom to “press [forward] to answer the upward call of Jesus Christ.” Using Philippians 3:12-15 as his focus, Zeke shared with the group “3 P’s of a Pandemic:” 1. Persevere 2. Plan 3. Provide care & concern. He challenged each one to keep these 3 P’s in mind as a personal area of ministry would be chosen to serve during 2021. The Council was encouraged to share these “3 P’s” with others in the congregation and conduct our business throughout 2021 with the “3 P’s” in mind as plans are formulated. In an order of business, George Jensen, long-time faithful and loyal treasurer of Wesley, is passing the torch. This church could say “Thank you, George” a hundred times a day for the remainder of the year, and it would not adequately express our gratitude for a job well-done, for his impeccable bookkeeping and financial expertise as he has gladly fulfilled his duties, answering and “pressing on to the upward call of Christ Jesus.” Wesley does thank you, George! Because of her skills as an accountant and her desire to answer “the upward call of Christ Jesus,” Twana Collinson has accepted the duties of Wesley’s Treasurer for 2021. Thank you, Twana. Other items to note: 1. While we are not able to meet in person, Clyde Bates will lead an adult Sunday School class via Zoom at 10:30 a.m., shortly after Sunday morning fb worship services. 2. Besides ministering to two churches, Zeke is “pressing on to the upward call of Christ Jesus” by teaching an “intercom lesson” with all the students at Cavanaugh Elementary School each Wednesday morning during their school-wide assemblies. Next regularly scheduled 1 Council meeting via Zoom: First Thursday, Feb.4, 6:30 p.m. Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
Cub Scout Pack 19 News Page 5 Greetings from Pack 19, Pack 19 started out December with our long awaited Pinewood Derby races on the 4th. We had 17 racers participate this year with some awesome cars running. We also got to use our new racetrack that many Wesley members helped to support with their purchase of Blue & Gold meat products. On December 19th the Butterfield Trail District races were held at the Scout Office. Many of Pack 19’s scouts performed very well on the district level. Due to COVID-19 restrictions we were not able to do our annual Christmas caroling to Gorman Towers. Our Lions Den collected toiletries and goodies to make bags for each of the residents there. With the temporary closing of Wesley’s campus in January we would like to thank Grace Community Church for the use of their facilities for our meetings. On February 6th Scouts will be placing Scouting for Food bags on doors throughout Fort Smith. Be looking for yours and be sure to fill it up and place it outside on the 13th. Yours in Scouting’s Best, Justin Cates Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole Page 6 Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients: 1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 28 oz can of Enchilada Sauce 10 ct Corn Tortillas cut into stripes 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 3.8 oz can black olives Instructions: 1. Add chicken breasts to the slow cooker with enchilada sauce and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. 2. After cooking, shred the chicken while still in the slow cooker. 3. Cut the tortillas into stripes, add to the chicken and sauce, and stir. 4. Add 1/2 cup of cheese and half the olives into the sauce and chicken mixture. Stir again. 5. Flatten the mixture. 6. Add the rest of the cheese and the olives on top. 7. Cook on low for about 40-60 minutes longer. 8. Serve! Top with sour cream if desired. Chocolate Crescents Ingredients: 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 8 miniature dark or milk chocolate candy bars Instructions: 1. Heat oven to 375°F. 2. Separate dough into 8 triangles. In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar on each triangle. Place 1 candy bar at shortest side of triangle. Loosely roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet; curve into crescent shape. Sprinkle with about 1/8 teaspoon additional cinnamon-sugar. 3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
Wesley’s One Council Members Lay Leader/Lay Delegate: Carrie Miller Clyde Bates Amy Cates Gloria Cates Steve Christian Twana Collinson Suzanne Gibson Billy Higgins Patrice Hulsey George Jensen Donna Moreton Jackie Nichols Joanne Peterson Rick Schmitz Harley Strang Blanche West 2200 Phoenix Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-646-9702 Wesley UMC Newsletter February 2021
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