Wesley United Methodist Church July 2021 Newsletter What’s inside: A note from Pastor Zeke 1 Council News Bishop Mueller COVID-19 Update
From Pastor Zeke Page 1 From the Desk of Pastor Zeke “Bald Cheetah’s” “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” -Psalm 90:12 What is the most useful or valuable thing that you have? You might be tempted to respond with something you have that has the biggest cash value. Or, maybe something that carries the most nostalgia. Or, maybe something you worked for years to finally possess. Of course all of those things have value but are any of them the most valuable thing that you have? Pause for a moment. I remember this quote from a movie I watched long ago. It says “time is like a bald cheetah.” I know, I know- that is weird. As I become more “mature” in age, I have come to value the truth in this because time is like a bald cheetah. I have come to believe that one of the most valuable commodities that we have is time. That’s right- time. Have you ever said “I wish I had more time” or “I ran out of time”? It is on the surface a very strange concept to want or need “more time.” We have 7 days a week, 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and so on…but there is never an occasion when there is suddenly more time. So what might we be getting at when we talk about needing more time? Sunday, during my sermon, I shared the quote that “procrastination is the thief of time.” This gets, at least partially, at our pickle with time. It is not so much the concept of time as it is the usage of our given time. We are stewards of the 24 hours we receive each day. We choose how it is used. Wisdom, when it come to our time, is knowing how to maximize and prioritize how we use our time. This is a life-long work-in-progress saga. All of us wrestle with how we use our time. I would say, at its core, this is a spiritual dilemma. We live in relationship with a God who, from God’s first creative work, created in a rhythm of time and space. The Jewish and Christian practice of Sabbath is in many ways a work to reestablish a balance of our usage of time. I want to share a few things that have helped me along the way with this concept. - Time is one of the most precious gifts we have so spend it wisely Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
Bald Cheetah’s Cont., Facility Information Page 2 Bald Cheetah’s Cont. - When you say yes to something new in your life you also, as a direct result, have said no to something else in your life and vice versa Ask this question: When others look at my life and see how I spend my time, what would they say I most value? Now the follow-up question: How can I manage my life in a way that places the most time in harmony with those things I most value? Even with bald cheetah’s there is always hope. - Keep the Faith Strong, Zeke Celebrate baby Noah with Christopher & Caitlyn Welch Facility Information The church van keys that hangs in the key box are missing. If you have any information about this please call the church office. All the mulch in the shrub and flower beds has now been applied and 5 new trees have been set out. Two more will be set out when they are available in the fall. Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
One Council News Page 3 1 Council NEWS At the June 17 meeting, there were 13 of the 18 members present, and those not able to be present were accounted for. As the chair of this group, I find that fact to be phenomenal! This group is actively engaged in moving forward as a Church, seeking to follow Christ and do God’s will. Members of the congregation are volunteering to help out wherever there’s a need, such as preparing communion elements and keeping the liturgical scarves for worship services current, as well as making monetary donations above and beyond normal tithes and offerings. Exciting times abound! Pastor Zeke continued to encourage us with focusing on Philippians 3:12, striving for maturity as Christians. He challenged us to think about what our passions in life are, and how we can live our lives as Christians fulfilling those passions. The Trustees under Chairman Harley Strang’s guidance continue to complete landscaping and campus clean-up through generous donations from members and other interested parties. During the latest initiative to spread landscaping rock alongside the sidewalk connecting the two buildings, a total of $660 was raised inside 10 days! Thank you to all the donors and the trustees for all the work and planning required. Keep your eyes open to see your $$$ at work! Steve Christian is the one to contact to express your interest in developing an active United Methodist Men’s group. We will be missing Shane Sanderson as our music leader upon his departure the last Sunday of June. We wish him well in his future endeavors and have been blessed with his leadership and talent for the past four years. The next One Council meeting will be July 15, the third Thursday of the month, @ 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room across the hall from the kitchen. Blanche West, Chair, One Council Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
New District Superintendent, Wesley in Worship Page 4 The district has officially welcomed Rev. Blake Bradford as the new District Superintendent to the Northwest District. Wesley in Worship On June 27th we had to say “Until we see you again” to Shane. We are so thankful for the time we had him at Wesley. His dedication to Wesley and our members is so greatly appreciated. We wish him good luck in his future endeavors. Looking for ways to serve? Worship Committee: Joanne Peterson UMW: Patrice Hulsey UMM: Steve Christian Missions Committee: Carrie Miller Upcoming Events Choir will start back up mid-August under the direction of our new music director Jessica Whitekiller. If you are interested in being apart of the chancel choir or bell choir be on the lookout for further information. Wesley UMC Newsletter Intercessory prayer group meets at Norma Strang's, 9509 Jenny Lind Rd. the 3rd Tuesday each month at 10:00am. Call Norma for information 479-646-9329 July 2021
COVID-19 Update from Bishop Mueller Page 5 The last several weeks have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases in many communities in Arkansas. During the last two days, the number of reported and active cases, hospitalizations and deaths have dramatically increased. This new and dangerous landscape is the result of the Delta variant present in our communities, vaccines possibly being less effective and the fact that the number of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has plateaued at an alarmingly low rate. I have worked closely with the Bishop’s COVID-19 Task Force to develop the latest guidance as your Boards of Trustees use the ARUMC dashboard, CDC guidelines and information about the vaccination rate in your congregation to make decisions about how best to keep those in your church safe. While none of us like having to remain vigilant after having such high hopes about the vaccine allowing life to return to normal, we must deal with reality the w a y i t i s a n d n o t t h e w a y w e w i s h i t w e r e . 1. Utilize the ARUMC COVID-19 dashboard. Check the county-focused dashboard that now contains vaccine data and may be found here: https://arumc.org/covid19/dashboard/ Be aware that the benchmarks do not account for the vaccine data, nor do they distinguish between non-vaccinated cases or vaccinated cases. Consider collecting self-reported vaccine data from individuals in your ministry setting without asking any questions other than “Have you been vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus?” This may help you better understand how many of the people attending events at your church are vaccinated. 2. Continue to follow the safety guidelines set forth by the CDC. Access the CDC links on the ARUMC website that are updated weekly and may be found here: https://arumc.org/covid19/ Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
COVID-19 Update Cont. Page 6 Strongly recommend, or perhaps even mandate, that those not vaccinated wear masks and socially distance by at least 6 feet. Move events outside if members of your congregation test COVID positive. 3. Act to keep our children safe. Since they cannot receive a vaccine yet, children under age 12 should be considered high-risk for contracting COVID-19. Create a ‘cocoon of safety’ by asking everyone - vaccinated and unvaccinated - to wear masks at church. Encourage all individuals in your community who qualify to get fully vaccinated since this provides the best way to keep our children safe. Follow the safety guidelines for children’s ministries which can be found here: https:// arumc.org/covid19/safe-church-reopening-guidance/ministries-with-children/ 4. Think ahead. Prepare for flu season by continuing to sanitize hard surfaces, offering hand sanitizing stations, limiting shared surfaces, and offering only pre-packaged foods. Help people understand that there is a possibility for vaccinated individuals to require a booster dose of their vaccine later this year. We do not wish to alarm you, but we believe that churches need to take the lead in keeping people in our congregations and communities safe. Just yesterday, an Arkansas United Methodist Church learned that 4 fully vaccinated members wearing masks who attended wo r s h i p l a s t S u n d a y h a v e b e e n d i a g n o s e d w i t h COVI D . We are grateful for how Arkansas United Methodists have led the way in responsibly addressing the COVID crisis the past 18 months. It is time for us once again to step forward and make a positive difference in our congregations, communities and state as we proactively address the rapidly changing COVID landscape by getting vaccinated, socially distancing and wearing masks. We join you as you pray for each other and care for each other. This statement has been compiled and shared by Bishop Gary Mueller and the Bishop’s COVID-19 Task Force Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
Missions Page 7 Missions Farmers Market - Below is the sorting schedule for July. Anyone is welcome to come help sort and deliver produce Saturdays at 11:30. July 3 - Cavanaugh July 10 - Wesley July 17 - Cavanaugh July 24 - Wesley July 31 - Cavanaugh Thank you to everyone who helped sort and deliver produce in June. Change Jars - We are “Making Change in the Community”. If you have not picked up a change jar to donate your spare change for the month, those can be picked up at the church. We will collect again on August 8th with what’s collected going to The Children’s Shelter. We want to say a HUGE and GRANDE shout out to Blanche West for everything she has done lately to help give Wesley a much needed face lift. She took note of a need and worked diligently to make it happen. And of course, thank you to everyone who gave so generously to help make it happen as well. It only takes a spark! Wesley might be small but we are certainly MIGHTY! Wesley UMC Newsletter July 2021
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