Summer Greetings to All of Fridley UMC Family and Friends

PASTOR WAYNE’S WORLD

Summer greetings to all of Fridley UMC family and friends.

One of my pursuits this summer is making time to read a small book by Michael Frost, entitled “Surprise the World.” I can tell the premise of the book is impacting me, due to its bothersomeness and yet, I am unable to put the book down and ignore its 124 pages of insights and illuminations. In my bothersomeness with the material, I am coming to deeper beliefs that translate into new personal behaviors.

The profound premise is the author’s challenging question to Christians. Do our regular, everyday, ordinary habits, surprise our friends and provoke curiosity on their part to ask us questions about the way we live, providing us the inviting opportunity to share our lives for Jesus Christ? (I Peter, 3:15)

Are we living questionable lives? Do our lifestyles arouse a curiosity in others that help people find their way back to God?

What if the church promoted her members to develop highly relational habits that unite and propel us beyond ourselves? So many church programs propel us to become depleted and burned out with strategies and structures. It is not so much our attendance at meetings but our capacity to develop tangible, effective habits that make Jesus Christ and his church appealing and attractive, (Titus, 2:10) to the people we meet in our everyday ordinary rhythms of life.

I hope you allow yourselves to be engaged in the bothersomeness and blessing of this book. (We have ordered 20 copes that will be here in August.)

Pastor Wayne

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God is on the MOVE – Hallelujah!

Thank you for all the cross pollination that is occurring during our worship on Sunday mornings. Thank you for the many who are willing to show their combined support for this new service and worship style in conjunction with our traditional established worship service at 9:30 AM.

I’m reminded of National Geographic documentaries of animal migrations. During the journey, there is also the birthing of new life.

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The newly born have no shortage of hungry predators looking for an easy meal.

For all you established members who avail yourselves of participating at both services, a hearty commendation for your commitment to the new life in our midst.

A family of seven has recently inquired about stepping into membership at Fridley UMC. That inquiry happens, in the first place, due to the many who put Jesus Christ first in their lives and are willing to step out and up by Faith.

Hallelujah! God is on the MOVE.

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CARING MINISTRIES

Dates for Stephen Ministers:

August 29, 7:00 PM:

FUMC Care Resources, meet in the computer room.

Please keep our Stephen Ministers in your prayers as they serve in this important ministry.

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NURSERY CARE is available during the worship service for children up to age 3. Children are welcome to attend worship with their family.Children’s supplies (children’s bulletins, crayons and coloring pages) can be found just outside the back sanctuary doors.

EDUCATION .

SUNDAY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES will resume in September.

(Mid-Week Learning Opportunity)

WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE SHAPING STUDY at 9:30 AM. All are invited to attend.

MEN'S BIBLE STUDY

A Men's Bible Study Group meets every Friday morning at 6:30 AM at Keys Cafe on the east side of University Avenue NE near 83rd Street in Spring Lake Park. We eat breakfast at Keys.We take turns leading that week's lesson, guiding us through a reading of scripture, story and discussion. We share prayer concerns. The Bible study text that we use is The New International Lesson Annual, for which we each make a voluntary annual contribution of about $20. We keep a free extra copy in the church library for anyone who would like to try out this opportunity. All men are welcome. For more information contact Roger Olson.

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We will be having a book retreat on Saturday, October 14th, here at FUMC,from 9:00 AM to noon. The book to read is Reaching Past the Wire, by Deanna Germain, Lieutenant Colonel, USAR (RET.). Contact Dawn Bushnell with questions. More to come on this later.

MISSIONS .

August Mission – Hope4Youth

The mission focus for the month of August is Hope4Youth. They are a nonprofit located in Anoka, MN. They provide individuals, ages 16 – 23, with a place to stay, a hot meal, clothing, a place to do laundry, a hot shower, personal hygiene items and various other resources to help them find jobs and housing. Hope4Youth is there when others aren’t and helps these young adults out of a path of homelessness and onto a path of independence. Hope4Youth’s building is currently in need of a new roof and they are currently trying to raise $90,000 towards the roofs replacement. Please consider making a monetary donation to Hope4Youth and, if you have the time, consider volunteering or donating needed items. For volunteer opportunities, see their website at www.hope4youthmn.org. Thank you for your generous support of our missions programs!

SCHOOL SUPPLY GIVE AWAY

At last Augusts Family Table, we gave away 27 bags of supplies and ran out of bags. This year our goal is 65! We will also be dividing the supplies into 3 age groups of Pre-K and Kindergarten, Elementary, and Middle-High School.

Please place donations in the marked container in the donation center.

Backpacks

Wide ruled notebook paper

looseleaf & spiral notebooks

#2 Pencils with erasers

3 Subject Notebook

Eraser Tops or Large Pink Erasers

Pens (red, black/blue)

Solid color Pocket Folders

Dry Erase Markers

Crayola crayons & colored Markers

Glue Stick or Glue Bottle

Small pencil pouch or box

white copy paper (8.5x11)

Ruler (inches and centimeters)

Extra Large Boxes of Kleenex

Antibacterial Wipes

Scissors, safety & pointed Fiskars for older kids

Extra supplies are given to our neighbor, Hayes Middle School. If you would like to help with the supply drive, but don’t like doing the shopping, we would be happy to do the shopping for you! This will help us out if we have an abundance of some supplies and not enough of others. Place your donation in the Missions Envelope and write “Family Table School Supplies” on the outside. Thank you for your generosity!

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FAMILY TABLE EXTRA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN AUGUST!

Our August meal is always the best attended with the need for school supplies. That means we need extra volunteers! You can help with the school supplies downstairs or with the meal upstairs in a variety of roles. Last year we served 180 people. This is a great day to see the ministry we do through Family Table. Please contact Judy Lange or the church office to volunteer!

Vegetable Stand

The veggie stand will be set up in the church hallway in August and September. Bring your extra zucchini and tomatoes or whatever you have an abundance of to the table. Don’t have a green thumb? Donate at the table in exchange for local vegetables! This year the funds will go to Hope4Youth, a local teen homelessness program serving the North Metro suburbs.

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AT THE DONATION STATION (the bins in the hall near the front doors) we are collecting:

· Batteries (button sized to D cell, no car or computer batteries)

· Used Cell Phones

· Used Eyeglasses for the Lions’ Club

CHURCH ALBUM .

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Shawn Porter upon the death of her mother.

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Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Budde upon the death of her mother.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Everett Lindh and family upon the death of his wife Ruth.

55+ .

55+ SINGLES BREAKFAST!

55+ folks, join us for breakfast at Perkins at 7520 University Ave in Fridley,every first Monday of each month at 9:30 AM. This is just a social time – come, relax and enjoy the company of FUMC friends.

EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

A GATHERING FOR GUYS

Grit & Spit will be on Saturday, August 5th at 9:00 AM at the Fridley American Legion; 7365 Central Ave. NE, Fridley. There will be coffee, rolls, and spirited conversation. Interested? Come and check it out! Hope you all can make it.

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FRIDLEY UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

REMINDER: UMW Board Members planning meeting will be Monday, August 14th, at 6:30 PM at the church. See you then!

Dear Fridley United Methodist Friends,

Thank you earnestly for providing the opportunity for us to be the “Mission of the Month” for January 2017. We enjoyed so much our visit with the church that icy-cold Christmas Day. Your prayers and financial gift received are a great help, and we take your thoughtfulness and generosity very seriously.

May the Lord Jesus continue to guide you on the important responsibilities you carry for His glory.

Stephen and Gayle Burgstahler

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Perfect weather, good food, and a wonderful congregation of people who came ready to join in fellowship and fun -- what more could we ask for in a church picnic? A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to everyone who helped with set-up, keeping food refilled, and putting everything back in order after the picnic. We never could have done it without your help!

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all those who helped us with Ruth Lindh’s Memorial Lunch on Monday, July 17th by contributing food, or assisting with setup, serving, cleanup, reset and tablecloth laundering. Wecouldn’t have done it without you!

Leone, Jinny & The FUMW Funeral Reception Committee.