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EDEN PRAIRIE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH |
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Pastor’s Corner This fall we will celebrate 150 years of ministry! Special festivities
are planned for Sunday, November 16, as we remember the past at one 10 am
worship service, followed by a fellowship time. Bishop John Hopkins and
Superintendent Kathi Austin Mahle will join us on this special anniversary
day. As people who live out the Gospel in our time, looking back helps us
remember who we are. Looking back we name the ways God has called us to
take risks and be in faithful ministry. Looking back we are able to see
where God has been at work in our midst. As people of faith called “disciples”, we are also called to look
forward! Looking forward we ask: “Where is God calling us to go next?”
I am pleased that in this 150th anniversary year our church
leadership is giving special energy to looking forward. A special “Vision
Team” began meeting in early summer. The purpose is not to come up with
a plan owned by a few. Instead, they are working on a plan that invites
all of us into a process of discerning our congregation’s future through
prayer and discussion as we enter the next 150 years of ministry. This “plan” begins with twelve small group gatherings held at the
church and led by members of the Vision Team. These gatherings will begin
in mid-September and will be scheduled at a variety of times for maximum
participation. As we meet and pray together we will focus on four
questions: 1. 2. The things that concern me most about our congregation are:___ 3. If our congregation would _____, I know I would call my friends and tell them what wonderful things they are missing. 4. If with a stroke of a pen I could change one thing at our church, I would _____.
Your response will help provide important insight into the shaping of future directions. The ideas from these group gatherings will be included in an “all church” time of prioritizing. We offer these ideas and visions believing they will strengthen God’s vision for the church. The questions invite us to name what is good and strong in our church, but also to think in new ways about how we can serve God faithfully through the ministry of Prairie Church. The intention of the visioning process is to allow God to speak to us with new visions and dreams as we embark on the future, always trying to be faithful to God’s vision for the church. The New Testament offers a blueprint for the building of the church, based on the work and writings of Paul and the teachings of Jesus. They can be summarized in four functions:
Each Sunday during September, one of these functions of the church will be the focus of our worship service, through pastoral sermons. In the coming months the visioning process will include several congregational “Town meetings” which focus on remembering the church story through a “History Night”. We will also meet together in large group settings to talk together about our congregations’ values and norms (the unwritten rules and convictions which shape our organizational life). All of these discussions and activities will help us clarify our quest to conduct a ministry that faithfully reflects the vision of Jesus in our own time. I urge your participation in this process of reflection and discernment as we seek to serve God with faithfulness and joy. Pastor Mike Miller Members of the Vision Team: Tom Wilson, Barb Clay, Dick Relick, Greg Palmer, Carol Kottke, Kathy Bowman, Jacque Stratton, Leah Rosso, Mike Miller
Children's Ministries Deb Soderholm, Children’s Ministries Director Summer Sunday School These wonderful volunteers taught Summer Sunday School for us this summer. MANY thanks for their time, energy and love—given for our children! Sharon Dudley Leah Fletcher Jeri Anderson Bullers Kris Anderson/Family Jocelyn Soderstrom (3 times!) Wagners Nordbyes Hamiltons Krissa Henderson Davis Family Evans Family Valerie Belland Kim Reed Manicors Maryellen Seeley Jarvis Family Palmer-Kerns DeYoungs McKenneys Vacation Bible School—Treasures of the Nile It’s just a memory now—but one to “treasure” for a long time. I want to highlight these folks that truly made VBS possible: Crystal, Beth and Michelle Roemmich; Joan, Katie and Corey Hanson; and Jeri, Krista and Emily Anderson. Not only did they attend weekly planning meetings from the beginning of May, but they worked diligently, day and night, the week before and the week of VBS. THANK YOU! The following people, despite busy schedules, all found time to make VBS a fantastic time of learning AND fun! We are blessed to be in ministry together here at Prairie Church. TEACHERS/HELPERS SPECIALS CRAFTS Tammy Mehlhaus Kathy Bowman Crystal Roemmich Alyssa Parr Kari Lundeen Lauren Parr STORY Kary Bowman Heather Myers Mike Miller Kyle Hutchins Audrey Manicor Ruth Welsh Michelle Roemmich GAMES Leta Miller Chris Oberlander TREATS Terri Myers Julie Reed Seeleys Julie McKenney Tony Reed Amy Manicor Kirsta Anderson Hutchins Beth Roemmich PUPPETS Sarah McFarland Sarah Jarvis Ray Soderholm Linda Weegmann Deb Soderholm PICNIC Newell Nordbye Seeleys Jeri Anderson MUSIC Janet Palmer Joan Hanson Jeanette Parr Silvia Smith Kathy Jarvis Shirley Hutchins
KITCHEN NURSERY OFFERING DISPLAY Maryellen Seeley Deb Mixon Sue Hamilton Nancy Peterson Sarah McFarland Amy Manicor SORRY IF I FORGOT SOMEONE!! VBS OFFERING – We collected over $300 during the week for PROP for their school supply program!
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES THIS FALL: Several changes will occur this fall for Sunday School.
ROOMS First, we have been doing some reorganizing of spaces. Because of this we could use some help with redecorating our classrooms—painting, cleaning, adding new “touches” of curtains, posters, new bulletin boards/white boards, toys, shelves, decorations and anything else we can come up with to make our rooms new and inviting. If you can help in any way, please contact Deb Soderholm, 828-9515. We can accommodate whatever time and talent you can share with us! ROTATION Because of our rooms, class sizes, and ability and interest of our children, some changes will be made:
PEOPLE NEEDS (We need to modify the jobs and people needed somewhat.) 1. SHEPHERDS – 2 people (each one to do every other Sunday—all year)–NO OUTSIDE PREP NEEDED
+Ideally, we should have shepherds for ALL our classes, but it is essential to have them for our Kindergarten and 1st grades. +Please consider doing this very important job. The benefits are wonderful. +Please sign up on bulletin insert, Children’s Ministry table near door or call Deb Soderholm at 828-9515. TEACHERS – ALL teaching positions will be for the UNIT (they vary in length from 4-6 weeks) This is not a change. We need 1-2 for each station/each unit (if we have shepherds for all classes, only 1 teacher is needed)
Please sign up on bulletin insert, Children’s Ministry table near door or call Deb Soderholm, 828-9515. CURRICULUM— The units for this fall are: 1) Offerings -- Through different Bible stories and activities, children will learn about the origins of offering and how it has evolved today. (unit to be developed—focus may change somewhat) 2) EPUMC – History/Life - We will start with a look at life in the 1850s in this area and how our church began and progressed to the present day—learning who we (Eden Prairie United Methodists) are and how we got here. (unit to be developed) 3) Advent – Through several different activities, we will explore this season and its meaning for us—God’s gift of love. CHILD REGISTRATION Please fill out the information form included in this Tumbleweed to be sure your child or children (ages: 1 day old through graduation) are included in Sunday School, events, groups, all sorts of activities that go on here at church! You can drop the form off at church or mail it in. THANKS! RALLY DAY—SEPTEMBER 7!. . . . Come one—come all to the best time you can have south of Highway 5! (at least WE think so!). This is the beginning of our fall schedule (services at 9:00 and 10:30) and regular Sunday School classes. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Right after the second service (11:30) there will be pony rides, LOTS of games to play, music, snow cones, a picnic and more! The best part is that it is FREE! EVERYONE is invited to join us for a great time. Visit with old church family friends and meet and greet some new ones. This is wonderful time to relax and enjoy being together. Mark your calendars NOW!
Habitat for Humanity/Affordable Housing Update You may have noticed that there has been no mention of a Habitat for Humanity Project this summer. H for H has become an annual part of our Social Action Team’s outreach schedule. We have joined with different groups in the last few years to complete a week or longer building project with a very important goal – affordable housing. But this year we did not land a project. Western Workers United, the group that we worked very successfully with last summer, disbanded - mainly because of a lack of local Habitat building sites. In the spring Eden Prairie Common Ground, of which EPUMC is a part, also learned that most of the building sites for Habitat for Humanity are currently in St. Paul. Given this information, the Common Ground members decided to forego a Habitat build this year. Now an alternative building project is being planned for the ABC houses here in Eden Prairie. (See accompanying article for more details.) Early this year, Eden Prairie Common Ground began to explore the possibility of an affordable housing project in Eden Prairie. Through the joint efforts of EPCG, The City of Eden Prairie, and WHAHLT (West Hennepin Affordable Housing Land Trust) the prospect of developing such a site is bright. Discussions are ongoing. A lot of preliminary work needs to be done. And the time frame for this project is now 2004. Although a departure from the traditional H for H build, such a project demonstrates another direction our congregation could go to further the affordable housing goal. We will keep you updated throughout the year on these plans. If you have any thoughts or comments about becoming involved in a local project such as this, please feel free to come to a Social Action meeting or talk to any of the team members.
Habitat for Students (An ABC Special Project) Good news for all past and potential Habitat builders! The Social Action Ministry is planning an alternative building project that will make use of your many talents. Eden Prairie Common Ground, a coalition of six Eden Prairie churches, has recognized the need for rehab work at the ABC (A Better Chance) house right here in Eden Prairie. (Those of you who have visited there over the past few years will agree that there is work to be done there!) Representatives from Common Ground have met with Gardner Gay, executive director of ABC, to prioritize a list of needs. The following five items have been identified as the most critical problems and will be the basis of a two to three week work project being planned for September: 1) removing a diseased elm tree; 2) finishing soffits and trim and replacing rotting wood around windows; 3) landscaping; 4) outside painting; 5) building a patio or deck. Wouldn’t you like an excuse to take a vacation day in September to work outside and benefit others at the same time? Please think about your abilities, your interests, and your time schedule and then consider giving your support to this project. Any professional contacts that would help us locate workers or equipment would also be helpful. If you have questions or comments, please contact Drake Talbert or Vicki Lindquist. Stay tuned for more details.
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