|
® |
EDEN PRAIRIE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH |
|
|
Pastor’s Corner It has been said that there are basically two kinds of prayers:
Help me, help me, help me, and Thank you, thank you, thank
you. I have prayed both in my lifetime. Right now I am praying
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Here’s why: THANK YOU for an amazing 60th birthday event. It’s the
most extended birthday celebration I have ever had. The cards and
affirmations were a wonderful gift from all of you (congregation and
staff). The basket of flowers was beautiful and the “Happy Birthday”
song at the end of worship was a complete surprise. I am blessed to be in
ministry among you. THANK YOU for your generosity as we do Christ’s work through the
ministry of our church. We have just received acknowledgement and thanks
from our District Superintendent for once again paying 100% of our “Conference
Apportionments” for 2005. Our apportionments help support mission
and administration for our denomination. THANK YOU for your commitment to welcoming all people and for your
affirmation of diversity. In the past several months we have celebrate the
gift of diversity through the Music and Fine Arts Series: Ken Medema, a
blind musician, African American musicians playing gospel and jazz with
Libby Turner and Friends and a wonderful concert by the Twin Cities Gay
Men’s Chorus. THANK YOU for your generosity and response through extra giving to
United Methodist Committee on Relief, Covenant Partnership with the
Vanderwerf’s, local agencies in our community and metropolitan area.
Along with other United Methodists in Minnesota, we provided needed
support in many situations. A recent report from the Bishop’s office
indicates the following amounts given beyond apportionments, from all the
United Methodist churches in Minnesota: Tsunami relief: $430,405 (our share: $3,818) Hurricane relief: $622,230. (our share: $3,175) Annual Love Offering: $108,754. (our share: $880) Our offerings are included in these numbers. In addition to giving
through our denomination, we provided generous support for PROP, ABC
House, Minneapolis Council of Churches Division of Indian work and many
other projects totaling $15,302. I am so grateful for the way in which you
express your faith as you share with others. Adding our apportionments of
$52,696 for ministry through out denominational outreach, makes us a
tithing congregation within an operating budget of $507,951. THANK YOU for your eagerness to welcome all people into the church.
Within the last month we have become a certified WELCOMING CONGREGATION of
the United Methodist Church, thanks to the leadership of our Welcoming
Ministry Team who gathered the information and completed the application.
This certification is given from the denomination. A plaque has been sent
to us from the United Methodist Church and will soon be displayed in the
narthex, as a reminder to keep up the good work. THANK YOU to all our Ministry Teams and other groups who have taken
seriously the “stretch goal” of spending time in prayer and
conversation around the scripture readings at the beginning of each
meeting, and ending each meeting or gathering with a time of prayer after
joys and concerns have been shared. It is making a difference in our
understanding of “church” and how we live together as the people of
Jesus Christ. I am seeing the Spirit of God at work in our midst in many ways. Your
energy, joy, determination and faithfulness, your desire to look at the
work of the church from the perspective of Jesus, are all a sign of God’s
spirit at work within us and among us. Thank you, thank you, thank
you. Amen. Blessings – Pastor Mike Miller
OUR CHURCH FAMILY THANK YOU REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS those who grieve the death of loved ones:
BIRTH
WITHDRAWAL FROM MEMBERSHIP
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
10340 Englewood Drive, EP 55347 952-942-9143 Both Randy and Roxane were raised in the Minneapolis area and were members of Lake Harriet UMC. Randy grew up in the Methodist tradition and even had a grandmother who served as a church secretary. He enjoys fishing and works for Fed Ex. You would be amazed at how well he knows the streets in Eden Prairie! Roxane was raised as a Catholic. She is a CPA and enjoys quiet times that include reading, taking walks and going to their cabin. Randy and Roxane also have a 6th grade daughter, Krista. She is quite active and some of her activities include playing the flute, softball and water skiing.
17146 Round Lake Rd, EP 55346 952-937-6236 Until last fall, Dave and Mary have lived in Brooklyn Park for 19 years and were members of Brooklyn UMC. Dave was born in the Duluth area (Proctor, MN), but moved to the Minneapolis area when he was a preschooler. Since his father was a United Methodist pastor, Dave participated in a variety of United Methodist churches as a youth. He currently works as a Design engineer and his interests primarily involve outdoor activities such as camping and canoeing. Mary also was raised in the Minneapolis area (Golden Valley) and is from a traditional Catholic family including 5 brothers and 1 sister. Mary works as a Senior Financial Analyst and is adjusting to the ‘empty nest’ life after their two sons have now gone off to college.
MINISTRY SUNDAY Pastor Mike Miller will be recognized by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary for “33 years of effective ministry” during the Sunday morning worship services on April 30th. The seminary has designated this day as “Ministry Sunday” and as a time to introduce a scholarship in his name. The seminary is making an initial contribution of $1,000 to this scholarship. It will be endowed when it reaches $25,000. Members, friends and former congregations served by Pastor Mike will also be invited to make additional contributions. David Heetland, Vice President of Development, will be present at worship that day to present this recognition and to introduce the scholarship. Further details will be given through the weekly memo or worship announcements. This day of recognition is being coordinated by the Staff Parish Relations Committee of our church.
A LETTER FROM LIZ LOPEZ, District Superintendent. “What a celebration it is for me to send you the certificate indicating that you have paid 100% of your Connectional Giving (Apportionments) for 2005. It is through the covenant of this connectional giving that we as United Methodists make a difference in our community and world. I thank you for your generosity as together we celebrate God’s abundance. . . . . . As our Bishop, Sally Dyck, has said, ‘apportionments are a vehicle of hope. They provide the means and the resources to help others in need and to make disciples of Jesus Christ’. As we move into the future know that you have continued to provide that ‘vehicle of hope’ for the transformation of our churches, communities and the world. Thank you for your partnership!”
You are visitor number |
