March 4, 2008
The Broadway
Spire
Volume 66 - Number 23 Phone 322-7741 March 4, 2008
The Broadway Spire (USPS 875-600) published weekly except every other week during June, July and August, by Broadway United Methodist Church, 11 S. 1st Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51503-4315. Phone 712-322-7741. Prayer Chain: 712-322-7705. Fax 712-322-2162. Periodical rate paid at Council Bluffs, IA, 51503. Postmaster: Address changes to: The Broadway Spire, 11 S. 1st Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51503-4315 Web Site: www.broadwayunitedmethodist.com
Our mission: Ever seeking, serving and growing as the family of God with unconditional love and acceptance!
PASTORAL REFLECTIONS BY MARVIN ARNPRIESTER . . .
Both times I traveled to Africa, I took along the best insect repellant I could find because of the prevalence of Malaria. Malaria is a common everyday experience for many people in Africa. While Malaria is one of the world’s most preventable diseases, every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from malaria. There are few if any screens on windows of the houses and none on the huts where people live. I became sensitive to listening for mosquitoes and making sure I was well covered with repellant at all times. I even took medicine before I left and when I returned home to help avoid this dreaded disease.
Malaria literally means “bad air” and is transmitted to the human blood stream by mosquitoes. It is a tragic, yet preventable disease. It infects nearly 500 million people each year and kills more than 1 million of those who become infected.
Most families in Africa do not have access to repellant, but there is a way we can help address this disease. The National Basketball League (NBA), Sports Illustrated, along with others, have partnered together to make a difference. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match each donation up to $3 million. You may wonder why these well known organizations have teamed up with United Methodists to provide bed nets for hundreds of thousands of homes in Africa? The other three entities discovered that United Methodists have the best distribution system throughout the African continent. There are thousands of churches which makes them great outlets for distributing bed nets. Parents can secure this simple, yet effective means of protecting their children and insuring their well being. The nets will last several years.
During the month of March I am asking you to help purchase as many bed nets as possible. I believe that together, we can buy 500 nets for this worthy cause. Simply mark your donation Nets and we will see that it goes to make a difference in children’s lives.
You can learn more at NothingButNets.net or umc.org/nets.
PASTOR’S INQUIRERS CLASS . . .
Persons interested in learning more about the United Methodist Church, its beliefs and what it means to be a member of Broadway are invited to join me in an Inquirers Class, Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m., March 5, 12 and 19, in the Senior Pastor’s Office.
THIS WEEK AT BROADWAY . . .
Israel/Palestine UMW Lenten Bible Study continues Tuesdays, through March 18, at 1:30 p.m. with Rev. Dana Scopatz.
The Bible From Scratch meets Sunday mornings, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. to work through an overview of the New Testament. No question too big or small. Everybody is welcome to participate.
Single Diners meet March 7 at Old River Pizza, 5:30 p.m. Call Carol Ratashak, 322-7360, for reservations.
Sign up to deliver door hangers! We need eight team captains to take responsibility for a route and see that it is covered anytime between Saturday, March 8, and Saturday, March 15. Sign up in the Centrex to captain a route. To help with a route, sign up in the Centrex so the team captains can contact you.
The March-April issues of The Upper Room and Alive Now daily devotional guides are now available for your purchase.
Child/Adult Prayer Partner Assignments will be coming shortly. Children are still needed. If your child would like a special prayer relationship with an adult, please sign up in the Centrex.
Sign up in the Centrex to deliver Meals on Wheels on Thursdays in April. Contact Ken Milford or Gene Thomson for information.
Youth Summer Work Trip Participants deposits are due immediately. We are finalizing transportation and looking at work experiences. If you have NOT yet paid your deposit, we will not confirm your place.
WE WILL BE LOYAL TO BROADWAY . . .
With our Presence: March 2, 2008
Worship: 8:00 a.m. - 96; 9:30 a.m. - 121 11:00 a.m. - 123; 6:30 p.m. - 104 = 444
Sunday School: 8:00 a.m -3; 9:30 a.m.-114; 11:00 a.m.-24 = 144
With our Gifts 2008: Received
Current Expenses, Need Weekly $11,209.13
Received March 2 $9,610.60
Total received to date $80,994.39
Growing through Grace 2008 $9,111.00
Guatemala Children’s Orphanage $318.73
Nothing But Nets
One Great Hour of Sharing $4,062.00
With Our Prayers: Hospitalized at Jennie: Kris Lippke. Others: Marge Bean, Lesley Blom, Anne Brunko, Veda Clark, Roger Coffey, Shirley DeHoogh, Connie Folkers, Carey Garafalo-Moore, Virgil Graves, Max Hall, Shirley Heinrich, Sharon Jasnowski, Denise LeBaugh, Janet McKern, Irma Miller, Steve Roberson, Elizabeth Rollings, Conrad Schlemmer, Jean Talbert, Suzy VanBibber, Al Voss, Kathy Whitson, homebound & nursing home members, missionaries, military personnel, victims of war and natural disasters, District Staff Brian Milford & Ed Kail, Bishop Palmer, pastors and staff. Call 322-7705 to hear additional prayer requests.
Our Sympathy to:
• Sara & John Innes in the March 3 death of her brother, Andy Oswald, in Fertile, IA.
• Bob & Connie Folkers in the March 3 death of their daughter, Debra Wharton, of Newton, KS.
LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS . . .
March 9 Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
In the event of inclement weather church activities are canceled if school is released early or closed. Call the office if in doubt.
Cool Congregations carbon saving tips . . . This week: Seal all air leaks in the basements, attic, around doors, windows, hatches, chimney and electrical outlets.
From Judy Smits . . .
“Sweet 16" Prom 2008 is now a memory. I love our adult prom – we decorate, choose a theme, choose a King and Queen (this year Queen Carolyn and King Marvin). Hmmm. Maybe I’m trying to relive my youth? Probably not, because I really can’t remember my youth, which comes as no surprise to our youth! But, the fun, the food, the dancing, the DJ – it’s just a good time.
This year our children were going to be together in Chicago for the weekend. Could Bill and I join them? Uh, no. Prom weekend. But, the more I thought about it, the sadder I was that I couldn’t be with them to see our eight-month-old grandson for the first time, along with his three-year-old sister and our other 14 year-old granddaughter. So, Bill and I planned to go up and return Saturday in time for Prom. I assured the youth sponsors we would be back in time – and they immediately took responsibility for the entire night, allowing us to have the entire weekend with these little people. Susan and Rick Durlin coordinated the night; Mary Atilano chaired the food; Jean Bohnker brought in all the lights and decorations, and the rest of the youth sponsors decorated, set up, and cleaned up. We were able to be with our family!
When I hear of churches where youth sponsors are a “couple” who take responsibility for the entire program, I am astounded. How do they do it and what are they able to accomplish on their own. Our youth sponsors who work as teams are amazing. They rely on each other, use each other’s gifts and graces and have a great time together. They are able to accomplish greater things because they work as a team. And, when one has a baby (Denise and Jason Ruiz three days before Prom) or a sick child or a dance recital, the program goes on. The youth know they will have sponsors available. We are fortunate to have a group of caring, loving, devoted youth sponsors. And, will they continue forever? Probably not! But, the program will continue because they have worked as a team to build it. New sponsors will come into the group, share their gifts and graces and continue the great things for years to come! I thank God for each of these people!
From Bob Folkers . . .
When I was a young minister, I found myself intrigued with those words in the marriage vows where one promises to be faithful “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…”
Why would someone need to promise to be faithful when things are going well, I wondered to myself. When things are tough and difficult, I can understand the need to really work on being faithful, but the vows say, “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…” They put equal emphasis on being faithful in good times as well as bad.
Now that I have been in the ministry for almost 50 years and have done hundreds of weddings, I can appreciate the significance of those words. I am amazed at the number of marriages that fall apart at the seams when things are going well and everything is on the upswing and a sense of prosperity abounds. I have been especially amazed at couples who do very well when they are struggling and
(Continued on page 4)
BROADWAY BOUQUETS TO. . .
• Jason and Denise Ruiz on the February 27 birth of Cael Barton.
• Bill Phillips & Roger Olsen for repairing restroom sinks.
BIRTHDAYS . . .
March 6 - Margery Bean, Larry Fent, Lois McElderry
March 7 - Rick Dunn, Carey Garafalo-Moore, Scott Sanson
March 8 - Gloria Devereaux, Shawna Dunn, Lindsay Elrod, Austin Graham, Ronda Schott
March 9 - Tracy Bechtold, Jared Dilts, Harry Drake Jr., Mackenzie Jones, Kristin Lippke, Anna Newby, David Roth
March 10 - Alex Cline, Ronald Heitman, Sandra Holtorf, Hugh Lunt, Lori Mitchell
March 11 - Rob Brow, Marie Huggins, Kimberly Whiteaker
March 12 - Samuel Jensen
March 13 - Kirsten Alter, Carrie Evans, Margaret Freeman, Jack Mahrt, Bill Sollazzo
ANNIVERSARIES . . .
March 6 - Douglas & Linda Primmer - 38
March 8 - Robert & Jennifer Achenbach - 11
ANNOUNCING . . .
A Microwave is needed for in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. If you have one you are not using, call the office. We will pick it up!
March is Colon Cancer Awareness month and once again we have an opportunity to screen for this disease. If you are over 50 years of age or older, you can do the fecal occult blood test. The parish nurses will be in the Centrex on March 9 and 16; just pick up your free kit. Take it home and send it in. You will be notified by mail of your results.
UMW Unit Meeting is Thursday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. The program will be Lent/Easter Peace: Journeying to Claim It. Please call Pricilla Gearhart, 328-0007, for reservations. Board meets at 12:45 p.m.
UMW Good Friday Sacrificial Breakfast will be March 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Contact Pricilla Gearhart, 328-0007, for reservations.
Learn more about immigration at an Iowa Chapter MFSA Spring Regional Gathering, Sunday, March 9, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., at the Creston United Methodist Church. Contact the office for more information.
Important NEW Information about Broadway’s Rosetta Stone Language Software Purchase
Since we began signing up people who wanted a disk to use at home, the product version we were quoted was discontinued. The new version works is an internet-based subscription. This means that each user will be able to access the program from any computer with internet access, with no disk necessary. The cost is less – only $75 instead of $155 per level, but you only have one year from the time you first sign on to complete the language level, and you will not have the disk for review after the year is over.
Another downside is that the cost is per user, which means families will have to register each person and we will not be able to have disks available to use at church or check out at no cost. The Administrative Council voted to purchase 6 disks for use by persons who were not able/interested in purchasing their own. If you are interested in contributing to a fund to provide free or reduced cost registration for another (anonymous) member of the congregation, please contact Pastor Dana.
The last downside is that the minimum number of user levels to purchase is 50, so we must recruit more users for this program to succeed. One upside is that all 30 of the languages Rosetta Stone offers count toward the total, so if you’ve always wanted to learn Mandarin or French or Arabic, now is your chance. Contact Pastor Dana if you are interested in participating in this new format, whether you had signed up previously or not. And if you have any questions please ask!
Iowa United Methodist Men meet Saturday, March 15, 2008, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. UMC - 602 5th Avenue SW - Altoona, IA. Phone 515-967-2991. Registration by March 10, is $20. Registration at the door is $25.
You are invited to present Easter plants as a memorial or gift honoring someone. Please fill out the blank below and place with a check in the offering plate or send to the office by Wednesday, March 12. They must be paid for at the time they are ordered. They will be available to be taken home after the 11:00 a.m. Easter worship service. In lieu of a plant, you may donate to the pastor’s discretionary fund. Please indicate below.
IN MEMORY OF__________________________
IN HONOR OF___________________________
GIVEN BY
____ Lily @ $8.00 each = $ ________
____ Hyacinth @ $10 each = $ ________
Pastor's Fund = $ __________; Total $_________
(Folkers continued from page 2)
facing major obstacles in their relationship – and then fall apart when they no longer have to struggle or face any major problem in their lives. Maybe it is significant that we think about being faithful in the good times as well as the bad, when things are on the upswing as well as on the downswing, when we seemingly have it made as well as when we are struggling.
Several years ago, a couple told me that they had just opened a new business and it was going extremely well. They said that since God had been good to them when things were not going well and had been there for them, they wanted to reciprocate in kind now that things had turned around in their lives – and they were beginning to prosper. As a way of saying thanks to God, they handed me a check for a significant amount of money to be used for local missions.
An interesting piece of information released only a couple of years ago indicates that people in the lower socio-economic groups give a higher percentage of their income to the church each year than those in the higher socio-economic groups. In fact, this particular study demonstrated that the percentage of personal income set aside for charitable giving goes increasingly downward as one’s personal income goes increasingly upward. In other words, those who experience more and more “the good life” tend to loose the sense of being blessed by God and indebted to God for what they have – and so, as things improve in their personal situation, so to their charitable giving.
Isn’t that interesting? Many marriages do wonderfully when they are struggling, but fall apart when they seemingly “have it made.” And many followers of Jesus have no problems remembering God when they are living through crisis in their lives, but the reverse tends to be true when those crises are gone and they are experiencing prosperity. It would seem that the real challenge lies not so much in just finding ways to handle the rough spots in our lives, but also in finding ways to faithfully handle the smooth spots. Those are the times when we need to be on our guard, when we need to be especially mindful of our calling, our promises and our commitments, when we need to remember who we are and why we are here in the world in the first place and to whom we finally belong.
What about the good times in your life? Can you handle them faithfully? Or do they tend to be times when you lay your faith aside and become so wrapped up in yourself that God is almost an after thought?
The joy continues,
Bob
CALENDAR OF EVENTS . . .
Wednesday, March 5 Time for Prayer - 6:30 am
Care Team Leaders - 8:00 am
Staff Meeting - 9:00 am
Aged to Perfection Luncheon - 12:15 pm
Confirmation - 5:00 pm
ESL Childcare - 5:45 pm
Meal for Donation - 6:00 pm
Chime Choir - 5:55 pm
Bell Choir - 6:15 pm
Wednesday Children, Children's Activities - 6:30 pm
Allstars, Christian Cadets, Jr. & Sr. UMYF - 6:30 pm
Disciple I & II, Bible from Scratch - 6:30 pm
Inquirers Class with Marvin Arnpriester - 6:30 pm
Choir Rehearsal - 7:15 pm
Thursday, March 6 Men's Discussion - 9:30 am
Men's Ensemble - 5:45 pm
Friday, March 7 Single Diners - 5:30 pm
Bible Study in Spanish - 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 9 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS
Choir Rehearsal - 7:19 am
Worship - 8:00 - 9:30 - 11:00 am
Children’s Sunday School - 8:00 am
Jr. and Sr. High Sunday School - 9:00 am
Sunday School - children & adults - 9:30 am
Family Activities Council - 10:30 am
The Bible From Scratch - 11:00 am
Sunday School for elementary & younger - 11:00 am
Worship Service in Spanish - 6:00 pm
NA Group - 7:00 pm
Monday, March 10 Grace Study Group - 1:30 pm
Music Staff - 5:30 pm
ESL Childcare - 5:45 pm
Fine Arts Committee - 6:30 pm
Cub Scouts Den Meeting - 7:00 pm
Tuesday, March 11 Israel Palestine Study - 1:30 pm
Girl Scouts - 6:30 pm
Bible Study in Spanish - 7:00 pm
Wednesday, March 12 Time for Prayer - 6:30 am
Staff Meeting - 9:00 am
PACT - 5:00 pm
Confirmation - 5:00 pm
ESL Childcare - 5:45 pm
Meal for Donation - 6:00 pm
Chime Choir - 5:55 pm
Bell Choir - 6:15 pm
Wednesday Children, Children's Activities - 6:30 pm
Allstars, Christian Cadets, Jr. & Sr. UMYF - 6:30 pm
Disciple I & II, Bible from Scratch - 6:30 pm
Inquirers Class with Marvin Arnpriester - 6:30 pm
Choir Rehearsal - 7:15 pm
Pages Are Needed for Annual Conference, June 5-8, 2008, in Ames. Pages are on duty from 7:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and stay in a dorm at Iowa State. Pages must have completed 9th Grade. Applications are due April 15. Call Judy if you are interested in applying!