March 25, 2008
The Broadway
Spire
Volume 66 - Number 26 Phone 322-7741 March 25, 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!
FROM MARVIN ARNPRIESTER . . .
Easter has come, but thank God, it has not gone! Easter is much more than a day on the calendar. It is an ongoing event to be experienced, celebrated and shared. Easter is far more than words of hope offered through tears of pain and grief. It is an ongoing reality making a difference for all who will believe it.
Fear nothing, you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is risen, he is not here, said the young messenger to three women that first Easter morning. They had come to deal with death, anoint a body and share their grief together. They were there to share their pain and their memories. Instead of a lifeless body, they found life restored, renewed, resurrected!
Easter still trumphets the same message for us and our world in 2008. We struggle with the reality of 4,000 of our sons and daughters having been killed in Iraq over the past 5 years and the thousands more who will now live with horrible scars and memories. Today, we struggle with how and when to bring our troops home and what will be left when we are gone from the situation. The case for the war was built by appealing to our fears. I do not profess to have the answer, except to remind us that God has not abandoned us or this world.
There is much in our world to fear. Are we in a slowing economy or is it already a recession? Depends on whom you asked. There is great fear about sub-prime loans and the housing market. Gas prices are up, along with food and other necessities of life. Escape hatches abound, from denial, to drinking and drugs, to being busy while looking for easy answers. Yet in this maddening maze of life as we know it, the message of Easter peals out in the words of the young man in the tomb that first Easter morning, Fear not. Jesus said to his disciples in the upper room prior to the crucifixion, Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God...
Easter confirms the promises of God revealed in Jesus. God’s love is unconquerable and invites us to respond with the commitment of our life to that love shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Every farmer and gardener who plows the ground, planting seed, confirms the promise of God. The new leaf budding, the grass greening, the birds singing, remind us of a power greater than any other power in all the world. Easter is the validation that our hope is not in vain. Easter is the assurance that life has a purpose, a meaning and a destination. In the resurrection of Jesus, the power of death has been broken, fear has been conquered and love has been seen in its fullness and glory.
THIS WEEK AT BROADWAY . . .
Officer Alba will meet with 5th and 6th Grade youth Wednesday, March 26, 6:30-7:45 p.m., to discuss Internet Safety. Parents and interested adults are invited to join the group.
Dan Strutzenberg, TJ Football Coach, will meet with Christian Cadets, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 26. He has some surprises planned – and you’ll learn some things you didn’t know about football! All 3rd and 4th Grade youth are invited.
Daytime Diners will meet at 11:45 a.m. Friday, March 28. Contact Verla Keim for location and reservations, 388-9453.
A free throw basketball shoot will be held March 30 in the parking lot to raise money for the Nothing But Nets campaign. Pledge a dollar amount for each basket made by your favorite shooter or just make a donation. All contributions go to purchase treated mosquito nets for families in Africa.
The Church Consultation Report from Doug Anderson is available. Ask for a copy in the office or give us your email address and we will email it to you.
Youth Drama for those grade 4 through high school interested in participating in short dramas for worship meet in Room 210 10:30-11:00 a.m. Sunday, 4March 30.
Sign up in the Centrex to deliver Meals on Wheels Thursdays in April. Contact Ken Milford or Gene Thomson for information.
A limited number of Puffins sold by youth are still available. If you haven’t picked yours up yet or if you would like more, see youth sponsors on Sunday!
WE WILL BE LOYAL TO BROADWAY . . .
With our Presence: March 23, 2008
Worship: 8:00 a.m. - 153; 9:30 a.m. - 246 11:00 a.m. - 187; 6:30 p.m. - 102 = 688
Sunday School: 8:00 a.m -9; 9:30 a.m.-91; 11:00 a.m.-29 = 129
With our Gifts 2008: Received
Current Expenses, Need Weekly $11,209.13
Received March 23 $8,936.05
Total received to date $112,291.89
Growing through Grace 2008 $16,495.00
Guatemala Children’s Orphanage $342.87
Nothing But Nets $2,239.03
One Great Hour of Sharing $4,082.00
With Our Prayers: Hospitalized at Jennie: Kris Lippke. Others: Marge Bean, Lesley Blom, Roger Coffey, Shirley DeHoogh, Connie Folkers, Carey Garafalo-Moore, Virgil Graves, Vi Grote, Max Hall, Shirley Heinrich, Sharon Jasnowski, Jean Kjeldgaard, Steve Roberson, Elizabeth Rollings, Conrad Schlemmer, Jean Talbert, Al Voss, Kathy Whitson, Blake Wright, homebound & nursing home members, missionaries, military personnel, victims of war & natural disasters, District Superintendent Brian Milford, Field Staff Ed Kail, Bishop Palmer, pastors and staff. Call 322-7705 to hear additional prayer requests.
Our Sympathy to:
• Jeff & Stephanie Harden and Megan & Brian Ronk and families in the March 22 death of their mother Karen Cross.
• Family and friends of former pastor Dr. Glenn Parrott who died March 18. He was pastor when the Education Building was dedicated in 1958.
• The family of Edith Stevens in her death March 24.
LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS . . .
March 30 Acts 2:14a
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31
Cool Congregations carbon saving tips . . . This week: Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the temperature in your home on schedule. During the heating season, the thermostat can lower the temperature when you are asleep and at work, saving 10% or more on your heating bill.FROM BOB FOLKERS . . .
After the Resurrection. . . What?
A good pastor friend of mine had a story in his church paper last week I want to share with you. There was a community-wide Easter pageant in which the various characters were assigned to people in the community. The character of Jesus went to a most unlikely person - a big, common, burly construction worker. He was a most unlikely person to play the part of Jesus because he cursed like a sailor and had a reputation for barroom brawls.
After several weeks of rehearsals, the day of the Easter pageant finally arrived. People came from all over to see the performance. There must have been several thousand people gathered to watch this dramatic re-enactment of the last week in the life of Jesus.
When they came to the part of the play where Jesus was being led away to be crucified, one little man who was simply filling in as an extra and part of the crowd, became caught up in the emotion of the moment. He joined in the shouts of “Crucify him! Crucify him!” as Jesus was being led away toward Calvary, carrying the cross on his back. This little man, who was so caught up in the emotion and in the shouting of insults at the top of his lungs, actually spit into the face of the character playing Jesus. This big burly man stopped in his tracks, reached up and wiped his face dry, looked at the little man and said, “I'll be back to take care of you after the resurrection.”
“After the resurrection . . .” that's an interesting phrase, isn't it? What do we do “after the resurrection”, after Easter Sunday has come and gone? After the celebration of the greatest moment in the life of the church? What do we do when we have gone to the mountain top and caught a glimpse of God's glory and now find that moment receding into the past and into our memory? “ After the resurrection. . . “ what do we do?
It depends on what we actually experience, doesn't it? If it was just a very festive moment, touched off with exciting music and preaching and lots of people and beautiful lilies etc., if it was just that and nothing more, nothing deeper... then I suppose we can go on living our lives as we always have lived them and wait for another emotional high. Maybe it will come in the form of a party with some of our friends. Maybe it will be a thrilling moment at an athletic event when things seem to go our way. Maybe it will be a season of many victories for our favorite college team. But if all we got out of Easter was just an emotional high, then we will let it go for the time being and look for the emotional high that comes our way.
But maybe it was more than simply an emotional high for this year. Maybe. Maybe it was something that touched upon a deep spiritual stirring in the center and excited us with the hope that maybe our deepest yearning would be fulfilled. Maybe this Easter we actually heard and received the Word of God meeting us in our innermost depths and making us whole and inviting us to new life. If that's what happened to us “after the resurrection...” then we have something deep in our lives that is not dependent upon a mere emotional high in order to live.
(continued on page 4)
BROADWAY BOUQUETS TO. . .
• Alex & Jenny Dighton in the March 15 birth of their son, Kowen Xander.
• Margarite Goodenow for the hot cross buns shared with us Easter Sunday morning between services.
BIRTHDAYS . . .
March 27 - Carlen Devereaux, Nadine Dreager, Kurtis Hayes, Roger McEvoy, Kurt Miller, Austin Sullivan, Lisa Wilkins
March 28 - Jonathan LeBaugh, Allan Smith
March 29 - Kaitlyn Burton, Carter Hinman, Jade Jenkins, Matthew Johnson, Linda Primmer, Jeanne Tjaden
March 30 - Kenneth Block, Debra Borden, Roxie Devereaux, Robin Lobendo, Izbeth Ramos, Jillian Shanks
March 31 - Gerald Binns, Grant Goy, Marguerite Hickman, Michael Holcomb, Leroy Oamek, Madge Sanders, Aleia Sollazzo
April 1 - Shirley Ashcraft, Amber Bohnker, Amy Bohnker, Kinsley Hinman, Michael Pengra, Bobbe Whetstone
April 2 - Dorothy Dewaele, Robert Heitman
April 3 - Emily Newby
ANNIVERSARIES . . .
March 30 - Sara & John Innes - 50
March 31 - Jan & Richard Messner - 47
April 2 - Bob & Dana Scopatz - 3, James & Janet Sutherland - 47, Steve & Andrea Yeoman - 3
RECEIVED AS A PREPARATORY MEMBER . . .
By Baptism, March 23, was Chase Donovan, son of Alanzo & Stacie Beitler-Razo.
There are 326 Preparatory Members.
HOME MAINTENANCE NEEDED?
If you need minor home repairs, Broadway has a group available to assist! Call the office and Duane Duncan will see that one of the handy men will be in touch to determine what supplies are needed and a convenient time for both of you. The only cost to you is for supplies purchased. A variety of skills are available, ranging from minor plumbing to drywall and carpentry are available. Take care of any needs your house might need today!
ANNOUNCING . . .
Pizza/Bingo Night - Family Activities Council presents an opportunity to join in fellowship for those ages 1-100 on Saturday, April 12, 5-7:00 p.m. Pizza will be made by Margarite for a freewill donation. Pack up the van and bring friends! We’ll play Bingo. Sign up in the Centrex so we will know how many pizzas are needed!
Needed: Cardboard toilet tissue rolls and ice cream buckets for Vacation Bible School.
Child/Adult Prayer Partner Assignments will be coming shortly. Children are still needed.
Jr. High Parents are invited to preview the video, “Sex, Love and Relationships” with Melba Bently and Kim Perkins on April 2. This video talks openly with teens about issues in relationships that will be confronting them either directly or indirectly during the coming years. This video shares Biblical information and Christian values in a direct discussion. Youth will see the video with Melba and Kim on April 9. If after viewing this video you choose not to have your youth involved, please call Judy.
Beach Party Christian Day Camp at Broadway begins June 4-July 2. At 7:30 a.m., doors open for breakfast. Vacation Bible School is held 9:00-11:45 a.m. for all ages from 2 through current 6th graders. At 11:45 a.m., children ages 2-4 who will not be in Kindergarten this fall will go home. Remaining children will board Laidlaw busses for lunch. Afternoon trips this year include Harrison County Historical Village and Religious Museum (6-4), Wabash Trace/Dream Playground (6-11), Carstens Farm (6-18), Ft. Atkinson (6/25) and Henry Doorly Zoo (7-2). Two snacks are served each day. Following afternoon trips, children play games in Fellowship Hall until parents pick them up, with doors closing at 5:30 p.m. Registration forms are available in the Centrex. Please register your child as soon as possible so we can be sure we have adequate craft, curriculum and snacks. This is a great opportunity to include friends!
SOMETHING TO REMEMBER . . .
We are each of us a bit of God,
a scrap of divinity.
If we would know it,
OH! If only we could know it,
we would walk the earth in awe,
eyes shining in splendor,
hearts suspended in delight at the miracle
of the living God
gracing our days and nights. --Edwina Gateley
(Folkers’ Article continued from page 2)
Yes, Easter was exciting this year. It was a great Sunday in every way on the surface of things. I believe it was a great Sunday at a much deeper level than that as well. It was truly a time for us to share our faith with one another, our faith that this little world in which we live and this little moment of time through which we are passing are but such small parts of the vast creation of God, and finally, we belong to that vastness of God's being which stretches out there beyond stars and galaxies and is forever and ever. It is so important we can put our lives into that perspective, isn't it?
It is also important we are able to lift our eyes above the horizon, if only for a moment here and there and catch a glimpse of the Great Beyond to which ultimately we and all creation belong forever and ever.
If that vision came your way this last Sunday, and it did for me, then these days “after the resurrection. . .” promise to be full and joyful and absolutely wonderful for us all. They will be days of new beginnings, days of new life, days when we truly come forth and enter into the glory and joy of the presence of our God.
I hope you are experiencing that kind of life right now... in these few days since we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord from the dead... and the possibility of our own resurrection. After the resurrection..., then what?
The joy continues!
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH MRS. ESPERITO? . . .
Mrs. Esperito, age 61, has not missed church in over 1,000 Sundays, a perfect record for nearly 20 years. We have some questions we would like to ask her: Doesn’t she ever have company to keep her from
church?
Doesn’t she ever have headaches, colds, nervous
spells, tired feelings, sudden calls out of town, business trips, Sunday picnics?
Doesn’t she ever sleep late on Sundays?
Doesn’t it ever rain, snow, get too hot or too cold? Hasn’t she ever had her feelings hurt by the preacher
or some member of the congregation?
What’s the matter with her? -copied
You Do Not Walk Alone
You do not walk a lonely road,
For God is always near;
He shares your heartbreak and your pain
And knows the things you fear.
His hand will guide you safely,
For his love is always there
To give you strength and courage
If you ask for it in prayer. -Wittner
CALENDAR OF EVENTS . . .
Wednesday, March 26 Time for Prayer - 6:30 am
Staff Meeting - 9:00 am
Prayer Shawl Ministry - 1:30 pm
Confirmation - 5:00 pm
PACT - 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 - 6:30 pm
Choir Rehearsal - 7:15 pm
Thursday, March 27 Men's Ensemble - 5:45 pm
Fellowship Friends Taskforce - 6:00 pm
Congregational Development Meeting - 7:00 pm
Scout Leaders - 7:00 pm
Friday, March 28 Daytime Diners - 11:45 am
Bible Study in Spanish - 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 29 Scouts Pinewood Derby - 9:00 am
Sunday, March 30 Choir Rehearsal - 7:19 am
Sunday 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
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 31 Music Staff - 5:30 pm
Fine Arts - 6:30 pm
ESL Childcare - 5:45 pm
Cub Scouts Den Meeting - 7:00 pm
Tuesday, April 1 Book Review - 9:30 pm
Girl Scouts - 6:30 pm
Bible Study in Spanish - 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 2 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
Inquirer's Class with Rev. Arnpriester - 6:30 pm
Disciple I & II - 6:30 pm
Choir Rehearsal - 7:15 pm
God fills the void between what we perceive as reality and what we cannot even comprehend.
–Deanna Lind