Pastors Page April 2013 An Easter State of Mind

Billy Joel wrote and recorded the song “New York State of Mind” in 1976.  He wrote it just after returning from three years of diaspora living in Los Angeles.    He released it on his Turnstile Album.  It was not a great hit, never one of those songs that hit the Top 40 charts as did some of his others.  His fellow New Yorkers, of course, have always loved it.  But I have to confess, I do not remember the song from when I lived in New York from 1980 to 1985.  I remember it from September, 2001.  When Billy Joel sang the song in honor of police and firefighters and others in a concert at Madison Square Garden following the 9/11 tragedy, the world listened more intently, from a new perspective.  Since then the son has been covered by eleven other well known artists, from Frank Sinatra to The Muppets.  Joel has performed it as a duet with the likes of Garth Brooks, Elton John, and Bruce Springsteen.  On 12-12-12 he and several others sang it with words changed to raise money for Hurricane Sandy Relief.

There are several parallels between this story and the Easter Story for me.  “What is wrong with your mind, pastor?”  You may be thinking.  Hear me out.  Jesus was an unknown carpenter/rabbi from a small, sleepy town and a land known mostly for being a pain in the you-know-what to whichever outside power ruled it.  Unlike New York City, a “Galilee State of Mind” wouldn’t have matter to hardly anyone, probably including most of those who lived and died there.  Most people in the world have fantasy visions of New York, but most Americans prefer not to be there except for an overnight with a Broadway play: certainly not to live there!  But when a crisis came, New Yorkers rose to the occasion.

When the crisis of Jesus’ death came, his followers rose to the occasion.  First they fled in fear, as any of us likely would. But then, they could have gone home to the lakeshore and put it all behind them. Instead, they had this “Easter State of Mind.”  Something happened.  Jesus’ resurrection ‘happened’ for them.  The lived into, embraced, a new state of being.  And their ranks began to grow.  Others started ‘singing the song.’  Then thousands of others.  By the time the Romans heard them singing and tried to stop them by persecution the song could not be stopped.  It was an unstoppable  “Easter State of Mind.”

Some of us have noticed an atypical lack of energy around Holy Week and Easter at Harmony this year.  Some of us are reeling in grief.  We’ve lost a dozen church members to death since January 1, and we have 58 shut-in or near shut-in at home or living in nursing homes.  Our Building Committee and new outreach pastor are visiting other church sites and planning changes to our facility to make it more hospitable for new, younger  people. I think many of us have a ‘wait and see’ attitude about things to come, which is understandable.  But regardless, I encourage you to have An Easter State of Mind.”  An Easter state of mind includes hope in God’s power to make all things new, trust in God’s Holy Spirit to transform, and trust in the risen Christ’s power to redeem.  An Easter state of mind believes spring is coming, anticipating it with smiles and encouragement to others.  An Easter state of mind envisions a future for Harmony, and for each of us, even greater than our past.

Sing it!  Let’s have an Easter State of Mind!

Rev. Mark Harvey

June-July HARMONY NOTES

June EVENTS

Several will be off to Annual Conference June 7th through June 11th.  They will be sharing information in a future newsletter and in worship service reports.  The United Methodist Women will be having a Spiritual Retreat on June 16th.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  Those who have been attending the Tuesday evening Bible Study Fellowship have heard Terri Campen speak.  She will be our speaker for the retreat.  Rev. Bob Farr will be speaking on Wednesday, June 20th— check Rev. Mark’s article in the PASTOR’S PAGE section for more information.  The Wednesday night dinner, children & youth programs, and Faith Lift will continue through June 20.

July EVENTS

Bob and Andi Malone will be celebrating their 30th Wedding Anniversary on July 14th.  You are invited to share in this celebration from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  No gifts please.  Harmony will be hosting the community Vacaton Bible School starting July 15th through July 19th.  Children ages 3 to 95 are welcome to attend!  Our youth will be attending church camp the week of July 16th.  Please keep the campers and counselors in your prayers.  Our annual Backpack and Carnival is July 28th.  We will be working with the school to help families have the proper school supplies for their children. Several woman and youth will be attend the Conference Cooperative School of Christian Mission July 26th through July 20, please keep them in your prayers. Summer is the time for something different—you are in for a special treat on Sunday, July 8th.  SOUTHERN HERITAGE will be with us at the 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services.  This group has been traveling across the United States and will be in the St. Louis area on Sunday, July 8th.  We invite you to invite your family and friends to share this worship experience with us that day.

 HONORING OUR GRADUATES

Graduation is an important milestone for all of us and we want to recognize these Harmony graduates:  Nathan Hunton – Masters in Physics; Christian Lowry from college, Dana Burchur from high school, Chris Edwards from high school, Evette Markley from high school.   A thank you to the parents, families, and friends for their support and encouragement for these graduates.  They will continue to need you as they move into the next phase of their lives.

RITENOUR FOOD PANTRY

This is the Family Food Pack list for Festival of Sharing.I’d like to promote our congregation to get these for the food pantry.We serve almost 50 families a week (almost 200 per month) and we try to give them enough food for a month, but lately we haven’t had enough to do so.We are getting in lots of bread and snacks, but need these to provide a well rounded diet that will last a few weeks.We also need  helpers on June 30th for the food drive at Schnucks at Overland Plaza.

3 cans of assorted vegetables    3 cans assorted fruits
3 cans tuna                              1 can pasta sauce
1 pound pasta                          1 jar peanut butter
1 can Spam                              3 packages macaroni & cheese

This has a value of $25.Any donation to the food pantry gets you a credit on your Missouri Income Tax – so save your grocery receipt.Or see Marti for a receipt for the Ritenour Food pantry.

 Harmony Challenge

How many Family Food Packs can we put together in the month of June?  9  11  15   22   25 ?

Thank You  My Church Family:

Thank you for the prayers, cards, visits, phone calls, and hugs you gave me and my family during my mother, Liz Achurch, illness.  We will all miss her deeply but she knew she was loved by her you.                                                                                                                          –Dean Nickens and family

Great father … appreciative son

An Arizona man named Ruff wrote to a newspaper to tell about his father. Ruff said his dad’s first priority was to be a good father. He supported his children in their various activities: football or baseball games, scouting, school activities, etc.

Ruff said his dad, a heavy-equipment operator, was physically big but was also big-hearted. Ruff saw him help a dog that was hurt, and go out of his way to help the poor. He saw his father’s eyes moisten when he held his baby granddaughter for the first time.

His father had taught him to drive, to use tools correctly, not to be greedy, and to be respectful of others. The good father had taught his son how to be a good man.

Ruff ended his letter to the paper with these words: “I guess … I thought I’d reach a point in my life where I could be self-sufficient and not need him. That was a young man’s thinking. Now that I’m over 40 and he is gone, I think about him every day and miss him. And I need him.

“So for all the times I didn’t say it: Dad, I love you.”

—Adapted from a letter in The Arizona Republic

June Birthdays

Amber Eikmeier, June 4; Linda Anthon, June 5; John Stock, June 5;  Shirley Davidson, June 6; Dolores Bader, June 7; Janice Collier, June 7; Don Crary, June 9; Lana Nack, June 9; Susan Lark, June 11; Wendy More, June 11; Aubree Collier, June 14; Larry Stark, June 15; Janet Stephan, June 15; Gerry Lovin, June 16; Brent Cooper, June 18; Frances Young, June 18; Mary Hall, June 20; Emma Walter, June 20; Shannon Burnett, June 22; June Michel, June 22 ; Al Signorino, June 22;  Cyndi Woollard, June 22;  Jessica Emahiser, June 23; Norma Sandrock, June 23; Dianne Bergadine, June 24 ; Lloyd Aubuchon, June 26; Darrell Wharton, June 27; Roger May, June 29; Ashley Jones, June 30

July Birthdays

Danielle Sronce, 2; Linda Slenker, 6; Lori Watson, 6; Jennifer Kidder, 7; Olive Mamer, 7; Adam Whitmore, 7; Dee Anna McNabb, 8; Mary Kagey, 10; Sarah Rickard, 10; Seth Stillwell, 10; Benjamin Eberenz, 12; Lottie Keathley, 13; Tom Melton, 13; Violet Schneider, 13; David Carr, 13; Anita Jamieson, 14;  Richard Peterman, 14; Larry Hall, 15; Kevin Burnett, 16; James Young, 16;  Timothy Falker, 17; Zachary Folkerts, 17; Tara Murray,  17; Chester Ebert, 18; Dean Nickens, 18; Izzi Stone, 18; Cheryl Livingston  19; Evelyn Zorn, 20; Andrea Malone, 21;  Elizabeth Mayhew, 21; Gary Astroth, 22; Shirley Bostic, 23; James Nickens, 23; Kevin Pettie, 25; Connor Buschmann, 27; Irene Pyatt, 27; Donna Allen, 28; Erma Hawkins, 29; Jeremy Schneider, 29; Dorothy Amelung, 31; Lauren Crowder, 31; Karen Dickey, 31

Hardly a Windfall

Pastor’s Page- February, 2012

By now most of you probably know we sold the Marvin Park building the first week of January.  It was sad to say goodbye, hard to take down the signs.  It’s difficult now to drive by.  But Rev. Jesse Battles and The House of Deliverance Apostolic Church will do wonderful community ministry from there I am sure.  They have for many years in other places.  After their remodeling is complete they plan to invite us and others in the community for an open house.

Since the sale several people have approached me or members of our Board of Trustees with ideas for how to spend the $315,000 or so we put in the bank.  I know it sounds like a lot of money, added to other resources from the sale of our adjacent commercial building earlier in 2011.  But I assure you:  it is hardly a windfall.  We spent $45,000 on sorely needed building repairs and improvements in 2011.  Our Fire Marshall is requiring an estimated $40,000 or more in immediate repairs to meet new fire codes.  One air conditioner in the education building is not working, and we need to replace the monoxide-leaking antique furnace in the 3^rd floor pine rooms and add air conditioning there where our youth meet.  The Trustees have already decided to repair and refinish outside doors, finish the old kitchen floor replacement, replace the nursery hall floor, and install needed new electrical wiring for front signage.  Look around.  Surely you see our tattered sanctuary, hall and office carpets, broken and unpainted walls (though Bruce Thomas, Allen Thorpe and John Sapienza have done some wonderful volunteer work on that!) Add it up.  At an estimated $50,000 a year in just ongoing building maintenance needs, we would spend all the “windfall” down in six short years. That’s not to speak of elevators and entryways and other visions.  It is hardly a windfall.

I don’t write this to discourage you.  Truly these financial resources are a tremendous gift.  Think about where we would be without it!  I’m just saying, we are going to need to plan very carefully.  God is going to need us to plan very carefully. The families with children and youth in our area whom we feel called to serve are going to need us to plan very carefully. For if we do not, we could spend it all quickly on the building, then look around us to find we have fewer people in the pews, fewer people active in ministry and other activities, fewer dollars in pledges and offerings, but a wonderful building which we can no longer afford to maintain.   So, we need to first plan the ministry God wants us to do to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, assess costs, and then explore what that tells us about changes needed in the building.  Our building is God’s tool to change lives.  How will we steward it?

Our annual conference has agreed to let us spend some or even all of these resources on program and/or staffing in new ministry initiatives.  We submitted a broad Comprehensive Ministry Plan to them, and it was approved.  But we cannot do it all at once.  We need to carefully prioritize in terms of what is going to build strength in people and other resources.   I don’t have a clear plan for all that yet.  We will plan together under the leadership of our Ministry Leaders Team.

Most importantly, we will undergird it with Prayer.  I thank God every week for our Prayer Team- the group of people who gather each Monday at 1:30 in the library to pray, and for those who spread prayer requests by email and phone through our Prayer Chain.  May the “wind” of the Holy Spirit “fall” on Harmony, as we serve God with vision, resources, and work.

Rev. Mark Harvey

Harmony Notes Apr 2011: Pastor’s Page

Peace with Justice: A Methodist Tradition

I’ve just become the Peace with Justice Coordinator for Missouri Methodists, a role passed to me by Mabel Unser of Arlington UMC, who is now President of our Conference (statewide) United Methodist Women. We United Methodist clergy are pastors of the whole church, not just the one which pays our salary. I will still be your preacher and pastor, but like many other clergy I will also have an unpaid conference level role.

I’ve just concluded a gathering with others in my role from across the United Methodist connection in the United States. We met at the United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C., next door to the U.S. Supreme Court and directly across the street from the U.S. Capitol. From this location United Methodists have provided a witness to government and power since 1968, as did The Methodist Church before that (since 1939), and The Methodist Episcopal Church before that. Our witness has always been as advocates on behalf of “the least, the last and the lost”, proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom to the captives, liberty to the oppressed, and the jubilee year in which all debts would be forgiven and all land taken unjustly returned, in keeping with Jesus’s own declaration of his ministry purpose (Luke 4:18-22) as he quoted from Isaiah 61:1-2.

We spent a wonderful evening of conversation with several Israeli and American Jewish leaders who are dedicating their energies to advocating for and implementing a two-state solution to the conflict in Israel/Palestine. One of them was an Israeli delegate to the Geneva Peace Talks. Another is now chief of staff for Congressman John C.

I was impressed by their mutual hope and optimism for resolving the crisis, even as they understand the deep level of mistrust harbored on both sides of the conflict, and even as they disagreed with each other on some of the finer points. I was also impressed that our United Methodist Board of Church and Society Peace with Justice staff-person, layman Mark H., had managed to pull this group together. They had not known each other previously, though they are working for the same cause. H., our Methodist staffer, was their point of connection. We, the Peace with Justice Coordinators from our various annual conferences and states, were the listeners and gentle question-raisers. We all left the room as colleagues — Methodist Christians and Jews, American and Israeli Jews, from different political parties both American and Jewish, committed to a like cause for peace and justice. My own faith was renewed: faith that God is at work through our dialogue wherever we are in whatever issue or conflict we address, if we will just respect each other, be open to hearing, listen, and leave as friends even if in disagreement.

I’ve preached a few sermons lately which have ruffled some feathers. I will do that more, you can be sure. I hope you understand that for every critic of a sermon point I usually hear a praiser. We are a diverse congregation — theologically, politically. The task of the preacher is not to please, but to faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that is faithful to the original text, language and contexts in which the scriptures were written, addressing the contemporary issues and concerns with which we as individuals, a church, a local community, a nation, and a global village struggle. As I have told some of you, the preaching task is dialogical, or dialectic, as the theologians say. That just means that your questions and reflections and even discussions with others (discussion, not gossip, I hope!) are part of the preaching task. I am also your pastor, which means I will love you regardless of whether you agree or disagree. Part of loving is comforting. Another part is challenging. As Rev. William Sloane Coffin (pastor and preacher at Riverside Church in New York, whom Mary and I heard preach often during seminary) often said, the pastor/preacher’s task is to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Whether you feel comforted or afflicted, affirmed or challenged, I welcome your dialogue. Call me!

As Peace with Justice Coordinator for our annual conference I will be increasingly in the “afflicting the comfortable” role on behalf of all our Missouri churches. I will be seeking to lead United Methodists in Missouri to advocate for causes defined in The United Methodist Book of Resolutions, approved every four years by our elected lay and clergy General Conference delegates. I will be encouraging you and others to communicate with state and federal legislators, and to stand up publically for what we believe. Yes, just like Jesus, it is about “getting political”. Many of you have attended our United Methodist Women’s lobby days, so you know this is nothing new. I ask you to pray for me as your pastor and preacher, as I lead Harmony and other United Methodist churches in this endeavor.

Rev. Mark Harvey

Harmony Notes Oct 2010: Miscellaneous

Operation Overland a Roaring Success

108 volunteers from five congregations gathered on Saturday, September 11 for Operation Overland. Beginning with instructions at Harmony, they dispersed in twelve teams to serve throughout our community. Some installed smoke alarms and new light bulbs in the homes of seniors. Some passed out quarters at area Laundromats. Still others visited and sang for seniors in area nursing homes. Others picked up trash in downtown Overland and along the interstate highways. Another group transformed two yards of disabled seniors from neglect status to manicured beauty. Returning to Harmony, all ate a hearty meal together and ended with worship.

Participating congregations were Harmony UMC, Overland Baptist, Calvary UCC, Our Redeemer Lutheran, and Westside General Baptist. Special thanks is due to Rev. David J. for planning and coordinating the event, and to Jean G. and her crew for preparing and serving the meal.

We plan to do it again in the spring, inviting more congregations to join us.

“The devil is easy to identify. He appears when you’re terribly tired and makes a very reasonable request which you know you shouldn’t grant.”

– Fiorello La Guardia

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

– Jeremiah 29:11

All Is Forgiven

In his short story “The Capital of the World”, Ernest Hemingway writes of a young man named Paco who had been kicked out of his home. Paco was wandering Madrid’s streets, hoping to become a bullfighter.

Paco’s father, desperate to mend the rift between them, resorted to putting an ad in the local newspaper. It said, “Paco, meet me at the Hotel Montana at noon on Tuesday. All is forgiven!”

On Tuesday, 800 young men named Paco showed up at that hotel, longing for restoration and forgiveness.

Like Paco’s dad, our heavenly Father takes the first step. He invites us prodigal sons and daughters to meet him at the empty tomb. God won’t turn away or disappoint anyone. He offers total forgiveness, without conditions, to all.

Harmony Notes Oct 2010: Upcoming Events

Special points of interest:

• Harmony parade & barbecue, Oct. 16th
• Youth Halloween event, Oct. 30th
• New worship service each Sunday at 8:30 a.m.
• Children and Youth programs each Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.
• Mid-Week Faith Lift each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Harmony on Parade October 16th

We will be “parading” in the neighborhood. Letting our neighbors see us and to invite them to come to our church home. Each group and organization will have a “float” in our parade. (This includes Sunday school classes!) After we have the parade we will be hosting a barbecue on the front lawn of the church. Again, inviting the neighbors to come share a hot dog with us and to fellowship.

See you on October 16th!

Mozambique Sunday: October 17

Rev. Mary F. Harvey to preach October 31

Yes, it is Halloween. So we have a TREAT, not a trick! Rev. Mary Frances Harvey will preach at Harmony a sermon she calls “Enough“, based on Rev. Adam Hamilton’s popular stewardship reflection series. Rev. Mark Harvey will preach that day at Arlington UMC, on Extravagant Generosity.

Youth Halloween Event October 30th, starting at 6:30 p.m. An evening of fellowship, fun, and food.

Acolyte Training

Children in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are invited to learn about serving as an Acolyte at Harmony UMC on Wednesday evening 6:30 – 7:30 October 20. Parents and adults are welcome to attend. For more information contact Helen H. A training booklet will be provided.

Bible Study classes

• Young Adults class: Nathan H. invites you who are in your 20s, 30s, or 40s to join him and his wife, Katy, upstairs for Bible study every Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
• Children: During Sunday School our children will study the themes: God knows what is in our hearts, who we are, and what we can do; God shows how to help others and be friends; God helps us do difficult things and helps us know right and wrong; and God keeps promises. Through the stories of David as shepherd boy, musician, friend, and king, children will know David as being culturally significant (as much as Spiderman at least).
• Fellowship, Wesleyan, and Crusader Classes: These will continue the Fall 2010 study of Exodus and Psalms. The focus is on the nature of God as the first person of the Trinity through our study of Old Testament texts from the Exodus narrative and from the poetry of the book of Psalms. During October, the lessons in “God Sustains” will focus on Psalms 8, 19, 46, 47, and 63. The lessons are titled: “God’s Majesty and Human Dignity”, “God’s Law Sustains”, “God Provides Refuge”, “God is in Charge”, and “God’s Presence Comforts and Assures”.

Harmony Notes Oct 2010: Pastor’s Page

Hitting on All Four

I can’t remember who put this insight in The Circuit Rider magazine for pastors many years ago, but as I sat in my prayer time this morning and asked God what to share with you in the Harmony Notes this month, this is what God gave me. It also came to me a week or so ago as I visited with John Bell in reflection on my preaching and the church’s needs. Thanks again, John!

The author recalled how his car had been lurching forward, with an occasional popping sound and smoke from under the hood. He drove straight to a mechanic, who said, “You’re not hitting on all four.” Only three of the four cylinders of his engine were working properly. What does that look like for us spiritually, and in our relational evangelism as we reach out to others?

Dr. Urban Holmes, drawing on the Myers-Briggs personality types, observed that there are basically four kinds of people when it comes to spirituality: Head People, Heart People, Mystic People, and Visionary People.

Head People thrive on thinking. We are invigorated in analyzing scripture and other writings. We love philosophy and other intellectual disciplines, and experience God’s presence through some new insight.

Heart People need and want to feel their heart warmed. The best sermon or devotional is one with some heart-warming story, when our whole body tingles in joy, so we have something we can “take home”.

Mystic People find God in meditation and contemplation more than in relationships or even sermons. The most meaningful spiritual experience looks like being at One with God and the cosmos, a deepened awareness in the present, often in nature.

Finally, Visionary People are future focused and action oriented. They roll up their sleeves to work for the kingdom, and find God in the activity of vision being realized.

Which of these types most characterizes you? Which most characterizes someone else you know well?

Holmes reflects that most Christians are Heart People. But not all. Personally, I am a Visionary Christian, also with a strong bent to the Head quadrant. So, when my preaching is not as “Hearty” as you would like, maybe that is why. God made us different, and God needs us to “hit on all four.” Each of us will of course find ourselves more in one quadrant or the other. But we become more mature in faith as we ask God to round us out, help us “hit on all four.” Not only are we then more able to experience the fullness of God, but we are more able to reach others with the good news on their own terms, not only on ours, as we meet them where they are. How about you? Are you “hitting on all four”? What could you do differently to become more rounded, so you can be the most effective servant of Christ you can be?

- Rev. Mark Harvey

Harmony Notes, Sept 2010: Misc

Safe Sanctuary Policy updated and available

The Harmony Ministry Leaders Team recently was trained and certified on our new Safe Sanctuary Policy. The Policy lays out requirements of all people working with children and youth to ensure that they are safe on church grounds and in church programs. If you would like to work with children or youth and have not completed Safe Sanctuary certification, please leave your name on the sign-up in the church office. We will schedule another training when needed. A copy of the Policy can be viewed in a notebook in the Narthex (between Front Doors and Sanctuary) along with a copy of the Boundaries Document pertaining to the clergy rules of conduct and ethics.

Youth Activities

Attention all youth 6th through 12th grade, we are starting a new program in September on Wednesday nights. Come and join us in the “Game of Life”.

Each week will focus on a different game, from Wheel of Fortune to Hide and Seek. Come join us for dinner, fun and worship. Some of you may walk away with prizes!!!

Hope to see you all in September!

P.S. It would be greatly appreciated if anyone wants to donate prizes for our games and activities. A few examples would be tickets to local attractions (Nascar Speed Park, Plan Nine, Movie Tickets) or gift cards for food or treats (DQ is a great one). Thanks!

Pakistan Flood Appeal

The flooding in Pakistan is one of the worst disasters in human history. It is larger than the Tsunami and the Haiti and Chile Earthquakes combined. More than 14 million Pakistanis have been affected and more monsoon flooding is on the way. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is responding to the emergency in collaboration with partners on the ground in Pakistan, including The United Church of Pakistan, Church World Service, GlobalMedic, and Muslim Aid. Send your special offerings and contributions to the conference office marked for UMCOR Advance Special #982450, “Pakistan Emergency”.

Lay Leadership Development Classes starting in September

LLD is a nine-month course for people in any lay leadership role in a local church. It parallels the Pastoral Leadership Development Seminar, which Pastor Harvey has completed. Registration for LLD is online at the district website: http://www.gatewaydistricts.org . On the left side of the Home Page click on “GCD LLD Registration” and fill out the form. The registration deadline is September 12.

Prayer Team update

In the pews, you will find “Prayer Request” and “Praise God” cards. If you would like information to reach Rev. Mark and the Prayer Team, place the cards in the offering plates when they are passed. These cards will be prayed for specifically on Monday at 1:30 and placed on the Bulletin list if you so request on the card. Please contact Harmony’s Prayer Team Chairperson Jean D. for more information or for the team to pray for someone, praise God, or give Thanksgiving during Monday Prayer.

Adult Sunday Bible studies

Feel free to come and join us, even if you don’t currently attend our church!

The Inescapable God

Fellowship Class, Wesleyans, and Crusaders will begin the Fall 2010 study of Exodus and Psalms. The focus is on the nature of God as the first person of the Trinity through our study of Old Testament texts from the Exodus narrative and from the poetry of the book of Psalms. During September, the lessons in “God Reveals” will trace God’s emerging relationship with Israel through the Biblical stories of Moses.

Young Adults Class

Nathan Hunton invites those of you in your 20′s, 30′s, or 40′s to join him and his wife, Katy, upstairs for applied Bible study every Sunday at 9:30. They are currently studying the Book of Isaiah.

Thank-yous

[Thank-yous from many of the youth we sent to camp -- see physical bulletin for their own words]

Special Thank You to everyone who helped with the Rummage Sale–Barbecue–Book Fair. What an exciting day! For our first Harmony event, we can put it in the category of “Success”. It took many hands, you all were wonderful.

Thank you to the Gardeners! The weeds were winning and you stepped in and stopped the takeover.

The lettering on the bus is now complete. Thank you to those who scraped off the old name and arranged for “Harmony” to be added.

Special Thank You to everyone who helps with Room at the Inn. It requires drivers, cooks, host, and someone to do the laundry. Each one of you makes a difference in the lives of these folks.

A “Back to School” thank you to everyone who made this carnival a big success. Thirty-five children and youth received backpacks and some of the necessary school supplies to make this school year easier for them, their family, and their teachers.

Harmony Notes, Sept 2010: Pastor’s Page

Enhancing Passionate Worship At Harmony

When we merged our two congregations in May we decided we would re-visit the decision about worship style and time for the fall. Some of you completed a response form last week in worship. Thank you!

We discovered that a small core of people want to have an earlier worship service, so we will be adding a service at 8:30 a.m. in the sanctuary beginning Sunday, September 5. We will use the same music and preaching each week as in the 10:45 a.m. service, but we expect the 8:30 service to be smaller and a bit shorter in length. Please be prepared to sit at the front. We will rope off most of the pews, and will bring in padded chairs facing toward the center at the front as well to create a more “rounded” worship seating for the 8:30 service. The 10:45 service will continue as before.

We have already been blending music styles in our worship. Each service now likely includes traditional worship music, with both classical and 20th century ‘favorite’ hymns. We are increasingly adding ‘Praise and Worship’ music and more recent compositions found in our Faith We Sing Hymnal. I feel this ‘blended’ approach will best address the needs of people of varied age, experience and taste. We are not yet ready to start a ‘contemporary service’, but we will explore that possibility for growth for the future.

You will find a significant change in the worship for Wednesday Faith-Lifts. We are creating a more intentional worship area within the Fellowship Hall. It will be moveable for other large events, but enclosed by a sight and sound barrier so that it feels like a worship area. We will move from tables to the worship space. I think this can help us feel more worshipful without having to trek upstairs or around outside and up a ramp. Rev. Don C. and Jill C. have agreed to help lead worship on Wednesday evenings. They will work with Music Director Gary Scott to create a blend of contemporary worship and praise singing and ‘favorite’ hymns from the Cokesbury, Epworth, Faith We Sing and United Methodist Hymnal(s). I will continue to share the provision of devotional preaching Wednesday nights with other staff, the C.s, and lay leaders.

Remember, INVITING is at the heart of our mission and purpose. Invite your friends, family, associates, and neighbors to worship with you on Sundays or Wednesdays. Take a few Inviting Cards with you to pass out to people you encounter at the grocery store, beauty shop, bus stop, school, work, wherever. Your invitation might help change a life forever.

I’m Enjoying Visiting!
I’ve been slowly but surely getting around to our older members, including those in nursing homes, assisted living, and homebound. We have over 600 members on the church roll now, and half are older than 70. So, I am not getting to folks’ homes near as often as even I would like! But if you need me to visit and you call me or the office to say so, I will come!

- Rev. Mark Harvey