PASTOR KATHY’S REFLECTIONS

 
 
 

 



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

 

How wonderful in the cycle of seasons to have a dedicated time of recognized “newness.”  We, like the Three Wise Men, are returning to our daily lives after experiencing the reflective waiting of the Advent season and celebrating God’s radiate, radical gifts of love, joy and peace on Christmas Day.  And like the Three Wise Men who chose a “new way home,” we have the opportunity to continue our life journey by  taking a “different path”  that radiates a stoked flame of renewed commitment, new hope, and new vision for ourselves and for the ministries of Smithville United Methodist Church in this community and beyond.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND SMITHVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH!

 

Opportunities for your NEW 2012 journey

January NEW Sermon Series:

§  January 1 – “A New Year!”

§  January 8 - “A New Path!”

§  January 15 – “A New Fire!”

§  January 22 – “A New Covenant”

§  January 29 – “Celebration Sunday”   A recognition of outgoing and incoming church committee members and other special recognitions

 

Some NEW Small Groups: 

§  Caregiver Support Group the first Tuesday of every month at 7 PM (January 3)

§  Prayer and Renewal Group the third Tuesday of every month at 7 PM (January 17)

§  Lenten Study Groups   Beginning during the week of  February 27th through the week of April 2

 

Some NEW Mission Projects:

§  Meet the needs of persons who are hungry/homeless/at risk of homelessness/in need of new hope in Smithville and the Greater KC area

§  Tornado rebuild in Smithville, Mississippi

§  Tornado rebuild in Joplin, Missouri

 

NEW Opportunities for Lay Leadership and Mentoring:

§  Visitation Vision Team to visit all SUMC members who did not attend in 2011

§  Outreach Vision Team to create steps to facilitate outreach to the Smithville Community

§  Congregation Care Team to receive 3-week training for hospital and special needs visitation based on the Stephens Ministry model

 

NEW Youth ministries focus:

§  The 2012 budget for Youth Ministry includes two retreats in addition to the annual UMC  WOW conference in January in Springfield, Missouri

§  Youth will be encouraged to attend an array of exciting UMC summer camps

§  Youth will participate in 2012 mission projects and mission trips

§  Youth representatives will serve in a leadership role on all church planning committees

NEW tools for Church Leadership:

§  A streamlined Administrative Council structure will begin January 1, 2012

§  A 2012 line-item budget has been developed for the church. Written detailed updates will be provided on a quarterly basis, and short summaries will be included in the monthly Greeter and weekly church bulletins. 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE IN NEW WAYS IN 2012! 

 

Blessings,

 

Kathy

 

 

  Words from your Lay Leader- Sharon Fairlie

 

As is my habit every morning, I read the Upper Room and write in my journal.  Then I read past journals for the same day, reliving the feelings and events I found important to write about on that date.  In those readings, I find myself in that moment a year or two ago, experiencing the same emotions again.  Then I compare that time to the present to evaluate, if in the course of a year or two, my faith has strengthened or if I still have the same questions that may have caused me concern at that time. 

 

Isn’t that what beginning a new year is all about?  Reflection.  Evaluation. and, of course, Resolution(s). 

 

A New Year is like a fresh start, a new beginning.  We are going to eat more healthily, we are going to exercise more, we are going to recycle, and on and on.    All the things we know we should do to keep our bodies more fit and our world a better place. 

 

But lets’ not forget our spiritual growth as well.  The New Year will bring to our congregation more opportunities to feed our spirit and strengthen our prayer life resulting in most likely bringing us closer to keeping our own personal New Year’s resolutions.  Isn’t discipline part of resolve? 

 

So my wish to all of you for the New Year is from Ephesians 3:17-19;

 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (NLT)

 

Happy New Year!

 

USHERS FOR JANUARY

 

The ushers for the month of January are: The Denny Lowe family.
 
      

CELEBRATION SUNDAY

 

Celebration Sunday will be January 29th during the 10 am church service. We will be celebrating many, many things including the outgoing and incoming leaders of the church.

 

The Art Class will resume classes on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at 10 am at the Smithville Library. We encourage new art lovers to join us. If you have never tried to paint, please join us - we will help you get started. You need not be a member of SUMC and there is no charge.

When you visit our Smithville library, look for our display of three paintings. Also, during the month of January we will have a display in the glass case as you enter the library.
 

 

 
 

 

 


You are invited to a party in honor of Jim Lyman's 60th birthday on January 6th at 6:00 pm. We live at 13104 Coble Lane, Smithville. We are going to do a taco bar. Please come and join us in helping Jim celebrate this momentous event! (No gifts please) RSVP at 532-9948 or blyman@chu.edu.

Beth, Thomas and Katie Lyman
 
                                                                                 

 

 

 
 
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2011

 

               INCOME                                                              EXPENSES

Debt Reduction Funds                     1,935.00                      Conference & Benevolence           571.50

Flexible Contribution                                  0                     

General Fund                                 10,488.00                      Non Pastoral Compensation        3,633.15

Misc Contributions                                                            Total Office Expense                     349.39

Altar Flowers                                       36.00                       Total Outreach/Evangelism               7.72

Apportionment Contributions            350.00                       Total Pastoral Compensation   (5,966.90)

Sunday School Offering                      60.30                        

Total Misc Contributions                 (617.30)                     

Preschool                                        1650.00                        Total Trustees/Utilities/

                                                                                              Maintenance/Insurance/              4,072.40

                                                                                              Interest on loan -                         1,366.50

 

                                                                                              Worship

                                                                                             Altar Flowers                                    60.00

                                                                                             

Total Income                                14,793.30                      Total Expense                           15,759.06

 

November Net Income: (-965.76)

We have not dispersed the Car Show money.

                 BIRTHDAYS                                                   ANNIVERSARIES

 

01/01               Dorothy Shepherd, Sarah Cline                        01/05           Fred and Lu Darr

01/03               Vanessa Lawrence                                                01/07           Robert and Winona Lee

01/05               Addison Ford                                                         01/15            Danny and Robin Starnes

01/06               James Lyman                                                        01/29           James and Kathy Hoke

01/07               Shirley Perry                                                         01/08               Lee Hunold
 
01/10               Ramona Emery                           

01/13               Carolyn Hoagland

01/14               Matt Clarkson

01/16               Jordon King, Colton James

01/17               Jonathan Morton

                         Amy Birlingmair

01/18               Ron McClellan, Claudia Richner

01/21               Sandy Littrell

01/25               Paula Puszczewicz

01/27               Ann Carpenter, Helen Godert

01/29               Dave Cline, Robin Starnes

01/30              Darrell Stein

01/31               Donna Hoerl

 

 

 

 

 

60th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

 

Please join us as we celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary

 of Fred and Lu Darr.

 

Friday, January 6th at 6:30 pm

at Smithville United Methodist Church

 

A memory book will be available for you to share your favorite memory.

          

                  

                                          NO GIFTS!                                                              Hosted by the Family