August 2008

Dear Friends,
We have had an amazing summer so far…And yes, it’s been more than a little busy. We had an awesome Kid’s Club in June with the highest number of kids that we have ever had and more than half had not been at Kid’s Club before. 4th of July brought about some incredible opportunities for the church to have a presence in the community and to serve the community in some new and wonderful ways. The mission trip to Cincinnati was a holy experience as we met God in some challenging places and offered our service to a community that although a different context, faces some of the same challenges we do. Vacation Bible School was nothing short of incredible as those who were there learned about Jesus and his miraculous power through story, song, games, crafts, and relationships. Of course there have also been the meetings of the church to share about the ministries and business and worship services at both Sheridan & Norway and in the community…I don’t know about you, but I am tired! Oh, it’s a good tired, but tired none the less…
The month of August will be treated as a kind of Sabbath month. Our monthly meetings will still take place like usual and worship will continue as an important part of our faith journey. Sabbath is a command from God to rest, reflect, renew, and rejuvenate. In our Sabbath month together, we will reflect on our legacy. What is the legacy we want to leave for ourselves and what is the legacy that we as Sheridan & Norway United Methodist Churches want to leave. The sermon series for this month will use Randy Pausch’s book The Last Lecture to guide some of our conversation and reflection on what our legacy will be. If you are interested in purchasing the book, please contact the church office to place an order or it is available at most bookstores or the library.
This is an important time in our life together as we live into legacies and what God has called us to do and to be as Christians. As Christians we are all called into ministry, but it takes different forms for different people. Let’s explore together what we are called into.
Blessings,
Pastor Melissa