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Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

Paid

Ephrata, WA

Permit No. 5

The United Methodist Church of Ephrata 117 C. Street NW, Ephrata, WA 98823 - (509)754-4664

E-mail: sheryl@ephratamethodist.org

Thank you for supporting the work of the church through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness as we pursue our mission:

“We Serve God by Serving Others”

January 18th

Office Hours Monday through Wednesday

9:00am to 1:00pm

Thursday 9:00am-12:00pm

Phone: (509)754-4664

Email: sheryl@umcephrata.org

Pastor Don Dunn…...pastor@umcephrata.org

Administrative Assistant: Sheryl Downey…….sheryl@umcephrata.org

Custodian: Jamie Downing

Nursery Attendant: Hannah Heflin

Pianist: Betsy Pecka

www.umcephrata.org

The United Methodist Church of Ephrata

“We Serve God by Serving Others.”

The Update Newsletter

January 2018

Inside

Pastor Don on the move Page 3

Food Bank Volunteers Page 4

Maternity Closet Closure Page 4

Men’s Group Page 4

Calendar Page 6

Server Schedule Page 7

Bible Quiz Page 8

Puzzle Page 9

Birthdays & Anniversaries Page 10

Prayer Requests Page 11

Christmas season is December 25, 2017 to January 5, 2018. “Peace on earth and good will toward all!” As Christians we endeavor to be a people of truth telling. We can see the plight of suffering everywhere. We can acknowledge causes and conse-

quences of choices people make and of government responsibility. As it was in the birth time of Jesus, trouble, hardship, and despair weighed heavy on people. Into that forlorn picture, Jesus came bringing hope.

All that is said and is wonderful has to do with the alternative of how life could be otherwise. A hope filled imagination shifted everything. The birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God with us, was brought to the earth to real persons. He brought love to all people, food for the hungry, healing and “health care” for the infirmed, forgiveness to debtors and liberty to the oppressed. In Jesus there is the healing of broken relationships and a picture of what is life in God’s Kingdom means here and now.

“Peace on earth,” “On earth as in Heaven.” These phrases are focused on our earthly journey. Some of us have focused on going to heaven, which has helped people to live more kindly towards others. It could be added, that the goal of our faith journey has much more to do with the presence of God’s Kingdom here and now. What a change it makes when we see the gospel bringing hope in communities, in states, nations, and globally! (continued on page two)

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Grief Talks: For those going through the shadows, pain, tears and fear of the grief season. Grief Talks meets every first Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm. Rev. Penny Clees has been extending Grief Talks to at least twice a month. Please keep an eye on our website, Facebook, and bulletins for updates.

Every second Wednesday of the month from 10 am until 11 am – Pastor Don leads a Caregiver Support Group. Come and find support and understanding. Come and tell your story. Come and have time to rest in the caring arms of Christ’s love. if that time does not work for you, please call and set up an appointment.

Bible Study: Pastor Don leads a Bible Study group every Wednesday at 2pm in the Fireside Room. All are welcome and encouraged to join.

(continued from page one) God made the world, and the creation good. God also made the male & female human-good, and added very good. I remember as a child how it was when my mother brought home my youngest half sister. The feelings of hope and joy were so present with us as we observed this tiny beautiful girl in her bassinet. Who cannot be moved by such presence? Since that time our children and many others we have known, wake us to the mystery of God. So too for Jesus, the one we refer to as Emmanuel - God with us!

We still pause and linger over the hope and joy that he brought into the world and continues to do. May we live into that alternative vision of the world, for the common good of life and creation that began for us in his birth.

On January 6, 2018 to February 13, 2018, the season of Epiphany begins “to make manifest.” God who manifested in Jesus. We begin again to learn what is required in our discipleship to honor God’s kingdom here and now.

Merry Christmas and a blessed Epiphany to all of you in both the Memorial Christian Church and Ephrata United Methodist Church.

Pastor Don and Bobbi Dunn.

Special dates • New Year’s Day, January 1, 2018 • Epiphany, January 6, 2018 • Baptism of the Lord, January 7, 2018 • Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance, January 15, 2018 • Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25, 2018

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“I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141: 1-2

One of the most wonderful gifts we are given is the gift of prayer. We can pray for one another in times of need as well as times of celebration.

To join the email prayer chain, email Sheryl at sheryl@umcephrata.org

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please let us know if someone should be added or taken off our prayer list by contacting the church office: Also contact the church office if you know of someone in need of a visit by our Congregational Care Team or Pastor Don.

Prayers for Health, Healing,

and well-being

Ervin Gans

Kim Maxwell

Irene Gans

Pat Sato

Rosetta Barnes

David Prince

Maxine Lyerly

Lloyd Hales

Lois Gibbens

Lois Thompson

Rayce & Tiffany B.

Randy Senn

Johnny Smith

Vera Senn

Paul Floyd

Kim Goll

Shirley Morris

Chesney Phelps

Prayers for Those Suffering From

Long-Term Health Problems

Bob St. Clair Jr

Susan Smith

Ed Sivula

Doug Jensen

Ron Gardner

Steven Grass

Shirley Morris

Brian Davisson

Renee Muse

Richard Hart

Al Davisson

Steve Smith

Bob Craig

Vonn Cabe

Justin Townley

Rosetta Barnes

Rick Grubb

Mary Morin

Dan Anderson

Randy Senn

Marlene Fisk Warren

Edward Warren

Chris Wash

Kevin Harmon

Michael Oliveira

Lane Jensen

Jayda Harmon

Thelma

Wentworth

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Alan & Mary Fulk December 29th (28 years)

Tom & Constance Baars December 31st (6 years)

Johnny Downey December 01

Pastor Don Dunn December 05

Ed Rogers December 11

Herb Reynolds December 13

Peter Reeve December 14

Russell Wentworth December 18

Darryl Pheasant December 30

*************************************

Lonny Holleman January 04

Marian Falk January 06

Bev Dell January 07

Joan Warner January 07

Vera Senn January 09

Shirley Morris January 14

Mike Reynolds January 14

Gail Luddington January 16

Albert Trieber January 20

Gary Archer January 26

Ken Slininger January 27

December & January Birthdays

Come back to Christmas When January comes along, we can contin-ue that sense of comfort and warmth that comes at Christmas by returning to the Christmas story, which gives us two great promises: God understands you, and God can redeem you. I encourage people to make it a point to reread the Christmas story every month, and allow Christmas to be Christmas every month. We need to keep coming back to it. —Max Lucado, Publishers Weekly interview

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Pastor on the Move!

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor

gloom of night stays Pastor Don from the swift completion of

his appointed rounds!

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Winter gift “God … does great things beyond our knowing. He says to the snow, ‘Fall to the earth’; likewise to his heavy, drenching rain. He shuts up all humankind indoors, so that all people may know his work” (Job 37:5-7, NABRE). Snow, ice and cold can make winter a hassle. “Snow days” due to a blizzard may thrill students but usually inconvenience parents. But now and then, winter blankets the earth so heavily that it seems to quiet everything. We’re granted permission to hunker down at home, snuggle close with family or pets, enjoy a book or movie, make cocoa or cookies, and rest. It’s like a surprise Sabbath — the gift of grace-time — when no one’s expected to get out the door or the driveway.

Perhaps indeed, as Job declared, God sees fit on such days to put our busyness on hold and shut us all indoors so we pause and remember his work — his place — in our lives. Praise God for snow days! —Heidi Mann

FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN FEBRUARY

Our month to help with the Food Bank is the month of

February. For those that do not know, each church in our

community takes two months a year and helps out. The

Food Bank is open every Monday and Thursday from 2pm

to 4pm. We help out by handing out boxes of food and

sometimes carrying boxes out to cars for those who are

unable to do so for themselves. Please take a moment to

consider signing up. This is a great time for people to get to

know us and help out the community. There will be a sign-

up sheet on the kiosk soon. If you have any questions or

want more info, please call Mary Mantz at 754-4502.

“Darkness cannot drive

out darkness; only light

can do that. Hate cannot

drive out hate; only love

can do that.”

—Martin Luther King Jr.

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Just For

Fun!

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A new you The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. —G.K. Chesterton

XPICTOC This set of letters

spells “Christ” in

Greek. It may be

written using the

Roman alphabet

(from which the

English alphabet

descended), but is

also often presented

in Greek characters,

as shown here.

Prayer for a new beginning Dear Lord, touch me with your Spirit of truth so I may be honest about my sins and failures. For-give me for treating your covenant lightly and at times ignoring it completely. Help me truly seek and know forgiveness for all the hurts I’ve caused, for harboring ill will and for any hard-ness of heart I may have. Please renew a right spirit within me that I may become more Christ-like and that my life may daily reveal your love and light. In your name. Amen.

New Beginnings

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Please join us for Community

Dinner on Thursday, January

25th, at 5:30pm

During storms, emperor penguins huddle for

warmth, taking turns at the center and on the

perimeter of the group. While incubating eggs, up

to 6,000 male penguins have been observed

clustering for shelter against the harsh Antarctic

winter. Partially grown chicks gather in protec-

tive “crèches” (French for “cribs”); often surround-

ed by a colony of adults, these groupings ward off

predators and cold.

In stormy times, humans also need supportive

groups; we can’t survive alone. A church family

allows us to take turns giving and receiving care.

Amid social upheaval, injustice, illness, natural

disaster and any loss or crisis, God invites us to

gather for protection and warmth. In the church

community, we support and strengthen one

another and are empowered to go out again into

the less-sheltered world.

Maternity & Infant Closet

Closure

The Maternity & Infant Closet will

be closed during the month of

January and will potentially

resume in February.

Men’s Breakfast will meet

Saturday, January 6th, at

8:3am. All men welcome and

encouraged to join us!

United in diversity

Although early Christians had much in common, they also dwelt in diversity. Each of their leaders emphasized certain parts of the gospel and favored certain worship styles. They all believed in the resurrected Jesus, and they all celebrated the Lord's Supper and baptism. But Christians in Corinth had a unique approach, as did those in Ephesus, Philippi, Galatia, Rome and so on. It might be boring if we all believed and practiced completely alike. Variations don’t need to be an impediment to Christian unity. As pastor Charles Best said, “If we’re going to be in heaven togeth-er, we might as well get along now.”

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www.umcephrata.org

DATE Jan 7th Jan 14th Jan 21st Jan 28th

Assistant

of the Day Lonny Holleman Denis Plew Bob Bluhm Ed Roges

Ushers

Marilyn Bluhm Dolores Pheasant Maggie Reynolds Tura Yount

Greeters Marlene Warren Maggie Reynolds Tura Yount Dolores Pheasant

Liturgist Camille Price Ann Chandler Linda Bryant-Smith Cammy Hatch

Coffee

Hour Tura Yount Vivian Plew Christy Price Jenni Bates

Lead

Counter Denis Plew Mary Mantz Linda Bryant-Smith Mary Mantz

Assisting

Counter Louise Inge-

brigtson

Margaret Treiber Marilyn Grass Herb Reynolds

Communion

Servers Margaret Treiber

Christy Price

NA NA NA

Flowers

DATE

Maternity

Closet

11am

Closed Closed Closed Closed

SERVERS

Quilters meet Tuesdays at 9am

facebook.com/umcofephrata

Wednesdays 6pm