July,
2001 Wesley News of the Strongsville
United Methodist Church
Summer
Worship Schedule
Our
summer worship schedule will begin on Sunday, June 3rd when our
Sunday morning services will be at 8:15 am and 9:30 am. This schedule will be in effect for the
months of June, July, and August. Remember that “On THE WAY” (our
Contemporary Worship Service) will be every Saturday at 5:00 pm throughout the
summer.
Vacation Bible
School
This year's Vacation Bible School, during the week of June
18th- 22nd, involved 123 children and 50 adult
and youth leaders in a Polar
Expedition where they learned that Jesus' love is COOL!
Youth
Mission Team Hits the Road
On Sunday, July 15th, our Youth Mission Team and their
adult helpers will leave for a week of service at the United Methodist Mission
Project in Mountain Top, Tennessee. During the week, this energetic group will
be making needed repairs to one or more homes in this rural, mountain area. The
members of this year's team are: Marcie Boyer, Matt Huie, Amanda
Ladesic, Joe Ladesic, Andy Lash, Emily Peterson, Allison Porter, Amanda Smith,
and Kim Smith. They will be accompanied by adults Greg
Grimwood, Jim Boyer, Brenda Soja, Vickie Ladesic, and Mark
Hotz. You are asked to keep this group in prayer during the week
as they work to show God's love to those in need.
"How does God's love abide
in anyone who has
the world's goods and sees a
brother or sister in
need and yet refuses help?"
I John 3:17
On THE WAY
Contemporary Worship Service
Saturday at 5:00pm
Is your schedule full this summer? Don't take a vacation
from your time with God. Each Saturday, from 5:00-6:00pm, we offer a
Contemporary Worship service in Tiber Hall. The worship band, Moving 4WORD,
leads in singing upbeat Christian music, and the message of God is presented
trough drama and teaching from the Word. Bring your children, your friends,
your neighbors. All are welcome! Join in as we experience a God who never goes on
vacation.
Summer Backyard
Bible Study
While the grass is growing this summer, you will have the
chance to grow in the Word of God. For six weeks, beginning Thursday, July 5th
from 7:30 - 9:00pm, there will be a Backyard Bible Study of the book of
Colossians. Pastor Paula and David will lead this study at the Bonnie Lane
parsonage (18474 Bonnie Lane). Child care will be provided at the church. Call
the church office (238-6135) or talk to Pastor Paula if you are interested. Bring
your lawn chair and take advantage of the warm weather to learn more about
God's word.
From
Pastor Paula's Desk
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;
make the most of every opportunity." Colossians 4:5
Have you ever
decided to let a moment become an opportunity of witness? Do your actions
reflect the words of the Bible? Do your actions speak a thousand times louder
than your words?
Last year a movie
came to the theaters called Pay It Forward. Some of you may know this
movie. It is about the class project of a young man named Trevor, who was
challenged by his social studies teacher to make a difference in the lives of
others. Trevor decides that if he can do three 'good deeds' for someone, they
can then do something in turn for someone else. Initially his project seems to
be a failure. It is, however, a success not immediately known. When traced
backwards by a reporter who has himself been the benefactor of a 'good deed,'
it is discovered how Trevor's project has truly changed lives.
This young man
took an opportunity to help others see life differently, not with his words,
but with his actions. The writer of Colossians, Paul, asks us to consider our
own actions. Each of us is in contact with a number of people daily; our
children, family, those at the grocery store or the office. We are surrounded
by others and we are given numerous opportunities to reflect Jesus' message;
sometimes without speaking a word. It is the actions of our lives that impact
others more than our words. Allowing someone to go before us in line at the
grocery store who has less than we do, standing in line at Cedar Point, smiling
when we see a face looking downcast…all of these and other actions are windows
for someone to see Jesus, presenting us with an opportunity to share the
message of salvation.
Through the power
of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can be windows to Christ creating
opportunities to share the message.
Praying my actions
will speak louder,
Rev. Paula Koch
Friday Fellowship
It seems that
summer finally is here to say for awhile. Hope your gardens are productive
after all the raindrops that kept falling earlier.
We hope Betty
Smith and Marilyn Verbsky continue their good rehab after their recent
surgeries. Our sympathy to the family of Evelyn Coleman who passed away on June
12th.
July
Birthdays
7
Bobbie Mezzulo
8
Ruby Gormsen, Lee Sprague
14 Almeda
McNabb
20 Don
Cleland
Thought of the
day: Prayer should be the key to the day and the lock to the night.
Thanks from the United
Methodist Women
The ladies of the
UMW wish to express their thanks to all those who supported their Attic to
Cellar Sale in June. If you donated items to sell, worked at the
sale, or purchased items from the sale, you helped raise funds that will be
used in various mission projects throughout the year. Your participation is
greatly appreciated!
No UMW events during July...Enjoy your summer!
Rustad Library
Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading!
Thank you Pastor
Paula for choosing some new reference books for the library. The Dictionary
of Biblical Imagery, Who Was Who In the Bible, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary
can all be found on our shelves. Special thanks also to the people who donated
the funds to pay for these books. Check them out the next time you have a
question about something you read in the Bible.
Logos - Is God Calling
You?
Throughout the
months of July and August, we will be using the call process to fill the
leadership positions in Logos. The call process focuses on individuals and God,
not on the job. It involves a lot of prayer, and a lot of listening to hear
God's call. Below is a list of the positions that are available with Logos. The
only qualifications for these positions are to love God, love
youth and children, and to have a gift to share.
Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, God equips the called.
Please pray about
the positions below, and listen to hear if God is calling you. If you have any
questions about the call process, or the job responsibilities of the jobs
listed, please call one of the Logos directors: Tracy McCort (846-9410) or Deb
Oblisk (846-2648).
Logos
Positions Available
Bible Study
Teachers - Kindergarten - 6th Grade
Family Time
Coordinator
Worship Skills
Coordinator (not a choir director)
Playtime
Coordinator
Prayer Team
Coordinator
Playtime Helpers
Worship Skills
Helpers
Table Parents
Who can be helped by Stephen Ministry?
Our Stephen
Minister's are trained to help in many kinds of crisis situations. You (or
someone you know) may have experienced a job loss, a pregnancy crisis, a
serious illness, the death or illness of a loved one, divorce or separation,
retirement, problems with children, or other situations which leave you
searching for answers. God calls us to care for each other and bear each
other's burdens. The Stephen Ministers in our congregation have accepted that
call and made the commitment to care for those who are hurting.
Often it is not
easy to ask for or accept the help of others when your world is falling apart,
but that can be the time when you most need a caring Christian friend. Stephen
Ministers cannot control or change your situation but they can walk with you
and share your burden.
If you would like
to know more about how a Stephen Minister might help you or someone you are
concerned about, please talk to one of the pastors or to one of the Stephen
Leaders: Jim Boyer (572-4976), Mark or Karen Milia (572-0602), Hildi
Fitzpatrick (572-5004), or Bev. Wells (572-1415). All inquiries and caring
relationships are strictly confidential.
Notes from the Nurses
Are you enjoying
our hot, sunny summer? Here is a word of warning about basking in all that
sunshine: More than 1 million skin cancers will be diagnosed in the US this
year. Most are slow-growing basal and squamous-cell types that can be
successfully treated or surgically removed, though they can be fatal if ignored.
Some 51,400 cases will be malignant melanoma, a much more lethal type of skin
cancer.
The prevalence of
skin cancer is attributable in part to a history off unprotected or
underprotected sun exposure. Almost all dermatologist recommend using sunscreen
as part of an overall skin protection program which focuses on limiting direct
sun and wearing protective clothing.
The SPF number
listed on sunscreens is a measure of how long a product will protect skin from
sunburn. If your untreated skin becomes sunburned in 5 minutes, using an SPF-15
sunscreen will protect you for 15 times 5 minutes or 75 minutes. Numbers higher
than 30 offer little extra benefit since they already block 96.7% of the sun's
UVB radiation.
Follow these
skin-saving precautions: Avoid midday sun; Wear sunscreen whenever you expect
to spend significant time outdoors; read the label directions and apply at
least 15 minutes before going out; spread sunscreen liberally on all exposed
skin including ears; wear a broad-brimmed hat and cover arms and legs whenever
possible; reapply sunscreen every 2 hours and after toweling off; check with a
pediatrician before using sunscreen on a baby less than 6 months old. Check
your skin monthly for changes in the color, shape, size, texture, or borders of
moles and report any changes to your doctor.
From Consumer Reports, June 2001
Our monthly blood pressure checks will be on
Sunday, July 29th following both services.
Happy Sunning!
Gail Spence
& Betsy Mowry
Class of 2001
*Jodi Armstrong Jessica
Herald
Lauren
Astler-Chapman Scholar Kevin Janke
Brad
Bakeman-Chapman Scholar *Cara Kochheiser
Andy Bradigan
*Yvette Lane
Ryan Brown Andy
Lash-Chapman Scholar
Kerri
Butcher-Chapman Scholar Katie Lawrence-Chapman Scholar
Matt Byrd *Bill
Lawrence-Chapman Scholar
Melanie Charlotte
Holly Mittelmeier
Kara Cox *April
Peck
*Brian DeNoble
*Emily Peterson
*Greg Domino
Deanna Piotrowski
*Nathan Evans
*Daniel Powell-Chapman Scholar
Anna Gray *Jon
Shearer-Chapman Scholar
*Robert Hathy
Emily Talpas
*These students
received Honors Diplomas.
Many of our high
school seniors were honored for their achievements at the Senior Salute on May
22nd. Jon Shearer received Math & Science awards and Deanna Piotrowski
received an Art award.
In addition to the Chapman Scholarships awarded
to eight of our graduates, many students received other Scholarships:
Ryan Brown-Univ. Of Cincinnati Athletic Scholarship
Kerri Butcher-Baldwin Wallace College Dean's
Scholarship
Kara Cox-Strongsville Choral Boosters Scholarship
Cara Kochheiser-Surrarrer PTA Scholarship
Yvette Lane-Chapman PTA Scholarship
Katie Lawrence-Richard Survoy Memorial Scholarship,
S.L. Zellers Memorial Scholarship
April Peck-Quarry Masonic Lodge Scholarship
Jon Shearer-Purdue Univ. Academic Success Award,
Dean's Engineering Scholarship, Strongsville Education Association Award,
Strongsville Council of PTAs Scholarship, Ohio District 12 Scholarship
College Graduations
Christy
Anne Keenan graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in
Finance & Economics.
Mike
Johnson received his M.B.A. from Otterbein College.
Lori
Williamson will graduate from the Univ. of Illinois with a Master of
Arts in Architecture and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering.
Kelly
Brand graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in Education.
Scott Gelo
graduated with honors from Wittenberg University with a degree in Fine Arts.
Note that Christy, Kelly, & Scott are former Chapman Scholars.
We offer
congratulations and prayers for God's continued blessing to all of these
graduates.
Joys
& Concerns
Weddings
Best wishes to Michelle Willcocks & Adam
Freeman, who were married on June 2 by Rev. Mowry. Michelle is the
daughter of Ernie Willcocks and the late Mary Jo Willcocks.
Congratulations also to Heather Lopez &
Teddy Stout, who were married in our sanctuary on June 16.
We rejoice with Chuck & Carolyn Hennon &
family upon the marriage of their son Chris to Paula
Dzuroff on June 24th in Pawley's Island, SC.
Births
Congratulations to
Tim & Samantha Pasket on the birth of their twins, Jagger
Greigh & Jarrett Brown on May 26. Proud grandparents are Dick
& Maureen Pasket.
Congratulations to
Ken & Claudia Semelsberger on the birth of Brett
Stephen on June 15th. Brett is the grandson of Ken & Marian
Semelsberger.
Congratulations to
Jesse & Mary Canonico on the birth of John Rhys
on June 19th. John's grandparents are Walter & Annette Ehrnfelt and his
great-grandparents are Walter & Anne Ehrnfelt.
Deaths
Entering the
Church Triumphant on June 12th was Evelyn Coleman. Our prayers
and sympathies are extended to her husband, Dick and to her children,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family & friends.
The prayers and
sympathy of the church are also extended to: Steve & Cathy Early
and family upon the death of Cathy's grandmother, Dorothy Shafer on June 4th; Joe
& Karen Musarro and family upon the death of their uncle, Karl, on
June 1st; Brian & Sharon Casey and family upon the death
of Brian's father, Pat, on June 17th.
Baptisms
Receiving the
Sacrament of Baptism on June 17th were:
Justin
Michael Novak, son of Brian & Kelly Novak. Justin is the grandson
of Dave & Karen Ransbury.
Lauren Lee
Kostenko, daughter of Victor & Sherry Kostenko.
Albert
Joseph Matousek, IV, son of Albert & Milita
Matousek.
From our church's mailbox
Dear Congregation,
Thanks to Rev. Ron and Pastor Paula for their prayers
and visits. Thanks to all my friends for their visits, cards, prayers, and
phone calls. It was so nice to be remembered.
Corrine Jackson
Dear Rev. Ron,
I would like to thank you and the church for my
recent Chapman scholarship. This money will be very beneficial to my upcoming
year at Purdue University. I plan to study aerospace engineering, and I have
been accepted into the Honors Engineering College along with about 70 other
incoming Purdue freshmen. I plan to represent our church next year with
high academic success. I have been very honored to be an active member in the
Strongsville United Methodist Church for my entire life. Thank you again for
your generosity in presenting me with this award.
Jonathan P. Shearer
Thanks to my wonderful church family for the support
I received during my recent hospital stay. Your prayers, cards, and visits
contributed to an uneventful and rapid recovery. Special thanks to Rev. Ron's
& Pastor Paula's presence during this time
Betty Smith
From the Pastor's study
"The Thief"
"For you yourselves know well that the day of the
Lord will come like a thief in the night." I Thessalonians 5:2
There he was right in front of me. I was driving home late in the evening
and my headlights caught him. The pilferer was actively at work. The glare of
the headlights revealed the thief. I put on my brakes.
My approach
didn't seem to faze the burglar. I saw the mask across the face that revealed
the bandit. He continued his work; with precision, his claws lifted the lid of
the can and he began to rifle through the garbage. The raccoon thief was busy
stealing under the cover of darkness.
As I looked upon
the plunderer, I remembered the words of the Apostle Paul (written above).
Since the early days of the Jewish faith, those who are of God have been
awaiting the day of the Lord. For the Jew, all time was divided into two ages;
the present age which is incurably bad, and the age that is to come which is
wonderfully under God's control
Many people
through the generations have attempted to discern the day of the Lord. As
Christians, we have interpreted that day to be the time of Christ's return to
earth. We await that moment when God again breaks into human history through
the coming of Christ.
But we do not
know, and Jesus bluntly informs us in his teachings, that we will not know the
time of Christ's return. Even he did not know. Only God knew. In spite of these
words of Jesus, people have continued to speculate about the time of our Lord's
coming.
In an attempt
to help believers understand, the Apostle Paul writes that the day of the Lord
will be like a thief in the night, coming when we do not expect it. The day
will be sudden.
Then the
Apostle adds that, since the followers of Christ live in the light, we don't
have to be afraid of the thief in the night. Even though we will not know
exactly when Christ is to return, we have the assurance that we are held in the
hands of God. Thus, we need not worry. Our concern needs to be on living
prepared to meet Christ no matter when that occurrence takes place. We will not
be robbed if we are in constant expectation of God's completing human history.
I know people who dread the thought of the return of Christ. They live in fear
of such a day. If we are in Christ, then such an attitude goes against the
biblical promise. If we are doing all we can to follow Christ as best we can,
then we have the assurance that God will hold us securely. The return of Christ
will mark victory and not defeat. It will bring us rejoicing and not weeping.
We await that day in joyful expectation because the thief in the night will not
find us.
O Lord, we
give thanks for your love and your promise that we will be held safely in your
arms no matter what the future might bring. Amen.
Rev. Ron Mowry
Hymn Sing Sundays in August
The month
of August will be "Hymn Sing Month." Each Sunday, those in the
congregation will be asked to suggest hymns for us to sing during the opening
of worship. This is a time for singing some of our old favorites as well as
some less familiar hymn that might be your personal favorite.
Sharon Parish Honored
Mark, Zach,
& Ben Parish recently spoke at a ceremony honoring their wife and mother,
Sharon. Because of being declared a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA), the Norther District of Ohio was able to receive additional funding to
combat the proliferation of drugs. Part of the funds were used to create a
HIDTA Investigative Support Center to facilitate the sharing of drug
intelligence information throughout the District. It was this HIDTA
Investigative Support Center that was dedicated in Sharon's memory.
Sharon was
instrumental in the application process and as a former federal law enforcement
officer and paralegal for the Organized Crime Drug Task Force of the US
Attorney's office, she realized the value in coordinating local and federal
drug enforcement activities which is the whole idea behind this computer
center.
Sharon, who
was an active member of this congregation, died in December of 1998 of acute
leukemia at the age of 40. We give thanks that Sharon's life has been affirmed
in such a tangible way.
Don't
forget the Food Bank!
Hunger never takes a vacation. The Strongsville Food
Bank is open year-round, and the need continues for donations of non-perishable
food items. Please remember the Food Bank throughout the summer, and place your
donations on the table across from Greg's office.
Especially needed right now are: coffee (ground &
instant0, cereal, packaged desserts (cake mixes, pudding, brownies, etc.),
boxed potato dishes, and mixed dinners (Hamburger Helper, etc.) Thank you for
your continued support of the Food Bank.
The
Book Discussion Group will continue to meet through the summer. The next
meeting will be on Wednesday, July 11th at 12:30pm in the parlor. The July
selection is The Blue Bottle Club by Penelope Stokes. This is a great summer
read about a reporter who looks into the lives of four women who wrote their
hopes and dreams on pieces of paper and placed them in a blue bottle that was
found years later. Bring your lunch or just come and have dessert with us. The
discussion is always interesting and lively. All are welcome.
Souled
Out
Something to
Think About
by Greg
I am still recovering from my first Youth Annual Conference at Lakeside,
but I already have a favorite memory. As the tradition dictates, Saturday night's
activities included a candle walk. This involved a powerful skit by the youth,
the song "Carry Your Candle," and a whole bunch of youth and adults
carrying sticks of wax and fire to the lake. But my favorite memory is even
more specific than that. When everyone had gathered at the bottom of the hill,
beside the lake, we got on our knees to pray. As most of us prayed silently or
in broken whispers, one lone voice seemed to carry over everyone else. I raised
my head and saw a young man lying flat on his face before God.
He must have
been carrying the weight of everything on his shoulders. Maybe the business
sessions and voting sessions opened his eyes for the first time to the fact
that he DOES have a voice in this world. Maybe he finally understands that he
CAN make a difference. Maybe he was moved by the fifteen hundred youth walking
to the lake from Hoover Auditorium carrying the light of Christ in their hands
and hearts. Maybe he saw something, heard something, felt something that the
rest of us missed out on. Maybe that moment was a turning point in his life.
Perhaps for the first time in his life he understood that Christianity isn't a
religion, it's a relationship. But I will never forget the impact, the chills,
the feelings, the tears he stirred in me as he screamed, yelled, cried out one
word over and over and over.
Jesus...
Jesus...
Jesus...
Jesus...
Remember...
·
The Youth
Bulletin Board is located in the atrium and has lots of information about who,
what, where, when and why!!
·
Youth
Group is open to ALL youth in grades 7-12 (you can invite your friends)!!
·
RSVP
dates are important (sometimes we really do need to know how many people to
plan for)!!
·
You can
ask Mr. Hotz or Mr. Koch about the Youth Praise Band!!
You
are a Child of God!
Youth
Ministry Mission Statement
Our mission is to equip youth with a solid
foundation in Jesus Christ, with excitement for spiritual growth, that they may
be alive in their faith
and make a difference for Christ in the world.
July
Calendar
Sunday, July 1st
Souled Out
6:30 - 8:00pm in
Tiber Hall
Thursday, July
5th
Upper Sandusky
Family Fest
featuring
Tree63, The Elms, Shine
Harrison Smith
Park in Upper Sandusky
Meet at the
church at 2:30pm
Return about
midnight
Must RSVP to
Greg by July 3rd
Sunday, July 8th
Dedication of
Youth Mission Team
@ 9:30 Service
&
Souled Out
6:30 - 8:00pm in
Tiber Hall
Wednesday, July
11th
Summer Sports
Night 5:00pm
Activity will be
posted on bulletin board
Thursday, July
12th
Youth Bible
Study @ 7:00 in the parlor
Sunday, July
22nd
Souled Out
6:30 - 8:00pm in
Tiber Hall
Wednesday, July
25th
Summer Sports
Night 5:00pm
Activity will be
posted on bulletin board
Thursday, July
26th
Youth Bible
Study @ 7:00 in the parlor
Sunday, July
29th
Souled Out
6:30 - 8:00pm in
Tiber Hall
Tuesday, July
31st
Cory Kitchen
Meet at church
at 4:30pm
Call Mrs. Peck
(572-6008) to
let her know you
are coming!
Youth
Mission Trip
July
15th - 21st
Mountain
Top, Tennessee
Please keep
our youth and adult volunteers in your prayers as they serve the Lord by caring
for the needs of others.
The Wesley News is published monthly
by the Strongsville United Methodist Church. Deadline for articles is the 15th
of every month for the following month’s newsletter. Articles can be mailed or
dropped off in the church office or e-mailed to either Steller5@AOL.com
or BevW@StrongsvilleUMC.org
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