Aldersgate United Methodist Church April 2011 Issue 78

Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors

Journeys with Judy Untangling and Weaving

Some synchronicities cannot be ignored. Just after our Worship Team planned for Lent, I pulled a book off the shelf looking for a sermon illus-tration for that week’s sermon. I was suddenly struck by how this book I hadn’t even read was per-fect for our Lenten season this year. It addressed many of the questions the Worship Team had raised (see below). The book had intrigued me before, but it sat on my shelf without my awareness that the au-thor had crafted the book using many of the standard lectionary scripture readings for the Lenten season. With just a few shifts, it would serve us well. I called the Team and they were open. When I mentioned the book to the Church Council, they agreed we should use it as our Lenten study. Sacred Spaces: Stations on the Celtic Way by Margaret Silf, proved too difficult to order from the UK in time each of us to have study books in time, but we have used it’s sym-bols and wisdom along with the Bible study of the common scriptures.

This season of Lent has various places where the weavings in our ministry are coming to-gether. Confirmation class has finished up and 5 of our youth (middle and high schoolers) are planning to be confirmed or baptized on Easter! This class has been another rich place to explore connections with God and each other. Our Monday night Lenten Bible study has been a rich time of exploring how God’s speaks to us today as it did to our not so dif-ferent ancestors in the faith. Its also been a time of checking in the old-fashioned John Wesley way – sharing how is it with our souls, when have we felt closest to God and when have we felt most chal-lenged in our faith. Nurture Team has been active offering various fellowship opportunities, training the First Response Team for congregational care, planning and fundraising for an all-church retreat May 12-13! We also are dreaming up plans to celebrate Aldersgate’s 25th Anniversary (perhaps in the spring and the fall).

The rich symbols or stations in Silf’s book offer a wonderful soul journey

ALDERSGATE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

9161 Cinema Drive, Juneau, Alaska Judy Shook, Pastor E-mail: judyshook@aol.com

To reach Judy, please call:

Parsonage Phone: 907-523-2914

Day Off Friday

Church Office: E-mail: aumcjuneau@gci.net

Phone 907-789-4050 Fax: 907-790-2185

P.O. Box 33491

Juneau, Alaska 99803-3491

Regular Hours MWF Noon-2:00pm

Inside this issue:

Summary of upcoming Events Page 2

Lent to Easter info Page 3

Around the Connection Page 4

Youth News Page 7

April Calendar Page 8

Things to Look Forward to: Holy Week, see pg 2; Remember to Bring Flowers on

Easter to Create our Flower Cross Together, see pg 2 for more info.

Visit us on the web @ http://juneaualdersgate.weebly.com

Check us out on Facebook: Search - Aldersgate United Methodist Church,

Juneau, Alaska

Generosity Matters Financial Report By Charlie Mitchell

income to date $38,375.27

expenses to date $40,846.75

Outstanding expenses $2,471.48 Apportionments are paid at 100% $4,821.27

Continued on page 5

Pigs on a Mission: April Mission ~ Pigs are on Mission for Japan Tsunami and Earthquake

Survivors: UMCOR donation for the month of April Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief "Today, as pic-tures unfold of losses almost impossible to imagine, we can confidently proclaim that we United Methodists

are and will continue to be part of the recovery after the devastation of these natural disas-ters. We have created a structure of support and outreach through UMCOR, and through our missionaries and local churches – a structure that has already released ministry ac-

tion. Today or tomorrow somebody's mother will find a listening ear, somebody's child will be fed, somebody's brother will pray with a stranger through the work of our United Meth-odist Church. If you would like to share, UMCOR has established an Advance. It is Pacific

Emergency Advance#3021317 May’s Mission: Big Brothers, Big Sisters

Holy Week Schedule Maundy Thursday* service ~ April 21, 7pm

Good Friday Ecumenical service** ~ April 22, 7pm at Shepherd of the Valley

Sunrise Ecumenical Service ~ April 24. 6:00am at Skater’s Cabin off Montana Creek Rd.

Easter Breakfast – following Sunrise Service, est. 7am

Easter Egg Hunt ~ for 3rd graders and younger during Sunday School 10am

Easter Sunday Service 11am ~with Baptism and Confirmation of our youth! Bring Flowers and let’s create a Flower Cross honoring New Life!

*Maundy Thursday - This funny name marks the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples before he faces the cross.

**Good Friday ecumenical worship at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran at 7pm. Reading of the gospel and singing

Aldersgate News

Sunday School for all ages continues at 9:30am. The primary and secondary children classes will use different age appropriate curriculum to study how to use the Bible.

Weekly Sabbath Hang-time and Supper Join us from Noon-2:00pm and enjoy supper and fun fellowship as we share a variety of experiences for all ages -including games, worship, prayer, study, crafts, and getting to know each other each Sunday afternoon.

Pastor Judy will be on leave March 30 - April 7th. Pastor Judy’s niece is getting married on April 2nd, and she will be traveling to join her family most of whom she has not seen since moving here. Pastoral care during this time will be our Lay Leader Sandi Pahlke 321-1799 or Rev. Phil Campbell, NLUC, 586-3131 and Rev. Sue Bahleda, Resurrection Lutheran 321-4746

Save the Date! Another area-wide women's gathering is coming! Saturday, May 14, 2011 11:30am to 1:00pm A Salad Luncheon for Women and Girls at Northern Light United Church More details will follow at a later date. Sponsored by the women of Aldersgate UMC, Douglas Community UMC and Northern Light United Church.

Lenten Bible study and Covenant group continues Monday’s 7 - 8:30pm

Bible study and Covenant group in a Celtic contemplative model: Looking at the scriptures for our worship themes (our lectionary with just a few changes) and committing to essential practices of daily prayer, regular Bible study and weekly practices of service and worship. This is also similar to Wesleyan (Methodist) early groups to support and encourage one another in following the ways of Jesus' love. Even if you cannot join us for this study, I encourage you to join us in the practices and find at least one - two buddies to companion you through Lent and these practices.

Juneau Cooperative Church Council Lenten Lunch Series 2011

Please join us every THURSDAY

March 10-April 14 at Noon at Northern Light United Church

For an inspirational hour as we enjoy music and stories of faith that have shaped the world. Homemade soups and breads are served. A $5 donation goes to the Glory Hole.

March 31 Mat. Olga Nikolai Speaker: Dick Dauenhauer

Soup: Cathedral Music: Tlingit Gospel Singers

April 7 Dietrich Bonhoeffer Speaker: Ken from NLUC

Soup: St. Brendan's

Unexpectedly Holy: Journeys of Faithful Women & Men

Our first Slow Breakfast at the Glory Hole was a wonderful success! We taught the Glory Hole's staff how to use up old stale bread in breakfast

bread puddings (we made plum-walnut bread pudding for breakfast).

We'll continue to do these Slow Breakfasts the 2nd Monday of each month, meaning that our next breakfast will be Monday April 11. Thanks to those of you who have expressed interest in helping with these, I know that the Glory Hole is really excited to have our help integrating good, clean, and fair food into their menus.

Alaska Grain opportunity!.... We're trying to get a sense for how many people would be interested in purchas-ing grains from Wrigley Farms in Delta. If you are interested in participating in a group order (the bulk pricing applies to the ton, so it would break down to $10 for a 50 lb bag of either hull-less barley, wheat and maybe rye) please contact James @ Alaska Permaculture - mail@akpermaculture.ning.com and let him know how much (in lbs) of each grain you'd be interested in.

Visit Alaska Permaculture at: http://akpermaculture.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Lent to Easter: Worship themes and Scriptures For Monday Night Bible Study:

Apr. 3 (Scout Sunday) Luke 10:30-37, Good Samaritan How have we served God and our neighbors?

Apr. 10 Transformation Unbound: Heaven is NOW Raising of Lazarus (John 11: 1- 45) Groves and Springs: giving us the support of commu-nity, and inspiring new life and hope Seasons of companionship and the communion of intimate friendship, giving us the experience of Belonging

Apr. 17 Palm/Passion Sunday Crossing Places: such as causeways, bridges and burial grounds, inviting us to go beyond our present limits Times of transition: when we are commissioned to enter upon the unknown with courage and with trust

Apr. 25 Easter – John 20 – Mary of Magdalene en-counters the Risen Christ in the Garden Boundaries: where the cutting edge of growth and change is encountered Boundary Seasons: where we walk the edges of human experience, illumined by the vision of a fullness of life beyond our infinite imagination.

Lots of great news about United Methodist Ministries around Alaska: go to: http://www.alaskaumc.org

AROUND THE CONNECTION Edited and compiled by Jim Sutton

WASHINGTON (UMNS) — Gifts to Imagine No Malaria recently surpassed $15 million, thanks to caring United Method-ists who donated to special offerings and participated in fundraisers to wipe out the mosquito-borne disease.

NEW YORK (UMNS) — Independence for South Sudan will mean rebuilding a country where both people and structures have been worn down by several decades of war. The United Methodist Committee on Relief has already embarked on the rebuilding effort by constructing schools and providing for water and sanitation needs.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — The United Methodist Church is set to debut an online Bible study beginning March 14. Participants will have an opportunity to explore and discuss contemporary topics and how they relate to the Christian

faith in response to the call to Rethink Church. http://www.umcom.org/site/c.mrLZJ9PFKmG/b.6579103/k.2D7F/Encounter_Faith_Online_Bible_Study.htm NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — United Methodist youth, ages 12-18, on both sides of the country will gather in July for a nationwide event sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, Youth 2011. For the first time the conference will be held in two locations so ore people can attend. July 13-16 at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and July 27-30 at the Convention Center in Sacramento, Calif.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — United Methodists musicians and other leaders gathered here March 1-3 for three days of singing, workshops and worship during the formal introduction of ―Worship & Song,‖ a new collection of songs, hymns and worship resources.

ANCHORAGE, AK (e-Aurora) It is the intention of Bishop Hagiya to appoint the Rev. Ron Myers as pastor of First UMC, Anchorage this summer. Ron served for six years as the University Chaplain at Alaska Pacific University.

HOUSTON (UMNS) —When the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell was appointed to Windsor Village United Methodist Church in 1982, there were about ―25 faithful members‖ in the pews on Sunday. The neighborhood was full of blight. Windsor Vil-lage now has a membership of more than 18,000, and the neighborhood has grown from blight to a mini-city.

MADISON, Wis. (UMNS) — Many United Methodist leaders, including bishops, are speaking out against efforts to sharply curtail collective-bargaining rights. These church leaders are following a longstanding Methodist concern for workers' rights going back to John Wesley.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (UMNS) — A skateboard ministry at St. John’s United Methodist Church turned out to be the an-swer to youth’s prayers. As members of St. John’s and other congregations have discovered, mission outside the church walls can often help a church reach new people.

NASUSHIOBARA, Japan (UMNS) — All United Methodist missionaries and volunteers in Japan are safe, according to the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

NEW YORK (GBGM) — United Methodist response to the March 11 earthquake in Japan puts the spotlight on a rich mission history that began 135 years ago. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief are working in the crisis with church organizations that continue a mission story that opened in 1873, the year the first Methodist missionary arrived in Japan.

WASHINGTON (UMNS) — Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, is urging United Methodists to pray for the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and encouraging support of relief efforts through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — The National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men sent a resolution to the 2012 General Conference, the denomination's top lawmaking body, urging men to welcome women to the pulpits of their churches, and asked local chapters of United Methodist Men to invite clergywomen to share in their studies and activities.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) –– A $7,300 grant from the Human Relations Day offering will enable the Commission on United Methodist Men to continue recruiting adults to serve as mentors of children of incarcerated parents through the Amachi program of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interpreter) — Thriving small groups help people develop meaningful connections, find opportuni-ties for service and deepen their relationship with God. They also contribute to church growth.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Vanderbilt Divinity School students gathered on campus March 17 to write letters to their state representatives supporting two bills that would exclude mentally ill people from execution in Tennessee.

for Lent. This season calls us to our transformation: Ashes to Fire. We are called to consider questions our Worship Team raised: Why are we making room/Emptying? How do we need to make changes? Looking more closely at What we want to take on and more room for. What will we give up and How? How will we incorporate the changes into our lives – Living New Lives?

In what Silf calls ―stations of the Celtic Way,‖ we explored how with Ash Wednesday, we are coming down off of the mountain where the disciples experienced Jesus transfigured. God calls us to the hilltops, offers us the visions of what might be, and the inspiration follow. We long for vision and hope. Then God calls us into seasons of setting out into ways that transform our lives and our world. Let us journey with faith in our soul seasons and God’s natural cycles.

The first Sunday of Lent, an infinite knot blessed our cross in the sanctuary - thanks to Jo McDowell, Charlie and Barb Mitchell and myself. In the infinite knot we are given hope that God can help us untangle our messes and weave our ups and downs into blessings. Beginning and End, our Creator weaves whole-ness out of partialness, and purpose out of chaos. God weaves of our being, physical and spiritual, from our earliest days to the end of our years.

Standing stones are found around the world and in the Bible. Jacob and Joshua are some of those who made altars of stone to mark their experience of connecting with God and the connection between heaven and earth. Similarly, Celtic crosses tell stories of the people in the area’s faith stories. In the image of the cross, we can see connection of earth and heaven, a meeting of our facts and our dreams. Like with Joshua and the people preparing to enter the promised land, God invites us to times of commitment. We quest after our own inner truth and the strength to live true to what we discover.

Like the Samaritan woman at the well, the Spirit takes us to the depths of our experience. Our pits and wells contain life-giving newness; yet, in them we face the truths of our woundedness and mistakes. We may long to avoid contact, but in Jesus we are met with unconditional love. May we find the treasure in our shipwrecks. Our soul’s journey is turning and returning, to our truth and our deepest sources. Christ meets us when we feel we have lost our way. We are not alone.

In the image and experiences of groves and springs, God calls us into the support of community, and inspires new life and hope. Wellsprings of companionship offer the communion of intimate friendship, and give us the experience of Belonging.

Spirit leads us to crossing places: causeways, bridges and burial grounds. God invites us to go be-yond our present limits.

In times of transition, we are commissioned to enter upon the unknown with courage and with trust. As in all the journey, in the crossing, we are not alone.

As we face boundaries, we are reminded that Christ goes before us - making a way - where the cut-ting edge of growth and change is encountered and that new life and real transformation are possible for us here and now! Where we walk the edges of human experience, the Risen Christ sets before us the vision of a fullness of life beyond our imagination.

Easter calls us beyond our old ways to new life!

Thanks for Joining in the Journey! Pastor Judy

Continued from page 1

Phone Call around the World with UM: Invitation to join United Methodists gathering across the globe in a prayerful, Spirit-filled time as we listen for God’s word on how we live out our common mission to make disci-ples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!‖ Wed., April 6, 8 – 11 AM Alaska time. Pastor Phil Campbell of NLUC is hosting a SE gathering to the webcast. To join NLUC for this gathering, please RSVP to them at 586-3131. Learn more about it or simply join in online that day. Here’s the website with info about the summit and background materials: http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.6585127/k.1B84/Leadership_Summit__Landing_Page.htm

First Response Team for Congregational Care The Church as Family—it’s something I’ve thought a lot about this year as my daughter and I have

found ourselves suddenly without family in town. When my home was hit by a truck in the Fall, it was significantly helpful to have Pastor Judy come over and bless my house and just spend time

with me. In retrospect, I should have blessed the house before it got hit by a truck! What a strange lesson to learn!

The image of Judy tossing blessed water into my yard will forever stay with me. It made me laugh, and feel better in a very stressful time. No one was hurt when this happened, but my world was turned up-side down for awhile as I dealt with the logistics of putting my house back together. I needed family. And I needed to redefine family since mine had moved away. That got me thinking hard about Aldersgate as Family, and how I could make it mine. And how I could be there, as family should, for others. So I joined the newly formed Aldersgate First Response Team--a group of church members who are committed to help-ing other members in times of need. Whether that need be coping with illness, grief, life changes such as births, moving, or…hopefully less frequently, trucks running into your house…

Our group recently met with Rev. Kim Poole and Pastor Judy to discuss ways in which the team can provide comfort or resources when church members are experiencing stress or grief. We had a fascinating conversation about how we can support and care for each other within the Aldersgate family. We want our congregation to know that we are here to help. That you can call on us if you need a hand. Or a home-cooked meal. Or a hug. Perhaps the best way to reach us is by phone—you can call anyone on the First Response Team, and that person will coordinate help.

~ Rachel Gladhart The members of the First Response Team are: Rachel Gladhart 209-8274 Suzanne Haight 789-7870 Marie Lam 790-3358 Barb Mitchell 789-3552 Shelly Smith 780-5262 Van Waggoner 789-1660

Bowl for Kids Sake! Big Brothers Big Sisters fun and fundraising The Aldersgaters are going to Strike! Saturday, April 2, our church’s team will have fun

and raise funds for this great service organization. Consider pledging even if you can-not bowl. This is not about winning – so even gutter ball pros are welcome to join the fun. Lyall Hadsel is our team captain and coordinator. Please contact him with questions,

Save the Date: Aldersgate All Church Retreat ~

We Are Family Date: May 13-15, 2011 Time: 6:00pm Friday to Noon on Sunday This will be a “get to know you better” event. Possible activities are: nature and beach hikes, games, intergenerational devotion time, adult study time, wake up yoga, movement and spiritual dance, campfires and s’mores, “Aunt” & “Uncle” time for parents, the laby-

rinth, Sunday Worship in the chapel, free time and more. Thriving Congregations have

many small group opportuni-ties that encourage sharing and growing together in com-munity. Come and grow with us! Your Nurture Committee Members

Retreat will be held at the Shrine of St. Therese. Overnight accommodations in the lodge are cov-ered by the Nurture Committee Fundraisers. You

will need to bring sleeping bags and pillows. Show-ers are available. Everyone will help with meals. Contact person for registration or questions is:

Barb Mitchell at 789-3552 or cbmitch@hotmail.com

What’s New in Aldersgate UMC Community

Thank you everyone who fed the Pigs Our Pigs on a Mission for March raised $64.60 for the Glacier Val-ley Breakfast Club.

March’s Attendance: The average attendance for March was 39 and the average number of youth in wor-ship for March was 10.

Our Red Wagon gathers food for our Valley Food Bank, unless otherwise specified. This little wagon will be making an appearance every Sunday. Please bring in any non-perishable items to

help us fill the wagon!

April’s Glory Hole Servers - will be Girl Scouts troop 4041 with Cherry Eckland. They will be at the Glory Hole on April 16th. We know that They would love help, so contact Cherry Eckland if you would like to help or contact Keith Palke.

We would like to have a Birthday/Anniversary Section in this newsletter so if we can wish you a Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary or other special occasion please email us, at: aumcjuneau@gci.net, your information and I will include it in the newsletter.

News from Big Brothers Big Sisters: Spread the word to parents and grandparents!!!! BBBS can serve more girls! Currently, we have more Big Sisters than we do Little Sisters! Big Sisters can be another positive role model in a girl’s life. Big Sisters can reinforce the values and goals parents set for their daughters. They are friends who help

girls solve problems, set goals, and make good choices. Big Sisters are awesome! Call 586-3350 to give the gift of friendship to a young girl in your life! Visit the website at www.bbbsak.org/Juneau for more information.

Thank You’s Thank you to Maureen Shivers for creating the wonderful Call to Worship using our new

projector system. She gathered inspiring pictures to match our Lenten theme, based on

the book Sacred Spaces: Stations on the Celtic Way, by Margaret Silf.

Thanks to Barb Mitchell, Pat Dobbins, Suzanne Haight and others who donated soup, bread

and helped with serving at the Ecumenical Lenten Lunches!

Thank you to Jo McDowell, Charlie and Barb Mitchell and Pastor Judy for all the wonderful

visuals that enhance our worship experience!

Youth Group Scoop!

Children and Youth! Mark your calendars for the upcoming Aldersgate Lock in, which will be held on Good Friday, April 22 at 6:00pm, until Saturday morning, April 23 at 11:00am. This is an event for youth (our middle and high school kids) as well as elementary children who would be comfort-able with a sleepover at the Church. We have planned an exciting evening where the kids will be transported back in time, to experience what life would have been like as a Christian in Jesus' time. From the foods we've picked for dinner, to the roles the kids will get to play as the evening unfolds--it promises to be an exciting event. What a wonderful way to start the Easter weekend. We'll also have some modern-day fun once our evening program is finished. We need adults to help! If you love acting--we have roles for you! We also need chaperones willing to spend the night at the Church. Please let Marie Lam or Rachel Gladhart know how you would like to help!

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2

3 Scout Sunday

Facility Use: Girl Scouts

4 Lenten Adult Study 7pm

5 6

7 Lenten Lunch Series Noon @

NLUC (see pg 6)

Facility Use: Dancers for

Universal Peace

8 9

10

11 Lenten Adult Study 7pm

12

13

14 Lenten Lunch Series Noon @

NLUC (see pg 6)

15 16

17 Palm Sunday

SPRC Meeting Fol-

lowing

Worship

Facility Use: Girl Scouts

18 Lenten Adult Study 7pm

19

20

21 Maundy

Thursday

Service 7pm

22 Good Friday

Ecumenical

service 7pm

SOV Youth Group

Lock-in 6pm to Noon Sat.

23

24 Easter Day

(see pg 2 for Worship

schedule)

Breakfast Fundraiser

(see pg 5)

25 Facility Use: Full Circle

Music

26 Facility Use: Full Circle

Music

27 Facility Use: Full Circle

Music

28 Facility Use:

Full Circle Music

29 Facility Use: Full Circle

Music

30 Facility Use: Full Circle

Music

Pastor Judy on leave Pastor Phil Campbell of NLUC 586-3131 and Rev. Sue Bahleda, Resur-rection Lutheran 321-4746 to cover March 30-April 7

Holy Week April 17-23