Madras United Methodist Church

“The Madras Messenger” Spring 2017

Pastor’s Message

Sisters and brothers in Christ,

We are in the season of Lent, a time of spiritual renewal and asking

questions; a time of letting go and of turning towards God. It is in this time

that I find myself in the process of changing appointments, of saying

goodbye to you here at Madras UMC and beginning a very different kind

of work as the site director for Alton L. Collins Retreat Center in Eagle

Creek, Oregon (close to Sandy).

This is a critical time for us. As some of you know, there have been some

health problems my in-laws have been facing and so we have desired to

move closer to them for the past year. This new position will place us

within an hour’s drive of them, which will help immensely.

This new position is also an opportunity for my wife, Karen, and myself to

dive deeper into the world of camp and retreat ministries. We met

working at a camp and have talked about working in this kind of Christian

ministry for our whole marriage. As a site director, I will not be leading any

congregation, instead my work will be managing and leading the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center on behalf of the

Oregon-Idaho Camp and Retreat Ministries and in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon.

I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to serve you and to serve with you in our community. I look

forward to these remaining weeks and seeing what work we can accomplish in this time as we faithfully live out

God’s call to “Grow in love through relationship with God, with each other, and with our neighbors.”

Let us live out this Lenten journey together, listening for God’s call and accepting the courage the Spirit gives us

to take our own part in the resurrection story of faith.

Peace of the resurrected Christ be with you all,

Pastor Dan Benson

Pastor’s Official Appointment Announcement March 26, 2017

Members and Friends of Madras City United Methodist Church, greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!

For nearly four years, you have been blessed with the gift of the Reverend Dan Benson as your pastor. He

came to you with gifts of energy, joy, passion, and a desire to be in ministry with you in the Madras community.

As you know, United Methodist clergy serve in an itinerant system under the authority of the bishop. I want to

share news with you this morning about changes being made to our Annual Conference leadership team. To-

day Bishop Elaine Stanovsky is announcing the appointment of the Reverend Dan Benson to be Director of

the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center effective May 15, 2017.

I understand that this announcement will be a bittersweet one for you. We certainly celebrate the gifts of Rev.

Benson in ministry, as well as his willingness to use those gifts in service to the entire conference and beyond.

At the same time, I know you will receive the news of this change with some sadness. We give thanks for Dan

and Karen’s presence with you over these past four years and celebrate Dan’s caring and effective leadership in

the Madras church and community. I know you will want to use the next weeks to share your expressions of

thanks and your well wishes with Dan and Karen. As difficult as this transition may be, I trust the Holy Spirit is

at work in powerful ways in this process and through your gracious spirit.

In the meantime, know that I will be working quickly and diligently with Patti Lieuallen and your leadership

team to ensure leadership through June and to identify your next pastor. The Appointive Cabinet is already in

discernment and prayer around your next appointment.

You are all in my prayers for this time of transition, and for the vital ministry you continue to provide for the

Madras community.

Grace and Peace,

Steven J. Sprecher,

Cascadia District Supervisor

Getting to Know You(th): Justin Plant 13 year old Justin Plant is one amazing kid. Born in Bristol, TN, he

came to Madras at age one and has lived and served his community

since that time.

An 8th grader at Jefferson County Middle School, Justin recalls being in

2nd grade and talking to a friend. He was excited for the upcoming

weekend. When his friend said he was “not excited” Justin asked him

why. What he heard was that his friend would not have enough food

for the weekend and would rather be in school so that he could eat. At

home that day, he talked to his mother, telling her the story, and asked

what they could do. The BackPack Buddies Program evolved in this

community from that conversation. Today, 53 elementary school age

children in Madras, Metolius and Culver receive a bag of food each Friday to help with nutritional needs over

the weekend. Each Sunday, Justin helps pack the bags for distribution the following week.

During the summer of 2016, Justin was in Portland, OR, spending a week working with “LAST”. This

Learning and Serving Together program allows youth to stay in United Methodist Churches and help serve

breakfast in homeless shelters and provide community service for those in need.

Justin works in Willow Creek Community Garden during the summers as well as providing crew leader

services to the United Methodist Church annual vacation bible school. In the summer of 2017 Justin will be

helping organize and co-lead bible school, which typically reaches 60-80 children in the Madras area.

Short term goals for Justin are to learn and solve 6×6 and 7×7 Rubik's cubes. He loves math and science, is in

high school algebra and making ready to launch his catapult in the upcoming science fair.

Justin runs cross country and sings in the choir, and plays trombone in the Jazz band. This year he was able to

perform with the District and All State Honor Bands. As one of the drum majors in the school marching

band, he recalls the fun of marching in the 2016 Junior Rose Festival Parade in Portland as well as the

Veteran’s Day Parade in Madras. Justin is in the National Junior Honor Society, and as required, performs 2

projects and 30 hours of community service each year. Justin’s musical talents include trombone, piano, guitar,

drums and is learning to play the french horn.

Growing up in the United Methodist Church, Justin served as an acolyte as well as manning the sound board.

He helped with vacation bible school in the Corvallis church, and has played and sang at the Philomath

church. A belief that “if I help people as much as I can it is likely they will help me” will go along with helping

Justin attain his long range goal of attending MIT or Cal Tech to study aerospace and engineering.

Update to the 2016 Church Report

We forgot the Bell Choir!! The

Note-A-Bells is a 3-octave handbell

and handchime choir. Members

include Charlene Lockrie, Reba

Powell, Dianne Gibbons, Nancy

Jolstead, Ann Randle, Patty

Lieuallen, Pat McKenzie, Jenni

Young, Christie Young, Connie

Howland, and Kathy Hamlet. A

few times we have called on one of our “substitutes” Claudia

Callan, Beth Ann Beamer, and Karen Benson to ring with

us. We played for several worship services, including Easter

and Christmas Eve. In June, the Note-A-Bells performed at

Deer Ridge prison, to assist for a worship service conducted by

the Seventh Day Adventist church. Every summer a number of

bell ringers attend Bell Camp at Camp Magruder for a week.

During that time we prepare about 10 new songs for a concert

held on the last night, as well as enjoy the fellowship of bell

ringers from around the Northwest and, of course, walk on the

beach. Participants were Nancy Jolstead, Ann Randle, Reba

Powell, Kathy Hamlet, Christie Young and Pat McKenzie.

www.facebook.com

Madras United Methodist Church

Check Out Our Church On The Web!!

www.madrasumc.com

Beautiful Place on the

Planet Walk

You are cordially invited to the first ever

Beautiful Place on the Planet Walk, on

Saturday April 1st. We will assemble at

MUMC at 1pm and car pool to the Jack

Creek Campground near Camp

Sherman. The hike is about 3 miles total, a

mile and a half each way. There is a half

mile alternative walk that starts near the

headwaters if anyone is concerned about the

three mile route. We will need to use the

bathrooms at Suttle Lake Camp or Camp

Sherman before and after the walk. Forest

Service facilities are locked until May 1. We

should be back in Madras around

6:00pm. Be on the first BPP Walk. Bring

friends. Be blessed. Call Casey Callan @ 541

-410-7035 for more information.

Meet Our New Board Members

Janet Narum (Staff Parish Relations) was born and raised in Battle Ground, WA.

She was an active United Methodist youth and a delegate to the Pacific NW Conference.

Janet attended the University of Puget Sound and then Washington State University where

she received a bachelor’s degree in English. During college, she was a summer intern for

Connell UMC. Following this she spent 18 years as a full time Program Director at Pioneer

United Methodist Church in Walla Walla. She was married for 26 years and adopted twins

from India who are now grown and live in Salem and Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Janet represented the Western jurisdiction of the National Council in Evangelism of

the UMC for eight years. She organized many church mission trips to Jamaica, wrote

articles for Group Magazine and was the Dean of many summer camps. In 1996 Janet began teaching for

Walla Walla Community College at the penitentiary. She continued to work in prison systems in Pendleton,

Salem and now Madras. During this time Janet finished her Masters Degree in Administration of Justice and

Security.

Casey Callen (Staff Parish Relations) has lived in Prineville since 1978. Casey was a

teacher and taught 4th and 5th grades, high school Special Education, high school

counseling, middle school math, science, PE, social studies, and English. Casey was also the

Outdoor School Director for 13 years, in that capacity he became involved with Suttle Lake

Methodist Camp and served on their long range planning board. Casey and his wife,

Claudia, have two daughters, both teachers. The couple travel extensively and are currently

supporting medical/construction missions in Uganda Africa through the efforts of Kingdom

Works Ministries International.

Casey has a varied Christian background. He has been involved in Episcopal,

Lutheran, Presbyterian, Four Square, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, and other nondenominational

ministries. Casey says he is excited to be serving Madras UMC as a new board member, choir member, and

Worship Band member. He is grateful that our church’s focus is serving others.

Steve Nitschelm (Trustee) was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1962. He attended

college and veterinary school at Oregon State University, this included rotation spent at

Washington State University and The University of Idaho.

Steve began working in Madras in 1988, he married Betty at the Madras United

Methodist Church in 1989. Steve is the owner of Cascade East Veterinary Clinic and has

been a member of our church since 1988. Steve is very happy to be serving on the Board of

Madras united Methodist Church as one or our Trustees. We look forward to Steve’s many

contributions as a member of the board.

Emily Plant (Youth Member) is a freshman at Madras High School where she is

involved in both choir and band. Outside of band class she participates in both marching

and pep band. At church Emily regularly volunteers with the BackPack Buddies Program by

helping to pack bags each week. She is also on a rotation for running the PowerPoint during

the Sunday church services. Emily says she is looking forward to being a youth

representative on the church board this year.

A special thank you goes out to Kurt Symons, Andrew Jackson and Royce Schlenker

for their service on the board and to our church.

Easter Events Schedule

April 12th: Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00pm, Lutheran/

Episcopal Church

April 14th: Good Friday Service, 7:00pm, Madras UMC

Prayer Vigil: starts Friday April 14th following the worship

service and goes through to April 16th, Easter Sunday morning.

April 15th: Easter Egg Hunt, 10:00am, Madras UMC

April 16th: Easter Sunday Service, 9:30am, Madras UMC

Saturday, May 20, 2017

9:30am - 3:00pm

Lunch served 11:30 - 1:00

A sale of yard, garden & kitchen

crafts, plants, & baked goods

Madras United Methodist Church 49 NE 12th Street Madras, OR. 97741 541-475-2150