NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 144 ALLEGAN, MI 49010

THANK YOU!: “THANK YOU” doesn’t say enough to all of you! All the cards, calls, food, visits, rides to the doctors, and most of all – your prayers, have reminded me how truly blessed I am to have all of you as a “family”. All of you are helping to make my recovery so much easier. Thank you for everything and God bless.

- Joan L. Rininger

HEALTH CONCERNS: Continued prayers for Norm Pierson, Judie Randels, Jim Elmore, and Trevah Dalrymple. Prayers for Kris Blackburn, as she struggles with her health. Please pray for Debbie Stutzman (Tom & Jan’s sister-in-law). Cancer has returned for the 3rd time. She started radiation yesterday on her pelvic bone and will find out her treatment plan tomorrow for Stage 4 liver cancer. Prayers for all those affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus, whether they are sick, out of school, or off work.

PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY: Those connected with this congregation: John Barber, Alyssa Chamberlain, Sadie Clark, Zachary Cooke, Andrew Cowen, Matt Fullam, Stephanie Hadley, Isaiah Hadley, Aaron Maule, Gregory McIntire, Chelsea Reed, Mara Ruiz, Jason Star, Dai Wessman, and Dan Wrobleski.

CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR THOSE BATTLING CANCER OR HAVING TREATMENT:

Jane Allen, Tom Arlington, Bill Balgoyen, Evelyn Bierlein, Terry Brink, Ed Bronson, Paul Buckler, Denise Cherry, Jim Conlon, Stacy David, Jessica Green, Vic Hitchcock, Ryan Howrigan, Lesley Kibiloski, Bruce Mejeur, Philip Nicolai, Michele Randal, Judie Randels, Terri Stapleton, Toby Star, Judy Stark, Jackson Stout, Florene Stultz, Mindy Sturman, Deb Stutzman, Cessily Wotring Thackler, Nola Thole, Danny Truong, Rhyan Veenkant, Jenny Walsh, Jen Wessman & those known but unnamed.

CONCERNS & SYMPATHY: Prayers for the friends and family of Kim Leslie at her passing last month. Continued prayers for those unnamed, having health problems, or have suffered loss.

Allegan United Methodist Church 409 Trowbridge Street

Allegan, MI 49010

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00-12:00 p.m. Pastor’s Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00-12:00 p.m. or by appointment

Phone: 269.673.4236 ● Fax: 269-673-8856 ● Email: secretary@allumc.org ● Website: alleganumc.org

Allegan United Methodist Church – April 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg. 1 Window to the World Birthdays & Anniversaries Pg. 2 Kim Leslie’s Poems Pg. 3 Devotional Calendar Pg. 4 * Calendar Pg. 5 * News from the Pews Pg. 6 Thankful Corner UMW Pg. 7 Pentwater Information Kids Hope Report Pg. 8 Food Pantry Pg. 9 Finance Corner Missions Moment Pg. 10 Ad Board Report Pg. 11 Expenses **Scheduling for church activities

subject to change with Coronavirus!

1 – Betty Reimink 4 – Vern Olcott 5 – Bob Lynch 11 – Michelle Adams Aleeka DeBruyne Ashley Weaver 13 – William Ruiz Marc Shroeder Allison Wiley 15 – Carolyn Carr Mary Wilcox 16 – Marcus Hard 17 – Julie Cortright Tom Giles Stone Karle 21 – Charles Thomsen 22 – Norm Pierson 24 – George Babcock Christine Spohn 25 – Jeff Gowens 27 – Shelby Van Order 30 – Matt Thiel Rainah Spohn

17 – Mark & Jo Anne Giles 21 – Chris & Patty Anderson 23 – Nick & Vicki Brower

Loving words of hope and wisdom

from Kim Leslie. She wrote these

poems before she went to be with

our Lord. Her words are powerful

and will live on.

Church and Parsonage Expenses -February 2020 Income $ 22,401.75 Church Expenses

602 Charter (Internet, Phone) $ 191.40 807 Choir $ 75.45 602 City of Allegan (Water, Sewer) $ 125.30 602 Consumers Elect. $ 806.53

1006 Cokesbury $ 49.20 605 Lawn/Snow $ 155.96 709 Machine Maintenance (Konica Minolta) $ 214.14 602 Michigan Gas $ 475.74 505 Professional Reimbursement - Pastor Bob $ 20.00 602 Republic Services (Garbage/Recycle) (Church & Parsonage) $ 81.40 504 Travel - Pastor Bob $ 348.00

Wages $ 9,661.88 903 Worship $ 443.78 Total Church Expenses for February 2020 $ 16,486.20 Parsonage Expenses

603 Charter (Phone, TV, Internet) $ 201.33 603 Consumers Electric $ 84.92 603 Michigan Gas $ 112.06

Total Parsonage Expenses for February 2020 $ 398.33 (Non-Audited) Total $ 16,884.53

AD BOARD REPORTS 3/26/20

Food Pantry – Chris Jurkas – OUR PANTRY IS OPEN DURING THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS AND ESPECIALLY TO AMANDA FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OUR PANTRY AND ASSISTING WITH OUR CLIENTS EVEN WHEN WE CHANGE THE PROCEDURES.

Financial: The pantry currently has $18,863.13, plus $1,000 in Meijer food cards. New procedure: Starting March 24th clients will push the buzzer for service. We will ask their name and the client will wait outside for their food. Allegan County Food Pantry Collaborative: All the pantries and ACFPC Staff had a conference call March 19th to discuss the Covid-19

• Make sure our pantry is listed under 211-our pantry currently is not – working on adding our pantry to 211 • ACFPC Staff asked what we need in funds, volunteers, the status of our serving station, if we have a

Facebook/Web page • Resources available to assist pantries and clients:

1. School food programs: www.alleganaesa.org & www.oaisd.org 2. Health Department: www.allegancounty.org 3. www.CareOttawaCounty.com - Joint response by United Way, Allegan County Community

Foundation and Community Action Allegan County—we completed a survey and noted we need Jelly, pancake mix, oatmeal, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, pork & beans and toilet paper.

4. Food drives to help pantries are happening everywhere (schools, etc.) • Cereal drive is still a go. Working through dates and process now

Bag Stand: Our volunteers must bag all the food, therefore, to help them out we are purchasing a bag stand and bags to go with it. WE WILL NOT NEED GROCERY BAGS AT THIS TIME. Membership – Membership at 294. Missions – Trevah Dalrymple – The mission for the month of April is Safe Harbor. Pastoral Care – Barb Gibson - The committee has started a Homebound bulletin board to keep the church family updated on those members who we no longer see but remain in our hearts and prayers. We've welcomed Ed Garvin as a new member and he promptly paid a visit to Norm Pierson - both men had a great time. Corona virus concerns may impact our ability to visit some, but we continue to shower our recipients with cards and prayers. Scouting – Joan L. Rininger – All scouting activities in the church have been discontinued due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. All scouts, leaders, and scouting families are doing all they can to follow the pandemic guidelines. There are programs being planned including a Court of Honor and an Eagle Court of Honor in April and May. These will be rescheduled if necessary. Girl Scout Troop 80500 haven’t been able to meet, but the girls are doing some badges independently and posting to our Facebook page. Worship – Judy Jennings - Worship Committee will be working with the Pastor on planning the special service on Sunday May, 17th. On that Sunday we will honor our high school seniors and celebrate 25 years of Kids Hope and inviting the North Ward staff to the service. Special refreshments will be served following the service.

FREE FAITH CALENDAR

FROM CONCORDIA PUBLISHING APRIL DEVOTIONS FOR THE FAMILY

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

“…spend time in God’s Word, looking at more reminders like the verse above of the promised resurrection. Each day features a short reading and an activity for you and your family to use. If you are using this calendar on your own, the readings and prompts could easily be used for daily journaling or discussion with a friend.”

2020 March Newsletter - Financial Corner The Finance Committee understands the issues at hand with the Coronavirus. We hope to do Fund Raisers later in the year to help with the shortfall from the Annual Pledge and this Business interruption. We fully support the Bishop’s decisions to keep our Congregation safe by closing Worship times along with meetings of 10 or more people.

We support the Food Pantry in their efforts to continue to keep our doors open to serve the people of our community. We will continue to pay all of our employees through this crisis.

The few ideas that we will be doing soon to help with the raising of funds will be: 1) The Bake/Ag/ Craft table 2) The collection of Change - we will have a large jar in the entry way to the church and will ask that if you have spare change to bring it in and put it into the jar. - We are looking for a catchy phrase for this event - maybe "Change for the future of the Church" 3) A special Sunday to Honor the Senior Members of our Church - with a special offering for this event, All Choirs will be asked to perform for this event and then a Luncheon to follow. Other events will be planned once we know that we are all good to do Gatherings in the future. Thank you John Watson The mission chosen for our church to support this month is Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center of Allegan County. Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) of Allegan County has been committed to preventing child abuse and neglect in Allegan County since 1983. The center’s desire is to provide a safe and child-friendly atmosphere to allow a child to disclose neglect, sexual, or physical abuse and to heal from the abuse. Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center houses three programs: the Beverly Schroeder Advocacy Center, the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, and the Prevention Education Program. All three programs work with children that have been physically or sexually abused or neglected. Within these programs they offer free services that include: medical services, forensic interviews, counseling services, prevention education, and victim advocacy. Let us join together to support this very worthwhile organization.

• Donations: February: 22 pasta, 2 cereal, 16 canned goods, 5 shampoo, 14 crackers, 2 pasta sauce, 6 corn, 3 bolognas; Village Market-29 snacks, 3 pies, 9 desserts, 32 bread & 3 miscellaneous March: 6 crackers, 3 spaghetti sauce, 8 peanut butter, 5 pasta, 2 cereal, 2 ketchup, 8 miscellaneous; Ladders of Hope-4 boxes of apples, 9 basil pkgs, 1 rosemary pk, 109 bread items; Teachers-4 jelly, 38 pasta sauce, 10 pork & beans, 43 pasta, 5 cereal & 5 pancake mix; Village Market-8 desserts, 38 bread, 5 snacks & 4 miscellaneous.

• Donation request for April: Spaghetti Sauce & Jelly

• NO NEED FOR GROCERY BAGS AT THIS TIME. We bought a bag stand and bags to assist our volunteers, as they must now bag all the food themselves

• FOOD PANTRIES: Are essential business, therefore we are not subject to Governor Whitmer shut-down executive order.

• REQUIREMENTS FOR HANDLING FOOD: Due to the Covid-19 we must – 1. All food pantry volunteers/employees must carry an essential services letter – it must contain what makes our

pantry an essential service, who the person is and what activity he/she will be doing. 2. Donated items must be wiped down and the bag/box it was delivered in. 3. Follow CDC guidelines:

Clean and Wash Surfaces often Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen. Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food and before eating. Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water Separate: Don’t Cross - Contaminate Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat foods—unless you keep them separate. Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. When grocery shopping, keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from other foods. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the fridge.

Month 2019 Visits

# of People

2020 Visits

# of People

# of Kids

January 90 284 190 320 102 February 89 290 302 301 100

March 83 252 240 214 61 Apr. - Dec. 1,132 3,685

Total 1,394 4,515 732 835 263

NEWS FROM THE PEWS THOSE WHO SERVE

IN April 2020

WHAT DO WE COLLECT? CHECK OUT THE ROUND

TABLE OUTSIDE THE OFFICE!

ACOLYTES 5 – DeLaet Children 12 – Audrey Brink 19 – Alex & Morgan Foune 26 – DeLaet Children

NURSERY

5 – Beth Ann DeLaet 12 – Chris Jurkas 19 – Abby Hall 26 – Jill LeMaire

Box Tops for Education for North Ward Elementary Lions Clubs – Glasses Loose Change/Pennies – Missions Pop Tops from cans – Burn Center in Chicago

COMMUNION SERVERS

5 – Bobby Tremaine Daryl Waggoner

Joy Masek Irene Waanders

FELLOWSHIP TIME

5 – Andy & Arlene Branham

12 – Tom & Lois Giles 19 – Hanford & Eilene Brink

26 – Youth Group

PIANISTS

5 – Wende Wood 12 – Amanda Blom 19 – Sari Hammon 26 – Susan Thiel

SOUND 5 – Hanford Brink 12 – Jon Brink 19 – Willard Jennings 26 – Ed Garvin

REMiNdERS

APRil 5

APRil 12 EASTER

SuNdAy

APRil 19-25 VOluNTEER APPREciATiON

GREETERS

5 – Tim & Elizabeth Closson 12 – Chris & Patty Anderson 19 – Bill & Tita Balgoyen 26 – George & Emmie Babcock

LITURGIST

5 – Sari Hammon 12 – Sari Hammon 19 – Virginia Conklin 26 –

TV MEDIA

5 – Ireland Armintrout 12 – Rod Rambadt 19 – Nathan Parrish 26 – Alex Foune

USHERS

5 – Tim Borgman Cindy Thiele 12 – Tim & Elizabeth Closson 19 – Ed Garvin Bobby Tremaine 26 – Kevin & Beth Ann DeLaet

VIDEO

5 – Jon Brink 12 – Bobby Tremaine 19 – Clyde DeLaet 26 – Barb Gibson

THANKFUL CORNER

It is almost surreal and hard to comprehend that we are in the midst of this shut-down of our lives as we knew them. What is the message in all this, what is God trying to teach us? The news adds more cases and cancelations daily, and it is getting downright scary. When I was in grade school the Principal came into my classroom and said to me, “I am taking you home!” I was so afraid as I did not know what I had done or why she was taking me home. In her car she told me that my brother Dick had been diagnosed with Scarlet Fever and we were quarantined, but I did not know what that meant. Well I soon found out what that was, and I missed my class trip because of it! A lot of people will be missing work, school, and a lot of special events in their lives, but if this is what we need to do to stay safe then we will do it. I have thought a lot about how I will use this time and came up with a few ideas but have acted on only a few thus far as I fear I will have plenty of time to complete them in the days, weeks, and maybe months to come. I have written cards, sent letters, reached out by Facebook or email, and called on the phone to check on people and make sure they have what they need. I have thought about doing some spring cleaning, sorting, and purging but the spirit has yet to motivate in these directions. I’ve got time, right? My prayer is to be open to where God’s leading. Our church continues to reach out to those who are in need of food as our Hands of Grace Food Pantry is open. Our Pastor has and will be doing Sunday services by video, and it was comforting to hear him speak and Jacque play last Sunday. Pastor has sent a letter explaining our Bishop’s asking that all United Methodist Churches discontinue worship and gatherings through the month of March. His words bring comfort and grace as we all go through this difficult time. Dear God, Comfort ye your people as we walk this new path in our lives. Help us to be ever mindful of Your love for us and let us feel Your comfort and Your grace. Let our faith remain solid; let us grip onto that solid rock as we know that rock is Jesus. May we be comforted by knowing You are near and watch over all of us in this difficult time. Love, Judy

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN WHEN WOMEN THRIVE, WE ALL THRIVE! As we enter 2020. a new year, lots of questions are waiting to be answered. Let's look at who we are as United Methodist Women first. We are ordinary women doing extraordinary things. Now I know that most of the time it doesn’t feel like what we are doing is extraordinary but when we all work together, we are doing extraordinary things. What is the spirit that drives our work for women children, and youth around the world? I just took a refresher course on United Methodist Women 101 and here are some answers to that question. When women thrive, we all thrive!

1. When we build strong women leaders, we build strong communities. 2. When we equip strong women leaders with knowledge and tools to eradicate injustice, we fight injustice. 3. When we put the needs of women, youth, and children first, we foster culture shifting attitudes and social norms that promote the wellbeing of society’s most vulnerable. 4. When we provide spiritual guidance When Women Thrive, We All Thrive! for women, we build a strong foundation for revolutionary change. YES, when women thrive, we all thrive. I think that sometimes we have to remember what God has called us to do as United Methodist Women, that we seek to be the hands and feet of God wherever God calls us. I look forward to seeing all of you at our events this year as we learn, share and fellowship together. God Bless You All. Linda Burton-Collier, President Greater Southwest District United Methodist Women

Family Camp We would love it if you would join us on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan at AUMC family camp this year. Dates are 7/4-7/11/20. Campers are welcome to come for the entire week or join us for whatever part of the week they are available. Friends are also welcome so if you have a family you'd like to invite to join you we would love to have them. Reservations are made individually now either online or by calling the camp. 231-869-5627 OR lakemichigancampdirector@umcamping.org Rates are $36/night for a campsite or a platform tent. There are 3 cabins and they are $80/night. Whether you come every year or this would be your first time we hope you will consider joining us in this special spot. If you have questions you can email Terri Maule at maulefamily1@att.net or talk with Hanford and Eilene at church.

. KIDS HOPE REPORT

Obviously with the schools closed right now, there is no mentoring taking place. I would ask for special prayers for our children that depend not only on their socialization and education that our school brings to them, but also the nutrition. There are several children in our system, at all ages that depend on the school-provided breakfast and lunch meals, to sustain them through day by day. We do not have a return back-to-school date yet. The latest update I had was April 13th, but then I have heard rumors of April 20th. I will try to keep everyone updated. Our

school system has put in place food pick up for our school-aged families. Thank you to the school staff that have stepped up and taken this on. I am also thankful for the teachers at North Ward who are providing online lessons for the children while they are away from school. Quick update… we are in the process of planning a 25th Anniversary celebration for the entire church. The celebration is planned to take place on May 17th after worship service. There will of course be more information as the time approaches. GOD BLESS – STAY HEALTHY!!! Judy Curry Kids Hope Director for North Ward