Newsletter

 

 

Waiting and Waiting and Waiting............

"I waited patiently for the Lord.....  Psalm 27:14   

"The LORD longs to be gracious; he rises to show you compassion.....blessed are those who wait for him."  Isaiah 30:18

Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength."    Isaiah 40:13

 

Last Sunday I began the sermon by saying, "A lot of your life you spend waiting."  (some have estimated 3 to 4 years!)  I illustrated waiting and I even talked about how to wait  ......... Expectantly .......... Quietly .............. Confidently.  But, what I didn't tell you is that I really DON'T like to wait. I don’t like waiting for food when I’m hungry. I don’t like waiting in traffic. I don’t like waiting in the store. I don’t like waiting for the light to change. I don’t like waiting for green eggs and ham. I don’t like waiting, Sam I Am. (ask a child what this means!)  But, I also know that if you want to experience a miracle you’ve got to be willing to wait. Most of us love quick and easy miracles, but there is usually a season of waiting before a miracle happens. Unfortunately, most miracles are forfeited because we give up too soon. Learning how to wait is as important as learning how to seek and how to believe.   2 Peter 3:8 says, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises as some understand slowness.”   I love the story I heard a few years ago about the man who was having a conversation with God. The man said, “God, how long is a million years to you?” God said, “A million years is like a second." The man asked, “How much is a million dollars to you?” God said, “A million dollars is like a penny.” The man said, “Could you spare a penny?” God said, “Sure, just wait a second.”  Sometimes that is how it feels isn’t it? I think all of us love easy answers to our questions and easy solutions to our problems. But easy answers and easy solutions produce shallow convictions. I think part of us wants easy miracles. We want miracles we hardly have to work for or pray for. But I think easy miracles produce shallow faith. The harder we have to work and the longer we have to pray the more faith a miracle produces. Waiting doesn’t mean sitting around twiddling your thumbs. It means taking the initiative.  I attempted to explain that last Sunday.  We wait expectantly!  I think we ought to be the most optimistic people on the planet. Those of us who are Spirit-filled and seek to be Spirit-led ought to live in a state of constant expectancy—watching and waiting to see what God is going to do next.

In Luke 2, there are two white-haired heroes that you can't help but love. Simeon and Anna are neoteric. They probably relied on their canes to support themselves physically, but they were young at heart.  Luke 2:25 says this about Simeon. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Messiah)  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took the boy in his arms and praising God, saying: ‘Sovereign, Lord, as you have promised you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation’.”   The word “wait” means “to await with confidence and patience.” It is living in constant expectation. That is what God has called us to. And that is only possible as we focus on the promises of God. 

I think some of us get discouraged when God doesn’t meet our deadlines. And one of two things happens. Either we just give up on the miracle. We get discouraged and we stop believing, we stop praying, and we stop hoping. Or to use a baseball analogy, we strike out so we stop getting into the batter’s box. We reason to ourselves that if we don’t swing we can’t miss. But the problem with that is this: you can’t get a hit either!  So the first mistake is giving up. We quit praying too soon! The second mistake is trying to manufacture a miracle.  I think most of us do what Abraham did when it seems like God is taking too long. We try to manufacture the miracle for Him. Instead of waiting on God, Abraham takes matters into his own hands and he decides to sleep with Sarah’s handmaiden named Hagar so that he could have an heir.  And that attempt to manufacture the miracle caused more problems than it solved!  So with us!

In his book Fresh Faith, Jim Cymbala says, “The hardest part of faith is often simply to wait. And the trouble is, if we don’t then we start to fix the problem ourselves—and that makes it worse.” That is precisely what Abraham does! Cymbala says, “We complicate the situation to the point where it takes God longer to fix it than if we had quietly waited for His working in the first place.”

I don't know what you may be waiting on today but can I encourage you?  Don't give up.  God is at work.  When your circumstances are uncontrollable, when the people around you are unchangeable, and when the problems you're facing are unexplainable remember that God is working and God's delay does not mean God's denial.  We have to learn the difference between "no" and "not yet."  Abraham took matters into his own hands when God wasn't coming through but God did come through, in His time.

We sometimes sing the chorus, "In His Time".  I remind us of the words:

      "In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time.

        Lord, please show me every day, as you're teaching me your way

        That you do just what you say, in your time.

        In your time, in your time, you make all things beautiful in your time.

         Lord, my life to you I bring, may each song I have to sing,

         Be to you a lovely thing in your time."

Be encouraged today - God IS working in our waiting.

Pastor Loren

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

Attention: UMW Members

This month’s meeting will feature the NEW food safety rules that churches need to use according to government regulation! This is important information that we need to know. Please plan on attending this brief class

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

Our Lenten Season begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22, at the River Campus.  There will be a soup supper beginning at 6 p.m.  We will again rotate our  Wednesday Lenten services which will start at 7:00 p.m. to the three campuses beginning at the River Campus, then the Brook Campus and then to the Lake Campus. Each Wednesday evening begins with a soup supper. If you can't make it right at 6, come when you can, we'll keep the soup hot for you!  We are looking for volunteers to help prepare and serve

those meals. Contact Sue Lingle at 763-389-5547, Rene Hoversten at 763-444-4233 or Joanne Hartfiel at 612-644-2114 if you are willing to help.

 

Lenten Services - 2012

Prior to each Wednesday Lenten services there will be a soup supper at 6:00 PM. Worship services will begin at 7:00 PM. The Lenten skit series beginning on February 29^th will challenge each of us look at the ways the cross changes our lives.

 

February 22 - Ash Wednesday at the River Campus Communion and Concert from "One AcChord"

 

“CROSSROADS: Where the Cross Intersects

the Path of Our Lives”

February 29 (Brook Campus)

THE POTHOLES IN THE ROAD

How can the message of the cross be brought to bear for a family that has just lost everything it owns in a fire? The friends who house the family after this tragedy try to help them spiritually as well as physically.

 

March 7 (Lake Campus)

DON'T TALK TO ME. I'M FEELING CROSS!

Two women have developed quite a feud in the congregation. It began with something small. Now they need to

learn how to forgive one another, as they have been forgiven.

 

March 14 (River Campus)     THE BIRTHDAY CROSS

Birthdays are happy occasions. Mary has worked hard to give her friend a birthday party and wants everyone to be happy. She becomes upset when someone has the gall to give a crucifix has a present. What's happy about that?

 

March 21 (Brook Campus) THE BURNING CROSS

The cross has been used in many ways, including the support of racism. This play explores our racism; using black and white masks that turn back and forth, as different lines are said. It blames no one group but points out all of our racism. The cross calls us to address and attempt to change our racist attitudes.

March 28 (Lake Campus) A DAY IN THE LIFE

Each and every day we go through our lives dealing with the supposedly trivial and mundane. There are clothes to be washed, meals to be cooked, jobs to be performed, bills to be paid, and relationships to maintain. All of our lives are played out beneath the cross of Jesus. This play is especially powerful following the previous four. The point is obvious, even without mentioning the cross once. Ideally at the conclusion of the play there is a spotlight on the cross alone, and a soloist sings "Beneath the Cross of Jesus."

April 6 - Good Friday at River Campus

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

Just a Note: Choir Practice will start right after the worship service AT THE CAMPUS WHERE THE SERVICE WAS HELD!

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

Freshwaters is responsible for the March deliveries of “Meals Ala Car”. We ask our volunteers to assume a week of deliveries, if possible. Please contact Dick Gist personally or by phone to volunteer: 763-389-2320. Thank you!

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

 

Domestic Abuse – “What Can Churches Do?”

We have been invited by the Minnetonka United Methodist Church (MUMC) Domestic Abuse/Violence Task Force to join them in a learning experience:

“What Churches Can Do” is the next educational offering from the Minnetonka United Methodist Church (MUMC) Domestic Abuse/Violence Task Force. The session will start with a short video of three compelling, true stories in which religious beliefs and/or church communities influenced victims to stay in their abusive relationship. After the video we’ll discuss what churches can do to help and support abuse victims, and to promote a society in which abuse or violence in intimate relationships is no longer tolerated. We’ll talk about what Minnetonka UMC is already doing and what else we might do.

The material is intense. We will have compassionate listeners present and ready to provide a private space and companionship for anyone who finds it too difficult to remain in the room.

The sessions are free and open to the public. Please feel free to share this information.

We are conducting this session multiple times during the winter so you can choose the Wednesday evening that’s most convenient: February 15 or March 21 (all sessions are from 6:30 to 7:30 PM). If you have questions, contact Judy Fallat (952-938-3903, or fallat2@comcast.net) or Joyce Nedbalek (952-934-3531, or jdnedba@winternet.com) or visit our ministry web page at http://www.minnetonkaumc.org/domesticabuse

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

 

Lessons of Faith:

Powerful Christian Insights

 

A (DVD) adult series is being offered starting Monday mornings at 10:00 AM at the River Campus in Princeton. 

The series started in  January and you can join the class anytime! Each lesson stands on its own! 

 

The series is a faith building and faith affirming series that explores the life and times of Jesus and His Disciples. There are reenactments on location in the Holy Land. This series recalls the greatest Bible Stories ever told. The series will bring the time of Christ and the various locations into modern relevance. 

 

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

 

“SOLID ROCK SINGERS” will be performing at the Lake Worship Service on Sunday, February 19th! The 10:30 AM worship service will be led by this group and all are encouraged to attend! (Brook and River will have their regular Sunday services at the regular times.)  There will be a pot-luck dinner immediately following the Lake worship service!

 

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

 

Game Night Continues!  On Saturday, February 11th at the Lake Campus, the evening will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a Pot-luck supper followed by “Game Night”! All members from each campus are welcome to attend. This evening will be family and kid friendly! Any questions—please contact Karen Anderson at 763-389-2959.

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

Updates for the Prayer Chain!

The Inreach Committee wants to form prayer chains for each campus. We are “missing” people who are not being recognized or visited. The Inreach Committee would like ALL prayer requests to start out with a call to the church office (763-631-1185). At this point, Linda will alert the prayer chain appropriate for the campus the person attends.

By calling the office with all prayer requests we guarantee that Pastor Loren knows immediately what is happening. It eliminates the guessing about “who should I call?”

Remember – no one knows who is sick or who is hurt, lonely, or going through a tough time UNLESS SOMEONE CALLS the office! Let Pastor Loren know who needs visits and prayers. We need to be aware of everyone who needs prayers.

Please help us out – call the office with your prayer requests and they will be promptly passed on the prayer chains.

Thank you for all your help! The Inreach Committee

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

A New Idea: Having meals ready to deliver to families in emergency or crisis – can you prepare a pre-made meal to keep in the freezer at each campus ready to be delivered at a moments notice? Disposable baking pans are available at each campus. Help families who have experienced a death, a birth or a tragedy with the simple gift of a meal. If you are interested in participating in the new ministry, please contact Karen Anderson at 763-389-2959 or Pastor Loren at 763-631-1185.

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

Committees, chairs, groups, organizations, classes, etc:

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ANY EVENT THAT WILL USE ONE OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGS YOU MUST FILL IN AN “EVENT PLANNING FORM” and drop it off in the church office.

This will prevent any scheduling conflicts on the calendar, give you advertising in the bulletins or newsletters and guarantee that your event will be showcased in the best possible way.

The Event Planning Forms have been emailed to all committee leaders and more forms are available in each campus – somewhere in the main hallways. Look for them! Thank you all for your help in advance!

 

 

Birthdays in February:

February 1: Sue Lingle

February 2: Brigitte Johnson

February 3: Brandon Laskowski

February 4: Rachel Grow

February 5: Bonnie Hoeft, Rick Taylor

February 6: Zack Lyman

February 8: Abby Mott, June Roiger

February 11: Sue Belair

February 12: Michelle Murphy

February 14: Ursula Langer

February 15: Barry Hatch

February 17: Joseph Patten, Lana Sorenson

February 18: Ryan Derrick, Dale Reimnitz

February 19: Peggy Fuchs,

February 21: Dave Vork

February 22: Larry McCormick, Jackie Shaefer

February 25: Loren Ferch, Pam Lyngen, Mark Lyngen

February 26: Slater Carey, K’lynn Fischer

February 27: Coryann Bockoven

February 28: Millie Bullock

Anniversaries In February:

February 6: Kerry & Jenna Eldstrom

February 14: Bryan & Nancy Carey

February 18: Tom & Sue Belair