Pastor B.J.'s Weekly Update

Christ Community United Methodist Church

“Transforming the world for Jesus Christ one person at a time”

August 31, 2010

Hi Everyone:

We are sprucing up for fall. Take a look around. We have done some minor (well, unless you ask the guys that did it) landscaping. We have been doing some painting in the older education wing. We have relocated some of our Sunday School class rooms. The carpets have been cleaned. We have surfaced and striped the parking lot (they are working on it as I write this) and the window project in the sanctuary will be completed by the middle of next week. We are getting ready to “kick off”. It is not enough to work on the externals (important as they are). Tomorrow begins the call to prayer and fasting. September 1 through 12 has been set aside so we can work on the internals. I am calling on all Christ Community members and friends to invest in prayer and other spiritual disciplines during these 12 days to seek the face and heart of God, to listen to the Holy Spirit and prepare ourselves for a year of mission, ministry, worship, teaching and extending the love of Jesus Christ to a lost and broken world. Some of us needs lists to focus.

So, here is list of what to pray for:

            1. Pray for God’s direction and favor on our Church;

            2. Pray for Julie Valeski, her team and all the teachers, workers and especially the children of our Sunday School;

            3. Pray for our focus and deepening mission for Jesus Christ.

            4. Pray as the Spirit leads. . . if you get a fresh word from God let me know (I will be sure to tell all of you!).

Here is what is happening at Church:

1. Attendance last Sunday was 175. Some of us stole away for some last minute R and R before Labor Day. Special thanks to Jen Fujimori who was our Sunday evening preacher.

2. This Sunday is Commandment 9: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. We usually associate this with telling lies but “bearing false witness” is a legal term and is about telling the truth in the court of law. But, over the year other meanings have emerged. How else might we “bear false witness” against a neighbor, a friend, a coworker, a family member . . .

            Sunday evening Mr. Jonathan Edwards is our guest speaker.

            This is also a Communion Sunday

3. TONIGHT/TONIGHT/TONIGHT – Single and over 40 (or whatever) group meets for the first time. They are gathering at Christ Community at 7:00. Rick Major and Bonnie Feldman are hosting.

4. WOW – this Wednesday, September 1, is a conversation about what do we want to do now? If you have some ideas for worship on Wednesday please let me know or come join us at 6:30. Dinner is at 5:45, worship is at 6:30. The last Lay Speaker Class is at 7:00. Most small groups and a few new ones resume after Labor Day.

5. Thursday – September 2

            Dress our People is at 6:30.

            Mission Team is meeting at the Cronks at 6:00

6.  In our Prayers: Barb Grimes; Joyce Bidlake; Sharon Salmon; Jim Hockey, Sr. (at Crouse); Rod Dalton (Dona’s son) back in the hospital; Jackie Kreis; Barbara Chester; Sue Bertrand; Rosanne Relfe; Gary Winchell; Jim Harper; Garth Warren; Christine Love; Edna Bartlett; Margie Beardsley; Heather Hampsey; Hope for Heather at NYS Fair; Lambert Family; Cheryl Ianicello; Joyce Berish; our College kids back to school (especially the beginning Freshmen – and Freshwomen);

7.  September 9

            6:00 – confirmation Information Meeting (Come and learn about Confirmation). Class is open to all persons 7th grade or 12 years old and older who have not been confirmed. Confirmation exists to help us ask the questions and seek the answers we need to make an informed decision about becoming a Christian.

            6:30 – Dress our People

            7:00 – ANNUAL PRAYER WALK – join us as we pray around and through our ministry area. We will be praying for every class, every teacher and every Student (plus the unnamed ones who will be coming!).

8.  September 11

            Sunday School Organization Meeting/Safe Sanctuary update Brunch at 9:00

9. September 12

            Sunday School Kick-Off and Brunch

            9:00 anoint and consecrate all teachers and workers

            10:45 pray a blessing on all the children (youngest to oldest).

10. Pastor’s Prayer Partners meeting has been moved from September 16 to September 23 (same time same station).

11.  Happy Birthday this week:

            August 31 – Diane DeJohn

            September 2 – Kathy Gardner

            September 3 – Bob Norrix (80)

            September 4 – Annette Valentine

            September 5 – Tom Eckrote and Pastor whatshisname

            September 7 – Betty Teagarden

12. Happy Anniversary this week:

            September 1 – Barb and Rolly Claver

            September 6 – Julie and Dan Besanson; Patti and Jeff Leonard

13.  September 17 – Women’s Ministries “Tales from Rwanda” with Suzi Harriff at 6:00

            September 17/18 – Confirmation Retreat

14. There will be two bake sales for Women of Faith fund raisers to enable us to purchase special t-shirts for the event in October. The dates are: Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 between services. Also, I would like to mention that I have three tickets left that can be purchased for $89. I need bakers and a couple people to help at the table. Please see Diane Pelkey if you can bake or man the table. Thank you.

15. This just in from our Food Pantry team (Karen Frega etc).

Is there some way you can put a blurb in the bulletin or the next update letting people know that the food pantry cannot accept food that has already been opened?  That would be great.  Thanks. Karen. The answer would be yes, Karen there is some way to do this . . .)

16. Special Thanks from the Uganda Team – we raised over $400 for our trip with the Root Beer Floats.

            On September 19 we will take a special collection to assist the Uganda team

            We will take a few moments in morning worship to tell what we believe God has called us to go

            We will give a broader presentation in the evening.

            Checks payable to “Christ Community Mission” (Uganda Team in memo line).

17. Red Bird Mission 2011

 Do you want to go to the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky next year? The mission is July 3-9, for a maximum team of 20 participants. This mission will be to supply basic plumbing and electrical repairs to the community surrounding Red Bird. Training meetings will be held to provide 10 hours of training to get you ready for this important work.  No experience necessary, because training will be provided.  Think you might be called to this mission? First meeting will be September 16 at 7:00 pm for any interested participants.  See Joe Frega for more information

18. From Gary and Frieda Weeks:

National Wear TEAL Day September 2nd

Remember September 2nd is National Wear TEAL day as a kickoff for our 30 days of focus on Ovarian Cancer.  Hope for Heather will be passing out TEAL ribbons for visitors to wear on this day. Many thanks to everyone that helped create our 10,000 ribbons. I am impressed by the amount of love, care and hope within each of these symbols. Want to see what (almost) 10,000 TEAL Ribbons looks like? Link to TEAL ribbon photos http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31576847&id=1321322202&saved#!/album.php?aid=2074013&id=1321322202 Hope for Heather’s booth is located in the Art and Home (Women’s Building). Mention this to friends and relatives that plan to attend the fair.  The Art and Home building is attached to the Empire Room and also houses the Wegmans Demonstration Kitchen and the Newtimes Theatre. Hope to see you there.

19.  SCHOOL BACK PACKS – we have ordered 140 of them. 60 of them will be empty and going to PEACE, Inc. the remaining will be filled with school supplies and distributed locally and in the city of Syracuse. You can sponsor a back pack: $5 for an empty one; $10 for a filled one. See the Missions table this Sunday at Church – I am told that we have sponsored over 100 of them already!!! See the Mission Team this Sunday to sponsor a back-pack.

            We sent an additional 20 back packs to the Brown Memorial West Side Mission this week!

20.  DRESS OUR PEOPLE -- is on a push to complete 250 clothing items for the Uganda Mission team to take with them to Uganda. They are meeting every Thursday at 6:30 and are open and welcoming to new members. Cut, stitch, sew – or take the outfits’ home and do them at home and bring them in. Barb Walter tells me that we are more than half way there!

21. Mission Prayers:

            Remember: Maria and Bill Humbane and Ishe Anesu Mission in Sukobva, Mutare, Zimbabwe

            Remember Florence and Emmanuel Mefor in Mutumbara, Zimbabwe;

            Remember Davis Matovu and the Nexus Seminary team in Uganda

            Remember our Missionaries in India

            Pray for the Uganda Team 2010: Pastor BJ, Pastor Linda, Pastor Clair, Denise Weeks-Bush, Dr. Pat Wagner, and Pastor Alan Howe

                        We leave in 4 weeks!!!

            Pray for Hope for Heather at the NYS Fair!

            Pray for the many members of the DR team who want to return and continue the work.

22. RECYCLE YOUR USED INK CARTRIDGES & SMALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES AT CCUMC and help defray the cost of office supplies.  There is a box in Fellowship Hall behind the Welcome Station if you’d like an easy way to get rid of used ink cartridges and items like old cell phones and pagers.   See Heather Claver for more info.

Four weeks from Today I will be in Istanbul, Turkey (a city of 11 million people) on my way to Uganda. I will be traveling with my good friend Alan Howe and four other companions: Dr. Pat Wagner (a clinical psychologist and coworker of Denise Weeks-Bush); Pastor Linda Prell; Pastor Clair Mosher and our Associate Music Director, Denise Weeks-Bush. We will be preaching and teaching and holding seminars on music, women in ministry and leadership. We will be assisting Rev. Davis Matovu and the Nexus Seminary Team and we will be assisting at two more Nexus graduations! Most of all we will continue to build relationships with our Christian brothers and sisters in Uganda. This will be my fourth time in Uganda (and 5th trip to Africa). Many of you look at me like I’ve grown a second head when I speak of these journeys because most of you are not called to make this kind of trip. Your calling and mission and ministry may be to other places and more local to our homes and our church community (but EVERYONE is called to something!). St. Paul said there are many gifts, but one spirit. I believe there are many callings, many sendings, but only one mighty Holy Spirit. My time in Africa is challenging (leaving the comforts of home, the long travel, the different languages and cultures) and at the same time it is exciting and exhilarating for all the same reasons. It is where God keeps sending me. I am especially excited to be traveling with Linda, Denise and Clair. I get to see it all for the first time through their eyes . . . it will be fun!

            We need your prayers, your support and your encouragement. Our families (especially our spouses) need your prayers and encouragement as well as we travel, work and return.

            We are asking you to pray for us daily beginning September 19 and continuing through October 14 (final preparations through a few days of recovery).

I am profoundly blessed to be a part of a church that aggressively supports missions locally, nationally, regionally and globally!

Have a great week,

B.J. Norrix, missionary, lead servant, vision keeper