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O ingenious God,
I rejoice in your creation,
and pray that your spirit
will touch me so deeply
that I will find a sense of self
which makes me glad to be who I am
and yet restless at being
anything lest than I can become.
Make me simple enough
not to be confused by disappointments,
clear enough
not to mistake busyness for freedom,
honest enough
not to sing all my songs in private,
compassionate enough
to get in trouble,
humble enough
to admit trouble and seek help,
joyful enough to celebrate all of it,
myself, others, and you
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Dear Friends,
I am not a morning person. Try as I might, I am not a morning person. As far as I am concerned there should be only one 7:00 on the clock and that should come in the evening! I am not a morning person.
I do envy morning people though. I have imagined myself waking at 6:00am and starting the day with an hour of meditation. I have imagined myself jumping out of bed and heading off to the pool to swim laps or walk the track. At different times in my life I have even made it a resolution, of sorts, to become a morning person. But I am not a morning person. I am the reason that alarm clocks have a “snooze” setting!
So I enjoy a late morning or early evening walk and people in my life know to give me an hour or so in the morning before talking about anything too important and I have made this quick prayer my morning meditation as I sit down at my desk. I offer it to you in case you aren’t a morning person either!
See you in worship! Debbie
New Visions At First 2011 ~ Sunday, April 3, 2011
Apocalypse, Economy and Ecology:
Is this the end of the world?
Barbara Rossing, author of The Rapture Exposed, has spent her career helping Christians understand the Book of Revelation as announcing the end of empire rather than the end of the world. In the face of accelerating climate change, economic turmoil and social disintegration, she believes the Bible really is life-giving and earth-affirming. She is professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a graduate of Yale Divinity School. She has just returned from the international climate talks in Cancun, Mexico and is working on a new book on “Christianity and Ecology
Save the Date . . .
If you are interested in sewing for a mission project, save March 3 & 4, Thursday and Friday, 9 am to 3:30 pm, to help make curtains for cabins and lodges at Camp Magruder. Their curtains are worn out. Bring your sewing machines and a snack to share. We will work in the Youth Center because of the excellent lighting, ample space, and security for our machines. Please contact Debbie Pitney or Sheila Sundahl if you can help sew either or both days or if you are interested in making a monetary contribution for fabrics.
Annual Quilting Retreat in Yachats!!!
Tuesday, March 29 ~ Thursday March 31
We will enjoy the coast while we make simple quilts for children in our community. We will share our fabrics and split the cost of meals. It is a great way to make new friends and share our talents. If you are interested, please sign-up by contacting Debbie Pitney at 541-345-8764.
GUATEMALA FUND DRIVE
Our Guatemala Mission Team will be selling shares after services at the JAMM table for 5 Sundays starting February 13th. You will be hearing more about this during services. Each team member is funding their own way plus adding $300 (enough for two stoves) for supplies. We need a total of $19,000 for supplies. Much of this has been raised or pledged already. However $7,000 is still needed for the rest of the stoves, water filters, white wash and concrete. This is a FUMC Mission. Please take part in it by purchasing shares after services. We also ask for your prayers as the team makes preparation to leave on the evening of Friday, May 6th.
Chi Rho Series 2011 ~February 18-20
Dr. Gordon Lathrop
The Four Beasts on Sunday:
New Testament Gospels & Christian Worship
Rare Beasts: What are the Gospels? How do they shape Christian worship? Friday, Feb. 18, 7:30 pm at Central Lutheran Church
The Land of Unlikeness: How does the Gospel of Mark relate to the Christian assembly, both anciently and today? Saturday, Feb 19, 9:30—12:30 pm. Lecture & Discussion at Northwest Christian University, Library, Room 203, 1188 Kincaid St.
Unique Adventures: What do the Gospels say about leadership in Christian assemblies for worship today? Saturday, Feb. 19, 7:30 pm at Central Lutheran Church.
http://chi.rho.series.googlepages.com
Takin’ it to the Streets
Southern District Enrichment Event
February 26, 2011 ~ 9:30AM to 3:00PM
Roseburg, First United Methodist Church
God is Active in our Communities. Are We?
- Talk about why we need to “Take it to the Streets”
- Take the Church out of the buildings & into the world
- Be inspired to try new things
- Hear from leaders who do church in the community
- Share ideas and collect resources
Cost: $15 per person, $5 students (includes lunch)
Register: by February 18, 2011
Contact the church office, 541-345-8764,
for more information and registration materials.
Life Line Screening
Do you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? Have members of your family suffered from these ailments? Do you have a poor diet? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you may want to consider being screened for your risk of stroke through the services of Life Line Screening. Life Line Screening uses ultrasound technology to view the plaque build up in your carotid arteries, the main arteries that carry blood to the brain. Blockages in these arteries are a leading cause of stroke. We are please to host this Life Line Screening event on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at First United Methodist Church. Register for the Stroke, Vascular Disease and Heart Rhythm Package for $139. All four ultrasound screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete. Your Health is in Your Hands, so call 1-888-653-6441 for more information or to pre-register.
ROCKIN’ SOLO DIDJERIDU ~ Todd Johnson
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27 at 4:00 pm
Come and Experience an afternoon of exciting rhythmic and melodic solo DIDJERIDU music. Todd Johnson will showcase a wide variety of tones, grooves and melodies that can be created with this unique instrument. He will feature many of the pieces from his CD “Dronedance” and present some brand new material.
The Didjeridu is an ancient musical instrument that originated with the native Aboriginal tribes of the northern Australian Arnhem Land. Historians believe it to be the world’s oldest musical instrument, dating back over 40,000 years. The didjeridu is a hollow tube that is played by buzzing the lips into the end the same way a brass instrument is played. They are traditionally made from trunks of eucalyptus saplings naturally hollowed by termites. The instrument produces a low pitched drone; which the player uses to create various timbres, sounds and rhythms. The player can also add vocals, and short bursts of air to play higher pitches. The continuous drone is created using a technique known as “circular breathing”, where the player inhales through the nose, and blows through the mouth simultaneously. The complex musical culture of each tribe is created from singing, simple percussion instruments, and didjeridu. Tribal mythology is told in ceremonies of music, dance, and mime known as “corroborees”. Many of these sacred myths are stories from the “Dreamtime”, (stories from the beginning) which are Aboriginal creation myths. In recent decades, western culture has discovered the didjeridu; and a worldwide audience continues to develop. Didjeridus are now made and played by people of various cultures, using a wide variety of materials, and featured in many different styles of music. The use of the didjeridu in modern musical and spiritual settings continues to expand. The instrument has a wonderful meditative quality; some even believe it to be the voice of the earth.
Suggested Donation is $10.00.
Please bring canned food for Food for Lane County.
Todd’s CD “Dronedance” will be available for purchase.
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