Linn Grove Church is a praying church.
We'd love to pray for you too.
Tell us about yourself and how we can pray for you. We'll be sure to include you in our weekly prayer gatherings.
E-Mail Us _ linngr_gbgmchurches.gbgm-umc.org
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August 18, 2010
Good morning!
Wednesday mornings I usually work from my home. In the corner of our family room there is a desk and my computer and thats where I am right now and despite this being my office, it is very much my home. There is evidence of home every where. Just a few feet from the desk is a new pack and play baby crib we have for our granddaughter when she comes to visit. To my right are pictures of our family. Throughout the morning my dogs interrupt me from time to time barking and asking to go outsidethis is their home too. During the morning I take breaks to do home workputting clothes in the laundry, cleaning the kitchen.
Last week Dave and I moved our daughter to Colorado where she will attend grad school. We helped her set up her home there. She took the usual essentialsbedding and towels, and dishes. But she also took those things that will make her apartment a homethe paper mache goose her aunt and uncle gave her a few years ago, and other personal things. We are missing her presence in our home and I am sure her new place does not feel quite like home yet.
We humans are the original homing pigeons. The geography of home lies deep with us. Do you remember the house you grew up in? And your home towneven though you havent lived there in yearsis it still your home? I have not lived in my parents house for nearly forty years, but to this day sitting on the small radiator next to the stove in my mothers kitchen is the greatest sense of home to me. If my mother just happens to be cooking a beef roast while I am sitting there home becomes heaven.
I have been watching the reports of flooding and people carrying mud-soaked treasures up from their basements. What happens to home when thousands of gallons of water pour in?
In recent weeks thousands of Iowans have been deployed to the Mideasttheir homes must seem empty without them. And how do you find home in foreign land where nothing is familiar?
Our college students are moving to new homesdorm rooms that must seem tiny and unfamiliar, bathrooms shared with a dozen other strangers, meals eaten in a huge cafeteria, food that does not taste like home at all.
One of our parishioners says that she is queen in a castle when she is home surrounded by familiar comforts. Yes.
So this dayprayers of gratitude for all that is home for each of usall that gives us comfort and a sense of security. Prayers of hope for those who are feeling home-less right now in all that might mean. Prayers to the one who gives us shelter and makes it feel like home.
Blessings!
Pastor Cindy
May 9, 2010
Title: Tresure Management
Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21
(19)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; (20)but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where theives do not break in and steal. (21)For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What do you treasure? We are currently having a series of sermons, called Spring Training, and we have been talking about getting fit and spring sports, and this Sunday the topic turns to garage sales - but before we get to that, I want to ask you: What do you treasure? In a few moments I would like you to talk with those sitting around you about what you own that is really a treasure, something that, were you to lose, you would really miss. I suppose you might say what thing in your house would you want saved if your house were to be destroyed by a flood or a tornado. A few rules: most everyone says pictures, so we will leave that out, and some people may have cash stored in the house, so no money. And some of you may have medicines that you need - so we will leave that off the list. No, just what is a thing that you truly treasure? Talk that over, make sure no one is left out of the conversation.
So, what do you treasure?
Just curious. Did anyone say a flat screen television? Did anyone say anything that they have purchased with a credit card in the last five years?
In the 1980s, Madonna released a song called Material Girl. Remember that? She declared herself a Material Girl and claimed that we are living in a material world. She pretty much rejected boys who wanted to kiss her - her Mister Right was the guy with cash because she was a Material Girl living in a material world.
Those lyrics really nagged at a photographer named Peter Menzel and set out to discover just how material we are. He traveled around the world and visited 30 countries and in every country he found a family that was statistically average for that country and took a picture of them surrounded by all the things they owned. You can imagine the American family - we are all pretty average. Picture you on your front lawn with all of your possessions. The American family he used was actually from Texas, but they pretty much looked like what we would look like. He also asked the families what they cherished most, what their treasure was. The Texas family reported that their treasure was a family bible.
As he traveled around the world, the picutre changed. In China, he took a picture of a family of nine in front of their 600 square foot home. The family had no phone. Their most prized possession was a television and they dreamed of getting one with a 30 inch screen and maybe a VCR.
In India, he took a picture of a family of 6. The family did not have running water - the mother went each day to get water from the community well. They owned 2 beds and a broken bike. On the day he visited, they had three bags of rice, although the family had gone for as long as two week without sufficient food. Their most prized possession was a picture of the Hindu gods.
A family in Japan actually had a lot of material things and hoped for a bigger house. Their most prized possession was a ring and some heirloom pottery.
And a family in Haiti, long before the earthquake, stood before their home, with nothing. One of the children had a toy truck that was broken with only three wheels. When asked what they cherished most they said they had nothing.
What we own is curous, isn't it?
I looked back in scripture to see what Jesus owned. According to the book of Matthew, the wise men gave his mother gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We never read of those gifts again. Legend has it that those gifts supported the family when they fled to Egypt. Jesus did have a cloak - the soldiers will gamble to see who gets it at the crucifixion. Other than that, I haven't found anything Jesus owned.
We can quickly dismiss material objects; we know we all have more than we need. We've probably all heard the expression, "you can't take it with you." Or you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. Most of the things the family treasured in Menzel's book were spiritual things - so we could simply say material bad, spiritual good.
But the reality is that Madonna was not entirely wrong - we are material girls and boys. We need a home and a bed to sleep on and a refrigerator to keep things cold. That family in Haiti needs material things and I think they even need something, a material thing, to treasure.
Barbara Brown Taylor, one of my favorit preachers, says our challenge is not in having mateial things - it is in our treasures. The problem - our challenge is in treasure management. What do we value and why? A friend recently said to me that things can be a means of grace - things can be a means of encountering God. In the corner of the office sits a baptismal font - it is a beautiful piece of wood. It came from Inwood United Methodist Church in NW Iowa. It is dedicated to ---------- I have no idea who that is. When we were in need of office furniture I heard from a trustee that the Inwood church was closing. He sent me pictures online of the things they were getting rid of. One of them was the baptismal font. I asked him what he was going to do with it - he had no idea, maybe throw it away. No! I couldn't allow that, so now it is in my office. It represents
* all the people we don't know who went before us in the faith. It
* represents all the people who need to know that they are claimed by God. It
* represents a church that closed because its time was over.
* It is made from very nice wood and some days it simply represents my own wooden brain.
A few treasure stories. See what you would do in regard to treasure management.
I have told you about visiting a church in the inner city of Buffalo, a poor little church serving a poor community. One day as our mission trip crew was working there, a young man came in. He walked around the building looking at things. I found this all suspicious and I went to Pastor Brian and reported what I had seen. Pastor Brian said, "Let him have whatever he wants." What? I thought - let him have whatever he wants?
Story #2
A few years ago, when Dave and I lived in another community, we lived down the street from a little girl who was friends with our daughter. The girls were in kindergarten and played together every day. We knew from being around the little girl that there was a sadness at her house. One clue was that she played at our house a lot and we never saw her father - we thought it odd that he woudn't want to know who his five year old daughter was playing with. One Saturday morning, the little nighbor girl, I will call her Julie, arrived at our door in tears, completely broken hearted. She had tipped over her father's bicycle and he had given her a good scolding. I asked her if she did it on purpose and she said no, althought that may not have been true, because her little girls who miss their dads might do something ornery to get their dad's attention. That was more than 20 years ago. I bet today that bike has been discarded. She still has her heart though.
Which brings us to today's scripture. "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21)For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What does it mean to store treasures in heaven? What are heavenly treasures? I don't think it means to make monthly prayer deposits the way we do with our social security and pensions - to cash in at the end of our lives. I think that it means to value what God values, to love what God loves, to participate in heaven in the here and now. A friend says the question is not whehter you will get into heaven; the question is how much heaven can you get into you.
Today the topic is really garage sales. This interesting spring and summer activity. People have garage sales because
* They want to get rid of some things
* They are downsizing
* Out of practicality. The baby has grown up and they no longer need the baby clothes
* To get some cash
* Maybe just to simplify
* Or maybe just for fun - neighborhoods getting together with others
* Sometimes it looks like garage sales are just a relocation program. Getting stuff out of my garage and into yours
We plan to have one here at Bloomfield, but it is a different sort of garage sale. We will not be pricing items. People can come and get what they need and pay what they can pay.
And it all sounds strange and vulnerable.
* What if someone backs a truck up to the door and takes everything and tosses us 50 cents?
* What is someone takes a lot and then takes it all to a consignment shop and sells it?
* Of course, what if a mother finds summer clothes for her children?
* What if a child finds a story book they treasure?
I know a church in another part of Iowa who did this - but they added another twist. Instead of bringing the things people didn't need anymore, the people were asked to bring something they did need, something they valued. It went something like this - if you have two sets of dishes, bring the best set for the garage sale give away.
Of course this all makes me uneasy. I am just as attached to my stuff as the next person. I have gone shopping more than once to relax. Money has a clarity about it. Madonna knew what she was talking about when she wanted a man with cash.
But we are in the business of "treasure management" because we know ourselves to be treasured by God. And we let our hearts guide our treasures and not the other way around.
Let me tell you one other story. It hasn't happened yet.
Suppose we have that garage sale. Picture tables covered with clothing and toys. One for books. Another table for kitchen things. Another for odds and ends, stuff stretched all across the fellowship hall. We open the doors at 9 am and in come the people. An old man with a scuffy beard. A dark haired woman speaking Spanish to three children following her and picking up everything. More and more people. And in walks Jesus. Slips in with the crowd. I don't think that we would recognize him, we seldom do. But suppose he walks around the garage sale. What would he see in that room? What would he treasure?
I guess next Saturday we will find out. I am pretty sure he will be there.
A Special Invitation for You
Each week at Linn Grove, you are invited to
· Worship at 11:00 on Sunday
· Childrens Sunday School held during the worship time
· Adult Sunday School at 9:30 on Sunday morning.
· Faith Walk, a time of conversation and Bible study on Sunday evenings from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11 am.
A look aread
August 22, Bless the backpacks at the 11am service.
September 9, Community Supper, Cavatelli, 5-7pm
September 12, Childrens Sunday School starts during Sunday morningworship time at 11am.
September 16, Homecoming parade, Martensdale, passing out icecream.
October 16, UMW
October 10, CROP walk
October 11-15, Mission Trip - details to come
Sunday School for Children is BACK!
Sunday school will resume on September 12. Sunday school will be held during the worship hour following childrens time at 11am.
Who doesnt love a parade?
On Sept 16 Martensdale-St Marys School will celebrate Homecoming with a parade and Linn Grove UMC is going to be there. We are planning to have a float in the parade and pass out ice cream goodies. Get ready for the fun.
School Supplies! Linn Grove will be gathering school supplies for Martensdale-St Marys School. Please bring these asap. School begins August 23 and we will be delivering them then.
A Gift to Bidwell Riverside
Bidwell Riverside is a United Methodist mission site on Des Moines south side. Bidwell serves thousands of people each year through their food pantry, clothing closet and day care. Recent high water has flooded the basement and ruined some of the daycare rooms. Linn Grove UMC has made a gift of $100 to Bidwell to help with the
repairs. Thus far this year Linn Grove has given away more than a $1000 to Martensdale
St-Marys school, to Haiti relief efforts, World Vision, and Bidwell Riverside.
The United Methodist Women resume meetings
The United Methodist Women are meeting on the first Thursday of the month. Mark your calendar for the Fall Supper on October 16.
August 2010
Summer at Linn Grove is winding down. I serve two churches, one in Des Moines. Both experience seasonsbut they are more evident at Linn Grove. I suspect that it has something to do with the bean feed across the way that grows up, turns brown and dies back until harvest. I think that summer has been a good season at Linn Grove. It began on Pentecost with Come Holy Spirit Come written across the driveway. Monday mornings Faith Talk gathered to study scripture and pray for one another and for the church. Some Monday mornings were spent at Gabbies with our neighbors. Two of our Linn Grovers each spent a week at camp. And several young Linn Grovers joined Norwalk UMC for vacation bible school. In July the ice cream social welcomed our neighbors. We also spent a Sunday working elbow to elbow cleaning the kitchen and cleaning up the ditches. In August the garage sale welcomed more neighbors in. Summer was also a time of changing leadership and a new cleaning crew. I am still a rookieso many of you have been in the church for a long timebut I am surprised by the changing seasons at Linn Groveand not just the weather but by the way it feels like God is leading us to a new time. What will fall hold? Read on for what is being planned, but keep in mind when it comes to new seasons in the church,only God knows what is a head. And there is joy enough in that.
Blessings,
Cindy
The history of the Linn Grove Church reaches back into the past for more than 125 years.
A church group was organized in 1852 under the leadership of Whitney Allen and met at that time in a log cabin where the Linn Grove Cemetery is now located.
In 1866, a frame building constituting the main auditorium was built. It was dedicated in 1867 by Elder Dimmitt. the original Articles of Incorporation are dated February 10, 1867. An addition, known as the Epworth League room was built. Later, in 1916 the dining room and kitchen were added.
At first, the church was a part of the Hartford Circuit and was served with other churhces, often as many as twelve by one man. The Hartford Circuit was divided and the Norwalk Circuit was formed. Since then, Linn Grove has either been a part of the Norwalk or Spring Hill Circuits.
An eightieth Anniversary was celebrated in the fall of 1933. Taken from an item, the services were very well attended.
On October 1, 1967, Linn Grove celebrated its Centennial. Over three hundred people were presend during the day. Former ministers, members who had moved away from the community, as well as present members, did a lot of reminiscing on that day.
On February 5, 1966, a gift of $100.oo from Mrs. RossSmith, Salem, Oregon was presented to us. The Church Board unanimously agreed to set up a building fund for the building of a new Linn Grove Church.
On November 14, 1973, approximately thirty members held a ground breaking ceremony for the church that we currently worship in.
The Linn Grove United Methodist Church started an addition to the church in the Spring of 2001. The new addition has been finished and is our current sanctuary; full of beauty and splendor for which to worship God.
7483 50th
Prole, IA 50229
(4 miles North of Martensdale OR 4 miles South of Norwalk - just off Hwy 28)
515-981-4062
linngr_gbgmchurches.gbgm-umc.org
September 9, Community Supper, Cavatelli, 5-7pm, Come join us.
September 12, Childrens Sunday School starts during Sunday morning
worship time at 11am.
join us on
