"Midweek with Roots and Wings" Pastor Trevor's Devotion 05/14/2020

Good morning friends!

The church has changed. We’ve been forced to. There have been some wonderful things to come out of this new way of doing church yet we still hold on to all that holds meaning from the way things were. We don’t know exactly how this will impact the "big C" Church overall yet but we are learning a lot. We always learn in change, even when we’d rather not. It’s like a generational shift just happened when we weren’t completely ready for it.

In the coming weeks, Pastor Cindy and I are going to be preaching on this phenomenon. One of us is honoring the roots of the church, our foundation. The other is guiding us in the rising of the future. Can you guess who might be preaching which sermon?

As I prepare for my sermon on our heritage and roots (did you guess wrong?), I"d love you to share some things with me:
1. What is something you have taught your children or a young person well?
2. What is something your children or a young person have taught you?

We have a little framed picture in our home that says, "There are two things we should give our children: One is roots and the other is wings." May we be a people of roots AND wings.

Blessings,
Pastor Trevor
Pastor Trevor Vaughn

This Week at WDMUMC
Worship This Sunday!  The Leadership of the Iowa Annual Conference will provide our worship this Sunday.  Bishop Laurie and the district superintendents will be sharing scripture and singing and even leading children’s time.  Watch it on Facebook or through the link on our website wdmumc.org.  Next week Pastor Trevor and Pastor Cindy will be back.

Children’s Sunday School zooms after worship each Sunday.  Contact Morganne to join in the fun and learning.

The Big Question:  When will we be able to worship in person?
Bishop Laurie Haller and her team have created a plan for re-entry. You can read it at the Iowa Annual Conference webpage, iaumc.org.  The re-entry plan is based on a red light, yellow light, green light concept.  As long as numbers continue to rise, we are in a red light status.  No gatherings of people, social distancing, and safe practices strictly followed.  When the number of infections declines we can move to a yellow light status with a limited person to person interactions resuming.  A green light means all is normal and we can return to in-person worship.  All indications are this will take time.  Our highest priority is the well being of our people.  Please continue to pray for those suffering personally and economically from this pandemic.

Zoom Office Hours!  Pastor Cindy and Pastor Trevor are holding zoom office hours.  Reply to this email if you would like to know more.

Bar+Church meets every Sunday at 1 pm over Zoom. Message Pastor Trevor to get the Zoom link.

"Midweek and Zooming" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 05/06/2020

Good morning,

Well, crud.

Last night #JustRead, our Tuesday evening bible study, was meeting via Zoom, and intruders showed up. 

We were reading along in Matthew 21:23-27. Jesus had told the disciples they had the power to move mountains.  We talked about how much we were praying to end the pandemic. In our scripture, the leaders were just about to ask Jesus “by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?” when we heard strange voices and then several people showed up.  They took over the screen and began drawing the sort of images you might see on the walls of public restrooms.  We quickly shut down the meeting.  Some of us returned later.  Two more people showed up after that, and by that time we had learned how to remove them quickly from the meeting.

We so much want to see each other and do something normal.  And reading scripture together is good for heart and soul.  And in came intruders.  I think we were pretty shocked.  Afterward, I spent some time stomping around.  Luckily a friend called me later and talked away my bad mood.

“By what authority are you doing these things?”  That’s what the leaders asked Jesus.  Who authors our lives?

When we hurt others, when we are rude or offensive, when we judge others, when we barge into a meeting intent on shocking people, by what authority are we acting?  By what authority are we doing these things?

I wish the persons who intruded were led by a different authority.  They are clever enough to hack a meeting.  I wish they used their abilities to build up, rather than tear down.  I am sorry that they are fueled by something other than love.

After the meeting, I got phone calls, emails, and texts from people who had attended had attended the bible study.  You can’t keep a good Methodist down.

When we seek justice, when we care for others, when we commit to making our communities better places, when we stay home, or mask up, by what authority do we do these things?

When we pray for the intruders, we ask God to fill their hearts and guide them in a different direction, when we refuse to hate them, by what authority do we do these things?

So, crud.  It was sad and hurtful and for a moment, weirdly scary.  But this is exactly what Jesus has given us the authority to do:  love others.

#JustRead is on for next Tuesday at 4:30.  Email me if you want to take part.  We will have a NEW password, and a waiting room, where guests will be invited in.  And hopefully, they won’t show up.   And if they do, we will remove them and then pray over them big time.   We can move mountains.  Jesus said so. 

This day, the grace that has created us and drawn us together, is making its way into their lives too.
Stay in and stay well.  Take care of yourself.  By your faithfulness, you are saving lives.

Blessings—
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826

Like us on Facebook or visit us at WDMUMC.org.
Live streaming every Sunday at 9:30!  And serving God all week long.

The News from WDMUMC
Office Hours!
Pastor Cindy and Pastor Trevor will be keeping zoom office hours if you would like to chat.  Pastor Cindy will be available on Thursdays from 8-10 and Pastor Trevor will be available on Tuesdays from 12-2.  Reply to this email or call if you would like the zoom link.  And Pastor Cindy and Pastor Trevor can also chat via phone! 

Reading Buddies are STILL Buddies
Our volunteer reading buddies have not been able to meet with their students since the schools closed.  This week they will be writing letters to their buddies and Dr. Jones, the principal at Hillside Elementary will get the letters to the students.  Staying connected!

Every Body Eats Summer Program continues to make plans
It looks like the need for food for children this summer will be bigger than ever.  We are making plans to address the need.  We will keep you posted!

Sweet Gossip!
Always glad to hear your sweet gossip!  Reply to this email and we will share it in the link. 

"A Midweek Assignment" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 04/29/2020

Hello friends,
I am giving you an assignment for today.  It comes from Paul in the book of Philippians, chapter 4:6-8.

6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7 Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

8 From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. 9 Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you.

If your thoughts are like my thoughts these days, they are busy processing all that is going on.  My schedule has changed so much, my mind is working to figure out what to do each day.  I just returned from the adventure of getting groceries.  A kind person put them in the trunk while I waited in my car, not the usual mind-relaxing browsing I am used to.  My mind has been enjoying evening walks.  And at the same time, in the back of my mind, I worry.  I feel the undertow of concern, that pulls us all into fear and anxiety.

So I have an assignment for us all.  I want us to do as Paul asks.  I want us to fill our minds with goodness.  You can do this in prayer through a time of meditation, praying this scripture over and over. But I also encourage you to do this actively, using your skills and interests.  Whether you are a writer, or a painter or a gardener, or a carpenter, or a scrapbooker, I would like you to create something true and holy and lovely and worthy of praise.  A song?  A collage?  A lovely cake?  Something.  Invite the kids to choose one word from this scripture and create it somehow.
And then send me a picture or a video. 

Be kind to your mind.

Paul promises that when we fill our minds with goodness, the peace of God will meet us there.
In a few minutes, I will be recording the prayer for Sunday.  I will be thinking of you.  I will be thinking of Paul’s words.   I want the prayer to be beautiful.  I want it to be blessed by God’s peace.
Stay well.  Stay in. You are saving lives.

Grateful for you.

Blessings,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826

Like us on Facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org.  You can contact the church through our website.
And join us for livestreaming worship on Sunday at 9:30!

Happenings at WDMUMC!
Calling all Kids to Zoom into Sunday School every Sunday morning!  Email Morganne, our Christian Education Director, to find out how!
 
#JustRead zooms every Tuesday at 4:30.  We just read the bible and talk about it.  Feel like a rookie to bible study?  You will fit right in!

Sweet Gossip!  Send your sweet gossip to Pastor Cindy and we will publish it in the Link. Good things are happening in the world! 

And reply to this email if you would like to share how you are doing with me.