Oakland Iowa United Methodist Church The Pastor's Corner

The Pastor's Corner

11/8/2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are called to come together to be one – to praise God, to love and care for one another and to reach out to those in need. We are the “Body of Christ.” In 1 Corinthians 12:14, 27 we read, “For the body does not consist of one member, but many. Now you are the Body of Christ and individually members of it.” In this chapter, we are reminded that we are all important parts of the Body of Christ. We have all been given spiritual gifts to use for the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. Your active participation in the life of the church does make a difference. In Psalm 100, we are called to come together to worship, to praise and to give thanks to our Lord and Savior:

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

Know that the Lord is God.

It is He who made us, and we are His;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His steadfast love endures forever,

And his faithfulness to all generations.”

We invite you to come and worship on Sunday mornings at 10am. Let us all join together in praise and thanksgiving! Your participation is always wanted and needed!

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

And All God’s Children said,

“Amen”

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The Pastor’s Corner

10/11/2012

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In September I opened an envelope addressed to the Oakland UMC. The enclosed letter was a thank you to the people of the Oakland UMC for their generous contributions to the PET project.

In April of this year our third Sunday special offering was designated to go to the PET Project. If you were able to be at the worship service on April 22, you may remember seeing a PET during the service. PET is an acronym for Personal Energy Transportation vehicle.

The PET Project began in 1995 in response to a need for three-wheeled, hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. Reverend Larry Mills, missionary in Zaire (now Congo), Africa, told Reverend Mel West of this great need. Mel contacted Earl Miner, product designer, and the process to create a sturdy, simple, and low-cost vehicle to serve the needs of those with limited mobility began.

Millions in our world have been disabled by landmines, accidents, disease and animal attacks. Many of these people live in areas where the typical wheelchair cannot go. The PET is designed to go where normal wheelchairs cannot. PETs are made in both child and adult sizes. All PETs are built by volunteers.
The Mission Statement of the PET Project is as follows:

The Personal Energy Transportation (PET) Projects mission is to provide mobility for all of Gods children. We seek to provide first for those in greatest need and with the least resources in poor or underdeveloped countries. The PET Project is a part of the ministry of Jesus Christ, whose disciples said, In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk. Acts 3:6.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we give because we know it is what our Savior has asked us to do. We give trusting God to use and even multiply our gifts in order to do the good w are called to do. Often times we do not know how our gifts has blessed others. The letter on the following page to all of you from the PET Program is a story of how your gifts have been a blessing to others. Enjoy and thank you for giving!

And All God’s Children Said,

“Amen.” – Pastor Karen

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THE PASTOR’S CORNER

5/4/2012

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At one time in my life I was employed by an Area Education Agency as a Mentor Coordinator. My main responsibility was to recruit caring adults to mentor young people. It was while I was employed at the AEA that I first heard about the 40 Developmental Assets. Young people who have these assets are more likely to grow up to be healthy, caring, and responsible adults. One of the assets is, “Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.” Studies have revealed that young people who actively engage in a faith community on a regular basis are rewarded with reduced likelihood of life problems and risky behaviors and stand to improve their odds of a happier, healthier and longer life.

A Christian education does make a difference in the lives of young people. Studies show the sooner the Christian influence begins the greater the chances that it will make a positive difference in a child’s life. According to a Barna Group Study nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%). A child’s faith is impacted by their parents, other relatives and friends, their peers, and youth ministries (such as Sunday School, Youth Group, Vacation Bible School).

We are very blessed in this congregation to have people who give of their time, talents, and resources to teach our young people about our Lord and Savior. What they do for our young people, in the name of Jesus, is priceless! We are thankful for these dedicated folks.

Soon it will be time for Vacation Bible School. This year it will be held at our church June 10-14 in the evenings. As always, a lot of hands are needed in order to provide this ministry to the children in this community and surrounding area. I encourage you to contact Pam Ehmke or Kristy Rieken (co-chairs of Education Committee) to see how you can be of help.

Thank you for all you do in the name of Jesus!

And All God’s Children said,

“Amen!” Pastor Karen

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The Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner

THE PASTOR’S CORNER

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