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BLEST BE THE TIE

Rush Community UMC

Email: RushCommuntyUMC@gmail.com

Web: RushCoChurch.com

May

2019

View From The Porch May Healthy Boundaries Healthy boundaries are a must for healthy relationships and a healthy spirituality. A boundary is a line, a limit. It can be concrete and visible, like a fence between fields. It can also be invisible and verbal, like when a teacher tells her students, “Be extra kind to the new student.” Any rule is a boundary. Some rules are unfair or unjust, like the segregation laws that the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s protested. Many boundaries are relative, and can change over time, like speed limits for highways, or the amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Some boundaries never change. They are immutable. They are absolute. That means they are not relative to time or circumstance, but remain applicable in all times and places. An example of an absolute boundary is the first commandment given by God to Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus said it was the greatest commandment of all. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” And Jesus said a second commandment was like the first, equally immutable. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In relationships, we create boundaries every time we apply limits to behavior. For example, when we tell our toddler that she can play with the old pots and pans, that creates a boundary. When we tell her not to leave the yard and not to play in the street, that is when we create more boundaries. If our toddler leaves the yard for the street, that is when she violates our boundary. She trespasses. As grown-ups, we are required to create and enforce healthy boundaries for children. These boundaries create safe and secure environments for us all.

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Meeting Reminders

May 2 Calhan UMW 7pm

May 4 Rural Men’s Pancake

Breakfast - 8am

May 8 Calhan Men’s breakfast

Calhan Auction Barn

7:30am

Rush UMW meeting at

Old Chicago 1st & Main

11am

May 9 Calhan Finance Committee

meeting 6pm

May 12 Calhan Worship Committee

meeting after church

May 19 Calhan Ad Council meeting

after church

May 26 Calhan Trustees meeting

after church

Scripture Readings and Sermon Titles

May 5 - John 21:1-9

“Fishing With Jesus”

May 12 - John 10:22-30

“The Works I Do”

May 19 - Acts 11:1-20

“Even Gentiles”

May 26 - John 14:23-27

“If You Love Me”

Thought:

“The nice thing about teamwork is that you

always have others on your side.” — Margaret Carty

Calhan UMC Email: calhanumc@hotmail.com Web: calhanrushumc.qwestoffice.net Facebook: Calhan UMC

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Let’s work on a New Member Directory!!!

For the next few Sunday’s please see Carlene in the Fellowship Hall to have your picture taken. The information you submitted this winter to Cheryl for the database will be used as your current address and phone numbers. If there is anything you would want to add or delete, please let Cheryl or Carlene know. Thank you for your help in this project!

View from the porch cont.

We all need boundaries, no matter how old or young we are. Many of those boundaries change over time, as our needs and abilities change. Babies need boundaries, with regular age-appropriate feeding, consistent sleep times, and clean, safe ways to soothe themselves. Business partners create boundaries, too. They call them job descriptions, policies and procedures, store hours, and minimum wages.

We need limits, or boundaries, so that we can de-escalate conflict, improve communication, maximize justice, and maximize our love for God and each other. Jesus said the Biblical boundaries, like the laws about keeping the Sabbath, are there meant for our benefit. They were made for us. They were given so that we can imitate Jesus in doing God’s will.

When we think of the Bible, we often think of it as a giant rule book. The Protestant Bible is a collection of 66 books, made of more than just rules and regulations, commandments and prescriptive instructions for living. It could be thought of as a book about relationships. In it, God sets limits for human beings, so we can live in healthy relationships with each other. We call healthy relationships our fellowship. We also have within the Bible many God-given boundaries so that human beings everywhere can have healthy relationships with God. We call that relationship with God our spirituality, or our faith.

The Book of Discipline is another “rule book”. It is a book written by and for the United Methodist Church. It has changed greatly over the centuries. It consists of particular United Methodist Church rules and best practices and suggestions for healthy relationships, as we seek to witness to the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus, and model the divine order and liberty of God’s grace.

Can you think of a boundary written in the Bible that you think is relative, or has changed for God’s people? I can think of lots of them. Good Bible study resources can help the reader discern what boundaries are meant to be relative to culture, and circumstance, and which ones are immutable. Churches from the very beginning, as described in the New Testament, have often disagreed about which boundaries are relative, and which ones are absolute. For example, in Acts 15, the disciples and apostles argued about whether or not it was necessary to be circumcised, as commanded in the Torah, in order to be a follower of Jesus. The United Methodist Church is in turmoil today about some of our man-made rules and the way we understand the Bible’s boundaries for human behavior. In these upcoming months, we as United Methodist Christians from all around the world use the Methodist quadrilateral (four discernment tools of reason, Scripture, tradition, and experience) to help us discern God’s will for our future and the way forward. My hope is that we stay a diverse and united Church, as we live within the boundaries that God has given for our lives. Please pray for our global Church, and our local churches, to have healthy boundaries, and a healthy spirituality. I invite the reader to ponder with me all the ways this can be done! Rev. Melinda

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Calhan VFW Loyalty Day Parade Come out and line the streets for the Loyalty Day Parade May 4, 11am. Mother Daughter Banquet Mark your calendars for a very special event Sunday, May 5th at 5:30pm at Calhan United Methodist Church for our annual Mother/Daughter Banquet. This year the theme will be “Cinco de Mayo”. Spread the word to your neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends to celebrate a yummy meal, entertainment and recognition. We encourage all women to attend, bring your daughter or Mother or granddaughter or grandmother! Or borrow one! Lots of fun to be had! Eastern Plains Community Pantry The Mobile Pantry will be May 17, from 9-2pm. Every one is invited to attend. The more people we have come, the more food they send us. Rush UMW Rush women will be meeting at Old Chicago’s 1st & main Wed, May 8, 11am 2019 Summer Craft Fair Community Garage Sale Farmer’s Market (when in season) Every second Saturday of the month starting June 8th. Mark your calendars for a nice drive to the country. Find great crafts, jewelry, hidden treasures, and rusty gold. Sellers reserve your space today. Visit: http://rushcochurch.com/garage-sale/ New Church Email I have set up a new email for the church at calhanumc@hotmail.com. Please start using this email.

New Data Base Information I have sent out forms for everyone to fill out, so I can enter the information into our new data base. If I don’t have your email, there are forms at church.

Calhan Adult Sunday Come join us for Adult Sunday School at 10am. May 5 - “Called to Righteousness” May 12 - “Called to Life in the Spirit” May 19 - “The Call of the Gentiles” May 26 - “Called to New Life in Christ”

Church Office Hours The church office will be open Tues. Wed. & Thurs. 9-1:00pm

Events for this Month & Next Month

Long Term Prayer List

Service Men and Women

Rush: Dale Briley, JD Ross, Todd Wetzel,

Chad Brinker, Debbie Hemry

Sympathy to the family of Robert Payne

Calhan: Jayme Mortenson, Jeff Scheer,

Thomas Mortenson, Willie Ritch, David Roskos,

Stephan Carpenter, Ann Zemp, Larry Roovaart,

Milly Manyik, Jacob Lutz, Jacque Gray,

Maynard Jagodzinske, Lillian Bearfoot,

Larry Gardner, Bill Schmidt, & Kim Green,

Evelyn Townley, Jesse Newberry, Cheryl Lopez

Community Outreach

Eastern Plains Community Pantry 719-347-3062

EPCP will encourage, support, and enhance the quality of life of community members by assisting with food

distribution, living necessities and other resources for everyone with respect and dignity and without

judgment or prejudice. Mobile Food Pantry Friday, May 17, 9-2:00pm Saturday, May 18, 9-12:00pm If you are interested in volunteering please call Richard at 347-3062. He will also be at the Pantry Mondays 1-5pm, Wednesday 9-1pm, & Friday 9-2pm. Come and be part of our team!

This Pantry is run solely by volunteers (no one

has a paid position). All the donations that we receive go to operational expenses, and food

for our clients.

We gladly accept donations of money, food, clothing or small household items.

If you haven’t come by to see us yet,

come on by and say Hi. We would love to show you around.

God Bless, Cheryl Lopez

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Greeter and Readers

May 5 Rush: Calhan: Greeter: N/V Greeter: Machotka Reader: N/V Reader: Terri Parks Communion: N/V Communion: N/V May 12 Rush: Calhan: Greeter: N/V Greeter: N/V Reader: N/V Reader: Natalie Parks May 19 Rush: Calhan: Greeter: N/V Greeter: Gary Carpenter Reader: N/V Reader: Angel Kinzie May 26 Rush: Calhan: Greeter: N/V Greeter: N/V Reader: N/V Reader: N/V

HAPPY ANIVERSARY

Mr. & Mrs. Dale Briley May 9

Mr.& Mrs. Emory Gerhart May 13 Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Bandt May 20

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jackson Firebaugh May 3

Phyllis Dixon May 8 Darlene Bender May 11

Shebly Firebaugh May 19 Molly Torrence May 20

Dale Briley May 23 Natalie Parks May 25

Katie Torrence May 25 Donna Hoover May 28

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Calhan/Rush UMC 581 Denver Street Calhan, CO. 80808