Harris & Lake Park United Methodist churches

The Connection c

The answer is Easter

After the April 2013 suicide of his 27-year-old son, Matthew, pastor and author Rick

Warren was often asked how he was able to keep going. His frequent reply? “The

answer is Easter.”

In the Easter sermons Warren preached the following year, he emphasized that

Jesus’ resurrection is the answer to discouragement, defeat and devastating trials.

“The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus happened over three days,” Warren

explained. “Friday was the day of suffering and pain and agony. Saturday was the day

of doubt and confusion and misery. But Easter, that Sunday, was the day of hope and

joy and victory.

“You will face these three days over and over and over in your lifetime. And when you

do, you’ll find yourself asking, as I did, three fundamental questions. Number one,

what do I do in my days of pain? Two, how do I get through my days of doubt and

confusion? Three, how do I get to the days of joy and victory? The answer is Easter.”

The Harris & Lake Park

United Methodist Churches

Pastor: Emmanuel T. Naweji Harris UMC: 208 N. Main Lake Park UMC: 1471 135th Ave. Office: 1471 135th Ave. Phone: 712-832-3361 E-mail: hlpumc@yahoo.com Facebook Page: United Methodist Church of Harris & Lake Park Pastor’s Residence: 15 Arnold’s Entrance Lake Park, IA 51347 Phone: 712-339-7115 E-mail: revnaweji@yahoo.com Web: www.emmanuelnaweji.com Parish Secretary: Judy Taber Custodians Noel Phillips, Harris, 719-207-2399 Mary Schmidt, LP, 712-331-1455

Worship Harris – 9:00 a.m. Lake Park – 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School—Sept. – May Harris – 10:15 a.m. Lake Park – 9:00 a.m.

April 2017

Vol. 19, No. 4

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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 5th Sunday in Lent

5:00 Lenten Worship at Harris UMC

3 4 9:00 Women’s Bible Study at LP UMC library

5 9:30 UMW Brunch 6:15 Choir 6:30 LP Memorial Comm 7:00 VBS mtg. at Harris 7:00 Chums bells

6 7

1

5 p.m. Saturday Prayer Lake Park UMC

8

9 Palm Sunday

Omelet Brunch at LP Fire station 10:30 – 1:00

10

7:00 Joint SPRC at LP

11 9:00 Women’s Bible Study at LP UMC library

Care Center Music

12 9:00 Chimers 9:30 Brunch Sp. Lake UMC

6:00 – Confirmation 6:15 Choir 6:30 Sr. High Youth Grp. 7:00 – Royals

13

6:00 Worship at Harris 7:00 Harris Ad Council

14 Good Friday Noon at LP Community Center

Care Center Bingo

15

5 p.m. Saturday Prayer Lake Park UMC

16 Easter Sunday 7:00 a.m. Sunrise at Presbyterian Breakfast following

17

18 9:00 Women’s Bible Study at LP UMC library

19 9:00 Chimers 6:15 Choir 7:00 LP Ad Council

20

21

22

5 p.m. Saturday Prayer Lake Park UMC

23 2nd Sunday of

Easter

Camp Sunday

24

25 9:00 Women’s Bible Study at LP UMC library

26 9:00 Chimers

6:00 – Confirmation 6:15 Choir 6:30 Sr. High Youth Grp. 7:00 – Royals

27

28

29

5 p.m. Saturday Prayer Lake Park UMC

30 3rd Sunday of

Easter

Jeri Lemker H UMC knee surgery Lora Goodell LP UMC broken leg Sherry Ahrenstorff LP UMC cancer treatments Tom Kyle LP UMC cancer Winnie Struck Friend

(Colleen Griese's great granddaughter) Lucille Rush LP UMC hospice care Karen Rehms LP UMC fragile health Rita Reimers LP UMC cancer Shirley Fredericksen LP UMC cancer Garrett Goodell LP UMC seizures Ardyce Rueter fragile health (mother of Lori Sheeler and Scott Rueter) Lennace Brandt LP UMC fragile health Dave Lindemann Friend fragile health The men and women in the armed services, their families, and our churches.

We offer our sympathy and our prayers to the family of Helen Gembler who passed away Feb. 22 at the age of 92. There will be a graveside service here later in the spring. Cards may be sent to her daughter, Terri Bailey, at 2643 4th Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA, 51501. Helen had lived with Terri for several years. Other extended family members are in the Lake Park area.

Congratulations to Brant & Heaven

Stapleton on the birth of a

son Feb. 28th. He has

been named Greyson

Brayden. Grandparents

are Brian & Lori Dingel. An 8lb. 12 oz., 20 ½” long baby boy was born March 9, 2017 to Nathan and Autumn Schultz. He has been named Braxton Kelon Schultz. Grandparents are Curt and Kim Ingwersen. Grandma Kim stated, He is the spittin’ image of his older brother, Beckett. Congratulations to all!

The family of Donald Dingel would like to thank you for your kindness and sympathy at a time when it was deeply appreciated. Thanks, Pat and family

Learn about mission work in Indonesia

April 5th at 7:00 p.m. First Christian Church

701 East 18th St., Spencer, Iowa John and Karen Campbell-Nelson will speak on their experiences. A free-will offering will be taken. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Dear Church family, It’s April and spring is here! The wind’s still blowing, but winter is over. I’m glad and you know why I say that! This month is going to be another exciting one. The reason isn’t because we have so much to do. It’s primarily because of Easter, which will be on the 16th of this month. Remember it is a day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reason why we are the Church today! There are many ways we can show that we are the Church Jesus wants us to be. The following are just a few you consider using this month:

❖ Attend our community Sunrise Youth-led service, which will be at the LP First Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday at 7:00 a.m. Breakfast to follow.

❖ Encourage a family to send their child to the United Methodist Okoboji camp this summer. Camp Sunday is scheduled for April 23 and we will have someone here at our church to share more about summer camp.

❖ Pray for a Youth and one of our Youth groups’ leaders. ❖ Visit one of our shut-ins. If you can’t think of any, talk to me or Judy Taber at the office.

I am always thankful for you. May God bless you and your family. See you in worship! Pastor Emmanuel

To read Pastor Emmanuel’s blog, devotionals, and more,

go to www.emmanuelnaweji.com

CAMP SUNDAY—April 23rd Harris and Lake Park UMCs

Learn about the camping opportunities that are available.

Financial assistance is available.

Harris UMC

Attendance Offering Feb. 19 50 $1,611.00 Feb. 26 43 541.00 Mar. 5 29 1,015.00 Mar. 12 32 617.00 Mar. 19 25 757.00 Total $4,541.00 Average Weekly Attendance 35 Given to date $14,917.40 Human Relations Sunday $60.00 Umcor Sunday $10.00

Lake Park UMC

Attendance Offering Feb. 26 121 $1,126.27 Mar. 5 129 3,716.50 Mar. 12 134 2,531.00 Mar. 19 105 1,795.00 Total $9,168.77 Average Weekly Attendance 122 Given to date $17,307.02 Sunday School $350.06 Harris Reimbursement (3 mo.) $2,385.56 Food Pantry $20.00 Umcor Sunday $6.00

Harris UMC

Ushers Noel Phillips Ray Akkerman Steve Bosma Flowers Cheryl Dake, Teri Phillips Coffee Apr. 2 – Steve Travaille, Mike Raveling Apr. 9 – Verlyn Jacobsma, K. Klaassen Apr. 16 – Easter – No coffee Apr. 23 – Schott Robertson Apr. 30 – Harold Kruger

Lake Park UMC

Ushers Stan & Alice Anderson Denny & Diane Duitsman Flowers Ginny Verdoorn Sunday School Snacks & Juice

Apr. 2 Snacks – Marie Matthiesen Juice – Rebecca Luitjens Apr. 9 Snacks/Juice – Gladys Goodell Apr. 16 Snacks/Juice – Jane Heikens Apr. 23 Snacks – Dawn Goodell Juice – Rebecca Matthiesen Apr. 30 Snacks – Ann Perry Juice – Rebecca Matthiesen Snack Servers

April Phyllis Johnson Sr. High Youth Group Meals

Apr. 12 Daryl & Shakira Meyer Apr. 26 Bill & Carmen Heikens

April 2017 1—Ben Meyerdirk 2—Pastor Emmanuel 3—Greg & Patrice Meyerdirk 4—Military serving abroad 5—Roger & Alida Millikan 6—Scott & Jan Mitchell 7—Gene & Casey Morfitt 8—Keith & Roxie Moriston 9—Elaine Morphew 10—Tamie Morphew 11—Terry & Deb Morrow and family 12—Nick & Brandy Morrow 13—Cody & Meghan Morrow & family 13—Brad & Sherri Munster 14—Jerry & Lori Murphy and family 15—Calvin Nebelsick and family 16—Harold & Carol Nelson 17—Tim Newbrough and family 18—Ann Newbrough and family 19—Randy & Toni Nicks and family 20—Fran & Bev Nieman 20—Chad & Billi Niemeier and family 21—Janice Nissen 22—Neil Niswander and family 23—Marc & Tracy Oleson and family 24—Butch & Florence Orwig and family 25—Pastor Emmanuel and family 26—Jacob Paskert 27—Josh & Jennifer Paskert and family 28—Rod & Bonnie Peekenschneider and family 29—Virginia Pell 30—Dennis & Nancy Puhrman

LP UMW NEWS

April 5 ................................ 9:30 a.m. Brunch

Program ........... Betty Naab, Shepherdess “A Time to Hope: Communities Challenging Mass Incarceration”

Serving ........................... Jennifer Krummen

Ginny Verdoorn

Sanctuary Flowers

April ...................................... Ginny Verdoorn

Care Center Music April 11 .......................... Jeanine Gunderson

Care Center Bingo April 14 .............................. Darlyne Halquist

Gladys Goodell

Annual Ecumenical Brunch Wednesday, April 12th

9:30 a.m. at Wesley Place, Spirit Lake

“Hello, Mother; Hello, Father”

A program of drama and music

presented by Bill and Jackie Carpenter

The Spirit Lake UMW invite you to join

them for a morning of fellowship, food,

and faith.

Grief-Share Support Group

Sundays—5:30 – 7:30 at First Lutheran Church, Milford Mondays—6:30 – 8:30 at Okoboji Lakes Bible Conference Center, Arnolds Park

13 weeks—Attend any or all of them. Schedule is on bulletin kiosk at LP and on the table at Harris

More information can be found at www.griefshare.org

April Harris Birthdays 2 Rachelle Bosma

10 Jeni Good

14 Barb Schomaker

22 Bill Boles

23 Betty Dillehay

27 Taylor Jerousek

April LP Birthdays 1 Jan Mitchell

1 Deb Schroeder

1 Abbie Oleson

2 Nicholas Cornwall

2 Doug Griese

2 Jeff Grussing

2 Ann Perry

3 Bob Gunderson

3 Alexandra Oleson

5 Peg Gunderson

6 Sally Gallagher

8 Nathan Schultz

9 Deanna Rowe

9 Adam Winters

10 Jamie Gilmore

10 Doug Goodell

11 Steve Krummen

11 Nick Bradley

12 Jordan Kyle

12 Julie Stahly

13 Mariah Gath

14 Mark Garms

15 Gerald Murphy

15 Ann Newbrough

15 Steve Winters

16 Amber Ingwersen

16 Elaine Morphew

16 Charlana Gubbins

16 Sydney Rahe

16 Emma Watje

17 Aleene Worrick

17 Duane Voss

18 Mary Herbert

20 Bailey Heikens

20 Erma Christensen

21 Sara Joens

21 Brandie Martin

22 Kim Ahrenstorff

23 Ryan Mann

23 Scott Rueter

24 Braeton Nitzschke

24 Grady Gallagher

24 Tom Weltzin

25 Braedin Nebelsick

26 Ty Ahrenstorff

26 Lori Sheeler

26 Amanda Weltzin

27 Jana Zahren

28 Brooklyn Ferguson

29 Jacob Johnson

29 Alice Von Holdt April Harris Anniversaries 17 Keith & Dee Klaassen

April LP Anniversaries 1 Pat & Shirley Gillespie

5 Tom & Lil Jansen

6 Jarrod & Cari Wallace

14 Don & Deb Schroeder

15 Doug & Dawn Goodell

16 Ben & Jolene Ehlers

22 Mel & Julie Zevenbergen

Save the Date!

Vacation Bible School

June 3—All Day—Harris UMC

Apr. 2 – 5th Sunday in Lent Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11, John 11;1-45

Apr. 9 – Palm Sunday

Liturgy of the Palms Matthew 21:1-11, Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Liturgy of the Passion Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-27

Apr. 10 – Monday of Holy Week Isaiah 42;1-9, Psalm 36;5-11 Hebrews 9:11-15, John 12:1-11 April 11 – Tuesday of Holy Week Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 71:1-14 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, John 12:20-36 Apr. 12 – Wednesday of Holy Week Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 70 Hebrews 12:1-3, John 13:21-32

Apr. 13 – Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-14, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-7, 31b-35 Apr. 14 – Good Friday

Isaiah 52:13—53:12, Psalm 22 Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1—19:42

Apr. 15 – Holy Saturday Job 14:1-4, Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 1 Peter 4;1-8, Matthew 27:57-66 Apr. 16 – Easter Day Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-18 Apr. 23 – 2nd Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14a, 22-32, Psalm 16 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31 Apr. 30 – 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14a, 36-41, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35

Let’s continue learning about more new books that the United Methodist Women purchased earlier this year. Keep in mind that you are invited to check out these books and read about finding God in broken places, how the unlikely lineage of Jesus reveals God’s amazing love, and experiencing adventure and purpose later in life. Deb Morrow, Church Librarian

Gary Chapman and Chris Fabry search the Scriptures for examples of God’s grace in the lives of those named in Jesus’ lineage, but what they find are people with faults, foibles, and sins, just like the rest of us. So obviously, grace is not about doing everything exactly right. It is a gift… an astonishing gift given by God. In Extraordinary Grace: How the Unlikely Lineage of Jesus Reveals God’s Amazing Love (A Large Print Edition), you will hear the call of grace; laugh because of grace; apply grace; be overtaken by grace; and know the extraordinary grace that comes from loving Jesus”. (Taken from book blurb.)

Amber Haines is a woman haunted by God. Like Eve in the Garden, she craved the fruit that she thought would lead her to freedom. But the whispers of temptation led her instead down a path of isolation, dissatisfaction, and life-altering choices. In her most broken moment, Amber met God waiting for her in the fallout, freely offering her grace and life.” Wild in the Hollow: On Chasing Desire & Finding the Broken Way Home is the brave story that beckons us to wholeness and healing.

(Taken from book blurb.)

In Launch Your Encore: Finding Your Adventure & Purpose Later in Life, (A Large Print Edition) Hans Finzel and Rick Hicks show boomers how to enter this new stage of life poised for personal satisfaction and contributions to society. With real-life examples of people who have made the transition from full-time work to volunteering, ministry, or even second careers, Launch Your Encore shows boomers how to make an impact later on in life. (Taken from book blurb.)

Harris UMC is accepting donations of food for the Osceola County Upper Des Moines now through Sun., April 16th. Items needed: canned chicken or tuna, muffin mixes, cake mixes, hamburger helper or tuna helper, diaper wipes, laundry detergent.

They DO NOT need canned vegetables or soup.

Sunday Bible Readings

LP Sunday School purchases more animals for Heifer, Int.!

✓ 2 flocks of chickens ✓ 1 trio of rabbits ✓ 1 hive of bees ✓ 1 goat ✓ 1 water buffalo

For more than 70 years Heifer International has

partnered with and helped communities.

They’ve worked in 125 countries to attain

sustainable livelihoods through community-owned interventions.

Heifer, Int. has helped 25 million families lift

themselves out of hunger and poverty.

Nearly one billion people around the world still live

in extreme poverty.

Worship through Music Middle/High School Choir sang two numbers during worship on March 12. They performed “Sing to the Lord” and “He is Exalted,” directed by Shelley Heikens, accompanied by Jeanine Gunderson.

Cabbage growing in field

Fence of cactus keeps animals out

Washing clothes and

bathing in the river.

Mission Trip to Haiti with Crosswinds Church, Spirit Lake.

Scott Rueter & Payton Ahrenstorff attended from LP UMC.

Church building

90 kids in Bible School

Pouring concrete Baptized by Pastor Emmanuel at Harris UMC on March 26 was McKenzie Mae Tigges, daughter of Brett and Leah Tigges.

Grandparents are Mark and Julie Dillehay and great-grandmother is Betty Dillehay, all of the Harris UMC.

Welcome to your church family, Mckenzie!

Filling water

containers

at well

20 couples attended the Marriage Conference

Baking bread

in rock oven

Distributing rice & beans

More from Haiti

Finished handicap ramp

Painting at Martin Lutero Universidad

Mission trip to Jalapa, Nicaragua –

Feb. 2017 with Iowa UMC

Volunteers in Mission

Attending from LP UMC Gary & Judy

Taber and Emma Niswander.

Cutting out

patterns

VBS