lisbon united methodist august 2020
TRANSCRIPT
August 2020, Page 1
F r o m Y o u r P a s t o r :
Lis
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A U G U S T 2 0 2 0A U G U S T 2 0 2 0A U G U S T 2 0 2 0A U G U S T 2 0 2 0
T H E L A M P L I G H T E RT H E L A M P L I G H T E RT H E L A M P L I G H T E RT H E L A M P L I G H T E R
I n s i d e t h i s
i s s u e :
E v e n i n g
C i r c l e
G o o d b y e ,
D o t
S c h o o l
S u p p l y
D r i v e
D T P T
L a y L e a d e r
R e p o r t
A n d M U C H
m o r e !
Let Your Heart Take Courage
The Book of Psalms has been called the “prayer book of the Bible.” If I were
asked which Scripture book I turn to most o�en in my �mes of prayer and devo�on,
I would say without any doubt that it is to the psalms. I took an en�re course on this
book in seminary. My very favorite professor, who took a shy student from Maine
under his wing, would turn o�en to Psalm 27 and, when he did, he would say, “Miss
Bachelder, please read this psalm out loud for us.” For that reason, this psalm is
dear to me.
However, its message is all the more dear; I especially love the concluding vers-
es of this psalm en�tled a psalm of “triumphant song of confidence,”:
“I believe that I shall see the goodness of the L���
in the land of the living.
Wait for the L���; be strong, and let your heart
take courage; wait for the L���!”
So o�en in the en�re Book of Psalms we hear of the circumstances and calami-
�es that befall God’s people, Israel. The author of Psalm 27, most likely King David,
rises above the problems that the Israelites encounter to witness to God’s loving
presence and strength. There is no reason for the people of God to be afraid for the
Lord, their God, is with them. Their hearts can take courage.
King David was not the only Biblical character who exhibited great courage in the
face of challenges. The Scriptures are filled with women and men who rose to the
occasion, we might say, and relied on their God
and God’s grace to see them through. Fortunately for us in the centuries that fol-
lowed, their stories were wri2en down that we may learn from them.
In our day and age and in all our circumstances, our hearts can take courage
with the knowledge and assurance that, like all of those Biblical characters and peo-
ple of faith – big faith and li2le faith – gone before us, we need not be afraid. Like
the psalmist, we can see the goodness of the Lord all around us in nature and in one
another, created as we all are in the very image of God.
May we be strong in God’s presence as we con�nue to navigate this unchar-
tered territory which is 2020. May our hearts take courage that God, our beloved,
forgiving, nurturing, magnificent God IS with us!
God’s blessings, Pastor Elizabeth
August 2020, Page 2
Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ, he is a
new crea$on; old
things have passed
away; behold, all
things have become
new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
E V E N I N G C I R C L E
On July 14th, nine mem-
bers gathered in my gar-
age, due to showers out-
side, to say goodbye to
Dot Rice, who will be
moving August 1st to Vir-
ginia. Dot has been so
ac�ve with our group over
the past 15 years, we felt
we just had to do a li2le
to show our apprecia�on
for all her help and hard
work. We will certainly
miss Dot, but wish her
well as she makes this
move. Here is Dot’s new
address for those who
would like to stay in touch
with her.
Dot Rice
1290 Johns Road
Carson, VA 23830
Carolyn Jones
President
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y
Happy Birthday to the following church members celebra�ng a birthday in August!!
(f you know someone to be added to our list please let Erica Soie2 know)
1- Dot Rice 13- Dean H. Logan
3- Chris Crosman 15- Norm Palmer
10- Clyde Vasel 17- Rachel Morse
Donald Wile 24- Vivian Dudar
11- Ginny Barden 25- Tristan Wile
12- Jen Duley
Liz Sawyer
August 2020, Page 3
N E I G H B O R S H E L P I N G N E I G H B O R S A N N U A L L U C M 5 K W A L K / R U N
In a world absent of Covid-19, this year would have marked the fi�h annual Neighbors Helping
Neighbors Annual LUMC 5K Walk/Run. However, given all of the difficul�es of our present days, we will
not be having the walk/run this year. One of the mainstays of our previous events has been the signifi-
cant dona�ons of our area businesses which help to offset the cost and, along with par�cipants’ regis-
tra�on fees, allow us to make a generous dona�on to area ministries. Given the economic circumstanc-
es of those businesses, we cannot ask them to support this event this year.
In previous years our walk/run has allowed us to donate to both the LACO food pantry and Tedford
Housing’s Warm Thy Neighbor program in our commitment to helping our neighbors with both food
and hea�ng costs. We would encourage you to support those deserving ministries and the clients they
serve in whatever ways you can.
As we are hearing so o�en these days, see you next year!
S C H O O L S U P P L Y D R I V E
The Evening Circle will be collec�ng back to school supplies for our local school children again this
year. Suggested items to purchase are, pencils, colored pencils, markers, notebooks and cray-
ons. Please hold on to these items un�l we can be back at church. Anyone in the church is welcome to
contribute to this project.
Thank you for your help!
Carolyn Jones
N E W M I N I S T I R E S S T A R T E D D U R I N G T H E P A N D E M I C
When COVID-19 brought a halt to the plans that the DTP team had, we had to find new ways to s�ll be
the church. In May two new ministries began- card ministry and senior meals. Both ministries have
been very successful and well received.
In three months over 400 cards have been sent to local long-term facili�es. These facili�es include Rus-
sell Park Rehabilita�on & Living Center, Marshwood Center, D’Youville Pavilion, Montello Manor, Mon-
tello Heights, Thornton Hall, The Chapman House, Clover Health Care, Odd Fellows and Rebekahs’, Bol-
ster Heights, Woodlands and Schooner Estates. These cards are very much appreciated. If you know of
anyone that is in anyone of these facili�es let us know. We would be happy to address a card to a par-
�cular resident.
Twice a month we have been delivering meals to a group of 16 folks. The meals are appreciated, but
more so are the visits and knowing that we have not forgo2en some of Lisbon’s most vulnerable ci�-
zens. Friendships are forming and conversa�ons are beginning. It’s also a means of checking in with
these folks who are living alone and are feeling isolated due to the virus. Notes are included with each
meal; recently the note asked if anyone may have a prayer request. That simple note has prompted
many prayer requests.
If you have any ques�ons regarding either of these ministries, let us know. It’s exci�ng to know that
even during these difficult �mes, we are s�ll being good disciples for Jesus.
August 2020, Page 4
G O O D - B Y E , D O T
Many of you are aware that we will be saying good-bye to one of the beloved members of our
church family in the coming weeks. Dot Rice is embarking on a new adventure by moving to Vir-
ginia with her family. We will miss you incredibly, Dot, and thank you for your ministry with us,
especially as a faithful member of our choir and an integral part of the ministry of LACO. We wish
you God's con�nued blessings as you move and get se2led. Hopefully you will find a new church
family that will appreciate you as much as we do. Please go with our love and prayers and stay in
touch!
Here is a note that Dot would like to share with our church family:
Dear Friends and Neighbors at LUMC,
Most of you know I am moving to an “in-law suite” with my oldest daughter, Bev-
erly Aus$n and her husband Steve. They are returning east a5er a few years in Washing-
ton State. We will be exploring a new area of the country together. The address is 1290
Johns Road, Carson, VA 23830.
Thank you for all the support and ac$vi$es I have had with you. Along with LACO
it is a major part of the good memories I have of 15 years in Maine. Your depar$ng
conversa$ons and encouragement are appreciated.
A shout out to Debbie Griem and the choir. Remember the LACO Valen$ne
Dinner Concert!! We shared a lot of talks, opinions and good humor together. We also
faithfully prac$ced to do our best with what talent God gave us. It was a special
experience.
Best Wishes to One and All,
Dot Rice
F R O M T H E D I S C O V E R I N G T H E P O S S I B I L I T E S T E A M : A G I N G F A I T H F U L L Y
Many of us have heard the phrase “aging gracefully” but what does
“aging faithfully” mean? Here are a few thoughts from the book that the DTP Team is currently read-
ing and discussing, Aging and Ministry in the 21st
Century (Discipleship Resources, 2008, pgs. 63-64).
We pray you may find these insights useful for your journey of faith.
- To age faithfully is to see and know that all of life – at every age and stage – is a gi5 from a lov-
ing, creator God. In the Scriptures we read that we have been created in the image of God. We are
uniquely made and wonderfully formed by God….God’s love for us never ends. In the midst of losses
and challenges of life, aging faithfully means knowing that all of life is a precious gi� of a loving, caring
God.
- To age faithfully is to trust the promises of God. While the specific nature of the promise may
vary, depending on the par�cular needs and circumstances, the fact remains that God’s grace is the
source of God’s promises. To an aging person, the promise is God’s loving presence and
strength….God’s gi� of long life provides for older adults an opportunity to deepen their rela�onship
with God, who promises to love, forgive, bless, and sustain.
August 2020, Page 5
LUMC Mission Statement:
“The Lisbon United Methodist Church welcomes, nurtures, and serves all
people with the love of Christ.”
F R O M T H E D T P T , C O N T .
- To age faithfully is to stand against the cultural prejudice about growing old. The folly of
many older adults is the effort to deny or defy aging, to con�nue worshipping at the shrine of youth
and young adulthood….Relaxing our defenses concerning our wrinkles, graying hair, even our sag-
ging tummies, etc. is the path toward spiritual maturity… To age faithfully means to crea�vely ac-
cept the many changes in our lives and to maintain a spirit that grows healthier and wiser.
- To age faithfully means that we develop a new understanding of self-worth. Throughout our
lives we are taught in countless ways by society that our worth is determined by our produc�vity.
But as mature adults, we are able to affirm the value God placed upon human life, not a worth de-
pendent on the amount or quality of work that a person does…A person’s worth is found in one’s
“being,” not through “having” or “doing.”
- To age faithfully is to be part of a congrega$on that knows that spiritual growth is possible
and relevant for older adults. To be part of a congrega�on that invites and equips older adults for
experiencing a new or renewed rela�onship with God. Older adults, no less than persons of all ages,
need to grow in faith…Without a growing faith, older adults lack the resource of the One who can
give life meaning, purpose, and hope in �mes of fear, loss, and uncertainty.
- To age faithfully means to prac$ce the spiritual disciplines. Praying, reading the Bible,
a2ending and par�cipa�ng in worship, receiving the sacraments of Holy Bap�sm and Holy Commun-
ion, sharing the experiences of faith with others, and mee�ng the needs of others are just some of
the many ways older adults can know and experience faithful aging. As we age faithfully we are in-
vited to hear and respond to the words of Micah: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow
myself before God on high? God has told you, O mortal, what is good: and what does the Lord re-
quire of you but to do jus$ce, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6.6a,
8)
August 2020, Page 6
F R O M Y O U R L A Y L E A D E R
Psalm 107:1-9
Oh, thank God-he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
From the four winds, from the seven seas.
Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
Looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
Staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaus�on.
Then, in your desperate condi�on, you called out to God.
He got you out in the nick of �me;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
That took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
For his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great draughts of water down parched throats;
The starved and hungry got plenty to eat.
The Message transla$on by Eugene Peterson
In this �me of anxiety and frustra�on, I thought it would help to remember that God is always
with us. I know I have been feeling both of these emo�ons a great deal lately. As those feelings
flood in, it is helpful to remember our spiritual history. Psalm 107 was perhaps sung by groups
of pilgrims who came to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the fes�vals, offering thanks for escape
from various dangers. It is good to know that we are not alone and that we are not the only
people of God who have suffered. As we read in the Psalm, God did not leave God’s people.
God will not leave us, either. These past months have seemed very long, and may go on
longer. God is with us in our sense of isola�on just as God was with the people crossing the
desert looking for a new land. Verses 17-22 describe how people were healed from sickness:
Some of you were sick because you’d lived a bad life,
Your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn’t stand the sight of food,
So miserable you thought you'd be be2er off dead.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condi�on;’
He got you out in the nick of �me.
Con�nued on Page 7
August 2020, Page 7
F R O M Y O U R L A Y L E A D E R , C O N T .
He spoke the word that healed you.
That pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank God for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
Tell the world what he’s done-sing it out!
We can look forward to the end of this �me of worldwide illness, when we can thank God for his
miraculous mercy. God loves us, and, as his children, he will take care of us.
Prayer: Lord God, even when it’s tough, even when �me passes slowly and relief seems far
away, may I find within my soul the grace to trust that I am never alone, that you are with me,
now and forevermore. Amen.
Richard Corson, First United Methodist Church,
Campbell, California. 2001 The Upper Room
Disciplines.
Wishing you Blessings and Peace,
Sue White
207-577-8921
New Testament Names Word Search This Bible word search game has 12 answers. They are names of people that you would find in the New Testament.
T I M O T H E U S
S A N A H P E T S
W X W Z R L D P M
L U K E R T E P A
S B T T H O N D R
Z E E Y N T M O K
P P M Z H A T G J
X A W A O L U A P
S U S E J Y R A M
August 2020, Page 8
L i s b o n U n i t e d
M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
14 School Street
Lisbon Falls, Maine 04252
(207)353-4982
Sunday Worship Service
Sunday Worship
9:30 a.m.
Experienced people are ready to provide nursery
care for infants.
Please speak with a greeter.
Office Hours: Monday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Other $mes available by appointment
Friday is the Pastor’s Sabbath day
Office Phone Number: 353-4982
Parsonage Phone Number: 407-4406
Important Contacts:
Pastor: Rev. Elizabeth J. Bachelder Smith
Organist & Choir Director: Debbie Greim
576-8527 [email protected]
Lay Leader: Sue White
Newsle2er Editor: Erica Soie2
212-3713 [email protected]
Custodian: Shane Soie2
212-8316 [email protected]
Public Rela�ons & Web Info: Monica McCusker
754-9569 [email protected]