ANNOUNCEMENTS

Men’s Zoom Group-via Zoom this Sunday, Feb14 at

11:30am. See page 6 of today’s update to clink on the link.

If you have any questions you can contact Bob Hendley @

bobhendley88@gmail.com or 616-446-1826.

Ash Wednesday Service On-Line Only-Wednesday,

February 17 @ 7:00pm.

Mobile Food Truck This Wednesday, February 17-@ 4:00 in

the church parking lot.

Chancel Flowers-If you would like to provide silk flowers for

the altar please call the office 429-5911 or email:

stevensvillechurch@gmail.com The cost is $30.00 and will

be put into the mission fund. We are also going to start

using signup.com. See page 8 of todays update.

Virtual Worship-While the sanctuary may be closed, the

work of the church is not. Sunday morning worship will be

streamed through Facebook each week at 10:00am and is

also accessible through our website. Please reach out if you

have trouble accessing worship on-line, or if you need

prayers or any other kind of support. The church office is

open M,W,Th,F from 9:00am-noon.

email @ stevensvillechurch@gmail.com or 429-5911

Zoom With Pastor David Sunday’s @ 11:00am - See page

7 of today’s update for the link to join.

STEVENSVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

February 14, 2021

Live Stream on Facebook at 9:55am

or click the link on our webpage: www.stevensville-umc.org

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Prayer

Opening Hymn: “Holy Ground”

Children’s Time: Thad DeForest

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-45 Lector - Karen Pallas

Message: “Transformissional” Pastor David

Musical Praise: “Light of the World” B.A.S.I.C.

Call to Prayer: “Majesty”

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn: “O Jesus You Were Born to Be”

Blessing

Postlude/Credits

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January 27, 2021

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Earlier this week, the SUMC Administrative Council made the decision to begin a phased-in approach for returning to in-

person activities. The detailed plan is included with this letter, but highlights include:

• Gatherings must be limited to no more than 10 adults or no more than 20 youth.

• Activities should ideally last no more than 45 minutes. If more time is required, the activity will need to move to a second

location after 45 minutes.

• Strict safety protocols must be followed, including use of masks, social distancing of at least 6 feet, and cleaning and

sanitizing of the facility at the end of an activity.

It is our hope to return to in-person worship on Sunday, February 21, however this is not a final decision. Restaurants in Michi-

gan can reopen next week, and we want to see if that changes the trajectory of the virus in our county. A final determination

will be announced during the worship service on February 14. This was not an easy decision to make. According to the current

Epidemic Order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, non-residential gatherings are limited to no

more than 10 people from no more than 2 households. Allowing small groups to gather at the church in person goes against

this order, however the order does contain an exemption stating that churches will not be punished for violating the order. In

the past, we have not been willing to violate such orders, and our decision to do so this time was not made lightly.

One of the things that has always made SUMC special is how much we care for and about each other. While we're all handling

the social impacts of COVID-19 differently, there is no doubt that it is taking a toll on everyone's mental health to some de-

gree, and we are deeply concerned about the emotional wellbeing of those in our church family. One thing this pandemic has

taught us is that human connection is vital, and quite honestly, something that we had always taken for granted. Prolonged

isolation is not healthy for anyone, and for many people the church plays an important role in helping them to connect with

others. That was the driving force behind our decision to allow in-person gatherings to resume.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach out to Pastor David or myself. My email

address is rachel.anne.wade@gmail.com, or my phone number is (269) 757-2425

Sincerely

Rachel Wade

Administrative Council

David F. Hills

Pastor

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We Gather Together to Ask the Lord’s Blessing

(or “how to plan a ministry activity at SUMC”)

January 2021 update

Get Set for a Great Activity (or “what to do before your activity”):

• The first thing to decide is what kind of ministry activity you want to put together. If you need help, please reach out to

Pastor David or anyone on staff for ideas and inspiration. Once you land on an activity, send an email to Pastor David to

let him know what you plan to offer, so that he can keep a running list of all of our opportunities!

• The second thing to decide is whether your activity will take place virtually, in person, or a mixture of both. Members of

the congregation are welcome to use the church Zoom account to host virtual activities. To schedule a block of time on

Zoom, please contact Pastor David (dfhills@gmail.com or 429-5911). In-person gatherings need to be held to a maxi-

mum of 10 adults or 20 youth, but the Zoom capacity is much greater. If technology is a challenge for some of your par-

ticipants, consider using a hybrid approach where a few people gather in person and the rest join via Zoom.

• If your activity needs to be in-person, decide where your activity will take place – in Faith Hall, the gathering area, the sanctuary, the basement, or outside. To reserve your space, contact Sandy Krieg in the church office (stevensvillechurch@gmail.com or 429-5911).

• We strongly encourage that all activities last no more than 45 minutes in total. If more time is absolutely necessary,

plan ahead so that you can move to a different section of the church once you hit the 45-minute mark.

• Allowing the HVAC system to have enough time to circulate fresh air into the church is an important part of our plan to

keep people safe. To make sure this can happen, there will be a minimum of 30 minutes in between activities that hap-

pen in the same area of the building.

• Preferably, only one activity would happen in the church at any given time. But if scheduling overlaps cannot be avoid-

ed, we can accommodate three activities as long as they happen in very separate areas of the church (separate areas

include Faith Hall, the sanctuary or gathering space, and the basement

• Make sure to let people know about your activity! Contact Sandy Krieg to get your information into the weekly update,

or to have it shared through the church website or Facebook page.

• Be sure to remind your group about our safety protocols. Everyone needs to wear a face mask and maintain a six-food

distance. If in doubt, imagine Pastor David laying on the floor in between you, and that should suffice!

Enjoy the Fellowship (or “what do to during your activity”):

• Make a list of those who participate. Sandy Krieg has a template that you are welcome to use. This will help with con-

tact tracing (which we hope never needs to happen). It’s also an important way to keep tabs on who is participating, so

that we know who we might need to reach out to in other ways. Staying connected to people is really important right

now, and we want to make sure that everyone in our church has an opportunity to do just that.

• We know how important food is to a United Methodist gathering. Ideally, people would bring their own snacks and

drinks, if the activity allows for that. If you want to provide snacks or drinks, make sure that everything comes in pre-

packaged individual servings.

Wrapping it Up (or “what to do after your activity”):

• Cleaning and sanitizing are another important part of our safety plan. When your activity is done, wipe down any sur-

faces that were touched (chairs, tables, light switches, doorknobs, etc.). This shouldn’t take too long, and it will go even

faster if the whole group pitches in! Cleaning supplies will be placed in a prominent location in the basement, the gath-

ering space, Faith Hall, and the sanctuary. If you notice supplies running low, please let Sandy Krieg know.

• Most of us don’t want the fellowship to end, but it’s really important that we remember that 45-minute timeframe.

Encourage your group to not linger in the building – chit chatting in the parking lot is ok!

• Remember the attendance list you made? Be sure to get that to Sandy Krieg once your activity is done. You can email it

to her, or drop it in the box on the office door.

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Lenten Taste and See Study

If you are looking for an intentional practice this Lent perhaps you would be interested in engaging with

Divine God, Biblical scripture, food, and others in the study of “Taste and See” by Margaret Feinberg.

Rev. Debi VanDenBoom will be facilitating two groups for six weeks prior to Holy Week 2021. Starting on

Saturday, February 20 there will be two times to choose from the first gathering will start at 4pm EST/3pm

CST meeting for an hour and a half. The second gathering will begin at 6pm EST/5pm CST and will also last

an hour and a half.

The invitation is for the congregations at Trinity UMC, Madison, WI, and Stevensville UMC, Stevensville, MI

so you might have an opportunity to meet new study partners on the other side of Lake Michigan.

Click here for a sneak peek at the study.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUv_RohdDzc

For the fullest experience in this study each participant will probably want to purchase a copy of the

participant book: ISBN 978-0-310-35486-4

Taste and See: “Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers & Fresh Food Makers” by: Margaret Feinberg

Please be sure to send Rev. Debi your email confirmation at tiaraedwarrior@gmail.com

She will reply by adding you to the group you choose to participate with and will email you the Zoom link

for that group.

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HEALTH CONCERNS:

June Avery

Jan Bickers

Rodger Bittner

Barb Bittner

Claire Hills

Sara Collins

Janet Crawford

Tammy Green

Dianna Hartman

Shirley Hetfield

Janet Kilgore

Larry Klett

Pam Lukey

Mike Melcher

Ron Momany

Mick Pries

Jim Seagren

Larry Shadle

Pat Steenbergh

Carol Svorec

Myra Thompson

Judy VanDerAue

Tamara Williams

SHUT-INS:

Jo Cupp

Donna Dorgelo

Shirley Ehman

Eleanor Koebel

Grace Park

Norma Ray

Linda Sommers

Dan & Sally Streick

MISSIONARIES IN THE FIELD:

Caleb Dormah—in Liberia

Delbert & Sandy Groves—in

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Prayer Concerns

• Prayers of healing and strength for Janet Crawford as she continues her chemotherapy treatments.

• Prayers for Amanda Rush’s dad Jim Seagren who has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and has been in the hospital

at Lakeland.

• Prayers of continued healing for Barb Bittner who fell at home and is recovering from surgery.

• Prayers of continued healing for Donna Dorgelo who had ankle surgery from a fall that resulted in a fracture of her fibula.

• Prayers for Linda Sommers who is in hospice care.

• Prayers for Eva Morgan and her family on the death of her sister .

• Prayers for Marilyn Stocking’s son Joe is struggling to heal from COVID.

• Prayers for Tammy Green’s cousin Kristy Suiter and family on the death of her husband from a heart attack.

Prayers for Bette Mallen who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

MEN’S STUDY GROUP FEBRUARY 14,2021

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86200886852?pwd=Y2hubTNObldZc1N5Z1YvaUF3azVQQT09

CLICK ON LINK

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A message from your Caring Ministry Team,

“A friend loves at all times “. Proverbs 17:17. Yes, we do-

with God, with each other, in-person, virtually. So, here is a

friendly question. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Noah.

Noah Who? Noah good place to take someone for

Valentine’s Day? Whatever you do, have a friendly and

heartfelt day.

Sharon Foxworthy, Caring Ministry Team

The next Mobile Food Pantry will be

here Wednesday February 17 @ 4:00 in

the church parking lot. Please consider

volunteering for this wonderful mission.

If you have any questions please contact

Kellie Meyer at 930-3540 or Wanda

Barclay @ 876-0564 for details.

Join Pastor David this Sunday at 11:00 on Zoom. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy some fellowship time!

Click on the link under the zoom picture or you can

dial in by phone.

Meeting ID: 811 9947 3266

Passcode: 5506

Or, Dial by your location

ZOOM WITH

PASTOR DAVID

This Sunday, January 7, 2021 @ 11:00 am

Join ZOOM HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81199473266?

pwd=RmZYL1psWXI4QjdaYjNQWmprWHBjZz09

CLICK ON LINK HERE

FEB 1 FEB 15

Louise Boelcke Darl Williams

FEB 4 FEB 16

Judy Miller Jan Bickers

FEB 5 Char Marko

James Maier FEB 17

Farai Rukunda Barb Keeler

FEB 7 FEB 22

Gordie Barry Jeremiah Burkett

Garrett DaHaven Michael Logan

Owen Wade Paul Shuette

FEB 9 FEB 24

Sandy Krieg Carley Dubbert

Tom Russell FEB 26

FEB 10 Jessica Lewis

Joshua Margherone FEB 28

FEB 11 Pam Lukey

Marion Maier Robin Lydic

FEB 14

Richard Stauffer

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MISSION FOCUS FOR FEBRUARY - FEEDING THE HUNGRY

The Mission Focus for February is feeding

hungry people in our surrounding

community. While it would be nice to

believe that hunger is only a problem

“elsewhere” in other poor and impoverished

communities, the reality is that seen or

unseen, there are hungry people closer than we know. In the

Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples and others

following him that those who will inherit the Kingdom of God

are those who saw him hungry and fed him. In response his

followers ask; “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed

you?” Jesus responds “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one

of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it

to me.” When we give to help feed those who are hungry Je-

sus says it is as if we are feeding Him. Doing so is yet another

way for us to extend the Lord’s table. Rather than name a

single specific recipient, the Missions Committee is asking for

your support of a variety of hunger programs in our

community, leaving us some flexibility to give funds where

most needed. Programs we plan to support include, but are

not limited to: Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen, Breakfasts at the

Women and Family Shelter, and Supper at Boys & Girls Clubs

Summer programs in Benton Harbor.

MISSION TEAM MEMBERS

Mindi Logan, Wanda Barclay co-chairs; Barb Clark, Jessica

Lewis, Kellie Meyer, Leanne Nitz, Amanda Rush, Lona Vogie,

Robin Weingart, Sally McWhirter,

Jackie Witt.

Altar Flower Dedications

Our Altar Flowers are silk arrangements done by Robin Weingart. Cost is $30.00 and the money goes towards

Missions. You can sign-up two different ways. You can call the church @ 429-5911 or click on this link:

https://signup.com/go/ijogtOy

By clicking on the link you will be taken to signup.com where you can choose which Sunday you would like to

donate through 2021. Your check can be made out to SUMC and mailed to the church with a note in the memo

section “Altar Flowers”. Let me know if you should have any questions.

Thank you! Sandy Krieg

Ash Wednesday Live Stream Service February 17 at

7:00pm

Our Ash Wednesday service will be run in the same manner as our

Sunday services have been. It will be on Facebook and YouTube at

7:00pm on Wednesday, February 17 @ 7:00pm. In

preparation for that service, we have made ashes and

communion elements available for you if you so desire to use them. They can be

picked up during church office hours on Monday, Wednesday this up coming week

from 9am-12 noon or on Tuesday evening from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at door

#10. If you would like these items but are unable to pick up, please contact the office

at 269-429-5911 and leave that message and someone will gladly deliver them to you.

Thank you from the SUMC Worship Team

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