March/April 2019

O U R M I S S I O N :

L O V E G O D , L O V E N E I G H B O R , T R A N S F O R M T H E W O R L D

119 E. Main Street

P. O. Box 601

Panora, IA 50216

(641) 755-2655

Email: pumc@netins.net

Pastor

Robyn Plocher

319-415-6593

pastorpumc@netins.net

Panora United Methodist Church

Sunday Service

9:30 a.m. Worship Service

FaithSeeker’s Sunday

School returns in

September

Nursery Available

Robyn’s Column Keep on Keepin’ OnAt a recent pastor’s meeting I was encouraged when a

few individuals pointed out that in difficult times, when ministry is its most de-

manding and it seems like things are falling apart you can bet that God is at

work. God is in the business of redeeming. God saves us from our own mess-

es! And it is kind of a messy right now in the United Methodist Church.

In the midst of the messiness local churches just like ours are still keepin’ on

keepin’ on. We keep on putting one foot in front of the other to be the people

God has called us to be. We keep on embracing and fulfilling the ministries that

define us as a congregation:

3C’s Children’s Clothes Closet: Provides gently-used clothing for infants

through high school. This ministry is the passion of several of our church mem-

bers who volunteer long hours to sort and organize donations and to work on

distribution days. Contact Mary Kay Hamilton, 641.755.2290 for more infor-

mation.

Music Ministry! Keyboardist! Stringed instruments! Chime choir! Chancel

Choir! Praise Singers! And so much more. We are truly blessed to have such

wonderfully talented musicians to bless our time of worship.

Missions & Outreach Galore!

Change a Child’s Story. Did you know that we don’t have to provide summer

lunches this year? The Panorama School District is going to be providing

lunches in all 5 communities in the District 5 days a week! I celebrate that our

ministry may have had a role in inspiring the schools decision to act on this

need at this time.

Did you know? Brad and Kim Campbell will again be with us this fall to share

the wonders and miracles God is doing through their ministry in Ethiopia, Roma-

nia and Greece. (Hopefully in September!)

Did you know? PUMC may become a new partner/sponsor of the former Yale

UMC Panorama Back Pack Program. What a ministry opportunity!

Worship and Prayer. Dynamic and relevant preaching, weekly “Discipleship

Challenges” and inspiring music are the hallmark of our worship services. An

active prayer chain and remarkable prayer warriors keep us centered on the

things that matter most. “We are One Body in this One Lord.”

Yes. We have faced some challenges in the first six months of 2019, but God is

with us. Vital ministries of making disciples for the transformation of the world

are happening right here at PUMC! So get all excited and tell everybody that

Jesus Christ is alive and well at Panora United Methodist Church! And keep on

keepin’ on.

Pastor Robyn

Inside this Issue

Welcome New Mem-

bers

Gift Card Challenge

4 One Quartet

What does it mean to

be United Methodist

2

2

2

2

Safe Sanctuaries

Youth Mission Trip

Palm Sunday Pictures

3

3

3

Serving Our Church

Schedule for Chimes &

Choir

UMW

VBS

4

4

4

4

The State of Denomina-

tion

Sabbath

5

5

Calendar 6

Relay for Life 7

March/April 2019

Page 2

Gift Card Challenge

Sunday, May 26, you are invited to bring one or more gift

cards (suggested $20 each) to place in the offering plates.

After being dedicated with prayer, some of these gift cards will go to Des Moines with Pastor Robyn

where on Sunday, June 9th, they will be given as love gifts to others. Every person at Annual Confer-

ence will be participating. Our goal is to blanket the city with unconditional gifts of love (no strings at-

tached) as the Holy Spirit leads us. One person may give the card to a family eating lunch to help

pay for their lunch. Another may take their cards to a hospital and give them to patient families or

other visitors. It is really a Holy Spirit led thing.

The balance of the cards will remain here. After worship on June 9, at the same time we are blanket-

ing Des Moines with these gifts, you are invited to take gift cards out in to the community and give

them away. Remember, this is an unconditional gift. Freely given. No strings attached.

This has the potential to be a mighty witness, not only to the gospel, but to the love and mission of the

people called United Methodist. It is a witness to all that though differences divide us we are still unit-

ed in Christian love and mission.

Jon & Rita King, transfer from Guthrie Center UMC

Scott & Joan Fredrickson, transfer from Yale UMC

4 One Quartet

Date: Sunday, May 19

Time: 9:30 a.m.

Location: Panora United Methodist Church

119 E. Main Street

PUMC is a very diverse congregation. Some of us know a great deal about

what it means to be a United Methodist and some of know very little. Some of

us haven’t thought about it much since we or our children were confirmed in

the faith and joined the Methodist or United Methodist Church. Some of us

have been members for decades and some of us are just considering joining

the church. However it is for you, you now have the opportunity to learn what

it means to be a United Methodist as a refresher course or for the first time.

Starting June 2nd I will teach “What Does it Mean to Be United Methodist?” –

a one hour class held after worship. Subsequent classes will be held quarter-

ly. Bring your coffee and cookies downstairs and join me. All are welcome!

March/April 2019

Page 3

Holy Week Services

What is “Safe Sanctuaries”? Quite simply, Safe Sanctuaries is a commit-

ment to ensure that the children and youth to whom we minister are pro-

tected from any form of abuse or exploitation. The Safe Sanctuary train-

ing and policies implemented by the church are not at all unlike those put

in place by other organizations, such as schools or Boy and Girl Scout

Troops. PUMC adopted a Safe Sanctuary Child and Youth Protection

Policy as early as September, 2012. It appears that policy was updated at

some point, but in recent years ongoing compliance and training have

been neglected.

Therefore, we will hold a Safe Sanctuaries training for all church volunteers who work with youth

or may work with youth in the future. We are intentionally holding this prior to VBS, so all our VBS

volunteers should attend. While Faith Bible has their own requirements for VBS volunteers, I believe

it is only due diligence to hold our training before the VBS week.

Training will be on Wednesday, June 19th

. We will start at 6:30 p.m.

Please contact Pastor Robyn to confirm you will attend.

Faith Bible Church and their Associate Pastor Keith Langley will be sponsoring a Youth Mission Trip this summer to Chicago June 19 through 14. Shanell Wagler invited Pastor Keith to speak to the Faithseeker youth group to see if anyone was interested, and there are several FBC kids going as well as Abby Holloway from our church. They will have a week of activities including a day of Children's ministry, a day with the homeless, participating in work projects involving a playground,

and a day of Urban Plunge. The Plunge will include riding the train, a museum, riding the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, and possibly a Chicago-Style hotdog or two!

There will be a couple of fundraising opportunities, the first one will be a Mission Trip Taco Feast at Faith Bible Church on May 5, 11:00-12:00.

The trip is through the organization called Adventures in Missions. The organization is interdenomi-national, but seek to keep the main thing the main thing - which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Please keep this trip and the youth in your prayers for a safe and meaningful trip!

March/April 2019

Page 4

Serv ing Our Church

Greeters for May: May 5 Charles & Denise Brobst May 12 Bob & Barb Vandeventer May 19 Shirley Dungan May 26 Jay & Sue Merryman Greeters for June: Jun 2 Brian, Melissa, Avery,& Braden Bahrenfuss Jun 9 Dave & Mary Beidelman Jun 16 Dave & Sue Thompson Jun 23 Don & Mary Kay Hamilton Jun 30 Heidi Clark & Mary Kenney

Schedule for

Chimes and Choir

May 16 6:30pm Chimes Practice May 19 9:30am Chimes Play May 23 6:30pm Choir Practice May 26 9:30am Choir Sings Jun 6 6:30pm Chimes Practice Jun 9 9:30am Chimes Play Jun 20 6:30pm Choir Practice Jun 23 9:30am Choir Sings

UMW Calendar

May 20 —UMW meeting at 7:00pm June —No Meeting

Hostess: Linda Dahl

Co-Hostess: Julie Zajicek

Lesson: Pastor Robyn

2019 Vacation Bible School

Make your VBS the mane event! This epic African adventure engages the whole herd.

At Roar, kids explore God’s goodness and celebrate a

ferocious faith that powers them through this wild life.

2019 Vacation Bible School

Panorama Community Wide Event

July 14-17, 6:00pm—8:30pm

Grades entering: Kindergarten—5th

Location: Panorama Elementary School

Several Panora Community Churches participating

NEW THIS YEAR! A light meal will be served each night.

2019 Vacation Bibanor2019 Vacation Bible School Panorama Community Wide Kindergarten - 5th

REGISTER AT: https://www.vbspro.events/p/events/panoravbs2019

March/April 2019

Page 5

The State of the Denomination – An Update

For links to additional on line information about any of these items, please contact Pastor

Robyn.

Fact: The Modified Traditional Plan passed by a vote of 438 (Yes) to 384 (No).

Fact: 2/3 of the delegates from the U.S. voted against the Traditional Plan

Adam Hamilton, respected author, teacher and pastor of the 4-campus Church of the Resurrection

(Leawood, KS) he and his churches will not be governed by the Traditional Plan.

The Western Jurisdiction of the United States has stated they will not follow The Traditional Plan.

German United Methodists agree they will not impose the penalties laid out in The Traditional Plan

United Methodist in Norway petition for their own plan which

recognizes LGBTQ marriage and ordination, as well

as possibly leaving the denomination.

The International Wesley Covenant Association (proponent

of the Traditional Plan) responds to reactions to the General

Conference Decision. The Association favors acknowledging

that the denomination faces “irreconcilable differences”

and should split/divorce.

Dr. Jerry Kulah, Liberian delegate to General Conference, forcefully advocates that 2/3 of the U.M.

Church in the U.S. should “move out of our connection officially, respectfully, amicably and lovingly

and start a new church for LGBTQIA+ people.” Dr. Kulah claims to speak for the entire continent of

Africa.

The United Methodist Church is going through something very akin to the days that precede a marital

separation / divorce. I believe the facts above make it clear that while we may be uncomfortable and

wish the “irreconcilable differences” did not exist and the whole issue would just go away, the one thing

we cannot do is ignore what is happening and pretend it doesn’t matter.

This is a hard time to be a United Methodist Christian. We do not yet know what the future holds or

what we shall become, but we will walk through these difficult days together. I will be your guide and

companion. We will have opportunities to speak and, perhaps even more importantly, to listen to one

another, for we are not all of one mind or heart. We are, however, all children of One True God. We are

all sinners standing in the need of grace. We are all pilgrims trying to find our way. God is with us. Dare

we even believe that God is at work within our Church, doing a new thing?

“While we may be uncomfortable

and wish the ‘irreconcilable

differences’ did not exist…one

thing we cannot do is ignore what

is happening and pretend it

doesn’t matter.”

SABBATH to stop, to cease, or to keep. Its theological meaning is

rooted in God's rest following the six days of creation (Gen 2:2-3 )

Your Pastor and her husband receive and celebrate the gift of

Sabbath on Sundays as often as possible. There are four compo-

nents to our Sabbath: worship, rest (no cooking or other household

chores), time in creation and time with family. Thank you for under-

standing our commitment to observe Sabbath.

March/April 2019

May 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1

2 3 4

5 9:30am Family Church

6

7 1:00pm Women’s Bible

Study at Lakeside Village

8

6:15pm Youth Group

1:30pm Grief Support

Group Meeting

9

10

11

12

9:30am Senior Recogni-

tion

Mother’s Day

13

14 1:00pm Women’s Bible

Study at Lakeside Village

15 6:15pm Youth Group

1:30pm Grief Support

Group Meeting

6:00pm Baccalaureate

16 6:30pm Chimes Practice

17 18

19 9:30am Chimes Play

9:30am 4 One Quartet

20 7:00pm UMW Meeting

21 1:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Lakeside Village

22 6:15pm Youth Group

1:30pm Grief Support

Group Meeting

23

6:30pm Choir Practice

10:00am Worship at

Panora Specialty Care

24

25

26

9:30am Choir Sings

9:30am Gift Card Sunday

27

28 1:00pm Women’s Bible

Study at Lakeside Village

29 6:15pm Youth Group

30

31

June 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1

2

3

4

1:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Lakeside Village

5 6:15pm Youth Group

6

6:30pm Chimes Practice

7 8

9

9:30am Chimes Play

10

11

1:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Lakeside Village

12 6:15pm Youth Group

13

14

15

16 9:30am Children’s

Father’s Day

17

18

1:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Lakeside Village

19 6:15pm Youth Group 6:30pm Safe Sanctuary Meeting

20

6:30pm Choir Practice

21 22

23 9:30am Choir Sings

30

24 25 1:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Lakeside Village

26 27

10:00am Worship at

Panora Specialty Care

28 29

Page 6

March/April 2019

O u r M i s s i o n :

L o v e G o d , L o v e N e i g h b o r ,

T r a n s f o r m t h e W o r l d

Panora United Methodist Church

119 E. Main, P. O. Box 601

Panora, IA 50216

Phone: 641-755-2655

email: pumc@netins.net

website: www.panoraumc.org

Relay For Life

RELAY FOR LIFE will be held Saturday, June 22 at Guthrie County

Fairgrounds Event Center in Guthrie Center. We are asked to donate a

minimum of 5 pies for auction and five decorated cakes for a cake walk.

Cake Walk starts at 5 p.m.

Pie Auction starts at 7 p.m.

All funds raised go to The American Cancer Society.