News and Notes from Grace & Wesley February 20, 2020

The Journey of Lent takes us through key moments in the life and ministry of Jesus. We encounter the Transfiguration,

the healing ministry of Jesus, and the Last Supper, just to name a few. The first Sunday of Lent, however, takes us out

into the wilderness with Jesus (Matt. 21:1-11).

While in the bleak, desert wilderness, Jesus fasts for forty days and forty nights. At the end of his time in the wilder-

ness, Matthew tells us the tempter comes to him and tests Jesus’ faithfulness. Jesus, of course, passes the test, and

journeys to Galilee to begin his ministry.

I find it interesting that Matthew details what happens at the end of Jesus’ time in the wilderness, but glosses over what

happens in the forty days prior to the test. All Matthew tells us is: Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted, he

fasts for forty days and forty nights, and he is famished at the end of these forty days. Have you ever wondered what

Jesus did during those forty days (besides fast)? Did he stay in one spot? Did he wander around? Did he encounter

anyone during his journey? These details are left up to the imagination.

Since Jesus’ time in the wilderness is meant to echo the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness in the Book of Exodus,

I picture him wandering in the wilderness during the 40 days. I imagine him praying and communing with God, all the

while soaking up the desert landscape: feeling the hot sand and blistering, cracked limestone beneath his feet; shield-

ing his face from the sun and wind as it whips sand around his body.

Jesus’ wilderness wandering was much different than Israel’s, however. God forced Israel to wander for forty years in

the wilderness because of their unwillingness to faithfully abide by the commandments, whereas Jesus was able to

demonstrate his complete faithfulness in a matter of forty days. While Israel wandered aimlessly for much of their jour-

ney, regularly losing focus and rebelling against God, Jesus’ wandering had an expressed purpose: preparation for the

ministry God called him to. Jesus completed the desert testing faithfully, even when he was physically and mentally

famished. Jesus succeeded where Israel could not.

The season of Lent is meant to echo Jesus’ time in the wilderness. Lent provides an opportunity for all of us to wander

in the wilderness as we prepare for the ministry God has called us to; however, we have to choose whether or not we

will wander with purpose, as Jesus did. My hope is that all of us will use these upcoming forty days to wander purpose-

fully, with the intention of drawing closer to God.

As I said last month, we will provide multiple opportunities to help aid in purposeful wandering, such as centering our

worship services on Lenten themes and, of course, holding Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. Some people

choose to fast or give something up for Lent, as a reflection of Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness. Others choose to set

aside time every day to read a Lenten devotional and reflect. Still others commit to weekly opportunities to serve the

needy in our community. Whatever shape your wandering takes, my prayer is that we will use these forty days to draw

closer to God and his purposes, for the glory of Christ and his Kingdom.

Pastor Craig Luttrell

Wilderness Wanderings

GRACE & WESLEY February 20, 2020 Page 2

Grace & Wesley Advent Services & Soup Suppers

December 4, 11, & 18 held at Grace at 6:00 PM

So, we set up the soup schedule as follows:

December 4 – Grace

December 11 – Wesley

December 18 – both

March programs released!

Lifetree Café at Wesley

The March schedule for Lifetree Café has been released and we have some great themes coming up.

Week of March 1: "Can This Union Be Saved?" A marriage counselor's advice for our divided country.

Week of March 8: "Reboot Your Life" The art of turning your life around--advice from a "boat person" who started with nothing.

Week of March 15: "Confronting Evil" When Peter Ash, a man with albinism, discovered that there were places in Africa where others with hi condition were routinely killed or dismembered, he set about changing the culture--and saving lives.

Week of March 22: “Laughter is the Best Medicine" Physician

turned stand-up comedian Brad Nieder explains the benefits of laughter---dishes out a dose.

Lifetree Café is offered three times each week. The first is an 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning session at Pies & More. We have a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evening group that meets at Hardee’s. On Friday afternoons a group meets at Kentucky

Ridge on South Kentucky Avenue at 1:00 p.m.

February 26, 6:00 PM at Wesley

Wesley Movie Fellowship for Adults

Saturday, Mach 14, 6 P.M. potluck with movie following

“Breakthrough” (1hr 50min) PG

When her 14-year-old son drowns in a lake, a faithful mother prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed. Based on a true story. Come for the 5:00 P.M. Saturday night worship service and stay for the 6:00 P.M. potluck (bring a dish to share, your own table service and beverage), or just potluck or movie only. Movie is shown in Wesley’s ‘state of the art’ theater which includes theater seats and large screen. The movie will start by 7:00 P.M. Note: There will be no movie in April, but resume on May 9.

Lenten Bible Study

“Jesus”

by Max Lucado

Beginning Wednesday March

4th we will be meeting at Grace

at 6 PM. Sandi Gobeli will be

leading the six week study.

There is a study guide that will be used and there is

also a book that is available. But the study guide is

all that is necessary. Everyone is invited to the

study. Please let Sandi Gobeli know who is plan-

ning to attend so she can order the study guides.

“In this video bible study, Max Lucado reveals that

because Jesus becomes human, it is now possible

for us to see God and hear his voice. If we want to

know what matters to God, all we need to do is look

in the Bible to see what matters to Jesus. If we

want to know what God is doing in our world we

need only ponder the words of Jesus. By learning

more about the person Jesus was and is, we come

to understand more clearly the people we were cre-

ated to be.” The sessions will be “God with us”,

“Friend of Sinners”, “Compassionate Physician”,

“Great Teacher”, “Miracle Worker”, and “Victorious

Sacrifice.”

Don’t forget to

“spring forward”!

Daylight Savings Time

begins on Sunday, March 8!

February 20, 2020 Page 3 GRACE & WESLEY

Next Newsletter Deadline

Have something to put in the next newsletter? Write up an article and get it to the church office! The deadline for the next newsletter is Monday, March 23. (Newsletter will be mailed March 26.)

In the Hospital?

Please be sure to let the church office know if you or a loved one is in the hospi-tal. Pastors and churches don’t have the access to the patient lists that they used to and for some reason there are times when patients don’t show up on

the list.

Bottom line: If you or a loved one is admitted to the hospital and would like a visit from the pastor, call the

church (641-423-6549). Thanks!

Looking for Office Sitters...again!

Yes, that darn secretary is taking off again!

Patty has the opportunity to travel as a

chaperone to Berlin, Prague and Vienna with

her daughter’s City High (Iowa City) orchestra

as they visit and perform in Europe

March 12-20. Please call the office if you can

help out during that time. Thank you!

NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT READS

March 28, 2020, 1:00-3:00 PM

at Grace United Methodist

The North Central District is hosting an All-District Reads and discussion of Foolish Church by Rev. Lee Roorda Schott. You are welcome and encouraged to read the book and to attend book discussions with the author and

dream of a new vision for church communities.

About the book: Messy, raw, and real aren’t the words most of us use when we say what’s

good about our churches. But what if they were? Author Lee Roorda Schott found out, serving Women at the Well, our United Methodist church inside the Iowa women’s prison. A lifelong church person, she discovered more church, and greater faithfulness, in this most unlikely setting, with room for people the church has often overlooked. Foolish Church shares the lessons she has learned there, with the hope that church leaders outside of prison might be inspired, equipped and encouraged to the kind of foolishness that allows the church to live out its call. We’ll explore church charac-terized by honest relationships, protection of the vulnerable, radical welcome and healthy boundaries. Practical application

for the local church context and discussion questions for group study are included throughout..

Just released is a companion volume, The Fool's Manual, a study and practice guide intended to help readers and small groups practice what Lee described in the book. It's set up in six sessions with discussion questions and prompts for those who want to practice the ideas of each chapter.These "foolishness prompts" range from thought experiments to leadership discussions; some are simple and others will push you out of your comfort zone. You'll also be invited to join a community of folks working with these ideas, using the hashtag #FoolishChurch to connect on social media. Both books are available through Amazon and through the publisher, Wipf & Stock. If you are interested in ordering at least ten books (any combination of the two books), please be in touch with Lee at FoolishChurch@gmail.com for a dis-

counted price ($15 & $8, respectively, plus shipping).

(Lee will be at Wesley’s 5:00 service on Saturday, March 28.)

February 20, 2020 Page 4

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday F r iday Sa turday

1

Worship, 9:00

SS, 9:30

Nar-Anon, 7 PM

2

Boy Scouts

Cub Scouts, 6:30

3

Lifetree Cafe at Pies &

More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

4 (Patty gone after lunch) Lounge reserved, 11-3 PM Choir, 5 PM Bible Study at Grace, 6 PM Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

5

(Patty gone AM)

UMW Executive

Board, 3:30

6

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1

PM

7

Worship. 5

8

Worship, 9:00

Choir sings

No Sunday School

Nar-Anon, 7 PM

9

Boy Scouts

10

Lifetree Cafe at Pies &

More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

11 Bible Study at Grace, 6 PM Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

12

13

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1

PM

14

Worship, 5

Movie & Potluck, 6

15

Worship, 9:00

SS, 9:30

Nar-Anon, 7 PM

16

Community Kitchen, 4

Boy Scouts

Cub Scouts, 6:30

17

Lifetree Cafe at Pies &

More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

Church Council, Book

Study, 5:30 PM

18 Lounge reserved 12-3:30

Bible Study at Grace, 6 PM

Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

19

Sarah Leah, 9:30

Men’s Club , 6 PM

Priscilla, 6:30 PM

20

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1

PM

21

Middlers & Golden

Age Breakfast, at

Village Court, 9AM

Worship, 5

500 Club, 6 PM

22

Worship, 9:00

UMCOR Offering

SS, 9:30

Nar-Anon, 7 PM

23

Turn in newsletter items

by noon!

Boy Scouts

24

Lifetree Cafe at Pies &

More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

25 Bible Study at Grace, 6 PM Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

26

NEWSLETTER

27

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1

PM

28

District Book Event

(at Grace)

1:00-3:00 PM

“Foolish Church” by

Lee Schott (Women

at the Well)

Worship, 5

29

Worship, 9:00

SS, 9:30

Nar-Anon, 7 PM

30

Boy Scouts

Cub Scouts, 6:30

31

Lifetree Cafe at Pies &

More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

Cub Scouts

Wesley 2020

Patty Gone

Patty Gone

Craig Vacation

WESLEY NEWS February 20, 2020 Page 5

United Methodist Women Notes

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NRSV No Unit Meeting in March. Circle Meetings Sarah Leah: Thurs., March 19, 9:30 AM Priscilla: Thursday, March 19, 6:30 PM Work Month: Sarah Leah

The Wesley Men’s Club will meet on Thursday,

March 19 at 6:00 PM.

Wesley’s Year of Giving Back: FEBRUARY 2020

During the month of February we will be collecting items to help stock the shelves of the

Mohawk Market at Roosevelt School.. The Mohawk Market is a school food pantry to

help students who might be struggling due to hunger or food insecurity. Mohawk Market

can help these stu- dents become more successful in school and beyond. Items needed

are:

Cereal of any kind

Breakfast bars/Pop Tarts

Chef Boyardee Pasta Cups

Canned veggies

Applesauce cups

Tuna or Chicken Helper

Canned tuna or chicken

Granola Bars

Snack Crackers (ex: Goldfish, Cheese-Its, Wheat Thins, Teddy Grahams)

Snack items (Jell-O cups, fruit snacks, cookies)

Mohawk

Market

Did You Know???

One of the on-going projects

of the Wesley UMW is to

collect coupons from the

newspaper, mass mailings,

etc. (Even expired coupons

will still be usable.) These

coupons are then delivered to North Iowa Community

Action where the coupons are used to provide needed

help to local families.

There is a pink box in the office to deposit your cou-

pons. Thanks for your help!

UMCOR SUNDAY OFFERING

(formerly known as “One Great Hour of Sharing”)

will be on Sunday, March 22.

“Since 1940, when UMCOR’s forerunner was established

to meet the needs of those suffering overseas at the onset

of World War II, we’ve continued to respond to those in

desperate need—today in more than 50 countries around

the world.”

February 20, 2020 Page 6 WESLEY NEWS

Hospital Ins & Outs since 1-22-2020: (Due to HIPAA regulations, we can only publish names of those who have given their consent, ei-ther by letting the church and/or pastor know or

through the hospital chaplain.) Sarah Enabnit, Gary Paulsen, Audrey Johnson, Gen Lepird, Virginia Ward, Hazel Barloon

Condolences: ...to the friends and family of Wayne Oswood who passed away on 2/18.

Thank You Judy and I would like to thank all the kind and thoughtful Wesley Church members who sent cards and expressed their thoughts and prayers for me during my recent illness. It is at times like this when I truly appreciate the value of my church family at Wesley. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I am progressing more each day.

Don Kamps

Thank you to Lora Holland and Diane for the great visit, the bulletin and the cookies. Thanks again. Phyliss Preftakes

Thank you Pastor Craig, Velma Tschetter and other church members for their visits, prayers and good wishes as I made the move to Good Shepherd. Janet Clemons

Thank you for the calls, cards, visits and prayers from our church family. All were very much appreciated. May God bless you all. Jan DeLong

On behalf of Northern Lights Alliance for the Homeless please allow us to take this opportunity to thank you for your generous donation of hats, mittens, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and gift cards. Northern Lights Alliance for the Homeless continues to strive to advance our mission of housing and caring for the home-less. Our programs have helped give people a hand up to aid them in bettering their lives. We are able to continue our programs for the homeless because of generous donations from supporters like you. Thank you again for your support. Jeannie M. Kingery, Executive Director

We received your organization’s contribution of $100 to Women at the Well UMC. We are humbled by the generous support of organ-izations like yours who give to keep this ministry going. We are a mission congregation. The women inside the prison will never be able to fund the costs of this ministry. With less than 25% of our annual budget being supported by various grants, many of which are diminishing during these difficult economic times, we depend on organizations like yours to make this ministry possible. Thank you so very much! We hope that you will continue to follow and support the growth and development of this ministry. Thank you again for your sup-port.

Lee A. Schott, Pastor, Women at the Well UMC

March

1 Rich Lloyd, Ashton Trainer 2 Kathy Rezabek, Tracy Skogen, Heather Jo Bailey, Teddy Luttrell 3 Kacey Bailey 4 Mary Nell Fullerton 5 Jan DeLong 6 Wayne Arp 7 Pam Trygstad, Gerald Brady, Bob & Bev McGowan 8 Dora Mahn 9 Marcus Peterson 11 Brian Hammarstedt, Ava Scheppler 12 Charlotte Linden 14 Kellie Buland 15 Virginia Ward 17 David & Erin Brownmiller 20 Brian Johnson 21 Larry Bernemann, Jeri Winter, Amy Kranz 22 Jenna Olson 23 Dalton Peters 26 Kati Dannen 27 Kathie Huling, Jon & Michelle Whitesell 28 Richard & Sharon Bosma 29 Mark Harrington 31 LaDonna Norris

Wesley Financial Update

Financial giving for the last 4 weeks:

1/26: $1891 2/2: $2611 2/9: $3890 2/16 $3003

February 20,2020 Page 7

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday F r iday Sa turday

1

SS, 9:15

Worship, 10:30

2 3

Lifetree Cafe at Pies

& More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

UMW Executive

Board, 6 PM; UMW

General, 7 PM

4

(Patty gone after

lunch)

Choir, 5 PM

Bible Study, 6 PM Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

5

(Patty gone AM)

6

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1PM

7

Community Kitchen,

9:00 AM

8

No Sunday School

Worship, 10:30

Choir Sings

9

10

Lifetree Cafe at Pies

& More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

11 Bible Study, 6 PM Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

12

13

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1PM

14

Community Kitchen,

9:00 AM

FH reserved, 11-5

Movie & Potluck at

Wesley, 6 PM

15

SS, 9:15

Worship, 10:30 AM

Holy Pail: Heifer

International: Bees

16

17

Lifetree Cafe at Pies

& More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

18 Bible Study, 6 PM

Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

19

Church Council,

7:00 PM

20

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1PM

21

22

SS, 9:15

Worship, 10:30

UMCOR Sunday

Offering

23

Turn in newsletter items

by noon!

24

Lifetree Cafe at Pies

& More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

25 Bible Study, 6 PM

Lifetree Café, 6:30 PM at Hardees

26

NEWSLETTER

27

Lifetree Café at

Kentucky Ridge, 1PM

28

District Book Event

1:00-3:00 PM

“Foolish Church” by

Lee Schott (Women

at the Well)

29

Men’s Breakfast,

8:00 AM

SS, 9:15

Worship, 10:30

30

31

Lifetree Cafe at Pies

& More, 8 AM

Staff, 10:15

Grace 2020

Pastor Craig on Vacation

Grace Delivers Meals on Wheels

Patty Gone

Patty Gone

Grace delivers Meals on Wheels

February 20, 2020 Page 8

Next newsletter mailed

on

March 26, 2020.

Grace United Methodist Church

200 14th St. NW

Mason City, IA 50401

641-423-5727

Worship Time: Sunday, 10:30 AM

Sunday School (during the school year): 9:15

Wesley United Methodist Church

1405 S. Pennsylvania Ave.

Mason City, IA 50401

641-423-6549 patty@mcwesley.org

Office Hours: M-F 7:30-4:30 (closed noon hour)

Worship Times: Saturday, 5:00 PM

Sunday, 9:00 AM

Sunday School (during the school year): 9:30

Grace Notes

Hospital Ins & Outs since 1-23-2020: (Due to HIPAA regulations, we can only publish names of those who have given their consent, either by letting the church and/or pastor know or through the hospital chaplain.) Ray Lindloff, Karen Blunt

March 2 Teddy Luttrell 3 Margaret Sasse 7 Nancy Nonnweiler 25 David Lindloff, Kathye Gaines 27 Brittany Mitchell 28 David Ebel 29 Gail Behrends

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Holy Pail : March 8

Heifer International: Bees

Grace Men’s Breakfast

The March Men’s Breakfast will be on Sun-

day, March 29 at 8:00 AM

The Interfaith Council of Nora Springs is sponsoring Lenten Lunches at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Nora Springs. Lunch starts at

12:00 noon followed by a brief program. This year’s theme is “Lenten Reflections thru Hymns of Faith”. Everyone is invited to join us

each Wednesday for this special time during Lent.

February 26 Pastor Sue Simmons

March 4 Pastor Beverly Butler

March 11 Pastor Paul Boostrom

March 18 Mary Snell

March 25 Father Gehling

April 1 Pastor Dave Werges

Lunch ‘n’ Learn is held every last Tuesday of the month from 12-1 PM at the MacNider Art Museum. Free and open to the public!

March 31: “Early Women Photographers” with Director Edith Blanchard

April 28: “A Brief History of M.I. Hummel Art” with guest speaker Dean Genth

May 26: “Mary Cassatt” with Program Associate Pamela Jost

Grace United Methodist Church

Salad Luncheon

Saturday, April 18, 202020, 11:00 AM—1:00 PM

Adults: $7.00; children 3-10: $3.00; Under 3: Free

Salads, ham sandwiches & beverage

TAKE OUTS AVAILABLE!

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday School has started! So far we have had a

great showing of kids – thank you parents!

Times for Sunday School is from 9:30am-10:30am.

The kids are picked up after Time with Choppy.

We are going to try a new curriculum this year. It is

what is called a “rotation series”. This will allow our

older ones to stay with our younger ones but will

continue to challenge them.

How does it work? There is one subject we will fo-

cus on for seven weeks. Each week we will focus

on the subject using a different media. The seven

stations are cooking, games, missions, science,

spiritual practices, storytelling/drama and art. Hav-

ing seven weeks with different medias will give us a

chance to dig into a certain subject for longer than

an hour.

Do you have an interest in any of these stations?

Maybe you would like to spend a Sunday volunteer-

ing? Please let me know if you would like to volun-

teer. Either email me at shannonkaay@gmail.com

or call the office and let Patty know.

A couple of wish list items: juice, snacks, (food

items for 15 students), watercolor paints

Thank you! Shannon