Dear Friends,
It’s been a long time since we have sent out a
newsletter. I’m happy to be able to write to you
again. One of the reasons for our delay in sending a
newsletter out was that we bid farewell to our long
time employee, Nancy Feverston, and welcomed a
new administrative assistant, Brenda Milliman.
Brenda is acclimating very well to our Friendship
team. If you haven't met her yet, call the office, or
swing by, and say hello.
We also recently welcomed to the team a new
pastor, Rev. Caleb Henry. Caleb will introduce
himself later on in this newsletter; suffice it to say
that he, too, is acclimating very well. He and his
family will be a great blessing to us, and we to them.
I’ve heard that Caleb loves coffee and conversation.
If you share the same loves perhaps you can get to
know him over a cup of joe.
Caleb will be assisting us as we get laser focused on
our mission statement of being disciples, and
making disciples. At a recent Administrative
Council meeting I shared an article with them titled,
What If We Made Disciples And Left Church
Growth To God? What if, indeed. I think, and the
Bible testifies to this, that we would discover that as
we make the glorification of God in the lives of
God’s people our top priority, God would take care
of the rest. That is what Jesus meant when he said,
“Strive first for the kingdom of God and his right-
eousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well” (Matthew 6:33).
We will do this. This Fall we will be offering several
programs and events; the goal of them will be to
increase the value in the lives of you — the people
of Friendship. In September we will be teaching
adults and youth about how to deal with anxiety, and
offering classes to help people gain financial peace.
We will also be diving deep into the Bible, and
learning how to be formed by it. If you want a head
start read 2 Peter 1:1-11. I’m also excited to an-
nounce a seminar that we’ll be hosting that’s all
about dementia, and how people can minister to
those affected by it.
All of these programs are geared towards helping
live fully in the kingdom of God. I have a vision of
Friendship becoming a place where people’s main
reason for coming is because of the transformation
of life that they experience here. I want them to
come and remain because it is at Friendship where
they “learn how to do all that [Jesus] command-
ed” (Matthew 28:20). As we shift our focus towards
growing lives, this will become a reality.
I’m glad to be on the journey with you.
Receive every blessing,
Pastor Meshach Kanyion
PAGE 2
Ginny Mund
Bob Pemberton
Mallory Heitfeld
Andrea Towe-McGregor
Erna Witt
Richard Green
Linda Allgeier
Larry Phillips
Joe Kitchell
Pray for prisoners and all victims of injustice.
Pray for all those affected by violence motivated by fear and hatred.
Pray for conversion of hearts.
Pray for all our government leaders
Having just finished our annual youth handbell
summer tour, I am reminded of all the times in
this past year that Friendship’s musical groups
enriched the lives of our folks by leading in
worship and presenting music to the glory of God and
for the edification and enjoyment of all who have been
present to hear and experience their offerings. Each group
works hard to take the time to prepare music for worship
and concerts, to share the gifts that they have been given
by God.
We give thanks for the little ones of the Preschool and
Children’s choir, under the dedicated leadership of
Angela Hursh, that have delighted us with their wiggly
enthusiasm as they sing and recite God’s Word. Our bell
choirs provide a special way to celebrate and delight in
the beauty of God’s art, playing in worship, combining
into multi-age groups for Christmas Eve, Lenten Con-
certs, Easter, Spring Handbell Festival and our annual
youth handbell tour this year to the Pacific Northwest.
The dedication of our Chancel Choir is much appreciated
as they rehearse each week and offer their leadership in
worship on most Sundays and special service days
between September and June.
Our many groups participated in the Annual Christmas
Pops Concert, Christmas Worship Cantata, and Commu-
nity Good Friday Service Concert featuring combined
church choirs and full orchestra. Combined choir
anthems, soloists, and small ensembles make our worship
special in the summer and throughout the year. We give
thanks for all who participate.
We are blessed at Friendship to have so many singers and
instrumentalists of all ages who give of their time
willingly and with joy to present and lead music. We
believe that God has great things in store for us in the
months and years ahead. Contact me if you or any
member of your family would like to join us on this
journey or to learn more about music at Friendship!
Celebrating our BlesSINGS and BELLessings!
Jim Burke
Email: [email protected]
UPCOMING SANDWICH SATURDAYS:
August 5, 2017 September 2, 2017 October 7, 2017 November 4, 2017
in Thomas Family Hall, 9:00 AM
Joan Arbogast Nathan Richtand
Gene Hendren
WORSHIP MUSIC AT FRIENDSHIP
PAGE 3
Boy Scout Troop 482 will use wheelbarrows,
shovels and rakes to
spread a dump truck
full of mulch over our
playground in order to
make sure it is safe for
children. Parents will
help us tighten equip-
ment and build a
sandbox with a wooden lid that has integrated seats
when open. (We can already hear the delighted
squeals of the children!) And teachers will spend at
least 20 hours just getting their classrooms ready to
receive children, not to mention the additional
almost 20 hours of in-services and meetings. Oh,
that there was a magic wand we could wave and just
have everything fall into place!
This year we will continue our Parenting
Workshop Series. If you missed it, last spring we
hosted Parenting Your Best presented by Renee
Mattson from Child in Bloom. Renee was very
engaging and had so many wonderful tips and
information for parents. We plan on bringing her
back again this spring for Little Kids with Great Big
Emotions. Everyone in the community is invited!
Once we have a confirmed date, we’ll be sure to let
you know.
Lowellette Lauderdale
Summer 2017
Our staff has formed a
professional study
group that meets
monthly to explore
more deeply our profession. Our study group is
part of a state-wide network of study groups that
support the professional development of university
faculty, primary grade teachers, and infant through
preschool teachers. In June, the umbrella organiza-
tion for these study groups had a celebration. Each
study group attended and presented documentation
of their study this past year. Ann Lampe, Jill
Stuhlmueller and Lowellette Lauderdale
represented Friendship Preschool’s study group at
the celebration. Our documentation was very well
received, so well that other study groups have
stated their desire to imitate our work. Our
documentation (see photo) was a scrapbook that
each teacher helped create to document our reflec-
tions of the books and articles we read, as well as
our process. It is in Lowellette’s office. You are
always welcome to stop by and take a look at it.
We look forward to continuing our professional
study group work this next year.
Fall 2017 Much happens in August to get ready for
the many children and families that will enter this
building every week during the school year.
Trustees make sure the facility is in tip top
condition. (Thank you for the new roof and park-
ing lot markings!)
The next quarterly “Voice” deadline, covering November, December &
January, is October 15TH!
PAGE 4
Friendship,
How wonderful it is to finally be here with you!
On behalf of my family, I want to begin by saying
“thank you” for being so welcoming. Rachel,
Josie, Cora and I have been so encouraged by your
hospitality and your generous spirit. You barely
know us, and yet you have already showered us
with such care and love that is obvious the spirit of
Christ resides here, both in word and deed. We are
truly, truly grateful.
Please know that I—and by extension, my
family—want to spend as much time as possible
getting to know you. That is my primary goal in
the next few weeks. Transitioning into a position in
the midst of summer is never ideal—as everyone is
busy with vacations and such—but I look forward
to getting to know you as our paths cross in the
near future. Hopefully, and I fervently pray that,
by the time Christmas arrives, I will no longer
have to ask you to remind me of your names!
In time, I am sure you will come to discover that
my passion is helping people discover who they
are in Christ and how they can more fully live out
His way of love, justice, reconciliation, and service
in this world. We know the world is broken; our
TVs, Facebook feeds, and newspapers show us all
the real and tragic ways our world needs the
healing love of Christ. The constant stream of hurt
is almost too much to bear at times. We find
ourselves wondering, “How can this be?” And,
in moments where we are able to muster enough
courage, we may even dare to ask, “How can I
help?”
The journey of faith requires us not to live away
from the miseries of the world but to enter into them
with the hope and peace of Christ (Gal. 6:2). We do
this not by our own strength but through the power
of the Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life. Who can
say what the ultimate results will be for the work we
perform? But we entrust them to God who never
wavers in his commitment to love those who are
hurting, to bring justice to those who have been
deprived of it, and to work for peace amidst the
raging gales of fear and strife.
Time seems much too short to accomplish the great
task we have in Christ Jesus. We also fear that we
will never measure up to the task. We seem too
ordinary, too insignificant, too imperfect, to do
anything. Yet we know we can’t sit idly by biding
our time until…well, whatever it is we are waiting
for to happen. Something tells us we would never
come to know who we truly are in Christ unless we
answered God’s call. And so, we respond because
once you hear his voice, and know his love, you
can’t help yourself—you must respond. We
respond because we know, as those gathered on the
banks of the Jordan knew so long ago, “the time is
now.” Christ’s Kingdom has arrived, the only
question is: Are we ready to enter fully into it with
all that it requires of us?
I am overjoyed to begin this journey with you.
Again, on behalf of Rachel, Josie, Cora and myself,
I thank you for welcoming us. We look forward to
meeting you and becoming a part of the Friendship
family.
Peace in Christ,
Caleb
PAGE 5
Financial Highlights Through June 2017
• Year to date Income through June was $14,415 less than budget.
• Expenses during the period were $16,947 less than budget.
• Under spending is primarily a result of the change from full time to part time Associate
Pastor and utilities savings due to trustee projects.
• Our budget status is a result of generous giving by our Congregation and significant
reductions in budget requests including apportionments at 50%, programs and staffing.
• Operating cash reserves through June $120,000 versus our goal of $150,000.
Questions please contact Jim Herd [email protected]
Results through June 2017
Actual Budget Difference Last Year
June 2016 YTD
Income 363,594 378,009 -14,415 397,329
Expense (321,113) (338,060) 16,947 (325,412)
Totals 42,481 39,949 2532 71,917
As part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), Friendship hosted five homeless families this past
May. Directly following the Bible’s call to care for others, numerous volunteers offered meals and
housing to our guests for one week. With their basic needs covered, the families used the resources of
the IHN center to search for housing. Two of them secured permanent places to live during their stay.
Many thanks to all those who donated food and volunteered their time. Working together with members
of Lincoln Heights Baptist Church, The Gathering at Northern Hills, and Wyoming High School's
Project LEAD, we opened our doors to a friendly, helpful, and grateful group of guests.
From September 24 to October 1, we will welcome a new set of families. Consider talking to Jennifer
Kirsch ([email protected] 513-212-7269) or Karen Jordan ([email protected]
513-535-8000) to get involved with this rewarding ministry and help our neighbors find new homes.
PAGE 6
VBS
134 kids from Friendship and the surrounding
communities traveled to ancient Rome for our
annual Vacation Bible School. It was clear that
God's spirit was with us through the entire plan-
ning process. Anna Johnson and Ashanti Kanyion
stepped up to co-chair the event. These wonder-
ful ladies picked out the theme and had the idea
to ask members of the
church to sponsor
children to attend.
God continued working
through William
Mathews who, at only
5-years-old, raised
the money to sponsor
20 kids all by himself. We received a donation of
props from Alan Masters to decorate the church.
When the event was over, an entire crew of peo-
ple came to help clean up. I want to thank every-
one; parents, youth, and all of the volunteers who
helped make this VBS an amazing event where
kids learned about the love of God. The children
were blessed and they blessed others by bringing
in donations totaling $500 that was given to
Hands Against Hunger.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
NEWS
Fall Sunday School Even though it's still the heat of summer, we are
already planning for our Fall Sunday School
Program. Blessing of the Backpacks will be
Sunday, August 13th and Sunday school will begin
on August 20th. Also on August 20th the third
grade class will receive their bibles during
children’s moments at the Traditional service.
We can't wait for you to join us for the 2017-
2018 school year!
Fall F.I.S.H. Schedule The 5th-6th grade F.I.S.H program is
excited to welcome Kristine Campbell as the pri-
mary teacher! This program also begins for the
school year on August 20th. September 29th-
30th will be the annual WEIRD retreat. We will
be joining other 5th-6th graders from churches
around the Cincinnati area at Camp Kern for this
overnight event.
Lindner Center for Hope Event Our church will be hosting a free event led by
the Lindner Center for Hope. Scott Bullock will
be talking to both parents and youth about the
signs, symptoms, and coping with pre-teen and
teen stress and anxiety. The adult seminar will
be held on September 20th from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
The youth seminar will be on September 24th
from 10:15 a.m. -12:00 p.m. following a light
breakfast. Please join us to learn more about this
important topic. Ed McMichael & Pastor Meshach
portraying Paul and Brutus
PAGE 7
It’s amazing what can happen in a week when focused
on God. The highlight of the trip was working (OK - truth time - PLAYING) with kids
who craved attention. Piggy back rides, hours of pushing kids on swings, basketball,
stories, coloring, tag were great ways to make connections. Devotions in the morning,
discussions at lunch and large group worship in the evening centered us and helped us
focus on God.
Special thanks to the following chaperones for giving a week of vacation time to sleep
on air mattresses and dine on 5 star camp cuisine - Bob Barrett, Tom Brown, Scott
DeWitt, Ben Masters, Alan Masters, Jane Masters, Karen Jordan, Michael Jordan, Cady
Short-Thompson, Steve Thompson, Clint Morley, and Jim Rathbone. The combination of zany, caring, silly,
loving, and God-centered is necessary for this role. This group can offer master classes in chaperoning. We
cannot take these trips without their generosity.
Thanks to our college chaperones who take care of the
chaperones, keep an eye on the high school population,
and serve as a great bridge between the two groups.
Their caring, understanding and energy are greatly
appreciated. Thanks to Sarah Jordan, Emily Wood, Kristine
Campbell, Marie Lippert, Logan Draper, John Brown,
Thomas Harmon, Sam Strom, Nolan Morley and Nicholas
Denney. Please note that these are college students who
gave up a week of earning for college or internships to care
for our teens. They serve as examples of what the next steps
in life and faith look like for our teens.
Upcoming events! October 1 - Let’s unload a pumpkin truck after worship! Here’s the plan. Worship then enjoy lunch with the
senior high at 11:30-12:15. We will unload the pumpkin truck at 12:30. We have jobs for everyone. We have
small pumpkins that need to be arranged. We have large pumpkins that need to be hauled in wheel barrows.
We have a pumpkin hut to assemble. We will have sales as soon as the pumpkins start coming off the ruck.
If the Bengals are playing while we are unloading, we will turn a radio on to keep up with the game. This is
the social event of the week. Anyone who is anyone will be there. Come rub elbows with teens and adults
who love teens. The camaraderie is fantastic. Being part of a big group is energizing. Watching the front lawn
turn orange is entertaining.
Proceeds from the pumpkin sale go to the mission trip the following summer. The patch will be open every
day in October from 11AM-7PM. The shifts are 2 hours each. Please look for the Sign-Up Genius in late
Since becoming the senior high director in 2009, I have noticed an increase in the number of teens dealing
with significant levels of anxiety. Friendship will be hosting a seminar for parents on September 20th for
parents from 6:30-8PM. Your family might not be struggling with this, but your neighbors might be. Please
come and learn more so we can better serve others. On Sunday, September 24th, cafe will be meeting at
10:15AM with breakfast for the teens and a seminar about anxiety for them. Please see Cindy Vice’s article
for more information as Education and Senior high are joining forces.
Carrie Short-Lippert
We’re on the web!
www.friendshipwyoming.com
FRIENDSHIP UMC 1025 SPRINGFIELD PIKE CINCINNATI, OH 45215
Phone: 513-821-5725
Fax: 513-821-6060
www.FriendshipWyoming.com
From the Pastor’s Pen 1
Love & Prayers/Worship Music
2
Preschool News 3
Associate Pastor 4
Financial Highlights/IHN 5
Christian Education News 6
Sr. High News 7
Prime Time Sept, Oct. 2017 8
Prime Time Schedule September, October
We have the following programs:
September 20 - “Stephen Foster’s Favorites”
Ashley Ford, presenter
October 18 - “The Sad, Seamy, Sinister Side of Cincinnati”
Jay Kathman, Docent Cincinnati Museum Center
Wednesdays, from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
(Thomas Family Hall) ($6 per person at the door)
The office begins taking reservations on the first of the month for that month’s
program.
You may call 513-821-5725 x10 or email: [email protected]