Homer United Methodist Church Blog

New Library materials for February 2012

2012-01-31T10:45:00.000-06:00

The following items have been added to the library collection and are ready for check out.

Then Sings My Soul Book 2 by Robert J. Morgan
CDs
Top 50 Bible Songs by Wonder Kids
Top 50 Kindergarten Songs by Wonder Kids
DVDs
The Case for Faith Lee Strobel
Everything In Between Tim Tebow
The Hiding Place
The Passion of Christ Mel Gibson

New library materials for January 2012

2012-01-03T20:06:00.000-06:00

The following items have been added to the church library and are available for check out.
99 Radical Answers to Questions Kids Ask
99 Radical Answers to Questions Teens Ask
Jesus: He Lived Among Us by R.F. Palavicini and Steve Cleary
Jesus: He liLived Among Us DVD by Voice of the Martyrs
Social Security by Ethan Pope
Top 25 Prasie Songs CD by CCLI

Mitten Tree

2011-12-10T15:36:00.001-06:00

This tree has been set up during Advent.

Everyone is encouraged to bring in mittens, hats, gloves and scarves to help decorate the tree.

These donations will be taken to area food pantries for distribution in January

Creche Tree

2011-12-03T17:55:00.004-06:00

This tree has been set up at the Homer City Building. Today, it was enjoyed by the many people who attended the Christmas in Homer Celebration. Folks were encouraged to take a card inviting all to the Christmas Eve candlelight services at 7 and 11 PM at the Homer United Methodist Church. All the Christmas trees will remain at the city building till Christmas. So stop by and take a look if you were unable to today. The trees are lovely.Thank you Tom and Sue for the making of this tree.

Church library/New Materials/December 2011

2011-12-02T14:02:00.002-06:00

The following items have been added to the church library and are ready for check out."Christmas with a Capital C" DVD, "Nighty Night" by Molly Schaar Idle, "The Message" A bible translation by Eugene Peterson, "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" by Mark Cahill, "The Shepherd's Christmas" by Beth Atchison, "The Story of Christmas" by Paul Fehlner, "The Wesley Study Bible".

Angel Tree

2011-11-27T14:38:00.006-06:00

Broadlands and Ogden Food Pantries could use some extra help this Christmas. Many area families rely on these food pantries to supplement their food budget, but cleaning and personal care items are not always available.

This tree has been set up at our church to collect such items. Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, dish soap and detergent are all items being collected. If you can contribute please bring in items and place under the tree which is located in the church foyer.

Monetary support and other donations of non-perishable food items are also needed.

Thank you for your donations. They make a difference!

Church Library/New Materials/November 2011

2011-11-02T15:17:00.002-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

30 Days to Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs by Bruce Wilkinson
David and Goliath A story of Courage a children's book
No Longer A Slumdog by K.P. Yohannan
Treasures of the North by Tracie Peterson
Bringing Up Bobby DVD
In the Beginning DVD

Church Library/New Materials/October 2011

2011-10-01T14:30:00.002-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Courageous by Randy Alcorn
Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon
In the Company of Others by Jan Karon
United We Stand 2 CD set by Hillsong
The Ten Commandments 2 DVD set Cecil B De Mille's
My Favorite Bible by Rondi DeBoer Children's book

Church Library/New Materials/September 2011

2011-09-01T16:04:00.002-05:00

The following items have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Letters To God -DVD
It's A Meaningful Life, Veggie Tales -DVD
Songs 4 Worship, Give You My Heart -CD
Songs 4 Worship, Amazing Love -CD
Songs 4 Worship, Great Is The Lord -CD
Songs 4 Worship, Be Glorified -CD

Church Library/New Materials/August 2011

2011-08-01T09:31:00.002-05:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Holier Than Thou by Ergun Mehmet Caner
Long Time Coming by Vanessa Miller
The Miracles of Jesus by James Harpur
The Miracles of Jesus by Tomie de Paola
Radical by David Platt
This We Believe Committee on Evangelical Unity
The Twelve by C. Bernard Ruffin
Walking on Broken Glass by Christa Allan
What's Heaven by Maria Shriver

Son Surf Beach Bash VBS

2011-07-19T08:43:00.005-05:00

Hey Dudes, we're having a great time at VBS. Sunday night we met up with Jesus. On Monday we looked up to Jesus and learned about trusting Him. Tonight we invite everyone to join us as we Join Up with Jesus. Our drama team will keep us laughing as we learn about Jesus' love in the opening skit. We're going to sing beach songs, act out a bible story, make cool crafts, play fun games and eat yummy snacks. See you at VBS. It's totally righteous.

July 4th, 2011

2011-07-05T00:10:00.002-05:00

HUMC's parade float was decorated to reflect this year's VBS theme--Son Surf Beach Bash on July 17-22 from 6:00-8:00 PM.

Church Library/New Materials/July

2011-07-01T17:09:00.000-05:00

The following items have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Best of All by Max Lucado

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge

Common English Bible New Testament

Gospel Parallels by Burton H. Throckmorton

Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere

Nurture by Lisa Bevere

A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry

The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge

Church Library/New Materials/June

2011-06-02T20:58:00.001-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are available for check out.

The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg

The Life You've Always Wanted Bible Study Guide by John Ortberg

The Life You've Always Wanted DVD Bible Study Set

Ryan Respects by Virginia Knoll

Local Cookbooks;

Our Daily Bread by the UMC of Ogden

Then and Now Fairmount Favorites

Pleasures from the Good Earth Zion Lutheran Church

VBS T-Shirts

2011-05-26T12:59:00.002-05:00

Plans for VBS are coming together. T-Shirts are finished and ready to distribute to each child attending VBS. Many thanks to the iron-on team.

Compost Bin

2011-05-12T10:19:00.000-05:00

A compost bin (black container on the right) has been added to the church yard. Please do not confuse it for a garbage can just because it is located by the garbage cans.

The compost bin is for weeds, leaves, small sticks, vegetable peelings and coffee grounds only. The top twists off and these items can be dumped inside. Eventually, the bottom door will be opened and the compost removed. The compost will be placed around the existing plants in the church yard for fertilizer and mulch.

May Baskets

2011-05-01T23:28:00.003-05:00

During BLAST today we talked about resurrection and rebirth. We also celebrated May Day by making and filling May baskets. The flowers were a great way to tie the lesson all together. They were dead bulbs or plants during the Winter, but come Spring, they experience a rebirth.

Church Library/New Materials/May

2011-05-01T16:57:00.003-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft
Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Boundaries in Marriage Participant's Guide
Fire in the Hills by Lee Fisher
First Children's Bible by Father Lovasik
Making Choices by Peter Kreeft

Bible Studies:
Boundaries in Marriage Small group edition DVD
Bonanza Bible Study VHS
Gilligan's Island and the Seven Deadly Sins VHS

Rescue from Gilligan's Island

5K at Homer Lake

2011-04-18T07:42:00.002-05:00

The HUMC Run For God Bible study group wrapped up their 12 week program with a 5K walk/run at Homer Lake on Sunday. There were 7 walkers/runners and 7 others who fished, cheered and grilled. It was a fun family day. Several HUMC family members will be participating in the Illinois Marathon on April 30.

Church Library/New Materials/April

2011-04-01T03:20:00.012-05:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Cheerful Devotions to Give by Amy Bolding, Green Church by Rebekah Simon-Peter, Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaaret Craven, In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon, The Noticer by Andy Andrews, Small Group Leader's Handbook by a small group and a new children's book The Donkey of Tarsus by Adele Calvin

Spring Day

2011-03-23T15:13:00.003-05:00

There's nothing like spending a beautiful Spring day outside. We enjoyed the play structure, blowing bubbles on the new deck and climbing on the rocks in the Ebenezer garden.

Church Library/New Books/March

2011-03-06T03:07:00.002-06:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.

Muslims, Christians and Jesus by Carl Medearis
The Me I Want To Be by John Ortberg
If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat by John Ortberg
Everybody is Normal Till You Get To Know Them by John Ortberg

BLAST Update

2011-02-25T10:16:00.002-06:00

During the winter semester, BLAST lessons have focussed on Jesus' miracles. The kids have made stained glass art depicting Jesus raising Jairus' daughter and healing a paralyzed man.

BLAST Feb. 13

2011-02-15T07:26:00.003-06:00

This week's lesson was all about love. We talked about the greatest commandment--to love God and love our neighbor. The combined BLAST and Jr. High classes made Valentines and played "People Bingo". One of the squares on the Bingo cards had to be signed by "Someone who can quote John 3:16". This is one young person's quote of the verse--"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not 'vanish'... Credit was given and I'm certain I heard a chuckle from Heaven.

Church Library/New Materials/February

2011-02-01T13:37:00.003-06:00

The following materials have been added to the church library:

The Bhagavad-Gita translated by Barbara Stoler Miller
Footprints: The Tue Story Behind tthe Poem that Inspired Millions by Margaret Fishback Powers
The Glorious Pursuit, Embracing the Virtues of Christ by Gary L. Thomas
The Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware
The Portable World Bible edited by Robert O. Ballou
Seven Simple Sermons on the Second Coming by Herschel Ford
Understanding Sectarian Groups in America by George W. Braswell
The World's Religions by Huston Smith

Snow days are good reading days. Check out a book or two from the church library.

Church Library/New Materials/January

2011-01-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR
The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.
Answers to WWJD? by Beverly Courrege
Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul by Jack Canfiled et al.
The Days of Laura Ingalls Wilder by T.L Tedrow
Children of Promise book 2
Good Neighbors book 3
Home to the Prairie book 4
The Homesick Heart by Jean Fleming
I, Judas by Taylor Caldwell
Praying with Power by C. Peter Wagner\
Revelation Chapters 1-5 by J Vernon McGee
Revelation Chapters 14-22 by J Vernon McGee
The Story of Jonah Bible Classics

BLAST Update

2010-12-06T08:01:00.004-06:00

The first semester of BLAST is nearly finished. The children have had a lot of fun learning about bible heroes. On Sunday, Dec. 5 we talked about Jonah and the lesson he learned about being obedient to God. The children made these whales as a reminder to obey God and to follow His instructions in all that we do.

Creche Tree

2010-12-02T14:46:00.005-06:00

This year we have a tree at the Homer City Building. This tree was built by Tom, and various folks donated a creche to be displayed, four in all. The Homer librarian, Christine, selected several books that are displayed around the tree. There are also other trees on display at the city building from various organizations, shops and groups around town. On Saturday, December 4th, there will be a cookie walk and craft sale at the city building. Lunch will be available.

Church Library/New Materials/December

2010-12-01T16:33:00.000-06:00

The Christmas books and DVDs have been put on the recent acquistion table for easier viewing this month.

The following materials have ben added to the chruch library.
365 Day Bible Word Search Challenge compiled by Connie Troyer
Chicken Soup for the College Soul by Jack Canfield
Esther Bible Study by Beth Moore
It's Kwanzaa Time by Linda and Clay Goss
The First Night by B.G. Hennessy
The Lord's Prayer an Arch Book
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis
Thoughts for Daily Living by Fulton J. Sheen

Church Library/New Materials/November

2010-11-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library. They are on the recent acquistions table located just outside the library door.

DVDs
Adventures in Odyssey New Series
   The Caves of Quman
   Escape From the Forbidden Matrix
   The Last Refuge of Eugene Meltsner
   Race To Freedom
Jesus

CDs
Christmas by Rebecca St. James
Touched By An Angel The Album
You Shine by Brian Doerksen

Books
Banner Patterns for Worship by Carol Jean Harms
I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes by Bette Bishop
Mind Seige by Time Lahaye and David Noebel
The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

BLAST Report

2010-10-17T12:10:00.003-05:00

Much of Sunday, Oct. 17 at HUMC was about Moses and The Ten Commandments. During the children's message, Pastor Steve talked about how God gave Moses the Commandments for His people. At BLAST, the bible lesson, the game and the craft all taught about Moses and the 10 Commandments. The children played a game to try to find all of the Commandments. In crafts, they made scrolls out of parchment paper. During the lesson time, they discussed the importance of obeying God and putting Him first in our lives.

Work Day

2010-10-11T09:04:00.002-05:00

Saturday was a busy day around HUMC. The trustees worked on the deck railings and it looks like the deck project is nearly finished. Many thanks to the men's group and Girl Scout troop #2335 for washing the church windows. They sparkle.

BLAST Crafts

2010-10-03T12:17:00.006-05:00

For the past two Sundays, the kids at BLAST have been learning about the Old Testament character, Joseph. The story of his coat of many colors, being taken to Egypt against his will, being promoted to an important position, second only to Pharoah and ulitmately saving his people from starvation can be found in chaps. 42-46 of Genesis. The kids made tie dyed t-shirts to remind them of Joseph's coat of many colors. They learned that it's alright to have nice things and that God wants to bless us with gifts, but it is not OK to brag about them. They also made pyramids to remind them that no matter where we go, even into a foreign country without our families, Like Joseph, God is always with us to take care of us and to help us.

Church Library/New Books/October

2010-10-02T20:17:00.001-05:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are avalable for check out.

Dayuma, Life Under Waorani Spears by Ethel Emily Wallis
The Deadly Curse of Toco -Rey and The Secret if the Desert Stone by Frank E. Peretti
The Fall of Lucifer by Wendy Alec
Revolution in World Missions by K.P.Yohannan
Showdown by Ted Dekker
Three by Ted Dekker
Tomorrow You Die by Reona Peterson Joly
Your Road Map for Success by John C. Maxwell

Esther Bible Study

2010-09-17T08:42:00.002-05:00

The first bible study on Esther-It's Tough Being a Woman-began yesterday morning and promises to be an excellent study. Beth Moore teaches with her usual passion for Bible history, wonderful sense of humor and fun. There's always room around the table in the parlor for one more.

Church Library/New Materials/September

2010-09-05T21:23:00.000-05:00

The following DVDs have been added to the church library and are ready for check out. They can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the senior adult Sunday School room.

Bella
The Bible Series Esther,
The Bible Series Jeremiah
The Bible Series Jesus
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
The Last Adam
Mandie and the Secret Tunnel
Safe Harbor

A Day's Work

2010-08-28T15:56:00.003-05:00

New Chairs

2010-08-28T10:07:00.003-05:00

Many thanks to the HUMC Trustees and others for removing the pews in the parlor room and replacing them with padded chairs. In addition to a worship space, the chairs will allow the room to be configured for multi-purpose use.

Deck Building

2010-08-21T12:47:00.007-05:00

Seven HUMC men spent the morning setting the beams and joists for the new deck. Although the pictures don't show it, they made a lot of progress today.

Pouring Piers

2010-08-17T16:04:00.004-05:00

Preparations for the deck on the East side of the fellowship hall are coming along. Today the trustees poured the piers that will be the foundation for the deck. They also framed up and poured a concrete slab that will support the trash bins. Work on the deck is scheduled to begin later this week.

During - Diggin' Holes

2010-08-14T12:29:00.008-05:00

The guys have spent the morning digging holes and preparing to pour the piers. I am told the piers will support the beams which will support the joists which will support the deck.

Before

2010-08-14T07:59:00.003-05:00

The HUMC Trustees are installing a new deck on the East side of the fellowship hall. Pictures showing their progress will be posted throughout the day. In the photo above you can see that the old stone steps have been removed and have been preserved for later use.

Worship at Homer Lake

2010-08-01T22:51:00.005-05:00

Moderate temps and gentle breezes made worship at Homer Lake as near to perfect as any day could be this side of heaven. Communion was served followed by a message based on Matthew 14--Peter overcoming his fear and walking on the water toward Jesus. As Pastor Steve removed his shoes to prepare for baptisms, one little guy asked, "Is he going to walk on water now"? There were 2 baptisms and 3 reaffirmations in the lake. A time of fellowship was enjoyed by all following the service.

New Door

2010-07-31T12:43:00.009-05:00

Many thanks to the HUMC Trustees for replacing the old double doors on the East side of the fellowship hall. The new doors with windows allow for a nice view of the playground.

Church Library/New Materials/August

2010-07-27T12:08:00.000-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out. They can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the door to the senior adult classroom.
Adult
And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers
Make a Difference Mentoring Women to Women by Kindsey Clifford and Joy Barnett
Prayer That Brings Revival by David Yonggi Cho
Revelation chapters 6-13 by J. Vernon McGee
What Makes Grandpa Tick by Marshall H. Ervin
DVDs
Nooma # 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 by Rob Bell
Children and Youth
The Great Promise by Alyce Bergey
Read-Aloud Bible Stories Volumes 1,2,3,4 by Ella Lindvall
The Bible in Pictures edited by Rev. Ralph Kirby
Bible Stories for Pleasure Reading by Edward W. Dolch
DVDs
Black Beauty Warner Bros.
Veggie Tales Pistachio

VBS Thursday - Get Going!

2010-07-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

What an exciting week! We have learned Bible stories, we have sung a bunch of new songs, we've made some cool crafty things and played some games, and had a lot of fun. The church sanctuary was overflowing with parents and friends joining us for the closing session. We found out that there were 117 children that came one or more nights, and we averaged around 87 each night. That helped us make our goal for our gifts that we had been dropping into the well bucket each night, we raised enough money to provide a clean water well for a community in Liberia. The strength we have working together is pretty powerful.

Tonight we learned about the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Jesus was telling us that we are all given talents and abilities, and we can either use them to do the right things, or we can waste them. Jesus was very clear about what He wanted us to do, and was saying that we can either "Use it or lose it!"

In crafts, we created small colorful frogs, and filled them with rice or popcorn. These are very much like the poisonous bright yellow and red frogs that are found in the rainforest. Even such little frogs have talents and abilities that protect them and help them survive.

And we sang a new song tonight which was also about using our talents and abilities in the best way possible, with our hearts. As the song says:

Hear God’s call,
Big or small.
Give your all.
Get Going!

Make a start.
Do your part,
With all your heart.
Get Going!

Thanks to all the children, the staff, the teachers, and the parents for making this year's VBS such a memorable experience!

VBS Wednesday - Get Praying!

2010-07-21T22:00:00.003-05:00

VBS opened tonight with another visit to the rainforest, and we watched as Sean and the Professor finally returned to the outpost after being trapped on the wrong side of the rising river. But when they arrived, the door was locked and their repeated knocking could not get any response from the group inside. Sean worried that this was because they didn't like him and his jokes, but Professor Hinkley said that was nonsense, and that they should just keep trying. Sure enough, finally Antonio and Terri heard the knocks on the door and let them in.

In our classes, we learned about the Parable of the Midnight Knocker. This man was also knocking on a door to get some help, and although the person inside did not want to get up to find out what his neighbor wanted, the man persisted, kept knocking, and eventually the door was opened and he got some help. Jesus told this story to let us know that no matter what our circumstances, we need to ask for help, pray to God and keep asking, and our prayers will be heard and answered. This was our challenge for tonight: Get Praying!

In crafts, some of us made door hangers to remind us of the need to keep knocking. Others made maracas, which was a lot of fun. It got pretty noisy in the fellowship hall when everyone tried out their finished maracas. We realized that sometimes when we pray, we pray alone and quietly. But other times, we can pray (and praise!) loudly and all together.

We also found out we can sing loudly - with 91 kids in the sanctuary for the closing, we were singing louder than the music accompaniment! It was exciting.

VBS Tuesday - Get God's Love!

2010-07-20T21:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight the sanctuary filled up with 90 kids, including 11 new rainforest adventurers. Our challenge tonight was to Get God's Love! Sean again arrived to take us back in time to show what happened to him and Professor Hinkley after they were trapped on the wrong side of the rising river and couldn't get back. The helicopter didn't see them, and the boat of party people just waved and sailed on. But who should stop but the feared River Woman. Although she did have a friendly snake, Sugar, she had no caymans or piranhas. Instead, she turned out to be pretty nice, and offered our two friends a ride back to the outpost in her boat.

In class we talked about Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 20:25-37). It was pretty easy to tell that this story was just like what happened to Sean and his group in the skit. In Jesus story, many people passed the injured man by, offering no help. But the least likely traveler, a Samaritan, stopped to help the man. To help remember the story, we learned a Bible verse:

Love the Lord....Love your Neighbor.
- Matthew 22:37-39

There was no rain so we got to go outside today, and practiced the Good Samaritan story in our groups. One of us acted the part of the injured traveler, and the rest of us offered him a drink of water, bandaged his wounds, stayed and talked with him, and then carried him along the road to the nearest hotel. Acting out the story should help us remember that we should be ready to help a neighbor any time.

In crafts, we created pretty dragonflies from wooden clothespins, spoons and some beads. Even dragonflies can be good neighbors, they eat lots of mosquitoes.

VBS Monday - Get Found!

2010-07-19T22:08:00.004-05:00

Fifteen new kids joined our rainforest adventure, and there were 86 of us present tonight, making for some larger classes! Our daily challenge was to Get Found! In the skit, Sean had to deal with this challenge after he wandered away from the outpost and got lost, even after the Professor had warned the group members not to go out alone. But the Professor came looking for Sean, and eventually found him, taking some personal risks along the way. We should find out what happens to them tomorrow night.

Splitting up into our classes, we learned Jesus' Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7). Just as the shepherd loves each one of the sheep in his flock, and will leave the others to seek out the one who strays and gets lost, returning it to the flock, so, too, will God watch out for us and find us when we get lost. God sent Jesus to show us how much He loves us as we learned in our Bible verse:

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son.
- John 3:16

The snack cart arrived just in time, with popcorn!

For recreation and game time, we had to stay inside the church because of the rain outside. But we still got to play sheep and when one of us got lost in the darkness, shepherd Tom left the big group and went looking for the lost one. When he brought the lost one back and we were all together again, we were all very happy. We'll remember this one!

In music we learned a new song, "I Have Hidden Your Word," and the hand motions make it easier to learn the words. We do a good job of singing, too!

In crafts, we made a wall hanging with tonight's Bible verse. It will remind us of God's love for us and for the whole world. Our wall hanging has an image of the world on it, and several of us compared this with the HUGE world missions map in the hallway. God must have a lot of love to be able to give it to the whole world.

We're looking forward to Tuesday night, and finding out what the challenge will be and how Sean and the rainforest group finds a way to get back together.

VBS Begins Sunday - Get It!

2010-07-18T21:32:00.005-05:00

Vacation Bible School, SonQuest Rainforest, began tonight with 78 kids (4 years old through 6th grade) in attendance. VBS this week focuses on Jesus' parables, and tonight we learned that God's Word shows us how to do what is right.

We met Sean tonight in the opening, and he started to tell us about his trip to the Amazon Rainforest, but then because we thought that was boring, he used his time traveling watch to take us back in time so that we could see the adventure unfold. We saw how Sean wondered off alone, against the professor's direct instructions, and only Antonio was able to do the work that the professor had asked. We'll find out some more about what happened to Sean and the others tomorrow night. Also in the opening, we dropped our donations into a bucket under a pump to remind us that our combined giving is going toward digging a water well for a community in Liberia, where fresh, clean water is scarce.

In class we met our teachers for the week and learned a Bible verse.

I have hidden your word in my heart.
- Psalm 119:11

We also talked about the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23) in which Jesus uses the analogy of the need of good soil to grow plants to show us what it takes to grow healthy and strong in our own lives. Snacks arrived just in time. We decided that we "get it." Crafts, music, and recreation all confirmed this theme in different ways.

In crafts, we made "Dirt Buddies." We got some good soil in a small pot, put some eyes and mouth on the side, and planted some grass seed. If our soil is good and we do a good job tending our seeds, we should get some nice "hair" for our buddy!

Recreation involved a game in which we tried to toss some seed packets onto a sheet, where the packet might land on good soil, rocky soil, or dry hard soil. We scored points in the form of seeds for landing our packets on the good soil and avoiding the rocky or hard, dry ground.

We learned a couple of new songs tonight, and some fun hand motions to go with them. Besides the song "Get It!", we found the "SonQuest Rainforest" theme song to be both easy to sing (and shout!) and it covered the basic ideas that we're going to hear about the rest of this week.

SonQuest Rainforest (Get It! Get Found!)
SonQuest Rainforest (Get It! Get God's Love!)
SonQuest Rainforest (Get Praying! Get Going!)

Hopefully, we'll all be back tomorrow night. If we bring enough new friends with us, we might win a chance to turn Miss Lisa into a human chocolate fudge sundae!

Sunday School - VBS is Almost Here!

2010-07-18T15:57:00.028-05:00

Lisa talked to the children's Sunday School class today about some of the rainforest birds, insects, and animals we'll meet this week during Vacation Bible School (Sunday, July 18 through Thursday, July 22, 6-8pm). We all learned something new about these animals: that the strawberry dart frog is poisonous and has suction cups on its feet, that the jaguar is the third largest cat in the world, that the capuchin monkey is very smart, easily trained and often used to help people with disabilities, that the toucan is one of the largest and noisiest birds, and that the morpho butterfly is the largest of all butterflies and, like other butterflies, eats through its proboscis. The kids enjoyed doing some word puzzles that reinforced these newly learned features of the rainforest animals.

The church is decorated, the skit actors are well rehearsed, the teachers are prepared, and the craft, music, and recreation leaders are ready. We hope everyone can join us for five days full of learning, fun, and fellowship. Bring your friends. And continue to pray about VBS!

Sunday School - Parable of the Talents

2010-07-11T18:16:00.000-05:00

Judy taught the Sunday School class today, covering Jesus' Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Jesus told the story of the master who was planning a long trip. Before departing, he entrusted his property with three of his servants. One servant received five talents (a talent was worth a great deal of money), the second servant received two talents, and the third one talent, each according to their abilities. After a long absence, the master returned and called his servants to him for an accounting. The first two servants had put their talents to work and doubled the value of the property they were entrusted with. They were handsomely rewarded by the master, who gave them more responsibility and invited them to share in his happiness. The third servant returned the single talent he had been given; he had merely buried it in the ground. The master punished the man for his laziness and threw him out of his house.

One interpretation of the parable is that Jesus is telling us to use our God-given gifts in the service of God, their value will be multiplied for the good of His Kingdom.

Judy talked about how banks work, as one way of putting your money to work. Another way is the many small gifts we will bring to Vacation Bible School (July 18-22) that will be put together and used to build a water well in Liberia that will help many people. The children were given a dollar bill, and challenged to consider how to make that dollar grow to be applied to the donations next week. They also received some coins, one of which was intended to be used right now, since it was made of chocolate!

Church Mulching

2010-07-09T19:58:00.000-05:00

A truckload of mulch, several willing hands and in a few hours, the church yard was mulched for another year. Praises and thanks for all who showed up and helped on such a hot and humid day.

4th of July Parade Float

2010-07-04T19:00:00.003-05:00

The church participated in the annual Homer 4th of July Parade this year with a float, based on the SonQuest Rainforest theme of the upcoming Vacation Bible School (July 18-22, 6-8pm). The float was a real team effort, including decorators, carpenters, drivers, sound equipment supervisors, VBS promotional flyers, as well as some contributions from the Broadlands Community church. The silver jeep looked like it was ready to pull us all straight into the Amazon rainforest. Thanks to everyone who contributed, participated, and supported the float from the sidewalk. And Pat, you make a great parade Grand Marshal!

Sunday School - Parable of the Friend at Midnight

2010-07-04T13:00:00.000-05:00

Suzy led Sunday School this morning, and directed the kids in a theatrical version of Jesus' parable of the friend at midnight. Faced with the arrival of unexpected house guests, a man went to his neighbor to try to borrow some bread to feed them. He knocked loudly on the door, but the neighbor repeatedly refused to help, complaining about the late hour and the noise that might awaken his children. But the man persisted, knocked again, and eventually the neighbor relented and gave the man what he had asked for.

The lesson of the parable was made clear by Jesus. We should not give up, but rather we should keep praying and keep asking. Also, if people only give us what we want, imagine how much more God will give us. He wants us to ask, and He wants to give us what we ask for.

The children then decorated some door hangers, which they can use on their doors at home to remind them of the parable, and to ASK:

Ask, and it will be answered.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened for you.

Church Library/New Materials/July

2010-07-01T11:00:00.001-05:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are available for check out.. They can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the room.

The Lion Book of Five-Minute Parables by Charolette Ryton, all Arch books
Parables for Kids by Danae and Dr James Dobson
The Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Parable of the Talents
The Parables of Jesus by William Barclay
The Parables, Understanding the Stories Jesus Told by Simon J. Kistemaker

Sunday School - Parable of the Good Samaritan

2010-06-27T18:00:00.001-05:00

Mary brought Jesus' parable on the good Samaritan to the children's Sunday School class today. The Bible (Luke 10:25-37) tells us that although the lawyer knew God's rule to love your neighbor as yourself, he asked Jesus, "But who is my neighbor?" Jesus responded with the story of the traveler who was attacked by a group of bad men, and left lying injured on the side of the road. Two people noticed him there and ignored him, walking along on their business. But a man from Samaria, a country of people not well thought of, stopped to help the man, treating his wounds, putting him on his donkey, and making sure he was cared for while he recovered at the next town. May we, too, act out of love and compassion when we meet someone in need.

Mary gave everyone some take-home reminders: a magnet hand with Good Samaritan references, and a small bag with a band-aid and some kisses. The children then enjoyed some watermelon hearts, and got a chance to do their own good deeds by helping clean the dishes afterward!

Parable Bible Study

2010-06-24T13:58:00.002-05:00

The second study in the 5-week Bible Study Series was on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Last night, the group had a good discussion on modern day Samaritans, prejudices and conflicts we often face in our efforts to be a Samaritan. Week 3--Wed. June 30 at 7:00 PM is on the Parable of the Prodigal based on Luke 15:11-32. Everyone is welcome and child care is provided.

Bikers Raid Ice Machine

2010-06-21T14:34:00.005-05:00

This afternoon HUMC offered a place of refreshment to a group of 15 bicyclists who are part of a 300 mile bike marathon. Three cycling teams, originating from Monticello, Joliet and Rockford, MI will travel 50 miles each day and plan to meet up in Harrod, Ohio on Saturday. The group's goal is to raise support for H.I.S. (Haitian Interdenominational Shelter) Home for Children. This is the second year the group has stopped at HUMC to rest and recharge in the air conditioning. They will spend the night at Catlin UMC before continuing on their way.

Sunday School - Parable of the Sheep and Goats

2010-06-20T20:01:00.001-05:00

Farmer Bruce visited the Sunday School class this morning and talked about sheep, and brought some things that modern day shepherds use to take care of their flock. We then talked about Jesus' parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus told his disciples that the Son of Man would ultimately separate the people, as a shepherd separates the sheep and the goats, the sheep on the right and the goats on the left. The people on the right, the true believers, would obtain their inheritance of eternal life in the kingdom because they did what he had asked: they fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, clothed the needy, and invited the stranger in.

The children then made edible sheep to remind them of the lesson of the parable. Bruce told us that even when flocks of sheep are mixed together, individual sheep recognize and respond only to the voice of their own shepherd. Jesus, the "Good Shepherd," calls us. May we be listening with our hearts, and respond and follow when we hear His call.

Parable Bible Study

2010-06-17T20:12:00.001-05:00

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers was the first of 5 Bible studies in preparation for VBS. The studies are on Wed. evenings from 7:00-8:30 in the church library. Next week's study will focus on the Parable of The Good Samaritan. Child care is provided.

Sunday School - Parable of the Sower

2010-06-13T14:56:00.003-05:00

In anticipation of Vacation Bible School next month (July 18-22), the children have begun a series of Sunday School lessons on Jesus' parables. Today, it was the parable of the sower. Kent, a farmer and thus a sower of seeds, taught the class and brought some soybean seeds and plants. We discussed the Bible story (for example, Mark 4:1-20) of the sower who scattered some seeds: some along the road where they were eaten by birds, some among the rocks where they germinated but quickly withered, some among the thorns which choked out the young plants, and finally some seeds in good, moist ground where the seed roots took hold and the plants flourished, yielding 100 times their number. Kent explained how this is how real seeds are affected, and had some examples of newly germinated seeds which then dried up and died due to lack of moisture.

We talked about the meaning of the parable, how Jesus is like the sower and the seeds are like God's Word. Many people hear the Word, but some do not try to understand, some believe only until they experience hard times, and some are lured away by worldly temptations. But those that let the Word take hold, who believe it, study it and let it grow, to those people comes a yield of 100 times.

2010-06-10T17:31:00.009-05:00

Pastor admiring the sights at Cumberland Falls yesterday.

Bruce and Bailey enjoying some time with Col. Sanders.

Beginning of Day 4- Dale, Spencer and Andy (showing their better halves-hahaha) doing the roofing today. We had a few other finishing touches to do but this was the main project.

Pastor taking a break with Rebel.

Here is Bailey and Selena, one of our family members. She is a doll.

Only one casualty today. Aaron stepped on a nail and it caused a minor puncture wound on his foot.

We are done! Finished the project at 4:30 p.m. after a total 22.5 hours. We will be going back in the morning to clean up our area and then we'll be heading home. What a week! We've all been so blessed!

Day 4

2010-06-10T07:33:00.005-05:00

Back to work on Day 4 after a free day yesterday. Sorry for no blog yesterday but we got in late.

We started Wed. morning with a van tour of Henderson Settlement. Then decided to head to the water park even though it was raining as we hoped it might clear up. When we got to water park it was deserted. They had closed for the day due to weather. So we went to Plan B.

We had lunch at the original Colonel Sanders cafe and museum in Corbin, KY. Bruce was in hog (or chicken) heaven. KFC is a favorite of his. Then we went to see Shrek-The Final Chapter in 3D. It was a good movie and we had the theatre pretty much to ourselves. We followed that up with a trip to Dairy Queen then went to see the Cumberland Falls. This fall is the second largest waterfall east of the Mississippi (second only to Niagara Falls). It was stunning and we were able to walk down to the river's edge and do some stone skipping on the water. We finished our day eating dinner at Cracker Barrel.

We are back at the site now and as I blog, the group is back to work on getting the roof finished so we can begin to shingle. It is pouring down rain right now, so we've had to move the equipment into the covered portion of the new addition to use the electric saw. Not the most convenient circumstances but should allow us to continue to work. Our goal is to finish up all the work by lunchtime tomorrow if not sooner.

Again, we appreciate your prayers. I'll message more tonight and include pictures from yesterday- I left the camera in my room so can't upload pictures yet.

Day 2

2010-06-08T18:47:00.012-05:00

Our second day started on time. We arrived at the site at 8:30 a.m. and got right to work. Here Bruce and Spencer are removing the siding from the house so we can build the walls.
With the siding off, we began putting the walls together. Believe it or not, Ms. Hercules (aka Bailey) broke the Pastor's hammer(he said it was a cheap one), but fortunately we had six more to use.

We visited with the family throughout the day. It was a hot one (high of 85-90 degrees) so they didn't stay outside too long, but here you can meet Willy and Maggie along with their neighbor's dog, Rebel. Rebel made friends with everyone, including Dale who didn't take much of a break all day. He's a working feign!

We were able to get all the sides up and it took a lot of nails. Everyone was nailing the walls into place. The kids did a great job- only Bailey and Jenny hit their thumbs and had to take a break, but we went back to hammering eventually.

We ended our day at around 4:30 p.m. Dale and Andy were on the roof all afternoon, while the rest of us took some shade breaks. We were able to get the rafters in place and some of the plywood sheets for the roof as we are anticipating rain tomorrow.

We are looking forward to our play day tomorrow. Not sure if we'll be able to go to the water park and have fun if it rains, so would appreciate your prayers for good weather!

We appreciate all the prayers. We have been very blessed thus far with no injuries and good weather. Thank you for standing in the gap for us. Talk tomorrow!

Greetings From HUMC Missions Committee

2010-06-08T16:37:00.002-05:00

The Missions Committee met today. Our main focus was praying for our 11 missionaries in Appalachia this week. We lifted up their journey, the building project and the family they are helping. Praising God for the opportunity to take God's love to the people of Frakes, KY and for the ability to share their gifts. We continue to pray for their safety and the completion of the project.

Peace & Grace,

Sue, Mary Kay, Char, Suzy

2010-06-07T17:33:00.007-05:00

What a day! We were able to accomplish so much in a short day. We didn't get started until after 10 a.m. because we had to wait to get our instructions. We got to the job site and Dale, our foreman, got us to work. We needed to dig nine holes but ended up digging 13 (long story for a later time) but we accomplished that before lunch. We got to meet some of the family too- Willy- grandpa, Maggie- mom who is deaf, and her two daughters- Selena and Alejondria. They are a very nice family. We finished at 4:30 p.m. with putting the flooring down. Tomorrow we plan to get the walls up and some of the roof. Dale says we are ahead of schedule. Woohoo!

Meals have been good but the gas station can't keep up with the pizza orders by Spencer and the Larson boys.

Looking forward to a good night's sleep. We'll talk tomorrow.

P.S. Julie K- your presence was felt through the absolutely fabulous caramel corn!!!

Monday Devotional picture

2010-06-07T07:38:00.001-05:00

Up Early

2010-06-07T07:23:00.002-05:00

Well, we made it to Frakes yesterday just before 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Unpacked and went to an Orientation meeting at 7 p.m. Ended up eating PB & Js in the Ladies dorm and were able to watch most of the Blackhawks game. We were up early this morning at 7 a.m. for a morning devotional presented by one of the church groups here with us. Spencer said it was one of the better ones he's seen. The picture shows our group at the meeting. Had a great breakfast and are getting ready to head to our work site. Pastor and Dale are in the planning meeting right now to get our instructions and then we are off. We'll correspond later today after we get back from our first day on the job. We are all excited. More to come.

Almost there...

2010-06-06T14:31:00.002-05:00

3:31 p.m. (EST)- We are close to our destination. Pastor says we are about 110 miles away. Stopped and ate a big lunch at Applebees and plan to stop for a fast food dinner before arriving at Henderson Settlement. We've managed to keep our carpool together even though we've experienced a good deal of traffic. We've crossed both the Ohio and Kentucky Rivers and are seeing some beautiful country now. The Interstate has been cut right through the mountains so there is rock and forst on both sides of us. Being blessed by God's creation.

Off to Frakes, KY

2010-06-06T08:28:00.004-05:00

8:13 a.m. - We are off to Frakes, KY after a wonderful reception which included breakfast and a devotion. Thank you to all who helped send us off. We are excited about the week ahead of us. Updates to come.

Church Library/New Materials/June

2010-06-01T10:46:00.002-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.
They can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the senior adult classroom.
Becoming a Person of Influence by John C. Maxwell
Jesus Freak by Sara Miles
Sim Church by Douglas Estes
Children's Series: God I Need to Talk To You About;
Hurting Ohers, Bad Temper, Being a Bad Sport, Bulling, Cheating, Lying, Sharing, Stealing or Vandalism.
Nooma Videos by Rob Bell - Today # 17 and Name #18
Sharing the Victory Magazine (about faith and sports) was renewed for another year

New Mission

2010-05-28T14:28:00.005-05:00

Great job missions committee. Praying that all in the community will recycle their cans here.

Graduate Recognition

2010-05-23T12:00:00.001-05:00

Today during the worship service we honored twelve students, ranging from junior high to Ph.D., who are graduating this month. A special reception/brunch was held following the service. The HUMC family extends congratulations and prayers to all these young people as they continue their academic and professional lives.

A special children's time

2010-05-16T16:58:00.001-05:00

We had another special time at church this Sunday. During children's time, Karin increased our awareness of the disease which her grandaughter has, MPS-III or Sanfilippo Syndrome. Karin talked about struggles in life and how God is there in the midst of them. Afterwards, family members distributed lollipops and cards with information. Please check out the site Livlife. We all pray that awareness for this disease is raised and a cure is found.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T12:22:00.002-05:00

Mother's Day at HUMC was very special. Many thanks to the UM Men's group for the beautiful flowering plants for all the moms.

National Day of Prayer Service

2010-05-06T09:24:00.006-05:00

This morning members and friends gathered at HUMC to join an estimated 2 million other U.S. citizens in over 30,000 organized services to observe National Day of Prayer. There was a short service of worship and prayer followed by breakfast.

Church Library/New Materials/May

2010-05-01T15:37:00.001-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are available for check out. They can be found on the "new acquisitions" table located by the door to the senior adult Sunday school classroom.

Drops Like Stars by Rob Bell
Enough Discovering Joy though Simplicity and Generosity by Adam Hamilton
Enough Contentment in an Age of Excess by Will Samson
In the Shadow Of the Cross by Glenn M. Penner
Rescue the Captors 2 by Russell Stendal
Stories from China Fried Rice for the Soul by Luke Wesley
DVD Faith Under Fire by Voice of the Martyrs - 30 minutes

Champaign County Yada Yada Prayer Group Meeting

2010-04-24T17:46:00.004-05:00

Six area churches of various denominations (Savoy UMC, Glory Center, Living Hope, First Christian, Stone Creek and Homer UMC) came together for prayer, worship, praise and fellowhip this morning. This group was formed after a Yada Yada conference at Savoy UMC and is loosely modeled after the prayer group in the Yada Yada book series by Neta Jackson. (These books are available in our church library.) The group meets monthly at various churches in Champaign County and is open to all women for prayer, nurturing and fellowship. The next meeting of the Champaign County Yada Yada Prayer Group will be decided and announced soon.

KIC Earth Day Outing

2010-04-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Kids In Christ (KIC) celebrated Earth Day with an outing to Homer Lake. Stacey Clementz, director of environmental education, greeted the group and explained some of the work that Champaign County Forest Preserve does at Homer Lake. Then, before we took off on a hike, she supplied each student with a plastic bag and gloves so that they could help out by picking up trash and other potentially harmful items along the trails. The kids had a great time discovering animal tracks, identifying various kinds of plants and fishing trash out of the lake. Half the fun was seeing how close they could get to the lake without getting wet. We all had a great time. Many thanks to Stacey for sharing her wealth of knowledge and making our Earth Day outing so much fun.

Chicken Noodle Dinner

2010-04-13T09:40:00.004-05:00

The annual chicken noodle dinner and silent auction was a huge success. Many thanks to everyone who participated, donated and/or attended. All the proceeds will be used to fund the mission trip to Henderson Settlement in Frakes, KY June 6-12, 2010. 13 missionaries from HUMC will be building a room addition for a family in Chenoa, KY.

Church Library/New Materials/April

2010-04-05T11:23:00.000-05:00

The following books have been added to the church library and can be found on the recent acquistion table.

The Daniel's Fast Cookbook by Grace Bass
The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer L. Towns
How to Pray with the Bible by Page McKean Zyromski
In the Land of Believers by Gina Welch
The Parables for Today by Alyce M. McKenzie
Unbinding Your Church by Martha Grace Reese
Unbinding the Gospel by Martha Grace Reese
Unbinding Your Soul by Martha Grace Reese

Palm Sunday - Lenten Fair

2010-03-28T16:58:00.005-05:00

As the crowd in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus into the city over 2000 years ago, HUMC children led worship this morning bringing their palm branches into the sanctuary and leaving them at the foot of the cross. Following worship, the kids and adults together celebrated the annual Lenten Fair, with:

egg
painting

palm
crosses

foam
crosses

rainbow
keychains

and the best ever, freshly baked pretzels!

KIC St. Patrick's Day Party

2010-03-18T11:38:00.010-05:00

We had a beautiful Spring day for our Kids in Christ St. Patrick's Day party. The 2nd - 5th graders had a great time and enjoyed delicious after school snacks, played outside games, made a St. Patty's craft, learned about St. Patrick and the meaning of the shamrock. In worship they talked about different ways to praise and worship God and then, made a joyful noise with rhythm instruments. (In hindsight, I'm thinking that may not have been the wisest choice.) They also learned how to catch a leprechaun who taught them that not all wishes bring true happiness. The last KIC for the semester will be on April 21. We will be taking the church bus out to Homer Lake for an Earth Day program.

Pancake & Sausage Breakfast

2010-03-06T10:30:00.004-06:00

Today the United Methodist Men prepared their annual Pancake & Sausage Breakfast for the community. Those attending enjoyed good food, good fellowship, and this year's featured blueberry pancakes (see photo), which were delicious and much appreciated by all. The men served over 150 breakfasts, raising money for a variety of church and outreach projects this year. Thanks to everyone who attended, and if you missed it - kind of like the Cubs and spring training - there will be another chance next year!

Church Library/New Materials/March

2010-03-01T15:19:00.001-06:00

The following materials have ben added to the church library and are ready for check out. These materials can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the door to the Adult Sunday School room.

100 Questions Kids Ask by Family Christian Stores
365 Daily Devos for Boys Who Love Sports by Family Christian Stores
Bible Scrambles from Babour Publishing
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
Family Bible Flip Quiz by Miles Kelly
Hide or Seek by Dr. James Dobson
Guidelines 2009 -2012 26 volume set by the United Methodist Church
The Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
Prayer and Fasting by Kingsley Fletcher
Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
Ten secrets for the Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
CDs
The Screwtape Letters set of 4cds plus 1 dvd by Focus on the Family
DVDs
Veggietales - Silly Little Thing Called Love by Big Ideas

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-18T11:51:00.005-06:00

Homer UMC observed the beginning of the Lenten Season with an Ash Wednesday service. Lent is the 40 days before Easter Sunday, when the Christian Church is called to a time of repentance, prayer and fasting in preparation for the joy of Easter--the day The Church celebrates Christ's Resurrection.

In Pastor Steve's Ash Wednesday message, he reminded us that the Season of Lent is a time of forgiveness, both seeking and giving; prayer and reflection, confession of sin and self-denial or fasting. Lent is a time when God gives us a "Do Over"-- another chance to get it right. The service ended with the Imposition of Ashes--receiving a sign of the cross made from the ashes of burned palm leaves, placed on the forehead as a symbol of repentance and a reminder that we are God's creation.

"For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19

Church Library/New Books/February

2010-02-01T18:51:00.001-06:00

The following books have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.
Bible Dictionary Zondervan NIV version
The Complete Book of Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson
Encyclopedia of Bible Words Zondervan NIV version
Harry Bentley's Second Chance by Dave Jackson
Webster's All-In-One Dictionary and Thesaurus
Webster's New College Dictionary
Where Do I Go by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson

Health Kits for Haiti

2010-01-24T19:39:00.003-06:00

This morning, the Missions Committee organized an effort to assemble Health Kits from donations received over the past week (see the list of items in last week's post). Adults and kids came together around the table at Fellowship Time following Worship to pack about twenty Kits, which will be sent to UMCOR and will make their way to Haiti or another area as the need arises.

For more information on United Methodist efforts in Haiti, see Earthquake in Haiti: The Church Responds.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7

Special Offering for Haiti

2010-01-18T09:34:00.000-06:00

This Sunday, during worship, the congregation joined worldwide prayers for the people of Haiti and for the relief efforts underway following the disastrous earthquake last week. The HUMC Missions Committe presented information on UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and how we can contribute to their efforts which are already underway. Monetary donations are still being accepted at the church as are items for care packets. There is a box in the foyer to collect items which will be assembled into packets next Sunday (January 24). If you can contribute one or more items (limited to list items below) please bring them to the church by Sunday.

Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster and are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition and cooking classes. Kits include the following items:
1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27", No kitchen towels)
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
$1.00 to purchase toothpaste

NOTE: UMCOR is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.
Please be sure all items are new!

Church Library/New Materials/January

2010-01-01T20:30:00.000-06:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out. They can be found on the recent acquisition table located just outside the door to the Senior Adult Sunday School classroom.

Fearless by Max Lucado
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Holding on to Hope by Nancy Guthrie
How to Prepare Sermons by William Evans
Into the Den of Infidels by Living Sacrifice Book Company
Iran Desperate for God by Living Sacrifice Book Company
The Purpose of Christmas DVD Study Guide by Rick Warren
Transforming Evangelism by Henry Knight
DVD's
The Eric Liddell Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The Gladys Aylward Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The Jim Elliot Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The John Bunyan Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The Perpetua Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The William Tyndale Story Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith
The Purpose of Christmas DVD Bible Study by Rick Warren

KIC Christmas Party

2009-12-17T17:15:00.019-06:00

Kids In Christ (KIC) celebrated the Christmas season with a birthday party for Jesus on Wednesday, December 16 complete with silly hats, birthday cake and party favors. Every participant frosted and decorated their own cupcake and made a wish as they blew out the candle on top. There were party games in which teams unwrapped many layers of colored paper searching for baby Jesus. They sang favorite Christmas songs and made their own wooden nativity scene. The afternoon concluded with a lesson/skit reminding us to remember the reason for the season.

Recycling Cans for Missions

2009-12-10T18:04:00.002-06:00

Recently, the Homer United Methodist Church missions committee was granted guardianship of the community aluminum can recycling repository in town next to the recycling bins. We praise God for His blessings and provision for this committee! Our fledgling missions committee has been meeting, talking with others in the community, and praying about how and where God would have us focus our attention in the coming days and years. We will continue to work with Homer Churches Cooperating to help those in need in our community and also look forward to projects and opportunities that will help us as we continue to serve God beyond the boundaries of Homer. Please join us in prayer and praise as we consider how God wants us to serve and to bring the Good News to others. Thank you to all who are recycling your aluminum cans for missions!

And while I am on the subject of recycling, I want to thank everyone for their efforts to recycle other materials as well. Recycling is one way we can be good stewards of God's wonderful creation. We are so blessed to have a recycling program in our community due to the efforts of our local governments. Both the village and township pitch in to finance and oversee the dumpsters that accept paper, cardboard, glass, and plastics. Your efforts to recycle reduce the amount of waste in landfills so we do not have to keep digging new ones. And by not burning our garbage we reduce pollutants in the air we breath.

"Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries."

I Corinthians 4:1

- Submitted by Sue

Church Library/New Materials/December

2009-12-02T05:58:00.004-06:00

New Additions to the Library;
Books
Adam by Ted Dekker
BoneMan's Daughter by Ted Dekker
Green by Ted Dekker
The Jesus Chronicles Mark's Story by Tim La Haye
Jesus Confronts Today's Controversies by Mark Ashton
Jesus' Response to a World Gone Wrong by Mark Ashton
The Nativity Story by Angela Hunt
Not Alone by Nell E Noonan
Parables by John White
Romans by Jack Kuhatschek
The Week That Changed Everything by Mark Ashton
What Pastor's Wish Church Members Knew by Denise George
The Yado Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough by Neta Jackson
Dvd's
3:16 The numbers of Hope Bible Study by Max Lucado
Bible Studies by Demand for Women by Lifeway various presenters
The House Without a Christmas Tree Paramount Pictures

Hanging of the Greens 2009

2009-11-23T15:03:00.000-06:00

KIC Thanksgiving Party

2009-11-18T21:17:00.022-06:00

Kids in Christ (2nd-5th Graders) met after school on Wed. Nov. 18 for a Thanksgiving party. They enjoyed snacks of pilgrim hat and turkey cookies and popcorn. They had a Thanksgiving themed scavenger hunt in which they had to find items such as hedge apples, turkeys, corn, and pictures of the Mayflower. They learned some great new songs and sang some familiar favorites. They cut out their handprints to make turkey placemats for their Thanksgiving tables and ended the afternoon with a lesson on prayer and giving thanks to God.

Harvest Dinner

2009-11-15T16:37:00.005-06:00

Homer UMC family and friends enjoyed good food, good fellowship and good fun at the harvest dinner and silent auction hosted by the Kum Joy Nus women's group today. The proceeds from the event will help fund the group's mission and outreach projects throughout the year. Even though it was a Kum Joy Nus project, many others in the HUMC family pitched in to help make it successful. Many thanks for a church that worships and serves together.

Trunk or Treat Party

2009-11-01T11:44:00.004-06:00

HUMC participated in Homer's first Trunk or Treat party at the village hall parking lot on Sat. Oct. 31. There were around 30 decorated cars & vans, a costume contest, hay rides, bonfire, a DJ, and lots of treats. HUMC set up a fishing booth so that trick or treaters were able to "catch" their candy treats. A great time was had by all at the family friendly event.

TFC Lunch

2009-10-30T14:02:00.008-05:00

The Jr.High/TFC group provided lunch last Sunday (October 25) as a fundraiser for their annual project of providing Christmas presents to the children at Cunningham Children's Home in Urbana. Donning seasonal Christmas Elves caps, the group helped prepare and serve the meal consisting of three flavors of chile, chicken noodle soup, vegetable soup, sandwiches, salads and desserts. And yes, they even helped clean up after the lunch was over!

Jan Baker, the Coordinator of the Guardian Parent Giving Program at Cunningham, was our special guest Sunday morning and spoke during the Worship Service. Through both the children's message as well as specific examples of her experiences at Cunningham, Jan reminded all of us that when we put God first in our lives, there's plenty of room left for all the other fun things. She expressed thanks and appreciation to the TFC kids for showing a willingness to look beyond themselves and share God's love with others.

Church Library/New Materials/November

2009-10-30T12:39:00.003-05:00

The following materials have been added to the church library and are ready for check out. They can be found on the recent acquistions table located just outside the door to the adult library room.

Armageddon by Jeffrey R. Grant
Ben Israel by Arthur Katz
Breakfast with Billy Graham compiled by Bill Deckard
Church Socials by Barbara Greenman
Come Lord Jesus by Watchman Nee
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase
Five Practices Workbooks by Robert Schnase
Passionate Worship
Radical Hospitality
Extravagant Generosity
Risk Taking Missions and Service
Intentional Faith Development
The Gospel According to St. John by B.F. Westcott
The Heart of the Bible by Vincent J. Nordgren
Loving God by Charles Colson
Prophetic Questions Answered by Keith L. Brooks
What Did Jesus Say About That by Stanley C. Baldwin

DVDs
3,2,1 Penguins Trouble on Planet-Wait-Your-Turn
Nooma series by Rob Bell
#11 Rhythm
#12 Matthew
#13 Rich
#14 Breathe
#15 You
#16 Store