Freaking The (!!) Out

April 20, 2022

 

Happy Eastertide, church family and friends! Christ is risen!

It has been a busy, joy-filled week at Epworth UMC. 

We signed our contract with LOBO roofing, gave them the 50% deposit to get on their calendar, and they expect to start replacing the roof in June! We still have some money to raise, so PLEASE take a look at our envelope wall and donate however much feels right to you. Every little bit helps, you’d be amazed how it adds up. And thank you to you who are already doing that!

We met with the folks at Head Start again so that they can start using our kitchen (more on that later in this here newsletter thingy), and I had a great conversation with Elizabeth Medina – you may remember her as the leader of the Mexican Folk Dancing group that was rehearsing in the Wolf Center before shutdown – about what Spanish-speaking folks need when they arrive here in Fallon. She gave me some really good ideas, about things like helping parents connect their kids with activities, learning how to use the library computers for school stuff, giving them ideas about where to eat and shop, all kinds of stuff. 

This matters because this Project Head Start program specifically serves immigrant families who are here in Fallon to work in agriculture. Elizabeth even offered to help me translate this very newsletter and my sermons into written Spanish. Isn’t that great! And, since I have been meaning to learn Spanish for years, I just went online and bought a Rosetta Stone subscription that I would be very happy to share with any of you who might also like to learn. Any opportunity to offer warm hospitality and friendship to folks can open doors to the Gospel, and I am looking forward to responding to this opportunity God is giving us.

And we got the printer fixed. Huzzah! Well, mostly. Still waiting on a part they need, so that it will print the larger sized bulletins. Still though, progress!

Anyway, all of this plus good conversations and prayer with folks, and HERO Club awesomeness, and the interfaith group getting started again, and a great meeting with the other Nevada pastors, and another great meeting with colleagues to talk creatively about how God is calling us to be the church…just a good, full week. 

Which leads me to answer a question you haven’t asked, but maybe you’re wondering about: how does all of this stuff fit into our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? And the answer is this, from John 13:34-35:

“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. 
As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you loveone another.”

Every act of love and kindness opens a door to Jesus. 

In Jesus’ name,
      Pastor Dawn

Oh, PS! National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 5. We are meeting at noon, at the Convention center, to pray together with folks from a bunch of area churches. See you there! 

Worship Any and Everywhere!

FREAKING OUT: Finding Calm (and God) in the Chaos

Every week, we pray together about the war in Ukraine, about really scary illnesses, about violence and natural disaster. Every week, we hear from folks experiencing crisis and desperately seeking help. We are so blessed to be able to help (most of the time) with food, medicine, gas, tents, clothing, etc…and we can help ALL of the time with prayer and a listening ear. But the fear, even panic, is real. The good news is, God can help us with that! So for the next few weeks, we will be leaning on Jesus’ disciples and how God met them in their own fear and trembling after Jesus’ death. We’ll be talking about God’s many words of comfort and courage throughout the scripture. And we’ll learn together how to build our houses on solid foundations, so that nothing but NOTHING can steal our joy. (hat tip to Zach Williams there, and his song “Old Church Choir”…go find it on youtube!)

 

If you’re worshiping with us on Facebook or on the radio, we are so glad! If we can be in prayer for you in any way, please call the church at 775-423-4714, or call Pastor Dawn directly at 775-671-5553.