July-August 2019 Newsletter
Prospect United Methodist Church
Prospect’s Mission and God’s Bucket List for Your Summer
Prospect’s Mission: Growing DEEPer in Jesus…to Reach WIDEer for Jesus.
How will we attain our mission? One aspect of our Discipleship Path includes a renewed focus on our Discipleship Ministries (Growing DEEPer in Christ). To that end, we have a 20/20, future looking vision of DISCIPLESHIP that hopes to see at least 50% of our regular worship attenders engaging in a +1 activity geared towards personal spiritual growth.
How do we hope to realize this vision of Growing DEEP?
The acronym DEEP stands for
DAILY DEVOTIONS
ECCLESIA / SMALL GROUPS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
PROSPECT CARE
We believe (and Scripture and history affirm) that these are exactly the practices one needs to grow DEEPer in their relationship with Christ. And we think summer is a great time to add one or more of these practices into your routine. Last Sunday, Pat Campbell and the Children’s Ministry Team began handing our “Summer Buckets” to our kids. The buckets include Bible memorization verses, Journal prompts, prayer invitations, and many other creative ideas to help our kids and their families dig into God’s Word and their relationship with Christ over the summer months. It’s a daunting list.
Some might be tempted to look at the list, determine “I could never finish all of that in a few short week,” and not even try. Others, might see the Bucket List as a challenge and determine to complete everything on the list, just for the sake of saying they did it (to receive the prize of participation). Still others, will pick and choose those activities they recognize will help them take baby steps forwards (DEEPer) in their relationship with Christ. Those in this last category may not complete every task in the bucket…but they’ll win the real prize!
God is working through Prospect to offer you a summer bucket list, too. Check out youversion.com for a Daily Bible reading devotion or our rightnowmedia.com library to dive into one of their 10,000 online Bible study resources. Our Tuesday morning Breakfast With Jesus (Ecclesia) group has started a new Bible study through the Letters of 1, 2 & 3 John (with pastor/author Tony Evans) and our Wednesday women’s Ecclesia group has started a new study through Rachel Held Evans’ book, “Inspired.” We’re Engaging the village on Dunlap with regular prayer walks on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons (look for our “Gutters for Jesus” service Saturdays to start soon. too!) and have provided resources for you to prayer walk your own neighborhoods and work places. And we’re inviting our entire congregation to be a part of our Prospect Care efforts through simple acts of prayer and presence.
Exciting things are happening for God’s Kingdom purposes, Prospect, but don’t let summer slip by without checking off a few items on your spiritual “summer bucket list.”
<><, Pastor Steve
JULY & AUGUST CALENDARS
You can also download the printable version by clicking on the link!
Treasurer's Report
Here we are half way through June already. Goodness how the time flies.
We held the Easter Breakfast in April and Graduation Breakfast in May and both were a success. Thanks to all that helped with these.
We have paid the Mission budget in full from the money given to March to the Manager and Parade of Palms. Thanks for your generosity. If you have questions about where this money goes please ask any Mission Committee member or myself.
Annual Conference is over and now on to General Conference in May 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Please pray for this gathering.
The trustees have been busy replacing all the lights in the Sanctuary with LED lights and are now replacing lights in fellowship hall and others. Thanks Jim Durand and Al Spangler.
I read in a book “Simple Matters” this quote, “Do not mistake activity for achievement.” I hope this church never gets to that, we need more than activity. I pray that you continue to lift up PUMC for the summer and beyond and that you continue to pray that God will continue to Bless us so we can Bless others.
God Bless, Bonnie Mankle, Treasurer
THANKFUL HEARTS UPDATE
SUKKAH IN JULY
Last year the Mission Team decided to change the SUKKAH to July-when our supplies are pretty low, because in November and December, more donations are received from the schools and local groups.
SUKKAH is set for Sunday, July 7th and Sunday, July 14th.
Donation lists will again be grouped by your LAST NAME initial.
You can view the lists below or pick up a copy in the gathering area!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Join us for this year's VBS!!!
July 29th-August 2nd from 9:00-11:30 a.m.
"ATHENS: LEARN THE JAW-DROPPING STORY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL…STRAIGHT FROM PAUL HIMSELF!"
$10 registration fee
*Registration deadline for a camp t-shirt is July 12th!*
Get your registration form at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Area on Sundays, grab one from the church office or download a form below!
CALLING ALL VBS VOLUNTEERS!
Wanting to volunteer?!
Registration for VBS volunteers is also ready to go!
Sign-up sheets are in the gathering area!
SCHOOL SUPPLY COLLECTION
Backpack Sunday will arrive sooner than we think, and PUMC will again be collecting supplies for our local grade schools. Below is a list of the school supply list. We will once again be donating to Dunlap Grade School. We will be collecting school supplies in the gathering space starting July 14th and the missions team is asked to help sort items and stuff backpacks after service on August 4th. We will look to have separate totes for each supply like last year. Thank you all in advance for all your help and donations!
Below is a list of supplies we are collecting:
*Regular Sized Book Bags (no wheels)
*Clorox Wipes
*Hand Sanitizer with a pump
*Small Scissors (blunt end)
*Spiral Notebooks (wide ruled)
*4 oz. Elmer’s Glue (White only)
*24 count boxes of Crayola Crayons (brilliant colors)
*Plain two pocket folders with clasps (no plastic)
*Large box of Kleenex
*Plain yellow #2 pencils (already sharpened)
*Large erasers
*Yellow highlighters
*Box of 8 washable markers
*Box of 12 colored pencils (sharpened)
*Ruler (standard and metric combined-not bendable)
*Fine tip black Expo markers (preferably washable)
Wilder-Waite has asked for donated Wal-Mart gift cards for students who need a change of clothes or clothing items. Unfortunately this has become a great need and usually teachers go and buy clothing items with their own personal money. If you are willing to get a Wal-Mart gift card or give money for this you drop it off in the office. Thank you!
Highway Clean-up Needs your Help!!!
The good weather means that Highway Cleanup time is upon us. For all of you new members and friends, PUMC is responsible for cleaning Cedar Hills Dr. From Knoxville/Rt. 40 to Bland Rd. (See map below.)
We need 6-10 people meeting in the Banner School parking lot at 9:00 a.m. for approximately 1 hour on usually the last Saturday of the month. If there is a Sunday School class or family that would like to do it as a group but at a different time/day, that is great -- just get in touch with Lois Yoches (243-5062).
The county supplies the neon, reflective vests and trash bags; each person should bring working gloves and sturdy shoes. The cleanup works best if one person stays on the top portion of the ditch and one covers the lower part so no one has to walk up and down the steep ditch.
Next two dates are Saturday, July 27th and Saturday, August 31st! See you in the Banner School parking lot at 9:00 am!
525 THURSDAYS SUMMER WORSHIP
Dunlap Senior Center at Prospect UMC!
**THE SENIOR CENTER WILL BE ON BREAK THE MONTH OF JULY!**
The Senior Center is located in the Fellowship Hall at PUMC and is open every Tuesday and Thursday (except for holidays) from 9:00am-3:00pm for men and women 50 years and older. The Senior Center provides a warm & free setting where you can meet people, join a card game, put together a puzzle, play Mexican Train dominoes, or just sit and chat with a cup of coffee. Questions? Please email the coordinators at dunlapscac@gmail.com.
PUMC POOL PARTY
Everyone is invited to a PUMC Pool Party! Come out and join the fun on Friday, August 2nd, from 6-8 p.m. at the pool in Princeville. Children, youth, and adults of ALL ages are invited! Admission is free. Can’t wait to see you out there!
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE @ PUMC
CHURCH MONITORS NEEDED
We are looking to add to our team of property monitor volunteers on Sunday mornings during worship hours. Some of the responsibilities include locking and unlocking the doors before and after worship as well as browsing the hallways during worship and keeping an eye out for late attendees who need let in after services have started.
If you would be interested in volunteering as a property monitor OR are interested in learning more about this volunteer role, please contact Randy Juskiv (370-5023) or the church office for more information.
Turkey Dinner 2019
We are also looking for 2019 Turkey Dinner Chairpersons. Please prayerfully consider being a part of this year’s Turkey Dinner Team, and contact Pastor Steve (and/or Jim Durand) if you would like to learn more about serving as a chairperson (i.e. chief organizer) for this event.
CHADDOCK MISSION TRIP
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED THE MISSION TRIP BRUNCH FUNDRAISER!
FOOD PANTRY NEWS
Please remember your Sukkah donations. We depend on them to help those in need.
We appreciate your generosity! Gloria & Nancy
BANDAGE PROJECT
We will resume rolling bandages for Global Health Ministries in September. Global Health Ministries sends containers of medical supplies to mission hospitals all over the world. We would love to have you join us!!!
New Members and Baptism
ON-LINE SERMONS
No problem! Our Sunday sermons are now posted on-line! You can find them on our website and Facebook page!
Our kids aren’t (or shouldn’t be) the only ones still in school. As a church that wants to help you grow deep in Jesus so that we can reach wide for Jesus, we believe that Bible study and small groups are essential for our individual and corporate lives. You can join at any time, there is always room for you!
SENIOR LUNCHEON: Meets on the last Tuesday of the month at Noon; potluck, open invitation
CAMILLA SMALL GROUP, Wednesday evenings @ 7:00 PM - Mary Pietreniak's house, women's group, open invitation. Small Group on Wednesday evenings @ 7pm @ Mary Pietreniak’s house. (We will not meet on July 3rd.) We are reading the book “Inspired” by Rachel Held Evans described as follows: Drawing on the best in recent scholarship and using her well-honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, soliloquies, and even a short screenplay. Undaunted by the Bible’s most difficult passages, Evans wrestles through the process of doubting, imagining, and debating Scripture’s mysteries. The Bible, she discovers, is not a static work but is a living, breathing, captivating, and confounding book that is able to equip us to join God’s loving and redemptive work in the world.
DEEPER STILL 10:00 Sunday mornings - Conference room, open invitation
BIBLE STUDIES: Breakfast with Jesus
Tuesday mornings from 8:30-9:30, open invitation (more details below)
(Feel free to contact the church if you're interested in starting/hosting a group at another time and/or location.)
Breakfast with Jesus
Our Tuesday morning group meets at 8:30 am in the church’s conference room. Contact the church office if you would like more information about either group, or would like to talk to Pastor Steve about forming your own midweek or Sunday morning small group for intentional Bible study, Christian discipleship and fellowship!
METHODIST MEN
Methodist Men are on summer break! Regular UMM meetings will resume on August 5th.
*We are in need of church monitors on Sunday mornings in July and August. Please have anyone interested in filling in a date contact me at (309) 370-5023, randaljday@yahoo.com.
Thank You, Randy Juskiv
Please consider joining us for our meetings and events. All are welcome-young and old!!! Enjoy the good food & company! If there are questions, let Randy Juskiv know @ randaljday@yahoo.com. See you in August!
MARY MARTHA
Mary Martha is on summer break! Please consider joining us this fall! We give to ministries that include Crittenten, Lessie Bates Neighborhood House East St. Louis, Cunningham Children's home, Silent Auction, Chaddock Christmas Child, 100% of our funds are given to mission. We welcome all ladies to join us!
PROSPECT BOOK DISCUSSIONS
The next gathering will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 29, to talk about Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick. Award-winning journalist Demick follows the lives of six North Korean citizens over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il (the father of Kim Jong-un), and a devastating famine that killed one-fifth of the population. North Korea is perhaps the most repressive regime today, and citizens there are kept ignorant of the rest of the world as they struggle to support their families.
We will also meet at 6:30 on Monday, September 23 to discuss a book to be announced later.
Our last 2019 gathering will be in November to discuss We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by Jose Andres. Led by Chef Andres, a team of volunteers, including other chefs, fed hundreds of thousands in Puerto Rico after the terrible devastation of Hurricane Maria in the fall of 2017. Many of the Americans living on the island were without clean water, food, electricity, gas, and means of communication or travel. They were desperately in need of assistance in order to survive (and, sadly, many did not survive the hurricane and aftermath).
Questions? Suggestions for books to discuss? Contact Nancy Varness at hvarness@mchsi or call 309-274-8124.
SOUL CAFE
We would just like to thank everyone who signs up to help with Soul Cafe, whether it be bringing treats/drinks or serving it is VERY appreciated. Many have truly been enjoying the fellowship in between the services!
HOME COMMUNION
Please see Mary Pietreniak if you are interested in serving or receiving home communion.
KIDS' SUMMER CAMP INFO
PURPLE PANDA PRE-SCHOOL & AFTER CARE
The Purple Panda staff are busily preparing for the upcoming school year by working on curriculum development. The preschool library will be another exciting summer project, we plan to add new books and movies and work on organizing materials to make them easier to locate! Enrollment is underway for 3 year olds for fall. Students must be 3 years old and fully potty trained to begin preschool! Please email Mrs. Pollard at purplepandapreschool@gmail.com if you’d like more information or a tour! Our Pre-K program is full as of this writing but we are adding names to our waiting list!
We are currently accepting applications for new students for the 2019-2020 school year. Contact Dani if you would like to register your child for after care!
JULY & AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
Right Now Ministry (online small group and devotional resources)
Prospect subscribes to the RightNowMinistry (“the Netflix of Christian Bible study”) resource, which provides all of our members with access to 1000’s of video led curriculums including offerings specifically geared towards books of the Bible, Parenting, Marriage, Single Living, Men, Women, Teens, Children, Leadership and Finances from a Christian perspective, and more.
Contact Pastor Steve if you do not have access to the rightnowmedia.org site (or have forgotten your log-in).
BIBLE ONE YEAR READING PLAN
Click the link below to download the 52-week Bible reading plan!
Prospect UMC
Email: dani.pumc@gmail.com
Website: www.pumcdunlap.org
Location: 300 E Ash St, Dunlap, IL, United States
Phone: 3092437300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DunlapProspectUMC/