Favorite Summer Things

calvarymen

The Calvarymen Quartet
 
here for their Annual End of Summer Concert
Sunday, August 30
9:30am
Spread the word!
Invite your family and friends!!
Free will offering
They will have recorded music available to purchase.

www.calvarymenquartet.com

Worship in the Village Park

     Plans are being made to Worship in the Village Park on Sunday, August 16 at 9:30am. The Lion's Pavilion has been reserved.  There will be picnic tables available. This will be followed by a potluck, fellowship and games. Bring your lawn chairs, dish to pass, your table service and beverage.  Invite family, friends and neighbors!!

United Methodist Stance on the Environment

The following are statements from the 2008 Discipline of The United Methodist Church and the 2008 Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church pertaining to God’s creation.

¶165 D) Justice and Law—Persons and groups must feel secure in their life and right to live within a society if order is to be achieved and maintained by law. We denounce as immoral an ordering of life that perpetuates injustice and impedes the pursuit of peace. Peoples and nations feel secure in the world community when law, order, and human rights are respected and upheld.
      Believing that international justice requires the participation of all peoples and nations, we endorse the United Nations, its related bodies, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court as the best instruments now in existence to achieve a world of justice and law. We commend the efforts of all people in all countries who pursue world peace through law. We endorse international aid and cooperation on all matters of need and conflict. We urge acceptance for membership in the United Nations of all nations who wish such membership and who accept United Nations responsibility. We urge the United Nations to take a more aggressive role in the development of international arbitration of disputes and actual conflicts among nations by developing binding third-party arbitration. Bilateral or multilateral efforts outside of the United Nations should work in concert with, and not contrary to, its purposes. We reaffirm our historic concern for the world as our parish and seek for all persons and peoples full and equal membership in a truly world community.

Resolution 1027.God’s Creation and the Church
     As disciples of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of God’s creation. Accordingly, we call upon The United Methodist Church to adopt fresh ways to respond to the perils that now threaten the integrity of God’s creation and the future of God’s children.
Specifically, The United Methodist Church:
• designates one Sunday each year, preferably the Sunday closest to Earth Day, as a Festival of God’s Creation, celebrating God’s gracious work in creating the earth and all living things, incorporating it into the church’s liturgical calendar, and developing appropriate ways for congregations to celebrate it;
• endorses The Clergy Letter Project and its reconciliatory programs between religion and science, and urges United Methodist clergy participation;
• endorses the work of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, and the World Council of Churches Climate Change Program and urges conferences and congregations to support their activities and programs;
• supports the annual observance of the United Nations’ World Environment Day and encourages conferences and churches to participate in programs such as Environmental Sabbath;
• recommends that annual conferences establish annual awards to honor prophetic defenders of God’s creation from within their own constituencies;
• affirms the importance of nurturing, community-building approaches such as the Global Action Plan’s Household Eco-Team Program designed to foster resource efficient lifestyle practices;
• encourages a simplified and environmentally sound lifestyle throughout the church and requests that Church agencies, conferences, and congregations be stewards of God’s creation by reducing levels of consumption and participating in programs that reuse and recycle goods; and
• encourages United Methodist institutions to perform energy audits, improve energy efficiency, and pursue use of alternative clean energy sources such as wind and solar power where available.

¶ 160. I. THE NATURAL WORLD
      All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers, lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, misuse and over-consumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyle to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God’s creation.

A) Water, Air, Soil, Minerals, Plants—We support and encourage social policies that serve to reduce and control the creation of industrial byproducts and waste; facilitate the safe processing and disposal of toxic and nuclear waste and move toward the elimination of both; encourage reduction of municipal waste; provide for appropriate recycling and disposal of municipal waste; and assist the cleanup of polluted air, water, and soil. We call for the preservation of old-growth forests and other irreplaceable natural treasures, as well as preservation of endangered plant species. We support measures designed to maintain and restore natural ecosystems. We support policies that develop alternatives to chemicals used for growing, processing, and preserving food, and we strongly urge adequate research into their effects upon God’s creation prior to utilization. We urge development of international agreements concerning equitable utilization of the world’s resources for human benefit so long as the integrity of the earth is maintained. We are deeply concerned about the privatization of water resources, the bottling of water to be sold as a commodity for profit, and the resources that go into packaging bottled water. We urge all municipalities and other governmental organizations to develop processes for determining sustainability of water resources and to determine the environmental, economic, and social consequences of privatization of water resources prior to the licensing and approval thereof.

B) Energy Resources Utilization —Affirming the inherent value of nonhuman creation, we support and encourage social policies that are directed toward rational and restrained transformation of parts of the nonhuman world into energy for human usage and that de-emphasize or eliminate energy-producing technologies that endanger the health, the safety, and even the existence of the present and future human and nonhuman creation. Further, we urge wholehearted support of the conservation of energy and responsible development of all energy resources, with special concern for the development of renewable energy sources, that the goodness of the earth may be affirmed.

C) Animal Life—We support regulations that protect the life and health of animals, including those ensuring the humane treatment of pets and other domestic animals, animals used in research, and the painless slaughtering of meat animals, fish, and fowl. We encourage the preservation of all animal species including those threatened with extinction.

D) Global Climate Stewardship—We acknowledge the global impact of humanity’s disregard for God’s creation. Rampant industrialization and the corresponding increase in the use of fossil fuels have led to a buildup of pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere. These “greenhouse gas” emissions threaten to alter dramatically the earth’s climate for generations to come with severe environmental, economic, and social implications. The adverse impacts of global climate change disproportionately affect individuals and nations least responsible for the emissions. We therefore support efforts of all governments to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and call on individuals, congregations, businesses, industries, and communities to reduce their emissions.

E) Space—The universe, known and unknown, is the creation of God and is due the respect we are called to give the earth. We therefore reject any nation’s efforts to weaponize space and urge that all nations pursue the peaceful and collaborative development of space technologies and of outer space itself.

F) Science and Technology—We recognize science as a legitimate interpretation of God’s natural world. We affirm the validity of the claims of science in describing the natural world and in determining what is scientific. We preclude science from making authoritative claims about theological issues and theology from making authoritative claims about scientific issues. We find that science’s descriptions of cosmological, geological, and biological evolution are not in conflict with theology. We recognize medical, technical, and scientific technologies as legitimate uses of God’s natural world when such use enhances human life and enables all of God’s children to develop their God-given creative potential without violating our ethical convictions about the relationship of humanity to the natural world. We reexamine our ethical convictions as our understanding of the natural world increases. We find that as science expands human understanding of the natural world, our understanding of the mysteries of God’s creation and word are enhanced.
     In acknowledging the important roles of science and technology, however, we also believe that theological understandings of human experience are crucial to a full understanding of the place of humanity in the universe. Science and theology are complementary rather than mutually incompatible. We therefore encourage dialogue between the scientific and theological communities and seek the kind of participation that will enable humanity to sustain life on earth and, by God’s grace, increase the quality of our common lives together.

¶ 3393.Support and Protection of Rural People
     Whereas, rural people, rural communities and rural congregations are of great value in God’s creation and have many gifts and strengths to share with the world community; and
     Whereas, farming, ranching, other agricultural endeavors, trucking, migrant work, timbering, recreation, fishing and river work, rural factories, and small businesses of numerous kinds, as elements of rural life, undergird the economy of the world; and
      Whereas, rural people contribute to the abundance of our world economy, but often do not receive benefits commensurate with their efforts; and
Whereas, developments in communication technology and improved transportation systems have done much to eliminate problems of isolation and distance in some parts of the world, while further isolating people from each other in other parts of the world; and
      Whereas, the health and well-being of God’s creation rests upon the vitality of our worldwide rural people who are caretakers of the land, water, and air; and
      Whereas, The United Methodist Church, recognizing the sacredness of creation care, has a long history of ministry within rural places throughout the world;
       Therefore be it resolved, that The United Methodist Church, as it is in ministry in rural places, affirms that:
       1. rural residents around the world deserve the option of living and prospering in the communities where they live, and the goals and policies of the governments that relate to rural places should provide this option;
       2. rural people around the world deserve a sense of purpose and authentic hope, equitable and continuing spiritual care; satisfying economic opportunity to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter; nurture and protection for children and youth; security for the elderly and those who abilities are challenged; equitable access to affordable health care and education; and opportunities for recreation and spiritual renewal;
      3. as stewards of creation, rural people around the world have a right to determine how land, water, air, and other resources within their communities, especially in areas of limited population, are to be used, with particular attention given to land use and control being exercised by all who live within an area and/or own land within a given area while respecting the legal rights of owners of real property.

RURAL ISSUES

Resolution ¶ 3391. Call to the Churches for the Renewal of Rural Ministries
       For 70 years the religious community has joined together through Agricultural Missions, Inc. as one way of supporting and accompanying rural communities around the world in their efforts to end poverty and injustice. For many years now rural communities in the United States and across the world have faced daunting new challenges in the wake of increasing globalization of food systems and promotion of policies that favor corporations over family farms.
      Using global and regional trade agreements, corporations are controlling decisions that profoundly affect the lives of rural people. Trade regulations and treaties, both current and under negotiation, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), have conferred on corporations the right to supersede national farm policies in any nation, to demand access to local markets, and to purchase and own local water distribution systems and other essential services.
     The market-based model of economic development fostered by the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and imposed through international trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has resulted in and/or hastened the:
1. displacement of people from the land and the decline in the culture of the family farm;
2. belief among rural residents, particularly the youth, that there is no future in agriculture, leading to the impoverishment and eventual death of many rural communities;
3. increasing rates of farmer suicides and farm worker exploitation, as well as violence in the family and the community, substance abuse and related problems; and
4. violation of the integrity of God’s creation as typified by the pollution of the air, land, and water and disruption of the ecology and climate on a global scale.
      It is essential that the churches stand with those who work the land in their struggles and witness to their work. As churches, we need to provide material and moral support and raise our voices, lest by our silence the structures of power assume our consent to the injustices being committed against rural peoples and communities. We bear witness that alternatives that are just and sustainable are being developed, despite enormous odds, by the shared efforts of rural communities in many countries and regions. The Church needs to renew and expand relationships with these communities and struggles and make common cause with them.
      The Church possesses the lenses of the gospel and has the responsibility to bring moral and ethical scrutiny to social and economic policy. The Church must play a critical and essential role in evaluating economic policies for consistency with the Scripture and the Christian principles of justice.
      Therefore, we call The United Methodist Church to respond as worshiping congregations and as institutions responsible for providing moral guidance and prophetic vision to society at large and to impoverished people, in particular:
1. At the congregational level, pastors must be better equipped to address the despair affecting rural people, by working closely with local organizers and grassroots organizations.
2. At the institutional level, The United Methodist Church should:
      a. work with universities in the United States in rural areas and reclaim land- grant colleges, including historically black and Indian tribal colleges, to promote the interests of small-scale farmers instead of agribusinesses;
      b. consider setting up an ecumenical fund to assist small farmers threatened with bankruptcy to keep their farms and assist them in engaging in sustainable farming practices;
      c. promote a culture and economy of sufficiency, conservation, and thrift for corporate and individual lifestyles as best models of stewardship of God’s creation;
      d. advocate a process of public audits to call to accountability agribusinesses, banks and other financial institutions (including the international financial institutions), and transnational corporations and call on them to remedy the negative impact of their policies and activities on rural communities;
      e. strengthen its partnership with farm and rural community-based organizations and networks to educate and engage members on critical policy issues, including agricultural subsidies, food and trade policies, economic justice, and the integrity of creation;
      f. accompany farm workers in their struggles to secure healthy living conditions, decent wages, and the right to organize, and to support rural grassroots organizations that work with them in these endeavors; and
     g. develop concrete programs to demonstrate its solidarity with and accompaniment of small-scale, minority, and indigenous producers to secure their rights to their land and the fullness of life promised by Jesus Christ.

Resolution ¶ 1001. Energy Policy Statement
     Humankind enjoys a unique place in God’s universe. On the one hand, we are simply one of God’s many finite creatures, made from the “dust of the earth,” bounded in time and space, fallible in judgment, limited in control, dependent upon our Creator, and interdependent with all other creatures. On the other hand, we are created in the very image of God, with the divine Spirit breathed into us, and entrusted with “dominion” over God’s creation (Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:7; Psalm 8:6). We are simultaneously caretakers with all creation and, because of the divine summons, caretakers with God of the world in which we live. This hybrid human condition produces both the opportunity and the twin dangers for humans on this planet.
      The first danger is arrogance: that we may overestimate the extent of human control over our environment and the soundness of human judgments concerning it; that we may underestimate the limits of the planet where we live; and that we may misunderstand “dominion” to mean exploitation instead of stewardship.
The second danger is irresponsibility: that we may fail to be the responsible stewards of the earth. As stewards entrusted with dominion, then, we will demonstrate our faith in God by shaping the new human society that will emerge in the twenty-first century. We cannot, therefore, neglect the task of seeking to embody in the world the values that we hold in covenant with God. Nor can we forget the forgiving grace in Jesus Christ, which alone makes us bold enough, or the hope in Christ, which alone keeps us from despair.

Resolution ¶ 1023.Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future
      Humankind is destroying the global ecological balance that provides the life-support systems for the planet. Signs of the crisis are evident all around us. The global ecological imbalance produces environmental destruction.
      Polluted air pervades the atmosphere. Garbage abounds, with little space for disposal. Polluting gases destroy the ozone layer and cause global warming. Deforestation leads to soil erosion, a lack of carbon storage, inadequate water quantity and poor quality, and the loss of species, resulting in a reduction in biological diversity. The misuse of pesticides and fertilizers contributes to the poisoning of our soils and creates products harmful to all life.
      Present social, political, and economic development structures fail to provide the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter for all our brothers and sisters around the world with more than 1.2 billion people currently living in absolute poverty. And the world population is projected to grow by another 3 billion people in the next fifty years. This growth, combined with higher standards of living, will pose severe strains on land, water, energy, and other natural resources.

Historical and Theological Concerns
     Through the ages, a theological base for the domination of creation was found in Genesis 1:28: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over . . . every living thing that moves upon the earth.” Misinterpretation of “subdue” and “dominion” has been used to justify much of the nature-destroying aspects of modern civilization.
      The scale of human activity has grown so large that it now threatens the planet itself. Global environmental problems have become so vast that they are hard to comprehend. Between 1955 and 2000, the human population has more than doubled to 6.1 billion. During the same time, the consumption of fossil fuels has quadrupled with North Americans using fossil fuels at a per capita rate ten times greater than citizens of developing nations. The vast majority of scientific evidence suggests that the carbon dioxide from fossil fuels has already caused a measurable warming of the globe. Destruction of habitat, especially tropical rain forests, is causing the loss of species at an ever-increasing rate. Valuable topsoil is being depleted. There is a recurring hole in the ozone layer. More ultraviolet radiation now reaches the earth, which may cause more cancers, poorer crop growth, and damage to the immune systems of humans and other animals.
      Confronted with the massive crisis of the deterioration of God’s creation and faced with the question of the ultimate survival of life, we ask God’s forgiveness for our participation in this destruction of God’s creation. We have misused God’s good creation. We have confused God’s call for us to be faithful stewards of creation with a license to use all of creation as we see it. The first humans had to leave the garden of Eden when they decided they had permission to use all of creation despite warnings to the contrary. We have denied that God’s covenant is with all living creatures (Genesis 9:9). We have even denied that all of the human family should enjoy the covenant.
     We forget that the good news that we are called to proclaim includes the promise that Jesus Christ came to redeem all creation (Colossians 1:15-20).
     We believe that at the center of the vision of shalom is the integration of environmental, economic, and social justice.
      We are called to eliminate over-consumption as a lifestyle, thus using lower levels of finite natural resources.
      We are called to seek a new lifestyle rooted in justice and peace.
      We are called to establish new priorities in a world where 40,000 children die of hunger each day.
     Therefore, we are called to a global sense of community and solidarity leading to a new world system of international relationships and economic/environmental order. In this way, the misery of 1.2 billion poor now living in absolute poverty can be alleviated and the living ecosystem be saved.

Principles for a Sustainable Future
      The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church remind us that “all creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it” (¶ 160). Development must be centered in the concept of sustainability as defined by the World Commission of Environment and Development: “to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The Christian understanding of sustainability encompasses this concept. Fundamental to our call as faithful witnesses is the meeting of human needs within the capacity of ecosystems. This ensures the security of creation and a just relationship between all people. Sustainable development, therefore, looks toward a healthy future in three vital areas: the social community, the economy, and the environment.

Conclusion
     The United Methodist Church will strive for a global sense of community to help achieve social, economic, and ecological justice for all of creation.
We will focus on the conversion to sustainable practices in the following areas:

Atmosphere
      • Support measures calling for the reduction of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, which contribute to acid rain and global climate change.
     • Enforce agreements banning the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to stop the depletion of the ozone layer.
     • Support ratification and enforcement of international frameworks, such as Kyoto Protocol, that seek to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
     • Support the cleanup of environmental problems through economic incentive, appropriate enforcement measures, and sanctions against those causing pollution.

Earth
     • Support integrated and sustainable natural resource management.
     • Commit to the “Greening of the World” through the limiting of all emissions of pollutants that damage forests and reforestation.
     • Work for ecologically sound agricultural practices that produce healthy food and a clean environment.
     • Protect biodiversity among both animals and plants.

Water
     • Maintain that water is a basic human right not a commodity to be traded for profit.
     • Support integrated, sustainable management to reduce or eliminate factors contributing to limited water quantity and poorer quality.

Energy
     • Support improved energy conservation and greater reliance on new and renewable sources of energy.
     • Support the development of eco-efficient mass transportation.
     • Support a call for a sustainable national energy policy.

Odds and Ends

United Methodist Women

UMW Mystery Trip is planned

      Mark Tuesday, August 18 for a great day of fun for all ladies of the church! The annual mystery trip is always a rewarding time of adventure and fellowship. If you want to take part, contact Sherryl Seeley.

Dorcas

Meal Statistics for July
     Menu:   Pork Chops, baked beans, potato salad
     Total Meals Served: 213
     (Guests:132, Take-Outs: 52, Helpers:29 )
     Deposit: $1350.00
                                                 * * * *
August Meal: Meatloaf,
Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

A Guide to the Health Care Reform Debate

      Find our the United Methodist’s view on the health care reform by reading the article at the following link:

http://www.sojo.net/action/alerts/Health_Care_Toolkit.pdf 

There are a few printed copies in the narthex if you don’t have Internet access.

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Visit Bay Shore Camp WebSite

www.bayshorecamp.org

Caring and Sharing

Deaths...
     Our Deepest Sympathies to Tom and Elaine Proctor, their family and friends on the passing of Tom’s brother, William of Dearborn.
     Our Sympathies to the family and friends of Brian Mallory.
     Our Condolences to Esther Guinther, her family and friends on the passing of Esther’s sister, Bertha Hahn.
    We send our sympathies to the Frankowski, Geiger, Rediel families on the deaths of Elizabeth Gieger and Dale Rediel.

Marriage...
      Our Congratulations and Best Wishes to the new Mr. and Mrs. Ross Sherman. Ross married Amanda Iannitti on July 25 in Cincinnati, Ohio where they will make their home. Ross is the son of Rod and Yvonne Sherman.

In Your Prayers...
Rev. Paul & Rev. Linda; Carol Schaufele; Thelma Graham (home); Donna Auten; Elaine Proctor; Dorothy Knight; Denise Jones (Leukemia); Maurice Joos; Mary Hutchinson; Ray Arnold (Hills and Dales); Bea Baker (St. Mary's - 5 bypass); Rev. Bob & Charlene Garrett; Marilyn Morgan; Barney & Ruth Hoffman; Laura Bryant; Lucille Copeland; Dale & Mary Damm; Esther Guinther; Maxine Profit; Elizabeth Stine (6700 Westside, Bay City 48706). David Murry (cancer: Carol Schaufele’s brother); David Parrish (radiation).
Tendercare, 4782 Hospital Dr., C.C.: Florence Eimers, Don Buehrly
Northwood Meadows, 6086 Beechwood, C.C.: John Marshall, Fritz Pomeroy, Marv Hobart, Tom Proctor.
Kings’ Daughters, 2410 Rodd St., Midland, MI 48640: Dorothea Quick;
Tuscola Medical Care Facility, 1285 Cleaver Rd., Caro 48723: Ruth Freeman; Carolyn Chapman, Clara Seeley
TimberLine Lodge, 3771 Colwood, Caro: Betty Scofield.
Service People: Matt Inbody (Afghanistan); Mike Furness. (GA); Marc Inbody (SC); Josh Sherman (CA), Kendra Parsons (TX); Matt Essenmacher; Tim Karr (WA); Steve McCormick, Greg Klais, (Iraq); Pvt. Barry Pilarski (S. Carolina- fractured his foot in a parachuting accident - needs surgery) and their units.


From the Mail Box:
From Megan VanVliet: Thank you all so much for the continuous support throughout my life and achievements! It has had a tremendous impact on me. Also, thank you for the towel! It will be well used at GVSU in years to come.
From Joan and Stuart Merchant: Wasn’t that a Party? We’re still enjoying the afterglow and fully expect it to warm our hearts for our remaining years. Many thanks to all who sent cards, gifts and could attend. Someone gave us a charming “Happy Couple” Flurryville Feelings – I was in such a “flurry” Sunday I missed the card. Was it you? Whoever you are – Thank you. Its delightful. What would one do without a church family with whom to share our joys. God bless you all. P.S. Secret Sister: our floral arrangement of rubrum lilies - 3 in full bloom and one bud to go and lovely pink rose is fragrant and perfect. We thank you.



Thank yous to go around:
Newsletter: Linda Derfiny (proofing); Judy Profit, Janis Seeley, Libby Venema, Macy and Lauren Dickinson.
To those who worked and attended the Strawberry Festival and the Fireworks Tailgate Party!
Our Cleaning People!
Our Mowing Team!

A Sincere Thank you for going the extra mile: