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November Newsletter

10/28/2016

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Pastor Mark Dicken
 2637 McCool Road, Portage, IN 46368
(219) 762-3846 
______________________________________________________________________
The Witness
Issue XI                                                                                                                                                                              November 2016

FROM THE PASTOR
As we continue to move ahead into the future God has in mind for us, as we noted in the letter sent to all members and friends, we have made some changes in the makeup and configuration of our church staff. (If you are saying “What letter?”, please make sure we have your current mailing address.)
We have a small group of leaders who have committed to participating in the Fruitful Congregations Journey. FCJ is a three-step process designed to help teams of lay servants and pastors from churches grow as leaders and obtain tools that will help their churches be even more effective or fruitful in their ministry and mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our PFUMC team reads a book each month and then the lay servants meet with members of two other area churches and a facilitator on a Saturday morning for further learning and discussion. I meet with a separate group of pastors from several churches for the same.
If you would like to know what our team has been reading, we will have copies of the books on the bookshelf in the narthex. The first two are Renovate or Die: Ten Ways to Focus Your Church on Mission and Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results. Take a book, read it and then return it so someone else can read it. You’ll be hearing more from us on our team as we work our way through this first step of FCJ.

Speaking of hearing from, I’d like to hear from you about your thoughts on such things as:
•    Our Sunday morning worship schedule and lineup
•    Why we have so few children and youth in worship
•    Our continuing challenges of lay servants committing to serving 
•    Our continuing challenges financially
•    Are there some things we need to stop doing in order to focus on ministries and missions that are more fruitful for Christ’s kingdom in Portage?
•    Topics I haven’t even thought of yet.
I will be setting aside an hour each Wednesday evening in November, except the day before Thanksgiving, from 6:30-7:30 PM here in the church building to listen to and speak with folks who would like to share their thoughts with me and with others. I’ll need to go to the sanctuary at 7:30 to rehearse with the Praise Team – unless some other guitarist(s) steps up to play on Sunday mornings. I’m looking forward to hearing from you about your dreams and desires for Portage First.
See you in church!

In Christ and in hope,
Pastor Mark
Stop by the Connection Center and pick up an Upper Room daily devotional. It’s a great way to start your day.

Happy November Birthday to…
02    Barb Falatic                         13    Pam Parks                        22    Betty Kerns
03    Mike Rousselle                   13    Marcia Guth                     22    Tom Ellefson
03    Jim Nickerson                     14    Ethan Keehn                    23    Janice Stewart
04    David Alvarado                   15    Don Cooper                     23    Nicholas Wrigley
06    Robert Metz                        17    Madolyn Sullivan            24    James Wineinger
06    Kathy Cunningham            18    Alexis Rubens                 24    Phyllis Price
06    Robin Wilkening                 18    Liam Stein                        25    Barb Piazza
06    Julie Ford                             19    Joe Medina                       25    Kortni Centracchio
07    Wanda Samuelson            19    George Stewart               26    Norm Hamstrom
09    Greg Keehn                         19    Denisa Riley                     27    Karin Manteuffel
10    Dianna Cutler                      20    Bill Kramer                      27    Susie Hidalgo
10    Glenn Yerby                         20    Cathy Koller                    29    John Cardona



Happy November Anniversary to…
02    Mike & Cathy Koller           21    Frank & Julie Ford
03    David & Annie Alvarado    22    Dennis & Jamie Whitfield

Have you checked out the church web site??
The address is:  http://www.portageumc.org
†  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †  †
Weekly Calendar
Sundays @ 10:00am    Sunday School
Wednesdays @ 11:30am    Brown Bag Bible Study
Thursdays @ 6:00am    Breakfast at Schoop’s

Remember your church in your will.

Children’s Church
If you are unable to help on the date listed will you please contact one of the others on the schedule to arrange a change then call the office with the change.  Thanks so much.
Nov. 6           Kate Blakely & Deb Massow
Nov. 13         Cheryl Hamilton & Ethan Keehn
Nov. 20         Kate Blakely & Simeon Bright
Nov. 27         Kate Blakely & Clara Harbart


Veteran’s Luncheon
Mission Possible Kids invites all veterans and their families to join us on Sunday November 13th at 1:00 pm for our annual Veteran's Day Dinner.  Signups will be available at the connection center or you can e-mail amy.kegley@portage.k12.in.us to reserve your spot.  If you'd like to share a picture or two from your time in service please e-mail them to Amy Kegley at the e-mail address listed above. We hope to see you there!

Attention Middle Schoolers
Confirmation classes for our youth will begin in February. There's a large class this year as there wasn't enough kids to do it last year.  We'll be looking for mentors for each of the students so please prayerfully consider volunteering. For more information or to express interest please contact Deb Massow at 742-4905 or Lisa Graff at 916-4258.

Deck the Halls....and Sanctuary...and Fellowship Hall...and...
Advent Season is upon us!
Do you enjoy decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving while everyone else groans, it’s too early?  Well here’s your chance to help our church and have a free meal too! Come on out and enjoy food, fellowship and fun while we embrace the time old tradition of Hanging of the Greens here at Portage First on Monday, November 21st at 6 pm.  
The night will start off with pizza for y’all and then on to the decorating while we listen to sounds of the season!  Advent starts that next Sunday.  No matter your age or ability, I promise we’ll find a job for you.  Sign up at the Connection Center so we know how much pizza to get so everybody gets to eat.   See you there!


First Friday Fellowship
We will meet November 4th at 5pm at Martini’s 1004 Calumet Ave. Valparaiso. R.S.V.P to Sandra Robinson at 764-8433.


UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
Friday, November 4 @ 9:30 am
Women of ALL ages are welcome to join us for
fellowship, breakfast snacks and our speaker
who will be from the Portage Y. Come and hear what
services and programs the "Y" has to offer.
Please call the church office by Wednesday, Nov 2
if you will need childcare.
Hope to see you there!

IT'S COMING AND WE'RE STILL COLLECTING
Cold, winter weather will be here soon! 
Think how much more comfortable and happy a child would be
if they had a hat and gloves to wear 
while waiting for the bus or playing at recess!
The United Methodist Women are still collecting children size hats,
and gloves to be distributed to the Portage Twp. Schools.
PLEASE PLACE YOUR ITEMS IN THE BASKET, IN THE NARTHEX
Thank you for your generosity!

WORSHIP THEMES FOR NOVEMBER

November 6            All Saints                           Pastor Mark
                Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
                Deeply Simple: Wesley’s Rules for Money 
                EARN ALL YOU CAN
                Luke 16:1-13

November 13            Deeply Simple: Wesley’s Rules for Money     Pastor Mark
                SAVE ALL YOU CAN
                Luke 12:42-44                    
                    
November 20            Deeply Simple: Wesley’s Rules for Money    Pastor Mark
                GIVE ALL YOU CAN
                Luke 19:1-10

Our Advent Series will be based on Not A Silent Night – Mary Looks Back to Bethlehem by
Adam Hamilton. This also has DVD resources for small groups and
adult classes as well as youth.

November 27            First Sunday of Advent            Pastor Mark
                Not A Silent Night
                CHRISTMAS STARTS WITH BLACK FRIDAY
                1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 16-18


ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE PLEDGE?
I commit to prayer regularly for changes that lead to health, growth, and reproduction in my church.  I will regularly and consistently implore God to act and move through the congregation once again to make it a place of vital ministry, to have impact upon the community, and to make a multitude of new disciples.



SAME BOOK, SAME PAGE READINGS FOR NOVEMBER
We are challenging ourselves to read through the Bible in 2016. The page numbers for the following daily readings are from the paperback New Living Translation Bibles available at no cost to the readers.

November 1        Matthew 20-21                                  pp 590-592
November 2        Luke 18:15—19:48                            pp 630-631
November 3        Mark 11; John 12                               pp 601-608, 646
November 4        Matthew 22; Mark 12                       pp 592-593, 608-609
November 5        Matthew 23; Luke 20-21                  pp 593-594, 631-632 
November 6        Mark 13                                              pp 609-610
November 7        Matthew 24                                       pp 594-595
November 8        Matthew 25                                       pp 595
November 9        Matthew 26; Mark 14                      pp 595-597, 610-611
November 10        Luke 22; John 13                            pp 633-634, 647-648
November 11        John 14-17                                      pp 648-650
November 12        Matthew 27; Mark 15                   pp 597-598, 611-612
November 13        Luke 23; John 18-19                      pp 634-635, 650-652
November 14        Matthew 28; Mark 16                   pp 598, 612
November 15        Luke 24; John 20-21                      pp 635-636, 652-653
November 16        Acts 1-3                                           pp 654-656
November 17        Acts 4-6                                           pp 656-658
November 18        Acts 7-8                                           pp 658-660
November 19        Acts 9-10                                         pp 660-661
November 20        Acts 11-12                                       pp 661-663
November 21        Acts 13-14                                       pp 663-654
November 22        James 1-5                                        pp 735-737
November 23        Acts 15-16                                       pp 664-666
November 24        Galatians 1-3                                  pp 700-702
November 25        Galatians 4-6                                  pp 702-703
November 26        Acts 17—18:18                               pp 666-667
November 27        1 Thessalonians 1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3        pp 714-716, 717-718
November 28        Acts 18:19—19:41                          pp 667-668
November 29        1 Corinthians 1-4                           pp 685-687
November 30        1 Corinthians 5-8                           pp 687-689


As leaves begin to fall and the season begins to change I can't help but wonder what God has in store for our congregation as our church enters this new season of leadership.  As the cold continues to creep in and we draw nearer to Thanksgiving, I'm reminded of all there is to give thanks for:  all life's blessings, for the people who surround me, for members of our congregation who can step in to fill the gaps left behind by someone who gave us 10 years of faithful service. And this November, I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve in a new role within our church family. For five years I've been with the littlest ones in our congregation and I'm so grateful for the time I've had to love on them and teach them some of their first lessons about God, and now I'm thankful God has allowed me to do something new. And most importantly I'm glad that I won't have to do it alone, as our congregation is blessed with a multitude of people with different experiences, gifts, and talents.
Bishop Julius Trimble's said it best in an e-mail message sent out in late September, "I believe that in Jesus Christ and the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church, we have "More Than Enough." 
We have:
•    More than enough gifted laypersons who love the Lord, 
•    More than enough engaged and effective clergy; and
•    More than enough resources to grow, to go, and to share."
I look forward to hearing your input and ideas, feel free to contact me at portageumcyouth@gmail.com or 574-621-0070. I ask for grace as I embark on this new endeavor and look forward to walking it with you all.
"Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
Proverbs 16:3
Kate Blakely
Director of Spiritual Formation

Thanksgiving
By: Bud Gray

The harvest moon is full and bright, .shining through the haze...
reflecting on frosty pumpkins between fields of golden maize.
The shadows of geese in flight flicker over "jelly rolls" of hay, 
while dancing ghosts of ages past stir thoughts of happy days.

The trees are draped with color as the flowers fade away.
Beauty replaces beauty in nature's autumn display.
The toil of harvest is over.  Fields and orchards are now bare.
There's a special day for thanksgiving...to gather and to share.

It's a day of celebration that's always best at home.
What joy to be with friends and family and not spend this day alone.
The smell of Mom's home cooking wafts across the years
and loving thoughts turn homeward as Thanksgiving Day draws near.

Home is where the heart is, it can be most anywhere.
The door is always open to a treasure of loving care.
We gather 'round your table, Lord, and bow our heads to pray.
We thank You for life's blessings which You give to us each day.

Of all Thy bounties and heavenly grace, there's one that stands apart.
It's the love we have for others..."a harvest of the heart".
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