simpson - amazon s3€¦ · simpson church messenger page 3 work he had done at simpson in all...

United Methodist Church

Simpson M

esse

nge

r Words from our Pastor

Christmas is a strange time of year. Proba-

bly you've heard many times that this is sup-

posed to be a religious holiday, but it's long

since been co-opted by society at large to

turn it into a secular thing, about materialism

and artificial good cheer. The truth is,

though, that we co-opted it first. Long be-

fore Jesus showed up, the winter solstice was

the center of all kinds of pagan holidays.

The theme of them was all basically the

same, though: we have survived the longest

night of the year—the solstice itself, around

about December 21st—and in this is the hope

that we can survive the long winter months

still to come.

Listen, Jesus almost certainly wasn't born in

the winter. The details don't work out. The

Romans assessed taxes in the spring, during

planting season, when people had to be close

to home and thus easy to find. Whenever

exactly he was born, it was probably in the

spring. But when the church spread through

Europe for the first time centuries later, it

faced a lot of challenges. One of them was

what to do about the many, many festivals

that made up the imperial year. This is the

world before people had weekends off, mind

you: the festivals, often as much as a week

long, where work necessarily stopped for

most people, were a necessity of life in the

ancient world, but nearly all of them were

tied up with paganism in one way or another,

this being the world before we decided reli-

gious conviction could somehow be separat-

ed from the rest of one's life. So the church

was at a crossroads. It certainly didn't want

to take away an important part of how

people stayed healthy and sane in the mer-

ciless economy of the late empire. But at

the same time, they knew that they could-

n't just go along with what everybody else

was already doing, or the roots of pagan-

ism would live on forever. So what they

did was to reframe the season: to try to

keep the theme of the old festivals alive by

matching them to Christian stories that

spoke to the same human experience.

The early church believed Jesus birth, his

appearance here with us as a human being,

spoke to that same kind of hope: a promise

that, while the winter wasn't over, that a

spring of new life was coming on the other

side of it. So it seemed like a natural fit

for the time of year when people were spe-

cifically thinking about just that kind of

hope. And gradually, century by century,

Christmas came to displace all of those

pagan festivals, mostly by swallowing

them up. That's why we light up pine

trees, like pagans in Northern Germany

would do during Yule. And it's why we

gather for big feasts, usually of either

roasted bird or pig, like pagans in the em-

pire would do during Saturnalia. But the

trappings of it were just set-dressing: what

mattered was the love and promise of God

in flesh, Jesus, born as one of us in order

to save all of us.

But time rolls on, and everything old is

new again. The church squandered a lot

continued page 2

December, 2019

Simpson Church Messenger

of what we had over fifteen hundred years or so.

And today the empires are secular again, and once

again, most of the world around us is celebrating

something other than Jesus in December. So if you

find yourself frustrated at this time of year, about

how little attention Jesus gets, or how much certain

jolly old elves get instead, remember that we bor-

rowed it first. And if we want Christmas to be

about Christ, we're going to have to do what the

church had to do a millennia and a half ago: we're

going to have to convince people that Jesus offers

them some hope, greater than anything Kris Krin-

gle, artificial cheerfulness, sappy Hallmark original

movies, and budget-unfriendly gift-swapping could

ever hope to give them. If we, a world full of

church people, just go along with what the world is

doing, the roots of paganism will live on forever.

If we want Christmas to be triumphant again, just

like the last time, we've got to reframe the season.

We've got to find ways to make this a time of year

about putting people drowning in hopelessness in

touch with the life-changing hope of the gospel.

We've got to be less worked up about the trappings

and the set-dressing, and more worked up about

finding how to convince a tired and cynical world

that there is still so much love and promise in a God

who meets us where we are, who becomes one of us

in order to have the chance to save all of us.

What can we do today to make the hope of Jesus

more real for the people around us, whether that's

people we don't know, struggling in need, or people

we do know, around us all the time? How can we,

first of all, make this a season when we celebrate

the awesome gift of grace in Jesus by showing that

same grace in the world around us?

Christmas stood triumphant over paganism once

before, and it certainly can do it again, but only if

the church has the will and the determination to see

it done. Time rolls on, and everything old is new

again. And as always, for as long as human beings

have been telling stories, people have shivered in

the dark and the cold of the longest night, looking

for the light and the hope that will tell them that,

while the long winter months may only have begun,

the worst the dark had to throw at us is over, and

there is light and life and warmth and spring waiting

on the other side. A people shaped by the gospel

already know that story, and already know that the

light the world is looking for is, in fact, the Light of

the World: Jesus.

May God bless you all this Christmas season, and

always afterward!

Yours, In Christ,

Pastor Ben

December Community Meal

Because Christmas falls on the fourth Tuesday this

month, the December Community Meal will

be Tuesday, December 17 from 5:30 - 7:00.

Requesting donations of Christmas Cookies for

Dessert

Poinsettias

Poinsettia orders are being taken. Please place your

order in memory of or in honor of on the forms in

the annex. Cost of the poinsettias - $9. Please

make your check payable to Simpson Church.


Caroling Sunday, December 21st @ 5:30 PM. Please

let us know if you will be joining us, and if so, how

many will attend. Also, if you know of anyone we

should visit, please share their name, address and

phone number. Please include your own name and

number as well so we have a contact if needed.

UMW News

UMW has been busy the past few months. Our Fall

Gathering was held at Cornerstone UMC in Sept. A

hands-on project of making hand-knotted fleece blan-

kets for residents of the Lucille Raines home in Indy.

During Fall Festival UMW members helped make

the onion straws as well as work in the booth.

In Nov. some members attended and helped with a

Mini-Mission U sharing some of what we learned at

Mission U in July. Our speaker was Cecelia Whit-

field who shared about her ministry called Use What

You've Got Prison Ministries--Keeping Families

Connected, giving families rides to visit family mem-

bers in prisons in Indiana.

On Dec. 7 our Breakfast with Santa program was a

success. The pancakes were good and Santa had a lot

of small admirers who helped him sing songs and

told him their wishes. Thanks to everyone who

helped make it a fun time!

We will soon start a new year with new projects and

we invite all women of the church to attend one of

our circles and find out what a great legacy UMW

has had and continues to have.

UMW also had the privilege of honoring Anthony

LeBarron with a Special Mission award for all the

work he had done at Simpson in all areas of mis-

sion work, including the food pantry, trustees, ad-

ministrative team, community meals, and heading

the Fall Festival booth.

Mary Ruth Circle

The Mary Ruth Circle will have their Christmas

Party on Tuesday, December 17. We will meet at

11:30 at Western Ribeye. Bring your Christmas

Spirit and your appetite. See you there!

The Children’s Christmas program will be

Sunday December 22nd at 10 a.m. downstairs in

the fellowship hall area. We encourage everyone

to come and support the

children of Simpson UMC.

Please accept our invitation

and stay for cake and punch

following the program.

The West Side Food Pantry is seeking additional

board members. If you would be interested in

serving please see Grant Hartman


The Hub on Franklin is

looking for your help! Do

you have time to stop and

get a cup of coffee and vis-

it with the folks that fre-

quent the coffee shop? Do

you have ideas for out-

reach, classes or ways to

utilize our space at The Hub on Franklin? Could

your small group utilize the space at The Hub on

Franklin occasionally? At the very least take just a

moment and like The Hub on Franklin's Facebook

page. When you see a post from The Hub on

Franklin share it. Spread the word about our mis-

sion and what's happening at The Hub on Franklin.

Mission Council

2020 is fast approaching and with the new year

comes the formation of the Missions Council at

Simpson Are you in charge of a mission currently

at Simpson? Do you have a passion for a mission

that we are involved in? Is there a mission that

you'd like to see the church get involved in? The

Missions Council will be making sure that Simp-

son is working to the best of its ability to accom-

plish our mission and outreach goals. Please let

Lindy Floyd or

Karen Owens know if

you have ideas to share

or you would like to be

a part of the missions

council at Simpson.

Weekday Christian Education

Weekday Christian Education has 780 students in

the city of Evansville. Please be in prayer for the

kids and the teachers as they disciple these pre-

cious children. Three hundred and seventy-five 4th

graders will receive bibles this year.

Quick Note from Your Simpson Finance Chair

Below is a quick view of where we are with the gen-

eral operating fund as of the end of June.

As we close out this year I would ask for your pray-

ers, for your church and all of its missions that it sup-

ports and for all of the people of the church and for

the people who do not yet know us and in the hope

that the good news of our church and its missions

spreads to more and more and we continue to get all

of the help we need to continue all of the missions we

do here

Blessings to you all and your families

Your Finance Chair

Anthony LeBarron

Fall Festival

Be on the look out for the final giving report next

week as the meeting was on Thursday the 11th

Thank you to all who have helped and to all who will

continue to help in the coming year

Month Receipts Disbursements

January $21,929 $20,115

February $18,100 $23,273

March $36,897 $21,802

April $12,890 $26,473

May $16,862 $21,964

June $30,947 $23,555

July $18,846 $25,234

August $17,257 $23,466

September $21,496 $22,060

October $21,199 $21,812

November $26,503 $23,079

Total $242,926 $252,834


Children's Ministry is looking for volunteers.

Would you be interested in helping with Sunday

School, leading Junior Church during first or sec-

ond service, being a nursery attendant, coordinat-

ing children's events or maybe you’re interested in

helping with youth group. The children and youth

at Simpson UMC are very important. Volunteer

your time and show these children just how im-

portant they are to us.

Combined Service, Sunday, January 5th

On Sunday, January 5th Pastor Ben will be on va-

cation. Lindy Floyd will be leading this service

and it will be a combined service at 11:00 a.m.

Communion will be postponed until Sunday,

January 12th.

January Administrative Team Meeting

On January 21st we will be having our first Ad-

ministrative Team Meeting for 2020. This meet-

ing will also be a calendaring meeting. Please be

sure to bring all of your 2020 dates to this meet-

ing.

As we kick off the 2020 year, thank you for being

willing serve and help plan for a successful year.

~Karen Owens

Nursery

When we lived in Vincennes, I remember being

a little embarrassed when my young children

made a beeline for the cabinet in the church

nursery where the animal crackers were stored.

But one of the older ladies reassured me that

this showed my children felt at-home at church!

What a perspective and a blessing! I hope

young children and their families can feel that

same kind of welcome and comfort here at

Simpson.

Helping in our nursery during worship is an

important form of ministry to families of our

youngest children. It’s a great opportunity to

welcome and get to know the kids and their

families. (On the other hand, an un-staffed

nursery does not make a warm impression, es-

pecially to newcomers!) Also, it’s easy - no

lesson to prepare - and you are never the only

adult in the room.

To volunteer, please sign up on the sheet out-

side the nursery for the dates you can help.

Volunteers must be age 18 - 100, have had a

background check completed within the last 5

years, and have completed Safe Sanctuaries

training. (Contact Kim Reich in the office for

background check, and/or Pastor Ben for Safe

Sanctuaries training if needed.) If we have a

few more volunteers, a regular rotation may be

set up if that is preferred.

Thanks again to those who are already volun-

teering!

~ Carman Kercher

Each Sunday:

8:45 am Traditional Worship

Service

10 am Sunday School

11 am Contemporary Worship

Service Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Communion Sunday

6 pm Babb Group

1st Sunday of Advent

2

Pastor’s Sabbath 6 p.m. HOPS Meeting

3

6 am Men’s Bible Study 4

6:30 pm Musgrave

Group

5

Noon—Senior Lunch 6 7

8:30 a.m. Breakfast with

Santa

8

6 pm Babb Group

2nd Sunday of Advent

9

Pastor’s Sabbath 10


6:30 pm Musgrave

Group

12

Noon—Senior Lunch 6 p.m. Fall Festival

Meeting

13 14 2-6 p.m. Open House @

The Hub

15

10 am UMW Board

Meeting

6 pm Babb Group

3rd Sunday of Advent

16


6 am Men’s Bible Study 11:30 p.m. Mary Ruth

Circle Christmas Party

5:30 p.m. Community

Meal

18

6:30 pm Musgrave

Group

19


22

5:30 p.m. Caroling

6 pm Babb Group

4th Sunday of Advent

23


11 p.m. Christmas Eve

Candlelight Service

Christmas Eve

25

Christmas Day

26


29

10 am AD Team Special

Called Mtg.

6 pm Babb Group

30 31

New Year’s Eve

Pastor on Vacation, Church

Office, WSFP & Clothes Closet

Closed for Holidays

Church Office, WSFP & Clothes Closet Closed for Holidays

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

New Year’s Day

Church Office, WSFP

& Clothes Closet

Closed

2


5

11 am Combined Service

6 pm Babb Group 6

Pastor’s Sabbath

6 pm Trustee’s Meeting 7


6:30 pm Musgrave

Group 9


12

Communion Sunday

6 pm Babb Group 13



6:30 pm Musgrave

Group 16


19

10 am UMW Board

Meeting

6 pm Babb Group

20

Pastor’s Sabbath

Martin Luther King

Day—WSFP & Clothes

Closet Closed

21

6 am Men’s Bible Study

6 pm Finance Team

7 pm AD Team

22

6:30 pm Musgrave

Group 23


26

6 pm Babb Group 27


6 am Men’s Bible Study

5:30 pm Community

Meal

29

6:30 pm Musgrave

Group 30

Noon—Senior Lunch 31

Pastor on Vacation

Pastor -

Vacation

Each Sunday:

8:45 am Traditional Worship

Service

10 am Sunday School

11 am Contemporary Worship

Service

1/15—Marcia Jourdan

1/16—Claire Fehrenbacher

1/18—Rick Guill

1/18—Tracy Keller

1/20—Jean Hartman

1/22—Joe Hahn

1/24—Tom Reisinger

1/26—Isabella Larson

1/26—Orren Floyd

1/28—Gary Brawner

1/29—Weston Babb

Anniversaries

12/9—Bud & Judy Howard

12/26—Terry & Susie Babb

12/29—Terri & Will Spradley

1/5—Lindy & Jonathan Floyd

1/18—Tony & Marcia Jourdan

1/23—Jamie & Jerry Feldpausch

If you do not see your birthday or anniver-

sary listed, please call the church office at

423-7636 so we may correct our records.

Birthdays

12/3—Sarah Babb

12/5—Beth Fehrenbacher

12/8—Barb Gisler

12/10—Sue Spradley

12/10—Kylan Keller

12/11—Paul Wilsman

12/11—Joan Steele

12/12—Janet Scott

12/14—Janice Pease

12/16—Karen Will

12/19—Barb Fosse

12/22—Jennie Kelley

12/23—Liam Babb

12/24—Angela Higgins

12/26—Bev Hasenour

12/29—Carolyn Samples

12/30—Christy Nuffer

12/31– Abigail Powers

1/11—Nathan Nolan

1/11—Nancy Schneider

1/12—Carole Siesky

2201 W. Illinois Street

Evansville, IN 47712

Return Service Requested

Phone: 812-423-7636

Fax: 812-422-9241

E-mail: [email protected]

www.simpsonchurch.net

Pastor & Staff

Pastor

Rev. Ben Dilworth

Music Worship Leader

Jane Scarlett

Pianist, Organist

Teri Nolan

Director of Family &

Community Ministries

Lindy Floyd

Administrative Assistant

Kim Reich

Custodian

Harold Cross

Sunday School

10:00 a.m.

Traditional Service

8:45 a.m.

Contemporary Service

11:00 a.m.

Mission Statement

Through the power of the holy Spirit

our mission is to SEEK OUT and WIN

people to Christ through our words

and actions, MAKE DECIPLES who are

learning and growing in the faith, and

EQUIP PERSONS TO SERVE Christ.

Win, Disciple, Serve

simpson - amazon s3€¦ · simpson church messenger page 3 work he had done at simpson in all...

Documents