Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit #1015 Spokane, WA

Thank you for supporting the work of the church through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness as we pursue our mission:

“Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.”

August 2016 The Evangel—Volume 62 Issue 8 Published Monthly by Audubon Park United Methodist Church

Find out how you can get recordings of the great sermons at

Audubon Park Church!

Find out more about The Flat Jesus Project

Read a Pastoral Letter from Bishop Hagiya and find out

about our new Bishop!

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Without a doubt, this is the hardest letter that I have had to write as your Bishop of the Greater Northwest Area. As you have heard by now, the Western Jurisdiction Committee on Episcopacy has assigned me to the Los Angeles Area, and I will be starting there on September 1, 2016.

I have to be honest, this news caught me completely by surprise, and I have been reeling from it ever since. Although United Methodist bishops are subject to reassignment every four years, and the standard term is for eight years or two terms, I was hoping that the work that we have started could have been completed by coming back for one more quadrennial. I was more confident of returning than not, and in my human folly, did not anticipate the possibility of really moving. Oh, I realized it was a possibility, but perhaps because I did not want to face that fact, psychologically distanced myself from that reality.

We plan – God laughs, and this sums up well my human sinfulness. I had not planned to move, but God had other intentions. It is once again a reminder that we are not in charge of our lives, and had I truly left this in the hands of God, I would not be in this state of shock.

The prevailing symbol of my calendar book, scribbled with events in date blocks of things I had planned for the Greater Northwest serves as a reminder of my folly. Had I left this in the hands of God, no future dates would have been made. In fact, if I really turned my life to God, I would have thrown away my calendar completely!

Which brings me back to the reason for this last pastoral letter to you all. It is to say goodbye, and to sincerely thank you for being in ministry with me these past years. It was a wild ride we were on, and I think we are posed to do great things in the near future. All of the signs of vitality are right there for us, and like Moses not being able to enter the promised land, I will not be able to go there with you. I do know that you will get there, and that is very comforting – not completely satisfying, but very comforting.

Those of you who know me well realize that I tend to suppress deep emotional outbursts, and in not facing some of the hard possibilities of life like having to leave people you care deeply for, you put off for tomorrow that which you should be facing today. That’s simply me, and that is why I am in this predicament of not being truly ready to leave. But what I have come to realize is these deep seated emotions of care tend to flood out at the most inappropriate of times, and I am somewhat glad that I didn’t embarrass myself in front of all you at annual conference or other big occasions.

Audubon Park United Methodist Church

August 2016 Newsletter The Evangel A PASTORAL LETTER

FROM BISHOP GRANT HAGIYA

The Bishop’s Pastoral Letter continues on p. 2

However, this is also the hard evidence of how much I love all of you, and why I have so much gratitude for the time we have spent together. It is also why I wanted to end my episcopal career with all of you – to be the only area that I was able to serve. You also know that I don’t like “touchy-feely” reactions, and I have crossed way over that line already! However, truly believing in servant leadership, I must model the itinerant system that was at the heart of John Wesley’s ecclesiology. As difficult as it is to have to accept that, I do so as a servant of Christ, realizing once again that it is not my plans, but God’s plans that must be obeyed and followed. In closing, and by way of a final goodbye, let me share how much my time with all of you has meant to me. You have formed me and molded me into the servant leader I am today, and my only response is one of profound gratitude… Be the Hope,

Bishop Grant J. Hagiya

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

AUGUST 21 — We’re all going out to dinner! Join us after worship (7:30ish) for pizza in Kendall Yards at Veraci Pizza!

For more info on this event and other Young Adult Events email Pastor Geoff: geoff@audubonparkumc.org

“Bishop’s Letter” continued from front page.

Upon the recommendation of the Committee on Episcopacy, the Western Jurisdiction has assigned Bishop Elaine Stanovsky to Greater Northwest area (which includes the PNW Conference) for the 2016-2020 quadrennial. Bishop Stanovsky was born Elaine J.W. Woodworth in Vancouver, Washington, the fourth of five children of Edith and Robert Woodworth. She was baptized at First Methodist Church in Vancouver and made her profession of faith as a youth at First United Methodist Church in Bellevue, Washington. Elaine earned her BA degree summa cum laude from the University of Puget Sound and her M.Div. degree from Harvard Divinity School. Elaine was ordained deacon and elder in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, where she served pastorates at Kennydale and Crown Hill United Methodist churches in the Seattle area. From 1990 1995 she served as President/Director of the ecumenical Church Council of Greater Seattle. In 1995 she began her service as the Puget Sound District Superintendent. In 2002 she became the Director of Connectional Ministries and Assistant to the Bishop, a position she held until 2005 when she began her service as dean of the cabinet and superintendent of the Seattle and Tacoma Districts. Elected in the episcopacy in 2008 by the Western Jurisdiction, she has served for eight years in the Mountain Sky Area of The United Methodist Church. While leading the church there she has made significant connections with the Native American community of the area and been a champion inside and outside the church for reconciliation with Native People and providing an honest telling of the history of the atrocities done in the name of the church. A full biography is available at umc.org. Bishop Elaine Stanovsky begin her term here on September 1.

BISHOP STANOVSKY ASSIGNED TO OUR AREA

Young Adults at Audubon Park Church

JOIN US FOR VESPERS AT

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

OUR DAILY BREAD MINISTRY: Our church continues to reach out to many people in our community with free breakfast/ free produce every Tuesday morning. We also offer a free lunch on the third Saturday. To give you an idea of our outreach, below are the statistics for the 2nd quarter of the year.

April: 2,604 lb of produce given out; 351 meals and 252 volunteer hours

May: 2,740 lbs of produce given out; 328 meals with 259 volunteer hours

June: 2,072 lbs of produce given out; 436 meals and 243 volunteer hours

If you would like to volunteer with these ministries, please contact Lou Dobberstein (326-1736) or Kirk White (467-1850).

DID YOU KNOW? When you or a loved one is in the hospital, please let the church know. We, of course, want to be aware of concerns; with privacy laws, the hospitals no longer notify a person’s minister/priest to notify them of a patient’s admission.

SAVE THE DATE! Women, save September 24, 2016, for a spiritual retreat at Audubon Park UMC, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plan to join us and guest speaker, Rev. Alyssa Bell, Associate Pastor of Shadle Park Presbyterian Church and Chaplain at St. Luke’s Rehab Center. Join us for lunch, fun, games, devotions and time with each other. More information coming in the September newsletter.

FALL BAZAAR COMING UP… It’s hard to believe that the United Methodist Women’s bazaar is a little over three months away (November 5). I will be having a work party in August (not sure of date) to do some light sanding on a project. If you can help (men welcome, also!) please give me a call at 328-6910.

-Connie Hickman

Wednesday, 8/31 Overeaters Anonymous 10 a.m. Needlework Group (Parlor) 10 a.m. Boy Scouts 6:30 p.m.

AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES

August 2 Ben & Claudia Boswell August 8 Estel & Joanne Harvey August 9 Geoff & Meagan Helton August 14 Randy & Cathy Fink August 19 Chris & Danelle Nickell August 21 John & Phyllis Rissler August 27 George & Sherry Detlaff August 29 Ken & Marilyn Hallett

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

August 4 Randy Fink August 7 Marion Anderson; Abby Staples August 11 Flo Fiveash; Nathaniel Nickell August 15 Joe Rodgers; Dan Ritz August 16 Ashlynn Dodson August 17 Katie Moreau August 19 Lynda Wright; Nancy Wright August 21 Alannah Dobberstein; Ann Fritz August 24 Val Bruck August 26 Mary Campbell August 27 Glenda Buterbaugh; Mary Cayer; Wayne Wright August 28 Pauline Smith

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

AUGUST CALENDAR

Monday, 8/1 Art Class 9 a.m. Study Group 11:30 a.m. AA Meeting 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, 8/2 Free Breakfast & Produce (Fellowship Hall) 8:30 - 10 a.m. Downtown Food Bank 9 a.m. Quilters 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 8/3 Overeaters Anonymous 10 a.m. Needlework Group (Parlor) 10 a.m. Boy Scouts 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, 8/4 Stephen Ministry Supervision 3 p.m.

Sunday, 8/7 Worship 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Informational Meeting re: UMCOR Trip 10 a.m. Vespers 6 p.m.

Monday, 8/8 Study Group (Parlor) 11:30 a.m. Core Leadership Team Mtg. 7 p.m. A A Meeting 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, 8/9 Free Breakfast & Produce (Fellowship Hall) 8:30 - 10 a.m. Downtown Food Bank 9 a.m. Audubon Park Food Bank 9:30 a.m. Quilters 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 8/10 Overeaters Anonymous 10 a.m. Needlework Group (Parlor) 10 a.m.

Saturday, 8/13 Men’s Breakfast 9 a.m.

Sunday, 8/14 Worship 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Informational Meeting re: UMCOR Trip 10 a.m. Vespers 6 p.m.

Monday, 8/15 Art Class 9 a.m. Study Group (Parlor) 11:30 a.m. AA Meeting 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, 8/16 Free Breakfast & Produce (Fellowship Hall) 8:30 - 10 a.m. Downtown Food Bank 9 a.m. Quilters 9:30 a.m. h

Wednesday, 8/17 Overeaters Anonymous 10 a.m. Needlework Group (Parlor) 10 a.m. Boy Scouts 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, 8/18 Stephen Ministry Supervision 3 p.m Strength for the Journey Meeting 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, 8/20 Free Community Meal Noon -2 p.m.

Sunday, 8/21 Worship 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Vespers 6 p.m. Young Adults to Veraci Pizza 7:30 p.m.

Monday, 8/22 Art Class 9 a.m. Study Group (Parlor) 11:30 a.m. AA Meeting 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, 8/23 Free Breakfast & Produce (Fellowship Hall) 8:30 - 10 a.m. Downtown Food Bank 9 a.m. Quilters 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 8/24 Overeaters Anonymous 10 a.m. Needlework Group (Parlor) 10 a.m.

Sunday, 8/28 Worship 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Vespers 6 p.m.

Monday, 8/29 Study Group (Parlor) 11:30 a.m. United Methodist Women Meeting 4:30 p.m. AA Meeting 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, 8/30 Free Breakfast & Produce (Fellowship Hall) 8:30 - 10 a.m. Downtown Food Bank 9 a.m. Audubon Park Food Bank 9:30 a.m. Quilters 9:30 a.m.

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

THANK YOU ALYSON! Alyson Nicol has served the children and youth of our church for the last two years as our Coordinator of Ministries with Children & Youth. We want to thank her for all her hard work and for the many ways she has invested in our children and youth. She will definitely be missed!

Alyson will be moving to Portland, Oregon to pursue a Masters of Social Work at Portland State University. Please join us as we thank Alyson in Worship on Sunday, August 21st with a reception after the 10:30am service.

WELCOME DREW! Drew Homchick will begin as our new Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries!

Drew is a member of the church and has been a volunteer leader with the youth program for over 5 years. We’re excited to bring him onto the church staff to continue and expand his work with youth and young adults. Drew will begin with us on August 15th!

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

SERMON RECORDINGS (available beginning August 7th)

Many of you have been asking for sermon recordings for a while and we’ve heard you! Beginning August 7th you’ll be able to listen and download sermon audio from our church website or request that a CD be mailed to you through the church office: office@audubonparkumc.org or (509) 325-4541. You can even get on a list to have the sermon mailed to you each week!

ON THE MOVE:

Below you will find new addresses for:

Ben & Claudia Boswell 302 E. Wedgewood #250 Spokane WA 99208 Phone: 503-779-3896

Jean Judah 112 Holly Lane Prattville, AL 36066

Herb Parish 3708 E. 57th Avenue #151 Spokane WA 99223 Phone: 233-8020

If you have moved or your contact info has changed, please contact the church office so that we can stay in touch with you!

WORDS OF THANKS:

Thank you for all of the birthday greetings and prayers. I had a fabulous party.

All my love & prayers to each of you

Love, Susie

Church Family: Thank you so very much for the seminary scholarship, it will help immensely.

You have blessed me greatly over the past several years. Thank you for your love, encouragement, grace, forgiveness, and friendship. I have learned a lot in my time at this church, and will carry you with me, not only in school, but long after. You are family. Keep up the wonderful ministry you have here.

God Bless- Mat Enzler

Send us your Flat Jesus pictures through our facebook page or by email: flatjesus@audubonparkumc.org

The Evangel Audubon Park United Methodist Church

THE FLAT JESUS PROJECT

“Jesus is with us wherever we go.”

Flat Jesus with friends at a Spokane Indians Baseball game

Flat Jesus with Della and Barbara in Colorado

Never too young for Jesus!

Flat Jesus with the wildebeest migration Nairobi, Kenya

Flat Jesus at Methodist Guest House in Kenya

Flat Jesus at Twinlow Camp with Anessa!