May 2020 Newsletter Batesville United Methodist Church

106 South Park Avenue Batesville, Indiana 47006

(812) 934-3137 batesvilleumc@gmail.com

Watch us live or check out our library @ www.batesvilleumc.org

Sunday Worship 8:00 A.M. Chapel Service

10:00 A.M. Sanctuary/Children’s Time Nursery Available

Handicap Lift at the Alley Door #5 Ramp at Door #2 at the corner of

Park Street and South Street

It’s funny how things change, even our perspectives. Six months ago who considered toilet paper an hand sanitizer to be so precious, at least for a few weeks. Who thought twice before shaking another’s hand or giving a hug just a short time ago. Many of us are discovering the important things in life, or at least the things we value right now. It all seems to change. I never thought twice about buying flour but now I plan meals around it, I look for it and I am disappointed when the shelves are empty but I am sure in time I will once again take it for granted. I recently told someone I haven’t heard anything about General Confer-ence lately. Remember when that was all anyone could talk about, the church split-ting and what that would mean? I guess when we can’t even meet, other things just don’t seem as important as they once did. But here is the point, will we just go back to the way things were and do we really want to? Do we want to go back to taking the blessings we have so abun-dantly in this country for granted? Things like freedom and shelves filled with any-thing we want? Will we once again fail to hold precious the time we have together, fellowship and connection? Will we fail to appreciate the blessings of worshipping together?

God tells Isaiah, “your thoughts are not my thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Perhaps this is what it means when Paul writes to the church of Philip-pi, encouraging them to have the mind of Christ. That what God values, we value. To be like Jesus is more than just the things we do, it is the things we love, the things we value.

Perhaps this difficult time is a time that can change our perspective. Perhaps we have learned that we don’t need to be buying all that we wanted to buy before, that less really can be more, that time and touch with friends and family is more precious than we ever realized. Perhaps we will we may never overlook the bless-ing of coming together, worshipping and serving as one! Will our perspective truly change or will we simply go back to the old way of thinking?

Grace and peace

Pastor Chris

NEWSLETTER MAY 2020 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.”-Isaiah 55:8

PERSPECTIVE

Thursday Evening Bible Study We are currently meeting through

ZOOM. If you are interested in par-ticipating contact Pastor Chris and

he will send you a link.

REMINDER From our webpage you can watch our Sunday Services live or any-

time with the archives! http://www.batesvilleumc.org

PRAYERS Our Prayer list: Bishop Trimble, Rev. Beverly Perry, Pastor Chris and Family, MacKenzie Kramer, Sue Siefert, Linda Mills & Family, Maxine & Roland Gud-geon, Les Smith, Robert & Mary Bruns, Joe Wessling, Ryan Summers (Connie Sum-mers), Irene Bradford (Jane Fitzpatrick), Darlene Sidell (Susie Rowland), Andrew Murphy (Matt Trossman), Angela Simpson’s mother Laura, Lesa Worthington (Glenn & Dixie Butte), Denny Harmeyer, Anthony Pemberton (Naomi Melia), Steve Brinkman (Mary Kay Roberts), Janice Schein, Sandra Dickey, Maxine Gudgeon & Family, Nancy Miller, Bob Bordner, Connor Renick, Barb Schwartz, John & Millie Lewis, Hoagy Wright, Patti Crowell, Therese Zins, Mary Linger, Ginny & Ted Hartshorn, Rev. Ernie Elder, Penny Logue (Campbell), Dale Lambert, Melody Jobst, Brenda Stant (Crowell), Josh Hensley (Renick), Blair Kramer’s mother Cheryl, Carl Hinkle, Owen Lewis, Jackie Schaefer (Wright), Linda Taylor, Cody Ryan (Hisrich), Gary Patton, Dee Dudgeon, Virginia & Les Smith, Edie & Wilbur Zimmer, Our Chil-dren and Youth, Batesville Community, Safe Passage, People in the Armed Forces, Irene Fitzpatrick (The Chateau), Rose Lynn Campbell (St. Andrews), Roland Gudgeon (St. Andrews), Betty Schaefer (St. Andrews), Dot Walsman (St. Andrews), Susan Wonnell (Chateau), Juliah Creasy (Aylor) in Assisted Living in Lafayette, Sylvia Wirth (Greensburg), Gary Dudgeon (Arbor Grove - Greensburg), M, Patty McFall (Val Stutler) Otterbrein Care Facility - Franklin

We are looking to update our prayer list. If you have any new information, please email the office or if you would like to add a name to the prayer list, please fill out an orange prayer card. You can find the prayer cards in the hymnal holders on the back of the

pews. Thank you!

May 3rd Oliver Moster May 3rd Gloria Riley May 9th Jeff Liter May 11th Sarah Heppner May 16th Robert Jester May 23rd Linda Mills May 24th John Greiwe May 25th Naomi Melia May 27th Mitch Aylor May 28th Vickie Greiwe May 31st Dee Dudgeon

May 16th David & Andrea Wade May 17th Gary & Dee Dudgeon May 17th Tim & Bev Giesting

BUTTERFLIESWe are asking EVERYONE in the

congregation to make a butterfly, that represents you, to be used for decorating the

sanctuary when we come back together and celebrate Easter. Be creative, use any materials you wish and make

it any size that you choose! I can’t wait to see the sanctuary full of your work!

OUTREACH NEWS

Our Outreach activity and news is understandably very min-imal. At our last meeting, we did schedule a meeting on May 5 and also another Mission Day on Saturday, June 27. These planned dates are very tentative but it is hoped that we can hold to them. The meeting on May 5, if it occurs, would likely be un-der the Zoom format. Our team should be thinking about ideas for Mission Day. These ideas would be discussed at the May 5 Zoom discussion.

We continue to support our budget with these financial planned contributions during April: Ilula Staff Salary support, Native American Ministries support (part of our Methodist Conference initiative), and monthly support of Safe Passage. Our overall fi-nancial picture remains solid. We are most grateful that our con-gregation has maintained its level of giving during these difficult times. Thanks to all!

Ted Hartshorn

SPROUTS - KIDS CLUB

Will continue to meet through ZOOM until further notice. Please pray for our SPROUTS!

May Scriptures:

May 3rd Psalm 23, John 10:1-10, Acts 2:42-47

May 10th Psalm 31:1-8, Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10

May 17th Psalm 66:8-20, Acts 17:22-31, John 14:15-21 May 24th Psalm 68:1-10, John 17:1-11, Acts 1:6-14

May 31st Psalm 104:1-9, John 7:37-39, Acts 2:1-21

(Bold indicates sermon text)

May Calendar

Tuesdays - Chrismons - Postponed until further notice.

Wednesdays - Choir Practice - Postponed until further notice.

Thursdays - Bible Study - Postponed until further notice.

From Susie Rowland There will not be a rummage sale this year, so items can be do-nated to Mountain Mission later this summer.

The Summer Food Program is collecting fruit or money dona-tions to purchase fruit.

Big Thank You to Creative Landscapes for donating materials and the large memorial stone that was damaged in the parking lot.

Liturgist Greeter Greeter Usher Acolyte FLOWERS LIVE STREAM

CHILD-RENS

May03,

2020Ginny

HartshornSusie

RowlandJim

RowlandJim

Rowland Elli Lewis Marcy Moster

MAY10,

2020 Sarah

HeppnerMarcy Moster

Keegan Moster

Keegan Moster

Logan Kramer

Vergie Sharp

MAY 17,

2020Chris

LoweryZachWade

David Wade

David Wade

Mac Kenzie Kramer

Carolee & Bob Barber

MAY24,

2020Angie

RenickJoe

Roberts

Mary Kay

Roberts

Mary Kay Roberts

Hannah Bruns Bill Hisrich

May 31,

2020Keegan Moster

Carolee Barber

Bob Barber

Bob Barber

Parker Fitzpatrick

Judi &Ralph Craig

May Volunteers

Alter /Communion Steward for May 2020: Angie Renick

If you are scheduled at an inconvenient date, please call or text Sandi Jester @ 513-850-9456

The days roll on slowly and I wish there was some magical bit of inspiration I could pass on. However, I am absolutely con-vinced that this is a great opportunity to focus on what really matters. And what really matters is not my own self seeking agenda, but rather it is complete trust in God. He is developing our perseverance and letting us know that in all things, he is working for our good. The wonderful, powerful encouraging presence of God becomes so much more real when we surrender ourselves to His Will. Yes, I am convinced that nothing can separate us from His love. Hope is here and a renewed life is forthcoming. Joy is right around the corner !

Ted Hartshorn ——————-

Just a reminder to celebrate the smallest of joys and blessings.

Jill Zimmerman ————————

Here are my thoughts/my testimonial for the newsletter. Great idea. Val Stutler

From the congregation Words of Encouragement and Tes-tiomionals of how God has worked through their lives during

this time of social distancing

Hello to my church family. It seems that we have not seen each other for such a long stretch of time. The live streaming Sunday service certainly helps to keep us connected. Our family is doing well. I am thankful to my prayer partner, Shirley, for keeping in touch and checking in with me. Virginia Smith called me about a week ago to chat. That was a wonderful surprise. In order to keep in touch with my family and friends, I continue to use tex-ting, phone calls, Face-time and Facebook. What would we do without those? I have sent more greeting cards in the mail this spring than I have in a long time.

My husband, Dennis, has enjoyed the season of spring with fish-ing and mushroom hunting. Of course, both of us have spent a lot of time outside doing yard work. Dennis looks forward to planting a few things in his vegetable garden too. We have tried new recipes and have enjoyed some old recipes as well during this pandemic.

I have caught up on my scrapbooking and have been walking each day. Just seeing the beautiful blue skies, spring flowers and green grass as I relax on the deck or take a walk makes me ap-preciate God's creations. My pace has slowed down, so I am able to enjoy listening to the crows in the treetops, watching the pair of mallards waddle in our yard, and hearing the birds singing in the woods. I have been listening to some "oldies" mu-sic and realized how much I loved those songs. I have cleaned out drawers and cabinets to keep busy as well. I even found a "valuable" roll of toilet paper and a bottle of liquid soap way in the back of a cabinet. I felt like I hit the jackpot!

Our lives are simpler here at the Stutler house, but we are thank-ful to have a safe and comfortable home. I continue to pray each day, and that gives me peace of mind. I know we will see each other soon. Be well and stay sane! Val Stutler ——————————

Psalm  46:10  -­‐  “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”    Do everything in a thankful heart. Always be thankful for what you have.      regards,  Kin  Choi  _______________________  

Having worked during this time of shutdown in my opinion in a way it has been a blessing. Overstressed office and factory workers are getting time off from work. It is slowing their pace down. Families are sitting down for some home cooked meals and they are actually talking to one another and coming up with creative ways of doing different things. The “List To Do” chores are getting done, yards are getting spruced up, spring house cleaning is getting done and closets and drawers are getting cleaned out. Even the environment has improved. Folks are not throwing out their trash and garbage from their vehicles. The traffic is less, not like before when it has been bumper to bumper and less road rage. Teachers are coming up with creative

ways of teaching their students, plus the parents are getting to see what is being taught in schools.

Having worked here at the church during this time, it has been wonderful keeping in touch with the congregation, checking on them and seeing if there was anything they needed. Any prayer requests etc. There was a good response from everyone. Every-one seemed appreciative of the phone calls and many wonderful conversations. What a blessing. Most everyone has being stay-ing well and coping with the new normal.

A special thank you for any of our health care workers, here in our congregation. Job well done. Some of our congregation were also making masks and giving them out to folks in our commu-nity and EMT’s giving out their extra supplies to the hospitals, nurses and doctors.

I would like to thank Pastor Chris and Gloria Riley for also helping me stay in touch with the congregation.

Vergie Sharp —————————

Some of you may have heard, but I am retiring, (actually Retir-ing) as Administrative Assistant at the end of May. I have been working for different companies for many years in administra-tion and also as an EMT. I have also been in several organiza-tions serving as secretary and treasurer and I have stepped down from each of them. It is time. However, I will still be active in the American Legion Auxiliary. So you may still see me in the

community somewhere some place. I do believe the dear Lord is guiding me and he has other plans for me. My last day of work will be Friday, May 29th. You are an awesome group of folks. It has been a pleasure and a wonderful experience. Thank You!!

Vergie Sharp Administrative Assistant