October 2018 Newsletter

We will be having a luncheon on October 7 for anyone who is interested in going with Pastor Brad on a Bible Study tour of the Holy Land. At that meeting, he will answer among other questions, “What benefit can I gain from a trip to the Holy Land?” There are at least three benefits.

Biblically. There are things that simply cannot be explained without seeing it. Two examples for Pastor Brad: The valley of the winds that allows the Sea of Galilee to become choppy at a moment’s notice and seeing a depiction of an altar with horns. He could never figure out where the horns went. The Valley of the Winds is much more wind directional and funneling than any example that he knows of in the States. He just did not quite get either until he saw them.

Devotionally. There is something about walking where Jesus walked that allows you to come closer to Him. For Brad, two of those places have been the Garden of Gethsemane (Lord, I would be over there asleep with rest of the disciples.) and on a ship, on the Sea of Galilee (He was here – taught here etc.).

Socially. There is a special thrill learning about our Lord and the Land in which He walked with other people who have the same desire. New friendships will be made, and old friendships will be deep-ened. Brad has been on mission trips of all kinds, study tours etc. but none of them are quite like going to Israel.

So, come learn more about a trip to the Holy Land, even if you do not plan on taking the trip. You might find that these three benefits apply to learning about the Holy Land as well.

I’ve been there, and you likely have, also. You’ve never heard the song your church is singing. Or, you’ve heard it but don’t like it. The temptation is to silently mimic the words or not to sing at all. Here’s why we need to sing anyway: It’s right to sing God’s praises. He delights in the singing of His people. Not singing sends the wrong signal. Here’s what it could look like …anger …burden … distraction… Some songs you don’t like are quite biblical. Sometimes the songs we don’t like are straight out of the Bible—so not singing them takes on more significance. We can learn a song best by singing it. I now love some songs I didn’t like when I first heard them, and I’m glad I at least tried to sing them. The same can happen for you. We model worship for others as we sing. All of us model something by the way we worship. Singing helps others to worship Him well. Singing with the rest of the congregation promotes and reflects unity. Show your unity for your church and denomi-nation. Singing encourages the ones leading the singing. Few things are as discouraging for worship leaders as looking at a congregation with non-singers. We don’t really hide our silence. Written by Chuck Lawless www.churchleaders.com

Currently, I am preaching on Jesus’ short trip to Gentile territory just north and east of the Sea of Gali-lee. What did He do differently up there? And perhaps more importantly, why did He do it differently up there? Jesus was quieter and more private while He was among the Greeks of the region. One reason He went

up there is because He was honestly trying to get some time away (Mark 7:24). The Scriptures tell that fre-

quently Jesus and his clan did not even have time to eat (Mark 3:20 among others). Our Lord’s ministry re-

quired Him and those who were with Him to live a hectic life. Nevertheless, Jesus lived a life that showed us

the pace of work and Sabbath. He taught this rhythm to His disciples as well, and this trip was part of that

training.

I also believe that Jesus knew the reaction to His miracles and faith would be different among the pa-

gans. He performed miracles “privately” (Mark 7:33 among others) and, though he blessed the loaves in the

feeding of the four thousand, it was not with the show and Jewish correctness that He displayed at the feeding

of the five thousand (compare Mark 8:6 to Mark 6:41). Further, there were twelve baskets left over with the

five thousand. This fact perhaps shows the unity of the twelve tribes of Israel in Him. At the four thousand,

there were seven baskets left over. The exact number of loaves that Jesus started with. Perhaps showing that

His work supplies itself.

I believe the main reason for the trip was the disciples needed the teaching, though clearly our Greek

cousins benefited as well. This point is clearly made, in my mind, by the fact that the disciples proclaimed Je-

sus Messiah in Gentile lands in a town that was set up for the glory of Caesar and within walking distance of

the Temple of Pan. Thus, the symbolism of Jesus being superior to both the Roman emperor and the Greek

gods stands in stark display.

In Christ, Pastor Brad Reeves

A call to action from the New Mexico Conference. El Calvario Mission in Las Cruces continues to serve refugees who have been detained and need a place for a day or two to rest and refresh before their journey to their sponsor. The Mission needs our help! If you would like to make a monetary donation, you may do so in one of the following ways: 1. You can send them directly to the El Calvario

Mission at PO Box 2842, Las Cruces, NM 88001 2. You can bring a check to the church and mark it

El Calvario Mission on the memo line 3. You can donate on line at uumc-lc.org/give. If you are in the Las Cruces area and would like to make a tangible donation, they are always in need of new underwear for women and children, new socks, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, and body wash. You can drop off items at University UMC.

Each Halloween we provide a safe trick or treat experience to the children of our community by hosting Trunk or Treat. You get to park your vehicle in our

paved lot (off of Buckeye Street) and dispense candy and other goodies to kids as they pass through our parking lot. Those without vehicles are invited to bring chairs or use ours. Come join the fun on Octo-ber 31st and: Bring candy Park your vehicle, chair (or broom?) in our lot

by 5 pm, 5:15pm at the latest Wear a costume; it’s fun but not required Decorate your vehicle, chair, broom; it’s fun too

but also not required Stay the whole time. We will run from 5:30-7pm. Please note the revised times. We are also accepting donations of candy since we average well over 400 people passing through our lot. Candy should be brought to the office by October 29th. Pastor Brad is excited to join us this year!.

Horatio G. Spafford was a layman, lawyer, and professor of medical jurisprudence from Chicago. He was the father of four daughters, an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and a loyal friend and supporter of D. L. Moody and other Christian leaders. During the 1871 Chicago Fire, Spafford lost all his real estate hold-ings. The year before his son had died. When Mr. Moody and his music associate, Ira Sankey, left for Great Britain for an evangelistic campaign, Spafford decided to lift the spirits of his family by taking them on a vacation to Europe. He also planned to assist in the Moody‑Sankey meetings there. In November 1873, Spafford was detained by urgent business, but he sent his wife and four daughters as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Harve, planning to join them soon. Halfway across the Atlantic, the ship was struck by an English vessel, and sank in 12 minutes. All four of the Spafford daughters‑-Tanetta, Maggie, Annie and Bessie-‑were among the 226 who drowned. Mrs. Spafford was among the few who were miraculously saved. Later, Horatio Spafford stood hour after hour on the deck of the ship carrying him to rejoin his sorrowing wife in Cardiff, Wales. When the ship passed the approximate place where his precious daughters had drowned, it is believed Spafford received sustaining comfort from God that enabled him to write the words of this hymn, including the words, “When sorrows like sea billows roll ...” In the face of overwhelming trage-dies, he was able to declare, “It is well with my soul.”

On Sunday, Sept. 23, the churches at Lordsburg, Mimbres, and Silver City visited Deming for the Southwestern NM Missional Area Church/Charge Conference. It was a wonderful time for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to join us for a time of formal meeting and ministry celebration. At the breakout session for FUMC-Deming, all reports were reviewed and approved. The acceptance of the nominations for the offices within the church was presented and approved. After the business was complet-ed, several members had a chance to share their thoughts of our church. It was mentioned how lucky we are to have Pastor Brad and Sherrie with us now. He is a good fit into our ministry and community. Another men-tioned how wonderful it is that our church will be hosting the Lay Servant Ministry training this month. Final-ly, we were told about the medical equipment loan closet for people in the community who might need medi-cal equipment short term. It has become a blessing to the community as a whole. The churches came back together for a light meal and time for fellowship followed by a celebration of ministries. This was led by Rev. Dr. Eduardo Rivera, El Paso District Superintendent. He gave a very insight-ful devotional about our mission in the world. He stressed that while increasing numbers of actual members in the worldwide church is important, it is equally important to increase the number of people who know Christ. At the end of the session, all individuals who are either renewing or becoming certified lay speakers or minis-ters, came forward to take their charge for the coming year. Finally, there was a discussion on moving forward with a missional area outreach program. As the mis-sional team meets and moves forward, we will let you know more in the future.

“Amazing Grace”—Americans’ favorite hymn according to the Gallup Poll—was written by the former captain of a slave ship. That “wretch,” John Newton, eventually became an Anglican minister and worked to

abolish the slave trade.

A reminder to be gathering necessary items

for this year’s Operation Christmas Child shoe-

boxes. The shoeboxes will be here sometime soon.

It’s never too late to show “the power of a simple

gift” to children around the world. Also a reminder

that Operation Christmas Child is still in need of a

new coordinator. The previous coordinator is step-

ping down after 13 years. Please prayerfully consid-

er whether you might have the gifts to continue the

program. If you, or a group of individuals, would

like to take over the reins, please contact Ally Bry-

ant at 494-2341.

A caller says that he’s from the government and your Social Security Number (SSN) has been suspend-ed. He sounds very professional. So, you should do exactly what he says to fix things… right? Wrong. The FTC has gotten reports about scammers trying to trick people out of their personal information by telling them that they need to “reactivate” their supposedly “suspended” SSNs. The scammers say the SSN was suspended because of some connection to fraud or other criminal activity. They say to call a number to clear it up – where they’ll ask you for personal information. The thing is, Social Security Numbers do not get suspended. This is just a variation of a government imposter scam that’s after your SSN, bank account number, or other personal information. In this variation of the scheme, the caller pretends to be protecting you from a scam while he’s trying to lure you into one. Here are a few tips to protect yourself:

Never give out or confirm personal information over the phone, via email or on a website until you’ve checked out whoever is asking you for it.

Do not trust a name, phone number, or email address just because it seems to be connected with the gov-ernment. Con artists use official-sounding names and may fake caller ID or email address information to make you trust them. Besides, the government normally contacts people by postal mail.

Contact government agencies directly using telephone numbers and website addresses you know to be le-gitimate.

If someone has tried to steal your personal information by pretending to be from the government, report it to the FTC. At the same time, you should report suspicious activity to your local police department.

John Wesley rode far enough on horseback to circle the earth 10 times. Wesley rode

250,000 miles to be precise! He was convinced that it was important for him per-

sonally to spread the gospel through relationships and continue to grow closer to

God in those relationships. Asked if he would consider walking instead of riding, he

replied, “Neigh."

P.E.O. Chapter BT (consisting of many church members) is having a Pasta Dinner on Tuesday, October 16th, from 5:30 to 7 pm, in the gym. You’ll dine on homemade pasta, salad, garlic bread, dessert and a beverage – all for on-ly $10/person (no tax, no tip). Tickets are avail-able from either Claire or Mary, in the church office. P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations. All proceeds from this meal will help with education, including local schol-arships. Thank you for supporting women’s ed-ucation!

The Black Range Artists will be the featured guests during the month of October 2018. Expect a di-verse body of work on display. The show will run from October 2-24, 2018, with an artist reception on Sun-day, October 7, from 1-3PM.

Another event in October will the Artoberfest on Saturday, October 6, from 9AM-4PM at the Cus-toms House in Deming. Come and meet local artists and view their work - all in one convenient location.

Beginning the 3rd Saturday in October, the Deming Quilting Bees Club will be teaching beginning sewing classes for adults and children at the Deming Art Center. Classes will be from 10AM-12PM, and supplies will be furnished.

For more information about all these events, please call 575-546-3663, check our website at www.demingarts.org, or visit us on Facebook. The center is located at 100 S. Gold St., in Deming, NM. The Deming-Luna County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a candidate forum on Thursday, October 11 at 6:00PM, here at the church. Candidates for the following offices have been invited to attend: US House of Representative District 2, District 32 State Representative, County Commissioner District 2, County Commissioner District 1, 6th District Judge, Sheriff, and Public Regulation Commission. For more information, contact the Chamber at 575-546-2674. Join your neighbors and police officers for coffee and conversation on National Coffee with a Cop Day. It will be held Wed. October 3, from 8 to 10AM at the Copper Kettle on the corner of Gold and Spruce Streets. The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citi-zens they serve by removing agendas and allowing opportunities to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in your city. The event is sponsored by the Deming Police Department. The 40th annual Great Pumpkin Candy Drop will be held on Sunday October 21 at 1PM at the John T Waits/Rabbit Park. Gates will open at 10AM. Come join the Great Pumpkin from high in the sky as he drops free candy. Sponsored by Friends of the Community. The 4th Annual Golf Scramble will be held on Sat. October 13. The cost for the two-man scramble is $50/person. The entry fee includes a light breakfast, bucket of range ball, 1 cart per team, lunch, and two free drink tokens. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd, and Last places. There are additional prizes for closest to the pin, closest to the line, longest drive, and ball drop. For more information, contact Cassie Arias at 575-546-8848, ext. 118. Sponsored by Deming Luna County Economic Development.

A Guatemalan Market is coming to the Deming Arts Center. The market will be open on October 26 from 11AM to 4PM and on October 27 from 9AM to 4PM. Available at the market this year will be Jewelry, Clothing, Handbags, Key-chains, and many other items at reasonable prices. All good are made in Guatemala. The Deming Arts Center is located at 100 S. Gold in Deming. For more information call 575-546-3663.

The 2018 Southwest New Mexico State Fair runs from Sept. 30 – Oct. 3 at the fair-grounds in Deming. Come out and enjoy what the fair has to offer from a carnival to dances to rodeos to a parade through Deming. You are en-couraged to attend the fair and support all of our kids and adults who have entries in the various categories from arts and crafts to livestock. See you at the fair!

Where: The church library, the Fellowship

Hall, and the end of the Sunday School Hallway

What:

Non-fiction, fiction, cassette tapes (bible studies, The Bible), VHS tapes

Why:

To make room for new books

When: Now until Fall

How Much:

$.50 to $1; NOTE: Please have exact change as we won’t be able to make

change

Thank you! Peggy Tremper, Librarian

We have an exciting new way to stay involved with the church. Pastor Brad’s ser-mons are now being posted on the church web-site. Whether you couldn’t make it to church one Sunday, or you wanted to go back and hear a certain part of the sermon you think you missed, click on the church website to gain ac-cess to a few most recent sermons. Pastor Brad also has a blog he writes called God in Plain Sight. His recent entry is entitled Jesus Among Gentiles. Just click on any link to go!

Rev. Ernie Vineyard was installed as the new Clo-vis District Superinten-dent, on September 16 at FUMC-Clovis. He has been involved in the work of the Cabinet alongside the outgoing DS, Jane Vaughan since last year. We give thanks for Ernie's ministry and lift he and Corrie up in prayer as they move for-ward in God’s work.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

30 1 2 3 4 5 6

Pickleball 1P

Crafty Kids 3:30P

Chancel Choir 5P

Indoor Soccer 6P

Praise Team 5P

Pickleball 6P

Bible Study 9A

Prayer Group 11A

Pickleball 1P

Women’s Emmaus Group 4:30P

Line Dancing 5P

Men’s Emmaus

Group 5:30P

SWNM State Fair

Handbells 4:30P

Pickleball 6P

Community Choir Practice 6P pp

SWNM State Fair

Pickleball 1P

Christ First Karate 4P

Indoor Soccer 6P

SWNM State Fair

Lay Servant Minis-tries School 8AM-

5PM

SWNM State Fair

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Communion

Israel Luncheon 11:30A

Youth Group 5P

SWNM State Fair

Pickleball 1P

Chancel Choir 5P

Finance Commit-tee 5:30P

Worship Commit-tee 6PM

Indoor Soccer 6P

Praise Team 5P

Pickleball 6P

Bible Study 9A

Prayer Group 11A

Pickleball 1P

Women’s Emmaus Group 4:30P

Line Dancing 5P

Men’s Emmaus Group 5:30P

Handbells 4:30P

Pickleball 6P

Community Choir Practice 6P

Bible Study Fel-lowship 6P

Candidate Forum 6P

Pickleball 1P

Christ First Karate 4P

Indoor Soccer 6P

Non-Food Commod-ity Distribution 9A

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Trustees 11:45A

Peterson’s 50th Wedding Anniver-sary 2-4P

Youth Group 5P

Pickleball 1P

Chancel Choir 5P

Indoor Soccer 6P

Praise Team 5P

PEO Pasta Dinner 5:30-7P

Bible Study 9A

Prayer Group 11A

Pickleball 1P

Women’s Emmaus Group 4:30P

Line Dancing 5P

Men’s Emmaus Group 5:30P

Handbells 4:30P

Mission Commit-tee 5:30P

Pickleball 6P

Community Choir Practice 6P

Bible Study Fel-lowship 6P

Pickleball 1P

Christ First Karate 4P

Indoor Soccer 6P

UMW 2P

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Bread Basket Sunday-UMCOR

United Methodist Men 7A

Youth Group 5P

Pickleball 1P

Crafty Kids 3:30P

Chancel Choir 5P

Indoor Soccer 6P

Praise Team 5P

Pickleball 6P

Church Council 5:30P

Bible Study 9A

Prayer Group 11A

Pickleball 1P

Women’s Emmaus Group 4:30P

Line Dancing 5P

Men’s Emmaus

Group 5:30P

Handbells 4:30P

Community Choir

Practice 6P

Bible Study Fel-lowship 6P

Pickleball 1P

Christ First Karate 4P

Indoor Soccer 6P

28 29 30 31 1 2 3

Youth Group 5P

Pickleball 1P

Crafty Kids 3:30P

Chancel Choir 5P

Indoor Soccer 6P

Praise Team 5P

Church Council

5:30P

Pickleball 6P

Bible Study 9A

Prayer Group 11A

Pickleball 1P

Women’s Emmaus Group 4:30P

Trunk or Treat 5P

Men’s Emmaus

Group 5:30P

O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8