January 2024

E-Navigator

Address: P.O. Box 9, 

                                                           Syracuse, IN   46567                                                                     

                                                        Email: syrcalv@kcaccess.com

                                                 Website: www.syracusecalvaryumc.org

From Pastor Paul,

Why Go to Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time, and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes in the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual nourishment! (Email forward from unknown author)

It is my prayer that over the course of the past year that our worship services and my messages have in some way provided you with the spiritual nourishment you have needed in your daily lives. It is also my prayer that in the coming year you will make an attempt to be a part of worship here at Calvary United Methodist Church. Church is not only a place where we come for our spiritual nourishment. Church is also a place where we come to be a part of the family of God. Church is a place where God’s plans can be worked out through a group of believers with a common cause. Church is a place where God’s love is on display weekly as we find new and unique ways to minister to, not only one another, but to others. Church is the physical body of Christ in action.

I would like to personally thank all of you for your role in making Calvary United Methodist Church a vital part of this community. You are truly a blessing and I pray that God will bless you as much this coming year as He has my family and I in 2023. See You Sunday!

In Christ Service,

Pastor Paul

 

                                          Pastor Paul Burris Weekly Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Church: 574-457-3778 Pastor’s cell phone: 260-609-9260

Church Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

                       

                                                      Breakthrough Prayer Initiative                               

                                                   Calvary United Methodist Church

Join us in prayer for the renewal of our own hearts and of Calvary’s life together and ministries for our community and world. Please devote 5 to 10 minutes two or three times per week, offering this prayer and then listening to Spirit-nudges for any area of Calvary’s life.                                                 

                                  God, please break through and open doors to new.

hopes, dreams, and possibilities for our church and

in our own lives…and we will surrender and faith-

fully follow Christ onto the open road adventure of

Your new and unknown future.

May your will be done. Amen!  

 

Upper Room The January/February issues are available in the narthex for your free copy.  Issue is available in the literature rack. These are offered at no cost to you; please take one and another for a friend.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 One person can make a difference!

                                                 NURSERY NEEDS YOUR HELP!

NURSERY! Needs your help to take care of the little ones for an hour during Worship! If the Lord lays it on your heart to help guide these little ones to know Jesus, please sign up for Nursery time on one Sunday a month!

                                                                 Food Pantry

Food Pantry Sunday is the first Sunday of each month. Specific items you can bring for.

January is canned soups, Shampoo, Jello. These items can be placed in the narthex and a volunteer from our church will take it to the Syracuse Food Pantry.

The Outreach Missions continue to support the food pantry will be Pack the Pantry with food four times a year.

 

                                                                   Altar Flowers Needed                                            

                                                                          Every Sunday

 

If you would like to contribute altar flowers, sign your name on the date of the hallway calendar at the north end of the building, or call the church office at (457-3778) or email the church at syrcalv@kcaccess.com. You may deliver or we will have someone deliver for you. Some ideas are flowers for anniversaries, birthdays, our children, and grandchildren and to God’s glory. NOTE: If you have silk flowers you no longer need, consider donating them to the church. Mary Hursh will use them to create altar arrangements with them                                                       

                                                        MONTHLY CALENDAR                                                                                                 

January 2024

  2 Tues.   Afternoon Ladies Bible study Jan 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

  8 Mon.   Trustees 6 pm

11 Thur.   Staff Parish 5 pm

12 Fri.      Free Community Dinner 5:30-6:30 pm 

18 Thurs. J.U.L.I.E.T.S. meet at 11:30 am Louie’s.

23 Tues.   E-Navigator

24 Wed.   R.O.M.O.E.S meet at 11:30 am Coffee Depot

24 Wed.   Martha/Ruth Circle 1 pm

26 Fri.      Family Fun Night 5:30 – 7:30 pm

 

                                Calvary United Methodist Welcomes our community.

Our long-standing Free Community Dinner (2^nd Friday of the month) is scheduled for Friday January 12 from 5:30-6:30. Take-out or dine in options are available.

Family Fun Night January 26^th 5:30 – 7:30 pm come and fellowship with others and play some games, put puzzles together, play cards and much more!

Thanks to the Calvary UMC Handbell choir, the Ponsler’s, Martin’s Brent Bobeck, for sharing their gifts at the Calvary Christmas Program.

Thanks also to Jude Ann, Lisa Burris, Chris Elson, Lucy Rensberger, Jackie, and the Ponlser’s for their Christmas Eve Program participation.

I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful Church Family.

Amy Rensberger                                                  

Thoughts from Bashor Home

This week marks the third week in our advent devotionals. The third week in advent covers the topic of joy. No doubt, many things come to mind when we think of joy. Each one of us has something unique that may come to mind specifically regarding joy. Joy is great, for all of us, we imagine joy to come easy. Joy is something that we imagine only happens when we are living and experiencing the best of times, right? The Scripture I chose this week redefines how we may see joy. James 1:2-3 says, “2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Do you experience joy when you are tested? I’m sure I am not alone when I say that joy is not something that I feel when I am tested. Instead, I find myself feeling frustrated, angry, or upset… certainly not joy! What I have found from reading this passage in James is that joy is a product of growth. God calls us all to persevere through whatever challenges us in life, and through that perseverance we will grow and experience more joy! That equation sounds simple, but it doesn’t always work out that way. The challenges that we face in life can weigh us down and blind us to the joys in life. This week, whether you experience challenges or not, look to the joy of the world. The celebration of Christ is closer every day! Continue to persevere, grow, and find joy through Christ Jesus.