2024

                                                              E-Navigator                                                                                                                                                                                                         Address: P.O. Box 9, 

                                                          Syracuse, IN   46567                                                                      

                                                        Email: syrcalv@kcaccess.com

                                                 Website: www.syracusecalvaryumc.org

From Pastor Paul,

Can You Forgive and Then Forget?

Forgiveness isn't something that you do for the sake of the person who wronged you. It is something you do for yourself. I don't forgive people because they deserve it, or earn it, or even ask for it. I forgive them for a very selfish reason.

The main purpose of forgiveness is to free yourself from the burden of the pain inflicted on you. Bitterness is a cancer that'll destroy you and your relationships. As a pastor of a Church, I've witnessed this root of bitterness defile so many things that a person holds dear.

I knew a woman that held so much pain and bitterness against a person that she had literally made herself sick and physically weak. If she could forgive the person that had wronged her, she'd be able to release the burden of that pain and the bitterness.

The truly tragic thing about a grudge is that it hurts you more than the person you hold it against. In many cases, the other person is unaware of your grudge or the depth of your grudge or even of the fact that they may have hurt you. So, your anger, bitterness, and pain are only hurting you. It is only destroying your own spirit.

Christians are supposed to be big on forgiveness. I should know. But even they miss the main purpose of forgiveness. It isn't to pretend that the wrong done to you is okay. It's not so that you can give some offender a pass on his wrong, or to pretend you weren't hurt or angry. It isn't even to demonstrate how holy and righteous you are. It is to release that anger, to release the burden of the pain that you carry around.

Jesus told Peter to forgive people until it became instinctual or habitual. He, being the Son of God, had much more clarity in this than we do. But the example suffices to demonstrate that unless we forgive, we have a human tendency to carry a grudge, to carry bitterness, to carry the burden of pain. This burden crushes you, not the person who hurt you.

Forgive people. Do it for yourself so you can function in life, see clearer, and not have to live with the painful burden of bitterness.

Don't look at the other person to determine if they are worthy of your forgiveness. It's not an issue of worthiness or even of relevance. It is about you releasing anger, pain, and bitterness. Carrying such a burden will affect your marriage, your friendships, your family, and every other relationship you possess. Your revenge plotting twists your mind more than it makes the person who hurt you suffer.

Let it go-for your own sake.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Paul

 

                                         Pastor Paul Burris Weekly Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10:00 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                               

  Miraculous God of Breakthroughs, speak, show, and inspire us where your Spirit is leading next for Calvary Church and in our own lives. Open doors that will usher in a new season of creativity, faithfulness, and fruitfulness in the name of Jesus. And together grant us boldness, courage, and power without limits to step through the doors you open, in Christ’s name. Amen.

Breakthrough Prayer Initiative

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful response to the recent Breakthrough Prayer Initiative and our after Worship gatherings. We have received many good suggestions (and volunteers) to implement new Sunday morning Greeters; research ways to be in mission with our local schools; enhance visibility for Calvary in our community; develop fundraisers throughout the year; reach out to children and youth. Be mindful, also, of our need for strengthening our day-to-day functions through our church committees. There is a place for everyone to share your time, talents, and gifts for our life together in Christ and our mission to our community and the world.

We will be bringing specific ideas to the congregation over the next few weeks!

Your Breakthrough Prayer Team

Pastor Paul Burris, Roz Schwartz, Dan Sharp, Dwight Judy

                                                                                                     

Upper Room

The May/June issues are available in the narthex for your free copy                                                                                                                                                                                            

“One person can make a difference!

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 April is Canned Chicken, Beef Stew, Flour, 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.

Please keep the ones in need in your prayer!

The Missions Committee will be having “Pack the Pantry” with paper items April 14th.  Grocery bags will be passed out Sunday the 7th.

                         

Where Are you called to Serve at Calvary?

As part of our recent (ongoing) Prayer Initiative, we have all been challenged to come to a better understanding as to how the Spirit is moving in our daily lives. A big part of the process is coming to the realization that we have all been gifted with special talents that are to be utilized in building the kingdom at Calvary UMC and in the community that we serve. In I Corinthians chapter 12 Paul reminds us that every gift from God is special and important. We are created by God, and He loves us. By acknowledging the spiritual gifts from God, we are glorifying Him. Each gift has the ability to help draw others to a relationship with the Lord. God’s people are like a body with many parts, yet those parts work together. Even though there are many people in the world, we can work together to share His love and glory. Every person has a purpose and is gifted by the Holy Spirit.

We are looking for people who are willing to provide much needed leadership which would enable us to carry out God’s mission here at Calvary. There are a number of areas, and committees you could serve such as: Trustees, Worship, Finance & Stewardship, Administrative Council, Staff-Parish Relations, Missions, Congregational Care, Prayer Team, Funeral Dinners, Nominations etc. etc… Please carefully consider where God might be calling you to be in ministry. If you feel you have been called, or need more information, concerning any area of ministry please feel free to contact Pastor Paul or Roz Schwartz. We are all part of the same body here at Calvary. It is going to take a group effort for us to make a difference in the community that we serve.

                                                             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. Sherri will use them to make arrangements for the church.

                             

MONTHLY CALENDAR

                                                                                                                           

April 2024

  1  Mon.       Trustee 5:00 pm    

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

  7  Sun.         Grocery bags passed out for “Pack the Pantry” with paper items

  9  Tues.       Stewardship/Finance 5:30 pm

 10 Wed.       Hannah Circle  6 pm

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

 14 Sun.         “Pack The Pantry” with paper items collected

 15 Mon.       Deadline for E-Navigator articles

 18 Thurs.     J.U.L.I.E.T.S.  11:30 am at Stubby’s (Stacy’s)

 23 Tues.       E- Navigator goes out

 23 Tues.       Gideon   6 – 8:30 pm

 24 Wed.       R.O.M.O.E.S. at 11:30 am at The Sleepy Owl

 24 Wed.       Martha/Ruth Circle 1 pm

 26 Fri.           Friday 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 April  12, from 5:30-6:30. Take-out or dine in options are available.

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

Plant, Bake an Craft Sale

Attention all gardeners, crafters, and bakers!

We will be having a bake, craft, and plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 4.

I would love donations of any kind in those categories. If anyone is interested in overseeing the craft or bake sale portions of this event I would love some help.

We would be thrilled to have crafters set up booths with their creations, no booth rent, just ask for a donation of a portion of what is sold.

For more information call Amy Rensberger at 574-529-008

Thoughts from Bashor Home

Prayer Message of the Week  By Dan Wolschlager This past Sunday, March 17th was St. Patrick’s Day which has become a fun holiday to celebrate for many here in the United States, but this week I wanted to shine a light on the amazing person that was Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick was a missionary in the fifth century who was venerated as a Saint for bringing Christianity to Ireland which was previously dominated by paganism. The part of his story that goes often unseen is that Saint Patrick was taken from his home in Britain as a child and became a slave by his captors in Ireland until he escaped six years later. After being captured and enslaved by the Irish people, Patrick felt a calling to come back and bring Christianity to Ireland. Psalm 31:15 says, “My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.” Imagine going back to the place of your captors, not to get revenge but rather to spread the love of Christ. We know that Patrick ended up converting many in Ireland to Christianity. In fact today, Ireland is a majority Christian. More than eighty percent of the country is said to be Christian. After looking at the history of Saint Patrick’s Day, ask yourself, “Who has wronged me in life?” How do I respond to that? Look to Saint Patrick this week and be encouraged that all are deserving of the love of Jesus Christ!