June 2024

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                                                                                                                                                                                                               Address: P.O. Box 9

                                             Syracuse, IN   46567                                                                     

                                                  Email: syrcalv@kcaccess.com

                                           Website: www.syracusecalvaryumc.org

From Pastor Paul

 

It was the first day of basketball practice at Wingate High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Coach handed a ball to each player.
 

“Boys,” he said, “I want you to practice shooting from the spots you might expect to be in during the game.”
 

One of the boys (who was pretty much there as a substitute for the star players - in fact he was substitute #12) immediately sat down on the bench and began shoot the ball toward the basket from there.

You might say that boy didn’t expect to get to play much. And I suppose he was just trying to get a laugh out of his teammates. But there are some people who sit on the bench, because that’s where they’ve gotten used to being. They never strive to much more than that - because they don’t believe in themselves enough to put in the extra effort and practice to change their status. And because of that: they’re always going to sit on the bench.

It’s as if we’ve made Christianity into a spectator sport. We just sit back in church and listen to the music, and the sermons and never really get involved in the game. We need some Christians today to get off the sidelines and get on the front lines. There is a special position that God has for all those who are in Christ, but we will never discover it as long as we watch safely from the sideline. We need to put action to our faith and get involved in ministry opportunities and be about the business of “Making disciples for Christ for the transformation of the world.”

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.

                                  

                                                              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. 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. You can leave them on a shelf upstairs across from the Peace Room.

                 

“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 June are Saltine Crackers and Pineapple Chunks. 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!

                        

                                                        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.

                                              

MONTHLY CALENDAR  June 2024

3          Monday        Trustees Meeting               5 pm

4          Tuesday        Stewardship Finance         5:30 pm

4          Tuesday        Ladies Bible Study              1:00 pm        (4, 11, 18, 25)

14       Friday            Free Community Dinner   5:30 – 6:30 pm

20       Thursday       J.U.L.I.E.T.S.                         11:30 pm Coffee Depot

25       Tuesday        Gideons                                6 – 8:30 pm

26       Wednesday  Martha/Ruth Circle            1:00 pm

26       Wednesday  R.O.M.E.O.S.                        11:30 am Chubbies

30       Sunday          ALL CHURCH BIRTHDAY PARTY 11 am

 

   Calvary United Methodist Welcomes our community.

 

ALL CHURCH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Sunday, June 30, 11 a.m.

Bring a side dish or salad to share. Main dish and dessert will be furnished.

Program will be “faith sharing.” Bring a favorite scripture verse, hymn, or writing to share…

Do you have a special experience you’d like to share… An experience with God in nature, a Christ experience,

a prayer experience, an experience of special presence with others or in worship. Everyone is also welcome as a “listener.”

Our long-standing Free Community Dinner (2nd Friday of the month) is scheduled for Friday June 14, from 5:30-6:30. Take-out or dine in options are available.

Thoughts on General Conference

One of the main changes at General Conference this year was the removal of restrictive language concerning how we perceive and welcome the LGBTQ community in all aspects of church life. 


We might not all agree with the changes to our Social Principles that were passed at General Conference recently. However, we are all part of the body of Christ, under the UMC Umbrella here in Syracuse Indiana. And that umbrella covers a lot of people. As your pastor I have been called to love you and minister to you regardless of where you align yourself in your understanding of who God is and how he works in the lives of others.

Over the years my understanding of my calling has evolved. What are my responsibilities?
Helping people discover their God given talents to be used in the building of the kingdom in the community they serve. Leading people into a deeper understanding of what love is... 1 Cor. 13. Helping churches build a sense of community that encourages people to work with one another for a common purpose while following God's lead in a particular place and time.

As a congregation our calling is to... First and foremost, love God and love neighbor.
This means that we are to find ways to work together in spite of our differences.
We are challenged to find common ground within which we can begin the process of providing ministry opportunities in our surrounding community and trusting God that we can do so regardless of where we stand on any particular issue. To do so we must come to an understanding that our mission field evolves with every relationship we form. I've always said you really don't know what you believe until it's sitting in your living room, and it won't be sitting in your living room until you welcome the opportunity to gain a better understanding. Inviting others into our lives opens the door to where life can be shared, and seeds can be planted. Love is what allows the seeds to grow. Then God takes over!!!

If any of you have any questions, you'd like to explore...or just want to get something off your chest please know that my office door is always open. 

Pastor Paul

 

Thoughts from Bashor Home

Prayer Message of the Week

​By Dan Wolschlager 

Many times I have talked about love, how it is an important thing that we are called to do as people. 

1 John 4:16 says, “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” Jesus gives us the commandment in John 15 to “Love one another as Jesus has loved us.”Colossians 3:14 tells us, “Above all, be loving.” These verses are great, but do they really tell us how to love? I was in the car for a while on Saturday and during that time I was thinking about love. I came up with two distinguishing categories for love: “Love Does” and “Love Doesn’t.” Here are some examples; Love doesn’t hesitate, Love just does. Love doesn’t ask questions, Love just does. Love doesn’t care about background or status, Love just does. I could go on but instead I want to leave you with these three words to live your week by “Love just does.”