Grand Valley United Methodist Church
November 2023 Newsletter
Don’t forget to turn your clocks BACK one hour before going to bed on Saturday, November 4th!
In this newsletter:
1. From the Pastor
2. Annual Charge Conference
3. Thanksgiving Dinner
4. Hanging of the Greens
5. Mefor Newsletter
6. Bible Study
7. Birthdays
8. Calendar
9. Event Details
10. Church Reports
11. Just for Fun
From the Pastor….
As I was thinking and making plans for the remainder of the year my attention was drawn to one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. I thought that I would find out what was on the internet about “Turkey Day”. I didn’t visit the 197,000,000 sites, a couple was all I needed. From the Wikipedia web site I copied what is below:.
“In the United States, Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is an annual one-day legal holiday to express gratitude for the things one has at the end of the harvest season. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. The period from Thanksgiving Day to New Years Day is often collectively referred to as the “Holiday Season.” Thanksgiving is generally considered a secular holiday, and is not directly based in religious canon or dogma. The holiday’s origins trace to Harvest Festival that have been celebrated in many cultures since ancient times, and most people celebrate by gathering at home with family or friends for a holiday feast. A tradition also exists to share the fruits of the harvest with those who are less fortunate.”
I would like for us to take the month of November and give thanks for the many blessings we have received. On “Turkey Day” hopefully we will be around family.. Therefore, giving thanks for family only comes naturally when we are together. However, there are 29 other days of the month that we need to be mindful of all our gifts we have received. Being thankful is a spiritual discipline that helps us to become conscious of God in our lives.
I was looking through the book Gratefulness the Heart of Prayer and came across this quote: “The receiver of the gift depends on the giver. Obviously so. But the circle of gratefulness is incomplete until the giver of the gift becomes the receiver: a receiver of thanks. When we give thanks we give something greater than the gift we received, what ever it was. The greatest gift one can give is thanksgiving. In giving gifts, we give what we can spare, but in giving thanks we give ourselves. One who says “Thank you” to another really says, “We belong together.” Giver and thanksgiver belong together. The bond that unites them frees them from alienation. Does our society suffer from so much alienation because we fail to cultivate gratefulness?”
As we walk through the month of November with a grateful heart we will become aware of the fullness of joy and fully appreciate the gifts that God has given to us.
Annual Charge Conference
Rev. Lou Ward, our District Superintendent, will be here on Sunday, November 5th to do the sermon, stay for fellowship and then lead our annual charge conference. This is open to all, so we hope that you will stay and be a part.
Join us!
We will be having our annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 23rd at 1:00. Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy will be provided. We ask that you bring a dish – side or dessert – to share. All are invited, so if you are going to be alone on Thanksgiving, or know of someone who is, please come on down to the church that day and enjoy good food and fellowship.
The week of November 19th, the office will be open Monday-Wednesday, November 20th-22nd and closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th in observance of Thanksgiving. The office will resume normal hours on Wednesday, November 29th.
Our Annual Hanging of the Greens will take place on Saturday, November 25th. Come join the fun of making the church festive!
Newsletter C. 23
Old Mutare Mission Hospital
Mutasa District, Zimbabwe.
[email protected];[email protected]
Dear Brothers and Sisters-in-Christ,
Greetings to you all from Old Mutare Mission Hospital. We know that this will be a surprise everyone, but this is true. Our address above is no more Mutambara Mission Hospital, but Old Mutare Mission Hospital. Old Mutare Mission Hospital is one of the three United Methodist Hospitals in Zimbabwe. It is located opposite the Africa University, and is about one hour, fifteen minutes’ drive north of Mutambara. We are three weeks old today since we finally packed to Old Mutare.
You all have various questions regarding this update. How did it happen or come about? It all started early this year when it was time for us to renew our work permit which usually occurs yearly. The procedure is that our application for Work Permit renewal is to the Provincial office of the Ministry of Health through the District or County office of the Health Ministry. Each level of the Ministry have to approve the application before it finally gets to the Permanent Secretary to the Minister of Health in Harare. The Provincial Officer in the process had asked me why I was still applying for renewal of work permit, while I had already attained the age of retirement in accordance with the retirement policy of the Zimbabwe Government? I responded that my current contract with the church ends in December 2024, and that was why I was applying. He said he was not going to proceed with processing our application until he clarifies the situation with the church. After about a month or more during one of my several futile follow ups to his office, I was eventually informed by his secretary that our application was approved the previous day. A week or more later, I remembered that I did not update the Bishop’s office regarding the approval. When I contacted the Bishop’s office and delivered the update it was well received but I was told the Bishop’s Administrative Assistant was going to have a meeting with me in the next day or two. During the meeting, the Bishop’s Assistant informed me that he had a meeting with the Provincial Health officer who maintained that the approval of my application for work permit had a “string attached to it”. The string attached is that Dr Mefor must not continue to work in Mutambara. He agreed with the Provincial Health officer that we (Florence and Emmanuel) must have to move to Old Mutare Mission Hospital. It was a shocker. It was difficult to comprehend. It was difficult to accept considering the unplanned disruption of all the ongoing programs we have at hand, our different responsibilities to the patients and the community, the difficulty in packing, moving and unpacking of items from Mutambara to Old Mutare. This would have been a period of planning and nurturing capable hands to takeover any ongoing project which will not be terminated in Mutambara before our departure in December 2024. This is not a time for us to start looking at what we can start doing in Old Mutare Mission Hospital, while at the same time knowing that we just have 14 months left before we finally leave Zimbabwe. What a confusion?
We moved under intense pressure from the Provincial Health Ministry to Old Mutare Hospital amidst trying to make the old, partially, abandoned accommodation basically habitable; and completed our movement three weeks ago. We appreciate the support from friends, the local church through both institutions and the GBGM.
We started work three weeks ago. We are still trying to adjust to the environment, find needs to be done in order to reintroduce some of the works we were doing in Mutambara, and if the conditions on ground will permit us. One important defect already identified as I was looking around for all that will make my surgeries easy for me and for the patients, is the lack of paved walkways and shades. There are no paved walkways from the outpatient department to the wards, from the wards to and from the theatre, and to and from the x-ray department. Patients cannot be wheeled on a trolley, or wheelchair to all the departments mentioned above. The maternity has it its own operating theatre located in the same building and so wheeling of patients is not an issue.
Florence is currently working in the Family and Child Health Department. There are an average of 20 to 30 women in the Waiting Mothers’ Shelter. She has been requested to do the same good job she did in Mutambara Waiting Mothers’ shelter, to the Old Mutare Waiting Mothers’ shelter. The problem is fund, availability of time, and working out sustainability.
Prayer Requests:
We pray that God will give us his spirit of discernment to know what he wants us to do for him in Old Mutare Mission and to give us the grace to accomplish the task.
We pray God will provide us the fund for the walk ways and shade.
We pray for God will provide us the fund for the improvement of the mothers’ shelter.
Picture on the left is the unloading of our items including overhead water tank.
Right shows the reinstalling of the tank (smaller tank).
The house at the background (right) is our accommodation.
We want to thank our friends who have supported the Mrs Manyange for her treatment. God will replenish your resources.
God bless you all.
Florence Mefor, Advance # 13991Z, Emmanuel Mefor, Advance # 13390Z are UMC Missionaries
Old Mutare Mission Hospital Advance # ….. Will find the number and let you all know.
New Bible Study Starting
A Life Beyond Amazing, 9 Decisions that will transform your life today
You are invited to join the Wednesday Bible Study to study the “fruit of the spirit” Paul identified in Galatians 5:22-23 – these nine traits that the apostle Paul outlined that produce a life beyond amazing.
The new study begins Wednesday, November 1st at 10:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.
November birthdays:
1 – Cathy Carlson
2 – Pam Haskell
4 – Cricket Goodsell
9 – Adelia Inman
11 – Ted Birdsill
16 – Deb Meader
21 – Jennifer Chapman-Gisner
22 – Dennis Braspenninx
22 – Dave Penrose
27 – John Chapman
Our Seekers Class(Adult Sunday School) meets every Sunday morning at 8:30. We invite all to attend.
Join us for Bible Study every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall or 6:00 p.m. in the Faith House. We hope you can join us.
Choir rehearsals are at 4:00 on Wednesday. We are always looking for participants, so if you would like to join either of these wonderful musical groups, please contact the office at (970)285-9892 or by email: [email protected]
Prayer Partners meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 10:00. If you have anyone that you would like to add to the Prayer Partner list, please contact Bert Botkin at (970)216-8682.
Church Council Report
COUNCIL MUSINGS
The Church took out a 5% APY, 5-month CD at Alpine Bank.
The Council approved the payment of $450 for clothes and other things purchased for the family who was burned out of their home.
A potluck will be held after Church on October 29th. It will be followed by a presentation by Kyle McElroy.
The parsonage is being painted and the contractor is inspecting the deck to see what needs to be done to repair/replace the deck.
Thanks to John Chapman who painted the sign by the Faith House. It looks much better.
We have received a bid for 75 new chairs. The Council will be working on this. We should have new ones before Christmas.
Worship Committee has moved their meeting to the second Tuesday at 1:00.
We have two children coming to Sunday School.
Michael will be gone October 13-16 and 22–30 and November 21-28.
Treasurer
FINANCIAL FINDINGS
Although September was in the red, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Church had a surplus of $6,740. Since the Church expected to be in a loss situation at this time, we should consider that we are doing very well.
As of September 1st, we booked the proceeds of the donation from Mitzi Burkhart’s estate, which totaled $25,832. This is invested in Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares. It is a balanced fund with a low expense ratio.
Last month, Council approved using the net proceeds from the Grand Valley Days fund raisers for Grand Valley Givers. So, this money has been transferred from the operating account to Grand Valley Givers, which is one reason September was in the red. But it means that Grand Valley Givers is starting the year with a balance of $1,325.
The full financial statements and write-up are available on the bulletin board by the fellowship hall. As always, if you have any questions, just get ahold of me at [email protected], 231-383-0488, or catch up with me at Church.
Penelope Olson
Life Quotes
“Always remember that you are unique – just like everyone else.” – Margaret Mead
“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” – Babe Ruth
“Life is ours to be spent – not to be saved.” – D.H. Lawrence
“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers
“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” – Kurt Vonnegut
“A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” – Malcom X
“Do what you can with what you have where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“The way to right wrong is to turn the light of truth upon it.” – Ida B. Wells
“Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius
“Many receive advice – only the few profit from it.” – Harper Lee
“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” – Buddha
Church Contact Information
PO Box 125
Parachute CO 81635
(970)285-9892
[email protected]
www.GrandValleyUMC.com
OFFICE HOURS:
Wednesday – Friday
9:00 – noon