Grand Valley United Methodist Church
September 2025 Newsletter
In this newsletter:
1. From the Pastor
2. Special Giving Sunday
3. Mission Minute
4. NEW!! Open Door Service
5. Birthdays
6. Calendar
7. Group Details
8. Church Reports
9. Just for Fun
From the Pastor….
I hate to write this, but Labor Day signals the end of summer. School is starting and the fall activities are already underway. Labor Day is the last hurrah of the summer. Everyone disappears for one last relaxing weekend before the routine of fall makes us long for those hot lazy days of summer.
As I was thinking about how my routine has already changed, I realized how much I enjoy the summer months. Summer was the time for watching the garden grow, and being surprised by the abundance of produce that came not only from the garden, but also the fruit trees. The abundance of produce is a wonderful problem.“ To whom can I give the zucchini and squash?” And I became the recipient of someone’s abundance of cucumbers.
This abundance thing is okay sometimes. Right now I see an abundance of work that needs to get done for the Fall. I imagine that your life is the same, always too much to do, an over-abundance of work. Why can’t we have an over-abundance of play? If you find yourself frantic because of too much to do, take the time to take a few deep breaths. Prioritize what absolutely has to get done today. Now if you say, “all of it needs to get done” do you hear the kind of pressure you are putting yourself under? Why don’t you give yourself a break? My professor Dr. Somers came to class one day and I noticed that something was different about him. He was full of energy and he smiled a lot. In the last ten minutes of class he told us that our tests were not graded. Last night he sat down on the couch at 7:00 p.m. and slept the whole night. He said, “I feel great and really refreshed.” I went up to him after class and told him he needed to go to bed early more often, because I liked the man who was teaching today. He said, “My wife said almost the same thing.”
People can tell when we are stressed and they really don’t want to be around us, especially our family. In Psalm 46:10 it states, “Be still and know that I am God.” Please give everyone a break, including yourself, by taking a moment to be still and know that God will help you get the important things done.
Shalom, Michael
HELP NEEDED!!!!
Karen will be on vacation late September/early October, and had the office covered for the days that she will be gone. However, Penelope’s daughter is having surgery so we are needing someone to cover the office on Wednesday, September 24th and Wednesday, October 1st. If you can help out with this, either day or both days, please let Karen know ASAP. Thank you!!
Special Giving Sunday
Our next Special Giving Sunday is Sunday, October 5th – World Communion Day. It’s a day for Christians to celebrate their unity in Christ, across denominations and around the world.
Last month I shared a picture of the Faith House at the beginning of the roof replacement. It was completed by the time I came to work on Wednesday, July 30th and looks great!
Mission Minute
This is a new section of the newsletter starting this month. Look here for monthly for updates on what our Mission committee is doing!
Shoe Distribution
On Friday, August 8th, we had the privilege of showing the love of Jesus in a real and personal way as 125 students received new shoes, socks and backpacks as they begin a new year in school.
Thank you to all who participated in making this ministry of love possible!
NEW!!!!
Open Door Service
Starting Thursday, August 21, an Open Door Service will be held every Thursday evening at 6:30 in the Sanctuary. Everyone is welcome!! And, as there are many folks who find it difficult to go to church on weekends for various reasons, by opening up our doors one evening during the week, we hope to be giving them an opportunity to worship at a time that may be more convenient to them.
Our Open Door Service is a relaxing, informal and unstructured time together to discuss different Bible verses and the messages gleaned from those verses. Each week could be a new verse and message or a continuation of the previous week’s discussion. There is no set schedule.
We will also celebrate the evening with praise and hymns relating to that evening’s message. Everyone is welcome to a laid-back, no-pressure service where you can just sit back and enjoy your time with us, or jump in and join in the discussion.
At the conclusion of our service, Communion will be offered to anyone who wishes to participate.
We hope you will join us and spread the word to family, friends and neighbors!!
September Birthdays
3 – Rich Stoakes
4 – Carol Thulson
5 – Len Allen
17 – Karen Hamick
18 – Dennis Alvord
22 – Fred Inman
25 – Laurel Koning
28 – Lee Allen
Our Seekers Class (Adult Sunday School) meets every Sunday morning at 8:30. We invite all to attend.
Tuesday Bible Group
Our Tuesday Bible Study group has started up again and is studying the 23rd Psalm. They meet at 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday in the Fellowship Hall.
We have started volume two of the four-volume study guide of “Escape the Coming Night” by Dr. David Jeremiah, as we continue our journey through the Book of Revelation. This volume covers:
“Revelation 4:1-11:14, the beginning of destruction upon the earth. How many are saved and many are martyred during the Tribulation. How God’s wrath produces hell on earth, and the appearance of the Beast….” (Escape the Coming Night, Volume Two.)
Please join us on our journey and find out how you can avoid being left behind to face the Tribulation. Ask yourself: Am I ready?
Choir and bells are starting up again! Choir meets at 4:00 Wednesday afternoons and bells meet when necessary. 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: office@grandvalleyumc.com
Prayer Partners meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 10:30. If you have anyone that you would like to add to the Prayer Partner list, please contact Bert Botkin at (970)216-8682.
Our Ambassadors (Care Team) meet on the 2nd Wednesday at 11:30 in the Fellowship Hall.
Church Council Report
The meeting was called to order by Ron Olson. Those attending were: Ron Olson, Penelope Olson, Michelle Foster, Steve Shaw, Bert Botkin, John Chapman, Dan Temple, Laurel Koning, Len Allen and Lee Allen. The minutes of the last meeting were approved as read.
Treasurer: Penelope reported seven thousand dollars was transferred from the Alpine Money Market to the checking account in both June and July to cover the cost of the new roof on the Faith House. Final payment will be made in August. A Certificate of Participation, which matures in August, will be cashed out to replenish working capital. Overall, we are doing well.
Mission: Laurel reported the shoe give away went well. We provided 125 pair of shoes. The Movies Under the Stars went well in late July. The garden is doing well, but there are going to be repairs on the water system next spring. $1000.00 from the Mission and Outreach budget went to the Mefors in June. We will also be sending them whatever we have collected from the congregation soon. We will have a 5th Sunday potluck on August 31st.
Trustees: John reported on the new roof on the Faith House, which looks very nice. We installed a new toilet in the parsonage. And we will be fertilizing the lawn.
Worship: Michelle reported that the new way of serving communion went very well on August 3rd. She has had no negative feedback.
Old Business: Penelope reported that she has tried to call about the directory, but has not been successful.
New Business: Bert reported there will be Thursday evening services beginning on the 21st at 6:30. These services will be held for the benefit of people who work and cannot attend on Sunday morning. The services will be conducted by lay people.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectively submitted,
Lee Allen, Secretary
Mission & Outreach
Check out the new section called Mission Minute!
Treasurer
The Church is Doing Well, Financially
July was a good financial month. The Church ended up with $1,350 surplus. In addition, $2,400 was collected for shoes, $320 for the Mefors, and another $280 for other designated donations during the month.
For the seven months ended July 31st, the excess is $7,300. And through the generous support of friends and members of the Church, designated funds have increased.
Funds that the Council feels are not needed immediately are invested in Certificates of Participation (CP) at the Methodist Helping Methodist Foundation. CPs are similar to CDs except the money that is deposited to them is then lent to Churches for capital expenditures. The Church currently holds $73,000 in CPs with maturity dates ranging from August 15, 2025 to June 5, 2028 and rates ranging from 4% to 4.5%.
The July statements are available on the bulletin board for your review. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. You may call me at 231-383-0488, email me at olsonpr75@gmail.com, or catch me after church service.
Here are some puns in case you need to de-stress:
“Seven days without laughter makes one weak”
**You can’t blame anyone else if you fall in your driveway. It’s your own asphalt.
**I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.
**I’ve started investing in stocks: beef, vegetable, chicken. One day I hope to be a bouillianaire.
**I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eyes. Now I have Heinz sight.
**Did you know muffins spelled backwards is what you do when you take them out of the oven?
**Scientifically, a raven has 17 primary wing feathers, the big ones at the end of the wing. They are called pinion feathers. A crow has 16. So, the difference between a raven and a crow is only a matter of a pinion.
**I was walking in the jungle and saw a lizard on his hind legs telling jokes. I turned to a local tribal leader and said, “That lizard is really funny!” The leader replied, “That’s not a lizard. He’s a stand-up chameleon.”
**I tried to come up with a carpentry pun that woodwork. I thought I nailed it but nobody saw it.
**Singing in the shower is fine until you get soap in your mouth. Then it’s a soap opera.
**The Black-Eyed Peas can sing us a song….But the chick peas can only hummus one.
I will finish these up next month…..
Church Contact Information
PO Box 125
Parachute CO 81635
(970)285-9892
office@grandvalleyumc.com
www.GrandValleyUMC.com
OFFICE HOURS:
Wednesday – Friday
9:00 – noon