Grand Valley United Methodist Church
June 2023 Newsletter
In this newsletter:
1. From the Pastor
2. Memorial Service change of time
3. VBS
4. Birthdays
5. Calendar
6. Event Details
7. Church Reports
8. Just for Fun
From the Pastor….
Father’s Day
Three men who were to become fathers sat hopefully and expectantly in the hospital waiting room. A nurse from the maternity ward entered the room. She said to the first man, “Congratulations! You’re the father of twins.” The first man said, “That’s wonderful! I’m a member of the Minnesota Twins baseball team.” Then the nurse addressed the second man: “Congratulations! You’re the father of triplets.” The second man said, “Wow! What a coincidence. I work for the 3M Company.” The third man jumped to his feet and said, “I’m leaving! I work for 7UP!”
With Father’s Day fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to recognize the importance of fathers in our lives. Fathers play a critical role in the upbringing of their children, and their contributions deserve to be celebrated.
The first Father’s Day was celebrated in 1910, but it took over 60 years for the holiday to become official. Since then, Father’s Day has given many across the United States the opportunity to show love and appreciation towards biological fathers and father figures in their lives. Whether you celebrate by giving gifts or spending quality time with your dad, Father’s Day honors the men in our lives, fatherhood and paternal influences.
Here’s little bit about the holiday’s history of Father’s Day. Father’s Day was inspired by its counterpart: Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day became a commercial holiday in 1908. By 1914, it was made official by President Woodrow Wilson, who said the second Sunday of May would be dedicated to honoring “that tender, gentle army, the mothers of America.”
After hearing a Mother’s Day sermon, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, was inspired to create a similar holiday that celebrated fathers. Dodd was raised by a widower with 14 children. As a result, she wanted to honor the “loving service” of fathers. Dodd gained support from community members, such as shopkeepers, churches and government officials. This led to the first Father’s Day, which was celebrated on June 19, 1910.
Though Father’s Day did not see immediate success, it eventually spread beyond Washington state. In 1916, Wilson recognized the holiday, and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged states to observe Father’s Day.
This did not happen until 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson made the first presidential proclamation that honored fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day was made a permanent holiday and was officially signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972.
This Father’s Day, let us take the time to remember our fathers. Some of us have lost our fathers but the lessons and wisdom that they taught us still guide us today. For some they don’t carry good memories because of a strained relationship with their father. It’s important to be sensitive to those who may be experiencing grief or pain, and offer them comfort and support. I also think that we need to remember other men who were also father figures for us.
This Father’s Day, let us take the time to thank our fathers for all that they do. Whether it’s a simple gesture like a heartfelt card or a thoughtful gift, or spending quality time together, let us show our fathers how much we appreciate them.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, let us also remember the importance of being good fathers ourselves. Let us strive to be role models for our children, teaching them the values of love, respect, and compassion. Let us be present in their lives, offering them guidance and support as they grow and navigate the world around them.
Shalom,
Michael
Memorial Service for Carmen Litschewski
On Saturday, June 3rd, at 11:00 a.m. here at Grand Valley UMC, we will be holding a memorial service for Carmen Litschewski with a meal reception following the service. Please note that this is a change of time.
IT’S COMING!!!!
Our Vacation Bible School is here! It runs from Monday, June 12th – Friday, June 16th from 9-noon. We have a lot of registrations – forms are still available in the church office – and the committee has been very busy for the last month getting everything ready. It’s bound to be a great time and GVUMC will be a lively place for a week! Thank you to all our volunteers – either with providing time and/or the needed supplies, etc.
PLEASE NOTE: The final training session for the volunteers will be on Monday, June 5th at 7:00 p.m. at GVUMC. This leaves us with only one week before VBS.
June birthdays:
14 – Al Heiser
17 – Alice Alvord
17 – Tom Haskell
17 – Don Morton
19 – Jim Ness
20 – Susan Stoakes
21 – Tom Meader
21 – Carol Morton
23 – Chris Dean
26 – Penelope Olson
28 – Beanie Branaman
28 – June Zacharias
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 at 6:30 p.m. in the Faith House. We hope you can join us.
Choir and bell practices are now on summer hiatus and will start up again after Labor Day. 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
The Council met on May 9th, called to order at 2:03 p.m. The meeting was opened with prayer.
Trustees: a new weed eater has been requested and approved; Parsonage renter is leaving in August – there is a waiting list for wanna be renters
Mission & Outreach: the rototiller needs repair, Movies Under the Stars will be back this summer – our Friday is August 18th.
SPR: pastoral evaluation is due soon
Care Team: dinner for Carmen Litschewsi’s Memorial Service is being worked on
Worship: New banners were purchased for the entryway, there will be carnations for Mother’s Day, ice cream for Father’s Day, and the service on July 9th will be at Bert’s
Christian Education: everyone is hard at work preparing for VBS
The meeting adjourned at 2:40
Mission & Outreach
No report
Treasurer
No report
Some more random facts you didn’t know you needed to know…..
– The average person walks the equivalent of 5 laps around the world during their lifetime.
– The top speed of the first American car race in 1895 was 7 mph
– British artist Willard Wigan creates micro sculptures so small you need a microscope to see them. His work often sits in the eye of a sewing needle or on the head of a pin. He got his start at 5 years old making a house for ants because he thought they needed a place to live.
– Simply taking 1 step uses over 200 muscles in the body.
– Talking to yourself makes your brain work more efficiently.
– When Queen Elizabeth visited the set of Game of Thrones, she refused to sit on the iron throne because she was not allowed to sit on foreign thrones.
– Due to a genetic defect, cats can’t taste sweet things.
Church Contact Information
PO Box 125
Parachute CO 81635
(970)285-9892
[email protected]
www.GrandValleyUMC.com
OFFICE HOURS:
Wednesday – Friday
9:00 – noon