Dear Lodi UMC family and friends, 

 

Church is yours. Christ is yours. If these make you nod your head slantwise, I can put this way: You are Christ’s. You are the church. You belong to Christ. You belong here at your church home. “No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! By this we know that we abide in him and he in us. (1 John 4:12-13)” 

 

How do you live this union with Christ and in Christ?

 

I truly believe that God is present in the struggles and messiness of our lives. What is missing is, for sure, not God’s presence; perhaps it’s our acknowledgment of God-with-us. I hear my inner voice saying “I know God is with me.” Isn’t it then God’s voice asking me back “Where do I see your gratitude and joy of living with me?”

 

How do you live this union with Christ, in Christ? How is this union real and relevant in your life? 

 

Draw yourself closer to where the presence of God is deep and rich. This is the church where you can do it – encountering the holy and living the richness of faith. Church is not irrelevant or isolated from reality. This is a safe community where honest faith questions are welcome. Life challenges cannot be resolved with simple Bible trivia. If you agree to it, you are already one step further in nurturing faith in a God who truly listens and speaks. The next step is to bring yourself deeper to the community of your sisters and brothers in Christ. Enter your church, not leaving your problems and questions at the door. Engage more fully in the life of the church. 

 

Don’t do life alone; live more fully in Christ and with Christ’s church – your church. 

 

Celebrating the wonderful truth that you are God’s beloved, 

Pastor Peace 

 

Worship

• Why We Do What We Do in Worship (4 weeks, 09/18-10/09)
• Prayer (5 weeks, 10/16-11/13)

 

Study

• Children/Youth Sunday School begins on Sun, 09/18, and continues every Sunday, 9:05-9:55am. Pre-K through High School Youth in different classes by age. 
• Sunday Adult Study with Peggy and Sherian on “Finding I Am” by Lysa TerKeurst (6 Sundays, 09/25-10/30, 9:10-9:50am) Contact the leaders for book and sign-up at this link. 
• Wednesday Adult Study with Pastor Peace on “Do I Stay Christian?” by Brian McLaren (8 Wednesdays, 09/28-11/16, 6-7pm) Contact Pastor Peace for book and sign-up at this link. 
• Confirmation Class for 8 grade and older will meet on Wednesdays, 7:10-8:30pm, starting on 11/02
• Mid-week Study: TBA 

 

Fellowship

• Wonderful Wednesday (starting on 09/28, 5-6pm, every Wed. Meal served. Everyone invited.)
• Sunday Fellowship between our two services. “It’s more than cookies and coffee.” Sign up to provide and/or serve fellowship refreshments: https://tinyurl.com/4drbk5u5 
• Small Groups to grow current connections and encourage new connections. Check out information and let us know your interest here at this link: https://tinyurl.com/sbnzsw78.

Mission

• September: Teachers Go Above and Beyond to help supply items they would buy out of their own pocket (Items shall be donated by Sat, 09/21)
• October: Spaghetti Dinner & Bake Sale on Sat, 10/08, 4-7pm, for World Central Kitchen helping provide meals in response to humanitarian, climate, community crises.
• Food for Kidz: Pack Meals for Ukrainian Refugees. Join Waunakee Food for Kidz annual event on October 16 with your church friends and youth.

 

Giving

• This is my hope and prayer that through giving your gifts and sharing your talents, your faith increase, your joy of participating in God’s work overflow, and your assurance of God’s faithfulness strengthen. For questions on your up-to-date giving, contact office@lodiumc.org. For online giving, www.lodiumc.org/give 

 

Questions or suggestions on the life of the church? Please don’t hesitate to contact me at PastorPeace@lodiumc.org or 608-592-3480.

I’m grateful for the gift you ARE.