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  • STEAM Camp July 24-27

    STEAM Camp July 24-27

    STEAM

    Registration deadline is July 17, 2017.  REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

    From July 24-27, Two Rivers United Methodist Church is offering a different kind of Vacation Bible School experience this summer. Instead of the traditional crafts, songs, and Bible stories, Two Rivers is putting together their second annual STEAM Creators’ Camp for kids Preschool through 6th grade.

    As many involved in education know, STEAM usually stands for Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. For the Two Rivers Camp, the M stands for Music. The Camp will offer four different workshops, and kids who are entering 1st-6th grades will be assigned to two workshops based on how they rank their interests at registration. Kids age 4-5 who have not finished Kindergarten will be kept together in a Preschool group.

    The four-day camp will last from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. The time will be divided into five segments. It will begin with group time for a devotional, icebreakers, and games. Then the kids will break into their first workshop. The group will come together for a nutritious snack, then kids will go into their second workshop. Each day will close with the kids coming together to work on a group mission project.

    The Science workshop will include various science experiments and demonstrations. In 2016, one of the Science days included an egg drop, where kids built structures to protect an egg that was dropped from a low roof of the church.

    The Music workshop will include instruction on learning to play the ukulele. Two Rivers has recently started a ukulele choir, and youth are learning these instruments in Sunday school. They will also be building their own instruments, and learning some of the science behind the music.

    The Engineering and Technology workshop will likely include computer programming basics with Sphero robots and building structures with random objects.

    The Arts workshop will include a variety of projects with different artistic techniques.

    In addition to the camp from July 24-27, there will be a special STEAM Camp Fair, Picnic and Movie on Saturday, July 29 at the Camp Milan Retreat Center. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a free dinner of hot dogs, hamburgers, and lots of sides. After dinner, kids will be able to show their work to their parents. There will also be games and activities. There will be a “Movie Under the Stars” at dusk. The movie will be a Disney/Pixar classic that fits the theme of robotics. This is a rain or shine event. If the weather is inclement, the activities and movie will be moved inside.

    Register below. The workshop details are not finalized, and are subject to change. The workshops themselves will still fall under these four categories. Children who have completed Kindergarten will be entered into groups that participate in the different workshops. Children age 4-5 who have yet to go to Kindergarten will be kept together as a Preschool group, and complete more traditional Sunday school crafts, playing, and activities.

  • Free Concert

    Free Concert

     

    heatherlyn and ben graceOn Wednesday, May 17 at 7:00pm, Two Rivers United Methodist Church will host a free live concert with Heatherlyn and Ben Grace.  The admission to the concert will be “pay as you wish.” Guests will be asked to pay their admission after the concert, paying as much as they see fit.

    Members of Two Rivers may remember Heatherlyn from her visit to the Quad Cities in the summer of 2015. That year she performed at a house concert in Rock Island, the Lion and Lamb Festival in Milan, and gave a concert at Two Rivers Church. Her song “Ever,” was used in worship as the closing song for about a month that fall. Her lyric, “May we choose courageously, may we hope defiantly, may we love outrageously, and walk on lightly in humility,” struck a chord with many.

    Heatherlyn and Ben Grace are going to embark on a special tour of Illinois called “10 Days in May.”

    Learn more about Heathlerlyn at her website.

    Learn more about Ben Grace at his website.

    click on the picture below to join the Facebook group for the 10 Days in May Tour

    10 days

    Ben Grace and Heatherlyn Music are teaming up for the 10 Day in May Tour to bring beauty and fun to your community through a concert of music, story, and poetry! Here’s a little about each of them!

    Ben Grace is an Australian songwriter who lives in Brooklyn NY with his wife Sara Ann and adopted “Brooklyn Terrier” Gigi. Persistent and prolific Ben has had more than 50 songs released over the last 20 years and has written in a range of styles from power pop to country. In late 2011 he left his hometown of Sydney to pursue cowriting in the US and has hosted a songwriting community that meets monthly in his apartment for the last five years. Ben has a passion for local craft beer, good stories, messy community, and better questions. He cannot wait to get to know new friends in the Mid West this May!

    Heatherlyn is an international troubadour, a singer/song-artist with soul, roots, and rock vibes infused throughout her songs.
    More than anything, Heatherlyn believes in the power of Love.

    Deeply connected to her own story and compassionate toward the stories we all carry; her soulful, honest voice resonates with people from many various walks of life.

    Heatherlyn enjoys painting, yoga, and origami, sipping whiskey, and getting to be a witness of people coming alive with laughter or a new found passion.

    Originally from Maine and having made the MidWest homebase for the past 14 years, Heatherlyn is excited to share this part of the U.S. with friend and collaborator Ben Grace and for this part of the world to meet him and his music!

  • Pet Fest

    Pet Fest

    Pet Fest (1)

    The Pet Fest is a celebration of animals and the humans who love them. On Sunday, May 21 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. vendors, bakers, crafters, animal lovers, veterinarians, and shelters will gather for the second annual Pet Fest at Two Rivers United Methodist Church at 1820 5th Avenue in Rock Island.

    The Rock Island Animal Hospital is co-sponsoring the event. A doctor and staff from the hospital will attend. They will be available for questions, and can meet your animals – although they will not be able to do check-ups. Vendors of pet-related goods are invited to set up a booth in the parking lot. There will also be a photo booth for owners to pose with their animals.

    At 3:30 there will be a special “Blessing of the Animals,” led by Pastor Robb McCoy. The blessing will include prayers, some readings, and a special time for prayer with each pet in attendance with their owner. At last year’s event, most of the animals were dogs, although one person brought a chicken and at least two people brought pictures of their cats.

    All animals at the Pet Fest must be leashed or caged at all times. They must also be properly vaccinated, and well-socialized to other animals. For the safety of all animals and humans, retractable leads are not allowed.

    A collection will also be taken for the Quad City Animal Welfare Center. Animals up for adoption will not be at the event, but information about how to find companions through the QCAWC will be available. Suggested donations for the shelters that come will include paper towels, treats, blankets, towels, disinfectant cleaners, Purina Puppy and/or Kitten Chow, and toys.

    If there are vendors interested in reserving a free booth, or if you would like more information, please call 309-788-9384.

  • Vitality Survey

    Vitality Survey

    Dear brothers andSurvey sisters in Christ,

    The purpose of the Congregational Vitality Survey is to take a snapshot at the life and ministry of Two Rivers United Methodist Church. The survey’s focus is on Christ’s Great Commission to “go and make disciples.” These questions relate to how this congregation is making disciples of Jesus Christ.

    Bishop Frank Beard directed the District Superintendents to select a few churches in each district to participate in this survey. Sylvester Weatherall, our DS, selected TRUMC and invited us to be a part of this program. The Church Council approved this survey as a first step toward a larger vision-making process of Two Rivers Church.

    A quick look at all that is happening at TRUMC reveals that there are many ways that the church is active. The Evangelism Team has a renewed focus on reaching out to Downtown Rock Island. The Mission Team continues to serve the meal site, operation safety net, and various other outreach programs. The Discipleship Team has developed a plan for welcoming new people. A Good Neighbor Team has recently been formed to work with World Relief to help settle refugee families in the Quad Cities.

    The segment of African brothers and sisters is growing within the church, offering new talents in worship and outreach. The children and youth continue to develop ministries, fellowship, and encounters with Christ. The relationship with the arts community in the Quad Cities has grown, with new relationships with the Quad City institutions such as the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and the River Music Experience.

    TRUMC has expanded its reach in the community, and continues to build ways to make disciples of Jesus Christ. There seems to be a new era of activity and growth. It is important however, to be good stewards of our energy, resources, and talents. There is a danger that with all the new things that are going on, we could spread ourselves too thin. The Church Council and I believe that there is a need for a congregational plan to set the vision, mission, and ministry priorities of Two Rivers. Clearly, this is not the first time this kind of thing has been proposed at Two Rivers.

    This is a congregation that is over 180 years old. Many members have been a part of it for decades, and have seen many “Visioning Plans,” and “Strategic Meetings” over the years. But times change. People change. Communities change. Visions that were cast even five years ago can seem ancient to some. I believe that even now we are in a much different place then we were just three years ago. It is time to assess where we are, and where we want to head into the future.

    The Congregational Vitality Survey is the first step of this process. It will help us see where we are right now. The survey will be offered over a few weeks in worship. A paper survey will be made available in bulletins at worship over the next few weeks. Another paper survey will be sent to everyone who receives a newsletter. You can also help speed the process by filling out the online survey by clicking here or the picture above.

    The survey is fairly short. All we ask of you is an honest assessment of what you think about Two Rivers UMC. In a few weeks we will meet with someone from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference Congregational Development office. They will help us evaluate the results of the survey and guide us into the next step of the process of streamlining our efforts for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom.

    In Christ,

    Pastor Robb

     

  • Country Western Dance & Dinner

    Country Western Dance & Dinner

    Square DanceSunday, April 30

    Join in the fun of country western dancing. Come and boot scoot, or just kick back and watch. We’ll have professional instructors lead us through an hour of square dancing from 3-4, and an hour of line dancing from 4-5. Then, after we’ve all worked up an appetite, we’ll have a cowboy supper. Meet in Epworth Hall. Cowboy attire not required. Dance shoes not required either.

  • After Easter

    After Easter

    RISEN flyer

    The Easter season is a seven-week celebration of the Risen Christ. For this season, Two Rivers UMC will celebrate a new series called, “Risen.” Providing a strike contrast from the seven weeks of Lent called “Forsaken,” this new series will take a closer look at the stories of Jesus after the Resurrection.

    April 23 – Sending – Matthew 28:16-20

    April 30 – Empowering – John 20:19-31

    May 7 – Fishing – John 21:1-14

    May 14 – Forgiving (and Restoring) – John 21:15-19

    May 21 – Teaching (and Revealing) – Luke 24:13-35

    May 28 – Promising – Luke 24:44-53