Freeing Jesus from our preconceived notions of who he is. Many cling to a particular image of Christ, this series is pushing us to see more facets of who he is. Each week we will look at Jesus as friend, teacher, savior, Lord, way, and presence.
Some people are uncomfortable calling Jesus “teacher.” It feels to colloquial, too informal, and not reverent enough. Some cling to Jesus as friend without allowing the friend to push us out of their comfort zone. Some bristle at calling Jesus “Lord,” because that term is cloaked in hierarchy and colonialism. Some say that they follow Jesus as the “Way,” but others feel that referring to Jesus as “presence,” is too mystical to be helpful.
Whatever term you cling to, Pastor Robb may challenge you to open up your understanding of what that means. Whatever term makes you uncomfortable, he may help you unpack and see in a new light. Guided by the great work by Diana Butler Bass and her book “Freeing Jesus,” this series will take six weeks to take a closer look at Jesus and see the brilliance and beauty of holding all six facets (and many more we won’t mention) together.
This series will last from July 18 through August 22.
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.
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.
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.
sisters in Christ,
Sunday, April 30