Broad Street UMC News - July 30, 2011

Keeping you in touch with news and events at

Broad Street United Methodist Church

Greetings!

Peace, grace, and love to you this day. Amen.

The reading this week is from Genesis 32:22-31. In this passage, Jacob struggles for a blessing after winning freedom from Laban. In the process, Jacob wrestles during the night with God. Jacob is persistent (didn't we see that in his servitude for Rachel, too?) and comes away from the struggle blessed, but changed (with a limp). Don't we all sometimes struggle for a blessing? And we often end up changed forever once we encounter God. ✝

Jacob wrestles with God

²² Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River's shallow water. ²³ He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river. ²⁴ But Jacob stayed apart by himself, and a man wrestled with him until dawn broke. ²⁵ When the man saw that he couldn't defeat Jacob, he grabbed Jacob's thigh and tore a muscle in Jacob's thigh as he wrestled with him. ²⁶ The man said, " Let me go because the dawn is breaking. "

But Jacob said, " I won't let you go until you bless me. "

²⁷ He said to Jacob, " What's your name? " and he said, " Jacob. " ²⁸ Then he said, " Your name won't be Jacob any longer, but Israel,^r because you struggled with God and with men and won. "

²⁹ Jacob also asked and said, " Tell me your name. " But he said, " Why do you ask for my name? " and he blessed Jacob there. ³⁰ Jacob named the place Peniel,^s " because I've seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved. " ³¹ The sun rose as Jacob passed Penuel, limping because of his thigh.

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^r Or God struggles or one who struggles with God

^s Or face of God

[The translation of the Bible used above is the new Common English Bible. You can read more about it here.]

Matters of the Heart and City

Summer!

Summer matters.

The summer of 2011 matters at Broad Street United Methodist Church.

This summer the Heart of the City Freedom School has reached 40 children and their families with a civil-rights-based reading curriculum, community service activities, and healthy summer enrichments. Our building has been filled with children because the congregation at Broad Street UMC has a heart for children.

Summer matters.

Vacations increase. Schedules ease. Temperatures rise.

Most summers, attendance and giving fall off. But, not this year. Our average summer worship attendance has been 135 each week which is higher than our average worship attendance during the school year. That's great news! Thanks for making worship part of each week of your life.

The increase is directly reflected in the number of visitors worshipping with us each week and in the growing diversity of our Sunday morning community with a noticeable increase in young adults and persons of color.

A number of evangelism strategies have contributed to these positive changes this summer. You have invited friends, relatives, acquaintances, and co-workers. The Columbus Arts Festival open house welcomed more than 750 guests. The Broad Street Witness during the PRIDE parade distributed several thousand wristbands imprinted with our website. Postcards to downtown residents announced summer activities. The Freedom School introduced new families to Broad Street UMC. A summer schedule of two services has provided options for comfort and convenience. And most importantly, you have shown the love of Christ to everyone who has joined us for worship. Your welcome makes a difference.

Summer matters.

With the increase in attendance, you may have also noticed that there are some persons who are missing this summer. Perhaps they are attending a different service than you. Perhaps they have been vacationing or travelling. Perhaps they are ill. If you are missing someone, and we all are, please make a point to reach out with an e-mail, text message, phone call, card, or visit. Even though we are growing, we don't want to leave anyone behind. Let's take the time available from the relaxed summer schedule to reach out to those who are missing.

Summer matters in the heart and in the city. The summer of 2011 is preparing us for an amazing year. Join me in enlarging our care for those who are missing and our welcome to those who are new.

It matters to the heart and for the city.

-- Pastor David

Healing Ministry

"Don't be afraid; My Love is stronger than your fear.....And I have promised to be ALWAYS near." Do these words from a popular Iona hymn strike a chord with you? They have always been a comfort and something of a healing presence for me when I sing them. Our Healing Ministry takes these words seriously in our understanding of the universal energy of God, sometimes called the chi, which can bring healing to us all.

Prayer & meditation You can see us gathering after church once a month on the fourth Sunday, with chairs put out for anyone who wishes to receive healing prayers for anything that is hurting or bothering. Some folks just come to talk, and we welcome all. We also meet once a month for Sunday School at 9:30 to continue to talk and answer questions. Your body has its rhythms and its flow of energy. I believe that healing as a form of prayer can make my body and soul open to the power of God. Join us any time to discuss, to receive, to heal.

-- Nancy Roberts

Manna Cafe

The number of guests at Manna Café seems to be rising with the temperatures this summer. On June 29, we welcomed and served nearly 200 guests - a record breaker! Thanks to the help of our fantastic volunteers, we were able to accommodate all guests with a hearty meal.

Hot soup Ten years ago Manna Café opened its doors to the neighborhood and we've been welcoming guests to join us for Wednesday night meals ever since. This September we are planning a 10^th anniversary celebration and are looking for your ideas to help make this event special. Mark your calendars for the September 21 celebration, and please contact

Amanda Craig at ca.amanda@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering or being part of the planning committee.

For more information about volunteering at Manna Café, contact the church office: 614-221-4571 or office@broadstreetumc.net.

-- Amanda Craig

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Dear Prayer Shawl Ministry,

My deepest thanks for sending a very beautiful prayer shawl made by Ericka. It serves as a constant reminder of your care, concern, and warm wishes in the past stunning month of my life. I live in hope, as I am cradled in hope.

Elaine

Environmental Justice

During this summer, if you haven't, visit the Broad Street herb garden, located on the east side of the church building between our two small parking lots at the rear of our building. You might be fortunate enough to encounter Carol Bellisari, the Innkeeper for the Inn @ Broad and the person who is responsible for planning and tending our beautiful herb garden. Because most of the plantings have medicinal purposes, the garden is a healing garden. The small space includes: spearmint--for helping fever; sage stick--nature's toothbrush; basil herb in tea--relieves symptoms of inflammatory diseases; marigolds--helps skin ailments; and many more herbs which have their special histories. The women living in the Inn @ Broad Street have access to the herbs for healing physically, mentally, and spiritually. Often Carol will take dry herbs and tie them into a bouquet for the residents of the Inn to enjoy.

Carol says that she feels close to God when she works in the dirt of the garden. Thank you, Carol, for sharing your creativity.

-- Jan Tague

Chair of Environmental Justice Team

Join Your Outreach Team for a City-Wide United Methodist Community Ministry Festival

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The 2011 United Methodist Community Ministry Festival featuring ministries from United Methodist congregations across the Columbus Metro area will be held on Tuesday, September 20, 2-8p at Bethel International UMC. Theme: Fanning the Flame by Going Deeper. More later!

Heart of the City 10K Walk - Saturday August 20th

Running shoes Heart of the City 10K Walk - Saturday, August 20, 8:00 a.m. beginning at Broad Street United Methodist Church. You do not want to miss this exciting walk through downtown Columbus with your Broad Street friends. The first goal of the walk is to encourage good health through walking. So start walking now, sign up for the walk, and join us on August 20 to walk 10 Kilometers (6.2 miles) or any part of the route. Anybody can do it! If you start walking today, you will be able to walk farther on the 20th than you can today.

The second goal is to contribute to the Heart of the City Foundation. This foundation supports Manna Cafe, Bethlehem on Broad Street, The Inn at Broad and more in the heart of the city. Every penny of your contribution goes to the Foundation. Walking is good for our health, good for our hearts, and good for the city that is in our hearts. Please join us! Bring a friend! You may register any time including on the morning of the walk. To assure that you get a t-shirt, please let us know that you plan to walk by Sunday, July 31^st: You can email us at heartofthecitywalk@gmail.com.

-- Gail Hetzler and

Marge Galloway

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