Stewardship:
What FUMC Bastrop Means to some members
GROWING
AS DISCIPLES - SPIRITUAL FORMATION
I’m Jean Helmick.
I’m a lifelong
Methodist, I’ve held almost every position on almost every
committee, in almost every group ever formed in the church.
After thinking
of my history of involvement in the 4 churches in 4 states to which
we‘ve belonged, I came to the conclusion that I had not grown very
much as a disciple. I
was a “churchgoer” not a disciple.
I had done a great job of forming a “social network”
without really growing as a disciple.
I’ve watched Bastrop FUMC grow as disciples these last five
years in phenomenal ways. The
Mission
work that Julie and Mitch Smith spoke about a couple of Sundays ago
is a great example of our church’s reaching out to the community,
the world, and to each other. When
you reach out like that to others, your bonds to each other are
strengthened and thus we are able to experience spiritual growth.
If you want to “grow as a disciple” you need to discern
what really “moves” you, what need in the community you would
like to fill, or just how to use your gifts or talents to make your
heart sing!
Here are a few examples of ways that I think I have grown as
a disciple and have made my heart sing:
·
I’ve worked with our
After-School program on Mondays for 4 years.
These kids, some who attend our church and some who do not go
to any church, and some who attend another church in town, are the
sweetest group of kids you’ll ever find.
Ask Ms. Edith who is helping us now.
One day Ms. Carol was asking for prayers as we went around
the circle. We don’t
ever insist that they pray and so they’ll just say Amen. This
particular day, 3 children had passed without saying anything and
when Carol was finishing up a little boy, Jacob, 5 yrs. old raised
his hand and said he wanted to pray.
With folded hands and bowed head he said “Thank you God for
letting me come to church on Mondays” Amen.
Cindi Muff and I looked at each other and the tears were
streaming down our cheeks. That
indeed was our reward for the year!
·
Stephen
Ministry
is where I stepped out of my comfort
zone and believed what it said in the Bible “God does not expect
you to already be equipped to serve, He will equip you”.
I trusted that promise and it has carried me through as a
Stephen Leader who trains Stephen Ministers.
One of our trainees shared Thursday night a story about
running into a long-time friend who she hadn’t seen for years.
After catching up a bit they discovered that they are now
both Methodists, not Catholic, and our trainee shared that she was
taking the training to be a Stephen Minister and had her friend
heard of it. Her friend
was overwhelmed with emotion and told the trainee that when she had
divorced her husband and had him committed to a mental hospital,
someone suggested a Stephen Minister.
She said she would absolutely not have made it if it hadn’t
been for that help. Stephen
Ministers walk along side the person in crisis with a listening ear
and share with them the love of Christ.
If you need a Stephen Minister in this uncertain time we are
facing please contact Pastor Bill, myself or Jackie Hastay to start
the process of finding a Stephen Minister for you.
It is, of course, completely confidential.
·
I’ve completed 4 or 5
Bible Studies that Pastor Bill has led.
If you haven’t tried one of his classes you are really
missing something. Pastor
Bill has a true gift for pulling meaning out of the Bible or any
other book that we’ve studied with such new meaning, clarity and
wisdom. It’s been an
amazing journey for me. Again, the bonds that small groups form,
whether it’s Bible Study, Sunday School, Emmaus, and others, is as
strong as any super glue you’ll find.
You should try it, you’ll like it!
·
Last but certainly not
least, the Walk to Emmaus weekend, is a mountaintop experience that
can carry over to each and every day of your life upon returning
home. Call the church
office to inquire about your “Walk”.
To
close, I’m quoting my daughter’s friend, Martha Postlewait, who
so poetically wrote:
“Do not try to
save the whole world or do anything grandiose
Instead create a
clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently
until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and free it. Only
then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worthy of
rescue”
And I might add: and make your heart sing!
For more
information or if you have any questions, please contact Mike
Helmick (512) 718-2890 jeanandmikehelmick@yahoo.com
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Please contact us for more information
First United Methodist Church of Bastrop
1201 Main Street
Bastrop, TX 78602
Phone: (512) 321-2201 Metro (512) 303-5072
Fax: (512) 321-2201 call first
E-mail: fumcbastrop@austin.rr.com