Trinity United Methodist Church

Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

Trinity UMC Prayer Chain

                 Updated 9-26-11

 

Chair:  Sue Martin, 884-6842                                                                                                            

Alternate chair:   Ja net’ Crouse, 884-8415

 

**Please make FIRST to call Pastor Michael,    679-0230, when a prayer request comes in.

 

How the prayer chain works:

 The chair is the main contact for prayer requests and will notify Pastor Michael first and then the five captains when a prayer request comes in.  Each person will immediately call the person next on the list.  The last person on the list will call the captain confirming the completion of the calls.  When you are unavailable (trips, illness) let the person above you on the list know.

 

Ja net’ Crouse                            884-8415

Art Swoboda                        509-582-5130

Florence Schwab                           860-5984

Leila Ott                                      884-5968

 

Jan Heideman                   509-470-6974

Mikael Montague                          670-2991

Elsie Harper                                884-0312

Norene Horsell                          663-5366

                                                                             

Joan Powers                              884-8296

Doreen Thomas                            884-5364

Judy Terry                                     662-1358

Willie Rains                               884-5186

 

Eleanor Synder                           665-6912

DiAnn Heath                                 884-6200 (881-1541)

Laverna Armintrout                     884-6833

Suzanne Gladsjo                 509-741-9551

 

Gerre Rich                                884-8296

Janie Frey                                      884-0552

Mikey Rice                                    884-4658 (264-0900)

Wendy Pippel                                886-4366 (679-8721)                        

Everyone is welcome to be a part of the prayer chain!   If you would like to be added to the list, please contact, Sue Martin                    or the church office.

Living The Tension

       by Amory Peck

 

   I am such a fan of Broadway musicals.  I see them as often as I can.  I even sing along with my collection of CDs.  I am especially fond of those productions that weave thoughtful messages throughout the joy of the music.  A special favorite is Jerry Bock and Sheldon Hamick’s “Fiddler on the Roof.”

 

     You remember the story: Tevye and his wife Golde, along with their five daughters, live in 1905 Tsarist Russia, in the small village of Anatevka.  It’s the story of Tevye’s attempt to maintain his family and Jewish traditions while outside forces keep encroaching on their lives.

 

     A good part of the musical is a joyful romp.  Tevye’s song “If I Were a Rich Man,” the girls singing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and the men of the tavern toasting “To Life!” pick up your spirits and just make you break into song  yourself.  Embedded in those entertaining songs, though, are messages that grab your heart and soul.  In sharp contrast to the stories we hear of the extravagant selfishness from today’s rich and famous, Tevye sings, “If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray.  And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.  And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.  That would be the sweetest thing of all.”

 

    The crux of the story revolves around the tension between the willfulness of his oldest daughters and the traditions of his Jewish faith that buoy up Tevye’s  difficult life.  Tzeitel and Motel fall in love and ask for permission to marry.  Hodel and Perchik make their own match, not asking for permission, only a blessing.  And, hardest of all Chava falls for a man outside the faith, and chooses to join her Fyedka.  Tevye is able to stretch – with difficulty – to embrace his daughters Tzeitel and Hodel, but he cannot find a way to reconcile Cheva’s love for one of the occupying Tsarists.

 

    The beauty of good theater is that it helps you translate what’s seen on the stage to the realities of your own life.  To me, Tevye puts a face to a struggle many of us feel.  How do we hold to the best of our traditions while embracing new ways of being church?       

 

Our holy book speaks to both sides of that tug.  There are these words: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you  were taught.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2)

 

     And/but, along with those, we are commanded to embrace the new.  “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation, everything old has passed away, see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and “Neither is new wine put into old wineskins, otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the

skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17)

 

               That’s the conundrum, isn’t it?

 

     As lay people, we are called to figure this out for ourselves.  We’re also called to work with our pastors and congregations to work this out.  Hanging on and letting go. 

 

     Bishop Hagiya has some of us reading the book “Journey in the Wilderness: New Life for Mainline Churches”, by Gil Rendle.  In that book, Rendle remarks, “vital, vibrant organisms must learn how to be steady in purpose but flexible in strategy.” Just think what rich conversation that directive could generate in our Administrative Council discussions and in our Sunday School explorations.

 

     Here’s to living in the tension of that puzzle!

 

    Amory Peck serves as the Lay Leader for the Pacific Northwest United Methodist Church.  She is a member of Garden Street UMC, Bellingham, WA