CPR for Your Worried Soul

July 9, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 

My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.
- Michel de Montaigne
 

A few months ago, the girls and I were watching Mythbusters, one of our favorite television shows.  In an episode called “Underwater Car,” the hosts tested several myths about how to escape a vehicle submerged in water.  They discovered that there are very few options for getting out. 

Due to external water pressure, one cannot open a car door until the interior is flooded.  It is impossible to use the manual or power mechanisms to open the windows, and it is pointless to try to break the glass using a set of keys, a cell phone, or even steel-toed boots. 

The only solution?  You have to use a special window-breaking hammer.  It is a simple device that concentrates force on a small point of impact, shattering the window with just the slightest tap, even when fully submerged. 

I looked at the girls as we watched the show.  “I should get one of those,” I said to them.  “Yeah, you should,” they nodded in agreement.  So, the next day, I went to the auto parts store here in town and shelled out $4.99 for a new window hammer, promptly tucked it in my glove compartment, and returned home feeling several notches more prepared for the future.

But then, I realized something. 

I live in Iowa.  In Cherokee, Iowa.  I am thousands of miles from either ocean.  The major body of water in this town is the Little Sioux River.  It even has Little in its name.  Yes, I suppose I could crash into the lake at the park, but let’s face it:  I have a better chance of plowing into a runaway cow than submerging my car in water. 

Yet, even in the most remote chance that I do, you can bet I’ll be ready.


WHAT, ME WORRY?  ALL THE TIME!

We are wired to worry.  Our evolution as a species has depended on a constant awareness of surrounding dangers.  Any threat triggers an automatic flight-or-fight response that serves as a kind of internal smoke alarm.  It grabs our attention in the nick of time, and our survival depends on it. 

But what if that capacity to worry becomes a threat itself?

It’s not reasonable to expect that we’ll turn off our capacity to worry entirely, just as it is unwise to turn off the smoke alarms in our homes.  But we can surely learn to manage our worries before they manages us. 

I realized that I needed to learn this lesson a few days ago.  Last Thursday, on a national holiday designated for rest and the enjoyment of freedom, I was feeling submerged in an ocean of low-level anxieties.  Most of them were minor, just nagging, lingering, residual worries from weeks of daunting flood relief efforts, hours of musical theater practice, and myriad responsibilities at work and home.  A few of the concerns were larger in nature, about my future and my past, simultaneously pressing into the moment.

I have a hunch that many of you can relate. 


CPR FOR YOUR SOUL

So, I encourage you to practice that which I am prescribing myself.  I invite you to consider make a more concerted effort to manage the low-level stresses that are in your life right now with three simple guidelines.  I didn’t plan it this way, but as these came to mind, they formed the acronym C.P.R.  Consider these as ways to resuscitate your soul and manage your worries:

Cultivate Contentment:  Have you ever had one of those nostalgic moments when you longed for a time in the past when your life was easier and more joyful?  Sure you have.  We all have.  We tend to crave certain aspects of those memories, wishing that we had today what we had back then.  Now, consider the possibility that down the road, when you look back in the rear-view mirror, these present days might be the “good old days” that you long for someday.  There might be aspects of your current situation that you may not fully cherish until they are gone.  In the final episode of NBC’s The Office, a character named Andy said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”  Well, there is.  Count your blessings.  Cultivate contentment.

Practice Mental Sabbaths:  Take a page out of the Jewish playbook of keeping Sabbath, and designate a regular period of time to rest your mind and heart from anything that troubles you.  Select several hours – or better yet, a whole day - for your mental Sabbath, in which you will not allow yourself to worry about anything, great or small. The Israelites prepared for Sabbath by doing all of their perfunctory chores in advance so that they could refrain from physical labor during their time of rest.  How about doing the same for your mind? Try to cross as many stressful tasks off your to-do list before your Sabbath begins.  Gather the scriptures, prayers, and personal effects that you will use to channel your worries away during that time.  If you’d like a practical approach to centering prayer that you can use throughout your Sabbath, consider one that I described last December.  [1] 

Revive Your Relationships:  Do you know what is also wired into our species to ensure our survival?  Relationships.  There is no greater way to combat threats – even low-level ones – than to do so in community.  And there is no better resource in your life than the relationships you foster with family and friends.  It may seem odd to connect worry with relationships, but ponder this truth:  your ability to handle your worry is related to the strength of your relationships with others.  I suspect that at this moment you can come up with at least a handful of loved ones with whom you have lost touch, for various reasons. Invest in those relationships, and you’ll realize that you are not alone.  That sense of solidarity is a powerful antidote to worry.

I wish you well in the ways that you handle your worries, and will pray that you will always recognize the work of God’s peace in you.   Enjoy your life.  It’s the only one you get.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey 

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org

[1]  http://mdevega.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-christmas-gift-to-you.html


CHURCH POOL PARTY!
Beat the heat this weekend with a church-wide picnic at Gillette Park followed by a pool party exclusively for St. Paul’s UMC!  Join us at the park at 6:30 for a cookout:  we’ll provide the grilled food and plastic ware, and we invite you to bring your own drinks and a side dish or dessert to share.  Then, from 8:00 to 9:30 we’ll have the Bacon Aquatic Center all to ourselves, with plenty of surprises to keep us busy throughout the night.  And admission to the pool will be free!


SOME TIME AWAY
The girls and I are looking forward to spending about ten days in Florida to rest and reconnect with family and friends.  We will be gone from Sunday, July 21 to Friday, August 2.  In addition to time with family in St. Petersburg, we will spend two days in Orlando at the two Disney water parks, and then spend about five days on the beach.  Some dear friends from my former church are letting us stay in their amazing beach house, so we are excited to have some quiet days in the sun and sand.

I am pleased to let you know that Dave Orthman, a wonderful man and gifted lay preacher from Peterson, Iowa, will be preaching on July 21 and 28.  I had the opportunity to hear him preach not too long ago, and I am convinced you will be blessed by his wisdom and preaching style.  Finally, I will be taking a break from writing the Mid-Week Message for the next three weeks, and will resume it during the week of August 5. 

Proclaiming Freedom

 July 2, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Amid the familiar observations of Independence Day involving picnics, watermelon, and fireworks, a growing number of communities across the country are encouraging people to return to the day’s original meaning.  Large cities like Houston and Chattanooga, and smaller towns like Twinsburg, OH, and Gadsden, AL, are inviting citizens to gather for a live reading of The Declaration of Independence. 

We often forget that the power of the Declaration was not automatically revealed at the moment it was signed by the fifty-six delegates.  After it was produced, it had to be proclaimed.  It had to be shared.  Without a concerted effort to distribute it to the masses, and disseminate it to the widest number of people, the document would have simply collected dust, becoming a mere footnote in the annals of history. 

So, late afternoon on Thursday, July 4, the Declaration was sent to John Dunlap, a local Philadelphia printer, and by the next morning copies were being hand delivered on horseback to each of the thirteen colonies.  It was not until Saturday, July 6, that the Declaration was printed in the first newspaper, the Philadelphia Evening Post. 

And then, on Monday, July 8, a full four days after the Declaration was signed, it was read aloud for the first time to a group gathered at the State House in Philadelphia.  After it was read, the crowds cheered, and bells throughout the city rang all day long.  Similar scenes were replayed all throughout the new country:  July 9 in New York City and Princeton, NJ; July 14 in Worcester, MA; July 18 in Boston, MA; July 20 in Newport, RI; July 29 in Baltimore, MD; August 5 in Richmond, VA; August 10 in Savannah, GA.  Each time, the people erupted with celebrations, firing muskets into the air and tearing down British emblems.  A feeling of jubilation steadily swept throughout the colonies.

In order for good news to mean anything, it must be proclaimed.  A singular event like the signing of the Declaration is momentous only to the degree that its power is shared with others.  Likewise, the good news of the gospel is transformative only when it is transmitted, through the faithful witness of disciples of Jesus who dare to proclaim it boldly through words and actions. 

In Luke 10, the Lectionary text for this Sunday, Jesus commissioned the disciples to go out in pairs to serve as messengers of the good news.  Like couriers on horseback in 1776, they were to travel the countryside, speaking to anyone who would listen, telling them about their newfound freedom.  And just like the colonial Americans responded with jubilation, listen to how the disciples returned from their missionary ventures:

The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.”

Notice that word joyously.  It’s one of Luke’s favorites.  He uses it ten times throughout his gospel, more than any Matthew, Mark, or John.  And notice the times when he uses it:  to describe the precise reaction one has in response to the good news of Jesus Christ:

• The angel:  “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people.  (Luke 2:10)
• The persecuted:  Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven.  (Luke 6:23)
• The company of heaven:  “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives.  (Luke 15:7)
• The men on the road to Emmaus:  They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy.  (Luke 25:52) 
  

Luke continues to revisit the theme of joyful jubilation every time another person experiences the good news of freedom.  It’s his way of clanging the bells, firing the muskets, and tearing down the emblems of sin and oppression at every turn.  But make no mistake:  Luke is very clear that good news must be proclaimed if it is to have any power.  And that’s why he marches the story of Jesus right into the story of the church in Acts. In order for the gospel to be transformative, it must be transmitted.

This Thursday, I hope you will have a festive, relaxing, and safe time with family and friends, celebrating all that makes this country so great.  And I hope you will join us this Sunday as we take a closer look at the the story of Luke 10:1-20, receiving again the call by Jesus to be messengers of freedom for all those crushed by the tyranny of sin. 

It is a joyous declaration, indeed.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey  

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



CHURCH WIDE PICNIC AND POOL PARTY JULY 14
Join us once again for our annual church picnic at Gillette Park on Sunday, July 14, at 6:30pm, followed by an exclusive pool party at the Bacon Aquatic Center.  Meats, buns, and paper products will be provided, and admission to the pool will be covered by the church.  You are invited to bring your own drinks and a side dish or dessert to share. 

DRYWALL HELP NEEDED
The one outstanding job related to flood recovery involves the installation of drywall at the home of Bob and Sandy Kirschner, whose home just north of town had to be stripped down to the studs since flood waters rose into their main floor.  The amazing duo of Greg and Marie Conklin with Neighbors Across the Land will be returning on July 5-6 to install new drywall, and they are looking for anyone to come help.  If you are interested, let me know.

Good Works, Good News

June 25, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Leave it up to a kid brother to be a kidder. 

A few Saturdays ago, when I was about to convene an organized flood relief effort and dispatch volunteers to various homes in Cherokee, my brother Genniser called me from Florida. 

“Let me get this straight,” he said.  “Three years ago you all had a flood and tornado hit the town.  Last year you had a fire.  Then you had a drought.  And this year you had an even bigger flood.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said, sheepishly.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THAT CHURCH?” he snapped.

I have to admit that these last three years have had their fair share of challenges for this congregation and this town, but I am delighted to share some good news with you:


FLOOD RECOVERY COMPLETED

Thanks to a push of volunteers last week, including some groups from out of town (Mitchellville UMC outside Des Moines and Buena Vista University in Storm Lake), we have now addressed all of the flood damaged homes given to us from City Hall.  We are therefore announcing an end to organized volunteer flood relief days.

Since the flash flood that devastated Cherokee four weeks ago yesterday, we have sent a total of 84 volunteers (a majority of them from this church) out into the community to work nearly 700 hours of service to people who were unable to help themselves.  They performed a variety of jobs, including mucking out basements, scooping mud, power washing, shoveling yard debris, hauling wet carpet, cutting fallen trees, preparing meals, and offering comforting words to grief stricken residents.   Now, all of those jobs are completed (except for one ongoing project, which you can read about below) and there are many people to thank.  Specifically, I’d like to acknowledge the following folks in our church (in alphabetical order) for the way they put God’s love into action in such tangible ways:

Dave and Linda Appleby
Laura Benson
JoAnn and John Bieber
Hannah Burkhart
Linda Burkhart
Mary Jo Carnine
Linda Christensen
Grace and Madelyn deVega
Connie Hankens,
Louis and Sheree Hausmann
Sherry Held
Missy and Carson Jenness
Sally Knoben
Shelley and Larry Lenz
Marlin and Sherry Lode
Mary Jo Poggenklass
Betty Point
Diane and Jake Rochleau
Kirk, Nolan, and Ben Sampson
Craig and Monica Schmidt
Melissa and Kenny Schlenger and kids
Zack Taylor
Tasha and Cole Timmerman
Joe Vannatta
Dawson Voge
Loren Woltman.

Naturally, we don’t offer ourselves to the community for recognition; we do it because our commitment to Christ and the mission of this church compels us to do so.  Nevertheless, you all can know that people in this town have taken notice of the difference you have made.  Many residents have told me that though they have spent years away from organized religion, they want to start attending worship at St. Paul’s.  (I even saw some of them in church last Sunday.)  Some of the volunteers who joined us in our efforts have also started coming to St. Paul’s.  And just yesterday, Don Eikmeyer, the city administrator, told me that he wants to publicly recognize our efforts at the next city council meeting in July. 

You all have been a living embodiment, and fulfillment, of Jesus’ command to “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  So, in answer to my loving brother, the question is not what I am doing to this church. 

Look at what God is doing through this church.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



FIRE RECOVERY MEETING TONIGHT
We encourage you to come to an important information and feedback meeting at the church tonight at 6:30 in the sanctuary.  You will hear the latest developments in the reconstruction of our kitchen and dining hall, and you will have an opportunity to give the Trustees and the Building Committee your feedback on some critical decisions before us.

DRYWALL HELP NEEDED
The one outstanding job related to flood recovery involves the installation of drywall at the home of Bob and Sandy Kirschner, whose home just north of town had to be stripped down to the studs since flood waters rose into their main floor.  The amazing duo of Greg and Marie Conklin with Neighbors Across the Land will be returning on July 5-6 to install new drywall, and they are looking for anyone to come help.  If you are interested, let me know.

My Summer Reading List, 2013

June 18, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

It’s that time of year again.  While summertime continues to be a busy season for ministry at St. Paul’s, I would invite all of us to find some time to recharge, renew, and kick back with a good book or two.  Once again, here is my summer reading list, which I hope to tackle between now and the end of August:

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson:  This has been on my wish list to read for a while, first introduced to me at my writing workshop with Eugene Peterson in 2009.  Recently, Rev. Ethan Sayler at the Memorial Presbyterian Church invited me to read it along with him, and though I am only about twenty pages into it, it is some of the finest writing I have read in years.  It is written from the perspective of Rev. John Ames, a retired minister living in Gilead, Iowa, who is writing a letter to one of his sons, including reflections on fatherhood, faith, friendship, and the hidden beauties of life.

The Collective by Don Lee:  My “fun” read for the summer, about a group of young Asian American writers and painters who join together to form a club advancing their art in the community.  Their story explores issues of racial identity, artistry, love, and friendship, with vivid prose and humorous insights into what it means to be an Asian American. 

Apostle Paul:  His Life and Theology, by Udo Schnelle:  I am planning a sermon series on the life and ministry of Paul towards the end of this summer, which will include background information on his missionary journeys and overviews of each of his epistles.  This book by Udo Schnelle is considered by many scholars to be a definitive work on Paul and his writings, and given that it is 700-pages long, I can believe it. 

Double Cross:  The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben MacIntyre.  I’m am already about fifty pages into reading this supremely engaging story about the cunning work of a group of Allied spies who successfully misdirected the Nazis into believing that the D-Day invasion was taking place on a different beach head from Normandy.  It is so well written that it reads better than any fictional spy novel I have read in recent years.

I am a Follower by Leonard Sweet.  I am reading this as part of a Facebook discussion group of about fifty church colleagues led by my friend Dr. Steve Harper of Asbury Theological Seminary.  Sweet’s latest book explores how one’s leadership should emanate from a passionate commitment to Jesus Christ.  The idea to use the “Sasquatch Man” video clip at last month’s Trinity Sunday / Graduation Sunday sermon came from the introduction to this book. 

So, that’s my stack of books for the next few months.   It’s a mixture of works for fun, intellectual stimulation, and professional development.  I’d love to know what’s on your reading list for the summer.

Happy Reading!

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



FLOOD RECOVERY UPDATE
The end is now in sight!  Over the past three weeks, St. Paul’s UMC has spearheaded ten organized volunteer days, with around 75 different individuals contributing about 600 total hours of service to the community.  We have been able to address dozens of homes in Cherokee, and with enough volunteers this Saturday, we will be able to cross off all of our remaining homes from City Hall.  We will not have an organized day this Friday, so consider coming to help this Saturday at 9:30 at the church.  Thanks to all of you have so diligently helped put God’s love into action over the last three weeks.  People in this community appreciate you!

REMEMBER ST. PAUL’S THIS SUMMER
Amid the travel and leisure time this summer for you and your family, please continue to remember your vows of membership to support St. Paul’s with your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.  Help us avoid our usual “summer slump” by joining us for worship and being faithful in funding the various ministries of this church with your financial support.  If you would like more information on setting up automatic withdrawals from your checking count, contact our Financial Secretary Sarah Cook. 

A Prayer for Pastors

June 11, 2013,

I am sending today’s Mid-Week Message to you in between Annual Conferences in Iowa and Florida, in which hundreds of delegates from across those two conferences gather every year to celebrate ministry and make important decisions for the future.  It is also an important time for clergy and lay people to reconnect with each other, sharing the highs and lows of life and ministry over the past year.

It is in remembering such moments of triumph and pain with my fellow clergy that I am reminded that pastors everywhere need the prayers of the people they serve.  So, once again, I am asking that you take some time today and in upcoming weeks to keep me in your prayers, as well as any other pastors that you know.  Fulfilling my call to serve you and advance the good news of Jesus is one of the highest privileges of my life, second only to being committed to my family.  And even when times are toughest, I am buoyed by the love and support so many of you continue to share with me so freely and generously.

I offer the following prayer to you, which you may use to spur your own prayerful imagination.  Writing this prayer and offering it you reminds me of the way Charles Finney described the power of a praying community:  "Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together.  Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer."

A PRAYER FOR PASTORS

Gracious God,

We thank you for your church, the living embodiment of Christ, empowered by your Spirit to reach a hurting world.  We thank you for the women and men who serve as clergy and lay preachers, remembering that theirs is a holy calling, for the work of challenging, nurturing and ordering the life of your people.  You have composed a rich and diverse covenantal communion, displaying a wide range of skills and passions, from all walks and seasons of life.

• We thank you for those who are newly licensed, commissioned, and ordained for ministry, who are entering the tender years of their work. 

• We thank you for those who have entered or are nearing retirement, for their long years of service.  May they continue to serve your Kingdom in renewed ways, contributing their energies and expertise for years to come.

• We thank you for all those clergy persons and clergy spouses who have died in the past year, joining the great cloud of witness that accompanies us.  May their ongoing legacy be a continued blessing to us, exemplifying faithfulness in service and witness. 

• We thank you for your presence in the midst of transition, acknowledging clergy who are moving to new churches and for congregations receiving new pastors.  Bless all spouses and families impacted by these changes, and grant to all persons strength for the journey ahead and a confidence that your Kingdom will be built by the best people serving in the right places.  

Even in the midst of our gratitude, we acknowledge hardship.  We recognize that the journey is often difficult for those who pursue your call.  We pray for those who are dealing with physical, relational, emotional, mental, or financial strains.  Grant them courage to face their limitations, wisdom to make the tough choices, supportive loved ones to surround them in their darkest days, renewed strength for their moments of fatigue, and the willingness to make necessary changes toward health and wholeness.

• We pray for those struggling to find adequate balance between the demands of leadership and their responsibilities to family and self-care. Grant them the ability to discern healthy choices, prioritize what is most important, and to tend to those areas of life that nourish their souls and tend to their relationships.

• We pray for those dealing with isolation and loneliness, separated perhaps by distance from close friends and colleagues, or who serve in communities where pastoral boundaries preclude close friendships with parishioners.  Foster for them new relationships of support and accountability, with fellow sojourners in the faith.

• We pray for pastors whose current spiritual state is likened to a dry, parched wilderness. For those whose difficult years in ministry have sapped them of joy, creativity, and innovation, we ask that you restore their energies and inspire them to new ways of serving your church.  Buoy them with hope, fill them optimism and holy humor, and remind them that "the joy of the Lord is their strength." 

• We pray for pastors struggling with congregations mired in conflict, who must mediate between people caught in sharp disagreements and taxing arguments.  Grant your spirit of peace, and empower a commitment to reason and compromise.

Renew within your pastors a holy passion for the Scriptures. Open their eyes to new interpretive possibilities, and fill them with new zeal for its preaching, its teaching, and its embodiment through their example.  May they fall in love once again with the beauty of language, and its power to name and sustain our commitment to be your people.

We give you thanks, O Lord, for all you have done in and through the faithfulness of clergy and lay people throughout the years. May we continue to serve as the living expression of your love, put into action for the world to see. May all of us be led by the one whom you sent for our sake, Jesus the Christ, who is the head of the church, and in whose name we pray, Amen.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org


FLOOD RECOVERY UDPATE
Since the flood 14 days ago, we have dispatched close to 75 different volunteers from all around Cherokee to put in over 500 hours of work, many of whom have come out to serve despite having flood problems in their own homes to deal with.  I am humbled by the commitment and self-sacrifice of so many of you.  As a reminder, we have organized volunteer days set for today, Friday, and Saturday this week. We still have a long list of houses that need attention, and folks of any ability can help for as long as they can.  Since I will be attending Annual Conferences throughout the week, Greg and Marie Conklin with the amazing organization "Neighbors Across the Land" will be coordinating the Tuesday and Friday efforts.  Meet at 9:30am at St. Paul's to receive your assignment.  It is so good to be the church.

The Church Being the Church

June 4, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 

“In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.”
- Mark Twain

It would be an understatement to say that this has been quite a week, for indeed, it has been quite a month.  A church member made the observation to me that we have had record snowfall, record low temperatures, record high temperatures, and now record flooding all in the last four weeks.  I had always been told that if you don’t like the weather in Iowa, just wait fifteen minutes.  I had no idea that applied to seasons of the year as well.

Nothing quite makes us feel more powerless as human beings than when confronted by the whim and force of Mother Nature.  We cannot control weather events, despite our best efforts to predict and prepare for them.  Mark Twain was right. 

We can, however, pull together in community to give assistance to each other in the wake of devastation.  To date, all of our major roads into town have reopened, the river has receded to a manageable level, and public areas have been cleaned up to project normalcy.  But look behind the closed doors of people’s homes, and you’ll find a very different story.  There are many, many houses that still contain mucky, mud-filled basements with belongings that have yet to be hauled out.  Many folks on the outskirts of town are still without running water, including many of you.  A number of residents are overwhelmed by the sizeable corn field debris that has washed up in massive piles in their backyards. 


THE CHURCH BEING THE CHURCH

Last week, one of our volunteer teams cleaning out a local basement discovered a small, wooden cross covered with mud.  The resident told us that the cross was made by one of her daughters as a gift, and therefore had sentimental value.  But now, she would use the cross to remember the loving and willing hands of the church volunteers who helped her remove the wreckage from her basement.  That mud-covered cross would remind her that even in the midst of chaos, God was still with her.

You and I are called to be the church at a time when this community needs us.  Your every effort to put God’s love into action will remind people that even when the storms of life crash upon us, the love of God prevails.  There are specific ways that you can be part of making that happen:

1)  SERVE
By far the greatest need right now is to have volunteers dispatched into the community to help residents clean up their homes.  The list of houses continues to grow, with new names coming in daily from City Hall.  This morning at 9:30, folks will gather at St. Paul’s UMC and divide into teams to serve throughout the community.  We have a major demolition at one house, along with fairly urgent basement cleanup at five other houses.  You can stay as long as you are able, and folks of any strength or ability are useful.  Every hand, and every minute, makes a big difference.  Additional organized volunteer days are this Friday and Saturday at 9:30am. 

2)  GIVE
The Cherokee County Ministerial Association will be expanding its benevolence fund to receive donations and provide financial assistance to victims of the flood.  All of your contributions will stay here in town to help those in need.  We will receive a special offering this Sunday, and you can make your checks payable to St. Paul’s, designated for flood relief.  If you are aware of anyone that is in need of financial assistance to replace lost items, have them call Pastor Ethan Sayler at the Memorial Presbyterian Church.

3)  DONATE
Consider replenishing the supple of cleaning buckets that have been picked up at the fire station over the last week.  It is very simple to assemble the standardized contents of these buckets by following the guidelines on the UMCOR website (umcor.org).  Completed buckets can be brought to the fire station for distribution.

4)  GIVE THANKS
Finally, you can offer a prayer of gratitude for the amazing way that this local congregation, and the United Methodist connectional system, have been responding to the flood.  St. Paul’s has taken the lead in organizing volunteers from churches across the town, receiving from City Hall names of people to help.  From last Thursday to Saturday, over 50 volunteers contributed over 250 total hours of service, enabling us to cross many, many homes off our list.

The Iowa Conference has been a great support as well.  Catie Newman, the disaster response coordinator for our Northwest District, has been in regular contact with me and Ben Shuberg, the county disaster response director, and was instrumental in transporting 270 cleaning supply buckets to us last week.  Many of those buckets have been picked up and used by Cherokee residents, and remaining buckets will be stored here in town to be used in future disasters throughout Northwest Iowa.  Tom Carver, our District Superintendent, came on Saturday with his wife Linda to contribute a long day of volunteer service at one of our affected homes.  And just yesterday, Vickie Wiedermeyer, the disaster response coordinator for the Southwest District of the Conference, arrived to make personal visits to about eight homes, assessing their needs, and providing lunch items for volunteers serving later today. 

Yes, there is much to do, as we steadily help the most needy in this community return to normalcy.  And you can rest assured that, with your support and prayer, this St. Paul’s congregation and the United Methodist Church will join with these folks, every step of the way.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey 

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org

Flood Response

May 28, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

We are currently living through what may be the single greatest flooding event to hit the town of Cherokee in recent memory, eclipsing the record-setting flood of 2010, and the memorable floods of 1965 and 1993.  With the Little Sioux River at 26 feet yesterday (nine feet above flood stage) and with rain in the forecast through this week, we are all understandably living on edge and bracing for more to come.

I have been in regular conversation with Ben Shuberg, Cherokee County Emergency Response Director, and Catie Newman, the Northwest Iowa District Disaster Relief Coordinator for the United Methodist Church.  With their guidance, the following is our church’s initial response to the disaster, including ways you can help:

CLEANING SUPPLY BUCKETS
This morning, the UMC disaster response team from the district will be delivering fifty cleaning supply buckets assembled by churches from around Northwest Iowa and dropping them off at the fire station, which is serving as the staging area for folks to call in their emergencies and pick up supply buckets.  If you would like to assemble a bucket and drop it off at the fire station, a complete list of items can be found at the link below. [1]  In addition, the district has numerous pallets of additional supply buckets that can be transported should the need arise later this week.  If you have a large vehicle and would be willing to be a part of a caravan to go pick up those buckets later this week if needed, please let me know.

BASEMENT WATER PUMPS
Given the shortage of pumps available in local stores, I have also requested the donation of pumps from Methodists around the district to be delivered to our church for us to borrow and for anyone in our community to use.  I expect to receive a few of those later today.  If you or someone you know is need of one, please contact me or the church office.  If you have one that you are not using, please consider writing your name on it and allowing it to be loaned out through the church.

RECOVERY ASSISTANCE
If your home has been affected by water in your basement and are in need of assistance in “mucking out,” contact City Hall.  They are compiling a master list of folks who need help.  If you are one of the fortunate folks who escaped major flooding in your home, I would encourage you to contact the church office to make yourself available to help someone else in the church or the community.  I have already received a few requests for help, in anticipation of waters receding from their basements to begin cleaning out items.  While it may be yet premature to go in and start cleaning out houses until water levels go down, it is not too early to put your name on a volunteer list and start assembling response teams.

EVACUEE ASSISTANCE
In the early hours of yesterday morning, some twenty-five houses were evacuated due to rising flood waters, and a number of them are expected to find temporary housing at MHI.  I have asked Ben Shuberg to keep me apprised of the needs of those in emergency housing, so that we can be part of their assistance.  If you are willing to provide a hot meal for one of those families, or are willing to provide children/infant care items to any families with kids, let the church office know and we will contact you as those needs arise.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
I intend to use the St. Paul’s UMC Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CherokeeSPUMC) for the latest updates on the church’s disaster relief efforts.  You do not need to be a member of Facebook to access this information via the internet.  In addition, check out the Cherokee County Emergency Facebook site (link below) for the latest official news from the county.  [2]

TEND TO YOUR HEALTH
I am aware that many of you have been keeping vigilant watch over your homes the last two days, fighting against rising waters in your basements and caring for your loved ones and your possessions.  Some of you on the outskirts of town using Cherokee Rural Water are without running water and will not be operational for another week.  Many of you now feel isolated from the heart of town, given that three of the six main roads into Cherokee are submerged and inaccessible, rendering your usual short commutes now an immeasurably long one.  This is all to say that many of you are running on fatigue and little sleep, with two nights of growing anxiety. 

In addition to the typical reminders to eat, drink, and rest regularly, I suggest that you take some regular time to quiet your heart and your mind, gather your thoughts, and connect with God.  Find an opportunity today to create a peaceful moment to sit still, perhaps using the following words from Isaiah 43:2.  You may choose to repeat these words several times, separating each repetition with a minute of simply listening to your breath:  But now, says the Lord—the one who created you, Jacob, the one who formed you, Israel:  Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;  when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you.

Of course, the St. Paul’s sanctuary is open and available for you to come and find a quiet place to pray, and I am more than happy to listen and offer you counsel.  Remember, you are not alone.  We are blessed by a town that really pulls together in moments of crisis, a church that knows how to be the church, and a God who promises never to leave you or forsake you.

GOD’S LOVE IN ACTION
Moments of crisis afford us opportunities to be clear about the mission of this church, which is to put God’s love into action.  Yesterday, after learning of a need for debris cleanup at the home of church member Dennis Bahr, thirteen of you showed up with less than an hour’s notice by responding to my plea on Facebook.  Words could not capture the grateful look on Dennis’ face when he saw the St. Paul’s team show up at his house and clear out his accessibility ramp so he could get into his home and pack his belongings and medications for evacuation.  There will be more opportunities like these ahead.

Let us steel ourselves for the storms ahead, and unite together in courage, camaraderie, and compassion.  We are the church, and we are called to be part of such a time as this.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey 

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



[1]  http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/print/kits/floodbucket.stm
[2]  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherokee-County-Emergency-Management-Agency/152108156402


SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE BEGINS THIS SUNDAY
We begin our summer worship schedule this Sunday, with services beginning at 9:30.  We will resume our normal Sunday schedule the week after Labor Day.