Hello there,

Greetings to you and your family. We hope you and your family are staying well and healthy during this time. We are writing to give you an update from Pastor Gordon's desk. This email is not to replace our monthly newsletter - The News and Views. This email is to quickly give updates to what is happening at Oberlin UMC.

Please remember to check our website:  oberlinumc.org and share information with your friends and neighbors.  For those persons who do not have internet services, DVD’s are being produced that can be viewed in their homes.  Please share this information with your friends, neighbors and relatives.

UMYF

Our youth continue to meet on Wednesday evenings via zoom.  Please encourage youth of our community (grades 6 through 12) to consider sharing in virtual youth group.  Should you have any questions or concerns you can contact the youth leaders. Robert and Robyn Rouse (rrouse3141@yahoo.com),  Carol Wasson (cwasson@usd294.org), Chandler Pettibone (cpettibone@oberlinumc.org).

Sunday Morning Worship Bulletin

Those who wish to have a printed bulletin, please check your email and/or the church website.  Bulletins will normally be available by Friday afternoon for Sunday morning worship.

Giving

The ministries of Oberlin United Methodist Church are still happening but in different ways.  Worship, meetings and small group studies continue to happen, even though we are not currently meeting in the church building.

You may mail your tithes/gifts to Oberlin United Methodist Church, 102 N Cass, Oberlin, KS 67749, you may place your gift in an envelope and drop it in the mail receptacle at the south entrance, and we have the option for you to give through a safe and secure  online platform (Tithe.ly) (https://oberlinumc.org/give/).  Thank you for your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

UMW

The salad supper originally scheduled for June 3, 2020, has been cancelled.

Devotion Books

The May-June Edition of The Upper Room, both standard size and large print, are available at the south door for you to pick up.  Since many churches are unable to meet and gather safely in their buildings during the coronavirus pandemic, The Upper Room is offering the May/June 2020 issue, both in English and Spanish, as a free, downloadable PDF. The Upper Room also has created a web page featuring resources to help create and maintain spiritual wellness during anxious times.  Clink the following link to Download Upper Room.

Lakeside putting camp registrations on hold until final decisions can be made

We know there are many questions about the status of summer camp, especially as Kansas begins the phases into reopening.

At this point, we are working on an answer for you. There are still many unknowns that we must learn to navigate, in considering when/how we may be able to safely open Camp Lakeside for children, youth, adults and staff members. 6

We can assure you that Camp Lakeside and GP Camps are closely following the updates being released by the CDC, American Camp Association and other camp professionals from around the country. There are many balls to juggle, in considering if it's possible to safely and logistically run summer camp sessions. There are many individuals involved in making decisions for what this summer will hold for camping ministry, and we are in communication with them.

At this point, Camp Lakeside has paused all camper registrations. By the end of next week, we will have a better answer for you. No matter what this summer may end up looking like, we can assure you all decisions are being made with the safety of our campers and staff members as the highest priority. And whatever happens, rest assured that camp people are designed to come up with creative ministry!

We know there are still more questions than answers. It feels like that for many aspects of life right now. Sometimes the only thing we can do in times of confusion is to simply breathe, figure out one thing we CAN control, or talk to a loved one.

We are praying each day for your families in this unprecedented time. Please continue keeping Camp Lakeside in your prayers as well, as our staff navigate these new waters and prepare for whatever the summer may hold for all of us. We are very much looking forward to when we can gather together, again.

We'll be in touch with more information (and ministry) soon.

In peace,

Ross Jankovic (Site Director)

Kate Laing (Program Director)

Thoughts from Pastor Gordon - Boredom?

God created us to live in community, so social isolation takes a toll on our psychological health.  People are spending more time at home and some have more time on their hands then they know what to do with in a creative and positive way.

During this time, it’s as if someone hit the pause button for most of society. Days blend together and boredom hits some people harder than others. Since we have not collectively experienced anything like this in our lifetime, it’s easy to feel anxious from the unknowns and worries over loss of life, jobs and normalcy. It’s also not unusual to experience boredom.

Boredom isn’t necessarily a bad feeling. Many psychologists claim boredom is necessary for our brains to generate creative solutions to problems or serve as an artistic outlet for our anxiety. On the other hand, boredom can cause trouble when we feel tempted to sin or become apathetic. Boredom can lead to incredible ingenuity or creative expressions of our humanity that bring glory to God. In fact, Isaac Newton came up with his greatest discoveries after being sent home from Cambridge University in order to stay safe during the bubonic plague. The year he spent at home was known as his “year of wonders.” During that time, he discovered important theories about gravity, optics and calculus.

Could be a year of wonders for us? This doesn’t mean we have to make a huge discovery or come up with some novel theory. Perhaps we could make room for self-care and self-reflection that will be crucial for our faith development. Perhaps we can learn how to love others better during this time, or even begin a new hobby. Whatever we do during this unique time, it can be an opportunity to explore the good things God has planned for us.

Question of the day: What’s the funniest thing you have seen someone doing out of boredom?

Blessings for your week and we hope you will join with us to worship online on Sunday, May 17, 2020, at 10:45 AM.  Remember, the bulletin will be available at oberlinumc.org by Friday evening, May 15.

God bless,

Pastor Gordon