Pastor Kayla Posts

June 2024 Tower Notes

June is a month of transition for our congregation and our church. We say our final farewells to Pastor Kayla at our Strawberry Brunch for Missions on June 2nd after worship. We will have guest preachers throughout the month of June until Pastor Sarah joins us for worship on July 7th. Stay tuned for times and information about ways to connect with Pastor Sarah this summer.

In this issue of our Tower Notes – Pastor Kayla shares her final letter to us and a special prayer. There is also information on upcoming activities and a bit of information to share about our new pastor, Rev. Sarah Elliott.

Download & Read June Tower Notes

Check out this flyer for information about other happenings this summer.

Daily Calling Prayer for our Cooperative Parish

We are asking all those connected to Bethany UMC and Otisville UMC to join in prayer at 8:30am and 8:30pm. You can pray at one time or the other or at both times. Many other voices will be joining you at that time. Here’s what we are praying together:

Guiding Spirit,

Fill us with YOUR fire.

Lead us by YOUR light.

Unite us in YOUR calling.

Amen

Why are we using this campfire image? The campfire is a place where people gather together. Also, consider the hymn “Pass it On”. “It only takes a spark, to get a fire going”. This image resonated with us as we were working on this calling prayer.

Mark your calendar and join us every day in this prayer. God is on the move in our cooperative parish. Where is He calling us to be His hands & feet? Share the answers you’ve received from your prayer time with a member of the Bridge Team or with Pastor Kayla. Let’s be in intentional conversation with one another about where God is leading this body of believers.

Stay tuned & Keep praying!

Daily BreakThrough Prayer for our Parish

Resurrecting God,

Guide us to discern Your Jesus sized dream for our Co-operative Parish.
Amen

Mark your calendar and join us every day in this prayer. God is on the move in our cooperative parish. What Jesus-sized dream will be revealed to us as we all join in prayer? Listen for the Holy Spirit and share with one another & Pastor Kayla what the Spirit is saying to you.

Stay tuned & Keep praying!

Sign Up for Daily Inspirational Messages by Text

From the desk of Rev. Kayla Roosa

I’m starting a daily text thread that you can sign up for. It would be a quick daily text that you could join free of charge that would enable me to write a quick prayer, Bible Verse or quote that we can be praying/pondering together as a community of faith. It is set up so that if you reply, I am the only one who sees it and could be a way for you to directly share prayer requests with me.

I know not everyone texts, but this is something that is open to members of Clio Bethany UMC or the larger community.

A colleague that I was close to in Freeland who also received a call in another city did this and I loved getting them from him – it’s a tremendous blessing to see how a simple set of words are relevant in many settings. God speaks and the Spirit moves.

My guide for sending these messages will be between 9am-9pm. I’m going to strive to send daily messages, but a day may sneak by me here or there without one.

How to sign-up:

Open a text message on your cell phone, send it to 81010.

Then in the body, type @bumcdp

Follow the instructions it gives you.

You do need to claim a role as parent/student.

It is a free service – you do NOT need the app if you are prompted.

IF you respond to a message, the message goes directly to me only. I will respond when I am able.

No one can see your phone number, not even me.

Still not having success joining? Let us know…maybe another church member can connect with you and help you get set up! Or…maybe it’s a good reason for you to join me for Tea at 10 on Tuesday!

In the Midst of New Directions

There is a hymn in The Faith We Sing that has bubbled to the forefront in my prayer time, it is titled, “In the Midst of New Dimensions,” it is number 2238

In the midst of new dimensions, in the face of changing ways. Who will lead the pilgrim people’s wandering in their separate ways?
[Refrain] God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar, We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more.
Through the flood of starving people, warring factions and despair, Who will lift the olive branches? Who will light the flame of care?
As we stand a world divided by our own self seeking schemes, Grant that we, your global village might envision wider dreams
We are man and we are woman, all persuasions, old and young, Each a gift in your creation, each a love song to be sung.
Should the threats of dire predictions cause us to withdraw in pain, May your blazing phoenix spirit, resurrect the church again.
Words and Music by Julian Rush (1985)

In many ways we are in the midst of new dimensions, as the universal church, the denomination, world, local church as we all figure out what it means to be Christ’s church following a pandemic, a time and location that has been filled with deep division, poverty, and war, a world that longs for hope and peace — to experience God’s grace. We are in the midst of new dimensions as we begin exploring what the Co-operative Parish will look like and how both congregations will be stronger because of this new partnership.

This song reminds me of our call as God’s people to lead the way in lifting the olive branch and light the flame of care for the people in our congregation and for the people in our community who need to experience healing and hope. This is not always an easy task. I wonder how you are already responding to God’s call and how God might be calling you to shift gears and be open to what the Spirit is empowering you to do in the midst of new dimensions?

In the midst of these new dimensions, I am surrounded by boxes (broken down and still full) that are being unpacked at the parsonage. I am preparing to leave on vacation for a few days to camp and find a little rest from unboxing things! In the midst of new dimensions, I have cried some tears of joy for becoming a Full Elder in the UMC and I have experienced a roller coaster of emotions since conference. There have been tears for the relationships I’ve built with people in Freeland that are transitioning to something new. There are many memories that I have been sifting through. I am looking forward to making similar memories with each of you! I am excited to see God revealed in this community, and am excited to be joining you in a few days as your Pastor.

As I prepare to join you, my tentative office hours for the summer have been set. If you wish to meet with me one on one, please contact me directly to set something up. You can contact me via email, office phone or cell phone, you may text as well. A boundary that I do my best to uphold is that between 9pm and 9am, I try my best to avoid church related communications, unless there is an emergent need. This enables me to care for myself and my personal relationships. Fridays will be my Sabbath day.

Bethany UMC: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 9am to 2pm

Otisville UMC: Wednesdays 9am to 2pm

I would also like to extend an invitation to you to join me for Tea on Tuesdays at Ten in the lounge or Fellowship Hall at Bethany. The first 3 will be on July 5th, 12th, and 19th.

My first Sunday in worship will be July 3rd. I will be presiding for Holy Communion. My first Sunday preaching will be July 10th.

July 22-30th I will be leading a high school kayak camp through Lake Michigan Camp and Retreat Center with two colleagues. We will be traveling to Lake Superior Provincial Park in Canada. During this time I will be out of communication. Rev. Scott Sherrill will cover Pastoral Care for me while I am away. If you have a need for Pastoral Care please contact Kory at the office or Elizabeth Whiting and they will contact him. When I return on July 31st, you will hear my reflections from the water, how I have encountered God in the week prior and the role camp and retreat ministries has had on my faith journey.

Friends, I am grateful for the ways you are already receiving me as your Pastor – for the work the Trustees and others have done at the parsonage to get it ready for me and for the hospitality you have shown me since I was introduced to your SPRC. I am looking forward to buidling more relationships with you as I get settled, and I look forward to dreaming God sized dreams with you as we live into the Cooperative Parish!

Together we serve,

Pastor Kayla

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