FEBRUARY 2025

THE CROWS NEST

SPRINGDALE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

CONFERENCE, DISTRICT
AND CIRCUIT NEWS

Book Study  United Women in Faith Book Discussion via Zoom on February 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Click here for more information.

GriefShare Program  

SMALL PRACTICES FOR STAYING STEADY

By: Rev. Lee Roorda Schott

A friend posted recently about a new list he’s starting: Things I can do nothing about in 2025. He mentioned some things that might end up there—state and national politics, global concerns—and the questions that would get things there: Can I do anything about this? Can I have anything to do in response to a situation that will make any real difference? If the answer is no, he says, “I’ll have a place to put it. So I don’t forget.”
 
His post appeared in the middle of my own thinking about practices that I might need to adopt to stay steady as the events of 2025 unfold. I was already thinking about a list that might look something like this:

1. Walk the dog.
2. Floss my teeth.
3. Read some poetry.
4. Get outdoors.
5. Make a cup of tea and sit in silence while it brews.
6. Marvel at the weather, and the lengthening light of day.
7. Say or sing a table grace.

I’ve previously talked about how my #2, “flossing,” ended up on a list like this. At bedtime when I’m rumpled by the day, or the week, the doing of this unfavorite task helps remind me I’m not that far gone. Yet. It’s become something of a discipline.
 
The “outdoors” items on my list--#4 & #6—are particularly apt right now, with a little more sunshine every day and, seriously, have you noticed the birdsong? Even on the coldest days, I’ve heard geese overhead. (I love their discordant honking.) And on these slightly warmer, sunny afternoons this week, I’ve heard birds singing as after a long silence. There’s something steadying in nature happening, no matter what else is going on in my day, and in the world.
 
About #7. This made the list after clergy colleague suggested at the start of lunch recently that we share a table grace together (a traditional prayer over our meal), which then quickly turned to confusion when we didn’t have common language for one. Partly because she’s Lutheran, alongside my Methodism. But more basically, there’s not a traditional table grace in my memory, nor ready to come out of my mouth. As I’ve thought about that, it brings up a string of lovely recollections.

First, I think about my dad. I wish I had written down the table grace that was deep in his memory and often ready on his lips. I’ve been pondering what it was and I awoke the other day with the words “these thy gifts” shimmering in my memory; I’m sure this phrase was part of it. Here’s a traditional table grace that includes those words; I think this is close:
 

Bless us, O Lord,
and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive from thy bounty
through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 
Dad was the one who prayed the table grace when company gathered at our dining room table. It was always a feast, even if it was simple, always prepared lovingly and wonderfully by my mom.  

For our family meals, though, served at our kitchen table, my brother and I were the ones who would pray. I think we took turns, night by night, and the words were always the table grace we had learned the prior summer at Bible School at the Prairie City United Methodist Church. For five mornings, we’d practice saying a table grace over the cookies we’d be served at snack time.
 
By the end of the week, we’d have it by heart, and that memorized prayer would become our prayer at home until we were taught a new one the next year. 

(It’s no wonder I don’t have a specific prayer in my memory today!) I remember noticing that we mumbled those phrases much more quickly and  indistinctly as the year wore on! And I was always glad for the new prayer to take its place!

The table grace that has most stuck, though, is one written specifically for my family. We “bought” it in a fundraising auction held in the early 1990s at the church we were then attending in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. A member and friend there—Susan Kohan—had put into the auction the opportunity to have a table grace composed specifically for the buyer. I don’t remember how high the bid went, but my husband and I were the winning bidders and Susan wrote a table grace that we have sung for three decades, and counting:
 

Thank you for the sun and planets
Thank you for the people we hold dear
Food for soul and body
And tears and laughter ever near

 
Around our own dinner table—when our boys were young, and as they brought their intendeds into the circle, and even when it’s just my husband and me today—we reach out to hold hands and sing this song together.
 
When Susan gave it to us, she showed us that it can be sung as a round. Back when it was new, our oldest was no more than a baby. By the time the boys were old enough to manage a round, they didn’t have the patience to extend the song any longer! But I did the choir at my church to record the “round” version with me; take a listen!
 
Over time this simple table grace has become like a pair of well-worn shoes. I squeeze the hand(s) next to me at “people we hold dear” and most days I’m amazed at the closeness of tears alongside the laughter. If my oldest—a drummer—is at the table, there’s a bit of percussion (sometimes by his banging of the hands he’s holding). It’s what we do. Singing these words is a practice that is part of the steadiness of my days.
 
So, now, back to my list, and I’m already adding to it, based on my friend’s good idea above.

1. Check your “Things I can do nothing about in 2025” list.

I left a blank for #9 because—truly—you can’t ever quite finish a list like this. It moves and changes with the seasons and with what’s happening in the world. I am committed, though, to practicing. I’m feeling the need for some handholds and supports for the uncertainty that looms in the weeks and months ahead. I want to be well enough for what I’m called to do and be in this time. And strong enough to help hold up those around me who are doing the same.
 
I wonder what’d be on list you’d write. What prayer, or table grace, might be a steadying practice for you. What hands we’ll each grasp. What bounty will sustain our souls and our bodies for the living of these days.
 
Oh—and on #3, reading some poetry—you should know my friend and co-writer for this Abiding in Hopeseries, Rev. Mary Bellon, has published her own collection of poems. We can never have too many poems, truth written into the world.
 

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MINISTRY REPORTS

Springdale UMC Leadership Board Planning Meeting

January 28, 2025

5:00 p.m.

Attendance:  Steven Grace, Jessica Grace, Manda Frauenholz, Jo Leighty, Rebecca Carver, Lynda Ambrose

Business Portion

1. Treasurer’s Report

   1. Steven will share a copy of our 2025 budget with Paula to put in the newsletter

   2. Manda moved to approve.  Lynda seconded.  Motion carried.

2. Trustees

   1. The printers needed to be replaced.  They were replaced with a single 4-in-1 printer.

   2. Paula will post on the Springdale UMC page and will email Lyle and Ann Zeal to get the word out.

3. Manda will preach on March 2

Where do we go from here? Planning The Ad Board was challenged with the following question: If time, money, and people were no object, what would you like to see happen in the coming years.

2025 Missional Priorities

Increase our online presence such that we touch more people’s lives, near or far.

Offer more small group opportunities to bolster community and a sense of belonging, while continuing to promote spiritual growth. (Amplify will help)

Expand stewardship efforts—do more year-round, find more missions to support/aid (both local and abroad) (small notes at various events….)

Expand leadership development efforts; How can we get more people involved in leadership, committees, mission involvement, etc.

Food pantry connection/mission—do more through the year besides just white gifts at Christmas (monthly); check with circuit on other programs we can connect with.

Committee on Outreach, Mission, and Evangelism (COME)

Springdale United Methodist Church

January 26, 2025

In attendance:  Paula Rogers (Chair), Julie Mather, Rhoda Barnhart, Diane Heick, Rev. Rebecca Carver.

January donations for the West Branch Food Pantry have been collected.  Paula will get them delivered.  We collected:  20 bottles of mouthwash, 20 tubes of toothpaste, 80 rolls of dental floss, 50 toothbrushes, 4 packages of baby wipes, 2 packages of diapers, 1 jar of peanut butter, and 2 packages of toilet paper.

February donations will focus on personal hygiene items, such as shampoo, soap, shaving cream, etc.

Our next Special Sunday offering will be for UMCOR and collected on March, 30, 2025.

Ash Wednesday services will be at WBUMC, Maundy Thursday will be hosted here, and Good Friday services will be at WBUMC.

Fellowship after church will February 16, Paula will get in newsletter and bulletin, Julie will provide coffee and drinks.

Paula is working on a poster board to have a visual reminder of things we have done during the year.

Discussed hosting a Plant Swap/Exchange sometime in April. Invite community to participate bringing perennials they have divided, extra seedling starts, houseplant cuttings, etc. Will discuss more at future meeting.

Discussed possibility of setting up a Lending Library at Crestview Care Center for the residents.  Possibly use a rolling cart to house it.  Paula will bring the idea to Crestview to see if they are interested. 

Next meeting is February 23, 2025

Worship Committee

January 6th, 2025

Attendees: Manda Frauenholz-Brown, Rev Rebecca Carver,  Jessica Grace, Paula Rogers

-Julie Hime resigned from the committee after the last meeting minutes were sent out.

1. Finalize any needs for 150th

   1. Went over the bulletin and added some things

   2. Jessica Nelson is in charge of the potluck

   3. Need to set up the basement to make sure it’s ready for the potluck-Jessica Grace will set up. Jessica will make sure we have plates, cups & napkins.

   4. Manda to set up a table downstairs for people to look at old pictures, etc.

1. Boy Scout Sunday/Girl Scout Sunday

2. February 9th boy scout sunday - Amy to do fellowship and do flag ceremony.

3. March 9th Girl Scout Sunday- Paula incharge and will work with Jo Leighty

3. Palm Sunday/Ash Wednesday? Holy Week - Rebecca is working on this

1. Confirmation Sunday. April 13th (Palm Sunday)

   1. Need to check with Jo to see if she will get the palms Paula to ask

2. Ash Wednesday March 5th

4. Sunrise Service

1.  Easter April 20th 

2. Manda Volunteered to do the service

3. Breakfast- Ask Jessica Nelson - Manda will confirm with her. 

4.  

5. Sound booth coverage for when Manda is gone

1. Rylee can fill in if Steven is here.

2. Need to ask people during church like Jeremy Budreau or Amanda Budreau? 

3. Need to setup time to train other people so turns can be taken 

6. Manda has asked Barb Frauenholz to do some new flowers for the season. 

7. UMCOR Sunday is March 30th. We can do Snacks and Songs that Sunday since it’s the 5th Sunday.