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Thursday, September 28 2023
If we look around in life, we can certainly find plenty of things to worry about. In today’s world there are many worries with inflation, unemployment, family needs, health and finances to name a few. Many of the issues we worry about are beyond our control. How do we juggle all of these priorities? The Bible has some insight into how we should deal with worry. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us not to worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, or what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? Jesus is not concerned with material things, but with our hearts. He said: Don’t worry! Trusting in God has allowed us to embrace the precious time that God has given us on this Earth. We shouldn’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. In these challenging times, not worrying about a thing is easier said than done. Many of these troubling events have been beyond our control. To get through these challenges we need to stay connected to God and the body of Christ through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. This means approaching each day with gratitude and looking for the face of God in our lives. God’s generosity knows no bounds! Rather than looking for something that might be wrong or to complain about, look for ways to be grateful! How has St. Paul's made a difference in your life, and in your family's lives? This Church has a long tradition of nurturing children and youth and has laid a spiritual foundation for many young adults to establish their own families. The recently renovated spaces for children and youth reflect your commitment to the future of these necessary ministries. We are grateful for these ministries and the future has tremendous potential, but only if we can be generous in our annual giving as needed to provide resources to sustain these ministries. God has been very generous with me throughout my life. I regularly thank God for these blessings and pray about how I might give back to God, and I encourage you to do the same. A first step is to understand where we are in our annual giving and commit to grow, as we are able, toward the tithe. This can be an incremental step as you grow in generosity. If you are already at a tithing level consider going beyond the tithe if God has blessed you with the capability to do so. By working together as one spirit in God’s name we can continue the tradition of generosity that St. Paul’s is so well known for and continue to change lives into the future. God is in control. Thanks be to God!
Thursday, September 28 2023
If we look around in life, we can certainly find plenty of things to worry about. In today’s world there are many worries with inflation, unemployment, family needs, health and finances to name a few. Many of the issues we worry about are beyond our control. How do we juggle all of these priorities? The Bible has some insight into how we should deal with worry. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us not to worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, or what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? Jesus is not concerned with material things, but with our hearts. He said: Don’t worry! Trusting in God has allowed us to embrace the precious time that God has given us on this Earth. We shouldn’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. In these challenging times, not worrying about a thing is easier said than done. Many of these troubling events have been beyond our control. To get through these challenges we need to stay connected to God and the body of Christ through our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. This means approaching each day with gratitude and looking for the face of God in our lives. God’s generosity knows no bounds! Rather than looking for something that might be wrong or to complain about, look for ways to be grateful! How has St. Paul's made a difference in your life, and in your family's lives? This Church has a long tradition of nurturing children and youth and has laid a spiritual foundation for many young adults to establish their own families. The recently renovated spaces for children and youth reflect your commitment to the future of these necessary ministries. We are grateful for these ministries and the future has tremendous potential, but only if we can be generous in our annual giving as needed to provide resources to sustain these ministries. God has been very generous with me throughout my life. I regularly thank God for these blessings and pray about how I might give back to God, and I encourage you to do the same. A first step is to understand where we are in our annual giving and commit to grow, as we are able, toward the tithe. This can be an incremental step as you grow in generosity. If you are already at a tithing level consider going beyond the tithe if God has blessed you with the capability to do so. By working together as one spirit in God’s name we can continue the tradition of generosity that St. Paul’s is so well known for and continue to change lives into the future. God is in control. Thanks be to God!
Thursday, June 29 2023
 Shared in Worship, June, 2023 As I was packing my office some pieces reminded me of you and the time we’ve shared.
With these in my mind, There is a place in this city I close my eyes. A moving body Your strides There is a place in the city. Because we believe. So, Keep the grains of faith growing, Keep finding the hand of a friend here. Beloved. God’s spirit sings bright! I hear you. St. Paul’s, This is my challenge and charge I leave with you: As John Wesley would say, Go on… being perfected in love. Grace and peace to you, Sherrie Thursday, May 04 2023
 One of my favorite tv shows, despite not having any children of my own, is the Australian children’s show Bluey. Bluey is a series about a blue heeler family with Bluey (6), her sister Bingo (4), parents Bandit (dad) and Chilli (mum), as well as a cast of other family and friends of various canine breeds. Each episode is 7-minutes long and contains a life lesson on a variety of subjects. The episodes showcase the adults in Bluey and Bingo’s lives taking a genuine interest in the children. In the ordinary moments, the adults help Bluey, Bingo, and friends learn valuable life lessons. Thinking about these ordinary moments reminds me of a paraphrase of Romans chapter 12.1, which reads: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life— your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life— and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him” (MSG). I think we can learn how to be in intergenerational ministry together through Bluey and these ordinary moments. At its core, intergenerational ministry is taking a genuine interest in each other's lives and being open and present in the ordinary moments. This summer we will be offering intergenerational opportunities such as a night out at the ballpark, an evening at the Five Season Ski Show, and an intergenerational art-based group Sunday mornings. I hope you prayerfully consider joining us in these ordinary moments. Saturday, January 21 2023
This blog is written at a crucial moment in our state, as debate will begin Monday afternoon to address the “Students First Act” which would create education savings accounts, or what many of us know as vouchers, to go towards funding costs of students at private schools. Not only would this fundamentally alter education as we know it in Iowa, this is a matter of great importance for United Methodists, and of particular importance for St. Paul’s. Our United Methodist Social Principles, found in our Book of Discipline states, “We believe that every person has the right to education. We also believe that the responsibility for education of the young rests with the family, faith communities, and the government. In society, this function can best be fulfilled through public policies that ensure access for all persons to free public elementary and secondary schools and to post-secondary schools of their choice” (Paragraph 164.E). Furthermore, “Our heritage should lead us to defend the public schools and to rejoice that they nearly reflect our country’s racial, ethnic, and religious diversity now more than ever before” (The Book of Resolutions, p. 218). The bills to be debated Monday on the Iowa House and Senate floors do not reflect a commitment to using public funds for public education. This ought to be a concern for all Iowans, for United Methodists in Iowa, and especially for a church that has declared its love for children and youth and a commitment to pursue justice. Yet, if you are still unsure of United Methodists taking part in this discussion, our Book of Resolutions states clearly for us, “We specifically oppose tuition tax credits, school vouchers, or any other mechanism that directly or indirectly allows government funds to support religious schools at the primary and secondary level” (p. 479). Not only do we hold this belief, but we are called to act on it. Under a “call to action,” our Resolutions calls us to “advocate at the state and local level for adequate public school funding and equitable distribution of state funds” (p. 222). The bills to be debated Monday divert public money away from public schools, which serve over 90% of Iowa’s students to disproportionately benefit fewer than 10% of them. Furthermore, this legislation will pull dollars away from rural public schools, and students there have no option of private schooling within driving distance. This bill would not require the same level of accountability and oversight for private schools as public schools undergo. And, the majority of Iowans do not support this legislation. We have a voice, and right now is the time to use it! A Call to Action Please email both Iowa legislators in the House and Senate (list below). Here is a template you can use. It is a best practice that we write one message, but send it individually to each member with an appropriate salutation (rather than sending one mass email to them all). Dear (Representative or Senator) ________, I am a resident of Cedar Rapids, and I am writing to ask you to vote “no” on the Students First Act, which would divert taxpayer money from serving the majority of Iowa’s students to disproportionately benefit a small amount of children and youth. As a (parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor, United Methodist, etc.), I am concerned by this because…(give a brief personal reason here). And, if you oppose this for no other reason, please vote “no” since the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency has yet had the time to clarify the true cost of this bill. As a leader elected to serve the people of Iowa and our best interest, I again ask you to vote “no” on the Students First Act. Thank you, Senators who are believed to be on the fence
Representatives who are believed to be on the fence
Second, we can call the Iowa Capitol switchboard and leave a message for our legislators:
The time is short, but our calling to pursue the common good beckons us to respond and to do so swiftly. As you write and/or call, be sure to keep it short, simple, and sweet. Since this is moving so quickly, we have canceled the Tuesday evening letter-writing event. Please send emails instead, and pray. And, one last request: after all that, please send one more email: let Becca (rnims@stpaulsumc.org) and Pastor Jonathan (jheifner@stpaulsumc.org) know you participated. We want to know how widely our shared voice is being heard in the state. In Christ’s Love and Power, Helpful information was provided by Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Sunday, January 08 2023
 During the summer of 2022 a team of listeners had 116 conversations with members of our congregation to hear your dreams and visions for the future of St. Paul’s. We heard many of you say you desire to “grow through vibrant ministry with children, youth, and families.” It would be wonderful if I ,the Family Ministry Director, had a magic wand to wave over our community and congregation and make this dream a reality in an instant. In reality, this will take hard work, and it will be hard work for all of us to take on. One way we can work together on this goal is through intergenerational ministry opportunities. Before we can dig into what this could look like we need to mention that “multi generational” and “intergenerational” are similar terms, yet have a different impact/vision. Multigenerational: Multigenerational ministry is accidental. Generations coexist within a congregation because of shared geography or family structures, not because of a shared mission or meaningful relationships. Accordingly, multigenerational churches often result in siloed generational segments with only limited interaction (Billy Kluttz, “Multigenerational Versus Intergenerational Ministry: What's the Difference?”) Intergenerational: Intergenerational ministry develops disciples and energizes churches by bringing together any combination of at least two generations in planned and purposeful settings; empowering multiple generations to mutually invest in each other and in their faith community; intentionally encouraging … relationships among multiple generations (Billy Kluttz, “Intergenerational Ministry: Why and How?”). Intergenerational ministry is intentional and is at the core of our baptismal vows for us as United Methodists. When a person is baptized a pastor will ask the following question to the congregation: “Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include these persons now before you in your care?” The congregation responds: “With God's help we will proclaim the good newsand live according to the example of Christ. We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness,that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.” (From “The Services of the Baptismal Covenant of The United Methodist Church” as revised to align with the 2008 Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions) Intergenerational is who we are as a people of The United Methodist Church, and particularly as St. Paul’s. Being an intergenerational community means that each of us, no matter our age, have something to contribute to another. It also means that we each have something to learn from one another. The chart below uses Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial stages to outline these needs in a church setting.
Erikson’s stages derived from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html Intergenerational ministry is also about taking a look at what voices we hear the most. Are we hearing from Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation? Are we hearing from marginalized groups? Does every age group have a place to serve according to their gifts and passions? Intergenerational ministry is a choice. It is also a hard choice. It means being intentional. “Intergenerational ministry is difficult to define because it is a philosophy of ministry rather than a program. Its goal is to strategically build significant and purposeful interactions between the generations within the structures of a church. The key components of intergenerational ministry are interaction and intentionality. Intergenerational ministry is more than bringing the generations into proximity with one another. It is intentionally building mutual and influential relationships with a degree of regularity between the various generations” (Ed Springer, An introduction to intergenerational ministry) Over the next few months, it is my hope that we can start to make the intentional choice through opportunities of intentional programs and gatherings. And, more than a hope it is my goal and plan to provide opportunities for us to move in this way. Does this mean that there’s not a place for age specific groups or programming? Of course not. “Establishing intergenerational community does not mean eradicating age-specific ministries. As important as it is to embrace intergenerational values at a core level, it’s also important to keep that in balance with age-specific ministry. We need to realize that exclusively age-specific ministry may be “working” to varying degrees, but has not proven sustainable for ongoing transmission of faith among young adults who have grown up exclusively in youth ministries. At the same time, all ages still need their own space to grow and develop at their own pace. Everyone needs to be part of a web of relationships that includes their peers AND members of other generations.” (Brad M. Griffin, Intergenerational ministry beyond the rhetoric) Intergenerational ministry for St. Paul’s means that we each have a hand in growing vibrant children, youth and family ministry. Becca Nims, St. Paul’s Family Ministry Director Thursday, January 05 2023
 “Epiphany” means an appearance or manifestation. The celebration of Epiphany commemorates the visitation of the Magi to the infant Jesus: the manifestation of God incarnate to the Magi, and also to us. There is an old tradition of blessing the threshold of the home with chalk for the new year on Twelfth Night or Epiphany. You can do this with your family. The letters “C M B” included in the markings refer to the names traditionally given to the Wise Men, but they can also stand for “Christus mansionem benedicat,” which in Latin means “Christ, bless this house.” Gather together at the threshold of your home, be it the main door of a house or an apartment door, with a piece of chalk and the words of this blessing. Leader: God became flesh in Jesus Christ, making ordinary, earthly things holy. God uses the ordinary in not-so-ordinary ways. This chalk, made from dust of the earth, reminds us of our own dustiness, and the hope that Christ brings to us earthly beings. Bless this chalk to mark our home with a blessing for the new year, that all who come and go from this place find peace and shelter here and are filled with wholeness and hope. Leader: Peace be to this house All: And all who live here. With your chalk, make these marks (in parentheses) as you say the words: The Maji from the east, known in legend as Caspar (C), Melchior (M), and Balthasar (B), C M B two-thousand (20) and twenty three (23) years ago, followed the star and entered the home where they saw the child Jesus with Mary, his mother, and they knelt down and worshiped him. Then, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 20 C M B 23 May Christ (+) bless (+) our home (+). 20 C+ M+ B+ 23 All: Christ, visit our home with your presence, that all who visit or reside here may be blessed by your love made manifest. Amen. Reflection and liturgy by Stephanie Heifner. Thursday, November 03 2022
 As we roll into November, or drag our heels at the thought of fall arriving, we are in the peak of the California table grape season. They're the ones in the grocery stores versus those grown for wine. Since grapes arrive in our stores pretty much year round, I don't usually think of them as seasonal, but they are. Right now, and through December we'll see the greatest variety of the year. No longer just green, red or black (purple), grapes now come to use with a fascinating range of subtle flavors and some surprising shapes and textures. “Cotton Candy” and “Gum Drop” really taste like their names. I love the green “Autumn Crunch” that snap when I bite into them and the weird, almost finger-shaped purple “Moondrop” grapes taste very sweet and, well, like grapes. While we usually think of grapes for snacking or in a fruit salad, they can be cooked as well. Check out www.grapesfromcalifornia.com for creative recipe ideas, and a lot of interesting information about grapes. Nutrition-wise, I don't consider grapes superstars, but they do contribute small amounts of vitamin C and Vitamin A, lots of water and a bit of fiber. One cup (my infamous “handful”) provides around 60 calories coming from about 15 grams of carbohydrate. They also contribute some of those phytonutrients being studied for their possible protective effects against all kinds of maladies including heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer and more. I don't believe that they're going to find eating grapes a practical way of protecting us from every conceivable nasty disease out there, but the research may find useful components in grapes, Typically, those powerful chemicals must concentrated to be effective. Moving back to everyday practicality, grapes might help satisfy a sweet tooth with fewer calories. They add variety to our fruit choices and they are just plain pretty. Enjoy the grape season by keeping some washed and ready to eat in the refrigerator. Blessings on those who grow and harvest grapes for our enjoyment. Tuesday, October 25 2022
What would John Wesley say about a Christian approach to climate change? What does personal piety and justice have to do with it? Climate Action for Everyone On Wednesday, October 12, our United Women in Faith (UWF) hosted “Climate Action for Everyone” in the Wesley Center. One of the ongoing missional priorities of UWF is climate justice. We know we must do more than recycling and composting to move towards justice, but we don’t always know what other steps to take to affect change on a larger scale. So, we invited Deaconess Irene DeMaris, the Executive Director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, and Tamara Marcus, the Linn County Sustainability Director to offer their expertise. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light is a faith-based non-profit that encourages and facilitates climate action from a standpoint that caring for our earth is a tenet of faith. They focus on sustainability in farming, a huge area we can and should make a difference in as a farming state. Linn County Sustainability assesses and makes plans for moving our county towards environmental sustainability into the future. Over 40 people were in attendance, including our youth group and youth leaders. Our UWF Vice-President Genny Yarne coordinated and hosted the event. I assisted Genny in planning. UWF women provided hospitality. Both speakers shared for 15-20 minutes and then answered audience questions. A lot of good information was shared, such as recent and upcoming climate-beneficial policy and advice for getting involved in local groups. There were also invitations to volunteer for Linn County Sustainability, or attend an Iowa IPL field day and see for yourself what possibilities can take place on Iowa farms. If you attended, what are your “highlights” or takeaways? What did you leave thinking about? What would you like to keep talking about in the church? Reflecting on what we learned I hope that we will continue to explore the information and opportunities brought up at this event as individuals and as a church. There are two things I want to reflect on here. One is climate anxiety, which Deaconess Irene brought up. This is something many people, especially young people, are feeling. I know it well. A heavy weight, a sense of doom, and hopelessness because there is so much bad news and very little good news when it comes to climate. Irene’s advice was to go through it, not around it. Feel your feelings, don’t avoid them. An upcoming opportunity about this topic is the October 29th Calm in Climate Chaos: Let's Talk About Climate Anxiety, Iowa IPL’s Called to Climate Action webinar. Find out more and register here: https://iowaipl.org/2022/08/17/save-the-date-called-to-climate-action-2022/ The second thing is the Wesleyan approach to climate action, shared by Irene. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, preached piety and justice. In the context of climate, personal piety can look like recycling and composting–examples that Irene mentioned. But I take that to mean all of our personal choices. Think of our consumer choices: are the products we buy harming the environment, through their extraction, production, and disposal? Are people being exploited to make them or harvest them? Are we buying more than we need, and from unethical companies? When it’s time to replace something in our home, what about choosing the most energy friendly option, even if it costs more? Like a heat pump instead of a gas furnace? Or adding solar panels? Or planting native plants or low-maintenance “eco-grass” (like this one) instead of turf lawn? When we invest money, are we willing to choose ethics over profit? Our personal consumer choices connect to the justice side, but justice requires more than that. Climate justice starts with the acknowledgement that the climate crisis does not affect all people equally. The poorest and most vulnerable people are already being hit the hardest by climate disasters. This will only get worse. To work towards justice means that those with privilege and those from societies that contribute the most to climate change must fight against it. This is where we might find ourselves writing letters, supporting a campaign, joining a protest, and more to actively fight for justice. What is the right thing to do? When a question about climate anxiety was asked at the event, what came to my mind was a sermon that I heard online by Chris Hoklotubbe (Choctaw), an Assistant Professor of Religion at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. He was preaching at Sanctuary Community Church in Coralville in 2019. The title of the sermon was “It’s the End of the World as We Know It, and I Feel…”, and it was about what we are to do when the world is ending. Looking at Christians of the past who believed the end was coming in their lifetime, what did they do? The answer was, to keep doing what is right. “We never give up on beauty, never give up on justice, and never give up on goodness. The radical hope of life in light of the end of the world, in light of new creation, is that we continue to do what we are always supposed to,” he said. “We continue on, knowing not the success of our efforts, not whether or not we will reach the promised lands, but having sure confidence that our efforts matter. That our relationships to each other matters in light of eternity. [...] We find eternal solidarity and the possibility of joy amid labor, amid the uncertainty of what lies ahead, amid the uphill battle against climate change and pollution. We know that whatever lies before us, we as the Body of Christ, interconnected with our created world, through the power and love of an all pervading Holy Spirit, can rise to meet the challenge of serving others and stewarding [God’s] created order until the very end.” Amen. If you’d like to continue conversations about climate action, one option is to join Be Healthy. Be Green. Committee. Contact me at stephanie.heifner@gmail.com. Friday, October 14 2022
 Read 2 Corinthians 9:7-11 “Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart…” -2 Corinthians 9:7a By now, you realize that this endeavor is more about faith than it is about money. Alongside others in our church family, you have spent time reflecting on how an offering as a part of Pathway to Generosity can be a sign of your faith. You have been praying, “Lord, what do you want to do through me?” Soon, you will have the opportunity to answer that question in a very tangible way by making your financial commitment to support Pathway to Generosity. As we all prepare to make those commitments, Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians are very helpful to us as well. For those who have been reflecting and praying, there is a point at which an answer will come from the heart that just feels right. It will be a decision that is reached without guilt or coercion. It will be a level of commitment that, while perhaps stretching you out of your comfort zone, also brings a sense of peace. The generosity that results from all of us making our decisions prayerfully will overflow in “many expressions of thanksgiving to God.” We will see the fruit of our sacrifice as we witness new ministries emerge among us because of the good work we have shared in this endeavor. Is there any anxiety that you still need to release before you make your commitment? Have you prayed to the point where your heart is ready to provide you with the answer? |
Generational delineations derived from 
