The Mountain View  

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven on Earth.

February 2002

Pastor's Ponderings…

"First Love"

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:18-21)

Do you remember your first love? Maybe it happened in 6th or 7th grade. That person you just couldn't bear to miss a day without seeing. And you would surely die if they ever loved another. When they passed a love note across the class room, you acted embarrassed that other students were seeing it as they passed it along, but secretly you were very proud because it felt good to know that others knew you were loved. You memorized every fold in the note, and the smell of the paper. Every swirl of the handwriting was a work of art. And you treasured each of the X's and O's…the more the better. You had that amazing feeling of wonder, asking yourself again and again, "What did I do to deserve this?" You read the love note over and over again until you could recite it to your closest friend without even looking. You read each line with the eagerness of someone who had been in the desert for 2 weeks and had finally found water. You kept the love note with you everywhere you went until it was faded and folded so often that you could barely read it. But you still remembered exactly what it said. Maybe you still have that love letter in a shoe box on the top shelf of your closet. Was there possibly a better feeling than knowing you were loved?

Did you know that before your first love, God loved you? Before you were born, before you could do anything to earn that love, God loved you with an everlasting love. God cannot bear to miss a day without talking with you. God came to be with you through the Spirit of Jesus Christ because God yearns for a more intimate relationship with you. Through Jesus Christ God said, "I would rather die than live without you in heaven." And that's exactly what God did. God weeps when you love other people and even other things more than you love God. God passed the most amazing Love Letter of all time to you, down through the ages. But you are embarrassed to read it in public, to have it with you at a restaurant or at work or in your car. When you were a child, you committed a few of the verses to memory, but that was a long time ago. God longs for you to carry God's Love Letter with you everywhere you go. To feel the love that is being communicated in every line. To read it over and over again until you can recite it to your friends who also need to know desperately how much they are loved. God wants you to yearn for the message of God's love like a deer pants for water in the heat of the mid-summer. No, you didn't do anything to deserve the unfathomable gift of a love that will last forever. That's the wonder of it all. Can there possibly be a better feeling than knowing that you are loved with an eternal love no matter what?

On this Valentine's Day, remember you First Love. Give thanks for a love that will not die by reading your Love Letter every day. Send your love in your prayers of adoration and thanksgiving and in your actions towards God's children that show God just how much you love your Forever Friend.

In Christ's Love,
Pastor Steve

The Mountain Vista United Methodist Church Rejoices to Welcome Our New Members Who have Committed to God through Our Church By Their Prayers, Presence, Gifts and Service.

December 9, 2001

Betty Dodge
Jennifer & Jim Egelston
Linda Hartney
Kathy & Tom Haymaker
Pam & Phil Lynch
Polly Lynch
Anita & Ron Murphy
Nancy & Manuel Peralez
Robin & Jim Wilder

December 23, 2001

Donna Hoffman
Catherine & Kim Holzworth
Doris Holzworth

Due to popular demand, "Broadway Tonight Part II" is in the works and is on its way to becoming the smash hit of 2002. The script is ready, the music has been ordered, and now all we need is an encore performance by the fine cast of "Broadway Tonight, Part I" along with all the new up-and-coming talents which will be discovered as we make plans for the 2002 show. Some of the selections we will be working on as a group will be:

"Another Opening, Another Show"
"There's No Business Like Show Business"
"Get Me to the Church on Time"

Please invite anyone who you think might enjoy being part of this production to these upcoming events. As Ed Sullivan would say, "This is going to be a really big show!" If you cannot make it on these dates and definitely would like to have a particular part in the show, let me know right away. I am planning on handing out all the music for the show on Sunday, March 3rd.

For those people who want to work only behind the scenes, Sunday, March 3rd at 5 p.m. is very important, because groups will be formed with responsibilities for all areas from advertising to planning the meal, from ticket sales to stage design.

"There's No Business Like Choir Business," so remember, we are in the business of making people happy and in the business of having a good time. To quote some lines from one of the songs we will be singing:

"Though it may be raining through the ceiling,
And our chores are waiting to be done.
We would gladly leave our daily dealings
That choir feeling is much more fun."

Thanks to Virginia Berry for all her work getting our Food Pantry Ministry set-up. Be sure to make regular donations to the pantry. Food items needed are posted outside the church kitchen. Thanks also to Stephanie Cafarelli, Lorraine Wilkinson, Tracy Reinhard, Judy Ross, Sheri Sturdevant, Kathy Haymaker and Jalaine Lowe-Whitmer for their input in organizing our new Church Pantry.

Some import ways YOU can help strengthen our Church Pantry Ministry:

Use the "Seed Money" that you received in church on the last Sunday in January to buy the most food you can possibly buy with the $10 and give it to the Food Pantry.

Do like the Boy Scouts do! Make fliers to hang on the doors in your neighborhood. Say that you will be back on a certain date at a certain time to pick up groceries for the Mountain Vista United Methodist Church Food Pantry. Include a list of needed items and your phone number or the church phone (280-4148) and church address (8931 S. 3200 W., West Jordan, 84088. You might want to leave 2 or 3 grocery bags at each doorstep as well.

Get the kids involved. Have them help you with the shopping. Try a spiritual fast. Go an evening without dinner. Remind them that they will have a healthy breakfast in the morning but millions of children around the world go the bed night after night, not have had a single meal all day. Help the children understand the need of others and appreciate our abundance.

Watch for the best grocery store sales and let Virginia Berry know, so that she may announce these in church to help us in our shopping for the Pantry.

Ask to purchase dented cans and other damaged items that are stored in the back rooms of grocery stores. They are taken off the shelves, but are still safe and available to purchase at a greatly reduced rate.

Target and K-Mart Sunday ads often contain coupons, which offer $10 gift card when you transfer a prescription (even on a one-time basis) to their pharmacy. Use the gift cards to buy food for the pantry.

We you get an unexpected two-for-one deal on a food item, give one to the Pantry.

Look in clearance bins for pet food. Many people in need depend greatly on their pets for companionship through difficult times.

Buy canned items with pop tops. Regular cans don't work when you're on the street with a can opener.

Note the savings that you accrue through special savings plans at grocery stores, and spend that amount on Food Pantry items during your next visit to the store.

COUPONS, COUPONS, COUPONS!!!!!!

Thanks for your help!

Arts and Crafts Bazaar

Artists, crafters, and other are needed for an arts, crafts and antiques sale we will have this spring. Proceeds will benefit a new church library. A planning committee is being formed. If you can help, contact the church office or Betty (562-3016).

Shepherds Needed

People are needed to nurture a group of 6-8 people in our church. Please call the church office to sign up.

Saturday Afternoon Crafts

There is an arts and crafts activity for anyone interested every 4th Saturday from 1-3 p.m.

Article Due Dates

For the Sunday Bulletin: Wednesday of each week.
For the Mountain View: the 21st of each month.