The Mountain View June 2005

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.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. –Romans 3:22-24

Grace turns our whole idea of having to earn God's love upside down. God's gift of heaven was given to us 2,000 years before we were born when Jesus took our place on the Cross and accepted the punishment for all our sins. Our motivation for doing good becomes completely different when we realize it is not about helping ourselves gain favor with God. It is all about giving thanks for the favor and love that God has already given.

Theologian Peter Kreeft puts it this way: "[Our good works are] done freely and spontaneously and naturally, out of gratitude to God—not to get to heaven but because heaven has already gotten to us. Thus they can be done for the sake of our neighbor, not for our own sake. . . No one wants to be loved as someone else's good deed for the day."

Live in gratitude for the gift of God's grace, not in duty desiring to be deserving.

While working out in my yard the other day I was approached by two young men. They greeted me and then struck up a conversation asking me if I attended any nearby church. I informed them that I have been attending the Methodist Church.

Our conversation drifted into different areas of what we believe as Christians. It was a friendly discussion with all of us agreeing that the bottom line is belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

There was a slight point difference in the question they raised regarding which Church is right In an effort to impress upon me the need to consider what they were telling me, one of them said, "I KNOW our Church is the right Church."

That raises the ultimate question, "Do we really know?" I did not challenge this statement, but a question keeps running through my mind, "If we really know, then where does faith enter into the picture? What role does faith play in our Christian walk?" Knowledge relinquishes the need for faith. What is this knowledge based on?

We are told many times throughout the Bible that without faith we are lost. Without faith we have no hope. Without faith we have no hope for a life after death. Without faith we have no forgiveness of sin. Our whole Christian walk is based on faith in the promises God has given us through Christ and His resurrection.

Our faith is based on a choice we each have to make. I choose to believe that God's promises are true. I choose to believe that God exists. I choose to believe that Christ came to pay atonement for our sins. I choose to believe that if I live my life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit I will join Christ in that Heavenly Kingdom.

Do I have concrete proof of this? The answer is NO. But God's Spirit gives witness to my spirit that He is real. I don't have answers to all the details of life, suffering, pain, the creation and life after death but I have faith that God does have the answers.

The Christian Life Center

Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 9-Noon
1^st and 3^rd Saturday 9-Noon (appointment only)

The Christian Life Center is a ministry offered by this church. Its purpose is to help people deal with the troublesome issues of life. Call the church office or Duane Haidle for an appointment.

With June and warmer weather comes a recurring problem at Mountain Vista...WEEDS!
It was suggested that we divide the flowerbeds around the church into 6' sections, with interested persons taking responsibility for a section and keeping it weed-free for the summer. Anyone interested in participating in this, and providing a much-needed service to the church, please check with Lorraine Wilkinson in the church office.

We will be filling in the islands in the parking lot with concrete this summer. This is the result of two problems…not being able to keep the rocks IN the islands, and not being able to keep the weeds OUT. The islands with trees will have the middle sections finished with concrete, while the ends are kept open for the trees. Please watch the weekly bulletins for dates, as we will need all the help we can get when we complete this.

We are considering purchasing a new, larger shed. If anyone is interested in buying the smaller of the two sheds (the one that houses the lawn mower), please contact one of the trustees and let them know what you would be willing to pay for it. Also, if anyone is interested in making donations towards the new, larger shed, please see one of the trustees.

You are all invited to tell one of the trustees when you see something around the church that needs repair or that you think could be improved somehow. Please feel free to e-mail or call me, or seek out one of the other trustees. We appreciate your help!

2005 Trustees: Kurt Liedtke, Donna Kasten, Sue Wu, Debi Paulsen, Shane Reinhard, Ray Olsen and Manny Peralez

Hey Kids!! If you are between the ages of four years old and sixth grade, join us on a Ramblin' Road Trip so we can find out what direction God wants us to take. There will be fun, lively music to sing, cool crafts to make, refreshing snacks and awesome lessons from the Bible.

Parents — please fill out yellow registration forms and leave in church office or call 280-4148 to pre-register.

Help needed:
Teachers
Recreation
Crafts
Music
Refreshments
*Donate Snacks
*Donate Craft Materials
*(list will be supplied later)

We want to thank all the people who participated in the Flag Sales and the ones who renewed for this next year. It was a great success.

We had a really neat ceremony for them. We want to thank all the family and friends who came to support them. We wish them the best of luck in Boy Scouts and hope they have a wonderful time.

We will be having an advancement picnic for all the scouts and their families here at the church on Saturday, June 11th, from 11:00-2:00 p.m.

We also would like to invite any boys who are interested in joining scouts. Or if you have any friends or family who are interested, please have them give us a call. We are gearing up for another fun year of Scouts. You can call Kristin Vanstaveren at 808-3331.

We are starting a new Boy Scout unit for all boys in the 6th - 12th grades not currently in a Boy Scout Troop. Bring your parents to an informational meeting: on Tuesday, June 21, at 6 p.m., Mountain Vista Church.

Pinecliff Elementary Camp
for children who have completed Kindergarten through Sixth Grade

Registrations need to be postmarked by June 10, 2005. No on-site registrations will be taken. Forms are available in church hallway.

Return forms to:
First United Methodist Church
Attn: Brenda Boren, Camp Registrar
2604 Jefferson Avenue
Ogden, UT 84401

Pinecliff Church Camp and Retreat
Picnic and Hoedown
June 4, 2005 – FREE

2:00 p.m. Games & Hiking
5:00 p.m. Free Supper
7:00 p.m. Music and Dancing featuring live classic rock with JABOOM

The camp is at 4142 Chalk Creek Road, 18 miles east of Coalville.
Overnight cabin accommodations available for a small fee.
To reserve a cabin or for more information, call Vern Rosenstiel at (801) 572-0417.

Food of the month for June: canned soup
Thrift store items of the month: bathroom items - towels, rugs, shower curtains

Attention all artists, crafters and shopacholics! The Crossroads Bazaar, an annual fundraising event, is set for Saturday, October 1st at Wasatch Presbyterian Church. Flyers and drawing tickets will be distributed in late July. Until then, make it a goal to contribute one item to the cause. Get creative! Knit a baby blanket, stencil some note cards, create a holiday decoration or assemble a themed gift basket. Whatever you come up with will be sold to further Crossroads food programs.

Individuals, youth & scout groups are always needed for one-time and ongoing service projects at the Thrift Store and Food Pantry. Donation drives are also helpful. Please call Linda at Crossroads Urban Center, 364-7765 x 133, to get involved.

Don't forget the Sandwich Mission. Every third week of the month we make and serve sandwiches as an outreach mission.

The dates for June are:
Sunday, June 19: make/or bring sandwiches, 2 p.m.
Monday, June 20: serve sandwiches, 5 p.m. at St. Vincent DePaul Center, 500 West 200 South. (Usually finished by 6:30 p.m.)

Suppose you are vacationing far from home. You drive around, looking for a church in which to worship Sunday morning. Suddenly you see a familiar sight: a Cross and Flame insignia on a sign, pointing you to the nearest United Methodist Church. You’ve just proved how symbols and pictures provide instant recognition, meaning and a sense of belonging.

Indeed, the Cross and Flame emblem is a powerful reminder of who and Whose we are as United Methodists. That's why protecting and preserving its use and integrity are just as important today as when the insignia was created and registered as No. 917,433 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office more than three decades ago.

History and Significance
The history and significance of the Cross and Flame emblem are as rich and diverse as The United Methodist Church. The insignia's birth quickly followed the union of two denominations in 1968: The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

Following more than two dozen conceptualizations, a traditional symbol—the cross—was linked with a single flame with dual tongues of fire. The resulting insignia is rich in meaning. It relates The United Methodist church to God through Christ (cross) and the Holy Spirit (flame). The flame is a reminder of Pentecost when witnesses were unified by the power of the Holy Spirit and saw "tongues, as of fire" (Acts 2:3).

The elements of the emblem also remind us of a transforming moment in the life of Methodism's founder, John Wesley, when he sensed God’s presence and felt his heart "strangely warmed." The two tongues of a single flame may also be understood to represent the union of two denominations.

The insignia, one with lettering and one without, was formally adopted by the General Conference in 1968 and registered in 1971 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Since 1996, the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of The United Methodist church has supervised the emblem's use.

Due Dates for Sunday Bulletin and Newsletter
For the Sunday Bulletin: Information due Wednesday of each week.
For the Mountain View: Articles due the 20th of every month. Articles on disk or e-mailed (office@mtnvistaumc.org) preferred.