CCUMC The Connection January 2023 - Country Club UMC
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CCUMC
The Connection January 2023
Country Club United Methodist Church
400 West 57th Street • Kansas City, Missouri 64113
816-444-1616 • www.countryclubumc.org
Our Mission: To make new disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world.
Coming Events 2023
Sun., Jan. 1 – 10:45 am Worship in the Sanctuary. “Wesley Covenant Renewal: An Amazing
Grace!” Start the new year out right with a focus on God.
Fri., Jan. 6 – Epiphany, celebrating the day the Wise Men came to visit the Baby Jesus, and
later when John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ.
Sun., Jan. 8 – 9:15 am Pastor Chat. Learn more about our congregation, the Wesleyan
tradition, and the United Methodist Church.
Mon., Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Church office closed
Sun., Feb. 12 – Super Bowl LVII Championship Football. Kickoff time: about 5:30 pm CST
(Plan a Super Bowl Party at church?)
Tues., Feb. 14 – St. Valentine’s Day. Spread the Love!
Mon., Feb. 20 – President’s Day – Church office closed.
Wed., Feb. 22 – ASH WEDNESDAY. The beginning of Lent.
Sun., April 2 – Palm Sunday
Fri., April 7 – Good Friday
Sun., April 9 – Easter Sunday
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Christmas Time at CCUMC
Allie Hubbard (one of the co-founders of our Child Development
Center) and her family posed with Santa on Pre-School Sunday,
Dec. 11 before worship.
CDC Staff also provided a tree-decorating project and sensory bins
to keep the little kids occupied while waiting to see Santa Claus.
About 90 adults and kids enjoyed the
free breakfast on Pre-School Sunday,
Dec. 11. Chris Cakes company
prepared the food; Drew, Cassie and
Patrick provided music; Blythe, Jamie,
Edie, Charlie, Tiffany, Jan and other
volunteers provided décor, hospitality
and clean-up.
The same Sunday,
Christmas carols were
sung, the Advent candles
were lighted, and Pastor
Angie told the story of the
Little Drummer Boy during
the pancake breakfast. It
was a non-traditional
worship that was greatly
enjoyed by all.
Fri., Dec. 16, a sold-out
performance of the Kansas City
Chorale filled the church. The
Chorale annually performs here
– they love our hospitality and
our acoustics. Photos courtesy of
Linda Neal.
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Strings & Sings
Beginning musicians and experienced players from Urban Strings (who use our building for lessons) opened
the worship service Dec. 18. The Montgomery family led the worship, lighted advent candles and read
scripture. Children and youth played drums and handbells, accompanied by Cassie and DJ. Drew was at the
piano; Carole Mehl led the singers and percussionists. Pastor Angie preached an inspired word, and it was a
joyous morning.
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Souper Bowl Campaign for Harvesters
Help feed hungry families in the Kansas City area. Please bring canned soup (chicken, bean
or tomato preferred) to the Mission table in the Family Foyer now until Super Bowl LVII
Football Championship, Feb. 12. Last year we contributed over 700 cans. Can we do better
this year?
Paper bags will also be distributed to the neighborhood, asking for donations of canned
goods starting mid-January. Encourage your own neighbors to help! VOLUNTEERS are also
needed to pass out the sacks and pick them up later. Contact: Linda Neal
The food will be given to the Harvesters Food Bank shortly after the Super Bowl.
Just Completed: Warm Clothing to Newhouse
Throughout Nov. and Dec. we
collected more than 140 pieces
of clothing: coats, jackets, hats,
gloves, sweatshirts and socks for
Newhouse. The shelter is for
families suffering from domestic
abuse, and offers counseling and
other support. The items were
boxed ready for delivery just
after Christmas.
Earlier, some new and nearly-
new items (including Christmas
sweatshirts) were delivered Sat.,
Dec. 17. Sixteen CCUMC
volunteers worked the
Newhouse Holiday Shop, helping clients get gifts for friends and family. Partnering with Samuel
Rodgers Health Center and a neighborhood school, the Shop provided (free) gifts for needy
families at Newhouse and in the community. CCUMC workers did gift wrapping and distributed
stockings from Santa. Thanks to Sarah Williams for organizing the mission project.
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Men’s Advent Study
In mid-November, St. James UMC invited men
of CCUMC in a four-week Advent study. The meetings were
held on Zoom on Thursday evenings and centered on the book
“Making Room: Sharing the Love of Christmas” by Ed Robb.
Terry Kilroy contacted our males in the congregation,
and several joined in the program.
St James Paseo was founded in 1956 and is primarily an African-American congregation, but has
a long history of welcoming people of all races. Their pastor is Dr. Emanual Cleaver III.
Support People of Ukraine
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is encouraging support to those still in
Ukraine as well as those who have fled the violence for neighboring countries. An “Advance”
fund has already been established sending immediate relief to Ukraine, Poland, Hungary,
Romania and Slovakia. More financial gifts are needed.
“Advance” is a designated giving arm of the United Methodist Church where 100% of the
money goes to the intended mission or ministry. Since 1948, Advance has provided
worldwide emergency relief -- quickly. To contribute to the Advance #982450 for Disaster
Relief & Recovery, give a check to CCUMC for “UMCOR,” or send your check to Global
Ministries/UMCOR, GPO, PO Box 9068, New York NY 10087-9068 and list the Ukraine Advance
number on the memo line. To contribute online, go to:
https://umcmission.org/advance-project/982450.
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From Our Pastor – Angie Colina McNeil
Dear friends in Christ,
For many years, my high school’s Honors English class released
a magazine featuring our top students’ poetry. My senior year
they named the publication Epiphanies. Epiphany is Greek and
can be translated as “the light shines forth”; the artwork on the
front was a drawing of a lightbulb. I was 17 years old, not an
honors student, and didn’t have a sophisticated vocabulary.
Nor was I a big poetry fan, but my best friend Jamie was, and
still is, an incredible writer --so I bought a copy to support her. I
read one of her poems and told her it was amazing. To this day
I have no idea what that poem was about!
About 12 years ago, as I celebrated the season of Epiphany in the first church I attended, the
lightbulb finally went off for me. I knew that Epiphany, Jan. 6., starts with the story of the Magi
visiting the Christ-child after they saw the LIGHT of the star that guided them to Bethlehem.
Then I realized that they were outside the Jewish culture, but knew the world was changing and
they needed to find out what it was. They were more than likely Zoroastrian, and there is
debate in the scholarly world as to what their roles were exactly: perhaps priests, magicians or
alchemists. I propose that on this Jan. 6, 2023, we celebrate the “lightbulb moment” in our
lives, our personal epiphany, the moment we see truth. Perhaps it is when we recognize that,
like the Wise Men, God isn’t for one particular group of people: God is for everyone.
Each Christmas Day we celebrate Jesus, or as the gospel writer John tells us, the light coming
into the world. As followers of Jesus our work is to reveal his light to others. Sometimes we will
fail to share the light because we don’t always see it ourselves. But if we are open to the light,
we can be the light.
As we enter into this New Year, I want to invite you to embody the light of Christ. Surround
yourself with people who can hold you accountable and help you grow closer to the light. The
church body exists so we can help each other have lightbulb moments and know God in new
ways.
I hope you will share the light of Christ whenever you can. The best way I know how to do that
is to love without reserve, reminding yourself – and others -- that God’s love is universal, and it
never ends.
Happy New Year, friends! Go be the LIGHT!
In Christ, Pastor Angie
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Wesleyan Covenant
If you missed the Wesleyan Covenant in worship,
Sunday, January 1, here is John Wesley’s inspired
prayer, dedicating himself to God.
“I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
To thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”
John Wesley adapted this prayer from the Puritan tradition that was so important to his
parents, Samuel and Susannah Wesley, and life in the Epworth rectory. It informed his theology
and preaching. He expected the people called “Methodists” to pray this prayer at the
beginning of each new year as a way of renewing and remembering their baptismal covenant.
UMC Discipleship.org
Thank You, CCUMC
for your generosity. This year, you gave to Della Lamb
Community Services as recipients of the Christmas Offering.
For 125 years, The Lamb has given support to refugees, providing food, clothing and
education to families from Italy, Vietnam, Arab nations and now Ukraine. Immigrants receive
refugee support, culturalization, housing, help finding work, and assistance in learning English
as a Second Language. Low-income families in the neighborhood receive day care and early-
childhood education, winterization for senior citizens’ homes and numerous sports activities.
Their football, basketball and track teams have produced nationally renowned athletes.
CCUMC has helped support Della Lamb for decades by volunteering during holiday events,
contributing gifts and financial support, and serving on their board of directors.
To date, our Christmas Offering has totaled $3,095.00
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