October 2023
Enough
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Oh, how I absolutely LOVE October! The weather is incredibly unpredictable, the wildlife patterns change, and ancient migration patterns are being followed, It’s a time of so much tradition and mystery, predictable patterns and unfettered chaos, comforting familiarity and life altering change. It’s a time for harvest of what has grown through the summer and preparation for a cold winter ahead. It’s a time when we are grateful for the
abundance, but also worry if it will be enough. Halloween decorations and horror movies will fill our calendars, but the terror of not having enough is what really scares us. We worry and work so hard to stay ahead of the fear of scarcity that we begin to doubt that we are enough. Am I good enough? Smart enough? Nice enough? Skinny enough? Tough enough? The list goes on and can change by the hour. |
Enough is enough.
That is what we are going to explore together this October… enough. Scripture reminds us over and over that our God loves us ALL and has ensured that we all are and have ENOUGH. My prayer for this October is that you might join us in this special time together. That you might find a place and time of encouragement, contentment, peace, connection, and love that brings authentic value to your life. That we might begin to see and understand “enough” as God is calling us to. I pray that we each and all might see that the best of it is… God is always with us! Blessings! Thom |
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HELP! HELP! HELP!
Volunteers at the Quad have been giving diapers to families in need of assistance. Funds totaling $2,000 were received from the Barbara Csomay grant through the United Women in Faith. Although the money has allowed the distribution of diapers, wipes and some meals, funds are dwindling as we strive to meet the community's needs. The Quad is having a diaper drive during the month of October. Please consider purchasing and donating one or two packages of diapers, sizes 1 to 7 (no pull-ups), when you come to church in October. A container marked for diapers will be in the entry of the church. Your help is needed to continue this ministry to young families in our community! SUNDAY SCHOOL CRAFT DAY DUMC is planning a craft day for the Sunday School Children on Sunday, October 15th from 2-4 PM to make crafts for the Country Store to be held at our Thanksgiving Supper on Saturday, November 4th from 5-7 PM. All Sunday School Children are welcome to attend. If some parents would like, they are invited to assist us. Thank you - Donna Eaves CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT DUMC is requesting the participation of all Sunday School children in the Christmas Pageant scheduled for Sunday, December 17th at 9am at the Drakesville Church. We will be performing a Nativity Skit with a part for everyone. There is a practice schedule being planned to start on Tuesday, October 17th from 4:30-6 PM. We would like to see you all come! Thanks so much - Donna Eaves HALLOWEEN PARTY CALLING ALL KIDS. On Sunday, October 29th at 4 PM, we will be having a joint church Halloween Party at the Drakesville Park Shelter House. We will have a weiner roast, smores and games! Come in Costume if you wish, and bring your family! CARING CREATIONS
Caring Creations will meet on Thursday, October 26 at 9:00am. Mats for the homeless, shopping bags from T-shirts, baby hats and blankets, scarves for veterans, transient hygiene bags and sewn bags for school kits were on display during the Golden Valley UWFaith annual meeting. These items were sewn, crocheted, knitted and made by women involved with Caring Creations. Following the annual meeting, 95 baby hats and 13 baby blankets were donated to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, 20+ shopping bags and 14 mats for the homeless were delivered to Families Forward (formerly Bidwell-Riverside). The scarves will be taken to the Marshalltown Veterans Home and the school bags will be filled with school supplies and sent to Midwest Missions Ingathering. BUMC CHURCH CENTER We have a new way of connecting with our Church family! It is called Church Center. There is an app that you can download in the app store, or you can use the website: https://the-bloomfield-united-methodist-church.churchcenter.com/home Through this website, you can create your own profile and view other profiles in the church directory. You can choose what information you would like to share with others and keep everything up to date. You can view your contribution statements at any time, and you can give to the church if you would like to. This is the best way to keep us up to date with your mailing preferences and contact information. |
SCHOOL SUPPLIES DUE
School supplies will be boxed in preparation to take to the Midwest Mission Ingathering in November. Please bring school supplies to the church by Sunday, October 8. The kits will be checked and boxed on Tuesday, October 10. WINDOWS OF THE CHURCH All the way back in April of this year, we began learning about the windows at the front of our church. This month we will be talking about the 6th and 7th windows. “The 6th and 7th windows symbolize the ELEMENTS OF THE HOLY COMMUNION, or THE LAST SUPPER. ‘DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.’” - Dr. Carl E. Wilson. To take Christ’s body and blood, we are being sustained by His sacrifice. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb. - Jessica Wortmann GOLDEN VALLEY DISTRICT UW FAITH The Golden Valley District United Women in Faith met for their annual meeting on September 16, 2023, at the Bloomfield United Methodist Church. Seventy women attended the all-day event where the ministries of the Quad were explained. Attendees learned of mission work done by UWFaith units in the district, heard a presentation on a Panama mission trip, listened to an inspiring message by the UWFaith President of the Iowa Conference, and shared communion. It was a day of inspiring messages, wonderful fellowship, and great food. Thank you to all who worked so hard preparing the meal, greeting and registering attendees, and decorating for this event. A special thank you to Pastor Thom for all his help with technology and offering special messages and prayers during the day. 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
JR Mulder 10/22 Hayden Hankins 10/13 If you would like your Birthday Celebrated in our Newsletter, please contact the BUMC office! NEW MEMBERS Welcome and Congratulations to our newest members of the church: Teresa Mathews, Yvonne Maxwell, and Sid Maxwell! BUMC GIVING We would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for the ways you have supported our Church. From volunteering, to financial support, to being present on Sunday mornings, to your thoughts and prayers over the years; we could not be where we are today without you. As we strive to be the best that we can be for our community, know that you are a huge part of our successes. If you would like to volunteer at the church or the Quad, please contact Jessica Wortmann via text at 641-242-3174 or call at 641-664-3206. If you feel called to give financially, we have been working on making it easier for you. Here are the ways we currently have available: Sunday Morning offering, Mailing your givings, Scanning this QR Code, Texting any amount to 84321, or visiting: https://the-bloomfield-united-methodist-church.churchcenter.com/giving Thank you for all of your support! |
FALL HOURS
Drakesville Worship Service: Sundays @ 9:00 am
Bloomfield Worship Service: Sundays @ 10:30 am
The BUMC office will be open on Mondays-Thursdays 8:30-12:00 & 1:30-3:30
Drakesville Worship Service: Sundays @ 9:00 am
Bloomfield Worship Service: Sundays @ 10:30 am
The BUMC office will be open on Mondays-Thursdays 8:30-12:00 & 1:30-3:30
Thank you Joe and Nancy Plowman and Cassie and Scott Shively for all of the hard work you put in decorating our building for fall!
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Thank you Marissa Logterman and Jessica Wortmann for painting the windows on the Quad for Homecoming!
To download a PDF version of our newsletter, click below.
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