Living Water - A Monthly Publication of the Five Rivers District for March 2014 - Volume 11, Issue 3

Living Water - A Monthly Publication of the Five Rivers District for March 2014 - Volume 11, Issue 3 

From Your District Superintendent

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.--Proverbs 22:6

The Five Rivers Leadership Team is excited to share with you an opportunity that will support the children and youth of our district. We are blessed to have within our district an excellent DCYM (District Council on Youth Ministry) and one of the major camps of the Great Plains Conference. These two realities present life changing spiritual experiences for our youth and children. We need to support these ministries in all ways that we can. 

This is why the Leadership Team is inviting every church within our district to take part in a special district offering that will be shared in equal parts with Camp Chippewa and the Five 

Rivers DCYM. This is a way to help continue a level of ministry to our children and youth that will help assure their spiritual development through greater understanding and love for Jesus 

Christ. This is without a doubt one of the best gifts that we can give to young disciples. 

Watch for more material to come your way in March and April to promote this effort in the Five Rivers District. Our goal is that every congregation in the district will do something to financially support this offering. So please begin thinking and praying about this opportunity. 

As I said, we are blessed to have one of the finest district youth ministries in the conference. 

Project Revolution (our annual district youth gathering) has been one of the largest gatherings of youth anywhere in the conference. We are also blessed to have right in our district, a great camp that provides wonderful ministry to our children and youth (and adults as well). 

We want to be able to continue to provide this level of ministry and maybe do even better. So please watch for the coming information about how you and your church can be a part of this 

special effort. 

In Christ, 

Dennis

Schedule of Events for 5R 

• March 3-7 Appointive  Cabinet, DS is in Lincoln, NE 

• March 5, Ash Wednesday 

• March 8th D.C.oM. Interviews at Wellsville UMC  8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

• March 12 Appointive Cabinet video conferencing. 

• March 17-22 Appointive Cabinet, DS is at COR 

• March 21-22 Marriage Encounter, Yates Center UMC 

• March 29th District Committee on Superintendency  Garnett UMC, 9-11 a.m. 

• April 20th Easter 

• April 25th World Malaria Day

Clergy Birthdays 

Barbara Clinger 2nd 

Shirley Edgerton 5th 

Moon-Hee Chung 11th 

Donna Voteau 21st 

Beth Hodgson 21st 

Jim Hopwood 23rd 

Charles Russell 25th 

Jada Hodgson 31st

Prayer Calendar 

Mar. 2 Paola 

 Rev. Jim Hopwood 

Mar.9 Richmond 

 Rev. Butch Ritter 

Mar.16 Colony/Iola Trinity 

 Pastor Dorothy Welch 

Mar.23 Pleasanton/Prescott 

 Rev. Gary DeMott 

Mar.30 Michigan Valley 

 Rev. Duane Kessler

One Great Hour of Sharing can deliver hope to those that need it 

the most with our help. 

Donations UMCOR receives through this offering, along with other undesignated gifts made throughout the year, cover their costs of doing business. UMCOR is not subsidized by the United Methodist World Service Fund or apportionment funds, so without your 

gifts, UMCOR could not guarantee that 100% of all other funds 

raised will be used for a specific cause. 

http://www.umcgiving.org/site/

Healthy Living Tidbits for Disciples by Marvé Ralston 

Most of us are in the same boat this year. We seek to find balance; restoration of our health, time for exercise, prayer 

and bible study. We know what is good for us but need to realize just how crucial it is, to take time for maintenance of this glorious mind, body and soul God gave us. 

It’s very important to be in the Word daily. We need to be meditating on bible verses and “setting” our mind on God and 

Godly thoughts. 

Psalms 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. 

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee. 

If we are in the Word, we are far less likely to be judging others and we will have instruction to live a better life. 

Prayer is a requisite for the believer as well. Not just a simple request for all we need, although there are definitely times 

for that. We need ample time for lifting up friends and those we know need help from our Heavenly Father. We should pray for our pastor, District Superintendent, Dennis Ackerman and Bishop, Scott Jones. They are in divine leadership over us. Ask God to help our pastor in sermon preparation; keep our DS safe as he travels to our churches and be with his family when he is out of town, help Bishop Jones and the Cabinet with political issues they are asked to help us discern, traveling mercies as they move throughout the Great Plains and optimal decision making regarding our new conference and pastors moves. We should remember to pray for those facing illness, widows and widowers, unemployment, 

addictions and all of God’s hurting children. It’s always o.k. to make requests for our personal family, health, safety and 

simply ask God to walk alongside us. 

Do you enjoy hearing thanks? So does our God. Meditate on scriptures of praise. Speak His promises out loud. 

Psalm 106:1 Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 

Isaiah 12:4 In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 

Take time for exercise. It is recommended that most of us take 10,000 steps daily. While that is not possible for many of us, increasing our daily movement is. While we may not see weight reduction, a simple 20 minute walk at least five times a week can help your cardiovascular system and your heart. We have to start somewhere and if walking for five minutes is a struggle for you, work at increasing your time in one minute increments. You are worth it. Make time for yourself. 

 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you  have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 

There is a lot of controversy these days on what healthy eating looks like. That said, common sense will tell you that eating fruits and vegetables and not eating highly processed foods will help you obtain good health. It takes more time to prepare them, but you are not getting all the “extra” stuff in the form of additives, sodium and sugar that comes with most packaged food. 

Become an ingredient reader. The first ingredient listed on the label is the one most dominant in the food and it decreases from there.

If bread, pasta or cereal does not have “whole grain” or “whole wheat” listed first in the ingredients, you are not getting the optimal amount of fiber, Omega-3 and Vitamin B. To be considered whole wheat, a grain must still contain the endosperm, bran and germ. Many processed or refined versions of wheat contain only the endosperm. 

You are a child of God. Take time to work on a healthy mind, body and soul. 

Isaiah 64:8  But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. 

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 

I will leave you with one last thought that someone else told me. There is someone out there who is exercising, reading their bible, praying and eating healthy with even less available time than you. We all have 24 hours in a day. How will you spend yours? 

Some links you might like and additional information: 

http://www.klove.com/music/artists/mercyme/songs/shake-lyrics.aspx 

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/multigrain-vs-whole-wheat-whats-the-difference.html 

http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/exercise/a/enoughexercise.htm 

Ephesians 3:17-19 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you 

strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his 

love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

Cultivating Christian Discipleship

Five Rivers District

Primary Business Address 

3300 Clinton Parkway Court, Suite 110 

Lawrence, Kansas 66047-2629  

Phone: 785-841-4804 

Fax: 785-841-4820 

E-mail: 5riversdistrict@greatplainsumc.org 

5riversds@greatplainsumc.org 

Website: 5riversds.com 

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