Pastor Reuben Thomas painting local food pantry

    During the holiday season, St. Paul's UMC in Socorro decided to focus on giving back to the community; to follow Jesus' command to love our neighbors and make a difference for Him. Borrowing from a program described in The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson, St. Paul's implemented "A Time to Serve" during Advent.
     From Thanksgiving until Christmas, 49 members of the congregation contributed over 180 hours of service to the local community. The outreach projects included enduring the cold weather and wind on each Saturday during Advent at a local grocery store ringing the bells for the Salvation Army; helping with meals and Thanksgiving dinner at the local homeless shelter; caroling at the local nursing home; painting a room and installing blinds at the local food pantry; distributing food to senior citizens; sending Christmas cards to the homebound; conducting a food drive for the local pantry; making prayer shawls; and hosting two Children's Christmas parties, one for the children of the Alamo Reservation.
     In addition, two members participated in a mission trip to Santa Elena with the Community UMC in Ruidoso.
     The communion offerings in November and December and the offerings on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were designated for the local homeless shelter and food pantry; each organization received a check for over $2,000. Of course, these are not one time events; St. Paul's goal is to continue to expand its outreach to the community in service to the Lord.

  Managing Grief Following the Holidays

by Dr. Keith Wilks, Pastor at FUMC-Portales 

     So, we made it through the holidays. For some of us the holidays bring on or intensify our emotional pain from the loss of our loved ones. It is common during the holidays to have an increase in strong feelings of sadness, loneliness, isolation, anger, distance and fear. However, there are tools that can help us manage grief following the holidays. I am not aware of any fix that will completely remove the pain of separation after the death of those whom we love. But I do believe with faith in God and the practice of wellness principles we can experience transformation from an overwhelming grief into a life filled with peace & hope. In this article I want to share with you five steps that have helped countless people to move from paralyzing sadness to a more affirming and productive life. 

     Don't Suffer Alone - It is crucial to our emotional, mental and spiritual progress for us to find people with whom we can share our pain. There are those who genuinely care about us and will provide us with a listening ear. When we suppress our sadness, anger and fear it festers and is more likely to impede on emotions of joy, peace and a sense of connection with others. Call a friend, talk with a pastor, or join a grief support group. 

     Write Letters or Speak as though they are Listening - Though our loved ones are no longer present with us we can still share our thoughts and feelings with them. Take the time to write or say what we are thinking, how we are feeling or just give them an update of what has been happening in our lives. It is important for the content to be transparent and authentic without regard to parameters of logic or politeness. If you want to share feelings of hurt or anger, do so. 

     Give yourself a Break - There is no universal order that determines how long grief should last or to what degree grief should be felt. We are experiencing a once in a lifetime trauma. Though we will have multiple losses, each one is unique. Grief can be more like a circle than a straight line. There will be days when we feel we have left certain emotions and thoughts behind only to experience their reoccurring pain. We must give ourselves a break and accept the fact that grief cannot be controlled every moment of the day. It is important for us to set aside times and days to grieve in our own way without being critical of self.
     Seek God's Help - The pain of separation can be more than we can face without spiritual help from God. Our faith in heaven can provide hope for a reunion with the beloved. There are times when we call on God and ask for a change in our situation. Grief can be the time when we ask God to change us because there is no changing the situation. In grief, we must seek God's help in extending our patience and to bring a measure of healing to our broken heart. We all arrived in the world through the grace of God and that same grace is powerful enough to see us through every storm of life, including grief.
     Celebrate Life - While we are in emotional pain it can be difficult to celebrate life, but not impossible. Remember the gift of joy, connection and love that God brought to us through our loved ones' lives. The time we had with them can seem short, but the impact they made on us will last a lifetime. We missed them dearly through the holidays, but we are so glad to have memories that we can draw from for the rest of our lives. To have
known, to have lived, to have embraced, and to have shared life with them is reason enough to celebrate.

Bishop Bledsoe will be visiting towns across the Conference on a spring itineration. Joining him will be the DS of location, CF&A representative, Insurance/Benefits representative, Randall Partin, Provost, Sid Strebeck, Conference Lay Leader and others.  

The United Methodist Church is facing change and challenge from within.  Simultaneously, we have the opportunity to bring light and grace to an uncertain world without.  The Bishop felt compelled to travel throughout the NM & NWTX Conferences to provide an update and address questions and concerns.  At a time when our differences tend to be more prominent, this will be an opportunity to talk and focus on what binds us together.  Please choose a time and location that is most convenient and join us for a time of sharing.  The Conference wants to hear from you!  Questions?  Contact Randall Partin at (505)255-8786 or randall@nmconfum.com.