Join Us For Worship!

Pastor Claire invites you to join us Sundays at 10AM for a

sermon series about The Power of Words.

COVID/Flu/RSV Announcement

COVID, Flu, and RSV are on the rise.

If you are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, please stay home in order to protect our friends and neighbors and curb the spread of disease.

We encourage you to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Reminder: Upcoming Events

Remember to scroll down to see all the exciting events coming up at HOL in the next couple of months, including:

• Volunteer and Community Appreciation Sunday
• Pancake Brunch Fundraiser for the Youth Mission Trip
• Pack and Unpack Lunch Study
• Enneagram Study (limited to 10 people!)
• Intergenerational Game Night
• Lenten Study
• Ash Wednesday Service

You can also find upcoming events on our website by visiting: https://www.heartoflongmont.org/hol-events/

The new icemaker is in and functioning! Thank you John Murphy for acquiring and installing!

Special thanks go to the families of Memorial Funds used to purchase the ice machine as well as required filters for use. Thank you so much to the families of Shirley Ahnstedt, Tom Clydesdale, Joelean Greenhalge and John Jordan! A memorial plaque has been ordered and will be mounted on the wall near the ice machine.

United Women in Faith use this machine for all functions and many other entities that use our church will also use it. All really appreciate this machine! Thank you again!

--Lynn Greenhalge

Chili Cook Off Back

and Better Than Ever!

The cold weather didn’t keep many from coming and enjoying some fun competition and good fellowship. Of the 12 chilis entered, Rod Edmonds and Linda McDaniels tied for best chili. The best dessert was a three-way tie between Marty Allison, Nancy Hand, and Janet Pearson.

Black History Month

February marks the month when black history shines. There are a number of exhibitions in Boulder County to enlighten and educate, if you desire to take the steps.

Nashville African American

Wind Symphony Concert

Enjoy a musical performance by this unique group at a performance on February 19th from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

The group consists of 52 black classical musicians. Its mission is to educate the younger generation of musicians and advocate for musicians of color.

The performance will be at the Macky Auditorium in Boulder.

Although the concert is free of charge, tickets are required for admittance. Attain your ticket at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naacp-freedom-fund-celebration-naaws-concert-tickets-512045350427

Donations are being accepted to help with travel expenses for the group. Please consider making a donation at

https://naacpbouldercounty.org/donations/donate-to-the-naacp/

Reloadable Safeway Cards

To all who have Safeway reloadable cards:

The church received a letter explaining that the supplier for these cards was changing. As a result, all reloadable cards with a running balance after January 5 will remain active for balance inquiry and redemption transactions.

Reloads however, will no longer be processed after January 5 and the delivery of new cards, which will be reloadable, has been delayed.

After talking with Safeway today, new cards should be available soon.

The reward for the church will still be in effect. If you would like to get one of the new reloadable cards, please let me know. I will be taking the names of the people who request a new card and will let Safeway know how many to send to the church. You can then come to the church and get your new card. So just send me an email and tell me you would like a new card and I will pass that information on to Safeway.

Thank you for your help.

Carol Barnett

carolb@heartoflongmont.org

Office Manager

Literacy Week

February 27 - March 2

Are you looking for some time to read aloud to some eager children?

Wild Plum has asked if any of our congregants might be interested in visiting and reading aloud to their students. Another option is for people to purchase books from Scholastic for the kids or to purchase nicer books for the teachers for in class use. 

There will be a sign up in the Gallery for readers. There will also be a Scholastic catalog in the gallery for people to order from. 

Below is a list of times (listed from start to end time).

FUMC 1 (Room 213/215 - Preschool): Requested 2 different volunteers, 2 different days Monday-Thursday, time range 10:30 to 11:15 when lunch starts.

FUMC 2 (Room 103 - Older toddlers): Monday between 10:15 - 10:45

FUMC 3 (Room 105 - Infants): Any day but Monday between 10:00 - 10:30 

FUMC 4 (Room 109/111 - Younger toddlers): Any day Monday - Thursday between 9:00 & 11:00

FUMC 5 (Room204 - Preschool): Thursday at 10:45

UWF 2023 Reading Program Books

The books that we have purchased for the UWF 2023 Reading Program are now on the library table in the Gallery and available for check-out. Please leave the book card in the container on the table. There is also a box for returned items or they can be left on the library desk. If you would like a list of the program books that can be checked out from the Longmont Public Library, please let me know at sy3473@comcast.net and I will send you the list. We have a limited number of books this year, so please try to return them within 2-3 weeks.

Thank you.

Sharon Yonkees

Secretary, Program Resources and Reading Program

2022 Year-End Financial Update

December was a strong month financially. December is consistently one of our strongest revenue months as people catch-up on giving to meet their pledges, and when some members direct their ‘required minimum distributions’ from their retirement funds to the church. In addition, this year we received compassion gifts totaling $2,700 for Habitat for Humanity and $2,035 for Wesley Homes, and contributions towards the HVAC project of $1,525.

For the year, thanks to your generosity, we exceeded the revenue budget by over $30,000 (8.5%). In addition to the gifts toward the operating budget, you also contributed nearly $50,000 towards compassion offerings and over $8,500 for the HVAC project.

Our expenses came in slightly lower than budget, despite significant increases in some of our facility utility costs. Accordingly, our net loss for the year was significantly below what was budgeted.

As mentioned previously, YTD income and net (deficit) comparisons to 2021 are impacted by the forgiveness in June 2021 of the PPP loan of $37,900. No such benefit existed in 2022.

Without the PPP loan forgiveness, income for the year was up $32,153

(9.2%).

Expenses were up $16,682 (4.2%) from 2021 which reflects primarily the fact that we resumed ‘in person worship’ and programs, and a corresponding increase in building and program related expenses.

Again, your generosity is a testimony to our collective support for our ministry and mission efforts as we live out our mission of ‘putting more of God’s love into the world.’

THANK YOU!!!

The Sum Of Us

Panel Discussion

On February 26th a discussion on The Sum of Us will be moderated by Sheila Davis and Susan Kapland at The 1st Congregational Church in Boulder. Attend in person or on Zoom from 2:00 to 3:30.

The discussion will focus on the book’s premise that racial division and prejudice has impacted advancements in the US. We are better together than divided.

Agape Safe Haven Update

Hello Friends,

As you are aware we have faced bitterly cold temperatures this week. Knowing this, we extended our Day Shelter hours and days this week. Since Sunday we have served 75 meals to our homeless brothers and sisters. And it's only Tuesday! We are in need of some pantry staples like milk, eggs, coffee, and bread. Our other needs include cleaning and laundry supplies as well as shampoo and shower gel. We are so grateful to be able to offer anyone experiencing homelessness a shower, laundry facilities, and a hot meal. But, we can't do that without support. We also have a couple of specific needs. Weather like this means we see it all: frostbite chief among them! We can also use antibacterial cream and bandages.  

God bless you all.

Jessica Bennett

Executive Director

Agape Safe Haven

Why Mission u Might Be For You!

Who Can We Be Together

It's an education study over 4 weeks in February ... help beat those winter doldrums.

Leading into Lent, it could make a great Lenten preparation study.

It's all virtual, you can participate on Zoom; no travel, no expenses.

It can be made into a group study at your local church, home, or fellowship hall. Simply bring your group together in a single location so that you can interact as a group. All you need is a single large screen and a good Internet connection.

The 2023 Mission u Zoom course is scheduled for consecutive Sundays, from 2-4:30 p.m. on February 5, 12, 19, and 26. "Who Can We Be Together" is a Biblical exploration of Luke 13. Pastor Char Elliott is the study leader. Char is a graduate of the Iliff School of Theology, in Denver, and holds a Master of Arts in Religion. During her ministry, she served as Christian Education Minister at Sunrise UMC in Colorado Springs. She went on to serve in Christian education at Highlands UMC and Washington Park UMC in Denver.

The study will take us into Jesus' ministry. He displayed frustration and rage at the institutions of His time. As followers of Christ 2000 years later, we experience our own crises, such as exploitation of the environment, racial and gender-based violence, war, famine, and poverty. Together we will explore the range of emotions that Jesus' words bring up in us and learn ways in which we can be proactive in working towards justice for all. Participants of this course have an opportunity to develop a stronger capacity for Biblical literacy, learning how the parables of Jesus can be viewed through an anti-oppression lens. Together, we can work toward Christ community, using the Isasi-Diaz which speaks to rationality, community, and equity as the basis of God's reign.

Mission u is an educational arm of United Women in Faith and this study is cooperatively sponsored by UWFaith and the Mountain Sky Mission Team.

Online registration opens on Monday, October 17 and a printable registration form is also available.

Please click here to register

If you have questions about participating as a group, or you would like additional information, contact Kathryn Witte, dean of Mission u, at kathrynwitte75@yahoo.com.

The study is free; the book, by Candace Simpson, can be purchased on the Mission u website here or on Amazon.

UWF Cheese Ball Sale

The Heart’s United Women in Faith Cheese Ball Sale begins again!

Orders will be taken until February 5th. Pick up your orders at the church on February 12 after the 10AM service.

Cheese balls are $12 each.

Original is cream cheese, ham, green onion, Worcestershire, and cheddar cheese with a pecan crust. Options for no onions or a parsley crust.

Make checks payable to UWF and return with your order form to Heart of Longmont UWF 350 11th Ave., Longmont, CO 80501.

Click here to download the order form.

Volunteer Opportunity:

Youth Group Dinners

HOL Youth Group needs volunteers to bring dinner for the youth group gatherings this spring semester!

Please sign up for a spot as you are able to. Dinner starts at 5:00 PM every Sunday. Please plan to provide dinner for a group of 12 - 18 youth. 

It is helpful if you are able to stay to clean up, but if you aren't able to do that and would still like to drop off food, please let Emily know ahead of time. 

We have a gluten and milk allergy, so please provide dairy free and gluten free options. 

Sign up to volunteer using the URL below OR, if you do not want to use SignUpGenius, email Emily at emily.basic@gmail.com to let her know you are interested!

Sign up URL: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054faeab2da6fe3-basic5#/

Please let Emily know if you have any questions!

Help out with Sunday Kids!

Sunday Kids are growing! How wonderful it is to see children in the building on Sunday mornings! We have split the "littles" from the "big" kids and are providing Children's Church in the Library while the Nursery remains for the "littles". But we need your help!

If you would be willing to be a "helper" either in the Nursery or Children's Church, please let Tricia Grafelman or Lynn Greenhalge know! Another way you can help is by being an emergency back-up! We may grab you from the church service or Sunday School class if you are there and can cover.

ALL those who work with the children will need to go through our Safe Sanctuary training which is online and simple to complete.

Let's keep this momentum rolling and protect the future of our church while having fun!

Volunteer and Community Appreciation Sunday - The first Sunday of each month

at 11:30am-12:00pm in Wesley Hall. We will be holding a different short gathering and event the first Sunday of each month to help "fill people's cups" and show our appreciation for those who work to keep our programs and building running. You do not need to be a volunteer to attend, all are welcome!

Sandy Rabenhorst will be leading Tai Chi this Sunday, February 5.

"Pack and Unpack" Lunch Study and Discussion - Tuesdays at 12:00 pm Pastor Claire invites you to "pack your lunch and unpack the prior sermon" with her. Bring your lunch and enjoy interesting discussions in the Parlor!

Enneagram Study - Are you curious about your personality type? The Enneagram Personality test is a system of personality typing that describes patterns in how people interpret the world and manage their emotions. The Enneagram describes nine personality types and maps each of these types on a nine-pointed diagram which helps to illustrate how the types relate to one another. 

Join us for a 4 week study starting Monday, February 6, at 6:30pm via zoom. Rev. Dr. Patti Agnew will lead the study. 

If you are interested, let Tricia know. The class is limited to 10 people. Cost is $12 to take the Enneagram test.

Pancake Brunch Fundraiser - Join us February 19 after worship service for a Pancake Brunch fundraiser for the Youth Group's mission trip. This will be our Shrove Tuesday (aka Fat Tuesday) offering prior to Ash Wednesday. Come support our youth!

Ash Wednesday Service - Wednesday February 22 at 7:00PM

Holy Land Informational Meeting - February 26, right after service. If you have any interest in traveling to the Holy Land in late February 2024, please attend this short informational meeting.

To review information about this tour, where you will go and what you will see, check out this PDF. Please note that dates and pricing are not final.

Intergenerational Game Night! – Heart of Longmont will be hosting an inter-generational game night on February 26, from 4PM to 6:30PM. Plan for a wonderful evening connecting with people of all ages! We will play many different games, including “Mind the Gap”, a trivia game for 4 generations. Teams will be formed with a person from each generation. There will be charcuterie boards for snacking as well as popcorn and dessert.

Lenten Study 2023 – The all-church Lenten study will begin February 26 and go through April 2. We will be studying Adam Hamilton’s new book Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws.

Discussions will be held at multiple times:

• Sunday mornings with adult discussion groups
• Monday evenings via Zoom
• Tuesday at 12PM with Pastor Claire for Pack and Unpack lunch discussion

More information coming soon!

About the book:

"Nobody is perfect. We all struggle. Even the first-century people who lived during Jesus’ time didn’t have their act together. But Jesus came to lift up these ordinary, imperfect people—many of whom were outsiders, outcasts, and even outlaws. He brought hope to those who needed it most. That includes you and me.

In the book and six-week church-wide study Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws, pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores the life of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke. Through Luke’s stories we find Jesus’ care and compassion for all as he welcomes sinners and outcasts. As we study Luke and see Jesus’ concern for those who were considered unimportant, we hear a hopeful and inspiring word for our lives today."

Dinner for Eight - The week of March 13-18 we will be encouraging people to eat meals together. More information coming soon!

Be The Church Service Sunday - April 16 will be a very special service Sunday. There will be no worship service that morning. Instead, we will be taking our talents and skills into our community.

Do you need help with work around your home, or know someone who does? Members of our congregation, Wild Plum families, and close friends of our church will have the opportunity to sign up to have volunteers come to their homes to help with small repair, organizing, and cleaning tasks.

Volunteers will gather at Heart of Longmont Sunday morning, then travel to the homes of those who need assistance. This is a great opportunity to be of service and put more of God's Love into our community.

More details and sign up sheets will be available as we get closer to this special service Sunday. Please consider being a volunteer!

If you have questions, please contact Tricia Grafelman.

Hakuna Matata Children's Choir - We will be hosting the Hakuna Matata Children's Choir from Kenya this spring. They will be performing at our church on Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23 during our service. They are touring the United States raising money for their school. We will be looking for hosts to house 15 children and 4 adult chaperones. More information to follow.

February's compassion offering supports the OUR Center.

The OUR Center helps people move toward self-sufficiency by unifying community resources. OUR Center provides many different services to the community, including a Community Market (food bank) and Cafe, rent and utility assistance, life skills and financial classes, and parenting support and skills resources.

If you wish to donate to this month's compassion offering, you can do so online by clicking here and navigating to the Monthly Compassion Offering tile. Or, you may send a check to the church office with "Compassion Offering" on the memo line.

Heart of Longmont UWF have a Facebook page!

Click here to follow us at https://www.facebook.com/uwfoftheheart/

United Women in Faith Circle Information

Please come join a group and see what it's about, we'd love to have you!

Lydia Circle

Catherine Murphy (chair)

Second Thursday of the month at 5pm in the church Gallery.

Sarah Circle

Ann Yoder (chair)

3rd Thursday of the month at 9:30am in various homes.

Contact the church office for location.

Esther Circle

Nancy Swope (chair)

3rd Tuesday of the month at 9:30am, various homes or church Gallery.

Call the church office for location.

Elizabeth Circle

Linda Morris (chair)

3rd Monday of the month at 1pm in the church Gallery.

Our Mission:

Putting More of God's Love Into The World

Helping all persons find deeper meaning and God’s purpose for their lives as committed Christ-followers.

Serving as the Heart of Longmont means:

We will welcome all persons, without reservation or judgment,

just as Jesus Christ would do.

We will work tirelessly by entering into intentional acts of compassion and social justice to make our community a place where God’s love is known by all, where poverty and deprivation are unknown by any, and where respect for the worth and dignity of each person is the norm.

We will respect and honor other religious traditions

while choosing Christ as our way of knowing God best.

We will emphasize life-long learning so that we may

engage our world from a dynamic and creative perspective.

We will work to protect God’s creation.

We will practice stewardship of all aspects of our lives,

including time, talent, financial resources, and spiritual gifts.

The office at Heart of Longmont is open

Monday through Thursday 10:00am to 3:00pm.