Midweek Meditation: Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Dear Calvary Family,
Such an odd little parable, The Two Debtors, is only found in Luke’s gospel (Luke 7:40-47).
You can almost miss that there is a parable within the larger dinner party story of Simon the Pharisee. And this dinner party has a lot going on! It’s like a parable wedged into a dinner party and that dinner party was taken over by an act of parabolic gratitude – the woman anointing Jesus’ feet with her tears! So many layers! Such good stuff for us to pay attention to!
Join us this Sunday as we dive into this story of love and forgiveness, challenge and accountability, connection and relationship with Jesus.
Let us serve as Hearers and Doers,
Pastor Michelle
Here’s what’s happening in the life of our Church and how you can get involved:
UMCOR IN TEXAS
The United Methodist Committee on Relief is already working in Texas to help with the disasters from the flooding that is taking place. If you would like to donate to their work there and assist in the relief they offer, you can do so at https://umcmission.org/advance-project/901670/.
CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING
This is required for everyone who will be working at LEGO Camp but also at any of our other events where children attend (like the Fall Festival, for example), or for those working in nursery and helping with Sunday School. If you did not attend one of the previous meetings for this back in March, please attend this Sunday. It will take place in the Youth Room in the office area following the service at 11:15am.
KINDNESS KITCHEN
Normally, the Kindness Kitchen is busy on the first Sunday of the month, like it was this past week. Thank you to all who came out to the Clermont Mobile Home Park lunch or donated to the event this past Sunday! (We have a few pictures attached for you to check out!) However, unlike other months that get a little quieter after the first week, this month of July is an exception and a very exciting time! Join us any way that you can:
-This Sunday, July 13, we’re participating once again in the Hendricks County “Chopped Challenge” to benefit Family Promise and the Hendricks County Food Pantry Coalition. We need donations of your “Chopped Change” to support us and we’d love your presence there to encourage us! We’ll be in the Hendricks Power Expo Hall at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds at 1:00pm.
-We’re following that up with a Pancake Breakfast to also support Family Promise on Sunday, July 27th. Volunteers are needed to set up, cook and serve, and clean up. A sign-up sheet for that is on the Mission table.
-And, one more request: We would love to see a few more faces in the kitchen! If you would like to help with Sunday coffee or Classics Luncheons, funeral meals or other events, contact the office and let us know. If you have any questions about any of this, please email Karen Striegel at KarenStriegel5@gmail.com.
KEEP SUMMER GIVING STRONG
While many of us travel and have busy activities during the summer, we need you to keep your financial giving strong to the operating and mortgage funds during the summer months. Ministry continues even while each of us travels. Thank you for your generosity!
PRAYING FOR OUR PASTORS
Just like Aaron held up Moses’ arms so Israel could win the battle against their enemies, we need you, our faithful family, to pray for our Pastors. They fight battles every day in the spiritual realm. Let’s lift them up, pray for them, and help them hold up their arms in their daily work. We would like you to pray once a month on the day you select through December. While Monday through Saturday we ask you to pray for both pastors, on Sundays we would like to have one person pray specifically for Pastor Michelle and another person pray specifically for Pastor Jolita. A sign-up sheet is on the mission table in the hallway across from the office or you may sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0F45ABAC2AA3F85-57384628-praying
7,000! AND MAYBE OFFERING A HAND…
The Brownsburg School system is hosting FastTrack again this year. This is a program that collects school supplies from organizations in the community, like our church, and then hosts a Saturday in July for local families in need to “shop” for those supplies and even get free haircuts before school starts! 7,000 is the approximate number of pencils we have so far! Great job, Calvary! We are almost to our goal of 10,000 #2 Pencils! The next time you’re in the store or shopping online, please pick up a pack of pencils! We only need 3,000 more! We have a collection bin at the Mission table in the hall across from the office. In addition to the pencils, we can also offer some help that morning. If you’re available on Saturday, July 26, 8:00am-10:30am, sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DAFA72CAAF8C16-57240758-fast#/ and join us at East Middle School!
OPPORTUNITY FOR “OKLAHOMA”
Otterbein Franklin has planned a trip to see the musical “Oklahoma” and is inviting Calvary UMC friends to join them on Wednesday, July 30. Departure from our church will take place at 10:45am to arrive at the Harmony (Myers) Dinner Theater in Hillsboro in time for lunch and the show. We should return to our church by 5:00pm that same day. The all-inclusive cost of this is $129 per person. RSVP and payment is due to Lew and Cathi White by today, July 9. For all the details, pick up a flyer from the Mission table across from the office!
LEGO CAMP VOLUNTEERS
If you are signed up to volunteer in some way, but were unable to join us for the orientation in June, we will do a make-up session for that on Saturday, July 19, at 10:00am in Fellowship Hall. Following that, from 10:45-11:15, will be a brief set-up for camp. All volunteers are asked to arrive on the first day of camp (Monday, July 21) at 7:45am. Please mark your calendar. The entire congregation is invited to join us for the opening worship time from 9:00-9:30 all three mornings (July 21-23).
YOUTH GROUP TRIP
To celebrate summer together, the youth will be heading to Sugar Creek to go canoeing on Sunday, August 3, leaving right after church. Plan on having lunch there and spending a few hours in the water. If you’d like to go, email Pastor Jolita (jerbele@calvaryunited.org) before this coming Sunday!
BIBLE STUDY FOR “NEWBIES”
Here’s a Bible Study for adults who have never done a Bible Study before! And, it works with our August Sermon Series: “Back to School: The BIBLE”. Beginners and novices join Pastor Michelle with your Bible and a willingness to try something new on five Tuesdays: August 5, 12, 19, 26 and September 2 in the Conference Room from 10:00-11:30am.
JULY CLASSICS LUAU LUNCHEON
Join us on July 29 at Noon for roasted pork and other luau fare. Bring a friend and something to share! RSVP by contacting the office or signing up on the sheet on the Mission table in the hallway. See you there!
WEDNESDAY WATERER OUT FRONT
Do you have a few minutes to share on Wednesdays when the weather gets dry? It can be morning, afternoon, or evening! We are in need of someone to stop by and water the Columbarium and Memorial Garden area, along with the pots by the front doors. (We have volunteers for a couple other days during the week already and just need to fill in Wednesday.)
REMEMBERING CHRIS TJELMELAND
The family of Chris invites you to celebrate her life with them on Saturday, August 16 between noon and 2:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Please join us!
LEGOS WANTED
The Missions & Outreach team will have a couple of bins in the narthex to collect LEGOs again ahead of this year’s camp in July. Cleaning out a closet? Child has outgrown them? We’ll take them! As a side note: we would prefer actual LEGOs because the off-brands do not lock well with LEGOs. Thank you for your help and donations!
CANS OF SODA NEEDED FOR CRAFT FAIR
There are always a lot of great soda sales around the 4th of July and Labor Day Holidays. We would love your help taking advantage of those sales and purchasing cans of soda to donate for the Craft Fair Concessions in October. If you’re willing to help in this way, we want only 12-ounce cans of regular Coke, regular Pepsi, regular Sprite, and Diet Coke. (Please no flavor variations or other choices.) If you have any questions, contact the church office. Donations can be dropped off in the church office.
LEARNING ACADEMY OPENINGS
Calvary Learning Academy has a few openings in the Toddler Room (walking age), the Pre-K class, and the Kinderskills class for the 2025-2026 school year. We would love to have your families and friends join in the learning fun. Please share the word with others looking for a Christian learning environment! Reach out to us with any questions at (317) 852-2594. The registration form is online at https://calvaryunited.org/registration/. We look forward to hearing from you!
WORSHIP:
-Sunday, July 13, 10:00am (Traditional) Sermon Series on the Parables of Jesus
“Forgiveness Leads to Love & Love Leads to Forgiveness” Luke 7:40-47 (NRSV) Rev. Michelle Knight
-Sunday, July 20, 10:00am (Traditional) LEGO: Connecting to God and One Another
Part 1 of 2: “God Initiates Connection” Romans 5:8-10 (NRSV) Rev. Michelle Knight
SAVE THE DATE:
-Child Protection Training – Sunday, July 13, 11:15 in the Youth Room
-Make-Up LEGO Camp Volunteer Meeting – Saturday, July 19, 10:00-10:45 orientation; 10:45-11:15am set-up in Fellowship Hall
-Euchre – Saturday, July 19, 6:00-8:00pm in Fellowship Hall
-Pancake Breakfast – Sunday, July 27, 11:15 in Fellowship Hall
-Classics Luncheon – Tuesday, July 29 at Noon in Fellowship Hall
-Office Closed – Wednesday, July 30 for Staff Retreat and In-service
-First Monday of the Month Prayer Time – Monday, August 4, 6:30am in the Sanctuary