First United Methodist Church

Newsletter

MAY/JUNE, 2014

Volume 18, Number 5 & 6

Rev. Dr. Kenton D. Van, Pastor

SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30 WORSHIP SERVICE 10:30

Message from the Pastor

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. This will be my last newsletter article to

you. It has been good ministering with all of you. This congregation has a lot going for it. The emphasis

on mission and outreach is excellent. Keep at it. That is the heart of our work as Christians. That is how

we share the love of God with those around us. The Spirit of God is moving here in our congregation.

Keep open to it. Keep listening with your hearts.

When we came here you opened your hearts to us and welcomed us. Please do the same for the new pas-

tor, Steve Cole. Show the Coles the love and warmth that we have come to know. Pray for them as they

transition into this congregation and community. Please pray for us also as we transition into Leaven-

worth.

God bless and keep you. God give you guidance and fill you with grace. God go before you to prepare the

way. God go with you and keep you safe. May you have the presence of God to shine in your life all of

your days.

Grace and Peace,

Ken

Mission Statement

“The mission of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott,

Kansas, is to share the good news of the life, death and resurrection

of Jesus Christ and to exemplify the love of God by knowing Christ,

growing in Christ, serving Christ and sharing Christ.”

First United Methodist Church 301 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701

(620) 223-1950

May Birthdays: 1-Virginia Stevens; 2-Carol Newcomer, Emily Braker; 3– Pauline Norris, Teresa Gregory; 4-Ottis Allen, Tom Braker, Ilyanna Knopp, Amari Berry; 6-Susan Payne; 7-Lindsey Walker; 8-Terri Heiser, Matt Foster, Garrett Tatro; 9-Blair Singh, Adam Reynolds; 11-Garrett Payne, Abby Altic; 12-Cindi Lipe, Evan Tatro; 14-Mary Wood, Joyce Allen, Jennifer Stevens, Darrick Green; 15-Dakota Hazelbaker, Keatyn Hunziker; 18-Jennifer Engle; 21-Ron Snyder, Ron Wood, Karleigh Arndt; 23-Toby Den-ning, Haley Kruse, Deb Anderson; 28-Emory Arnold; 31–Doug Hazelbaker.

June Birthdays: 1-Keith Tucker; 2-Allen Warren; 3-Bryan Foxx, Beverley McBride; 4-Linda Hessong; 7-Libby Fen-newald; 9-Steve Harry, Connie Van; 11-Allen Davis; 13-Shirley Culbertson; 14-Ainslee Magee; 15-Estalee Simp-son; 16-Koyle Link, Millie Lipscomb, Megan Vincent; 17-Dee Ann Davis; 18-Kathryn Morrison, Ron Rains, Robert Wilson; 19-Karen Fremar; 20-Elisa Denning, Sean Durnal, Aubree Altic; 21-Ken Van, Monte Hall, Deb Norris; 22-Joan Cox; 24-Tracy Perry; 26-Dana Ballou; 28-John Sta-ples, Kurt Pellegrino, DaLynn Schmidt, Evan Heiser; 30-Gabbi Majors.

Listed below are those who have received scholar-

ships through the Memorials & Gifts Committee.

These scholarships are made possible through the

generous gifts of the Lucile and Livian Rogers family,

the family of B. Irene Monday, and other individuals

and families for whom higher education is of great

importance.

Paige Denton Kacie Brown

Hannah Tourtillott Pierce Rienbolt

Katren Rienbolt Kori Page Rienbolt

Christopher Allen Jasmine Davis

Karley Stark Nolan Stark

Jill Fritter Jennifer Carnes

Kyle Altic

May Anniversaries: 7-Rick and Chris Comstock; 9-Chad and Lau-ren Ammons; 10-Todd and Jesse Foxx; 21-Jim and Susan Regan; 23-Reggie and Janet Fancher; 28-

Randall and Cindy Hiatt.

June Anniversaries: 2-Gary and Pam Brown; 4-Dean and Carolyn West, Randy and Karen Nichols; 5-Cameron and Megan Vincent; 6-Jim and Debbie Ste-vens; 9-Ron and Kathy Snyder; 14-Steve and Pat Harry; 18-Clayton and Melissa Tatro; 20-Steve and Susan Payne, Joe and Becky Tourtillott; 22-John and Betty Clayton, Curtis and Gloria Shankel; 23-Zack and Leslie Reynolds; 28-Carlyle and Maureen Dunshee; 29-Eric and Danette Popp.

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

The Finance Committee would like to thank Tayton

Majors, Steve Harry and Carol Majors for handling

the recording and delivery of our church service

broadcasts for April 6th and April 20

th . KMDO radio

airs the recordings at 1:00 p.m. on channel 1600

AM. Air dates for May will be the 4th and 18

th.

Next meeting date for the finance committee is May

20th at 6:00 p.m. Feel free to call or email the com-

mittee with questions, concerns or suggestions!

Debra Wood

phone - 620-215-3407 or dlwood2@hotmail.com

Letters from the Mission Field…As a fundraiser for this year's ASP Mission Trip, the team members are offering

to send letters from the mission field. For a donation of $20.49 (the $.49 is for the postage stamp) the team mem-

bers will send a letter to the donors from the ASP mission site. In the letters the team member will tell a little about

the family they have met, the work they are doing, and the trip. In the space below please provide your name and

mailing address so the team member will know where to send the letter. Include your donation of $20.49 with your

name and address slip and put them together and return them to the church office on or before June 1. Thank you

for your support of this project.

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________________________________

THANK YOU

Thank you to those who prepared and served

the food for the Lenten luncheons served at First

United Methodist Church. Also, thank you to our

piano player. Your service during this time was

appreciated.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Chris Allen - Fort Scott High School

Jasmine Davis - Fort Scott High School

Kyle Perry - Fort Scott High School

Katren Rienbolt - Fort Scott High School

Tyler Slinkard - Fort Scott High School

Kyle Atic - Fort Scott Community College

May God continue to be with you in your future

endeavors.

Summer Break is Coming- - - Last Meeting Dates Prior to

Summer Break for:

Reading Group - May 7

Fiber Fellowship - May 20

Quilts to Comfort - May 27

First Thursday Stitchers - May 1

Watch the bulletin and newsletter in the fall for the dates

when these groups will resume.

First Great Plains United Methodist

Annual Conference

Rev. Van and Ron Wood will be attending the first Great

Plains United Methodist Annual Conference scheduled for

June 11-14, 2014 in Lincoln, NE.

The theme will focus on growing vital, dynamic congrega-

tions. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Jorge Acevedo,

who is the lead pastor at Grace United Methodist Church lo-

cated in Southwest Florida. Acevedo will address growing

both faithful and fruitful congregations.

We would like to extend our thanks to Rev. Ken Van and to the ladies of the church for the wonderful meal after the service. Your kindness and thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated. The family of Marilyn Carnes

Fun for the Family

MINI HAM SANDWICHES

Barbara Stuart

Brown sugar deli ham (about 2 pkgs)

Swiss cheese (about ½ slice folded in half per

sandwich)

King’s Hawaiian rolls (12 per package)

Sauce: 2/3 stick butter, ½ t poppy seed, 2 t

Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ t Dijon mustard, 1 t

onion flakes. Melt butter, add other ingredi-

ents, remove from heat, let thicken. Slice rolls in half. Brush with sauce, stack ham and

cheese as preferred. Baste top of sandwiches

with remaining sauce. Place in 9x13 dish,

sprayed with Pam. Cover with foil and bake

at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

July 7 – July 10, 2014 6:00-8:00 p.m. Volunteers needed Contact: Karen Cook 620-223-5853 or cook53@yahoo.com Jan Hedges 620-728-9001 or janstreck@yahoo.com

Items needed for VBS-16.9 oz. or 20

oz. (clear, if possible) plastic pop bottles,

with lids. You may leave them in the

office.

First United Methodist Hour is scheduled to be broad-

cast on the local radio station, 1600 AM, from 1:00 to

2:00 p.m. on the dates below. You can tune in to hear

the Sunday morning worship services that are recorded

live on these dates and then broadcast during the after-

noon.

May 4 and 18; June 1, 15 and 29; July 13 and 27; Au-

gust 10 and 24.

Meet Rev. Ken and Connie Van

Submitted by Jan Hedges

Kenton D. Van was born at M.C.A.S. Cherry Point, North Car-olina on June 21, 1951 to Edward and Josephine Williams. His parents were divorced and his mother married Arthur Van who adopted Ken and his sister.

Connie Franks Van was born in Savannah, Tennessee to John and June Franks. She only lived in Tennessee a short time, growing up in California. She has a sister, Cheryl and two brothers, Wayne – deceased, and John. Connie lived in California until she married Ken in1984. They came to Kan-sas and have never left.

Growing up in a military family, Ken lived in eight states be-fore he graduated from high school in Oceanside, California. He especially enjoyed vocal music in high school. He received a Bachelor of Arts from National University in San Diego in Interdisciplinary Studies, a Master of Divinity from St. Paul School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University.

Connie attended Kindergarten through Grade 12 in San Bernardino, California. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition at California State Polytechnic University. She completed a year’s internship in Glendale, CA to become a Registered Dietitian. Her career began in Big Bear, CA where she worked as the food services director for the hospital. Over the years she has worked as a clinical dietitian in nursing homes and hospitals, a consulting dieti-tian for nine years and most recently 11 years for the Kansas State Department of Education as a child nutrition consult-ant working with nutritional content of foods.

Varied is the best word to describe Ken’s career. His first job in high school was working in a bakery. His first full-time job was as a communications clerk for the FBI in San Diego. After a year he took military leave for a two-year tour of duty with the Marines as an intelligence analyst. When he returned, he worked for the FBI for another 1 ½ years. He then left the FBI and became a missionary for two years with the Latter Day Saints (LDS). This was followed by two years working for the Osmond family in security. Other security related and military jobs included: armed and unarmed security for the San Diego stadium, Sports Arena, LaCosta Country Club; intelligence analyst with an Army Reserves Psychological Operations unit; Camp Pendleton in the cash office for the Marine Corps Exchange. During this time he finished working on his Bachelor’s degree.

After his graduation from St. Paul School of Theology, Ken has spent 28 years full time ministry in Kansas. His appoint-ments as a minister have included: Axtell & Vermillion, Hoyt & Elmont, Salem & Bushton, College Hill in Wichita as an Associate pastor, Elkhart, Cheney, Junction City and currently Fort Scott. He will begin his next appointment in Leaven-worth beginning July 1, 2014. During this time he has also been a volunteer in fire and ambulance services.

Appropriately, Ken and Connie met at a Methodist Church function at the School of Theology at Claremont. They were both taking a class provided for lay people. Ken’s former pastor, Jim, in Oceanside, CA had moved to Big Bear, where Connie was living. Ken asked him if he had found him a young lady yet. Connie walked by and Jim introduced them to each other. When Ken returned home and shared this story with his mother and sister, they decided they needed to go to Big Bear and visit Jim. Much into matchmaking, Ken’s family arranged for a picnic following the church service and invited Connie to come.

When Connie announced she was going to be leaving for a 6-month missionary trip for training and travel in the Baha-mas, Ken decided he needed to spend more time with Connie. They saw each other every weekend for the next 6 weeks and wrote while she was gone. When she returned from her trip he proposed to her.

Since Ken was transferring from the School of Theology at Claremont to St. Paul School of Theology, they checked on the availability of married housing to determine when they should set the wedding date. They also had to take into con-sideration how long it would take them to drive to Kansas and get moved in before school started. They were married August 11, 1984.

—Continued on next page—

Women’s Banquet

You are invited to attend the Women’s Banquet

on Thursday, May 8, 2014,

at First United Methodist Church.

6:00 p.m. - Fellowship Hall

Connie Conroy will cater the meal.

Reservations are requested by noon, May 5,

by calling Marla at 223-1950 or email

secretary@firstumcfsks.org

Sponsored by the United Methodist Men.

Know Christ, Grow in Christ, Serve Christ, Share Christ.

The mission of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott, Kansas, is to share the good news of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and to exemplify the love of God by knowing Christ, growing in Christ, serving Christ and sharing Christ.

What does this mission mean for you, for our church, for our community? From April 27th through June 15th explore with the Ebb & Flow Discussion Group how the mission given to Fort Scott First UMC can renew life. Join in the journey with friends, rethink your purpose for living, and find Christ in your life. When: Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. Where: 1st floor of the Education Building (last classroom on the south end of the hall). Each session is self-contained. Bring questions, insights and/or friends. Ques-tions? Contact Connie Van 223-0865

Meet Rev. Ken and Connie Van - cont.

Ken and Connie have two sons Kenton Derek Van, Jr. and Benjamin J. Van. Both boys graduated from Cheney High School in Cheney, KS. Derek has a Masters degree in International Relations and works in Topeka for the Department of Labor doing statistical analysis. Benjamin is currently attending the University of Michigan working on a degree in nuclear engineering. He spent four years in the Air Force and last summer went to Nepal to hike to the base of Mt. Everest. He almost made it to the base camp when he had food poisoning and had to be heli-coptered out.

Ken and Connie have been involved in many ways in the communities in which they have lived. Their hobbies include: Connie – cooking, gardening and reading. Ken – motorcycles, tropical fish and photography.

Besides serving as pastor of the churches listed earlier, Ken has served on a variety of conference and district committees as well as the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. Connie has taught Sunday school classes, helped with children’s time, singing in the choir, volunteering with Feeding Families, Next Steps and the Educa-tion Committee.

Connie lists the Ebb and Flow Sunday school class, singing a couple of solos (which she had not done before) and the “Come to Jesus” song from Vacation Bible school as special events or memories of the time at First Church. Ken listed Biker’s Sundays and his favorite song is “Be Thou my Vision”.

The hope they have for the church is to see God’s love continue to grow in our hearts. They see signs of excite-ment and want it to continue to blossom and grow.

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1

~3:00-5:00 T.A.S.K.

~4:00 First Thursday

Stitchers-Fellowship Hall

2

5:30 Boyd/Bishop

wedding rehearsal

6:30 Boyd/Bishop

rehearsal dinner-

Fellowship Hall

3

3:00 Boyd/Bishop wed-

ding-FUMC

4 ~Native Ameri-

can Ministries

Sunday

~Graduate Sun-

day

~Reception in the

mini-parlor be-

tween SS and

church

~FUMC Praise

Team

~ASP sandwich

sales after worship

~5:30 Sunday

Night Light-

Fellowship Hall

5

RSVPs due by noon for Women’s Banquet on May 8

6

9:00-Noon Fiber Fellow-

ship-Parlor

7:00 SPRC meeting-

Parlor

7 *Work Session

~10:30 F.S. Manor

~1:30 Reading Group-

Parlor (last session until

fall)

~3:30 Parlor is in use

>FFiHN

~7:00 HOCROC meet-

ing-Parlor

8

3:00-5:00 T.A.S.K.

6:00 Women’s Banquet-

Fellowship Hall

9

10

11

~Communion

~ASP Fundraising

meal after worship

-Fellowship Hall

~5:30 Sunday

Night Light-

Fellowship Hall

12

1:00 XYZ Club-Fellowship Hall

13 9:00-Noon Quilts to Comfort-Parlor

7:00 Board of Trustees meeting-Parlor

7:00 VBS Planning meeting-Ebb & Flow

14 *Work Session

~10:30 F.S. Manor

~3:30 Parlor is in use

>FFiHN

15

3:00-5:00 T.A.S.K. Party

at Gunn Park

16

17

18 Quilt Dedica-

tion at worship

~2:00 Pat Harry’s

piano recital

Reception follow-

ing in mini-parlor

~5:30 Sunday

Night Light-

Fellowship Hall

19

20

9:00-Noon Fiber Fellow-

ship-Parlor (last session

until fall)

6:00 Finance meeting-

Parlor

21 *Work Session

~10:30 F.S. Manor

>FFiHN

~6:00 Memorials & Gifts

Committee meeting-

Pastor’s Study

~7:00 Administrative

Board meeting-Parlor

22

6:00 Next Steps meeting

-Parlor

23

24

25

~5:30 Sunday

Night Light-

Fellowship Hall

26

Office Closed

No XYZ Club today

27

9:00-Noon Quilts to

Comfort-Parlor (last

session until fall)

28 *Work Session

~10:30 F.S. Manor

>FFiHN

29

30

6:00 Ballou/Midkiff

wedding rehearsal

7:00 Rehearsal dinner-

Fellowship Hall

31

2:00 Ballou/Midkiff

wedding-FUMC

Dates, times and

activities may

change. Watch the

bulletin for updates.

May 2014 *Each Wednesday-9:00 to Noon-Work session at

the church

>5:30-7:00 p.m. (FFiHN) Feeding Families in His

Name meal served in Fellowship Hall

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1

ASP sandwich

sales after worship

~1:30 Nursing

Home Worship

services beginning

at Medicalodge

2 3

7:00 SPRC meeting-

Parlor

4 *Work Session

No F.S. Manor service

>FFiHN

5

6 7

ASP Mission Trip

Van reserved

June 7 through 14

8 Communion

~ASP Fundraising

meal after worship

-Fellowship Hall

9

1:00 XYZ Club-Fellowship Hall

10

11 *Work Session

No F.S. Manor service

>FFiHN

12

1:30 Miriam UMW-Parlor

13

14

ASP Mission Trip partici-

pants return

15

~Peace with Jus-

tice Sunday

~Farewell recep-

tion for Rev.

Ken and

Connie

Van-

hosted

by SPRC

16

17

18 *Work Session

No F.S. Manor service

>FFiHN

19

20

21 Summer begins

22

Guest speaker

6:00 UMM Fish

Fry at Warren’s

residence

23

July/August newsletter articles are due

1:00 XYZ Club-Fellowship Hall

24

7:00 Christian Education

meeting-Ebb & Flow

25 *Work Session

No F.S. Manor service

>FFiHN

26

6:00 Next Steps meeting

-Parlor

27

28

29 ASP Mission

Sunday report

during service

30

Dates, times and

activities may

change. Watch the

bulletin for updates.

June 2014 *Each Wednesday-9:00 to Noon-Work session at

the church

>5:30-7:00 p.m. (FFiHN) Feeding Families in His

Name meal served in Fellowship Hall

Great Plains United Methodist Annual Conference-Lincoln, NE

June 11 through 14

Good Ol’ Days

June 5-6-7

Here’s your May/June, 2014 Newsletter from….

First United Methodist Church

301 South

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Phone: (620) 223-1950

Fax: (620) 223-6802

E-mail: pastor@firstumcfsks.org OR

secretary@firstumcfsks.org

Uniting for ministry through the Bourbon County Cooperative Parish

Church Office Hours:

8:00 a.m.-Noon and 1:00-3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday

8:00 a.m.-Noon Friday

During June, July and August 8:00 a.m.-Noon Monday through Friday

Visit our

website at

www.firstumcfsks.org

The people of the United

Methodist Church—

Open hearts

Open minds

Open doors

First United Methodist Church

301 South National

Fort Scott, KS 66701-1397

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