PHOTO: Gardeners care for their plots in the Giving Garden LENT2021

A s h W e d n e s d a y , February 17, is the first day of Lent, the 40-day (excluding Sundays) season of prayer and self-reflection preceding Easter. We will offer an online Service of Ashes and Remembrance that will be available at noon and following. This year's all-church Lenten Study is on the Sermon on the Mount.

Lent Study We are offering five opportunities each week during Lent for adults to explore “Jesus’s Greatest Teachings” with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine as our guide. In her book Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven, Professor Levine introduces its major topics and explains historical and theological contexts, and shows how the words of Jesus echo his Jewish tradition and speak forward to reach hearts and minds today. Join Jeff, Amy, Joel, and Shirley on this Lenten journey beginning February 18. Email churchoffi[email protected] for m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o r t h e Z o o m information.

The study will meet virtually on: Tuesdays with Jeff (11:00am & 5:30pm) Wednesdays with Amy (10:30am) Thursdays with Shirley (7:00pm) Sundays with Joel (8:00am)

February 2021 1 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

The Explorer's Class is still meeting at 10 a.m., following the church service at 9. You will get a link from Jim Baker to sign into the Zoom session. As always, the class is exploring theological and relevant social issues which challenge your thinking...and, as always, there will be ample time for discussion. Teachers are always welcome so, if there is a topic you would like to explore, let Jane Baker know and you will be included in an upcoming date!

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?

Spiritual direction is an interpersonal relationship in which we learn how to Beginning Feb 7, The 10:30 Adult grow, live, and love in the spiritual life. Contemporary Issues class will begin That’s it! We find ways to understand a six-week study of "Healing the Heart what God is doing and saying in our of Democracy , The courage to Create lives. A Spiritual Director is one who a Politics Worthy of the Human helps another in this discerning Spirit." by Parker J. Palmer. In this process. This is not therapy or book he quickens our instinct to seek counseling. The Spiritual Director is the common good, proposing one who guides the directee to find the practical ways to bridge our political spiritual truth which is already within. divides. The author explores five Sessions usually last one hour and "habits of the heart" that can be meet monthly. If you are interested in developed in everyday settings like pursuing this process, email Pastor families, neighborhoods, classrooms, Shirley at [email protected] for congregations and work place to help m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n . S h e i s a n restore a government of the people, experienced, trained Spiritual Director by the people and for the people. who would like to share this ministry The class will be lead by Suzanne with you. Harbster.

February 2021 2 CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Dayspring Children's Ministry is launching a Kid Connect Program. We want to stay in touch with your children over the next few weeks and months until we can be back together in person. Your child will get monthly correspondence from a Children's Ministry Leader and CHERUB CHOIR periodic treats and surprises at your doorstep. All of our Kid Connect volunteers are background checked and familiar faces from their We realize that at this point in Sunday school classes and children's ministry programs. If you would the school year our cherubs are like to enroll your child in this program, please fill out the form below: probably getting a little Zoom- https://bit.ly/3tcnYL5 ed out. To help with Zoom fatigue (for both cherubs AND We are still hosting weekly Sunday school meetings at 10:00 and their families) we have decided 10:30 via Zoom. Meetings are opened to any kids ages preschool to move our choir meetings to through 6th grade. We hope to see some new faces joining us on the first and third Wednesdays Sunday mornings soon. of every month. The link will Looking ahead, we are preparing a Family Lenten calendar which will remain the same. give you and your family an opportunity to share the Lenten season Please don't hesitate to reach through prayer, acts of kindness, and acts of sacrifice to help your out if you have any questions or family keep this sacred season together at home. The calendar will concerns. be available on our children's ministry website and the Dayspring Children's ministry facebook group the week of Ash Wednesday Warmest Regards, (2/17). We invite you to share photos of your family's Lenten journey Mrs. Amanda and Mrs. Kate by emailing them to [email protected] or sharing them on our Facebook group. February 2021 3 DAYSPRING YOUTH MINISTRY The Dayspring Youth continued Formation conversations around hope. Our group talked about different visions we have for our lives and learned about the power of creating vision boards! The youth picked up vision board kits from church, and then met on zoom for a vision board workshop. We created boards filled with inspirational quotes, motivational pictures, personal challenges, and goal statements. The vision boards were a great wrapup to our many conversations about hope! Also in formation, the youth learned about the Japanese principle of Kintsugi. The legend states that an emperor broke one of his prized bowls. It was repaired with gold resin, which made it even more beautiful than it had been before. The symbolism in this is that we are more beautiful and unique when Our imperfections and mistakes are included. Our “cracks “only add to who we are. We are SO looking forward to when we can meet in person again and are hoping that we can play Dayspring volleyball this summer! In the meantime, if you have a 7-12th grader who is looking for connections with a Jennine Ballew great group, text Jennine for more Text: (480) 619-8990 information. [email protected] February 2021 45 Februay VIRTUAL MEETING CALENDAR 01 10:30 / Memory Loss Caregivers Support 15 7:00 / Praying Together 6:00 / Theo Pub 7:00 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 7:00 / Praying Together 17 Ash Wednesday 7:00 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 10:30 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 03 10:30 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 12:00 / Ash Wednesday Online Service 6:00 / Cherub Choir 6:00 / Cherub Choir 6:30 / Book Club 6:30 / Children’s Choir 6:30 / Children’s Choir 7:00 / Music Hour 7:00 / Music Hour 7:00 / A Sacred Time 7:00 / A Sacred Time 7:05 / Youth Choir 7:05 / Youth Choir 18 11:00 / Tempe Interfaith 04 7:00 / A Time to Wonder 6:00 / Family Promise Connect 05 10:30 / Opening to God 7:00 / Sermon on the Mount Study 06 9:00 / UMM 19 10:30 / Opening to God 07 9:00 / Worship / dayspringumc.org/watch 21 8:00 / Sermon on the Mount Study 10:00 / Explorers 9:00 / Worship / dayspringumc.org/watch 10:00 / Virtual Sunday School PreK-2nd 10:00 / Explorers 10:30 / Contemporary Issues 10:00 / Virtual Sunday School PreK-2nd 10:30 / Virtual Sunday School 3rd-6th 10:30 / Contemporary Issues 10:30 / Formation 10:30 / Virtual Sunday School 3rd-6th 08 6:00 / Theo Pub 10:30 / Formation 7:00 / Praying Together 22 6:00 / Theo Pub 7:00 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 7:00 / Praying Together 10 10:30 / Praying with the Elements Book Study 23 11:00 / Sermon on the Mount Study 6:30 / Children’s Choir 5:30 / Sermon on the Mount Study 7:00 / Music Hour 24 10:30 / Sermon on the Mount Study 7:00 / A Sacred Time 6:30 / Children’s Choir 7:05 / Youth Choir 7:00 / Music Hour 11 7:00 / A Time to Wonder 7:00 / A Sacred Time 12 10:30 / Opening to God 7:05 / Youth Choir 14 Valentine’s Day 25 7:00 / Sermon on the Mount Study 9:00 / Worship / dayspringumc.org/watch 26 10:30 / Opening to God 10:00 / Explorers 28 8:00 / Sermon on the Mount Study 10:00 / Virtual Sunday School PreK-2nd 9:00 / Worship / dayspringumc.org/watch 10:30 / Contemporary Issues 10:00 / Explorers 10:30 / Virtual Sunday School 3rd-6th 10:00 / Virtual Sunday School PreK-2nd 10:30 / Formation 10:30 / Contemporary Issues 15 Presidents’ Day 10:30 / Virtual Sunday School 3rd-6th 10:30 / Memory Loss Caregivers Support 10:30 / Formation 6:00 / Theo Pub February 2021 5 Morning Meditation Are you interested in learning about meditation and mindfulness? The new Meditation Meetup group is for you! We will meet at 7:00am online daily for about 20 minutes to learn about meditation. We use the Calm app to guide our practice. If you are interested in joining, please text Jennine at (480) 619-8990. Dayspring Pride TheoPubs All are welcome to join Dayspring PRIDE for great conversation from the comfort of your home via zoom every Monday evening at 6:00pm Email David at [email protected] for details. Dayspring Singles Dayspring Singles continue to meet at 12 noon every two weeks during our Dayspring closure. Meetings will be February 14 and 28th, and March 14th and 28th. We welcome all Dayspring singles to join us for these virtual sessions that support our friendships. Please email [email protected] with Singles questions or to be added to the list to receive zoom meeting notifications. Time to Wonder Each week on Thursday evenings you are invited to Time to Wonder at 7:00pm through Zoom. You may attend every week or whenever you are able. Time to Wonder is a time set apart to meet new friends and to deepen relationships. This is also a Time to Wonder about how God is working in our lives especially during this COVID-19 time. God has not abandoned us and we seek to find ways to connect first with God and then with others who also seek a deeper meaning in life. Email Pastor Shirley at [email protected] for the Zoom link or more information. Dayspring Book Club Dayspring Book club will meet on Wednesday February 3rd at 6:30 via Zoom. We'll be discussing: The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate Here's a summary at Good Reads: A new novel inspired by historical events: a story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its connection to her own students' lives. We are a welcoming group of book lovers, so if you'd like to read The Book of Lost Friends we'll get you the zoom info before 2/3 so you can join in the conversation. Please e-mail Beth Cadman at [email protected] for more information. February 2021 6 TAKING CARE: LIVING AND LOVING WITH MEMORY LOSS Caregiving for Loved Ones with Dementia increasing salt (which can interfere with many

medical situations.) These deficiencies often lead DEMENTIA AND OUR FIVE SENSES to a loss of appetite, and your loved one may lose interest in eating, leading to weight loss and While doing the complicated dance of being a weakness. A caregiver may have to be creative in caregiver to someone with dementia, we may not providing many small “meals” per day with a think much about the changes in our loved one’s variety of nutrients. Finger food may be preferred senses and the affects of these changes. by your loved one. People with advanced An older person with dementia has a diminished dementia will frequently develop a heightened sense of smell. Because of that, he may not realize “sweet tooth” and while refusing most things, will that his cat’s litter box is full and is stinking up his eat an entire plate of cookies or carton of ice house. She may not smell that a dishtowel was left cream if it is available. A caregiver may need to on a hot surface and is ready to burst into flames. limit the sweets on hand, if it is a problem, and only have small containers of sweets in the house. Vision changes usually include c a t a r a c t s a n d o f t e n m a c u l a r degeneration (which limits central vision) or glaucoma (which limits peripheral vision.) Vision needs to be evaluated to be treated or corrected. Having adequately corrected vision not only means your loved one will be able to enjoy some of the things that require vision (TV, handwork, reading, etc.) but also is very important for safety. A person who cannot see is far more likely to fall. Mobility and Diminished sense of smell also diminishes the confidence need vision. Before taking sense of taste. Food in the refrigerator may be your loved one for a vision assessment, ask about kept too long and is no longer safe to eat, but the eye doctor’s experience with older patients someone with these sensory limitations may with dementia and ask about the methods used to accidentally open the door to food poisoning. evaluate their vision. If you are not comfortable Due to the loss of taste, a person with dementia with the experience the eye doctor has had, may be loading on salt, trying to find the explore other options. satisfaction with something he can taste. It is a The audiologist assessing hearing loss should also good idea to observe these things, and if you are be well versed in assessing hearing acuity for helping to prepare food for your loved one, gently people with dementia. Hearing loss starts early in ask questions as you try different or additional continued on next page herbs and seasonings to make food tastier without

February 2021 7 life (by age 30) and usually changes slowly. Loss because she or he cannot participate in may be accelerated if your loved one has been in conversations. In addition, definitive studies have loud noise environments, or if there is a genetic shown that uncorrected hearing loss will hearing loss that is in one’s family. It is very typical exacerbate cognitive loss. These studies help to for people to deny their hearing loss, even though identify the importance of doing all that is possible it is very evident to others. Also, caregivers must to correct hearing loss. be aware that it is challenging for someone (even Lastly is the sense of touch. It is often said that without dementia) to adjust to hearing aids. He or older people suffer from touch deprivation. I am s h e m a y h a v e afraid that in these days of Covid isolation, their hearing aids in a touch deprivation has been multiplied. This is sad, drawer because because of all the senses, the sense of touch may the adjustment be the best preserved. Seeing a baby or child, an was unsuccessful, older person will reach over to touch the soft, so they are never smooth skin. And with dementia, words may worn. The price of become confusing, but holding the hand of a hearing aids is loved one has unquestioned meaning. A person sobering as well. with dementia needs the reassurance of a touch, a An audiologist hug, or a few minutes of quiet snuggling. Until we should be willing are safer from the threat of Covid, this will be to refund the cost of the hearing aids if the challenging for some caregivers who are not able adjustment period is not successful, but there will to physically visit their loved one. be some cost for the fitting, hearing molds, etc. If your loved one is not willing or able to use hearing Join us for our Zoom meetings on the first and aids, the caregiver may need to alter the living third Monday of each month, from 10:30 to noon. environment to limit sounds that are distracting Email Pastor Shirley at [email protected] and confusing to a person with dementia. for more information or for the Zoom link. Background sound from TV, radio or even music Everyone who cares about a person with dementia may be overwhelming, and should be limited. is a caregiver. If you are aware of someone in this Your loved one may benefit from headphones that caregiver role, please pass the contact information will allow him or her to hear the TV without it to them. I look forward to seeing you on Zoom. blasting others in the home. The loss of one’s - Anne Ahland hearing is even more isolating than vision loss,

VACCINE REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE

If you have had a difficult time registering online for the COVID vaccine, please email churchoffi[email protected] or call (480) 838-1446. Currently, vaccination of people over 65 is only available at state-operated locations (State Farm and Phoenix Municipal Stadium); however, as of January 20, appointments at these sites are currently booked through February. We have volunteers available to help you sign up before that wait gets longer. PLEASE NOTE: We do not have access to any earlier appointments, we are simply providing technical support to sign up.

February 2021 8 United Methodist Women

United Methodist Women Condemn Attacks on the U.S. Capitol in D.C. United Methodist Women are saddened by the events that took place at our Nation’s Capitol last month. United Methodist Women is committed to peaceful assemblies and protests, affirms the peaceful transfer of power under the U.S. electoral system and strongly opposes any attempt to subvert the results of the election. United Methodist Women joins people of faith around the country in praying for peace and justice for the nation. To read their response, please click here or find it at: https://bit.ly/3pNGhVb February Meetings: Dayspring United Methodist Women will hold a Zoom Unit Meeting on February 18 at 7 PM. The speaker will be Dayspring member Barbara Maier, who has taken several mission trips to Haiti. All are welcome to join the Zoom meeting. Please let Bonny Sloane, president, know that you would like an invitation to the zoom meeting. ([email protected])

Mary Martha Circle will join the Book Club for their Zoom meeting on Monday, February 8 at 7pm and then will continue with their own circle meeting afterwards. Contact Nancy Jamison for an invitation to the Zoom meetings. ([email protected])

Connie Reading Circle will meet Thursday, February 11 at 9:30am. Contact Bonny Sloane ([email protected]) for an invitation to join that Zoom meeting. Mary Lou Collier will review the book The Reason, How I Discovered a Life Worth Living by Lacey Sturm. United Methodist men Hello United Methodist Men – Watch for a virtual, enlightening and entertaining series on the history of our church! Our monthly meetings will resume in January, 2021 and will be conducted virtually until we’re safe to meet in person. Everyone is welcome to attend these online gatherings. Coming up in February:

February 6, 2021 @ 9:00am-10:00am The History (and Future) of the UMC General Conference Pastors Jeff and Joel

February 2021 9 MUSIC MINISTRY I write this in January for you to read in February. By the time you see it, what will have transpired? We keep experiencing the unimaginable, and I'm still reeling from the events of January 6 and their aftermath. Let's hope that we're in more hopeful times when this is published. Our January concert had to be postponed because of illness. Once everyone is fully recovered, we will announce a new date. Meanwhile, here are two YouTube playlists I invite you to explore. 1. "Lifting Up Black Voices." This is an eclectic mix of music written or performed by Black musicians that I compiled some months ago: https://bit.ly/3tljsub 2. "Soundtrack for Justice." This was compiled by Debby Irving for the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge. Whether or not you participated in that activity in the summer, you may find this music challenging and uplifting: https://bit.ly/3ajNyW6

Music Hour continues each Wednesday evening from 7 - 8. You do not need to be a member of the choir to participate. During Lent, we will have special music. On February 17, Ash Wednesday, we will look at music suitable for Lent, especially settings of Psalm 51, closely associated with Ash Wednesday. Then beginning February 24 and continuing through March 31, we will do a concurrent Bible and music study on Elijah. We will explore Mendelssohn's oratorio ELIJAH in detail, taking a portion of the work each week. We'll explore the background of the composition and also consider its biblical basis--a little music history, a little Bible history, a little analysis about how you tell a story in music, and even a little theology! Please come and share your insights and ideas about this important (and often misunderstood) figure in the stories of the prophets. So many events have had profound effects on our lives and thinking in the last year. My wish is that we may all find calm and serenity in a turbulent world. For some of us, music can be a way into that space. However you find it, may you know the peace that passes all understanding.

- David Schildkret

February 2021 10 CHURCH SOCIETY& COVID, Vaccines, Unemployment, School, Children, Parents, Seniors, Homeless, Isolation….. There is no end to the needs, nor a time soon for it to all be over. What we do have is our community, the church and our networks. And an opportunity to extend our arms (virtually) and embrace our neighbors. Dayspring has stepped up in so many ways and we will continue to share the concerns of one another and to work together for solutions, small and large. Watch for announcements of upcoming House meetings. We invite everyone to join in at least one where you can listen to concerns of one another in small groups. Feel free to contact me for further information, current needs, or ideas for issues at [email protected]. Loving like Jesus, Acting for Justice and UNITED in Hope. - Bethany Lambrecht

How to influence your state legislators

Request to Speak (RTS) is a tool provided by the Arizona state legislature to allow each of us to express our opinions on pending legislation. Due to COVID, there will be extremely limited opportunities to testify in person this year. Therefore, RTS will be even more important.

Step 1 – Get an RTS account – Sign up here to get your account set up - https://bit.ly/3aov6eO Step 2 – View online training - https://www.cebv.us/rts.html Step 3 – Log into the system and set up your account. Now you are ready to take action!

If you need additional training, you can attend a weekly online class - https://bit.ly/3czPHiW Reach out to a member of the Dayspring Church and Society team if you need help or have questions.

February 2021 11 Halt Arizona’s Death March to Executions By Paul Bullis, Chair of Desert Southwest Conference Prison Reform Ministry WE NEED TO HALT ARIZONA’S DEATH MARCH TO EXECUTING PRISONERS The State of Arizona is poised to resume executing its death row prisoners. We must act now to halt Arizona’s death march to executions. ARIZONA IS READY TO EXECUTE PRISONERS There are 116 men and women on Arizona’s death row, 21 of whom have exhausted all of their appeals to the courts. That means those 21 men and women are now ready for execution. Arizona has been unable to execute any prisoners for the past six years because of a lawsuit involving the lethal injection procedure, and then difficulty in obtaining a lethal drug. However, the state government has recently found both a supplier of a lethal drug and a pharmacist willing to prepare the drug for lethal injection and is now ready to resume executions. Attorney General Mark Brnovich is urging Governor Doug Ducey to take steps to carry out executions “expeditiously” so that “justice” may be done. THE DEATH PENALTY SHOULD NOT BE USED The United Methodist Church strongly opposes the death penalty. We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore, and transform all human beings. WHAT CAN YOU DO? • Read more at: https://bit.ly/3ah7OYh • Make your views known to the Governor, Attorney General, and other leaders, and demand that they put a halt to this death march to executions. Sample letters are available, as well as a copy of a letter sent by Bishop Bob Hoshibata to Governor Ducey on this issue. • Join United Methodists Against the Death Penalty which connects United Methodists working for abolition and coordinates state groups working for abolition. • Join People of Faith Against the Death Penalty, a leading organization mobilizing people of faith throughout the United States to abolish the death penalty. Find state-specific resources, and more at www.pfadp.org February 2021 12 Conference-wide Book Study

In honor of Black History month, the DSC Race Coalition is sponsoring a book study and conversation based on the new book "I'm Black, I'm Christian, I'm Methodist" by Rev. Rudy Rasmus. The book is a collection of stories from ten United Methodist who share compelling personal narratives on being Black and the conflicts presented with also being Christian and Methodist. On Monday evenings in February, registrants can gather via zoom to discuss the book. Then, on Feb. 28, the Race Coalition will host a webinar with Rev. Dr. Rudy Rasmus, Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey and Rev. Dr. Vance Ross to talk about the book and racism in The United Methodist Church. To learn more or to register for the class and webinar, go to:https://bit.ly/2L37Ni6.

The conference is also sharing resources for the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, with different areas of focus throughout the year: •February: Black History Month •May: Asian American/Pacific Islander Month •Sept 15-Oct 15: Hispanic Heritage Month •November: Native American Heritage Month More information is available at dscumc.org/ religion-and-race/dsc-race/

February 2021 13 Dayspring UMC Endowed HBCU Scholarship Fund is Founded

The Board of Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church began a critical endeavor at a New York meeting in November of 1866. They declared that since the States in the South had not yet made provision for the education of freed slaves and their children, that it would be the work of the church to found institutions of higher learning to provide this educational opportunity. This declaration led to the founding of dozens of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) by Methodists across the South. Today there are 100 HBCU’s still in existence, twelve of which were founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church. To continue the work started by our denomination, the Dayspring UMC Endowed Scholarship Fund has been created to support African-American students attending Morgan State University, a Historical Black University in Baltimore, Maryland. Morgan State University was founded in 1867, just two years after the end of the Civil War, as the Centenary Biblical Institute by the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Its original mission was to train young men in ministry and it subsequently broadened its mission to educate both men and women as teachers. Today it is part of the University of Maryland System offering more than 125 academic programs and is known as the premier public urban research university in Maryland. MSU is one of ten HBCU’s having received the highest rating of “Dean’s List” by the Campus Pride HBCU Clearinghouse for LGBTQ inclusion. MSU was the only HBCU founded by Methodists to receive this distinction which was an important factor in the selection of an HBCU to receive the Dayspring endowment scholarship.

T h e D a y s p r i n g U M C E n d o w e d Scholarship Fund was started to honor Dayspring’s efforts to make God’s world more peaceful, just, compassionate, and inclusive and call for an end to systemic racism. As an endowed fund, it will continue to support students in perpetuity for their educational needs.

If you feel moved to contribute any amount toward the Dayspring Endowed Scholarship Fund, please make a donation either by check mailed to the church or by going to our online giving site at www.dayspringumc.org/give. Thank you for your support!

February 2021 14 TAKING ACTION THANKING HEALTHCARE WORKERS

As tired as we all are of dealing with this global pandemic, imagine how tired medical workers are of it! One Dayspring member who works at a local hospital wrote: "My colleagues working the inpatient COVID units and ICU are really burning out emotionally with the pandemic, the number of death/poor outcomes and the challenges associated with this. This stress has been placed on them non stop since April." Help us remind these essential workers how important they are and how much we STILL appreciate their hard work. Please consider writing notes, drawings, cards, signs that we can distribute to the inpatient COVID staff at our local hospitals. We have set a collection box outside the church gate or you may mail these to the church (please write "COVID Medical Thank You" on the back of the envelope). VACCINE POD VOLUNTEERING

If you are healthy and able to stand for long periods of time, consider volunteering (no medical experience needed) at one of the vaccination distribution sites. You'll help others receive this important vaccine and you may even receive a vaccine as a thank you for volunteering if it is available. A background check is required, so the process does take some time. Step1: register with the county at: https://mcdph.samaritan.com/custom/501/ Step2: fill out the docusign embedded in the application. Step 3: upload a driver’s license and complete application Step 4: Wait for email confirmation to sign-up for volunteer opportunities at the vaccine pods.

We created a memory place to honor those who are sick or who we have lost during the last few months. This sacred place offers another way to grieve. A tree along Juniper St. in Tempe has been designated for this purpose. Ribbons and markers are in a box at the base of the tree for you to use. You can park directly by the tree to add your ribbons and prayers. Please socially distance as you use this. Please email Mary at [email protected] if you want names added to the tree but can’t make it to Dayspring.

February 2021 15 Borderlands Produce Rescue Borderlands hosts a monthly produce distribution event at Aldersgate UMC where families can purchase 70 pounds of rescued produce for $12. In this time of increased unemployment and food insecurity, this ministry is critical for the neighborhood. If you are healthy and looking for a chance to serve, please consider joining us there on Saturday, February 20 from 6-11am to help sort produce, pack boxes and load cars! Be sure to Family Promise bring a mask and gloves if you have them. Please email [email protected] to sign up or for Thank you to all who cooked and/or donated to more information. Family Promise, a temporary shelter for homeless families, in December! In addition to providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner to twice as many families as we typically do, we also provided financial support to the Help Us Move In (HUMI) program, a partnership with Family Promise that provides homelessness prevention services. Good things are happening! We will provide food to Family Promise again the week of February 21. Sign-ups for food donations will be available starting the week of February 7. If you would like to cook or deliver meals, please reach out to Tammy White at [email protected] or to Kathleen Devereux at [email protected]. We look forward to the time when we can host families again at Dayspring. Until then, we will happily provide meals. Questions? Please contact Maria Hase at [email protected] or at Dayspring Stitchers met in December to sew, shop 480-636-0963. for and stuff 70 Christmas bags for the Domestic As Clare Booth Luce said, "Love is a verb." Thank Violence Center at UMOM. They also supplied 116 you for loving! blankets and 148 pillowcase bags. February 2021 16 College Care PackageS

Let’s show our college students how much we love them! During the week of March 7-13, Dayspring individuals and families are invited to c re a t e c a re p a c k a g e s f o r o u r c u r re n t undergraduate students and mail them so they receive them before finals. These care packages can be filled with snacks, pens, journals, and cards of encouragement. Parents of college students are requested to send their students’ current mailing addresses to Jennine at [email protected]. Parents, please indicate their favorite snacks, t-shirt size, and if they have any allergies. If you and/or your family would like to sign up to create a care p a c k a g e , p l e a s e e m a i l Pa s t o r J o e l a t [email protected].

Giving Garden Seed Sorting

The Giving Garden Team has 10 types of seeds saved in the garden shed and ready for processing (dill, alyssum, basil, calendula, bachelor buttons, artichoke, luffa, eggplant, chukkakura and moringa). The team is seeking volunteers who would have time and motivation to give us a hand in separating the seeds from the chaff and placing them in envelopes. No experience is necessary, as training will be provided. A masked garden team member would meet interested persons by the shed (at a distance of six feet or more) to distributeFebruary 2021the seeds, give a demonstration, and answer questions. If you are interested,17 please call the church office at (480) 838-1446 or email [email protected]. OPENING TO GOD

You are invited to join with others who are searching for ways to OPEN TO GOD on Friday mornings at 10:30 through Zoom. We find PRAY that opening to God is also a way of opening to the riches of our deeper selves and, equally important, to deepening relationships with those whom we love. Our sacred time together includes practices which lead us to experience God in a deeper way: guided imagery, lectio divina, centering prayer, the Jesus Prayer, use of prayer beads, silence, and time for personal prayer, to name just a few. For more information and to receive the link, please contact Pastor Shirley at [email protected].

Pandemic Prayer These are different times that we are experiencing. One way we can stay in touch, even though we are apart, is through prayer. God hears each and every one of our prayers. We are not alone! And we want those who are especially struggling during this time to know that we care for them and love them. On Wednesday evenings at 7pm, please pause to chat with God about the needs of others who are PRAYING TOGETHER hurting. You may use your own words or the following prayer by Pastor Shirley: A small group of people gather together on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. through Zoom to remember all those whose names have been shared on Sunday morning in worship and others that we know who need extra care and prayer. You may be involved in two ways! If you know of someone who has a Prayer of Concern or Thanksgiving and they don’t want it public on Sunday morning, please contact Pastor Shirley. We will confidentially share these Prayers with those who attend Praying Together. Also, you may want to join us on Monday evenings as we share these concerns with our Loving God. You need not attend each and every week. Just attend when you choose.Following the spoken prayers, we offer them to God and say, GOD, IN YOUR MERCY, HEAR OUR PRAYER. This is another way for us to be connected with each other and with our Compassionate God. For more information or the link, email Pastor Shirley at [email protected].

February 2021 18 FINANCE

In 2020, donations to the General Fund by the congregation totaled $842,000, not as much as was planned, but with an additional $50,000 in forgivable loans and $40,000 in facility usage fees, it totaled $932,000. The other side to this story, the expenses, were less than planned for 2020. While most of the planned expenses were paid in full, such as salaries, apportionments, equipment leases, software costs, and missions commitments; savings were found in utilities, facilities costs, administrative expenses, and program costs. The total expenses for 2020 were $904,000 which allowed Dayspring to finish 2020 with a positive cash flow. Clearly the giving to the general fund was a sign of the generosity and priorities of the congregation, but the data that really tells the story of generous giving are the donations that went out to other organizations on the front lines of responding to community needs. Over $67,000 was shared with 21 non-profit organizations responding to hunger, housing needs, medical emergencies, education, and justice issues of people in our local community and beyond. These dollars became over 50,000 meals served, dozens of days of shelter for those without homes, medical equipment to protect healthcare workers, and many more services to assist those in need. Within our Dayspring church family, when the Preschool and Kindergarten were in danger of having to close for lack of funds to pay teachers, church members responded to raise $27,000, which when added to the $28,000 raised by Preschool and Kindergarten families and alumni, totaled $55,000. This amount allowed the teachers to be paid through 2020 until the Preschool could reopen in a limited fashion in 2021. Given the uncertainties faced in 2020, Dayspring has met the financial challenges and moves into 2021 in a healthy financial position. Thanks to the generosity of the people of Dayspring, the church continues to do the work of making God’s world more peaceful, just, compassionate and inclusive!

February 2021 19 FROM OUR PASTORS

What Does it Mean to Be a Christian? Indeed, that’s one of our membership vows at Dayspring. What might that mean for you? And A man was confronted by one of those aggressive where do we turn in the Bible to find out more? I Christians who buttonholed him and asked, “Are like to point people to The Sermon on the Mount, you a Christian?” The man stopped and thought Matthew, chapters 5 – 7. It’s sort of a “beginner’s for a moment. He said, “I really don’t know.” Then guide” to what it means to follow Jesus. When he took a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote reading this primer on the Christian life we some names on it. He gave the paper to the discover it’s more about practice than beliefs. As questioner, and said, “Here. These are the names Dallas Wilard says, “The gospel is less about how of people. This name here, the first one, that’s a to get into the Kingdom of Heaven after you die, member of my family. This next name, he’s a and more about how to live in the Kingdom of business associate. The last name, she’s my Heaven before you die.” neighbor. Ask them if I’m a Christian.” New Testament and Jewish Studies scholar Amy- While many tend to emphasize a set of beliefs, my Jill Levine wonders if the title, “Sermon on the shorthand for a Christian is one who seeks to Mount,” can be off-putting. “Who wants to read a follow Jesus and live according to his teachings. continued on next page

February 2021 20 sermon, anyway – even if it is by Jesus?” Plus, she and 5:30pm, Wednesdays with Amy at 10:30am, adds, it’s a bit of a misnomer, because there’s no Thursdays with Shirley at 7:00pm, and Sundays way he would have packed all those teachings with Joel at 8:00am. For more information or to into one talk. Prof. Levine suggests a better title register for a session and receive the Zoom invite, might be “A Sampling of Jesus’s Greatest contact the Church Office at (480) 838-1446 or Teachings.” These three chapters in Matthew churchoffi[email protected]. contain some of Jesus’ most profound and most Blessings, memorable teachings. What might these Pastor Jeff teachings have meant to his disciples and to the others who first heard them? How do they speak across the centuries to listeners today? How, if we *Please order your own digital pay careful attention to his words, does Jesus or paperback of the book provide us a road map to living as God would Sermon on the Mount: A have us live? B e g i n n e r ' s G u i d e t o t h e Kingdom of Heaven by Amy-Jill This year during Lent we will be offering five Levine at cokesbury.com. opportunities each week for adults to carefully consider “Jesus’s Greatest Teachings” with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine as our guide. In Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Join the discussion on: Heaven*, Prof. Levine introduces its major topics and explains historical and theological contexts, Tuesdays at 11:00am with Jeff and shows how the words of Jesus echo his Tuesdays at 5:30pm with Jeff Jewish tradition and speak forward to reach hearts and minds today. I invite you to join Amy, Wednesdays at 10:30am with Amy Joel, Shirley and me on this Lenten journey beginning Feb. 18 (Ash Wednesday, which marks Thursdays at 7:00pm with Shirley the beginning of Lent, is Feb. 17). The study will Sundays at 8:00am with Joel meet virtually on Tuesdays with me at 11:00am

February 2021 21 MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS The Cooper Family

We are so excited to become members of Dayspring! Ryan and Kristen both grew up in Ahwatukee and started dating in high school. We both went to U of A and moved to Chicago after graduating. We lived there for eight years and moved back to Tempe two years ago. We have a 2 1/2 year-old named Connor and a three month-old named Finn. Kristen is a nurse, but is currently staying home with the boys, and Ryan is a Senior Manager at DoorDash. We can’t wait to join this community! Rudy and Maureen Rojas

Rudy was born and lived in Southern California for the first part of his life. He served his country in Vietnam and Cambodia from 1969 to 1970 in the U.S. Army and worked as a shipping manager, expediter, and computer technician. Maureen was born in Maryland and moved with her family to Arizona at the age of 10. She lived in California for a few years, which is where she met Rudy. They have been in Arizona since 1981 and have been married 43 years. Rudy and Maureen are both cancer survivors and share a love of nature, hiking, camping, music, and traveling. Rudy also enjoys shooting sports, anthropology and Native American cultures. Maureen retired from Honeywell after a career in communications. She sails competitively and enjoys cooking, sewing, and gardening. They are both passionate about protecting the environment and social justice.

Erica and Alex Wood Hello Dayspring! Erica and Alex are recently married and share a love of kayaking, animals, and the great outdoors. Alex is an army brat who moved around the world and Erica is lifelong native of Arizona. We have been attending Dayspring for a few years now and finally made the leap to becoming members. We look forward to being active and engaged dayspring community members and look forward to getting to know you!

February 2021 22 DAYSPRING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1365 E. Elliot Road Tempe, AZ 85284-1608

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Koinonikos February 2021 Volume 27, Issue 2 FREE* Published Monthly

DAYSPRING UNITED Dayspring UMC is a Reconciling Congregation. All METHODIST CHURCH people, regardless of age, sex, race, color, A Stephen Ministry Congregation ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, 1365 E. Elliot Road Tempe, AZ 85284-1608 economic status or ability are welcome into the full life of our congregation. Church Office Telephone: 480.838.1446 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Dayspring UMC affirms the value and worth of all Mon. - Thurs.: 9:00am-2:00pm Website: www.dayspring-umc.org persons, recognizing that everyone is a child of Watch: livestream.com/dayspringtempe Preschool Telephone: 480.838.9097 God. We call all to live by and attest to gender equality and to observe Jesus' principles of love and non-violence in all our relationships. February 2021 23