Lowman UMC
Worship Services
Saturday, 4:00pm & Sunday, 10:15am
Sunday School
9:00am
Special Monthly Sunday Services...
First Sunday
Holy Communion
Youth"Noisy Offering"
Second Sunday
Fair Trade Coffee
available for purchase
Special Service
Plan to attend our special Ash Wednesday worship service in the chapel on Wednesday, February 17 at 7:30 pm.
Lowman has a personal audio amplification system for our members and visitors who would like to hear the service more clearly.
Ask an usher for a receiver
Contact Us button
Meditation: "Don't Worry! Be Happy!"
It is amazing how many people live their lives in the midst of unhappiness.  While everyone who lives long enough will eventually experience disappointments and grief, these people seem to seek out those moments that allow them to be miserable.  They cling to every wrong that has ever been committed against them.  They worry about everything.  Even when their lives are filled with blessings and peace, they find themselves anticipating the next crisis that will cause their world to crumble around them.
Meditations are updated weekly. For more thoughts from our pastor, click on "From the Pastor" (above).

Thankfully very few of us fall into such an extreme category. Yet we have all been guilty of allowing ourselves to be sucked into cycles of discontent.  During those moments we find ourselves feeling bitter, persecuted, and very unhappy.  We even try to convince ourselves that the entire world is out to get us.  And if not the entire world, at least those who are closest to us!

The key to true happiness, however, does not lie in the people and events that surround us.  It comes in knowing that we are not alone.  Indeed, in Romans 8:38 we read:  I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

We have never been, nor will we ever be, alone in this world.  God is for us.  Christ is with us.  The Holy Spirit is in us.  Iisn’t that something to be happy about?

See the Pastor's latest message, "From the Pastor..."  here. (updated semi-monthly)

Lowman UMC Adopts an Anti-Harassment Policy
On January 17, 2010, the Church Council adopted the policy, which states, in part:

"Clergy, lay employees, volunteers and lay persons of the Lowman United Methodist Church shall not engage in harassment of any clergy, lay employees, volunteers, and/or lay persons of the congregation of the United Methodist Church.  Furthermore, the harassment of any person -- whether or not a member of this congregation -- is deemed a violation of the dignity of God's creation in general and specifically a violation of that person's dignity."
[Read the Entire Policy] 

The policy has been made permanently available for future reference in the "About Us" section of the website.

Lenten Study Offered
The Combo Class is sponsoring a Lenten Study beginning Sunday, February 21st, at 9:00 am.  This study uses the Cokebury curriculum, “Celebrate the Risen Christ.”  We begin our Lenten journey with a trip into the wilderness with Moses and the wandering Israelities. In our spiritual wilderness, we hear the prophet Isaiah claim the promises of God.  Pushing forward, we encounter the Roman Empire.  We stand dumb at the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.  We fall amazed at the mounth of the empty tomb.

This study will take place in Wesley North (off the northeast corner of Fellowship Hall). A student study book is available, if you wish to purchase one, for $8.00.

Baskets Needed
We are preparing for our annual basket auction, a silent auction funding children and youth scholarships to camp and Institute. We'll set up on Friday February 12, and the auction will finish at the baked potato bar held on Sunday, March 7 after worship. Anyone who would like to donate a basket may leave it in the church office or call Lauri Wright at 232-5267.

Need an idea? Try: chocolate, baby, spa, gardening, home tool box, Easter, summer fun, springtime, kitchen makeover, bath and body, teacher appreciation, or reader's delight. We appreciate all basket makers' creativity and generosity.

Scholarship Benefit Concert
The third annual scholarship concert will be held on Sunday, February 14 at 2:00 pm in Lowman's sanctuary. Forrest Cowell, Phyllis Peterson, Adam Schafer, the Lowman Ensemble, Jennifer Medley, Andy Schafer, Ryan McGowan, and Susan Venis will present the concert. It will be an afternoon of enjoyable music. Following will be a time of refreshments and fellowship in the commons.

A freewill offering will be taken which will support our general scholarship program for Lowman members attending higher education institutions. Come with your family and friends to support this worthy cause.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feed
The Lowman Youth will sponsor a Shrove Tuesday pancake feed on February 16 from 5:00 until 7:00 pm. In addition to pancakes, the menu will include sausage and beverages. Proceeds from this event will be split between Haiti relief and ongoing youth mission projects. As always, a ten percent tithe will be given to the church.
The Cross Road

Lowman United Methodist Youth presents The Cross Road, the bi-monthly newsletter by and about the young people of our church.  Read the latest edition here.
Youth Mission Announced
The youth group will be supporting Let's Help with a unique outreach project. They will be assembling personal hygiene bags for distribution to those in need. If you would like to help with this ongoing project, please place your contributions of empty pill bottles, disposable razors, and combs in the collection box that will be in the foyer.
Peace Corps News
Steven Wright, a member of Lowman UMC and son of Lauri and George Wright, is serving in the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso, West Africa. See more about his work here.
Lenten Devotionals
Join your church family for a Lenten Study. On Sunday, Feb. 14, we will have a Lenten booklet for everyone in the congregation. It will have devotions for the six weeks of Lent written by member of our congregation. We hope that individuals, Sunday School classes, and other groups will use this to focus their personal and group devotional time for Lent. The readings examine the role of the Holy Spirit in our individual and church lives. We also hope to have a place on the church's web page where members can share their thoughts and questions about the daily readings.

Everyone is encouraged to find a group in which to share the weekly discussion. Maybe some will want to reconvene a 40 Days group or meet weekly with a friend who does not have a church. Others might use it for devotion time for meetings. We hope that you will find this to be an opportunity to learn more about the Holy Spirit, recognize the work of the Holy Spirit and walk a path to a more meaningful Easter.

From the Evangelism Team
We have been commissioned to go into the world to spread God's love. We do that in many ways, but evangelism is mainly focused on two - inviting and welcoming. Our church has signs, newspaper ads, and a website to help spread the news. But the most effective invitations come from members. If you invite people to visit worship and activities, bless you! If you haven't invited anyone to Lowman, think about someone you could invite this week. Look for an opportunity. A bishop who traveled often on planes would pray that he would have the chance to share his faith. Include that in your morning prayers and then see what happens.  

Some people will come to our church to visit and part of our job as evangelists is show God's love and hospitality to them. Thanks to all the folks who stand and say hello at our doors and those who stand at the visitors' table. All of you who reach out to those you do not know with the right hand of fellowship during worship are serving God by showing his love and care to others.  

As we move into the new year, we are examining how to be a welcoming church. We would like to put together a group of interested trained greeters who would be available on Saturdays and Sundays for worship, and who would also greet at all church events. In the past, our greeters have come from Sunday School classes and we would like to have all those who have been greeters join our Hospitality and Greeters Cadre. But we want to give everyone the opportunity to be a greeter! This group will be the hand of Christ reaching out to those who come to our church.  

Why do we need training to greet? So we can do our best as greeters, so we can be the most effective welcomers, so we can live hospitality as our sacred mission. The first person a newcomer sees is our greeter.  

If you have been a greeter or if you feel that God is calling you now to help people find their spiritual home here at Lowman, please be ready to sign up for this important role. We will begin gathering names soon. This is an exciting time here at Lowman. Being an inviter and a welcomer is a great way to be part of God's plan for the world.