Nerdy, Vile, and Generally Scandalous
Happy Independence Weekend, church family and friends!
Thank you to everyone who set up, cleaned up, and stayed at our Wolf Center and Epworth UMC booths at the Independence Day parade yesterday. There were bubbles, and art, and cookies, and lots of good conversation. It was so much fun, and a great time to talk with folks, play with the kiddos, and tell folks a little bit more about what we do. And we got a great seat for the parade, too, in the shade! We’ll do it all again for Community Day and the Cantaloupe Festival in August, AND in for the Labor Day parade in September. Join us to help be at the booths if you can, and definitely come by and say hello.
In other news…
As you may know, I am a fan of T-Shirts That Say Things. Also Mugs, and Hats That Say Things. Especially if the things are funny, with a splash of meaningful. And it turns out, United Methodist historians are a very funny bunch.
I and our lay delegates, Kathy Fraker and Margaret Knox, just came home from Annual Conference, which I personally found to be an excellent experience. We are led by a wonderful new Bishop who is both fearless and gracious in her leadership, and the whole Conference was refreshing and hopeful. (Reports forthcoming.) Occasionally, during our time together, I spotted a particular tshirt that I have seen elsewhere and I’ve been meaning to buy, evidently created as a fundraiser by the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History and which only a true Metho-nerd could love. The print on the pic is tiny, so here is what it says:
Metho-nerd noun
“a Methodist having the form and seeking the power of connection, rarely solitary but usually united with like-minded folx in order to geek out together on the complexity of polity, to embody God’s grace in this world, in all of its varieties, and to watch over one another in love. Often heard quoting John Wesley’s sermons & treatises, singing Charles Wesley’s hymns, and speaking truth to power. Often seen carrying multiple Books of Discipline, Hymnals, and an overwhelming love for God and people.”
I just love that, so much. You may recognize some phrases in there that come from Wesley’s rules for groups and classes about watching over one another in love, a little wink at his earnest desire that we live out our faith genuinely rather than “having the form of religion without its power,” and a good dose of self-deprecating silliness. What I love most about it, though, is the language about the power of connection, about embodying God’s grace in all its (and our) variety, about loving God and people. This is what we are about, as United Methodist Christians.
So I went online to buy one, and it turns out our Methodist historians have a whole range of things for purchase that they get a few dollars from as a fundraiser. Like a canvas bag with a silhouette of a circuit rider on it that says “This is my saddle bag,” and my personal favorite, a mug with a quote from a sermon Wesley preached in 1739 about radical discipleship that hilariously reflects how the English language has changed a bit: “O may you also be vile, exceedingly vile for God’s sake! God forbid that you should ever be other than generally scandalous.”
You better believe I already ordered one. I think we might need a whole bunch of them, as a fundraiser of our own. Because that is just fantastic. Stay tuned, I’m looking into setting this up through Bonfire, the fundraiser site.
In all seriousness, though, there was one other tshirt a fellow pastor was wearing at Conference this year that I think would make an excellent new church tshirt for us. It just says, “BREAK THE RULES. LOVE EVERYONE.”
Amen to that.
Pastor Dawn
Worship This Week
Cultivating a Life that Flourishes. Part 1, the Roots.
We begin a new worship series this week, based on Jesus the true vine and we the branches bearing much fruit. We’ll talk together about the spiritual practices that keep us rooted and grounded in Christ’s love, nourished with all that keeps us spiritually strong. We’ll talk, too about the ways grapevines grow best, supported on a trellis that keeps them off the ground so that light and air can get to every part, the farmer can easily prune and care for the plant, and the fruit can grow heavy and full. So we’ll spend the next few weeks building our spiritual trellis together. You might like to read and pray with John 15:1-8, and Ephesians 3:14-19.
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”
John 15:4
Worship begins at 9:00am every Sunday. If you can’t be there, remember to find us on YouTube so that you can watch live from wherever you are, or join us on KVLV radio on AM980 every Sunday beginning at 9:30am. If you listen on the radio, or watch online, let us know and tell us how we can improve those broadcasts too! If you have ideas or questions, or if we can be in prayer for you in any way, please call the church at 775-423-4714. We’d love to hear from you.
Wednesday Evening Prayer
Wednesday Evening Prayer is held on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00pm on YouTube Live. We pray together in the tradition of lectio divina, a special way of using the Bible to guide us in prayer and help us listen for the voice of God. If you subscribe to our YouTube channel, you’ll be notified by email when we go online…otherwise, just go to our channel at 7pm and we’ll be there. We’ll meet next on July 2.
News and Fun Stuff
Wolf Center Community Services
Summer is bringing new guests and new volunteers to the Wolf Center. Thanks to our new Facebook page and new listings on JustServe.org we’ve had a bunch of new inquiries and new faces volunteering to help serve lunches on Wednesdays and Saturdays, donate canned goods and nonperishables to our food pantry and lunch ministries, and new guests at dinners. We’ve even had some folks call offering to help us do some yard work and painting! Stay tuned for a clean up and beautification day coming up soon.
Faith Night with the Reno Aces
We have a block of tickets to see the Reno Aces play the El Paso Chihuahuas on Friday August 15! We’re in the shade on the 3rdbase side, and tickets are $24 apiece. Tickets include a free hat, a Christian concert, and personal testimony from a couple players before the game. Let Pastor Dawn know if you’d like to go so we can reserve your tickets, and get more if we need. We’ve been going to the game as a church for years, and you are welcome to invite friends and family and folks from other churches too! The more the merrier.
Attend or Help Cook for Mission U on August 8-9!
Epworth is hosting, so we need a team to provide 3 meals, snacks, and drinks for probably about 30 people. We can do this! Let Margaret Knox, Kathy Fraker, Carol Roeder, Edith Isidoro-Mills, or Pastor Dawn know you’d like to help, and we will create a menu and make it happen. This year’s topic is “Practicing Hope Together”, and there is curriculum and activities for all genders and all ages. “Mission U is a transformative education program that offers biblically grounded studies that inform, motivate and enrich our commitment to being in mission and ministry for a more just and equitable world.” Go to canvuwf.org/mission-u to register.
Celebration of Life for Jeanette Strong on Saturday July 12, 11am
We are still planning the details, but we have a date! We will sing, pray, hear some of Jeanette’s favorite scriptures, tell stories, and celebrate the life of our wonderful friend. We’ll share lunch together afterward, and then go together to her gravesite to sing and pray. It will be a beautiful day.
Celebration of Life for Gaye Johnston on Saturday, Aug 16
Mark your calendar to be with our beloved Gaye’s family and friends on Saturday, August 15 (exact time TBA). Gaye has been living in Texas with her daughter Ella for the past few years, but we remember her as beautiful, funny, faithful, loving, active in her church and several community groups, and a wonderful friend. Please send prayers and love to her family, and join us to celebrate her in August.
Join our Saturday Lunch Team!
We make generous bagged lunches on Wednesdays and Saturdays for anyone who needs them, and our Saturday team especially needs some extra help. We set up around 9:30am, serve from 10am til 1pm, and are finished cleaning up by around 1:30pm. It’s lots of fun and very rewarding. Talk to Debbie Sherman, Dianne Taylor, or Pastor Dawn for more information. 775-423-4714. We’d love your donations of money or supplies, too! And fresh baked sweets are always welcome, they make folks feel so special.
Rest For The Soul: A Sacred Journey Into Spirit-Led Living
By Pat Luna
I entered The Academy for Spiritual Formation in 1997, searching for something I couldn’t quite name. What I found was a rhythm of formation that allowed the Spirit to work not only on the surface of my questions and concerns, but also deep within the foundations of my soul. Because of Academy, I have a greater sense of my belovedness to God and others, the tools and the passion to follow God’s call wherever it might lead, and a desire to make a difference in this world.
For the past 20 years, I’ve served as a retreat leader for The Academy. Each cohort is unique, but all share something deeply sacred. People don’t come for credentials or accolades. As St. Augustine said, they come “to find our rest in Thee.” The communities formed in these settings stay with me, and saying goodbye at the close of each two-year journey is always tearful. Authentic, spiritual community, marked by grace and deep presence, is rare and powerful.
The Academy’s format is structured, yet spacious. Participants meet quarterly over two years, for a total of eight sessions. The first year focuses on personal spiritual growth, while the second turns outward to explore how spiritual formation influences leadership, justice and ministry. Each session includes worship, silence, theological reflection and community life.
In addition to the Two-Year Academy, shorter 3- to 5-day Academies are held at retreat centers around the world. Seen above is the leadership team for the Four-Day Academy in Alabama, taking place in August 2025. This is an historic gathering co-sponsored by both the AME Church and The United Methodist Church. Pictured are: Kevin Carter, Celeste Eubanks, the Rev. Emily Penfield, the Rev. Dr. Amy Steele, the Rev. Dr. Agnes Lover, Kathy Norberg, the Rev. Marie Smith and Pat Luna. Not pictured: the Rev. Ashley Davis. Photo courtesy of Joscie Cutchens.
Unlike many experiences, The Academy is not about productivity. It is about presence. Participants step away from busyness into a sacred rhythm that allows for listening – to God, to themselves and to others. Worship follows the daily office, Holy Communion is celebrated each evening, and silence is woven throughout as a space of practice, not pause.
Each session includes small covenant groups, trusted circles for prayer and reflection. There’s no pressure to fix or perform. What you’ll find is a commitment to show up, speak honestly and let the Spirit do the slow work of transformation. These small groups often become sacred spaces where people feel seen and safe.
In a time when faith leaders and communities often feel overwhelmed, The Academy offers a model for sustainable, Spirit-led living – marked not by urgency, but by attentiveness. The Academy does not promise quick answers. What it offers is sacred space to ask better questions. It provides rest, discernment and practices that continue shaping lives long after the program ends.
For those seeking to live more deeply into a Spirit-led life, whether in the pulpit, the pew, the classroom or the community, The Academy is a trusted companion for the journey.
To find out more, go to https://academy.upperroom.org.