Wesley United Methodist Church

Wesley United Methodist Church is a church family that seeks to live into John Wesley's three simple rules- to do good, to do no harm, and to stay in love with God. http://www.wumcsf.org

We meet every Sunday at 10am.

Wednesday, June 3 - 6 p.m. Worship committee meeting

Thursday, June 4 - Pastor Laurie and Abby leave for Bismarck Annual Conference.

Return Sunday evening, June 7

Sunday, June 7 - 10 a.m. worship with live streamed worship from Annual Conference in

Bismarck, ND

Sunday, June 21 - 10 a.m. worship – MESSAGE: Holy Communion;

Special drama presentation: This is God . . . I Need You!

Father’s Day remembrance

In case you missed any of the worship services and messages, go to http://wumcsf.org and click on the “Video Archive” tab to view.

To watch services “live” each Sunday at 10 AM, go to http://wumcsf.org and click on the “Livestream” tab.

It is unreal that I have been here with you at Wesley UMC for almost 1 year! And here I thought I would only be with you through December. Well, God saw otherwise!!!

This will be my last newsletter article before Pastor Jordan arrives as your new pastor. So I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you my thoughts as I transition from this place to full retirement (well, maybe not! Lol).

I want you to know that this church has been one of the most welcoming and loving and caring families I have ever known. All the Sunday mornings I stood in front of you and during the welcome and greeting time, see you go to every single person who was there – including guests, including those who may not look like you or act like you or are a blessed as you.

You may think this church is struggling, but I see a church who wants to thrive and continue doing the works of the church and be a huge part of this community – serving in any way you can.

I know I quote this Scripture a lot but there’s a reason I do. Matthew 25:31-40:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.” Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?” The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Yes, we can be cautious of our environment and people around us. Unfortunately, our world and country are not always safe anymore, but there is good, there is hope – our God is a God of hope! Amen? But that’s why we, as followers and Christians, must continue God’s work here on this earth to fulfill His will for His Kingdom. YOU ARE DOING THAT! Keep it up! Even as you age and things change in your life, and you may not be able to do what you’ve done before – you can STILL serve. It will just be in a different way than before. We are followers and servants from the day Christ enters our hearts until the day we meet Jesus face-to-face.

I believe in you! But most importantly – God believes in you. Open your heart, your ears and your mind and listen for that still small voice. It will guide you where you need to be in service to God. Be that hope to others.

Thank you for loving me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for allowing me to serve alongside of you. Thank you for embracing the people God created you to be. God bless!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Laurie

The next Bunco game day will be held June 13, 2026 at 1:00 pm.

Come join us for fun and fellowship!

Good Sam/ Canton: Joyce Patterson

Rushmore Mn: Marian Hoek

Stoney Brooke: Maxine Ingalls

Prairie Crossing: Bernie McCabe

Dow Rummel: Nila Hendriks

Luther Manor: Donna Hoh

Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion, SD: Margeann Dewes

Prince of Peace: Audrey Hullinger

Tea Retirement Home: Zelma Dean

• Income four months 2026 ............................................................................................. $33,013
• Expense four months 2026 ......................................................................................... ($37,734)
• Expense exceed income @ 4/30/2026 ......................................................................... ($4,721)

Don Armstrong, Treasurer

• Balance 3/31/2026 ............................................................................................... $3,368.73
• Donations April ......................................................................................................... 1,695.00
• Disbursements ....................................................................................................... ( 2,827.80)
• Interest earned ............................................................................................................... 5.22
• Balance 4/30/2026 ................................................................................................ $2,241.15

Thursday, June 4, Pastor Laurie, Abby Hamaan and the Armstrongs will be heading to Bismarck ND for The Dakotas Annual Conference. Please keep them in your prayers!

On Sunday, June 7, the Celebration of Life worship service will be live-streamed from

Bismarck-McCabe UMC for Wesley UMC congregational folks viewing 10 a.m. that morning. Yes, last years service was a long one, but when you include those being commissioned, ordinations, retirees, remembering those who have passed since last Annual Conference, Bishop’s sermon and a bit more – sure, it’s gonna be a tad long. I hope and pray you stay and watch the entire service. Sometimes that Sunday meal can wait!

After this week we have felt summer in full swing.

We had a few schools that needed plants replaced after some hail has gone through. We also have been touching base with all of the summer programs taking care of the garden beds. It has been extremely exciting.

One of our favorite times of year is planting with the students. A couple of weeks ago we had the privilege of planting at LifeScape with their high school age students. They like to joke around and play pranks on our staff and board members, so it is extremely rewarding and heartwarming to go there and have that experience with them.

As always if you see produce popping up in the garden beds at Wesley this summer, please feel free to take it home with you! We love being able to share our love of plants and produce with the members of the place GroundWorks is blessed to call home.

Let's keep growing hope- together!

Stacia Even

GroundWorks Connect

The education wing roof has experienced a leak that has been temporarily repaired. We are awaiting detailed bids for replacement of the entire education wing roof as well as the roof of the Walden Entrance. Any donations toward this roofing project allows us to continue our ministry and are appreciated. More to come after the estimates are finalized.

The kitchen refrigerator has aged out and is being replaced. Memorial funds will be used for the replacement costs. Also, WNO is replacing the defective kitchen microwave. These replacements will help and are necessary for serving those who are hungry in the Whittier neighborhood. It also allows the kitchen to functional for the many social gatherings that occur in Fellowship Hall.

We’ve had a wonderful spring at Theatre 605 and are excited for the busy and fun summer season ahead. This spring included school tours, rehearsals, and performances, and we are so grateful for the continued support and encouragement from the Wesley community.

We are also excited to welcome two new actor-directors to Theatre 605 this summer! Seth and Edie are joining us from Illinois and will be here for several weeks as part of their summer tour. They’ll be staying at the parsonage while they are in town, so if you happen to see them around, please say hello and help us give them a warm Wesley welcome. We are thrilled to have them joining our team and sharing their talents with our state.

In addition, we are gearing up for our summer theatre camps in July. Camp preparations are already underway, and we are looking forward to another summer full of creativity, learning, music, movement, and lots of laughter. We always love seeing young people grow in confidence and friendship through theatre, and we can’t wait to welcome campers back again this year. And this year the camp will be on the University of South Dakota campus.

Thank you again for all the ways you support Theatre 605 and the arts in our community!

Pentecostal Slavic Congregation of Sioux Falls-Meets in our Sanctuary on Sundays 12:00-2:00, and on Fridays 7:00-9:00

Lirio de los Valles-Meets in our former nursery room on Sundays 12:00-2:00 and Thursdays 7:00-8:30

Prayers:

Joanne

Kathy- Hospice

Beth Stricker

Kolby

Ron Poppenga

Danielle

Ernie Griner and family

Our Country

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!’ Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stopped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus's head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Then if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, I'm finished.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because... the folded napkin meant, I'm coming back!

Think about it!

. . . Wesley United Methodist Church has a Legacy Planning Foundation?

. . . GroundWorks Connect/SD Agriculture in the Classroom has offices and stores their supplies here?

. . . Theatre 605 is utilizing the upstairs level of the parsonage to house their employees when they come for shows and training over the year?

. . . TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets here at Wesley?

. . . The Prayer Shawl group meets the first Thursday of every month at 9am to knit, crochet, and have fellowship?

The deadline for registering for Mission u is June 15. We would love to have someone besides Don and Dawn Armstrong attend from Wesley.

This year’s curriculum is designed to help participants take a step back and take a closer look at the various ways we see Emmanuel within and around biblical stories. What can it look like to walk with God as people who face adversity, issues of justice, and a heritage of relational and spiritual connections?

Below is the vital information you need in order to register for Mission u. This year there is an option to register on-line not just via email. Contact Dawn or Don Armstrong if you want a hard copy for registration. A copy is also posted on the bulletin board in the education wing.

This year’s leaders are Melissa Gall and Brenda Lint.

When you’re shopping and you see an item that says it’s low in cholesterol, you still need to check the nutrition label. It it’s high in saturated fat, it can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Also check the serving size. It might be smaller than you think, and if you eat too much, you’ll get more cholesterol than you realize.

Your morning cup of joe just might give your cholesterol level an unwanted jolt. Frech press or Turkish coffee lets through cafestol, which raises levels of LDL. Espresso does too, but serving sizes are small, so there’s less to worry about. If you drink drip coffee, you’re in the clear. The filter catches cafestol, so stick to drip.

Do you hear “granola” and think “health food?” That chewy, crunchy goodness often comes with a hefty serving of saturated fat. Even brands of “low-fat” granola can be higher in saturated fat than some other kinds of cereal. Eat granola that is sweetened only with dried fruit, honey or maple syrup, and that has at least 20 percent of the recommended daily value for fiber.

You’ve probably heard seafood is a good choice when you’re watching cholesterol. That’s true, but shrimp is an exception. One serving, even if you cook it without fat, has about 190 mg. of cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommend limiting cholesterol to 300 mg. per day or 20 mg per day if you have heart disease or high cholesterol. Try the scallops instead. They have less than a quarter of the cholesterol of shrimp.

To build a better taco, you have to start with the foundation. Flour tortillas, even the whole wheat ones may sound like the best choice, but they’re not. They’re higher in saturated fat than corn tortillas (assuming you don’t fry your corn tortillas in oil, of course). Start with a corn tortillas and add those healthy toppings: grilled chicken, tomatoes, chopped lettuce, and salsa.

Butter vs. margarine can be a tricky choice. Both have saturated fats and should be used sparingly. Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains unsaturated “good” fat”—polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These types of fats help reduce “bad” cholesterol. If you’re using margarine, choose soft tub margarine rather than the stick variety. Tub varieties are lower in trans fats. Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat so it contains more saturated fat.

The Mediterranean diet is supposed to be good for lowering cholesterol, right? And it is, as long as you make the right choices. Think marinara or marsala, not meatballs and linguine with clams, not lasagna. But remember cholesterol isn’t the only thing to think about when planning a healthy diet.

Pasta is still high in calories and carbs. So, even though you don’t have to do without, remember to limit the amount you consume.

Dairy helps you get the calcium and vitamin D you need. Just look for fat-free and low-fat versions, which deliver the nutrients without the same amount of cholesterol. You can also switch to yogurt for sour cream in recipes to further cut saturated fat and cholesterol.

Dawn Armstrong

Located at the St Francis House 210 North Sherman Avenue, Sioux Falls South Dakota 57103

It was a wonderful year at the Terri Redlin pantry. We partnered with King of Glory church and served up to 42 families each week. Other partners that supported the pantry were, Whittier Residents Association ( extra hands to work), Feeding South Dakota(TONS of canned goods, cereal etc), Bread Break(hundreds of loaves of bread and miscellaneous baked goods),The Saint Francis House (workers, food and other donations), Prairie Farms(816 gallons of milk, cases of Baby Bell cheese, lemonade, and butter), and Faith Lutheran church for the extra hands to help and donations of much needed non- perishable items. Thank you to everyone who helped staff the pantry each week and also to everyone who supported the pantry through donations of non-food items.

It is a blessing to meet and get to know the people who come to the pantry.

We look forward to next school year and welcome our friends from Faith Lutheran as they join us as partners.

Through this project we have served as the hands and feet of Jesus. "For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink." Matthew 25:23

The Whittier Residents Association has a busy summer ahead. So far, 5 new Little Libraries/Blessing Boxes have been installed throughout the neighborhood. We just finished up a neighborhood clean up project in partnership with the St Francis House. We plan to have a neighborhood celebration of the 250th birthday of our country's adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Wheels have been set in motion for the beautification of our neighborhood Winona park. Various gatherings around the neighborhood will work to bring neighbors together. Talk of group visits to the Levitt are in the air. And of course, the Naional Night Out looks to be another amazingly fun time for all! Keep an eye out for details on dates, times and places. Wesley and it's people are considered to be family of Whittier.

If you wonder if Wesley is making any difference in our neighborhood, we are! Come, see, join in, be blessed!

Please join after worship Sunday June 28th to reminisce, give well wishes, and thank Pastor Laurie for her ministry at Wesley. Plan to attend a potluck in the Fellowship Hall after the 10 AM worship service. Worship and Staff Parish Relations teams are sponsoring the event.

WNO's Financial Status:

Checking account has a balance of $8962.12

CD's Held at American Bank & Trust has a balance of $14,566.04

Total amount for WNO Finances $23,528.16

We are looking at some additional expenses for a new microwave in the

kitchen and camperships so are in need of additional donations for these

expenses. The microwave will be a valuable asset in preparing food for the

Canteen. Thank you all for your support in these important outreach programs.

WNO Treasurer

Sue Ness

Hope Haven is sponsoring its 28th Annual Hope Haven Fishing Benefit on Friday, June 5, starting at 7am in Big Spirit, Spirit Lake, IA. Registration fee is $60 per angler and children under 16 are free. The entry fee includes an entry gift, eligibility for weigh-in prize categories, and a pork loin meal. Proceeds will benefit individuals with disabilities supported by Hope Haven. Registrations are due Thursday, June 4. For more information and to register, visit hopehaven.org/events or call Scott Koedam at 712-476-2820.

Please contact Pastor Laurie at 605-376-0752.