From the Pastor
Suamico United Methodist Church
We are a friendly, family oriented church.
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Dear SUMC congregation,
It's been reported that the Green Bay area has become one of the coronavirus hotspots in the nation. Area schools have been closed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. After much discussion, church leaders and I agreed that it would be best for our church to close our indoor services for the protection of our congregation, starting Oct. 5th, 2020. We will reevaluate the situation in two weeks and let the congregation know when we will resume indoor services. We will continue to have digital services. In the meantime, our church office will be open. Tina and I will be in the office Mon. thru Thursday from 9am to 1 pm. (Please wear a mask when you enter the church building.) If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. We would appreciate your understanding and cooperation. "Be strong and courageous, for God is with you wherever you are." -Joshua 1:6 Stay safe and stay well! Pastor Jerry Jerry Cho: 920-373-3081 Dear friends in Christ,
We live in a society where the political climate affects our lives more than we realize. We cannot be apolitical because even our silence can be complicity in a situation where we need to take a stand for our Christian ideals. I read in the news that a Catholic priest in Lacrosse said that Catholics who would vote for a Democrat will go to hell. I guarantee you that no one will go to hell whether you would vote for a Democrat or a Republican because the Bible says in Romans 8:38, “Nothing will separate us from the love of God.” As the pastor of SUMC, I would like to share a few thoughts about the upcoming presidential election. First, let us prioritize our identities. We are Christians, first; Americans, second; and our political affiliations, third. In that order. We have to let our Christian ideals of justice, peace, and love guide our political decisions. Jesus said, “Man lives not by bread (economy) alone, but by every word (morality) that proceeds from the mouth of God.” We want a strong economy. But we also want strong morality. Economy and morality will be the two wings of the future of America. As the saying goes, “America is great because America is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” Second, let us not be fooled by the news media. Whether CNN or Fox news, if we believe everything they say, we will be fooled and played. We have to take their words with a grain of salt. William Shakespeare said, “Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.” Wise people don’t let demagogues or rabble-rousers brainwash them. Critical thinkers can tell the difference between truth and lies. Political candidates sweet-talk you to win your votes. Jesus warned, “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Third, being a Catholic or a Protestant does not mean a thing. “Action speaks louder than words.” What does God require of us? Prophet Micah said, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.” Let us ask ourselves these questions: “Will our next president work for justice for all, not just for the rich and the powerful? Will our next president be kind to all Americans, not just some? Will our next president be humble before God, before truth, and before Americans? Let us support our political leaders who will serve American people, not just themselves or their political party. Please do not pray that God may take sides with your candidate. Instead, pray that your candidate may take sides with God! May America shine like a beacon on a hill! Pastor Jerry Cho Dear Suamico UMC congregation,
Before I arrived at Suamico church, I heard that there was tension among church members with regard to the old sanctuary building. From what I heard, some wanted to keep the old church building making the most use out of it. Some others wanted to tear it down because they felt that Suamico congregation couldn’t afford maintaining two church buildings. Fortunately, we have successfully built our new sanctuary and have been managing two church buildings. At the present moment, we can’t afford the cost of demolishing the old church building and youth group and the Boy Scouts occasionally make use of our old church building. It is my hope that we make the best use of our old sanctuary until it is obvious that we simply can’t afford maintaining it. We often sing the old hymn, “The church is not a building. The church is people.” A church building without people is an empty shell. Maintaining a happy and loving congregation is more important than dealing with the building itself. The mission statement of the United Methodist Church is “making people disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world.” Different pastors may interpret the meaning of “disciples of Jesus” differently. I would like to interpret “disciples of Jesus” as “good people.” The world is fed up with religious people who are narrow-minded, dogmatic, judgmental, hateful and violent. The world is in short supply of good people who are humble, kind, wise and courageous. I want our church to produce good people for the good of our society. Let us be kind to one another! Your servant-leader, Pastor Jerry Cho  SUMC Spiritual Vitamins (8-11-2020)
“The naïve believes everything, But the prudent man considers his steps.” - Proverbs 14:15 Gullible people believe everything. They believe sweet talk of frauds, scammers, and con artists. Wise people don’t believe everything. They think, raise questions, and discern the truthfulness of what they hear. Things aren’t always what they seem. All that glitters is not gold. Today’s prayer: Dear Lord, give us wisdom to tell the difference between truth and lies in this confusing world. Amen. 1. Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. – William Shakespeare 2. I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. - Susan B. Anthony 3. You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. – Abraham Lincoln  SUMC Spiritual Vitamins (8-10-2020)
“The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish.” -Proverbs 14: 11 A young man went to a bookstore and asked a clerk, “Where can I find a book, “How To Get Rich Quick”? The clerk nonchalantly said, “You can find it right next to the book “How To Enjoy Prison Life.” Evil, dishonesty, and arrogance will lead us to destruction. Diligence, honesty, and humility will lead us to prosperity. We may fool people but we can never fool God. God’s mill grinds slow but sure. Today’s prayer: Dear Lord, we pray for a society where honest, hard-working, and humble people will enjoy success and prosperity. Help us to avoid the sins of lies, selfishness, and arrogance. Amen. 1. The sovereign cure for worry is prayer. – William James 2. Great men are like eagles, and build their nests on some lofty solitude. – Arthur Schopenhauer 3. Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world. – Francis Schaffer SUMC Spiritual Vitamins (8-7-2020)
“Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it.” - Luke 17:33 Some say, “Nice guys finish last.” But Jesus says, “The meek will inherit the earth.” Some say, “To survive, we need to be selfish, greedy and hateful.” But Jesus teaches us that we need to be selfless, generous, and loving. The truth is that we live our best life when we are good to one another. Today’s prayer: Dear Lord, please save us from our greed, selfishness, and hatred. Help us to find a true life by sacrificing our lives for the good of fellow human beings. Amen. 1. Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. -Confucius 2. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong. -James Bryce 3. Look for what Jesus himself taught instead of being satisfied with what has been taught about him. – Geza Vermes |
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