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Worship @ Greensky Hill Indian UMC, Online, 10 AM, Sunday
Greensky Hill Indian United Methodist Church wants all of our neighbors to know
- especially our LGBTQIA2S+ members, family, & friends -
that we see all the people and we welcome all as beloved children of God. All.
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8484 Green Sky Hill Rd, Charlevoix, MI 49720
November 28, 2021
Making Room, 11/28/21
Rev. Jonathan Mays begins the Advent/Christmas worship series "The Inn: Housing the Holy," with Week 1: "Making Room (Hope)." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, children's time with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer, and a sermon from Jeremiah 33:14-16 & Psalm 25:4-5.
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
September 5 - November 21, 2021
Beguiled by Beauty: Beauty, Contemplation, and Radical Compassion, 9/5/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Beauty, Contemplation, and Radical Compassion, 9/5/21
Greensky Hill presents a multicultural service featuring songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by The Drum Voices of Greensky Hill, Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, "Searching for Beauty: A Time for Children" with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, “Sermo Divina” from Ezekiel 31:3-7 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays, and Communion. “All things are beautiful–not by a standard of ‘pretty’ as seen by our eyes, but by an essence of sacred worth that is sensed by the spirit. This is the root and heart of compassion and justice. Beauty is the threshold to Divine Goodness and a door into radical compassion. Contemplation trains our spirits to see this deeper truth. Over the next six weeks, we will pursue a contemplative life to deepen our spiritual capacities so that we might live as Beloveds of God who extend Goodness in the world." (WDS)
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Beguiled by Beauty: We Are Made for the Beloved, 9/12/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Beauty, Contemplation, and Radical Compassion, 9/5/21
Greensky Hill presents a multicultural service featuring songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, "Searching for Beauty: A Time for Children" with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, and “Sermo Divina” from Psalm 16:7-11 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays. “A Christian mystic of the 14th century, Julian of Norwich, lived during one of the worst centuries of human history, including the black death pandemic that wiped out millions of people, famines, floods, war, and corruption. In her writing, she addresses what she believed to be at the root of suffering–the misplaced idea of God’s rejection. Without this core belief in beauty and sacred worth, we engage in self-and-other-destroying behaviors, inducing further suffering. Contemplative practices invite us into union with the Divine One, healing the wounds of forgetfulness." (WDS)
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Greensky Hill continues our six-week worship series "Beguiled by Beauty," with Week 3: "Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English and “Sermo Divina” from Psalm 147 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays. "We try to satisfy our thirst for meaningful life with so many distractions and addictions. Awakening to beauty is to find the well that never runs dry. For it is in beginning to truly see the world with our spirits that our soul’s thirst is quenched. “The resilience and beauty of the natural world is a sign of hope, even when things are difficult.” A tree is scorched by fire and yet new sprouts shoot up, defiant and optimistically reaching toward the sun. A crack in a sidewalk reveals the seeds just beneath the surface just waiting for a chance to break through. Contemplating this resilient beauty draws us back to our own vitality and the promise that we, too, are capable of new life." (WDS)
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Beguiled by Beauty: Abyss, Mystery, and Wonder, 9/26/21
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World, 9/19/21
Greensky Hill continues our six-week worship series "Beguiled by Beauty," with Week 4: "Abyss, Mystery, and Wonder." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, "Searching for Beauty: A Time for Children" with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, and “Sermo Divina” from Psalm 135:1-3, 13-21 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays. "Names were important in the Ancient Near East. Names described attributes of the person to whom they were assigned and could be changed when an important occurrence shifted the story and the essence of a person. The psalmist often gives glory to 'the name of God.' And yet to name God is difficult for there is no one word that can describe the fullness of the Holy. In today's Lectio Divina passage, the psalmist describes the attributes of God for which praise is given: justice and compassion. This is unlike any other unfeeling, life-denying idol that claims to be a “god.” This is a Holy Spirit that moves and breathes–not only in setting the beauty of creation in motion, but even now. It is an indescribable presence that warrants the simple description 'Beautiful Name.'" (WDS)
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Beguiled by Beauty: The Beauty of a World Without a "Why," 10/3/21
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, "Searching for Beauty: A Time for Children" with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, “Sermo Divina” from Song of Songs 4:1-7 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays, and individually served Communion. "When we accept the non-utilitarian goodness of life–a world that doesn’t need a 'why'– we tune into the raw delight in the world. 'Beauty decenters our ego by helping us realize that life is its own justification.' As we let go of how everything relates to us, serves us, benefits us, we begin to appreciate all things for their own worth and beauty, and our desire for their flourishing intensifies. When we turn this idea onto our own selves, we can let go of the expectations of others and the societal standards of beauty in regard to our own worth."
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
Beguiled by Beauty: From Beauty to Compassion and Justice, 10/10/21
This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, "Searching for Beauty: A Time for Children" with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, and “Sermo Divina” from Isaiah 52:7-10 by the Rev. Jonathan Mays. With quotes from "Beguiled by Beauty" author, Dr. Wendy Farley, Series designer, Worship Design Studios, notes, "Our series ends with a reaffirmation of our call to contemplative action in the world. The awareness of one another’s beauty is the 'seedling for the birth of compassion and justice.' A contemplative life can empty us and ready us to become instruments of the Good. Let us affirm our plans to continue practicing 'a way of beauty' that makes life 'rich, courageous, generous, and joyful' as active agents of the Divine Beauty in the world."
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Pastor Sarah Sheaffer introduces a new six-week worship series, "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 1: "Dream." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, and a sermon from Luke 4:13-21. As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes," All creation began with the dream of God, the will and intention for life to exist in the void. All of our actions are born out of desire, out of a dream and vision for the future. This is our birthright: to imagine and to create. What brings you alive? What truly moves your soul in the deepest way? What you create out of that answer is your greatest gift to the world and the way in which you are part of God’s unfolding and ongoing creative dream!"
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Hover, 10/24/21
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Pastor Sarah Sheaffer continues the six-week worship series "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 2: "Hover." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, and a sermon from Luke 4:1-13.
As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes, "Hovering is the creative posture of taking a moment to see the 'big picture.' In a world of quick fixes and instant gratification, we sometimes want to skip the step of paying quiet attention to this question: 'what one thing do we need to focus on now?' Clearing the decks in order to give ourselves space and time to think, to ruminate, to consider what is necessary, feels like a luxury but in fact both creativity experts and Jesus point to the importance of taking reflective time. The 'project' of our lives and work in the world as Christians depends upon this as well. If you didn’t feel that you have to do or fix EVERYTHING, what ONE thing would you work on at this point in your life? What do you feel drawn to?"
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Risk, 10/31/21
Drawn In: Dream, 10/17/21
Drawn In: Listen, 11/7/21
Pastor Sarah Sheaffer continues the six-week worship series "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 3: "Risk." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, and a sermon from Matthew 25:24-30. As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes, "God’s act of creating all that is, God’s act of entering our lives in the person of Jesus, God’s everyday act of creating new life–all these are acts of bringing that which is not into being—all acts of originality. To create is to assert ourselves in a way that is risky, that invites stepping into the unknown. Jesus told a story about people who did different things with the 'talents' given to them. The one who took a risk and utilized those talents multiplied his gift in the world. What can you do to risk what God has given you to expand love and grace in the world?"
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Listen, 11/7/21
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Drawn In: Listen, 11/7/21
Pastor Sarah Sheaffer continues the six-week worship series "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 4: "Listen." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, a "Make-Belief" Moment for children, and a sermon from Acts 16:6-15. As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes, "'Listening' as part of creativity is about perceiving. We open our senses to see what is emerging. Perhaps what we start doesn’t end up looking like what we thought it would. Instead, once the act of creating begins, we listen to how the Spirit is guiding our next steps and unfolding possibilities we were previously unaware of. Without paying attention in this way, we act as if we have all the answers. And when we are up against something that doesn’t go our way, we see it as a negative. But what if those moments are simply Co-Creator God inviting us to see new ways of moving forward in our lives?"
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Rev. Jonathan Mays continues the six-week worship series "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 5: "Re-Integrate." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, a "Make-Belief" Moment with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, and a sermon from 1 Corinthians 12:12-19. As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes, "Everything that is created is in relationship with all other things. God’s vision for birds had to do with the quality of the creation of air. How a song is experienced by those who sing it will change the composer’s perception of the song or even the song itself. Nothing exists in isolation. So too for our relationships with others. What happens for humanity is closely related to how we respond to each other. Are we willing to re-integrate, re-vise, re-vision our lives as we come in contact with others who are not like us? New possibilities await if we are willing to offer ourselves fully and be willing to be changed by our interactions."
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
Drawn In: Rest, 11/21/21
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Drawn In: Re-Integrate, 11/14/21
Rev. Jonathan Mays concludes the six-week worship series "Drawn In: Living Out the Creative Life with God," with Week 6: "Rest." This multicultural service features songs and prayers in Anishinaabemowin and English, music by Pastor Sharon Osterhouse and others, a "Make-Belief" Moment with Pastor Sarah Sheaffer and kids, and a sermon from Exodus 20:8-11.
As series designer, Worship Design Studio, notes, "Something grossly overlooked in the creative process is the place of effortlessness and play. In the story of creation, God rested. And this was very 'good' as well! Staying too focused on deadlines and how every moment can be 'productive' robs us of an important feature of what it means to be humans made in the image of God: rhythm. Pushing through is non-sustainable, and creativity suffers if we constantly labor. Celebration is necessary along the journey. God’s creativity is ongoing, so while the story said God was 'finished' and then rested, really it was simply a pause to reflect, to observe, and to celebrate, and then God continued God’s creative work among us and with us."
Design/original music © Worship Design Studio, used with permission.
About Greensky Hill
We share sacred space.
We remain a sanctuary of love in a setting of natural beauty.
We preserve a unique Native Heritage.
We invite people to experience community as sisters and brothers in Christ and empower people to serve all in need.
We worship together every Sunday at 10 a.m. (Online-only, 10/17-12/5/21. In-person and online beginning 12/12/21).
Our simple log church was built in the 1840's. Surrounded by trees marking the site of a long sacred meeting place, the church was constructed with large hewn logs notched at the corners and laid horizontally over a stone foundation. Much of the lumber used in the building was brought by canoe from Traverse City. Today the church continues to be an active, racially mixed congregation, some of whom are descendants of original worshipers.
We care for creation, we care for our community, and we love sharing meals with our neighbors.
Through our partnership with Manna Food Project, we have Family Food Boxes available at no charge and with no strings attached. If you're interested in worship or other church activities, you are more than welcome; however, you should never feel obligated. We also care for our community with United Methodist Women and Men's Club meetings, Grandmother Moon ceremonies, Bible Studies, children's ministry, water protector events, and other activities.
Contact Greensky Hill
Better yet, get to know us!
Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you'll feel welcome at Greensky Hill Indian United Methodist Church, where it's safe to ask the hard questions. We will leave no heart behind.
Greensky Hill Indian United Methodist Church
8484 Green Sky Hill, Charlevoix, Michigan 49720, United States
Rev. Jonathan David Mays, Pastor, (231) 459-8067
Welcome to Greensky Hill
Sadly, as of November 12, the Covid-19 risk level in our area is Very High again. We are continuing “online only” worship services, 11/14-12/5, so that we can take a few more steps to keep everyone as safe as possible. Our goal is to return to indoor worship on 12/12. Following each broadcast, the service will be available on our Home page. Earlier services are available on our Archive page.