UMM Wednesday Breakfasts
United Methodist Men
Arapaho's United Methodist Men are a community of friends who meet together for weekly breakfasts, serve together at the Austin Street Shelter, oversee the Dick Bourne Award and offer their support, both physical and financial, to many ministries of the church.
Every Wednesday morning between 7-8am you will find 10 to 20 men drinking coffee and eating a light breakfast in the church kitchen. It is an informal affair with everyone standing around and talking in two’s and three’s while each new arrival shakes hands all around and finds himself a cup of coffee and some food. About 7:30am, the group gravitates into the Fire Place Room, conducts a very brief business meeting, and then proceeds to a program presented by one of the members. Over the past couple of years, the programs have ranged over a variety of topics including readings from devotional literature, a discussion of cosmology and current understandings of the universe, a description of Route 66 and efforts to celebrate its history, personal histories, presentation and discussion of Stages of Faith Development, discussion of current thought provoking books like Guns, Germs and Steel, discussion of the Book of Job, discussion of the early days of commercial radio and its impact on society. Members volunteer to select the topic and to provide leadership for that session. Every man in the church is welcome. Participants cover a wide range of interests and of ages, with the mid-30s to early-80s being fairly typical. Those who attend regularly will tell you that friendships made within the group constitute the most important benefit. All men are invited for breakfast, fellowship, discussion, and music.
UMM All Church Breakfast
One Sunday each year, the United Methodist Men serve their famous buffet breakfast. We have grown to love the feast that they prepare with its assortment of delicious breakfast delights.
Our United Methodist Men offer these breakfasts as church-wide fellowship opportunities and to raise funds to support various ministries. In the past 15 years, the United Methodist Men have contributed over $40,000 to support these and other ministries: Arapaho Youth Mission Trips, Children Against Hunger, Network of Community Ministries, Austin Street Center, Nueva Vida, ZOE Ministries, Wesley Inn, UMCOR and many more!
austin street shelter
Throughout the year Arapaho's United Methodist Men organize early morning visits to the Austin Street Shelter to feed breakfast to the residents. Austin Street is a unique shelter, for the amount of space, more people receive regular care than at most similar facilities in the country. Each night they provide sleeping spaces for between 300-400 men, women and children. In addition to a sleeping space they provide showers and clean clothing. Volunteer's are needed to prepare food as well as travel to the shelter to serve the breakfast.
dick bourne award
"One of the principal rules of religion is to lose no occasion of serving God. And since God is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve God in our neighbor."
John Wesley, 1777, OnChristianPerfection
Make a nomination (Click Here)
About the Dick Bourne Service Award: Each year we pause to recognize and celebrate the decades of sustained and outstanding service given by many in our congregation by selecting an exemplary member for this award. You are invited and encouraged to participate by nominating those you consider representative of this honor.
Who was Richard F. Bourne? Dick was the first recipient of the Arapaho United Methodist Church Outstanding Service Award in 1992. Until his death in February 2020, Dick was responsible for the administration and preparation of awarding this tribute to others. Dick, along with the support of his wife, Nancy, served our church for over 30 years in many ways, including Chairmanships of the Administrative Council, Finance Committee, and Stewardship Campaign. He taught the Open Door Sunday School Class for over 20 years and served on the building committee for the new sanctuary. Dick also took on the task of leading classes, such as Kerygma and Disciples Bible Study programs. On Laity Sunday, Dick would often be in the Pulpit. He could deliver a mighty sermon! If it involved Arapaho UMC, Dick was there.
PRIOR RECIPIENTS: Dick Bourne (1992), Estelle Smith (1993), Shirley Brumfield (1994), Eddie Cardwell (1995), Dick Arp (1996), Pete Tatman (1997), Ann Muir (1998), Barbara and Bruce Hyink (2000), Bob Lamb (2001), Ann Goar (2002), Shirley and Jim Howard (2003), Mary Ann Smith (2004), Joe Staser (2005), Phil Jackson (2006), Joyce Patton (2007), Karen and Phil Lipoma (2008), Steve and Betsy Morton (2009), Linda Ratcliff Mendenhall (2010), Jim Mitchell (2011), Dewey Thoes (2012), Lauren Hames (2013), Jacky and Marty Russell (2014), Geoff Zenick (2015), Beverly Those (2016), Charlie Burgess (2017), Bob Douglas (2018), Sharon Groves (2019), Cliff Clark (2020), and Pam Wood (2021).
FAQS:
What is the purpose? To recall, celebrate, and recognize the leadership of long-term outstanding service to God, Arapaho United Methodist Church (AUMC), and our community.
Why is it called an “award”? After the original meaning to “decide after careful observation”; emphasis on the process of awarding versus the object being awarded.
Who awards it? Our entire church community: all may nominate, past recipients help select, and the United Methodist Men (UMM) provide limited administrative support.
Are there any qualifications? Only that a nominee has been an active lay member of AUMC for at least ten years.
How are people nominated? Anyone may nominate a member by submitting this form or by any other written means describing the nominee’s exemplary long-term service.
How are recipients selected? Prior award recipients, the pastor, and the UMM president meet to decide among submitted nominations.
What do recipients receive? Our additional heartfelt “thanks”, recognition at a Sunday service, a personal engraved plaque, and their name(s) inscribed on the plaque at the church listing all honorees.