Stay up-to-date on Galloway news.

Transcription

1 March-April 2018

2 Stay up-to-date on Galloway news. Visit us at Galloway United Methodist Church Galloway Youth Ministry Galloway Kids and be sure the church office has your address. call: visit: Pastor Roy Gearhart 196 Seysler Road Franklin, Pennsylvania Attendance Report 8:15 kids 10:45 kids TOTAL Nov Dec Dec Dec Dec. 24 combined morning worship 258 Christmas Eve 4pm =146 7pm = Dec Jan Jan Jan Jan Feb Feb Feb Feb Financial Reports November December 2017 Year End January Year-to-Date Tithe $35, $48, $396, $27, $27, Loose Plate $1, $1, $12, $1, $1, Missions $ $ $5, $ $ Mortgage $1, $1, $19, $1, $1, Interest/Div. $11.35 $11.85 $ $11.92 $11.92 Building Use $ $25.00 $ Small Group Books $ Tapes/CD Copies $1.00 $1.00 Easter Offering $2, Funeral Dinners -- $ $1, $ $ Reimburs./Misc. Refunds -- $ $2, Total Budget Income $38, $53, $441, $30, $30, Total Budget Expenses $27, $ $428, $33, $33, DIFFERENCE $11, $15, $13, $2, $2, Expenses included the mortgage payment in the amount of $5,895 each month. Remaining principle balance of the mortgage is $832, We paid $27, of $47, for our 2017 conference mission share. This was approximately 52%. Our 2017 Christmas offering was split three ways. ABC Life Center, Steph Bell at YWAM Perth, each received: $1, Another $ went to building maintenance. A full financial report may be obtained from the church office.

3 March ONE THING we can do together Collect Non-Perishable Food For The Salvation Army Community Food Bank Each month we choose ONE THING that we can do together to make a difference in our community. We collect goods that can help meet needs and support local ministries that are spreading the gospel as they touch lives in practical ways. Join in on these local mission projects by dropping donations off at Galloway Church. Did you know that we also have a group of folks who regularly serve meals at the Salvation Army? They are always looking for new faces to help feed the hungry. Simple menus are pre-planned. Friendly faces, cooking, cleanup, and fellowship are part of the fun. Contact Darlene Sampsell or Karen Dailey for more details.

4 Our current sermon series is: That you may Believe Studying the Gospel of John DEVOTIONAL GUIDE books to compliment this study of the Gospel of John are available in the Greeting Area. Don t forget to download the free YOUVERSION BIBLE APP to follow along with Galloway sermon notes. Search for Galloway UM Church under the Events Tab. SMALL GROUPS are an important part of the discipleship walk. Are you gathering with a small group to share and get the most benefit from the study? Let us know about it! church@gallowaychurch.org. In small groups, there is encouragement and accountability. LOOKING FOR A SMALL GROUP? Check out GroupFinder on the Small Groups page under the Grow menu at to find a group that s right for you. Make a note of these upcoming special services and HOLY DAYS that will continue to lead us to Easter! Venango County Joint Ministerium Lent Services: March 1 Reconciliation 7pm Victory Heights UB, Franklin March 8 Transformation 7pm Galloway UMC, Franklin March 15 Evangelization 7pm Christ UMC, Franklin March 25 Palm Sunday 6pm Cranberry High School, Seneca March 29 March 30 March 30 April 1 Maundy Thursday 7pm Lord's Supper at Galloway Good Friday Community Crosswalk Franklin - 10:30am Meet at Good Friday Service 7pm at Galloway Easter Sunrise Service 6:30am at the three crosses 8:30am & 10:30am Services

5 Wednesdays 6-8pm At the start of the 2018 year, Elevate Youth started a new series titled, When Life Get s Real. Through this study, we ve been talking about real life situations and how the bible applies to us in these situations. As we journey through this series together, we know that our teens are dealing with things that they should never have to at their age. With no help from the Internet and social media, our teens struggle with bullying, knowing their true worth, friends/relationships, and sex. This series was designed to get real, to get on their level, and to show them that Jesus is greater than anything this life can give us. As we have been walking out this series, we have seen an incredible increase in the amount of time our teens are spending in the Word. Resources like YouVersion bible app are being used to engage them and point them to God. The YouVersion app allows them to search out God s Word on a medium with which they are already familiar. Feel free to "friend" our teens when you download the app. This bible app is a free tool available to all. What do you want to be when you grow up? You would be surprised at some of the answers that we get from our kids. They are so creative! At the beginning of the year, we started a 12-week series titled, When I Grow Up. It has been so much fun; we ve talked about being a police officer, a doctor, a teacher, and even an artist. Each one of these career choices has had a unique bible passage tied to it. Each Sunday, our kids go home with a paper full of questions about that morning s lesson. We try to make our lessons fun and interactive to help them remember and grasp why Jesus is important and how much he loves them. To have a successful children s ministry you need a solid foundation of volunteers. We have been blessed with a great group of volunteers, but they most certainty can t do it alone. How many laborers, per service, are needed in an effective and growing Sunday morning Children s Ministry? Nursery (Infant-2) 1st-3rd Grade 1 Youth 1 Youth Nursery (3-4) 4th-5th Grade 1 Youth Pre-K-Kindergarten 1 Youth 1 Youth Youth Ministry is possible because of our awesome volunteer team. They give up so much to be involved in our young people's lives. Even with a great youth team, there is always room for you to get involved. You never know how your personal life experiences can reach and teach our teens. Thank you to all who have taken up the call to pray as we continue to get real about what teenagers face today and what God has to say about it. We unfortunately don t sit anywhere near this on any given Sunday morning. Generally, we have 3-5 adults and 3-4 youth total volunteering. This is unacceptable if we want an effective and growing Children s Ministry. This isn t about numbers or the programming; it s about the salvation of our young and future leaders of this world. With all of that being said, we have cultivated a collection of leaders in our church to be the Lead Team for Galloway Kids. Just like the model of the church, Galloway Kids has a Grow Lead and a Share Lead. We are still prayerfully searching for a Connect Lead to join our team. This team is a collection of strong, Jesus-driven women. Be on the look out for our Children s Ministry Open House, more details to come! Colleen Haynes, Director of Children's & Youth Ministries Nursery Check-In KidZone Check-In Decorating/Craft Team 2-4 Adults Total per service: 18 Adults, 5 Youth

6 Galloway Women s Annual Soup Sale March 10 from 11am-1:30pm Sold by the Quart. carry out only. Kinds of Soups Beef Vegetable Navy Bean Ham Chicken Noodle $5.50 in your container or $6 in our container Pre-orders are being taken now at Galloway Church. Please bring your own container. Knives will also be available for sale. 196 Seysler Road Franklin, PA Questions: Call

7 Charting a Course for Our Future I am excited to be looking toward the future with YOU. The future is always filled with potential for change. Some things we can see coming, others we cannot. Some things we can anticipate, that affect our future, include: o o o Signs of renewed growth we are enjoying meeting new people who are taking root here as disciples of Jesus. God is moving among us and we need to be prepared to grow in a unified sense of identity and mission. Our financial health we know that we have struggled financially over the past year and need to exercise wise management over all our spending. Potential change or division in the UMC the United Methodist Church has been struggling over questions regarding homosexuality for past 40 years. This has led to a critical juncture for the church. A special General Conference on February 23-26, 2019 may lead to dramatic changes for the denomination that could greatly impact our future. To chart a course for the future I have initiated these steps with our Church Council for The overall objective is to create a God-led, God-sized vision for the next 3-5 years and to express our core values and beliefs so that we can maintain a solid sense of identity that will unite us as we grow and guide us in any future challenges Initiatives for Church Council Be steadfast in Prayer for God to be firmly established as LORD over us and for God to enable us to grow as Disciples Who Make Disciples. Monitor Finances Carefully to ensure sound fiscal health. The overall objective is to create a God-led, God-sized vision for the next 3-5 years and to express our core values and beliefs so that we can maintain a solid sense of identity that will unite us as we grow and guide us in any future challenges. Prepare for the Future Divide Council into four work teams with specific tasks: Futures, Values, Vision, and Guidelines Work Teams Vision Work Team Develop Vision for Ministry Create a Statement of Vision Identify 3-5 year Goals Values Work Team Promote Unity in the Church Create a Statement of our Core Beliefs Create a Statement our Core Values (Priorities/Drivers) Create a relevant Statement Regarding Sexuality and Marriage that reflect the Bible, the standards of the UMC, and establish our Beliefs and Values. Futures Work Team Actively Prepare to Address Potential Division in the UMC Be well informed regarding the current standards and structures of the UMC, the process that is unfolding leading to a special General Conference, February 23-26, 2019, and potential changes to the doctrine, standards and structure of the UMC. Engage the Congregation in a process that will equip us to respond to any potential changes in the doctrine, standards and structure of the UMC in a God led manner that will preserve and protect the mission, vision and values of Galloway Church. Guidelines Work Team Establish Standards for Leadership Development Ensure a continuity in developing future leaders. Set guidelines for current and future council members to adhere to. Create a Mission Statement for Church Council and Job Description for Council Members. Define Biblical Standards Applicable to All Ministry Leaders. Define Specific Standards of Sexual Conduct and any other standards required to maintain our Doctrines and Values. Please keep the Church Council and myself lifted in prayer as we work together to serve God and lead the church forward in pursuit of his will and purpose. Pastor Roy Gearhart

8 Dear Brethren of Galloway UMC, Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We at Children Alive Ministries (CALM), would like to thank you very, very much for your support throughout 2017 and the years before. With the money you give us this year we were able to: Run 3 children's camps and reach over 800 children in 3 parts of the country, Run one Sunday school teachers' training, Conduct 2 teachers fellowships Pay one staff member who coordinates the program. Thank you very much for sponsoring many of our children who are sponsored. We thank God for you as partners in ministry and friends. Leez "Elizabeth" CALM Dear Galloway United Methodist Church, Thank you so much for your generous gift of gloves and hats for our children. We are always in need of these items - thank you for your gift and your prayers. Central Elementary School A THANK YOU to the Galloway congregation for their support of our Soup Sale and Knives and Dips sale. Because of your generosity, we were able to complete several projects for Please note that we are no longer collecting Campbell's Soup labels as that offer is no longer available. We are collecting Blankets and sheets for Mustard Seed $500 given towards principle on church mortgage Flood bucket project Donation given to Westbury Methodist Home Walker caddies made and given to nursing homes and Coordination of the Mitten and Hat Tree individuals Donation given to Coats for Kids through Oil City Fire Dept Made blankets for UMW District Box Tops for Education and the collection box is on top of the coat rack in the fellowship hall so your contributions would be appreciated. Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for the wonderful fruit basket. It means a lot to us to know that so many others are thinking of us and praying for us. You are also in our prayers and we hope to be able to join you in church soon. In Christian love, Jim and Ann Pollock Couples' Night On February 10th, we had the privilege to host Fred and Robin Frye at our Couples' Night! It was a great night full of laughter, fellowship, and of course, love. As someone who is not married, but aspires to be married someday, it was an amazing opportunity to learn and grow and set some personal goals. Marriage is God s unique design for us, and we see that in Genesis. It was really a great night - a night to set fire to some marriages, to mend some broken hearts, and, most importantly, to spend some time learning and growing together as one flesh with Jesus. This was one of many family-focused nights to come. Keep an out for future events. We really hope that you will join us next time!

9 Grow up! Are you preparing as if the fire is about to fall? In 1 Kings 17, we are introduced to a man named Elijah who is about to experience this very situation. The story of Elijah is incredibly powerful in that God uses him to stand up against one of the most wicked rulers of the entire bible. God does this by using the words and actions of Elijah to literally send fire from the sky in a demonstration that there is one true God. It s an incredibly powerful moment in the history of God s people. However, what may be far more important in this story happens before Elijah ever confronts these wicked rulers. Prior to sending fire from the sky, God actually forced Elijah into an extended season of isolation and preparation. This whole story shows us that there are times when God needs to prepare our character in very intentional ways before He allows our lives to serve as demonstrations of His power. A few weeks ago, about twenty of us gathered to take a look at what it means to prepare ourselves for situations that The most important thing we can bring to any team, any leadership position, any discussion, is a heart that is surrendered to God. require leadership. We called this leadership development event Grow up! (title inspired by Ephesians 4:15). What do we need to be doing now so we are prepared for what God asks of us later? How are we preparing as leaders for fire to fall? In our morning together, we explored different areas where we can better prepare for Godly leadership. We looked at how we can contribute to and lead a healthy team and explored the different mind sets we can adopt that help prepare us to be a church of growth. Another session was spent looking at how we can be a better hand-taker on Sunday morning, which is a term we use to remind us to look for opportunities to lead anyone, even people we may not have met before, in their faith journey. Arguably, however, the most important time we spent was reflecting on how we lead ourselves. We discussed the importance of living a life in a rhythm of connecting to God. The most important thing we can bring to any team, any leadership position, any discussion, is a heart that is surrendered to God. Our foundation for leadership, just as with Elijah, needs to be rooted in who God is calling us to be. Anything beyond that is simply God choosing to rain fire on our lives. If you missed Grow up!, but have an interest in learning more about leadership or what God has called you to do, don t fret. There will be plenty of opportunity moving forward, and we will be sure to share that with you. There are things that you can be doing right now - First and most importantly, be spending time with God. How do you need to arrange your life so that God is the focal point? Second, read anything and everything you can on the subject of leadership. The best way to learn more about being a leader is to spend time watching and learning from those who are leaders. Lastly, sit down with a leader and ask questions. Find out about their leadership journey and the different things they ve learned. One of the greatest parts about being a leader is the moments where God sends fire and demonstrates His power. When this happens, there s a real joy that comes when somebody else wants to know what that is like and how they can experience it for themselves. Don t be afraid to ask questions. Who knows, maybe you re only a conversation away from God s fire falling on your life. Shawn Hogue, Ministry Development Coordinator

10 Get Connected at Galloway Are you looking to get connected at Galloway? One of the best ways to do that is to get plugged into a ministry and serve on a volunteer team. Below we will highlight some of the ministries where you can serve. Our Sunday morning, teams are vitally important to the life of the church as they set the tone for what people experience when they come to Galloway. They are truly a guest s first impression. If you love interacting with people, are willing to be bold in welcoming a new guest, or desire to help people get connected, one of these roles may be for you. WELCOME CENTER HOST As a Welcome Center Host you become the champion of getting people plugged in at Galloway. When somebody has a question about what s happening in the life of the church, they will turn to you. You will help individuals identify what next step they need to take and share with them the different ministries that exist within the life of Galloway Church. Don t know the answer to a question? That s totally fine! You will be trained on what you need to know and when there is a question beyond your understanding, you will know who to connect with so that the person asking is pointed in the right direction. We are looking for hosts to be available before and after both services and in-between our morning services, as this is when most people interact with us at Galloway. For more information about this position you can Shawn Hogue at shawn@gallowaychurch.org or call ext. 3. CHILDREN S MINISTRY CHECK-IN HOST Families want to know that their child is going to be safe and loved. As a Check-In Host you will engage with parents and families and make them feel welcomed and at ease with their experience at Galloway. This interaction allows us to connect with parents and encourage them as they are preparing for worship each morning. As a Check-In Host, you will be trained on how to be an advocate for the children s ministry, how to operate our check-in system and how to talk about the check in process as a means of keeping our children safe. You will be an important member of the team that raises children to know Jesus. For more information or to sign up for this team, Colleen Haynes at children@gallowaychurch.org or call ext. 4. Here at Galloway we d love for you to experience everything God has for your life and we believe part of that means building His church in both big and small ways. By getting connected to a ministry team, you are helping Galloway reach the lost in the name of Jesus. Don t hesitate to volunteer today!