FROM OLD LIFE TO NEW LIFE

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1 NOTE: (This article originally appeared in the January 2016 church newsletter. I had planned on a different article for 2018, but time and interruptions and difficulties (in other words, LIFE!) got in the way. So, with a little editing and added thoughts, here is a rerun, with the belief that all of us still need to heed the words. Happy New Year 2018!) Let me share with you some- Bartlett Chapel News FROM OLD LIFE TO NEW LIFE JANUARY 2018 thing they do in a village in Italy on New Year s Eve. They don t dress up and go to a festive party. They don t gather around the piano and sing, Auld Lang Syne. They don t gather in the town square and watch a glittering ball drop to announce the exact moment when the new year begins. They don t even watch all the festivities from Times Square in New York. The folks in that village pretty much all stay home, and as midnight approaches, traffic on the street begins to lessen. Soon there is no traffic at all. No cars. No people out walking. Even the police take shelter because they know what is about to happen. At the precise stroke of midnight, the windows of every house in the village open up, and to the sound of music, fireworks, and laughter, people with great enthusi- Pastor Jeff, Page 2 Wishing you god s light in the new year In This Issue Pg Pastor Jeff 1,2 Announcements 3 Calendar 4,5 Thank You 6 Birthdays 7 Anniversaries 7 Volunteer Schedule 8 Join the conversation: facebook.com /bartlettchapel

2 Pastor Jeff continued from Page 1 asm begin to throw things out the windows: worn-out furniture, chipped glasses, cracked dishes, clothes that are out-of-style, old pots and pans no longer wanted, old shoes that no longer fit, pictures of old boyfriends or girlfriends, personal items that are reminders of difficult experiences in the past year. Out the window they go. All those things that the people in the village do not want to carry with them into the new year go flying out the windows. Actually, if you stop and think about it, that is not such a bad ides. There are times in our lives when we simply need to make a clean sweep of our lives and start all over. There are times in our own lives when we need to stop and evaluate and see if we are carrying things around or holding onto things that we simply need to quit allowing to burden us, hinder us, hurt us, or even hurt those around us. Perhaps this is a good time for you to take stock? To slow down and take a good look at your life. Are you carrying around some thinks that you need to get rid of? Old grudges, bitter memories and resentments, an unforgiving hear that is eating away at you from the inside out? Perhaps 2017 had some deeply disappointing moments for you, and it is time to put those down and move forward in 2018? Perhaps you are entering 2018 with a broken heart? Or, you need to forgive yourself for some wrong decision or foolish choice (and even ask someone that you have hurt or wronged to forgive you) and then start all over in a new year? Maybe this is a good time for you to live deeper in life with your family and friends and God? To take a good look at your priorities in life, and begin to take the time for prayer and reading your Bible and getting involved in the life of Bartlett Chapel? Or committing yourself to telling that person on your heart about your relationship with Christ, and inviting them to that relationship as well, and to church with you? presence. Who knows what new paths will come our way as we let go of those things we would do well to move on without! It could even be better! Who knows, unless we actually do it! Besides, what do you have to lose? Instead of clinging to old hurts and disappointments and heartaches, ask God to be with you and help you to begin letting go and moving beyond the past into a new future. Even with grief, this can be true. With the death of a loved one, we never forget them or lose the sadness of their absence in our lives. But, by the grace and power of God, we can learn to live with our grief in healthy ways, that allow us to laugh and cry and remember our loved one with fondness and hope. But it is always a choice we have to make in life. How will you move forward in your life in 2018? Are there things that you need to get rid of, and literally, toss them out of your life? Are there heartaches that you need to let go of or learn to live with in a healthier way? The good news is that you can. For Paul also writes in Philippians chapter four: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. God s blessings to you in 2018! Pastor Jeff Reed Senior Pastor Paul would remind us that we can always start over in life when it comes to Christ. He writes in 2 Corinthians that, If anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! The good news is that, while we cannot go back and undo the past, or start all over again, we can always begin again, from right here. We can let go of those things that eat away at us, haunt us, hurt us, and tear us down. Through Christ, we can let go and throw those things out of our lives, and then move forward in life, filled with God s grace and love and 2

3 Announcements SERENDIPITY TLC BIBLE STUDY Serendipity TLC Bible Study will meet in the Music Room on Wednesday, January 3, 10, 24, and 10:00 AM. We are studying "Who Is The Holy Spirit?" Questions...contact Leanna Sherman at or creative-rn@prodigy.net. MARGE SQUAD Marge Squad, who knits and crochets blankets for Project Linus, will meet on Wednesday, January 10 and 2:00 PM in Room 11. Beginners are welcome and encouraged to join us! Questions...contact Leanna Sherman at or creative-rn@prodigy.net. SENIORS ON THE GO! Kevin Gregory, Chief Meteorologist at WRTV 6, will be the guest speaker at the monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 23 at noon in the Fellowship Hall. A sign-up sheet for those planning to attend will be on the table outside the office. BARNABAS MINISTRY Your student will be heading back to school, after having spent time with family and friends. Some will head back refreshed and ready for the next semester and others will not be excited about starting up again. Remind your student that each new semester they start new classes with a clean slate. Keep praying faithfully and offering your encouraging words. ~Linda Reed WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE The weekly Wednesday Night Live Program offers a simple meal, informal worship and classes for children, youth and adults! Come and bring a friend! APPRECIATION LUNCHEON The United Methodist Women will be sponsoring an appreciation lunch for the whole church on January 14th, after the church service. We will start about 11:30 a.m. and continue until everyone from the second service is served. This is a free lunch, as a thank you to all the men, women and teens who helped with the Bazaar and Fletcher Place tree this year. If you did not help, please come and join us in the celebration of the successful completion of our mission for the needy and homeless of Hendricks Co. We were able to send $ to Active Grace, for the homeless and $ to Pastor Jeff, to help any needy in our congregation or neighborhood. The menu will be your choice of about 10 different homemade soups, crackers, grilled cheese, relishes, dessert and drinks. Plan to come in out of the cold and join us for a warm, hearty meal and sharing of your holiday fun. Ladies, plan to join us for our next meeting, Saturday, January 13th 2018 at 9:30 a.m. in the Library. We welcome anyone, new or old, especially teens and 20 s. Bring your ideas of service. Don t be shy, just come. If babysitting is needed, let Ruth Franklin know. Costa rican coffee The Costa Rica Mission Team has fresh Costa Rican coffee available for sale now. Brianna Selch brought home a supply of freshly roasted Sircof coffee, which is grown near Strong Mission. The owner/farmer, is also a supporter of the mission, and provides coffee, which is served while teams are at the site. Options are whole bean or ground, dark roast only, $20 for a 500 gram bag. See any member of the Costa Rica mission team, or Bri, to purchase coffee. (and if you ask Bri, she can tell you all about how the coffee is grown, harvested, and roasted!) Donuts & canvas The Costa Rica Mission Team will be hosting Donuts & Canvas on Saturday, January 9:30 a.m., in Fellowship Hall. The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for kids. 3

4 January 7 January 14 YOUTH CALENDAR Parent & Youth Meeting 5-6 p.m. January 15 No school - Mission Project 10-1 January 21 January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 Washington Twp. Park 12:45-3:30 p.m. THANK YOU Thank you so much for all the prayers, cards, hugs and encouraging words over the last month. All your out pouring of love has helped our family get through the Holiday Season. We have truly felt what it means to be a part of the family of God and the support we have received has been amazing. Even though our hearts are hurting, we feel so much love and support. Again, thank you for being the hands, feet and arms of Christ! In Christ s Love, Pastor Julie, Kevin, Karlee & Carissa Macy Linda and I want to thank the congregation for your many thoughtful and gracious words, cards, notes, and gifts during this Advent and Christmas season. We are humbled and blessed by your generosity and kindness and we thank God for all of you and the opportunity we have ben given to serve here. We look forward to another year of ministry together, as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Happy New Year and blessings to all of you in this new year. Pastor Jeff & Linda Reed On behalf of the congregation, I want to shout out our gratitude for all the ways we were blessed in worship during this Advent and Christmas season. For Freda and Rhoda, who faithfully share their musical talents Sunday after Sunday; for the praise band, who leads us in worship in our 11:11 praise and worship service; for the bell choir that blessed us with beautiful music during the season; for the children who blessed us with a great musical about the true meaning of Christmas (and Pastor Julie and all those who helped); for the choir who blessed us with the gift of music and encouraged us to welcome the gift of Christ into our own lives; for Jim Sell, who faithfully and energetically leads us in congregational singing week after week and leads our choir ministry; for others who blessed us with special music during the season, and for all of you who sing with joy and hope, as we worship together. Thank you to all who make the music of Christmas speak to our hearts and souls and encourage us in our celebration of the gift of Christ. Pastor Jeff Thank you Bartlett Chapel for the Christmas gift. My family and I certainly appreciate your generosity. Blessings to all of you in the new year! Cathy Stenger MISSION COMMITTEE He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15 (NIV) Your Bartlett Chapel Mission Committee thanks each individual who supported Missions by participation, prayers and giving. Our church is blessed with a number of mission projects. This article reviews two of the missions that we financially support: John & Nancy Hook with Mission Aviation Fellowship John and Nancy have faithfully followed Christ in His service to many isolated peoples and lands. They are still recruiting and training future personnel in support of MAF, which provides radio communications, internet and technology solutions for preaching the Gospel to isolated people. With a world fleet of 135 aircraft, they provide life saving transportation to deliver medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies to remote missionary hospitals and clinics and deliver the wounded or seriously ill individuals to critical care centers and always reaching out to preach the Gospel. They ask for our prayers to build relationships with local people as their teams share the Gospel. Tom & Tonya Overton, Hope 61 (A One Mission Society Mission) They gather local Christian leaders to train for future counseling in their respective countries. That training of these leaders are to counsel vulnerable young men and women away from overseas jobs, especially in Oman and Saudi Arabia, which in many cases turn out to be human enslavement. The Overton s prayer requests are for those vulnerable to human trafficking and those already involved. For their guidance as they provide leadership for Hope 61 globally. A complete list of our church supported Missionary organizations is available at the Welcome Center. Thank you for your support and interest in the Bartlett Chapel UMC Missions effort, as we attempt to follow Jesus Christ. Your Mission Committee HOMEBOUND MEMBERS Lee Schaeffer Laurabel Pruitt 8618 Turnstone Court 4487 E Main Street Indianapolis, IN Avon, IN Martha Clift Jeff Hershberger The Hearth at Prestwick Danville Regional Rehab 182 S Co Rd 550 E 255 Meadow Lane Avon, IN Danville, IN Ann Baldwin Dorothy Roberson Rm 418 Westside Garden Plaza The Hearth at Prestwick 8616 W 10th Street 182 S Co Rd 550 E Apt 219 Avon, IN Indianapolis, IN Leon Davis Ruthanna Burdsall 37 Orchard Lane 6008 Walnut Court Danville, IN Brownsburg, IN

5 JANUARY birthdays 1 Clarice Mutesi 1 Gary Vandagrifft 2 Randy Hoover 7 Brianna Selch 8 Jan Curry 9 Bryan Vianco 10 Jeff Wilson 15 Brenda Wyant 19 Kimberly Whitis 21 Nancy Thompson 23 Julie Vianco 24 Katelyn Arnot 24 Torie Mains 25 Derek Dodson 25 Ernest Pope 26 Mike Smith 26 Nolan Whitesell 27 Lane Moeller 28 Jeff Reed 29 Tiffany Kiefer 29 Michaela Kikendall 30 Susi Thibodeaux 31 Alexandria Countryman 31 Ralph Kidder Bartlett Chapel UMC 4396 E Main St. Avon, IN (317) Worship Times Traditional Service 9:00 AM Sunday School for All Ages 10:15 AM Contemporary Service 11:11 AM Jeff Reed, Senior Pastor (317) (office) (317) (parsonage) pastorjeff@bartlettchapel.com Julie Macy, Associate Pastor Children & Family Ministry Interim Youth Pastor (260) (cell) pastorjulie@bartlettchapel.com Cathy Stenger, Administrative Assistant Cathy@bartlettchapel.com JANUARY Anniversaries 16 Bryan & Julie Vianco 20 Rex & Kay McClain 29 John & Sharon Rutledge FEBRUARY news deadline Sunday, January 14th, is the deadline for the February edition of the Bartlett Chapel Newsletter. You may turn items into the office or them to cathy@bartlettchapel.com. HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS The church office will be closed Monday, January 1st for New Year s Day. The staff at Bartlett Chapel UMC wishes you and your family a Happy New Year! 5

6 Nursery 9:00 Ellen Hibschman Morgan Griffith Erin Murray Ashley Rembold Nursery 10:15 Ginny Morton Andrea Speas Sarah Altman Brenda Short Nursery 11:11 Audra Leath Cameron Johnson Susie Kiefer Brenda Smith Kids Own Worship 9:00 Kathy Rembold Kris Kilburn Kim Vandagrifft Melissa Wilson Preschool Julianne Palmer Nick Kilburn Wil Vandagrifft Matt Palmer Elementary Julie Vianco Ruth Franklin Brian Vianco Christeen Wilson 11:11 a.m. Pam Ball Linda Reed Pam Ball Linda Reed Children's Message No Children s Inside Greeters 9:00 Scott & Laurie Inside Greeters 11:11 Lyndon Shields Larry & Rhoda Elliott Chris Mains Sidewalk Servants 9:00 Dan & Monica Sidewalk Servants 11:11 Mike Stailey Family Jill Williams Brenda Wyant Billy Gottlieb Welcome Center 9:00 Jamie & Larry Burns Bev & Dave Griffith Kathy & Tom Welcome Center 10:15 Jim & Jo Ann Murray Helen Stamper Rex McClain Roxanne Coleman Welcome Center 11:11 Rhonda & Jerry Legan Brenda Wyant Nancy Thompson Karen Arnold Visitation Chris Mains Dave Griffith Todd Griffith Gil Thibodeaux Refreshments Susi & Gil Sound/Video 9:00 Sound/Video 11:11 January Volunteers - Bartlett Chapel UMC January 7 January 14 January 21 January 28 Lisa Smith Judy Kikendall Kathy Rembold Kim Price Mallory Arnot Tammy Orebaugh Earlene Niemeyer Freda Creech Linda Reed Alexandria Countryman Tiffany Kiefer Audra Leath Katie Vianco Caitlin Mills Jacob Vianco Kacey Franklin Message No Children s Message Pastor Julie Troy Griffith Kirsten Mains Pastor Julie Troy Griffith Kirsten Mains Dan & Monica Joe & Connie Bob & Jan Curry Christie Kurbursky Dugan Brian Vianco Family Rita O Brien Roxanne Coleman Nancy Thompson Family Jerry & Jeanie Weakly Fred & Marcia Harris Kurbursky Morgan Griffith Roxanne Coleman Dave & Sue Martin Rembold Sue & Dave Martin Mitzi & Todd Thibodeaux Griffith Kim & Mark Price Leanna & Warren Troy & Jenni Sherman Griffith Tammy & Doug Orebaugh Lisa Smith Lyle & Kay Clark Helen Stamper Joanna Sell Brenda & Brian Short Barbara Wilson Sarah & Billy Gottlieb Lisa & Mike Smith Melissa & Jeff Wilson Volunteer Ministry: If you are willing to volunteer in any of these important ministries, please call the coordinator Nursery: Julie Hershberger ( ); Inside Greeters: Nancy Thompson ( ); Outside Sidewalk Servants: Lyle & Kay Clark ( ) Welcome Center & Refreshments: Joanna Sell ( ); Children's Message: Freda Creech ( ); BLAST: Pastor Julie Sound Technician: Chris Mains ( ); Kids Own Worship: Ruth Franklin ( ); Visitation: Dave Griffith ( ) If you cannot serve when scheduled, please try to trade with someone and notify Cathy Stenger. ( ) 6