THE HILLTOP NEWS Laredo Dr., Fort Worth, Texas January 18, 2011

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1 THE HILLTOP NEWS 2820 Laredo Dr., Fort Worth, Texas January 18, 2011 The purpose of Western Hills United Methodist Church is to continue the ministry of Jesus by making disciples through faith, hope and love. Tuesday January 18 Meals on Wheels 9:00 a.m. to noon, Food Pantry 6:30 p.m., Cub Scouts 6:30 p.m., Girl Scouts Wednesday January 19 9:30 a.m., ESL Class 6:00 p.m., Bible Study 6:00 p.m., Jesus In the Gospels Bible Study 6:30 p.m., Youth 7:30 p.m., Chancel Choir Thursday January 20 9:00 a.m. to noon, Food Pantry Saturday January 22 8:00 a.m., United Methodist Men s Breakfast Sunday January 23 9:30 a.m., Sunday School 10:50 a.m., Morning Worship 1:00 p.m., House of Mercy 4:30 p.m., Youth 5:00 p.m., Why Not Now 6:00 p.m., Disciple I Bible Study 6:00 p.m., Financial Peace University Reflections The Gospels are rich with the stories of Jesus that we need to learn. It is through the Gospels that God is revealed best in the person of Jesus the Christ. This past Sunday I challenged all of us to be like John the Baptist and point people toward Christ. I am thrilled to hear the witness of many of you who have found in Christ your foundation for living. I see it in the way you launch yourselves into Christian service. Last Saturday I had the privilege to accompany James, Ardis, and Siam Freeman to Diamond Hill United Methodist Church where we with other United Methodist churches are trying to help in their outreach ministry to children in the community. Ardis and James were in charge of the hands on activity with the children. They showed the children how to make a Friendship Kit, something that Ardis did with our children during a children time in our church. I marveled as the children were captivated by the assembling of the kit and the passing of the different items that the kit included. The children s favorite item was a Reese s chocolate and peanut butter cup. They couldn t wait to eat it, but were instructed to eat it after they showed the kit to the parents and shared with them what they had learned at church. One of the phenomenal things that I learned about the Freeman s was their wonderful command of the Spanish language and how they were able to keep the children captive. You wonder why I share with you this story of a family who is excited to share of themselves and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I share it because each one of us should seek with the eyes of faith how we can serve God. This kind of service usually implies serving our fellow neighbors wherever they happen to be. It is in the paths of service where we encounter the Christ and experience the wonder of that encounter. Through it God is revealed to us and our faith in God becomes stronger and effective. Our involvement in Diamond Hill is preparing us for what I envision our church doing here in our community on a regular basis. I envision that one day children from our community will seek to come to our church because there is something special for them and loving and caring people that will love them in the name of Jesus Christ on a regular weekly basis. Pray for that day and pray that God will direct you to a ministry where you will make a difference. It all starts by responding to God s call to be in worship. With God s help I hope to see you here this Sunday. Raul

2 Gifts of Prayer In Sympathy: The Roy Newman Family Current Concerns: Laura Abbott, District Administrator; Janie Bielefeld; Warren Dush, Evelyn Jackson s grandson; Anthony Galaviz; Clark Hawkins, friend of Brenda Mills, is ill; Jane Higginbotham, has cancer; Sherron Hunt, friend of Brenda Mills, has cancer; Richard Lambing, coworker of Barbara Gormley; Barb Leach; Martin Leimer, father of Tina Alderson, has cancer; Elmo Livingston; Joy McGlaun, Doug McGlaun s sister; Fred Marten; Chi Mao, family friend of Vickie and Fil Peach; Bonnie Meyer, Terry Meyer s mother, recovering from a heart attack; Bill Mills, father of Brenda Mills, has diabetes; Rubin Mills, brother of Brenda Mills, is recovering from a heart attack; Harry Morton, having tests; James Norton, friend of Ken Brower, has cancer; Marvin Rudd, recovering from surgery; Fay Taft, Reta Strack s sister; Karen Talley, daughter of Al and Becky Riibe Supporting My Church Ongoing Prayer List Florine Brooks, Katherine Busby, Kristi Butler, Sharma Castillo, Larry Cornett, Martha Davis, Misty Dush, Anne Ellison, Ted Evans, Robert Ewing, John Fant, Carl Hibscher, Doug McGlaun, Wilma Moderow, Margaret Moore, Bruce Newman, Bill Newton, Sarah Odom, Eric Paige, Camille Redden, Al Riibe, Zebula Robinson, Debbie Sarnachuck, Josh Taylor, Leanne Roth, Shalamar Stricklin, Kristi Vickers, Wanda Warburton, Tristan Watkins, George Wendt, Tom Wilson Health and Healing: Military: Sam Brooks, Jason Busby, Sarah Davis, Dan Fagan, Sarah Harris, Angela Herrington, Trinity Herrington, Daniel Kinnibrugh, Danny Martin, Thomas Morton, Robert Newman, Daniel Newman, Richard Ray Owens, Jr., Nicholas Perez, Jacob Rangel, Alex Ruth, Chris Sotello, Cole Teer, Brandon Wilson With Presence Worship Attendance: January 9th: 127 January 16th: 179 & 22 Sunday School Attendance: January 9th: 78 January 16th: 78 Gifts of Money Needed for General Budget each week: $5,000. January 9th: General Budget $ 6, Fall Festival Food Pantry The Grace Fund January 16th: General Budget $ 2, Fall Festival Apportionments Food Pantry 64.00

3 CHURCH COUNCIL WILL MEET AT 7 P.M. MONDAY, JAN. 24. THE MEETING IS OPEN TO EVERYONE. MINUTES OF THE TWO PREVIOUS MEETINGS ARE PRINTED BELOW, SO THAT EVERYONE IN OUR CHURCH WILL BE AWARE OF COUNCIL DECISIONS. WESTERN HILLS UMC COUNCIL MINUTES October 10, 2010 Chair Joyce Brown opened with prayer. The minutes of the August Meeting were approved. Tina Shaw reported on Fall Festival plans. The date is Nov. 6, Items for the auctions will be accepted on Thursday Nov. 6 from two to seven and on Friday Nov.5 from three to eight p.m. Set up will be Nov. 5. Hours for the festival are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be an article and advertisement in the Suburban News. There will be hamburgers and hot dogs and other concession items for sale. Trash Bingo will be an activity. Members are asked to bring trash or treasure items in paper bags or plain wrapping for prizes. Cards will be 25 cents. George Hanson reported for Witness area. In addition to Fall Festival ads a new brochure is being made and Western Hills t-shirts are being planned with a logo designed by Tina Shaw. They will be for sale to the congregation in youth and adult sizes. Raul reported that there is a possibility of getting computers donated by FWISD for use in ESL and possibly other areas Many details concerning installation, needed storage and other details are to be explored. Tina Shaw agreed to be a contact for netting information and learning of possible needs or problems to be addressed. Joyce reported for Jann Green ESL has 28 student. A nursery in being added for diaper babies with Tamara Austin the caregiver. Al Riibe reported that National Nite Out was well attended with approximately 300 in attendance. The neighborhood association supported the activity and Merchants and the police provided food and other services. Joyce reported for Terry Meyer. The Sunday Bible Study has 17 participants. Raul has 9 in the Jesus and the Gospel study on Wed. night. In November, Terry will lead a study titled Methodism 101 in the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday School hour for five weeks. Terry needs one more person to complete the Congregation Care Program. Children s activities are continuing under the leadership of Jennifer Morton. Ardis Freeman is coordinating the Halloween trunk or treat on Sat, Nov. 30. The schools will send home flyers. Members are asked to bring candy for the activity. Meleasa Clements hopes to bring Azle UMC youth to help with the activity. Joyce introduced the Congregational Review for WHUMC The document is to be filled in by the Church Council and the PPR Committee. Lengthy discussion followed with ideas and comments on several aspects. The document is printed below.

4 After discussion, the council decided to move council meetings to Monday night, since several other activities are now scheduled on Sunday night. Those in attendance were Linda Eden, Justin Lane, Chester Shaw, Tina Shaw, Paxtyn Watkins, Barb Leach, Raul Gutierrez, Al Riibe, Becky Riibe, Ralph Fagan, George Hanson, Sue Hanson, Joyce Brown, Lola Mae Fant Respectfully submitted, Lola Mae Fant, Recording Secretary Congregational Review for Western Hills United Methodist Church 2010 This document is to be filled out by the Church Council and the PPR Committee. Find five people in your community and ask them to describe your congregation from THEIR perspective. Please write down their responses. Visitors describe our church as extremely friendly. People who visit our food pantry express appreciation to our congregation for providing food. People who attend ESL classes say our congregation gives them skills for living in the U.S. Youth who attend our neighborhood youth program say they like everything about our church. Staff at the Elementary and Primary Schools describe our church as an enormous benefit in our at-risk neighborhood. 2. Assume there are four elements to the life cycle of a congregation. Which one best describes your congregation? These are not strict categories. They are intended to give you a starting point for describing your church. A. Mission and Growth (Growing steadily or rapidly. Reaching out to people who are B.. not a part of the congregation. There is evidence of professions of faith, new members, and energy.) Vitality and Fruitfulness (Stable in areas of church life. There is a sense of hospitality and openness to new people.) C. Improving Health/Stability (Communication within the congregation is capable of resolving differences and disagreements in healthy ways. Stable and declining would characterize this phase of congregational life.) Passing on a legacy. (There is the realization that the congregation is declining due to variable factors. The focus is on remaining as long as possible and on the legacy that can be left behind.) While going through some really tough times in recent years, we lost members. The faithful remnant that remained believed that God needs a church in our at-risk neighborhood. Our new pastor, Raul Gutierrez, has brought energy and excitement. We have welcomed 29 new members since February. We are using the five practices of fruitful congregations to evaluate everything we do.

5 3. Your church invests in people and in ministry. These investments are made through the gifts of time, talent and financial resources. What is the outcome you seek for yourself, your church and your mission field as a result of these investments? We want our church to continue the ministry of Jesus in our immediate neighborhood and in our world. We want to bloom where we are planted. 4. A common definition of a Disciple is one who prays daily, worships weekly, studies the scriptures, participates in an intentional growth community; serves in and through the church and who shares their time talent and financial resources through the church. How is your church teaching and leading people to discipleship? Through Sunday School, two Disciple Bible classes, two Lectionary Bible classes, through hands-on mission with our food pantry, ESL classes, neighborhood youth program, seasonal events for neighborhood children, and through a youth mission trip to Palmer. We try to lead by example. We are an adopt-aschool partner with neighborhood schools. We rent our building to House of Mercy Assembly of God Church which offers a Spanish-speaking worship service in our multi-cultural neighborhood. 5. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest; 5 being highest), rate your church on the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations: Passionate Worship Radical Hospitality Accountable Discipleship Risk taking Mission Extravagant Generosity What does your church need to stop doing? Being inconsistent. We sometimes make plans, then abandon those plans quickly. We fail to follow through. 7. What would your church do if you were not afraid to fail? Invest in updating our facility. 8. Bishop Lowry has identified these five areas as a way to measure fruitfulness. Please fill in your congregational statistics. You may need to ask your Pastor to provide these numbers. A. Worship attendance (average year-to-date, 2010): 160 B. People engaged in mission: 35 to 45 C. Professions of faith: 5 D. Mission giving: In addition to our $35,980 apportionments for 2009, we estimate that our congregation gave more than $15,000 to fund our local outreach projects. Persons engaged in small group ministries for spiritual formation: approximately 100 CHURCH COUNCIL CALLED MEETING ---Jan. 2, 2011 Joyce Brown called the meeting to order. The purpose of this meeting is to vote on disbursement of Fall Festival Funds.

6 After all bills were paid and 25% to missions, $6, was left to be allocated. The requests for funds are as follows: Altar Guild--$500 Nursery Workers--$2,000 Grill--$460 Apportionments--$3,000 Office Camera--$150 Grace Fund--$1,000 Joyce opened the floor for discussion. Lou and Penny discovered that there was money for the nursery workers in another account. After discussion, Christy Barto made the motion that we drop the request for the nursery workers and pay the other requests with the balance of the $6, being used to start a fund for tile for the sanctuary hall. Barbara Leach seconded. Motion carried. The money will be spent as follows: Altar Guild $ Grill Apportionments 3, Office camera Grace Fund 1, Tile in sanctuary hall 1, TOTAL $ 6, There being no further business, meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Leach Acting Secretary Brown Paper Grocery Bags WestAid needs brown paper bags and plastic bags for their food distribution. Please drop them off at the Food Pantry. Thank You. The deadline for the next newsletter is Monday, January 31, 2011! Volunteer Opportunity There is an opportunity at Western Hills Elementary School that would assist 3 teachers. They need someone to come and listen to students read to them between 8:20 to 9:45 a.m. Also, a background check is required, so please contact the church office to get the form to give to the school. If you have any further questions, please contact Becky Grimland, Counselor,