Connection week of March 29, 2015

Transcription

1 Connection week of March 29, 2015 IN THIS ISSUE Special Events 1 From the Office 2 Maundy Thursday Drama Calendar of Events 8-9 Easter Egg Hunt Today Day School/ Child Development Center 10 Senior Activities 11 Sunday School Classes 12 Health and Education 13 Bible Study 14 Prayer & Praise 15 Senior Care Centers 16 16\March 29, \March 29, 2015

2 By the Numbers Worship and Sunday School Attendance based on usher head count Worship Services March 22, 2015 Sunday School From the Church Office Wifi is now available under: WUMC-Guest, keyword is disciples. If you experience any difficulties please contact the church office. Thank you for your patience and understanding. PRAYER & PRAISE REQUESTS The spiritual and financial needs of our congregation, our church leaders, and the community of Windcrest. 8:15am 58 Children 46 9:30am 158 Youth 6 11:00am 146 Adults 91 TOTAL 362 TOTAL 143 March 25, 2015 Wednesday Worship: 40 WUMC has a new website! It is a work in progress and I am working on updating the pages and adding more content and information. Thank you for your patience. Please submit Connection articles and requests no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesdays week prior to publication. If you have any questions you may contact me at or by at l.scott@windcrestumc.org. Thank you. Like us on Facebook: Please pardon our mess and reassignments of activity locations. M.J. and the youth will be re-constructing the youth rooms. Please direct any questions to the church office. Thank you for your patience and your understanding YTD Financial Status Report 2015 Budgeted Income Actual Income Expenses Net Income % Apportionments Paid Feb 115, , , , % (goal:100 %) 2\March 29, \March 29, 2015

3 Bible Study Groups Men s Bible Study: All men are invited to this ongoing Bible study which meets Monday 7 pm in McClung building, room 305. Come learn, grow and be encouraged in your faith journey into the word. Student Ministries: Wednesday Night Small Group 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Our students enjoy a variety of programs designed to encourage and challenge them to connect with God and pursue His identity for their lives. Pastor s Bible Study: Tuesday, 10:00 am, Fellowship Hall Please join us for a time of sharing and getting into the word. 14\March 29, \March 29, 2015

4 Health & Education Ministry April is Autism Awareness Month: Autism Is Widespread, Awareness About This Condition Is Not In the United States, autism affects 1 in every 110 children. National Autism Awareness Month aims to make the public more aware about this widespread disability and the issues which arise in the autism community. As about 1 in 150 people in America have autism, the chances are that you know someone with this disability. A better informed public will be more empathetic and supportive towards people with autism. This month is backed by the Autism Society of America which undertake a number of activities to raise awareness about autism. The Autism Society has local chapters throughout the United States which hold special events throughout April. The 'Puzzle Ribbon' is the symbol for Autism Awareness and is promoted by the Autism Society as means of supporting awareness for autism. The Puzzle Ribbon may take the form of a pin attached to clothing, a fridge magnet or a sticker and are available to purchase from the Autism Society website. The Autism Society of America also run a year long campaign through their 1 Power 4 Autism initiative, in which people are encouraged to hold events to raise awareness and support for those affected by autism. For more information on National Autism Awareness Month visit the Autism Society's Awareness Page. Line Dance Class The Brownies from Girl Scout Troop 245 are doing a service project to benefit the New Beginnings Children s Home (A new shelter in San Antonio that provides a safe and therapeutic living environment for abused, neglected, and displaced children ages 8 to 17.) Donations and money needed for pajamas- size six and up, books for ages 8 and up and flannel fabric to make blankets and/or pajamas. Daisies will be doing a stuffed animal drive. Juniors will be making special pillowcases. We will have a donation box at the CFMT table in the Gathering Place. Donations needed: monetary, flannel fabric, pajamas, books, stuffed animals and pillow cases. Thanks! Please visit the CFMT table in the GP for more information. The girls thank you in advance for any support! Line Dance Classes are in the Fellowship Hall on Mondays from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. For more information, contact Ruby at Country Line Dancing on Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 pm Walk to Health is in the Fellowship Hall from 5:00 pm to 5:35 pm every Monday and Thursday. Get on your walking shoes and come join our walking group. We walk inside in air-conditioned comfort to a video which promises to give you a good workout. For information, call John Mayes, , or the church office at \March 29, \ March 29, 2015

5 Sunday School Classes am 9:30 am Builders Class-McClung Bldg, 301 Mark 11:1-11 tells of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey while the crowd lays their garments in his path and also spread palm branches along the way. Knowing what lies ahead, one could ask the question, "Is it a triumphant entry or a triumphant exit?" Join the Builders Class this morning at 10:45 am in room 301 of the McClung building for a discussion on this scripture. Bring your Bibles, coffee, and a friend for some lively discussion. (Jim Hatch teaching) Quest Class-McClung Bldg, 306 Join us as we discuss various books of the Bible, dissecting and gaining understanding of each part of the Scriptures. Get ready for in-depth study and lively discussion! Contact Charles Greene at (210) The Inquirers-McClung Bldg, 302 Do you have an inquiring mind and heart? Are you seeking spiritual growth? Then this is the class for you! Come join us for study in the scriptures to see how they relate to our lives today. We enjoy fellowship through prayer and the exchange of ideas and beliefs. Visitors are always welcome. Millennium Miracles (M&M)-McClung Bldg, 303 Starting March 8, 2015 we will have 8 sessions on Deepening Life Together. Go deeper in the word, in your faith, in your life. Through the bold witness of the first Christians, the Gospel spread throughout the world. God used ordinary men and women to do the extraordinary. What is God calling you to do for him? Come and join the M & M Sunday School Class Sunday, March 8, 2015 for an interesting series and discussions. Bring your Bibles as we will be studying the Book of Acts. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord Joshua 24:15 The Searchers-McClung Bldg, 305 Search with us! A searcher is an adult of any age and stage who seeks to grow in Christ. All you need to join is a desire to search the Word of God. As we finish a unit of study, the class collectively decides the next area of study. Call Dan Reese at (210) \March 29, :00 am Good News Bible Study-McClung Bldg, 303 The Good News Bible Study is studying the books of the Bible focusing on the New Testament. Come join us and enrich your personal study as you gain valuable insights into the truths of God s Word. Call Al & Kitty Baccus at (210) The Procrastinators-McClung Bldg, 305 Beginning March 8 a nine-lesson interactive study of Isaiah 53 will help us to gain new insights from both Jewish and Christian perspectives as we follow Biblical scholars discussions of Isaiah's prophetic words. Discover and explore with The Procrastinators clues that help to uncover the mystery of God's deliverance, the identity of the servant, and the fulfillment of prophecy. Children s Sunday School (2 yrs. through 4th grade): 9:30-10:30 am Children s Sunday School (2 5 yrs. old only): 11:00 am-12:00 pm Tweens Sunday School (5th through 6th grades): 9:30 am 10:30 am Student Sunday School: (7th through 12th Grade) 9:30 am 10:45 am So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see the NAIL MARKS in his HANDS and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. John 20:25 5\March 29, 2015

6 APRIL MISSION FOCUS The Mission Focus for April is Habitat for Humanity. Our Church has been actively involved in San Antonio s Habitat for Humanity effort for many years. Over 900 homes have been built in San Antonio with the help of churches just like ours. This fall we will partner with other churches and build a home as part of the Ecumenical Genesis Group. You can help by volunteering your time and/or contributing to the funding of this worthy project. As we get closer to the build date, we will ask for volunteers; building experience is not necessary. If you would like to help fund the Ecumenical Genesis Group s house, just write Habitat for Humanity or HFH on the memo line of your check. Thanks you for your generous support. Want to know more? Call Bob Jones, Are you getting ready to begin your spring cleaning? Going to need some place to take that old stuff? Would you like to earn some extra money? Spring Fling, sponsored by the WUMC Children and Family Ministries Team is set for Saturday, April 18 from 10am until 3pm. It will be held in the Parking Lot facing Walzem Road. We have spaces available for rent where you can set up to sell your gently used items, get rid of that stuff and make a little money while you are at it! For just $10 you get two parking spaces and two chairs. So, gather up that stuff and come out and join us on Saturday, April 18! You will also find great deals on plants, crafts, food and many other items from vendors. This is a great opportunity to shop, eat, see your friends and have some great fellowship! For more information or to reserve a space, please call Marcy at the church office, or her at m.williams@windcrestumc.org. SENIOR GAMES DAY GAME DAY! We play in the Fellowship Hall on the second and fourth 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Come and enjoy games with us. We play Cribbage, Bridge, Pinochle, 5 Crowns, Rummikub, Mexican Train, Hand & Foot & Scrabble. Other games are available if we can get a table together. Bring a group of friends and play with us in a nice place. For information, call Norman & Ruth at or call the church office at We had another great turnout on 3/23 a total of 48 players. Make sure to join us on Monday, April 13. ROOTS meets from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm on the third Monday of each month in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is welcome regardless of age. Come and bring a friend or make a friend. We always have a great potluck & good speakers. Our motto is Life is short, Eat Dessert First and we do. For further information contact Norman & Ruth Graham, or the church office at Come join the JJJ s and have great fun as a performing member of the band!! No prior experience needed. No musical talent required. Also known as The Kitchen Band, we entertain with songs, dances, homemade instruments (no need to read music). The JJJ s share God s love by reaching out to the community through music and fellowship. Every Tuesday, either morning or afternoon, we are somewhere in the city. Come join us. For more information, contact Eileen at (210) JJJ s Appearances 7th Morningside Manor Nursing Home 10 am 602 Babcock, San Antonio, Texas New members are always welcome. April \March 29, \March 29, 2015

7 WUMC Day School & Ministry River Laurence Update River Laurence is 2 ½ years old and attends Windcrest Day School. He was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma on November 23, Joscelyn writes on 3/23/15: Friday I decided to take River to his school, he's been asking, and what better way to use an off day from the clinic?! He was so excited, but nervous, he's shy sometimes, so we went before lunch so he could acclimate. He got to play on the playground with his friends, have lunch with them, and when it was time to go, because it was Nap Time, "I take nap!" I told him he could at home, "No, I nap here!". One of his teachers offered up an extra nap mat, so I caved and let him stay. They set his mat up in his old spot, he grabbed a stuffy and went to lay down. Sparrow and I went to kill time with the other staff, and eventually spent some time in the Infant Room, which was good for her, she never gets time with other babies. She had so much fun playing in there, and it was nice for me to talk to other adults! Unfortunately, we did NOT make it to the baseball game, not knowing what his counts looked like, I wasn't comfortable taking the risk. I just had a bad feeling about going, so much could possibly be riding on this week, and it's the worst possible time for him to get sick. I'd hate for anything to be pushed back because of an illness we could have prevented. Then today. I think today's scans had more riding on them, emotionally, than any of the others. I was hopeful, but nervous, I didn't want to get my hopes up and be disappointed. I went in feeling like, as long as there's no growth, and no new lesions, that's the best news. And it was. It wasn't the news that our doctor hoped for, you could see it in his face, but it's all relative. Even how he left the lights off in our room when he returned to discuss preliminary results. The tumor ultimately has 3 parts, the middle (with the bulk of the blood supply) and lower portion, down in his pelvis, showed no change. The top section showed about a 12% decrease. We're sitting at a fork in the treatment road, he'll have surgery to remove what they can, but again, to remove all of it could hurt him more than help; or, we go straight to Stem Cell Transplant. The latter seems the likely route. I'm not sure how I feel about either choice, and until one is more probable than the other, I doubt I'll know. The doctor was going to call the surgeon and the transplant team, because we can't wait 4 weeks from now. I should have some relief about some of the other factors, but I know we're still looking at almost 2 years of treatments, at best. This journey is still far from over. Please keep River and his family in your prayers. If you would like to help River and his family you can make a donation to the following: If you would like to write a check, please make check out to Joscelyn & Matthew Laurence. South Texas Blood & Tissue Center accepting donations, when donating please specify that it s for River Laurence at Children s Methodist Hospital. If you would like to follow River s journey on Facebook: There and back again River s journey 10\March 29, \March 29, 2015

8 Church Calendar Church Calendar * - Temporary relocation due to Student Ministry space renovation. * - Temporary relocation due to Student Ministry space renovation. Sun., 3/29 Palm Sunday Mon., 3/30 9:00 am ESL Classes Rm 302, 303, & 305 Wed., 4/01 8:00 am Library Reserved 104 Thurs., 4/02 9:00 am Sit and Be Fit GP 8:00 am GP: Children & Family Ministries Table *9:30 am Women s Emmaus Group Library 9:00 am ESL Classes 302/303/305 5:00 pm Walk to Health FH - Bags of Grace - Children s Ministry T-Shirt Sales 2:00 pm Line Dancing FH 5:00 pm Walk to Health-FH 9:30 am WDS Chapel Sanctuary 10:30 am Chair Yoga FH 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday/Last Supper re-enactment - Sanctuary - Sager Brown Breakfast (ticket sales) 6:30 pm Girl Scouts Troop 245 FH 5:30 pm Alive! Dinner Lenten Season FH Fri., 4/03 7:00 pm Good Friday Service Sanctuary 8:00 am Youth Taco Sunday 7:00 pm Men s Bible Study :00 pm The Last Supper rehearsal Sanctuary 8:15 am Traditional Svc 7:00 pm Boy Scout Parent Meetings 302 6:15 pm Worship Service FH 9:15 am Children s Ministry Gathering-FH Tues., 3/31 9:00 am Sit and Be Fit FH 6:30 pm Bells Rehearsal Bells Room 9:30 am Traditional Svc 9:30 am WDS Chapel-Sanctuary 7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Choir Room 9:30/10:45/ 11:00 am SS-All Campus 9:30 am Godly Play (1st 2nd Grades) :30 am Godly Play (Pre K-Kinder) :30 am Tweens SS :30 am Student Ministry SS FH *10:00 am Grief and Life-Change Support Group :00 am Senior Pastor s Bible Study FH *11:30 am Staff Meeting 303 5:30 pm Country Line Dancing FH 6:30 pm Cub Scout Pack 157 FH 9:30-12 pm YMCA GP 10:30 am Builders Class Potluck FH 12:20 pm Children s Easter Egg Hunt Courtyard 1:30 pm Confirmation Mtg FH Sager Brown missionaries will be hosting a breakfast on Sunday, April 12th. Scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, etc. Come join us for fellowship and to help a worthy cause. Donations accepted. April 2 Maundy Thursday Service & Last Supper re-enactment 7:00 pm 3 Good Friday Service 7:00 pm 5 Easter Sunrise Service 6:30 John Calvin Presbyterian Church Easter Breakfast 7:15 WUMC FH Easter WUMC 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 am 12 Sager Brown Breakfast 8:00 am Confirmation 9:30 am CD Release concert Eddie Cavazos and the Freedom Praise Band from Freedom Chapel 6:30 pm I8 Spring Fling 10 am - 3 pm Blood Drive 9:30 am 1 pm 19 Bishop and Mrs. Dorff Day June Sager Brown Mission Trip September Family Camp November Israel Trip 8\March 29, \March 29, 2015