The Messenger. A Tough Act to Follow...

Transcription

1 Monthly Newsletter of Hillcrest United Methodist Church April 2015 The Messenger A Tough Act to Follow... First, let me thank the many folks who stepped up and up, and even further out, to make this such a great season to experience the transforming journey of Lent to Easter. There are so many moving parts that it s hard to start listing them all, but I do hope you know how grateful I am to serve with so many creative, committed and caring (alliterative bell ding) folks. I have been touched to see so many moments of joy in community and can hardly wait, as I write this, to see how many will attend our Easter Egg-stravaganza. As you read this, we will be making our way through the dark and painful days of Holy Week. From a triumphant entry, to the confusion and controversy around the table, to the betrayal and travesty of justice, to the brutal scourging and torturous death, to the silence and darkness of love s entombment, we will be challenged to take our place in the grip of his call to follow. And as I have, countless times, I will stand and proclaim an empty tomb and the power of the One who walks away from this carnage into a new day, and way, of life. I guess what I m feeling more and more as I think on this still unfolding series of events is how difficult it is to shake off the nagging sense that having experienced the piercing reality of my fair-weathered affection, Jesus would ever want another thing to do with me. Most especially if he thinks I can be trusted to do likewise. It s getting tougher to accept the candy without considering the price... OK, I ll snap out of my dystopian malaise and reach for the emergency brake which looks suspiciously like an Easter Egg. Yep. One egg, filled with a piece of candy. Cost per piece? Who knows? Cost per person who shows up, thinks we really mean it, and needs a place to work on their life and faith? I ll gamble a bit and say more than the egg. I guess I ll hope we can afford it. He s a tough act to follow, but I hope we keep trying. Lost and found, like you... Michael

2 THE MESSENGER PAGE 2 April Birthday Party This n That We will be breaking out the "Happy Birthday" song during our Easter breakfast Sunday, April 5, keeping the monthly tradition of first Sunday celebrations. No cake that day, but lots of good cheer. May 3, again the first Sunday, we will return to cake and song. Anyone who wants to make a special contribution to the cake cost cause should see Tracy Donati, Radical Hospitality chair. Holy Week Maundy Thursday April 2 Communion Service at 10:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. Good Friday April 3 Area-wide United Methodist service at Calvary UMC, 7:00 p.m. Easter Sunday April 5 Sunrise Service at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. (egg casseroles, pastries, and fruit) Combined Easter celebration at 10:00 a.m. The JOY Group (singles 50+) We will meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 10 Questions? Contact Henrietta McCaul at Upcoming Primetimers May Tim Neese Recycling June our own Cathy Fortin Master Gardner July Jennifer Wade Eye care August First Ladies of the White House September Steve & Drew Music October Ron Lundy Veterans (He promised he will show up this time!) November Pioneer Hi-bred from Constantine, Michigan December A special lady to tell us some Christmas stories. We need you to invite other members of Hillcrest, friends, and family to join us. We think this is a great group and hope you do, also. Please ask others to join us and share in this fun. Susanna s Kitchen The next serving date is April 6. Questions? Contact Henrietta McCaul at

3 THE MESSENGER PAGE 3 Primetimers Thursday, April 16 Spaghetti Pizza Bake 11:30 noon Hello! Welcome to Spring! We hope you survived this cold, cold winter. We have wonderful news for you. We have some great programs lined up this year. Nancy Pletcher from Timeless Treasures will be with us this month. She will tell us about tag sales and how to get ready to declutter our houses. She is a wonderful person and oh, so fun! Many of you may know her already. You will have a good time with Nancy so mark your calendars for April 16. Nancy Rowe is bringing the main dish, and she wants you to brings salads and side dishes and desserts. We are still able to keep our price at $2.00. WONDERFUL! You will want to mark your calendars for the third Thursdays of each month so you don't miss a thing. Sending you love, wellness, and happiness, Nancy Rowe, Henrietta McCaul, Jane Hershberger Directory Changes: Harold and Margaret Grieb phone: Debby Griffin phone: Willodean Larsen: Beardsley House, CR 24, Elkhart IN Cindy Moore phone: Hillcrest Community Childcare Ministry Our Preschool enrollment for the school year is now open to the public, which means it will begin filling up so don t wait too long. If interested come see or call Teresa at Your child would need to be three or four years old by September 1, be completely pottytrained, and up-to-date on immunizations. We had fun at our Trike-A-Thon and raised $1,300 in the process! And thank you for supporting our Book Fair. We earned $ in free books. Our Daycare and Latchkey programs will be open over spring break (April 6-10). Preschool will not be in session this week. On April 24, we will be having a Papa Johns fundraiser. Anytime on this date when you make a purchase at the Papa Johns on Cassopolis Street in Elkhart, we will receive 25 percent of your bill. This is to help defray our expenses. So, why not make Friday, April 24, PIZZA NIGHT! You ll enjoy delicious food, and help us at the same time! Coupons will be available closer to this event. Teresa HCCM Director Radical Hospitality will be having their next meeting Wednesday, April 15, at 4:00 p.m. in the HeBrew Café. We are still looking for new members to help on this committee. Come see what we are all about. Tracy Donati

4 THE MESSENGER PAGE 4 April s Mission of the Month UMCOR UMCOR stands for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. It is a worldwide emergency relief organization. A nonprofit agency of the United Methodist Church, UMCOR reaches around the world to provide relief in five core areas: Hunger, Health, Refugees, Emergencies, and Relief Supplies. It s designed so that 100 percent of all donations are channeled directly to the earmarked project or relief effort. UMCOR's mission is "To provide immediate relief of human need and to respond to the suffering of persons in the world caused by natural, ecological, political turmoil, and civil disaster." Please help the United Methodist Committee on Relief with a donation. Remember, all loose coins in the offering plate will also go to UMCOR. Thank You, The Missions Committee Whatever fears have led us to lock the doors of our hearts, may we discover they re no match for Jesus. He always stands among us, offering his peace. Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won t stay there. Clarence W. Hall Adult Learning Opportunity Lifestyles Class: Everyone is invited to join Lifestyles to explore The Trouble With the Truth, written by Rob Renfroe. This thought-provoking book challenges us to see and follow the perfect combination of grace and truth in the life of Jesus. Like a tightrope walker with a balance bar, we must learn to balance compassion for people and passion for truth, combining them in equal measure, just as Jesus did. Would you agree that there are times when the kindest, most compassionate thing we can do is speak the truth to someone? Questions like this initiate great class discussion, from which we can all learn. Whether you opt to contribute to the discussion or just listen, you can be assured you will enjoy this study. The small-group environment of Lifestyles provides is a great way to get acquainted with others, share joys and concerns, and discover the ways God can be an integral part of facing the challenges of our daily lives. Why not join us for a Sunday!

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6 THE MESSENGER PAGE 6 Your Presence March 1 83 March 8 78 March March Congregational Giving General Fund Building Fund In the Know Egg-stra Facts Although Easter eggs were once part of pagan spring festivals, they ve become Christian symbols of new life. A cracked-open shell also represents Jesus empty tomb on Easter morning. The early Christians of Mesopotamia began staining eggs red in honor of Jesus blood shed on the cross. Red eggs remain part of Greek Orthodox celebrations today. For Lent, some families used to give up eggs and dairy, so they prepared a pancake feast on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. They solved the egg surplus by hard-boiling them in various broths, which led to colored eggs. In medieval times, churches held egg-throwing festivals. The priest threw a hard-boiled egg toward the choir boys, who tossed it back and forth. When the clock struck 12, whoever was holding the egg got to keep it. In some European countries, children go from house to house to collect Easter eggs. Each year, the PAAS Dye Company sells more than 10 million egg-coloring kits, which consumers use to decorate 180 million eggs. The tallest chocolate Easter egg ever produced weighed 16,000 pounds more than an elephant! March 1 $ 4, $ March 8 $ 3, $ March 15 $ 3, $ March 22 $ 2, $ Total $ 13, $ April Birthdays 1 Harry Sims 6 Maria Purciarele 2 Cindy Moore 7 Juanita Anglin 3 Chuck Vredingburgh 15 Bruce Fortin 4 Kairi Gortney Julia Stealy 5 Vivian Freed 20 Jeff Evans 12 Beryl and Allen Nord Anniversaries Please let the church office know if your special date was missed. New Life!

7 THE MESSENGER PAGE 7 Offered by Hillcrest Women s Ministry: Tea Party Saturday, May 16, from 1:45 until 3:30 p.m. Das Dutchmann Essenhaus Restaurant We will have snacks and dessert, tea and coffee. This is a Tea Party not a Luncheon. Featured Speakers: Lorraine Whitmer and Pat Strefling Lorraine is a lifelong collector of lighthouses. She will focus on lighthouses during her talk. Pat Strefling has had a very interesting life which adds up to a very interesting testimony. She will share her story. Our hope is that she will strengthen your faith by seeing how God has worked in her life. Pat is an author and will have books for sale. Tickets will be sold April 25, May 2, and May 9 in between church services. We have a seating limit of 50 for this event. Tickets will be sold first come / first served. You will need to pay when you make your reservation. We will know ticket price soon. Respectfully Judy / Beth / Lorraine / Phyllis Greetings, Ladies of Hillcrest We have been invited to grow in faith and share time with other Christian Women: Offered by Stonecroft Ministries Not affiliated with the United Methodist Church Piecing it Together Tuesday, April 7, :45 a.m. Lunch Buffet with Salad Bar, $11.00 Location: The Matterhorn, 2041 Cassopolis St., Elkhart, IN Speaker: Deb Wells from Mason, Ohio Dreams Can Come True Deb Wells is a runaway who finally found a place of peace. Special Feature: Susan Stears and Madaline Peters, Shabby Rose (Rag quilts and gifts) Reservations: Linda: or Esther Mae: ElkhartWomensConnection@gmail.com Offered by Womenoffaith.com Not affiliated with the United Methodist Church Women of Faith 2015 LOVED The Farewell Tour Friday, July 31, from 7 10 p.m. and Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN Cost depends on where you want to sit. It is a little over $100 a person. You can get $20 off by registering before May 31, using the code: NEW20 Register at womenoffaith.com or by calling FAITH This event will also take place in several other cities on other dates. Fort Wayne is the closest to us. Visit the website to learn more about their speakers. It looks amazing and worth the cost for hotel / gas / meals.

8 THE MESSENGER PAGE 8 Stamping Ministry Marilynn Anson, leader We have cards for every event, including Easter! See our display in the HeBrew Café. Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World Sisters in Christ Bible Study Tuesday, April 21 10:00 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. Session One: Raising the White Flag (Surrender) Meets in the HeBrew Café Classroom Want to Attend? Contact Patty Moore, Facilitator, at or Julie at the Church Office: Cost of Participant s Book is $10 A 96-year-old lady was a faithful attendant at my women s Bible studies. She came with her lessons prepared and knew all the answers. One day a tactless member asked her, Why do you work so hard on these lessons when you re so old and it doesn t matter? Little Bess Elkins looked up and said confidently, I m cramming for my finals. Florence Littauer in the Women s Devotional Bible WOMEN S MINISTRIES MONTHLY SCHEDULE Circle of Friends Every Tuesday, 1 p.m. Marilynn Anson s home The Three S s 2nd Monday, 1p.m. Laura Miller s home Stitched With Love 2nd Monday, 6 p.m. Judy Mell s home Sisters in Christ 3rd Tuesday, 10 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. HeBrew Café classroom Hillcrest Women s Book Club 4th Thursday, 6 p.m. HeBrew Café Don t Look Back Looking back can sometimes bring trouble. A Sunday school teacher was telling about Lot s wife, who looked back toward Sodom and Gomorrah and turned into a pillar of salt. Prompted by those words, a boy said, My mom was driving one day and suddenly looked back, too. She turned into a telephone pole.

9 THE MESSENGER PAGE 9 Serving in Worship Date Time Scripture Readers Greeters Ushers Communion Children s Sunday School ages 3 years to 6th Grade April 5 10:00 Carol McDowell- Loshbough Fay Keck Terri Longacre Darlene Stone Cathy and Bruce Fortin No Communion this month due to Maundy Thursday Communion Diane Lewandowski April 12 April 19 April 26 9:00 Bill Klempay Fay Keck Terri Longacre Jane and Mike Hershberger 10:34 Darlene Stone Terri Longacre 9:00 Mike Hershberger Fay Keck Terri Longacre Nancy and Jerry Rowe 10:34 Darlene Stone Cindy Moore 9:00 Beth Graber Fay Keck Terri Longacre Beryl and Allen Nord 10:34 Darlene Stone Cathy Fortin Nursery Attendants HeBrew Café Trustee for the Month Volunteers Hosts: Volunteers Jerry Rowe Dare we set our hope and hearts in the hands of a small-town Jewish carpenter? The answer rests in the Jerusalem graveyard. If Jesus tomb is empty, then his promise is not. Max Lucado, Fearless The Answer Is Easter After the April 2013 suicide of his 27-year-old son, Matthew, pastor and author Rick Warren was often asked how he was able to keep going. His frequent reply? The answer is Easter. In the Easter sermons Warren preached the following year, he emphasized that Jesus resurrection is the answer to discouragement, defeat and devastating trials. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus happened over three days, Warren explained. Friday was the day of suffering and pain and agony. Saturday was the day of doubt and confusion and misery. But Easter, that Sunday, was the day of hope and joy and victory. You will face these three days over and over and over in your lifetime. And when you do, you ll find yourself asking, as I did, three fundamental questions. Number one, what do I do in my days of pain? Two, how do I get through my days of doubt and confusion? Three, how do I get to the days of joy and victory? The answer is Easter.

10 Hillcrest United Methodist Church 4206 East Bristol Street * Elkhart, Indiana humchurch1@frontier.com Web site: STAFF Pastor: Michael Heinbaugh (cell) michael.heinbaugh@inumc.org.com Administrative Assistant: Julie Lininger humchurch1@frontier.com Music Coordinator: Joan Troyer joantroyer@gmail.com Welcome Center and Ministry Council Chair: Bernice Simms Trustee Chair: Jerry Rowe Finance Chair: Bruce Fortin Staff-Parish Co-Chairs: Bob Whitmer, Mike Hershberger Hillcrest Community Childcare Ministry: Teresa Irelan, Director hccmdir@frontier.com WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHEDULE 9:00 a.m. Traditional Worship 10:00 a.m. HeBrew Café fellowship 10:30 a.m. Adult Studies 10:30 a.m. Nursery and Children s Activities 10:34 a.m. Contemporary Worship CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. MAY NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: April 17 INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Tough Act to Follow 1 This n That 2 Primetimers HCCM Looking Ahead: Susanna s Kitchen Monday, April 6, 10:30 a.m. JOY Group Thursday, April 9, 11:30 a.m. Trustees Monday, April 13, 7:00 p.m. Radical Hospitality Wednesday, April 15, 4:00 p.m. Primetimers Thursday, April 16, 11:30 a.m. Ministry Council Monday, April 20, 6:30 p.m. Holy Week schedule on page 2 Mission of the Month Adult Learning Opportunity Calendar 5 In the Know 6 Women s Ministry 7, 8 Serving in Worship 9 3 4