Greenwood United Methodist Church. New Year s Contemplations Trusting God s Plan for You. By Steve Stalnaker

Transcription

1 January 2015 Greenwood United Methodist Church Page January 2015 Twig Bender New Year s Contemplations Trusting God s Plan for You By Steve Stalnaker F or the January issue of many publications, the editor looks for articles about either the year gone by, or about the year to come. It s kind of trite, so I won t write about either of those topics this month. However, during the Christmas New Year holiday week I often indulge myself in contemplation: not necessarily of the last year or this year, but on the blessings of God s grace that I enjoy. One of the greatest of those blessings is God s plans for me. I am OUR MINISTRY OF PRAYER Please pray for these brothers and sisters in Christ Charlotte Condrey, Leola Frayser, Michelle Gibbs, Janine Jones, Rachel Lewis, Betty Lloyd, Jean Mowatt, Dean Pittman, Porter Schermerhorn, Harry and Brenda Shuler, Rick Wagner, the Greenwood After School Program reminded of Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) And that Scripture in turn reminds me of what one of my coworkers told me way back before I retired. He was taking over several of the duties I was relinquishing and we were discussing God s blessings and intentions. (Continued on page 12)

2 Page 2 The Twig Bender From the Pastor 2015 Budget: Stepping Out in Faith In 2015, the Greenwood budget is increased by 5% to $133,521. This reflects a known reality of increases in many expenses for things from cleaning supplies, paper and office products to utilities. Although gasoline prices have dropped dramatically, our heating oil price is currently only 20 cents less than last winter s highest price. This coming year, the finance committee is planning on stepping out in faith to do much more in missions. In 2015, we need your help to dream big. We as Methodists are known for our willingness to help those in need and for sending the Gospel out around the world. In 2015, Greenwood wants to do more. We have added a budget line item for additional mission participation. No decisions have been made yet as to how this money will be used. We want your ideas. A mission trip? (Continued on page 10) Fellowship Dinner: Wed. Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Menu: Pork BBQ, baked beans, cold slaw, potato casserole, dessert. Only $7. Make your reservations by Sunday, Jan. 11, using the form in the bulletin, the church office at admin@gumcva.org or call the office at (804)

3 January 2015 Page 3 Nadyia and Jeremy Horning Meet Your Co-Music Directors Jeremy and Nadyia Horning became co-music directors of Greenwood UMC back in 2014 here s your chance to read more about them: From his youth, Jeremy and his family recorded several gospel albums while singing at many church events throughout Texas and Virginia. He picked up the trumpet at age 10, resulting in over 22 years of performance in church, college, and other professional venues. His experience in music has resulted in several leadership roles in high school, college, and church. Nadyia started playing the piano at the age of 8 and by the age of 12, started performing for church congregational music and accompanying her family performances in churches across North America and overseas. She has sung and played in various church events and community opportunities including theater, sporting events and weddings. Jeremy and Nadyia married in 2002 in Richmond, VA, and have been combining their musical talents ever since. Whether it s playing church music or singing wedding duets, both have a passion for music and love sharing their gifts with those around them. L I K E G R E E N W O O D ON F A C E B O O K WWW. FA C E B O O K. C O M / G U M C VA

4 Page 4 School Supplies Drive 2015 The Twig Bender By Lewis Daniel We're going to kick off 2015 with part two of our school supplies mission project. We're motivated to do this because school leaders have told us that the supplies donated at the beginning of school do not last the whole year. The families of many Longdale Elementary students are struggling financially and could really use the helping hand. The supply list is shown below and this list will also be posted in the narthex and on the church's website. Please bring your donations to the sanctuary. We'll conclude the collection on Sunday Feb. 8, and deliver the supplies just prior to Valentine s Day. Here s a list of what s needed: Highlighters Pocket folders Crayons Plastic pencil boxes Glue sticks Lined index cards Book bags/backpacks #2 pencils 1 and 3 subject notebooks Notebook paper (wide-ruled) Un-decorating the Sanctuary We ll be taking down those beautiful Christmas decorations in the Sanctuary at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10. Please come help.

5 January 2015 Page 5 United Methodism 101 What is Connectionalism? The United Methodist Church began as a loose network of local societies with a mission and has grown into one of the most carefully organized and largest denominations in the world. One reason United Methodists are able to accomplish great things is the church s emphasis on connectionalism. It is common to hear United Methodist leaders speak of the denomination as the connection. This concept has been central to Methodism from its beginning. Connectionalism shows through the developing of mission and ministry that United Methodists do together, through giving and through the clergy appointment system. No local church is the total body of Christ. Local United Methodist churches are bound together by a common mission and common governance that accomplish reaching out into the world. United Methodist churches and organizations join in mission with each other and with other denominations. Mission work around the world whether it is a new university in Africa or bicycles for Cuban pastors is an example of connectionalism, the work of the connection, as opposed to the work of a single congregation. United Methodists often joke about the many organizational layers of church life. (Continued on page 11)

6 Page 6 The Twig Bender UM Day at the General Assembly Everyone is invited to United Methodist Day 2015 at the General Assembly, Thursday, Feb. 5. This is an opportunity to help faith communities become empowered to serve as missionaries of justice, as well as the more traditional missionaries of mercy. Space is limited to 300, so participation requires registration. Early bird registration through Jan. 16, 2015, is $25; after that registration is $35 through final registration on Jan. 30. Online registration at the conference web site at is strongly recommended. Payment must be received with registration. By joining together and establishing relationships with our elected officials, we empower members of our congregations to wonder, How can I make a difference? How can I be a Good Samaritan in our world to its fullest sense? This event gives congregations a vehicle for reaching beyond themselves and introduces them to the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church in a meaningful way. Participating in this event will be the Rev. Dr. Susan Henry- Crowe, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society in Washington, DC. Early Registrants will be entered into a drawing for two (2) one year subscriptions to the Virginia Advocate. UM Day at the GA is sponsored by The Virginia Conference Board of Church and Society and the United Methodist Women FunRaisers Bag Lunches Pick up after services on Sunday, Jan. 25. Menu: Potato soup, cheese sandwich, lemon cake, chips $7. Sign up on the sheet in the narthex.

7 January 2015 Page 7 Some New Year s Resolutions For Greenwood UMC Get fit: Let s create an exercise group for those who resolve to get fit or lose weight. Encourage and motivate each other by meeting regularly for a fitness class or to walk. "Having a friend, spouse or partner to walk with us in both our physical and spiritual journey keeps us focused and committed to our goals, all while providing Christian love and support," said the Rev. John Wagner of First UMC, Ankeny, IA, where a fitness program has also helped serve as a welcoming ministry. Help others: One of the most common New Year's resolutions in 2014 was volunteering to help others. Service opportunities are the perfect way to connect not only with our church members, but also in our neighborhood. Greenwood needs volunteers to help with the food donation program, and other outreach missions like our After School program, the Fall Festival and the Annual Easter Egg hunt. Spiritual boost: Many of us will resolve to pray more and make additional time to read Scripture. We could start a small group to encourage each other to keep this resolution. Intentional time to grow your spiritual life can also help manage stress. Inspired by United Methodist Communications, Greenwood Women s Circles Ruth Circle and Willing Workers Circle will meet, as usual, on Wed., Jan. 7 we think we never got any inputs from either Circle.

8 Page 8 The Twig Bender Greenwood UMC January 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 New Year s Day Church Office Closed 2 6 p.m. Free Food 3 8 a.m. Men s Breakfast 4 Epiphany Sunday LAMB s Basket Sunday 11 a.m. Worship Service 5 6 a.m. Drive thru Prayer 7 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting 6 Epiphany of the Lord 7 7 p.m. Women s Circles Meet 8 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts 9 6 p.m. Free Food 10 9 a.m. Undecorating the Sanctuary 11 Human Relations Day (Special Offering) 11 a.m. Worship Service 1:30 p.m. District Training 12 6 a.m. Drive thru Prayer :30 p.m. Fellowship Dinner 15 6:30 p.m. Choir Practice 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts 16 6 p.m. Free Food a.m. Worship Service Winnie the Pooh Day (A.A. Milne Birthday) 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 6 a.m. Drive thru Prayer :30 a.m. Cornerstones 22 6:30 p.m. Choir Practice 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts 23 Twig Bender Deadline 6 p.m. Free Food a.m. Worship Service FunRaisers Bag Lunches 26 6 a.m. Drive thru Prayer 27 Chocolate Cake Day :30 p.m. Choir Practice 6:30 p.m. Cub Scouts 30 6 p.m. Free Food 31

9 January 2015 Page 9 Update Your Dictionaries Here s some modern, and not so modern, definitions of common words: Adult: A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle. Beauty Parlor: A place where women curl up and dye. Chickens: The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead. Committee: A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours. Dust: Mud with the juice squeezed out. Egotist: Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation. Handkerchief: Cold Storage. Inflation: Cutting money in half without damaging the paper. Mosquito: An insect that makes you like flies better. Raisin: A grape with a sunburn. Secret: Something you tell to one person at a time. Skeleton: A bunch of bones with the person scraped off. Toothache: The pain that drives you to extraction. Tomorrow: One of the greatest labor saving devices of today. Yawn: An honest opinion openly expressed. Wrinkles: Something other people have, similar to my character lines.

10 Page 10 The Twig Bender 2015 Budget: Stepping out in Faith (Continued from page 2) Pledging to work with Habitat for Humanity? Starting a new outreach program? These are some of the ideas that have been shared so far. Our goal is to spend at least the first quarter of this year dreaming up ideas and exploring them. Then we will make a plan that can be carried out sometime during the rest of the year and involving the congregation and the monies as available (we want to make sure bills are current as we go) to do something more, to give back to God in a meaningful way. So please put your thinking caps on. Ideas can be written down and placed in the offering plate, sent to the church office, or brought to the Administrative Council meetings. Let s start talking about ideas. I pray that you each will prayerfully consider how you can support this new budget with your participation and giving. I have confidence that Greenwood can meet this challenge and will do so. Grace and Peace, Barbara January Communion Offering Pastor s Discretionary Fund

11 January 2015 Page 11 (Continued from page 5) What is Connectionalism? It s helpful to recognize the structure of However, members of other denominations have the church, but it is the mission, ministry been heard to say: If you and love of God through Jesus Christ that want something done, get is of primary importance. the Methodists to do it. Followers of the Wesleys are indeed methodical about the ways they approach mission and ministry. United Methodists are sometimes asked where their church is headquartered, or what officer is in charge. Deliberately, The United Methodist Church has no single central office, no archbishop, no pope. This reflects the representative nature of the church s organization which also provides a system of checks and balances. The church created a structure that in some ways parallels that of the U.S. government. The church s legislative branch is the General Conference. Its executive branch is the Council of Bishops. The judicial branch is the nine-member Judicial Council. (This article was compiled with information from the United Methodist Church website and other Internet sources. Ed.) Drive-Thru Prayer The Willing Workers Circle s Drive-Thru Prayer ministry is at 6 a.m. on Mondays. Anyone is welcome to come help pray or be prayed for!

12 Page 12 The Twig Bender Trusting God s Plans for You (Continued from page 1) My friend and co-worker wrote: I ve come to understand that God s plans for me are much better than any of my own. All of the uncomfortable changes that have happened in my life have resulted in something better I often just lack the perspective at the time to see it. Where I sometimes struggle is in trusting God to know what s best for me. I know it in my heart but sometimes I can be like the child who just wants his way no matter the cost. Imagine what life would be like if we trusted God completely there would be no fear and we would feel true peace. So, here s hoping that in 2015 you can trust God with His plans for you, that you can come to have no fear and to feel true peace. Happy New Year! Be Prepared Read the Scriptures January Lectionary Readings Jan. 4 Epiphany Sunday Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 Jan. 11 Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Jan. 18 Jan Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51 Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

13 January 2015 Page 13 Greenwood Church Family Birthdays Yanni Sotos... 1/5 Linda Walker... 1/6 Dominic Lemerise... 1/10 Jeremy Coleman... 1/10 Selma Wright... 1/12 Joseph Kibler... 1/16 Patricia Davis Lawson... 1/16 Warren Murphey... 1/20 Jaliyah Shuler... 1/26 Jayden Shuler... 1/26 Harold Yeary... 1/30 Don t see your birthday or wedding anniversary in The Twig Bender and would like to have us publish it? Send your dates to admin@gumcva.org or call the church office at ; likewise, let us know if you d like your birthday or anniversary removed. Richmond District Training and Leadership Event Sunday, Jan. 11 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. At Trinity UMC, 903 Forest Avenue Guest speaker, breakout sessions See Pastor Barbara for carpool information

14 Page 14 The Twig Bender December Attendance and Offerings Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce Proverbs 3:9 Date Sunday School Worship Giving December $3,962 December $1,108 December $2,857 December $1,016 Weekly Averages $8,943 YTD Totals 984 2,121 $106,958 YTD Weekly Avg $2,139 In order to meet Greenwood s 2015 operating budget of $133,521, our goal is an average weekly offering of $2,568, ($11,127 per month). Thank you for helping us reach our goal. See Pastor Barbara s finance article on page 2. Twig Bender is a publication of Greenwood United Methodist Church Greenwood Road Glen Allen, VA Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship 11 a.m. Pastor The Rev. Barbara Lewis revbarbara@gumcva.org Co-Music Directors Nadyia and Jeremy Horning After School Phone: Office admin@gumcva.org Fax: Office hours 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday Friday Twig Bender editor Steve Stalnaker webmaster@gumcva.org Visit our web site at Greenwood UMC all rights reserved

15 January 2015 Page 15 Mark Your Calendars February 5... UMC Day at the General Assembly February 8... School Supplies Drive Conclusion February Ash Wednesday March 8... Daylight Savings Time Begins March Palm Sunday April 4... Annual Easter Egg Hunt April 5... Easter Sunday