Worship Grow Serve. Inside: Projects, Memorials p. 2. Chris Chorus, p. 3. Beth Anne s Bottom Line, p. 4. My Neighbor s Place, p. 5

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1 3460 Epworth Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio Periodical Postage Paid at Cincinnati, Ohio WESTWOOD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Lee s Look MARCH 6, 2019 VOLUME 77, ISSUE 03 Worship ~ Grow ~ Serve Inside: Worship Grow Serve Projects, Memorials p. 2 Chris Chorus, p. 3 Beth Anne s Bottom Line, p. 4 My Neighbor s Place, p. 5 Leslie s Learning Links, p. 6 Youth, p. 7 March in View, p. 8-9 News You Can Use, p. 10 Celebrating p. 11 Prayer Corner p. 12 Bible Principles, p. 13 Preschool News, p. 14 Get Involved, p. 15 After the 2019 General Conference of the UMC there has been numerous news reports, s, Facebook postings, etc. from people on both sides of the ending. I have posted in last month s Lee s Look what the General Conference approved which was in a nutshell a reiteration of the Book of Discipline. What is the B of D? It is the way we do church, how we are organized, what the role of committees are and how we ordain people among a lot of other things. So to help us know what was decided I m editing a post that explains what our church s general conference really said. I m not saying how different groups interpret or plan on supporting or attacking the results but some people feel we have said we despise, hate, are homophobic, or whatever. That is not what we said. And this is my goal, to share with you what was said. What did we say? Methodists did not say that LGBTQI persons and their allies are not welcome in our churches, for they always have been and will continue to be. Across our global church, we count as treasure sisters and brothers those who are both gay and straight, as well as those from diverse cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities, proclaiming that everyone stands as equals at the foot of the Cross, in need of God s redeeming love. We did not say that LGBTQI people are not dearly cherished by God, for we wholeheartedly believe that all persons are made in the image of God and of scared worth, deserving respect and the protection of their civil rights. Methodists did not try to tell anyone who they can love, or suggest that somehow their love may be less than that of others. And Methodists did not suggest that LGBTQI members and their allies should simply leave the church if they can t agree with the doctrines and policies of it. The gracious exit provisions were intended not to throw someone out, but to throw a lifeline to those from either side of the question whose conscience may not allow them to stay within the denomination. They did not even proclaim that having a same-sex attraction is a barrier to ordination, for there have long been celibate gay pastors who chose to value ordination over self-expression. The did say that after careful consideration of the biblical witness that they cannot affirm that the practice of homosexuality represents God s ultimate will for His children, all the celebrations of it notwithstanding. They did say they will remain in continuity with the teachings of both the church through the ages and the vast majority of the church world-wide today. They did proclaim that Methodism is a world-wide church and the US is just one part of it. While US culture may lean one way or the other, it is only one part of multiple cultures seeking to influence Methodism expression of following Christ. They did affirm that marriage is an institution designed by God and that despite instances to the contrary in parts of the Bible, that the overall tenor of the whole scriptural witness is that it was intended to be a sacred covenant between one man and one woman. It did not say that civil unions and domestic partnerships should not be allowed. The General Conference simply said that in the Methodist understanding, the word marriage itself has a particular meaning that cannot be changed. So Methodist clergy are not allowed by church law to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies even in nations like the US where they may be legal. Rev. Dr. Lee Strawhun is the senior pastor at Westwood United Methodist Church lee@westwoodunitedmethodist.org

2 P A G E 2 P A G E 1 5 Join us for Worship Senior Pastor.... Rev. Dr. Lee Strawhun Associate Pastor & Connections & Retention Team Leader. Rev. Beth Anne Crego Visitation Pastor... Rev. David Schneider Community Outreach Team Leader... Sarah Beach Worship & Technology Team Leader Dr. Chris McBride Children s Ministry Team Leader.. Leslie Rich Organist. Scott Kimmell Preschool Director... Allison Phillips Financial Secretary Carol Krumpelbeck Office Team Leader & the Keeper of the Schedule.... Julie Fletcher Facilities Team Leader Supervisor Duncan Cordrey CIRCLE MEETINGS Knitting APRIL 15 7:00 pm Parlor Faith APRIL 16 9:30 am Parlor Christman/Haskell APRIL 16 6:30 pm Fernbank Park Brandt / Ward APRIL 18 9:30 am Parlor Quilting Circle APRIL 11 1:00 pm Cindy Grant s home Monday Evening APRIL 29 7:15 pm Parlor Chimes Editor.. Christina McMullin Send articles/info to: cmcmullin@fuse.net By Sally Dessauer Our prayers and condolences go out to the family and friends of : Ray McMullen who died February 10, IHN HOSTING SCHEDULE June Grace Place August WUMC September 29 - October WUMC November WUMC Our church s first 2019 hosting of IHN homeless families ended on March 2nd. The families were delightful, although some of the younger children were healthfully rambunctious. Three mothers left prayer requests: these families all need our prayers! Please pray for myself (mom) and my 4 yr. old daughter that we will find housing and once again be safe and comfortable in our own home. Michele and Marley Please pray for my family in finding housing and financial help and for my sobriety. Thank you! Tasha Tanner & family I pray for my family to get a home soon. I also pray for another family that s in a home too. I also pray for the workers that work for us too. I thank y all so much for that too. Kimbrough family The next time our church hosts homeless families will be June 2-8 at Grace Place, a lovely home in College Hill that the families love and the volunteer hosts really enjoy. We d love for you to be a part of IHN! For more information check out the yellow IHN brochure, call a coordinator, Sally Dessauer or Carol Wright We would really love to have more evening hosts! CHIMES (USPS ) is published monthly, January through November, by Westwood United Methodist Church, 3460 Epworth Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio Periodical Postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CHIMES, 3460 Epworth Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio

3 14 Classroom Spotlight: Frogs The Frog Class is our oldest and largest class at Westwood UMC Preschool, with students who are at least 4 ½ years old. They are also in class 4 days a week (Monday Thursday), with the option to be part of our Friday Enrichment class. The Frog class has an independent approach to learning and strive to prepare children for what is expected of them in kindergarten. Frog Classroom Goals: Continue to work on letter recognition and number recognition Learn more about letter sounds Listening skills and learning to wait their turn Independent writing time (Goal: Write first and last name) Regulate own emotions and behaviors Participate constructively with classmates and teachers Increase confidence, independence and positive social skills Progress in gross and fine motor skills Messages of Hope at Westwood United Methodist Church 8:30 AM Communion Service, Chapel Psalm 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? One Voice April 18th and 19th 7:00 pm 9:30 AM Traditional Service, Sanctuary 10:00 AM New Covenant, Chapel 11:00 AM The Modern Service, Epworth Hall How does our Frog class work towards achieving these goals? All our classes use Creative Curriculum to prepare their weekly activity plan. Creative Curriculum is built on theories of development in young children, which states that all children learn through active exploration of their environment, which plays a critical role in learning. Miss Stacey and Miss Laura work hard to ensure their activities are hands on and provide their students with the opportunity to investigate and explore. The Discovery/Science Area is an essential center in a Creative Curriculum classroom, because it is where children can explore and investigate. They observe, experiment, measure, solve problems, take things apart and explore the materials and living things around them. In the Discovery/Science area children do what scientists do, they ask questions, plan and conduct investigations, gather information, construct an explanation and communicate findings. They also learn important concepts in science as they study plants, animals, magnets, properties of materials, light, shadows, our body, our senses, how things move and change. In addition to learning science content, they learn how to solve problems together and how to communicate with others. What Your Child Learns in the Discovery/Science Area: Use senses to gain information about the environment and vocabulary to compare objects ~ Sort objects from the environment ~ Observe color, texture, size, shape of objects, cause and effect of materials ~ Monitor systems, cycles, interactions, and diversity in the environment ~ Explore relationships between objects ~ Use measurement skills to gain information and make predictions ~ Match, sort and classify objects What you can do at home Science is all around us and your enthusiasm about science will be contagious. Get in the habit of wondering out loud, I wonder how that ant can carry that big piece of food? or I wonder why your shadow is sometimes small and sometimes big? Look for opportunities to develop your child s scientific thinking during everyday activities: while playing with toys, taking a bath, or playing in the backyard. Who are our Frog Teachers? This is Miss Stacey s 11th year at Westwood UMC Preschool. Prior to being the Lead Teacher (this is Miss Stacey s 2nd year) in the Frog classroom, Miss Stacey was the Bumblebee Assistant Teacher and Frog Assistant Teacher. Miss Stacey has been working on her Child Development Associate (CDA) Certification, which is a widely recognized credential in early childhood education and allows teachers the opportunity to discover the type of teacher they want to be in the classroom. This is Miss Laura s 2nd year at Westwood UMC Preschool as the Frog Assistant Teacher. Along with Miss Stacey, she is in the final stages of earning her Child Development Associate Certification (CDA). Miss Stacey and Miss Laura are a great team, and they enjoy helping their Frogs grow and develop their skills and confidence before they are off to kindergarten! He handed out gifts. to train all Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ s body, the church, till we are all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 (Msg) Dr. Christopher McBride Worship and Technology Team Leader Westwood United Methodist Church chris@westwoodunitedmethodist.org 7:00 pm performances in the WUMC Sanctuary THURSDAY, APRIL 18 and FRIDAY, APRIL 19 3

4 4 Bottom Line: Spending daily time with God helps us live out one Shema love God with all we are. 13

5 P A G E 1 2 P A G E 5 By Beth Strawhun Father, your call on Westwood is to be Your hands and feet, voice and heart for the people who seek You. Draw 100 into Westwood through our service in your name. Amen Last month, the Intercessory Breakthrough Prayer Retreat was held on February 16. It has now come and gone and we are praising God for all He did on that day and all He is going to do. It was a power packed morning with two talks from Rev. Jason Wellman as well as opportunity for all to attend two different breakout sessions led by Pastor Lee on Praying Boldly, Sarah Beach on Personal Prayer Methods and a group of our church family speaking about Praying for Others (Arturo, Shanti and Andre Praying as a Family, Ben and Maddy Dobler on Praying as a Couple, Tim and Jan Peter and Jack Ensminger Praying with Those in Need and Sabina Ghartey and Beth Strawhun Praying with a Prayer Partner. Rev. Jason Wellman initially spoke on Leading a Breakthrough Prayer Initiative in which he summarized and reviewed breakthrough prayer and built upon what we learned at last year s retreat from Sue Nilson-Kibbey. His second talk focused on Prayer Walking which involves praying on location and can allow us to give thanks for what is being done in a certain area but also to re-envision what it could be. We were then given the opportunity to prayer walk inside and outside the church building. At the end of our time, there was a brief opportunity for sharing our experiences while prayer walking and Kaitlyn Bottoms expressed something like this: When I walked into the youth room and saw that the carpet had been torn up and the furniture moved, I was overwhelmed with emotions. I just remembered all the memories I have of when I was in youth group which made me happy and I felt blessed. I pray that our youth group has a similar impact on our current youth as it had on me. While Nita Tucker was prayer walking, she felt God leading her to pray a prayer like this: I ask Y ou Father God to reach out to the people who attend My Neighbor s Place to intervene and guide them to church service on Sunday at Westwood United Methodist Church. In Jesus mighty Name I pray, Amen. At the end of the retreat, comment cards were given out and someone wrote-- Lord, help us find those who seek You. We have space to show them how much you them and people to share Your love. Amen Here are more comments from others: I loved the speaker and the words given. I will be doing more prayer walking for the church and neighborhood. I pray for growth and to save more lost souls within the community. This exceeded my expectations the kind of breakout sessions I like. I m always worried about praying right (correctly) but now I m thinking that maybe there s no wrong way to pray. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I liked the many ages of people who came today. This is a gift from the Lord. Having music first was a great idea. It drew people together. More! More! More! This retreat fed my soul! from The Overeater! Here was a good summary-- What is, what will be.revisit/recast 2020 vision: 100% of congregation involved in prayer be known as a church/community of prayer archer (specific) prayer for youth, emerging adults, and children/children ministry. WOMEN, CHILDREN AND TEENS ARE INVITED TO THE WESTWOOD UNITED METHODIST WOMEN S BIRTHDAY PARTY THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019 IN THE GYM Doors open 6:00 pm. ~ Dinner 6:30 pm. $6.00 Adults ~ $3.00 Children under twelve Tickets available April 7, 14 and 28 between services or call Marian Miller DINNER, DESSERT AND A VISIT FROM THE GREAT CINDINI PLEASE BRING A CHILDREN S BOOK (1 PER FAMILY IS FINE) TO GIVE TO LOCAL MISSIONS CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT! More to come in the next Prayer Corner on how we can all follow-up from the retreat!

6 6 Spring is a time of rebirth and growth and nowhere else is that more evident than when we look at children. We have an exciting spring in Children s Ministry with lots of opportunities to plug Leslie Rich Children's Ministry Team Leader leslie@westwoodunitedmethodist.org in throughout the season. Kids R.O.C.K. is back! All children in Kindergarten through 6 th grade are invited to this hour of midweek fun on Wednesday nights from 7-8 pm. in God s Backyard. We ll hear a bible lesson, play games or make something to take home and share a snack together. We re looking for adults to serve in this fun and easy midweek opportunity. Please me if you re called to this ministry. Eggstravaganza! Is a time for our community to come together and celebrate to good news of Easter. Join us and invite friends for egg hunts, crafts and snacks on Saturday, April 13 from 10:00 am. to noon. Special thanks to our Large Events Team for their leadership and passion for this important outreach ministry. SATURDAY, APRIL 13 10:00 am - NOON Club 56/Youth Retreat is May 4-5 at Woodland Lakes Camp. All kids in 5-12 grade are invited to participate. Registration and payment of $30 is due on April 21, This will be a great time for us to explore together what it means to be the voice and heart and hands and feet of Jesus in our families, communities and the world. Vacation Bible School (VBS) will be June 17-20, from 6:30 8:30 p.m. I am excited about this year s theme: To Mar s and Beyond. Children will discover the wonders of God s universe, explore where God s power can take them and that God is always with them. Registration information will be available on Easter Sunday. There are many opportunities for youth and adults to serve and have fun at VBS. Please me if you feel called to this thrilling summer ministry. 11

7 10. FRIDAY, MARCH CHRIS & LAURIE McBRIDE S HOME Contact: chris@westwoodunitedmethodist.org 7

8 P A G E 8 P A G E 9 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday THE DATES & TIMES OF CALENDAR EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE ( ) OR CHECK THE WEBSITE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS 1 2 7:00 pm SPRC Meeting, Wesley Room 3 10:00 am My Neighbor s Place Food Pantry 10:00 am Al-Anon, Library 1:30 pm Pastor s Bible Study, Parlor 2:00 pm Betz Small Group, Faber Room 4 9:00 am MNP Neighborhood Café 9:15 am Women s Coffee Break Bible Study, Epworth League Room (3rd Floor) 10:00 am UMW Unit Meeting, Epworth Hall 4:30 pm Yoga, God s Backyard 6:30 pm Worship Band, Epworth Hall 7:00 pm Open Hearts, Library 5 6 7:00 pm Merrimates Social, Parlor 7 8:30 am Communion Service, Chapel 9:30 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:30 am SOS, Parlor 9:30 am Children s Sunday School, God s Backyd. 9:30 am Youth Sunday School, Youth Room 11:00 am Modern Service, Epworth Hall 11:00 am Merrimates, Parlor 11:00 am Wesmates, Wesmates Room 6:30 pm Sunday Night Small Group, Library 6:30 pm Youth Ministries, Youth Room 8 9 7:00 pm SPRC Meeting, Wesley Room 10 10:00 am My Neighbor s Place Food Pantry 10:00 am Al-Anon, Library 1:30 pm Pastor s Bible Study, Parlor 2:00 pm Betz Small Group, Faber Room 11 9:00 am MNP Neighborhood Café 9:15 am Women s Coffee Break Bible Study, Epworth League Room (3rd Floor) 10:00 am UMW Unit Meeting, Epworth Hall 1:00 pm Quilting Circle, Cindy Grant s home 4:30 pm Yoga, God s Backyard 6:30 pm Worship Band, Epworth Hall 7:00 pm Open Hearts, Library :30 am Communion Service, Chapel 9:30 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:30 am SOS, Parlor 9:30 am Children s Sunday School, God s Backyd. 9:30 am Youth Sunday School, Youth Room 11:00 am Modern Service, Epworth Hall 11:00 am Merrimates, Parlor 11:00 am Wesmates, Wesmates Room 6:00 pm Sunday Night Small Group, Library 6:30 pm Youth Ministries, Youth Room 15 7:00 pm Knitting Circle, Parlor 16 6:30 pm Christman/Haskell Circle, Fernbank Park 6:30 pm Faith Circle, Parlor 7:00 pm Grow Team Meeting 17 10:00 am My Neighbor s Place Food Pantry 10:00 am Al-Anon, Library 1:30 pm Pastor s Bible Study, Library 6:00 pm Glory Ringers, 6:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary 7:00 pm Sticky Faith, Library 7:00 pm Kids Rock, God s Backyard 18 9:00 am MNP Neighborhood Cafe 9:15 am Women s Coffee Break Bible Study, Epworth League Room (3rd Floor) 9:30 am Brandt/Anger Circle, Parlor 10:30 am Neighborhood Prayer Walk, MNP 4:30 pm Yoga, God s Backyard 6:30 pm The Square, Parlor 6:30 pm Worship Band, Epworth Hall :30 am Men s Fellowship, Epworth Hall 21 8:30 am Communion Service, Chapel 9:30 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:30 am SOS, Parlor 11:00 am Modern Service, Epworth Hall 11:00 am Merrimates, Parlor 11:00 am Wesmates, Wesmates Room 6:00 pm Sunday Night Small Group, Library 6:30 pm Youth Ministries, Youth Room :00 pm Church Council Meeting, Parlor 24 10:00 am My Neighbor s Place Food Pantry 10:00 am Al-Anon, Library 1:00 pm Wesgals, Parlor 1:30 pm Pastor s Bible Study, Library 6:00 pm Glory Ringers, 6:30 pm Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary 7:00 pm Sticky Faith, Library 7:00 pm Kids Rock, God s Backyard 25 9:00 am MNP Neighborhood Cafe 9:15 am Women s Coffee Break Bible Study, Epworth League Room (3rd Floor) 4:30 pm Yoga, God s Backyard 6:30 pm Worship Band, Epworth Hall 7:00 pm Open Hearts, Library :30 am Communion Service, Chapel 9:30 am Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:30 am SOS, Parlor 11:00 am Modern Service, Epworth Hall 11:00 am Merrimates, Parlor 11:00 am Wesmates, Wesmates Room 12:15 pm 5th Sunday Fellowship, Gym 6:00 pm Sunday Night Small Group, Library 6:30 pm Youth Ministries, Youth Room 29 7:15 pm Monday Evening Circle, Parlor 30