Rittman United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 Rittman United Methodist Church 211 North Metzger Avenue Rittman, OH Return Service Requested POINTS to PONDER January 2018 Vol. 49 No. 1 Ruthie Trigg, Pastor pastor@rittmanumc.org office@rittmanumc.org Contemporary 9:00am Sunday 10:00am Traditional 11:00am Rittman United Methodist Church Points to Ponder - January 2018 Volume 49 - Issue No. 1 Ruthie Trigg, Pastor Sheila Stoll, Editor Happy New Year Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; The old has gone, the new has come. II Corinthians 5:17 OUT with the OLD - IN with the NEW Living Our Faith Through Word and Action NEW YEAR - NEW LIFE The person you were before Christ came into your life should be gone. The habits and attitudes that defined you then should be changed. You are a new creature. Every characteristic that defines Christ can now define you; love, compassion, concern for others, honesty, justice, and self-sacrifice. Begin each day this new year by asking the Lord to help your new person shine over the old person. Ask Him to shine through you so the new is shining through and the old is gone. UPCOMING EVENTS January 1 Church Office Closed January 15 Church Office Closed January 18 Women s Bible Study Begins January 23 Bloodmobile Begin each day by asking the Lord to help the new person shine over the old person. Ask Him to shine through you so the new is shining through and the old is gone.

2 Resolutions or Commitments? As we contemplate how to begin the new year, the best thing to do is to start with prayer. Listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit. So many times we decide to make resolutions about things that we want to change in our lives, such as exercising more or going on a diet. The problem with resolutions is that we plan to keep them, but then we usually fail to follow through with them. Often we make resolutions, expecting to not keep them, because we have failed in doing so every other year. So why do we have trouble following through? The definition of a resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something. There is no commitment to follow through with it. The definition of commitment is being dedicated to something or someone. It also means being obedient, loyal, and obligated to something or someone. This year let s make commitments instead of resolutions. Let s commit to making ourselves the best that we can be. Colossians 3:17 tells us, Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. Let s commit to spending more time with God. Matthew 6:33 tells us, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. By seeking God and spending time with Him in prayer, Bible study, fasting, meditation, and any other means that help us to connect to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we can accomplish more than we can even imagine. Bountiful God, we rejoice in Your goodness! You have done wonderful things for Your people through the ages. We are grateful for Your precious gift of being forgiven through Jesus Christ. JOYS OF GOD S FAMILY AND THEIR FRIENDS Betty W. - preaching women s prison Deb & Rod T. home Brenda C. - family here Suzie & Bruce concert Cody S. - police academy Ruthanne L. - good health Baby Grace - home Toys for Tots - good Duane R. - new great-granddaughter Betty & Sandy sharing at prison Zack B. s 18th birthday Audrey W. - singers Robin K. - back to church Joe D. - scholarship Kyle L. - schooling Dick G. - good health Dorothy G. - better Aaron P. - wounds healed William S. - well Safe travel PRAYERS NEEDED William S. - operation Robin K. s cousin - cancer Paul E. - cancer Landon - health Doug B. - health Joanna S. - flu Irene H. - flu Baby Kingsley - sick Sandy D. - heart surgery Harry B. - health Martha B. - family traveling Guy D. - cancer Connie s son, Cassady - in service Harriet F. - surgery Peg, Ruthanne s friend - ill Judy B. s father Anita V. s friend J.J. - cancer Anita F. - nursing home Dave H. - friend ill Tom & Trish - house Family dealing with alcoholism Janet S. - illness Nancy B. s sister s son Ruthanne s sister, Elsie For those people who do not have Christmas in their hearts NURSING HOME RESIDENTS Dora Carey - Autumnwood Care Center Marvin Frase - Smithville Western Care Center Stanley Moran - Apostolic Christian Home Marcy Taylor - Autumnwood Care Center Audrey Winchell - The Inn at Coalridge Blessings, Pastor Ruthie

3 I wish for you this New Year and opportunity to bring into the lives of those about them some measure of joy, to know the satisfaction of work well done; and to end the year a little WISER, a little KINDER and therefore a little HAPPIER. Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but for more difficult still to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. --Benjamin Franklin Administrative Council Notes The Trustees repaired several yellow social hall chairs and replaced missing end caps. Expanded parking lot handicap spaces from 2 to 6 spaces. Upgraded to new sanctuary projector laptop - old unit overheating and slow. Repaired 22 areas in parking lot, 600# patch material; paving companies inspected needs but would not quote repairs, too busy. Replaced roof on south sanctuary stairwell and had minor repairs to south sanctuary roof, cost $1,000. Negotiated significantly lower church trash cost with Waste Management. The Missions Committee reported that approximately 30 shoe boxes were sent out by our church for the Operation Christmas Child this year. Landerholms are currently raising funds to return to the mission field - they need $250 per month to be committed. Sandy Batson said NO Cookie Walk was planned for this year since the UMW has disbanded. The computer class has 4 stations set up and ready to go - may start in December. People have volunteered to help. May add two handicap areas upstairs. Pastor Ruthie asked council if they could set up two units in the library where the cribs currently are - will put the cribs in storage. CONNECT We will resume after Christmas Break on Tuesday, Jan. 9 th from 2:45-5:15. Anyone who would like to join us is welcome. Help is needed to walk the children from the school. If you are able to walk from the church to the school and back to the school from 2:50 3:20 on Tuesdays, please let Pastor Ruthie know. In December the older children of the group performed a Nativity skit for the younger children. It was wonderful! Thank you Sheila Stoll for working with them and making it a reality! Here are some pictures:

4 Almighty God, heavenly Father, bless us with the joy and care of children and youth. As a church family, give us calm strength and patient wisdom to nurture our children and youth, that we may teach them to love whatever is just and true and good, following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen Happy New Year. This year we will all be a year older. A New Year s Prayer Thank you for remembering me during the Christmas Season with the Love gift! Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated! With love, Pastor Ruthie The Greatest Gift Your attitude toward giving reflects what you really find important God s mission or your wants. A cheerful attitude toward giving does not negate the fact that real sacrifice is taking place. Cheerful givers can have a lot, have a little, or be in the midst of financial turmoil. God demonstrated how we are to give when he gave us Jesus. Jesus was his one and only, his first and best. As the owner of everything, he gave us the greatest gift ever given. His sacrifice was the greatest this world has ever seen. And yet, he did it all willingly, purposefully, and cheerfully. Though the sacrifice was great, God gave cheerfully because he looked through the lens of eternity and saw the awesome and worthy outcome. And when we give, so should we. God didn t just tell us how to give. He showed us. We have a God who gave his first and best and gave proportionally, sacrificially, and cheerfully. Let s feed the hungry. Let s clothe the naked. Let s use our resources to make sure that every person on this planet has the opportunity to hear about the love of Jesus. And let s do so by prioritizing proportional, sacrificial, and joyful generosity. by Art Rainer in The Money Challenge May God make your year a happy one! Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain, but by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes; not by making your path easy, but by making you sturdy to travel any path; not by taking hardships from you, but by taking fear from your heart; not by granting you unbroken sunshine, but by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows; not by making your life always pleasant, but by showing you when people and their causes need you the most, and by making you anxious to be there to help. God s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead. --Author Unknown

5 January Birthdays 7th 8th 15th 17th 20th 24th 25th 26th 28th 30th Nancy McMillan Reah Lunter Lee Winchell Kathy Berg Pauline Rastorfer Ruth Schumacher Cris Emerson Stanley Moran Robin Ryland Lori Ullman Scott Turnbow THANK YOU Thank you once again for all of the prayers, visits, calls and food. I am doing well now, and am so thankful for all of you. In Christian Love, Ruthanne Remember that January is the eraser God uses to provide a new beginning. --Author Unknown God s 911 Coverage Psalm 91:1-16 Run to God Rest in your faith Rely on God s faithfulness Christmas Caroling All seven singers had a great time - very cold. They sang at Autumnwood, Gionino s Pizza, Bert s Store, Fox s Pizza, IGA, Dollar Store, and to our church people. The cookies and something hot to drink were a happy ending. Prison Ministry Betty Winchell was a guest minister at the women s prison in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon, December 17th. The women received Christmas gifts that were collected at our church and put in gift bags decorated by the children in the CONNECT program. The ladies of the prison sang in a choir, presented a silent choir and had a praise dance team perform. Christmas Basket volunteers delivered 170 baskets from our church for the Christmas of our community on Saturday, December 16th. There were 80 people delivering. There are usually 100 people in past years. Rittman s EMS and Fire Department stepped up to help with getting the gifts out to the town s people. Thanks to Betty Winchell and all her helpers. The Coalridge Singers under the direction of Betty Winchell and Chuck Ball on the piano sang for the church family on December 17th. It was such a blessing. It made Christmas so special. Think About It Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors. When you get to your wit s end, you ll find God lives there. Opportunity may knock once, but temptation hangs on your front door forever. Quit griping about your church, if it was perfect, none of us could belong. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. He who angers you, controls you. The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us. The Will of God will never take us where the Grace of God will not protect us. We don t change the message, the message changes us. Peace starts with a smile. If God is your co-pilot, give Him back the controls!