Monthly Newsletter February Live Oak. United Methodist

Transcription

1 Monthly Newsletter February 2012 Live Oak United Methodist From the Pastor s Desk It s February and the banquet is around the corner. The banquet is a fun time in the life of our church where many of our very own singers and musicians showcase their talent and skills and have some fun in a unique setting. It s also a great time for the church and community to come together in a safe and wholesome environment and enjoy some great food, fellowship and family fun. The banquet is also a great fund raiser for our youth as they EARN money to go to various church camps, retreats, and conferences. Often our youth will learn more in a week at a camp or conference than they will learn in a month in other settings. The banquet is also a romantic evening that will hopefully bring some joy back into the lives of many couples whose joy and love has grown stale. In the month of February our sermon series focuses on love, marriage and relationships. Most of us have some interest in this area of our lives; most of us hope to enjoy a fulfilling relationship that will bring love and joy into our lives. It seems many times that when we find a relationship that is meaningful and joyful that inevitably something goes awry. Many ask "Why did my relationship, marriage, fall apart? In the February series we will be looking at the "Landmines of Marriage" Landmines are objects of destruction that you don't see, but once you step on them, they have the potential to destroy you. Landmines in marriage are the same way. If we are not careful, and know what and where to look, then we will eventually step on a landmine and face the destruction it causes. So in February, my prayer is that you will support the banquet, do something special for the one you love, and join us for a series of messages that will hopefully educate, enlighten and encourage you in your relationships, but most of all bring glory to the Lord Jesus! God bless! Hope to see you Sunday! Mark C.

2 Love is in the Air! The Valentine Banquets and shows are Feb. 10, 11, 17, 18 at 7:00 p.m. & 12 th at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $25. The free show without the meal is Sunday, Feb. 19 th at 5:00pm. There are 40 adults & youth singing and playing in our Valentine Banquet, as well as numerous behind the scenes participants that we couldn t do without! Many thanks to these youth and the adults who spend countless hours preparing for the show, and to all who participate in our LOUMC music ministry, giving their time, talent, & gift of service to our church each and every week! Get plugged in to one of our music ministry groups! Singing and playing together brings harmony, fellowship, and fun to our church and gets you plugged in to a small group for edification! Join us for piano classes, summer drum & guitar classes, bells, and choir for adults, children, and youth! See you at the banquet! James Harthoorn James Harthoorn was born and raised in Orange City, Iowa. He came to a living faith at a young age under the teaching ministry of Pastor Hank Elgersma who grew up under the teaching of A.W. Tozer in Chicago. James remained in Orange City, Iowa through college. He graduated with a Sociology and Psychology double major. It was also during college that James met Bukky and they started dating his senior year. After college James moved to Toronto, Canada to attend Tyndale Theological Seminary. While the school was outstanding some concerns about housing and also recognition of his counseling courses caused him to leave after one year. He then moved to Nebraska where he worked at a Christian Counseling agency and served as pastor at a small Southern Baptist church in Meadow Grove, Nebraska. From there James moved to New Orleans to attend NOBTS and completed his education receiving a Masters of Divinity degree focused in Psychology and Counseling. During his first semester Bukky and he were married and she came to join him in Louisiana after completing her Master s Degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Bukky s Nigerian name means God has added more to my blessings and James acknowledges that her name rings very true for him. Together they have two children: Adalie will be 3 in April and Jed will celebrate 1 year in April. For fun James enjoys kayaking or anything else that involves being outside. He loves spending time with his kids. He also enjoys animals and animal genetics and enjoys keeping dogs, fish, geese, ducks, and chickens. At the church James does a variety of things including Counseling, AWANA, Refuge, Deeper Life Men s Study, College and Career Sunday School, visitation, and various things that come up. One of his greatest desires is for people to know God; not just on a conceptual basis but to understand the full potential of a relationship. God is not a dead-beat dad, he is a loving father who desires to interact with us and show us the full potential found in our relationship with Him. Melanie 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

3 From Christian Education THE BRANCH Our young adult s ministry called The Branch will be meeting for a Super Bowl party at the Crosby house on February 5 at 5 PM. We ll have TVs all around the house and patio, lots of food and prizes for correct score predictions each quarter. We ll have Bible study at halftime. Sorry it s not the Saints & the Broncos but maybe the commercials will be entertaining. The Branch is designed to minister to our young adults who are in their twenties & out of college (or almost out). Please contact Terrie Crosby for more information or terrie@ilovejesus.net. THE UNION Married Couples: The New ministry The Union had their first meeting on Jan. 27 th at 7:00 p.m. Married couples under 35 are encouraged to join us for food, fellowship and teaching. Contact Jamie Crosby LeBouef at for details. SUNDAY SCHOOL The New Year is in and most of us like to start it off right with new family habits and traditions. Please consider Sunday school as a part of your family s new activities for We have classes at 9:00AM for all ages, nursery to adult. At 10:00AM, we have adult classes and Children s Church for kids in Preschool through 5 th grade. If you haven t seen our beautiful Children s Worship area we call The Front Porch, please visit soon. It is located in the rear of our old sanctuary. The children will learn about Jesus through songs, puppet shows, games and Bible study. Please contact Terrie Crosby for more information. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Please save the date! June 10 th through 13 th, Sunday through Wednesday night we will be having our super awesome amazing Vacation Bible School! Out theme this year will be Swamp People! You won t want to miss this one. More information to come in next month s newsletter! HANDICAPPED PARKING Please be aware that certain areas of our parking lots are reserved for Handicapped Parking ONLY. Please do not park in any of these spaces unless you have a designated Handicapped or a License Plate, or, a Handicapped Parking Sign placed on your rearview mirror. If you or someone you know transports a handicapped person and might need a LOUMC Handicapped Parking Permit please contact our church office. Thanks for your cooperation. TRASH BASH: Scheduled for Feb. 18 th at 8:00 a.m. We will meet in front of the Chapel. Hope to see you! Confirmation Class: Confirmation class begins February 22 at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday for nine weeks, grades 6 th through 12 th grade. AWANA NEWS No AWANA until February 26, 2012 Come with your verses ready and then get your car completed for the races the following week.

4 Music Ministry Opportunities Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with high sounding cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150: 3-6 Chancel Choir for adults and teens meets Wed 7:00-8:15pm. We need more voices for our Easter season! Join a fun, loving, edifying group that loves to make a joyful noise to the Lord! After School Music Ministry Piano Classes meets on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Contact Erin Gourley at gourleyerin@gmail.com Rita Chiasson at pianobells88@aol.com or Melanie Rushing at rushing1@cox.net for more info. Drum & Guitar Ministry Class - Classes will resume this summer. Contact Melanie at rushing1@cox.net or the church office if interested. Meets in the Music Suite. Youth Bell Choir The new Youth Bell Choir resumes Sunday, February 27 at 6:00pm. Music reading required for grades Contact Melanie or Rita Chiasson (pianobells88@aol.com) The Southern Bells handbell choir for adults and older teens meets on Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Music reading experience required. Subs needed for ringers if you re interested in playing part time. The Youth Ensemble and Praise Band practices each Sunday except holidays from 5:00-6:00pm. Singers, keyboardists, guitarists, & drummers grades 6-12 are invited to join us! Needed guitar and bass player for this semester! Music Maker s Children s Choir: Fun music reading session resumes Sunday, March 4th from 4:00-5:00 p.m. using bells, chimes and rhythm instruments. FUSION: Meet Sundays from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Rev. David Orges Rev David Orges has been at Live Oak since February of He wears many hats working at the church, and along with having the privilege of being the Youth Pastor. David also conducts the Sunday Night Service oversees Missions, and the Drama/Performing Arts at Live Oak. He is also the sometimes tech guy. David graduated from Denham Springs High School in 2003 as the Student of the Year, and was heavily involved in varsity swimming and baseball for the school. David committed his life to following Jesus at age 14, gave his first sermon on a Sunday morning at the age of 16, and at age 17 God made clear His call for David to serve in full time vocational ministry. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University (heaven on earth) with his BA in Sociology and an unofficial minor in Engineering. During his time in Ruston, David assumed a secret identity known only as "T" by painting himself from the waist up in Tech Blue for nearly any sporting event imaginable--from football and rugby to girls' volleyball and soccer. This avid and sometimes borderline rabid fan became nationally recognized for his fanaticism in 2006 when ESPN crowned him as Mr. Bracket--college basketball's most outrageous fan! David's alter ego "T" has been featured on football programs, postcards, season tickets, TV commercials, billboard ads, and even video games (NCAA 2K7)! After graduating from Tech in 2007, David retired the paint and moved on to pursue his Masters in Professional Counseling. In '07 David had the opportunity to travel to Israel and walk where Jesus walked. It was here that he received his ministerial ordination, right outside of the garden tomb where Jesus defeated death and Satan and rose from the dead after His brutal crucifixion! In November 2011, David married the beautiful Summer Sumich (best decision ever!) who is also very involved in the ministries of the church. She has a huge heart for teenage girls and brings so much to the table to supplement David as they minister together for the glory of God! David loves man movies, fantasy football, the Cleveland Indians, the New Orleans Saints - Who Dat!?, and definitely Pizza Hut pizza! If you are around him for more than a few minutes, you will quickly learn that David has a great affinity for cheesy humor... this is partially due to the fact that he really is a nerd at heart!

5 Psalm 119:105; Psalm 40:8 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The grass withers, the flower fade, but the word of our God stands forever. Things are constantly changing in our world today and cultural shifts come and go. But there are some things that remain constant and are rock solid. These are the things we can rely upon. Dr. David Jeremiah gives us ten truths we can count on in these changing times. First, there is God s Word, our bible. The scriptures are like the guidance system used by a pilot to fly thousands of miles through the dark. Our knowledge of scripture can help us to know what to say and where to go, how to plan, prepare, and respond in any situation of life. (Hebrews 4:12) The second constant is God s authority. All of history and every detail of our lives is completely under God s control. Challenges of our faith prepare us for the world we will one day share. We trust him in the smaller things. The larger things are already set and established. (Matthew 28:18) Third is God s sovereignty. A string leads from every good thing in our lives back to the love, grace, mercy, and patience of God family, talents, possessions, friendships, potential. (Romans 11:33) Fourth is God s presence. God is present when we worship, when we pray, when we study His Word, when we experience happy times as well as troubling times. He knows our thoughts first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. (Psalm 140:13) Fifth is God s power. Our God is a hands-on God. He is actively involved everyday in energizing this world. He is not an absentee ruler who sits at His controls and pulls switches and punches buttons to make people and events dance like puppets. He knows all that s going on and never makes mistakes. (1 Corinthians 1:18) God s love is the sixth constant. Above all, He loves us just the way we are, but when we become His child, He desires to mold and change us to His will, to grow and mature in our faith, grace, and knowledge. (Romans 8:38-39) God s judgment is seventh. Past, present, and future sins of the believer have already been judged at the cross. When Christ died on the cross, He took on the sins of all men for all time. When we believe, this judgment is over. (John 5:30) Eighth is God s plan. There is no man-made solution to the world s problems. He has had a plan for this world and people since before the beginning. This plan includes believers, until He returns to set the earth right with a true new world order of peace and prosperity. (Jeremiah 29:11) The ninth constant is God s will. God s will list is long, but is the same for every child of His. Top on the list is to believe the gospel message. All other things come from this. His will is for us to grow in grace and knowledge, to pray, to worship with the indwelling Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, and so many more things. We find all these things in the scriptures (Hebrews 13:20-21). Tenth is God s promise. The Bible is really God s promise book His word is His promise. He never breaks a promise. Some things promised have already been fulfilled. Some things are yet to come. Being thankful for all these things motivates us to do more acts of kindness, love and forgiveness, as a way of thanking God for His promises. (Galatians 3:29) These ten constants are ten truths we can count on, for God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our God is an awesome God. Say to God, How awesome are your works! Come and see the works of God, He is awesome in His doing toward the Sons of men. Dr. David Jeremiah Nuggets From the Bible ARA

6 LOUMC Valentine Banquet Show Dates: February 10 th, 11 th, 17 th & 18 th - 7:00 p.m. (Meal included) February 12 th - 6:00 p.m. (Meal included) February 19 th - 5:00 p.m. (Free admission no meal will be served) $25.00 per person Call Church Office at for more information

7 Live Oak United Methodist Church

8 12/29/11 Jim Justice: E. Lyn Mack, M/M Lewis Mixon, Don & Shelly Strobel, La. Annual Conference of UMC Raymond Addison: Annice R. Addison 01/01/12 Jim Justice: Pujol; & Pryor, Robert & Sherrie Everett 01/08/12 Zane Underwood, Bernice Wright and Donovan Wright: Dianne Street Jim Justice: The Geralds, Beth & John Guerrieri, Vetra Wilson, Robert & Sherri Everett Charles Nanney: Bobbie Nanney 1/15/12 Jim Justice: Sara Easterly, M/M Lane Rushing, James & Georgia Papizan, Robert & Sherrie & David Everett, Emily Marchand Inge Taylor: Annie Taylor Charles Williamson, Sr.: Janet A Williamson 01/22/12 Jim Justice: Jimmy & Kathleen Flanagan, Alvin, Laurie & Annie Dauzat W. D. Erwin, J.W. Webb, Russell Buhler, Jim Justice: Elouise Henderson Jodi Rushing s Dad Jo Thompson: Alvin, Laurie & Annie Dauzat Stacy Lovette: Happy Birthday Aunt Marie