MONDAYS - THURSDAYS - 9:00 AM-4:00 PM

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1 MARCH / APRIL 2016 ARNOLIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH THE GRAPEVINE 1776 EAST JOPPA ROAD OFFICE HOURS: BALTIMORE, MD MONDAYS - THURSDAYS - 9:00 AM-4:00 PM arnoliaumc@verizon.net (CLOSED 12:30 PM 1:30 PM) FRIDAYS 9:00 AM 12:00 PM OFFICE FAX CAROL PIOTROWSKI ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT REV. MARY ELLEN GLORIOSO, PASTOR pastormeg@yahoo.com Dear Fellow Christians, On behalf of our entire Arnolia Church family, I send you warm greetings during this meaningful time of year for the Christian faith. The season of Lent is a time which we pause to remember the passion and suffering of our Lord; which joyously gave way to the triumphant victory of the Resurrection. The hope and promise of that victory and the new life it brings is as strong today as on that first Easter morning. As members of Christ s Holy Church and the Arnolia fellowship, we would be delighted to have you share with us in times of reflection and rejoicing during this season and our Holy Week services of worship. Again this year, we are joining with our sister church, Linden Heights UMC for Holy Week. On Ash Wednesday we started this sacred season with a pancake supper in our Wilson Fellowship Hall. A services of ashes and communion followed in the Arnolia sanctuary. A joint choir and Rejuvenate provided the music for the service. On Holy/Maundy Thursday, March 24 th, we will travel to Linden Heights for worship which begins at 7:30pm. Linden Heights is located at 9914 Harford Road. The following evening, we will be back at Arnolia beginning at 7:30pm for our Good Friday Tenebrae service. Each church will hold their own Palm Sunday and Easter services. Arnolia will offer two services on both Palm Sunday, March 20 th and Easter Sunday, March 27 th at 9 and 11am. We thank each and every one of you for your continued financial help for the mission and ministry of Arnolia. At this writing (2/13), we have lost one Sunday to a blizzard. As a result, offerings were missed, while our cost of ministry continued. Your help in meeting our financial need at this time would be a blessing for our church family and God s work. We are continually grateful for everyone s love and dedication to Arnolia. Lenten and/or Easter gifts to our ministry can be placed in the offering plate on any Sunday or mailed to the church office (1776 E. Joppa Road, Baltimore, 21234). 1

2 May each of us use this very important season to rededicate ourselves to God. If you have been away from the church, what greater time to come back and renew yourself in this fellowship of God s love. There is much going on in and around Arnolia in the name of Jesus Christ. God bless you now and always. In Christ s Service Pastor Mary Ellen SPRING BIBLE STUDY 2016 The final Wednesday evening Bible study before our summer break will begin on Wednesday, April 6 th, and continue on Wednesdays April 20 th & 27 th and May 4 th, 11 th, and 18 th. All classes begin at 7pm except the last one. That class will begin with a picnic at my home at 6pm and then we will complete our study. The book we will study will be John, The Gospel of Light and Life ($12) by Adam Hamilton. For those who wish to start the evening s study with a dinner fellowship, they are asked to report to the church parking lot no later than 5:30pm. Where we are going for dinner that night is decided by those who are present. If you are a regular to our Wednesday study or if you are wondering what goes on in a Bible study, why not join us? Deadline to let the pastor know is March 20 th. Please contact her at pastormeg@yahoo.com or call/text her at if you wish to join us. 20/20 VISION 20/20: The Master Plan for Arnolia United Methodist Church by Richard Disharoon and Craig Nickerson On Sunday, February 7 th, Craig provided a status update on the Master Plan as we begin the third year of our six-year plan. This followed a meeting last Fall when the members of the Church Council, including all the committee chairpersons, met to assess our progress towards reaching the goal of the Master Plan, and to establish the focus areas for the next two years. We had an extremely productive workshop, and determined our focus areas for the next two years, which are documented below. Our vision continues to be to Establish Arnolia UMC as a center of worship and fellowship in the community. This builds on our mission statement Following Jesus, Making Disciples, Serving Others. The first area is Community Outreach. Our priorities are to have an Easter Egg Hunt, hold a Pancake Supper, distribute water to drivers on Joppa Road this summer, sponsor a Blood Drive, hold an outdoor worship service, and have a family game night. We ve done some really great things over the last several years, and we want to keep this momentum going. The second area is Missions. Our priorities are to establish a second team to work at Manna House, train more people to work with clients of our Outreach Ministry, and continue our support of ACTC, Backpack Buddies, Baltimore County Christian Work Camp, and the Board of Child Care. These missions need our support, so please step up and volunteer to help. The third area is Member Care. Thanks again to Carole Disharoon for volunteering to chair our newly formed committee on Member Care. Our priorities are to further the faith development of our members, nurture new members of the congregation, continue to support our Shepherds to the Homebound, and provide bagels/coffee/donuts between our two worship services. As Craig discussed on the 7 th, this is a very important part of our Vision, and is key to our ministry. The fourth area is Worship. Our priorities are to reevaluate our worship experiences, provide handicap seating in the sanctuary, expand and update our audio/visual capabilities in the sanctuary, and keep our website updated with relevant information. Please keep the Worship Committee in your prayers as we continue to work through these important items. The final area is Physical Plant. Our priorities are to update our maintenance procedures, update the heating and air conditioning equipment in the sanctuary, make the needed improvements for our new Daycare program, install security cameras, install our new sign, and begin planning for longer term priorities. Lots of information forthcoming in this area, so please stay tuned. 2

3 The leaders of the congregation are committed and ready to move Arnolia forward, and are looking for your feedback. We need everyone to step up and be a part of the great things going on at Arnolia, and can t stress enough the importance of volunteers. Please prayerfully consider what you can do to help us either in Member Care, Missions, Worship, Community Outreach, or Physical Plant. Together, we can accomplish great things. God is definitely sowing seeds among us today. Will we move beyond our fears, step out in faith, and be the kind of soil God wants us to be? CALLING THE ARNOLIA OFFICE As many of you may or may not know, the phone system for the church died late last year. We have replaced the system and of course, it has changed. When you call the office, you will get the answering machine. This does not mean that the administrative assistant or pastor is not in. The new phone does not ring per se, a light flashes when an incoming call comes to the church main phone line ( ). You will get a greeting letting the caller know they have reached Arnolia. To reach Carol, press * then # when the message starts. The phone will now ring at her desk and she will answer if she is sitting there. You can also leave a message for her at that extension. If you wish to reach the pastor, when the machine answers, press 2 then #. If you need to leave a message for the Outreach Office, press 3 then #. To hear church events and service times, press 1 then #. This extension will also let you know if church is cancelled for inclement weather. Like anything new, it takes time to adjust to a new system. Unfortunately, this was the only system available to us at a reasonable cost to handle the number of extensions we need to have to perform ministry in our setting. Contacting us by (arnoliaumc@verizon.net or pastormeg@yahoo.com) are also a viable option. Please bear with us as we all adjust to this new phone system. Snow Policies Worship: The decision to have worship on Sunday morning will be determined no later than 8am on Sunday morning among the Trustee Chair, Pastor and leadership living near Joppa Road. The condition of the parking lot, sidewalks and county roads will be taken into account. The problem may be in the timing of any storm. Overnight Saturday storms may preclude us from getting the lot cleared in time for one or both services. An will be sent to all those for whom we have an address. (Please make sure you keep the office updated with additions, changes or deletion of your addresses). You may call the Church Office after 8:00 AM ( ) to find out if we will be open for services. Please call, wait for the greeting message to begin and then press 1#. There will also be a message on the Pastor s home answering machine ( ). Office: The opening of the office during inclement weather will be determined by the Baltimore County Schools decision for the day. If they open late or close early, we will alter our hours accordingly. If the schools are closed, Arnolia s office will close as well. If for some reason the schools are closed for a holiday, we will have to make a decision using our best judgment. Meetings: If the weather changes during the day (either clears up or gets dangerous), we reserve the right to cancel or continue with an evening meeting or Bible Study. If you are in doubt about whether a meeting will go on as scheduled, please contact the chair of your committee after 5pm. An will be sent to you as well. Regardless of the decision to open or close for an event, please use your own judgment as to whether you attend or not. You know best the conditions of your particular neighborhood. God would rather you be safe than to risk harming yourself trying to come to worship or a meeting. CELL PHONES Please turn your cell phones to vibrate or off before the worship service so they are not going off during the service. Thank you. 3

4 Carol Piotrowski Grapevine 2016 Schedule The Grapevine is published bi-monthly. Updates will be available on our website and in the bulletin as well as announcements. Listed below is the deadline dates for the 2016 Grapevine editions. Please make sure you your articles to the church office on time. Thanks you for your cooperation. Grapevine Edition Due date for articles May/June April 15, 2016 July/August June 15, 2016 September/October August 15, 2016 November/December October 15, 2016 January/February 2017 December 10, 2016 HOLIDAYS FOR 2016 Monday March 28 Monday May 30 Monday July 4 Monday September 5 Thursday/Friday November 24/25 Saturday-Sunday December 24 January 1, 2016 SPRC has approved these days for the Church Office to be closed. Mailing the Grapevine In order to keep postage costs down, we will mail the Grapevine only to those who are homebound or who live far away. Thank you. Church Directory Update An updated Church Directory is in the works. Please make sure your information is current (address, phone number, address) with the Church Office. A couple of s have come back as invalid. Also, please check the last Directory (dated May 2015) and see if you know if anyone s information is incorrect and please update us. Thank you! Many thanks for all the lovely cards and prayers during my hand surgery and rehab. Thanks to all the offers to provide transportation, especially Carole Rathmell, D'Arcy Cook, Sandi Winkler and Richard Krebs. Also, for Mark Spivey's handyman expertise. Please continue to pray for the complete healing of my hand. I am still going for hand therapy every week. The doctor tells me this type of hand surgery takes 4-6 months and possibly up to 1 year to completely heal. Many thanks for the love and concern of the amazing Arnolia family and Pastor Mary Ellen. Love to everyone, Joan Bond We wish to thank the Arnolia Prayer Chain for their prayers for our friends, Joe & Winnie Adams, from Florida. Joe needed surgery in January. Winnie was facing a possible second eye surgery on the same eye. Christie placed both of the names on the prayer chain after learning of the surgeries. We are happy to report that Joe had his surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. Winnie does not need the second eye surgery. Prayers do work! Praise be to God! Christie and Bill Grape To All Members of the Arnolia Congregation: Some of our committees are looking into our security problems and are in the process of upgrading our systems, with this in mind we are checking all our leaks, pertaining to security. One of our systems is called The FOB. These are keys that will open doors to Arnolia property. These were handed to members of the church, which were on working committees. If you know you have one and no longer need it, please turn it into the main office. The will help us from purchasing new FOBs. Thank you. 4

5 ARNOLIA BOOK CLUB The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 18 at the home of Janet Jones at 7:00 PM. The book is The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. The April meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 15. April s selection is any book by the author Elizabeth Strout. Please call D Arcy Cook at for more information or to verify time and place. CEMETERY COMMITTEE Wilson Cemetery grave sites are available: $2000 per site for members of Arnolia UMC and $2500 for non-members. If you prefer, we can set up a payment plan for you. Please call the church office at for more information. FAMILY LIFE Joe Anna Funk, Chair Movie nights at Arnolia! Family Life is hosting a bi-monthly family movie night for our members, their family and friends, and our community! Due to our licensing, the film titles cannot be advertised in print, but we can assure you that they are all family-friendly HIT movies that you and yours surely cherish. Movie Night will be on the last Friday of the "EVEN" months...the doors open at 6:30 PM and the films start at 7:00 PM. Here are the upcoming dates: April 29 June 24 August 26 October 28 with Trunk or Treat December 16 FINANCE COMMITTEE Dick Disharoon, Chair December 2015-Income/Expenses Income: $ 21,566 Expenses: $ 18,971 Net: $ 2,595 December Utility expenses: BGE $1686 Verizon $466 December Apportionment $2,401 Weekly giving required to meet operating budget: $4,565 Giving statements for December: Date Offering Other Total $4565 $2022 $ $2582 $1101 $ $3690 $312 $ $330 $3201 $ $3563 $44 $ $0 $100 $100 January 2016-Income/Expenses Income: $16,537 Expenses: $17,136 Net: $ -599 January Utility expenses: BGE $2288 Verizon $225 January Apportionment $2,471 Weekly giving required to meet operating budget: $4,676 Giving statements for January: Date Offering Other Total $3814 $887 $ $130 $0 $ $2084 $1405 $ $3780 $18 $ $0 $0 $ $4283 $244 $4527 We are grateful that members and friends continue to respond to the call to Generous Living with an increase number of pledges for Remember that you can continue this call to Generous Living to benefit throughout the year by supporting fundraisers that support the operating budget. WOODHOME PRE SCHOOL Pastor Mary Ellen announced on January 17 th that Woodhome Pre-School would begin renting space at Arnolia during Staff will begin moving in during August with the children arriving after Labor Day. 5

6 Discussion regarding this move originated with Woodhome owner Sunny Fisher. In subsequent meetings with a representative of the Child Care Association, the licensing agency, we learned that Woodhome is one of the most respected pre-schools in Baltimore County. We welcome the return of children into our building on a daily basis. The income generated for the operating budget will be another factor along with Generous Living support from members and friends to achieving a balanced budget at the end of the fiscal year. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN During this year we will be embarking on a capital campaign to meet additional objectives leading to accomplishing the goal of Vision 20/20. Details will be forthcoming in the next few months. It s exciting to note that community businesses will be providing seed money for the campaign. A private donation from a member has also been received. Please begin to consider how you can help. Achieving this objective is not impossible. This time last year we never thought that we could afford a new LED sign. The sign (expected completion date is second week in April) became a reality through business and private donations Flea Markets: Put these dates on your calendar! Spring Flea Market: Saturday, May 14 th, rain date May 21 st Fall Flea Market: Saturday, September 24 th, rain date October 1 st Arnolia s 2016 Spring Flea Market will be held on Saturday, May 14th, from 9am to 2pm. Volunteering for the flea market is a fun way to spend time with your fellow church members and with members of the community! Volunteers are needed to help to with the following: Donations are needed for our white elephant tables: glassware, kitchen ware, decorative objects, electronics in working order, books, toys, craft items, tools and any other items you think would sell! Donations may be dropped off in the Missions Room. Are you a flea market enthusiast? You can contribute your expertise to help sort and price the items which have been donated starting about two weeks before the flea market. We need a volunteer to run the Bake Table, encouraging bakers to contribute and selling the baked goods on the day of the Flea Market. Baked goods of all kinds contribute to high Bake Table sales. The week of the flea market, volunteers will be setting up the tables and placing the for sale items out on the tables. Inside the hall on the day of the flea market, we need people to handle sales of the flea market items, of the food and bake table items. Let us know if you are interested in participating; call or Drennan Nickerson: or (nickcdbj@comcast.net). Look for a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. All fundraising activities must be approved in advance by the Finance Committee. MEMBER CARE Shepherds to the Homebound Carole Rathmell, Chairman of Shepherds to the Homebound If anyone knows of a homebound member of Arnolia who would like a visit from a Shepherd, please call me at or write it on the back of your Sunday attendance slip. If our shut-ins would like to attend an event held at Arnolia and do not have transportation, also let me know. Our Missions schedule for the year: March Health Care Kits April Imagine No Malaria Ann Buckley, Chair 6

7 May/June Baltimore County Christian Work Camp July/August ACTC, School Supplies September Board of Child Care October/November ACTC Thanksgiving November/December Angel Tree Many thanks from Manna House for your donations during January and February. Please remember that donations of clothing and small household items can be given any time year round. Our Missions emphasis for MARCH is the collection of items for Health Kits. These important kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of disaster. They are part of UMCOR s valuable aid to people in the United States and around the world. All emergency health kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items, nothing more. A portable list is available in the bell tower. If you are unable to shop, but would like to contribute, you may donate $12, and we will do the shopping for you. Just mark your check or envelope Health Kits so the money counters will know how to handle it. HEALTH KITS CAN BE PLACED IN THE BELL TOWER OR MISSIONS ROOM. EACH KIT IS TO CONTAIN: 1 hand towel (15X25" to 17X27") 1 washcloth 1 comb (must be longer than 6") (no pocket combs or picks) 1 metal nail file or nail clippers (no emery boards) 1 bath-size soap, 3 oz & larger, in original packaging (no Ivory or Jergens due to moisture content) 1 toothbrush, adult size only, in original packaging 6 adhesive bandages, 3/4" to 1" size (common household Band-Aids) 1 1-gallon sealable plastic bag $1 to purchase toothpaste (do not include toothpaste, due to expiration dates) The APRIL Missions emphasis is Imagine No Malaria. Sponsored by the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, this project was begun in 2008, with the express goal of wiping out malaria in Africa. This important health campaign focuses on the distribution of treated mosquito nets, improved education about malaria, establishment of community-based malaria control program, conduction of outreach through local means and the media, and the revitalization of hospitals and clinics across the continent of Africa. Many large contributors have partnered with the United Methodist Church in this endeavor, including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation/Nothing But Nets. UMCOR manages the program design, implementation, and expenditure within Africa. Your contribution to this vital operation will save many lives. Please mark you check: Imagine No Malaria. Imagine No Malaria Please don t forget your pledge for the nets that will stamp out Malaria. Just a reminder it is $15 dollars per person a year for two years. Presently we have collected $2442 but our goal is $3200. We are doing great! We still need $758. Thanks for your continued support of our Mission projects. Were you aware that our church still sponsors Jesus S. Martinez, who lives in Mexico, at $43 at a month? If interested in donating, please make checks payable to Arnolia UM Church and in the memo line write Child Fund in the memo. Thank you. 7

8 MUSIC Rehearsals for Hand Bells are on Thursday evenings at 6:15 PM. Rehearsals for Chancel Choir are on Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM. If you are interested in joining the Choir or Hand Bells, contact Jarrett Rettman at or REJUVENATE Jarrett Rettman (Contact Information or ) Rejuvenate is always interested in welcoming new members of all ages on board - all are welcome! ONGOING FUNDRAISERS Amazon Smile A donation in the amount of $19.31 was made to Arnolia UMC for purchases made on Amazon Smile between October 1 and December 31! Thank you to those who shop Amazon Smile. If you shop on Amazon, please consider Amazon Smile and follow the steps below to make Arnolia UMC your charitable organization. Ask family and friends who shop Amazon do the same. When you shop at Amazon Smile, select Change Charity and then select Arnolia as your charitable organization and the church will receive.5% of eligible purchases. Copy and paste the following link for easier access: Roof Fund Please continue to bring your loose change and drop it in the jug located outside the Narthex. OUTREACH COMMITTEE Priscilla Calvert Arnolia Thrift Store We had a great week-end sale on January 15 & 16th. Friday was open just for our regular customers and Saturday was for everyone. We stayed open until 4 p.m. on Saturday. Joe Anna made sure all store volunteers had a good lunch and also lunch for our customers. We made $674 dollars for both days and moved a lot of merchandise. Thank you to all that worked that week-end. As I announced in church a few weeks ago, at this time we cannot take any donations except for jewelry. We still want your donations, but we need to clear out our storage room and arrange to move down the hall later this summer to prepare for Arnolia's Day Care Center. Our store would not be as successful without your donations so please hold them until we have room. Did you notice our new store flag out on Monday and Thursday? The bright colors and movement catches attention for shoppers. Thank you for your support to our store that serves those in need. The Thrift Shore is open on Mondays and Thursday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and on the second Saturday of every month. BACKPACK BUDDIES Marlis Collins, Chair Christie Grape, Assistant Ralph Wilson, Assistant Back Pack Update - A thank you card was sent to Stacey Menegatti and the Mercy Ridge residents who put together robots for the Back Pack Buddies. They were cute and clever. For those who didn't see them: the head was an applesauce cup turned upside down with eyes, the body was a juice box saying "Happy Valentine s Day!", 2 Fruit roll-ups for arms, and 2 raisin boxes for feet. We have such talented people at Arnolia! We are fortunate on the Backpack Buddies committee to have great bargain shoppers like Christie Grape and George Hartig. Christie would 8

9 like to share some of her experiences, which not only helps to stretch our monetary Backpack fund, but also helps us all to be sharper shoppers in this economy. We do thank you all for your donations of food and funds. You are the reason this project is possible. Marlis Collins, Chair Christie writes: I have gotten some great deals shopping for the Backpack Buddies Mission Program. I would like to tell you how I did it. I checked the sales, usually in the stores flyers. Sometimes, I just go to the stores, and by chance, the items will be on sale. I use the store cards and coupons from the coupon section of the Sunday newspaper. Family and friends from across the country will send me their coupons of the items on the Back Pack Shopping list. Thank you! Some stores will have a limit as to how many items you can purchase, such as Walgreens. Other stores have no limits. You will have to ask. Dollar Tree sells the boxes of Chicken Salad/Tuna Salad with crackers for $1, no limit on the number of boxes. Recently, I purchased a box of 22 individual bags of microwavable popcorn at Ollie s for under $5. Please Note: If you shop at Ollie s, you will need to check the expiration dates and the packaging. At Giant, sometimes the Horizon 12-pack of shelf milk is on sale for $9.99 (original price is $13.99). I purchased (3) 12-packs on one occasion. I had (3) $1.00 coupons. There was an instant rebate if you bought (3) 12-pack cartons. This was a surprise and a delight to me! Savings always looks good on paper. Three Cases of 12-pack shelf $9.99 = $29.97 Less 3 Coupons each worth $ $ 3.00 Less the instant store rebate - $5.00 Total Spent $21.97 Another time, I purchased at Weis 10 Hormel Compleat meals for $13. Some were 2 for $4. Others were 3 for $6.00. (10 $20.00 less 7 $1.00 coupons = $7.00 Total spent $13.00.) The following week, I made another purchase for 21 meals for $32.00, using sale coupons, and the store card. Food Lion sometimes has the Compleat meals on sale, 2/$4. Walmart has some of the Compleat meals for $1.98! Not all are the same price. There is an envelope of coupons in the educational wing hallway across from the Thrift Shop. Please feel free to take, use and save! Won t you help us feed the children? Thank you for all your support and donations! Christie Grape Remember our food provides weekend meals for elementary school children who might otherwise go without a meal over a weekend. March/April Backpack Shopping List Single Servings Microwavable Shelf Safe Only Hormel Compleats (no Snackers) Barilla Meals Chef Boyardee Cups Mac N Cheese Cups Cereal - Breakfast Bars * Pudding, Fruit Cups, Veggie Cups Milk Tuna/Chicken w Crackers Microwave popcorn Please note: Some foods say lower sugar, but in many cases this just means the product has artificial sweetener. We would like to keep the food items as healthy as possible and encourage the use of products with natural sugar only. PAPER RETRIEVER Thank you to everyone who recycles paper in our paper bins. We are fortunate that we have very loyal donors that come every week bringing their paper. The company has been sold and we now have additional items that can be accepted: Shopping Catalogs Books, both hard and soft cover Cardboard boxes - MUST BE FLAT Boxed records or files This is a fundraiser for Outreach Program which benefits residents of Parkville (21234) with BGE turn off notices, evictions, and food assistance. We receive cash for every ton of paper collected. 9

10 SCRAPBOOKING AT ARNOLIA Scrap Happening! On the first Wednesday of every month, scrap bookers (and other crafters) meet at Arnolia to work on their albums and other projects. This past month (February), we had 6 people attend, including 1 knitter! We work from 9 until 12 (or whenever we decide to go out to lunch!) If you'd like to create a scrapbook but don't know how to get started, just bring your photos and I'll teach you. All are welcome. If you just would like to crochet or knit but be around others, bring your craft and join us. It helps to let me know of your intentions to attend so that ample table space can be arranged. Contact Beth Krebs at Join us on March 2nd!! TRAVELLING WITH THE CHENOWETHS It has been almost 1 1/2 years since we told of our last cruise. My cancer is in remission so we decided to take a 21-day cruise from Baltimore. It involved 2 separate cruises. The first an eleven-day cruise that ended up in San Juan. Then a ten day that ended up back in Baltimore. We left on January 17th with a snow shower. Many of the crew on board have never seen snow. The first cruise would stop in Grand Turk, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St Croix and end up in San Juan. Weather the first 2 days at sea was cold. Cruise ships are not built for cold weather. The heat never came up in our cabin. Finally, warm weather and tropical islands. The houses on all the islands are painted in many different shades of red, blue, green and yellow. I believe that all the paint colors that do not sell in the USA are sold on these islands. There is so much to tell about these islands that there is not enough room to tell it. If you see us in Church, ask about them. One island I would like to talk about is Curacao. It is a Dutch island and the buildings are painted in such beautiful colors. Also there is a canal through the middle of town for ships to go to the oil refinery. To get from one side of the city to the other, you must go over a pontoon bridge that is open and closed using a boat with an outboard motor. On this cruise we had open seating dining. That means no assigned tables. You arrive between 5:45-9:00 and sit at any table with different people each night. We sat at a table with 8 other people. One couple that stood out were a husband and wife from Australia, both pastors. They are both from The Assembly of GOD Church. Both retired but preach for churches that need pastors and for pastors that are on vacation. What we enjoy about cruises are the different people we meet. Once back in San Juan, we had 1400 people leave the ship. Over 800 people stayed on to do the back to back 10-day cruise. On came 1400 new passengers. This cruise stopped at St. Thomas, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten. New islands and new people to meet. On this cruise we had an assigned dinner time and table. At our table were 3 couples. Dennis & Shirley Whitt from Flatwoods, Kentucky. Shirley is a retired teacher, Dennis a retired truck driver. They have been on over 40 cruises. Sue & John Woelepper from Severna Park, Maryland. Sue is a school teacher, did not find out what job John had. The third couple was Sandy & Lee Shifflett from Hampton, Virginia. They were celebrating 59 years of marriage. Lee is retired from the Air Force. What a great time spent with some great people. On this cruise were people from Canada, Australia, MD, PA, VA, NJ, WV, GA, NH, FL, TX, NC, MA, CA, WI, KY, IA and NB. There was always something to do on board. Food from 6 AM to 11 PM. Pizza 24 hours, games to play, talks to go to plus outdoor movies. Two every night. This was the first time in 40 years that I saw a movie on a big screen. On all the islands you can take tours. Most are not equipped for handicapped. Because Mary Ann uses a scooter, we did not take any tours. We stayed close to the ship. There are always shopping malls close by. We did go into these. On the 2 days at sea back home, it was cold again and a little rough. Did not bother us but some people were sick. Back in Baltimore. It was cold but we did miss the 29+ inches of snow Baltimore received but we saw it on TV while we were in Aruba. The cruise may have ended but the memories remain. But like Dorothy said in the Wizard of OZ. "There's no place like HOME". In Christ, Dick Chenoweth 10

11 TRUSTEES COMMITTEE Tim Hugus Chair Prior to the start of the snow plowing season, it was suggested to the trustees that we work to put in place a mutually beneficial agreement with the Hertz Car Sales and Rental Center, managed by Mr. Rick Boblits, across Joppa Road. The Hertz folks would get to use our lot for a few occasional overflow vehicles all during the year. In exchange, Hertz would then plow their lot and our lot and be able to move vehicles back and forth during a snow plowing event. On paper, this looked pretty good. Then the BIG storm hit. Let s just say, it was difficult to deal with all that snow and logistics for the first time. However, the lot did get cleared and we did not have to pay for the plowing. Financially it was successful. There are several details that will be improved upon for the future. Obviously, we will work to have a wider opening into the lot from Joppa Road. We will also work to remind the plow operator to not plow in the entrances to our shed and the trash corral. As far as the clearing of the sidewalks and entrances, please thank the Trustees crew of snow removal experts, Larry Gowl, Jim Walstrum, George Hartig, Bill Grape, Ed Calvert, Tad Wolfe, and Don Rathmell. Observant members may have noticed some trenching and mud on the church lawn. This was done to run the existing gas service at the meter by the kitchen outside wall to the sanctuary outside wall under the windows. This is the first phase of converting the less efficient and costly electric heat in the sanctuary to more efficient and economical gas heat. The next phase will be accomplished during a week with milder temperatures in the near future. The work is being done by Link Mechanical. The air conditioning system will be addressed during the spring. At this time, the sanctuary basement HVAC upgrade has been put on hold as per the Church Council. The Church Council did approve the purchase of a multiple camera security monitoring system and we anticipate the purchase of this soon. The hardware was purchased for a great deal less that we had estimates for and the installation will be completed by a group of Arnolia workers, thus saving a substantial amount. Signs have also been purchased and will be installed around the outside of the church when the cameras are installed. The Trustees continue to address issues as we are informed of them. Some recent projects include: the heating system in the education wing was having some issues, but the hot water heat lines were found to be air-locked. When the air was bled out, the system began to function much better. some electrical work is being done in the chancel area and in the sanctuary basement area for two improvement projects. Fireline has been reselected as our fire monitoring alarm company. We had been having some expense and maintenance issues but we hope to have them under control. the auxiliary heaters were turned on in the vestibule lavatories. the conference room A/C condensate drain was cleared and pitched more appropriately and the ceiling tiles were replaced. the snow-blower was repaired. the riding lawn mower is still for sale. look for other improvements and projects as we continue to move forward. As always, please let any Trustee know of any and all items that you think need to be addressed, repaired, replaced or looked into. Thank you. UNITED METHODIST MEN (UMM) Larry Gowl President The Methodist Men will meet for dinner March 22 & April 26 at Church at 6:00 PM. If you would like to join the UMM, or if you have any questions about this ministry, call Larry Gowl at VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Allison Nelson Allison.nelson@outlook.com VBS will be here before you know it! If you'd like to volunteer during the week contact Allison Nelson 11

12 or the church office, all are welcome! If you can't participate with your time but would be willing to donate supplies, a list follows. Monetary donations toward snacks or supplies from Cokesbury are also accepted and appreciated! Supplies Needed for Vacation Bible School: beach toys (beach balls, pails and shovels, sand castle molds etc.) surf boards/boogie boards pool toys (noodles, inflatables, etc.) fishing nets flip-flops beach umbrella beach chairs sea shells (large) sunglasses beach towels stuffed fish or fish water toys a variety of colored poster board glue sticks blue plastic table cloths (light blue preferably) - 8 Yellow plastic table cloths 8 Thank you to everyone that helps make VBS possible, even (and especially) months in advance! The dates for VBS are July 25 through July 29, Your Friend in God, Allison Nelson Marlis Collins Chair The church is the primary channel through which God forms people into the Body of Christ. The morning of Saturday February 6 th, 12 members of the Worship committee met to take an objective, thoughtful look at Arnolia s building and our worship experience. We talked about what we value about worship, what is important for a worship experience. We discussed what encourages persons to attend worship, how welcoming our building is and how welcoming we are as worship leaders. At one point, the members divided up into groups of 3 and walked through the church building. The object was to look at the building with the eyes of a person visiting for the first time. As we walked through the building, it was obvious that as long time members we have a tendency to overlook the clutter and upkeep of the building and tend to concentrate on the project of the moment. We also have a tendency to overlook, thinking that we don t want to interfere with something that was placed or left on a shelf or a bulletin board by another member or committee, even if that item is no longer timely. Even old, dried out flower arrangements have been left sitting on shelves waiting for someone to toss. We noted outdated paint colors on our walls, ceiling tiles that need to be reset or replaced and small repairs. These examples, having become so much a part of the building that we don t even see them, contribute to the worn out, tired appearance of our hall ways. We discovered, that although familiar to us, our building needs well designed and strategically placed signs indicating where the sanctuary, Wilson Hall, restrooms, classrooms and offices are located. Visitors coming for worship or an event can easily get turned around when trying to locate the restrooms, sanctuary or Wilson Hall. At this time, we see some large projects in the dream stage or underway for the sanctuary, such as placing monitors in the choir loft, creating handicap seating, and improving the heating and cooling systems. But there are many small acts of hospitality that can be done with little or no cost, which will make our building more appealing and welcoming. Just picking up after ourselves is a step in the right direction, keeping the heat and lights on in the hallways during the hours when members and visitors are using the building. Another simple project could be coordinating the bulletin boards to make them more effective and appealing. Making sure that items placed in the hallways, classrooms, narthex, restrooms and sanctuary have a purpose. I invite you to share your thoughts with Amy Vickers and myself as the co-chairpersons of the committee. We need to open our eyes to new possibilities at Arnolia. Youth Group Our Youth Group is comprised of young people grades 6 thru 12. We meet every other Sunday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM in the Youth Room. For more information, contact 12

13 Jarrett Rettman at or Allison Nelson at Birthday and/or Anniversary Missing in The Grapevine? We don t have your information. If you would like your birthday and/or anniversary published in the Grapevine, please call or the Church office at and let us know when your birthday and/or anniversary is. MARCH 1 Beverly Conrad 3 Drew Glorioso 4 Barbara Menegatti 6 Faith Hovatter 9 Susan Cheek 9 Nancy Green 10 Barbara Wentz 12 Joan Beaver 12 Bettie Hendrickson 12 Maggie Mumma 13 Anne Libis 17 Joan Walstrum 20 Richard Rampmeyer 24 Bonnie Winter 26 Stephen Rettman* 27 Todd Nelson 30 Peggy Hugus 31 Laura Finney APRIL 2 Elizabeth Turek 6 Ralph Wilson* 8 Reese Davis* 8 Matthew Walker 10 Frances Allen 11 Madeline Greenwood 11 Diego Menegatti* 16 Rich Krebs 17 Lilly Mae Knabe 19 Suzanne Boellner 19 Carole Rathmell 20 Bob Turner 22 Paul VanEssen* 23 Barbara Webster 24 Steven Mumma 30 Matthew Grauer 30 Marian Mothershed 30 Phyllis Wadsworth MARCH 6 Gary & Marlis Collins 45 years 7 Edward & Priscilla Calvert 51 years 16 Joan & Jim* Walstrum 30 years APRIL 8 Ralph* & Kathleen Wilson 43 years 9 Bob & Betty Turner 67 years Companion Care My name is Cindy and I live in the area. If you need someone to stay with an elderly or shut in loved one, I am available to help. I would watch TV, play cards, or sit and talk with them. I am available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, days or evenings. I can be reached at (please leave a message). Thank you. Please Note: ALL COMMITTEE MEETINGS - All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the chairperson or pastor. Electrical outage or weather concerns may also force a postponement. Meetings may be added or deleted depending on the amount of business needing to be done by each committee area. PLEASE check your or phone messages before leaving for any meeting in the event it has been changed. All changes will be made prior to the end of the office day (4:00 PM) whenever possible. Meetings begin at 7:30 PM unless noted otherwise.* 13

14 ARNOLIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Reverend Mary Ellen Glorioso, Pastor Times of Worship: Sunday 9:00 and 11:00 AM Sunday School for all Ages 9:30 AM ARNOLIA S LEADERS Council Chair: Bud Laumann Trustee Chair: Tim Hugus Staff Parish Chair: Janet Nelson Lay Leader: Craig Nickerson Finance/Stewardship Chair: Dick Disharoon Lay Leadership Chair: Mary Ellen Glorioso Worship Chair: Marlis Collins Missions/Evangelism/ Outreach: Ann Buckley Christian Education: Shannon McCreary Carter Board of Child Care: Beth Krebs Member Care: Carole Disharoon Prayer Chain: Kay Spriggs Shepherds: Carole Rathmell United Methodist Men: Larry Gowl WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS If you are scheduled to serve in March or April, please mark your calendar and arrive at designated time for each position. If you cannot fulfill your commitment on the day scheduled, please call another volunteer on the list, exchange dates and notify the office of the change. Your commitment to the positions listed is essential to our Sunday morning worship and fellowship. Worship Tech 9:00 AM Amy Vickers PowerPoint Presentation Allison Nelson Ushers 9:00 AM March Sandi Winkler and Linda Miller April Drennann Nickerson and George Hartig Communion Servers March Richard & Beth Krebs April Brian Carman and Marlis Collins *- 1 10:30 AM ** - 5 th Sunday Services 10:30 AM March Acolytes April Acolytes 6 Paula Pfeifer 3 Mike Pfeifer 13 Ed Calvert 10 Walt Hovatter 20 Dob Krebs 17 Beth Krebs 27 Joan Weitzel 24 Faith Hovatter March Readers April Readers 6 Ann Buckley 3 Paula Pfeifer 13 Tad Wolfe 10 Kay Spriggs 20 Mike Pfeifer 17 Ann Buckley 27 Dick Disharoon 24 Rich Krebs March Greeters 9:00 AM 11:00 AM 6 Barbara Conrad 6 Joan Walstrum 13 Betty Stewart 13 Paula Pfeifer 20 Christie Grape 20 Janice Lark 27 Karen Long 27 D Arcy Cook and Phyllis Wadsworth April Greeters 9:00 AM 11:00 AM 3 Wayne Grauer 3 Nancy Green 10 Madeline Greenwood 10 Paula Pfeifer 17 Christie Grape 17 Janice Lark 24 Karen Long 24 D Arcy Cook and Phyllis Wadsworth FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS LISTED FOR YEAR 2016 *Sunday meetings begin at the conclusion of the last service (approx. 15 minutes after worship ends) ** Afternoon Meetings begin at 1:30 PM *** Note the Change of Date All weekday meetings begin at 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted CHURCH COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS SCHEDULE FOR 2016 Church Council: Meeting Time: 7:30 PM Mar 15; May 10; July 12; Sept 13; Nov 15 Education: Meeting Time: 12:15 PM Apr 3; June 12; Aug 7 Family Life: Meeting Time: 12:15 PM Finance/Stewardship: Meeting Time: 7:30 PM Mar 8; May 3; July 5; Sept 6; Nov 7 Lay Leadership (Nominations): Meeting Time: 7:30PM Aug 9 Missions/Evangelism/Outreach: Meeting time: 12:15PM Apr 10; July 24; Oct 9 Shepherds: Meeting Time: 1:30 PM May 3; Oct 4 SPRC: Meeting Time: 7:30 PM May 9; Sept 12; Nov 8 Trustees: Meeting Time: 7:30 PM Apr 5; June 7; Aug 2; Oct 4; Dec 6 Worship: Meeting Time: 7:30 PM Mar 1; May 2; July 11; Sept 11; Nov 1 14