Ash Wednesday & Covenant Renewal Service

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1 Argos United Methodist Church From Pastor Heather Jesus, let me be your servant Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, which are the days of preparation for Easter. It is a time of putting our relationship with God in right perspective. The ashes from last year s palm branches are a sign of our mortality and regret of sin. We wear them in recognition of our great need for Jesus and our inability to live up to God s standard through our own power and desire. I believe this is a good time also to reaffirm our commitment to God using John Wesley s Covenant Prayer. A covenant is a commitment to be in enduring, mutually beneficial relationship with one another. In baptism, we respond to God s invitation to be in covenant relationship with him, exchanging love and service. Similarly, a marriage covenant is a commitment between two people to love and serve one another. The invitation to renew our covenant prompts us to consider the scope of what it means to belong to Christ and serve him wholly. Christ has many services to be done. Some are more easy and honorable, others are more difficult and disgraceful. Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests, others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves. But then there are other works where we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. The covenant prayer repeats the declaration from our baptisms that Jesus is our Lord and Head. We vow to continue giving up our own worthiness, wisdom and will for that of his and to reorder our whole lives according to his direction. This provides us right focus and we move into our Lenten study on allowing grace to help us clean up the messes in our lives (see more on page 3.) Wesley found this annual renewal service rich and meaningful, calling it a time of remarkable blessing. As I continue to grow in discipleship, more and more putting God at the center of my life, I have received blessings through reminders of the great gift God has given me through Jesus Christ and of the significance of the commitment I have made. I invite you to take this step with me and participate in the Ash Wednesday / Covenant Renewal on February 14th at 7:00pm. It can be transforming. Grace and peace to you, Heather Ash Wednesday & Covenant Renewal

2 PAGE 2 February 2018 Greeters: February 4 & 11: Jim & Sandy Ringer Visitor Greeter: Janet Gochenour February 18 & 25: Monte & Barb McCollough Ushers: Orion DeRuiter, Jeff Gibbons, Jeff Gonce, and Dave Shivers Offering Counters: Jiggs & Jerry Sound: Hank Ullery Worship Leaders Acolytes Nursery Feb. 4: Joe Krom Mat & Makenzie Smith Jessie Dixon Feb. 11: Jerry Gates Mat & Makenzie Smith Shelley Shafer Feb. 18: Warren Casper Barb Brown & Kathy Casper Portia Wampler Feb. 25: Connie Lemler Barb Brown & Kathy Casper Darleen VanDerWeele Children s Church Feb. 4: Kathy Casper & Jodie Vermillion Feb. 11: Jessica Dixon & Janice Cooper Feb. 18: Cindy Taber & Elizabeth Beatty Feb. 25: Tracey Leeper & Tausha Kline In order for our services to run smoothly, it is important that all positions are filled. If you are unable to fulfill your obligation, please find someone to take your place. Thank you for your service. SENIORS NEEDED Real is in needed of seniors who would like to come have lunch and visit together Monday Friday at the B & R Building down town. The doors open at 9:30 for games and conversation, and lunch is at 11:30. You will need to call the day before to ensure you will get a meal. There is no set cost, but donations are appreciated. The group also celebrates birthday and other special events. So if you are over 60 and available at this time of the day, they would be happy to have you join them. Our Prayers and sympathies to: The family and friends of Charlotte Lambert. Charlotte passed away on January 12. The family of Jim Davis. Jim passed away on January 24. Congratulations to: Kelli Shei on the birth of her grandson, Parker Lewis Nunemaker (Adam & Alisha), on December 26, Mama Erica, sister Kaycee, grandparents Brad and Erin, great grandma Cheryl, and aunt Beth on the birth of Kayden Ray Hamlin, on January 6, 2018.

3 PAGE 3 A Church-Wide Initiative of Worship & Study for Lent February 18 March 25 Often we make a mess of our lives and wonder if there is any hope for change. During the season of Lent, you are invited to join with the whole church in dealing with our messes so that more of God s image is revealed in us. Using the book, Restored: finding redemption in our mess, pastor Tom Berlin helps us see our mess through the eyes of Christ to find redemption and restoration. Using Scripture, prayer, and great storytelling, Berlin encourages reflection and meditation through our own brokenness. Only then can we focus on the cross as the place where we truly surrender control, leave our mess, and find redemption. Purchase a Study Book Now! Read a chapter a week for six weeks as this easy-to-read book leads us to identify our mess, take responsibility for it and seek God s grace to make us new again. Books will be provided at a reduced charge of $7 each. Books can be purchased on Sundays, Feb 4 & 11 or at the church office. Plan to Attend Worship and Join a Weekly Small Group From February 18 March 25, hear a worship message on transformation, watch a 10 minute video in the CLC at 11:00am, and join a small group that will meet weekly for group discussion and prayer.

4 ARGOS UNITED METHODI ST CHURCH PRESCHOOL NEWS 3 and 4 year old class experimenting and discovering in the water bins. They are using the new water cover ups we bought with fundraiser money. They did not want to stop and go home! Pre-K class making fake magic snow. Everyone really enjoyed the indoor snowball fight we had this month too with clean rolled up white socks J We do a lot of counting snowballs in that activity. You Matter You know those projects that make you feel as if you re spinning your wheels and you re going to lose whatever hair you have left? Cheryl Rice was working on one of those projects at work. She was frustrated. She felt stalled. She was dejected. Then a colleague gave her a card that changed everything. Often when we re going through a rough time, we feel alone, and just having someone notice and understand makes all the difference between feeling invisible and feeling loved and supported. For Cheryl, that card bearing just two little words is what made her realize she wasn t alone. The two words? You Matter. Cheryl told me she teared up when she read the message. I ve struggled at times with my own selfworth, and when I received the card, it felt like a question I carry around with me had been answered. I matter. That expression from her to me filled me up. Cheryl was so touched by the gesture that she ordered 100 of her own cards to give away, first to family and friends and then to acquaintances. Eventually, she also started leaving cards in strategic locations to brighten strangers days in the credit card holders at gas pumps, in library books, on car windshields. Who can you pass a You Matter card on to???

5 ARGOS UNITED METHODI ST CHURCH LIBRARY This month s book is the fourth and last book in the Four Seasons series by Catherine Palmer and Gary Chapman. The name of the book is Winter turns to Spring. They knew it wouldn t last forever, but they never expected their marriage to be over almost before it began. When Brad finds an adorable puppy abandoned near the local pub, he thinks it might be just what he and Ashley need to grow closer. While the neighbors of Deepwater Cove are concerned about the newlyweds, they ve got bigger worries on their minds. Conditions are icy, and Cody Goss is terrorizing the street in an effort to earn his driver s license. Though Derek Finley has volunteered to teach Cod to drive, it still leaves everyone running for their lives and desperately trying to protect their mailboxes. Just when it s least expected, a late-winter storm descends on the bustling town and everything comes to a screeching halt. When the wail of emergency sirens pierces the still air, the neighbors wonder who could possibly be in trouble now. The promise of spring seems just around the corner if only everyone can survive this last winter blast! SHEPHERD S PANTRY New volunteers would be appreciated to help on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings. If you would like to volunteer contact either Patsy Singrey at or the church office. Pantry hours: Tuesday 9:00-11:00 & Thursday 5:30-6:30. Items that are needed at this time are: shampoo, soups, and corn. Remember, each person is encouraged to bring one item each Sunday. FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS BUDGET Amount needed each month to make budget is $14,022. The amount collected in January, with one week to go is $10,459. PRAYER FOR HEALING Barb Callahan Bonnie Grossman Julia Umbaugh Erin Beatty Baylee Overmyer Sam Clemens 3 Tommy Clampffer 5 Katie Ortiz 10 Ryan Gillispie 11 Oliver Haste 14 Sandy Stiles 16 Terry Thompson 17 Amee Stone 25 Anita Krom SERVICE PERSONS Jeremy Hinkle John Cooley Scott Wagner Chad Wagner

6 ARGOS UNITED METHODI ST CHURCH Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Barry & Portia 2 3 7:30 N.A :00 Boy Scout 6 Rita 7 5:30 Prayer 6:30 FCJ 8 Val & Barb Mc :00 Boy Scout 7:00 Preschool 7:00 Staff Parish 6:00 Scouts :30 Care Team 13 Clara 6:30 Worship 7:30 Finance 20 Patsy 7:00 Trustees 14 7:00 Ash Wed. 21 5:30 Prayer 28 7:00 Missions 7:30 N.A-Kathy 15 Dale & Janelle 7:00 Council 7:30 N. A. 22 Tom & Barb 7:30 N.A.-Patsy Janet 5:30 Prayer

7 Methodist Monitor 570 N. Michigan Argos, IN Phone: February is the shortest month of the year, one of the coldest months of the year, and one when the days still have more darkness than light. Doesn t sound like a month to be excited about. Maybe it would be a good month to pull the covers over your head and hibernate. But wait. Did you know that this short, old, dark month is also the month of several minor holidays? What? Yes, there are six, count them six holidays you can celebrate. On February 2 is Groundhog Day, February 13 is Shrove Tuesday (also called Fat Tuesday), February 14 is Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday, February 16 is Chinese New Year, and February 19 is Presidents Day. Throw off those covers, and get going lots of things to do in February. Be sure to remember to safe plenty of time to spend with God!