Thankfulness As A Way Of Life

Transcription

1 November 2018 Loch Raven United Methodist Church Thankfulness As A Way Of Life Saturday, November 3 Church Conference 10 AM at Northwood-Appold UMC (Northern Parkway and Coldspring Lane) Sunday, November 4 Daylight Savings Time Ends All Saints Day 10 AM Worship Service UMW Covered Dish Lunch Fellowship Hall following worship (see article on page 8) Sunday, November 11 Veterans Day Lunch Fellowship Hall following worship (see article on page 3) Tuesday, November 13 District Way Forward Session 7 PM at LRUMC Sunday, November 18 3 PM at LRUMC Pipes and Bells Concert (see article on page 2) Wednesday, November 21 Thanksgiving Eve Service 7 PM in Sanctuary As we approach Thanksgiving I pray that all have an enjoyable time with family and friends and that we take time to tell our loved ones how much we love them and how thankful we are to have them in our lives. It is a time where some see relatives they have not seen for months or years, while others share a meal with the people they see on an everyday basis. It is a time where we give thanks to God for the multitude of blessings we enjoy. Some may be in times of great abundance while others wonder how basic needs will be provided for. Some are in great health while others face a dire prognosis. Yet, regardless of our circumstance, if we look closely we can find so much to be thankful for. This is because thankfulness is not a once a year tally of how much we have acquired but a daily response to God s love and faithfulness to us. John 3:16 tells us For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. Therefore, we can be thankful even when things don t go the way we would like. Our thankfulness to be authentic to our Christian faith must stem from the cross and the fact that Jesus died for us. Because of Christ s death and resurrection through Christ we are new creations. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares So if anyone is in (Continued on page 3) Inside This Issue... Operation Christmas Child Page 4 Missions In Action LRUMC Food Pantry Page 6 65th and Counting Poinsettia Order Form Page 8 Page 9

2 November 2018 The Spire The Spire is published monthly (except July and August) by Loch Raven United Methodist Church, 6622 Loch Raven Boulevard, Baltimore, MD All signed articles, letters, announcements, and other information of interest are welcomed and considered for publication. The deadline for the December issue is Sunday, November 11, at 11:00 a.m. Electronic Submission: You may send articles by to: or place articles in the Church Office s newsletter box. Editor - Nancy Williams Lead Pastor Rev. George Winkfield Pastor of Congregational Care Rev. Wayne Harting Administrative Secretary Myra Wagner Church Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone: Fax: Office@LRUMC.org Change of Name/Address - Call, mail or church office or leave in mailbox in hallway outside the church office. Website: Visit us on FACEBOOK. Please join us at our first ever Pipes and Bells Concert on November 18th at 3:00! Patti Gould and Judy Zahren will be playing the organ and piano, Sam Chin will play his clarinet, and the Handbell Choir will be joining in the fun as well! The music program will feature upbeat music and last about 45 minutes. The whole event is family-and kidfriendly, so please bring your kids, grandkids, or any other special children in your life. Don't have any children to bring? That's okay! It's not just for kids - all ages will enjoy our musical selections. Following the music portion, we will provide an opportunity to take a closer look at the instruments. Then we will all head down to the Fellowship Hall for pizza, cookies, and crafts! This program is completely free and is a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to our church. Please support our musicians by attending this event - it's going to be a wonderful afternoon of music and fellowship! Volunteers are needed for greeting folks as they arrive, for monitoring the cookie and pizza stations and helping with the crafts. To volunteer see Debi Wynn. 2

3 The Spire November 2018 November 1 All Saints Day Church Color: White Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 24 (UMH 755) Revelations 21:1-6a John 11:32-44 UMC Lectionary Calendar November 2018 November 4 24th Sunday after Pentecost Church Color: Green Ruth 1:1-18 Psalm 146 (UMH 858) Hebrews 9:11-14 Mark 12:28-34 November 11 25th Sunday after Pentecost Church Color: Green Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 Psalm 127 or 42 (UMH 777) Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44 November 18 26th Sunday after Pentecost Bible Sunday Church Color: Green 1 Samuel 1: Samuel 2:1-10 or Psalm 113 (UMH 834) Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) Mark 13:1-8 November 22 Thanksgiving Day Church Color: White Joel 2:21-27 Psalm 126 (UMH 847) 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Matthew 6:25-33 November 25 Christ the King United Methodist Student Day Church Color: White 2 Samuel 23:1-7 Psalm 132:1-12 (UMH 849) Revelations 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37 Veterans Day Sunday November 11 By: Debi Wynn Following on the successful events of Lancaster s United Methodist Church and St. Paul s Church in Ellicott City, Loch Raven will include a recognition of veterans on November 11 during the church service followed by a lunch in their honor. To Loch Raven veterans we hope you will attend this Sunday. If you have a veteran in your family or community, please invite them and RSVP on the board in the lower entrance lobby. For veterans attending and for veterans not attending you would like to be recognized for this day, please submit a photo along with a brief description of the service years, branch served, locations of service and any experience you would like to share. Thankfulness As A Way Of Life (Continued from page 1) Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! Therefore, as new creations God allows us to forgive and to see new possibilities in people, situations and ourselves. Thankfulness is a way of life and it is a day-by-day reality. This is how the Apostle Paul could declare in Philippians 4:12-13, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. The scripture reveals that Christ gives us strength to be content and to be thankful. So as we spend time with family and friends over the holidays let us show our gratitude to God by inviting someone to our table who has nowhere to go or to feed someone who has no food. We should also keep a positive mindset and leave behind our cynicism and skepticism so thankfulness can be an everyday reality. Grace and Peace, Pastor George 3

4 November 2018 The Spire OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD SHOEBOX MINISTRY Declare HIS Glory Among The Nations! Since 1993, the Operation Christmas Child ministry has delivered more than 157 million shoebox gifts to children in some of the most remote places on earth. After receiving their shoebox gifts, many of the boys and girls participate in The Greatest Journey discipleship program. This 12-lesson story-based curriculum, available in over 80 languages, is taught by local volunteer teachers. The children come to know Christ, grow in faith, and learn how to share the Gospel with others. As you shop and pack your shoebox, please pray for the children who will be receiving your gifts. Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes will be available at the church while supplies last. The brochure, How to Pack Your Shoebox Gift, will be included inside each box. This pamphlet has specific instructions on what to pack in your box, a boy/girl label to attach to your box, and a detachable donation envelope. You may also use your own empty cardboard or plastic shoebox (average size). COL- LECTION SUNDAY WILL BE NOVEMBER 18TH. All boxes must be brought to church by 11:15 a.m. on or before that date. Together, with Samaritan s Purse, we can share the love of Jesus with children around the world. Let s spread the Good News! Suggested Items: School supplies Solar-powered calculator Small tool kit Puzzles Jump rope Marbles Binoculars/Compass Sewing kit Soccer ball with air pump Yo-Yo Etch-A-Sketch Toy cars/trucks Stuffed animals Doll & Doll Clothes Nerf ball Hairbrush/Comb Toothbrush Washcloth Bar soap Colorful band-aids Water bottle Flashlight (solar-powered or include extra batteries) Sunglasses Hair bows/clips Bracelets/Necklaces Flip-flops Socks Underwear Hat/Scarf/Mittens T-Shirt Tote bag Umbrella Yvonne Horn Missions Committee 4

5 The Spire November 2018 In Touch Ministry Special Prayer Requests Please refer to insert in Sunday bulletins for up-to-date information. Stay in Touch with some of our members who are not able to regularly attend church. Contact the church office for up-to-date information. November Birthdays 2 Nevaeh Kolb 4 Jan Hoener 5 Gary Smith Kathleen Frederick 7 Nicole Eklund-Mader 8 Talia Roehl-Jacobs 10 Sandi Cuthbert Erica Dixon 12 Sarah Fellerman 13 Dan Dorsey 16 Mary Lou Bryan 19 Tendai Ndlovu 21 Nancy Lacy Aaron Larrimore 23 Abena Aidoo 26 Reynold Small 30 Gabrielle Schwartz From the Mailbox Thank you so much for honoring me at LRUMC s 65th Anniversary celebration. I feel so blessed to still be part of our church. Thank you again for all of your prayers, visits and cards. Ardith Luttrell Membership Updates Address Change: Kemper Cline 1630 Michelle Court, Apt. C Forest Hill, MD Deborah Shelton 3201 Acton Road Baltimore, MD Withdrawn: Patricia Hinkel September 23, 2018 Seth Thomas October 4, 2018 Address Unknown: (Please let the office know of any current addresses of which you are aware.) Cathy Gansert Upcoming and Ongoing Mission Opportunities November 11 ACTC Thanksgiving Donations for basket gift cards. November18 Collection Date for your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox. Instead of sending individual Christmas cards to your church family, consider posting one card on our display board, and donate the money saved to Missions for Life Water Canada to help build and maintain wells in third world countries. To help better serve foodstarved individuals in our community, we will be collecting specific, non-perishable food items monthly for ACTC. Watch the Sunday Worship Bulletin for the most critical need. Collection of hotel-size toiletries for Essex UMC. There is a box for the items on the hospitality desk. This is an on-going collection. Sandwich making for Essex UMC 3rd or 4th Tuesday of every month. 5

6 November 2018 The Spire Missions In Action: LRUMC Food Pantry By Merrill Harrison Your mission dollars support a number of worthwhile projects locally, nationally, and internationally. Our focus this month is on our exciting new hands-on mission project: The Marty Marvel Memorial Food Pantry Marty Marvel, a long-time member of the Missions Committee, went home to the Lord on March 9, Feeding food-insecure people in our community was one of Marty s greatest passions. He served as a volunteer for the Assistance Center of Towson Churches (ACTC) ever since Loch Raven joined the consortium in the mid-nineties. He also served on their Board of Directors and was an executive vice president. Knowing that there are many individuals and families right here in our own community that are considered food insecure and to honor Marty s memory, the Missions Committee wanted to establish a food pantry here at the church. Earlier this year Church Council agreed to donate funds from an inheritance left to the church by Marty to launch our pantry. Since then the Missions Committee has worked with Rev. Winkfield to bring this dream to reality. We will be open the first and third Tuesday of each month. By partnering with the Maryland Food Bank we can purchase non-perishable food much more cheaply than any one of us could purchase from area retail stores. Funding for these items will come from the church budget and quarterly requests for monetary donations from the congregation. We are excited to announce that we hope to open our pantry on Tuesday, November 6, but we can t do it alone; we need volunteers to be Jesus hands-on representatives to serve our clients: Food Pick Up (from Maryland Food Bank need truck or van; Rev. Winkfield has volunteered to be our primary pick up & deliverer, but we will need some back ups) Food Set up Greeters / Registrars Room Hosts and Hostesses Room Re-Set Grant Writers If interested please contact the church office, Merrill Harrison, Linda Cole or Jim Harvill. We will provide monthly updates in the Spire. Please note, we will continue to provide opportunities for you to donate monthly food stuffs to ACTC based on their critical food needs. The Missions Committee goal is to offer a variety of giving and hands-on projects throughout the year in which you can participate. Do not feel pressured to give to all of them. Give to those that you are able or are of interest to you, but in any case, please pray for the people and ministries we serve. 6

7 The Spire November 2018 United Methodist Student Day November 25, 2018 Together, we educate students so they can make a difference in the world. United Methodist Student Day furnishes scholarships and loans for students attending United Methodist-related and other accredited colleges and universities. Across the country, the people of The United Methodist Church are serving the people God loves in Jesus name. We re doing it at home, but so often we d like to do more. We want to serve those in other places who are suffering. We want to offer spiritual words of hope and life. And we want to be well-equipped to do both! But the reality for most of us is that our responsibilities home, family, work don t allow us to engage with every need we d like to meet. Right now there are UMC young people who might not have had the resources to attend a school of their choice, or, for some, any school at all who ve been sent by you into the world God loves because of your giving to United Methodist Student Day. When you give generously you are support these students as they prepare for a life that unites faith with knowledge. When you support United Methodist Student Day, you make it possible for students to serve the world God loves. So although you can t meet every need you d like to, your giving allows members of Christ s body to do it in Jesus name. What no one person or congregation can do alone, we re doing together. Together We re Raising Up Gifted Christian Leaders. For more information on this special giving opportunity, go to: Special Giving Sundays in 2019: Human Relations Day Sunday January 20 UMCOR / One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday March 31 Native American Ministries Sunday May 5 Peace with Justice Sunday June 16 World Communion Sunday October 6 United Methodist Student Day Sunday November 24 Altar Flower Sign-Up Please make every effort to sign up a month in advance, as the order with Radebaugh Florist is placed the first of the month. If you sign up for flowers, please pick them up after the service or designate who should receive them. If you have questions, contact Judy Zahren ( or jzahren@comcast.net). 7

8 November th and Counting By: Debi Wynn Traveling from Frederick, West Virginia, Reisterstown, Timonium, Oakcrest, and as far as New Zealand, Loch Raven alumni and current attendees joined together for the 65th anniversary. This Sunday also was an anniversary for St. Paul s Ghana Methodist Church members, their 17th anniversary. It was a joy to have this church participate in worship with Loch Raven and we thank the Ghana Choir for singing and adding to the music of the morning. Founding pastor family Rev. and Mrs. Doggett and son Kim and Rev. and Mrs. Fringo and family attended and shared that Rev. Fringo subbed for Rev. Doggett on a summer Sunday morning long before he became a Loch Raven staff member several decades later. Messages sent by Loch Raven ministers unable to attend were shared. Charter Member Ardith Luttrell is our link to Loch Raven s first service and she shared what the church means to her. Among the alumni attending, following up on previously attended anniversaries, was Lisa Haynes, Sunday School teacher Martha Vohrer, Peggy Smith, Susan Petry, who came with her dad and it was nice to see him back at church, and the farthest traveler of the day was Owen Williams s sister Vesta. And not skipping a beat since her years as Loch Raven s always in motion Program Director, Arlene Ruckle was caught in action working this lunch clearing the table of dishware. Many thanks to Pastor George, Rev. Harting, Sam Chin and Patti Gould for creating a memorable worship service, to Amy Price for coordinating the lunch and creating the fall table décor, to Jennifer Webster and Nancy Gillotti for their help setting up and cleaning up the dining area, to Jan Hoener and Patti Ferguson for their program participation and to Isabel Burrell for serving as welcome back staff greeter, and many thanks to Myra Wagner for her reservation organization. And a special thanks to St. Paul s Ghana Methodist Church member Solomon and another member he recruited as they carried tables from Fellowship Hall to the Auditorium. That muscle help was very much appreciated! As we head towards the 70th anniversary, let s continue to honor the past as we engage the future to Imagine, Envision, and Inspire with God s guiding words and love The Spire United Methodist Women November Schedule Women in Christ Circle Monday, November 5 7:30 PM Room 202 Study: When Faith Is All You Have Lesson 5 When Faith Seems Absent Study: Amy Devotions: Jen Hostess: Joann Phyllis Downes Circle Tuesday, November 6 10:00 AM Parlor Study: Chapter 10 GENERAL MEETING Sunday, November 4 Following the morning worship service Covered Dish Luncheon Bring a dish whatever you wish! Program: Operation Christmas Child 8

9 The Spire November 2018 Tree Name Contest By: Debi Wynn Many thanks to everyone who submitted a name for the little evergreen tree planted for Earth Day. Fourteen names were received. The winning entry The Doggett Tree in honor of Loch Raven s founding pastor. SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, December 1 at 6PM THE DOGGETT TREE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING It s time to be thinking of beautifying our sanctuary for the joyous season of Christmas. If you would like to place a poinsettia in the church in honor or in memory of a loved one, please fill in the form below and return it to the Church Office by Sunday, December 9. We cannot accept orders unless accompanied by full payment. Plants may be picked up after morning worship on Sunday, December 23 or after the Christmas Eve service on Monday, December 24. POINSETTIA ORDER FORM Name: Phone: Address: In Honor Of: In Memory of: To The Glory: # of Plants: RED $13.00 each Plants are 6 pots 1 plant per pot 5-6 blooms per plant # of Plants: RED & WHITE MIX $23.00 each Plants are 6½ pots 2 plants per pot blooms per pot Please check one of the following: I will donate the plant to the church for a homebound member I will pick up the plant after morning worship on Sunday, December 23 or after the Christmas Eve service on Monday, December 24 9